by all means to treat with the Catholics.

A Cessation for twelve months was accordingly signed at Kilkenny, May 26, 1643, on conditions to be afterwards arranged by Commissioners properly authorized. Those Commissioners met at Castlemartyn, on the 23d of June. But Ormond, knowing how severely his conduct would be scrutinized by the Puritans, and hoping to gain some advantage over Preston, which might relieve him from his embarrassment, adjourned the treaty, marched against Preston, was foiled in his attempt to surprise him, desponded, and after the receipt of a fifth letter from the King, July 2, and a sixth, July 30, in which his Majesty

*

"On the day before he set out for Castle-Martyn, he delivered a written proposal to the principal citizens of Dublin, whom he had summoned before the Council-board, that "if ten thousand pounds might be raised, the one half in money, the other in victuals, and to be brought in within a fortnight, he would, in that case, proceed in the war, and break off the treaty for a Cessation" already signed! See Carte's Orm. vol. 1. p. 437.-Leland says, "he was sensible how odious this treaty must prove to the Parliamentarians." He therefore made the above ignominious proposal in breach of the public faith! Lel. vol. 3. p. 205. Compare Tichbourne's Hist. of the Siege of Drogheda, and Carte ib. and p. 427, 439.

E

renews his earnest solicitations for an immediaté treaty, he at length resolved to comply.*-The Conditions of Cessation were formally signed at Sigginstown on the 15th of September, 1643.†

§ IX. Sincerity of both Parties on this occasion.

1. When external actions or professions admit of two meanings, we may be permitted to choose. But when these actions can bear only one, and that a good one, to attribute another and a worse, is defamation. I envy not the affected shrewdness of any man, who thinks that he can discover the insincerity of Ormond in the conclusion of his treaty with the Catholics. Nay, I believe that those who impeached his sincerity, had objects in view very different from the establishment of the Catholic religion, or the success of the Catholic cause. The treaty was no sooner signed than Ormond had it publickly confirmed, and proclaimed in Dublin, even by the Puritannical Justices; it was notified by

* Carte ib. p. 390, 446 to 451, and the King's letter to Ormond, July 2, ib. vol. 3. No. clxii.

+ Carte ib. vol. 1, p. 451, 459, and vol. 3, No. clxxii.

proclamation to the whole kingdom. The King's letters to Ormond, in Carte's collection, are completely decisive, not only of his wish, but of his anxious and eager impatience for a treaty, and not only for a Cessation, but also for a peace.— "If I am driven out of England, says he, at "least I shall have a place of refuge and safety "in Ireland."*

2. In the course of this treaty, the Catholics had insisted, that the odious appellation of Rebellion should be utterly withdrawn; and they refused to treat on any other terms.† Now this demand was complied with; and when the Cessation was violated by Monroe in Ulster, Coote in Connaught, and Inchiquin in Munster, Ormond, sensible of the heinousness of this offence, declared, in a letter to Colonel Matthews,

* Carte's Orm. vol. 1, p. 428, 446, and vol. 3, fol. 218. "We are not in that condition to sacrifice our loyalty to "the malice of any. We will not set down our grievances in "the repute of Rebels; we will be in the esteem of Loyal

Subjects, or die to a man." Answer to the trumpet sent to Kilkenny by the Lords Justices, in consequence of the King's Commission, dated Jan. 11, 1642, Belling's original MS. in the Desid. Curiosa, t. 2, p. 167. Carte's Orm. vol. 3. No. cxxxii.

dated December 14, 1643, that "the King "having agreed to the Cessation, and pub"lished to the world, by his proclamation, "that the same should be kept, is bound by "honour and all laws, to maintain it with all "his power; from whence it doth follow, that "all who shall oppose it, must oppose his

power and authority."*-I do not pretend to miraculous shrewdness, but if I am to judge of human events in the ordinary course of human affairs, this is sincerity.

3. The King had also pledged his word that Ormond should join in arms with the Catholics, particularly against the Scots in Ulster, when a peace or cessation was concluded,† "it being un"derstood, says Lord Digby, on this Cessation, "that if the Scots submitted not to it, they

for

* Ibid. fol. 346, and vol. 1, p. 427.-In the postscript of a letter to Ormond, December 1644, he again says, "I have "thought to give you this further order, which I hope will prove needless, to seek to renew the Cessation for a year, "which you shall promise the Irish, if you can have it no "cheaper, to join with them against the Scots and Inchiquin.” Relig. Sacr. Caroli.

+ Carte's Orm. ib. fol. 322.

"should then be declared as common enemies." He had even written a letter dated July 2, 1643, and addressed not only to Ormond, but also to the Lords Justices, commanding them to assure the Irish in his name, that he was graciously inclined to dissolve the present Parliament, to call a new one, between that and the 20th of November following, and "to take a course, to put all those who should be chosen Members into such a condition, as that they should not be prejudiced of their liberty of assisting, sitting, and voting in the said Parliament."*

4. With regard to the Catholics, their consent to a Cessation, particularly in such circumstances of imminent danger to the royal army, as those in which it was then involved, would sufficiently evince their loyalty, even if no other proof existed in History: for the King's army was absolutely starving and barefooted, whilst the Irish army abounded in provisions, ammunition, and clothes.†-But now the Confederates obliged

Borl. Ir. Rebel. Carte's Letters of Orm. vol. 3. No clxii. fol. 218, compare vol. 1, p. 427.

+ See the Commissary General, Sir Phil. Perceval's Memo