CHAP. XXVI. English affairs-Ormond's proceedings--Rupert's conduct--Siege of Dublin-Battle of Rathmines Operations elsewhere--Siege of DerryArrival of Cromwell-Storm of Drogheda-Progrefs of Cromwell's arms-Ormond's proceedings-Taking of Wexford-Progress of Cromwell-Operations of Ormond--Oppofition to OrmondRevolt of Inchiquin's troops-Siege of KilkennySiege of Clonmel-Departure of Cromwell-Progrefs of Ireton-Successes of Hewfon-Reduction of Waterford, Duncannon, &c.-Victories of Coote in Ulfter -Danger of the western counties. CHAP. FROM XXVI. English affairs. ROM the moment that the parliamentarians were undifputed masters of England, they found themfelves divided, according to the natural course of human affairs, into two parties, the prefbyterians and independents. As the prefbyterians, in aiming at a purer system of religion than that of the established church, had rejected prelates, liturgies, and ceremonies; fo the independents, affecting a still more exalted purity, admitted no creeds, fyftems, forms, nor other qualification of a minifter of the Gospel than the voluntary election of him to that office by a congregation voluntarily affociated; and, contrary contrary to the practice of all other chriftian fects CHAP. at that time, they adopted the reasonable doctrine XXVI. of toleration, not from reafon, which must seem extraordinary, but from the very extravagance of irregular fanaticifm, naturally confidering thofe variations, in which they indulged themselves, permiffible to others. Yet they were hostile to popery and prelacy, which they regarded as of a spirit tending to fuperftition. Their plan of civil government was a completely democratic republic, admitting no privileges of birthright, or fuperiority of rank. The leaders of the independents, particularly Oliver Cromwell, had contrived by a deep scheme of dissimulation, before the king's decifive overthrow, to model the army, in the forming of new companies and regiments of the fame men, with new officers, in fuch manner as to put the whole military force into the hands of their own party. On the completion of their victory by the captivity of their monarch, the parliament, compofed chiefly of prefbyterians, refolved to prevent the dangerous defigns of the military leaders by difbanding a part of the army, and fending another part to Ireland. But thefe leaders, fupported by their troops, refifted the orders, and, feizing the king, whom they treated with apparent refpect, advanced to London, and by a new model of the parliament reduced that body to fubmiffion. Cromwell, the mainspring of the army's operations, contrived to caufe the king, by raising apprehenfions of defigns againft his life, to withdraw fecretly to the ile of Wight. Difcontents were so great and XXVI. CHAP. and general at the ufurpation of the government by a junto of officers, that a confederacy was formed by great numbers in England with the Scots for the monarch's restoration; and the parliament, recovering its liberty by the abfence of the army from London, in this new civil war, fent commiffioners to treat with the captive prince at Newport in Wight. But while this treaty was in difcuffion, the army of the independents, having vanquished every where their opponents, bent their march to the capital, fent a remonftrance to the parliament demanding the king's death; and, again taking poffeffion of London, excluded by force from the legislative affembly all who were not of their own party. The unfortunate monarch, having been carried from Wight to Hurst caftle by command of the ruling faction, was brought to trial, on the charge of a newly invented fpecies of treason, the levying of war on his people, before what was ftyled a high court of justice, and was beheaded amid the lamentations of the greater part of his fubjects, on the thirtieth of January 1649; an event of momentous inftruction to kings and nations; to the former, to use their power with caution and a regard to justice; to the latter, to bear the evils of an established government, rather than to incur the ftill greater of revolution and the tyranny of a ufurping faction. Ormond's proceed inge. So great and general was the indignation in Ireland at the king's murder, that the nuncio left the king149. dom, defpairing of being able to prevent the union of the confederate catholics with the proteftant royalifts under the lord lieutenant; but he continued fome XXVI. fome time, by letters from France, to enflame the CHAP. Irish clergy for that purpose. Ormond, having visited prince Rupert, who had arrived at Kinfale with the revolted fquadron fo long expected, received in his return at Youghal the melancholy news of the deed committed by the military junto, and immediately proclaimed the prince of Wales king under the name of Charles the fecond. Endeavouring to combine a force for the fupport of his new fovereign, he made overtures to the commanders of the feveral armies, who with different views, religions, and paffions, were stationed in different parts of the country. Owen O'Neal, though he adhered to the nuncio's party, confented to negociate; but an accommodation was prevented by the commiffioners of truft, who dreaded this leader. Michael Jones was inflexibily attached to the power which then ruled the English nation; and Sir Charles Coote, who, with parliamentarian troops, occu→ pied the poft of Derry, returned no fatisfactory an fwers. The British forces of Ulfter, abhorring both the king's murderers and the confederate Irish, after fome hesitation, declared for the royalifts, and blockaded Coote. The confederate catholics had engaged to furnish the lord lieutenant with fifteen thousand foot and two thousand five hundred cavalbut maintenance could not be procured for fuch a number. Of fixty thousand pounds applotted for this purpose, no part had been collected, when he was required by circumftances to enter upon action. In his applications to the cities and corporate towns, which, like fo many petty republics, granted or VOL. I. denied ry; XXVI. CHAP. denied contributions, according to their pleasure, without regard to the orders of the general affembly, he obtained from Waterford feven thousand pounds by a mortgage of the royal rents and cuftoms; a promife of five thoufand from Limerick, and as much from Galway; but the fecurities were with reluctance accepted, and the money paid flowly. Conduct of Procecd iugs of Jones Actuated by fome finifter motives, prince Rupert, commander of the revolted fquadron, not only declined to afford affiftance to Ormond, but also by fecret practices embarrassed and obftructed his plans of operation. He detained the money which he had been commanded to furnish: he refufed to blockade the port of Dublin or of Derry: he corresponded with Antrim, O'Neal, and other anti-royalist Irish : by promifing encouragement to all who were willing to serve the king" in an oppofite way to the present government," he excited a turbulent fpirit in Connaught, repreffed with difficulty by Clanricarde he formed schemes for the raifing of troops in the fouth, which, when discovered by Ormond, he was afhamed to avow and, having obtained a thoufand catholics for the manning of his fleet, he fhewed fuch partiality in their favour, that they were encouraged to infult the proteftants in the fea ports, and to raife fuch commotions as could fcarcely be allayed by all the prudent exertions of Inchiquin. This conduct of Rupert was of fignal fervice to Michael Jones, governor of Dublin, who, from the dread of difaffection in his garrifon, had, some time before, imprifoned and fent to England fome of his officers, was ftill, on good grounds, appre hensive |