The want of men was even more serious than the want of money. In the summer Rupert hoped to really fight the Parliament fleet, and with that view he personally sought recruits in all the neighbouring port towns. By great exertions he raised a considerable number, but, when the task was accomplished, the Council of War hung back from the risk of a battle, and the Prince, rather than incur the charge of "vanity and rashness," dismissed his hard-won recruits and retired into harbour. Changed indeed was the man who had fought at Marston Moor![41] But in spite of all difficulties, Rupert contrived to take prizes, to support the Royalists at the Hague, and even to send some succour to the Scilly islands, which held out for the King. "I believe we shall make a shift to live in spite of all our factions!"[42] he wrote cheerfully. And make a shift he did, through "a wearisome summer, passed in anxiety and troubles."[43] Cromwell had arrived in June, and was rapidly conquering Ireland. The King's army was defeated near Dublin; the towns began to revolt to the Parliament; the faithful garrisons were mercilessly massacred {236} by Cromwell; and Rupert only escaped the treachery of the Governor of Cork by a press of business which prevented him from accepting an invitation to hunt. "The Governor of Cork," says the historian of Rupert's voyages, "resolved to make himself famous by an infamous act, to which purpose, knowing His Highness loved hunting, he invited him to a chase of deer, close by the town; but Heaven abhorring such inhumanity, prevented that design, by providing importunate business to impede His Highness' intentions."[44] But though thwarted in this scheme, the Governor of Cork could and did surrender the city to the enemy, after which Kinsale was no longer a safe port for the Royalist fleet. If the ships were to be preserved, it was high time to quit the Irish coast. The Parliament had already sent a fleet to block the Prince up in the harbour, but again fortune favoured him. A friendly wind blew the Parliament fleet out to sea, and enabled Rupert to slip out past them. For want of men, he was forced to leave three of his ships behind him, and in November 1649, he began the world anew with seven sail.