A Cessation Agreed On
May 14th, 2008 | by theoracle |
Above : Belfast Castle
Meanwhile the negotiations were being carried on between Ormond and the Confederates. The former had been directed by the King to agree to a cessation of hostilities for a year, during which arrangements for a permanent peace might be made. The old Irish, like the Parliamentarians, though, of course, for widely different reasons, disapproved of the proposed cessation, and indeed held that an attempt to treat with any English party at this juncture was a mistake, ff they continued to press their conquests, they would be in a position to force good terms from whichever side should be victorious in England ; whereas the cessation would give their enemies time to sow dissensions amongst them; moreover, the loss of 10,000 men whom they were to send to the King’s aid would seriously diminish their military power, and consequently their chances of a successful resistance, should the negotiations end unsatisfactorily, or the terms granted them not be observed. The Anglo-Irish party, however, were the stronger in the Supreme Council and also apparently in the General Assembly.
At Jigginstown, near Naas, the agreement for the year’s cessation was signed (September 15th, 1643). Each side was to retain the lands, towns and fortresses then actually in its hands. All prisoners were to be released. The Confederates were to send delegates to the King, to lay before him their grievances and their suggestions for the remedy of them.
Munroe, who had now ranged himself definitely with the English Parliamentarians, took no notice of the cessation. He not only continued his hostilities against the Irish, but even attacked the English Royalist commander, Colonel Chichester, and drove him out of Belfast Castle. In the south, Lord Inchiquin also joined the party of the Parliament. Even by some of the Royalists the cessation appears not to have been always well observed.
In the March of 1644, Commissioners from the Confederates betook themselves to Oxford, as had been arranged, to discuss terms with the King. At the same time, the Irish Protestant party despatched agents to lay their views before his Majesty. The chief demands of the Catholics were complete religious toleration and liberty and the repeal of Poynings’ Act, so that the Irish Parliament might be free and independent. When this list was shown to the agents of the Protestants, they at once declared the demands to be such as should not for a moment be entertained. There was no middle course; it was evident that one or other party in Ireland the King must certainly offend. In other respects, also, Charles was in a most difficult position with regard to Irish affairs.
Any concession to the Irish Catholics would certainly make him most unpopular in his own country. Yet without such concessions, he could not hope for the military aid from the Confederates, of which he stood so urgently in need.
In order to give time for the decision of the many difficult questions which had arisen, the cessation was several times extended. Meanwhile, in England, the King’s cause grew ever more desperate.
Charles, although sincerely attached to his own religion, cannot be considered, having regard to the standards of his time, as a bigot. He certainly would have preferred not to accord religious liberty to the Catholics ; but if, by granting toleration, a great advantage might accrue to himself, as in this case, no conscientious scruple prevented him from according it. The real obstacle was his fear of the results of such concessions on public opinion in England.
To obviate this difficulty he resorted to a method, eminently characteristic of a man who loved crooked ways, but had not ability enough to discern when and how far, on each occasion, the use of crooked ways was advisable.
Tags: Colonel Chichester, Confederates, england, English Parliamentarians, irish, Jigginstown, ormond, Oxford, Parliamentarians