OPPOSITION IN IRELAND 1901 
denounced the half-heartedness of the generals of the Army 
and especially Cromwell. “You shall scarce speak to 
Cromwell,” said Lilburne, a brave but hot-headed leader of 
the Levellers, “ but he will lay his hand on his breast, elevate 
his eyes, and call God to record, He will weep, howl, and 
repent, even while he doth smite you under the fifth rib.” 
While the army was preparing for the Irish War, the 
movement of the Levellers developed into open rebellion, 
Cromwell urged the Council to adopt strong measures. 
“ You must break these people in pieces,” said Cromwell to the 
Council of State; “ #f yow do not break them, they will break 
youw” He was at once despatched to put down the rising. 
After a forced march of fifty miles, he came upon the 
mutinous regiments in the dead of night at Burford, in 
Oxfordshire, and completely overpowered them. Three of 
the leaders were shot, and the rest were pardoned and 
returned to their duty. By Cromwell’s prompt action the 
rebellion was quickly suppressed, 
(2) Opposition to the Commonwealth in Ireland, 
Meanwhile affairs in Ireland wore a very threatening aspect, 
Ever since the rebellion of 1641 Ireland had been the scene 
of anarchy and bloodshed. The Anglo-Irish Royalists under 
the Marquis of Ormonde now joined the Roman Catholic 
Irish, and refused to acknowledge the Commonwealth. 
Cromwell was sent by the Council of State to suppress the 
revolt, and having landed in Dublin, the only large town then 
in the hands of the Parliament, both he and his men were eager 
to avenge the terrible massacre of eight years before, * We 
Aare come,” he said on landing, ‘to ask an account of the 
innocent blood, that hath been shed, and to endeavour to 
bring to an account all, who by appearing in arms, shall justify 
the same.” Meanwhile, Ormonde had suffered a severe 
defeat at Rathmines, but he was determined to prolong the 
war by strengthening all the large towns, At Drogheda he 
stationed about 3,000 of his best men under Sir Arthur 
Aston, Cromwell promptly stormed the place and cruelly put 
to death almost all the garrison. ‘Those who escaped, fled to 
St. Peter’s Church, “ whereupon,” he writes, in his terrible 
despatch to Parliament, “I ordered the steeple to be 
burned; in the church itself nearly 1,000 were put to the