LAst Night, there arrived here upon a small Barque from Ireland, several Officers who left our Camp on the Thurs­day before, from whom I have re­ceived the following Account of Af­fairs there, which I have thought fit to Communicate to you.

That one Mr. R. K. an Attorney, and one Mr. Hutchison a principal Gun­ner in the Town of Cork with some others, having with some difficulty made their Escape from Dublin in a small Boat, did on Tuesday before these Gentlemen came away, get safe to Donaghdee, and being brought before the Duke of Schonberg, they were Examined upon several things relating to the Condition of Affairs at Dublin. The substance of their Answer consisted of the following particulars. That Collonel Buchan with some orher Offic [...]rs, was sent by the late King into Scotland, in a Scotch Fri­gat of twenty eight Guns, which had been refitted at Dublin, with Cloaths and Arms, and several Com­missions, in order to raise Distur­bances and Commotions in that Kingdom, and that they are gone for Innerlochy, where Sir Evan Ca­meron, Lord of Locheale Commands. That the late King is in daily Ex­pectation of the Arrival of Six or Seven thousand French men from France, whether an equal Number of Irish is to be sent in lieu of them, under the Command of Lieutenant General Mackarty, who lately made his Escape from Inniskilling. That the Earl of Clancarty having been some time since out of Favour, was upon his Unkle's return to Dublin, restored again to his Regiment of Horse. That Monsieur le Comte D'Avaux the French Ambassador in Ireland, is preparing for his return back again into France, from whence they say, He is to go in Quality of Ambassador Extraordinary to Rome; at the same time, the Comte de Rose, [Page 2] the French Governor of Cork, makes account to return, he being much out of Favour, for having abused the Trust the late King had put up [...] him, and for defrauding the Coun­try he Commanded in, of Five and thirty thousand Pounds, which they say he sent to France some while ago. The French Go [...]ernour of Drog­heda, is [...]h the same Circumstances of Disgrace, being found Guilty of false Musters, and of receiving of the Pay of Six hundred Men (for a con­siderable time) more then he actu­ally had; he is to return into France at the same time that Mon­sieur D'Avaux does.

That the Irish Horse are much spoll'd and diminished in their Numbers, insomuch, that it is generally be­lieved that the late King will not be able to bring into the Field the next Campaign, nothing nigh so good a Body of Men or Horse, as he did last year; and that for all the great noise that was made of their mighty num­bers then, Mr. K. says, That they were at no time more than Six thou­sand Horse.

That they have made some Fortifi­cations about Dublin, such as Tren­ches and Palisadoes, and set up Gates on the several Bridges of the Town; but that there has not been so raging a Sickness amongst the Inhabitants of Dublin, nor such Mortality as was talked of; tho it was very great amongst the Army, and they carried the same wheresoever they came. That the late King is at Dublin, where there are only three Regiments Quar­tered, and two Regiments more at Drogheda, the rest of the Army being Quartered up and down in Mun­ster.

They further say, That the Prote­stants in Dublin have all their Churches but Christ Church, which i [...] employ'd by the Roman Catholicks; that there have been no hardships put upon them of late, and that all things are pretty plenty there, considering the Circumstances they are [...]nder, ex­cepting Bread; the scarcity of Corn being occasioned by the late Kings raising the Copper Money to double the Value that it past for at first, which made the Country-people unwilling to bring their Corn to Market, but that that was presently remedy'd by a Proclamation, wherein all Persons were strictly Commanded to bring in their Grain to the Market, threatning withal, that in case they forbore bringing their Corn as formerly, the same should be taken from them by the Army, and expose them all to Mi­litary Execution; which had such an Operation on the People, that they began immediately to repair to the Market with their Corn. And that one of the Ships that carried over the Money and Cloaths for our Army, had been in some danger of striking on an unseen Rock, insomuch, that the Master quitted her, and gave her over for lost; but that the Masters Mate continued on Board her, and had the good luck to bring her safe into Carrick-fergus.

This is all that I have at present to acquaint you with, on the truth whereof you may rely, having had it from the Mouths of those that are come lately from those Parts.