YOU know Cork for its Harbour and conside­rable Strength, has been lookt upon a place of such moment and con­cern, that the Earl of Tyrconnel secur'd it one of the first in the Southern Parts of the Kingdom, and committed it in­to the hands of Major-General Justin Maccarty, as to one whose Interest in that Country, and Resolution for K. James's Cause, had rendred the most qualified person for such an important Command, he took possession of the place as Governour; where he acquit­ted himself with so much moderation and evenness of temper towards the Protestants there, that those poor Peo­ple found that Protection from him, which many others had been deceived in the expectation of from some of their Great Officers: This generous Demeanour not suiting the Instructi­ons which Monsieur D' Avaux had received from his Master, the French King, he so far prevailed as to have one of his Country-men, call'd Mon­sieur Lanoo, put into the Major-Ge­neral's place, publickly declaring, That it was not consistent with His Christian Majesty's Interests, that such a Key to the Kingdom as that City is, should be in other hands, than those whose endeavours to extirpate Hereticks might give demonstrations of their sincerity to the Cause. Well fraughted then with Directions, Lanoo takes his Journey towards Cork, where being admitted, he produc'd his Com­mission to the Major-General, telling him, That he expected an immediate Resignation of that place unto him, for the French-man's use: Maccarty having been always lookt upon with an esteem suitable to his Merit, and [Page 2]not used to such Demands, could not receive them without some surprize, but recollecting himself with a great deal of briskness, which is natural un­to him, he told Lanoo, He knew him­self as capable of such a Trust as any French-man whatever; and that he would maintain that Garrison with the last drop of his Blood, for His Ma­jesty's Service, and that seeing how such new Commissions were obtain'd, he did not think himself oblig'd to take any farther notice of them; and this he told Monsieur was his final Resoluti­on. The French-man th [...]s ba [...]ked in his expectatio [...], grew angry, and us'd such expressions to the Governour, as oblig'd him to demand that Satis­faction of him, which he might ex­pect for such an Affr [...]nt: He told him, the Garden was [...] place where they might suddainly, and privately end the Difference; and if he fell by his Sword, he might then produce his Commission; and at once take possession of the place, and be se­cur'd [...]om any Affronts which might be put on him by the People: Lanoo accepted of the proposal, and to it they went, but Maccarty was not us'd to be overcome, and still main­tain'd the same Character, by wound­ing and the disarming Monsieur, who having receiv'd his Sword from the Governour, lest Cork with all the hast and privacy he could to hide his Shame, and to return the Embassa­dor an Account how he had sped his Commission.

The manner of this Adventure was immediately spred through the whole Kingdom, and has so ani­mated several other Gentlemen, as to make them oppose themselves to the open designs of the French, which we may believe by the following Ac­count, of the Earl of Tirone, who being Governour of Waterford, shut the Gates of the City against one Desoigniers, who went with a Com­mission to be Governour there, and after another manner then Lanoo, had demanded the Keys of Cork, for he carried with him four hundred Men, but making his approaches to the Walls, he found the Gates shut a­gainst him: And some Souldiers on the Walls, commanding him to Re­treat, if he would be out of the Danger of their Shot; for the Go­vernour was resolv'd to continue that place in King James's Hands, by se­curing is from the French Designs, which they so plainly saw into, that they justly apprehended the approach­ing Slavery, which such Practices were like to draw upon them.

What the consequences, Sir, of such Divisions will be, I leave to your own Judgment; only this I will add, That the Kingdom which is divided in it­self is like to fall; and this Prophesie I assure you I have heard above four­teen years ago in Ireland, That the day would come, when the Irish should weep over the English Graves; which I believe is not at this time untrue, since they now begin to find, that those Aids which the French King gives them, are like those which the Wolves in the Fable sent to secure the Sheep, likelier to become their De­vourers than Guardians; whence we may reasonably hope, that when those long expected Succours are sent from England thither, those misled People will discover more effectually their Resentments of the French Politicks, which they so much apprehend al­ready, and the Felicities and Enjoy­ments which they found from the English Protection, by an Opportune Declaration for them, which we can­not expect, how violent soever their Inclinations be thereunto, until by their approaches they more power­fully influence, and enable them to return again to that Government, which a misguided Zeal has occasion­ed them to reject,