I Hope my former Letters are come safe to your hands, I have been these 16. dayes from Dublin. Three thousand Forces, horse and foot, went fourtie miles into the Countrey towards Kilkenny, to re­lieve some Towns and strong Castles, kept by the English; (God be praised we had good suc­cesse, In all our undertakings;) we effected all things according to our desires: we burned the Rebels Towns, and put all to the sword all the way We marcht, and gave them a greater defeat then hath been known these many yeers, since Kingsale Camp, there hath not been known the like multitude of Rebels in Armes, near a Town called Athye (where our Army lay) the Rebels kept their Randevous, we saw their strength the day before, and counted their Colours, which was between fiftie and threescore, as We plainly [Page 4] saw; we could not judge them to be lesse then 8000. men; the next morning we began our March homewards, with a full resolution to fight with them if they came neare us; we had not marcht a mile but we perceived them on the right hand of us a mile and halfe distant, coming very fast towards us, which made our Souldiers taken with much joy, hoping to encounter them, and do execution on them, (I never saw better resolution in men in all my life) we marcht five miles before we could come at them, for there was a great Bog between us, they marcht on our right Flank up even with us all the time: when we made a stand, then they likewise did so too; and in the place where we charged them, they also drew themselves into a full Bodie on the top of a Hill, we being in the bottome, (a great disadvantage to us) howsoever we powred valleys of shot among them with our ordnance, and small shot likewise: they stood us till we came almost within Carbines shot, and then they face about, and fell into disorder, running away as fast as they could; but we pursued them, and our Horse did great execution on them, but were too nimble for the foot, we followed a mile to a great Bogge, where they got for their [Page 5] defence. The number that we slew of them, was at least six hundred: Amongst which was foure of their chief Commanders, whose heads we brought along with us, and placed them on the gates of Dublin: Six of their Colours likewise we took, and very much of their Carriages; we un­derstand that they were the absolute strength of seven Counties in this part of the Kingdom, and did as confidently assure themselves of cutting us all off, as of meeting with us; in so much (they being so many more then us as they divided our bagage long before we fought with them, and were resolved to shew no mercy to us; But it pleased God to blesse and strengthen us with such hearts and courage, that we made them flie before us, like dust before the wind. I pray God to continue our hopefull proceedings; shortly we expect to go to Kelkenny, where the Rebels are exceeding strong; so with my true love unto you remembred, I rest,

I Do acknowledge my self engaged to you for your care of my businesse which I un­derstand by your letter, and will studie whereby to requite it: We have great store of provision for the present, but I doubt a famine will suddenly follow, by the reason of the spoil that is made of Corn and Cattell: for where ere we come, we kill and burn all before us, because we would not have it relieve our enemies, and they do the like by us. We have received no pay since we came into this Kingdom, but the more is behind; We will trust the Parliament. We were three thousand foot, and foure hundred horse, and five field Pieces, commanded into the Coun­tie of Wicklow, and Kildare, the second of April to relieve some English that were besieged by the Rebels, and very little resistance was made: for they ran away still before us. And thus we mar­ched three weeks about the Countrey, and re­lieved what places we were sent to relieve. We were coming back to Dublin, but my Lord [Page 7] Montgarret, one of the chiefe of the Rebels, thought to out us all off before we came to Dub­lin. On Friday in the morning last past, they shewed themselves, and marched by us twelve thousand till two of the clock. In the afternoon before the battell began, they had divided our Wagons, and our clothes, and appointed whose prisoner every man of any qualitie should be, and the rest should be killed, and hanged: they brought a cartfull of Halters for that purpose, so confident they were of victorie After we had been at prayers, Sir Charles Coote ordered our small Army, and towards them we marched, and all the way our Ordnance played upon them, and then the Musketiers came up within shot, and gave so good fire, and came on so fast upon them, that those Irish Commanders durst not stay till we came to push of pike, but away they ran; then had we the killing of them till 5. a clock at night: And instead of their dividing our Wagons, we now divide theirs. We killed neere a thousand men, besides the prisoners we took they were hanged. My Lord Montgarrets sonne was killed in the battell, and his head brought to Dublin. There was not a man killed [Page 8] of ours, and not above eight hurt. I received a small hurt, but it is almost well alreadie. I desire you send this Letter to my father when you have read it.