COncerning (these particulars) the taking of the Towne, and Castle of Enishannon from the Rebels, by Sir Simon Harcourt, and Sir Thomas Temple, with a notable Victory over the Rebell Mac-Cartie at E­nishannon Foord: Mack-Con the Rebels attempt upon the Towne of Bandon Bridge, and their happy Defeate by Sir Richard Grinfield.

Sunday, Ian. 16. Sir Simon Harcourt, and Sir Thomas Temple, hearing that the late risen Rebell, Dominick Mack Carty was drawing toward the Towne and Castle of E­nishannon: with intent to victuall and man it better, as we conceived: considering how neere that Castle stands unto Kingsale, lately recovered, and how bad an enemy [Page 2]likely to prove, if wee should suffer the Rebels, not on­ly to neastle there, but even to passe by our doore, and to relieve them in a Bravado, desired of God dispensation for breach of the Sabbath, & after some short prayers, and recommending our selves unto God: with refreshing our bodies with such food, as the condicion of the time, and place, would permit: Wee advanced two hundred Horse, and fifteene hundred Foot, and five small field Peeces with this equipage; we came unto the foord of E­nishannon, being very exceeding broad, but not very deep, hard chalky clay, being the siedge of the Foord: An arme of the Sea flowing up from Kingsale, three Irish miles: wee must needs passe this Foord unto Enishanon, other way there is none.

Mounsieur Mack-Carty passed along the other side of the Foord upon the Strand, in passing good order, as ever saw Rebels, since I came over, his Horse being at least foure or five hundred compleatly armed: his Foot two thousand, and about six or seaven hundred compleatly armed with Pike, halfe Pike, Musket, or Calliver, (which makes me suspect something, seeing that a Rebell but lately risen, and of no great note, this being the very first exployt that ever hee tooke in hand, as we heare of, should in so short a time bee able to raise so many men, and in that manner to furnish them) wee expected not, till hee should bed us come over: but forthwith sent over our Cavalerie to charge him, and a little to stay his haste, and to perswade him to take us along with him to Eni­shannon: if wee could not obtaine so much as to be there before him: Sir Simons two hundred Horse were as good, and as serviceably fitted, as ever were horse, that went out of England and the Cavallieers that sate them, as experienced Fire-men: Yet their marching so farre in [Page 3]the water; and the enemy standing on the dry strand, much broake their charge, and advantaged the Enemies, who received their charge boldly, and answered it stout­ly: at least whether that they wanted powder, or (which I rather beleeve) their powder was damp, being carried in bags by their side, (as their manner is) whether it was one or the other, their pistols would no longer fire, with Mack-Cartie perceiving, caused his Cavallerie to retire: and advanceth his Infanterie against our Cavallerie: and not the worst in front you may be sure.

Wee victualled and mannerd the Castle with such provision and Ammunition as wee could well spare, untill wee shall heare farther from you; and on Mon­day were back againe at Kingsale.

Tuesday the eighteene we heard newes that Bandon Bridge was suddenly surprized by the Rebell Mac Con; and most fortunately relieved by Sir Richard Grenvill: a very fine English Towne walled in, belonging unto the Earle of Corke: the manner thus: Sir Richard at his ar­rivall to Corke, it being a thick and foggy ayre, was something ill disposed: Captaine Thomas Finch, Cap­taine of the Fort, perswaded him to take his Troope, and to scoure the Countrey, passing as farre as Bandon, there to lodge a night or two, being a most sweet ayre, thereby not onely to recreate himselfe, but also to revive the drooping hearts of his deare Country-men, with the pre­sence of so worthy a Commander: Sir Richard consen­ted, and the next morning being Munday, Jan. 11. with fourescore Horse, and only thirty Muskettiers, passed thither; when hee came upon an hill, within a mile of the Towne, hee heard their Drum beat, and saw their co­lours fly, the Towne standing in a bottome; likewise a­bout [Page 4]some hundred shot play, wondring that they played so fast: within halfe a mile wee heard lamentations of women, and crying out of children, we liked not that: Sir Richard caused his Trumpets to sound, his Horse and Muskets to order, and thus they all crying courage coun­treymen, a Grinfield, a Grinfield: we came to the gates, which by reason of the great confusion in the Towne, were not opened scarce within a quarter of an houre.

Being entred, they found the Enemy to have entred in the Low Towne thorough the water, betweene two buts of wall; some forty were entred, and scirmishing with the Townes men: the rest to the number of six hundred, were passing the foord a maine; when they saw our trumpets and such a number of fresh horse in that equipage, and the shot plainely increased, they in the passage retired with all speed they could make, into the wood and bog, some Two miles above the River, never staying for their fellowes in the Towne, who were all slaine to the number of fourty five; nine Bandon men were either slaine or dangerously hurt: Thus was that pretty Towne happily relieved, but all other newes is not of this nature, I wish it were.

Townes of greater importance are taken, that way wee had sustained some harme, had not Sir Si­mon so wisely considered the Rebels advantage, (ha­ving not onely the strand, but divers high and bro­ken sandy bancks behind him shocked with his supplies) and caused his Infantery upon the falling back of his horse to come up anckle deepe in water in one whole body and to powre in such a volley of shot into the Rebels grosse, that they dropped wonderfully, neither could their shot at that distance reach our men, as ap­peared [Page 5]afterward, being most of them Calivers: Sir Simon perceiving how the game plaid, would not suf­fer his men to move any further, but to ply their shot at such distance, which hee perceived sufficiently anoyed their Enemies, and did them much harme; At the third volley, the Enemies Infantery gave over and retired to the banckes upon their horse, how much they retired as neare as could be guessed, ours at distance advanced, till at length, the Enemy gave the freedome of the strand: then after one volley more, our horse now under the command of Sir Thomas Temple, having recovered the strand also, as now our foote had already the bancks. At last, having found where they got up two horse a breast, (the foote in the meane time awing the Ene­my, fell upon them in such a fierce manner), that no re­sistance in a manner was made; there was dead upon the ground eight hundred horse and foote, with Mack Cartie and his two Bastard brethren, whose heads were strait way smitten off, and carried upon poles unto Enishan­non.

Whither being come, the Towne made, nor could make no resistance; The Castle would not answer; whereupon Sir Simon with his five pieces battered the gate, and wicket, entered by force, found thirty desperate Villaines in it, hanged some of them over the Castle wall, some in other parts of the Towne.