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After the cessation with the confederate Irish of the 15th September, 1643, Lord Inchiquin sent to the King before the middle of October, two regiments to Bristol, and two more in November, which were followed by a fifth in December. Waiting on the King at Oxford, his Lordship did not question but that his merits and services would have procured him a grant of the Presidency of Munster, for which he was also recommended by Lord Ormond, who represented that the investing of him therewith would be much for the advantage of the King's service in those parts. But by an intrigue of the Earl of Portland, who was desirous of obtaining the office, Lord Inchiquin was unsuccessful. Feeling that suspicions were entertained of his fidelity, and hearing that Lord Portland was coming to take possession of his command, Lord Inchiquin resolved not to serve under his rival, nor indeed under any man but the Marquis of Ormond; and unwilling at so critical a period, and from a distinguished station to be reduced to a private and inconsiderable condition, he determined to maintain his power; to break the cessation, and to carry on the war under the direction of the English Parliament.

This is the account given by Lord Clarendon ; but Lord Inchiquin assigned another reason for this his defection, which was the manifest partiality of the King's party to the Irish, particularly at the treaty with their commissioners at Oxford, concerning a peace, the ruinous measures they evidently strove to take for their own exaltation, and the destruction of the Protestant party.

Lord Inchiquin now became devoted to the English Parliament, and openly declared his resolution on the 17th July, 1644; strongly remonstrating against the cessation. Being joined by Lord Broghill, they had under their command a con

siderable body of men, and asserting that the Irish had applied to foreign princes for supplies, that they would not make peace on reasonable terms, and intended to surprise all the English garrisons, they drove the Roman Catholic magistrates and inhabitants out of Cork, [see page 28, and note XI.] Youghall and Kinsale, allowing them to take only such goods as they could carry, and seized their provisions and other effects. This revolt occasioned some severe expostulations between Lord Inchiquin and the Marquis of Ormond; but to no effect, as Lord Inchiquin was determined not to hazard himself or his friends, by re-admitting the excluded · inhabitants. For this conduct the Parliament constituted Inchiquin Lord President of Munster, but without sending him supplies, which obliged his lordship to make a temporary cessation with the Irish until the following spring, when Lord Castlehaven renewed the war. Notwithstanding that Lord Inchiquin had received no support from England, he was obliged to take the field with 1000 horse and 1500 foot, in April, 1645; but his operations were confined to the capture of a few castles between Cork and Youghall, and putting that district under contribution. In 1647 Lord Inchiquin, with an increased force, reduced two or three places of strength upon the river Blackwater, and after investing Dungarvan, that town was surrendered to him on the 10th of May. Want of provisions obliged Lord Inchiquin to return to Cork; but being reinforced by the Parliament, he proceeded into the County of Tipperary in the September following. Caher surrendered to him; but Fethard and the Rock of Cashel his Lordship took by storm, at which latter place he is accused of having given no quarter. "So that," says Lord Castlehaven," within and without the church, there was a

great massacre, and amongst others more than twenty Priests and religious men were killed;" among them possibly the Salamanca students, whom M. le Gouz had lectured. [See p. 17.] Unpopular, however, as Lord Inchiquin appears to have been in 1644, when he was stiled "the pest of his country," this act causes his name to be execrated at the present hour in Ireland, and appears indelibly impressed on the memory of the Irish peasantry of Munster.

On the 13th of November, in the same year [1647], Inchiquin obtained an important and decisive victory over the Irish army, commanded by Lord Taaffe, at Knocknenoss, to the west of Mallow, in which more than one-third of the Irish engaged are reported to have been left dead on the field. In this battle fell Sir Alexander M'Donnell (Kolkitto), or Mac Allisdrum as he is popularly called in Ireland, who, it is said with "most of his men, were put to the sword in cold blood; an action which in a great measure tarnished the glory of so complete a victory." For this service the Parliament voted 10,000l. to be sent to Munster, and a letter of thanks to Lord Inchiquin with a present of 1,000l. to his Lordship.

Immediately after this battle, and the delivery of Dublin to the commissioners of the Parliament by the Marquis of Ormond, Lord Inchiquin perceiving that the monarchy and constitution of England were about to be overturned, regretted his having attached himself to the destructive party, and commenced a correspondence with Ormond whilst he continued in England. In January, 1647-8, Lord Inchiquin sent a remonstrance to Parliament, and in the following month made a successful expedition into the Counties of Waterford and Kilkenny.

"But his design of promoting the King's service being sus

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vected by some of his officers, they formed a plot to seize Lork and Youghall, whilst his lordship was abroad with the army; which conspiracy (though discovered and prevented, and the chief contrivers seized and imprisoned by order of a council of war, and all the officers sworn to stand by him, and

be true to one another) discovered his designs too early, end caused the Parliament by their ships, to block up the harbours of Cork, Youghall and Kinsale; of which event he sent immediate notice to the Marquis of Ormond, earnestly pressing his return with supply of money, if he could, if not, without it, as his presence was absolutely necessary, and would make the King master of the provinces of Leinster and Munster.

“The Marquis being disabled to comply with his request, and soon after flying into France, his lordship held a close correspondence with him, and frankly promised to receive him into Munster as the King's Lord Lieutenant; that the province and the army should pay him all obedience; and in order to his reception, he would make a cessation with the Irish to bring about a firm conjunction of the whole kingdom to the King. But before the Marquis could arrive to embrace this generous proposal (being detained by the specious promises of Cardinal Mazarin), Cromwell had got Philip, Lord Lisle, son of Robert, Earl of Leicester, to be sent into Ireland Lord Lieutenant, with a commission for a limited time; who landed in Munster with an intent to destroy the Lord Inchiquin's reputation and command there; but his commission terminating 13th April, 1648, before he could effect it, he left his lordship in the command of the whole English army there, which was a better body of men than the Parlia

ment had in any other part of the kingdom, and in greater reputation than ever; which army he had preserved with wonderful dexterity, expecting every day the arrival of the Marquis, and every day informing the Parliament of the ill condition he was in, and pressing for a supply of men and money, when he knew they would send neither.

"At last the Marquis arrived, and landing at Cork, 29th September, 1648, his lordship received him as the King's Lieutenant (having as proposed concluded, May 22, a cessation with the Irish), whereby he became possessed of the whole province of Munster. For which signal service, Lord Inchiquin (14th April, 1649) was voted a traitor by the Parliament; but by the King's letter from the Hague, was appointed President of Munster."

In the June following Lord Inchiquin, after a short skirmish with Colonel Chidley Coote, in which his lordship exhibited considerable military skill, took Drogheda; nearly the whole of the garrison of which town joined Lord Inchiquin, and took service in the royal army. He then invested Dundalk, which in two days Colonel Monk (afterwards Duke of Albemarle) was forced by his soldiers to deliver up; "and most of the officers and soldiers engaging in the King's service, he soon took in the garrison of Newry, Narrow-water, Greencastle, Carlingford, and Trim; and having thus reduced the northern garrisons, returned to the royal camp at Finglas with more men than he carried out.

"But in the latter end of the year, his forces, seduced by Cromwell's spies, revolted; whereby, finding himself exposed to his enemies, and his life in danger, he embarked 6th December, 1650, with Lord Ormond, landed at Perose, in

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