The conflict in Ireland had naturally excited much interest at Rome, and Pope Urban VIII had already employed an agent amongst the Catholics. Urban’s successor, Innocent X, resolving on a further step, arranged to send a regular accredited nuncio to the Confederates, and he selected for the mission John Baptist Rinuccini, Archbishop of Fermo. The Nuncio was both a skilled diplomatist and an excellent judge of men and of political situations. On his way to Ireland he stayed a while in Paris and obtained from Cardinal Mazarin, who now ruled France for the child-King, Louis XIV, a sum of 25,000 crowns for the Confederates. He landed at Kenmare (October 21st, 1645), and proceeded at once to Kilkenny, where he was received with the greatest honour.

About the same time that the Nuncio arrived in Ireland, an accident revealed the secret of the Glamorgan Treaty to Ormond and the English generally. In an attack made on the Parliamentarians in Sligo, Malachy O’Queely, Archbishop of Tuam, who was with the Royalist general Taaffe, was killed and, on his baggage being examined, a copy of the treaty was found in it. Ormond at once had Glamorgan arrested, and wrote to the King an account of the whole affair. Charles disclaimed Glamorgan’s proceedings, saying he had never intended him to act without Ormond’s knowledge and advice. He insinuated that the warrant under which the Earl claimed to act was surreptitiously obtained or a forgery. Charles’ disclaimer was not believed by either the English or the Irish. Indeed, though the former part of his statement may have been true, the latter was almost certainly false. Glamorgan was, after a few months’ imprisonment, released.

Rinuccini had been instructed by the Pope to abstain frommeddling in politics, and to confine himself to endeavouring to obtain complete toleration, at least, and the withdrawal of all civil disabilities, for the Irish Catholics. To any idea of shaking off their allegiance to the King, should the Irish conceive such, he was to lend no countenance.  

Above : Charles II, Replaced Charles I After His Death In 1649

O’Neill had endured, almost since his coming to Ireland, the continual neglect and ingratitude of the Council. He was now at the end of his patience. When a messenger came to his camp to inform him of his removal from the command of the Ulster armies, he publicly burned the letters. This meant, of course, that he had openly broken with the Confederation, or rather with the party that now ruled what remained of it. He had a fine army of tried soldiers, all devoted to him ; he occupied a strong position in the very centre of Ireland, and had much support elsewhere. He would not be easily crushed.

Above : Picture Of Rinnucini

At the end of July, the Ormond Peace, which till then had been kept secret, was publicly proclaimed at Kilkenny. Great was the indignation of the Nuncio to find how he had been, as he considered, deceived, and a peace, to which he had in the name of the Pope so vehemently objected, concluded without his consent or even knowledge. He summoned a meeting of the clergy at Waterford, and urged them to formally reject the treaty. Their consent was readily obtained, and armed with this, Rinuccini issued a decree of condemnation. In several of the southern cities the population adopted his views, and drove out those who endeavoured to proclaim the Peace.
So far Eoghan Ruadh, although disapproving of many of the acts of the Supreme Council, had obeyed its decrees. Now, however, he ranged himself with the Nuncio, and acting on a letter received from him, began to march his army towards Kilkenny. Preston, for once, was of the same mind as the Ulster general, and announced his adherence to Rinuccini’s side.
Rinuccini and O’Neill, on reaching Kilkenny, threw into prison those members of the Supreme Council who had shown themselves most prominent in promoting the Ormond Peace, and with the rest formed a sort of Provisional Government.