In the mean time, the English parliament supplied the Protestant forces in Ulster with money ; and one of their partizans having prevailed on them to advance into Con naught, they took possession of Sligo. To retake this place the Archbishop of Tuam and Sir James Dillon marched by order of the confederates ; but being defeated by the parliamentarians, in the archbishop's baggage, which was taken, was found a copy of Glamorgan's original treaty the confederates, and also of his commission and of his oath. These papers being sent to the English parlia ment, were immediately published, and injured the cause of the king very much in the minds of all those who had hitherto supported hint, in the belief that he was not dis posed to restore the Catholic religion. The ministers of Charles, in order to wipe off thiimpression, arrested Gla morgan, who confessed that lie had acted without particu lar instructions, and solely on his own judgment, in order to benefit the king. It is difficult to ascertain the truth respecting this transaction ; the probability is, that Glamor gan acted rather on his idea of what the king would accede to, and what would be advantageous to him, than on any express orders or directions.
As, however, Glamorgan was arrested for his part in the treaty, the confederates were alarmed and indignant ; but at length were persuaded to renew the negociation; and on the 28th of May 1646, it was brought to an amicable ter mination. On the part of the king, he bound himself to grant toleration to the Catholics, and the confederates on their part engaged to transport 6000 well appointed infan try, and if they were not sent at the time specified, the trea ty was to be void. But the aid thus at last obtained came too late ; the affairs of the king were irretrievably ruined. Finding that it would be useless to send the forces into England, it became a matter of deliberation in what man ner, and in what part, they should be employed in Ireland ; but Ormond refused to act till his treaty should be publish ed, and that with Glamorgan cancelled. This was accord ingly done ; but it soon appeared that the peace which this treaty concluded was acceptable to neither of the parties who were most interested in it, and on whose good will to it, it depended mainly for its efficacy. The Covenanters in the north, and the Parliamentarians in the south of Ireland, were determined, if possible, to root out popery ; and the most numerous party, as well as the most active and pow erful of the Catholics, were as determined to use all their efforts to extirpate heresy. To these the pope's Nuncio attached himself; and Owen O'Neil was appointed by him the commander of what were called the Nuncio's soldiers: these cnnsisted of a desperate banditti ; and this circum stance, as well as the extravagant views of the Nuncio, alarmed the more considerate of the confederates, an I they icy actually commanded an armed opposition against the troops of O'Neil, on account of the irregularities which they com mitted in Leinster.
As soon as O'Neil had collected about 5000 infantry, and 500 horse, he advanced towards Armagh, and was followed by Munroe, at the head of the Scotch forces. A battle took place between them, at a place called Benburb a short dis tance town. winch ended in the defeat of Mun roe, with the loss of 3000 men, his artillery, and most of his baggage. O'Neil's forces now rapidly increased, and at the head of 10,000 men, he was preparing to reduce Ul ster, when he was recalled by the Nuncio, in order to op pose the peace.
The Nuncio, supported by a victorious army, was now more siolent than ever in his opposition to the peace, as well as more haughty in his declarations of the pope's au thority. Ormond was now seriously alarmed and perplex ed ; his treaty was slighted by all parties : the Nuncio and O'Neil openly opposed it ; the other forces of the confede rates under Preston had disbanded themselves for want of pay, and part of them had gone over to the clergy : on the other hand, the troops of the Parliament were still continu ing their hostile operations. Under these difficult circum stances, Ormond put himself at the head of 2000 troops, for the purpose of supporting the authority of the supreme council, and enforcing the treaty ; but his force was in adequate, especially after the Nuncio had gained over Preston, and Ormond was obliged to seek safety in the ca pital.
The united troops of Preston and O'Neil lost no time in advancing against Dublin, which was immediately besieg ed. As Ormond could not expect to defend it long, he was obliged to submit either to the English parliament, or to the Irish generals. He preferred the former alterna tive ; his overtures were accepted ; and 2300 men were or dered to march to the immediate relief of the city. In the mean time disputes had arisen between O'Neil and Pres ton, which, probably would have produced a separation, if not mutual hostilities, had not the intelligence of the ad vance of time parliamentarian forces arrived. In conse quence, however, of some difference between their leader and Ormond, they refused to act, and were sent back to Ulster. Ormond was now obliged reluctantly to give his sanction to the attempt which had been previously made to separate Preston from O'Neil ; but his suspicions with re gard to the former being soon confirmed, he saw himself again reduced to the necessity of submitting to the English parliament. Accordingly, on the 29th of June 1647, a treaty with the parliament was signed. The king's garri sons were to be delivered up to the commissioners of par liament, and the commissioners on their part promised se curity to such of the recusants as did not engage in rebel lion ; liberty for all to leave Ireland who chose to accompa ny Ormond ; and the repayment of a large sum which he had expended in the service of the king.