The Parliament was fo pleafed with his answer, that on the * 22d of June 1649, they gave him a commiffion to command all the forces that fhould be fent into Ireland, and to be Lord-governor of that kingdom for three years, in all affairs both civil and military. From the very minute of his receiving this charge, Cromwell used an incredible expedition in the railing of money, providing of fhipping, and drawing the forces together for their intended enterprize. The foldiery marched with great fpeed to the rendezvous at Milford-haven, there to expect the new lord-deputy, who followed them from London on the 10th of July. His fetting out was very pompous, being drawn in a coach with fix horfes, and attended by many members of the parliament and council of ftate, with the chief of the army; his life-guard confifting of eighty men, who had formerly been commanders, all bravely mounted and accoutered, both them and their fervants.

Never did general more distinguish himself, either for valour and conduct, than Cromwell in this Irish expedition. Having called at Bristol, where he was received with great honour, and given orders for the train of artillery, he went over to Wales, difpatching three regiments before him for Dublin, to ftrengthen the brave Colonel Jones, who was appointed Lieutenant-general of horfe by the parliament. With the affistance of thefe, that gallant commander raised the

rity of his general. He acquaints him with it, and affures him, that he will never accept of it, though threatened with the greateft punishment if he do not comply, or tendered the highest reward if he do. By this title and inftance Fairfax perceived how much more deferving Cromwell was than himself, whom he before knew to be no way his inferior: and at the fame time, he vied in kindnefs, and fhewed that he deferved well of his country, by refufing the charge, and affigned it wholly to Cromwell. Peck's Memoirs, &c. p. 54.

*The council of ftate had nominated him as long before as the 15th of January 1648, and the parliament voted their approbation of him March the 31f; fo that he deliberated a long while about the accepting of this commiffion.

fiege of Dublin, and entirely routed the Marquis of Ormond, who had treated him with contempt. About four thousand were killed in this action, and 25,000 taken prifoners, with the lofs of only twenty on the parliament fide. All the great guns, ammunition, provifions, and about 4cool. in money, belonging to the royalifts, were obtained in this battle; the great fuccefs ofhich was unexpected on both fides: Jones having at rft only attacked a party, by whofe defeat he was led on to a complete victory. The Marquis, upon this misfortune, fled to Kilkenny, and from thence to Drogheda, whither many of his fcattered forces had betook themselves before.

There was work enough, however, left for Cromwell, notwithstanding this advantage before his arrival. The beating an army in the field was not the greatest part of the bufinefs, while moft of the fortified places, which were numerous, were in the hands of the enemy yet a victory fo complete, when he expected rather to hear of the lofs of Dublin, was matter of great encouragement to his Excellency. He embarked at Milford-haven full of good news, and arrived at Dublin in a fhort time, where he was received with all poffible demonftrations of joy. As he paffed through the city, at a convenient place he made a ftand, and in a fpeech to the people, "declared the cause of his coming, promifing not only favour and affection, but rewards and gratuities, to all that fhould affift him in the reduction of their enemies." He was anfwered with loud applaufes, the people crying out, that they would live and die with him.

After the foldiers had refreshed themselves, Cromwell drew them out of the city to a general mufter, where there appeared a complete body of 15,000 horse and foot, out of which 10,000 were drawn for perfent fervice. With this army he advanced towards Drogheda, or Tredagh, a ftrong place, garrifoned by 25c0 foot and 300 horfe, the flower of the royal army, under the command of Sir Arthur Afton, an experi

enced old foldier. The Marquis of Ormond forefaw that this place, by reafon of its fituation, would be first attempted; and he was in hopes he would have time to recruit his army, while Cromwell was wafting his forces against the town. But no fooner was the

General come before Tredagh, than he fummoned the governor to furrender; which not being regarded, he immediately hung out the red enfign, blocked up the town by land, and ordered Ayfcough with his fleet to do the fame by fea; and being fenfible of the mischiefs of a long fiege, he would not fubmit to the common forms of approaches, but prepared directly for an affault.'

Having planted a battery on the fouth-fide of the town, which continued firing for two days, two breaches were made in the walls, by which fome regiments of foot immediately entered. But thefe being repulfed by the defendants, Cromwell drew out a frem referve of foot, and in perfon bravely entered at their head. This example infpired the foldiers with fuch courage, that none were able to ftand before them ; and having now gained the town, they made a terrible flaughter, putting all they met with, that were in arms, to the fword. Cromwell had given fuch orders, to difcourage other places from making oppofition: to which purpose he wrote to the parliament, "that he believed this feverity would fave much effufion of blood." Afton's men, however, did not fall unrevenged; for they defperately difputed every cornor of the ftreets, and finding thefe too hot, they retired to the churches and fteeples. About an hundred of them were blown up together in St Peter's church; only one man escaping, who leaped from the tower, and had quarter given him. Thofe who would not furrender upon fummons, were closely shut up and guarded, in order to ftarve them out; and, of those who did surrender,all the officers and every tenth private man were killed, and the reft thruft on fhip-board for Barbadoes. The winning of this town was fo furprifing, that O-Neal, at the hear

D

ing of it, fwore a great oath, "that if Cromwell had taken Tredagh by ftorm, if he fhould ftorm hell he

would take it."

The flaughter at Tredagh, though cruel in itfelf, had the good effect that the general defired. All the other places round about furrendered, few of them waiting fo much as for a fummons. Dundalk was abandoned fo precipitately, that the garrifon left their cannon behind them on the platforms. Cromwell therefore, finding his name fufficient at this time in the north, did not march any farther that way, but returned to befiege Wexford, taking in Killingkerick and Arkloe-cattle by the way.

Having fummoned Wexford, and received a dubious anfwer from Colonel Synnot, the governor, the general waited till he might have an explanation. In this view he correfponded with him by feveral papers. But finding that Synnot's whole intent was to protract time, while the Earl of Caftlehaven, with 500 men, came to his affiftance, Cromwell applied himself to ftorming the caftle. A fmall breach being made, commiffioners were fent from the belieged, to treat of a furrender: but it was now too late; for no ceffation having been agreed upon, the guns continued firing, the breach was made wider, the guard quitted the caftle, and fome of Cromwell's men entered it. The enemy obferving this, quitted their ftations in all parts; fo that the others getting over the walls, poffeffed themselves of the town without any great oppofition. Here, as well as at Drogheda, none were fuffered to live that they found in arms. In this town great riches were taken, and fome fhips feized in the harbour, that had much interrupted the trade on that coaft; and the feverity here uled had the fame effect as at Drogheda ; the terror fpread to all the towns and forts along the coaft, as far as Dublin, which faved the general the trouble of fummoning them.

The winter now coming on, and it being a very wet feafon, Cromwell's troops fuffered much from the

weather, and the flux then raging among them. Many thought thefe reafons fhould have obliged him, for the prefent, to put a kop to his conquefts; but he was of another mind, and more in the right than they. The difficulties the Marquis of Ormond met with in bringing a new army into the field, the antient difagreement again breaking out between the popifh confederates and him, the fecret intelligence held by Cromwell in the province of Munfter, and the mighty affairs that called him back to England, were to him more power ful motives for continuing the war, than the winter was to interrupt his progrefs.

Being thus refolved, he marches towards Rofs, a ftrong town upon the Barrow. The Lord Taaffe was governor of this place, who had a potent garrifon witli him; and the better to fecure it, Ormond, Castlehaven, and the Lord Ardes, caufed 1500 men to be boated over to reinforce it; which was done in fight of Cromwell's army, who were not able to hinder it. However, the Lord-general no fooner came before the town, but he fummoned the governor to furrender it to the parliament of England; declaring, that "he endeavoured, as much as poffible, to avoid the effufion of blood. No anfwer was at prefent returned, till the great guns began to play; when the governor, being apprehenfive of the fame ufage that other garrifons had met with, was willing to treat; which being allowed, they came to this agreement: "That the town be delivered up to the Lord-general Cromwell, and they within march away with bag and baggage to Kilkenny." Fifteen hundred of them accordingly did fo; but 600, being English, revolted to Cromwell. In the mean time Kingfale, Cork, Younghall, Bandonbridge, and other garrifons, voluntarily declared for the conqueror; which places proved of great ufe in the reduction of Munfter, and of all Ireland, Sir Charles Coot and Colonel Venables were very fuccefsful in the north; and Lord Broghill and Colonch Hewfon, did good fervice in other places.