1648 and 1649 a solemn treaty had reconciled the majority of the nation with their sovereign.[1]
When that sovereign had perished on the scaffold the whole body of the Catholics of Ireland had rallied to the defence of his son. For over four years they had maintained his cause, and had only laid down their arms when all hope of success had vanished, and the greater part of the population had perished.
The vengeance which the triumphant English Republican Party had taken has been set out in the last chapter.
Everything then led the Irish to look upon the restoration of the King as full of promise for themselves.
At the outset these hopes were to a certain extent realised.[2] Those who had followed the King into exile on the Continent were enabled to return. The landowners who had been confined to the west of the Shannon were now permitted to reside without restriction anywhere within the island. A large number of dispossessed landowners obtained letters from the King ordering the immediate restoration of their estates; and in some cases, where these estates had not actually been set out to any Cromwellian soldier or adventurer, they obtained possession; in other cases the intruder was willing to hand over the property in return for payment.
- ↑ The first peace had been signed in 1646 but was rejected by the majority of the Irish. Late in 1648 peace terms were finally agreed on, and the peace was proclaimed in January, 1649, shortly before the execution of the King.
- ↑ Ireland is not mentioned in the Declaration from Breda. By it all past offences were to be forgotten, and it might be argued that this oblivion would extend to the proceedings of 1641 and the following years.
