tremity; and it may be worthy your best considerations not to increase too far, or exasperate one that, in his public actions, and thoughts, hath ever been a most affectionate, faithful, and obedient child to the Church, and by a late declaration hath published, for the satisfaction of all men, my constant resolution therein, and if any shall persist obstinate, I must hereafter, for my own justification, produce my present expressions into judgment against them.

April 19, 1642.

Your humble Servant,

Clanricard and St. Albans.

After what has been said, these letters require no comment.-Were the Catholic Committee-such as it was when they received the Synodical Resolution that Bishops exclusively, can judge of all matters relating to the Church, aware of such letters as these? Were they acquainted with the melancholy history of their Country?

Treaty with Preston-violated.

99. Disgusted by the excommunications and censures of 1646, Clanricard rode to Preston's camp at Lucan, on the 11th of November, when the Nuncio arrived there to spirit up that army against Ormond, and entreated

that they would recal what they had done in violation of the public faith; pledging his word for the repeal of all Penal Laws; promising that the Queen and Prince should confirm the Articles he now proposed; and engaging that the King of France also should guarantee them.

The Earls Fingal and Westmeath waited on the Nuncio, with letters signed by Preston, and by the principal Gentry of Leinster, pressing him most earnestly to comply.—In vain.— Spiritual pride seldom yields to advice; the Nuncio replied, that Bishops exclusively were to judge of all matters touching the Irish Church; he summoned his attendants, made his bow, gave his blessing, and drove off to the Episcopal Assembly at Kilkenny; leaving the Nobility to provide as well as they could, against the terrors of spiritual censures, and foreign-influenced decrees.

100. Provoked by his obstinacy, Preston and his Officers entered into a solemn engagement, which they signed, "to observe the late peace, "with Clanricard's concessions and securities,

"and to join Ormond against all his enemies, and all those who should not, upon the same

terms, submit to that peace."--And now Clanricard hoped that he might yet rescue his Country from ruin, his King from danger, and his religion from disgrace.

Animated by his zeal, he forgot a lesson, which he might have learned from Selden, who was himself an Episcopalian, that "Bishops never retract any resolution they have once adopted in Synod;"* a lesson of which he was soon after reminded only by experience, which generally comes too late.

.

101. As soon as the intelligence of Preston's agreement reached Kilkenny, the Bishops ordered him, December 5, under pain of excommunication, to disband his army.-Alarmed by this formidable menace, he submitted on the 10th, and wrote to Clanricard, who was then on his route to join him, that he must violate the word of a Soldier, and submit to a Synodical Decree! In the first transports of rage Clanricard

called him a Traitor; the Catholic Lords, Westmeath, Taafe, and Castlehaven, who had joined him, covered their faces with their hands; the descendant of Baldwin blushed for his Country; the Catholic Religion wrapt herself up in a veil of deep mourning; and, to this day, Ireland shrinks with horror from the remembrance of her own history.

102. Ormond was now reduced to the utmost extremity; and yet, ere he would surrender to the Parliament, he sent Dan: O'Nial to Clonmel, where the Bishops were assembled, with a proposal for a cessation for two months, to be continued for twelve, if they would engage to use sincere endeavours for the renewal of the peace, on the best additional terms that could possibly be obtained.

He employed D. O'Nial, being the nephew of their favourite General, and a man of very engaging manners, and insinuating address; the

⚫ Clanricard's Pedigree is derived from Baldwin, by Lynch, Alithinol. p. 19. Hollingshead, Desc. Hib. c. 6. Speed, Chron. ann. 1303, 1308. 1313. Hooker, c. 12, and in the Irish Peerage.

I

proposal came recommended by letters from Owen Roe himself; Daniel was, of all their Countrymen, the most likely to please them; he was one of the most popular men, one of the most judicious, and one of the best Officers of his age. And yet-how was this proposal received?

There are crimes which can be punished only in another world. Daniel's Irish heart beat high with the proud hope that he should be instrumental to the prosperity of his Country; but he had hardly explained the object of his mission, on his arrival at Clonmel, when, contrary to the faith of nations, he was arrested, imprisoned, and confined during the fourteen days, which Ormond had allowed the Bishops for deliberation; nor was he enlarged but on

Clarendon, who knew him personally, says so; adding however, erroneously, that he was a Protestant. Carte adopts this error from him. But both are refuted by the fact that he was an Officer in the service of Spain; that he is abused as a rank Papist, in the Perfect Diurnal; and that King Charles I. was compelled, much against his will, to exclude him from his service on that account.