SINCE my last several Ships are returned from Major General Kirk, who gives this Account, That Major General Kirk had Joyned his Grace the Duke Schomberg with Fourteen Troops of Horse, three of Dragoons, and Horse for three or four Troops more; and that the English Forces are Battering Carrickfergus with Eight Men of War by Sea, and likewise by Land, and 'tis not doubted but they will soon be Masters of it.

Major Tiffen, after the great Defeat near Inniskilling, march'd towards Co­lonel Sarsfield with one Troop of Horse, one of Dragoons, and two Com­panys of Foot; but finding him Decampt, and hearing he fled toward Sligo, marched after him thither; but when he came he found a clear Stage, the Enemy being fled, and left behind them Fourteen Pieces of Cannon in the Town, of which the said Major is now in Possession, and is Fortifying of that Place.

Yesterday at Noon sailed from High-Lake the French Regiment of Horse-Guards, commanded by the Right Honourable Colonel Schomberg, and like­wise the Earl of Devonshire's Regiment of Horse. This day the Duke of Bolton's Regiment of Foot set Sail from High-Lake, and—Herbert's Troop goes from hence this day to the same place. Two Troops of Colonel Villar's [Page]Regiment of Horse are come in, and the rest will follow this day, in order to their imbarking for Ireland with the first fair Wind. We likewise hear from Dublin, by a Ship come into Beaumaris, laden with Hides, Tallow, and Lea­ther, wherein were several Passengers, as Mr. Berton, Servant to Alderman Fletcher of Dublin, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Smallman, Linnen-Drapers, with Monsieur La Rue, Silk-Man, who gives this Account, That King James had formed a Camp at Rathmine, on the South side of Dublin, composed of a­bout 7000 Foot, being all new-rais'd Men, that they had neither Shirts nor Shoes, for the most part, and a great Multitude of Women and Children that followed them; and that King James had given Orders to all the Parish-Priests, to take an Account of all Persons from Sixteen to Sixty, and the place of their Abode, that they may be listed in that Kings Service; and that upon the News of Duke Schomberg's landing, the Camp was ordered to march on the North side of the Town, intending to form an Army to go and fight him; but the Horse that return'd from Derry, as well as the Foot, were misera­bly Harass'd; and a French Officer that was in the Engagement before In­niskilling, saith, That the English behaved themselves to a Wonder, but he never saw such Cowards as the Irish, some of them running Sixteen or Eighteen Miles without staying to look behind them; insomuch that King James was so enraged that he caused a Captain and a Corporal to be hang­ed for running away, for Example sake: he also gives Account of a Ship arrived from France, with a French General and Twenty Officers, with some Arms, and that they had secured most of the considerable Protestants in the West, not daring to trust them, and are forming a Camp near Kinsale, as fearing the Earl of Torington may Land there, being now in despair of the French Succours; and that they have laid up a great Magazine in Ath­loane, and Fortified Gallway for a safe Retreat: But we hope the Victori­ous and Renowned General Schomberg will soon cool their Courage, ha­ving as we hear taken the Town and Castle of Carrickfergus by Storm; so that he will be at liberty to march towards Dublin, having receiv'd the English Horse, who already forage up as far as the Newry and Charlemont. In our next we expect to hear of some Considerable Action, in the mean time I am your Humble Servant.