goes to Athlone Lieut. Gen. Douglas and his party Encamped that Night nigh Chappel-Issard and next day at Manouth Friday we Encampt at Glencurry about five miles further and we had not got this length till we begun to plunder though the General gave strict Orders to the contrary Saturday the 12th we marched to Clenard Bridge here we staid all Sunday and Lieutenant-General Douglas took an account of every Man in his party that he might have Bread provided accordingly the Soldiers went abroad and took several things from the Irish who had staid upon the Kings Declaration and frequent complaints came already to the General but Plundering went on still especially amongst the Northern Men who are very dextrous at that sport Sunday morning Captain Aughmouty of Colonel Woolsley's Regiment went with a party of Horse towards the County of Longford And Munday the 14th they met the Army at Mullingar whither we marched and several of the Irish came in for Protections though when they had them they were of little force to secure their Goods or themselves Two Spies taken The party that was sent out brought in a great prey of Cattle from the Enemies Quarters and took two Spies with Letters from Athlone one was to Advise one Tute to Defend an Island nigh Mullingar in which he had store of Horses and several things of value Another Letter was from an Officer at Athlone to his Father in the Country telling him that my Lord Tyrconnel the Duke of Berwick and several more great Officers were come to Limerick with a good Body of Horse and that all their Army would be there in two or three days so that they would make either a Hog or a Dog on 't as he exprest it That the Dauphin was landed in England with a great Army that the French had beat the English and Dutch Fleets that Duke Schonberg was dead and it was said the Prince of Orange was so too that their King was gone for France but it was no great matter he said where he was for they were better without him Then he advised his Father not to take a Protection because those that did were lookt upon as Enemies And after his Letter was sealed he had writ on the out-side Just now we have an Account by a Gentleman that 's come to us from Dublin that Orange is certainly dead so that all will be well again Such were their Hopes and Expectations at that time But though they believed most of those things yet they did not certainly know what to make on 't for they had no good opinion of the late King as may appear by a great many instances for Sarcefield sometime afterward speaking of the Action at the Boyn swore if we would change Kings they would fight it over again and beat us For certainly the Courage and Countenance of the Chief Commander in Armies is a material Point in the success of the Action and especially in Kings for he that has a Genius to the War has Advantages above other Men that makes his Gentry Nobility and Officers strive to imitate his Example by which he is better served and commonly more fortunate The 15th we remained Encamped at Mullingar and about 500 Creights came from the County of Longford with their Wives Children Cattle and every thing that they could bring away their business was to procure the Generals Protection which was granted them and they moved homewards as the Army marched forwards but were most of them plundered afterwards There had been a Friery at Mullingar during the late Kings Reign but the Friday before we got thither the Fathers thought fit to go a Pilgrimage into Conaught This Evening a party of Col. Russel's Horse went towards Athlone and came within three miles of the place but did no feats worth the mentioning next day we marcht to Ballimoor where stands a strong House at the side of a Lough which the Enemy has since fortified Athlone Besieged And Thursday July 17th we came before Athlone and encamped within a quarter of a mile of the Town the Enemy playing their great Guns upon us as we marched but did us little dammage The General sent a Drum to Summons the Town but old Colonel Grace the Governor fired a Pistol at him and sent word those were the Terms he was for The Town it self stands on a narrow Neck of Land between two Bogs one on either side the Shannon and you cannot come to it much less pass the River any where up or down within six or eight miles except at the Town through the midst of which the River Shannon runs and is both very broad and deep being by much the greatest in these three Kingdoms Ptolomy calls this River Senus Giraldus Flumen Senense but the Irish call it Shannon that is the Ancient River It arises out of Theru Hills in the County of Letrim and running through an excellent Country and several Towns particularly Limerick and Athlone it falls into the Sea beyond Knock-Patrick a Mountain upon which St. Patrick conjured all the Venomous Creatures in Ireland and threw them into the Sea insomuch that nothing of that kind has appeared or will live in that Kingdom ever since if you 'll believe what the Irish do however this River is Navigable for above twenty Leagues That part of Athlone standing on the South-side the Shannon is called the English Town and that on the other the Irish Town where stands a very strong Castle Athlone is the head Town in the County of Roscommon and was formerly the Barony of the O Kelly's There is a very good Stone-Bridge between the two Towns which was Built by Sir Henry Sidney in Queen Elizabeth's time and because this is commonly accounted the Center of Ireland that Queen once designed to make it the Residence of the Lords Justices The English Town not being so easie to defend the Irish Burnt it the day before our coming and broke down the Bridge They had several very convenient opportunities to disturb us in our march to the Town because of the Bogs Woods and Passes that lay very advantageous for that purpose but they retired over the River to defend the other side about 200 Yards above the Town they had raised some Breast-works on the River side nigh the end of the Bridge they had cast up several Redoubts and other Works and had planted two Batteries of two Guns a piece besides what were in the Castle Friday we spent in contriving our Batteries and our Works and on Saturday we planted two Field-Pieces which did the Enemies Guns some damage then one hundred and fifty Men out of each Regiment were ordered to make and carry Fascines and in two days more we had a Battery of six Guns finished nigh the Bridge-end which plaid upon the Castle and made a small Breach to wards the top On Sunday the 20th the General sent a Detachment of Horse commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Barry and 150 Granadeers mounted
time And further the French are retired and it 's to be supposed without design of returning else they would not have gone away Suppose therefore the Irish fortifie all those Places in their possession and have Arms and Ammunition with whatever else is needful from France yet all this will neither put Courage into them to defend those Places nor is it altogether in the power of France to supply them with necessary Provisions And lastly Of our own But Secondly As to our own Army I doubt not but we have several that are indifferent whether the War be quickly at an end or not for they find the Irish to be an easie sort of Enemy and if the War were done here they must expect hotter Service somewhere else They look upon it however as an Enemies Country which is the reason that great Spoils are made and Outrages committed nay which is worst of all no Distinction made of Papist or Protestant This it 's to be fear'd may bring a Famine and then all Peoples Condition in that Kingdom will be very severe For tho' there be Plenty enough in England yet the People of Ireland being poor no body will be at the pains to carry their Goods into a Country where there is nothing to be got in return of them But then whatsoever pains the Irish take in fortifying their Towns we take as much in carrying things to beat them out of them for there is a vast quantity of Bombs of the largest size with all things convenient for such a Design daily brought to Dublin And as to our Army our Numbers are the same as last Year except Two Regiments that are broke they are also much healthfuller and better acquainted both with the Country and their Arms and to encourage us the more the Parliament has granted His Majesty a considerable Fund to carry on the War as also to Equip His Fleet which we were in both defective last Summer Besides we have now at least Twelve thousand of the Militia in good order either to defend our Garrisons behind us or assist in our Army upon occasion for one should think that there is no body so fit to fight for their own Country or indeed to be entrusted with it as those People whose Concern it is And more than all this we shall have a great many Protestant Rapparees from the North and other Places that we can at least set against theirs for the Northern People are most of them arm'd either from our Men that died last Year or by some means or other so that I hope we shall have no want of Men. If therefore we have a mind to retrive our Losses we must encourage such as do well and reward them for their Valour and Conduct but punish Offenders though their Station be the greater And as to the Arrears of the Army they are not so very great as some People make them for though we have not had our Accounts stated for some time yet we have still received Money upon Account and the Soldiers have constantly been supplied with Bread and other Provisions But it 's usual with a great many that when they can have no other Excuse for their Extravagancies then they 'll say the King owes them so much but say not a word of what they have received And as to what the present Irish War both has cost and is like to do both as to Men and Money it is not to be named with that in Cromwell's time which any may see that will but read Burlace's History Nor can there be any Comparison between the present Government and that for then both Law and Religion were trampled upon but now they run in their due Channel But after all the Reason why Ireland was not reduc'd last Year was our late taking the Field and the Occasion of that was because the Affairs of the Army could not be put in a compleat Posture any sooner For England has a long time been used to Peace and Ease and therefore unprovided of those things that are absolutely necessary in time of War which were to come from abroad The King did as much as was possible in the time as any who have seen the Country may know for if Ireland were as well Peopled and Mann'd as the Soil it self will bear it may defie all the World besides You cannot see a Town or a small Castle but where there 's either a Bog or a River or both all Places being fortified as well by Nature as Art And in War there 's no doubt but time must be allow'd to regulate such Mistakes as may happen since no Man is infallible in that Art Nor was there a sufficient Fund of Money the Year past to supply the real Necessities of so great a Work which Inconveniency being now removed a fair Conclusion may be rationally hoped for As to the Charge of maintaining a competent Army there when Ireland is reduced the Country will night do that of it self since the Customs in that part of the Kingdom now in our possession amounted to Sixty seven thousand five hundred twenty six pound for the Six Months last past and what must the whole Kingdom come to in Times of Peace and a setled Establishment I have only this to add That when our Armies go out to defie our Enemies and yet at the same time in their Practice defie the Living God or if we should stay at home and fast and pray for their good Success never so heartily yet God will neither hear us nor help them if we are negligent in our Duty towards him If therefore we desire that our Armies and Fleets may make a considerable Figure in the World let us not grudge at and censure every thing our Betters do but be careful to do our Duty to God and Man then after the enduring for a Season the Inconveniencies of War we may hope to be happy in a lasting Peace Amen FINIS ADVERTISEMENT WHereas there are some mistakes occasioned by the Printer's oversight which the Author being suddenly call'd to his Post in Ireland had neither leisure nor opportunity to Correct the Reader may if he pleases supply such Defects Books lately printed for Richard Chiswell A New History of the Succession of the Crown of England and more particularly from the Time of King Egbert till King Henry the VIII Collected from those Historians who wrote of their own Times A Discourse concerning the unreasonableness of a New Separation on account of the Oaths With an Answer to the History of Passive Obedience so far as relates to Them A Vindication of the said Discourse concerning the Unreasonableness of a New Separation from the Exceptions made against it in a Tract called A Brief Answer to the said Discourse c. An Account of the Ceremony of Investing His Electoral Highness of Brandenburgh with the Order of the Garter at Berlin June 6. 1690. By James Johnston Esq and Gregory King Esq His Majesties Commissioners Dr. Freeman's Sermon at the Assizes at Northampton befote the Lord Chief Justice Pollexfen August 26. 1690. His Thanksgiving Sermon before the House of Commons November 5. 1690. Dr. Tenison's Sermon before the Queen concerning the Wandring of the Mind in God's Service Feb. 15. 1690. His Sermon before the Queen of the Folly of Atheism Feb. 22. 1690. Dr. Fowler 's Sermon before the Queen March 22. 1690. The Bishop of Sarum's Sermon at the Funeral of the Lady Brook February 19. 1690. His Fast Sermon before the King and Queen April 29. 1691. Mr. Fleetwood's Sermon at Christ Church on St. Stephen's day A full and impartial Account of the secret Consults Negotiations Stratagems and Intregues of the Romish Party in Ireland from 1660. to 1889. for the Settlement of Popery in that Kingdom A Ground Plot of the strong Fort of Charlemont in Ireland with the Town River Marshes Boggs and Places adjacent Drawn by Captain Hobson price 6 pence An Exact Ground Plot of London-Derry with the River Woods Ways and Places adjacent by the same Captain Hobson price 6 d. There is preparing and will shortly be Published A Prospect of Limerick bearing due West exactly shewing the Approaches of the English Army with the Batteries and Breach ANglia Sacra Sive Collectio Historiarum partim antiquitus partem recenter scriptarum De Archiepiscopis Episcopis Angliae à Prima Fidei Christianae susceptione ad Ann. 1540. Nunc primum in Lucem editum Pars Prima de Archiepiscopis Episcopis Ecclesiarum Cathedralium quas Monachi possederunt Opera Henrici Whartoni This Book will be ready for Publication by the Fourth of June next Subscriptions will be taken till the First of July Proposals for the same may be had of Richard Chiswell and most other Booksellers in London and the Country
opportunity nor a Papist when he can gain by it And yet if we look narrowly into the thing the present War of Ireland is both more difficult and expensive for him to support than it is for England both as to the distance of place and multiplicity of other Diversions for tho he 's a great Prince yet his Power is not without limits Thirdly It neither was nor is the Interest of Their present Majesties only that we are struggling for but under them for the Liberties of England and that against the most dangerous Enemy that our Nation ever had this most men think themselves obliged to do tho the King 's natural Life should end to morrow which God forbid since for his own sake all that have had the honour to be Eye-witnesses of those Noble and Heroick Personal Actions of His Majesty in pursuance of what he so generously undertook at first dare and will serve him even to death it self what he pleases to command them for the Quarrel is not Whether the Late King or the Present shall Rule in England but whether the French King shall have our Countrey or we keep it to our selves Neither is it only the King and Queen's Quarrel that we spend so much Treasure in and lose those Men as is frequently objected but it 's the King that makes himself a Drudge for ours if I may so express it running all Hazards and suffering all Hardships possible upon that Account He was a Rich and Great Prince before and wanted neither Glory nor Power to have lived happy and magnificent nor is it likely he had any Design to provide for his Posterity in what he did since we are as yet deprived of so great a Blessing And whatever may be called unnatural in this War is for the Father of his Country to endeavour the depriving both his Natural and Legal Children of what God and Nature have made them Heirs to Fourthly King James might have been one of the greatest and happiest Princes in Europe notwithstanding his Religion and the Roman-Catholicks enjoyed the same Privilege as to the exercise of theirs that other Dissenters do at this day if that would but have pleased them but it was an odd thing to all men of thought that the hundredth part of a Nation as the Papists are no more at best should think to bring all the rest over to their Side and that against both their Humours and Interests but it 's now plain that the Affairs of England and Rome cannot be reconciled And I would fain ask any Protestant Whether in King James's time he would not have been willing with all his heart to have been secured from the approaching Danger Or whether he thinks it pâ—ssible this could have been done more easily or more to the satisfaction of the Nation in general than it was But this is the mischief of it we all would be out of harms way but then every man must do it as he himself thinks fit or else it all stands for nothing If King William had made his entry through a Sea of Blood this had pleased some People better and made others more afraid the Easiness of the thing was the greatest Providence in it and yet by our fickle Factious Humours we begin to make it both more expensive and hazardous but let us take heed lest if we tread in the Steps of our Forefathers in Divisions and homebred Jarrings we also run the same fate in being subject to a Nation of Foreigners and yet it 's to be feared that the real ground of some Peoples Discontents is not that they at first disliked the Present Government but that they were disappointed in their hopes of some Preferment that they thought themselves best deserved and yet God be thanked I cannot see any great Injury that those People can do to the Present Establishment since the King Parliament and People are all of a side and as for the Malecontents they are neither Popular nor Considerable There is a Story in Josephus something parallel to our Case that was The Jews were commonly very strict in the observance of the Sabbath and amongst other Tenets of that nature they held it unlawful so much as to defend themselves tho attackt by the Enemy on that Day this their Enemies came to the knowledge of and put them upon the trial cutting a great many to pieces which made the rest grant that it was lawful to stand upon their own defence but not to press upon the Enemy and they met with a second Disadvantage upon that score but finding to their Cost the folly of such Conceits it came at last to this That when they were undertaken a third time out of hopes of like success they not only defended themselves but defeated their Adversaries most effectually This Story I apply thus That notwithstanding of late we have mixt Matters of Religion and Policy too much and advanced the Arbitrary Power of Princes by stretching the Doctrine of Passive Obedience beyond its due limits yet let not our Adversaries believe that we want either Hearts or Hands to opppose a Foreign or Vnlimited Power and that too without either departing from the Principles of Religion or so much as wavering in our Profession Let those then then that will be fond of the Garlick and Onions of Egypt for my own part I cannot see how we can make one step backwards without the danger of being poisoned by them For certainly there are several Questions now in hand not to be resolved by the Rules of our Church but by our Legal Constitution which in some Cases binds the Ecclesiastical it self And for all that specious Objection which some People make That our Laws as well as our Religion are against the Deposing Doctrine Yet it will endure no serious thought That God has made so many Millions of People to be subject to the Humour or Interest of any one particular Man For whatever has been said to the contrary of late it 's both agreeable to the Principles of Reason and Religion that Salus populi suprema Lex Government no doubt is Jure Divino of which if we were destitute nil sane brutis amantibus praestaremur says Melanction but then it 's not necessary to have it terminated in this or that Individual for tho it 's an undoubted Truth that any private person had better suffer Injuries than hazard the publick Peace of his Country by endeavouring to redress the same and it cannot be lawful for every one to fly in the face of Authority when he 's injured or at least thinks himself so yet neither the Laws of Nature Reason or Religion oblige us to sit still and see the Fundamental Constitutions of our Country overturned without any indeavour of ours to obstruct it And tho there may be danger in endeavouring to stem such a Tide yet I may go further and say That those People do not deserve good Laws but rather are the Betrayers of them
that dare not stand up in their just defence Measures of Obedience We know that the Apostle bids us submit to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake and that there is no Power but of God but he doth not tell us that either Tyranny Slavery or Oppression are from God but that we may resist them for his sake as well our own and certainly if the usurping an absolute Power above and against all Laws be not Tyranny the seizing mens Freeholds contrary to all Justice and Equity be not Oppression and the making ones Will the Law in a Government which the wisest of men call Limited he not reducing people into Slavery I know not what such things mean For in such a case it is not the Law of a Countrey that deposes a Prince nor the Religion that justifies it but 't is his own Act and Deed for if the presenting to the People be but a Ceremony yet a Coronation Oath is not and if a Prince can raise what Storms he pleases in his Dominions without endangering his own Vessel at the same time them such consequences must unavoidably follow as make all other people actually his Slaves not Subjects but sure the greatest Privilege of an English man is to have the Law on his side and his Religion by that Law made a part of his Property which is a Blessing that few other Nations can boast of and one main Reason why this has been continued so long to us whilst other people groan under the Yoke of Arbitrary Power is Because we have the Sea between us and any Foreign Enemy and consequently no pretence for a standing Army in times of peace to defend our Frontiers against any sudden Invasion An Army no doubt in times of peace being the next step to Slavery To say nothing of Inconveniencies by this means brought into private Families and the general Encouragement it gives to all sorts of Vice So that upon the whole matter one should think that none would be fond of King James or his Government unless they resolve at the same time with the Burgers of Mons to receive the French Garisons and afterward become their eternal Slaves As to what I have said in the following Account of the Affairs of Ireland I can affirm it to be true in the main tho possibly I may be mistaken in some Circumstances Nor do I pretend to write a compleat History of the War That I leave to men of better Judgments and more happy Opportunities so that if this prove not advantagious yet I hope it will produce what may by inviting some more skilful hand to undertake the work nothing of this kind being as yet abroad except some little Pamphlets writ at random by those that it seems never saw that Nation I have not writ the least Sentence out of prejudioe to any man but if any have affected the Profit more than the Duty of their Employments and think themselves hinted at in some general Expressions I have only this to say That as I would not flatter so I am not of such a temper as to fear any man so far as to prevent me from speaking Truth nor can I as I hope be blamed by any but those who having done ill themselves take it not well to be told of it But let even those examine their own Actions impartially and they 'll find I have been as sparing in my Expressions as I well could and not conceal the matter of Fact which a great many know the truth of as well or better than my self and I am far from doing any man that injustice as to charge him directly with a Crime that I am not very well assured is due to him What I have said about the management of the Irish Army is not barely our own Accounts but what I got from several of their Officers either Prisoners or Deserters or by other Opportunities as design or chance brought me to them I pretend no importunity of Friends for the publishing of these Papers for I am not so vain as to think they deserve it However I hope they will satisfie some who have not yet had opportunities to know these things and if this Account may be any way serviceable to them I shall be glad of it if not they must e'en have patience till a better appear As to the mixing some small matter of History with the rest I did it because it pleased a particular Friend tho my time will not allow me to do it in such a Method and Stile as the Dignity of the Subject requires AN IMPARTIAL HISTORY OF THE Affairs of Ireland England an happy Kingdom at the Restauration IN the Year 1660. when the Legal Administration of Government both in Church and State was restored with K. Charles II. never was there any People more happy than the English not only secure from all Foreign Invasions by the Scituation of our Country and from all Oppression at home by its Laws but the Temple of Janus was then shut and we enjoyed an universal Peace with all the World This disturb'd by designing Persons And yet Prosperity in a few years becoming a Burthen to us we took an occasion to quarrel with our Neighbours of Holland which several Wise men did then and have since lookt upon to be industriously begun and fomented by Cunning and Designing Persons of a different Interest and Persuasion to weaken the Protestant Interest in Europe Those unhappy Breaches however were made up and open'd again and then a good Understanding secur'd a second time to the satisfaction of all that meant honestly The Methods the French King took to Advance his own Interest The King was a man that loved to be easie and please himself by whose Example a great part of the Nation became in a small time of the same temper and the natural Hardness of the English was to a great degree softned this was chearfully observed by our Neighbouring Monarch who failed not to incourage our King in his way of living by contributing to his satisfaction in whatsoever he had a mind to be delighted withal and in the mean time gave incouragement to our Ship-Carpenters and Seamen both to build him Ships and sail in them and no wonder for they had no business at home About fifteen or sixteen years ago the French King sent a great part of his Fleet to the relief of Messina and some other places in Sicily which some then lookt upon as a Blemish in his Politicks and yet it appears since that this was none of the least depths of them for by this and such like means he has got now a good Fleet and expert Sea-men The D. of York's managing But whilst these things were on foot abroad the Duke of York had a Considerable Game to play at home For tho it 's more than probable he was a Papist all along yet to amuse the People he comes to Church and considering that
Army I wondred much to see their Horses and Equipage hearing before what Feats had been done by them they were three Regiments in all and most of the Troopers and Dragoons had their Waiting-men mounted upon Garrons those are small Irish Horses but very hardy some of them had Holsters and others their Pistols hung at their Sword-Belts they shewed me the Enemies Scouts upon a hill before us I wisht them to go and beat them off and they answered With all their hearts but they had Orders to go no further than where they saw the Enemies Scouts tho they seem'd to be dissatisfied with it and added They should never thrive so long as they were under Orders Newry burnt And yet if those men had been allowed to go on in their old forward way it 's very probable they might have saved the Town of Newry from being burnt for the Duke of Berwick was then in it and a Troop of the Enemies Horse advanced that afternoon some three miles from the Town towards us but seeing the Iniskilliners they retreated in haste to the Town only leaving some few Scouts to bring a further account of our motion Those in the Town were startled at the news and made ready to march off but seeing no Enemy approach they took time to set it on fire and take all the people with whatsoever was valuable along with them They went away about Sun-set and next morning came to Dundalk where we heard that some of their great Officers exprest themselves very melancholly as if they had but small hopes to withstand the English The General not knowing that the Town of Newry was burnt nor that the Enemy had deserted the Pass gave Orders for 70 men out of each Regiment of Foot in all 1200 with a Party of Horse and Dragoons and four Field-Pieces to be ready to march by three of the Clock in the morning this Party was commanded by Coll. Wharton and was designed to attack the Enemy whom we expected at the end of the Town there being an old Church with several other convenient places from whence they might prevent our marching nor could we well go about without a great deal of trouble and several days march and then we must leave the Enemy on our Rear which was not to be done We march to Newry The Party marched according to Orders and the whole Army followed about Six of the Clock But on our march the Duke had an account by one Mr. Humphreys of Belfast That the Enemy had retreated and Burnt the Town the General then went forwards and found the Flames not quite extinguished and with Coll. Levison's Dragoons and some of the Iniskillin Horse he went at least two miles further but nothing of an Enemy appearing he returned and gave Command for his Army to encamp a mile short of Newry The bad weather had disturb'd us before but now the Rains and Wind were so extreamly violent that it was very difficult for us to pitch our Tents so that every one was forced to shift for himself as well as he could Provisions were also very scarce for there wanted Horses to bring them after us We encampt here next day also from whence the Duke sent a Trumpet to the Irish to let them know That if they burnt any more Towns he would give no Quarter I went abroad into the Countrey where I found all the Houses deserted for several miles Customs of the Native Irish most of them that I observed had Crosses on the Inside above the Doors upon the Thatch some made of Wood and others of Straw or Rushes finely wrought some Houses had more and some less I understood afterwards that it is the custom among the Native Irish to set up a new Cross every Corpus Christi day and so many years as they have lived in such a house as many Crosses you may find I asked a Reason for it but the Custom was all they pretended to Here the Corn also was either lying and rotting on the ground or else was shaken by the violent winds for the People were all gone the Protestants the March before and the Irish now at the retreating of their Army some fled for fear and those that had a mind to stay were forced away by the Army with all their Cattel and whatever else was portable In the Evening the Duke sent a Detachment of 520 Foot with a Party of Horse and Dragoons commanded by my Lord Lisburn towards Dundalk they got there the next morning but found it forsaken by the Enemy and not burnt tho it had been better for us if it had as it fell out afterwards There is an old square Tower in Newry which they call the Castle this was left standing and not above five or six Houses more the Town it self had been a pretty place and well built standing upon a very advantageous Pass the Tide coming up above the Bridge by a Bay that comes from Carlingford In this Castle the Irish had left some salt Beef and Herrings but they were salted so very much after the Irish fashion that the Soldiers for all they were very hard put to it for Victuals yet they could not eat them I believe the greatest reason was a fond conceit they had got amongst them that the meat was poisoned There was also a small Gun left in the Castle and another Twelve-Pounder thrown over the Bridge into the River In this Castle the General left Fifty men of Sir Tho. Gowers Regiment commanded by Captain Pallifer The Army marched to Dundalk and on Saturday the 7 th of September the Army marched to Dundalk in our way thither we found two Redoubts nigh a place called the Four-mile-house for Mareschal de Rose the French General was at Dundalk some time before our Army approached and enquiring whether the River was fordable he found it was in several places then he went on to Newry and finding it a convenient Pass he ordered it to be defended at the same time commanding those Redoubts to be made which if the Enemy had mann'd they might have given us no small diversion for there are vast Mountains on each hand and a Bog between them through which there was only a Causeway with a deep Ditch and a small Stone Bridge about the middle of it at the farther end of the Causeway the Forts were placed a convenient distance one from another from whence the Irish might easily have retired if we had forced the Pass for neither could our Horse follow nor knew our Foot how to tread the Bogs after them This place was formerly very woody and was fortified by O Neale Earl of Tyrone against Sir Charles Blunt Lord Deputy which he found great difficulty in passing but next year he built a Fort some two miles nearer Dundalk called Moyery Castle The Countrey between Newry and Dundalk is one of the wildest places of all Ireland being the haunt some years ago of the famous Tory Redman
left and so died and all of us had but indifferent Lodgings that Night amongst the Ruins of the old Houses at Newry So little did the poor Men value dying that some of them being in a Stable over-night the next day two were dead and the rest intreating me to get a Fire which I did coming about two hours after they had pull'd in the two dead Men to make Seats of The ninth Day the rest of our Army marched from Dundalk the Duke giving Orders first to burn some Arms and Provisions that could not be got off because the Waggons were imployed to carry the Men and some few sick Men were left that could not be removed those were at the Mercy of the Enemy who did not use them ill but buried several that were dead At their first coming to Dundalk they removed the Corps of our three dead Colonels out of my Lord Bedlow's Vault and buried them nigh the Church-door but did not abuse them as was reported Some Men killed As the Rear of our Army was marching off from Dundalk a small Party of the Enemy's Horse came as far as Moyery-Castle two Miles from the Town where they killed the Adjutant of my Lord Kingston's Regiment with two or three Souldiers that were behind the rest but a Party of our Horse advancing the Enemy retreated towards Dundalk which they had possession of within an hour after we had left it And that nothing might be wanting for the good of the Souldiers the General before he left the Camp viz. on the 23 d of October set forth an Order how all Subaltern Officers and Souldiers were to be subsisted and cleared according to which all Colonels and superiour Officers were to take care that their Men were paid as they would answer the contrary at their Perils A Remarkable Story Sometime after our coming to Quarters I was told a very remarkable Story relating to the manner of our decamping at Dundalk It was by one Mr. Hambleton of Tollymoore a Justice of Peace in his Country and a sober rational Man which was to this effect Himself and two other Gentlemen with their Servants coming from Dublin into the North at least a Year before our Landing As they came towards Dundalk about nine a Clock at Night they espied several little twinkling Lights in the Air with two larger than the rest They staid some time in the Town and designing for Newry that Night Mr. Hambleton went a little before his Company and saw the same Lights again as nigh as he could guess about the Ground where we afterwards Encamp'd On the side of the Hill as he was to go towards the Mountains he turned about and look'd at them and at the same time he heard the most dismal and heavy Groans in the World This startled him something and presently his Company came up who all saw the Lights and heard the Noise which continued till they got almost to Newry but the Lights they saw no more after they turned their Backs off the Plains of Dundalk They have a great many Stories of this kind in Ireland And the Inniskilling-Men tell you of several such things before their Battels but I have only the Reader 's Pardon to ask for the trouble of this How our Army was quarter'd The Army at our decamping was dispersed all over the North to Winter-Quarters which were but very indifferent and what with coming to warm Fire-sides with some and others having little or no shelter to secure them and very little Provisions the Country being all wasted and destroyed nor was it possible to send Provisions every where till Storehouses were fixed And then most of the Men being very weak before they left the Camp and marching in the Cold and Wett to come to those Places we had more that died when they came to Quarters than died in the Camp I have a Copy of the Order by me which directed how and where all Regiments were to be disposed but it 's needless to insert it only our Frontier Garisons were Green-Castle and Rostriver where quartered Beaumont and Stuart Newry where was Sir Henry Inglesby Taudrogee Sir Henry Bellasis and some of Levison's Dragoons Legacory had some of the French and at Armagh were Drogheda and Deering at Clownish Monohan and those places were Hastings and some of the Iniskilliners The General had his Head-Quarters at Lisburn and the Hospital was ordered to be at Belfast which is a very large Town and the greatest for Trade in the North of Ireland it stands at the head of the Bay of Carickfergus and the Inhabitants have lately built a very famous Stone-Bridg but the Wars coming on it is not as yet quite finished I doubt not but most People will be curious to know how many died this Campaign and in Quarters and what could be the occasion of such Mortality as likewise how many the Enemies Numbers were when they lay so nigh us and wonder why two Armies should lie so near together for our Front and theirs were for above a Fortnight not two miles asunder and yet so little of Action happen The Reasons of our Mens dying As to the first whatever the World may think yet I can attribute those Distempers amongst us to nothing else but the Badness of the Weather the moistness of the Place the unacquaintedness of the English to hardships and indeed their lazy Carelessness for I remember a Regiment of Dutch that Encamp'd at the end of the Town were so well hutted that not above eleven of them died the whole Campaign but it 's the same thing with the English whenever you take them first out of their own Country as it was here and let Men be in other things never so happy if they have Courage and know the use of their Arms yet when they come upon Duty if they have not Bodies inured to hardships they lie under a great disadvantage But in truth we could scarce have been more infortunate either in a Place or in the Weather than whilst we were there for it would often rain all Day upon us when there was not one drop in the Enemies Camp this they used to call a Judgment but it was because we lay in a Hollow at the Bottoms of the Mountains and they upon a high sound Ground the Enemy did not at first die so fast as we did because they were born in the Country and were used to bad lying and feeding but before they decamped they were nigh as ill as we and abundance died after they got to Quarters Chirurgions ill provided One thing I cannot omit and that is that our Surgeons were very ill provided with Druggs having in their Chests only some little things for Wounds but little or nothing that might be useful against the Flux and the Feaver which were the two raging Distempers amongst us and yet I cannot but think that the Feaver was partly brought to our Camp by some of those People that
day so much to their advantage for not to say worse of them then they deserve it was in good order so far as we could see them I mean with the Horse and French Foot whatsoever they did afterwards but I could hear of none in particular only Lieutenant Gen. Hambleton says it was my Lord Gilmoy who is not thought an extraordinary Souldier but this is certain that the French were towards the left of their Army that day and so did little or no service except it was in the retreat whereas if they had posted them instead of the Irish Foot at the Pass we had found warmer work of it But Providence orders all things and amongst those the Counsels of the greatest The night after the Battle we lay upon our Arms at Duleck and next morning were sent a Party back out of every Regiment to fetch up our Tents and Baggage from beyond the Boyn As likewise Brigadeer La Millinier was sent with a Party of a thousand Horse and Dragoons about three hundred Foot and eight peice of Canon to summon Drogheda Drogheda surrendred The Governour received the first Summons very indifferently but then he had word sent that if he forced the Canon to be fired on them they should have no quarter The Governor at length considered better of it and believing the Irish Army to be totally routed he surrendred upon Condition to be conducted to the next Garrison which was Athlone And the next day about 1300. of them marched out without their Arms having a Convoy according to Agreement Colonel Cuts's Men took possession of the Place where they found good store of wine and other things that were considerable and took great care to preserve the Town from any violence of the Souldiers This Town is one of the best in Ireland unto which King Edward the Second for Theobald Verdens sake granted License for a Market and Fair and succeeding Kings confirmed many and great Priviledges to it amongst others that of a Mint Cromwel at his first landing in Ireland took it by Storm and put above 2000. men to the Sword in it The River Boyn runs thro' the Town which takes its name from swift running for Boin both in Irish and Brittish signifies Swift as the Learned say It s a great and rapid River and whatever it has been formerly it will be famous in succeeding Ages for this Action I have shewn the spot of ground to some who design to erect a Pillar where the King escaped so narrowly to perpetuate so memorable an Action Near the ground where we encampt stands Mellifont-Abby founded in the year 1168. by Donald King of Uriel and is much praised by St. Bernard it was given afterwards by Queen Elizabeth to Sir Edward More of Kent for his good service in the Wars both at home and abroad and is now the Seat of the Earl of Drogheda But this I 'm afraid will be thought a little out of my present rode and therefore Wednesdy the 2 of July we marched not above a mile to convenient Ground and there pitched our Tents I remember we had a kind of Alarm that afternoon and some say it was five Troops of Horse and three Regiments of Foot that came from Munster to joyn King James's Army who appeared in the flank of us but sending two Spies to discover who we were they were taken and hanged tho the Party marched off untouched Mounsieur Cambon had almost set his own and my Lord Drogheda's Regiment by the Ears by ordering a Detachment of his men to take away by force the Grass from the Rear of the other Regiment The matter came so high that both Parties were charging their Peeces but my Lord Drogheda ordered his men to their Tents and Lieut. Gen. Douglas ordered Mounsieur Cambon to desist from his pretensions this might have been of dangerous consequence and yet my Lord was so kind to Mounsieur Cambdon as not to acquaint the King with it King William marches toward Dublin On Thursday the 3. of July his Maiesty marched forwards with his Army to a place called Bally Brighan and there encamped on his march he had an account by one Mr. Sanders whom the Bishop of Meath Dr. King Captain Fitz Gerald and other Protestants that had taken upon them the protection of the City had sent for that purpose that the Irish had left Dublin towards which the Duke of Ormond marched with 1000 Horse and found Captain Farlow Governour who two days before had been a Prisoner The Dutch Guards were sent also who took possession of the Castle as the Duke of Ormond did of the out Guards of the Town with his Horse next day we lay Encamped and above 300 Citizens came out from Dublin to wait upon the King and to welcome our Army and abundance of people flocked from all places to see our Camp The Country all hereabouts is most of it Inhabited with old English and is called Fingal that is a Nation of Foreigners It s scarce worth the Relating what is writ in the Irish Annals of a Country man nigh this place that in the year 1341 found a pair of Gloves in drawing on of which he Barked like a Dog and from that present the Elder in that Country Barked like big Dogs and the young ones like Whelps and this continued with some for eighteen dayes with others a month and with some for two years and entred also into several other places and they tell you likewise of the men in the County of Tipperarys being turn'd into Wolves at a certain time of the year but these are trifles for they are commonly Dogs or Wolves in their Nature but no otherways Encamps at Finglass Saturday the 5 of July we marched to Finglass two miles wide of Dublin his Majesty did not go to the City but staid in the Field with his Army yet next day being Sunday he went to St. Patricks Church and returned on Horseback to the Camp to dinner A Description of Dublin This City of Dublin is by much the Largest and Best in all Ireland and inferiour to none in England except London most of the Houses and Streets are very Regular and Modern and the people as Fashionable as any where It s called by Ptolomy Eblana the Irish call it Bala Cleigh that is the Town upon Hurdles because they say it was built upon a Fenny Boggy place but whatever it has been the Ground about it is now very sound and the Air wholsome it was much afflicted in the Danish Wars and afterwards came under subjection of Edgar King of England then the Norvegians possessed themselves of it and we read that Harold of Norway after he had subdued the greatest part of Ireland built Develin And hither King Hen. 2. after he had gain'd a great interest in this Kingdom sent over a Collony of Bristow men who were the first English Inhabitants of this City In the year 1220. was the Castle of Dublin
That day we marched beyond the Devils Bit and all along as we passed we could see the Rapparees looking upon us from the Mountains but we had now so many Cattle Horses and Attenders on our marches as made us look as big nigh hand as the other part of the Army and the Souldiers used to say that the Cattle and Sheep themselves could tell by their different tones to whom they belonged From this place all down to Cashel and so towards Clonmel and Waterford one way and towards Tipperary and Limerick another is one of the finest Countries I ever saw if it had Inhabitants accordingly Great part of it is called the Goulden vale On the 4 Colonel Woolsleys Horse Colonel Tiffins and St. Johns Foot marched back from hence towards Mullingar to secure the Country they came so far lest the Enemy should attack us and now we being secure they marched back another way We marched on the 5. to Holy-Cross nigh Thurles which of old enjoyed several peculiar Priviledges and Freedomes granted in Honour of a piece of Christs Cross there found as the Story goes This place by K. Henry 8. gave the Title of Barons to the Buttlers The General I believe had heard that several people had enjoy'd great priviledges at this place in the days of old and therefore he gave his Souldiers liberty this afternoon to take what they pleased for their sustenance but the true reason was because we had no Bread The 6. we marched to a Village called Dundrum a little to the North of Cashel one of the most Ancient Cities in Ireland famous of old for the Preaching of St. Patrick where afterwards was built a very considerable Cathedral it was made an Archepiscopal dignity by Eugenius the third Bishop of Rome and had under it in times past many Bishopricks and Suffragons As you go up to this Church there is a Stone upon which Antiently all the Kings of Munster used to be Crowned I suppose it was after the same manner with the Ulster Kings which was by throwing an old shooâ— over their heads and sometimes by killing a white Cow c. There are several Monuments of good Antiquity in this Church In the year 1318. The Archb. of Cashel was both Lord Justice and Lord Chancellor and it was remarkable in the late Wars for my Lord Inchiqueens killing all the Priests that were got into it and pretended with a Body of the Irish to defend the place which naturally is pretty strong and it s called at this day the Rock because it stands on the top of one On the 7. We marched to Cullen and on the 8. to Carriganliss whither the Kings Army was gone from Goulden-Bridge It s therefore convenient that I should give the best Account I can of their march from Dublin thither month July The Kings march towards Limerick On the 9. of July His Majesty with his Army Encamped at Cromlin within two miles of Dublin westwards where he settled the method of granting Protections according to his Declaration And gave a Commission to the Bishop of Meath my Lord Longford Dr. Gorge Captain Fitz Gerald Mr. Coughland Dr. Davis and Captain Corker to save all forfeited goods and to see that those and the Corn upon the Estates of all Absentees were safely kept or disposed on for the Kings use The Bishop of Meath whether out of dislike to the proceedings of the rest or averseness to business soon forbore his Attendance at their meetings the rest went on in their Business but in such a method as was neither to the Kings advantage nor satisfaction and not much to their own Credits The 10. in the morning his Majesty set forth a Proclamation to put a stop to the passing of Brass mony only at the valuations following viz. Every large half Crown and new stampt Crown at a penny the small half Crown at three farthings the large Copper Shilling at an half penny the small Shillings and six pences at farthings c. And the same day the Army Encampt between the Ness and Racoole Little hapned remarkable except the Kings great care to keep the Souldiers from Plundring the Country and every night it was given out in orders that on pain of death no man should go beyond the line in the Camp or take violently to the lest value from either Protestant or Papist The 11. the Army marched to Kill Kullen Bridge the King this morning passing by the Ness saw a Souldier Robbing a poor Woman which inraged his Majesty so much that he beat him with his Cane and gave orders that he and several others guilty of the like disobedience should be Executed the Monday following some people were so wicked as put a bad construction on this Action of the Kings but it had so good an effect upon that part of the Army that the Country was secured from any violence done by the Souldiers during that whole march two of the other Sufferers were Iniskillin Dragoons On Sunday the Army rested and on Munday they marched to Tommalin several of the Country people and some Gentlemen that were Papists coming in to whom the King ordered Protections We heard all long on our march of the Confusion the Enemy was in and had Accounts daily of their resorts to Limerick and other strong places whilst we were here several came to us from Killkenny who gave his Majesty an Account of the State of that Garrison that part of the Enemies Horse and Foot were there still but with thoughts of quitting the Town upon our approach and at their going off they made the Inhabitants give them a sum of mony to save the Town from plundring From Tommalin we marched to Castle-Dermot where stood in old time two or three Religious Houses the Ruins of which as yet remain one of these was of the Fryars Minors Sackt and Plundred by the Scots under Bruce in the year 1316. In which year the Irish were here also overthrown by Edward Bottilar or Buttler Lord Justice of Ireland Here the King received some Packets from England giving him a further Account of his Fleet and Sea affairs which was easily understood not to be very grateful and as is supposed was the occasion of our slow marches Several Protestants every day came to the Camp all expressing their great Joy and Satisfaction for his Majesties Presence and their Deliverance We had also an Account here of some that took Protections and yet in the night made their escape to the Enemy having only got those Protections thereby to procure a better opportunity of going off with what they had upon which parties were lent out on all hands to clear the Mountains and Woods near the Army which kept the rest at home from hence Colonel Eppingar went with a party of 1000 Horse and Dragoons to secure Wexeford which some time before was deserted by the Irish Garrison this Town was first taken by Fitz Stephen in the Reign of King Hen. 2.
and Sixty These were mounted upon small Horses and retreated as did also their main Body burning the Country Our Men then went towards Ross wherein the Enemy had a Garrison of Six Hundred Men commanded by Colonel Mackartey We did not think fit to attack the Town but went towards a Fort near it which we attacked with Fifty Danes and Fifty of the Kingsale Militia We carried the Fort in which were Seventy Seven Men of whom Fourteen swam towards a Rock Five were taken and the rest kill'd Captain Baenburg and Captain Caroll the Commanders were both wounded the former with a Granade and the other shot through the Leg. Goes to Tralee From thence we marched towards Tralee which the Enemy deserted having therein Twenty One Troops of Dragoons and Seven of Horse Commanded by Colonel Sheldon The Enemy were much alarm'd on this side and if they had been pressed home on the other it had been much for our Interest But I heard of nothing further remarkable at Lanesborough except of one Captain Edgworth's defending a Pass with One Hundred Men against a much greater Body of the Irish and after our Men had laid there in the Cold for nigh a Fortnight they were ordered back being much harassed with Cold and Hunger The Boats were never brought to the River and Lieutenant General Douglas went as far as James-Town and then retired again into the North without doing anything remarkable This indeed is to be said for both sides That suppose our Men had passed the River at Lanesborough they must have gone Three Miles forwards before they could have seen any thing but Bogs and Woods The Irish no doubt knew of their coming and would have let them advance some Miles at least and then resolved with all the Force in their Power to attack them nor could Lieut. Gen. Douglas joyn them on a sudden so that seeing our Men were inferiour to theirs in number it was not the safest to go into the midst of their Troops and yet any that will but consider the Circumstances of the preceeding Story and put things together will find that it has been partly our own faults that Ireland has not been reduced already A short Description of the former State of Ireland The Soil of this Country is in all respects as good if not better than that of England And as to the People though this Country was in the Infancy of Christianity called Sanctorum Patria yet in process of Time the Irish did very much degenerate and did in a manner turn perfect Barbarians till at length they were partly civilized by the English Conquest of that Country and yet as the Nature of Man is apter to decline than improve instead of Reforming the Irish a great many of the English did dwindle into meer Irish both in Customs and Habit and are the very People that we are subduing at this juncture not One in Ten of them being of ancient Irish Extraction Most part of the North of Ireland is at present inhabited by People from Scotland The Reason of this may be because of the Vicinity of those Two Nations at that place they not being Three Hours Sail asunder or else it is because in the Ninth Year of King James the First the North of Ireland being then in Rebellion that King invented a New Title of Honour both in England and Scotland for all such the Number not exceeding as I remember Two Hundred in each Nation as would maintain Thirty Soldiers a piece for Three Years at the rate of 8 d. per diem in the Service of Ireland and yet they were to be Gentlemen and worth 1000 l. per annum those he called Barronets and made this Title Hereditary adding to each Man Phternal Cont the Arms of Ulster which is in a Canton or an Escatcheon which they please in a Field Argent a Sinister Hand Cooped at the Wrist Gules But this however was more taken notice of by the Scots than the English at least a great many of them went over themselves in Person into Ulster and after the Rebellion had Lands assigned to them and their Followers whose Posterity enjoy them still As for the other Provinces in Ireland viz. Lemster Munster and Conaught they were generally inhabited with English and Irish intermixt though the Irish were in a manner Slaves to the English and every Landlord was as absolute as a Prince amongst his own Tenants but in all other respects they had the English Laws and Customs and lived more plentifully than they did in any place of England Some may justly wonder to hear of all those multitudes of Cattle which have been at several times taken from the Irish but as they went off from any place they still drove along all the Englishment Stocks and certainly the Country affords abundance because it has never been throughly inhabited for those places that might be improved and tilled are for want of People stoct with Sheep or Cattel which was the Reason that in Queen Elizabeth's Days we read of one surly Boy in the North of Ireland who had a Stock of Fifty Thousand Cattel to his own share Of the Present State of the Irish Army But in short my humble Opinion of the Affairs of that Kingdom at present is First as to the Irish they are naturally a fawning flattering People they 'll down upon their Knees to you at every turn but they are rude false and of no Courage as D. Aquila complain'd when he came out of Spain with an Army to their assistance in Queen Elizabeth's Reign Give them but Encouragement and then there 's no People so insolent So that as Slaves there 's no way to deal with them but to whip them into good Manners and yet many of the Vulgar Irish have been abused in what they had who thinking our Soldiers in the fault they cut their Throats whereever they can get the upper hand As to their Army their Condition is not in some Respect much worse than it was before For 1. Their Men have seen more Service and understand the use of their Arms better being made good Fire-men at Limerick and Athlone 2 dly They are now in a much narrower compass which is easilier defended and they may in a small time draw their whole Army to any corner when as we are dispersed up and down and cannot so easily be got together upon any sudden occasion They have also most of the Passes upon the Shanon in their possession which could not easily be taken from any but Irishmen 3 dly They are very watchful and diligent having always good Intelligence which is the Life of any Action and yet it 's plain there is no such way to destroy the Irish as to imploy some to ruine the rest which they will certainly do their own Fathers for Money But then after all this they have a vast Crowed of People and will not nor cannot have convenient Subsistence for one half of them in a small