ABout the space of six miles from Dub­lin in Ireland, there is a Town inha­bited with Irish, called Rockoll, in which Town is no more English in­habited, save onely two, William Clark, is the name of the one; the other is a Wid­dow, both Inne-keepers in Rockoll.

About a mile from the said Rockoll, dwelleth one Patricke Locke, at the foot of the hill called the hill Rockall. The said Patricke Locke is a great Papist, and a man of great meanes in those parts, having a very great estate, who had vaulted his house round about: in which Vaults he hath kept foure severall Smiths, and Forges, working upon provision for warre, ever since the first Treaty with the English [Page 2] and Scots, that is for the space of these two yeers.

He hath also since the first intent of rising of the Rebels in Ireland, he hath entertained fourescore men, who by the Rebels have been set on work, to vault the said hill Rockoll round about.

This Vault is so farre finished, that there is en­tertained in a Vault wherein they have undermined the hill great store of Rebels; to the number of about 500. as is credibly reported: whereof one hundred are Popish Priests, Friers, and Jesuites.

The passage over this hill is a great rode through which they passe from Dublin to the chiefest part in the Countrey towards Munster, and other places where the Rebels for the most part lie, and the Countrey is most oppressed: so that when the Kings Majesties Army had been come into Ireland from England, to relieve the Protestants against the Rebels: this Hill was the direct and readie Rode for them to passe over in the Vault whereof, which they had digged for that purpose. They have been preparing powder in readinesse as they could plot it; expecting thereby to blow up the Hill there­with, when the Army marched over it.

There was one of the Rebels called William Ra­ster, that was taken by Colonell Carot Topey, who discovered this plot, and confessed that the said Hill was all undermined, and that there was 100. barrels of powder in the Vault, and their purpose was, that if they could take Athigh, and the Castle, they then knew that when the Kings Forces came to Dublin, they would immediately move that way, because by that place they should be much [Page 3] strengthened: and to come to them the way doth lie directly over the said Hill Rickoll, and with the said powder in the Hill they had determined to blow them up as they passed by.

And he discovered moreover that M. Ochashen of Azabe in the Queens County, about 20. miles from Athigh, and 8. miles from the Fort of Leise, together with Sir Florence Fitch-Patricke of Castle Town should have come by night with 5000. armed men to the Fort of Leise, and lie as Souldiers that were to ward, the Papists within had agreed, and were appointed to let in a certain Company of the Rebels appointed for that purpose to burn and bat­ter down the Town.

Hereupon Captain Picket went forth to meet that Company with 500. men, who fell upon them, and slew 3. or 400. of the Rebels; and the rest fled into the woods.

Himself sustained the losse of 60. men, slain and dangerously hurt.

The said Rebels did rove extraordinarie up and down in Ireland, on Thursday the 3. of December, 1641. and did them much hurt in divers places of the Countrey. They came to the Town of Rockall spoken of before, on the same day. The Rebels had a paire of Bag-pipes which played before them, as they marched which played exceeding loud, which the Town hearing, rose to meet them, and at the Towns end saluted them, and made them great entertainment, and joyned themselves with them by an oath.

Afterwards they went to the aforesaid English [Page 4] Inhabitants, William Clark, and there they slew him, his wife, children, and family, 7. persons in number, of whom they left not one alive, but cru­elly murthered them. From thence they marched to the Nassey, that is about 5. miles, a Town of Irish Inhabitants, also they did go to the house of an Eng­lish man, called Henry Orell, where they slew his wife an ancient woman, and ravished her daughter in the most barbarous manner that ever was known: and when they had done, pulled her limbs asunder, and mangled her body in pieces without pitie or Christianity.

From thence they marched the next day towards Athigh, which is 10. miles from the Nassey, towards which place having marched about a mile from the Nassey aforesaid, they came to the Town of Puckin­gell, a Town inhabited of English, where they fell upon the Inhabitants thereof, and slew them in a cruell manner, without mercy, to the number of above 20. families, men, women, and children. One woman above the rest, they hanged at her own doore, with her children by the haire of the head: and afterwards burnt up the whole town with fire.

Having made that place desolate, they marched the next day forward, as before, and having mar­ched some three miles further, they came to an En­glish mans house, where first they slew the man at the doore, and afterwards they entred the house, where they found the woman and her maide a brewing; for it was an Alehouse, where they brew­ed their owne drinke: The Maid they tooke and ra­vished, and when they had abused her body, at their [Page 5] pleasure, they threw her into the boyling Caldron, or panne of wort, that was then over the fire: and her Mistris they slew, and cut off her head: and af­terwards fired the house.

Then they went on toward the Towne of A­thigh, with an intent to surprize the Towne and Castle; but God prevented their intentions by one Master Carot Topey, an English Colonell under the States there, appointed by the Lords, Iustices, and Counsell, over 500 foote, and 100 horse, who with his Regiment fell upon them, and slew 300 of the Rebells, and put the rest to flight.

The most part of the Rebells that fled, ranne o­ver the Bogges, and tooke the Woods.

This Regiment of Rebells, are about 2000 strong. Their chiefe Commanders are,

• Patricke Onell.
• Teage Okell.
• Charles Rowe.
• William Rafter, taken prisoner.

Colonell Topey lost in this Skirmish fifty-five men, that is, fifty foote, and five horse.