my ill condition I must through as well as I could yet withal resolving to avoid a Battel by all means and seek to make my War by Parties and Surprises where new men are as good as old Now having more then time before the Campagne I was commanded by the Supream Council to March into Connaught to reduce some of our own Party which had set up for themselves in the County of Mayoe and had possessed Castle Carroe and Castle Barre the former Commanded by one Burk the latter by the Lord of Mayoe I took with me two Thousand men and past the Shanon at Fort-faukland the Marquess of Clanrichard permitting me to pass through his Country These Castles made little resistance After they had yielded I sent my Party under the Command of Sir James Dillon into the County of Roscommon to reduce the Armsbyes and some others that held Garisons and would not submit to the Cessation When he had done his work which he was not long about he return'd into Leinster and lodg'd the Troops as he was ordered In the mean while I had gone to Kilkenny and set my self to the great Work still having some mistrust of Owen O Neal's performance Wherefore I desired the Council to grant me four hundred Horse and Dragoons more in case I could raise them without Charge which I did The first Rendevous that I made in order to this Field was 1644 about Midsummer in the County of Longford at a place called Granard where I had appointed three Thousand Horse and Foot with two or three Field-pieces intending there to have expected the coming up of the whole Army which might be four or five days for O Neal was neer Encamped at Portlester and the rest were Marching as ordered By my spies that met me at this Rendevous and came in hast all agreed that they had left the Enemy near a certain Mountain threescore Miles of that they were seventeen Thousand strong with one and twenty days Provision in Oaten Meal which they carried on their own and little Horses backs no Cannon or other Baggage and were ready to March I thought my self pretty secure for that Night but at twelve of the Clock one from Cavan assured me that he had left the whole Army there and that their Horse and Dragoons would be with me in the morning On this advice I packt off as fast as I could and gain'd Port-Lester ordering the rest of the Army to come thither and at the instant Commanded a Colonel with five or six hundred Foot and a hundred Horse to defend the Bridge of Fienagh It was of stone and a Castle on our End I sent with him Shovels Pickaxes and Spades with plenty of Ammunition The Enemy according to my Intelligence came at Sun-rising into the Camp I had left and shewed themselves the next day before that Bridge My unfortunate Colonel sent over his Horse to Skirmish and when they were far enough out on a sudden the Enemy mingled with them Which was the cause that our Foot could do nothing but through fear to kill their own left Bridge Castle and all free for the Enemy However this availed them little For finding me well Posted though O Neal was of another opinion their Provisions shrunk and being at least twelve days March from their own Country they staid not to give me farther trouble but hastened homewards Now then I was at leisure to call on General O Neal for his four Thousand Foot and four hundred Horse being resolved to follow the Enemy and try my Fortune in Vlster as I was designed to do He excused himself by Reason of the continual Alarms in his Countrey that he could not at present make good his Word but withal assuring me again that so soon as I came into the Province I should have no reason to complain Having this assurance I March'd on with my six Thousand Foot and a Thousand Horse and Dragoons and O Neal joyned to me about two hundred Horse and three or four hundred Foot his Creiaghts Marching with us being all the Irish with their Cattle of that Province When he had drawn me on as far as Toinregoah I had intelligence that the Enemy had revictualled themselves and were returning to encounter me Whereupon I prest O Neal very hard to make good his Word Who plainly told me that he could not do it alledging that his people were all amongst the Creiaghts and every one looking to save what he had In this sad condition I blamed my own Weakness in being persuaded with fair Promises to come so far into an Enemies Country however I was resolved to see the Enemy then Encamped at Drummore Jueagh And therefore taking such Guides as O Neal would give me and leaving the Command of the Camp to him in the evening I March'd with my Thousand Horse and Dragoons and fifteen hundred Commanded Foot These I left on a Pass about three Miles from my Camp to make good my retreat intending to fall with my Horse into their Horse-Quarter But whether Wittingly or Willingly in my Guides it was Sun-rising when I came within two Miles of their Horse-Quarter And yet still though I had lost my design I would see the Enemy And to this end perceiving some of their Horse at Grass I being drawn under a Hill near a little River where there was a Stone-bridge sent a Party to take those Horses which they did and brought them to me But their Guard of Horse being near after my Horse were come back seized the Bridge and defended it I sent men to beat them off but it would not do Then I sent another Party the same still Whilst this was a disputing I perceived a hundred Foot coming over a great plain Then I Galloped down my self with some Officers and more Horse So passing the Bridge I had the cutting oft that hundred Foot without resistance A Party of mine pursued the Horse that ran from the Bridge but before they overtook them they were met with another which routed them And others of mine put them also to the run Before this Fight ended most of the Horse on both sides were Engaged The Enemy at last drew off and so did I to my Army Being returned to my Camp I acquainted O Neal with what had past and how the Enemies Army were advancing according to my intelligence Whereupon he advised me to retire to Charlemount a Fort where he had a Garison I followed his advice and found it a very good Post there being a large plain joyned to it on the one side runs the black Water and near the Fort a Bridge over it the rest surrounded with Bogs and Moorish Ground My Horse lay Encamped at Benborb on the other side the River At the same time that I came into this place Monro with his Army arrived at Armagh about two or three Miles distant and there Encamp'd fortifying himself Thus neither of us being able to Engage the other we lay in pretty
is about the 5. of Ap. 1645. I Marched towards Capper-Quin my Army consisting of about five Thousand Foot a Thousand Horse and twelve Brass pieces of Cannon some of twenty four and others of eighteen pound Bullet Viewing the place I soon perceived where they mistook that Besieged it formerly and after much time spent with great loss of men were enforced to quit it There being a Town and a Castle that Commanded it they Attack'd the Town and I on the contrary the Castle which yielded the Town could not resist Drommane fell likewise into my hands Whilst I was ordering these places I wrote a Letter to the Commander of Lismore a house of my Lord of Corks I think one Major Poor I endeavoured to persuade him to put that place into my hands that it might be preserved for let the Garison be what he pleased it could not resist I gave him many reasons why I desired the preservation of that place as if it were my own But he answered that his Honour was above all that he would hold out to the last and doubted not of timely Succour So I left Mr. Poor and Marched to Michaelstown which after some shot of Cannon was rendred Then having Intelligence that six or seven hundred Horse were come over the Black-water Marching towards me and at that time Drawn up on a Hill in the great plains of Roches Country I March'd the Army towards them not knowing whether my Lord of Inchiquin might not be near with his Army But these Horse when we were well in sight retired Whereupon Lieutenant General Purcel with several other Officers and Gentlemen of the Country who had been viewing them at near hand came Galloping to me and saying that the Enemy were running away prest me earnestly to let him have my Horse for they had them so sure that they could not escape I making difficulty they said it was because I knew not the Country But I saw so much that yielding to their desire I should be left expos'd in a great Champion Country with an Army of Foot and Cannon without Horse Yet after all which I count certainly among other my Follies I suffered my self to be persuaded they March'd away in great hast I followed slowly and coming to the Black-water near the Ford of Fermoy drew my Foot and Cannon into an old Danes Work Ireland being full of them Having staid there pretty long and hearing no News of my Horse I began to be uneasie But remembring that I had a Guard of Horse on some Beeves that were for the Provision of the Army I sent for them And at the same time unexpected came Garrot Garrow with my old Life-Guard of Horse to me out of Leinster These and those making in all a hundred I presently took with me to see what became of the Troops sent with Purcel But first I ordered fifteen hundred Foot to stand in a readiness Then finding by the Track that my Horse had passed the Ford and taken their way towards Castle-Lions I followed Being come near the Top of the Hill above the Ford I left these few Horse I had with me drawn up and with some Officers went my self to the height to discover Thence I saw all the Enemy formed in a great plain with a shrub wood before them and my Horse in hast Marching through to Charge having with them a hundred Commanded Foot But the Enemy seeing the Squadrons broken as they came on the plain gave them no time but Charged and Defeated them On sight of this disorder and the Enemy pursuing when they came near me I advanced Crying out to my own men that they should Rally behind me The Enemy seeing these Fresh Horse and not knowing but the Army might be near pursued no farther but drew up The fifteen hundred Commanded Foot that I had sent for soon came to me On sight of which the Enemy retiring to Castle Lions I followed but could not engage them it beginning to be dark Hence I March'd to Malloe and took it but with some shot of Cannon and left a Garison in it Donerail and Liscarrel made no resistance But Miltown a better place and a good Garison stood out So that I thought it would cost some trouble But whilst the Batteries were preparing 2 or 3000 Boys belonging to the Army that use to form themselves into Battallions having gotten Crows of Iron Pickaxes and other Instruments a little before Sun-set fell on the place intending as I think only to have taken the Cows and Sheep within a Court which was walled But Success carried them farther and they took the Castle by strong hand So all that side of the Black-water being cleared I sent the Army for some days into Quarters of refreshment I went my self to Kilmallock and other places where my Magazines were In the mean time my Lord of Inchiquin having taken Rosstellan besieged Ballymarter a Castle belonging to his Unkle Edmund Fitz Gerrald Senescal of Imokelle My Army being come together I March'd to succour it But there being a Flood in the Black-water I was hindred for two days So that when I came in sight of the place I found it taken and burning and the Enemy retreating some to Cork others to Youghal Having thus lost my design of Succouring the place and that which I wisht most Engaging the Enemy I staid Encamped near this burnt Castle two or three days thinking what to do At length I got intelligence that Colonel Henry Obryan Brother to the Lord of Inchiquin and Lieutenant Colonel Courtney with several other Officers were come by Boat to Rostellan to make merry and that the Tide fallen their Boats were a ground and so would continue till High-Water On the certainty of this I lost no time but sent immediately a Party to seise the Boats lying more than Musquet-shot from the Castle following as fast as I could with the Army which being come up I presently fell to the work planting my Guns the Batteries made by my Lord of Inchiquin not being destroyed In the morning the places yielded on discretion Hence I March'd to Castle Lions which after some battering yielded I took my March then towards Lismore But Cony-Castle lying on a Pass in my way and sending on Summons a desiance I Encamped before it thinking to plant my Guns that Night But the Boys eased me of the Trouble and took it before it was dark by Storm as they did the former I wrote again to the Governour of Lismore to put that place into my hands that I might turn the Army another way having as much kindness for the owner as he could have But not prevailing I invested it And having ordered the Batteries left Lieutenant General Purcel to Command and trie if he could have better Success with that place now than formerly he had had when he Besieged it and so rode to Kilkenny as not willing to be present at the destruction of a House where I had formerly received
saying he would fain see what man durst Toutch his Habit I laying hold on him said Lies the Enchantment there And after this the Mayor Town Major and all the rest carried them away Prisoners to the Castle as I had appointed SECT VIII He returns to the Army Inchiquin Marches to Mounster with 1100 Horse from the Siege of Dublin That Siege rais'd Cromwel landed at Dublin takes Drogheda by Storm The Lord Lieutenant forms a good Army in the County of Kilkenny Inchiquin worsted at Glascarrig Castlehaven relieves Wexford which after is betray'd by Stafford Castlehaven relieves Duncannon and the Siege of it raised Cromwel takes Ross and thence Marches to the County of Cork where all the Towns open to him Tickle's Treacherous undertaking Castlehaven made Commander in Chief of Leinster He Storms Athy Gowran betray'd to Cromwel The Plague raging at Kilkenny Cromwel Besieges and takes it by composition Castlehaven's Orders not obeyed he goes to my Lord Lieutenant in the County of Clare NOw after a while that I had diverted my self a Hunting I repaired to Limbrick and there lay causing by fair and foul means all people both in that City and County to bring in what remained due to the King of their Aplotments Having got ten Thousand pound together I delivered it to Sir George Hambleton Treasurer of the Army My Lord Lieutenant now wrote to the Commissioners of Trust sitting at Kilkenny to let me know that I should come to the Army and that all difficulties concerning Command should be removed to my Satisfaction I obeyed and Sir George and my self with our ten Thousand pound went to the Army which we found in their March removing from the Phenix side of Dublin to Rath Mines where they Encamped But my Lord of Inchiquin soon after acquainted his Excellency with some Letters he had received from his Officers in Mounster that Cromwel was to land there Which if so all his Towns would revolt if not prevented by his speedy repair thither with some or all his Army In Order to this my Lord of Inchiquin desired his Excellency's Consent that he might March away with eleven hundred Horse and his Excellency imparted all to me At which I was infinitely surprized alleadging the whole Army too weak for the work in hand I remember my Lord Lieutenants Answer But 't is not my business to speak more of this Subject having been always kept a stranger to the undertaking of this Siege 'T is enough for me to tell you here that my Lord of Inchiquin with eleven hundred Horse March'd away and you may imagine many more Soon after this happen'd the Defeat before Dublin And not long after that Cromwell with his Army Landed there March'd to Tredath and took it with all the Towns in those parts My Lord Lieutenant not being able to stand before him retired with what Troops he had to the County of Kilkenny Where my Lord of Inchiquin came to him and in a short time they formed a good Army For besides my Lord of Inchiquins Forces many Vlster Regiments of Foot joyned them Owen O Neal having by this time though too late for himself and the King's service come in upon Articles which he sign'd upon his Death-bed after he had been rejected by the Parliament Cromwel being retired to Dublin refresh'd his Army sitted himself for a new undertaking and took his March by the Sea side through the County of Wicklowe to Besiege Wexford My Lord of Inchiquin was sent to oppose him They met on the Strand in the County of Wexford towards Glascarrig fought and my Lord was Worsted My Lord Lieutenant being with his Army come to Ross and fearing a want of men within Wexford I knowing the Town and Country about it offer'd to attempt the Relief My Lord accepted my good Will and ordered me as many Regiments of Vlster Foot as made fifteen hundred men The Colonels were my Lord of Eveah and one Mac Coffre also I think another and appointed two hundred Horse to escort us I took a great compass and came before day to the Ferry near Sir Thomas Esmond's house called Ballin-Treman who as I remembred was with me Then leaving the Horse for my return I Passed that Arm of the Sea in Boats and having delivered the Foot to Sir Edmund Butler the Governor I took the same way homewards as I came The Town thus Manned was Impregnable as to Cromwel by force Yet he took it by the advantage of a Castle that was betray'd unto him by the Governour one James Stafford This Castle was strong and stood about two or three hundred Paces from the Wall The Communication with the Town could not be Cut. So that the Danger was least there if Treachery had not been in the Case But the Castle being betray'd it Mastered all that part of the Wall So Cromwel's Forceâ—s entred and made almost as great a Slaughter as at Drogheda My Lord Lieutenant then with his Army retired over the River of Ross and encamped on the County of Kilkenny side From whence his Excellency sent me into the County of Waterford to Passage over against Bally-hack to look after the relieving of Duncannon Besieged by some of Cromwels people I think Ireton Commanded And for all there were Parliament Ships before it I ventured one morning with a Boat and got into the place to the Governour a brave Gentleman one Colonel Wogane whom my Lord sometime before had sent to Command and with him besides the Irish Garison about a hundred English Officers who had served the King in the Wars of England He from the highest part of the Rampart shewed me how the Enemy lay After I had well considered all I offered to send him that night by Sea eighty Horse Sadled and with Pistols if he would mount them with so many of his English Officers and before day with them and some Foot make a sharp Sally He lik'd it extremely but doubted my part for putting in the Horse it being about three miles by Sea I bad him leave that to me Having thus concluded I took my Boat returned and set my self to my Business The Tide serving at the beginning of the night and having provided Boats I Commanded eighty choice Horse to come to the Sea side Where making the Horsemen alight I caused the Horses to be Boated sending some to hold them They entred the Place and all was executed as designed great Slaughter made and the Cannons seised For the Confusion amongst the Enemy was great by reason that they judged it the falling in of an Army from abroad hearing and seeing horses and knowing none to be in the Fort. Our people retiring before day the Enemy raised the Siege in the morning and Marched off His Excellency shortly after this made me Governour of Waterford whither I went with a Thousand men But the Town would not admit them entrance On which I after several days dispute being in despair Marched away in the night All this while
went to my Lord Lieutenant in the County of Clare Where I rendred him an account how I had been failed to the end he might do as he thought fit SECT IX Made Commander in Chief of Mounster and Limbrick receiving him Ireton raises his Siege that night Transports 2000 men by Boats into Kerry Persuades Clanrickard to accept of the Government Sends Orders to the several Provinces which are not obeyed Passes with 1000 Horse through Limbrick to the Silver Mines and how this design failed Hinders the General Assembly from Agreeing with the Parliament Relieves Tecrochan and Fox hang'd Ireton sitting down again before Limmerick he defends the Pass at Killaloe Sent for to Galway hinders the agreement with the Duke of Lorrain Return'd to Killaloe receives Letters from Ireton and answers them but is betray'd at Bryan's Bridge by Captain Kelly and at Killaloe by Colonel Fennel Athlone given up and Galway besieged he is sent from Clanrickard to the King The Kings Answer and Orders to Clanrickard On which Castlehaven takes Service under the Prince of Conde Reflections I Had not been long there attending his Excellency before Ireton sate down before Limbrick on the County of Limbrick side leaving Tomond's side open His Excellency repaired thither and being come near the end of the Bridge sent to the Mayor to let him know that he was there with some Troops and ready to enter with them for the defence of the place The Mayor having consulted his Brethren made excuse as if they had no need of relief Several Messages pass to and fro till at length his Excellency losing all patience declared unto them that if they would not receive and obey him he would leave the Kingdom All would not do And so turning aside he called me to him and told me that he was in good earnest and would be gone but Commanded me to stay and keep up a Bussel as long as I could it being the Kings Service I was very unwilling to remain behind seeing he took with him my Lord of Inchiquin my Lord Taaf Colonel Daniel O Neal and other his friends But the sound of the Kings Service so Charmed me that I abandon'd my own Judgment and submitted to what his Excellency should Order He then gave me a Commission to be Commander in chief of the Province of Mounster and the County of Clare having before that of Leinster Thus qualified together with my being General of the Horse of the Kingdom his Excellency gave me Possession of his Troops there standing in their Arms together with his Life-Guard to serve me as they had done him and as I counted they were in all about two Thousand Foot and a Thousand Horse His Excellency for my better encouragement assured me that he would leave a Commission for my Lord of Clanrickard to be Lord Deputy Now my Lord being gone and not suffering me to accompany him more than a Mile I went into the Town addressing to the Mayor and Aldermen I told them how I was left and ask'd them whether they were pleased with it and would obey me They took no long time to consult but submitted themselves to my pleasure On which I immediately visited their Walls and at the same time took a view of the Enemy whom I judged to be very loose and exposed if vigorously assaulted On which I resolved in the first of the night to draw my Troops into the Town and a little before day to make a sharp Sally On what Intelligence I know not but Ireton raised his Siege and marched off in the night This done I returned my Troops to their Quarters and remained my self in the Town till I had sent my Orders to all Officers commanding in the several Provinces and particularly to my Lord of Muskry then in Kerry ordering him to make himself so strong as he could and that I would soon be with him to encrease his Forces Which I performed passing the Shanon about twelve miles below Limbrick with two thousand men And though the River was full of Parliament Ships and two miles over yet I had not the least loss 'T is true I took the night and landing in Kerry near Drombeg I marcht till I came to my Lord of Muskry at Tralie Having acquainted him with what had past and ordered what I would have done particularly in raising of Forces I left my men with him and returned to Iniss my Residence in the County of Clare Where being come and a little refresh'd I went to Portumne to visit the Marquess of Clanrickard and came there before Dinner He bad me very Welcome After Dinner I desired to retire my self for an hour or two He brought me to my Chamber and asked Whether it would not be troublesome that he took a Pipe of Tobacco by me I said no but the contrary yet shewed my self melancholy He did what he could to divert it but I pretended withal not to be very well and spake to a Servant of his that stood at the Door to bring me a Glass of Sack My Lord was much pleased with that and called for a Bottle Now my Point was to get him to take the Government by accepting the Commission left by my Lord Lieutenant yet I speak nothing of it hoping he would begin which he did The passages on this subject are too long to relate here But before we parted I got him to send to the Commissioners of Trust these were men named by the Confederates and agreed to by my Lord of Ormond to see the performance of the Articles of Peace then sitting at Loghreah requiring them to send him his Commission for he would take upon him the Government And to lose no time I gave him the best account I could of the Forces in the Kingdom as well Friends as Foes For he during the War had been no more than a Spectator beloved and respected of all and might have so continued had not his great Loyalty drawn him to take up this Commission which was little less than to Sacrifice himself and his only to give the King time to trie his fortune with Cromwell their Armies being near Sterling in Scotland Encamped near together as the Kings Letters to us imported brought by Deane King an Express newly come We agreed at this meeting that his Lordship should immediately raise a thousand Horse as an addition to the Standing Forces of Conaught and that I should march with my thousand Horse out of the County of Clare to the Silver Mines in the County of Tipperary passing through Limbrick in the night and be at such a day and hour at the Rendevous and there I should meet fifteen hundred Foot that he would send with a good Officer His Part was little more than crossing the Shanon at his door and marching four or five miles no Enemy in those Parts I complied punctually with my Order and the Mayor of Limbrick as I marched through the City on demand gave me a hundred Foot The Alarm of
I did only keep up a Bussel till the King and Cromwel had decided their Quarrel He therefore again sate down before Limbrick with a powerful Army on the County of Limbrick side I with what Force could be drawn together March'd to Killalow and there Encamped He kept a Guard on his side the River as I did against him at Bryans-Bridge and Castle Conel We lay in this manner a long time he attempting nothing either on the Town or River which was not yet for deable in any place My Lord Deputy being at Galway sent me a Letter in all hast to come to him On my Arrival he told me that the Abbot of St. Katherine was in the Harbour and in his Company many Officers with a quantity of Arms Ammunition and other Materials for War That they were sent by the Duke of Lorrain who pretended by some agreement to be Protector Royal of the Kingdom of Ireland with Power over all our Forces and Places And that he was to continue that Title and Dominion till after the War ended he were reimburst all his Expences and his Damages satisfied I was much startled at this News For though I strugled to keep up a Bussel I never intended to buy it so dear as to give Footing or colour of Pretence or Title to any Foreign Prince And having heard my Lord all out I took the boldness to ask him how far he was concerned in this matter He protested before God and upon his Honour that he never gave Commission for any such Treaty and as to the thing he knew no more than what he had told me other then that the General Assembly then sitting in the Town were in great joy for this Succour and prest him earnestly for the reception But I found him entirely against it Being thus satisfied I desired him to leave the matter to me and let me deal with the Assembly Immediately therefore I went and found them on the Debate To which in my time I spake and with much Detestation of the thing declared all Traytors that were for receiving this succour on those terms and that I would not sit more to hear of this Stuff but return to my Forces knowing what I had to do My Lord Deputy was much pleased with this round Discourse and publickly approved it So the Abbot with what he had returned from whence he came At my return which was without delay to Killalow I found all quiet And whether Ireton had Information of this Passage I know not but by a Trumpet I received from him a long Letter four sides of Paper close written in a small hand The drift was to set forth the justness of the Parliaments proceedings their great Power how short a time I could subsist what ill Company I was with and threw what durt he could on the King I served but concluded with great value of my person pitying my Condition and offering me that if I would retire and live in England privately I should not only enjoy my Estate but remain in safety with the esteem and favour of the Parliament I immediately shewed this Letter to Father Peter Walsh my then Ghostly Father whom I had always found faithful to the King and a lover of his Country With his advice by the same Trumpet I answered all his Points and rejected his proposition concerning my own person desiring him withal to send no more Trumpets with such Errands if perhaps he would not have the Messenger ill Treated From this time there was an end of all Messages and Letters between us Now Ireton remained still and quiet without any action or attempt expecting the coming of Sir Charles Coot on my back or the fall of the River Both came together and besides that a third unlucky accident For now some days I had kept Guards towards Conaught when Ireton by Treachery of the Officer one Captain Kelly made himself Master of Bryans-Bridge 'T is called so though there be no Bridge Whilst I was hastening with some Troops to oppose having left the defence of the Pass at Killalow to Colonel Fennel he cowardly or Treacherously quitted it and with all his Party fled into Limbrick Where upon the rendition of the Town which was not long after Ireton with more than his ordinary justice hanged him Some say he was carried to Cork and that it was done there He pleaded for his Defence not only this Service but how he had betrayed me before Toughal But his Judges would not hear him on his Merit but bid him clear himself of the Murders laid to his charge Now receiving Letters from my Lord Deputy of Sir Charles Coots approach I hastened to him with what Troops I had left viz. about three hundred Horse and found him drawn into Loghreah with his Forces not being able to keep the Field against Coot who was twice his number The Enemy did not think fit to attempt him and were gone by before my coming About this time Athlone gave up to them and so did Limbrick to Ireton some few Months after In the mean while my Lord Deputy and my self with what Troops we had retired towards Jerchonnoght under the Covert of the River that runs by Galway and so shifted up and down till Sir Charles Coot came before the Town on Loghreahs side and had taken a Castle a little above on the River Then we retired into Galway Where we had not long been before we heard of the Kings Defeat at Worcester A man now would think that this Noble Lord had discharged his part Yet his Zeal carried him farther He dispatch'd me for France to the King by the way of Iniss-bofin for the River of Galway was full of Parliament Ships with orders to set out the ill state of his Majesties Affairs in that Kingdom And that nevertheless to serve his Majesty he intended after Galway should be lost to make a Mountain War and give the Enemy trouble for some time if his Majesty would but send him five hundred Barrels of Powder with Match and Bullets proportionable and some Arms and appointed me to return with them to Iniss-bofin a fit place for our Magazine it being a large Island lying of Jerchonnoght three Miles into the Sea in which we had a strong Garison 'T is surrounded with Rocks and has but one entrance where there is a pretty good Harbour for Frigats and small Men of War I here Shipped my self and landed at Brest ordering the Frigate that brought me to expect my orders The Captain was Antonio Vandersipp of Brugis We had a sharp fight with an English Ship that we met in the way but foul weather parted us No great hurt was done other than that the Bishop of Down was Killed in the Cabbin 't is thought by the Wind of the Bullet or Fear for he had not the least sign of any hurt and lived near a quarter of an hour Being Landed I took post for St. Germains where I found the King Queen-Mother and my
Lord of Ormond I delivered my Letters of Credit and in a day or two had my Audience They seemed to take it to heart and Consulted Cardinal Mazerine and the chief Ministers But the truth of it is that the King of France's Affairs were at that time so much in disorder by reason of the Civil War that nothing could be done Having this Answer the King gave me a Letter to my Lord Deputy acknowledging his good Service ordering him that he should make the best conditions for himself and Party that he could and expect a better season Having thus discharged my Commission I dismiss'd my Frigate and with the Kings permission engaged my self in the Service of the Prince of Conde who was then joyned with the Spaniard But first I sent by a safe hand his Majesties Letter away to my good Lord of Clanrickard Of whom I have said so much already that I need add nothing but my own esteem for his worthy Memory as a pattern of Loyalty Between my leaving him and his laying down Arms I can give no account but have heard that he was driven to great extremity SECT X. Some few Reflections more of Castlehaven on himself And the last of all is an acknowledgment of a most extraordinary favour of God to him ANd so I have done my Story And you find by these Memoir's that no man could arrive to greater Trust and Credit than I had amongst the Irish though the War till the Peace of Forty Six was almost National And then they made me what they could by naming me to remain General of the Horse of the Kingdom in the Kings Service Which was a Right left to them by that Peace It remains now that I give those few Reflections more upon my self which may let the Reader know to what next God's blessing I impute that esteem and fortune I had among the Confederate Catholicks of Ireland In my beginning I was a great Partyman But considering my self and Soldiers but young beginners I meddled with nothing that was not almost sure remembring that young Hawks must be entred on weak game Having Marshal-law it was certain Death to take from any of our Friends the worth of a Hen. But withal I had care that my Soldiers should not want If any thing happen'd of that kind I sent out a Party with a sure Officer to bring in so many Beefs and at his return to tell me where he took ' em Then I issued my Order to the Commissioners to applot on the County or Barony from whence the cattle came their value and immediately to satisfie the Owners which was always allowed out of their Contributions This I held constantly during the War An other of my Rules no less punctually observed was That if by accident any want fell out to be in the Army I kept no Table and eat no better than the Soldiers did Though otherwise I did generally keep a good Table and my Officers were welcome to me I never took the worth of a crown for my self either from Country-man Officer or Soldier but lived still upon my bare Pay Though the Council never stinted me but left me at liberty to take besides what I should think fit out of the Treasure that commonly March'd along with the Army and was disposed of by my Orders I was a good Providore and had my Magazines well furnished and seated as I was to make the War For men eat every day but Fight seldom My Soldiers I called my Children and really had a Fatherly love and care for them And they by their duty bravery and affection made me a full return I punisht severely which made my Orders to be well observ'd and rewarded bountifully according to my power If an Officer or Soldier had done a brave Action I treated the Officer some days at my Table and took all occasions by talking to improve his glory and seldom either Officer or Soldier went without advancement or other reward I made it my business always to March and Encamp so as not to be engag'd to Fight without an enemy would come on great disadvantage My Intelligence and Spies cost me very dear But I had good Whenever I Fought or had a mind to Fight coming in view of the Enemy and being in order of Battle I rode to all the Battallions and Squadrons to observe their looks And then with a cheerful countenance acquainting them them truly with what I knew of the Enemy and our Condition I told them my own opinion for Fighting and if they liked it I would go on otherwise not This I did to engage them in judgment as well as duty I made it my business to get my Troops good Winter-Quarters But during the Field I was very strict in my Musters And ever and anon being not in danger of an Enemy I made the Battallions and Squadrons March by Companies that I might know their number just For a General will be cozen'd if he brings his men to Fight on sworn Relations I suffer'd no Officer to take from a Soldier the worth of a penny I do not remember that during the time I serv'd the Consederate Catholicks they ever gave me any Instructions what I should do but left all to my self Which made their business go the better I shall now conclude these Reflections with the greatest Reflection of all which is on my infinite obligation to Almighty God who hath so protected me that to this hour neither in those Wars of Ireland or any other that I have been in since either Army or Party of Army great or small was ever beaten so by an Enemy as to lose their ground to the end of the Fight where I Commanded in Chief FINIS