[Sidenote a:  A.D. 1651.  Oct. 23.] [Sidenote b:  A.D. 1651.  Oct. 27.] [Sidenote c:  A.D. 1651.  Nov. 25.]

victorious general fell a victim to the pestilential disease which ravaged the west of Ireland.  His death proved a severe loss to the commonwealth, not only on account of his abilities as an officer and a statesman, but because it removed the principal check to the inordinate ambition of Cromwell.[1]

During the next winter the confederates had leisure to reflect on their forlorn condition.  Charles, indeed, a second time an exile, solicited[a] them to persevere;[2] but it was difficult to persuade men to hazard their lives and fortunes without the remotest prospect of benefit to themselves or to the royal cause; and in the month of March Colonel Fitzpatric, a celebrated chieftain in the county of Meath, laid down[b] his arms, and obtained in return the possession of his lands.  The example alarmed the confederates; and Clanricard, in their name, proposed[c] a general capitulation:  it was refused by the stern policy of Ludlow, who assumed the command on the death of Ireton; a succession of surrenders followed; and O’Dwyer, the town of Galway, Thurlogh O’Neil, and the earl of Westmeath, accepted the terms dictated by the enemy; which were safety for their persons and personal property, the restoration of part of their landed estates, according to the qualifications to be determined by parliament, and permission to reside within the commonwealth, or to enter with a certain number of followers into the service of any foreign prince in amity with England.  The benefit of these articles did not extend to persons who had taken

[Footnote 1:  Ludlow, i. 293, 296, 298, 299, 300, 307, 310, 316-324.  Heath, 304, 305.  Ireton’s letter, printed by Field, 1651.  Carte, ii. 154.  The parliament ordered Ireton’s body to be interred at the public expense.  It was conveyed from Ireland to Bristol, and thence to London, lay in state in Somerset House, and on February 6th was buried in Henry the Seventh’s chapel.—­Heath, 305.]

[Footnote 2:  Clanricard, 51.]

[Sidenote a:  A.D. 1652.  Jan. 31.] [Sidenote b:  A.D. 1652.  March 7.] [Sidenote c:  A.D. 1652.  March 24.]

up arms in the first year of the contest, or had belonged to the first general assembly, or had committed murder, or had taken orders in the church of Rome.  There were, however, several who, in obedience to the instructions received from Charles, resolved to continue hostilities to the last extremity.  Lord Muskerry collected five thousand men on the borders of Cork and Kerry, but was obliged to retire before his opponents:  his strong fortress of Ross opened[a] its gates; and, after some hesitation, he made his submission.  In the north, Clanricard reduced Ballyshannon and Donnegal; but there his career ended; and Coote drove[b] him into the Isle of Carrick, where he was compelled to accept the usual conditions.  The last chieftain