1646-7.] OF THE MARQUIS OF WORCESTER. 157 



CHAPTER X. 



THE EARL OF GLAMORGAN S TRANSACTIONS IN IRELAND 



CONCLUDED. 



WE left the Earl at Kilkenny after his enlargement. 

 That his own confidence in his position was not mis 

 placed all his acts clearly prove, and no attempt has 

 been successfully made by his adversaries to show him 

 in any other light than that of being a too ready instru 

 ment in the hands of his prince to work out his mysti 

 fied political schemes. 



It requires considerable calmness and consideration 

 on the part of the biographer while undertaking to be 

 come the apologist of the Earl s conduct, particularly 

 when wholly differing in political and religious views. 

 But sincerity will always command respect. That he 

 was strictly conscientious in all his conduct there can 

 not be the shadow of a doubt ; nor can he be accused of 

 rather tempting the monarch than being tempted by 

 him, a man open and most anxious to adopt any 

 measures to regain his despotic authority over the 

 people. Charles the First was all things to all 

 men who offered him service ; he was a Catholic to 

 the Catholics, and a Protestant to the Protestants ; and 

 it was this duality of character, united with unbounded 

 selfishness and a fatal attachment to secrecy, that 

 perplexed his most discreet ministers. No man s life 

 or property was safe in his hands. No engagements 

 were held sacred or inviolable, all being artfully con 

 trived to conceal some mental reservation, which expe 

 diency always found it convenient to be shifting to 

 serve some opposite purpose or other. All this subtle 



