thousand pounds sterling; which, if managed by you, I conceive will be better than £60,000, as hitherto moneys have been disposed. And of this business, if you please, you may acquaint my Lord Digby, to whom I have intimated something thereof in my letter. But your Excellency, nor my Lord Digby, need not be told with what secrecy my intended journey ought to be kept, though I fear not the Parliament, since I have bought a gallant ship at Galway, with 16 pieces of ordnance, and victualled for two months, manned with 34 good seamen, an excellent captain, and good pilots, of 300 tons, English built, and a good sailer. And for my return, I intend (God willing) it shall be with a fleet, which how it is to be left under your Excellency’s command, I hope you are already well assured, as you may be of anything within my power, who am, “Your Excellency’s, &c. &c. GLAMORGAN. “Kilkenny, 11th of March, 1645–6.” Ormond wrote from Dublin Castle, 4th March, 1645, naming “the sad certainty of the loss of Chester,”--the men, long expected, he hopes will arrive “seasonably for some other service;” and says, “there are many reasons against the prolonging of the cessation till the midst of June,” but especially “the inevitable ruin that must in the meantime come upon all his Majesty’s true servants,” promising in his next to send the “authority to engage me for such money as you shall be able, upon so small an assurance as mine, to get.” On the 29th of September, 1645–6, the Earl addressed a letter of explanations to the Lord Lieutenant. “For to endear myself to some, the better to do his Majesty service, it is true I did declare a promise from the King of the assent that after your Excellency’s time he would make me Lord Lieutenant. But it is no meaning of mine but to keep your Excellency in during your life, and not really to pretend unto it, or anything in discrimination of your Excellency’s honour or profit; or derogating from the true amity and real service which I have professed, and will ever make good towards your Excellency. And my intention was ever to acquaint your honour herewith, and I once intended to do it before my going to Kilkenny, but never to conceal it totally from you, though for some reasons it being hitherto omitted, I think it not necessary for the present but as an obligation upon me thereunto. And in witness of my true intent and meaning, I leave this sealed in your Excellency’s hands this 29th of September, 1645, at Dublin. GLAMORGAN.” The Earl being thus bound to continue his residence in Ireland, notwithstanding the unpromising aspect of affairs, we shall proceed, in order of date, to consider the position of his father, at Raglan Castle. Footnotes [A] Fol. 713. Also Carte, vol. i. p. 557. [B] Nuncio’s Mem. fol. 715; and Carte, vol. i. p. 554. [C] From MSS. Badminton. [D] See page 78. [E] Husband’s Collection, p. 787, &c. edit. London, 1646, fol. and Rushworth, Part IV. Vol. I. p. 239.