314 I R E L 
an army augmented to to,ooo men, G'Nial was following 
up his advantage, and threatened the reduftion of all Ul- 
fler, when he was unexpectedly fummoned by the nuncio 
to Leinfter to oppofe the execution of the treaty. By the 
influence of this turbulent prelate, the proclamation of 
the peace was prevented in thofe towns which were in 
poffeffion of the catholics ; and at Limeric the mayor and 
heralds were attacked, and fome of them mortally wound¬ 
ed, in an attempt to perform this duty, by a mob condlift¬ 
ed by ecclefiaflics. He even went fo far as by his own 
authority to difplace the magiftrates who had favoured 
the proclamation, and to confer the government of the 
city on the ringleader of the tumult. He then fummon¬ 
ed the catholic clergy to Waterford, and they threatened 
with excommunication all who had been inftrumental in 
concluding the treaty, as well as all thofe who ftiould pay 
obedience to orders iffued by the council of Kilkenny. 
In a word, the conllitution formed by the confederate ca¬ 
tholics was overturned in a moment, and the whole power 
ufurped by a few ecclefiaflics. 
The fupreme council, menaced on all fides, implored 
the lord-lieutenant to repair to Kilkenny, to fupport its 
authority and the treaty of pacification. Ormond accord¬ 
ingly marched thither at the head of 2000 men ; but, re¬ 
ceiving intimation that general Prefton had been per- 
fuaded by the nuncio to concur with O’Nial in an attempt 
to intercept him, he returned, not without difficulty and 
alarm, by forced marches, to the capital. The two catho¬ 
lic leaders followed him with an army of 16,000 foot and 
1600 cavalry to lay fiege to Dublin, where the citizens 
exerted their utmoft efforts to repair the fortifications; 
and, to animate their zeal, the marchionefs of Ormond 
with other ladies appeared at their head, carrying bafkets 
of earth. The marquis himfelf was aware that the want 
of money, ammunition, and provilions, rendered it im- 
poffible for him to fullain a fiege ; and, knowing that he 
could place no reliance on a contract with the Iriffi gene¬ 
rals, his only alternative in this dilemma was to make 
overtures to the Englifh parliament. Commiffioners were 
named by the latter to treat with Ormond for the fur- 
render of his garrifons; and in the mean time 2300 men 
were ordered for the immediate relief of Dublin. That 
city, however, was faved by the animofities prevailing 
between the Iriffi leaders, in the midft of which the forces 
promifed by the parliament landed at Dublin. On this 
O’Nial decamped with his troops in the night, leaving 
Prefton and his officers to continue a negociation which 
had been commenced with the lord-lieutenant. The par¬ 
liamentary commiffioners appointed to treat with Ormond 
for the refignation of his government, having no inclina¬ 
tion o'r authority to comply with the terms demanded by 
him, reimbarked their troops, who proceeded to Ulfter. 
On their departure an accommodation was effefted with 
Prefton, who was appointed to the command of the army 
of Leinfter, as lieutenant-general under the earl of Clan- 
ricarde. Prefton, having concerted a plan of operations 
with the lord-lieutenant, began his march ; but, being 
met by fome of the agents of the nuncio, who denounced 
excommunication againft him and his followers, unlefs he 
would immediately defift and difperfe his army, this con¬ 
temptible bigot was terrified intoacompletefubmiffion,and 
publifhed a formal renunciation of his recent engagements. 
To leave no excufe to the catholics, Ormond refolved to 
await the refult of a general affembly about to be held at 
Kilkenny; but the influence of the clergy was there fo 
powerful, that the refolutions of this affembly amounted 
to the complete eftablifhment of the Romiffi religion, and 
the exemption of its ecclefiaflics from the authority of 
the fovereign. So unreafonable did their demands appear, 
that the lord-lieutenant now perceived the neceffity of 
fubmiffion to the Englifh parliament. The privy council, 
and an Iriffi parliament convened at Dublin, concurred 
with him in the propriety of furrendering the rights of 
the crown to the party then ruling in England ; and a 
treaty to that effe 3 : was figned by Ormond on the 29th 
A N D. 
of June, 164-7, He engaged to deliver up the king’s gar¬ 
rifons, with all their appurtenances, on the 28th of the 
following month, or fooner, if required ; while the com¬ 
miffioners promifed, among other conditions, fecurity, 
during good behaviour, to catholics not guilty of rebel¬ 
lion ; permiffion to depart to all who might choofe to ac¬ 
company the marquis out of Ireland; protection to him- 
felf in England, on condition of his obedience to the or¬ 
ders of parliament; and the reimburfement of near four¬ 
teen thoufand pounds expended in the king’s fervice out 
of his private fortune. 
No fooner was this treaty carried into eft'efl, than the 
more moderate of the confederates began to perceive 
their danger from the rifing influence of the parliamenta¬ 
rians ; and this alarm was not a little increafed by the fuc- 
cefsful operations of the latter. Prefton having reduced 
Naas and fome other pofts, and laid fiege to Trim, colonel 
Michael Jones, the new governor of Dublin, marched with 
moll of the garrifon of that city to its relief The Iriffi 
general, availing himfelf of his abfence, made a rapid 
march, with a defign to furprife Dublin ; but Jones pur- 
fued and overtook him at Dungan-hill; where his troops, 
inflamed with revenge by reports of Iriffi rnaffacres, ruffied 
with frantic impetuofity upon their adverfaries, and made 
a frightful carnage among them. Jones, prevented by want 
of provifions from purfuit, returned to Dublin with the 
artillery, arms, and baggage, of the vanquiffied troops. 
O’Nial was now fummoned from Connaught to fuperiede 
Prefton; and by his caution avoided every attempt to 
bring him to a battle, while he extended his ravages to 
the very walls of the capital. 
In Munlter, lord Taafe had taken the command of the 
catholic army. The earl of Inchiquin, who had early in 
the contell el'poufed the caufe of the Englifh parliament, 
took the caftle of Cahir, and advanced to Caffiel, the in¬ 
habitants of which city took refuge in their cathedral, 
feated on a rock. His propofal to leave them unmolefled, 
©n condition of their paying three thoufand pounds and 
a month’s wages for his troops, being refufed, he flormed 
the place, with great flaughterof his foldiers as well as of 
the citizens. Taafe, who would have purfued a plan of 
defeniive warfare, was obliged by the clamours of the 
nuncio and his clergy, on account of the flaughter of 
twenty churchmen at Caffiel, to take the field in Novem¬ 
ber to oppofe him. The two armies met at Knocknonefs. 
At the firft charge the left wing of the Irifh was broken, 
nor could the fugitives be rallied by the utmoft exertions 
of lord Taafe, who killed feveral of them with his own 
hand. On their right wing the valour of a body of Scotch 
Highlanders, commanded by Macdonnel, furnamed KoL- 
kitto , or the left-handed, bade fair to retrieve the fortune 
of the day. They drove the enemy with flaughter from 
the field of battle, and had feized the artillery and bag¬ 
gage, when Inchiquin, having difperfed the left wing,, 
wheeled round to the attack of the hitherto-vidlorious 
right. The Highlanders, deferted by the cavalry, oblti- 
nately maintained their ground, till, after the flaughterof 
feven hundred of their number, among whom was their 
leader, the reft accepted quarter. Above three thoufand 
men, the flower of the catholic army, perilhed on this oc- 
cafion, and all its artillery and baggage fell into the hands 
of the viflors. 
Diflieartened by the deftrudlion of two armies, the con¬ 
federates determined to fend agents to treat with the queen 
and prince of Wales, who had retired to France. Thither 
alio had fled the marquis of Ormond, with his eldeft fon, 
lord Oflory. He affifted the queen with his advice in the 
negociation with the Iriffi deputies, who were affured 
that a perfon fliould fpeedily be fent empowered to grant 
their countrymen every favour confident with juliice, and 
the honour and intereft of the king. The perfon alluded 
to was no other than Ormond himfelf. Various circum- 
ftances feemed to favour his return; among the reft, the 
difpofition of the earl of Inchiquin to join the royal par¬ 
ty, for which purpofe he was in correlpondence with the 
marquis ; 
