nd Parsons were
on the look-out for plunder; but Charles had as yet sufficient power to
form a commission of his own, and he sent the Marquis of Ormonde and
some other noblemen to treat with the Confederates. Ormonde was a cold,
calculating, and, if we must judge him by his acts, a cruel man; for, to
give only one specimen of his dealings, immediately after his
appointment, he butchered the brave garrison of Timolin, who had
surrendered on promise of quarter.

The Confederates were even then divided into two parties. The section of
their body principally belonging to the old English settlers, were
willing to have peace on almost any terms; the ancient Irish had their
memories burdened with so many centuries of wrong, that they demanded
something like certainty of redress before they would yield. Ormonde was
well aware of the men with whom, and the opinions with which, he had to
deal, and he acted accordingly. In the various engagements which
occurred, the Irish were on the whole successful They had gained an
important victory near Fermoy, principally through the headlong valour
of a troop of mere boys who dashed down with wild impetuosity on the
English, and showed what mettle there was still left in the country.
Envoys were arriving from foreign courts, and Urban VIII. had sent
Father Scarampi with indulgences and a purse of 30,000 dollars,
collected by Father Wadding. It was, therefore, most important that the
movement should be checked in some way; and, as it could not be
suppressed by force, it was suppressed by diplomacy.

On the 15th of September, 1643, a cessation of arms for one year was
agreed upon; and the tide, which had set in so gloriously for Irish
independence, rolled back its sobbing waves slowly and sadly towards the
English coast, and never returned again with the same hopeful freedom
and overpowering strength.

The Irish, even those whose wisdom or whose ardour made them most
dissatisfied with the treaty, observed it honorably. The Puritan party
professed to regard the cessation as a crime, and therefore did not
consider themselves bound to observe it. As they were in fact the ruling
powers, the unfortunate Irish were, as usual, the victims. The troops,
who had been trained and collected for the defence of their native land,
were now sent to Scotland, to shed their blood in the royal cause. As
honorable men, having undertaken the duty, they fulfilled it gloriously,
and won the admiration even of th