LXI. CHAP captured, including the strong town of Athboy, under the very eyes of O'Neill. 1647 Nov. 13. victory near Mallow. O'Neill was the less able to offer resistance as Inchiquin's he had weakened himself by the despatch of Alaster Macdonald into Munster to assist Lord Taafe, the general of the Confederates, in making head against the victorious Inchiquin.1 On November 13, however, Inchiquin defeated the combined army in the neighbourhood of Mallow. As at Dungan Hill the struggle on the field was followed by a butchery, no quarter being given to any but the officers. Even this distinction did not avail Alaster Macdonald. The strong man whose swashing blows had stemmed the tide of war at Auldearn2 was negotiating for a surrender, when an officer of Inchiquin's basely stabbed him in the back, and stretched him dying on the ground.3 Nov. 12. The General Assembly despondent. Talk of a Protector of Ireland. Such a flood of disaster necessarily produced a deep feeling of despondency at Kilkenny, where the General Assembly was again in session. For some time there had been a talk of offering the Protectorate of Ireland to a foreign prince, and for this office Rinuccini would have selected the Pope or some Catholic sovereign acting under the Pope's influence. The old party of peace was, however, too strong for the Nuncio. The General Assembly now restored to their places in the Supreme Council many who had been ejected and imprisoned by him a year before. It also insisted, in spite of his objections, on 1 The late Successful Proceedings of the Army, E. 412, 4; Lord Leicester's MS. fol. 1,738 b-1,739 b. 2 See vol. ii. 186. 3 Inchiquin to Lenthall, Nov. 18, A true Relation, E. 418, 6; Rinuccini's Nunziatura, 268. In his letter of Nov. 23 (Nunziatura, 265) he does not commit himself so far, but his subsequent letters show what his wishes were. AN IRISH COALITION. 355 CHAP. 1647 sioners sending three commissioners to France with the twofold object of inviting the Prince of Wales to Ireland, in accordance with the proposal which had commisbeen made through Winter Grant,' and of coming to sent to an agreement with the Queen on terms of peace which France, might supersede those formerly arranged with Ormond.2 Rinuccini was the more dissatisfied as two of the commissioners, Lord Muskerry and Geoffrey Browne were his opponents, and the only one on whose goodwill he could count was the Marquis of Antrim. The influence of the Nuncio, however, was still considerable enough to enable him to exact a promise from the Assembly that, as far as religion was concerned, nothing should be accepted which had not the sanction of the Pope, and to obtain the appointment of two other commissioners of his own and to selection to negotiate at Rome.3 Rome. Feb. of the sioners. Barry's It was not till February that the two parties of 1648 commissioners left Ireland. At the end of that month Departure Colonel Barry landed at Cork with instructions commisfrom Ormond-who had now been for some time in France-to bring the Royalist party in Ireland into mission. active co-operation with that large party amongst the Confederates which was more or less openly hostile to the Nuncio. changes Before making for Kilkenny, Barry stopped to Inchiquin have an interview with Inchiquin. In spite of the sides. ferocity he had exhibited against his Catholic fellowcountrymen, Inchiquin had for some time been preparing to change sides. He had far more in common with the great Irish landowners who formed the main support of the Royalist party amongst the Con 1 See p. 348. 3 Rinuccini's Nunziatura, 263–293. 2 See vol. ii. 424. LXI. 1648 March. CHAP. federates, than with Jones on the one hand or Rinuccini on the other. He had also taken alarm at the Vote of No Addresses as implying a defiance to his A cessation own class as well as to the King. Accordingly, he received Barry with open arms, and gave him authority to negotiate between himself and the Confederates a cessation of arms which might afterwards be converted into open co-operation in the King's name.1 to be negotiated. March 28. The news reaches West minster. On March 28 the ominous tidings that negotiations were on foot reached Westminster.2 On April 13 further news arrived which confirmed the April 13. Worst fears. Inchiquin had, on April 3, declared. openly for the King and for an alliance with the Scots and the Irish Confederates, and had also notified to his officers that those who refused to support his new policy must leave the country. Inchiquin's revolt known. April 25. Bad news from Scotland. Before long news still more depressing arrived from Scotland. Whatever hope Cromwell may have entertained of averting an invasion by an understanding with Argyle and the Kirk had now to be April 11. definitely abandoned. On April 11 the Scottish Demands of the Scottish Parlia ment. Parliament voted that the treaty between the two kingdoms had been broken, and that a demand should be made for the establishment of the Presbyterian religion in England, and the suppression of heresy and the Book of Common Prayer. It also voted that the English Parliament should be asked to open a negotiation with the King in the hope of obtaining his consent to these terms, and should disband 1 Philopater Irenæus (i.e. John O'Callaghan), Vind. Cath. Hib. 58. All that was published was a letter from Inchiquin's officers declaring that they must be fetched home to England unless supplies were sent; but Grignon, in his despatch of April, speaks of Inchiquin as having already joined the Catholics. 3 L.J. x. 161, 189; Papers against Lord Inchiquin, E. 435, 33. MOVEMENTS IN SOUTH WALES. 357 CHAP. 1648 Fairfax's army of sectaries. On the 18th the Parliament, in expectation of a refusal of these demands, proceeded to name colonels of the regiments about to be raised in the several counties for service against officers. the enemies of religion.1 April 18. It names Proposed From Wales, too, the news had for some time been alarming. Early in March hopes had been March. entertained that the troops raised by Laugharne to disbandfight during the last war on the side of Parliament ment of would suffer themselves to be quietly disbanded. A troops. THE WAR IN SOUTH WALES. Laugh arne's Poyer's considerable party of them, however, now went off in the direction of Pembroke, giving intimation of their approach to Poyer. On March 23, Poyer, sure of March 23. their support, sallied out of the castle and chased sally. out of the town the Parliamentary officer, Colonel Fleming, with the soldiers under his command.2 1 Acts of the Parl. of Scotl. vi. part ii. 23, 30. 2 A Bloody Slaughter, E. 433, 5; The Kingdom's Weekly Intelligencer, E. 434, 26; Prince Charles's Letter, E. 434, 27; Perf. Occur. rences, E. 522, 11; Rushw. vii. 1,039. CHAP. 1648 Poyer's activity. Colonel Horton to disband Laugharne's regiments. A combination against England. Poyer was encouraged by this success to more active operations. Sweeping over Pembrokeshire he levied men and contributions, and only just failed in carrying off the Parliamentary commissioners as prisoners to Pembroke. He succeeded in getting possession of Tenby Castle, and was emboldened to issue a proclamation in which he declared openly for the King and the Book of Common Prayer.1 At Westminster there was grave anxiety as to the attitude of Laugharne's regiments. Colonel Horton was despatched by Fairfax with reinforcements to superintend the disbandment, for, though both soldiers and officers gave fair promises, they might easily be carried away by the enthusiasm of Poyer's good fortune to resist a government known to them mainly by the taxes which it levied.2 As April wore on it became clear that Horton would have more enemies to deal with than the mere garrisons of Pembroke and Tenby. Laugharne's men took what payment they could get and left their ranks; but as soon as they were disbanded they for the most part placed themselves under Poyer's orders.3 In so doing they were encouraged by Colonel Powel, one of Laugharne's principal officers, though Laugharne himself for the present abstained from action. On April 17 Horton wrote that he had arrived at Neath, and that an immediate action was expected. In Wales, as in Ireland and Scotland, Charles hoped to draw to his own profit the not unnatural reluctance of the population to submit to the predominance of England. Yet neither his character nor his position fitted him to appear as the champion 1 Perf. Occurrences, E. 522, 17; The Declaration of Col. Poyer, E. 435, 9. 3 Ib. E. 522, 20. 2 A Perf. Diurnal, E. 522, 15. |