WHen, with a Veneration due to your Greatness, I presume to consider the Happiness of those Blessed Climates that are under the Benignity of your Aspect and Influence; when I contemplate the smiling Posture of all Things and Persons, under the Cherishing and Reviving Rays of your All-Enlivening Eyes: Pardon me Madam, if I say, it in some mea­sure fills me with Emulation in the midst of all my Triumphs, that the Acquests of my Sword must be vanquish'd, and Out­shone by the Conquests of your more power­ful Beauty.

It was this, Mighty Princess, that first set the Courts of Italy agogg, when the Attraction of your Early Charms made them pay Homage to the Growing Glory of the House of Modena: This made the most Wise Monarch of France recommend your Highness, as the fittest Person in [Page 2]the World to take the upper Hand of the Dutchess of Portsmouth, and fill the Envied Throne of that Kingdom, with such an Awful and Viraginous Majesty, as no Fe­male besides could pretend to: And the Power of the same Magnetick hath com­pell'd him to court your Royal Pre­sence, which alone brings with it an Excellence and Perfection, surmounting all the other Glories of his Palace. Nor can it be thought, that your Majesty is one Ace behind that great Monarch in point of Complement, when it shall be consider­ed, you have preferred the felicity of an Entertainment at St. Germans above the Throne of England, and three Kingdoms to pay you Homage.

The Romancers of your Italy make their Knights and Champions in the heat of their Encounters, Catching a Glance, a Smile, or Innuendo from the fair Eyes of their Saints or Mistresses, which hath Elevated their Courage to such a degree, that Wo be to him that is the Assailant! for present­ly you hear of Armour chopt to pieces, a Combatant Chined at one Blow, or a Horse beheaded, or some very dead-doing Exploit. Who then can doubt of that happy Re­verse of Fortune that must attend my great Master, when he shall return with fresh Vigour to persue his Conquests here? When he shall come with a Zeal Enflamed, Valour Exalted, Indignation Whetted, Courage Pointed, and so All-over-influenced with your Powerful Aspect; That if all the He­reticks had but one Head, and that were entring the Gates of Limerick, his de­rived Force would be sufficient to dispatch him at one Blow. You see, Madam, how the Hearts of your humble Votaries are supported, to what a pitch of Expectation they are lifted, and their Hopes raised with the assurance of your Virtue: For if you do not condescend to Pity, and Re­dress our Woes, all our Hopes must give up and Expire. 'Tis therefore to your Shrine, who are our living Saint, that we bring our humble Devotions; for, as for our dead Guardians, and Tutelar Friends, nay, even St. Patrick himself, we have called upon them till our Throats are sore, and our Hearts ake again, and cannot make them hear a word; whether the E­nemies Cannon have deafned them, or whe­ther they are afraid it is the same Army that was last before these Walls, I know not; but they are all as mute as Fishes: So that we are not only obliged to supplicate your Personal Assistance, but that your Ma­jesty will use your powerful Intercession with the Saints of your Country; and en­deavour to prevail with your old Friend and Patroness Our Lady of L [...]re [...]to, and your great Benefactress St. Winefryd to put their helping Hands, for be Shaint Patrick, Madam, there will be a great deal of very much need of every bodies help indeed.

All the last Winter, the Duke of Schom­berg, and those never-to be-forgiven Furies of Ineskillin kept us, out of the N [...], and as soon as their King came, we [...]ntly Retreated over the Boyne, not without leaving of Harrows, and Crows Feet in the River, to have tamed their Horfe-heets that they might not persue us too fast; but not­withstanding the Depth of the Water, the Opposition on our side, the Difficulty of Landing, and the Danger of the Bottom, their Troops came over as sound as Roaches, or as if they had participated of the Na­ture of those Amphibious Creatures to whom the Land and Water are alike.

Dublin we Abandoned, because it was not Tenable if we had not wanted Bravery, but our Valour is so near kin to that of Louis the Great, that it thinks it self not safe unless it be Walled in: But no sooner had we quitted Dublin, but the Hereticks took Heart, seized upon all their own Arms which they found in the hands of our Friends, took the Castle and declared for their King William, and Queen Mary. [Page 3]Waterford, and other places did the like: [...] that it was high time for my Sacred [...]aster to think of taking Sanctuary under [...]he same propitious Roof with your Royal [...]elf, and the Illustrious Off-spring of Lo­ [...]tto's Favour. It was time, to betake [...]imself to Your Majesty for new Courage, [...]nd the Potent Louis for fresh Forces.

What incessant, and indefatigable [...]ains were afterwards taken by Monsieur [...]auzun, Monsieur Sarfield, and my self to [...]e [...] Our Tatter'd Troops together, and to make those last Efforts of despair, which were put in most Catholick Execution when We fell upon the Gunners Wives [...]nd Children, and a small party that Guar­ded the Train, with a detacht Body of Our Army? These, Madam, Phope, without [...]anity, I may presume to call Undenia­ [...]le proof of Our Fidelity to your Royal Cause, and inestimable Persons; and I must further take leave to add, that in [...]hese Enterpri [...]es the Young Duke of Ber­ [...]ick hath behaved himself with a Gallan­ [...]ry becoming the Son of his Father, and the half Brother of the Excellent Prince of Wales.

But what doth the most accomplished Resolution, and the greatest French-Assu­rance imaginable signifie; when they shall meet with a Magnanimity that Triumphs over Difficulties, and Glories in attacking the Greatest Opposition? When Heaven it self shall, like St. Peter's Successor, take [...]art with Hereticks, and the Flood of Shunnon, which is rarely known to be fordable, shall, like the Red-Sea, make way for the People to pass thorow; There needs no less than an Obduracy like that of Pha­raoh, to be Impenitrable unden such severe Dispensations.

That you have heard of Our Inimita­ble Valour, and that from the Fire-works, Statues, and Medals of the Mighty Louis all Europe hath been Advertised of Our Celebrated Prowess, is apparent, Mighty Princess, from the Invidious Remarks the English, and Dutch Gazettes, and Pam­phlets have made thereon. But, what­ever impertinent Reflections they have made, There is no doubt but Posterity will pay a just Acknowledgment to our Courage in Ireland, as well as to the Ʋn­presidented Conduct of Our Great and Au­gust Patron of Versailes, Since it is impos­sible that the Glory of his Ʋndertakings can be mentioned, without Reflections on the Affairs of Ireland: Nor is it reaso­nable to despair of a proportionable Success of that Ʋnbounded Monarchs Enterprizes in England, and the other parts of Eu­rope, Since His Majesties Ʋnaccountable Ʋndertakings are founded not only on the Direction of his Absolute Power, but on Ancient, and Ʋndeniable Prediction; It having been long since entred in the Book of Fate, That

So that it is plain, howsoever Provi­dence may be enclined, Fate is plain and directly for Us: And there is no fear of Our coming off with Victory in Our other Attempts since We have so Prospe­rously begun Our Acquirements here.

Madam, I have not only sent you what Treasure it was possible for me to Rap from this Country to support the Gran­dure of your Figure at the Court of France, but have also sent the most Inestimable of my Own Treasures, my Countess, to bear up Your Majesties Train, and to pay her best Devoires to your Growing Prince. But I earnestly implore Your Majesty, that to prevent heats betwixt her and the Marchioness of Powess, Your Majesty will command them to Cast a [...]ce for Prece­dence.

Whilst I am writing this the Enemies Cannon are Thundering down the Walls of [Page 4]this City, and their Bombs have almost Ruined all the Streets; and yet such is the intrepid Heedlesness of your poor Vassal and my Irish Troops, that I esteem Lime­rick too mean a Sacrifice to Your Majesties Interest, to whom Three Kingdoms are but a small Oblation. It was but in the Year, 1641. 200000 Hereticks fell Victims to the Holy Cause, in this Island; and were I Master of as many Islands, They should all be Offer'd up a Tribute to Your Maje­sties Shrine; such is the profound Zeal and Veneration I have for Your Majesties Interest, and Resolutions.

I have read, amongst the Legends of Our Saints, That when the Famous Pa­tron of Our Nation St. Patrick had reaped Immortal Glory by the Exploits of his Sword, and render'd himself the most ac­complisht Champion of his Age; Big with Fame, and loaden with the Renown of his past Actions, He walled himself in be­tween Four Walls, from the Society and Disturbance of the rest of Mankind; and because nothing should Interrupt his Devo­tions, he left access for neither Visitants, nor Victuals; and so after the Fatigue of a Life full of Turmoils, he separated him­self from Men first, and soon after from Life, Expiring in a lonely Calmness, and Privacy, which he chose rather than to be knockt on the head, or burnt alive. I must confess that Our being Immured here within the Walls of Limerick looks very [...] after the manner of a Sepulchre, and as if we were to make Our Exits like that Champion, and Confessor: Only in this [...] differ? that Our Immurement is not so [...] ­luntary, and Our Inclosure is every [...] battering, and burning down about [...] Ears. However if Your Majesty please Consult the Archbishop of Paris whether be not the same thing in the Origin [...] and as useful to the Purposes of H [...] Church, If we are burnt or starved to Dea [...] and whether We may not have the h [...]nour to be Matriculated amongst the Sai [...] of this dear Country; this will be of gre [...] Confirmation and Satisfastion in these E [...] ­tremities.

I am only to Crave Your Majesties Pa [...] ­don for the Presumption of this lo [...] Letter, tho' a Volume would not conta [...] what I have to say, on this Dismal Occ [...] ­sion: And to pray your Clemency, Th [...] what Succors can be spared be immediat [...] dispatched to Ʋs, otherwise not only n [...] Great Masters must lose all footing in th [...] Kingdom, but that Unhappy Rhime whi [...] was at the Compiling a Thanksgiving f [...] the Conception of a Prince of Wales; say that Unhappy Ballad is in danger [...] become a Prophesie. (Viz.)

This, as it would be the Dread, a [...] Confusion of all good Catholicks, and the Faithful Adherents, shall be Zealous [...] Constantly, and Bigot-like opposed wi [...] the last drop of Blood of Your Majesties

Limerick, Septemb. the 1st. 1690.