ABSTRACT
Oliver Cromwell hated the Irish. The prejudice of the de factohead of the Commonwealth was common among Englishmen of his generation and was quite different from his feelings towards the Scots, who were basically God-fearing, if ‘deceived’. Indeed, Cromwell was initially prepared to leave Scotland as a separate state.1 He also had reason to fear that Prince Charles would pick Ireland rather than Scotland (where the Kirk party had ousted the Engagers) as a base for resistance and, ultimately, invasion: all six ships of the royalist navy were berthed at Kinsale.2 The Commonwealth’s armies were bled white by defections to Ormond’s royalist alliance and it looked like Jones would not be able to hold on to Dublin. Worry about Ireland is reflected in the unprecedented volume of reports from Ireland carried in English newsbooks.3 Levying of troops for Ireland began in April 1649 with army regiments picked by lot. Many soldiers mutinied, however, and would not embark until they were paid arrears of wages. Meanwhile, a delegate from Rinuccini’s erstwhile clericalist followers held several meetings with parliamentary negotiators (including Cromwell and his son-in-law Henry Ireton), who promised religious toleration.4 It is likely that the negotiators had no real interest in compromise and were buying time until the army mutinies were put down. The campaigning season slipped by.
