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CRO to the Catholics in this regiment, who was caused to be hanged." Kilkenny was ill fitted for defence. A plague reduced the force Castlehaven had thrown into it from 1,200 to 300 men; while Lord Dillon's 2,500 foot and 600 horse rebelled, and refused to march to the relief of the city, declaring that they were ready to fight against man, but not against God. At the same time, the garrison of Cant well Castle, officered chiefly by English, Welsh, and Scotch, made terms with Cromwell, and received passes to go beyond the sea and serve in the armies of foreign states. On 22nd March Cromwell appeared before the city, and wrote to the Governor, Sir Walter Butler, in the usual terms, offering the defenders their lives, liberties, and estates, if they gave up the city—"if you choose for the worst, blame yourselves." Butler replied next day: "I am commanded to maintain this city for his Majesty, which, by the power of God, I am resolved to do." The attack was immediately pressed on until the 28th, letters between Cromwell and the Mayor and Governor passing between the different assaults and sorties. The Governor was poorly supported by the spirit of the towns-people, and on the 28th March the town and castle were delivered up on the the following conditions: The inhabitants to be preserved in their persons, goods, and estates, with free liberty to remove elsewhere; the garrison to march two miles out with bag and baggage, drums beating, and colours flying, matches lighted, and there to deliver up all their arms, except 100 muskets and 100 pikes, for defence against the bands of robbers who infested the country; then to pass on where they wished; that Kilkenny should pay a subsidy of £2,000; that hostages should be given to Cromwell for the due performance of these articles. As the garrison marched out. Sir Walter Butler at their head, Cromwell complimented them on their bravery—saying they were gallant fellows, and that he had lost more men in the several attacks than at Drogheda, and he would have been obliged to raise the siege, were it not for the treachery and lukewarmness of the inhabitants. The churches in Kilkenny suffered severely at the hands of Cromwell's soldiers. St. Canice's was "utterly defaced and ruined," the roof broken down, and the beautiful windows, for which Rinuccini, shortly before his return to Italy, had offered £700, were smashed to atoms; and all the doors were broken in, so that "the hogs might come and root, and the dogs gnaw the bones of the dead." The main body of the army seems to have remained at Carrick for nearly a week—parties being sent out to seize on the strongholds in the neighbourhood. Early in May Cromwell appeared before Clonmel. The town was garrisoned by 1,500 Ulstermen, commanded by Hugh O'Neill, cousin to Owen Roe. A letter (quoted by Carlyle) from one of Cromwell's soldiers, dated l0th May 1650, gives the following account of the capture of the town: "Yesterday we stormed Clonmel, in which work both officers and soldiers did as much and more than could be expected. We had with our guns made a breach in their works, where, after an hot fight, we gave back awhile; but presently charged up to the same ground again. But the enemy had made themselves exceeding strong, by double works and traverse, which were worse to enter than the breach; when we came up to it, they had cross-works, and were strongly flanked from the houses within their works. The enemy defended themselves against us that day until towards the evening, our men all the while keeping up close to their breach, and many on both sides were slain. At night the enemy drew out on the other side and marched away undiscovered to us, and the inhabitants of Clonmel sent out for a parley… After signing of the conditions, we discovered the enemy to be gone, and very early this morning pursued them, and fell upon their rear of stragglers, and killed above 200, besides those we slew in the storm. We entered Clonmel this morning, and have kept our conditions with them." Another letter says that they "found in Clonmel the stoutest enemy this army had ever met in Ireland… There was never so hot a storm of so long a continuance, and so gallantly defended, either in Ireland or England." It has been stated that between disease and fighting, Cromwell lost 2,500 men before the town. Clonmel being captured, Cromwell transferred the command to Ireton, and on 29th May 1650, after nine months in Ireland, sailed in the President frigate from Youghal, landed at Bristol, and hastened up to London. "What a crowd comes out to see your Lordship's triumph," exclaimed someone beside him. "Yes," he added, "but if it were to see me hanged, how many more would there be." In the proceedings of Parliament at this time we read: "The Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland this day did come to the House, to whom our Speaker did, by order of the House, give the hearty thanks of this House for his great and faithful services unto the

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