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Chapter 5 From 1641 to the restoration of Charles II in 1660
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The town was no sooner freed from this dreadful visitation, than it became again involved in all the distracting politics of the times. The marquis of Ormond, having determined upon leaving the kingdom, arrived here in the beginning of December, accompanied by lord Inchiquin, colonels Vaughan, Wogan, Warren, and about twenty other persons of distinction, all of whom sailed from Glaneinagh, in the bay, on board the Elizabeth. of Jersey, a small frigate of twentyfour guns, and, after a hard passage of three weeks, landed at Perose, in Basse Bretagne. At the same time, a large Dutch ship, called the Seven Stars, sailed from Kilcolgan, which arrived at another port in France. The marquis of Clanricarde, who succeeded as lord deputy, soon after he arrived in town, and knighted the mayor, Sir Oliver Oge French; but he could not, however, prevail on the inhabitants to admit a garrison, or any number of troops, but what should be entirely under their own control.
In the latter end of February, Stephen de Henin, abbe of St. Catherine, and ambassador of the duke of Lorrain, arrived in the bay of Galway, with offers of assistance and relief for the nation. The marquis of Clanricarde, as soon as he was apprised of his coming, repaired to Tirellan, and appointed a committee, composed of bishops, nobility and the gentry then in the town, to treat with him; but on ascertaining his proposals, which were, that the duke, his master and his successors, should be accepted as protectors of Ireland, with royal powers, and that some towns should be put into his hands, as security for what he should expend in recovering the kingdom, the lord deputy, with strong expressions of resentment, totally rejected them, as entirely derogratory to the king's honor and authority, and, preparing to depart from Tirellan, refused the abbe even an audience of leave. This reception so intimidated the ambassador, that he immediately changed his conditions, and consented to advance twenty thousand pounds on the security of the city of Limerick and town of Galway, without any other stipulation. To this the marquis assented, referring all articles relative to the protectorship to be adjusted by a treaty at Brussels, which was to be managed by the queen, the duke of York and lord Ormond. He then issued a warrant of freedom to the town, [u]> and articles of agreement were concluded between the ambassador and the mayor, sheriffs, burgesses and commonalty, by which it was covenanted that the town should be governed according to its charters, be free from any imposition of taxes by the duke, or pay of his soldiery, secure in their persons, goods, lands, estates and possessions, upon which if any injury should be committed, full reparation should be made; and, finally, that the town should not be liable to repay the twenty thousand pounds or any part thereof, except its just proportion. Sir Nicholas Plunket and Geoffrey Browne, Esq., were dispatched by the lord deputy to Brussels, with directions to conclude the treaty in conjunction with lord Taaffe. How this afiair was conducted and ended, may be found in all the histories of those times. They entered into articles with the duke, contrary to the directions which they had received. The lord deputy made a formal protest against this unwarrantable proceeding; and Lorrain, taking the opportunity, from some private unexplained reasons, put an end to the treaty.
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