CHAP. I.

1689 THE Actions of Great Men have gene­rally been esteemed so powerful for the instructing of those that come af­ter, that most Civil States have made it their Business to Transcribe, and preserve them to posterity for their Example and Imitation. Even the Irish themselves, when they were far from being one of the [Page 2] most Reformed Nations in the World, had their Bards, and Ballad-makers, who have taken no small pains in their way to render the Chieftains of their own Coun­try as famous as others. Nay, the Greatest Generals and Emperors have in the midst of their Conquests imployed some of their time to leave the immortal Memory of their own, and other Great Mens Actions in writing; the omission of which has been a great defect in the middle Age of the World, since those are commonly the most Competent Judges of the ma­nagement of Affairs, and ablest to give a true Ac­count.

But because in this Fighting Age, wherein we now live, their time is other ways imployed; and Great Men have scarce leisure to read, much less to write great Books; we must be contented to take the best Accounts we can get of their Actions from meaner Hands, such as have been Eye-witnesses of them, or at least have good grounds for what they tell us. And forasmuch as the Disturbances in Ireland have made so great a noise in the Ears of all Europe, whilst they lasted; and my self as a constant Attendant on their Majesties Army, having been an Eye-witness to the most Remarkable Occurrences; I shall not scruple to tell the World all I know; which as it is for the most part little else but the bare matter of Fact, I hope it may not be despised, though it come from so mean a Hand, and in so homely a Dress.

I need not trouble the Reader with a long Dis­course about the Occasion of the War; The general Aversion of the People of England to Popery, and their being ill treated by a Prince of that Persuasion, made such a sudden Change in that Kingdom, as the like never happened before in any Age or Countrey: But Ireland was under different Circumstances; the [Page 3] Roman-Catholick Party being there by much the stronger (at least more numerous) of whom my Lord Tyr­connell had, during the late King's Reign, been mo­delling an Army that might be ready on all Occasions to maintain the Popish Interest, by which the Prote­stants in that Kingdom were brought upon the very brink of Ruine, and then forced most of them to fly from thence to secure their Lives against an Insolent and ungovernable Irish Army; who by order from the Government, seized upon all the Horses and Arms they could find in the Hands of the Protestants through­out the Kingdom, and made all possible Preparations to resist a powerful Army from England, which was but reasonable to look for, since it's so inconsistent with the Laws, Interest and Policy of this Kingdom, to have Ireland in any other hands but their own.

On the 12th of March the Late King, with about The Late King lands in Ire­land. 1800 men from France, landed at Kinsale in the West of Ireland. And on the 14th several of the Northern Protestants that had betaken themselves to Arms, were routed at a place called Drummore, by Lieut. Gen. Ham­bleton (who was some time before sent into Ireland to treat with my Lord Tyrconnel to deliver up the Sword; but joining with his Lordship, and the Irish at his Landing, he was preferred to that Post.) He had with him at Drummore about 2000 of the Irish standing Army, and nigh as many Rapareers, though he killed but few of the Protestants, they making a Running Fight of it, as others also did at Killileigh, Claudy­foord, and some other Places; several flying into Eng­land, or Scotland, though the most resolute amongst them went towards London-Derry, where in a short time they were actually besieged by the greatest part of the Irish Army.

And then the Irish make Preparations for the sitting of their Parliament, which was on the 7th of May 1689. wherein all the mere Irish were admitted as An Irish Par­liament cal­led. Members; and most of the English Nobility, Gentry, Clergy, and substantial Tradesmen of that Kingdom, were attainted by name; their Estates and Goods be­ing declared forfeited, if they returned not by a cer­tain day, which to the greatest part was next to an impossibility.

There were some Protestants however in this Par­liament who endeavoured to do their Absent Brethren, and the Protestant Interest, all the faithful service ima­ginable; particularly the Bishop of Meath, who made several excellent Speeches in the House of Lords in op­position to their Proceedings; but the Current was then too strong to be stopt, and whoever endeavoured it, their Attempts were fruitless.

But the greatest Thorn in their sides at that time in The Siege of London-derry. Ireland, was the City of London-derry, which contemn­ed both their Threats and fair Promises, baffling the chie [...] of their Forces for at least Four Months together, with­out any extraordinary Supplies from England, till they were reduced to the last Extremity: Yet on the 25th. of March the Besieged had some Arms and Ammunition brought them by Captain James Hambleton. And on the 13th. of April, Collonel Richards and Collonel Cunning­ham were sent with Two Regiments from England to their Assistance; who coming to the Lough of Derry▪ and being ordered to obey the then Governour Lundy's di­rections, they were told by him, That the Town could not hold out a Week; and that their coming in would only be the loss of their men, and the Besieged also; and advised them to return, which they did, tho they lost their Regiments upon it.

Then went Major-General Kirk, with his own Regi­ment, Sir John Hanmer's, and Brigadier Stuart's, who anchor'd in the Lough Two Months; during which Major-Gene­ral Kirk sent to their relief. time a great many French Commanders were sent to the Irish Camp, and also the late King himself went down to encourage the Besiegers, fresh Supplies of men going thither daily, but all to no purpose; which when he saw how unsuccessful the Attempts of his Irish Army against the Town were like to prove, it's confidently reported, that he exprest himself to this effect, That if he had had as many English-men in his Army, as he had of others, they would have brought him it stone by stone ere that. But being wea­ry of so tedious a Siege, he returned to Dublin; and at last, the Dartmonth Frigat forced her way up to the Town; and the Irish raised their Siege on the last of Ju­ly. The Management of this Affair was blamed by some of themselves, who were either for pushing on the Siege with their whole Army, or else for making a Blockade, and so going into Scotland with the rest of the Army, as my Lord Melfort advised, and as my Lord Dunee earnestly writ for several times; but some of the Irish Officers ad­vised the late King to a Medium, by making a slow and regular Siege, which would teach his men to be the better Soldiers; but thereby he lost his opportunity, in not send­ing to reinforce Dundee, whereby he might at least have changed the seat of the War.

Nor were the Inniskilliners behind their Neighbours of Derry in opppsing the Irish on all occasions; for besides several Actions of moment performed by them at other times, the very day before the Siege of Derry was raised, the Inniskilliners hearing of about Six thousand of the Irish Army, commanded by Major-General Mackarty, (commonly called my Lord Moncashel) that were march­ing towards them, in order to Besiege their Town also, they very bravely met them nigh Twenty Miles from [Page] home, and at a place called Newtown Butler, near Croom-Castle, they fought and routed the Irish, killing and drowning in Loughs and Bogs nigh Three thousand, The Battel at Newtown But­ler. Mackarty himself and some few more being taken Priso­ners: The whole Body of the Inniskilliners, both Horse and Foot, were not above Two thousand; and scarce Twenty of those were killed, with about Fifty more wounded. This I have had confirmed by several very good men of that Party; and it's in a great measure owned by the Irish themselves.

After these Affronts, the Irish Army retire into Lein­ster Duke Schonberg lands with an Army in Ire­land. and Munster, in order to recruit and refresh them­selves; when they had soon an account (to their sorrow), That Duke Schonbergh, General of all Their Majesties of Great Britain's Forces, was landed with an Army at Bangor in the North of Ireland: This was on Tuesday, August the 13th. and on the 17th. the General with his Army marched to Belfast; from whence on the 20th. he sent Five Regiments of Foot, with some Horse, to Invest the Town of Carrickfergus; and the next day, followed himself with the remainder of the Army. There were Two Regiments of Foot in the Town, under Mackar­ty Moore the Governor, and Owen Mackarty, who held it out till the 27th. at what time the following Articles were agreed to and signed.

Pursuant to which Articles, the Irish marched out, tho the Duke himself had much a-do to protect them from the Violence of the Countrey People; the Injuries they had received in being plundered and stript by them, were so fresh in their memories. The Irish had about 150 kil­led and wounded during the Siege, and the Duke near the same number; and Wednesday the 28th. and the day fol­lowing, the Army marched back to Belfast, where they were joined by Duke Schonbergh's French Horse, Sir Tho­mas Gowers Foot, and some other Regiments sent from England. On Saturday the last of August, our Army was Our Army mustered at Belfast. Mustered, being Four Regiments of Horse, one of Dra­goons, and Eighteen Regiments of Foot, (viz.) Horse, Earl of Devonshire's, Lord Delamere's, Col. Coy's, and Duke Schonberg's, with Col. Leveson's Dragoons. Foot, one Battalion of Blew Dutch, Carleson's White Dutch, Princess Anne's, Col. Wharton's, Earl of Drogheda's, Lord Lisburn's, Earl Meath's, Lord Roscommon's, Lord Lovelace's, Earl of Kingston's, the Duke of Norfolk's, Col. Herbert's, Sir Edward Deering's, Sir Thomas Gower's, Col. Earl's, La Mellionere's, Du Cambon's, La Callimot's; and a day or two after, we were joined by most of the Inniskilling Horse, who stayed with us during the succeeding Cam­paign.

The Duke having ordered most of his Artillery and Ammunition on Board at Carrickfergus (our Train Horses being many of them as yet at Chester) and then to go for Carlingford, within eight miles of Dundalk, he marched The Army march to Newry. his Army forwards on Monday the 2d. of September, and came on the 6th. to Newry, which he found laid in Ashes by the Duke of Berwick, who having been there with about 1700 Foot and Dragoons, and two Troops of Horse, had retired towards Dundalk the evening before, and left Newry in a flame. Here the General posted Capt. Palliser of Sir Thomas Gower's Regiment with Fifty men in an old Castle that was unburnt; and on Saturday the 7th. we Thence to Dundalk. marched to Dundalk, where the Army encamped on a low moist Ground, nigh a mile short of the Town. On Sun­day the 8th. Major-General Kirk's, Sir John Hanmer's, and Brigadier Stuart's Regiments, join'd us from the North.

The Irish Army were at this time in a great Consterna­tion, The Irish in confusion. and it was debated whether they should quit Drogheda and Dublin, and so retire towards the Shannon; but my Lord Tyrconnel opposed it; and when Marshal De Rose understood that Duke Schonberg halted at Dundalk, He was sure (he said) that he wanted something necessary for their going forwards; and therefore part of their Army ad­vanced, first to Ardee, and then in a day or two to a place called the Bridge of Fane, upon a small River within three miles of Dundalk, whither the late King with his whole Army (being about 28000 well arm'd, and nigh Ten thousand indifferently arm'd men), followed about the 15th. at what time we began to intrench our Camp; and also some shipping with Provisions came to us.

Friday the 20th. we were alarm'd with the Enemies The Irish make a shew of fighting. approach, and they did appear upon the Hills above the Town, next day drawing out their whole Army with a [Page 10] Train of Artilery, which the Duke seeing, ordered all his men to stand to their Arms, and expected the Ene­mies attacking him, but that they had no great mind to; and after a Discovery of a Plot by some French, to carry the rest over to King James, one Du Plessy and five more being hanged, as also Two hundred others sent for England, the Enemy seeing that op­portunity lost, they returned with the main Body of their Army to Ardee, where they encamped till about the 4th. of November, and then they marching off, we thought it high time to do so likewise, after being encamp'd almost Ten weeks in a very unwholsome place, and pestered with all the disadvantages of bad weather, by reason of which we lost in the Camp, in our going to Quarters, and in them and the Ho­spitals, at least one half of our men, the Army con­sisting then of Nine Regiments and Two Troops of Horse, Four Regiments of Dragoons, and Thirty Re­giments of Foot, whereof Two Regiments of Horse, One of Dragoons, and Six of Foot, did not come to the Camp, but were quartered in the Countrey.

About this time a Body of the Irish under Sars­field Sligo taken by the Irish. retook Sligo and James-town, the Duke not being in a condition to send a sufficient number of men to their Relief. Upon the 8th. and 10th. of November our Army decamped, and were dispersed afterwards over the North in Quarters; and not long after, (viz.) November 24. early in the morning, Major-General Boiseleau with about Seventeen hundred men, endea­voured A Party of the Irish repulsed at Newry. to surprize Newry, and a good part of them were actually in the Town, but were beat out again by about Sixty of Sir Henry Inglesby's Regiment (all that were then well of 'em), with some few Towns­men that had rebuilt their Houses; the Irish making [Page]

[Page] [Page 11] so great haste away, that not many of their number were slain, six Soldiers and a Lieutenant-Collonel being only left upon the spot; we had also two Captains and six men killed, and some few wounded: And so ended that great Contrivance, in endeavouring to sur­prize first that, and afterwards all our Frontier Gari­sons; which as the case then stood with us, had been no difficult task to perform.

Towards the latter end of November, the General ordered a Meeting of all the Countrey Gentlemen then in the North of Ireland, to be at Lisburne, where his Grace's Head Quarters were fixed, at what time they presented the Duke with an Address, and then agreed upon Rates for all sorts of Provision; which by Procla­mation from the General were commanded to be sold accordingly.

December the 12th. Collonel Woolsly marched with a Party towards Belturbet, which was surrendred to him by the Irish; and on the 13th. the Duke went to view Charlemont, a strong-hold which the Irish then had, and kept for some time afterwards.

Towards the latter end of December, the Irish began to lessen the Coin of their Brass-Money, calling in the large Half-Crowns, and stamping them a new for Crowns; and near the same time Major-General Major-Gene­ral Mackarty makes his e­scape. Mackarty made his escape from Inniskilling, where he had remained a Prisoner ever since the Rout at Croom Castle. Collonel Hambleton, Governour of the Town, was Tried by a Court-Marshal for it afterwards, but producing Ma­jor-General Kirk's Letter to him, wherein he desired that some further Conveniencies might be allowed Mackarty than formerly; upon which it being done (with the Duke's consent, who took Mackarty for a man of Ho­nour) the Governor was acquitted.

1690 The beginning of January, our Regiments being all very thin, and it appearing a little difficult to recruit them in England, most people being then out of humour for the loss of their Relations and Acquaint­ance, nor altogether that number of Voluntiers ap­pearing then as formerly, therefore several Regiments were broke one into another, and the supernumerary Officers continued at half-pay till Provision could be made for them in other Regiments; Sir Tho. Gower being dead, my Lord Drogheda's Regiment was broke in­to his, and his Lordship made Collonel of it; my Lord Roscommon's Regiment was broke also into Col­lonel Earl's; and Collonel Zanchy's (formerly my Lord Lovelace's) Sir Henry Inglesby's and Collonel Hamble­ton's of Inniskilling, were broke into other Regiments; and about the 12th. 16th. and 20th. most of the Of­ficers designed for that Service, went from Lisburne towards England, for Recruits to the Army.

January the 18th. A Proclamation was published, strictly forbidding Cursing, Swearing, and Prophane­ness in Officers or Soldiers, under the Penalties en­joined in the Articles of War, and his Grace's utmost Displeasure; but neither this, nor yet the Judgments of God then hanging upon us for those and a great many other sins, had that effect that the General and other good men heartily wished for; and no doubt of it, the Debaucheries in Armies are the high-way to Ruin, since those both obey and fight best, that are the most sober.

The 22d. Brigadier Stuart went with a Party of Five hundred Horse and Foot towards Dundalk, de­stroying several Cabins amongst the Mountains, where the Irish used to shelter themselves; and his Party brought in a considerable Prey at their return.

The 25th. the General went from Lisburne, in order to visit our Frontier Garisons, and appointed stores of Bread, Cheese, Shooes, and other Necessaries at seve­ral places, especially at Armagh, the Metropolis of the whole Island.

On the 11th of February, a part of our Army be­ing The Irish Ar­my in motion. drawn together to attend the Enemy's Motion, who we understood were then in a Body towards Dundalk; The General himself went to Drummore, and so to Loughbritland, in order to give the Enemy Battel, if they advanced; our Men and Horses ha­ving recovered by this time from their late Diseases to a Miracle. Sir John Laneir, and Brigadier La Mel­lionere, advanced with a Party towards Carlingford, but returned with an Account, that there were only three Regiments at Dundalk, as formerly; but the Design of the Irish lay another way. For whilst the Duke was abroad on that side, Collonel Woolsley had notice that the Enemy were resolved to fall upon Belturbet, where he then commanded; to which pur­pose they had already crouded a Garison of theirs called Cavan, eight miles from Belturbet, at what place they expected a greater Force in a day or two; but Collonel Woolsley, to be before-hand with their visit, marched from Belturbet on the 12th, about Four in the Afternoon, with Seven hundred Foot, and Three hundred Horse and Dragoons, hoping to sur­prize the Enemy next Morning early; but he met with so many Difficulties in his march, that instead of being at the Place before day, as he designed, it was fair day-light before he came near it; the Ene­my had also taken the Alarm, and were so far from being surprized, that instead of the usual Garison (which we only as yet expected there) the first thing that our men saw, was a Body of the Enemy's [Page 14] drawn up in good order, and judged to be about Four thousand. It was rather therefore a surprize upon us, than them; however, we fought and routed The Battel of Cavan. them, killed Brigadier Nugent, with several other Officers, and about Three hundred Soldiers, taking Twelve Officers, and Sixty private Men, Prisoners; burnt the Town, and returned with a good Booty; having lost Major Trahern, Captain Armstrong, and Captain Mayo, with about Thirty private Men, and double the number wounded.

And to let the Enemy see that we were ready Sir John Lanier goes to Dun­dalk with a Party. for them on all sides, Sir John Lanier marched again on the 15th towards Dundalk with a Party of One thousand Horse, Foot and Dragoons; he came be­fore the Place early next Morning, which the Ene­my had fortified very regularly. And placing some of his men near the Works on the North-east Side towards the Bridge, he sent a Party of Collonel Leve­son's Dragoons cross the River, who took Bedloe's Ca­stle, an Ensign and Thirty men surrendring them­selves Prisoners; In the mean time another Party marched in at the South-west End of the Town, and burnt most of what was left without the Works; in which Service we lost a Lieutenant, and two or three Dragoons; our Men returning with a Prey of Fifteen hundred Cows and Horses.

The beginning of March, landed the Duke of Wer­tenberg The Danes land in Ire­land. with Six Thousand Danes, being proper men, very well Cloathed and Armed. On the 12th, Col­onel Callimot, with a Party, endeavoured to burn the Wooden Bridge at Charlemont, which he set fire to, and killed about Twenty of the Enemy; lost his own Major, with about Six men, and so returned.

March the 14th, Five thousand French Foot under 5000 French land in Ireland. Count Lauzune, and the Marquess de Lery, landed at [Page 15] Kinsale, in order to join the Late King's Army; for whom, in exchange, Major-General Macharty, and near the same number of Irish, were sent into France, our English Fleet, then attending the Queen of Spain, made this Undertaking more easie to the French.

April the 6th, Collonel Woolsley, with a Party of Seven hundred men, attacked the Castle of Killy­shandra, seven miles from Belturbet, where the Ene­my had a Garison of One hundred and sixty men, commanded by one Captain Darcy; after some Mines were fixed, and a brisk Assault or two made upon their Works (in which we lost Eight men) the Be­sieged surrendred, and we left a Garison of One hun­dred men in the Place. Nigh which time a great ma­ny Recruits, as also Collonel Cutt's, Collonel Babing­ton's, with a Danish Regiment of Horse, landed at White-House.

April the 18th, Sir Clousley Shovell went into the Bay Sir Clousley Shovell takes a Frigat out of the Bay of Dublin. of Dublin, and brought from a Place called the Sal­mon Pool, a Frigat of Sixteen Guns, and Four Pat­tereroes, loaden with Hides, Tallow, some Plate, and other Rich Moveables, designed for France; the Late King, and several of his Irish Regiments, marching as far as Rings-End, where they were all Witnesses of so wick­ed an Action (as they called it) done on so good a Day, it being Good-Friday.

May the 2d, Lieutenant-Collonel Mackmehon, with Relief put in­to Charlemont. about Four hundred men, Ammunition, and some small quantities of Provisions, got into Charlemont in the Night, but our French and other Regiments po­sted thereabouts, watched him so narrowly, that though he made two or three Attempts, yet he could not get out again. And the second Week in May, several English, a Brandenburg, and Three Dutch Re­giments landed. By which time also all our Recruits [Page 16] were compleated, and the Regiments Cloathed; so that we had now an Excellent Army, all over-joyed with the Assurance that His Majesty in person de­signed to make that Campaign in Ireland. A part of our Army also begin to take the Field, and Encamp almost round Charlemont; Cannon and Mortars were sent up that way too, in order to force old Teague O Regan, the Governour, from his Nest, if he would not quit it otherways; but their Provisions being spent, and no hopes of Relief appearing, on the 12th of May the Governour desired a Parley, and after some time it was agreed, That his Garison should march out with their Arms and Baggage, which they did Charlemont surrendred. on the 14th, being about Eight hundred (besides two hundred Women and Children) four Companies of Collonel Babington's Regiment taking possession of the Place. We found Seventeen Pieces of Cannon, one large Mortar, Eighty three Barrels of Powder, with some Fire Arms, and other useful Materials in the Castle.

The same day that Charlemont was surrendred, Col­lonel Woolsley, and Collonel Foulks, with Twelve hun­dred men, went to a Castle called Bellynacargy, in which the Enemy had Two hundred men; this was scituate in a small Lough, so that our men were for­ced to march up to their middles in water to make their Approaches; the Enemy fired smartly upon us, killed us Two Captains, an Ensign, and Seventeen men, and wounded Forty three; but when they saw us resolved to have the Place, they hung out their White Flag, and agreed to march away without their Arms.

About the middle of May, one Captain King, Mr. Wingfield a Councellor at Law, and Mr. Trench a Clergy man, with five or six more, came from Dub­lin [Page] [Page]

[Page] [Page 17] in an open Boat, and gave the Duke a more exact Ac­count how Matters went in the Irish Quarters, than any he had received formerly, which were of use to His Majesty afterwards. The 6th of June Count Scon­berg (now Duke of Leinster) came from England, and with him the Train, with some Arms and Ammu­nition, as also Two hundred Carpenters, with other Artificers for the service of the Army.

CHAP. II.

ALL People were now big with hopes of His Ma­jesty's coming for Ireland, who left Kensington the Fourth of June 1690. took Shipping at Hylake His Majesty Lands in Ire­land. on the 12th; and on the 14th, being Saturday, he land­ed about Four in the Afternoon at Carigfergus; from whence, being upon the Road to Belfast, he was met by the General, Major-General Kirk, and a great ma­ny more Officers of the Army that were there, expecting His Majesty's Landing: And that Evening landed his Highness Prince George, the Duke of Ormond, Earl of Oxford, Earl of Portland, Earl of Scarborough, Earl of Manchester, my Lord Overkirk, my Lord Sidney, with a great many other Persons of Quality, some of them [Page 19] Officers in the Army, and others Voluntiers. The two following days His Majesty was attended by most of the Nobily, Clergy, and other Gentlemen inhabiting that part of the Kingdom. He was pre­sented also with an Address from the Episcopal Cler­gy, and another from several Presbyterian Ministers, both which His Majesty received very graciously.

The King stayed at Belfast till Thursday the 19th; and having set out a Proclamation to encourage all People, of what Persuasion soever, to live peaceably at home, His Majesty went to Hilsburrough, giving Ordes for his Army to take the Field. And on the All our Army takes the Field. 22th His Majesty Encampt at Loughbritland with that part of the Army which had their Rendezvouz there, and never laid out of the Camp (except upon his Journey from Caruck to Dublin), after that, during his stay in Ireland. That Morning a Party of Two hundred Foot and Dragoons going from Newry towards Dundalk to discover the Enemy (who ere this had taken the Field, and then lay encamped there) our men fell into an Ambuscade of about Four hundred of the Irish, at a narrow Pass upon a Bog, nigh a place called the Four-mile House, by which we lost Twenty two of our Party, and Captain Farlow, with another Officer, were taken Prisoners, but the Enemy did not gain much by this Attempt, for they lost more in num­ber than we did. Captain Farlow was the first who gave the Late King a certain Account of King William's be­ing in Ireland, for till then he would not believe it.

June the 27th, our whole Army joined at Dundalk, making in all about Thirty six thousand, though the World called us at least a third part more: The Irish, at our approach hither, had removed to the Boyn; And on Sunday the 29th, our Army marched beyond [Page 20] Ardee, which the Enemy had fortified much after the same manner as they had done Dundalk; and early next morning our whole Army moved toward the The Army marches to the Boyn. Boyne, making their Approaches very finely. After some time His Majesty sent down small Parties of Horse to discover the Ways, and then rid towards the Pass at Old Bridge, having a full view of the Enemy's Camp as he went along; His Majesty stopt some time at Old Bridge to observe the Enemy's Posture, and then going a little further, His Majesty alighted to re­fresh himself, and sate nigh an hour upon the Grass; du­ring which time the Enemy brought down two Field-pieces under Covert of a small Party of Horse, and planted them at the Corner of a Hedge undiscovered; and when His Majesty, the Prince, and the rest were mounted again, and riding softly the same way back, their Cannonier let fly, and at the second Shot was so near the killing His Ma­jesty, His Majesty's narrow Escape from a Great Shot. as that the Bullet slanted upon his Right Shoulder, took away a piece of his Coat, and struck off the Skin; which might have been a fatal Blow to his Army, and Kingdoms too, if the Great Creator of the World, who orders and governs all things, had not been at his Right Hand, where he always is, and, I hope, will be, as well for the defence of His Maje­sty's Sacred Person, as the good of those he has un­dertaken to protect.

The Enemy then fired those two Pieces as fast as they could charge and discharge, doing some damage amongst our Horse that were drawing up before them, which made the King give Orders for his Horse to rein a little backwards, and have the advantage of a Rising Ground between them and the Cannon.

About Three a Clock in the Afternoon some of our Field-pieces came up, which were immediately plant­ed, and then played into the Enemy's Camp: the rest [Page 21] of the day was spent in our Army's Encamping, and in firing Great Guns one upon another from several Batteries, without any extraordinary loss

Whether His Majesty had already an Account of what had happened to the Confederate Army at Flerus, I am not able to give an Account; but it's probable he had some intimation of it; since in a Council of War held that night, His Majesty seemed positive in passing the River next day, and therefore gave Orders for his Army to be ready accordingly.

The late King had likewise another Council of War on his side the River, wherein all the French and Irish Officers agreed, (which was the only time they ever did so before or after), Not to give us Battel, but to march off in the night, and then retreat towards Ath­lone and Limerick filling all their Towns that were tenable, as they went, with sufficient Garisons to defend them. And their reason was this; as soon as Sir Cloud­sley Shovel with his Squadron of Men of War had seen the King safe in Ireland, he was ordered to sail immediately, and join my Lord Torrington, then at Sea with the English Fleet; which the French having notice of, and that all our Transport Ships with our Provisions and other Necessaries for War, were left at Carigfergus-Bay with little or no Convoy, and would have Orders to coast along as the Army marched, they resolved to send Ten small Frigats and Twelve Priva­teers into the Channel, and burn all our Ships; which if it had been done then, our Communica­tion from England had been in a manner cut off, and our Army forced to subsist upon the Countrey, or starve; at least we had been debarred those Necessa­ries, without which the War could not have been carried on: This Design of the French was not un­known to the King, and therefore he was the more [Page 22] earnest in going forward: It was advised therefore in the Irish Camp, That seeing we had a better Army by much in the Field than theirs (and might proba­bly beat them if they engaged), to march away, and so protract the time till they saw what became of the Design about burning our Ships, which they were confident would take effect. But the late King him­self was very much bent upon fighting, alledging, That if he retreated with his Army, and left Dublin and other places to the Enemy, the Irish, who are soon disheartned, and only judge according to appear­ance, would all desert him by degrees; and then him­self and those that stood by him, would be delivered up to the Mercy of the Enemy: So that seeing him in this humour, they were in hopes that a vigorous fit of Valour had seized him, and that he would next day play the Hero, in either Conquering Valiantly, or Dying Gloriously; and then having ordered the disposing of their Army, they concluded to stay and watch our motion.

Tuesday the first of July, early in the morning, his Maje­sty The Battel at the Boyn. sent Lieut. Gen. Douglass, my Lord Portland, my Lord Overkirk, and Count Schonbergh, with above Ten thou­sand Horse and Foot up the River, to pass towards the Bridge of Slane; which the Enemy perceiving, they drew out several Bodies of Horse and Foot to­wards their Left, in order to oppose us: our men however, marched over without any difficulty, being only charged by Sir Neal O Neal's Regiment of Dra­goons, who were partly broke, and himself killed. Assoon as Lieutenant-General Douglas and his Party were got over, he sent an Express to his Majesty to give him an Account of it; who then order'd the Dutch Guards, two French Regiments, two Inniskilling Regi­ments, Sir John Hanmers, and several others that lay most [Page]

[Page] [Page 23] convenient for that Ground, to pass the River, and Attack the Irish on the other side, which they did with a great deal of Bravery and Resolution, first beating the Irish from their Hedges and Breast-works at Old Bridge, and then routing the Duke of Berwick's Troop of Guards, my Lord Tyrconnel's, and Collonel Parker's Horse, who all behaved themselves like men of English Extraction, as indeed most of them were; during which time his Majesty passed the River below with the Left Wing of his Horse, and charged the Enemy several times at the Head of his own Troops, nigh a little Village called Dunore, where they rallied again, and gave us two or three brisk Attacks; but in less than half an hour were broke, and forced to make the best of their way towards Duleek, where there was a consi­derable Pass, and whither the other part of the Irish Army that faced Lieutenant General Douglass, had made what haste they could, when they heard how it had gone with their Friends at Old-Bridge; our Ar­my then pressed hard upon them, but meeting with a great many difficutlies in the Ground, and being obliged to pursue in Order, our Horse had only the opportunity of cutting down some of their Foot, and most of the rest got over the Pass at Duleek; then night coming on, prevented us from making so en-entire a Victory of it as could have been wished for.

On the Irish side were killed my Lord Dungan, my The number of the Dead. Lord Carlingford, Sir Neal O Neal, with a great num­ber of other Officers, and about Thirteen or Fourteen hundred Soldiers; and we lost on our side nigh Four hundred; but the loss of Duke Schonberg, who was killed soon after the first of our Forces passed the Ri­ver, near the little Village called Old-Bridge, was much more considerable than all that fell that day on [Page 24] both sides; whom his very Enemies always called a Brave Man, and a Great General; whose Name will make a considerable Figure in History, whilst there are such places as Germany, Flanders, France, Eng­land, and Ireland. Monsieur Callimot, a brave and worthy Gentleman, died soon after him, of his Wounds, having followed that great man in most of his For­tunes; whose elder Brother the Marquess Ruvigny had Duke Schonberg's Regiment of French Horse bestowed upon him by the King. For the further Particulars of this Battel, and what hapned during the preceding Campaign, and also the most material Circumstances of this, I refer the Reader to the First Part of this History, already printed.

Some will pretend to say, That his Majesty was a little too soon in the passing his Foot over the River, for the Left Wing of the Irish Army seemed resolved to fight Douglass; but when they heard how things went at Old-Bridge, they retreated immediately towards Duleek, and so marched off untouched: But there was a very good reason for what his Majesty did in this case, for it was about a quarter past Ten when our Foot first entred the River; and if the King had de­ferred it an hour longer, then the Tide, which gene­rally comes up above Old-Bridge, would certainly have prevented our men from passing either there or be­low; so that the Right Wing of our Army had been exposed to the hazard of fighting all theirs, and the rest not able to come to their relief, till possibly it had been too late; and this may serve to answer what­ever can be objected in that case.

The late King at the beginning of this Battel stood by an old Church near the Village called Dunore; but assoon as he saw his men give way, he made haste to Duleek, and from thence to Dublin, whither [Page 25] he got that Evening by Nine a Clock, and early next morning sent for the Popish Lord-Mayor, with some other Officers of the City, and gave them a charge not to burn it; and then going towards Bray, scarce looked behind him afterwards till he got to Water­ford, and so on Ship-board for France, leaving his poor Teagues to fight it out, or do what they pleased for him: And what was more remarkable, finding some of the Frigats at Waterford that were to go upon the Project of Burning our Ships, he told them all was lost, and that it was past time, and so took them along with him; which prevented any further At­tempts upon our Ships. Whilst his present Majesty King William gave his Army other kind of Proofs both of his Courage and Conduct, having a Soul far above Fear, or any thing that may look mean in so Great a Prince: Nor ever had an Army a more entire Affection for their chief Commander, than his Maje­sty's for him; his Resolution being always undaunted, and their only Fear being for his Majesty's Person. And whatever difference happens hereafter between his Majesty and his Army, can only be this, That they desire to stand between his Person and all Dan­ger, but he always has a mind to put himself between them and it. May we long therefore have such a General in a King; and he not only Soldiers but Sub­jects too of all other Professions, that honour him to that degree.

Those of our English Forces that were engaged, and had opportunity to shew themselves, gave signal demonstrations of their Courage and Bravery; the Inniskilliners, and French too, both Horse and Foot, did good service; and the Dutch Guards deserve no small Honour for their Conduct that day.

After the Battel, our Army lay upon their Arms all night at Duleek, having left our Tents all stand­ing beyond the Boyne: And next morning his Majesty sent Brigadier La Mellionere, with One thousand Horse and Dragoons, a Party of Foot, and Eight Pieces of Cannon, to summons Drogheda, wherein the Irish had a Garison of about 1300 men, commanded by my Lord Iveagh, who surrendred the Town, upon Condi­tion, That his Garison should have leave to march out without their Arms, and be conducted to Athlone: Tho their Barbarity in tying the Protestants in Town back to back, and placing them where they expected our Guns to play, ought not to be forgot. This is a Town of no great strength, only a Mount whereon are planted Ten Guns on the South-side the River, seems capable of Defence.

Thursday the 3d. of July, his Majesty had an Ac­count, That the Irish had left Dublin, and were ma­king what haste they could towards the Shannon; up­on which the Duke of Ormond marched to that City, with One thousand Horse, and found Captain Farlow Governor of the Castle, who two days before had been a Prisoner; his Grace took possession of all the Out-Guards of the Town with his Horse, and the Dutch Blue Guards were sent to the Castle. The 5th. His Majesty with his Ar­my marches to Dublin. our Army marched to Finglass, a little Village two miles to the North-west of Dublin, where we lay en­camped for several days. The 6th. being Sunday, his Majesty went to St. Patrick's Church in Dublin; and next day towards the evening, the Bishop of Meath, the Bishop of Limerick, Dr. King, and all the Clergy then about Dublin (except the Lord Primate, who sent his Excuse to his Majesty, by reason of his great Age and Infirmness) waited upon the King at his Camp, where the Bishop of Meath made an excellent [Page 27] Congratulatory Speech, for his Majesty's happy Vi­ctory, and their Deliverance: Whereunto his Majesty gave a Gracious Answer. And the Bishop of Lim [...] ­rick desired they might appoint a Day of Publick Thanksgiving, and have leave to Compose a Form of Prayer suitable to the occasion; which was granted.

‘The same day his Majesty signed a Declaration, His Majesty's Declaration to the Irish. wherein he promised Protection to all poor Labourers, common Soldiers, Countrey-Farmers, Plow-men and Coltiers; as also to all Citizens, Tradesmen, Towns­men, and Artificers, who either remained at home, or having fled from their Dwellings, should return by the first of August following, &c. leaving all others to the Event of War, unless by great and manifest de­monstrations they would convince his Majesty that they deserved his Mercy, which he promised never to refus [...] to those who were truly penitent.’

A great many of the Irish Officers complained, The Irish Ob­jections a­gainst the De­claration. That this Declaration was too narrow in exclu­ding them from any Advantage by it; and that they were obliged afterwards to stick together, as being their only safety; but this Declaration was narrower than his Majesty's Royal Intentions, on purpose to comply with the English Proprietors of that Countrey: And as to the Irish Officers, this was only a pretence; for when it was enlarged afterwards by his Majesty, and the Govern­ment the year succeeding made them all the reaso­nable Proffers that could be hoped or wished for, yet most of them continued obstinate till they could not help it. But tho his Majesty was very careful to have this and his other Declaration that succeeded it, observed, yet some Officers and Soldiers were apt to forget the King's Honour, with that of our Coun­trey and Religion too, when they stood in competi­on with their own Profit and Advantage.

That day and the next his Majesty took a view of his Army by distinct Regiments; nor did the in­conveniency of the bad Weather which fell out at Our Army mustered. that time, prevent him from observing each Regiment very nicely; the whole number of Horse, Foot, and Dragoons that marched in the Ranks, was 30330, be­sides 483 Reformed Officers, as also all the Officers and Serjeants in the Army, and Four Regiments in Garison; so that the compleat Number of our whole Army was at least 36000, as is said before. Nor will it be improper to g [...]ve here a List of our General Of­ficers, who commanded this Campaign under his Ma­jesty, and were employed in his Service; but we must take it from the beginning, since his Grace Duke Schonberg was killed ere this.

• FRederick Duke of Schonberg, Captain-General.
  A List of their Majesties Ar­my, 1690.
• The Duke of Wirtenbergh, General of the Danes.
• Count Solmes, General of the Foot.
• Count Schonberg, General of the Horse.
• Lieutenant-General Douglass.
• Lord Overkirk, Maistres Generals des Camp.
• Earl of Portland, Maistres Generals des Camp.
• Henry Lord Viscount Sidney, Major-Generals of Foot.
• Count Nassau, Major-Generals of Foot.
• Major-General Kirk, Major-Generals of Foot.
• Major-General Tetteau, Major-Generals of Foot.
• [Page 29]Monsieur Screvenmore, Major-Generals of Horse.
• Maj. Gen. La Forrest, Major-Generals of Horse.
• Sir John Lanier, Major-Generals of Horse.
• Monsieur Du Cambon, Quarter-master-General.
• Brigadier Trelawney, Brigadiers of Foot.
• Sir Henry Bellasis, Brigadiers of Foot.
• Sir John Hanmer, Brigadiers of Foot.
• Brigadier Stuart, Brigadiers of Foot.
• Brigad. La Mellionere, Brigadiers of Foot.
• Brigad. Villars, Brigadiers of Horse.
• Brigad. Eppinger, Brigadiers of Horse.
• Brigad. Schack, Brigadiers of Horse.
• Sir Robert Southwell, Secretary of State.
• Thomas Coningesby, Esq (now Lord Coningesby) and
• Charles Fox, Esq, Pay-masters-General.
• Sir John Topham, Advocate-General.
• Henry Wythers, Adjutant-General of Foot.
• Francis Russel, Adjutant-General of Horse.
• George Clark, Esq, Secretary at War.
• Monsieur Perara, Commissary-General of the Provisions.
• Abraham Yarner, Esq, Muster-master-General.
• Dr. Lawrence, Physician-General.
• Charles Thompson, Esq, Chyrurgion-General.

• DUKE of Tyrconnel, Captain-General.
• Duke of Berwick, Lieutenant-Generals.
• Richard Hambleton, Lieutenant-Generals.
• Count Lauzune General of the French.
• Monsieur Leary, alias Geraldine, Lieutenant-General.
• Dominick Sheldon, Lieutenant-General of the Horse.
• Patrick Sarsfield, Major-Generals.
• Anthony Hambleton, Major-Generals.
• Monsieur Boiseleau, Major-Generals.
• Thomas Maxwell, Brigadeers.
• John Hambleton, Brigadeers.
• William Dorrington, Brigadeers.
• Solomon Slater, Muster-master-General.
• Robert Fitz-Gerald, Comptroler of the Musters.
• Sir Richard Neagle, Secretary at War.
• Sir Henry Bond, Receivers General.
• Louis Doe, Receivers General.
• Sir Michael Creagh, Pay-master General.
• Foelix Oneil, Advocate General.
• Dr. Archbold, Physician to the State.
• Patrick Archbold, Chyrurgeon General.

The Irish had at that time in their Army Two Troops of Horse-Guards, with another of Horse-Granadiers; Eight Regiments of Horse, Seven Regiments of Dra­goons; a Regiment of Foot Guards of Twenty two Companies, and Ninety men in a Company; Forty four other Regiments of Foot, Thirteen Companies in a Re­giment, and Sixty men in a Company, which with the Five thousand French Foot, made their Army, according to their own Computation of the Regiments, and the num­bers in each, to be 39320 Foot, 3471 Horse, and 2480 Dragoons, which in all make an Army of 50271. besides their Rapparees in all the Corners of the Countrey; but these were all that they had to man the whole Gari­sons of Ireland; so that they were not above 27000 at the Boyn, besides the French.

But to return. About the 8th or 9th of July it was known abroad, That His Majesty had an Account of the Misfortune of the English and Dutch Fleets, at which time he divided his Army, and marched himself towards Kilkenny with the greatest part of it. For though His Majesty was sensible, that going with his whole Army towards Athlone, and so into Connaght, was the readiest way to reduce the Irish; yet having some Reasons to apprehend that the French, after the Battel of Flerus, might send off Detachments from their Army, and so disturb England; or at least send part of their Fleet, and burn his Transport-Ships, he made hast to secure Waterford Haven for them, since the Bay of Dublin is no Place of safety. Sending at the same time Lieutenant-General Douglas with three Regiments of Horse, two of Dragoons, and ten of Foot, towards Athlone, Ffty miles to the Northwest from Dublin; before which Place he came on the 17th with the aforesaid Party, Twelve Field-pieces, [Page 32] and two small Mortars: The Irish burnt and deferted that part of Athlone on Leinster side, the Bridge called the English Town: But seeing our Par­ty, and our Train not suitable to such an Underta­king, and having three Regiments of Foot, nine Troops of Dragoons, and two of Horse, in, and about the Town, with a fresh supply of Forces not far off; they positively refused to deliver up the Place, which Lieutenant-General Douglas seeing no hopes of forcing them to, on Friday the 25th, early in the morning, he raised his Siege, and marched to join the King's Army again, having not lost above Thirty men before the place, but near Three hundred by Sick­ness, and other Accidents. Our rising from before that Town did so puff up the Irish, that one Malady, the Late King's High Sheriff for the County of Longford, got at least Three thousand of the Rabble, or such like People together, near Mullingar, where they hectored and swaggered for some days; but Collonel Woolsley with his own Horse, and two Regiments of Foot, being sent back to secure that part of the Countrey, about Forty of his Horse, being an Advance Guard, fell in with a Party of the Irish towards the Evening, which giving the Alarm to the rest, they immediately began to disperse, and every man to shift for himself; and Night coming on, our Party had only the opportunity of killing about Thirty of them, High Sheriff Malady himself being wounded, and never since able to raise such another posse Commitatus.

But to return to His Majesty's Camp, which on the 9th, he pitched at a place called Cromlin, two miles to the West of Dublin, where the King setled the method A Commissi­on about Forfeited Goods. of granting Protections according to his Declaration. And then gave a Commission to Francis, Earl of [Page 33] Longford; Anthony Lord Bishop of Meath; Robert Fitz-Gerald, Esq, Sir Henry Fane, Doctor Gorge, Wil­liam Robinson, Esq, Joseph Coghlin, Esq Edward Corker, Esq, and Henry Davis, Esq, or any five of them, to enquire into, seize, and secure all Forfeitures to the Crown by the General Rebellion of the Irish Na­tion: This Commission empowered them to appoint Deputies to summon and swear Witnesses, to call the Justices of the Peace, and Deputy-Lieutenants to their Assistance, to let Leases for a year, and in doubtful Cases, to consult the Judges learned in the Law; and this Power of theirs to continue until a more legal method could be put in practice when the Courts of Judicature were open. The Bishop of Meath, whether his Lordship was sensible of the De­fect of the Commission at first, or else did not like the Proceedings of some of the rest, he soon forbore his attendance at their Meetings; but several of the rest proceeded in their Business, and took possession of Goods of all sorts, as well in the Hands of Roman-Catholicks, and on their Grounds, as in the hands of Protestants, where they had been left by their Ca­tholick Neighbours; upon which account those Gen­tlemen had the misfortune to be much censured af­terwards, as well by some in the Countrey, where they made Seisures, as by the Commissioners of Their Majesty's Revenue, who complained of the small Re­turns made into the Exchequer. This occasioned se­veral of the above-named Gentlemen, who had been imployed to make a representation of their Case af­terwards to the Lords Justices, which I have seen, and it was to this effect: ‘That amongst a great many Discouragements in so troublesome an Im­ployment, their Commission it self was so defe­ctive, [Page 34] that it seemed a perfect Snare to them (con­trary to the intent or Interest of His Majesty) in that it gave them power to seize upon all For­feitures, but not to dispose of any (except of Lands by lease for a year) by which means, the Goods seized by the Commissioners, and their Deputies, were often either stole, or forced away, sometimes by the Army, and at other times by the Rapparees, after they had been at great charge about them.’ And a great many other things they have to say for themselves, by which it appears, that those Aspersions cast upon some of them were groundless though others of them, or where-ever the fault else laid; some, I say, there were who did Their Ma­jesties Affairs no great Advantage, nor themselves much Credit by their management. But this being a matter of publick Concern, is none of my business to look into.

His Majesty then marched forwards, and from a Wexford secu­red. Place called Castledermot, sent Brigadier Eppinger with a Party of One thousand Horse and Dragoons to se­cure Wexford, which before his Arrival was deserted by the Irish Garison. The King all along upon his march was acquainted with the Disorders and Con­fusion of the Irish Army, and of their speedy marches to Limerick, and other Strong Holds. The 19th His Majesty dined at Kilkenny, a Walled Town, wherein stands a Castle belonging to the Duke of Ormond, which had been preserved by Count Lauzun, with all the Goods and Furniture. And next day His Majesty Clonmel quit­ted by the [...]ish. understood that the Enemy had quitted Clonmell, whi­ther Count Sconberg marched with a Body of Horse.

Monday the 21st, The Army marched to Carrick, where the King received an Account of the state of Waterford, and whither Major-General Kirk went Waterford and Duncannon Fort surren­dred. next morning with a Party to summon the Town, wherein were two Regiments of the Irish, who sub­mitted upon condition to march out with their Arms; As did also the strong Fort of Duncannon in a day or two after, which gave His Majesty sufficient shelter for all his Shipping. When Waterford was surrender­ed, His Majesty in Person went to view it; where he admitted my Lord Dover to a more particular Protection than ordinary, because he had applied himself formerly by a Letter to Major-General Kirk to desire a Pass for himself, and Family, to go into Flanders.

His Majesty, at his return to the Camp, declared The King in­tends for Eng­land. his Resolution to go for England, and leaving Count Solmes Commander in Chief; he went as far as Chappel-Izard, nigh Dublin, with that Intention; or­dering one Troop of Guards, Count Sconberg's Horse (formerly my Lord Devonshires) Collonel Matthews's Dragoons, Brigadier Trelawny's, and Collonel Hastings's And sends some Forces thither. Foot, to be shipt off for that Kingdom. And on the first of August His Majesty published a Second De­claration, not only confirming and strengthening the former; but also adding, That if any Foreigners then in Arms against him in that Kingdom would submit, they should have Passes to go into their own Countries, or whi­ther else they pleased.

A Proclamation was also published for all the Irish in the Countrey to deliver up their Arms; and those [Page 36] who refused, or neglected, to be abandoned to the Discretion of the Soldiers. As also another Procla­mation for a Weekly F [...]st. And then His Majesty appointed Richard Pine, Esq Sir Richard Reves, and Robert Rochfort, Esq Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal, who began now to act accordingly.

But the King received a further Account from Eng­land, But returns to the Camp. That the loss at Sea was not so considerable as it was at first given out; and that there was no danger of any more French Forces landing in that Kingdom; they having already burnt only a small Village, and so were gone off without doing any fur­ther damage. The danger of that being therefore over, His Majesty returned to the Army, which he found encamped at Golden Bridge, nigh Cashell, and about seventeen miles from Limrick, where His Majesty had intelligence of the Posture of the Enemy in, and about that City.

August the 8th, Lieutenant-General Douglas, and his Limerick Be­sieged. Party from Athlone, joined the King's Army at Cari­ganlis. And on the 9th, the whole Army approached that strong Hold of Limerick without any considerable loss, the greatest part of their Army being Encampt beyond the River, in the County of Clare. His Ma­jesty, as soon as his Army was posted, sent a Sum­mons to the Town, which was refused to be obeyed by Monsieur Boiseleau, the Duke of Berwick, Sars­field, and some more, though a great part of their Army were even then willing to Capitulate. Next Morning early the King sent a Party of Horse and Foot under Major-General Ginckell, and Major-Ge­neral Kirk, to pass the River, which they did near [Page 37] Sir Samuel Foxon's House, about two miles above the Town.

The same day, some Deserters from the Enemy gave his Majesty an account of their Circumstances; and one of our own Gunners did as much for us, who informed the Enemy of our Posture in the Camp, as also of Eight Pieces of Cannon, with Ammunition, Provisions, the Tin-Boats, and several other Necessa­ries then upon the Road, which Sarsfield with a Party of Horse and Dragoons had the luck to surprize two Some of our [...]ns surpri­zed. days after at a little old Castle called Ballynedy, with­in seven miles of our Camp, killing about Sixty of the Soldiers and Waggoners, and then marched off with little or no opposition, tho his Majesty had gi­ven Orders for a Party of Horse to go from the Camp and meet the Guns the night before.

Tuesday the 12th. Brigadier Stuart went with a Par­ty Castle Connel taken and four Field-Pieces to Castle-Connel, a Strong-hold upon the Shannon, four miles from Limerick, the be­sieged being 126, under one Captain Barnwell, after some time submitted, and were brought Prisoners to the Camp.

Sunday the 17th. at night, we opened our Trenches, Our Trenches opened. which were mounted by Seven Battalions under the Duke of Wirtenbergh, Major-General Kirk, Major-Ge­neral Tetteau, and Sir Henry Bellasts, beating the Irish out of a Fort nigh two old Chimneys, where about Twenty were killed; and next night our Works were relieved by Lieutenant General Douglas, my Lord Sid­ney, Count Nassau, and Brigadier Stuart, with the like number; and the day following, we planted some [Page 38] new Batteries; which his Majesty going to view, as he was riding towards Ireton's Fort, he stopt his Horse on a sudden to speak to an Officer, a Four and twenty pound Ball the very moment grazing on the side of the Gap where his Majesty was going to enter, which certainly must have dash'd him to pieces, had not the commanding God of Heaven prevented it, who still reserves him for greater matters. This I saw, being then upon the Fort, as I did that other Accident at the Boyne before.

Wednesday the 20th. we attack'd a Fort of the Ene­mies A Fort taken. nigh the South East Corner of the Wall, which we soon took, and killed 50, taking a Captain and twelve men Prisoners; and about an hour after, the Enemy sallyed with great Bravery, thinking to regain the Fort, but were beat in with loss, there being kil­led in the Fort and the Sally about Three hundred, though we lost Captain Needham, Captain Lacy, and about Eighty private men.

We continued battering the Town, throwing in Bombs and Carcasses till Wednesday the 27th. when a considerable Breach being made, Five hundred Grana­deers supported by Seven Regiments of Foot, and all our Works double manned, were ordered to attack the Counterscarp, and lodge themselves as convenient­ly as they could thereabouts. Between three and four An Attack made upon the Town. in the Afternoon, the Signal being given, our men at­tack'd the Enemy very briskly, beating them from their Works, and so over the Breach into the Town; but several of them pursuing too far, and the rest not seconding them, as having no Orders to go any fur­ther, the Irish also seeing themselves pursued by so [Page]

[Page] [Page 39] small a number, they were persuaded to face about, and out-numbring our poor men they killed a great many of them; fresh Regiments also coming from be­yond the River, and all together adventuring upon the Walls; our men below having likewise no cover, af­ter a Dispute of three hours and an half (in which time there was nothing but one continued Fire of Great and Small-shot) our men were obliged to re­turn Our men draw off. back to their own Trenches again, having lost 15 Officers, (besides the Foreigners, and those of the Granadiers) about 50 wounded, 500 men killed, and near One thousand wounded, whereof greatest part re­covered; tho I'm apt to think the Irish did not lose so many, since it's a much easier thing to defend Walls, than by plain strength to force people from them.

Next day the Soldiers were in hopes that his Ma­jesty would give orders for a second Attack, and seem­ed resolved to have the Town, or lose all their lives; but this was too great a risque to run at one place; and they did not know how our Ammunition was sunk, especially by the former day's work; we conti­nued however our Batteries; and then a storm of Rain and other bad weather begun to threaten us, which fell out on Friday the 29th. in good earnest; upon which his Majesty calling a Council of War, it was concluded the safest way was to quit the Siege, without which we could not have secured our heavy Cannon, which we drew off from the Batteries by de­grees, and found much difficulty in marching them five miles next day. Sunday the last of August, all our His Majesty raised the Siege. Army drew off; most of the Protestants that lived in that part of the Countrey taking that opportunity of [Page 40] removing further into the Countrey with the Army; and would rather leave their Estates and all their Sub­stance in the Enemies hands, than trust their persons any more in their power.

His Majesty seeing the Campaign nigh an end, went towards Waterford, where he appointed Henry Lord Viscount Sidney, Sir Charles Porter, and Tho. Connings­by, Esq Lords Justices of Ireland; and then setting And returns to England. sail with a fair Wind for England, his Majesty was welcomed thither with all the Joy and Satisfaction imaginable.

CHAP. III.

ON the sixth of September our Army marched to Tipperary, about fourteen Miles from Limerick, where they begun to disperse towards their respective Quarters. And we had an Account by some Deserters, that my Lord Tyrconnel and all the French Forces were Ship'd off at The French leave Ireland. Gallway for France. The reason of this was also enquired after by a great many; that the French shou'd absolutely quit Ireland, at a time when we had raised our Siege, which might have given them hopes of re-gaining the next Year what they lost this; at least, to defend the Province of Connaught against us, and so protract the War beyond what they cou'd have hoped for if the Town had been taken; and that if the want of Provisions was an Objection, it was easier to carry those to the Men than bring the Men to their Provisions. But the reason that I have heard given for their departure was, That the late [Page 42] King appearing very unexpectedly in France, at a time when all People were over-joyed with the News of the Battel of Flerus won at Land, and a Victory also gained at Sea; to palli­ate matters therefore as to himself, he laid all the blame upon the Irish, that they wou'd not fight, but many of them laid down their Arms in such order, as if they had been Exerci­sing; which indeed some of them did: Upon which, the Fr. K. concluding that all was lost in that Kingdom, he sent Or­ders to Count Lauzun to make the best of a bad Market, and so come off for France as well as he could, with all his Men. But the Irish, taking heart of grace at our Fleets and the Dutch Armies misfortunes, they held out beyond expectation: And those Orders of the French Kings, not coming till after His Majesty had raised the Siege of Li­merick, Count Lauzun waited about twelve Days for a Countermand; but that not appearing he set sail for France, tho' he met with contrary Orders at Sea; but then it was too late: For His Majesty had been a Fortnight at London before they heard at Paris that the Siege of Li­merick was raised; which shewed, that whatever good In­telligence they might have from England or Ireland at other times, they wanted it now; but whether the Wind was cross, or what else was the reason, I am uncertain.

About the fourteenth we heard that Sarsfield, with a part of the Irish Army, had marched over the Shannon at Banoher-Bridge, and besieged the Castle of Birr, wherein Birr besieged by the Irish. was only a Company of Colonel Tiffin's Foot, who stoutly defended the Castle, the only temble place; but Major-General Kirk marching thither with a part of our Army, the Enemy quitted the Siege and marched off.

At this time Count Solms, who commanded in Chief, was at Cashel, where he received a Letter by a Trumpeter from the Duke of Berwick, then at Limerick, complain­ing that they heard of a Design of ours, to send all those Prisoners, we had taken at several places, to be Slaves in [Page 43] the Foreign Plantations; and withal, threatning ours with the French Gallies. But this was only a trick of the Irish Officers themselves, to prevent their Soldiers from deserting, making them believe there was a Contract to sell them all to Monsieur Perara the Jew for so much Bread, (which made the name of the Jew very terrible to the Irish.) But this was a mere Story of their own framing; and therefore Count Solms sent the following Answer to the Duke's Letter.

Soon after this, Count Solms went for England, and the Lieutenant-General Ginc­kel made Commander in Chief. Baron de Ginckel was made Lieutenant-General, and Com­mander in Chief of the Army, who went to his Head-Quarters at Kilkenny.

Towards the middle of September, Henry Lord Viscount Sidney, and Thomas Coningesby, Esquire, two of the Lords-Justices, [Page 44] went to Dublin, where they took the usual Oaths of Chief Governors of that Kingdom, before the Commis­sioners of the Great Seal; and immediately begun their The Lords-Justices go to Dublin. work of putting the Country in as good a condition of Safety as the nature of the times would bear.

Whilst the King was imployed in the Field with his Army against the Town of Limerick, it was first proposed by the Earl of Nottingham, to my Lord Marlborough, and after­wards approved of in Councel, as very Advantageous to Their Majesties Affairs, to send a Party from England, who, joyning with a Detachment from the King's Army, might reduce those two important Garrisons of Cork and Kinsale; and provisions were made accordingly: But not being ready so soon as was designed, His Majesty, upon His return for England, sent the Earl of Marlborough with his own Re­giment of Fusiliers; Brigadier Trelawny's, Princess Ann's, Earl of Marl­borough sent into Ireland. Colonel Hastings's, Colonel Hales's, Sir David Collier's, Co­lonel Fitz-Patrick's, one hundred of the Duke of Bol­ton's, and two hundred of the Earl of Monmouth's, with my Lord Torrington's and Lord Pembrook's Marine Regi­ments.

September the 22d. my Lord Marlborough landed some Men in Boats near Cork, where they beat the Enemy from a Battery that disturbed our Ships, and forced the Irish to leave their Guns behind them. An Express was sent to Ma­jor-General Scravemore, then on his march with a Body of Horse; and, after that, another to the Duke of Wir­tenberg, who both in a few Days joyned my Lord Marl­borough with about fifteen hundred Horse, and four thou­sand Foot. The Town of Cork held out till the 28th. being five Days, and then the Garrison, about four thou­sand five hundred, submitted to be all Prisoners of War; Cork surren­dred to him. amongst whom were the Earls of Clencarty and Tyrone; Colonel Mackellicut the Governor, Lieutenant-Colonel Ricat, &c. The Duke of Grafton received a mortal [Page]

[Page] [Page 45] Wound in our last approach, of which he died in few Days. Then my Lord Marlborough, first sending Brigadier Villers with a Party of Horse to Invest Kinsale, he marched himself with his Army, on the Second of October, encamp­ing Kinsale be­sieged, near the new Fort, (the Town being deserted by the Irish.) And next Morning early, Major-General Tetteau, with 800 Men, passed the River in Boats, and stormed the old Fort, (formerly called Castle nigh Park,) wherein were about four hundred and fifty, nigh half of whom were killed and blown up, and the rest submitting at discreti­on, were made Prisoners. Then his Lordship sent a Sum­mons to the new Fort, which refusing to yield, our Guns were planted in two places; the Danes on the left, and the English on the right. On the 5th of October the Trenches were opened, and the Fort held out till the fifteenth, when two Mines being sprung, and our Galleries ready to lay over the Ditch, the Enemy beat a Parley; and the Gar­rison (being about 1200) had liberty to march out, with and surren­dred. their Arms and Baggage, having a Party of Horse to conduct them to Limerick. In this Fort we found a very considerable Magazine, and great plenty of all sorts of Pro­visions: We had about 200 Men killed and wounded in our several Attacks, but a greater number sick, by reason of cold and bad Weather. However, the gaining those two Places, of Cork and Kinsale, was a piece of good ser­vice, and rendred the work of the succeeding Campaign much more easie. This some have look'd upon as one of the greatest blemishes in the French Politicks, that they should neglect the Fortifying of Kinsale, one of the best and securest Harbours in the World; and, by keeping of which, they might have ruined our Western Trade espe­cially, and yet endeavour to Fortifie Limerick, an In­land Town, of no use to them. All that can be said in this is, That they were once so good natur'd, as to comply with the Irish Interest, and neglect their own.

After the taking of those two Towns, the Irish that lay October, 1690. in the County of Kerry made several Incursions, and burnt some small Villages in the County of Cork: and near the same time, another Party burnt Balliboy, a Village 8 miles The Irish make some at­tempts upon our Quarters. from Birr, wherein there was then six Companies of the Earl of Drogheda's Regiment, who finding themselves very much outnumbred, and the Village no ways Tenible, they retired all to a Mount nigh the middle of the same Village, which they defended till the Irish were obliged to quit the place, have killed us about 28, themselves leaving 16 dead up­on the Streets, besides several more that were killed in Plun­dering the Houses. And several such Accidents hapned up and down the Kingdom, most of which are already related in the former part of this History.

But if I am not much mistaken, it was our Interest when we raised the Siege of Limerick, to secure most of the other Passes upon the Shannon; which had been no very difficult Task, before our Army was dispersed; there being a great many places very near the Shannon, more tenible than those we retired to seek further into the Country; which made the Line much longer, and con­sequently not so easily defended; besides a plentiful Coun­try that would have been then in our Quarters, and the benefit of making Inroads into Connaught when we plea­sed. But instead of that, we left the Enemy all the Forts and Passes upon the Shannon; by which means they could not be kept in their own Province, tho' they could keep us out. But since this was either wilfully overseen, or else neglected by some Great Officers Commanding in those parts at first, the Government thought fit afterwards to Order, That all who expected Protection from them, should come within the places of Castlehaven, Mackroomp, Our Frontier Line. Mallow, Ballyhooly, Fermoy-Bridge, Caperquin, Cahir, Goul­den-Bridge, Cashell, Thurles, Roscreagh, Birr, Mullingar, Longford, Castleforbus, Finuah, Cavan, Belturbet, Inniskil­lin, [Page]

[Page] [Page 47] Balleek, and Ballyshannon, those being appointed our December, 1690. Frontier Garrisons; all without which places was reckon­ed beyond the Line, and in the Enemies Quarters.

Towards the beginning of December, his Majesty, for the A Privy-Council ap­pointed in Ire­land. better ordering the Affairs of that Kingdom, appointed a Privy-Council, and gave out new Commissions to supply the places of several Judges, as yet awanting in the re­spective Courts of Judicature.

But though the Irish in and about Limerick, and indeed in most other places within their Line, were reduced to great necessities, both as to Provisions and Cloaths; yet this did not prevent them from having a very good opinion of themselves, nor blunt the Edge of that Vain-glorious Boasting, so peculiar to that sort of People, as may ap­pear by a pretended Declaration of the then Brigadeer Dorington's, ‘who after several invective Expressions against his Majesty and the English Government, and Wheedling Insinuations to all Foreigners and others, who he pre­tends were drawn in at unawares, he promises to protect, and receive into Pay all Officers or Souldiers that would forsake their Majesties Service, and advance them accor­ding to their Merit; or those that had no mind to serve, should be Transported into France, having all necessary Accommodation, and be provided for in the mean time. Dated at Limerick the 13th. of December, 1690. and Signed W. Dorington,’

But this worthy Declaration had no other effect than to shew the folly and vanity of the Publisher; only I cannot but observe what a scurvy Return those Officers and Souldiers of King William's, to whom he addresses himself, made him for his kind proffer; since instead of going to him for his Pass into France, they soon after sent his Worship himself Prisoner into England.

Monday the 15th. of December, Henry Lord Viscount My Lord Sid­ney goes for England. Sidney being appointed one of the Secretaries of State for [Page 48] England, set Sail for that Kingdom: And on the 24th. Sir Charles Porter, another of the Lords-Justices, came from thence, being Sworn Lord Chancellour of Ireland on the 29th. and then received the Purse and Great Seal from the late Commissioners.

We had now a part of our Army on their March to­wards Part of our Forces move towards the Shannon. Lanesborough Pass, Commanded by Major General Kirk and Sir John Lanier: Lieutenant General Douglas was also upon his March towards Sligoe, as was Major General Tetteau in Munster, towards the County of Kerry: The first Detachment beat the Irish from their Works on this side the River; and staying there some time, returned to Quarters, as did also Lieutenant General Douglas. Ma­jor General Tetteau Marched towards Ross, taking a Fort called Screnelarld, in his way; after which the Irish set most of the Country on Fire, and retreated: He took also another Fort, wherein were 80 of the Irish, who being attacked by fifty Danes, and fifty of the Kinsale Militia, our Men carried the place, and put most of the Enemy to the Sword. Then our Party Marched towards Tralee, where Lieutenant General Sheldon bad been with 21 Troops of Dragoons and 7 of Horse, but with his Men had deserted the Town, and made what haste they could to­wards Limerick, resolving to force their way through Lieutenant General Ginckel's Troops, (who then was a­broad also with a Party) if they were not very much stronger, or otherways to kill all their Horses and save themselves, by crossing the Shannon in Boats: But not being informed of this, our Men returned without securing a considerable quantity of Provisi [...] then in Trallee, which the Irish got afterwards to supply the Garrison of Limerick.

The Rapparees by this time were got to the end of the Rapparees in the Bogg of Allen. Bogg of Allen, within 12 miles of Dublin, and there Robb'd and Plunder'd the Country all about, Fortifying an Island in the Bogg to secure their Prey, which being [Page 49] so nigh Dublin, it made a great noise: So that Collonel Foulks with his own Regiment, part of Collonel Cutts's, and a Detachment of the Dublin Militia, as also three small Field-Pieces, Marched out towards them: The Irish at first seemed to defend the place; but as our Men advanced, they quitted their Posts, leaving us to fill up the Trenches they had made cross the Causeway; which done, Colonel Foulks Marched over into the Island of Allen, where he met with Colonel Piper, who had come in at the other side; but the Irish betook themselves to the Woods, and we only got some small Booty which they had left.

I have heard, that my Lord Baltimore at his coming over from Ireland in King James the First's time, to give his Ma­jesty an account of the State of that Kingdom, amongst o­therthings, told the King, That the Irish were a wicked People, but had been as wickedly dealt withal. I make no Applica­tions of the Expression to our selves, tho' most people that have been in that Country know how to do it.

But as to any publick Action, little of moment hapned, for some time after we returned to our Winter Quarters, tho' the Rapparees, being encouraged by our withdrawing, were very troublesome all the Country over: nor will it be amiss, once for all, to give you a brief Account how the Irish managed this Affair, to make the Rapparees so Consi­derable as they really were; doing much more mischief at this Upon what account the Rapparees were servica­ble to the Irish. time o'th' year, than any thing that had the face of an Ar­my could pretend to. When the Irish understood there­fore how our Men were Posted all along the Line, and what advantage might be hoped for at such and such places, they not only encouraged all the protected Irish to do us secretly all the mischief they could, either by concealed Arms, or private Intelligence, under the pretence of their being Plundered and abused; but they let loose a great part of their Army to manage the best for themselves, that time and opportunity would allow them: to all these they [Page 50] gave Passes, signifying to what Regiment they belonged, that in case they were taken, they might not be dealt withal as Rapparees, but Souldiers. These Men knew the Country, nay, all the secret Corners, Woods and Boggs; keeping a constant Correspondence with one another, and also with the Army, who furnished them with all necessaries, especially Ammunition: When they had any Project on Foot, their method was not to appear in a Body, for then they would have been discovered; and not only so, but Carriages and several other things had been wanting, which every one knows that's acquainted with this Trade: Their way was therefore, to make a private appointment to meet at such a Pass or Wood, precisely at such a time o'th' night or day as it stood with their conveniency; and tho' you could not see a Man over night, yet exactly at their hour, you might find three or four hundred, more or less, as they had occasion, all well Armed, and ready for what design they had formerly projected; but if they hapned to be disco­vered, or over-powered, they presently dispersed, having before-hand appointed another place of Rendezous, ten or twelve miles (it may be) from the place they then were at; by which means our Men could never fix any close Engage­ment upon them during the Winter; so that if they could have held out another year, the Rapparees would have continued still very prejudicial to our Army, as well by killing our Men privately, as stealing our Horses, and in­tercepting our Provisions. But after all, least the next Age may not be of the same humour with this, and the name of a Rapparees may possibly be thought a finer thing than it really is, I do assure you, that in my Stile they never can be reputed other than Tories, Robbers, Thieves, and Bogg-trotters.

The Insolence of those People however, in the Bogg of Allen, was curbed by Colonel Foulks and Colonel Piper, before their return, who killed one Gibney a Captain, and [Page 51] several others: About which time, the King disposed of all January, 1691. the vacant Bishopricks, and other Ecclesiastical Prefer­ments, void in Ireland since the death of King Charles the Second.

On the 14th, of January, about sixty of the Garrison of A Party of ours march beyond the Shannon. Castle-Forbes, in the County of Longford, with some of the Militia, passed the River Shannon, and burnt several places on the other side, bringing off a good Booty, without any loss. And seventeen Transport Ships, with two Men of War, were ordered from the Bay of Dublin towards Kin­sale, to carry the Earl of Marlborough's and Colonel Fitz-Patrick's Regiments into Flanders, together with the Pri­soners taken at Cork and Kinsale; these having joyned some other Vessels, suffered much in their Voyage to Flanders, by reason of bad Weather, and some of them forced upon the Coast of England, one or two Ships being lost. And nigh the same time the Dover Frigat brought into Kinsale, a French Privateer of 22 Guns, and 10 Pettereroes, belong­ing to St. Maloes. Several Prisoners are now taken in scampering Parties, and some Deserters come in, who all give an account of the extraordinary scarcity of Provisi­ons and other Necessaries amongst the Irish; tho' this was only true in part, for Prisoners will stretch to gain favour, and Deserters are commonly prejudiced; so that they make things as they would have it, or speak by hear-say, few of them telling any thing of their own knowledge; for be­fore a Man deserts any side, he commonly converses with those that are most disaffected, and consequently least trusted; he comes off partial however; so that no extraor­dinary stress is usually to be laid upon such Informations.

Nigh this time several Ships arriv'd at Gallway from France, My Lord Tyr­connel returns from France. and brought over my Lord Tyrconnel, Sir Richard Neagle, and Sir Stephen Rice, with about only 8000 l. in Money; which was a great disappointment to the Irish, who had a small distribution by way of Donative, but not as pay. [Page 52] There came also some Soldiers-Coats and Caps, but such sorry ones, that the Irish themselves could easily see in what esteem their Master of France had them.

A Party of the Militia of Bandon advance into the Ene­mies Quarters, and killing some few stranglers, brought off a good Prey, according to the custom of the Country. But afterwards about 1500 of the Enemy pass the Black-Water, A Party of the Irish besiege Fermoy. near Fermoy, where there was some of the Danes posted in a Fort, which the Irish pretended to Attack; upon their near approach our Men fired, and the Irish seemed resolute for some time, but sixteen of them being killed, with a French Officer, the rest were presently a little more calm; and then they made an attempt on the other side, on Fer­moy-Bridge, but were beat back with two small Field-Pieces, (which they had Intelligence were removed) and six of them killed at that place; but by this time part of Colonel Donep's Horse were come to Castle Leons, and fifty of them, with 30 Militia Dragoons, engaged a greater Number of the Irish, and killed sixty, pursuing the rest nigh two Miles, till they came towards their main Bo­dy, which was commanded by Brigadier Carol, who was obliged to retire without what he came for.

Richard Pyne, Esquire, formerly one of the Commissio­ners of the Great Seal, is now made Lord Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas. And, Jan. 26, some Recruits are sent from Dublin, to re-inforce the Garrison of Ki [...]meague, in the Isle of Allen, and other places in the County of Kildare. And now, to satisfie both the Army and Country as much as could be, comes out a Proclamation; That all Persons who had given subsistence of Provisions, &c. to the Army, should receive satisfaction for the same according to the Rates made publick in the beginning of Winter. And that all Arrears of Pay due to Officers, or Soldiers, who died, were killed, or re­moved from Their Majesties Service, should be paid to their Relations. In order to which, there were certain Commis­sioners [Page 53] appointed, to state the Accompts of the Army: February, 1691. These Commissioners were William Robinson, John Stone, Edward Corker, John South, and Edward Molineux, Commission­ers appointed to state the Accompts of the Army. Esquires, who, some of them, here sate every Day, for ma­ny Months together, upon this Affair.

Jan. 29. A Ship belonging to Chester-Water was cast away in the Bay of Dublin; Ball the owner, and all the Passengers being lost. The same Day upwards of 200 Pri­soners were put on Board there, and sent to Cork, with Or­ders to be transported to Flanders. A Detachment of the Garrison of Cork, being two hundred Foot, and 300 Dra­goons, march towards Church-Town and Buttafant, two of the Enemies Frontier-Towns in that County, where they had a Party of Horse and Foot; but they withdrew at our approach, leaving the Places to be burnt by our Men, which was done accordingly.

The beginning of February a Party of the Army, with some of the Militia, march'd from Clonmell, within ten Miles of Limerick, meeting with little opposition; killed only about twelve stragling Rapparees, and burnt what Cabbins and other places of shelter for the Irish they met withal; returning with a prey of Cattle, and three or four Pri­soners.

February the 4th. A Declaration was published at Dub­lin A Declaration from the Ge­neral to the Irish. by Lieutenant-General Ginckel, setting forth, That Their Majesties had no design to Oppress their Roman-Catholick Subjects of this Kingdom, in either their Religion, or their Properties; but had given him Authority, to grant reasona­ble Terms to all such as would come in and submit according to their Duty. But this Declaration (as others before it of like nature) had not the wished-for effect; since the Irish are generally of that Temper, as to think you are most afraid of them when best Terms are proferr'd: This made the Irish Peasants value themselves mightily upon King William's first Declaration, after the Rout at the Boyne, who [Page 54] then look'd upon themselves to be the most considerable part of the Irish Nation, because they had Terms proferr'd before the Great Ones.

The sixth, a Proclamation was published by the Lords-Justices A Proclama­tion, prohi­biting the de­stroying Im­provements. and Council, prohibiting all Officers and Soldi­ers to plunder, or take away the Goods either of Protestants or Papists; nor cut down Improvements, (as some unrea­sonably went about;) nor to take the Horses and Cattle out of the Plough, or to exact and levy Money: Of all which there had been frequent Complaints; and therefore the Soldiers were commanded to pay their Quarters with their Subsistence which was ordered them, and the Officers too, from the first of January.

Nigh this time, Francis Sheldon and John Green, two Commissio­ners sent over to build Ships in Ireland. that were Skilful in the Art of Building Ships, were both sent over, in equal Commission, by Authority of the Na­vy-Board in England, to build Ships for Their Majesties Service at Waterford or Wexford; nigh which Places, and in the County of Wickloe, there is good store of suitable Timber, and other Advantages for building Ships at ea­sier Rates than in England; but what progress has been made herein, I am uncertain.

February the 8th. Colonel Brewer and Major Boad, with a Party of 150 Horse, and 200 Foot, march'd from Mullingar towards Meers-Court, to Relieve that and some other Garrisons with Provisions, and some Men; which having done, Colonel Brewer went with a Party towards Ballymore, to view the Posture of the Enemy at that place; he met with a small Party of them at a Pass, a Mile on this side the Fort, whom he put to flight, and pursued to the Garrison, nigh which he kill'd six or eight, and burnt the House at the Pass when he returned, bringing the Owner away Prisoner.

February the 10th. Sir Richard Reynolds, Lord Chief Justice of the King's-Bench, came from England and sate [Page 55] as Judge in that Court, being afterwards sworn of the Privy-Council. And nigh the same time we had an ac­count, that considerable Numbers of Recruits, both for Horse and Foot, lay ready at Bristol to be ship'd for Ire­land. The Montague and Dover Frigats bring into Kin­sale a Privateer of St. Maloes, of 24 Guns and six Pettere­roes. A Party of our Army, quartering at Bally-Hooly in the County of Cork, went into the Enemies Country and kill'd 25 Rapparees; and soon after Major Kirk kill'd 16 more, taking two Officers Prisoners; yet, for all this, the Enemy watched all opportunities of Advantage, kil­ling our Men by surprize in a great many places; but espe­cially, keeping Correspondence with the protected Irish in all corners of the Country, they stole away our Horses The Irish steal away our Horses to Recruit their own Army. sometimes in the Night, and often at Noon-day, when our Men least suspected it; by which means they recruited their own Horse considerably, and did us no small dis­service; nor is it probable, unless they had made use of some such ways, they could have brought any Body of Horse into the Field, worth taking notice of, the succeed­ing Campaign, whereas we were sensible afterwards that their Horse were once not contemptible.

The 9th. two Officers and a Soldier desert from Lime­rick, and come to Cashel: And a Day or two afterwards about 100 Protestants are permitted to come away, who all agree, that the Irish were more dissatisfied since my Lord Tyrconnel's Landing than before, since the Money and Cloaths, brought them from France, were both in them­selves very contemptible; the one for quantity, and the other for quality.

We had also an Account that Sarsfield was made Sarsfield made Lord Lucan. Earl of Lucan, and Lieutenant-General of the Army; Dorington, Major-General; and Barker, General of the Foot.

One Langton was Hanged at Kilkenny for endeavouring to seduce a Souldier of Count Nassau's Regiment and some others. And at Birr, the Rapparees killing one of Colonel Hamilton's Souldiers, drew out his Guts, and mangled his Body after amost barbarous and unusual man­ner. Several Ships arrive at Waterford with Meal, Bisket, Corn, and other Provisions for their Majesties use; and a great many Merchant Ships come to that and other Ports, with Victuals and other conveniencies, for the Army and Country.

On the 13th. about 400 of the Irish Army, Commanded A Party of the Irish burn Edenderry. by Lieutenant Colonel Conner, came to Edenderry, and burnt greatest part of it, killing 7 Men and a Woman, and had 11 of theirs kill'd by a Militia Troop then in Town, who were obliged to defend the strongest Houses; and the Irish returning by Phillips-Town, burnt Bally▪Brittan.

And now the Civil Government begun to look with a Judges ap­pointed to go their several Circuits. better countenance than formerly; for February the 17th. the Judges were appointed for their several Circuits; (viz.) Munster Circuit, Lord Chief Justice Reynolds, Mr. Justice Cox. Leinster Circuit, Lord Chief Justice Pyne, Mr. Justice Jefferson. North-East Circuit of Ʋlster, Lord Chief Baron Healy, Mr. Justice Lyndon. North-West Circuit, Mr. Baron Eclyn, Mr. Serjeant Ryves. These all went their districts accordingly, and found things much out of order in seve­ral places, by reason of the looseness of the Times, and the general inclination of most people to a disorderly way of living.

February 24th. a large French Pinck bound from Bour­deaux to Connaught with Wine, Brandy, Salt, &c. was dri­ven by stress of Weather into Arcklow-Haven; the Men being made Prisoners, the Ship and Cargo were seized for The Duke of Berwick and others of the Irish Army, go for France. their Majesties use. And nigh this time we heard, that the Duke of Berwick, and some other great Officers of the Irish Army, were gone off from Limerick to France, [Page 57] being discontented, as 'twas said, at my Lord Tyrconnel's way of Proceeding in the Government.

The 25th. Lieutenant Colonel Lillingston went from Roscreagh with a Party, to Monogall, where he surprised a Company of Colonel Oxburrough's Regiment, and several Rapparees, kill'd 35 and took 5 Prisoners, with one O Con­ner, who Commanded.

The 26th. in the Morning, Lieutenant General Ginckel and Sir John Lanier, having drawn a considerable Body both of Horse and Foot together, they advanced from Streams-Town towards Athlone. The Enemy never want­ed Intelligence of our Motions, by reason of their Friends always amongst us; and therefore as we approached, we found a Body of Horse and Foot, to the number of about 2300, Commanded by Brigadeer Clifford, drawn on at a Pass 4 miles from Streams-Town; the place it self was of great advantage, its natural situation being improved by Art: but as soon as a Party of ours, under Captain Pepper of The Irish de­feated at the Mote of Greenoge. Colonel Earl's Regiment, advanced on the other side, the Irish quitted the Pass, being followed by our Horse and Dragoons towards the Mote of Greenoge, where a greater Body of their Army was Posted upon the side of an Hill; and those also upon seeing what happened, retired into the Town; at the entrance of which, there was a very defensible Ditch, with a Pallisado'd Work, which the Irish quitted, and March'd towards Athlone; our Advance Party being 10 of my Lord of Oxford's Horse, 12 of Sir John Lanier's, Commanded by Cornet Lisle, and sustained by Lieutenant Monk's Dragoons, (those were four choice Men out of a Company in Major General Kirk's Regiment, mounted on Horse­back, and Commanded by Lieutenant Monk, who al­ways did Dragoon service,) and a Party of Colonel St. John's Foot, under Captain Worth, and all Com­manded [Page 58] by Colonel Woolsley: those overtook the Ene­mies Foot before they were got out of Town, very soon obliging them to disperse into the Woods and Boggs, several being killed; and whilst this was adoing, our Advance Party of Horse followed the Enemies Horse so fast upon the great Road that leads towards Athlone, that our Body of Horse behind could not come up, though they endeavour'd it by marching very hard: A great many of the Irish fearing to be overtaken, quit their Horses, Boots and Arms, making what haste they could to their usual shift, the Woods and Boggs; and thus it continued for six miles, till they were got near Athlone. They lost all their Equipage and Baggage, with a great many Horses and Arms, and had about Two Hundred Kill'd. two Hundred kill'd. We lost only one Trumpeter, and had four men more Wounded.

Major General Kirk stayed behind and took Cairn Castle; and the General at his return, took Castle-Con­way, in some few days dispersing his Men to their re­spective Quarters.

The 28th. several Rapparees were killed and hanged by the Militia near Montrath, they being usually more March, 1691. severe upon those sort of People than the Army was.

March the 7th. a Cornet, two Quarter-masters, and some other Deserters, came from the Enemy to Dublin, Some Deser­ters come in and encoura­ged by the General. where the General then was, and received them very kindly, allowing them subsistence, to encourage others to follow their examples. Several Ships arrive at Cork, Waterford, Kinsale, and Dublin, with Provisions and o­ther necessaries for the Army; and the Militia kill some Rapparees, and bring in their Heads; a Custom in that Country, and encouraged by a Law, which allows so much for every Head, according to the Quality of the Offender; though the usual way is by Proclamation from [Page 59] the Government, wherein the Offender and his Price are March, 1691. named.

Nigh this time three of the Danish Soldiers deserting, upon Major-General Dorington's Declaration, or what other Inducements I know not; but they were met up­on the Road, between Limerick and Cashel, by four others that had belonged to the Irish Army, and now deserting to us; these very fairly set upon the Danes, took them Prisoners, and brought them back to Cashel, where they were afterwards hanged.

A Party of Colonel Villers's, and some Danish Horse, march from Tallow within the Enemies Frontiers, kill two, and take some few Prisoners. And Colonel Blunt, High-Sheriff of the County of Tipperary, with his Militia Troop of Dragoons, a Danish Troop of Horse, and others, to the Number of 200, went from Clonmel as far as Mitchels-Town, nigh twenty Miles within the Enemies Quarters; in which Expedition they kill'd forty seven Rapparees, took thirteen Prisoners, and burnt several Cabbins where they used to shelter.

Captain Palliser, of the Earl of Drogheda's Regiment, went with a Party from Carolante towards Portumna, where he surprized some of my Lord Galmoy's Horse, and took several Prisoners; as also good store of rich Plunder, with Arms, Cloaths, and several other things of value.

Cornet Russel and one Crofton, come from the Enemies Quarters, and give an Account, that Balderock O Donnel had got several Men together again, but wanting Arms and other Accoutrements they begun to desert: And we also heard that Judge Daily was secured, for being suspected to endeavour the delivering up of Gallway to our Forces: And that Provisions and Forrage were very scarce in Connaught.

The Lords-Justices, and Councel, to encourage the bringing of Arms and Ammunition into Ireland by Mer­chants and others, they set out a Proclamation, decla­ring A Proclama­tion to encou­rage the Im­porting of Arms. that they shall be Duty-free; pursuant to which, Her Majesty made an Order of Council in England, dated March the 3d. That no Duty shall be hereafter demanded, or payable in Ireland, for any Arms which shall be carryed to such parts of that Kingdom as are, or shall be at the time of Importation, under Their Majesties Obedience; pro­vided that the Parties exporting Arms from any other parts of Their Majesties Dominions, do enter into sufficient Bonds for landing the same in such Parts of Ireland as aforesaid, and no others.

The Rapparees at this time were very troublesom nigh Several Rap­parees kill'd in the County of Longford. Fox-Hall, in the County of Longford, till Lieutenant-Colonel Toby Purcel, at three several times, kill'd about one hundred of them; in the last of which they kill'd fifty two; and, returning towards Quarters, they were way-laid by the greatest part of Sir Donold O Neal's Dra­goons: Our Party were thirty five Dragoons, and one hundred and forty Foot; one Quarter-master Topham be­ing, with nine Dragoons, commanded as an Advance-Party to view the Enemy, as soon as discovered by us, and see­ing them in a confusion at his appearing, he charged their Front; who, running away, made all the rest of the same humour, every one endeavouring to get first to their Garrison at New-Castle, three were kill'd, and one Dillan with four more taken Prisoners. This Party (its said) was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Barnwell: Upon this Defeat one Mack-Guire comes from the County of Longford, with several hundreds of the Creights, and most of the Stock that was left them; for which, and them­selves, they obtained Protections.

About the 10th of March we had an Account by some Protestants, that came out of Connaught, that the Irish a little after my Lord Tyrconnel's landing, being out of hu­mour with the Brass Money, little or nothing being to be The Irish cry down their Brass Money. had for it, they cry'd it down by Proclamation, the Crown piece to three Pence, the Half-crown to three half-Pence, the Shilling to a Penny, and the Six pence to an half-penny. After which the Soldiers lived upon free quar­ters: Provisions also being scarce, and no Markets, for want of Money, those Parts begun to be under worse Circumstances every Day.

We had Notice from Tallough, that Sarsfield had Ren­dezvous'd part of his Army, and some of the Irish Militia, at Knockhany, and that he had detached ten Men out of a Company, and as many out of each Troop, to Attack the Pass at Fermoy, and beat up our Quarters at Tallough and thereabouts; upon which a Party was detached from Youghall to strengthen that place, but Sarsfield only viewed his Men, and pick'd out the most serviceable of the Mi­litia to serve in the Army.

Nigh this time one Lonan, a troublesom Fellow, was hanged at Killkenny for Seditious words. And on the 14th. a Party of Colonel Byerly's Regiment, with some of the Militia, overtook a Party of Rapparees that were stealing away the Cattle near Montrath, killing six, and took two, who were hanged next Morning. The 17th. a Party of the Irish Army besieged Ballynagooly, a Fron­tier Ballynagooly attack'd by the Irish. Garrison of ours in the County of Cork, but were beat off with the death of five of their Men, and seven left Prisoners.

Lieutenant-Colonel Lillingston, having the Command of a Party of three hundred Foot, and some Horse, detach'd from Birr, Roscreagh, and the neighbouring Garrisons, he Nenagh burnt by a Party of our Men. march'd towards Nenagh, in the County of Tipperary, where [Page 62] there is a strong Castle, belonging to the Duke of Or­mond: Long Anthony Caroll was Governor of this Place, having with him about one hundred Men; but in the places adjacent there lived a great many Tories and Rap­parees, whom Caroll could upon any alarm bring toge­ther, to the Number of at least two thousand. He now had notice of our Party's approach, and laid an Ambuscade for them; which being discovered, his Men drew home­wards, and we followed them into Town, which we burnt, but the Castle was not to be attack'd without Cannon; for tho' it was taken by Lieutenant-General Ginckel, and a Garrison put into it during the former Siege of Lime­rick, yet, upon our Army's drawing off, part of the House within was burnt, and so quitted by our Party; which was no sooner done, but the Irish put a Garrison in it, by which they kept great part of a very good Country in their possession: But seeing our Men could not Attack the Castle, they took a good prey of Cat­tle; in getting of which, and burning the Town, they kill'd about sixty Men; amongst whom was one Caroll an Officer, and a Man of great Bravery: We lost only three Men in this Expedition.

A Party of Horse and Foot went also about this time from Mountmelick, to some adjoyning Woods, where they understood a Body of Rapparees were got toge­ther, we kill'd that Day twelve, and the next Day six, taking a Lieutenant of their Army Prisoner. Six of Colo­nel Lutterel's Dragoons desert the Enemy; and sixteen Rapparees were hanged at Clonmel, and four were kil­led as they were making towards a greater Party of the Enemy. Twenty seven Rapparees kill'd, and thirteen ta­ken Prisoners near Caper­quin.

Twelve Troopers, and about thirty Foot, went from Caperquin towards A Glyn, where they had Information that forty Rapparees were lodged, but they proved a much [Page 63] greater Number than was expected, and obliged our Horse to shift for themselves; which a Trumpeter seeing, who was upon a little Hill at a distance, he first sounded a March, then a Charge, and gave a great Shout, as if some more Horse were falling on; which took so well, that it frighted the Rapparees, and made them run to­wards the Wood, in which posture, our Foot and Horse falling upon them, kill'd twenty seven, and took thirteen Prisoners; three whereof were called Captains, but being known Rogues, they were all hanged.

March the 18th. a good Detachment was sent from Cashel towards Emly, in the County of Limerick, to meet with the Enemy, who were got into a Body there­abouts. As we came towards the place the Enemy re­tired, and had twelve killed in their going off. About this time, Colonel Russel's Regiment of Horse (former­ly my Lord Delamere's) was broke at Antrim, and Co­lonel White's Regiment of Foot, which were all the Forces that were broke this Year. Colonel Tiffin makes an Excursion towards Sligo, and met with no formed Body of the Enemy, so that his Men had leisure to take a good prey, and bring off several Families, who removed into our Quarters.

March 21. A detached Party of four hundred Horse and Foot, under the Command of Major Culliford, march'd from Cork towards Balycleugh, where the Enemy were entrenching themselves, but when they saw our Men a­coming they deserted their Works, and left seven of their Men to be made Prisoners, four of whom were Of­ficers. Three hundred of Sir David Collier's Men and Mi­litia march from Bandon towards Bantry, where they kill'd nigh seventy Rapparees, and took fifteen Prisoners. Some Rapparees were taken between Trim and Mullingar. And a Party of the Militia, under Lieutenant Powel, [Page 64] were sent from Dublin to bring in some Rogues, who were concern'd in the Murdering six of Colonel Foulks's Soldiers, but he and his Party were set upon by one O Neal, and twenty eight more, who by the manage­ment of Lieutenant Powel and his Party were most of them kill'd.

March the 28th. one Mark Baggot, formerly very Mark Baggot taken as a Spy going into Dublin. well known in Dublin, and Serjeant at Arms in the late King's time, was taken coming disguised in Womans Cloaths into that City; he was shortly after Tryed as a Spy, and Condemned; but Execution for some time was respited, in hopes of his doing service to the Go­vernment by some material Discoveries.

One Beecher, a Gentleman in the County of Cork, seized upon an Island on that Coast, from whence he did much damage to the Irish thereabouts. And some considerable Men in Killkenny, were seized for holding Correspondence with the Enemy. About this time Landed several Recruits at different Ports from England, with an Account of the French King's besieging the City of Mons, which occasioned various discourses, according as people were inclined.

In the beginning of April, six Souldiers of the Garri­son April, 1691. of Birr, were barbarously Murdered by the Rapparees, as were others in several places, whensoever they met with opportunities. A Spy was taken and Sentenced to be Hanged there, but brought from the Gallows, upon a discovery of several protected Papists holding Corre­spondence with the Enemy. One Captain Darby of the Leap, habiting himself and some of the Militia, with a small party of the Army, like Rapparees, they easily came up with about Eighty of the Enemy, who taking our men to be of their own Tribe, ten of them were killed, and the rest made their escapes.

April the 9th. Brigadeer Stuart sent fifty Fire-Locks and twenty Dragoons from Belturbet, to scoure the County of Letrim; towards Mohill they discovered two A Party sent by Brigadeer Stuart to­wards Mohill. Troops of the Enemies Dragoons, and a Company of Foot, Guarding the Creights and their Cattle, whom they fell upon, killed thirty and took five Prisoners, with most of their Horses, and what small Baggage they had. And nigh the same time, thirteen Rappa­rees were Hanged at Belturbet, being Tryed by a Court-Martial. A Party of Lieutenant Colonel Pur­cell's Garrison, fell upon some of the Irish Dragoons in the County of Longford, and killed six of them, others be­ing also drowned, who made more haste than good speed to pass the River. Quarter-master Topham kills at one time six, and at another time seventeen Rappa­rees, and took nine Prisoners, most of which were Hanged. Colonel Tiffin sends two Hundred Foot and a Hundred Dragoons, from Bally-shannon towards Sligo, who in their march killed Forty-two Rappa­rees, and took ten Prisoners, bringing off a good Prey at their return.

April the 11th. being the Anniversary of their Majesties Coronation, was observed with the usual So­lemnities. About five Hundred of the Irish came to attack Clonakilty, a Garrison of ours in the County The Irish make several attempts up­on our Fron­tiers. of Cork, but with no great difficulty were beaten off, having lost only three Men in the Attempt. Next day they seem'd resolved to do something extraordi­nary; and Colonel Mack Finnins, Colonel Macarty's, and two more Regiments, making in all about one Thousand five Hundred, Commanded by Brigadier Caroll, came to Iniskean, with a design to have that place, and some other small Garrisons near it, as steps to further ad­vancements. There were in Iniskean only two Ensigns, with [Page 66] Forty-four Men, who defended the Streets of the Town for some time; but the Irish getting in at the back doors, and so firing the Town, our Men betook themselves to an House that seemed the best shelter the place could afford, and there they defended themselves against all the Attempts of the Irish, tho' they were at last in hazard to have been burnt out, but that Lieutenant Colonel Ogleby came seasonably from Bandon with a Hundred and fifty Horse and Foot, which occasioned the Irish to draw off; and being followed by our small Party of Horse in the retreat, and the action in Town, they lost Seventy-two.

April the 14th. the Titular Popish Archbishop of Dublin, Father Brohey, and Father Mooney, were found hid in a Cave within a Mile of Athy, and sent Pri­soners to Dublin.

The 18th. a Proclamation was published, ‘to promise a Reward for the Apprehending the murdersrs of some of Colonel Foulks's Souldiers in the Church at Mallahud­dart, fifty Pound being promised for one Christopher Brown, with a Ten Pound a piece for five more con­cerned in the same Fact; with Pardon to any of them­selves that would discover the rest, some of whom were apprehended and Hanged afterwards.’

April the 20th. a considerable Body of the Irish They attempt Macroomp. advanced towards Macroomp, another Garrison of ours in the County of Cork, where they seemed now to press us most; but a Party of Eighty Horse and three Hundred Dragoons of the Army and Militia, were sent out under Major Kirk of Brigadeer Villers's Regiment; these came within sight of the Enemy by break of day, who being surprised at our unexpect­ed approach, the Irish betook themselves to the ad­jacent [Page 67] Boggs, in the pursuit of whom we killed twenty, and took an Officer, with four Souldiers Prisoners.

A Party of Rapparees coming near Tallough, steal away several Horses, and four Men belonging to Colonel Donep's Regiment of Danish Horse. This be­ing easily believed, could not be done without the knowledge of the Inhabitants in the adjacent Villa­ges, Col. Donep's Project to re­cover his Men and Horses. the Colonel ordered several of them to be ta­ken up, and threatned to Hang them all, unless the Horses and Men were brought back by such a day, which was accordingly done, and some of the Men that stole them delivered up.

The 24th. some Provisions going to Mullingar un­der a slender Convoy, were seized by the Rapparees at Kinegad; but a Party of the Garrison hearing of it, came time enough to kill four of them, and re­trieve some of the Provisions, though part of it was lost, the Boggs lying at that place so very con­venient.

Twenty-one Rapparees who lately went over the Shannon, were taken nigh Belturbet, by a Detachment from Finnagh; one Duffee and his Lieutenant Com­manding this Party, had Commissions from Balderock O Donnel. And now our English Letters bring us an Account of his Majesties safe Arrival at White-Hall on April the fourteenth.

Nigh this time his Majesty was pleased to Create Count Schon­berg Created Duke of Lein­ster. Count Maynard (second Son to the last Duke of Schon­berg) Duke of Leinster, Earl of Bangor, and Baron of Mullingar; and there was a report, as if his Grace should have then gone over into Ireland to Com­mand the Army the succeeding Campaign.

April 27. My Lord Meath's and my Lord Lis­burn's Regiments came to Mullingar, (the place de­sign'd for the Rendezvous of the Army) and encamp without the Town. They found a great many of the Some Regi­ments come to encamp at Mullingar. Irish that had made the best provision they could for themselves and Families by the Ditch-sides: For Co­lonel Brewer, sometime before this, had commanded them all out of Town, upon his being informed of their Correspondence with the Enemy. This occasi­on'd them to build a great many Hutts all along the dry Ditches, which they make no difficulty in per­forming; for it's but bending down two or three Sticks with one end on the Ground, and the other on the top of the Ditch, and then a little Straw or long Grass makes it a Cabbin in less that half an hour, for a Family of ten or a dozen, young and old, to creep into.

The same Day one Brown was executed as a Several Rap­parees kill'd by Colonel Brewer. Spie. And the 28th. Colonel Brewer, with Lieutenant-Colonel Hamilton, of my Lord Meath's Regiment, went from Mullingar towards Dunore, with six hun­dred Foot and twenty Horse; their Design was to surprize about two thousand Rapparees that had hut­ted thereabout for some time: At break of Day next Morning our Party came within sight of the Enemy; who took the Alarm, and began to draw up on se­veral Hills in distinct Bodies, both of Horse and Foot, and made a shew at first of advancing, in order to an Engagement; but they always retired to their Fast­nesses, upon the near approach of any of our Men: However, the Party so ordered it as to kill nigh fifty, and burn their Hutts and Cabbins, returning without any loss. The same Day the Governor of Meers-Court went towards Ballymore, and at Night took the Pa­trole [Page 69] Prisoner, bringing off some of the Horses be­longing to that Garrison: Fourteen Deserters also came from the Enemy to Mullingar. And a crook-back'd Beggar was brought a little after to Colonel Brewer in a Sack; he had been formerly a Spie; and now, upon his detection, he accused several protected Pa­pists thereabouts, for holding Correspondence with the Enemy. The Dragoons, posted at Fox-Hall, up­on scouring the Country, kill six Rapparees, and three more were taken near Tallough.

Nigh this time Captain Palliser, and one Lieutenant Captain Pal­liser and his Men taken Prisoners. Armstrong, went out with a Party of sixty Fire-Locks from their Quarters near Birr; their Design was to surprize some of the Irish, and bring off a prey they were informed of; but being betray'd by one Te­rence Mackgrah, who had all along been protected, and pretended a particular Friendship to Captain Pal­liser, our Men fell into an Ambuscade, ordered for them by Long Anthony Caroll; and having freed them­selves of that, they found themselves beset on all sides, so that they were forced to take into an old Castle; and, after being almost smothered in it with Smoak, they surrendered themselves all Prisoners of War; Lieutenant Armstrong paid Money to be released, Captain Palliser made his escape the beginning of June from Limerick, but the poor Men were kept Prisoners till Limerick was surrendred.

Fifteen Rapparees took the Northern-Male going from Dublin, at a place called Moyery-Castle, be­tween Dundalk and Newry; six of which were some small time afterwards apprehended and hanged for it.

April 29. A Party of one hundred and fifty Foot, A Party of the Irish beat off, who designed to intercept the Relief of Ballynagooly. commanded by Captain Clayton, were sent to Relieve Ballynagooly; some distance from the place they espi­ed [Page 70] a Party of the Enemies Horse, who did not care to meddle with them, because they supposed them well provided with Ammunition; and about twelve at Night the Party reliev'd march'd out: It was no sooner Day-light than they espied near three hundred of the Enemies Horse and Dragoons, and about the same Number of Rapparees, who had way-laid them, expecting they would bring but little Ammunition from the Garrison; but Captain Thornicroft, Lieutenant Hayes, and the Ensign, with the Party, resolved to make the best of it, and so drew their Men into an old Pound, Breast-high; which they had scarce done, till the Advance-Party of the Enemy came up and proferr'd them Quarter; which they refused, and fired upon them; then the Irish main Body advanced and made several very brisk Attacks, which our Men re­sisted stoutly, killing several, and wounding others, who were carry'd off. The Garrison of Cork taking the Alarm, sent out a Party to Relieve our Men, but the Enemy were march'd off before. The Ene­my left Captain Coppinger, two more Captains, and ten Men dead, and Major Slingsby was left wounded, who confessed their Party carry'd off between fifty and sixty kill'd and hurt; and withal, that it was a Judgment upon them, since they designed to pro­mise fair Quarter, but afterwards to destroy our whole Party: We lost eight Soldiers and two Carr-Men, and had five more wounded. This Party of the Irish, it's said, was commanded by Brigadier Caroll, and Sir James Cotter.

Near this time one Captain Duffee, his Lieute­nant, Twenty three Rapparees hanged at Belturbet. and twenty one more Rapparees were hanged by Brigadier Stuart's orders at Belturbet, and ano­ther as a Spie at Cavan. A Detachment of five hun­dred [Page 71] Men, out of the Militia of the City and Coun­ty of Dublin, joyning with Colonel Piper, march'd towards Clanbullock, where they expected to meet with a Body of the Irish Army and Rapparees; but these having Notice of our Design the Night be­fore, they dispersed to their several places of shelter, so that few of them were taken or kill'd.

April the 30th. being Her Majesties Birth-Day, was observed with great Solemnity; and all Hands were then at work in order to the fitting every thing for the ensuing Campaign. Cloaths, Arms, Ammu­nition and Recruits arrived daily at Dublin from England.

CHAP. IV.

SEveral Ships arrive at Kinsale from England, and the Charles Galley and Assurance Frigat at Wa­terford, with four other Ships under their Con­voy, all loaden with Cannon, Ball, Bombs, Powder, and several other Materials necessary for the Cam­paign.

The Governor of Clonmel, and Colonel Blunt, went Thirty Rap­parees kill'd. out with a Party of the Army and Militia to­wards Michelstown; but not meeting with any of the Enemy, they were returning home, when some of the Men stragling behind, one Cashean, a known Rogue, shot at a Corporal from behind a Bush, which occasion'd the Party to return and surround the Wood, in which they kill'd thirty.

Towards the beginning of this Month, two hundred May, 1691. and fifty Foot and a small Party of Horse, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Hudson and Major Wood, went from Montmelick, and posted themselves amongst the Woods and Bogs towards Portarlington: At break of Day the Foot entred and scoured the Thickets, whilst the Horse secured the adjoyning Passes; by which means they kill'd eighteen, and took an Ensign, one Moor, with a Sergeant and six Men Prisoners; they took also one of the Guards, and one O Rourk, who had formerly stole several of the Dutch Horses at Mun­ster Evan.

May the 1st. Major Wood having Notice that the Major Wood defeats a Bo­dy of the Irish. Rapparees were in great Bodies about Brittas in the Queen's County, he went out with three hundred of my Lord George Hamilton's, and Colonel Lloyd's Foot, and fifty of Colonel Byerly's Horse, with which he first kill'd nigh seventy Rapparees; and leaving part of his Men to secure several Passes, he went three Miles fur­ther, beyond a place called The Tougher of Malahone, having with him one hundred and ten Foot, and thirty Horse; but instead of the Rapparees, whom he only expected, he espied two Bodies of the Irish Army, said to be near eight hundred in Number: Those he en­countred, and after several Charges at different places, he put them to the Rout, killing one hundred and fifty on the place; amongst whom were one Captain Schales, and two Lieutenants; he took Major John Fitz-Patrick Prisoner, who commanded the Party, and seventeen Officers more, with six Sergeants, sixteen Corporals, two Drummers, and a Chirurgeon, and also eighty private Centinels. In all this Action we lost but a Corporal and a Trooper, two Foot-Sol­diers wounded, and Lieutenant Robinson. This may [Page 74] seem incredible to those that are strangers to this Country, but I shall in convenient time give you seve­ral Instances, both Ancient and Modern, which deserve as much to be admired. And I can find no other rea­son for it, than that it's no easie matter to persuade the Irish to fight whilst there is a Bog or a Wood nigh them, tho' take them abroad and they make no con­temptible Soldiers.

Nigh this time Captain Johnston, of my Lord George Captain John­ston surprizes some of the Irish Army. Hamilton's Regiment, went with one hundred Men from Tyril's Pass to Ballimona in the King's County, and towards break of Day he surprized two Troops of Clifford's Dragoons, and a Party of my Lord Me­rion's Horse, with some Foot, killing a Lieutenant, a Quarter-master and fifteen Dragoons; took Prisoners, two Ensigns, six Dragoons, one Trooper, and two Foot-Soldiers, burnt the Town, with the Furniture of what Dragoons were there quarter'd, bringing off twelve Horses, with some Cows, and spare Arms, with­out any loss on our side.

A Party of Colonel Brewer's Men being abroad, and some of them stragling between Mullingar and Kine­gad, three were kill'd, and the fourth had his Eyes put out, being used by the Rapparees after a most cru­el and barbarous manner; but three Rapparees being taken, and two of them hang'd, one Hill, the third, guided a Party of one hundred and ten Men, com­manded by Captain Poynes, to a place within six Miles of Mullingar, where the Rapparees lodged that Night; our Men fell upon them, and killing about forty, they got good store of rich Plunder.

Some more Rapparees were about this time hanged at Belturbet: And one Mr. Woodward, with a Party, kills twenty nigh Kells that were stealing away his [Page 75] Cattle. Lieutenant Schales, with a small Party of Sir John Lanier's Horse, and Major General Kirk's Foot, kill'd eleven Rapparees near Wyands-Town, and sent their Heads to Dublin.

May the 8th. The Duke of Wirtenberg came from his Quarters to Dublin; and five Ships loaden with Arms and Ammunition came into that Bay, by whom we understood of His Majesty's departure from England a second time, and safe arrival in Hol­land.

May the 9th. three Irish Press-masters taken nigh Macroomp, were Hanged at Cork; and Lieutenant Moore goes with a Party nigh Bantry, where he kil­led five of the Enemy, and took some Cattle; one Cornet Evanson kills four more; and another Rap­paree being Condemned, had his Life saved for gui­ding Lieutenant Crawford to a Party of Rapparees nigh Macroomp, of whom seventeen were killed, one Hanged, and eleven taken Prisoners.

There was now a Garrison of the Militia in Ca­stle-Haven, one of those Forts which the Irish de­livered to the Spaniards in Queen Elizabeth's time, famous for that Sea-Fight in the Haven, between Sir Richard Levison and Don Pedro de Zubiaur, the Spa­nish Admiral, where greatest part of the Spaniards were sunk or disabled. From hence Colonel Towns­end sent a Party of his Men to scoure the Country; they met with a Party of Rapparees, and killed one Regan their Captain, with Borg his Lieutenant, and four more.

Nigh this time one hundred and fifty of the Irish The Irish take a Prey nigh the Black­water. Army, joyned with a Party of Rapparees, came over the Black-water and took a considerable Prey from our [Page 76] side. Colonel Donep being not far off, gave the Al­larm to the Country by firing a Cannon, and with a few Danes and a Party of the Militia, pursued the Enemy: A Danish Lieutenant and eight Men overtook them at a place called Ballyderrawne, and had so much Courage as to Engage in the Rear of nigh sixty; but the Lieutenant being killed, the rest retired, till Co­lonel Donep came up with Twenty-four Danes and Militia, these put the Enemy into some disorder; and then being reinforced by a greater number of the Militia, they followed the Enemy beyond Killworth, and in the pursuit killed fifty, whereof four were Officers, (viz.) Captain Butler, Lieute­nant Condon, another Lieutenant, and a Cornet, ta­king also forty Horses, several Arms and Accoutre­ments, and recovered the Prey, with some more to make an addition to it.

May the 15th. a Party of the Militia of Bandon, took Captain Hugh Donavan, and six of O Donavan's Regiment Prisoners: And about forty Rapparees were surprized in a Wood in the Night as they sat at Supper, by a Lieutenant and eight Men, who coming silently up to where they saw the Light, they fired amongst them and killed four, the rest disper­sing at the suddenness of the Accident; the Lieute­nant and his Men got about twenty Horses and o­ther Booty.

One Major O Neal was sent from Athlone to view the Fortifications at Ballimore; but instead of retur­ning with an Account of the Place, he comes over to us: And one Mr. Whittingham makes his escape out of Connaught, giving an Account of several Mur­ders committed by the Rapparees. Sir Garret Ailmer [Page 77] and some other Prisoners, taken at Derry, &c. were exchanged: And our Provisions going to the Stores at Mullingar, are again attempted by a Party of Rapparees, upon the Common between that and Ki­negad, which is eight miles, and a waste Country, with Woods and Boggs on each side; but their de­sign was frustrated by eight of Colonel Brewer's Men, though they killed a Suttler by a Random-Shot.

May the 18th. Lieutenant-General Ginckel, Com­mander in Chief of Their Majesties Forces for the succeeding Campaign, goes to view the Town of Mullingar; and Provisions and Ammunition were daily sent thither, as also to Belturbet, for the supply of our Northern Forces: and more Recruits both of Horse and Foot, with Ammunition and Souldiers Cloaths, arrive daily at Dublin from England.

The Bay of Baltemore in Carberry, in the West of Ireland, is a safe place for Ships of any Burden to ride in, and was one of those which the Spaniards much frequented in former times, being called by them Valentimore. The Dragon and Advice Frigats, Some of our Seamen and Militia joyn, and march in­to the Ene­mies Quarters. being about the middle of May in this Bay, they Landed a hundred Seamen, who joyning some of the Militia, march'd up into the Country, and saw seve­ral Parties of the Enemy; but they not caring to Engage, our People took what Cattle and other Prey they had a mind to; and two days after the Dra­gon brought a Privateer of St. Malo's of eight Guns, called the Swallow, to Kinsale; the Commander of which gave the first certain Account, That several French Ships with Arms, Ammunition, Provisions, and some Officers, were gone into the River Shannon to­wards [Page 78] Limerick, on Board of which Ships was Mon­sieur St. Ruth and other French Officers sent to Com­mand the Irish Army. And near the same time, six Monsieur St. Ruth Lands in Ireland to Command their Army. of our Ships come to Cork with Recruits and Pro­visions, under the Conduct of the Smyrna Frigat.

A Party of three hundred Horse and Dragoons, with two hundred of the Militia, went from Cork to relieve the Garrison of Ballynagooly; after which they went to view Bally▪Clough, in the Enemies possession, but upon our approach, they drew into their Works, so that our Men killed only five, and took as many Prisoners. Captain Barry of the Militia, kills six in a Wood at Ballyhooly beyond the Black-water; and the Militia of Fermoy, upon an Expedition, kill ten more, taking also eight Prisoners. One Maurice Spu­lane, a Rapparee Captain, was killed nigh Castle-Haven; and Quarter-master Edwards kills sixteen nigh Tip­perary; and Captain Massey eight more in the Coun­ty of Limerick; and three were carried to Clonmell there to be hanged: four were taken in a Wood near Dramoree, as they were dividing some Money they had stole. So that on all sides, though these Vermin were at work to do Mischief, yet the Ar­my, and indeed the Militia, were as active to sup­press them. However, the White Serjeant, with one Mackabe and Cavenagh, were very troublesome nigh Kildare. Those were three Fellows all under the same Circumstances, who running away from the Irish Ar­my, they got small Parties of Rogues together, and haunted the Bogg of Allen, and other places of the Country thereabouts, which were particularly well known to them, and by that means gave the In­habitants no small disturbance. They were hunted by the Militia nigh this time, and three of the White [Page 79] Serjeant's men Shot at one time, and two of Mackabe's at another; and soon after three more were killed near Murney. And our publick Accounts tell us of a hundred and ten Rapparees killed by Captain Bag­gott's Militia Dragoons since the beginning of this Month in several Parties. But Cavenagh and his Men being afraid to trade any more in the Bogg of Al­len, they remove towards the Mountains of Wicklow, where Lieutenant Cooly met with them, and killing fifteen, took their Captain, upon which the rest dispersed, or joyned with Mackabe and the White Sergeant.

May the 20th. Mark Baggot, formerly spoke of, Mark Bagg [...]. hanged. being condemned and reprieved till now, was this Day hanged, having said nothing to the purpose, but that our best places to pass the Shannon were Me­lick and Banoher.

May 24. Major Welden of the Militia, and Captain Phillips of Colonel Earls's Regiment, kill thirteen Rap­parees near Montmelick. Captain Ʋnderhill, of my Lord Lisburn's Regiment, with sixty Foot and ten Dragoons, goes to Ballenderry, May the 26th. where they met with a Party of nigh three hundred of the Irish Army, whom they engaged, killing Captain Geoghagan and four more Officers, and (as the Ac­count was) fifty private Men. Next Day the same Captain went out with only twenty four Men and kill'd twelve; but being set upon by a good Par­ty of the Irish, commanded by Colonel Geogha­gan, he made his retreat to Dunore Castle, having only one Man kill'd and another wounded. The same Day some Dutch Horse being come to the Camp [Page 80] now at Mullingar, a Party of them went abroad, kill'd several Rapparees, and brought in thirty Priso­ners.

At this time Lieutenant-General Douglas was march­ed Lieutenant-General Doug­las encamps with a Party at Ardagh. out of the North with a Body of Men and en­camped at a place called Ardagh in the County of Longford, twelve Miles from Mullingar: And the Duke of Wirtenberg was gone towards Thurles, where the Foreigners that quartered last Winter in Munster were ordered to Rendezvouz, and to be ready to joyn the rest of the Army nigh Banoher, where our Great Men had some thoughts at that time of pas­sing.

Our Train of Artillery was also upon their march from Dublin to Mullingar, being such an one as ne­ver had been seen before in that Kingdom.

Major-General Ruvigny is now at the Camp at Mul­lingar, Our Great Officers take the Field. whither went Major-General Mackay on the 28th. who came lately from Scotland. Major-Gene­ral Kirk and Sir John Lanier go for England, and land at Neston on the thirtieth. And much about the same time the Duke of Leinster's Regiment of Horse, formerly my Lord Devonshire's, landed in Eng­land and march'd towards Coventry. Major-General Talmash being sent by His Majesty to assist the other Great Officers this Campaign in Ireland, landed at Dublin the latter end of May, having with him Sir Martin Beckman, chief Ingineer, and in a Day or two he went towards the Camp.

About this time the Gentlemen of the County of East-Meath, meeting at Trim, agreed to scoure the Red Bog nigh that place, where the Rapparees haunted and had done much mischief during the last Winter; the issue was, that thirty five were kill'd, and six more [Page 81] fairly hanged. Some were also kill'd by the Militia of the County of Waterford, and others near Kilmal­lock, by Parties that advanced so far. By Packets from England the General had an Account by Letters from Monsieur de Opdam, Lieutenant-General of the Horse in Holland, who went to Breda about the ex­change of Prisoners taken at the Boyne, Cork, Kin­sale, &c. with the Dutch taken at the Battle of Fleur, that the French refused to release the Irish Officers under such Characters as they gave themselves, but left them under very ill Circumstances, upbraiding them in terms very disrespectful, tho' they released the Irish Soldiers, and sent them to Thoulon, Marseilles, &c. for the Sea-service.

This Month now draws towards an end, and all People that had any business towards the Camp, are resorting thither; in order to which the Lords-Justices set out a Proclamation, Commanding all Sut­lers and others to carry no Ale, or other Liquors to the Camp, but what was good and well brewed, and to be at least six Days old; to prevent Fluxes and other Distempers.

There was also another Proclamation, Commanding all Persons that designed to be Sutlers, to come to Dublin for Licenses, and to renew those each Journey. But this being found inconvenient for the Army, it was recalled.

May the 30th. Lieutenant-General Ginckel went The General goes to the Camp. from Dublin, and lying that Night at Tycroghan, next Day his Excellency came to the Camp at Mullingar, where he found (Foot, viz.) Major-General Kirk's, Lord Meath's, Lord Lisburn's, Lord Cutts's, Colonel Foulks's, Colonel Brewer's, Lord George Hamilton's, and Colonel Earls's (Horse,) Sir John Lanier's, Brigadier Vil­lers's, [Page 82] Colonel Langston's, Rydesel's, Roucour's and Mono­povillon's, with Colonel Leveson's Dragoons, who, be­fore his coming over was made a Brigadier by His Ma­jesty.

The Soldiers every Day in one Regiment or ano­ther began to appear fine in their new Cloths; and, before the Army took the Field, the Lords-Justices, with the Advice of the General, appointed several Officers, that had been or were actually then in the Army, to Command the Militia in different places of the Kingdom, not as being Absolute, but rather Su­perintendents of the whole: As in the County of Cork Major Stroud was imployed, in the Counties of Wickloe and Wexford Major Brooks and Captain Phil­lips; as were also Major Tichburn, Lieutenant-Colonel Toby Caulfield, and others in several other places.

CHAP. V.

JƲne the 1st. Very early in the Morning Grace and Hogan, two Rapparee Captains, with eighty Men, surprized a Castle called Camgart, within six Miles of Birr, kept all Winter by a Party of the Militia; the news of which was brought some time after to Caro­lante, where was a Garrison kept by the Earl of Dro­gheda's Regiment: The Account of this was brought in haste, and very imperfect; so that Ensign Story (who was there with another Officer) thinking to hinder the Irish from getting into the Castle, or at least if [Page 84] they were in, to prevent the burning of it, he goes with all speed with a Party of thirty Men from Caro­lante towards Camgart, being not above an English Mile; but the Enemy were got in long before, and had secured all the Garrison, and seeing our Party ap­proach they kept themselves very close within the Works. The Ensign and his Men coming nigh the place, and seeing no appearance of either Enemies or Friends, he posted his Men in an Orchard within Musquet-shot of the Castle, and himself with two Men went up towards the Gate, but being got too nigh the Works, a Woman carrying Water to a Cab­bin, made a sign that the Enemy was within, which occasion'd the Ensign to stop, at which they fired a whole Volley upon him, killing himself and one of the Men; the Party could not bring off the Ensign's Body, being so near the Castle; but, after some stay there, they march'd off without any further trouble from the Enemy. The other Officer, Commanding in Carolante, sent back a Drum for Ensign Story's Body, which the Irish made some scruple to deliver, but proferr'd to bury him Honourably, which they did, allowing his own Drum to beat the Dead March be­fore him, and themselves fired three Vollies at his Grave, acknowledging at his Death some former Ci­vilities from him; which is very rare with that sort of People: But this particular I mention to show the incertainty of the things of this World; for this Of­ficer was well and at liberty at nine a Clock in the Morning, but before twelve he was not only in the power, but buried by his Enemies, and that with great Formality. And a Man that is at the Pains to Describe other Peoples Actions, may be allowed the liberty to leave one Page to the Memory of his own Brother.

As soon as the General came to Mullingar, he or­dered the Works that had been made last Winter, for the security of that place, to be contracted into a nar­rower compass, that fewer Men might be left for their defence, and planted four Piece of Cannon upon the Mount, towards the South-side of the Town. Whilst the General continued here, the Design of passing the Shannon at Melick and Banoher seem'd to be the most plausible; and therefore, June the 5th. the General sent Mr. Trench (a Clergy-man, and one who has been Mr. Trench sent to the Duke of Wir­tenberg. very forward in Their Majesties Service) to the Duke of Wirtenberg, then at Bally-Boy, (as was expected) with Directions to view the afore-mentioned places, and encamp thereabouts till the rest of the Army joyn'd him; or, if he could, to surprize a Passage over the Shannon, whilst the Enemy were gazing upon the Mo­tion of the other part of the Army: Mr. Trench, and his Party of thirty Horse, with a great deal of difficul­ty got through the Enemy (who then were at Bally-Boy, and most of that Country thereabouts) to the Duke of Wirtenberg, whom he found encamped at Roscreagh; but, after Mr. Trench's departure, the Ge­neral and the rest of the Great Officers, considering that should they decline to the left, towards Melick and Banoher, and leave the great Road leading towards Athlone, if the Enemy would be desperate, there was nothing to hinder them from marching even up to Dublin; and therefore they sent another Express to the Duke of Wirtenberg, on the 7th. to march for­wards, in order to joyn the Army, towards Ath­lone.

Now you must know, the Irish having been very A Stratagem of the Irish to get Horses. industrious all the Winter past (and ever since) to form a Body of Horse, as well by stealing ours, as [Page 86] by other methods most agreeable to their purpose: their last Trick was, to order all the Gentlemen Vo­luntiers in those Countries within their own Jurisdi­ction, to appear with their best Horses and Arms by such a day at Limerick, pretending to conferr marks of Honour and Distinction upon the forwardest; by which means they Assembled a great many Men, and most of them well Mounted, who all being drawn up in the King's-Island, the greatest part of them were on a sudden ordered to dismount and deliver up their Horses for the use of the Army, who they were told, could better manage them for the King's Interest. In a day or two after this, the whole Bo­dy They march towards Ath­lone. of their Army being about twenty thousand Foot, and five thousand Horse and Dragoons, moved towards Athlone, which way they understood by their Spies, that our Army designed to march.

Saturday June the 6th. the General with his Army Our Army march to­wards Bally­more. march'd from Mullingar to Rathcondra, between Meerscourt and Cairn-Castle, being about six Miles, leaving at Mullingar nine Twenty four Pounders, one eighteen Pounder and three Mortars. Within a Mile of our Camp we were joyned upon the march by Lieutenant-General Douglas with the following Regiments, (viz.) Foot: Lieutenant-General Douglas's, Brigadier Stuart's, Sir Henry Bellasis's, Colonel Tiffin's, Colonel St. John's, Colonel Gustavus Hamilton's, Co­lonel Herbert's, and Colonel Creighton's, as also Colonel Woolsey's: Twelve Troops of Horse, with Colonel Wynn's and Sir Albert Cunningham's Dragoons. The same day a Deserter of my Lord George Hamilton's was hanged upon a Bush as the Army march'd by. That night the General sent out a strong Party of [Page 87] Dragoons towards Ballymore, as well to prevent re­lief from getting in, as to secure the Enemy from stealing of in the night towards Athlone: These meeting with some of that Garrison abroad, killed four, and brought in two Prisoners, one of which was very much wounded, and gave an Account, That the Garrison in Ballymore was a Detachment of their best Men sent from Athlone, being about a thousand in number.

June the 7th. the Army march'd to Ballymore, Ballymore be­sieged. and by twelve a Clock had beat the Enemy with­in the Works, and surrounded the Fort; the Ene­my firing their small Shot, and two small Turkish Pieces that were mounted upon old Cart-Wheels. But before I give you an Account of the taking this Fort, it will not be amiss to give you a slen­der Description of it.

I do not find any thing Remarkable of this place The Place de­scribed. in former times; it's only a small Village upon the Great Road between Mullingar and Athlone, being ten Miles distant from each. The place has always been very poor, and had only two or three Houses of Entertainment in it, the rest being all Irish Cab­bins, to the number of a hundred or thereabouts, (though now there is neither House nor Cabbin stan­ding.) A little to the right of the Town as you go to Athlone, stood a pretty Church upon a rising ground; about a hundred and twenty Yards from which there lies a spot of Ground about six Acres, which is almost an Island, by reason of a great Lough to the East, North, and North-East; and on the North-West there is Bogg; a small neck of Land running from the Church on the South-West, pre­vents [Page 88] it▪ from being altogether an Island. This Isth­mus had been formerly Fortified with a double Ditch, and within that a Stone Wall, and then there stood a pretty strong House, where one Widow White lived the year before, when Lieutenant-Gene­ral Douglas march'd that way to Athlone, who took Protection, and secured a good stock of Sheep and Cows in this Peninsula whilst we lay Encamp'd by the Town. At the further end next the broadest part of the Lough, stood a strong Danish Fort (as this Kingdom is every where full of them) now For­tified with a Ditch twenty Foot broad and ten Foot deep, being also Pallisado'd round. Towards the East and North-East, the Lough is so broad, that Cannon can do no execution over it; but towards the South-East, there is a large round Hill which overlooks the Island, and from whence you may see into all places of it. This place was neglected by us last year, as being so poor in it self, that it could not support a Garrison; but the Irish seeing the natural strength of it, and withal the advantage of disturbing our neigh­bouring Garrisons from thence, they presently fell to work and Fortified it; here they kept a Garrison all Winter, and towards the Spring sent that Detach­ment thither which we now found.

At the approach of our Army the General sent a The Fort Summoned. Summons to the place; but Lieutenant-Colonel Mylo Burk being proud of the name of Governour, would not hearken to the General's mild Proposals; then four Field-Pieces were brought down, which play'd three or four hours at Random upon the Island; and a Serjeant and fifteen Men being in an old Ca­stle nigh a quarter of a Mile to the South-West of the Fort, after all hopes of being relieved, was cut [Page]

[Page] [Page 89] off; the Serjeant fired upon some of our Men and killed one or two, for which, as soon as the Castle was Surrendred, he was hanged.

By ten a Clock at night, four Batteries were raised, one below the Hill on the East towards the Lough side, Four Batteries planted. of six Guns, two more of four a piece, towards the Church, and another for four Mortars. On Munday the 8th. about Sun-rising these Batteries began to play, and some time after the General sent a Summons to the Governour, That if he would not deliver up the Place within two hours, he should have the same Treatment that his Serjeant met with the day before. But he pretending to mistake the Message, and desiring his Excellency to let him have his pleasure in Writing, the General sent a Gentleman again with this follow­ing Note.

But nothing less than marching out with Bag and Baggage, Drums beating, Colours flying, &c. would satisfie this Noble Governour: Upon which, the Ge­neral ordered all our Guns and Mortars to fall to work, the Bombs tearing up the Sandy Banks, and the Irish run­ning like Conies from one Hole to another; whilst the Guns were battering the Works and making a Breach, the Irish in the mean time did what they could with their two Guns and small Shot; but Lieutenant-Co­lonel Burton their Ingineer, had his Hand shot off from one of our Batteries, and their Works went down a­pace, which made the Irish very uneasie. This Siege however, was very delightful to our whole Army, who had a view of it from the adjoyning Hill. My Lord Justice Coningesby also, who was now in the Camp, and stay'd here for some time, having the satisfaction of being an Eye-witness of the forwardness of our Soldiers.

About twelve a Clock the Enemy beat a Parley, and A Parley beat. hung out a white Flag, but the General would not take notice of it; and our Batteries went on with that success, that two Breaches were made, one in the ut­termost Fort next the Town, the other on the Works on the same side within the Island; and the General seem'd resolved to Storm the Fort next morning at the coming up of the Tin Boats: there were four large Boats however then in the Camp, which were the Fleet prepared last Year for Hoard's Expedition upon the Shannon, and were all Winter at Mullingar. These the General ordered to be Launched upon the Lough, and filled with Armed Men. The Enemy seeing this, and their Island being altogether open on that side, they were most terrible affraid of being all de­stroyed: So that about seven a Clock they began to beat a Parley again, and hung out their Flag, begging [Page 91] Quarter for God's sake: which the General hearing and being in his own temper a very Merciful Man, he was pleased to order the Guns and Mortars to for­bear firing; and by eight of the Clock, the Gover­nor and some of the Officers coming out, they sur­rendred The Fort surrendred. the Place at discretion: Upon which Colo­nel Earl, with eight hundred Fire-Locks, march'd in over the Breach that our Guns had made; and the Enemy, laying down their Arms, were continued Prisoners in the Fort all Night.

June the 9th. About six a Clock in the Morning the What Stores and Provisi­ons found therein. General went to view the Fort, wherein were found fifty one Officers, seven hundred and eighty Soldiers, and two hundred and sixty Rapparees, who were most of them Arm'd; these were all sent Prisoners to Dub­lin, and from thence all, except the Officers, were sent to Lambay, an Island above a League from the Conti­nent. There were also nigh four hundred Women and Children, all crouded up in this sad place, who were set at liberty. Our Men found also in the Fort four hun­dred and thirty Sheep, about forty Cows, and fifty Gar­rans, and good store of Oat-meal. We lost in this Action only eight Men; and the Irish had about forty kill'd by our Bombs and Cannon. But it seemed very inaccountable to most People, that the Enemy neither endeavoured to relieve or quit this place, since they lost in it above a Regiment of their best Men; tho' this was but what they did afterwards at several places nigh Limerick.

The 10th. In the Morning early two hundred Men Ballymore bet­ter fortified. were drawn out to work at the Fort, which the Gene­ral had ordered to be better fortified by a Line of Com­munication [Page 92] from the Out-works to the Danish Fort, and other additions towards the Water-side; our Men fell to work at first in repairing the Breaches, but were obliged to desist by bad Weather; however they le­velled all the Batteries and Trenches that we had made against the Fort. And Orders were given out that Night for one hundred Men of a Regiment to be for the Works in the Morning, with a Captain, Lieutenant, and Ensign. The Sutlers that were ready to go to Mullingar were to have a Guard at the Hospital, where they were to take up what Men were sick or wounded: And the Majors of each Regiment were to have a par­ticular Care that the Mens Arms were fix'd and clean; which Orders were often repeated.

June the 11th. One Captain Taylor and two private Men desert from the Enemy, who acquaint us, that my Lord Tyrconnel, by a Declaration, dated May the 15th. had ordered all the Rapparees into Connaught, to re­cruit their Army; and that the General, St. Ruth, at his going towards Athlone, had ordered Brigadier Max­wel's Men to drive all the Cattle in those parts in the Rear of the Army, for their support; and that the Irish talk'd of giving us Battel; tho' they were generally dissatisfied with the few and mean Cloaths sent them out of France, and the small allowances of Provisi­ons, &c.

This Evening it was given out in Orders, that the Chaplains should say Prayers at the Heads of their re­spective Regiments at ten in the Morning and seven at Night, and to admonish the Men from Swearing; a Vice too common at all times amongst us.

The 12th. the Soldiers were prohibited Gaming; and all Guards were to be relieved constantly at nine a Clock. Our Line of Communication was then fi­nished, and we were working upon a Spur, Half-Moon, and Horn-Work, with a good Ditch to cover the Draw-Bridge and Entrance to the Out-work. There was also a Bastion begun to the Right, towards the Lough, and a large Half-Moon towards the Left, both which command the new uttermost Work; and the Fort was ordered to be amended by throwing part of it down, and building it a new. A Work was like­wise designed along the Lough-side to cover those within, that side being open, and none could stir in the Fort but were exposed to Shot from the Hill. A Platform was also designed for eight Guns on the top of the Mount.

The same Day ten Guns and three Mortars, left at Mullingar, were brought up; and four Troopers de­sert the Enemy, who confirm the Report of their be­ing at Athlone with the greatest part of their Army.

June the 13th. One hundred Prisoners were sent from the Camp to Carne-Castle, (a place three Miles hence, where the Rapparees used to shelter themselves) and demolished it. And stealing being become ve­ry common in the Camp, a Fellow was hanged for stea­ling an Horse; which wrought some Reformation for a time.

The 14th. and 15th. we continued improving the forementioned Works. On the 16th. a strong Party of Horse was sent to view Athlone. And on the 17th. Lieutenant-Colonel Toby Purcell was left Governor of Ballymore, with four Companies of Lieutenant-General [Page 94] Douglas's Regiment, who went himself towards the North, and from thence to Flanders. The same Day my Lord Lisburn was sent out towards Lanesborough with a Party of two thousand Foot and five hundred Horse, who, meeting with a small Party of the Irish Horse, kill'd two or three, and the rest fled in haste towards the Shannon, but mistaking the Ford one or two more were drown'd. That Evening Orders were given out, That no Sutler or other Person whatever should buy any Ammunition, Arms, or Accoutrements, or any thing that belongs to the Soldiers, on pain of Death; because the Soldiers, for a little Money, would be apt to sell their Cloaths or Shooes. And, if as great Care were not taken of most of them as of Children, they would soon be in a very indifferent condition.

June the 18th. The Army march'd from Ballymore, The Army march to­wards Athlone, and is joyned by the Duke of Wirtenberg. and encamp'd that Night at Ballyburn Pass near Twoy, where we were joyned by that part of the Army com­manded by the Duke of Wirtenberg and Count Nassau, being all Foreigners, and seven thousand in Number; and now our Army is about eighteen thousand.

The General with a Party of Horse views Athlone, where he could see several of the Enemy's Horse up­on the little Hills nigh the Town, and their Camp a­bout two Miles beyond the River upon a narrow Neck of Land between two Boggs, where they remain'd till the Town was taken.

June the 19th. Very early in the Morning our Ad­vance-Party We approach the Town. march'd, and by nine a Clock had beat the Enemy from several out Ditches to within the Walls of the English Town on this side the River, our Men [Page 95] lodging themselves in the same Ditches. For tho' the Irish quitted it the Year before, and burnt the Houses both without and within the Walls upon the approach of Lieutenant-General Douglas, yet they designed to show more Courage this time, and defend this side the River also; which made some blame Lieutenant-Gene­ral Douglas, as guilty of an Over-sight, in not demo­lishing the Walls when he quitted it the Year preceed­ing; but those that accompanied him in that Expedi­tion know that he had not time for it. And since the Irish seem'd so Brave, the General was resolved to lose no time, ordering three Guns to be planted nigh a Ford on Lanesborough-side, which play'd all that Day upon a Breast-Work that the Enemy had on the other side. About six in the Evening our Guns came up to a Battery planted between Isker and Athlone; and that Night we were hard at work in raising another Battery, on which we mounted nine eighteen Poun­ders. And,

June the 20th. about eight a Clock in the Morning Batteries planted. our Battery began to play on a Bastion not far from Dublin-Gate; by twelve we made a Breach the breadth of the Bastion, and continued firing to prevent the Enemy from raising any Works within. About three a Clock a Council of War was held, wherein the fol­lowing Rules were agreed upon, in order to the storm­ing the Place at five. Which, because they show the Method of Attacking Towns by Storm, it will not be impertinent here to insert them.

To sustain all these, a good Body of Horse were got ready, and a Lieutenant of Colonel Cambon's Regiment, according to Orders, having the Advance Party of thirty Men, went under Covert of certain Hills within a hundred and fifty Yards of the Breach, then Advanced upon the Plain before his Men, and the rest of the Detachments following the Enemy fired upon us very smartly; but our Men went on and kept their fire till they were at the Breach, which the French Lieutenant first mounted, throwing his [Page 98] Granade and firing his Piece, ordering his Men to do the like, and with great bravery encouraged his Par­ty, though he lost his Life in the Action. Our Gra­nades so galled the Enemy, and the Men pressed so fast upon the Breach, that the other quit their Works and run towards the Bridge, whither we pursued them, and even to the foot of the Draw-Bridge; the The English-Town taken. Irish in their hurrying over the Bridge, crowded for­wards so fast, that several were crushed to death, and not a few forced over the sides of the Bridge, who were either kill'd or sore bruised. When our Men had possession of the Town they rung the Bell, and covered themselves at the Bridge foot. We lost not above twenty men, and had about double the number Wounded; the Enemy had about sixty killed and more wounded. Brigadier Stuart was Wounded in this Action, and one Captain, with three private men of the Enemies taken. Lieute­nant-Colonel Kirk of Brigadier Viller's Regiment, was unfortunately killed by a great Shot from the Town, as he lay viewing the Action upon the side of an Hill. That Evening our three Guns were drawn off from the Ford, and nine Guns from the Battery into the Town.

June the 21st. several Detachments of Horse were Batteries planted a­gainst the Irish-Town. sent abroad, one Commanded by Colonel Woolsley, went towards Ballymore to meet the eleven Guns and three Mortars that were upon the Road, and also to hasten the Pontoons. This Evening a Battery was begun at the foot of the Bridge to the Right, for five Twenty-four Pounders, and a Floor made for six Mortars.

The 22d. about five in the Morning, our Batteries were finished, and by six the Cannon and Mortars begun to play very briskly on the North-East side of the Castle where it was weakest, and by seven in the Evening a large Breach appear'd in the Wall. In the Afternoon a French Lieutenant-Colonel was brought off by our Men, who had laid under the Bridge since the Attack; he was sore bruised, and his Back almost broke, but seemed not to be so much afflicted with his own private Misfortune, as in be­ing engaged with a People who were like to prove but very indifferent defenders of his Master the French King's Interest in that Kingdom.

The 23d. our Guns and Mortars continued firing all Night with that success, that by five in the Mor­ning the whole side of the Castle was beaten down, and our Bombs had that effect upon it, as to make it very unserviceable to the Enemy, who were now forced to make an Hole on the West-side of the Wall to get out and in, though in a day or two they had no business there at all. About two that The Tin Boats come up. Afternoon our Tin Boats, Floats, and other Materi­als, came to the Camp, with Colonel Byerley's and my Lord of Oxford's Regiments, and a great many People were set to work to repair those Boats that were spoiled the Year before nigh Limerick; for there being more New ones expected from England than really came, and what we had being judged too few, those Old Boats were brought out of a place where they had been thrown by, and so were fitted up to lay next the Shore; which occasion'd a Report, that they were concealed on purpose by the Store-keeper; but the thing was as it is here related. [Page 100] The same Afternoon a Prisoner was taken nigh the Bridge, who gave an Account, that Sixty-four Men were in a Mill upon the Bridge, which being fired by our Granades, and those within not being able to quench it, nor get thence, they were all consumed with the Fire, except the Prisoner and one more that escaped by leaping into the Water. A Drummer comes to the General from the Town, with an An­swer of his Letter, sent the Day before, about the ex­change of Prisoners.

The 24th. was spent in raising three Batteries, one below the Bridge, another above it, and a third with­out the Town-Wall by the River-side, opposite to a Bastion the Enemy had made on the other side the Ri­ver. That Evening one of my Lord Lisburn's Men going under the Bridge to see for Plunder, found a pair of Colours amongst the dead Men; and tho' the Enemy fired a great many Shot at him, yet he brought them off flying, and presented them to the General, who rewarded the Soldier with five Guinnea's.

We begin now to contrive Methods of passing the River, and a Lieutenant of Horse was commanded with a Party to a Ford towards Lanesborough, where the General was informed there might be an easie and undiscovered Passage for most of our Army, whilst our Cannon amused the Enemy at the Town. This Party went and found the Pass according to Informa­tion; but tho' he was positively ordered to return as soon as he had passed the River, yet such are the powerful Charms of Black Cattle, to some sorts of People, that the Lieutenant espying a Prey some di­stance from him on the other side, must needs be scam­pering after them; by which means our Design was [Page 101] discovered, and the Enemy immediately provided a­gainst it, by throwing up strong Works on the other side: The Lieutenant, I beard, was afterwards try'd, and suffered for it.

That Night the Enemy raised two Batteries above The Enemy plant new Batteries. the Castle, the one close by the River, the other at a greater distance from it upon a rising Ground; the one of four, the other of three six Pounders; with the latter of which, June 25. they play'd on the old Walls in the Town, where our Men were lodged, but did lit­tle or no harm; with the other they shot into some of our Regiments, encamped near the River, which obliged them to remove to a greater distance. Our Battery of six Twenty-four Pounders below the Bridge, play'd on the Enemy's Breast-Work on the other side, which did it very great Damage, and al­so ruin'd most of the Houses that were as yet left standing; which so exposed the Enemies other Works to our view, that they were forced to quit most of their Trenches, none appearing but some few behind the Castle.

The 26th. was spent in firing from seven Batteries Seven Batte­ries now at work. upon the Enemies Works, and a great many were kill'd in endeavouring to repair them. About thirty Wag­gons loaden with Powder come to the Camp; and that Night we possess our selves of all the Bridge, ex­cept one Arch at the farther end on Connaught side, which was broken down, and we repair another bro­ken Arch in our possession; and all Night our Guns and Mortars play most furiously. For the De­sign of passing the River at the Ford being frustrate, the General and the other Great Officers resolve to try what can be done in forcing our way through [Page 102] Athlone it self, and therefore we labour hard to gain the Bridge; but what we got here was Inch by Inch as it were, the Enemy sticking very close to it, though great Numbers of them were slain by our Guns: And this Service cost us great store of Ammu­nition.

The 27th. seven Rapparees were brought in, being taken at Ballynehewen; to which place the General or­dered a Garrison of a Lieutenant and twenty Men. That Afternoon one hundred Carrs came from Dublin to the Camp loaden with Cannon-Ball: And all that Day our Guns and Mortars fired without intermissi­on. We raised also a Battery of five Guns in the Meadow below the Town, to stop the way the Ene­my had on that side of coming into the Town. And in the Evening our Men burn the Breast-Works the Enemy had on the other side the broken Arch with throwing their Granado's; for most of these being made of Fascines, and the Weather being hot, they soon dried and easily took fire. That Night we wrought very hard on the last Arch in the Enemies possession. So that on,

Sunday the 28th. in the Morning our Beams were laid The Enemy ruin our Works. over and partly planked; which the Enemy perceiving, they detach'd a Sergeant and ten Men out of Brigadier Maxwell's Regiment, being all bold and daring Scots, these were all in Armour, and came over their own Works with a design to ruin ours, but were all of them slain; and yet this did not discourage as many more from setting about the same piece of Service, and they effected it by throwing down our Planks and Beams, maugre all our Firing and Skill, tho' they all lost their [Page 103] Lives as Testimonies of their Valour, except two who escaped amongst all the Fire and Smoak: This made us resolved to carry on our Work by a close Gal­lery on the Bridge; which was done. But all last Night and that Morning the Enemy were hard at work, in repairing some old, and making new Trenches in the Meadow opposite to our new Battery; and our Guns are now playing very briskly, especially on a place called Connaught-Tower, which stood on the North­side the Castle, and was so solid, that it took up more time to bring down than any one part of the Castle.

This Afternoon a Council of War was held, where­in A design to pass the Shan­non. it was concluded, That next Morning we should attempt passing the Shannon; one Party to go over the Bridge; a second to pass upon the Floats and Pontoons; and a third Detachment were to go over the Ford below the Bridge; where our Horse were also to pass and second the Foot; a large Breach being made on the other side for their en­trance. And accordingly at Night Orders were gi­ven out, That forty three Granadeers, eighty three private Men, three Captains, five Lieutenants, two Ensigns, and seven Sergeants out of each Regiment, with fifteen Shots a Man, and every one a green Bough in his Hat, should be ready by six a Clock in the Morning under the Walls of the Town, and all to be commanded by Major-General Mackay; but the whole to be done with the greatest silence and secresie imaginable. Killkenny was the Word that Night.

The 29th. in the Morning our Men were ready according to Orders, and march'd to the Town-Wall, where they stood at their Arms; but before our [Page 104] Boats and their Appurtenances could be drawn into the Town it was ten a Clock; and all this Morning we observed great Bodies of the Enemy march into the Irish Town (though our Cannon were very troublesome to them) for the Irish guessing at our Design, or rather being assured of it by some Deserters, they drew a very considerable Body of their choicest Men to their Works. But whilst these Preparations were making on both sides, the Granadiers of both Parties that defended the Breast-works on the Bridge, throwing The Enemy burn our close Gallery. Hand-Granadoes one at the other; the Enemies Gra­nadoes set fire to our Fascines that lay close on the bro­ken Arch where our Gallery was, which suddenly flamed so violently, that our Men could not endure the Fire and Smoke that blew in their faces; and though they laboured very hard to extinguish it, yet could not prevent the burning that part of the Breast-work next the broken Arch, but preserved all the rest, by raising another Breast-work on a sudden just behind the burnt one. By this time it was past twelve a Clock, and the Generals finding the Attack upon the Town that way like to cost many Lives, they deferr'd it till new Measures were Consulted on; nor knew they well what to think at present, seeing themselves defeated in so great a Project; and, as it fell out, Providence in all appearance had or­dered it for the best; for it's probable, that if our Men had really forced the Bridge at that time, they would have run great hazards in storming the Town, the Enemy being so well provided for them; and then our Retreat could not have been without the ruin of more Men than it has pleased God we lost in all the Actions since. All that Afternoon our Guns con­tinue firing. And also,

June the 30. Our Canon play without ceasing and in the Afternoon another Council of War was held, wherein the difficulties of staying there any longer were represented, all the Forrage being con­sumed A Council of War. for several Miles round, so that they must resolve to do something with Expedition, or else to remove with the whole Army to some more likely Pass, which wanted not its inconveniencies neither, since by this means the Enemy were encouraged, and our own men disheartened at the beginning of the Campaign, and not only so, but upon our removing there was a way open for the Enemy even to Dublin it self, at least into all the Countries adjacent, by which means we must expose at least our Provi­sions to hazzard, and so be forced to go back to make a defensive, instead of an offensive War; And on the other hand to make an Attack upon the Town, not to succeed, and then be forced to re­move wou'd be of more fatal Consequence.

However, the Duke of Wertenberg, the Major Generals, Mackey, Talmash, Ruvigny and Tetteau, urged that no brave Action could be attempted without hazzard, and considering the goodness of our own men, and the faintness of the Enemy in all great Attacks that had been made upon them, hitherto, they stood up for the probability of the at­tempt, proffering themselves to be the first that shou'd indeavour to force the Enemies Works in their own persons, (particularly Major General Tal­mash, very forward and instrumental in promoting was of it,) which they happily performed accord­ingly, for the Detachment drawn down the day before was ordered still to be in a readiness, and A Party orde­red to pass the River. the General gave Command that they should be all brought [...] [Page] [Page 107] three days before, by three of the Danes, (one be­ing a reformed Officer, who with two more, boldly ventured in the face of all their Works, and in op­position to their Vollies which were made at them, and that at Noon-day) and found passable, so that all things being in this order, six minutes past six a Clock, Capt. Sandys and two Lieutenants led the first Party of 60. Granadeers all in Armour, and 20 a Breast, seconded by another good Body, who all with an amazing resolution took the River, the Stream being very Rapid and deep, at which time our Great and Small Shot began to play from our Batteries and Works on our side upon the Enemies Works on the other, and they fired as thick as pos­sible for them upon our men that were passing the River, who forced their way thro Fire and Smoak, and gaining the other Bank, the rest laid Planks over the broken part of the Bridge, and others were laying the Bridge of Boats, by which our men past over so fast that in less than half an hour we were Masters of the Town; and all the Trenches except one beyond the Town, for the Irish being amazed at the suddenness of the thing, and the resolution of our men, with no great difficulty began to give ground, and soon after made the best of their way towards their Camp, tho a great many of them were killed in their Works; and yet it's observable that our men when they saw themselves really Masters of the Town, were not at all forward to kill those at their mercy, tho it was in a manner in the heat of Action, but the Rubbish and Stuff thrown down by our Can­non was more difficult to climb over than a great part of the Enemies Works, which occasioned our Sol­diers to Swear and Curse even amongst the Bullets [Page 108] themselves, upon which Major General Mackay told them that they had more reason to fall upon their Knees and thank God for the Victory, and that they were brave men, and the best of men if they would Swear less.

The Soldiers however got good store of Plunder What Stors were [...]und in Town. amongst the Ruines, and a great many dead men were found in the Castle; there were six Brass Guns and two Mortars in Town, with about 20 Barrels of Powder, 12 Hogsheads of Meal, some Wheat, and a great many other things. We lost in this Acti­on only 12 men, and Lieutenant Col. Collumbine with 4 more Officers and 30 Soldiers wounded: The Ene­my they say lost 500 at this attack, and as many more during the Siege as made them 1200, amongst whom were Col. O Gara, Col. Richard Grace, Col. Art Oge Mackmahon, two of the Mack Genuess, and several others: there were taken Prisoners Major General Maxwell, a French Adjutant General, Capt. Dalton, one Capt. more, and two Lieutenants, with about 60 private Men.

At our mens first entering the River, an Express An Express sent to Saint R [...]th. was sent from the Town to Monsieur St. Ruth, then in the Irish Camp signing Articles against My Lord Tyrconel, as some say, but going out a shooting as others report, who when he heard the news, said it was impossible that the English should pretend to take a Town and he so near with an Army to Suc­cour it, but being very soon assured that the Eng­lish were actually possest of the place, he lamented his misfortune extreamly, and ordered several De­tachments to beat the English out again, but then he was sensible of a former oversight, in not demolish­ing those Fortifications of Athlone next his own [Page 109] Camp, for now the English possest their own Works entire against themselves. (Tho some say that St. Ruth had given orders for those Works to be thrown down the next day) several Parties however of the Irish, both Horse and Foot came in all hast towards the Town, and stopt their men that were running away at the furthest Trenches: Upon which Col. Gusta­vus Hambleton advanced with a Party of Granadeers, and there was a pretty warm dispute for some time, and Major General Maxwell, newly made a Prisoner, was confident they would beat us out again, but when he saw them retreat upon our mens advanc­ing and firing, he was soon convinced of his mistake.

Athlone, it seems in the last Wars, was neither well fortified nor provided, for Sir Charles Coot with 2000. choice Horse and as many Foot went towads Sligoe, and made a shew of sitting down before it, but slipt over the Curlue Mountains, and with no great difficulty took Athlone, as also Portumna, whilst Ireton with the main Body of their Army forced Killalow Pass, and sat down before Limerick. But this last was an Action that is scarce to be parallelled in History, that a strong Town shou'd be taken by Storm cross a great and rapid River, when a powerful Army lay within less than two Miles to sup­port it; but the same providential attendance that wait­ed upon us at first, did now and afterwards assist us.

But it will not be improper to leave the General and his Army for a while at Athlone, and see what happened in these active times in several other places of the Kingdom, for tho the Irish had drawn most of their Forces towards Athlone, with a design if pos­sible to oppose our passing the Shannon, yet they being at this time all of one side, and consequent­ly [Page 110] very numerous, they ordered matters so, as a great many Rapparees, and some of their Army were left in different parts of the Kingdom, especially in the Counties of Cork, Sligoe, and Kerry, who waited all opportunities to do us what mischief lay in their power, and this was one reason that Col. Coys Horse, and Col. Matthews Dragoons, with Col. Hastings, Sir John Hanmers, Princess Anns, Major General Trelawny's, Col. Hale's, the Bandenburgh and Danish Regiment of Foot were left in the County of Cork, as well to keep in the Irish on that side, as to se­cure those Garrisons from any foreign Invasion. My Lord Drogheda's Regement was left in Westmeath, and Col. Mitchelburns, and Col. Venners in the A part of our Army left in the Country, and why. North; and besides those we had in most places of the Kingdom under their Majesties Government a very active Malitia, who were ready on all occasions to do Service.

Towards the beginning of June, Major Culli­ford with a Party of Col. Matthews Dragoons and some Militia, make inroads into the Enemies Quarters, and bring several Preys from thence, but with little loss of men to either side. But hear­ing that a Party of the Enemys Horse and Foot, to the number of 2000. or more (as was reported) were ordred to defend a part of the County of Cork and that of Kerry, from whence the Irish had got greatest part of their Relief the preceeding Winter▪ and were in hopes still so to do, Major Culliford Major Culli­ford surprizes some of the Enemy. with 120. of Col. Matthew's Dragoons and 50▪ Mi­litia Foot, surprised two of the Enemies Troops, killed about 20. and pursued the rest to Newmarkit, where we killed 15 more, and took a prey, and after that went four Miles further in hopes of a [Page 111] greater, which we met with: But Sir James Cotter being nigh the place with about 500. Horse and Dra­goons fell upon our men as they were in disorder, killed 20 and took as many Prisoners: Major Culliford with 80. men made good their retreat, and in the mean time 24. Militia and a 11 Dragoons got to a place called Drumaugh, with part of the Prey, and 20. of our men under Capt. Bower did the Enemy some mischief in their drawing off, killing 23, or there abouts. The same day Col. Hastings, Col. Ogelby, &c. with 200. of the Army and 500 Militia, being at Ballynagooly, and understanding Major Cullifords danger, they marched be­yond Balycleugh to his Relief, where the Enemy had lined some Hedges, but our men forced them from thence, and that Evening killed 50, next morning relieving those who took unto Drumaugh, killing 13, and burning all the Country thereabouts.

Nigh the same time our Militia kill and take se­veral Rapparees near Cashell, and Major Welden with a party from Mountmelick kills 14. A party also of Col. Woolsley's Horse being Detached to scowre the Country about Bally-Boy killed 50. Rapparees at se­veral times.

Judge Cox being made Governour of the Militia Judge Cox or­ders Iniskean to be Forti­fied. in the County of Cork, Fortifies Iniskean, and puts a a Garison in it, sending some of the Militia under Col. Townsend towards Bantree, where they killed nigh a 100 Rapparees, and brought off good store of Plunder; and Col. Hastings from Cork seizes up­on Drummaneer, a considerable Post near the Black Water.

June the 17. A Party marched from Cashel and Clonmell, who were in expectation of meeting with [Page 112] 400. Irish nigh Typerary, but they having notice of it, withdrew, only our Party met with about 30, most of whom were killed and the Town Burnt. The Rappa­rees near Roscreagh had a design to steal the Cattle of that Town, but in the effecting of it 12. were kil­led, and the Prey rescued. Capt. White, and some of the Militia went towards the Bogg of Allen, where they killed 13, and the rest with Mackabe their Leader escaped for that time.

June the 19. A Party of the Earl of Drogheda's Regiment went from Athy to a place called Clon­mellera, having along with them Sir Thomas Atkins High Sheriff of the Queens County, and a Party of the Militia; their design was to surprize several notorious Rogues, whom they had information were Harboured in that place; they kill'd about 8. or 10. tho they did not meet with those Rogues that they expected.

June the 20. Two Rapparees were kill'd at Ca­perquin, and two at the Gualtire; and nigh the same time there was a party of a ragged Irish Regiment called the Prince of Wales's, under one Delany a Franciscan Fryer near Castle-Town, not far from Cashell, who being frighted with a Rumour that part of our Forces were marching that way, they all indeavour'd to shift for themselves. Three of our Danes were surprized near Clonmell and carry'd to the Mountains, but they and a Militia Trooper getting loose in a place where the Rapparees had bound them, kill'd three Rapparees and got safe home; Ten more were kill'd near Thurles, and Twelve a day or two after near Bally-Boy, as also two of Lutterill's Dragoons.

My Lord Blaney, Lord Lieutenant of the County of Monahan, having ordered the Militia of that Coun­ty to be in Arms, they kill'd 7 Rapparees at one time, and 5 at another in the County of Monahan, and two more in the County of Armaugh; his Lordship by his diligence being very instrumental in keeping in the Irish from making Excursions from those parts about Sligoe. And towards the latter end of June the Lords Justices, by a Proclamation, ordered the Weekly Fast to be re­newed, and every Friday to be set a part for craving the assistance of Almighty God, in prospering of our Fleet and Army.

CHAP. VI.

THE first of July, My Lord Portland's Regiment of Guards Landed at Dublin, and marcht in two or three Days towards the Camp; upon our taking the Town, Mons. St. Ruth with the Irish Army The Irish Ar­my decamp. decamped that night, and marcht towards Milton Pass; and next day about 10 a Clock their Reer Guard of Horse stood on the other side of Melahy, their Foot vanishing out of sight toward Balynasloe: for Monsieur St. Ruth, being out-done in so considerable a matter as the losing Athlone, he was resolved to retrieve his loss or Dye, since he could not be answerable to his Ma­ster that imployed him for what had already happened: and therefore he used all the means possible to strengthen his Army & find out a convenient place of advantage to try his Fortune in, since he saw that we were not shye in affording him opportunities; & now he begins to be very kind to, and familiar with the Irish Officers, whom for­merly he had treated with Disrespect and Contempt; and to Caress the Soldiers, tho a little before, he would Hang a Dozen of them in a morning, for very slender faults, as they thought: he draws therefore his Army into the most convenient posture he could, to watch our Motions.

The first thing our General did after the Town was The Dead a­bout Athlone Buried. taken, was to order the Dead in and about the Town to be buryed; and in the Evening all our Army was [Page 115] drawn up, and 41 pieces of Cannon fared three rounds, being seconded by the Horse and Foot, and then follow­ed Bonfires for Joy that the Town was taken, which had cost us 12000 Cannon Bullets, 600 Bombs, nigh 50 Tun of Powder, and a great many Tun of Stones shot out of our Mortars.

But after the Town was taken, the Soldiers were ma­ny of them unruly, and committed several outrages; therefore it was given out in Orders that night, that no Soldier should go to the Town, or over the Water, on pain of Death: and the Sutlers that went to Dublin, were ordered to go to the Hospital, and take up the sick and wounded Men. And here let me observe once for all, that we had much better conveniencies for our Sick and Wounded this Campaign than formerly, having a great many large Tents set up in form of a Quadrangle, with Quilts and other conveniencies for every Soldier: nor was Dr. Lawrence, Physitian to the Army; Charles Thomson Esquire, Chirurgeon General; Mr Thomas Proby, and the rest of the Chirurgeons wanting in their careful industry to recover and heal the Sick and Wounded; which no doubt must be a great in­couragement to the poor Soldiers, when they know that if any misfortune attends them, they shall un­doubtedly be taken care for. The Enemy Resolve to give us Battle.

July the 2d. We had an account by some Deserters, that the Enemies Foot were gone beyond Balynasloe, and their Horse were Encampt on this side of it; that they resolved to stay thereabouts and Fight us, tho at present they were in a great Consternation, and seem'd doubtful of their own performances. A great many of the Country people and Deserters came hourly in, and the General gave them all protections, assuring them that they shou'd be kept Inviolable against any of our Army or others, resolving to punish the Offenders with Death: but on the other hand expected all con­formity [Page 116] of dutiful Subjects to their Majesties from them: and if any were found to carry Intelligence to the Enemy, or harbour, succour or conceal them, they should suffer Death for it. This day the General had an account from one Capt. Aughmouty, that the E­nemy had quitted Lanesbourgh, and that he with his Troop had possest himself thereof.

July the 3d. The General commanded his Army The Works of A [...]hlone repair­ed. to begin the repairing the Works of Athlone, which were strangely shattered by our Cannon, and not one House left whole in all the Town: Especially the Ca­stle, which was beat down to the ground on the South­east side, as was also the Tower within it; we fell to work therefore, and put some few shattered Houses in a condition to hold our Magazines and Stores, which were daily coming up from Dublin and Mullingar, and without which we could not march forwards. That morning William Robinson Esquire, one of the Pay-masters to the Army, came with Money, as also many Waggons and Carts, with Ammunition and o­ther Mecessaries. A Trumpeter returns with an an­swer of a Letter sent to the Enemy, about the ex­change of Prisoners.

The Fourth proved very Rainy, yet our Men were imployed in clearing the Streets; repairing the Breaches, and mounting four of the Enemies Guns taken in the Town, upon some of our spare Carriages. That Even­ing a Party of 20 Horse and ten of Kirk's Granadeers A party of our Horse sur­prized. mounted were sent out to view the Enemies Camp, being Guided and Commanded by one Higgins a Converted Priest; but they fell into an Ambush of 400 of the Enemies Horse, in the Woods of Clanoult, our men defended a Bridge, and fought stoutly for some time, but were at last broke, 15 kill'd, and 4 taken Prisoners, the rest escaping with Higgins, who was sadly Wounded.

The 5th. Major General Maxwell, and other Prisoners were sent towards Dublin, but some of them make their escapes. Three out of Col. Parker's, and as many out of My Lord Antrim's Regiments deserted to us. The 6th. The Prisoners sent to Dublin. one of our men taken Prisoner, two days before was released by Lieutenant General Sheldon; and that Even­ing it was given out in Orders, to be ready to march by 5 in the morning, the left Wing over the Pontoons▪ and the right Wing over the Bridge, which was now repaired, and every Soldier was to have 15 shot of Powder. The 7th. the Army marched over the River, and a Prisoner that had made his escape going to Mul­lingar was taken nigh Banoher, and having stole a Horse, he was hanged with a Rapparee, guilty of the like Fact: Capt. Villers returns with 30. Horse from viewing the Enemy still at Balynasloe, and the Militia possess some Passes upon the Shanon. And because a Declaration published this day by the Lords Justices, by direction from England, made a great noise, both in the Enemies Camp and ours; as also all the Kingdom over, during the remainder of the Campaign, being that upon which the Articles of Galway and Limerick, and all the Irish Capitulations were afterwards founded, it will not be amiss here to give you the Declaration it self, at large as it was Published.

July the 8th. all the heavy Baggage was a passing o­ver the River, and it was ordered that the Officers of the Quarter-Guards should go frequent Rounds, and send all the Souldiers they found Gameing, or Drinking, after Taptoe, to the Provoe's; the General being much displeased at such Disorders, by means of which a great many irregular things were done, especially, Plundering and Robbing of Tents, which yet was continued (tho several were made Examples) to the very end of the Campaign. It was also ordered that an Account of all those that were killed and wounded, since our coming to this Town, should be returned to the Adjutant [Page 121] General, which was about Sixty Killed and a Hundred and Twenty wounded.

And that the General might leave nothing unattemp­ted which might contribute to the bringing the Enemy over by fair means, he settled Allowances of Subsist­ance to all Persons that would come off, according to their several Qualifications (viz.) Collonels of Horse, and Dragoons 11 l. 10 s. per Month; and Foot 10 l. per Month, and so proportionably to every one.

July the 9th. proved a very hot day, till about 5 in Extraordinary Rains and Thunder. the Afternoon, when it fell a Raining, and then such Thunder, Hail, and a Hurrycane of Wind, as the like had scarce been seen before, this continued for two Hours, in which time two Men, and a Boy, were killed by Lightning, and two or three more hurt in the Prince of Hess's Regiment.

The Town being now pretty well cleared, and new Works raised on Conaught side. On Friday the 10th. Our Army March from Athlone. of July, the General having left Col. Lloyd Governour of Athlone, with his own, and Lieut. Gen. Douglas's Regiments, he moved forwards with the Army, and Encamped that Night at Killcashel, 7 Miles nearer to the Enemy, whence the General went to view the Pass at Ballynasloe, a small Village upon the River Suck, where stands a Castle, built formerly by the Ancestors of my Lord Clanrickard; from hence the Enemy was retired 3 Miles further.

Saturday the 11th. we marcht to Ballynasloe, and en­campt along the River Suck, upon the Roscomon side; this is a good Pass, and the Irish might have given us some trouble in gaining it; but that they had found out a much better place as will soon appear. As our Army was Encamping, our Great Officers went to the Hills of Knocksdunloe, in the County of Galway, about a Mile distant from our Camp, from whence they could [Page 122] see the Enemies out-Guards, upon the Hills of Corbally, who upon our Approach retired to the Isker of Liscap­pull, two Miles from Ballynasloe, upon which we advan­ced to the Hills of Corbally, whence we could take a view of the Enemies Camp, which lay on the other side Aghrim Castle, three Miles beyond Balynasloe, and extended it self from the Church of Killeommodon, on their Right, to a place called Gourtnapory, above two Miles in length: on their Left ran a small Brook, having The Enemies Camp, and Po­sture describ'd. steep Hills, and little Boggs on each side, next to which was a large Red Bogg, almost a Mile over, at the end of which stood the Castle of Aghrim, Commanding the way to their Camp, passable for Horse, no where but just at the Castle, by reason of a small River, which running through a moist Ground, made the whole a Morass or Bogg, which extended it self all a­long to the Enemies Right, where was also another Pass called Ʋrachree, having a rising Ground on each side of it; the Enemies Camp lay along the Ridge of an Hill, on the side of which stood two Danish Forts, from thence to the Bogg below was nigh half a Mile, and this cut into a great many small Enclosures, which the Enemy had ordered so as to make a Communication from one of them to another, and had lined all those very thick with Small Shot; this shewed a great deal of Dexterity in Monsieur St. Ruth, in making choice of such a piece of Ground as Nature it self could not furnish him with a better, considering all Circumstan­stances; for he knew that the Irish naturally loved a Breast-work between them and Bullets, and here they were fitted to the purpose, with Hedges and Ditches to the very edge of the Bog.

The General upon viewing the Posture of the Enemy, and a Map given him of the Ground, he found it no easie matter to Attack them; but resolved however to [Page 123] march toward them next day; and therefore it was given out in Orders at Night, that all the Army (ex­cept two Regiments left to Guard the Baggage) should The Orders that Night. be under Arms next Morning without beat of Drum, and no Baggage to stir, nor any Tents to be removed, nor yet any to march with the Regiments but such as carry Arms, and those to march as strong as possible, with all their Arms fixt and clean; those that wanted Ammunition were presently to have it from the Stores; the Granadiers were to be drawn to the Right and Left of each Regiment, with two Shells a piece, and five Pyoniers to be ready at the Head of each Regiment when called for; the Word, that Night, was Dublin.

Monsieur St. Ruth, at the approach of our Army, seeing us resolved to give him Battel, he gave his Men all the due Encouragement that possibly he could, or­dering Masses and Prayers to be said in all Parts of the Army. And as the Report goes, the Irish were obliged by their Priests not to give Quarter to any Soul living, but to pursue every Man to Destruction, they being assured of a most glorious Victory; and St. Ruth himself is said to have made the following Speech, to the Irish, the day before the Battel, it being found afterwards amongst the Papers of his Secretary, who was killed in the Field.

Titus Livius before a Battle, frequently brings in the Roman Generals saying a great many fine things, and making long Speeches, which possibly they never dreamt of, tho most of them were well bredmen; and if they did make use of those Speeches, that way of treating Armies is now quite out of Fashion, especially it's improbable it should be done by a General, who un­derstood as little Irish as most of his Army did French: Nor is it to be believed that Monsieur St. Ruth was a man of that Boasting vain-glorious humour that this Speech makes him, tho I have heard from some of the Irish Officers since, that he told them they had gained the Character of Cowards both at home and abroad, and now was their time to retrieve it, and that they Fought for their Religion, King and Country, &c. However it was, all who saw the spot of Ground he had made Choice of, can but admire his Conduct in this particular: And no doubt his Army had all the Masses, Persuasions, and other incouragements that could be thought of; amongst the rest that powerful one of Brandy, which made a Dragoon of ours tell some of their Prisoners after the Battle, that they had the ad­vantage of us, both in Prayers and Brandy: The Eng­lish being indeed too remiss in point of Devotion, not looking up to that Power, to which we are most in­debted, for all that we can pretend to that's Good.

But to return to our own Army, Sunday July the Our Army march in sight of the Enemy. 12. about Six in the Morning we marcht, the Foot over the Bridge; the English and French Horse at the Foord above, and the Dutch and Danes over two Foords be­low, with directions to put themselves in order of Bat­tle [Page 126] when all past the River, which was done on a kind of uneven hilly Ground, and the method being agreed before, the two lines of Battle were thus, as in the Cop­per Plate are described.

It's to be observed that My Lord Portland's Horse is not in this Line of Battle, because they came not up till after it was ordered; hower they had their full share in the Acton, and Col. Foulks's Regiment was al­ways to guard the Train, but being then convenient for it, and the General resolving to make all the Force he could, they had also their part, both of the Honour and Service of the Action. And tho Brigadeer Stuart is there set down, it's only as to his Post, for he was then at Dublin ill of his Wounds received at Athlone. Col. Lloyds Regiment was also in Garison at Athlone, and two more left at Balynasloe, so that we were not alto­gether so strong as this Line of Battle makes us.

In this order (the Morning proving Foggy) our Army stood till nigh 12 a Clock, and then were Commanded to Advance, the General going with a party before to view the Enemy, and perceiving some of their out Scouts upon the Hills, ordered a party to beat them thence, upon whose advance the Enemy retired from place to place, till they were within half a Mile of their Camp, by which means the General had an opportunity from an high Hill to the Right of the Enemy, to view their whole Army, posted as before described: by which posture, they had the advantage by at least 1000 men, but being assured of the valour of his Army, the General resolved to draw nearer, and expect what further opportunities of ad­vantage might offer, in order to which, and for the security of our own Army, he saw the necesity of gain­ing that Pass to the Right of the Enemy, called Ʋra­chree, where the Irish had some men posted, he sent therefore a Danish Captain with 16 Troopers to force it, [Page 127] but the men run away from a less number than them­selves, tho the Officer behaved himself very well, and the rest retrieved their Honour afterwards; upon this the General ordered two Hundred of Sir Albert Cunninghams Dragoons to march to certain Ditches, nigh the said Foord, to keep the Enemy from coming over, and in the mean time our Army was marching forwards; by this time it was Two a Clock, and the General finding the necessity of having that Foord, and other ways that led to the Right of the Enemy, as the most proper ways to assault them, he ordered Cunning­hams Dragoons, at the Ditch, to advance towards a Party of the Enemy that stood on the other side, & were sustai­ned by a considerable Body, behind the House of Ʋrachree, all which, at the advancing of our Dragoons, retired behind an Hill nigher their Camp, and where a greater Body was posted; then some of our Dragoons pres­sing on too far were obliged to retreat a little disorderly, the Enemy sustaining their Men by several fresh Parties, which the General perceiving, he ordered Briggadeer Eppinger's Dragoons to get between them and their Camp; but this was discovered by the Enemy, who had the advantage of pouring in so many Men upon us that they would have been too hard for our Dragoons still, if they had not been quickly seconded by greatest part of the Earl of Portlands Horse, who behaved themselves with great Bravery, and lost several Men and Horses in this part of the Action: And what was at first only a Skirmish, had by this time engaged a considerable Body on both sides, fresh Parties being still sent out, tho after about an hours dispute, the E­nemy were obliged to retire in some Disorder, over the Brook, that flanked the Right of their Army, no considerable dammage being done as yet to either side.

Then all things seemed pretty quiet for a while, and our General Officers coming together, began to consult whither it was fit to give the Enemy Battel that Night, considering the disadvantages we were to expect in Attacking them, some therefore were for defer­ring the Battle that Night, and so to fall on by break of day next Morning, which was so far agreed to as that our Tents were ordered to be sent for, and pitched along the other side the Bogg; but then perceiving the Enemy to be in some Disorder▪ by what had already happened, they concluded not to delay their Attack, lest the Enemy should March off in the Night, and so afford us no more opportunities; it was therefore a­greed to prosecute the Battel on the Enemies Right, by that means proposing to draw part of their strength from Aghrim Castle, nigh which their main Body was posted, that so our Right might have the easier Passage over to Attack their Left, and then our whole Army might have opportunity to engage. This (I am told) was the Advice of Major General Mackay; a Man of great Judgement, and long Experience, and it had its desired Success.

Our Army was disposed of as you see in the Line of Battel, only the General moved up and down as he saw occasion, as did also the rest of the General Officers; and before the Battel began, there was no distance left between the first and second Line, since a great part of the second Line were the first that engaged. The Irish Army was commanded by Monsieur St. Ruth, Lieuten­nant General D'usson, Monsieur De' Tessec, Lieutenant General Sarsefield, Major General John Hambleton, Ma­jor General Dorington, and several other.

About half an hour past Four in the Afternoon, a part of our Left Wing moved towards the Enemy, and by Five the Battel began a fresh. A Party of our Foot [Page 129] marched up to their Ditches, all strongly guarded with Musketiers, and their Horse posted advantageously to sustain them: here we fired one upon another for a considerable time, and the Irish behaved themselves like Men of another Nation, defending their Ditches stout­ly; for they would maintain one side, till our Men put their Pieces over at the other, and then having Lines of Communication, from one Ditch to another, they would presently post themselves again, and flank us; this occasioned great firing on both sides, which conti­nued on the Left nigh an hour and an half, e're the Right of our Army, or the Centre engaged, except with their Cannon, which played on both sides. All this while our Men were coming up in as good Order as the Inconveniency of the Ground would allow, and now Major General Mackay, and the rest, seeing the Enemy draw off several Bodies of Horse and Foot from the Left, and move towards their Right, where our Men pressed them very hard; they laid hold on that ad­vantage, and ordered the Foot to march over the Bogg, which fronted the Enemies main Battel. Colonel Earl, Colonel Herbert, Colonel Creighton, and Colonel Brewers Regiments went over at the narrowest place where the Hedges on the Enemies side run furthest into the Bogg. These four Regiments were ordered to march to the lowest of the Ditches, adjoining to the side of the Bogg, and there to post themselves till our Horse could come about by Aghrim Castle, and sustain them, and till the other Foot had marched over the Bogg below, where it was broader, and were sustained by Col. Foulk's, and Brigadeer Steuarts. Col. Earl ad­vanced with his Regiment, and the rest after him, over the Bogg, and a Rivulet that ran through it, being most of them up to their Middles in Mudd and Water. The Irish at their near approach to the Ditches, sired upon them, but our Men contemning all Disadvantages, ad­vanced [Page 130] immediately to the lowest Hedges, and beat the Irish from thence. The Enemy however did not retreat far, but posted themselves in the next Ditches before us: which our Men seeing, and disdaining to suffer their Lodging so near us, they would needs beat them from thence also, and so from one Hedge to an­other, till they were got very nigh the Enemies main Battel. But the Irish had so ordered the matter, as to make an easie Passage for their Horse, amongst all those Hedges and Ditches, by which means they poured in great numbers both of Horse and Foot upon us: which Colonel Earl seeing, encouraged his Men, by advan­cing before them, and saying, There was no way to come off but to be Brave. As great an Example of true Cou­rage and Generosity as any Man this Day living. But being both flanked and fronted, as also exposed to all the Enemies Shot from the ad­jacent Ditches; our Men were forced to quit their Ground, and betake themselves to the Bogg again, A Party of our Foot beat back. whither they were followed, or rather drove down by main strength of Horse and Foot, and a great many killed. Colonel Earl, and Colonel Herbert, were here taken Prisoners; the former, after twice taking and retaking, got free at last, tho not without being wounded.

Whilst this was a doing here, Col. St. Johns, Col. Tiffin, Lord George Hambleton, the French, and several other Regiments, were marching over below upon the same Bogg. The Irish, in the mean time, laid so close in their Ditches, that several were doubtful whether they had any Men at that place or not: but they were convinced of it at last; for no sooner were the French, and the rest, got within twenty yards, or less, of the Ditches, but the Irish fired most furiously upon them; which our Men as bravely sustained, and pressed for­wards, tho they could scarce see one another for Smoak. [Page 131] And now the thing seemed so doubtful for some time, that the By-standers would rather have given it on the Irish side; for they had driven our Foot in the Centre so far back, that they were got almost in a Line, with some of our Great Guns, planted near the Bogg, which we had not the Benefit of at that Juncture, because of the mixture of our Men and theirs.

M. G. Ruvigny's French Horse, and Sir John Laniers, being both posted on the Right, were afterwards part of Our Horse pass the Bogg, near the Castle of Aghrim. them drawn to the Left, where they did very good Service. And the Right Wing of our Horse, in the mean time were making what haste they could to suc­cour our Foot; for seeing their Danger, and indeed that all was in hazard by reason of the Difficulty of the Pass, they did more than Men, in pressing and tum­bling over a very dangerous place, and that amongst Showrs of Bullets, from a Regiment of Dragoons, and two Regiments of Foot, posted conveniently under Cover, by the Enemy, to obstruct our Passage. Our Horse, at this place, were sustained by Major General Kirks, and Colonel Gustavus Hambleton's Foot, who, after we had received the Enemies Fire, for a conside­rable time, marched under the Walls of the Castle, and Lodged themselves in a dry Ditch, in the throng of the Enemies Shot from the Castle, and some other old Walls, and Hedges, adjoining. Those that have seen the place, and considered the Disadvantages that our Men had at such a Juncture to encounter with­al, must needs Acknowledge the Action very Brave. For its reported, that Monsieur St. Ruth, seeing our Horse draw that way, and then begin to scramble over at a place where only two a Breast could pass, and that too with great difficulty; after all which, they had no other way to march, but to go within thirty yards of the Castle. The French [Page 132] General seeing our Men attempt to do this, askt What they meant by it? And being answered, That they would certainly endeavour to pass there, and Attack him on the Left; he is said to reply with an Oath, They are brave Fellows, its a pity they should be so exposed, or Words to that purpose.

Our Horse, with much difficulty, made good that Pass; Sir Francis Compton, with my Lord of Oxford's Regiment, being one of the first that could be in a po­sture to Engage, he fell at Random in amongst the Enemy, and charged them briskly, with Sword in Hand: and tho his Men were once or twice Repulsed, yet be­ing seconded with part of Major General Ruvigny's Horse, Colonel Langston's, and some of Colonel By­erley's Horse; as also Brigadeer Leveson's Dragoons, they soon made Good their Party on that side, tho' not without the loss of several both Men and Horses.

The Major General Talmash, seeing the Disadvan­tage Major General Talmash Suc­cours our Foot. our Foot laboured under in the Centre, he shew­ed at once an extream concern for his Countrymens being repulsed, and as much Generosity and Courage, by hastning to Succour those that at that time stood most in need of it; coming up therefore in all haste, with some fresh Men, he gave Orders for our broken Regiments to halt, and face about, which they did immediately, and returned the same Measure to the Irish, that some of themselves had met withal, the very Minute before, that is, they knockt them on the Head; for the Irish followed us toward the Centre of the Bogg, which tho not two hundred yards from the lowest Ditches, yet before the Enemy could recover those again, our Men had killed above three hundred of them, and then marched boldly up to their old Ground again, from whence they had been lately beat: which [Page 133] is only natural to English Men; for it's observable, that they are commonly fiercer, and bolder, after being repulsed than before; and what blunts the Courage of all other Nations, commonly whets theirs, I mean the killing of their Fellow Soldiers before their Faces.

At the same time, Major General Mackay had fal­len upon the Enemy with a good Body of Horse on their Left, and then Major General Ruvigny went a­long the side of the Bogg, with another Party of Horse, who did extraordinary Service, bearing down all before them: then the Horse and Foot of our Right, and their Left mixing, there was nothing but a continued fire, and a very hot dispute all along the Line. The Irish indeavouring to defend their Ditches, and our men as forward to beat them from thence. But the thing was doubtful not much longer, for Mons. St. Ruth, when he first saw our Foot in the Centre repulsed, in a great Ecstasy, told those next him, that he wou'd now beat our Army back to the Gates of Dublin. But seeing our Horse press over towards the Castle, he ordered a Brigade of his own Horse to march up; then Riding to one of his Batteries, and giving orders to the Gunner where to fire, he was march­ing towards the place where he saw us indeavour to come over, but was killed with a great Shot from one of our Batteries, as he rid down the Hill of Monsiuer St. Ruth killed. Killkomodon, the place where the main stress of the Battle was fought, being just under the Enemies Camp. When Monsieur St. Ruth fell, one of his Re­tinue threw a Cloak upon his Corps, and soon after removed him beyond the Hill, his Guard going off at the same time, which the Irish Horse perceiving, a great many of them drew off also.

I never could learn what became of his Corps, some say that he was left stript amongst the other dead, when [Page 134] our men pursued beyond the Hill; and others that he was thrown into a Bogg: However tho the man had an ill Character in being one of the greatest Persecutors of the Protestants in France, yet, we must allow him to be very brave in his Person, and indeed considerable in his Conduct, since he brought the Irish to fight a better Battle, than ever their Nation could boast of be­fore. And this was the reason, as the Irish report, that the General being killed, tho it was not presently known, yet their Army was soon in Confusion for want of Orders, and so the Horse forced to draw off. But the truth of it was, the Irish before they began to shrink, had behaved themselves beyond all expectation, and had fought longer than ordinary; yet when they saw our Horse come over so dangerous a Pass, and our Foot in the Centre Rally, and resolve to dye every man rather than be beat back again; the Irish then thought they must be beat if the other would not: so that notwithstanding all their advantages of Hedges and Ground, Sun and Wind, they were forced to quit one advantagious Post, and after that another, till being beat from Ditch to Ditch, they were dri­ven up to the Top of the Hill of Killkomodon, where The Irish Ar­my Routed. their Camp had laid, which being levelled, and they exposed to our Shot more openly, they began now to run down right; the Foot towards a great Bogg behind them on their Left, and the Horse on the High­way towards Loughreagh.

During all this stir, and noise, on the Right and Cen­tre of the Army, those towards our Left, that first Engaged, kept their Ground, and not much Action happened there for near two Hours past; nor did the Danish Horse and Foot that were on the Left of all, disturb the Enemy as yet, but stood opposite to se­veral Bodies of Horse and Foot, that faced them on [Page]

[Page] [Page 135] the other side the small Brook: But then perceiving Mackay's Battallions to drive the Enemy before them, lest those Bodies that faced them should have fallen back to the Relief of their flying Party, they then en­gaged them, and for about half an hour there was pretty hot work. But the Enemy being then in a de­clining Condition, and pressed hard on all sides, they fled all out of the Field; their Foot were miserably slaughtered by our Horse and Dragoons, as they made towards the Bogg, and their Horse were pursued nigh three Miles: but the Night coming on, with a thick Misty Rain, prevented us from getting between them and a very Advantageous Pass, nigh Loughreagh; so that most of them escaped; the Night, also and the Bogg, saved the Lives of many Thousands of their Foot; for our Forreigners, and especially the Danish Horse, are excellent Pursuers.

The Irish upon their advantage in the Centre of the Battle, had taken some Prisoners (as has been said) but not being able to carry them off, they killed Col. Herbert and one or two more; which several have lookt upon as a piece of cruelty: and yet it's no more than what has been often practised in such Cases, and that to a greater degree; for at the Bat­tle of Agincourt, Fought between Hen. 5th. of Eng­land, and Charles the 6th. of France upon the 24th. of Octob. 1414. the number of the Prisoners taken by the English, being very great, and King Henry after the Battle, perceiving fresh Troops of the King of Sicill's to appear in the Field, and these strong e­nough without any new rallyed Forces to Encoun­ter his wearied Soldiers; that he might not there­fore have both Prisoners to Guard, and an Enemy to fight at once, he commanded every man to kill his Prisoner, contrary to his Generous Nature; which [Page 136] was immediately done, some principal men ex­cepted: and then upon his Message to the Enemy either to Fight or immedately to quit the Field, they chose the latter: And some say that My Lord Gal­way had hard measure from some of our Foreign Toopers, who kill'd him after he had surrendered himself a Prisoner; not to themselves, but to some others.

The place where this Battle was fought, will make a noise in History for the future, tho there's nothing worth taking notice of near it: For that which they call the Castle of Aghrim is only an old ruinous Build­ing, with some Walls and Ditches about it, and ne­ver has been a place of any Strength, only as it's seated upon a Pass. There are about half a score little Cabbins on the other side a small Brook, with the Ruins of a little Church, and a Priory De­dicated to St. Catherine, and founded by the Butlers; the whole being at this day the Estate of the D. of Ormond.

After things went clear on our side, this old Ca­stle Aghrim Castle taken. was taken, and a great many put the Sword in it. Col. Burk the Commander, his Major, Eleven Offi­cers more, and Forty Soldiers were made Prisoners.

In this Battle, we took from the Enemy nine pieces of Brass Cannon, which they had planted at seve­ral places to their greatest advantage; all their Am­munition, Tents and Baggage, with most of their small Arms, which they threw away, to run the faster; we took also Eleven Standards, and thirty two pair of Colours: The General rewarding every one that brought any in the next day, and sent them afterwards by my Lord O Bryan, as a present to Her Majesty. We killed seven Thousand of the Irish upon The number of the Dead. the Spot, as was generally believed, and there could [Page 137] not be many fewer, for looking amongst the Dead three days after, when all our own and some of theirs were bu­ried, I reckoned in some small Inclosures 150 in others 120, &c. lying most of them by the Ditches where they were Shot; and the rest from the top of the Hill where their Camp had been, looked like a great Flock of Sheep, shattered up and down the Countrey, for almost four Miles round: And the Irish themselves, tho they will not allow so many to be killed, yet they own, that they lost more, which they could never have any account of, except they stole home privately, or else turned Rapparees. We took also above four hundred and fifty Prisoners, of the chief of whom, and those killed, there was shortly after a List, in Print, which time has informed me of some mistakes in, tho possi­bly there may be some as yet remaining.

• Lord Duleek.
• Lord Slane.
• Lord Buffin.
• Sir Nicholas Brown alias Lord Killmare.
• Major General Dorrington.
• Major Gen. John Hambleton.
• Brigadeer Tuite.
• Col. Walter Bourk.
• Col. Gordon O Neal.
• Col. Butler of Kilkash.
• Col. O Connel.
• Col. Edmund Madden.
• Lieut. Col. John Chappel.
• Lieut. Col. John Butler.
• Lieut. Col. Baggot.
• Lieut. Col. John Border.
• Lieut. Col Mack Genuis.
• Lieut. Col. Rossiter.
• Lieut. Col. Mack Guire.
• Major Patrick Lawless.
• Major Kelly.
• Major Grace.
• Major William Bourk.
• Major Edmund Butler.
• Major Edmund Broghill.
• Major John Hewson, with 30 Captains, 25 Lieutenants, 23 Ensig. 5 Cor. 4 Quarter-masters, and an Adjutant.

• Monsieur St. Ruth General of the Irish Army.
• Lord Killmallock.
• Lord Galway.
• Brigadeer Connel.
• Brigad. W. Mansfield Barker.
• Brigad. Hen. Mack J. O Neal.
• Col. Charles More, his Lieut. Col. and Major.
• Col. David Bourk.
• Col. Ʋlick Bourk.
• Col. Cohanaught Macguire.
• Col. James Talbot.
• Col. Arthur.
• Col. Mahoony.
• Lieut. Col. Morgan.
• Major Purcel.
• Major O Donnell.
• Sir John Everard, with se­veral others, not yet known, besides at least five hundred Captains and Subaltern Officers.

We lost Seventy Three Officers, who were killed in this Action, with an Hundred and Eleven Wounded. Six Hundred Soldiers were Killed, and Nine Hundred and Sixty Wounded, as appears by the inserted Lists of both Horse and Foot, given in two days after, by the General's Command, and sent to the King. Nor are we to imagine the Number of the Dead exceed­ed the Lists given in, but rather the contrary, since whatever men were wanting before, it was a good opportunity to fix them here: Greatest part of our Wounded Men recovered again, and several of them were actually upon service before the Siege of Limerick was ended. Amongst our dead were Major General Holstaple, who commanded the Earl of Portland's Horse, Col. Herbert, Col. Mongatts, Major Devonish, Major Cornwal, Major Fox, and Major Colt.

The Line of Battel will direct you how many Re­giments we had in the Fight, and considering all Cir­cumstances, they could not make up seventeen thousand Horse and Foot. The Irish were nigh Twenty Thou­sand Foot, and Five Thousand Horse and Dragoons, as appears from the most Rational Accounts that can be gathered from the number of their Regiments, and the Confession of their own Officers; so that it may seem incredible to a great many, that in so long and sharp an Engagement, with so great odds and disad­vantages, that we had not a great many more Men killed and wounded on our side. But this is not so great a wonder in this Kingdom, if we'll look back upon the several Conflicts that our Ancestors have had with that unhappy People: tho in this last War, four parts in five of these against us were degenerate English. Nor ever were they under so good Discipline, or yet so u­nanimous formerly as now, which no doubt made the Battle much sharper; tho' it may seem strange that those of the English in Ireland, that are Roman Catho­licks, should out of their blind Zeal to Popery, so quite forget from whence they came, that they joyn with the meer Irish, against all the Ties of Nation, Blood, and indeed of Interest. But as the Nature of Man is apter to degenerate than improve; so do the English oftner fall in love with the Barbarous Customs of the Irish, than on the contrary. Hence we read of the Earl of Desmond's complaining that the English were taking away their Estates and Countrey; and advises the Irish to join with him in their Defence: and yet his own Family had not been then in Ireland, above three Generations, and not that difference of Religion be­tween them and the Natives as now; and it's observa­ble that several Families removing out of England into Ireland, call themselves by the Counties in England, [Page 142] from whence they came, for two or three Generations, and then forgetting those, they often turn meer Irish; for put a drop of Wine into a pint of Water, and it presently so far incorporates, as you can by no means discern it: so is it often with an English Family that has the Misfortune to be planted amongst the meer I­rish; for it soon becomes of the same stamp with them­selves. The consequence of which has been lookt upon to be so pernicious to the English Interest in that Coun­try, that not only the English have been forbid Coha­bitation with the Irish; but there was a time when Thomas Lord Burrough, then Lord Deputy of Ireland, amongst other Instructions, had Charge to enquire what English Ʋndertakers had, contrary to their Covenants, suf­fered Irish Men to Inhabit their Lands. Cox, Vol. 1. Page 413.

But I shall forbear this Subject for some time; and since I am run abroad, I shall give you some of many Instances in former times wherein the Irish lost consi­derable num­bers, with small loss to the En­glish. Instances, wherein the Irish have been formerly over­thrown by the English, and that with very little Loss to the Britains. To omit therefore the inequality of Numbers, at the first Conquest; and the little loss commonly on our side, in those great Victories then obtained: In the Year 1316. William de Burgo, and Richard de Brimingham, encountred Falany O Connor, King of Conaught, and killed the King, with 8000 of his Men, near Athenree, with very little loss to them­selves; and yet the numerous Off-spring of those brave English Commanders, are all, or most of them, at this day reputed Irish, and have declared themselves for that Interest. August the 9th. 1336. The English gave the Irish another defeat in Conaught, with the loss of one Man, killing Ten Thousand of their Enemies. And Anno 1504. the Lord Deputy Kildare fought with Bourk (then turned Irish,) and a great many other [Page 143] Irish Lords in a strong Confederacy at Knocklow, on the 19th. of August, and killed four thousand (some say 9000.) and not one man killed or hurt on his side.

In the Year 1566. Col. Randolph Governour of Derry, sallyed thence with 300 Foot and 50 Horse upon O Neal, who then designed to Besiege the Town; In which Sally, Four Hundred of the Irish were killed, without the loss of one English man, ex­cept Col. Randolph himself. James Fitz-Maurice, and others were also Defeated in Queen Elizabeth's time, and Four Hundred of them killed, without the loss of one English man, except a Servant of one Captain Malby's

And Sir George Bingham Routed a Party of the Irish, The Irish al­ways come off the losers. Commanded by the Bourks, at a place called Ardaner, being three thousand in number, of whom only Seven escaped, and yet very little loss to Sir George's side. Au­gust the 8th. 1647. Six thousand of the Irish are said to be killed at the Battle of Dungan-Hills, fought by Maj. Gen. Jones, and not above Twenty English slain.

And what wonder is it then, if the Battle of Aghrim, the Greatest and Best that ever the Irish fought, should be won with the loss of so few on our side. But such is the unhappiness of that People, that tho they always have the worst of it: yet Campion makes this severe Remark upon them, and affirms, That notwithstanding their Oaths and their Pledges, they are no longer true than they find themselves the Weaker. And indeed all things considered, it can be reckoned no other than a misfortune to England, in having that Island so near adjoyning, whose Inhabitants have all along differed from us in Language and in Interest; and of late also in Religion too. Hence sad experience tells us, that the Blood and Treasure of England have been Ex­hausted [Page 144] upon Ireland, when ever any Foreign Prince could think his Affairs secure, or advanced by a dispute in having the Irish Natives on his side, who have been ready always to joyn with any against England, whose Subjects they have over & over again acknowledged them­selves, tho Heaven seems still to blast their attempts and perfidy to that degree, that what side soever they have taken as yet against the English, has never prospered. Which And those also that set them a work. puts me in mind of a Story that I have heard relating to the former Wars, when several of the Irish Nobi­lity and Gentry assembled at Kilkenny, were consult­ing what means to use for the driving out of Oliver Cromwell, then lately Landed with an Army from Eng­land; & after several proposals, all which were found difficult, My Lord Clanmalera a well meaning Gentleman amongst them, but who seldome used to make Speeches, he now stood up, and after a profound silence, and great expectation, he gravely advised them by all means to joyn with Cromwell, and to espouse his Interest heartily, as the only Expedient to Ruine him: and then to con­firm his Opinion he gave them several instances of their being unfortunate to their Friends and Confederates formerly. As to this last Effort of theirs (which yet I pray God may be so) it was no less unhappy than any of the former, since before that, Ireland was in the fairest way imaginable of being made for ever an Eng­lish Countrey: for the Natives were generally poor, and not able to carry on a War even against the Eng­lish of their own Kingdom; whose Servants or Tenants commonly they were, till by an unaccountable Zeal for Popery in King James; a dexterous management in My Lord Tyrconnel to make himself Great, and so to advance the Interest of his Nation; together with a secret design of the French King's, for his own sake, the Irish were encouraged to that degree, that the Child [Page 145] as yet unborn may curse the occasions of so much Blood spilt, and Treasure lost, as has been expended in their suppression; and yet I see little advantage that either themselves or any of their Patrons have got by the Bargain.

I shall conclude this Digression, and the Battle of An account of some I [...]ish Pro­phecies. Aghrim, with an Account of a Prophecy, which the Irish had of a Battle to be fought at this place. I was told by a Gentleman, who lives now in that Neighbour­hood, that at least a year before the Battle was fought, several of the Ʋlster Creights, driving their Cattle that way, some of them askt this Gentlman the name of that Castle, who when he told them that it was called Aghrim: one of them replied, that was the place where a great Battle was to be fought; and that the English men should think their Coats too heavy in climb­ing up those Hills. This was also mentioned by Col. Gordon O Neal (found stript amongst the Dead next day, and made a Prisoner) and several other of the Irish Officers after the Battle, which kind of Predi­ctions are never rightly understood till they are past: for the Irish interpreted this to signifie the English mens running away from them, but they found it by expe­rience, that the English thought their Coats too heavy in the pursuit of the Enemy: tho some say this Pro­phecy is meant of the Hills near Ardee, the day before the Battle at the Boyn, which was so Hot, that very few were able to carry their Coats. Nor is there any other people more Superstitious in this point than the Irish; and yet some of their Predictions are very re­markable, especially at Kingsale, when the Spaniards landed there, where the Lord Montjoy, then Lord Lieutenant, was shewed the Ground several days be­fore, whereon the Great O Neal was defeated by him. And this was done by an old Prophecy, which pun­tually [Page 146] named and described the place. Towards the end also of the former Wars in Ireland, whilst Ireton lay before Limerick, my Lord Broghill was sent with a Detachment out of the Army to a place called Knocknaclashy, to observe a Body of the Irish: My Lord found several people got there before him, on purpose to expect the fate of the last Battle of Ireland, to be fought on that Ground, as their Prediction run; and tho the Irish Forces were as then not upon the Spot, yet it so fell out that the Battle was fought there; the Irish Routed, and this the last Field-Con­flict that happened during those Wars. I have heard also some of the Irish tell us before we got theither that we should not succeed at the first Siege of Li­merick: and they had no other reason for it but because one of their Prophesies said so.

But I have spent too much time in these trifles, and Our Army lay upon their Armes all night. therefore to return: Whoever have been concerned in like Cases, may easily imagine what satisfaction it was to the General and whole Army, to find themselves entirely Masters of the Field, and their Enemies all dipersed; but the day being gone, and few of our Tents come up, the men were ordered to lye upon their Armes all Night: their dead Adver­saries (who two hours before had made a considerable Bustle) lay now very quietly by without disturbance. Next day the General ordered a publick thanksgiving to be kept, through the Army, for this happy Victory, and gave command that all our own dead should be Buried, and those of the Enemy also that lay on the ground where our Tents were to be pitched. But the rest of the Irish remained still unburied, no Inhabitants being left in that part of the Countrey to perform it; for it has been an Ancient Custom amongst them, still to remove out of the way with their Cattle and all their Substance, at the approach of an Enemy: And [Page 147] Judge Cox observes that in the Year 1178, towards the beginning of the English Government in Ireland, Con­aught was invaded by Miles Coghan, and Young Fitz-Stephens: but they were forced to return for want of Provisions, which has since frustrated more well con­trived designs, and great Expeditions, than any other Accident. But this was not our case at this time, and the greatest mischief that happened by the Irish re­moving, was to have the Carcasses of their Countrey­men for want of Burial, exposed to the Birds of the Air, and the Beasts of the Field; many Doggs fre­quenting the place, afterwards and growing so fierce by feeding upon mans Flesh, that it became dangerous for any single man to pass that way. And there is a true and remarkable Story of a Greyhound belonging to an Irish Officer: the Gentleman was killed and stript in the Battle, whose Body the Dog remained by night and day; and tho he fed upon other Corps with the rest of the Dogs, yet he would not allow them or any thing else to touch that of his Master. When all the Corps were consumed, the other Dogs departed, but this used to go in the Night to the ad­jacent Villages for Food, and presently to return a­gain to the place where his Masters Bones were only then left: and thus he continued till January fol­lowing, when one of Col. Foulks's Soldiers being quartered nigh hand, and going that way by chance, the Dog fearing he came to disturb his Masters Bones, flew upon the Soldier: who being surprized at the suddenness of the thing, unslung his Piece, then upon his back, and killed the poor Dog.

Next morning after the Battle, one Fitz-Gerald and six Troopers came from the Enemy, and told us that what of the Army was left, made the best of their way towards Limerick: But that they were so [Page 148] shattered and frighted, that very few of their Foot would be got thither. The same day Brigadeer Eppinger, with a Party of 1200. Horse and Dragoons Brigadeer Ep­pinger sent with a Party towards Por­tumna. was ordered towards Portumna and Banoher, two Passes upon the Shanon, where the Irish kept Garisons all last Winter. And on the 14th. those places were Surrendred upon Condition to march out with their Arms and Baggage: First towards our Camp, where they had liberty to lay down their Arms, if they pleased; or else to go on towards the Irish Army. Loughrea, Melick, and other places there­abouts were also Deserted by the Irish, who most of them took towards Limerick, as the safest place of Retreat: whither they went in no kind of order, but rather like people going to a Fair, the Roads as they passed being full of Hampers and other stuff, which they had been in too great hast to lug along; yet that very night after the Battle they Robbed and Plundred one another upon the Road. That Evening it was ordered that all the Officers that were not up­on Duty, should be at the General's Quarters next Morning at 9 of the Clock, to attend the Funeral of Ma­jor Gen. Holstaple: and what Soldiers would bring in Muskets to the Artillery, should have 6d. a piece for them: by which means they brought in a great many Waggon loads full of the Arms lost and thrown a­way by the Irish; and tho the price was reduced to two pence afterwards, yet there still came a great ma­ny in. Our Hospital was then pitched at Garbally, a­bout three Miles nearer Athlone: and it was likewise ordered that if there were any Sick or Wounded men that were not sent to the Hospital, they should be brought to the Artillery at Five in the Morning, where they would find Waggons to carry them to Athlone, Six Hundred Waggons being then ordered to bring [Page 149] up Bread and other Provisions from the Stores, which by that time were fixed there.

The 15th. Major O Connor, and 60 men that had been Garrisoned at Banoher Bridge came to our Camp, where 40 of the men laid down their Armes, to whom the General gave 5 s. a piece for encouragement, and ever after the Irish deserted apace.

The 16th the Army marched to Loughreagh, a small The Army marcht to Loughreagh. Town seated in an indifferent good Countrey, but remarkable for nothing so much as for several Synods and Assemblies kept there, by the Popish Clergy, in year 1650. when the late unhappy Troubles where at the heighth. Those were the Congregational Party, who sometimes condemned the Cessation, and at o­ther times they approved of it; But at last they Ex­communicated the then Marquiss of Ormond, for acting by the Kings Commission, tho he valued themselves very little, and their Excommunication much less. And it were to be wished that other Churches too, as well as that of Rome, were better advised in this way of Censuring.

This place we found Plundred by the Irish Army, as well their own People as the English; the Irish Soldi­ers giving their Countrey-men this reason for what they did, that they had better be Plundred by their own people, than give what they had to the English Army, who would certainly strip them in a day or two more.

The 17th. We marched to Athenree, within 8 Miles Thence to Athenree. of Galway, standing in a plain dry Countrey, and en­compassed with a pretty good Sone Wall; but we found not above 30 Irish Cabbins in all the Town, most of which were deserted too, and the Inhabitants gone with the rest of the Neighbourhood, towards the Mountains of Slewbaughty.

There was a Religious House in the Town, built at first, by Miles Bruningham, in the Year 1241; and tho it had been defaced when other Monasteries were suppressed, yet the Irish had pretty well repaired it again. But upon our Approach, the Monks had left their House, and greatest part of their Books. By the Ruines of two Churches, within the Walls, and another Religious Place or two without, it appears a Town of some Antiquity; and I find this to be the place where Bruningham defeated the Irish, and slew Eight Thousand of them; the Town being walled afterwards, with the Money raised of Armour, and spoil gotten from the Irish; for every one of the English that had double Armour of the Irish, gave one half towards the Walls of the Town; of which Bruningham was made Baron, and one John Hussey, a Butcher, did wonderful Feats that Day.

Afterwards frequent skirmishes happened hereabouts, between the English and Irish, and the Town it self was burnt in Queen Elizabeths time, by the Mackan Earla's, the Church not escaping; one of them saying, upon his being told that his Mother was buried in it, That if she were alive, he would sooner burn her, and it together, than that any English Churle should fortifie there. Soon after this, 2000 l. Tax was laid by the Lord Deputy to Rebuild the Town; but as they were about it, and the Work well nigh finished, the New Gates were set on Fire again, by my Lord Clanrickards Sons, who pas­sed the Shannon, and changed their English, for Irish Apparel, then sackt the Town, drove away the Ma­sons, and defaced the Queens Arms. This place it seems has not been very considerable since, by reason of the Condition we found it in. Our Army encamp­ed on the Plains, not far from the Town, the General [Page 151] going with a Party, three Miles nearer Galway: from whence being upon a rising Ground, we could see into the Bay, where there lay then Six Ships; Three of which went off that Night. It was given out in Or­ders, that the Men should be kept close in the Camp, and to be ready to March in a Minutes warning, with­out beat of Drum; but on farther Consideration, we rested. On the 18th. the General going, with a Party, to a place called O Ranmore, seated upon the very end of the Bay of Galway, which the Irish had burnt some days before; His Excellency thought it not convenient to approach so nigh, as to view the Town of Galway, which we could not do without went within half a Mile of it, tho not one of the Irish appeared; for they had only a few Scampering Dragoons in Town; and therefore when the General had viewed the most convenient ways to March his Guns and Carriages, and sent an Aid du Camp to discover who Major General Scravemore was, who had gone abroad also, with a Par­ty another way; he returned to the Camp, whither one Mr. Shaw, a Merchant, and some others, came Some Protest­ants escape out of Galway, and inform the Ge­neral of the state of that place. from Galway, and gave the General a full Account how matters stood within; that the Garrison were only 7 Regiments, and those neither full, nor well Armed; that they agreed not amongst themselves about keep­ing or surrendring the Town, tho it was probable they would never abide a brisk Attack; that D'Ʋssone, the French Lieutenant General was there, and that my Lord Dillon was Governour, and that the Irish expect­ed Balderick O Donnel, with his Party to come into Town, by way of Ire, Conaught, without whom they were not in a Condition to make Resistance. The heat of Expectation, from this Irish Deliverer, was now pretty well cooled; and at the Battle of Aghrim, he was at one Mr. Miller's, at Bally-Cushean, about Six [Page 152] Miles from Tuam, having a Party of about one Thou­sand Men at Hedford, Ballinrobe, and up and down the Country, who upon the News of the Battle, were for marching in all haste towards the Mountains: but not seeing our Army approach so soon as they expect­ed them. Balderock, at the Instigation of one Linch▪ a Popish-Priest, and one who called himself Dean of Tuam, sent back a Party to that Town, who alledging that the People were making great Preparations to re­ceive the English Army; they stript the Inhabitants, and burnt the Place, at such a time, when the People not only expected to get in their Harvest, but also hoped for the Protection of the English Army; but found the contrary, as well to their disappointment as loss. This Town is dignified with an Archiepiscopal Seat, and is that where the first Castle that ever was in Ireland, as to any pile of Lime and Stone, was built in the Year 1161. by Rotherick O Connor, the Monarch; and for the rarity called Castrum Mirificum. The Inhabitants here inform us that the Town was burnt in the former Wars, by O Donnel's Grandfather, who turning about from a rising Ground, and beholding the Flames, he fell down dead from his Horse, without ever speaking another word. With the Pillage of this Town, and some other Places of the Country about, Balderock, and his Party, marched to a Place called Cong, amongst the Mountains, in the County of Mayo; his Men were then dwindled away, and not above Six Hundred in Number. So that he was so far from being serviceable to Galway, that his Design was to keep amongst the Mountains, till he could make Terms for himself, upon which account he writ to the General, before our Ar­my removed from Galway.

Nigh the same time Judge Daily who lived in that part of the Country had sent to the General, desir­ing that a Party might be sent for him, who should seem­ingly force him from his Habitation; this Gentleman and some others of the Irish had kept a Correspondence with our Government for several Months past, and had proposed the surrendring of Galloway, and some other things, which was the occasion of a part of our Armies marching to the Shannon the Winter before, but whether they were real and sincere in what they proposed, or they did it only to gain time, and by that means to benefit their own Party, may well be questioned, since those very men continue still the greatest Patrons of the Irish, and what they told the General at that time was at best a Mistake, for they informed him that the Garison of Gallway was five thousand men at least, and those well armed, that the Stores were considerable, and the Town almost impregnable, that Sarcefield with the whole Body of the Irish Horse was upon his march with a Resolution to raise the Siege, and that Balderock's Party was above six thousand strong; But tho' the General had no great reason to believe all this, yet he thought it convenient to suppose the worst, and therefore was doubtful whether to befiege the Town, or to stay for the heavy Cannon which were at Athlone: yet upon the repeated Assurances of several Protestants that those were only Tricks to gain time, he resolved to approach the Town of Gallway the day following. Orders were therefore given out that the Army should march in two Colums, with an hundred men of each Wing for a Rear Guard, Commanded by a Lieutenant Collonel of the Right-Wing: A Captain, Lieutenant, and Ensign with fifty Fire-Locks were to march at the Head of each Regiment.

The ninteenth we marched from Athenree, the Ge­neral The Army march to Gal­l [...]way. leaving three thousand Horse and Dragoons there [Page 160] under the Command of Lieutenant Gen. Scravemore and Major Gen. Ruvigny as well for the Conveniency of Forrage, (the Ground nigh Galloway being very Barren and Rocky) as to observe the Enemies Motion by se­curing the Passes, and by that means our great Guns that were designed to come from Athlone, if the Town did not submit without putting us to the Trouble. The Town The Town described. of Galloway is no doubt one of the Ancientest and Greatest in Ireland, and yet I do not find many remarka­ble things of it formerly, it being always rather a place of Trade than Action of another Nature: It was first governed by a Provost, then Sovereign and Bayliffs, then a Mayor and Bayliffs, now by a Mayor and Sheriffs, It was most of it burnt in the year 1500. but soon rebuilt by reason of the Richness of the Inhabitants: the Houses within the Walls are generally very strong, and the Streets narrow; it was blockt up by Sir Charles Coot, and Major General Ludlow in the year 1652. and surrendred to Sir Charles on the 12th. of May following, the loss of which carried with it at that time the Fate of Ireland. There lived a great many rich Merchants in it of late by reason of the conveniency of its Situation for Trade with Spain or France, but most of them are Irish, which might be one great reason to expect the having it de­livered upon reasonable Terms, rather than by resistance to have it ruined. The Town is Seated at the Foot of a narrow ridge of Land, having Galloway-Bay on the South and South-East, a large River coming from Lough Cerbe on the West, and towards the North there lies a low Bog, through the midst of which runs a narrow but deep River proceeding from the Great one that slides by the Town: this River and Bog each about a Mile and an half towards the North-East, and then end together, the River sinking under ground at the Foot of a large Hill; but appears again at an Old Castle nigh [Page 191] Oran-More, where it runs into the utmost Creek of the Bay. The Ridge of Land between the Bog and the Bay towards the East is but very narrow, and may with no great difficulty be Fortified, without which the Town is not to be defended since an Army may approach under covert of this Ridge within less then an hundred Yards of the Town-wall, where there is a rising Ground that overlooks a great part of the Town. There had been some works upon the neck of this Ridge in former times, and the French had begun to repair them, but had not brought them to any perfection; the Irish however were hard at work upon a Fort at the end of this Ridge, and nigh the South-East Corner of the Wall, they had levelled all the Hedges nigh the Town, as also the Suburbs to­wards the East-Gate, and several very strong Works were cast up to defend that part of the Town: within the Wall on that side there stands a round Citadel with eight Guns, having a Platform nigh it of six Guns more, at the South-East corner of the Wall were eight or ten Guns planted; there stands also a Turret towards the middle of a large Curtain that runs along next the Bay, on which were three Guns, and towards the River they had planted five more, which with those that lookt towards the West and North, made in all about forty six Guns, most of which were amounted upon little mean Carriages, something like those they commonly have on Ship-board. We had no opposition at all in approaching the Town, but the Irish that they might do something, burnt my Lord Buffin's House seated by the River nigh a Mile from the Town, some of them staying in the Orchards till they were beat from thence by a Party of our Horse; they burnt also their Suburbs towards the North-West Gate, and made a shew as if they were preparing for a vigorous resistance. Assoon as a part of our Army was drawn as near as the The Town Summoned. General thought convenient, he sent a Trumpet to the [Page 162] Town, profering them the Benefit of the Lords Justices late Declaration if they would surrender without any further trouble, whilst the Trumpeter was in Town, the Irish fired three or four great Guns, which is not usual in such Cases; but they pretended afterwards that it was done by some Gunners that knew not of the Trumpets being there; the Answer however sent by my Lord Dillon, who was Governor, was to this effect, That Mon­sieur de Ussone, who Commanded in Chief was of the same opinion with himself and the rest of the Officers, and that they were resolved to defend the place to the last. That Afternoon was spent in the posting of our Army. The Irish in the mean time firing their great Guns from the Town, tho' with little loss to us, because of the conveni­ency of Ground we had to Encamp on. There were only three Ships left now in the Bay, who anchoring nigh the Town, they made off from the Shoar as the Army marched in. And there was a Proposal offered to make all our Tin-Boats into four Floats, and put two small Field-pieces upon each, with which we were to attempt the seizing the Ships in the Bay, for it was supposed that if the Ships had Guns, yet our Floats would be so flat as to lie under them, and so we might with no great danger either board or sink the Vessels, but after having made the Floats and mounted some of our Guns upon them, the design was found impracticable for several Reasons, and we had an opportunity of lamenting our misfortune, in not having at that time so much as one English Frigat near us. The Boats therefore were to be imployed other-ways, for as soon as it was grown dark Lieutenant A Party of Monks pass the River. General Mackay, with Colonel Tiffins, Colonel St. Johns, Monsieur Cambons, Lord George Hambletons, one Dutch, and a Danish Regiment of Foot, with four Squadrons of Horse and Dragoons were wafted over the River, about two Miles above the Town: by [Page 163] break of day our men were all safe on the other side, meeting with no opposition, only a small Party of Dra­goons fir'd at the first Party that landed, and then scoured off; whether the Irish really expected Balderock O Donnell to come into Town that way is uncertain, however we had now destroyed all hopes of it, and he retired again into the County of Mayo, from whence he writ to the General as has been said. On Sunday in the Evening, not many hours after we appear'd before the Town, one Captain Bourk deserted from the E [...]my, and gave the General an account, that the Fort the Irish were making towards the South-East was almost finished, and therefore the sooner it was attacked, it would be the easier gained, and that it was as necessary for us to take as them to keep it, because i [...] commanded a great part of the Wall on that side the Town. N [...]xt Morning early A Fort taken. Count Nassau with a Party of Granadeers and two Regiments of Foot was conducted by Captain Bourk the safest way to attack this Fort: (Major General Tal­mash would needs go a Volunteer as he usually did (when it was not his turn to command) we mannaged it so well that our Granadeers were got almost to the Foot of the Enemies works before they discovered us, upon which the Irish made some faint firings, but our men then rushed forwards, and threw in their Granado's, which soon forced the Enemy to retire by a Line of Communication that was drawn from the Fort to the Town: we lost in this Action only a Lieutenant and five Men, having two Lieutenants and eight men more wounded, and after the Fort was in our possession the Irish fired both small and great shot upon us from their Walls, by which they wounded several, and killed one Mounsieur Ma­dronet, an Ingineer, as he was giving Orders to the Work­men.

That morning five Troopers desert from Balderock's [Page 164] Party giving some account of his present circumstan­ces, tho when the Irish within saw a part of our Ar­my beyond the River, they still made shew of re­sisting, and burnt all the Suburbs on that side the Town, which were very large, and the Irish the rea­dier to destroy them, because most of the Houses thereabouts had formerly belonged to the English. A­bout ten a Clock, and whilst their Suburbs were yet in a flame the Irish beat a Parley, the Governour sending The Irish beat a Parley. a Drummer wi [...] a Letter to the General to desire a safe Conduct for some Persons to come out in order to a Capitulation: To which the General returned a sa­tisfactory Answer, and presently a Cessation was com­manded between the Camp and Garrison, those in Town crowding in great numbers upon the Walls, and our Souldiers going to the out-side of the Irish Works, enquiring each for their Friends and Acquaintance in one anothers Army.

In the afternoon Hostages were exchanged in order Hostages ex­changed. to a Treaty. Those on our side were Lieutenant Co­lonel Purcel, Lieutenant Colonel Coot, and the Mar­quess de Rhada, Lieutecant Colonel to my Lord Cutts. The Enemies Hostages were Lieutenant Colonel Linch, Lieutenant Colonel Burk, and Lieutenant Colonel Rey­ley. The Articles were not agreed upon that day, and the Irish prevailed with the General to continue the Cessation till Tuesday at ten a Clock; which time be­ing come, the General ordered eight Guns and four Mortars to be drawn down to that Fort we took the day before, and there to be planted, then sent a Drum to command away his Hostages; but the Irish had some debates amongst themselves, not that they pretended to hold out the Town, but about the me­thod of Surrender, and the Substance of their Arti­cles. Their delayes however made the General im­patient, [Page 165] and he sent once or twice to hasten their Re­solutions: At last Lieutenant Colonel Burk one of their Hostages was permitted to go in, Major General Tal­mash, as was believed, being inclined to lay the Trea­ty aside, desired him, When they were ready to begin a­fresh, to give us a sign to secure our selves, by firing a Gun into the Air: The other replied, That they would not fire from within till we provok'd them to it from with­out: But after some further time it was agreed to, that next Sunday morning, the Town should be delivered up upon the following Articles.

This Town with a good Garison in it might have July, 169 [...]. given us more trouble, and so have postponed the Siege of Limerick: yet considering their present Cir­cumstances, they did not manage ill in procuring for themselves those Terms which they had, tho' the General might safely condescend to grant any thing in­cluded in the Lords Justices Declaration, which both the Articles of Gallway and Limerick are. At the same time that Gallway was Capitulating, there came a Drum from Limerick, which put us in hopes that all was over, and that they had a mind to make Terms not only for Gallway but for the Irish Nation in general, but it was only about the exchange or releasing of some Prisoners, which at that time could not be granted, or rather it was to understand what became of Gallway that so the others might take their measures accordingly,

Assoon as the Articles were signed, William Robin­son The Stores viewed. Esq Deputy Pay-master to the Army was sent into Town to take an Account of the Stores, and Tuesday in the Afternoon we took possession of all their Out­works, the Enemy dismounting all their Cannon also, and thus we continued a Friendly Correspondence till Sunday the 26th. when about seven a Clock in the Morning Monsieur d'Ʋssone the French Lieutenant General came to our Camp and stay'd about half an hour from whence he had a Guard for his Person to Conduct him towards Limerick: Sir Henry Bellasis being appointed Governor, The town surrendred. he marched to the Town with his own, Colonel Brewers and Colonel Herberts R [...]giments, and about nine a Clock he took Possession of all the Guards. The Irish before they marched out were dividing some Gunpowder in the Street, which accidentally taking fire, some had their eyes blown out, others had their Hair and Cloaths burnt off, above twenty of them being disfigured by it; the suddenness of this Accident, bred some confusion [Page]

[Page 173] at first, and three of our Regiments being then in Town, each side seemed to suspect the other, and the Irish shewed some signs of being afraid that our Men were falling upon them, but the thing was presently o­ver and the poor men taken care of: most of them that hapned this disaster going to two Irish Bishops for their Benediction, who were then in the Street and ready to march out with the Garison.

About ten a Clock my Lord Dillon marched out with the Irish Garison, being not above two thousand three hundred men, and those but indifferently armed and worse cloathed, they had six pieces of Cannon according to the Capitulation (four of which were Iron) and drawn by six Teams of our Horses, having a Guard of Horse and Dragoons from our Camp to conduct them to Limerick. At twelve a Clock the General himself went into Town, being attended after his entrance by the Mayor and Aldermen, the Recorder making a Speech to wish him Joy.

In the Evening one Captain Brain O Neal with most of his Company deserted from the Enemy, as did also several others, and taking the Oath of fidelity to their Majesties were either dismist to their several Habitations, or else were entertained in our Army as their fancy led them. We found several Guns in Town unmounted, and two or three very fine Brass Guns which they had not planted in any place to be made use of, there was also good store of Ammunition left, besides eight hundred Hogs-heads of Meal, and other things of value.

July the 27th. That part of the Army encampt be­yond the River under Lieutenant General Mackay marcht through the Town, and our men were set to work in improving the Fort which the Irish had for­merly begun towards the South-East Corner of the [Page 184] Wall, six of our Guns were likewise sent into Town since we had furnished the Irish with Draught-horses for so many of theirs, then we levelled all the Batteries and other Works that we had begun against the place, and all sick Souldiers that were not able to march, were ordered to be taken care of by the Governor, except such as were sent in Waggons towards Athlone.

The 28th. we marched back to Athenree, and as the Army were in motion, Captain Coal with nine Men of The Army removes. War and eighteen other Ships appeared in the Bay of Gallway, to whom the General sent Orders to sail im­mediately for the Shannon; the twenty ninth we marched to Lougbreagh, and the next day proving very rainy the Army rested. The 31th. the Army marched A Squadron of Ships come in­to the Bay. towards Airs Court a well improved place and a good Country all about, but upon occasion of the Waters being swelled by the former days rain, or else through the mistake of Orders, the Army encamped that night in three several places, which had been a good oppor­tunity for a vigorous Enemy to endeavour the retrieving of their Losses, but the Truth of it was, they were at too great a distance for any such Attempt.

And since we have brought the Army to the end of A Brief Ac­count of what hapned in o­ther places of the Kingdom. this month let us leave them a while on their march towards Limerick, and briefly give an account of what hapned much about this time in several other parts of the Kingdom.

July the 1st. Lieutenant Colonel Dawson marcht with a Party of the Militia towards the Comorra Mountains not far from Waterford where he killed three Rap­parees; and Major Stroud being one of the Officers ap­pointed by the Government to Command the Militia in the County of Cork, killed ten Rapparees near Baly-Cleugh; and in ten days there were sixty more killed in that part of the Countrey adjoyning to Bandon, by [Page 175] Lieutenant Colonel More and others of the Militia, and Colonel Blunt killed five near Cashell.

In the beginning of April one Duppine obtained Let­ters Patents for the setting up a Linnen Manufacture in Ireland, this was very taking at first, and a great many of the Chief men in the Kingdom had shares in it. On the 8th. of July the Lords Justices with several of the Nobility and Judges met at the Thols [...]ll, in Dub­lin, and there admitted several new Members of the said Corporation, but what this project will come to in this Kingdom is as yet uncertain.

The same day our Smirna Fleet came into the Har­bour of Kinsale, and we had an account that our Grand Fleet was then nigh Cape-Clere.

About this time five and twenty Rapparees were killed near Mount Melick, and part of the Militia of Roscreagh go towards Nenagh, upon an expedition for black Cattle and killed ten Rapparees; one Captain Warren killed nine also in the County of Killkenny. On the 17th. ten Ships with Mortars, Bombs, Ammuni­tion, &c. came from Dublin to Kinsale, being part of those convoyed afterwards by Captain Coale to Limerick, and then our Fleet convoyed the Smirna-Fleet from Kinsale towards England: Ships also came to Waterford with one hundred Recruits for the Brandenburg▪ Regi­ment who suffered much in the former Siege of Lime­rick, and some few also for the Danes.

John Weaver Esq High Sheriff of the County of Westmeath by Order from the Government gives Pro­tections to several Rapparees, and those discover a knot of Rogues, twenty three of whom were killed by the Militia, and three Gun-smiths also who were at work for them, on a Forge built in the midst of a great Wood. July the 20th. a Party of the Irish Army ap­pear [Page 176] nigh Cashell, but marched off again without attempting any thing: And Colonel James Barry with a Party of the Militia killed five and thirty Rapparees near Tallough, but being way-laid by the Enemy, most of his Party were killed or taken Prisoners, and him­self carried to Limerick, where he remained a Prisoner till the Town was surrendred. The 22d. three Rap­parees were killed near Cork, and four more towards Cahir. The 23d. Lieutenant Colonel Ramsey, Captain Kingsly and other Officers with one hundred Souldiers out of Colonel Venner's Regiment (formerly Sir Edward Deering's) joyned with four hundred of the Militia marched towards Sligo to view the Posture of the E­nemy thereabouts, and it being reported that Lieutenant General Sheldon's Horse were in that part of the Country; two hundred Horse and Dragoons were sent abroad to discover the Truth of it. Lieutenant Colonel Ramsey with the rest of the Party marched to Ballysedara Bridge, four Miles from Sligo where he found old Sir Teague O Regan with eighty Horse, and about two hundred Foot very Advantageously posted, to hinder our passage that way, but our Party attacking them, they gave ground after some time, and Sir Francis Hambleton with some of the Militia, and a Troop of Colonel Winn's Dragroons coming in the mean time, the Enemy were pursued almost to the Fort of Sligo, about thirty of them killed and ninteen taken Prisoners, amongst whom were two Lieutenants and an Ensign, and the Store-keeper of Sligo. Sir Teague himself narrowly escaping for his mean Appearance was the reason that a Lieutenant was seized instead of him.

The Earl of Drogheda's Regiment had now Orders to march from the Queens County to Mullingar, where [Page 177] the men were daily imployed to improve and strength­en the Works, my Lord himself marched always with his Regiment, and then took a great deal of pains as well in seeing the Works compleated as in forwarding the Stores, and also in hearing and redressing Com­plaints and Grievances relating as well to the Ar­my the Country. A Party of the Militia bring in some Prisoners from the Island nigh Lanesborough who were afterwards sent to Dublin.

Seventeen Rapparees were killed in the County of Kildare by two Parties of the Militia, and three hanged at Edenderry; five hundred of the Militia of the County of Cork under the Command of Colonel Beecher met with about four hundred of the Irish be­yond a place called Shibbareene, and after a small dis­pute the Enemy were put to flight, by which means our Party had almost surpriz'd Mackarty Moore and Colonel O Donavan who were not far off, the Enemy lost nigh sixty, and the Militia got a considerable Booty of Cattle, and nigh the same time one Barry a Captain with ten of his men deserted from the Ene­my.

On the Thirtieth of July, part of the Militia of the County of Wickloe, being two Troops of Horse, two of Dragoons and five Companies of Foot rendezvoused on the Murrough five Miles from Wickloe, where they were viewed by Major Brooks and Captain Phillips appointed by the Government as Superintendents of the Militia of that County. And thus ended this active month of July in Ireland where more execution was done then in all Europe besides, notwithstanding the great Preparations.

CHAP. VII.

THe General being assured, that the Irish were Fresh Regi­ments sent for to the Camp. using their utmost skill and industry to rally and re-inforce their shattered Army, and not know­ing [Page 179] how far despair might carry Men, that were come now to their last Stake, considering also that we had a strong Town before us, which would be the work of some Time to reduce, if the Enemy made what Resistance might justly be expected; his own Troops being likewise harrassed by continual labour and toil, suffering often through scarcity of Bread and other Necessaries by reason of continual march­ing: Those and other Considerations prevailed with the General to send for all the Regiments that had been left in Munster and other places, except Colonel Hastings at Cork, and some Inniskilliner's in the North; and some of them being already upon their march; we were joyned on the First of August at Banoher The Army marched to Banoher Bridg. Bridge by Colonel Matthews Dragoons, and Colo­nel Lloyd's Foot; the latter upon further considera­tion, being ordered back to Athlone, for that Bal­derock's Party was still on foot. Banoher is about fourteen miles from Athlone down the River towards Limerick, and is a very strong Pass, at which the Irish kept three Regiments all the precedeing Win­ter, building small Huts to shelter th [...]mselves from the Weather: The Bridge it self consists of seven­teen large Arches, one of which was broke down by the Irish, and another is since fallen. At the Bridge end, on Leinster side had been a considera­ble Stone Fort, built in the former Wars, now demo­nished by the Irish, but on the other side of the Ri­ver they had cast up a Work close to the Bridge, and there planted four Field peeces, behind which stood an Old Castle, not to be forced without Can­non, and nigh that a very Regular▪Fort, and well pali­sado'd, so that it was not so easie a thing to force this place at any time during the former Winter as [Page 280] some Coffee-House Generals, and pot valiant Souldi­ers made it, but Men, that have been bred up that way, and are actually upon the Place, are common­ly best Judges of what is fit to be attempted in such a Case, though it is not convenient they should al­wayes give Reasons for what they do to every one who pretend to be concern'd. Our Army encamp­ed here on a narrow Neck of Ground left by the slopeing of the River on the Right, and a vast Bog on the Left. The Encampment being so strong, that it had been impossible for any Army or numbers of Men to have forced us from our Ground.

August the Second, the Army halted, and a de­tachment Brigadier Le­veson sent for­warwards with a Party. of four Men out of each Troop of Horse, with a Party of Dragoons, making in all five hun­dred men, under the Command of Brigadier Leve­son, were sent forwards to scowre the Country: On the Fourth this Party went to Nenagh, where stands the Remains of an Old Castle built by King John, and now the Inheritance of the Duke of Ormond: The Roof of this Castle was burnt by a Party of our Army at our decamping last year, but the Walls, and some other conveniencies remain still, being pos­sest all Winter by long Anthony Carol, whose Party was now about five hundred: Hearing therefore of Brigadier Levesons approach, he detached a Party towards a Bridge about half a mile from the Place, thinking to maintain that Pass till his Men might march safely off towards Limerick, but at his coming to the Bridge, perceiving our Men marching to the Right and Left to incompass him, after some few shots, he retreated to Nenagh setting the small part of the Town that was left on fire, which was soon Nenagh desert­ed by the Irish. quenched by some English Prisoners, that had been [Page 181] kept there, but now released, when the Irish made towards Limerick, when our Men got to Nenagh, Major VVood was ordered with a Party to pursue the Irish, which he did almost to Cariganlis, tak­ing most of their Baggage, and about four hundred large Cattle, which the Irish were in too great haste to carry off.

The Third our Army marched to Bir, but the passage over the Bridge at Banoher, being exceeding troublesom, it was late before the Guns and Car­riages could be got up, and therefore we rested on the Fourth. And now we found, that not­withstanding all the supplies of Horses that we had out of England, yet there still wanted a great ma­ny for the use of the heavy Cannon, and there­fore it was proposed to bring them down from Athlone to Limerick by Water, but that being found impracticable, the General sent to Dublin, where most of the Nobility and Gentry furnished him with their Coach Horses, but all those not being suffi­cient a great many more were pressed by an Or­der from the Government.

The Fifth we marched to Burasicane, where there had been a pretty English Plantation, but burnt down the former Winter, by the Garrison of Bir, because they did not desire to have the Rapparees in so near a Neighbourhood.

The Sixth we marched to Ninagh, where we stayed four dayes for want of Bread and other Ne­cessaries, The Army march thither. it being no small difficulty to furnish an Army with constant Supplies in a desolate Country, when they are still upon their march, and where every thing must he carried upon the Axletree.

Friday the Seventh, The Lord Justice Coningesby came to the Camp, where he staid nigh a Fortnight: And

Saturday the Eighth, a Party of Horse and Dra­goons with several Pioneers went towards the Sil­ver Mines to mend the Roads for our heavy Car­riages: Another Party at the same time marching towards Killalow Pass, who brought in seven or eight Prisoners. A Brigadier of the Guards and two more Horsemen desert the Enemy and inform us, that they were encamped nigh Cariganlis, and mak­ing what preparations they could to withstand us, forcing all the Irish into Arms, that were within their Jurisdiction, and arming their Foot anew out of the Stores at Limerick, and that they talked of giving us Battle again before we should approach the Town. The same day one Mr. Richards came A Treaty with Balderock O Donel. from Balderock O Donel to our Camp, where he stayed two or three dayes, and then went towards Dublin in order to wait upon his Majesty, who was then in Flanders. His business was to assure the General of Balderooks affections to their Majesties Ser­vice, and that if he might have the Men he brought over with him admitted into pay in order to serve his Majesty in Flanders or elsewhere, himself made Earl of Tyrconnel, to which he pretended a Title from his Ancestors, and have two thousand pounds given him for his expences, he would then come o­ver to us, and bring a considerable Body of the Irish along with him, The General therefore considering that it was no ill policy to get the Irish to draw bloud one of another, consented to some of O Don­nels proposals, and the business was shortly after compleated, tho' Balderock complained heavily that [Page 183] the thing should be made publick to the great hin­derance August, 169 [...]. of the Numbers of Men he designed to bring off, and almost to the hazard of his own life, for this Treaty was first in the Dublin Intelligence, and then in the London Gazette dated August the 13th. which was before the thing was really compleated, but those that have seen Balderock, will believe that it was partly his own fault. There was also an Officer sent at the same time by Sir Teague O Regan from Sligo about the surrender of that place, the Ar­ticles being in a manner agreed to, but this business was afterwards delayed, and the Government obliged to be at the expence and trouble of sending a Body of men from Dublin and other parts of the Kingdom to reduce it by force, and its confidently averred that this hapned meerly by the covetousness of one of our Colonels, who had the Secreet of this Affair committed to his management.

August the 9th. Lieutenant Colonel Oxborough of Colonel Lutterill's Horse, his Lieutenant and their Attendance desert, and come to our camp, and a Foot Officer with eleven Musquiteers and their Arms came in also: A Man and a Woman were this day hanged in the Camp, the Man for robbing Tents, and the Woman for being accessary to the Murther of one of our Souldiers nigh Gallway. The time limited in the Lords Justices Proclamation dated July the 7th. being now expired, and the General willing still to use all fair means possible to bring in the Irish without the effusion of more Blood, he therefore orders the follow­ing Declaration to be prepared.

The Army that day marched to a place called Shalley, in a wild and desolate Country nigh the Silver-Mines, where in the former Wars, about seventeen of Sir George Hambleton's Followers were slain by the Kenedies, and here Major General Trelawyng's Regi­ment joined us; the 12th. we marched to a place called Tulla, where we halted next day, and our [Page 186] Advance Guards brought in one of the Enemies Out­scouts a Prisoner. Several Deserters also come off to us, amongst whom were two of the Horse Guards, who inform the General that the Irish Foot were drawn into Limerick, and their Horse having burnt several places that escaped their fury last year, were reti­red likewse near the Town; we understand also that my Lord Tyrconnell was taken suddenly very ill, and there were several disorders amongst the Chief Officers in Limerick, some of them being suspected to incline to our side: From hence the General sent a Spy who took several of the Declarations in order to disperse them in Town.

The 14th. we marched to Cariganliss, and the Gene­ral The Army go to Cariganliss. with the rest of our Great Officers went with a Party within two Miles of Limerick, near which three of the Enemies Scouts being posted upon the top of a round Hill towards our left, two of them deserted to us as our Party drew off.

The 15th. in the Morning early, fifteen hundred A Party go to­wards Limer­ick. Horse and Dragoons, commanded by Major General Ruvigny, and one thousand detached Foot as a reserve in case of danger commanded by the Prince of Hess, with six Field-peeces were ordered to march towards Limerick, with whom went the General and all the Chief Officers in order to view the Town: The Enemy had lined the Hedges in several places with Foot, and there appeared two Squadrons of Horse and a Party of a Dragoons about a Mile on this side the Town, who fronted our Men for some time, but when they saw our Advance Party resolved to push them, they re­tired nearer home, and afterwards their Foot fired several Small-shot, but without any harm to us, tho' about seven of the Enemy were killed by our Dra­goons: We stayed several hours within less then Can­non-shot [Page 187] of the Town, upon the Ground where we encamped the year before, we could see that they had repaired Ireton's Fort and built another some distance to the Right, where formerly stood an Old Church, and a third was begun also with a Line of Communi­cation from one to the other, but not as yet finished, they had then two Field-peeces in Ireton's Fort, but did not fire them, and drew them off to the Town next day. Whilst we staid there, first a Drummer, and then one Hagan a Captain came off to us, who in­formed the General that my Lord Tyrconnell died the day before; some say of Grief, because things went My Lord Tyr­connell dies at Limerick. not according to his desire, and that after all his Endeavours and good Services to promote the Catholick Cause, he was slighted to that Degree, that whilst their Camp lay by Athlone, one Lieutenant Colonel Conner came to my Lord's Tent and bid him be gone from the Camp, else he would cut his Tent-Cords: My Lord Tyrconnell knowing that he durst not be so impudent without a considerable Faction to support him, went next Morning early towards Lime­rick, where he remained till his death, which some say was not without suspition of foul play, in being poisoned with a Cup of Rattafeau, this is nothing but Apricock-stones bruised and infused in Brandy, which gives it a pleasant Relish, some of which my Lord Tyrconnell had given him at an Entertainment; and fal­ling ill upon it, he often repeated the word, Rattafeau, which made several believe that he had received Poyson in that Liquor, because he would not comply with the prevailing Faction then in Town. But most People say that he died of a Fever: However it was, he certainly had managed the Affairs of that Kingdom from his entrance upon publick Business to his dying day with as much dexterity and zeal for the Interest [Page 188] he As to his en­couraging one J [...]nes to Assassi­nate King Wil­liam in the year 1690. proved by Ori­ginal Letters under his own hand; I leave others hereaf­ter to give a more particu­lar account of. pretended to serve as any man could have done.

At the General's return from viewing the Town, he found a considerable quantity of Bread-Waggons come to the Camp under the Convoy of the Militia Horse and Dragoons of the County of Tipperary, whom the General viewed and sent home again. We had now a Train of nine 24 Pounders, nine 18 Pounders, and three Mortars with Ammunition and other Utensils of War proportionable, which left Athlone on the 12th. under the care of Col. Lloyd's Regiment and a Party the Militia, who were met upon the Road by the Earl of Drogheda's and Colonel Venner's Foot Regi­ments with a small Party of Horse, but the General remembring what hapned to our Train the year be­fore, and that the same People were still as industrious as formerly. Major General la Forrest with a good Detachment of Horse and Dragoons was sent on the 16th. to meet our Cannon.

The same day a Captain and a Lieutenant desert from the Enemy and confirm the Report of the death of my Lord Tyrconnell, and withal that Francis Plowden Esq (one of the Commissioners of the Revenue in the late King's time) had brought over a Commission from the late King out of France, appointing Sir Alexander Fitton, Sir Richard Neagle and the said Francis Plowden Esq to be Lords Justices of Ireland, which Commission lay dorment till my Lord Tyrconnel's death, by which it appeared that his Adversaries were like to prove too many for him if he had lived, and that tho he had pro­moted the late King's desires (tho' not his real Interest) to the utmost, and was of the same Religion too with himself, yet he was in a fair way of being served as Some of the Irish Officers suspected for holding a Cor­re [...]pondence with our Ar- others had been before him.

We understood also that Colonel Henry Lutterill was not only suspected to hold a Correspondence with our [Page 189] Army, but was taken into Custody and tried for his life, in that he with some others had consulted about the surrender of the Town, for which they designed to put him to death, but that they either wanted clear Proof, or else waited for Advice from France about it, but the occasion of Colonel Lutteril's confinment was upon the account of a Letter brought him by a Trum­peter from some great Officer in our Army when the Garison of Gallway was conveyed to Limerick, for the Trumpeter having given one to Sarcefield, denied his ha­ving any more Letters, but being threatned with hang­ing if searched and any more Letters found about him, he produced another to Col. Lutterill, upon which the said Colonel and Lieut. Col. Burk that came from Gall­way were both confined: They were jealous also of Brigadier Clifford, tho' they did not think fit at that time to take any great notice of it; all which accounts we had confirmed by a Pacquet of Letters intercepted upon the Road to Killmalock, amongst which was one from a Priest giving the Irish great hopes of Victory after all, For that God had scourged the Nation round for their sins, and now he hoped he would cast the Rod into the Fire. That Afternoon Sir John Hanmer with his own Regiment, Colonel Hales's, the Brandenburg, and a Danish Regiment of Foot, and Colonel Coy's Horse joyn the Camp, and those with two Regiments more that came up with the Train made us a stronger Army then at the opening of the Campaign.

The 17th. the Weather being exceeding Stormy; Sir William King who had been formerly Governour of Limerick, but a Prisoner for part of these two years past, came to our Camp, who was very serviceable to the General both in his Advice, and otherways during the remainder of the Campaign. The 18th. Colonel A Party sent towards Char­levil. Lumley went out with a Party of four hundred Horse [Page 190] towards Charlevili, where we understood some of the Enemy had posted themselves, but having notice of our approach they quitted the place, tho' some of them A Party sent towards Char­levill. were killed in the going off, and one Captain Massey staied behind and fired his Pistols at our Advance Par­ty, but he and a Cornet being seized, and Protections found in both their Pockets, they were afterwards hanged as Deserters.

The 19th. A Spy sent from Tulla to disperse the A Spy returns from Limerick. General's Declarations in Limerick, returned, having effected his business without being discovered, and some other people seized upon suspition of doing it, he gave also a good Account how Matters stood then with the Irish, that their Horse and Dragoons cal­led 5000 in number, were encamped beyond the River in the County of Clare, that a vast number of Creights and their Cattle were all drawn towards the Town, and that the bad weather was as injurious to them as us, in that most of their Foot were in the Town, and in their works, which lying low were almost filled with Water, but that they had demolished some of their new works on this side the Town, least their men should desert from thence to our Army; and that the Irish talked of a Pacquet-Boat come from France, by which they were encouraged to hold out having promise of Pro­visions, and immediate Succours to follow: The same day a Trumpet was sent to Limerick about the exchange of some Prisoners we then had with the Irish that were taken formerly upon small Parties in the Country. And on the 20th. two Troopers and a Dragoon desert from the Enemy, but the weather was now so very bad that the Army could not move, and it was much feared that our Guns would not be got up the ways were grown so deep, however our men were not idle, but in the midst of all the rain and wet they made Faggots, and o­ther necessary Preparations to being the Seige.

The General had now some suspicion that Balderock O Donnel was not sincere in what he had promised, as ap­pears by his Letter sent this day to Col. Lloyd, then on his march with the Guns; part of which was as follows.

But this was only Misinformation, for O Donnel made it appear afterwards that he was sincere in his Intentions, and that he had no mind to join with Sir Teague O Regan, as was suspected. The 21st the Badness of the Weather increased, and several Regiments were forced to remove their Camps, the Water overflowing their former Ground. Major O Conner and nine more desert the Enemy, and inform the General, that if we had either of the Passes at Killalow or Bryans-Bridg, a great many of the Enemies Horse and Dragoons would desert. And this Evening our Tinboats came up to the Camp, being brought by Water from Athlone towards Killalow.

The General taking notice of the extravagant Rates Orders about ascertaining the Rates of Provisions. the Sutlers and others that furnished the Camp with Pro­visions, had raised their Goods to, he sent out an Order that all Ale from Dublin or Wickloe should be sold at 6 d. [Page 186] per Quart, all other Ale coming above forty Miles, at 5 d. and all under forty Miles, at 4 d. White Bread to be sold at 3 d. a Pound, Brown Bread at 2 d. Claret at 2 s. 6 d. per Quart, Rhenish at 3 s. Brandy at 12 s. per Gallon, &c. And that no Person should presume to exceed those Rates, on the Penalty of forfeiting all his Goods, and suffering a Month's Imprisonment. But they presently found out a Trick for this, and called all Drink that came to the Camp, Dublin or Wicklow Ale; and were so far from observing this Order, that Drink growing scarce towards the close of the Campagn, they sold their Ale at 14 d. per Quart. Another Order was likewise published about the buying of Cattle, as followeth.

This Order was dated the day before, and now pub­lished in the Camp, which prevented a great many Fol­lowers of the Army from committing several Disorders, that of themselves they were very much inclined to.

August 22. the Weather begun to amend: and Francis Burton Esq was sent by the General to the Squadron of Ships then in the River, with Orders for them to sail nearer the Town. The 23d two hundred and fifty fresh Draught-Horses were sent out to hasten up the Train; and each Regiment was ordered to make ready 2000 Fas­cines to begin the Work at Limerick. One Dowdall a Counsellor, and Sheldon a Lieutenant in the Irish Foot-Guards, desert: and two Troopers and a Sutler were condemned at a Court Martial, the two Troopers for robbing, and the Sutler for buying Goods of them, con­trary to the General's strict Orders. That Evening also our Guns came within sight of the Camp: and the Wea­ther now seeming to promise us our wonted Success, the General resolved to move forwards; but since the Irish Army were all in and about the Town, and 'twas proba­ble they might design us some Trouble in our Approach, therefore it was ordered that at break of Day next Mor­ning the Army should be ready to march, but without beat of Drum; six hundred Horse, three hundred Dra­goons, and one thousand Firelocks, and two hundred Granadeers out of each Line for an Advance-Party: these were to march in two Lines at the Head of either Wing, with four Field-pieces each, and twenty five Pioneers a piece to cut down any Rubs that might be in their way; the whole Body of Horse were to march after the de­tached Foot, with each Man three Fascines before him, which they were to leave where ordered; so that the Enemy might see we were resolved to spare no Pains, ra­ther than go without the Town a second time. Then all the Foot were to march, and after them the Train; and no Baggage whatever to march near the detached Party, who were to march directly to the Quakers House, and there to make a Halt till the Foot came up. Then the Right Line to fall into the Road on the right Hand, and [Page 188] the Left Line on the other Road from the Quakers House: and all to draw up afterwards in order of Battel; so to march easily towards the Town, making several Halts to observe the Enemies Motion. These Orders I have set down, to shew the Reader the Method of approaching Towns, when an Army expects Opposition from an Ene­my, though the Irish did not give us much disturbance in this. But before we leave Cariganless, I know not whe­ther it may be worth the Reader's while to be informed of a Tradition that the People in the Neighbourhood have concerning 2 old Castles that stand nigh half a Mile from this place, and not above a stone's cast one from another: they say that in former times two Brehons, or Irish Judges, lived in those two Castles, who hapned at last to have some Disputes about their Properties; and their Wives, though they were Sisters, used to stand upon the Battle­ments of their own Houses, and scold at one another for several hours together; which at length one of them be­ing weary of, she found out a Trick only to appear and begin the Fray, then she would place an Image that she had dress'd up in her own Clothes, in such a posture as her Sister could not discern it from her self at that distance; who not sensible of the Cheat, she used to scold on, and at last fretted her self to death, because she could not be answered in her own Language. But I'm afraid the Wo­men in this Country will scarce pardon this Story: And therefore according to the former Orders,

Friday the 25th, the Army marched towards Limerick, Our Army ap­proaches the City of Lime­rick. leaving two Regiments of Foot and one hundred Horse till the Cannon come up next day. Our Advance-Party of Horse and Dragoons met with no great Opposition, only some small firings between them and the Irish Out-Guards, with no great damage to either side. We made our Approaches much after the same manner we did the Year before, tho we drew more to the Left, and nearer [Page 189] the Shannon, but fix'd our Camp further from the Town.

When greatest part of our Army was got up, our De­tached Body of Foot, under the Command of Lieut. Gen. Mackay, was ordered to Attack Ireton's Fort, and the old Church-Fort, where we expected the Enemy had lodged a Party; our Men made a Line cross the Fields, and were sustained by several entire Regiments of Foot, and a Body of Horse. We advanced towards both the Forts at one time, and found the upper one deserted: and when we came almost within Musquet-shot of Ire­ton's Fort, the Irish quitted that also, and retired towards a little stone Fort nigh the Outworks of the Town. Our Men seeing them draw off, rushed forwards and fi­red; but to no great purpose, for the Enemy, after some faint Returns, presently lodged themselves in the other Fort: And towards the Evening Count Nassau with a Party attacked Cromwel's Fort, standing to the left of the other, which the Irish had made pretty defensible, and wherein they had then about 500 Men lodged: Our Granadeers were in the Front, who were saluted with a Volley of Shot from the Enemy; but this being a thing they were now pretty well used to, they ran forwards, and threw in their Granades; and then being followed by the whole Party, the Irish in less than half an Hour left the Fort to our Discretion: We had only tow or three killed, and the Enemy about ten, though some made them a great many more.

Oliver Cromwel, in the former Wars of Ireland, never went further than Clonmel; for there receiving Orders from the Parliament to go for England, he entrusted the Management of the Army to Ireton; who at the besieg­ing of Limerick, built several Forts; two of the most remarkable, bearing the Names of Ireton's and Crom­wel's, were now ordered to be called Mackay's and Nas­sau's [Page 190] Forts, because gained under those Commanders; and by those Names we shall call them for the future; when there is occasion to mention them. When we came up towards the Town, we found a Man newly hanged up­on the Gallows, who the Irish said was an Officer of theirs, and put there for endeavouring to desert to our Army. The General having some Intimation of a Sal­ley designed from the Town that Night, and judging it not improbable, since they had so good a Body of Horse behind it, he commanded therefore that our Horse should not unsaddle, but each Troper to lie all Night by his Horse's Head, to be ready upon the first Alarm. Col. Donep, who commanded our advance Party of Horse, was killed that Evening by a random Shot; being a Gen­tleman who had a very good Character, both among the Danes and English.

The 26th all our Train came up, as also a great many Carriages with Bombs, Ball, Shovels and Pickaxes, and 800 Barrels of Powder. This Night we broke Ground, and made our Approaches with no great loss, casting up some Works nigh the Shannon towards the West, behind which the Danes encamped, and maintained that part of the Work during the Siege. We improved also these Forts deserted by the Irish, and drew a new Line from the old Church Fort to Mackay's.

The 27th in the Morning the Prince of Hess with his The Prince of Hess sent to Castle-Connel. own Regiment, Col. Tiffin's, and Col. St. John's, five pieces of Cannon, and about 700 Horse and Dragoons, marched to Castle-Connel, which we had not blown up effectually last Year, and wherein the Irish had now a Garison of 250 Men. They refused the Prince's Proffers to them at first; but after two Days Siege, were con­tent to be all made Prisoners of War. The same Day Maj. Gen. Scravemore went with another Party, and four Guns, to Carick-a-Gunnel, a Castle upon the River, three [Page 191] miles below the Town, wherein was a Garison of 150 Men, who also submitted to be Prisoners of War, as did one or two Castles more; the leaving these Detachments in such places being very inaccountable, since they had a mind to defend them no better. This seems rather want of Instructions what to do, than Courage to per­form it; for to give the Irish their due, they can defend stone Walls very handsomly. We read that Sir George Carew, President of Munster in Queen Elizabeth's Time, took the Castle of Dunboy in the West of Ireland by As­sault, where the Irish made the most resolute Defence of any of the like nature before or since; for the Garison being 130 choice Men, were all either killed or hanged for holding out; and some of them defended the very Vaults during a whole Night, though all the rest of the Castle was taken; and one Mack Geoghagan being despe­rately wounded, when he saw the English enter the Vault, he endeavoured to cast a lighted Candle into a Barrel of Powder to blow himself and them up toge­ther; but was prevented in his Design, and so died.

The Irish planted two Field-pieces on the opposite side the River, by which they obliged two Regiments of our Dragoons that lay close to the Shannon to remove; but as soon as we had placed some Guns to flank their small Battery, they drew off. Orders were given to fit up 600 Bombs, and 1000 Hand-Granades: and in the After­noon eighteen of our Ships came up the River, within a mile of the Town, and fired some Shots into the Irish Our Ships come nigh the Town. Horse-Camp as they sailed along, they being encamped at that time nigh the River, at a place called Craightu­lagh: This put several of the Irish much out of Coun­tenance, for till then they were made believe, that either we had no Ships in the River, or else those we had would quickly be swallowed up by the French Fleet, which they hourly expected.

The 28th an Order was sent to Kinsale, for the rest of the Provision-Ships then in that Harbour to sail to the Shannon. And the General went on board some of those Ships that came up the Day before, giving Command to bring on shoar several Pieces of new Cannon and Mor­tars; which was performed on the 29th. And all the Prisoners that had been taken in several Castles, being about 400 in number, were sent towards Clonmel, with a Party of Horse and Dragoons to guard them. This Evening our Line of Circumvallation was finished, and our other Works, by hard labour, much improved; the Enemy playing hot upon us from the King's Castle, and three more Batteries. Our Business was now to raise a Battery for ten Guns and seven Mortars, which was per­formed before next Morning; and August the 30th our Guns and Mortars were drawn down to it: the first be­gan immediately to play on Thoumond-Bridg, and the Houses on that side the Town; at Night also our Bombs began to fly with pretty good Success, 101 being thrown before next Morning.

The Enemy now desert Killmallock, a Town upon the The Enemy desert Killmal­lock. Road between Cork and Limerick, whither the Irish flocked in great Numbers in former times, to welcome the Earl of Desmond out of England, who was sent over upon some Reasons of State by Queen Elizabeth; their first Saluations were to throw Wheat and Salt upon him in token of Peace and Plenty: But next day, when they saw him go to Church, they fell to murmur, and spit at him, and never would own him more: And so hate­ful was not only our Religion, but even the Civil Ha­bits and Customs of the English to some of them, that in the same Queen's Reign it was with much difficulty that some of the Irish Nobility could be perswaded to put on their Robes, when they were to appear in the House of Lords in time of Parliament. And I have heard it af­firmed [Page 193] by those that knew it, that even in this last War, and (if I am not much mistaken) in the Parliament that was held at Dublin by the late King too, it was pro­posed by some, to destroy all fine Houses, and every thing else that look'd like Improvement, and so return to the former barbarous way of living of their Ancestors, that it might not be worth the while for England, or any other Nation, to seek a new Conquest over them: but these Men did not consider that England has been at too much Expence, and is now too well acquainted with Ireland, ever to be without it.

August 31. One Capt. Morice, a Lieutenant, and ele­ven Dragoons belonging to Sir Donald O-Neal's Regi­ment, deserted from beyond the River, and tell us, that the Enemy were mightily apprehensive of our getting over; but that their Horse and Dragoons would endea­vour to watch our Motion, and do all they could to pre­vent us. Our Batteries play very hard all this Day; and at Night, four out of each Troop of Horse and Dra­goons throughout the Army, were ordered to work at a new Battery, to the Right of the former, and somewhat nearer the Town; they wrought very stoutly, and fi­nished their Battery before next Morning. This was a thing very unusual for Horsemen, especially to work in Trenches; but there was in a manner a Necessity for it, for our Foot were upon Duty by whole Regiments eve­ry second Night, beside Detachments and Workmen upon sundry Occasions every Day: And therefore Adju­tant General Withers was commanded to order the Re­giments that marched to the Trenches, not to mount with Colours, that the Enemy might not be sensible how fast our Duty came upon us.

The same Day a Party of four hundred Horse was Brigadeer Le­veson sent into Kerry. sent abroad to scour the Country: And Brigadeer Le­veson, [Page 194] with seven hundred Horse and Dragoons, went into the County of Kerry, to reduce the Irish in those Parts: Which some of the Inhabitants in other Places will needs call the most natural Irish in the Kingdom; and yet they say, every Cow-boy amongst them can speak Latin, on purpose to save them from the Gal­lows, when they come afterwards to be tried for Theft: For though there be very severe Laws against it, and often put in Execution; yet Robbing, Plunder­ing or Stealing, are accounted but small Crimes amongst the Natives, if not done to their Lords or Followers: for what they could purchase formerly, they thought it clear Gain, and Castles built to secure it; which thie­vish Spirit is not as yet quite banished that part of the Country, nor scarce any other part of the Kingdom. And though this sort of People have been always ob­served to have dexterous Faculties at more kinds of Mischiefs than Stealing: yet it's no new Complaint, That by long Ʋse it is grown to a mischievous Custom in Ireland, that Rebels and Malefactors might, with the Money they had gotten by Pillage and Plunder, when they set Places on fire, procure for themselves Protections, and escape without Punishment. Cox, Vol. 1. p. 415. Briga­deer Leveson, at his going into Kerry, found the whole Country up in Arms against him; my Lord Merion's and my Lord Bretta's Horse being there to assist the Rappa­rees.

About a Mile above Limerick, there lies a small Island in the Shannon, called St. Thomas's Island, where for­merly stood a Chappel dedicated to that Saint, but now ruinous, though at present there are two or three small Houses in the Island, and some little Inclosures. Here the Irish had kept several of the Protestants belonging to the City, under a Guard, for some time past; and [Page 195] now they were released by Major Stroud, who kept Guard at Anighbegg with a Party of the County of Cork Militia; the Irish Captain, and some others of their Guard coming off also with them. But what can be a greater Testimony of a rapacious Humour than this? for some of the Militia stripp'd their Fellow-Protestants of what the Irish had left them, as they conducted them from the Island to our Camp; which I would not have said, but that I had it from the Mouths of those very People that were so served; who during their stay in Town with other Protestants of all sorts, had shewed the greatest Affection and Compassion imaginable to those of our Army that were Prisoners there: but now the Scene was altered; and all the shift that themselves could make for some days, was to make up little Places to creep into amongst the Fascines that lay on heaps by the Gene­ral's Quarters, till our Waggons carried them farther off into the Countrey.

This Night Major General Talmash commanded in the Major General Talmash com­mands in the Trenches. Trenches, by whose Diligence and Example the Works were run nearer, and much strengthned, though the Enemy fired very briskly all Night, and did us some Da­mage. The Battery raised by the Troopers was also im­proved, (lying between Nassaw's Fort and the other Bat­tery) and eight Guns brought down to it; but this be­ing judged also too remote from the Town, the Guns were never planted.

But it's now time to leave the Camp a little, and look backwards to see what was done in other parts of the Kingdom during this Month of August. And first at What hapned in other Parts of the Kingdom this Month. Dublin, there was great care taken to procure as many Horses as could be got for the necessary Occasions of the Army. Provisions likewise of all sorts and Ammuniti­on were sent up continually: and the Harvest being now [Page 196] almost ready, and very few Hands being left to take care of that Corn which the Irish had sown in several places of Connaught, the Lords Justices therefore order a Pro­clamation to be published, August the fourth; ‘That whereas since the Battel of Aghrim, and the Surrender of Galway, the Farmers, Cottiers, and other Inhabi­tants of Connaught, had withdrawn themselves, so that there were not Hands sufficient to get in the Har­vest; It was therefore proclaimed, That all Farmers, Cottiers and Under-Tenants following the Enemies Camp, that should within fifteen days return to their Habitations in Connaught, and apply themselves to the bringing in the Harvest, they should not only quietly and peaceably enjoy their several Farms as they for­merly did, &c. but should be fully and absolutely pro­tected, if not guilty of private Murder. And that all Persons that would mow the Grass, and reap the Corn upon the Land of such Absentees as would not return themselves, should have one half of such Corn and Hay to their own proper Use, and be protected in the quiet and peaceable Possession thereof, behaving them­selves as good Subjects, and bringing the other half to some convenient Place upon the Farm for the King's Service.’

But how good soever the Design might be, I heard of little Effect this Proclamation had: for several of the Irish last Spring had plowed and sown their Lands in Con­naught, hoping we would never come thither; and those that did not plow, expected to come over, and get e­nough on our side the Shannon: but when they were dis­appointed in both these, they would yet go along with the Crowd in hopes of returning again in a small time. And it's observable that there have not been so many Mar­riages [Page 197] for many Years before amongst the Irish, as was last Winter in Limerick, Galway, and all Connaught over; whether it was out of confidence that they should cer­tainly be Masters of the Kingdom after all, or else that they were crowded into a narrower Compass, and so had the more Opportunities of Courting, I leave others to judg.

August the fourth, Sir Albert Cunningham's Dragoons being left at Galway when the Army moved from thence, march'd now to Portumna and Athenree; and a hundred Foot detached under Major Smith, to Loughrea.

By Letters from Cashell, August 5. the Government had notice that great Heats and Debates arose daily a­mongst the great Officers in the Irish Army; and that some Persons endeavouring to get off for France, were forced back again, and the Ship taken, wherein the Goods belonging to Monsieur Saint Ruth, the late Ge­neral, were on board; and that several Ladies were forced ashore in Kerry, or obliged to return to Lime­rick; and that a Privateer brought into Rye a Prize of six Guns and six Patereroes, bound from Limerick to France, having several Passengers on board; amongst the rest, my Lord Abercorne, who was killed in the Fight, as were several more killed and wounded on both sides. What Letters and other Papers they had, could not be recovered, for they threw them over-board.

Nigh this time Colonel Mitchelburn with his own Regiment, and a Party of the Militla, invest Sligo; and Terms were proposed, but not agreed to, as is al­ready said.

Part of the Virginia Fleet, being seventy two Sail of Merchant-Ships, came into Kinsale Bay on the twelfth of August, under the Convoy of the Experience and the Wolf, forty Sail more of them being gone to Bristol.

August the 13th, three Leagues West of Cape Clear, a French Man of War met with 14 English Merchant-Men homewards bound from Antego, Mevis and Monse­rat, and took two of them, the rest escaping into Cork and Baltimore Havens. Two of our Men of War went in quest of the French-man, but could not meet with him. My Lord Kinsale leaves the Enemy, and comes to Kinsale: and seven Rapparees were killed at a place called Montervary in the County of Cork. Croneen, De­vane and Sexton, three noted Rogues, were killed; and one Murphey taken near Macroomp by Major Fenwick.

August the 16th, some Irish Souldiers that escaped at the Battel of Aghrim, and afterwards set up for them­selves, took a Prey of Cattle near Kinsale, and drove it fifteen Miles; but being pursued by a Party of the Mili­tia, four of them were killed, and the Prey recovered. Nigh the same time a Dutch Vessel loaden with Wine and Salt, came into Bantry Bay; and some of O Donevan's Men surprized her at Anchor: but Col. Beecher with four Boats, manned with a Party of his Militia, came about from the Island of Shartin, and retook the Ship, forced twelve of the Irish into the Sea, who were drowned, and took twenty four more of them that had got into their Boats.

August the 17th, one hundred and forty Commission-Officers, taken at Ballymore, Athlone and Aghrim, were sent on board several Ships with a Guard of Dublin Mili­tia, conducted by the Monmouth Yatch, and to be delive­red to the Governour of Chester. Capt. Darby of the Leap kills eight Rapparees in an Island near Birr. And August the 20th, Capt. Dunbar was sent by Sir Henry Bellasis Go­vernour of Galway, to take possession of the Island and Garison of Buffin, which he had obliged to submit upon the following Articles.

This and the Isle of Arran lie some Leagues to Sea from the Mouth of the Bay of Galway; in the former of which there is a strong Fort, with about a dozen Guns; in both which Islands there always have been Garisons kept.

Nigh this time three of the Militia were killed in the Bog of Allen by Mackabe's Party; and two days after four of the Rapparees were kill'd, and Mackabe himself narrowly escaped, with the loss of two more of his Men, himself being forced to strip and run cross the Bog. The Militia now were very active about the Bog of Allen, and killed five more at one time, and ten in a few days after; amongst whom was the White Serjeant, which occasioned ten more of the Crew to come in and sub­mit.

We had now an Account that our Fleet was at Tor­bay, and the French Fleet at Brest; but that ours had Orders to put to Sea again in ten Days.

August the 25th, a thousand Militia Foot, under Co­lonel Rorger Moore, and five hundred Horse and Dra­goons, with three Field-pieces, march'd from Dublin towards Sligoe, making, with Detachments from other Counties, in all five thousand Men, to be commanded by the Earl of Granard, to whose Conduct the reducing of that troublesome Fort was now committed.

And towards the latter end of August, some Rappa­rees stealing Cows nigh Cork, six of them were kill'd, and four executed; two more were hanged at Carlow by Sir Thomas Butler's Orders, and one of Mackabe's Servants kill'd: and thus ended the Month of August.

CHAP. VIII.

SEptember the First, Col. Woolsley, with a Party of 500 Horse and Dragoons went towards Killalow, it being reported that Sarsfield was moving that way, up­on some secret Expedition, into our Quarters. All last [Page 204] Night, and that Morning, our Bombs and Cannon plaid upon the Town, setting it on fire in some Places, which was no small trouble to those within to put it out. It Our Bombs set the Town on fire. was ordered that Afternoon, that most of our Guns and Mortars should be shipp'd again; and at Night Maj. Gen. Tettan commands in the Works. A little after our Guards were relieved, we understood the Irish designed a Salley; in order to which, a considerable Body of their Men advanced towards our Works, between Nassau's Fort, and the great Battery where the Earl of Drogheda with his Regiment was then upon Duty. His Lordship The Irish in­tend a Salley, perceived the Irish were coming, and therefore ordered his Men not to fire till they should advance within Pi­stol-shot of us, and then to give them a whole Volley: But the Souldiers perceiving the others Approach, would not forbear to shoot amongst them, which was the rea­son that the Irish could not be perswaded to advance any But are repul­sed by my Ld Drogheda's Re­giment. further, though they had then a very good Opportunity, since there was but one Regiment at that time to defend above 300 Yards of the Works. We had one Man kill'd, and two wounded, and were in a small time reinforced by Col. Venner's Regiment, and a Party of Horse were sent down, to remain all Night as near the Works as they could conveniently. The Guns plaid, and Mortars also, for some part of the Night; but the General saw that our Batteries were too far off, and therefore new Measures were consulted on.

The Second in the Morning early, came an Express from Brigadeer Leveson, then at Newmarket, or there­abouts, to acquaint the General, that having intelligence on Monday in the Evening, where my Lord Merion's and my Lord Britta's Regiments of Horse lay; he march'd Brigadeer Le­vison routs a Party of the Irish. as privately as he could that way; and about one a Clock in the Morning he fell in with them, killing several, and [Page]

[Page] [Page 205] dispersing the rest; my Lord Merion himself escaping ve­ry narrowly. Then he divided his Party to pursue their broken Troops; but they knowing the Countrey, made most of them a shift to escape. My Lord Castle-connel and his Lady were taken Prisoners, or rather came to the Brigadeer, having fared very indifferently in the Enemies Quarters all Summer. Major Wood being earnest in the Pursuit, broke his Leg by the fall of his Horse.

A Council of War was this day held, and also a Court Martial, whereof the Earl of Drogheda was President; at which, amongst other things, a Woman was condem­ned for endeavouring to intice some of our French Soul­diers into Town, whom she took to be Roman Catho­licks. This Evening two great Mortars, 18 Inches and an half Diameter, that were brought from Ship-board, were mounted, and several Bombs thrown; but they did not do the hoped-for Execution: which occasioned the drawing them and the Guns off from the Batteries, with a design to attempt something elsewhere, or, if it could be, to pass the River: which the Enemy having private A Design to pass the River. notice of, they removed their Horse-Camp about two Miles to the North-East of Limerick, posting four Regi­ments of Dragoons to guard the Shannon below Anigh­begg, where they had three Regiments of Foot lay in­trenched. The Cannon however had been so troublesom to the Inhabitants, that most of them left the Town, and encamp'd under Sheets and Blankets, with what else they could procure, nigh a Party of their Horse, where they and their Army wanted nothing so much as Salt. The General seeing the Enemies Camp removed, went to a convenient Place to view them.

The third, the Guns and Mortars put on board, were again unshipp'd, (upon new Measures being taken) and brought up to the Artillery-Ground. One of Col. Nu­gent's [Page 206] Dragoons deserted from the Enemy, leaving them the Night before, and says that 17 Regiments of Horse and Dragoons belonging to their Army, were most of them at that time beyond the River, but neither well e­quipp'd nor clad, nor were the Regiments nigh full.

The 4th, Lieut. Col. Peck with the Princess Ann's Regiment, came to the Camp: and in the Evening a Party of 300 Horse and Dragoons were sent to reinforce Brigadeer Leveson: and some Reports there were that he was surrounded by the Enemy; upon which the General sent to him to return: but it proved only a Prey of Cows that the Enemy had taken from some of the Countrey-People, who had bought them from the Brigadeer's Par­ty at the Rout they gave the Irish. However, the Bri­gadeer had Orders afterwards to secure the County of Kerry, and to endeavour the reducing the Enemies Ga­risons there, six Guns being ordered for that Service. For the Enemies keeping some small Garisons between our Camp and Cork, was a great Disadvantage to us in point of Provisions, which otherwise we might have expected Plenty of from that part of the Countrey. The Duke of Wyrtemberg (as 'tis said) by the Advice of my Lord Castle-connel, who was come to our Camp, had A new Battery contrived nigh the Kings Island now found out a Place for a new Battery, nigh the King's Island, on the River-side, which was thought nearer the Town than the former, and from whence we could bat­ter the English Town more effectually. This Place in our publick Accounts was said to be within Carbine shot of the Wall, and yet it was at least 300 Yards from it. Nor was there any Conveniency to raise a Battery any nearer against this part of the Town, by reason of the River to the Right, and a low Morass Ground on the Front. But some Disputes about this new Battery were raised before it self, though at last it was concluded on; [Page 207] and several Regiments both of Horse and Foot were or­dered to move towards the Right, as well for the securi­ty of our Battery, as to front the Irish Army who were gone that way before us. We were at work also very hard upon a Line of Contravallation, raising three or four new Forts between the old Church and the King's Island, to secure the remaining part of our Army, in case some of them should be commanded over the River.

September the 5th, in the Evening we begun to work The Battery begun. at our new Battery. At first the Enemy did not discover us; but after some time the Moon shining very bright, they found us out, and fired both great and small Shot very lavishly, killing five or six; but still the rest went on bravely with their Work, and had soon brought it into such a Condition as to secure themselves.

The 6th, one Barnwell deserted the Enemy, and tells us they seem resolved to defend the Town, which they might do, except we passed the River, having all the County of Clare open to go out and in at pleasure. Our Men work still at the Battery, which being designed for a great many Guns, it could not be finished in one Night, tho the Rain did us some Damage. This Night some Townsmen swam over the River, and confirm the Ac­count given by Barnwell the day before, that the Irish re­solve not to give us the Town except we pass the River, since they had a free Passage to bring in and take out what they pleased: and amongst other things, they had forty Chirurgions Chests that landed from France in Kerry, which were conveyed cross the River, and so into Town at Thoumond Gate. They informed us also that most of the Towns-people having left it, and the Souldiers lying continually in the Works, our Bombs did not do that Execution that was hoped for: but that upon whatever House a Bomb fell, the Irish Souldiers presently rushed [Page 208] in and plundered it. And tho the Weather seemed to threaten us, yet this was no great Discouragement; since if it came to the worst, we had now our Ships in the River, and could at any time put our Guns on board, which Conveniency we wanted the Year before.

The General had now an Account from Brigadeer Le­veson out of Kerry, that the Enemy according to their usual way of destroying, had burnt Tralee; and that he had secured two of the Irish Captains that were active in that Affair: upon which he sent the following Answer.

September the 7th, this Letter was sent the Brigadeer (then encamp'd at Lixnaw) by Capt. William Fitz-Mau­rice, of the Earl of Drogheda's Regiment, and Son to the Lord of Kerry, who this Morning left the Camp, with about twenty or thirty of that Country-Gentlemen in his Company, having also an Order for a Guard of Horse and Dragoons from Asketon. But next Day coming to Listoell, within five Miles of the Brigadeer's Party, one [Page 209] of the Enemies Dragoons mistaking them for a Party of their own Men, came hastily up and told them, he was at first afraid they had been English, but that my Lord Merion's, my Lord Britta's, Sir Maurice Eustace, Sir James Cotter's Dragoons, with a Body of between 3 and 4000 Irish, lay behind the Hill; this Fellow they immediately shot for his pains, and sent to give the Brigadeer notice of their Danger, making all convenient haste towards Lixnaw: But the Enemy soon had notice of them, and drew out several Parties to intercept their Passage; our Men however, with some difficulty, gained a Pass: and yet the Irish ordered the matter so, as to be in a fair way to destroy them all, had not the Brigadeer appeared with a Party in the mean time; for having received an Account that the Irish were got into a Body in such a place, he was going then with a Party to discover them, not knowing the Danger our own Men were in. Upon the Brigadeer's ap­proach, when our Men understood who it was, they gave a Huzzah: At which the Irish began to draw off; and being in great Confusion, by reason of their eager haste to pursue our small Party, the Brigadeer fell upon them in that posture, and killed about thirty, taking Lieut. Col. O Ryan, and about thirty more Prisoners, the rest making too great haste to the Woods and Bogs to be o­vertaken. Our Party then went to the place where the Irish Camp had been, and found two Barrels of Powder, with a great deal of other Luggage, left behind.

At Limerick the Enemy fired very briskly upon us all that day, with eight Guns which they had planted in the King's Island, and other places: However we finished the Platform of the great Battery, and the flooring for the Mortars.

September the 8th, our new Batteries were all ready; one to the left of ten Field-pieces, to shoot red hot Ball; another to the right, of 25 Guns, all 24 and 18 Poun­ders; The Batteries finished, and play upon the Town. and in the Center were placed eight Mortars, from 18 Inches 3 quarters, to 10 ½ Diameter: these stood altogether upon the North-east of the Town nigh the I­sland: then there were 8 Guns of 12 pound Ball each, plan­ted at Mackay's Fort; and some also towards the River on the South-west, where the Danes were posted: Those fell to work all at a time, and put the Irish into such a fright, that a great many of them wish'd themselves in another place, having never heard such a Noise before, nor I hope never shall in that Kingdom. One of the great Mortars had a Shell burst in her, flinging the Mor­tar and Carriage nigh two yards from the flooring; which is demonstration, that the firing the Fuse before you give fire to the Mortar, is neither the readiest nor the safest way; but this was the method of all our Foreign Bombardeers: tho one Lieut. Brown, afterwards at Mac­kay's Fort, made use of a much better way, as shall in time be related. We threw Bombs, Fire-balls and Car­casses all day long, and our Guns were discharged almost without ceasing; by which there appeared a considera­ble Breach in the Wall, within the King's Island, be­tween A Breach made the Abbey and Ball's Bridg; and our Bombs, Fire-balls and Carcasses, had the like success upon the Houses in Town.

The 9th more Provision-Ships are ordered from Cork, under the Smirna-Merchant. We improved our Forts be­tween the old Church and our great Battery; and our Guns fire all day at the Breach, by which it was widened to a great Degree, and also a great many Houses beat down: we dismounted also two Guns from a Spur in the King's Island nigh Balls-Bridg, and play'd from Mackay's Fort [Page 211] upon four Guns more that disturbed us, from a Place where their black Battery was the Year before. The Enemy had cast up a Blind to prevent our beating down Balls-Bridg, but as our Battery was planted, the Blind was ineffectual, though we did not mind the Bridg much on that Side. A great many Bombs and Carcasses were thrown into Town, which set it on fire; and we understood afterwards that seve­ral People were killed in the indeavouring to quench it. That Morning all the empty Casks in the Army were ordered to be taken up and carried to the Artillery, where they were to be made use of when there was oc­casion for Floats. The Enemy that Afternoon made a Pretence of sallying; and some of them came out to se­cure a Ditch not far from our Battery, but were soon re­pulsed, and several of them killed, with the Loss of one Granadeer on our Side. There was also a Work begun close to the River-Side, adjoining to the Island, but the Spring-Tide over-flow'd it next Day. Though several Woolsacks were carried down in order to make an At­tack Some thoughts of storming it. upon the Island, and from thence upon the Breach; but this being found difficult, the Woolsacks were left with a Sentinel upon them at Night; which the Irish perceiving, some of them came over the River in the Night in Cots, and burnt several of the Woolsacks, the Sentinel looking on, and alledging for an Excuse, That he had no Orders to fire. The General gave Com­mand to draw off the Guns from Mackay's Fort, to some more convenient Place: But Colonel Wythers, Adjutant General, informing him what Execution some that were planted there did in the Town the Year before, he or­dered them to continue firing, which they did to very good purpose.

Sept. 10. There was an Order for a Pinnace and its Crew to attend Francis Burton Esq who made several Journeys into the County of Clare, and had so ordered the Mat­ter, that Clare-Castle was to be delivered up to us, though for some Reasons the General neglected the Op­portunity till it was included in the General Capitula­tion. In the Morning one Capt. Dobbin, a Quarter­master, and Serjeant, desert the Enemy, and told us, that the Bombs did great Execution in the Town, and had killed several: Our Guns fire very hard all that Day, and in the Evening a Bomb fell into a store of Wine, Brandy, Oats and Bisket, spoiling a great part of it. The Town was also set on fire in several Places, which burnt great part of the Night: And that Evening two Mortars were brought from on Board, and planted at Mackay's Fort, being managed by Lieutenant Brown, Lieutenant Lieuten. Brown our best Bom­bardeer. to Capt. Pitts Miners, who did more Execution than all the rest, firing three for one of theirs, and throwing the Bombs very exact; he neither made use of Sand up­on the Bomb, nor fired the Fuse; but putting it into the Mortar with the Fuse down, the Flash of the Pow­der kindled the Fuse as it was discharged from the Mor­tar. Colonel Wythers was sent by Sea, and Robert Pow­ley Esq by Land, to hasten up our Fleet, which we un­derstood was at Cork, the General having some Accounts that the French designed to relieve the Town.

On the 11th the Breach was widened at least forty Pa­ces; and Floats being prepared, there were great De­bates amongst the chief Officers whether it should be at­tempted by Storm, (tho most say it was only designed at first for the more conveniency of battering the Town;) Deserters telling us of a great Ditch without the Wall, always full of Water, and well pallisado'd, besides seve­ral Works within, which would have rendred the At­tempt [Page 213] very hazardous: but afterwards we found little Truth in this, though indeed we could not do the Ene­my a greater Pleasure, nor our selves a greater Prejudice in all Probability, than in seeking to carry the Town by a Breach, before those within were more humbled, ei­ther by Sword or Sickness: for we understood certainly that they had as many Men within as we without; be­sides the Hazard in getting into, or keeping the King's Island, where there stood a most excellent Fort with a double Line of Communication from thence to the Town, mann'd for the most part by the best of their Dragoons dismounted. Part of the Guns however were drawn off from Ireton's Fort to a new Battery, which was to the Right of the great one; and some planted nigh St. Thomas's Island, to cut off the Irish Communi­cation Guns planted near St. Tho­mas's Island. by a large Causey that led that way towards the Town. Five Deserters came off, who tell us of some Officers killed upon the Key by a Bomb; that they had only two Tuns of Powder in Town, and that their Stores were a great part of them buried in Ruines. Some of Sir Albert Cunningham's Officers gave the Ge­neral an Account from Lieutenant Colonel Ecklin, that Sir Albert was killed by a Party of the Irish at Colloony, nigh Sligoe, where they surprized him in the Morning early, most of his Dragoons shifting for themselves; and Balderock O Donnel, who then had joined him, very hardly making his Escape: But the English Pacquets brought us better News of the Turkish Army's being defeated in Hungary, and a great many Thousands slain.

The 12th most of our Guns and Bombs are directed The Cannon and Bombs fire at the Cathe­dral. towards the great Church in the midst of the English Town, because we understood that it was made their principal Store; and four Deserters tell us what great Damage was already done in all Places of the Town. [Page 214] But the Irish continuing obstinate, and the indeavouring to reduce the Town by Force with such a little Army as we had seeming dangerous, considering the very great Strength of their Works which were still intire, though the Town was much shattered; those and other Rea­sons were like to render it a Work of longer time than at first we hoped for, and the Winter now drawing on a­pace; therefore Orders were given to fit up Killmallock for a Place of Stores. And,

On the 13th the General sent Colonel Earl into Eng­land, Col. Earl sent into England. to acquaint her Majesty with the present Circum­stances of Affairs; that if we should not take the Town this Season, it would be absolutely necessary to send more Frigats, in order to block up the River Shannon, since Capt. Cole that commanded, and other Marine Offi­cers then in the River, had given it under their Hands, that they could post twenty Frigats so advantageously towards the Mouth of the River, under some Islands, that they should be able to live all Winter, and keep off twice the Number, if any Attempt should be made by the French towards the Relief of the Town; and that in the mean time the Army was to make as nigh a Blockade as they could. This was but melancholy News to both Officers and Souldiers, who were all willing to undergo any Hardships rather than go away without being Ma­sters of the Place.

The 14th some Dragoons with an Officer desert the Enemy; a Sergeant of theirs gave us notice where their Ammunition lay, and our Guns fire very hard all Day at the Place, the General and all the great Officers con­tinuing the whole Afternoon at the Battery, and were very well pleased to see a Bomb blow up some part of their Powder. At Night our Works were double mann'd, and our great Guns beginning to the right, the [Page 215] whole Line made three running Fires, which were se­conded by as many from several Regiments both of Horse and Foot, drawn up at the Heads of their respective Camps: this was for Joy of the Christians Success in Guns fired for Joy the Turks were defeated in Hungary. Hungary against the Turks; but it alarm'd the Irish, who stood at their Arms all the Night, being much puzzled to know the meaning of it; some saying that our Fleet had beat the French; and others, that it was only for a Blind at our going off; and every one as they fancied. Orders were now given for the demolishing Castle-connel, Carick a Gunnell, and other Places upon the Shannon; and several Miners were at work upon them.

The fifteenth, the Finnan Regiment of Green Danes march towards Clonmell, in order to go to Waterford; and most of our Guns were drawn off from the Batteries as a Blind, to a Design at Night; being a great many Men at work all day to prepare our Tin-boats and Floats. That Afternoon my Lord Lisburn then upon Duty with his Regiment, to the Left of the Great Battery, his Lord­ship having laid down to rest him in a little Trench-Tent, just in the rising up was unfortunately shot by a My Lord Lis­burn killed. great Gun from one of the Enemies Batteries; being a Man of excellent Parts, and who had shewed himself ve­ry diligent and forward upon all Occasions, since the be­ginning of this War.

In the Evening it was ordered that four hundred Granadeers, A Party order­ed to march o­ver the River. so soon as 'twas dark, should parade at the Head of Major General Kirk's Regiment, from whence they marched about nine at Night, being joined with six hun­dred Workmen, with the Tin-boats, and sustained with five Regiments of Foot commanded by Major General Talmash, and a Body of Horse and Dragoons under Ma­jor General Scravemore, with six Field-pieces. Those all march to a Place of the Shannon about two Miles above [Page 216] our Camp, and by twelve at Night begin to lay the Boats over. In the mean time the Granadeers com­manded by Sir David Collier, with Capt. Ketchmay of Sir John Hanmer's, Captain Alnut of my Lord Drogheda's, Captain Parker of Colonel Gustavus Hamilton's Regi­ment, another Captain, and eight more Officers, were wafted over by the Tin-boats into an Island where the Bridg was laying, and from whence it was fordable to the other side, beating some few Straglers of the Enemy from thence, who now and then fired at the Workmen, but with little or no Loss to us; for the Night being ve­ry dark, and the Enemy secure, because they judged us going off, the Bridg was almost compleated before they suspected it.

The 16th at Day-light our Bridg was finished; and A Bridg laid, and our Men pass over it. Colonel Matthew's Dragoons beginning to pass into the Island: by which time Brigadeer Clifford had got the Alarm, who was not far off with four Regiments of Dragoons; he seemed not very forward in the Matter, tho his Dragoons came down on foot, and pretended to make some Opposition, as did also a Body of the Enemies Foot, being about four or five thin Regiments, who ad­vanced towards the Ford, when Major General Talmash immediately commanded the Granadeers to wade thrô: which done, they possess'd themselves of an old House, and an Hedg or two, about an hundred Yards from the Enemy; and were commanded not to be lavish of their Shot, but receive the Enemies Fire till our Dragoons and some Horse were got over, which were passing. Then the Enemy endeavouring to flank our Granadeers on the Right, the Major General commanded a Detach­ment of Colonel Matthews's Dragoons to beat them from that Post: which being done, and a good Party soon got over, Major General Talmash ordered the Gra­nadeers [Page 217] to advance, being sustained by a Regiment of Foot commanded by Colonel Tiffin and Lieutenant Co­lonel Bristow, a Party of Dragoons, and a Party of Co­lonel Coys's Horse. This was done; and after some faint Resistance the Enemy run towards a large Bog, and a Wood that was in their Rear, throwing away their Gra­nadoes, Muskets, and every thing that proved trouble­som: our Men pursued them, and killed several upon the Bog, taking a French Lieutenant Colonel, a Cap­tain and some more Prisoners. Our advance-Party re­ceived Orders to halt till all were got over, and then march'd to the Left up towards the Enemies Camp. But by this time the News of our passing the River was got to their Horse, and also towards the Town, both Par­ties providing for their Safeties as well as they could: for the People that were encamp'd without, endeavour­ed to get into Town; but those within drew up the Bridg, and would not admit them; and it's almost in­credible what a Noise and Confusion there was then at Thoumond Gate: their Horse tho begin to buckle to Arms, and made a shew of fighting, which was only to gain time to secure their Tents and Baggage; and their Dragoons having their Horses two Miles off at Grass, were forced to shift for themselves. Our Horse expected Orders to pursue them; but they were commanded by the General and Lieut. Gen. Scravemore, who were now come up, to halt till a greater Body advanced to sustain them. Some of the Irish were now pulling down their The Irish in a great Conster­nation. Tents, others driving away the Cattle, and every one in a Hurry making what haste they could towards the Mountains; and then the General ordered our Men to advance towards their Horse-Camp, where they found Brandy, Beef, and a great many other things: And a Party of our Granadeers met with about three hundred [Page 218] Dragoon Saddles and other Accoutrements, which they burnt by Order. We did not pursue however for fear of an Ambuscade, but sent to observe the Enemies March. The Irish also nigh the Town were very busy in break­ing down two small Bridges cross a Causey, leading to the Town; but the firing of two of our Field-pieces put a stop to their Proceedings in that Place. There is a small white House about half a Mile from the Town on Thoumond side, nigh which two Squadrons of the Ene­mies Horse were drawn up, and about a Regiment of Foot posted in the Hedges, to secure their Lords Justi­ces, the Records, all their chief Ladies and Treasure, which all were there, and had been as then no difficult, though a very good Prize. But after some of our Parties had seen them go off in the greatest Confusion that could be, we set two or three Houses on fire: and staying on that side till about two a Clock in the Afternoon, we had Orders to return, leaving a Guard in a Fort newly cast up on the other side, to secure our Bridg; whenas it's not improbable, had we pursued our good Fortune, the Irish Horse had been routed, and the Town deliver­ed upon our own Terms.

The Irish had still a small Garison in S. Thomas's Island, which now submitted, where we got two pretty small Brass Field-pieces. There was also an Ensign with twen­ty Men in a Castle, in the midst of the River, a little below the Island, who were made Prisoners: This is The Castle on the Wier taken. called the Wier Castle, because it stands on a Salmon Wier. In the former Wars the Irish had a Garison here also, who deserting the Place, betook themselves to the Ri­ver: but being shot at, part of them came on shoar to­wards the West, who had Quarter promised them by a Captain in Colonel Tuthill's Regiment, and yet were stripp'd and killed by the Colonel's Orders, who was [Page 219] tried and cashiered for it; but the rest coming a-shore on the East, where Colonel Inglesby was, had better Treatment, and sent to the Town, Ireton being very an­gry at the others Breach of Faith.

We had only one Serjeant killed in all this Day's Ad­venture, and about twenty Men wounded, and the Ene­my lost not above fifteen or twenty at most. One Capt. Taaf in the Irish Royal Regiment deserts, and says the Besieged had not above ten Days Bread, and that our Bombs had destroyed a great part of their Ammunition. And that nothing might be left unattempted, to shew their Majesties Clemency, the Government's Lenity, and the General's generous Compassion towards the Irish, he orders the following Declaration to be sent them.

On the 17th a Council of War was held, wherein it Disputed whe­ther the Siege continued, or a Blockade. was hotly disputed, whether we should go on with the Siege, or march over the River and destroy all the Ene­mies Forage in the County of Clare, and then make a Blockade; and it was so far carried for the latter, that an Engineer was ordered to go with a Guard towards Kill­mallock, and fortify that Place: but before he got out of the Camp he was countermanded, and a great many Pallisado's were brought up to Mackay's Fort, as if we intended to winter there: three hundred Cars with Bul­lets, Bombs, and other Necessaries come to the Camp from Dublin, and our Guns play still from the great Battery. Eleven of the Enemies Troopers desert, and a Standard was brought in that was taken the Day be­fore; and my Lord Lisburn's Corps were sent hence to­wards Dublin, there to be interred. Our Bridg of Boats was this Evening removed towards St. Thomas's Island, but being too short, it was carried to another Place, where it had also the same Inconveniency.

The 18th, Orders were sent to the Men of War and other Vessels in the River, to set some Men on Shoar in the County of Clare, to destroy all the Forage they could meet with, since this was the time of Harvest; and if we must needs remove, the General was resolved to make the Irish Quarters as bare as possible; and seve­ral of our heavy Cannon were put on Ship-board.

The 19th it being resolved to pass the River with a Party, either to prosecute the Seige, or at least to burn the Forage; a Battery was raised between Ireton's Fort and the old Church, to flank the Irish in Case of a Sally from St. John's Gate, it being reasonable to expect one when part of our Army once pass'd the River: and now our People were very busy in lengthning our Bridg, which they found some Difficulty in fixing, because the the Rains had swelled the River, and we had not Boats enough to reach over; but that Defect was supplied by some large Carts and Barrels that were industriously fixed next the Sides, and so the Work was compleated, a Guard being always on the other Side for its Security; and my Lord Lisburn's and Colonel Creighton's Foot were encamp'd by it on our side. This Afternoon four Mor­tars were brought from the great Battery to Mackay's Fort, that Place being judged the fittest for bombarding, since the whole Town lay in a Line from thence. Three Rapparees were also brought in by the Militia, and ac­cused for murdering several of our Men as they straggled from the Camp to dig Potatoes; one of them produced a Pass, as being of my Lord Gallmoy's Regiment of Horse: but this was an usual shift, for in a Day or two there being evident Proof against them, they were con­demned by a Court-Martial; the General gave Orders that they should be broke upon the Wheel; but being told that this way of Torture was against the Laws of [Page 222] England, they were first hanged, and then their Quar­ters dispersed and hung upon the Hedges, on the adja­cent High-ways to the Camp. That Evening the Ge­neral was informed that the Enemy resolved to make a Sally, and therefore most of our Horse and Dragoons were ordered to remain sadled all Night: And in case of an Alarm, the Commander in chief where it should be Orders in case of an Alarm. given, was immediately to acquaint the General with it; upon which three Guns were to be fired from the Artil­lery, to warn the Regiments: those on the left were to defend the left Trench, Kirk's, Earl's, and Hales's were to defend from the Place my Lord Lisburn was killed to the great Battery; the other five Regiments of that Bri­gade were to defend from Mackay's Fort to the Well; and those Regiments of the Prince of Hesse, and La Mel [...]o­ner's Brigades were to draw up at the Head of their re­spective Camps, and there remain till further Orders: so that our Army being disposed of on this manner, the Irish would have met with a very scurvy Welcome, if they had come at any time to visit us, but they consider­ed better of it, and so staid at home.

The 20th most of the rest of our heavy Canon were Some of our Guns shipp'd. drawn off, and sent on Shipboard: Several Deserters come in, and some of our Prisoners make their Escape through a Hole in the Goal, which our Cannon had made, and inform the General of the State of the Town, that it was not so very bad as some People made it, for unless we kept them in also on the other Side, we could not hope to carry it, which Story had been very often told.

On the 21st the General received an Express with an Account of Sligoe's being surrendred to the Earl of Gra­nard; and it being fully agreed to pass the River next Day, and a probable Consequence of that being that [Page 223] the Irish must needs then or never endeavour to attempt the forcing of our Works on this side, when they saw our Army divide; therefore it was ordered, that in case of an Alarm, there should be a Signal given, which was by the lighting of a Torch upon a Pike at Mackay's Fort; the Charge of which was committed to the Of­ficer of the Quarter-Guard, and he ordered to be very vigilant; the Regiments being disposed of for Defence as before. The Quartermasters were also ordered to be be at Major General Tetteau's by break of Day. And therefore,

September the 22d, the General himself, the Duke of Our Men pass the River a se­cond time. Wirtemberg, Lieutenant General Scravemore, with all our Horse and Dragoons commanded by Major General Ruvigny, (except Colonel Coys's Horse, and fifty out of each Regiment of Dragoons) with ten Regiments of Foot, (and fourteen Guns, viz. ten 3 Pounders, and four 12 Pounders) taking also seven Days Provision along, march'd over our Bridg of Boats into the County of Clare, leaving Major General Mackay and Major General Talmash to command on this side. All that Morning as our Horse and Foot march'd by this side of the Town, the Enemy fired continually upon us from several Batte­ries, but did us no great Injury. At twelve a Clock all our Men had passed the River; and about two, eighteen of Colonel Matthews's Dragoons, being our advance-Par­ty, were attack'd by a Party of the Enemy, who out­numbred ours, and obliged us to retreat, till sustain­ed by a greater Party, as was also the Enemy: and some small Firings continued till about four, that our Foot came up, we advancing still, and the Enemy retiring till they were got under their Cannon. Then all the Granadeers of our Party, commanded by Colonel Tiffin, Lieutenant Colonel Hudson, and Major Noble, sustained [Page 224] by Kirk's, Tiffin's, St. John's, and my Lord George Ha­milton's Regiments, were commanded to advance and attack the Works that cover Thoumond Bridg, being one Fort to the Right above Musket-shot from the Bridg, The Attack at Thoumond Gate. another on the Left somewhat nearer; besides several na­tural Fortifications of Stone-quarries and Gravel-pits, in all which the Enemy had posted a Detachment out of eighteen Regiments, of about eight hundred Men. The Dispute was pretty hot at first: and their Cannon play­ing from the King's Castle, and two or three more Bat­teries, as also their small Shot from the Walls, the At­tack seemed very hazardous, and our Men ordered not to approach so nigh the Town as they afterwards did. However, the Irish being now pressed upon by our Gra­nadeers, they quitted their first Posts, and then were rein­forced by another Detachment from the Town: but all this could not do their business, for our Granadeers were so very forward, and despised all Dangers to that de­gree, that they put the whole Body to flight in despight of their Forts, Cannon, and all other Advantages, and pursued them so close, that a French Major who com­manded at Thoumond Gate, fearing our Mens entring the Town with their own, he ordered the Draw-bridg to be pluck'd up, and left the whole Party to the Mercy of our Souldiers; those that were behind, pressing the others forward, and throwing them down over the Fall of the Draw-bridg: then the rest cried out for Quarter, holding up their Handkerchiefs, and what else they could get: but before killing was over, they were laid on Heaps upon the Bridg higher than the Ledges of it; so that they were all either killed or taken, except about a hundred and twenty that got into Town before the Bridg was drawn up, and many of those cut and slash'd to the purpose. The number of the Dead is said to be 600 of the E­nemy killed. [Page 225] six hundred, amongst whom we may reckon one hun­dred fifty four that were drowned in being forced o­ver the Fall of the Draw-bridg, and reckoned afterwards cast up upon the Shore. The Prisoners were Colonel James Skelton, (who died afterwards of his Wounds) Lieutenant Colonel Edmond Hurley, Lieutenant Colonel Francis Dempsey, Major Matthew French, John Nelvil Aid-Major of Limerick, besides nine Captains, seven Lieutenants, six Serjeants, and ninety seven private Men; all whose Names I have, but they are not worth the while of writing down, or reading afterwards. We took also five Colours; and, as some say, three small brass Guns that were with a Party of their Horse. And we lost in this Action Lieutenant Starlin, with twen­ty five private Men, and had about threescore wound­ed.

One thing here remarkable is, that Colonel Skelton's A remarkable Paper. Pockets being search'd when he was taken Prisoner, the following Paper was found amongst other things: The Paper it self I have, and will not be answerable either for the Orthography or Sense; however take an exact Copy of it. And first, something like the fashion of a Spear's Head, or a Wound as he calls it, being slovenly drawn upon Paper, the following Words were writ a­bout it.

Animis scriptoris in manu Saluatoris.

I have more Charity for any in Colonel Skelton's Post, than to believe that he could write this Paper himself; for whoever did, understood neither English nor Latin, nor yet Common Sense. I therefore believe it the Hand-writing of some poor ignorant Irish Priest, and kept by Colonel Skelton either out of Ridicule, or possibly out of some Religious Design; since I have heard that they had a great many of those Papers print­ed and kept amongst them with a great deal of Devo­tion: and if we'll look amongst them, we may find a great many Instances of the like nature, and altogether as great Absurdities; for Colonel Skelton was no Irish­man, nor could he well be fond of the Fopperies of that Nation. In the former Wars we have several Relati­ons of such like Religious Papers found upon the Irish, with a great many Charms, and other such like Stuff; particularly at the Battel of Knocknaclashy, the last of that Rebellion, and parallel to this in several Circum­stances: for amongst other Charms taken at that time, this one is remarkable, viz. This is the Print of our La­dy's Foot; and whoever wears it, and says twenty Ave Ma­ries, shall be free from Gunshot. Cox, p. 68.

But this Digression I'm afraid is scarce pardonable; and therefore when our Men had lodged themselves within ten Yards of the Bridg, (notwithstanding an high Tow­er that stood near that End of the Bridg next to them) [Page 227] the Irish being then cut off from all Communication with their Horse, and despairing of Succours from France, they began soon to think upon giving up the Town: but it must needs be thought very unaccountable, that when they saw our Forces divide, and part of them indeavour­ing to approach the Town on their Side, they should not then have brought all their Army together, and given us Battel, rather than suffer the Town to be surrounded: nor could they have been so pinn'd up in the Town by us if they really had been beat, but that their Horse and Dra­goons might have fought their way out again at some time when we had not been at our Arms; for there was no Forage left nigh the Town, and our Horse could no more stay long near it, than theirs within it. But it's probable e're this time that they were grown jealous of one another, and a great many of them weary of the War it self; and it's as probable that if their Horse and Dragoons, after a brisk Trial of Skill, had been forced towards the Town, they had been served the same sauce by the French Major as their Foot were; and there­fore they were wiser, and kept at a good Distance, be­yond Six-mile-Bridg, and nigh Ennis, towards whom the General sent a Party of our Horse.

Next Day, being Wednesday the 23d, one hundred Cattle taken from the Enemy the Day before, and six hundred more sent out of the County of Kerry by Bri­gadeer Leveson, were divided amongst the Army. And though the Day proved very rainy, yet our Guns and some Mortars ceased not to play upon the Town, nor the Enemy to fire more furiously than they had done for some time before. One Lieutenant Colonel Corbet came off from the Enemy, and proposed to the General the bringing over my Lord Tyrconnel's and Galmoy's Regi­ments of Horse, and out of those two to make one good [Page 228] Regiment to serve their Majesties in Flanders, provided he might have the Command of them. Towards Night the Rain begun to cease, and both Storms were ended together, for about six a Clock the Enemy beat a Parly The Enemy beat a Parly. on both Sides the Town; one Colonel Ruth coming to­wards Mackay's Fort, where the Earl of Drogheda's Re­giment then were upon Duty: But Major General Tal­mash shortly after coming that way, and being ac­quainted with it, he referred the Matter to Lieutenant General Scravemore, and the Marquess Ruvigny. The General being then beyond the River, Major General Waughup, or Lieutenant General Sarsfield went out to him, and a Cessation was concluded for that Night.

The 24th in the Morning, Lieutenant General Sars­field A Cessation agreed to. and Major General Waughup came out to the Gene­ral, and desired it might be continued for three Days longer, till they could send to their Horse, who then were encamp'd towards Clare, in order to their being included in the general Capitulation which they then proposed, and the Request was granted. The Enemy had now in Town two hundred forty and odd Prisoners of our Army and Militia, that had been taken in the County of Cork, and other Places, who remained there all the Siege, and were pretty well look'd after whilst the Protestants had leave to stay, who were inexpressi­bly kind to them; but no sooner were they turn'd out of Town, but the poor Prisoners were in a miserable Condition, being exposed to the Fury of our own Guns and Mortars, and about thirty of them killed during the Siege. This Afternoon those alive were brought out to us, and delivered between Mackay's Fort and the Town, many of them in a miserable Condition; those of them that were not able to walk, were brought out upon poor lean Garrons; and some died upon the Spot [Page 229] where they were set down, being weak, and unacquaint­ed with the open Air: Nay so barbarous had the Irish been in this Particular, that they had not so much as or­dered the Wounds of some of our Men to be dressed that they had got in Prison by our own Guns; but after se­veral Days keeping them in that Misery, they brought them out, and made us all Witnesses of their Barbarity: I give one Instance of a Dragoon in Colonel Matthews's Regiment, who had his Hand shattered to Pieces, and being never dress'd, he died within an Hour after his bringing out. The same Day we had an Account that Galloping Hogan, a Fellow that had got upwards of one hundred Rapparees together, Horse and Foot, and got much Plunder by robbing the Sutlers and other People, that came into his Power; he was now so bold as to set upon a Party of Carrs coming towards the Camp with little or no Guard, nigh Cullen, and took away with him seventy one small Horses, though he durst not stay to do any further Mischief.

The 25th Lieutenant General Sheldon, the Lords Their great Officers come from the Horse Camp to con­sult with the rest in Town. Galmoy, Westmeath, Dillon and Trimblestowne, Mack Guire the Titular Primate, the Titular Archbishop of Cashell, Sir Theobald Butler, and several more of the Irish Officers, came from their Horse Camp; and dining with the General, they went afterwards into Town in a Boat rowed by French Seamen, (there being then three Vessels drawn up within the Key, and one of them sunk a-cross it, to prevent our coming up the River in the Night by way of Surprize;) as they rid by the End of the Bridg towards the Boat, a Party of their own Men were burying the Dead killed in the last Action; they stopp'd and enquired for several People, whom they there found dead: and the Cessation was continued till next Day at ten a Clock.

The 26th, Sarsfield and Waughup dined with the Gene­ral, and it was agreed that Hostages should be exchanged in order to a further Treaty. Accordingly in the Af­ternoon, Hostages ex­changed. my Lord Cutts, Sir David Collier, Colonel Tiffin, and Colonel Piper, were sent into the Town, for whom were sent out the Lords Westmeath, Iveagh, Trim­blestowne and Louth.

The 27th the Irish sent out their Proposals, which were;

These Propositions were very unreasonable, and they say mightily insisted upon by Mack Guire and others of the Priesthood: this Man I'm told was Chaplain to the Spanish Ambassador at Rome, when Plunket the Ti­tular Primate was hanged about the Popish Plot in Ire­land; and few People daring to assume that Title at such a Juncture, the Ambassador procured it from the Pope for him. When those Proposals were brought out to the General, he was so far from granting them, that he returned Answer, Though he was in a manner a Stranger to the Laws of England, yet he understood Rejected by the General, and new Bat­teries ordered to be raised. that those things they insisted upon were so far contra­dictory to them, and dishonourable to himself, that he would not grant any such Terms; and so returned them, ordering a new Battery to be immediately raised to the left of Mackay's Fort, for Mortars and Guns. Then the Irish sent again to know what Terms his Excellency would please to propose to them, who after a Consulta­tion, sent them in twelve Articles, much the same in Substance with those afterwards agreed upon, and said he would allow of no other: He sent them however all the Prisoners that we had of theirs in the Camp, in Requital of ours that were released before, their wounded Prisoners having always the same Conveni­ences with our own Men.

The 28th early in the Morning, Sarsfield, Waughup, Articles a­greed upon. the Titular Primate, Baron Purcell of Loughmoe, Arch-Bishop of Cashell, Sir Garret Dillon, Sir Theobald But­ler, and Colonel Brown, the three last Counsellors at Law, with several other Officers and Commissioners, came to the General's Quarters, whither he sent for all our General Officers; and after a long Debate, Articles were agreed on, not only for the Town of Lime­rick, but for all the other Forts and Castles in the [Page 232] Kingdom, then in the Enemies Possession, as Ross, Clare, &c.

The same Afternoon an Order was signed for part of the Transport Ships to sail from Cork to the Shannon, and there to take on Board some of the Irish Forces: The following Letter was also sent by the General to Sir Ralph Delavall, who he understood was upon the Coast with a Squadron of English Men of War.

The 29th all our Horse and Dragoons commanded by the Marquess Ruvigny go to encamp beyond Six-mile-Bridg, for the Conveniency of Forage, and a friendly Correspondence begun between the Irish and us, seve­ral of our Army going into Town, and others of them coming into our Camp.

The 30th most of the Irish General Officers dined with the Duke of Wirtembergh; nothing further being to be done till the Arrival of the Lords Justices, who were sent for to confirm the Articles according to A­greement: And by this time the Irish Souldiers and ours were also pretty well acquainted, they coming into our Camp, and our Men being admitted to view all their Works, where we will leave them, asking strange Questions one at another, and look back a little upon the Actions that hapned in other Parts of the Kingdom during this Month.

For whilst the Army was busied in the Field against A brief Ac­count of what hapned in o­ther Places of the Kingdom this Month. the main Strength of the Irish, the Government was not wanting to order the Militia in several Parts of this Kingdom, to suppress the skulking Tories, and [Page 234] other mischievous Persons, who laid hold on all Occasi­ons to do Mischief.

On the 5th of September a Party of Rapparees near Tallough, rob some Carriages belonging to the Officers in the Princess Ann's Regiment, and got away into the Woods. The Militia kill three Rapparees near Ca­perquin, and four more nigh Lismore.

The 6th, our Barbadoes Fleet came into Kinsale un­der Convoy of the Princess Ann, and the Bristol Frigats; and the same Day the St. Albans and Soldadoe brought 7 French Prizes into Cork. The Militia of Dublin, and eight hundred more from the North, being joined by Balderock O Donnel, with about twelve hundred Irish, were at Abby Boyle the 9th of September, on their March to Sligoe; and on their way they summon'd Loughlin, commanded by Colonel Theobald Dillon; and another Place commanded by Colonel Charles Kelly, both strong Castles, and garison'd by the Irish, which surrendred: and then the Earl of Granard, Commander in chief, sent to summon Ballymott, which refusing to surrender, Balderock with a thousand Men was ordered to attack it. This Place they say is very strong, and at that time commanded by one of the O Connors, who upon Sight of the Artillery surrendred upon Condi­tion, to march with his Party and Baggage towards Sligoe.

This done, my Lord Granard marches to Sligoe, ha­ving Advice that Colonel Mitchelburn's Regiment, and some of the Militia under Lieutenant Colonel Caulfield, had forced old Sir Teague and his Crew from several Out­works and Ditches, and obliged them to retire into the Fort. The Earl of Granard and his Party were hard put to it in their March thither over the Curlew Moun­tains; for their Draught-Horses being none of the best, [Page 235] and several of them tiring, the Men themselves were forced to draw the Cannon, and that for several Miles, which they performed very chearfully. That Afternoon the Enemy beat a Parley; but we found it was only to gain Time: and therefore in the Evening we began to fire with great and small Shot, and so continued most part of the Night without any further Loss on our Side, but of an Ensign who had his Head shot off with a great Shot. But the Enemy seeing a great many Carriages with my Lord Granard's Party, they were perswaded that they had brought heavy Cannon, with Mortars, Bombs, Carcasses, &c. So that they beat another Par­ley, and after some time they consented to surrender the Sligoe surren­dred to my Ld Granard. Town upon the Articles that were agreed to on the 6th of August, viz. ‘Their Party to march to Limerick with Arms and Baggage; and that all the little Garisons there­abouts in the Hands of the Irish, should have the Bene­fit of the Capitulation.’

The Fort was surrendred on the sixteenth, being made of Turf, and having in it six hundred Men and sixteen Guns; and Colonel Mitchelburn was left Governour. In former times the Castle of Sligoe was a good Fortifi­cation, being built by Maurice Fitz-Gerald Lord Justice, in the Year 1242.

September the 17th, the Dublin Militia return Con­querors home again, having not lost one Man in their whole March: and those of the North march towards Ballynewton and Castle-burk, to have them surrendred ac­cording to the Articles of Sligoe; many Robberies and Murders being committed in that Countrey, particu­larly on Dr. Brooks an eminent Physician, and three more, the Rapparees first wounding them in several Places, and then for security cutting their Throats.

September the 12th, the Irish take a good Prey near Tallough; and the Militia to be even with them, take another Prey, and kill one of my Lord Merion's Troo­pers, with two Rapparees. Captain Orfeur of Colonel Hastings's Regiment, going out with a Party of the said Regiment, and some of the Militia, he killed twenty of the Rapparees near Lismore, which so terrified the rest, that the Countrey thereabouts was pretty quiet for some time.

On the 12th of August John Mackabe, the notorious Rapparee, who so much infested the Bog of Allen, was brought with four of his Companions, by Lieutenant Sheilds and Lieutenant Courtney, to Dublin; and on the 19th they were hanged up in Chains at the Naas: This Fellow, and another called the White Serjeant, had been both in the Irish Army, but broke there for some Ro­gueries; and after a great deal of Mischief done to the Countrey, they both got what they deserved, the one being killed, and the other hanged. About this time one of the Militia was killed, and several wounded by the Rapparees near Caperquin; but in requital the Militia kill five of them.

Towards the latter End of September, two Lieute­nants of the Irish Army having deserted, and got our General's Pass to go home, they were met withal by Hogan and his Party, and stripp'd of what they had; but neither himself nor any of his Crew could read the Pass, else it's probable they would have sent them the way they sometimes did our Militia, when they fell in­to their Power. Two Rapparees of one Higgins's Party are taken; and himself desires a Protection. Six more are killed near Mountmelick. And on the 26th one Calog­han a great Rapparee, and some of his Party, come in under Protection at Edenderry: for now they began to [Page 237] be sensible how things were like to go on their side; and October, 1691. therefore when they were afraid to lose the Power of doing Mischief, they came in, and not before.

And to conclude the Month, Hogan and his Party meeting with some of our Militia Dragoons near Ros­creagh, murder seven of them, and the eighth hardly escaped. One Tiercy was seized and hanged: And one Purcell, after the Rope had broke with him, promising to make a Discovery, was saved, and detected four more. And nigh the End of this Month our Packets brought us an account of the Death of Lieutenant General Dowglass in Flanders.

CHAP. IX.

OCtober the first, upon a Complaint from Lieut. Gen. Sarsfield, that some of our Men begun to plunder and strip theirs as they found Opportunities, the General gave Orders that the Souldiers should not go beyond our own Works. And now the Irish begin to make Hutts in the King's Island, and draw several Regiments out of the Town thither, keeping all their Gates fast-lock'd, lest [Page 238] their Men should run away from them upon the news of going for France: for how fond soever they might be of K. James's Service, yet few of the common People have any stomach for travelling. That Evening about nine a Clock, the Lords Justices came to the Camp; which be­ing The Lords Ju­stices come to the Camp. signified to the Irish Officers, on the 2d about 3 a Clock in the Afternoon, came Sarsfield, Waughup, and all the other Great Men of the Irish Nation, Civil, Mi­litary, The Irish Great Officers come to the Gene­ral's Tent. and some Ecclesiastical, (only 'twas observable that the French Lieutenant Generals kept in Town, and pretended Indisposition, tho they signed the Articles; and yet the Matter was not great as to us whether they had or not, tho it was material to the Irish, as bringing them under the same Circumstances with themselves.) But tho things were in a manner adjusted before, yet there arose new Debates about the Rapparees, and other things, that lasted till 12 a Clock at Night: Then the Articles were ordered to be engrossed, and the Irish return into Town. My Lord Merion and my Lord Brittas were al­so now come from Kerry, and their Party included in the Articles.

The 3d most of the Irish Officers came again; and di­ning with the Duke of Wirtemberg, they went all after­wards to the General's Tent, where the following Arti­cles Articles signed. were interchangeably signed: The former about the Surrender of the Town, signed by the Generals; and the latter about the Privileges granted to the Irish, signed by the General and Lords Justices jointly, being afterwards ratified by their Majesties Letters Patents under the Great Seal of England, in Form following.

Our Men had Orders to march into the Irish Town that Night; but it was after Sun-set before the Articles We take pos­session of the Out-Works, were signed; and therefore Major-General Talmash that was appointed to take possession of the Town, did not think it convenient to march in the Night, but com­manded Count Nassaw's and Colonel Gustavus Hamil­ton's Regiments to take possession of the Stone-Fort, and all the Out-Works of the Irish-Town: And on the fourth, five of our Regiments march'd in, and took possession of the Irish Town, wherein we found 14 pieces of Canon, and a Church heap'd full of Oats, which the Irish had [...]nd of the Town. the Benefit of, according to the Articles. The Works were all exceeding strong, and the Town as dirty, the [Page 257] Irish had left very little else in it however, but carried every thing away that might do them the least Service. Our Regiments in Town were relieved every day as long as the Army staid, because the Place was so disordered, that we could not abide long in it till things were in some measure better disposed of. At our going in, we planted a Guard at one end of Balls-Bridge as the Irish had at the other.

October the Fifth, One hundred Men out of each Foot-Regiment Our Batteries levelled. were ordered to level the Works that we had cast up against the Town; and, about Ten a-Clock, the General received a Letter from a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Irish Army, complaining that he was imprisoned A Lieutenant-Colonel im­prison'd for denying to go with the Irish into France. for denying to go with them into France; which the General took so very ill, that he ordered four Guns to be carried immediately down, and planted upon Balls-Bridge, saying, with some heat, that he would teach them to play Tricks with him; which my Lord Lucan hearing of, (for so we may venture to call Lieutenant-General Sarsfield now, since the Articles do it) he came out to our Camp, and several sharp Words passed, my Lord Lucan saying, at last, that he was then in the Ge­neral's Power. Not so (replies the other) but you shall go in, and then do the best you can; but he endeavoured to excuse the thing, by saying there were Prisoners of War, and Prisoners of State, for some Misdemeanors a­gainst their Government; some of those, though not obliged by the Articles, they had set at liberty, who co­ming warm from our Camp afterwards, they begun to rail and speak dis-respectfully of the Irish Officers, for which this Lieutenant-Colonel was imprison'd, and not for desiring to leave them; so that after some other Re­plies, all things were quiet, and the Prisoner enlarged. The General however sent ten Field-Pieces and six Canon into the Irish Town, and in the Afternoon ordered the fol­lowing Declaration.

That Afternoon, my Lord Lucan and Major-General Waughop made Speeches to the Irish Souldiers in Town and in the King's Island, telling them, that though they were under indifferent Circumstances at present; yet next Spring, or soon after, they would either be landed in England, or else in Ireland, with a powerful Army; e­very Officer amongst them keeping their present Posts, at least, and would always be upon an English Establishment, and receive English Pay, even in France it self; and a great many other Advantages were laid before them, which would have seem'd improbable to any but Irish-Men, who easily believe what they wou'd have, but are as soon de­jected at any frivolous Misfortune. And whilst they were at this Work, the General was settling the Quarters of several of our own Regiments, who now had endured a very long and active Campaigne.

The Sixth in the Morning a Sermon was preached to each Irish Regiment by their Priests, declaring the Ad­vantages to them and their Religion, by adhering to the French Interest, and the Inconveniences, nay, certain Dam­nation, of joining with Hereticks; and then a good Quantity of Brandy given them to wash it down. After that the Bishops gave their Blessings; and then the whole Body of the Irish Foot were drawn out on the County of The Irish Foot drawn out, and put to the tri­al who would go or stay. Clare-side, being at least Fourteen thousand Men by Poll. The Lords-Justices and General went over the River to view them, Adjutant-General Wythers being appointed to acquaint them with the Advantages of our Service above that of France; and how unnatural it was for them to chuse to go serve in a Foreign Countrey against the real Interest of their own, with much more to that purpose, and Care was likewise taken to distribute the General's Declaration. Then the Regiments were order­ed to march, and those that were for France, went on; but those that were inclined to us, had liberty to file off at a Place appointed. That which they called the Royal Regiment, being then fourteen hundred Men, seem'd to go all entire except seven Men, which the General was much concerned at; then my Lord Ivaeghe's Regiment of Ʋlster, Irish, came off entire to our side, as did also Colonel Wil­sons, and about half my Lord Louth's, and a great many out of most other Regiments, Brigadier Clifford, Colo­nel Henry Lutterel, and Colonel Purcel, all appeared a­verse to the going for France. And on the seventh, the Lords-Justices having performed all that was necessary on The Lords-Justices Re­turn towards Dublin. their side, they returned towards Dublin; and Colonel Earles, with a Regiment of Danes, march towards Quarters. The Irish had kept their Stores pretty entire, from the begin­ning of the Capitulation till after the Division of Men; and then they distribute Bread, Brandy, Claret, and some little Money amongst those that staid with them, as well to [Page 261] encourage some, as to prevent others from going off, keeping their Gates always fast lock'd, and a strong Guard at each. And now the General seem'd displeased that the Irish used indirect means to threaten their Men into a French Voyage, telling the Irish great Officers plainly, that if they broke the Articles, he thought him­self no longer obliged to observe them; then Colonel Matthews, and Colonel Lumley were sent to the Horse-Camp upon the same account: And this day, and the next, my Lord Ivaeghe's, Colonel Wilson's, part of my Lord Dillon's, Colonel Hussey's, and other Irish Regi­ments were mustered nigh the General's Quarters, ma­king 1046 in those two days, beside double the number that had Passes to go home; those that were mustered had all of them Bread, Cheese, Brandy, and Tabaco, with a Fortnight's Subsistence given them by Adjutant-General Wythers, who never can be sufficiently com­mended for the Care and Pains he has taken during the whole War of Ireland.

The General was resolved to do all things possible to prevent the Irish going in so great Numbers out of the Kingdom, as being a strengthning our Adversaries, and a weakning of our selves; and therefore he orders the following Declaration to be Published.

October [...]. Brigadier Levison's Dragoons march from the Camp towards Kerry, and the Earl of Portland's, with another Regiment of Horse, go towards Green Ann Castle, to secure the Roads against the Rapparees, especially a­gainst Hogan, and his Party. Several of our Regiments move from beyond the River over the Bridge again, and many of them being pretty thin by reason of hard Marches and continual Duty, some Irish were enlisted to strengthen them; an Instance of the various Scenes in humane Af­fairs, that those very Men we were so busie endeavouring to destroy, and they ten times more inveterate against us, should yet be so far reconciled in so short a time, as to have them on our side, and eat and sleep amongst us; but Souldiers often think no further than Command; and we see it in Truces, That the very next moment after the sharpest Conflict, a Cessation being agreed to, the Men are presently as good Friends as if they never had fallen out.

October 9. Three more Danish Regiments move towards Quarters, and a great many of the Irish that came off, laid down their Arms at the Train, and so had Passes to go home, with Money to bear their Charges, which made it something scarce amongst our selves, though the poor men did not grudge it.

The 10th. Most of our Army returned from beyond the River, and 1000 Irish Horse and Dragoons that came over to our side, were mustered by Commissary Allen.

On the 12th. The Irish Horse that designed for France, marched through the English Town, and so out at the Water-Gate, towards Cork, being not one Thousand in Number as they passed by our Camp,

The 13th. Lieut. Gen. Ginckel with the Army march from The Army march from Lymerick. Lymerick towards Quarters, leaving Sir David Collier Go­vernour of Lymerick, with his own, Col. Venner's, Col. St. John's, and Col. Craighton's, with one Regiment more [Page 264] in the Irish Town, my Lord Drogheda's, and my Lord Lisburn's being encamp'd nigh the River-side; without the Walls, till the Irish should march out of the English Town. Major General Talmash staid behind to see good Order kept, and the Articles observed on both sides, according to the Design of them.

Assoon as our Army marched away, the Irish Foot-Guards Some of the Irish march out. went out towards Cork; they were called 140 [...] Men the Week before; but now, as nigh as I could count them, they made only 482: nor was this Number left before they got to Cork.

The 14th. The Irish make a distribution of Provisions, and some Money amongst their Men, and are fitting out their Guns and other Tackle in Town for France.

And here it may be enquired by some, what Security our General had for the Return of so many Ships as must be employed in that Expedition, since they were to go in­to the Country of our greatest Enemy, and K. James had a specious Pretext, as they were his Subjects, to detain them; they having no Power to make Articles to his pre­judice, &c.

But this is no difficult Business to resolve, since they had the publick Faith of the French and Irish Officers, which is seldom or never violated in such Cases; but all Men, during a Cessation, are commonly treated with the greatest Civility imaginable: Besides which, my Lord Lucan and Major General Waughop gave the following En­gagement under their Hands, as did also the two French Lieut. Generals D'Ʋssone and De Tessee, another in French, to the same purpose; giving also Hostages for the better per­formance of all Conditions.

The 16th. my Lord Lucan went from Lymerick towards Cork, to see things in a readiness for the Irish Trans­portation; and the same day Sir Maurice Eustace's, Major General Talbot's, Lord Bedloe's, Prince of Wales's, my Lore Clanrichard's, and Col. Bremingham's Regiments be­ing joyned, they march'd out, and made in all only 618 Men.

As they march'd through the Irish-Town, their men run away by dozens, having the way open for them; nor could their Officers prevent it by all their Care; for they kept the Gates always fast lock'd, and yet several from within the Town made their Escapes by swimming the River.

The 17th. my Lord Iniskillin's Regiment, that had been for some time in the County of Clare, was mustered be­yond the Town, and so were some others of them on the 18th. and 19th. During which time, our men were em­ployed in making clean the Irish Town; Major General Talmash going often amongst them himself, to encourage them to work.

CHAP. X.

ANd now the Campaign being ended, so that no con­tinued Thread of Affairs can be drawn from the Army, any thing that has happen'd since may possibly not be so acceptable; yet I hope it may not be amiss to [Page 268] give you some slender account how things have gone in that Kingdom since the Siege of Limerick to the time of the Proclamation for the War's being ended; though, be­fore I proceed further, it will be necessary to look back, and bring the Actions done in several other parts of the Kingdom, up to the Armies removing from Limerick; which indeed may be told in few Words, since little of moment cou'd be expected in any other place, but where the Seat of War was fixed.

In the beginning of October, Sollicitor-General Levinge, and Sir Richard Reves, being appointed Judges for the Connaught-Circuit; because the Countrey was very indif­ferently inhabited, and not as yet throughly settled, Assizes were appointed to be held for this Province, only at Mul­lingar, Roscommon, and Galway, which was done according­ly: About 20 Rapparees were killed in the Counties of Waterford and Cork, by some small Parties of the Militia; and one Whitney, with 4 more in his Company, were set upon, and murdered by a Party of Rapparees, as they were going towards the Queen's County, though they killed two, and wounded others before they were seized. And now those loose Fellows seeing how it was like to go with their Party, several of them come in under Prote­ction, and desire to serve their Majesties abroad, when they were out of hopes to plunder their Subjects any lon­ger at home.

All the Irish Prisoners of War that were in Waterford-Gaol, Irish Priso­ners of War released. being upwards of 200, were set at liberty, as they were afterwards at several other Places; particularly at Carigfergus, where 15 Officers, and about 60 private Men had been Prisoners, ever since the Rout at Cavan: and at Lambay, where the Prisoners, taken at Ballymore, were kept most of this Summer; but now were all discharged ac­cording to the Capitulation.

And as the Irish grew weary of their former Courses on that side of the Country towards Dublin, (or rather being forced to it when they could no longer carry it on,) so they submitted apace in all the Corners of the King­dom. On the 14th, one whom they termed Colonel Some Rappa­rees lay down thei Arms. Burk, a popular Man amongst the Rapparees, with a great many of his Followers, came in and submitted at Lough­rea in the County of Galway. On the same Day the Irish Horse, and some Foot, March from Cashell towards Cork, the Prince of Hesse going along, as well to prevent the Irish from plundering the Countrey, as to hinder any little Quarrels that might happen between them and our own Men as they met accidentally upon the March.

On the 14th Two Proclamations were Published by the Proclamations of Pardon to the rest. Lords Justices and Council, one reciting a former Procla­mation, Dated the 18th of September, promising Pardon and Protection to all Robbers, Thieves, and Rapparees, who within a Month should surrender up their Arms to any Justice of the Peace, and take the Oath of Fidelity to Their Majesties mentioned in the Articles of Limerick, requiring the Justices of the Peace to make a return un­der their Hands, of their Names, places of Abode, their Qualities, and Arms, but forbidding all protected Per­sons, and others, to relieve, conceal, or harbour, the said Robbers, who would not submit; upon pain of forfeit­ing their own Protections, and being prosecuted with the utmost severity of Law for such offence: Promising also a Reward of Forty Shillings to any one that would bring in the heads of any such Rogues as would not lay hold on this fair opportunity. By this Proclamation the time for their coming in was protracted till the Fifth of Novem­ber.

The other Proclamation was to forbid all Officers and Souldiers of the Army, or others, to do any harm or in­jury to any of the Irish, or make any distinction of Na­tions, every one that takes the Oath, to be esteemed a Subject, and equally entitled to the Benefit of Their Ma­jesties Laws with the rest, &c. By which means all things became so Calm on a sudden, as if there had been no Storm at all in that Kingdom.

Our Army are now on their March to their respective Winter Quarters, and those of the Irish that came over to us had Subsistence and Quarters assigned them till Their Majesties pleasure was further known.

On the 19th, Hogan, and most of his Crew, came in at Roscreagh, and had the benefit of the Proclamation, being afterwards allow'd Twenty Four Men by the Gene­ral to suppress other Rapparees upon occasion, tho' this was fatal to him, for some of that sort of People Murdered him afterwards. All the Roads and other places leading The Ʋlster Irish return home with their Cattle. from the Counties of Kerry and Clare towards the North, are now full of nothing but Creights, and vast stocks of Cattle driving homewards, which was a little odd to see, that they would rather hazzard the loss of their Cattle by a long March into Ʋlster, where they had formerly robb'd and plundered the Protestants, and were like to be called to an Account for it, at least they could expect no great encouragement in those places for the future, nor any as­surance of their being received as Tenants to their old Farms at their return thither: One would have thought, I say, these things considered, that they would rather have endeavoured to stay in the Counties of Kerry, Clare, and Limerick, where there was Land enough for them, and at easie Rates, than to run all hazards by going down into the North; but the reason of this is plain, for there is so [Page 271] great an Antipathy between the Ʋlster Irish, and those in other parts of the Kingdom, as nothing can be more, and the Feuds amongst them greater than between either, and their injured Protestant Neighbours, whose favour they had hopes of gaining sooner, than the friendship of one another, neither Party trusting other, or ever desiring it to be otherways; my Lord Merion, Brigadeer Clifford, Colonel Henry Lutterill, Baron Purcell, and a great ma­ny more of the Irish Nobility and Gentry go towards Dublin.

By the Articles of Limerick you may see, that the The French Fleet arrives in the Shannon. French General Officers expected the coming of their Fleet, and what was only a report before, is now con­firm'd, that they really did come, being Eighteen Men of War, Four Fireships, and Twenty Ships of Burden, under Monsieur Shalterneau, of which Monsieur D'Ʋssone gives notice to Major General Talmash, and it was agreed to keep a friendly Correspondence till all matters relating to the Articles were settled. The French releasing some of our Ships that they had taken, before they heard of the Cessation. And nigh the same time the Plimouth, Adven­ture, and Centurion, Three of our Frigats came into Kinsale, having brought under their Convoy Two large Pinks with Powder and Ball for that Fort, and said, they left Sir Ralph Delaval, with a Squadron of Thirty Men Sir Ralph De­laval with a Squadron in these Seas. of War under his Command, about Twenty Five Leagues from thence. Which the General having notice of at Kilkenny, he writes a Letter to him, dated October 25th, giving him an account of the French Fleet's arrival in the Shannon, and desiring him to Sail that way: And the Day after having received some Accounts how high the French The General writes Two Letters to him. carried themselves, and how many Scruples the Irish great Officers made since their coming, he sent away another Express with the following Letter.