To the Honourable William Lenthall Eſquire, Speaker of the Parliament of England. SIR,

WHen his Excellency marched from Dublin towards Munſter, he left me intruſted with that Garriſon, my ſelfe, and thoſe left with me at that time being ſicke: The firſt party that recovered were ſent after the Army; to wit, about 800 Foot, and 200 Horſe, which fought and beat the Enemy upon their march: Some more of thoſe ſicke men that were left recovering, and ſome recruits comming over. After I had ſurpriſed the ſtrong Fort upon the Bog of Allin, and taken Caſtle-Martin in the County of Kildare, and placed a Garriſon therein. About the latter end of December, marched with a party of 1000 Horſe and Foot into the Iſland of Allin, and ſummoned Killmaog therein, but finding it not feazable to ſtorme without Guns, I marched to Rabride and Ponſers Grange, and tooke them, and placed two ſtrong Garriſons there, which did give me good footing in the County of Kildare, then ſent a party and took Kildare, Hertwell, and Cotlingſtowne, three uſefull Garriſons in the ſaid County; and proviſions being ſpent returned back to Dublin, there endeavouring to get Guns, Mortar peeces, and other neceſſaries ready to draw forth againe with all poſſible ſpeed; in the interim I received Propoſitions from the Governour and Officers in the ſtrong Garriſon and Fort of Balliſonan, the originall whereof, I here incloſed preſent you with all under their owne hands, which being by me utterly rejected.

I marched upon Tueſday the 26 of Feb. with a party of 2000 Foot, and 1000 Horſe, towards the County of Kildare, and took with me one Culverin, and one Demi-culverin, and one Mortar-piece, the Enemy fired their Garriſons of Fort of Leaſe, Blackreath, & the forementioned Caſtle of Kilmaog in the Iſland of Allin; but I ſhall eaſily make it tenable againe, it being very uſefull for your ſervice, they alſo did blow up the Caſtle of Athy, where they had a ſtrong Garriſon, and broke up the Bridge. Upon the 28 Feb. I marched from the Naas, and about four a clock with the Van of the party, I came to Belliſonan a ſtrong Garriſon, double Works, and double moted, full of water one within another, and amount with a Fort upon it, moſt of the Officers with me eſteeming the taking of it to be unfeazable, it being late, and I unwilling to loſe time, did ſend in a Summons, a copy whereof is here incloſed, & the incloſed anſwer under the Governours hand was preſently returned, & the Town which was without his Works by him burned that night, I cauſed a Battery to be made and planted the Artillery, and made a Fort for the ſecurity therof, having intelligence that the Lord of Caſtlehaven, with 4000 Horſe and Foot would come to raiſe me within two dayes, in which Fort I could ſecure the Guns and batter their Works, w • i •• 〈…〉 to fight the Enemy if need were, we played our Guns and Morter-peece at the Fort upon the Mount, intending before night to •• orme it, having Ladders, and all neceſſaries ready, but before any breach was made, the Governour did ſend me a paper which is here incloſed, whereunto the incloſed anſwer was returned, and he treated with me about the ſurrender, which was concluded accordingly. The Articles ſ ••••• with both our hands herewith, is repreſented unto you.

And now Sir, you have without the loſſe of one man this ſtrong place, and thereby moſt of the County of Kildare; thoſe Garriſon • in this County yet remaining, as Caſtle Dormount, and Kilkenny, with others, I hope you ſhall have a good account thereof ſpeedily from,

Belliſonan March 3. 1649. Your humble ſervant, Ioh. Hewſon

SIR,

I Am now marching the Army to reduce that place you poſſeſſe unto the obedience of the Parliament of England, and it being apparent to the world that God is making inquiſition in Ireland for innocent blood, how farre you and thoſe with you may be concerned therein, I ſhall obſerve by your Anſwer hereunto.

Theſe are to require you to deliver that place you now poſſeſſe, unto me for the end aforeſaid: whatſoever your return hereunto may be and the effect thereof, my Summons will juſtifie the future proceedings of

Your Servant, J. Hewſon. 28 Feb. 1649. For the Governour of Belliſonan.

SIR,

I Am now in poſſeſſion in this place by authority from my King, how you may demand it by authority from the Parliament of England, I know not: England denying their King, therefore your power I diſobey: And for God, my King, and Country, will defend this place to the uttermoſt of my power,

Sir, Your Servant Donno Kelly, 28 Febru. 1649. For Col. Hewſon Commander in chiefe of the Parliament party now at the Field of •• lliſanon.

Propoſitions made by the Gariſon, which were rejected.

VVE doe hereby employ Governour Donno O Kelly, for the delivery of the hereunder Propoſitions to the Commiſsioners Generall of the Parliaments Forces of Ireland.

Imprimis, That the party commanding this Gariſon and Fort of Balliſonan, and all other that will adhere to them are really and willingly to joyne to the Parliament Forces, upon ſuch termes as are hereunder written. 2 That a Collonel, Lieutenant Collonel, and a Major beſides Captaines, and under officers, he imployed of the ſaid party, conſtantly in the ſtanding Army, of the Parliaments Forces of this Kingdome; That in caſe any ſuch officers come in, 3 That they may have free liberty of their Religion and t •••• Prieſts admitted and imployed for to ſerve the ſaid Regiment now intended. 4 That neither Taaffe, nor Dillon ſhall be accepted of in the Parliaments party. 5 That their eſtates wrongfully detained and enjoyed by the ſaid Dillon, Bourne and Taaffes, may be allowed unto them by the ſtat • of Parliament, 6 That their Arrears ſince May laſt, may be allowed them, this and the aforeſaid Propoſitions may be granted by the Generall, Lieutenant Generall, Major Generall, and Commiſsioners generall of the Parliament Forces of this Kingdom • , that what thoſe Counties aſſigned to them for their pay, are in Arreare ſince their comming to Balliſonan, may be forthwith cauſed to be paid. 7 That this granted they ſhall obey any deriving power from the State of Parliament. J. Gordon. Ch. Belly. Connor Belly. M. Donnogh. Col. Hewſons laſt Summons.

SIR,

BLood I doe not thirſt after, yet ſo far a Souldier, as not to neglect preſent opportunity, I ſhall for the end in your Letter mentioned, ſend Captaine Hewſon according to your deſire, provided you ſend one or two fully Authoriſed to treat and conclude, and all to be concluded within halfe an houre, provided alſo you doe not worke at all to repaire what my Guns, and Morter peece have demoliſhed; and to that end that Cap. Hewſon may rem • i • e in the Mount duri •• that halfe houre. Sir, I ſhall be glad if your wiſdome prevent what ot • er •••• avoidably will fall out, though not deſired by.

Your Servant I. Hewſon 1 March, 1649.

SIR:

TO avoyd the confuſion of Chriſtian blood we ſent out a Drum • o demand a Parley, my deſire for the reaſons afor • ſaid is, th •• yo • ſend in a Captaine of your • to tr •• t with us, and we will ſend forth a Captaine of ours, who ſhall demand no more but what is honourable and juſt, and ſo Sir, I conclude;

Your Seruant: Donno kelly. March 1. 1649.

Articles agreed upon: between the Honourable Col. John Hewſon of the one Part, and Captain Donno ••• Kelly Go •• r ••• t of Belliſanon in the County of Kildare of the other part. 1 March, 1649. IMprimis, That the ſaid Garriſon and Fort of Belliſonan, ſhall bee immediately delivered with all the A ••• nition, a • d 〈◊〉 therein, except as in the inſuing Article is agreed upon 2 That the ſaid Governour Officers and Souldiers, ſhall detaine in the Caſtle untill to morrow morning at ten of the clocke if they pleaſe and then they are to march out of the ſaid Caſtle and Fort with a Tr •• peter for Convoy Tenne miles if they deſire 〈…〉 next Iriſh Garriſons within ten miles 〈…〉 f ••••• ld, the Tr •• pet • r returning without any prejudice. And the ſaid Officers are 〈◊◊〉 with their Horſes and Piſtolls, and with their Colours flying and Drums beating, and the Souldiers with their Ar … and Muske •• lighted, and each Musketeer one pound of powder with Bullet and Match proportionable. 3 Whatſoever Oates and Peaſe ſhall • pp •• r to be in the Caſtle belonging to Mis. Fitz Gerald ſhall be reſtored to her And laſtly, for the due performing of the aforeſaid Articles, doe hereunto ſet our Hands the day and yeare firſt above written▪ John Hew • on Donno. Kelly

For the right Honourable William Lenthall Eſquire, Speaker in the Parliament of England, Right Honourable;

UPon the ſixth inſtant, (information being given that five Companies of the Enemies Foot were come to Poores Court about eight miles from hence, on Wickloe ſide) a Party was ſent from this place under the command of Sir Theophilus Iones to beat them our, or fight them, but before our Party got thither they demoliſht all the buildings, they pull'd down the very walls, and fled away into the woods; we cannot keep any Garriſon there, becauſe there is no manner of ſhelter for our men there.

The tenth inſtant, Letters from Sir Charles Coote (then at Belfaſt) brought the newes of reducing Caſtle Dooe.

There was lately a generall Counſell of the Clergy at Kilkenny, who treated upon Propoſitions preſented amongſt themſelves for carrying on of the War.

The Plague continues in Galway, where there hath neare twenty thouſand dyed ſince, the firſt of Auguſt laſt; moſt of their Gentry there have periſht by it, among the reſt Ieffery Browne, heretofore a Practiſer at Law in England, Sir Richard Blague, both prime actors, and chiefe in the ſupreame Counſell, with many others of their moſt eminent contrivers of the Rebellion are dead.

Ormond was lately at Portumny with the Earle of Clanrickard in Conaught.

On Wedneſday laſt, Captaine Molineux arrived here from Wexford, who brings the newes of our taking the Fort of Bally-haoke, over againſt Paſſage upon the River of Waterford, ſo that all trading by Sea to Waterford is wholly ſtopt up; beſides, there is a very great feare and jealouſie, between the Towneſ-men of Waterford, and the Souldiers there who are of the Northerne Iriſh.

We have certaine newes from Munſter, that my Lord Lievtenant hath been in the Field this good while, and hath taken Caſhell and Callan (the latter being within ſix miles of Kilkenny) with ſeverall other conſiderable Garriſons of the Rebbels about thoſe parts, and now about if not in Clonmell.

The Plague is very hot in Kilkenny.

The Toryes have behaved themselves ſo barbarouſly towards thoſe of their owne Party, that the Fryers and Prieſts have excommunicated them.

The Governour on Tueſday laſt marcht into the County of Kildare, and we hourely expect an accompt of the reducing of ſeverall conſiderable Garriſons thereabout; great Guns are this day ſent from hence unto him, the extreame wants of accommodations of all kinds for our men will I feare weaken our Army, and impede the preſent carrying, on of the ſervice in the neglect of this opportunity now the • nemy is diſperſt and diſtracted, and a ſmall matter will now effect that which a farre greater will not hereafter; I have not elſe to trouble your Honour, but humbly crave leave to reſt, Sir;

Your Honours moſt humble Servant William Baft. Dublin 16 Feb. 1649.

For the Honourable William Lenthall Eſquire, Speaker in the Parlia •••• of England. Right Honourable,

IT hath pleaſed God exceedingly to bleſſe our Forces in th •• p •• ce, in their late march into the County of Kildare, where they have t • ken in the Fort and Caſtle of Belleſonan by ſurrender, ſuprized Athy, being a Paſſe upon the Barrow, and a place of very great concernment, both for the enlarging of our Quarters, inveſting the enemy, and ſecuring a paſſe to joyne with my Lord if occaſion require. In all which t • e Go • erno • r hath placed Garriſons; as alſo in K … e being the Caſtle of the •••• e of Allen, which the enemy had burnt and indeavoured to have … ed, upon the rumour of his advance from hence; but the workes are now rep •• red and made tenable by ours.

Upon Saturday laſt he returned againe hither to Du •••• havin • 〈◊〉 Forces in the outquarters about the Na •• , but intends anot • er ſpeedy m • rch if accommodations may be by any meanes provided.

Our Forces about Wexford have recovered the Caſtle of I … which was yeelded unto them, And have taken Brown-wooll by Mort • r▪ • ll within the latter were put to the ſword.

Col: Treavour hath by expreſſe ſent his reſolution to … t the 〈◊〉 and hath leave from the Governour to come into our Quarters, an • to ſtay untill my Lords pleaſure be further known.

I have not elſe to trouble your Honour but humbly rema •• e,

Dublin 2 March, 1649. Your Honours • ost 〈◊〉 S • r •••• WILLIAM BASTL.

Imprimatur.

Hen: Scobell Cler. Parli •• e ••• .