abundance that met them and coming to the North Gate He was received by the Magistrates of Belfast in their Formalities a Guard of the Foot-Guards and a general continued Shout and Shouts of God Save the King God Bless our Protestant King God Bless King William His Majesty went directly to the Castle which had been some time before prepared for him where he alighted and went into an Apartment appointed for him immediately gave Orders for the bringing ashore 250000 l. with several Tons of Tin Half-pence and Farthings and Expresses were sent to the Agents of all Regiments to bring in their Accompts by the 19th in order to receive their Men's Pay c. In order to which His Majesty concerted measures how to clear all Quarters and discharge the Country and gave Orders for the Train of Artillery to be ready to March in eight Days His Majesty was waited upon and Addressed by Dr. George Walker late Governour of Londonderry and about Twelve of the Episcopal Clergy At Night the Streets were filled with Bonfire-works which were no sooner lighted but the Allarm Signal was given by discharge of Guns so Planted that from one place to another of the Armys several Winter-Quarters throughout the whole Country in our hands in a few Minutes all places had notice of the King's Arrival and in a very few Hours made Bonfires so thick that the whole Country sâ—em'd in a Flame so that the Enemy could not but see and conjecture the cause to their eternal grief On the 1 6th Lieutenant General Douglas came to Belfast as likewise a great number of Presbiterian Ministers who came to wait on His Majesty and presented him with a Loyal Address A little after the King 's Landing at the Lough betwixt Carrickfergus and Belfast it seem'd to be like a Wood there being in it between six and seven hundred Sail of Ships most loaden with Provisions and Ammunition The Plenty and Order of all things there was most wonderful and not credible to any but those that saw it no Army in Christendom the like and yet all Goods held a good Rate His Majesty continued at Belfast concerting Matters and giving the necessary Orders for the opening the approaching Campaign 'till the 19th at which time he went to Lisbourn and Dined with the General the Duke of Schonberg and the same Night he went to Hilsbrough accompanied with Prince George Lord General Douglas the Earl of Oxford and a great many other Nobility and Gentry June 20. This day Landed at the White-House 2500 Horse from Scotland a Camp was this day begun to be formed near Tanderagee about 20 Miles from Lisbourn and on the very Frontiers between Ardmagh and the Newry whither all the Army is marching The 21th This day was wholly taken up in forming the Camp The 22th His Majesty went from Hilsbrough to the Town of Newry where he viewed the part of his Army that was Encamped there consisting of 24000 Horse Foot and Dragoons His Majesty being informed by His Scouts there That the Irish Forces with their King were come to a Pass within four Miles of the Newry betwixt that and the Town of Dundalk His Majesty sent a Trumpeter to acquaint the Irish That in case they burnt any more Houses He had given Order to His Army That they should not give Quarter to a Man either French or Irish they should meet with And that very Night His Majesty gave Order for 500 Horse and Dragoons to be detached under the command of Lieutenant-General Schravemore to march towards Dundalk and mark out a place to Encamp in The Irish seeing some of the Horse that were the advanced Guard appear and they thinking the whole Army was approaching immediately quitted their Pass and Fled to Ardee burning their Tents for haste but left the Town standing being apprehensive that the King would be as good as His Word some of our advanced Party marched so near the Enemy that they plainly saw them set Fire to their Tents and the confusion they were in The Passes being clear His Majesty immediately advanced with the Forces from the Newry towards Dundalk and sent Orders for General Douglas and the other Forces to change their march before designed them and immediately to march and joyn him at Dundalk On the 27th we Encamped on the Plains of Dundalk where we rested the next day and understood that the Enemy were retired from Ardee and had Posted themselves on the South side of the River Boyne The King went himself the next day with a select Party of Horse beyond Ardee to view the Ground and on the 29th we marched with the Army to Ardee which we found miserably Plundered by the Enemy they leaving nothing but the Houses with bare Walls except some sick old bed-ridden People for murdering four of which in cold Blood a Scotch Soldier and Woman was here hanged On the 30th His Majesty Encampad in sight of the Enemy the River Boyne being between us and them the King's Tent was pitched about a Mile short of the Boyne and as much above Drogheda His Majesty at His Arrival near the River about Noon rode in full view of the Irish Army which lay encamp'd on the other side The Enemy soon discovered it must be His Majesty who was so attended which made them draw down two Pieces of Six Pound Ball from the Forts a little higher and planted them opposite to the place where our Horse were drawn up they presently began to fire and one of the Balls passed so close to His Majesty that it took away a piece of his Coat Waste-coat and Shirt raised the Skin on the blade of his Right Shoulder and drew a little Blood but a Plaister being put on His Majesty continued on Horseback without the least concern till four in the Afternoon when he Dined and in the Evening was on Horseback again though he had been up from One in the Morning The Enemy spent about two hundred Balls and killed us four or five Men and about ten Horses Here it was that our Horse stood the Shot of the Enemy every Man on foot by his Horse several hours while they pass'd the shot before mentioned At last when the King had said Now I see my Men will stand some Guns were sent to our Horse and about five in the Evening we brought some of our Guns to bear upon the first discharge of which among the Irish Horse they retreated from their Battery and stood farther off we dismounted some of the Enemies Guns on their Battery and with our Bombs beat down several Tents next adjoyning to those of the late King James and the Count de Lazun His Majesty rested very well all Night and at Eight the next Morning being July 1. ever memorable for poor Ireland was again on Horseback and while the great Bullets were flying the Prince of Dermstadt's Horse was shot in the Neck We understood by a Protestant Deserter that swam over the River last Night That the Enemy
if they had been alive from the Dead the Streets were fill'd with Crowds and Shouts and the Roman Catholicks now lay in the same terrors as they had done some few days before At Eight this Night one Troop of Dragoons came as a Guard to an Officer that came to take charge of the Stores It was impossible the King himself coming after this could be welcom d with equal joy as this one Troop the Protestants hung about the Horses and were ready to pull tâ—e Men off them as they march'd up to the Castle Next Morning b ing Fryday the 4th the Duke of Ormond and Monsieur Overkirke came in with Nine Troops of Horse and the King being encamped by Finglass came on Sunday to St. Patricks Church and heard a Sermon preach d by Dr. King concerning the Power of God Of which that which seem'd to us greatest on Earth mighty Armies was a faint shadow The King went back to his Camp to dinner not suffering any Soldiers to come into the City except a few for Guards By some Persons in our Army that have viewed the Dead at the Boyne I am told that there were not above sixteen hundred killed on both sides though perhaps you may hear of greater Numbers in England which is a wonderful thing that so small a loss should disperse the whole Irish Army who seemed to be blown away only by a Wind from God July 5. The Town of Wexford declared for his Majesty the manner or it was thus Collonel Butler Lord Lieutenant of the County hearing that the late late King James was gone by on Wednâ—sday last he posted after him and from Duncannon wrote to his Son to come to him and to follow the late King James to France He wrote also another Letter to Captain Kelly to come away with his Company and set the Castle of Wexford on Fire which was under his command but this Letter falling into the hands of an English Merchant where Collonel Butter was quartered he did not deliver it but told the Captain how he was sent for concealing that part of the Letter about burning the Castle and so soon as he and his Company were gone the Protestants there rose disarmed the Papists and seized the Castle and at their humble Request by two Messengers His Majesty sent some few days after a Regiment with Arms and Ammunition to secure them we continued in our Camp to refresh our selves till July 9. At which time early in the Morning his Majesty caused us to decamp from Finglass to a place called Cromlin three Miles on the South side of Dublin This Day was Published at the Camp Their Majesties Declaration which follows The Declaration of William and Mary King and Queen of England Scotland France and Ireland To all the People of the Kingdom of Ireland to whom it may concern William Rex AS it hath pleas'd Almighty God to bless our Arms in this Kingdom with a late Victory over our Enemies at the Boyne and with the Possession of our Capital City of Dublin and with the general Dispertion of all that did oppose Vs We are now in so happy a Prospect of our Affairs and of extinguishing the Rebellion of this Kingdom That we hold it reasonable to think of Mercy and to have Compassion upon those whom We judge to have been seduced wherefore We do hereby Declare We shall take into our Royal Protection all poor Labourers Common Souldiers Country Farmers Plough men and Cottiers whatsoever as also all Citizens Townsmen Tradesmen and Artificers who either remained at home or having fled from their dwellings shall by the the First day of August next repair to their usual Places of Abode Surrendering what Arms they have to such Justices of Peace as are or shall be appointed by Vs not only to receive the same but also to Register the Appearance of such of the said Persons as shall come in and submit to Our Authority For Our Royal Intention is and We do hereby Declare That we will not only Pardon all those poor People as to their Lives and Liberties who shall come in by the time aforesaid for all Violences they have done or committed by the Command of their Leaders during the War but We do promise to secure them in their Goods their Stocks of Cattle and all their Chattels personal whatsoever Willing and Requiring them to come in and where they were Tenants there to preserve the Harvest of Grass and Corn for the supply of Winter But forasmuch as many of them had a Legal Right to the Tenancy of several Lands some holden from Protestants and some from Popish Proprietors who have been concerned in the Rebellion against Vs Our Will and Pleasure is That all those Tenants who held from our good Protestant Subjects do pay their Rents to their respective Landlords And that the Tenants of all those who have been concerned in the present Rebellion against Vs do keep their Rent in their Hands until they have notice from the Commissioners of Our Revenue unto whom they are to account for the same And as We do hereby strickly forbid all Violence Rapine and Molestation to any who shall thus come in and remain Obedient to Vs so for those of this or any other Rank or Quality who are already in Our Quarters and within our Power and Obedient to Vs We do hereby charge and require That they be not molested in any sort without Our special Command For the desperate Leaders of the present Rebellion who have violated those Laws by which this Kingdom is united and inseparably annexed to the Imperial Crown of England who have called in the French who have Authorized all Violences and Depredations against the Protestants and who rejected the Gracious Pardon We offered them in our Proclamation of the 22th of Feb. 1688. s We are now by God s great Favour in condition to make them sensible of their Errors so are We resolv'd to leave them to the event of War unless by great and manifest demonstrations We shall be convinced they deserve our Mercy which We shall never refuse to those that are truly Penitent Given at our Royal Camp at Finglass near Dublin the 7th day of July 1690. In the Second Year of Our Reign July 11th We continued in our Camp at Cromlin till this Morning When the King set out to Kilkenny with a part of the Army General Douglass with another Part went some days before towards Wexford July 14th His Majesty Encamped at Inchiqueen 21 Miles from Dublin where News was brought to the Camp that Cavan and Sligo had Voluntarily Surrendred and that the Irish Villains called Raparees had burnt Longford and the Lord Longfords House July 15th His Majesty with the Army Encamped at Castle Dermote On the 1 6th We Marched to Caterlough which was but five Miles On the 1 7th We Encamped about Kelly leaving the Road to Kilkenny that City being above four Miles out of our way here by some Deserters come
were 25000 strong that they had sent away some of their heaviest Baggage in order as they gave out to Fight us The King command the Count de Schonberg to march with all the Horse and Dragoons of the first and second Line of the Right Wing in all about 5000 and the Brigade of Trelawny and to pass the River about four Miles from the Camp further up the River by Slane where had been a Battery of the Irish but they were drawn off and only 800 Dragoons guarded the Ford this was done in order to take the Enemy in the Flank while the rest of our Army pass'd it nearer Drogheda over against their Camp which the Enemy perceiving they marched part of their Army to oppose the Count de Schonberg who had already broke some of their Squadrons of Horse and Dragoons that advanced to hinder his passing the River and drew them up in Battalia about a Mile and a half from the place where he had pass'd the River In passing this Ford our Men were forced to go down a verp steep Hill and uneven way yet the Irish Horse and Dragoons at the foot of the Ford only once fired and retreated to a greater Body who were coming to their assistance The King being informed of what had passed on that side sent Lieutenant General Douglas with two Brigades of Foot to reinforce the Count de Schonberg who thereupon changed his Order of Battle making a Wing of Horse on his Right and another on his Left and placing the Foot in the middle In this posture he marched towards the Enemy after some small resistance put them into disorder and followed them fighting as far as the Village called Duleek The Earl of Portland and Monsieur Overkirke had part in this Action as Mareschals de Camp mean time the King caused the rest of the Foot of the first Line consisting of the Brigades of la Meloniere which was on the Right of Hanner and the Danes to march to the Ford wheae Douglas was posted the day before on the Right over against the Village before mentioned near Drogheda which at this time had a Garrison of 800 Irish The three Battalions of the Dutch Guards were at the head of them and pass'd the Ford on the Right over against the Village before-mentioned from whence they beat the Enemy that were posted there The Battalion of la Melionere followed them on the Left and these four Battalions being the first that passed the River suffered pretty much of the latter there were five Officers killed and eight wounded and about Sixty Soldiers killed and wounded Monsieur Calimote followed the Dutch Guards with his Detachment of 600 Men whereof mention was made before and after them the Regiment of Cambon And here it was that Colonel Calimote receiv'd a Shot of which he is since dead and several of his Officers were killed upon the place Duke Schonberg headed the Dutch Foot Guards and the King the Inniskilling Horse telling them they should be his Guards that day Some of the Irish Horse oppos'd the Dutch Foot who fought up to the middle in Water and were almost born down before some Horse which they long called for could come to their relief It was in passing this Ford that Dr. Walker famous for the Siege of Derry was killed The Brigade of Hanmer passed next the Count de Nassau being at the head of them as Major-General and the Danes passed on their Left Commanded by the Prince of Wirtembergh After these passed the Horse of the Left Wing but in the mean time some of the Enemies Squadrons as before mentioned advanced and Attacked our Foot And a Squadron of the Enemies Guard du Corps pierced with great Vigour as far as a little Villige where we lost our great General his Grace the Duke of Schonberg who advanced thither to observe the Enemies motion Those that were about his Grace had before done all they could to perswade him to retire from thence but they could not prevail with him He was killed with a Carbine shot in the Neck and three Cuts over the Head and one on his Face Captain Foubert who was next to him and had likewise receiv'd a Wound in the Arm got from his Horse to help the Duke but he died immediately without speaking a word By this time the King had got over the River who in passing it with his Horse himself engaging in the thickest met with the like opposition The Danish Horse once gave way but the King went himself and brought them up again and at the head of the Horse Charged the Enemy who after some resistance retired Fighting Commanded by Lieutenant General de la Hoquelle and Lieutenant General Hamilton Monsieur de Lazun being with the Body who made head against the Count de Schonberg the late King James himself not Engaging but standing at the Reer of them on a rising ground out of harms way The Enemy retreated from Defile to Defile our Horse pursuing them as far as Duleâ—k where the King with the Forces he had with them joyned those of the Count de Schonberg The Enemy retired about three Miles farther and there posted themselves in every advantageous place and the King followed them with his Horse and Dragoons and Orders were given to Attack them there but it being very late and the Fight having lasted from Ten in the Morning till Nine at Night His Majesty did not think fit to engage the Troops any farther but ordered the Horse and Dragoons to remain in Arms all Night He returned to Duleek where the Foot Encampt But in the Night the Enemy retired in great Confusion we took their Baggage and eight Pieces of Cannon July 2. The King sent Monsieur de la Meloniere Brigadier General with a Detachment of 300 Foot and 1000 Horse with 8 Pieces of Cannon to invest Drogheda Being arrived there the Governour receiv'd the first Summons with great Contempt but the King sending him word That if they forc'd his Cannon to be fired on them he would not give them any Quarter This so frighted the Governour that having kept the Trumpeter some time he returned this Answer That he would Surrender the place upon fair Capitulation viz. To March out with Arms and Baggage Colours flying c. but otherwise he would defend the place to the last Extremity Meloniere sent him word That his Orders were only to suffer them to march out without Arms and that he must quickly resolve whether he would accept of this Offer In the mean time Monsieur de la Meloniere had caused two Batteries to be raised which would be ready the next Morning by break of Day But the Officers of the Garrison after having consulted together resolved to yield and the Capitulation being Signed they delivered up a Gate and marched out about an hour after between thirteen and fourteen hundred Men and were conducted to Athlone the Officers being permitted to wear their Swords After which Monsieur
Order and Appoint that Friday the Fifteenth Day of August Instant be solemnly Observed and Kept as a Day of Publick Fasting Prayer and Humiliation in and throughout all the Parts of this Our Kingdom under Our Obedience for supplicating Almighty God for the Pardon of Our Sins and for imploring His Blessing upon Us and upon Our Forces by Sea and Land and that constantly during the War Friday in every Week be set apart for the same Ends and Purposes And to the end Our good Subjects may be the better prepared for the said Work and instructed in their Duty when they are Assembled to perform it We have thought fit to Direct and Appoint the Archbishops and Bishops of this Kingdom to Compose a Form of Prayer proper for the Occasion to be made use of in all Churches and Chappels and other Publick Places of Worship in this Our Kingdom And We do hereby strictly Charge and Require all Our Loving Subjects to Assemble together in their Respective Parish Churches or Publick Places of Worship at the Times and to the Ends aforesaid And We also Charge and Require all Parsons Vicars Curates and Others that have Care of Souls that they Officiate accordingly in their Respective Churches Chappels or Places of Worship and that they give Notice hereof by Reading this Our Proclamation every Sunday during the Present War Given at Our Court at Chapple-Isard this First Day of August 1690. In the Second Year of Our Reign The Journal of the Siege of Lymerick from the first of Aug. 1690. to the time of Raising the Siege HIS Majesty receiving an Express at Chappel-Izard from the Camp That the Enemy had drawn together most of their scattered Troops about Lymerick were grown very Impudent and seem'd to have new Life and Vigour put into them upon His Majesty's retiring from the Camp and that they were resolv'd to make a desperate Defence of the City of Lymerick when-ever Besieged On which His Majesty altered His Resolutions resolving to return to the Camp the better to dispose of things for the pushing on the Siege and sent Order to Lieutenant General Douglas to March from Athlone and joyn the Count De Solmes On July 27. We Marched from Carick under the Command of the Count De Solmes His Majesty as aforementioned having left the Camp and came the same day to the Town of Clonmel which is Eight very long Miles This Place seems to be very strongly Scituated and doubtless might have held out for some time had it been Garrisoned by any but Irish-Men The 28. We Marched Seven Miles farther and the next day being the 29. We Encamp'd at a place called Goolin-Bridge which is about 23 Miles from Lymerick Here as soon as we Arriv'd we had the confirmation That the French had possess'd themselves of the City of Lymerick and that they would not suffer any of the Irish Forces to come into it having turned out those few that were in Garrison there On the 30. and 31. We lay quiet in our Camp and refreshed our selves August the first A Detached Party of the Inniskilling and Danish Horse c. Marched from our Camp and advanced within sight of the Enemy near Lymerick who upon the approach of the advanced Parties were in great consternation and they brought an account That the Gross of the Irish Army consisting of about 27000 Men were upon the hearing of the Advance of our Army retired from beyond the Shannon August 2. Advice was brought into the Camp of the Surrender of the Town of Youghal August 3. A Deserter came into our Camp from Lymerick and told us That yesterday Morning the second Instant he saw the French Infantry March out of the Town about 3500 strong with Eight Field Pieces leaving several of their Ingineers and other Officers in the Town and that the common report was That they were going to Galway to Embark there for France that being a more convenient Port for their taking Shipping than Lymerick Galway being but Nine Miles from the Mouth of the Bay and Lymerick is Sixty And that as soon as the French had quitted the Place and were marched out Three Regiments of Irish Auxillaries under the Command of Colonel Lutterel marched in and took Possession of it This Advice afterwards confirm'd as well by our Parties that had been sent out as by other Deserters August 4. The Regiments that were sent to reduce the Town of Waterford and Fort of Dancannon under the Command of Major General Kirk joyned our Camp August 5. A Detachment of Six hundred Horse were sent from our Camp to reinforce the Garrison of Youghal and prevent any Design the Enemy may have upon it and this Evening Lieutenant General Douglas joyned us from Athlone On the 6. Our Army consisting now of 38500 Effective Men decamped from Goolen-Bridge and Marched in Two Bodies towards Lymerick the Infantry taking their way by a place called Sallawood and the Cavalry marched the other Road by way to Cullen On the 7th About Noon we came to a place called Carickellish which is between five and six Miles from Lymerick and here our Horse and Foot joyned in one Body again and in the Afternoon some small Detached Parties were sent to observe the Posture and Motions of the Enemy but on the approach of our Men the Enemy retired in great precipitation from place to place and in the Night burnt a great many small Houses and Cabins within Three Miles of the Town and this Evening was held a great Council of War in the presence of His Majesty where Resolutions were taken to Attack the Irish Forces early the next Morning which were Encamped and had Intrenched themselves in all the Defiles leading thereto having first Plowed up the Ground made great numbers of small Forts threw Timber and Trees across and did all that possibly could be done to obstruct the Passage of the King's Forces leaving the Hedges Gardens and other places for Five Miles together with Musqueteers in the nature of an Ambuscade On the 8. At One in the Morning His Majesty sent out Nine Hundred Horse and Two Hundred Foot Detached out of the Regiments of Oxon Trelawny Cuts Laneer Lloyd and Danes under the Command of the Heer Bentinck Earl of Portland and Brigadeer Stewart c. who advanced within Cannon Shot of the Town notwithstanding the opposition made by Three Regiments of the Enemies Foot one of Horse and another of Dragoons who stood but one Firing tho' they had the covert of the Hedges through which they Fired About Four hours after this Detachment returned to our Camp and gave the King an account of the posture the Enemy were in And about Seven a Clock His Majesty went himself with a fresh Party of 200 Select Horse being accompanied with Prince George Major General Gnickle the Heer Overkirk and other great Officers they approached within Two Miles of the Town The Enemy were come so near with some of their Out-guards that we could hear