ount of
such declarations, than to put himself in a condition to help his master
and set him free."[1] In a short time the more distressing intelligence
arrived that Chester had surrendered: the fall of Chester was followed by
the dissolution of the royal army in Cornwall, under the command of Lord
Hopton; and the prince of Wales, unable to remain there with safety, fled
first to Scilly and thence to Jersey. There remained not a spot on the
English coast where the Irish auxiliaries could be landed with any prospect
of success. Glamorgan dispersed his army. Three hundred men accompanied
the Lord Digby to form a guard for the prince; a more considerable body
proceeded to Scotland in aid of Montrose; and the remainder returned to
their former quarters.[2]

[Footnote 1: Birch, 189.]

[Footnote 2: Had Glamorgan's intended army of 10,000 men landed in England,
the war would probably have assumed a most sanguinary character. An
ordinance had passed the houses, that no quarter should be given to any
Irishman, or any papist born in Ireland; that they should be excepted
out of all capitulations; and that whenever they were taken, they should
forthwith be put to death.--Rushworth, v. 729. Oct. 24, 1644. By the navy
this was vigorously executed. The Irish sailors were invariably bound back
to back, and thrown into the sea. At land we read of twelve Irish soldiers
being hanged by the parliamentarians, for whom Prince Rupert hanged twelve
of his prisoners.--Clarendon, ii. 623. After the victory of Naseby, Fairfax
referred the task to the two houses. He had not, he wrote, time to inquire
who were Irish and who were not, but had sent all the prisoners to London,
to be disposed of according to law--Journals, vii. 433.]

In the mean while the king continued to consume his time in unavailing
negotiations with the parliament, the Scots, and the Independents. 1.
He had been persuaded that there were many individuals of considerable
influence both in the city and the two houses, who anxiously wished for
such an accommodation as might heal the wounds of the country: that the
terror inspired by the ruling party imposed silence on them for the
present; but that, were he in London, they would joyfully rally around
him, and by their number and union compel his adversaries to lower their
pretensions. This it was that induced him to solicit a personal conference
at Westminster. He[a] now repeated the proposal, and, to make it worth
acceptance,