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
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
them Talk with their damn'd Irish Brogue on their Tongues but they were separated from us by a Bog which was very deep and so scituated that we could not possibly Attack them This Night it was resolved at a Council of War that the Army should March towards the Town in order to Battle for we understood as you have heard That the Country being very close and full of Hedges and Ditches the Enemy had lined them to defend the approaches to the Town Accordingly the next day being the 9th our whole Army Decamped by Five in the Morning Colonel Earl leading the Van with Two Hundred Horse and Dragoons and One Thousand chosen Foot out of all the Regiments in the Army both English and Forreigners Upon our approach we found the Enemy drawn up within Two Miles of the City of Lymerick whereupon Colonel Earl ordered his advanced Troops to make a Halt until the rest were come up Then our Horse pushed them for near a Mile their Horse at first made a shew as if they would make vigorous Resistance and stood our first Charge but soon afterwards gave way when they threw themselves behind the Hedges and Fired so from thence that our Horse could not come to them Upon which we brought some small Field-Pieces to Fire upon them and at the same time the 1000 Detached Foot were ordered to Attack them Accordingly about One a Clock Colonel Earl led on his Foot who run on with that Bravery tho' the Enemy made a great Fire through the Hedges and continued this sort of Fighting for Two Hours advancing within Four Hundred yards of the Town and possessing themselves of Two advantagious Posts called Ireton's-Fort and the Old Kirk and such was the Bravery Courage and Resolution of our Men that their Officers could hardly stop them there notwithstanding they were told it was His Majesty's Express Order Then the Besieged began to Fire from the Town with their Great Guns which killed us some Men but in all this days Action we had not above 35 Killed and Wounded tho' above 250 of the Enemy were Killed in their several Retreats among which were several Officers of Note besides divers taken Prisoners Our Pioneers were imployed most part of the Afternoon in levelling the great number of Trenches the Enemy had cast up for their Defence Between Six and Seven in the Evening His Majesty ordered a Trumpeter to be sent with a Summons to the Town and as the Deserters hath since Informed us a great part of the Garrison with some of the Officers were for Capitulating but Monsieur Boiseleau who is Governor Duke of Berwick and Colonel Lutterel c. resolutely oppos'd it making a Speech to the Garrison of the great Divisions there were in England and that 50000 French had made a descent and said the Prince of Orange would be obliged to draw off His Army in few days to defend the Kingdom of England and thereupon prevailed upon them to stand to their Arms. The Trumpeter was sent back with this Answer from Monsieur Boiseleau the Governor That as King James had intrusted him with that Garrison he would recommend himself to the Prince of Orange by a vigorous Defence About Eight at Night the King went to his Camp a little Mile from the Town having been on Horseback from Four in the Morning giving the necessary Orders and exposing himself amidst the greatest of dangers wherein His Royal Highness the Prince of Denmark did every where accompany His Majesty The Cannon ceas'd not all the while to Play from the Town several of the Shot coming over His Majesty's Tent and some falling near it The same Evening a Party of the Royal Regiment and other Dragoons was sent to view the Ford at Annaghbeg a place about Two Miles above the Town where Six of the Enemies Regiments of Foot Three of Horse and Two of Dragoons Commanded by Berwick and Lutterel were Posted on the other side of the River with a Breast-work to cover them who all Fired upon our Men but being such extraordinary Marksmen they neither Killed nor Wounded any of them The Enemy being thus posted so very advantagiously that we expected to have met with great difficulties and opposition in passing the River which is very Rapid and the bottom Stony but the Enemy in the middle of the Night abandoned their Station with great precipitation so that Lieutenant General Ginkle and Major General Kirk who were Commanded by the King with a Detachment to force their way over passed the River the next Morning early being the 10th with about Five Thousand Horse Foot and Dragoons selected out of the several Regiments the Horse and Dragoons first and the Foot afterwards who went almost to the middle in Water and yet the River is shallower now than has been known for many Years About Eight a Clock the King went over in Person accompanied with His Royal Highness the Prince of Denmark and the Heer Bentink Earl of Portland and Monsieur Overkirk c. and Three Regiments of Foot with some Pieces of Cannon were posted there About Four in the Afternoon His Majesty upon the Information he had receiv'd by some Deserters That the Lord Tyrconnel was with a small Camp about Six Miles from Lymerick in the Road to Galway sent out a Party of Horse under the Command of a Lieutenant Colonel to get a farther account of them but they were retired from thence before our Men came up We had likewise an account this Night brought to our Camp by a Deserter That the Count De Lausun lay with his Men near the City of Galway the People there refusing to receive them into the Town The 11. was spent in visiting the several Posts and giving the necessary Orders about the Siege The 12. His Majesty Commanded Brigadeer Stewart with a Detatchment and Four Pieces of Cannon to go early this Morning and Attack Castle Connel which is of considerable Strength scituated on the Shannon about Four Miles from Lymerick There were in it above 140 Men Commanded by Captain Barnwel who had refused to Surrender upon the Summons sent him the Night before but no sooner saw the Cannon but submitted at Discretion The same day Advice came into our Camp That General Sarsfield having with 5 or 600 Horse and Dragoons passed the Shannon Nine Miles above Lymerick had about Two that Morning surprised near a place called Cullen Eight Pieces of our Cannon of 18 Pound Ball which were coming with some Waggons laden with Powder and Ball from Kilkenny under the Guard of a Squadron of Horse and a small Party of Foot The Enemy Killed all they met Men Women and Children in all about sixty the rest escaping the Women and Children that belonged to the Wagoners and Gunners they Murdered most Barbarously in their Beds they Blew up the Powder which burst Two of the Guns the other Six with the Pantons being left intire and fit for Service and they likewise Burnt some of the Carriages
24. This Morning our Guns Fired very briskly at the Walls but being too far off did little Execution so that Two new Batteries were this day made within Eighty Paces of the Wall and our Trenches were carried on by the indefatigable labour of our Men within Pistol-shot of the Counterscarp and our Guns were carried this Night down to the said Batteries first against the Wall of Eight half Cannon the other of Two Eighteen Pounders against the King's-Island This Night a Deserter came over to us who says our Fire Utensils and great Shot have done them much damage destroying at least Thirty People The 25. This Morning about break of day we began to Fire from our new Batteries against the Wall but it Rained so hard till Three in the Afternoon that our Men could not work the Guns however on any intermission of the Rain our Guns Play'd violently against the Walls and from Three we fired at least 300 Shot with good Success against the Wall had not this day proved so wet we had Stormed the Counterscarp however we advanced our Trenches within 30 yards of the Ditch A Deserter that came out of the Town inform'd us That the day we took the Redoubt the Enemy lost above 300 Men. The 26. We widened the Breach we had made the day before in the Wall of the Town and beat down part of the Enemies Pallisado's on the Counterscarp This Night we set Fire to the Town again which Burnt very vehemently A Deserter gives us an account That Colonel Darington Colonel Gar. More Sir Maurice Huestas and Colonel Lutterel were Killed in the Sally The 27. The King ordered an Attack to be made on the Counterscarp which was begun about Three in the Afternoon a Detached Party of Granadeers made the onset and was seconded by other Detachments who went on with that Heat and Courage that having gained the Counterscarp and a Fort which the Enemy had under the Walls instead of lodging themselves there as they were ordered to do and not to advance any further they mounted the Counterscarp following the Irish that fled that way and some were entring into the Town but the Enemy being Intrenched behind the Breach and having Planted Cannon against it they were cut off The Fight lasted Three hours during which the Enemy were still supplied with fresh Men and they sprang a Mine in the Ditch but with little Effect but in conclusion our Men having lost the opportunity of Lodging themselves it was thought fit to retire to our Trenches What Men we have lost in these several Actions we cannot precisely say but by the best Computation and nicest Scrutiny of the most Intelligent Observers it 's thought we may have lost about 700. Killed and Wounded since the beginning of the Siege The 28. At Night we advanced our Trenches about 20 Yards notwithstanding it had Rained most part of the Day it continued to Rain all this Night and all the next day to the 30th almost without Intermission On which a Council of War being Called where as is said the following Reasons among others being urged His Majesty thought fit to give Order for the raising the Siege First That the Rain that had fallen and in all probability was likely to fall would in a little time so moisten the Ground about Lymerick that it would be impossible to draw off the Cannon and heavy Baggage Secondly That the River Shannon began so to swell that if they did not suddenly Pass the same the Communication with the other part of the Army would be cut off Thirdly The Watry Season would undoubtedly bring the Country Distemper on our Army and so more dye of it than by the hand of the Enemy in the same manner they did the last Campaign at Dundalk Fourthly That the Garrison of Lymerick being very numerous if they abide any Assault which on the account of the Weather must be made with great disadvantage we should lose a great many Men. The 30. In the Afternoon the Cannon and heavy Baggage were sent from the Camp On the 31. Five Thousand Horse being ordered for a Rear-Guard to Repress any Sallies the whole Army Decamped and marched off in very good Order and without any disturbance from the Enemy towards Clonmel from whence a strong Detachment under the Command of Lieutenant General Douglas and Major General Kirk was ordered towards Cork and Kin-sale His Majesty having given the necessary Orders disposed the Army and named the Lord Viscount Sidney and Thomas Coningsby Esquire to be Lords Justices of Ireland went accompanied with the Prince of Denmark to Duncannon-Fort And on the 5th in the Afternoon the Wind proving fair they Embarked and Sailed out of the Bay of Waterford accompanied with Three Yatches Two Men of War and several small Tenders On the 6th About Five in the Evening His Majesty Arrived safely in Kings-Road His Majesty being come a Shore lay that Night at Kings-Weston not far from Bristol On the 7th being Sunday in the Morning His Majesty went to Bath and lay the Night following at the Duke of Beaufort's at Badminton Monday 7th His Majesty lay at the Duke of Somerset's at Marlborough Tuesday 8th His Majesty lay at the Castle of Windsor Wednesday 9th About Four in the Afternoon His Majesty came to Kinsinton attended by the great Officers of the Court and other Persons of the chiefest Quality who went to meet him His Majesty was receiv'd in all the places he passed through with most zealous Demonstrations of Duty and Affection and Joy for His Safe and Happy Return POST-SCRIPT 'T IS equally hard to determine whether His Majesty in the Action of the Boyne or in His Decamping before Lymerick has shewed most of a General In the one he gave inimitable proofs of His Courage and Bravery and to it alone we ow'd the Victory But in Rising before Lymerick when Three of the Four Elements conspired to the utter undoing of His Army if He had staid He has given yet a Nobler Proof of a consummated Prudence Wariness and Conduct seldom or never to be found in Company with so boundless a Courage In this He has imitated Zenophous Cyrus who valued himself more upon the Title of the Father of his Soldiers than all the great Names his Persian Admirers bestowed upon him and who was heard often to say He had rather Save one of his own than Cut off a Thousand of his Enemies One of the greatest Men of the last Age in his Dying Advice to his Son who was to Succeed him in the Kingdom of Spain tells him 'T is one of the truest Politicks of a King or a General to know the Critick Moment wherein 't is fit to abandon the Enterprise for want of which fore-sight on the one hand adds Philip II. the greatest Misfortunes have befallen them as on the other hand the exact observance of it has produced in the end the greatest and happiest advantages Thereafter he gives his Son several incident Circumstances that ought to determine a King or a General when 't is time to leave off the present Execution of a Design whereof this is one When Nature and Things not in our Power do concur to render the Attempt either impossible of it self or not able to counter-balance the Expence though it should succeed One would almost think that in these Words Philip by I know not what Instinct should have meant this Advice to the great Grand-child of his inveterate Enemy William of Orange rather than to Philip the III. for it meets in every Act with His Majesties Case before Lymerick It was the swelling of the Shannon the falling down of the Buckets of Heaven the nature of the Soil and the approaching Season of the Year all of them things not lying within our Power that rendred the Enterprise upon Lymerick either impossible or if at all Successful not capable to Counterbalance the certain inconveniences and Losses that must have attended it 'T is certain That in all the Actions of War there is none wherein a General has occasion to shew more of his Wisdom than in Besieging of Towns and to determine whether to continue or raise a Siege many times is the truest Touchstone of his Skill both in War and Politicks How many dismal Examples could there be instanced from the Greek and Roman Historians of continuing a Siege too long in spite of just reason to the contrary A famous instance of which we have in the preceding Age which occasioned the loss of a Battle to the French Army of the Dutchy of Millan to the French Crown and of his Liberty to a French King Francis I. having forced his Passage into Italy in order to recover his pretended Right to the Dutchy of Millan he came at first to lay Siege to the Strong Castle of Pavie with a very brave and numerous Army At first the Enterprize seemed very favourable but a little after partly by the swelling of the River partly by the continual Rains and partly from the Season of the Year the French Army began to diminish daily and then the hopes of Taking the Town every day grew less Notwithstanding all these Circumstances which ought in reason to have determined Francis I. to raise the Siege of Pavie as the very like has wisely determined His Majesty to raise that of Lymerick That Prince would not be prevailed with by all the Insinuations of his best Officers to give it over for that Juncture In short he lay before the Town till he was forced to a Battle the most Fatal the French have Fought near these Three Ages in which he was taken Prisoner and had the Mortification to be carried to Madrid in that Quality FINIS
deserted Me and went to the Enemy and finding a total Defection against Me there I retired and went to France where I was kindly received by that King and had all the Assurances imaginable from Him to Re-establish Me in My Throne In some time after I came to this Kingdom and found My Roman Catholick Subjects here as well equipp'd and prepared to defend My Cause as their Abilities could bear And tho' I have often been told That when it came to the Touch they would never bear the brunt of a Battle I could never credit the same till now when having a good Army and all Preparations fit to Engage any Forreign Invader I found the total Truth of which I had been so often Cautioned And tho' the Army did not desert Me here as they did in England Yet when it câ—me to a Tryal they hasely fled the field and left the spoil to My Enemies Nor could they be prevail'd upon to Rally tho' the Loss in the whole Defeat was but inc nsiderable So that henceforward I never more determine to Head an Irish Army and do now resolve to shift for My self and so Gentlemen must You It has been often debated in case such a Revolution should happen whether upon deserting the City of Dublin the same ought not to be Fired I therefore Charge you on Your Allegience That you neither Rifle the City by Plunder nor Destroy it by Fire which in all Kingdoms will be judged very Barbarous and must be believed to be done by My Orders and if done there will be but little Mercy expected from an Enemy thus Enraged He told them Tho' he quitted Dublin He did not quit his Interâ—st in it He told his Menial Servants That he should have now no farther Occasion to keep such a Court as he had done and that therefore they were at Liberty to Dispose of themselves And so with Two or Three in Company he went to Bray and along by the Sea to Waterford having appointed his Carriages to meet him another way 'T is said he did not sleep till he got on Ship-board and having been once driven in again is since clear gone off All this day being Wednesday nothing was to be seen in Dublin but Officers and Carriages and the Principal Persons of the Town their Wives and Families going away others coming in dusty and weary getting away as fast as they could About tour in the Afternoon the Protestants were affrighted with the appearance of the Irish Horse which were drawn out of the City early in the morning and which they hop'd had been quite gone entering into the Town followed by the French and Irish Foot in a full Body but they onâ—y marched through the Town to go farther the Militia that kept the City followed them only the Governour remained At last he resolved to march also and to drive two or three hundred of the Principal Prisoners before him but while they were preparing for this a false Allarm was spread that a Party of the English being Landed at the Harbour were just at the Towns-end it was too dusky to disprove this by View and they had not leasure to send a Meâ—â—enger but in hast shifted for themselves The Protestants now began to look out not knowing well in what Condition they were in but venturing to the Castle they found Capt. Farlow who had been a Prisoner there keeping Garrison alone Upon this Captain Robert Fitz-Gerald and several others who had been Prisoners went immediately from the Captains own House towards the City taking their way by the Council Chamber and Custom-house which he found by the care of Mr. Francis Babe lately Survey r General of the Revenue were both secured and continued the Keys of both places to his Trust setting Guards on each From thence the Captain with the rest repaired to the Castle which they found Deserted by the Papists and on which they seized for their Majesties Service having made Sir Robert Gore who was till then a Prisoner in the Castle Governour for that Night And having set strong Guards on all Places Convenient in the Castle they passed through the Iron-Gate into the Castle Yard to secure what Stores were left as well of Arms and Amunition as Provisions where a great Rabble had met and forcing open the Store-house Doors had committed very great Outrages but upon their appearance and some other Persons of Quality that came to their Assistance by their Prudent Government this Tumultuous Rabble were dispersed and they forc'd out of the Castle-Yard and having well Secured by strong Guards the Castle-Yard and Stores Committing the Stores to the Charge of Captain Farlow till they returned to the Castle and leaving the same in charge with Sr. Robert Gore they marched to the Main-Guard where were a Guard of the Militia who declared themselves for King James but were by their fair Perswasions prevailed upon to surrender their Arms and deliver up the Guards and left the Main-Guard that Night under Command of Captain Slaughter a Worthy Protestant and lately Disbanded Having secur'd the Main-Guard they went with Captain Slaughter to the several City Gates and set Guards on them They pass d through the several Streets of the City to prevent any Disorders they then return'd to the Castle and finding all things there in great Quiet and Security they took a March into part of the Suburbs and Commanded others with a Guard to secure the Remote Parts of the Suburbs and took the other Round through the City and Castle and all things being very safe they Selected out a certain number of their Company as the Bishop of Limerick Dr. King Dean Bourk the Captain Mr. Witchet Councellor Dixon Francis Babe and others to consult what was then fit to be done and about Six a Clock they sent out Proclamation by Beat of Drum for Regulating all Disorders and forming a Protestant Militia and sent away Express to the King by Councellor Dixon and Mr. Francis Babe with their Letters to His Majesty at the Camp These Gentlemen found him Marching up to Dublin in two Lines expecting to meet the Irish at Swords at the same time that they gave His Majesty an Account of Dublins being at Liberty News came of the Surrender of Drogheda which he had left a Party to Besiege and in which they had Pinnioned all the Protestants and Prisoners and placed them under that part of the Wall which was to be Battered but this was not known till after the Surrender Till Afternoon this Thursday July the 3. the Protestants in Dublin did not hear a word of the English Army in the mean time they had reports That the Irish and French were coming back and very near them which gave a damp to their briskness but this blowing over and the certain account of the English Army being come they then perceived themselves at Liberty The Protestants ran about saluting and embracing one another and blessing God for this wonderful deliverance as
de la Meloniere gave Protections to a great many Papists who expected to have been plundered and marched to joyn the Army whom we shall leave for a little time and give the Reader here an account of the Movements of the late King and his Troops and the Affairs in and about Dublin and the Protestants therein Friday June 13. The Protestants in Dublin receiv'd the certain Account of King William's Landing Before this a Camp had been laid out by the Irish about Atherdeâ— and the late King James had ordered his Army to Rendezvouz there from several parts of the Kingdom On Monday the 16th King James marched out of Dublin to joyn them with about 6000 French Foot most old Soldiers excellently well Arm'd and Clad one Regiment of these were Dutch and Protestants and were observed carefully for fear of Deserting The whole Irish Army encamped made about 36000 all well Clad and in good heart both Horse and Foot The same day King James left Dublin there marched in 6000 of the Countrey Militia and Collonel Luterel and Mac Gillicuddy as his Assistant were left Governors It was expected the Irish would have been much cast down upon King James's leaving Dublin and the certain News of King Williams's Landing but they were much the contrary they Triumphed and rejoyced as if they had got King William in a Pound and the Day were their own They were assured either that the French Fleet would cut of King William from England or that an Insurrection would be made there for we were told that an hundred thousand Men were ready to rise under the Notion of declaring for a Common-wealth The Protestants in Dublin knew not what to think of these things for they were kept as Prisoners of War and suffered to know no more nor enjoy any more than what the others pleased But this the Protestants feared most because the Irish spoke least of it that some desperate Persons had undertaken to Destroy King William as soon as he should come ashoar For the great assurance of the Irish could not be imputed to any other thing than this Some were so open as to tell their Protestant Friends very lately That they would be glad to go to Mass within this Twelve Month with several other Expressions of the like nature The great concern of the Protestants in Dublin was how they should be preserved from being Plundered and Burnt in case of the Defeat of the Irish Army this they thought could be done only by the English pursuing the Victory close for by a particular Providence the Irish had neglected all this time to fortifie Dublin or else by sending a Party by Sea to Land at the Bay at the time of the Engagement neither of which as it afterward happen'd was done But God alone preserv'd the Protestants of Dublin by an extraordinary Deliverance On Thursday June 19. After King James was gone to Encamp about Twelve at Noon the Governour ordered all Persons walking the Streets without Swords or Bayonets which was the Badge of Protestants to be taken up and secured in Parades At Night he pickt out whom he thought fit and sent them to several Prisons where they were considerably incommoded After this followed a Proclamation That not above Five Protestants should meet in any place above the Family on pain of Death By which they were from that time shut out from our Churches which by an extraordinary Providence they had enjoyed all these times except Christ Churh Most of them were frequented twice every Day at Prayers The Church-men who stayed in the City though they had lost all their Subsistance by the Irish Parliament except what People voluntarily contributed acquitted themselves with a great deal of Zeal and Diligence being particularly influenc'd by the Bishop of Meath and Dr. King Dean of St. Patricks who have been the Bulwark of the Protestants in these sad times On Tuesday 24. Dr. King was clapt up in the Castle and many other of the principal Protestants in the College which was now a Garison and other publick places The Galway Protestants being about 200 these were they of Sir Thomas Southwel's party which were lately brought to Dublin in order to be exchanged were removed from White Fryars to the Round Church and all the Newgate Prisoners were put to them where they were near stifled The Prisoners of War were brought from Kilmainham to St. John's Church the publick Contributions which hitherto had been very liberal every Lord's Day to their Relief were now intercepted and the Poor began to suffer much few Protestants daring to walk the Streets Saturday the 28th News came to Dublin That the Irish Army retreated and the English Army were come towards Droghedah and seemed to press forward for Dublin On Sunday the 29th the Irish Army came on this side the Boyne and King James as it should seem distrusting the Issue Sir Patrick Trant First Commissioner of the Revenue and another Gentleman were ordered to go from Dublin on Monday Morning to Waterford to prepare Ships July 1st Early in the Morning the Protestants in Dublin were wakened by an Alarm and the News that there would be a Battle The Gates of the City were kept strictly Guarded and the Protestants kept their Houses The Issue they expected with the greatest apprehensions Several Reports were spread abroad every Hour one while that the French Fleet were in the Bay another that a French Express was come from Waterford with the news of taking the Isle of Wight by the French and of their being gone to Dover then that the English Right Wing was quite routed then that the P. of Orange was taken Prisoner But at Five that Afternoon some that had made their escape on tired Horses told the Protestants The Irish were much worsted and others at Six That they were totally defeated from hence till One that Night all the Entries of the Town were filled with dusty wounded and tired Soldiers and Carriages perpetually coming in After these several of King James's Horse Guards came in stragling without Pistols or Swords and could not tell what was become of himself Near ten that Night he came in with about 200 Horse all in disorder The Protestants concluded now that it was a total rout and that the English Army were just ready to come into Town but were greatly Surprised when an hour or two after they heard the whole Body of the Irish Horse coming in in very good order with Kettle-Drums Haut boys and Trumpets and early the next Morning the French and a great Party of the Irish Foot These being a little rested Marched out again as they gave out to meet the Enemy which were supposed to draw nigh Wednesday July 2d About five this Mornning King James having sent for the Irish Lord Mayor and some Principle Persons to the Castle made a Speech to them to this purpose Gentlemen I had a very good Army in England and when I had the greatest occasion for them they