English cause had been acknowledged by the chief Parliamentary officers. The Lord Fitzwilliam of Merrion was decreed "nocent" because he had written a letter from Paris to the Confederate authorities "altogether for our service," as Charles himself said.[1] He had never done anything against the English interest and had in fact only been in Ireland for a short period between 1645 and '47, and then on the King's service. Cromwell had allowed him to return in or about 1655, and had allowed him part of his estate.[2]
Lord Dunsany in March, 1642, had written to Ormond an abject letter totally disclaiming all sympathy with the proceedings of the Lords of the Pale. He had never "corresponded with their councils, meetings, parleys or camps, other than two letters which were sent to the Lords Justices." He declared he was an Englishman born, the eleventh of his family, none of whom ever had been disloyal, four of them killed in the behalf of the Crown of England, the rest all wounded except himself and his father, "having no occasion to be put to the same." He was firm in his resolve "rather to be hanged with the imagination that I died a loyal subject and a lover of the prosperity of England, than to live in the quiet possession of all the north of Ireland."[3] He had escaped to the English quarters as soon as he could. But this had not saved his estate from Cromwell and now he was decreed "nocent" for having lived for a time in the Irish quarters.[4]
- ↑ Cal. St. Paps., 1669—70, addenda 1664, p. 491.
- ↑ Elrington Ball. Hist. of the. Co. Dublin.
- ↑ Quoted by Prendergast, p. 256.
- ↑ Cal. St. Paps., 1663, p. 237.
