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
day of the siege, the garrison marched out with the honours of war, and
were allowed to go to Dublin, Bristol, or Youghal, as they themselves
preferred. A few men took service with Preston. Esmond waited till
a carriage could be got, but died at Adamstown on the road to
Enniscorthy. The fort was not without provisions or ammunition at the
time of surrender, but the want of fresh water was very pressing. There
had been torrents of rain, but either from want of time or from want
of vessels it had not been sufficiently utilised. Only about thirty
men had been killed, though the besiegers had burned 19,000 pounds of
powder. Duncannon was taken on March 19, and on Lady Day Scarampi came
in and said high mass. The Confederates boasted much of their success,
in announcing to their friends at Paris the capture of what they call
the 'impregnable fort of Duncannon.'[68]
[Sidenote: The Glamorgan mission]
[Sidenote: An extraordinary patent, April 1644.]
Charles had handed over the reduction of the Irish rebels to Parliament
early in the day, and had told the Protestant agents at Oxford that
he would rather have war than peace at their expense. As long as
negotiations were entirely in Ormonde's hands this was no empty
promise, but when the King decided to employ a private envoy as well,
the situation was a good deal modified. The person selected was
Lord Herbert, eldest son of the Marquis of Worcester, who had made
immense sacrifices for the royal cause. Both father and son were Roman
Catholics, and ardent champions of their faith. In history the latter
is best known as Earl of Glamorgan, and so Charles styled him, though
the creation was never formally made. On April 1, 1644, when the Irish
agents were at Oxford, the King had granted him under the Great Seal
a patent of so extraordinary a character that its main provisions
must be repeated, though perhaps no episode in English history has
been more thoroughly discussed. By this document he was constituted
generalissimo with extraordinary powers of three armies, English,
Irish, and foreign, and admiral of a fleet at sea; with authority to
raise money by pledging wardships, customs, woods, and other hereditary
property of the Crown. 'Persons of generosity' were to be encouraged
to subscribe in return for titles of honour, 'for whom,' the King
wrote, 'we have intrusted you with several patents under our Great
Seal of England, from a marquis to a baronet, which we give you full
power and authority to date and dispose of without knowing our further
pleasure.' Charles solemnly bound himself to ratify all the patentee's
acts, and and to give his daughter Elizabeth to Glamorgan's son
Plantagenet 'with 300,000_l._ in dower or portion, most part whereof we
acknowledge spent and disbursed by your father and you in our service.'
Finally he was promised the dukedom of Somerset with power to 'put on
the George and blue ribbon' at his pleasure, and to bear the garter
in his coat of arms.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account