Confederation of Kilkenny

Hitherto the old Irish and the old Anglo-Irish Catholics had acted without concert. Rut the Catholic clergy exerted themselves to bring about union; and on the 24th of October, 1642, a general assembly or parliament-delegates of the most distinguished persons from both sides-met in Kilkenny: this is known as the ” Confederation of Kilkenny.” They earnestly repudiated the appellation of rebels, maintaining that they were loyal subjects, standing up for the king, who they said would do them Justice if he were not restrained by the Puritans.

There were eleven bishops, fourteen lords, and 226 commoners. The assembly took upon themselves for the time the government of the country-or of that part of it outside the influence of Ormond-and appointed generals over the army; O’Neill for Ulster and Preston for Leinster. To manage affairs with greater facility they elected from their number a ” Supreme council.” And they issued a decree for raising money and for levying men, who were to be drilled by the officers that had come with Preston and O’Neill.

In 1643 the king endeavoured to come to terms with the Confederates, hoping to use them against his own refractory parliament: but the justices Borlase and Parsons, who though nominally in the king’s service, really sympathised with the parliament, threw obstacles in the way of union, and the forces of the confederates and those of the king continued in open hostility.

Preston was at first successful in Leinster, but was badly defeated in March, 1643, at Ross in Wexford, by the marquis of Ormond. In Ulster O’Neill held his ground with difficulty, and was once defeated by one of Monro’s generals. But in several other actions he was victorious.

Meantime in spite of the opposition of the lords justices, negotiations went on between the king and the confederates : in September, 1643, a cessation of arms for one year was arranged; and the con- federates agreed to send the king a gift of 30,000 pounds. But the English parliament directed the Puritan party in Ulster to pay no attention to the truce.

The king had removed Borlase from his post, and in 1644 appointed the marquess of Ormond lord lieutenant. But this did not mend matters; for Ormond played a double part. Pretending to act for the king, he really worked in the interest of the parliament, and he prevented any final peace between the king and the confederates.