In consequence of the Scotch having embraced the cause of Charles II. Cromwell judged it expedient to return to England, having previously placed Ireton in the command of the army which was to act against Ormond and the Irish confederates. But there was now little to do ; the greater part of Ireland was subdued : Cromwell had been very suc cessful in the south, and, after his departure, Carlow, Wa terford, and other places of importance, were surrendered. Limerick, too strong to be taken by assault, or even by a regular seige, till Ireton was reinforced, was blockaded. In the north, Coote had reduced Carrickfergus. To the junc tion of the forces of this general, and of Ireton, for the pur pose of subduing the western counties, there was now no impediment, and for this purpose they both marched to wards .Athlone, while Ormond, with the few troops he could collect, directed his march to the Shannon, to prevent the cnomy from passing that river.
The cause of the confederates, bad as it was rendered by the success of Cromwell, was made still worse by their own violence, opposition to Ormond, and want of plans and unanimity among themselves. Ormond and the royalists wished merely to support the king's cause ; many of the confederates went rather farther than this ; and the Catho lic clergy made no scruple in avowing that they still in dulged the idea of establishing their own religion, under the protection of a foreign prince. Even the inhabitants of Limerick, though sensible of the dangers with which they were threatened, refused to admit 1800 men, with which Ormond proposed to reinforce the garrison. An attempt was indeed made to arrange matters in such a manner that Ormond might act with effect in favour of the royal cause ; but these attempts having been rendered of no avail by the intrigues of the violent Catholics, Ormond, unable to keep his army on the Shannon, destitute as it was of support or supplies from the inhabitants, and even apprehensive for his own safety, resolved to leave Ireland. But this resolu tion he changed when the Catholic clergy required him to repair to the King, declaring that now he would not quit the kingdom unless forced to it. This declaration pro duced formal articles against him, in which he was accus ed of being an enemy to the Catholic religion ; and, as such, the people were enjoined not to obey his orders, but only those of an assembly of the clergy ; a sentence of excom mu cation was at the same time passed against all who should adhere to hint, or pay him subsidy or obedience. These
violent measures of the clergy were rendered still more so, by a declaration made by the king, in order to please the Scotch, in which he expressed his abhorrence of popery, and pronounced the treaty with the Catholics of Ireland void. Ormond's sole hope was now placed in the Com missioners of Trust, who had the management of the civil affairs of the king ; but when they deserted him, by declin ing to take decisive measures, and passing over the violence of the clergy, he determined to leave the kingdom. This he accordingly did, after having appointed Clanricard his deputy. As the confederates had now gained their object, by having a Catholic governor, and as the army,was wholly Catholic, it was supposed that all causes of discontent and disunion would be removed ; but so far from this being the case, the clergy, still anxious to raise their own power, se cretly intrigued against Clanricard, and actually sought to place a foreign prince on the throne of Ireland. This prince was the Duke of Lorrain, with whom they open ed a negotiation, which, however, was very prudently broken off by the Duke, when he learned that the re publicans were fast advancing in their plan to subjugate the whole country.
It was now determined by Ireton to lay siege to Lime rick. In order to defend this important place effectually, Clanricard offered to throw himself into it ; hut this was re fused by the magistrates, and Hugh O'Neil was admitted to take the command of the garrison. The measures he took for the defence of the place, were aided by the approach of winter and the sickness of the republican troops, and pro bably would have saved it, had not the troops and inhabi tants been divided among themselves, and the prevalent party opened the gates to Ireton. This general intended, Immediately on the surrender of Limerick, to have besieged Galway ; but he was taken off by a pestilence which then raged, and was succeeded in the command by Ludlow. The death of Ireton at first inspirited the inhabitants of Gal way ; but the fate of this place was decided, like that of Limerick, by internal disputes, and it was surrendered without any opposition. Clanricard upon this fled from the south into the north of Ireland, where at first he met with some slight success, but at length being obliged to capitulate, he was permitted to transport himself and his troops to any foreign country which was not at war with England.