Arthur shook his head.‘I do not mean to upbraid you. I do not mean to discount the sacrifices of the men at Vinegar Hill. I mean to ensure that the people of Ireland can enjoy the fruits of the subsequent peace. Accordingly we must not revive the divisions of the past. The conflict between our people should be forgotten if there is to be any chance of contentment in this troubled island. Do you not agree, sir?’ Arthur continued before the mayor could reply, ‘Therefore I do not give permission for your procession to take place.’

The mayor’s eyes bulged and there were some angry murmurs from those in his deputation. The mayor swallowed and hastily gathered his map in and rolled it up. ‘Then, sir, I shall take this matter to a higher authority, to someone who knows the true value of patriotism, and subscribes to the belief in no surrender to papist plotters.’

‘You are welcome to try,’ Arthur said with cool politeness. ‘Now, I bid you good day, gentlemen.’

As the mayor and the deputation strode out of his office, Arthur caught the eye of Stoper and beckoned him over. Once he was sure that he would not be heard by his departing visitors Arthur spoke.

‘Better send a quick note to his grace. Inform him of what has happened and my decision on this matter. Send it at once, before those men have a chance to drive a wedge between the Lord Lieutenant and his Chief Secretary.’

‘Yes, sir.’ Stoper pencilled a hurried line in his notebook. ‘Will that be all, sir?’

‘Quite enough, thank you.’

‘Very well, sir.’ Stoper bowed his head and made his way to the door. There he paused and looked back.

‘Well?’ Arthur raised an eyebrow. ‘What is it?’

‘If I may say so, sir, you did the right thing.’

‘Of course I did,’ Arthur replied coolly. ‘Any bloody fool can see that.’

‘Yes, sir.’ Stoper smiled and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Chapter 29

Chapter 29

In an effort to better understand the public mood across Ireland, Arthur took his carriage and, together with Stoper, toured the counties with an escort of dragoons. What he found did not encourage him. In village after village he saw the same ramshackle cabins of the poor who barely eked out a living on the scraps of land they could afford to rent. The landowners were, for the most part, living in England - far from the troubles they had helped to provoke by keeping rents high and leaving their estates in the hands of agents who were intent on earning a comfortable commission by squeezing every last penny out of the hard-pressed tenants.