Rinuccini and O’Neill Oppose the Ormond Peace
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.
The vigorous prosecution of the war was at once resolved on, and the first object to be sought was the capture of Dublin. For this enterprise O’Neill and Preston were to unite their armies. Eoghan Ruadh marched rapidly by way of Maryborough, capturing many towns and fortresses on his way. Preston’s progress, on the contrary, was slow. In truth, his heart was not in the enterprise, and he longed to resume negotiations with Ormond. At Lucan, where they encamped, dissensions broke out between the two Generals, whom the Nuncio vainly strove to reconcile.
At length, when it appeared that Preston was in actual communication, through the medium of the Marquis of Clanrickard, with Ormond, O’Neill, feeling that under the circumstances an effective siege of Dublin was impossible, broke up camp, and marched his forces back towards Kilkenny.