XXV. Whatever hopes might have been conceived in favour CHAP. of the royal caufe from this tedious negociation, its conclufion was far too late for the perfonal service of the king, fince that unfortunate prince had received the mortal froke before the news of the convention arrived at London. CHAP. CHA P. XXVI. CHAP. ཅ་ fairs. English affairs -Ormond's proceedings Rupert's conduct Siege of Dublin-- Battle of Rathmines -Operations elsewhere--Siege of Derry-Arrival of Cromwell-Storm of Drogheda-Progrefs of Cromwell's arms-Ormond's proceedings-Taking of Wexford-Progrefs of Cromwell--Operations of Ormond-Oppofition to Ormond--Revolt of Inchiquin's troops --Sicge of Kilkenny--Siege of Clonmel-Departure of Cromwell—Progrefs of Ireton Succeffes of Hewfon-Reduction of Waterford, Duncannon, &c.--Victories of Coote in Ulfter-Danger of the western counties. FROM the moment that the parliamentarians were undifputed mafters of England, they found themEnglish af felves divided, according to the natural course of human affairs, into two parties, the prefbyterians and independents. As the prefbyterians, in aiming at a purer fyftem of religion than that of the eftablished 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 minister of the Gospel than the voluntary election of him to that office by a congregation voluntarily affociated; and, contrary 8 XXVI. contrary to the practice of all other chriftian fects CHAP. at that time, they adopted the reasonable doctrine 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 themfelves, permiffible to others. Yet they were hoftile to popery and prelacy, which they regarded as of a fpirit 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 diffi mulation, 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 inte 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 disbanding a part of the army, and fending another part to Ireland. But these 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 cause the king, by raising apprehenfions of designs against his life, to withdraw fecretly. to the Isle of Wight. Difcontents were fo 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 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 Hurt Caftle by command of the ruling faction, was brought to trial, on the charge of a newly invented fpecies of treafon, the levying of war on his people, before what was ftyled a high court of juftice, and was beheaded amid the lamentations of the greater part of his fubjects, on the thirtieth of January 1649; an event of momentous inftru&ion to kings and nations; to the former, to ufe their power with caution and a regard to juftice; to the latter, to bear the evils of an established government, rather than to incur the ftill greater of revolution and the tyranny of an ufurping faction. Ormond's proceedines. 1649. So great and general was the indignation in Ireland at the king's murder, that the nuncio left the kingdom, 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 vifited 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 second. 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 inflexibly attached to the power which then ruled the English nation; and Sir Charles Coote, who, with parliamentarian troops, occupied the post of Derry, returned no fatisfactory anfwers. The British forces of Ulfter, abhorring both the king's murderers and the confederate Irish, after some hesitation, declared for the royalifts, and blockaded Coote. The confederate catholics had engaged to furnish the lord lieutenant with fifteen thousand foot and two thoufand five hundred cavalry; but 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 so many petty republics, granted or denied VOL. I. ΙΙ |