there, that the house doth approve of the execution done at Drogheda both as an act of justice to them and mercy to others, who may be warned by it” (Journals, vi. 301), which are the very reasons alleged by Cromwell in his despatch.  His conduct was now sanctioned by the highest authority; and from that moment the saints in the army rejoiced to indulge the yearnings of their zeal for the cause of God, by shedding the blood of the Irish enemy.  Nor had they long to wait for the opportunity.  On the 1st of October he arrived in the neighbourhood of Wexford; on the 9th he opened a cannonade on the castle, which completely commanded the town.  On the 11th, Synnot, the military governor, offered to capitulate; four commissioners, one of whom was Stafford, the captain of the castle, waited on Cromwell to arrange the terms.  He was dissatisfied with their demands, pronounced them “abominable,” and detained them till he had prepared his answer.  By that answer he granted life and liberty to the soldiers; life, but not liberty, to the commissioned officers, and freedom from pillage to the inhabitants, subject, however, to the decision of parliament with respect to their real property.  He required an immediate acceptance of these terms, and the delivery to him of six hostages within an hour.—­(Compare the letter of October 16 in the King’s Pamphlets, No. 442, with the document published by Mr. Carlyle, ii. 79, which appears to me nothing more than a rough and incorrect draft of an intended answer.) But Stafford was a traitor.  In the interval, being “fairly treated,” he accepted, without communication with the governor, the terms granted by Cromwell, and opened the gates of the fortress to the enemy.  From the castle they scaled an undefended wall in the vicinity, and poured into the town.  A paper containing the terms was now delivered to the other three commissioners; but “their commissioners this while not having hearts to put themselves into the town again with out offer.”—­Ibid.  Letter of October 16.  Thus Synnot and the other authorities remained in ignorance of Cromwell’s decision.

2.  At the first alarm the garrison and burghers assembled in the market-place, to which they were accompanied or followed by crowds of old men, women, and children.  For a while the progress of the enemy was retarded by barricades of cables.  At the entrance of the market-place they met with a “stiff resistance,” as it is called by Cromwell.  The action lasted about an hour; but the assailants receiving continual reinforcements, obtained at last fell possession of the place, and put to the sword every human being found upon it.  The governor and the mayor perished with the rest.