ther in concert with Ormond. 1. It seems to
be implied in the very words of the commission. Glamorgan is empowered
and authorized to treat and conclude with the confederate Roman
Catholics in Ireland. "If upon necessity any (articles) be condescended
unto, wherein the king's lieutenant cannot so well be seen in, as not
fit for us at present publicly to own." Here no articles are mentioned
which are not fit to be communicated to Ormond, but only not fit for
him and the king publicly to be seen in, and to avow. 2. The king's
protestation to Ormond ought, both on account of that prince's
character, and the reasons he assigns, to have the greatest weight. The
words are these: "Ormond, I cannot but add to my long letter, that, upon
the word of a Christian, I never intended Glamorgan should treat any
thing without your approbation, much less without your knowledge.
For besides the injury to you, I was always diffident of his judgment
(though I could not think him so extremely weak as now to my cost I have
found;) which you may easily perceive in a postscript of a letter of
mine to you." Carte, vol. ii. App. xxiii. It is impossible that any man
of honor, however he might dissemble with his enemies, would assert a
falsehood in so solemn a manner to his best friend, especially where
that person must have had opportunities of knowing the truth. The
letter, whose postscript is mentioned by the king, is to be found in
Carte, vol. ii. App. xiii. 3. As the king had really so low an opinion
of Glamorgan's understanding, it is very unlikely that he would trust
him with the sole management of so important and delicate a treaty.
And if he had intended that Glamorgan's negotiation should have been
independent of Ormond, he would never have told the latter nobleman of
it, nor have put him on his guard against Glamorgan's imprudence. That
the king judged aright of this nobleman's character, appears from his
Century of Arts, or Scantling of Inventions, which is a ridiculous
compound of Hes, chimeras, and impossibilities, and shows what might be
expected from such a man. 4. Mr. Carte has published a whole series of
the king's correspondence with Ormond, from the time that Glamorgan came
into Ireland; and it is evident that Charles all along considers the
lord lieutenant as the person who was conducting the negotiations with
the Irish. The 31st of July, 1645, after the battle of Naseby, being
reduced to great straits, he writes earnestly to Ormo