Two famous Battels fought in Ireland: Wherein the Protestants under the command of the Earle of Ormond, Sr. Charles Coote, and Sr. Simon Harcourt, slew great numbers of the Rebels, routing them from one Town to another, and tooke divers prisoners to their great joy and comfort.
Faithfully related in a Letter, sent from Mr. Ralph Parsons in Dublin, to Sr. William Brewerton, a worthy Member of the House of Commons.
Received by the last Post, February 23. 1641.
Whereunto is added, The brave Adventures and Victorious exploits of Captain Thomas Steutevile, neere unto the Town of Drogheda in IRELAND.
LONDON, Printed for J. Wright, 1642.
I Now send you all the newes from the parts about Dublin, from the other Provinces wee have none.
Letters of the twelfth give us, that the Earle of [...]rmond, Sir Charles Coote, and Sir Simon Harcourt, went with two Thousand foot, and three Hundred horse to the Nase, the first night they lay at New-castle, seven miles from Dublin, that evening they sent to Racoole two hundred horse to burne what was left, one Hundred went to the Town, the other staid in ambush, they no sooner came to the Town, but they were encountred with one Thousand Rogues, the horse retired to their ambush, which made the Rebels follow hard after them, in disorder, which the horse perceiving, both troopes charged home and killed numbers of them, and so burnt the Towne, next day the Army went to the Nase, which they burnt not, the Rebels durst not abide their comming, the Souldiers got very much pillage, and so backe to New-Castle, they have burnt all the Townes this side the Nase, I shall not trouble you with their names, some prisoners of quality taken, as the Ashess and Aylmores.
The twelfth of this instant, the Lord Lambert went forth of Dublin, [...]o a place called Lauglinston, where were a Thousand Rogues, the Lord fought with the Rebels, rou [...]ed them and kil'd above a hundred, took much Pillage, and so returned [Page 2] home, in all these actions wherein you may see Gods great goodnesse we lost not one man, but a Souldier hurt, the Lord Lambert brought home some twenty prisoners, which I beleeve are now hanged, there came one Captaine Codogan the fifth of this Month from Tredagh by Sea, he went away again the twelfth, and there was to follow him instantly three Ships, and some ten Gabards to victuall the Town for two months, I pray God send them safe, he brings newes that all are wel there, and have kil'd above a thousand of the Rebels, since Sir Henry Tichburnes being there, the Lord Moore shews himselfe a gallant man, and ventures as far as any man: there is a jury at the Kings Bench, where are indited the Freeholders of the Countries of Dublin, Kildar, Meath, and Wicklar, I beleeve they will not appeare, then the Bills of Treason cannot but passe.
I am confident the King will get land enough to plant a better, and a more permament generation, and Gods true worship setled. Sin you may see how the case stands about Dublin, I doubt not but where resistance is made in other parts, the English will do the like; if the King and Parliament please, that our succours goe overspeedily, we shall be able to run through the Kingdome, for assure your selfe the Rebels want powder, & that m ght be stopt, if shipping were on the coast to keep away that provision, so consequently the worke the shorter. There hath not a passage been made to Dublin from hence this sixe weekes, I beleeve the reason the Post boats dare not venture, but with a very faire winde, least they be driven amongst the Rebels, some Pinnace with Ordnance for that purpose were very convenient, that would not care to go in all weathers, and would be able to defend her selfe, if occasion were, I send you a Proclamation which gives you what the state do there. We heare that Sir Nicholas White and his eldest son are for Treason in the Castle, he is a great [Page 3] and leading man in the Country of Kildare, I beleeve by this something is done with him at the Kings Bench Bar; the offence, that he stood on his Castle at Lexis, where the poore English were Pillaged, and that the Commanders were in his house, and some of the Pillage found there, his son at the Nase with the Rebels, he is father in law to the Lord Castello, and Master Tafe, there may be some working, but you know what to do.
Sir I am affraid I am too troublesome, I shall take my leave and shall over be
I hope to morrow morning our Souldiers will under sayle, all reardy for that.
A TRUE RELATION Of those passages vvhich happened unto Captain Thomas Steutevile, unto the Town of Droghedagh, else Tredagh.
ON Sunday, Captaine Stutevile late in the night set saile, having with him the Swan, two Friggots, one Gubard, and two long Boats. And going along the Coasts, the Captain sent out of the Swan some Musqueteeres to the Sherreis, where he found the enemy fled, but had left behind them much goods, which being all taken aboord by them, they set the Town on fi [...]e: and with it got above 500 l. worth of Corn. Then returning unto their Ship on Tuesday, they came safe to the Bar of Droghedah, where Captain Stutevile with his five small Vessels loaden with Victuals and Ammunition put over, and went up the River not without much danger; the Rebels having made a kind of a Block house upon the entrance into the River, whereon they had planted two pieces of Ordnance, and all along in Treaches within both sides of the River were placed Musq [...]eteers; and hee [Page 5] being not able to passe, but continually within Musquet-shot of either, for two miles together; his Ordnance but seldome availing him any thing (by reason of the heigth of the shore above him;) yet (God be thanked) he got safe within the Town with his Vessels, without the losse of a man (he having with him 124 Musqueteers, besides Ship men.) But to expresse the joy of the Souldiers in the Town, requires a quicker Genius than mine own, or at least one that had felt their wants. The Rebels supposing that there would be such joy, and that by reason of the Souldiers, now having store of victuals, they would altogether drown themselves in security, (as it is thought) dealt under hand with some Centuries that were on the Wals, and brake in at a place where there had been a Shallop-Port, so that two might come with stooping low, on a breast; in at which, 'tis certain 500 got, and marched a great way into the Town, untill at last one of their chiefe Captaines was perceived by a common Souldier of ours, to turn a Peece of Ordance that stood upon the bridge, towards the Town.
The Souldiers seeing this, shot, and kill'd the Captain, and gave the Allarum. Wherupon our Souldiers gathered so fast, that they wholly discovered the Rebels, and had the killing of 160 of them, and took prisoners 40, some escaped thorow the place they came in at, and others over the Wall, yet many brake their necks at that sport; some one 100 is thought to be yet in the Town, hidden in Papists houses, and is confessed by some of the housholders that were found faulty that way; that it was intended by rhe Townsmen, to have cut the throats of all the Officers that lay in their houses, upon this assault. But (God be thanked) in all this we lost not one man. And on Thursday, Captain Steutevile set forth out of the Towne, and came with lesse danger than before to the Bar, where he was on ground, and was forced to stay for [Page 6] want of water; for the Tyde being spent, he lay in a manner dry, the rest of the Shipping forsaking him; whereupon the enemies came down, thinking to have taken him and his Ship; but he laid about him so wel, that he killed 20 of them; yet they not contented with this (but like desperate villains) got underneath the stern of the Ship some 30 of them, where he could do them little hurt, and there they be laboured themselves with a Pick-axe and a crow of iron, and brake the Ship almost through; whereupon he threw some six Granadoes amongst them, and they finding themselves fewer by six, by reason of them, and many of themselves to want plasters about the thighes and shins; and the 7th cast, thought their heels their best safegard, leaving behind them some Pikes and Swords, one Target, Picke-axe, and a crow of iron. Then he finding himselfe quit of them, the next Tyde hoysted up sayles, and came in this day safe into our Town of Dublin; but we cannot heare any certainty of the other Vessels that forsooke him, only we feare that by reason of the winds, they were driven Northerly.