Ireland under the Stuarts and During the Interregnum, Vol. 2 (of 3), 1642-1660Bagwell, Richard
History
Ireland under the Stuarts and During the Interregnum, Vol. 2 (of 3), 1642-1660
Bagwell, Richard
Ireland -- History -- 17th century
Lord Digby's schemes were always unsuccessful, but he continued
plotting to the last moment. After a meeting at Leixlip with Bellings,
Sir Robert Talbot, and others of the Confederates who were more or less
opposed to Rinuccini, Digby urged Ormonde not to leave Ireland after
delivering the sword, but to go to Rathfarnham or some other country
where his presence would be a protection to the well-affected. He
might raise a force and transport it to France with Muskerry's help,
who was absolute in Munster. In this way he would avoid all appearance
of joining with the English Parliament. Ormonde received this strange
proposal only five days before he sailed. He replied that Preston and
the rest who refused his help while he still possessed an army and
fortresses would not be much impressed by his arguments in a private
capacity, that the Parliament commanded the seas, and that the very
worst way to get their leave to transport troops was to put himself
into the power of the Confederates. For himself, he could always go
from England to France, but to go from France to England would be
virtually impossible. True to the policy which had prevailed since
Strafford's time, the dominant party in England refused to allow troops
to be sent from Ireland into the service of any foreign prince. It was
evident that they might be used against England if France or Spain
were to espouse the King's cause. Yet it is probable that unrestrained
foreign enlistment would have gone far to settle the Irish question,
and might have made Cromwell's terrible campaign unnecessary.[109]
[Sidenote: Glamorgan as general.]
[Sidenote: Character of his army.]
[Sidenote: He is ousted by Muskerry.]
[Sidenote: Rinuccini forced out of Leinster.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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