we at first desired we might well have had those Provisions arriv'd here by the 10th of March as we agreed However we now desire that that Money if it be not already paid may be yet paid to Mr. Anthony Tierens in London or Mr. Wibrants in Amsterdam that so those Provisions may arrive here speedily which considering that Summer is now near at hand will be very necessary that when our Supplies of Victuals Munition Cloaths Money and other Provisions shall arrive we may not in the publick Service here lose the benefit and advantage of that Season And so we remain From his Majesty's Castle of Dublin the 4th of April 1643. This Letter as you see was writ some weeks after the Battle of Ross however in brief it gives you a faithful Account Yet that a more particular one may also be committed to Posterity accept of the following from the Pen of a chief Officer in that Expedition March the 2d 1642. the English Army march'd forth from Dublin toward Kilkenny consisting of about 2500 Foot and 500 Horse together with two Pieces of Battery and four small brass Pieces the Marquess of Ormond being Lieutenant General of the Army and my Lord Lisle General of the Horse The 3d. the Army being come nigh Castlemartin the Rebels then possessing it gave it up to the Lieutenant General upon his promise of fair Quarter which they accordingly had to march away thence with the safety of their Lives they being in number above 400 Men and Women and the same day 3 Divisions of Foot were sent to Kildare and a Castle called Tully which the Rebels then quitted and left unto us The 4th the Army came to Tymolin where finding two Castles possest by some Rebels our Cannon compell'd them to submit to mercy very few of them escaping with their Lives there being about 100 of them slain and also of the English Army was slain Lieutenant Oliver and about 12 Souldiers The 11th my Lord Lisle march'd from the Army at Temple-soul before day towards Ross having with him Sir Richard Greenvile Sir Thomas Lucas and about 400 Horse and also Sir Foulk Huncks with about 600 Foot Being come within two miles of Ross our Horse took 4 Horsemen of the Rebels Prisoners who inform'd us that the Army of the Rebels lay then about 3 miles distant thence being near 4000 Men. Shortly after my Lord Lisle came before the Town of Ross and by a Trumpeter he sent to the Town to have some one of Quality therein to come to treat with him concerning the surrender of the same to the King's use which they refused to do Then Sir Thomas Lucas fearing the safety of the Army by reason he understood that the Rebel's Army lay the last night within 2 miles of the English Army importuned my Lord Lisle to march back with all his Horse to secure the Army leaving Sir Foulk Hunks with his Division of Foot to guard a Pass in that way And then after a few miles riding further the English Army appear'd at hand which march'd on towards Ross nigh before which that night a great part of our Horse and Foot lodged And the next morning our Cannon were drawn and planted against the Town and continued battering with two Pieces on a part of the Town-Walls about two days together which made a fair breach therein which Sir Foulk Huncks undertook to assault with his Men and attempted it but were beaten back with some loss which so much dis-heartned the Souldiers that they would not be drawn on again and finding that the besieged had both daily and nightly very many Men and much Ammunition and other Recruits conveyed by Boats into the Town and understanding that the Rebel's Army was grown very strong within few miles of ours and our Lieutenant General finding Bread to be grown scarce in our Army resolv'd to leave Ross as it was and gain Honour by a Battle with the Irish. The 18th our Army being march'd away about 2 miles distant from Ross the Irish Army appear'd fairly in view who hastned their Forces into Battalia on a Ground of some advantage nigh the way our Army was to pass Whereupon our Commanders endeavour'd with all diligence to draw their Forces into Battalia to confront the Rebels within the distance of Cannon-shot our Cannon being plac'd at the Front of our Infantry which was winged by our Horse-Troops and advanc'd forwards before our Army within Musket-shot of the Enemy's fore-Troops Sir Richard Greenvile having that day the Vauntguard of the Horse had his Division for the right Wing of the Army likewise my Lord Lisle's Division having the Battle had the left Wing of the Army Sir Luca's Division having the Rearguard of the Horse had the one half of his Division appointed to stand for Reserves for both the Wings of Horse Both Armies being order'd against one another Sir Richard Greenvile sent forth towards the Rebels a forelorn Hope of 60 Horse commanded by Lieutenant White which advancing towards 2 Troops of the Rebels they seem'd to shrink from Then our Cannon beginning to play Captain Atkins commanding a forelorn Hope of about 100 Musketiers march'd forwards directly before our Foot-Army towards the Rebels who had mann'd a Ditch in a High-way lying right before their Army with a great number of Musketiers during which time certain other Divisions of the English Foot followed orderly their forelorn Hope Captain Atkins with his shot excellently performing his part by exchanging shot with the Rebels that lay in ambush Sir Richard Greenvile with his Division on the right Wing advanced to begin the Battle in the interim whereof Sir Thomas Lucas being Major General of the Horse came and took upon him the chief Command thereof and so leading those Troops on towards the Enemy being come past a deep High-way that lay between both Armies presently at hand advanc'd towards those Horse a Division of Horse and Foot of the Rebels Sir Richard Greenvile being then in the head of his own Troop which had the right hand of that Division commanded his Men to keep together and charge home without wheeling which was no sooner spoken but immediately Sir Thomas Lucas call'd aloud to our Troop to wheel to the left hand which they presently performing were gotten into a Lane in some disorder and before they could get out of the same and come into any good order again a Troop of above 100 of the Rebel's Horse all Gentlemen of Quality and Commanders led by Cullen their Lieutenant General charg'd our Horse on the left Flank Whereupon Sir Richard Greenvile encouraged several of his Troops by his example to charge the Enemy where meeting with Colonel Cullen in the head of his Troops divers blows pass'd betwixt them mean while my Lord Lisle with his Troops gallantly charg'd Cullen's Troop on his Flank and Rear whereby they were so routed that the Troops were all intermixed one with another and the execution of both Parties continued violent
to meet an Enemy in the Field not to Besiege the Town He released the Lady Humes and her Son Prisoners at Kilmallock for one Burget a Prisoner at Cork whether the Lord Inchequin march'd whilst Sir Charles Vavasor after a well regulated Dispute stoutly defended by the Rebels took in Cloghleigh commanded by one Condon wherein was 20 Men 11 Women and about 7 Children some of which the Soldiers stript in readiness to kill them but Major Howel drawing out his Sword defended them and whilst he went to Colonel Vavasor then at Ballyhindon Mr. Roche's House where he was invited that day to Dine committed them to Captain Wind who leaving them to a Guard of Horse they stripped them again and afterwards fell upon them with Carbines Pistols and Swords a cruelty so resented by Sir Charles Vavasor that he vowed to hang him that commanded the Guard and had certainly done it had not the next days action prevented it which was the most considerable loss the English ever received from the Rebels a mischief they might have avoided had they been less confident and given greater credence to their Intelligence The 4th of June being Sunday early in the morning before break of day quarter Mr. Hill with a Squadron of Horse was sent to Scout about Cloghline and Castlegrace in the County of Tipperary and before day-light he was encompassed by the Enemies Horse so that he with his Company with great difficulty escap'd and bringing word to the Leaguer at Cloghleigh the Alarm was up and presently our Foot drew themselves into two Divisions in a Field next the Mountain where the Enemy came down when presently two or three Bodies of the Enemies Horse appear'd on the side of a Hill a mile and a half from us In the mean time Sir Charles Vavasor lying the night before at Castle Logons was sent for and he without delay came away as fast as his Horse could carry him but before he came a Party of Musketeers to the number of 200 under the Command of Captain Philip Hutton and a Troop of Horse commanded by Captain Freek drew up nearer to the Enemy by half a mile and there stood for the space of two hours some of the Horse in the interim advanc'd further founding their Trumpets on both sides At length Christopher Brian the Lord Inchequin's Brother desir'd to Parle with Quartermaster Page and after some Complements and Discourses past they parted as did afterwards Captain Richard Fitz-Morris the Lord of Kirries Brother with the said Christopher Bryan Presently after notice was given that the Enemy was advancing but we could discover no Foot all this while their management of this business being very close Whereupon Sir Charles Vavasor demurr'd upon it and took order for what was needful and called back the said Hutton and the Horse from the Mountain In the interim Captain George Butler a Native of this Kingdom a man of undanted spirit and well experienc'd in Martial Discipline came to Sir Charles from the Lord Inchequin with a Letter importing That the said Butler's Company and Sir Brown's were marching from Moyalloe towards him and now within a mile and half to him were at his disposal Upon that Sir Charles and the rest of the Officers consulted what was best to be done and concluded such a Body of Horse could not be without a considerable Body of Foot and therefore fully resolv'd to make good a Retreat giving order that all the Carriages with the Artillery that were now at a stop on the Manning Water should hast away till they recovered the Black Water at the Ford of Farmoy to help to make good that Pass in case he should be hard put to it After this Sir Charles staid a while so long as he might well conceive the said two Companies Carriage and Ordnance to be at the Ford and then presently marched on to Castle Lyons the Front led by Lieutenant King the Body by Major Howel and the Rear by Sir Charles himself a Forlorn-hope of about 160 Musketeers in the Rear was commanded by Captain Pierce Lacy Captain Hutton and Lieutenant Stardbury and all our Horse in the Rear likewise who no sooner came over the Manning Water and recovered the top of the Hill but the Enemies Horse were at our heels From this Hill to the Ford there is a dangerous Passage of a Narrow Lane which the Enemy knew full well and so did our Men too And the Enemy perceiving that most of our Men were marching within this Lane excepting the Forlorn-hope and the Horse charged us in the Rear coming on as the Moorish and Getulian Horse mention'd by Salust in Jugarth's War not in Order and Warlike manner but by Troops and scattering Companies at adventure that the Fight rather resembled an Incursion than a Battel and so hemm'd in and prest on our Horse being but 120 that they were able to move no way but fall into that Lane amongst the Foot which they did thereby routing our whole Foot The Ordnance by this time was not carried â—â—er the Black Water nor the two Companies as yet come to make good the Passage so that all our Colours save one brought off by Dermot O Grady Ensign to Captain Rowland St. Leger who gallantly sav'd It and himself were taken our two Pieces of Ordnance surpriz'd and Sir Charles himself together with Captain Wind Lieutenant King Ensign Chaplain Captain Fitz-morris and divers others taken Prisoner besides those that were kill'd in the Place viz. Captain Pierce Lacy Captain George Butler Lieutenant Walter St. Leger three Natives of this Kingdom Lieutenant Stradbury Lieutenant Rosington Lieutenant Kent Ensign Simmons with divers other Lieutenants and Ensigns besides common Soldiers to the number of 300 some affirm 600. Upon which success they boldly attempted Cappaquin which more gallantly withstood them in as much as after all their attempts the Assailants were shamefully beaten off towards the end of June and forc'd to retreat having lost upon the first Assault 62 men afterwards attempting it again they were repuls'd and fearing the Lord Inchequin's approach marched away having lost in that enterprize Lieutenant Colonel Butler Brother to the Lord of Armally Captain Saint John of Saint Johnstown Captain Pierce Butler of Ballypaddin in the County of Tipperary Captain Grady desperately hurt one Ensign killed as were four Serjeants and two hurt besides several Prisoners taken one of their Horsemen compleatly arm'd ran to us who amongst other passages discovered the particular losses of the Enemy their chief Gunner was likewise slain in this service Upon the retreat and marching away a Party of our Horse commanded by Sir John Brown sallied out of the Town after them and killed some of their Men and Pillagers in the Rear of their Army who found 25 graves after them in the Camp wherein they buried their dead by 4 and 5 in a grave as by veiw appear'd Yet though the Enemy had no success in taking in Cappaquin we by Colonel Myn
of the Lords seated in the House of Commons in an extraordinary manner undertook the charge and management thereof ordering at that time 500 l. in present for Owen O-Conally and 200 l. per annum till Lands of greater value could be order'd for him designing for the present Supplies of Ireland the sum of 50000 l. and had taken order for all Provisions necessary thereunto as by the Order of Parliament it appears An Order of the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament in England concerning Ireland THE Lords and Commons in this present Parliament being advertis'd of the dangerous Conspiracy and Rebellion in Ireland by the treacherous and wicked Instigations of Romish Priests and Jesuits for the bloody massacre and destruction of all Protestants living there and other his Majesty's loyal Subjects of English blood though of the Romish Religion being ancient Inhabitants within several Counties and Parts of that Realm who have always in former Rebellions given testimony of their fidelity to this Crown And for the utter depriving of his Royal Majesty and the Crown of England from the Government of that Kingdom under pretence of setting up the Popish Religion have thereupon taken into their serious Considerations how those mischievous Attempts might be most speedily and effectually prevented wherein the Honour Safety and Interest of this Kingdom are most nearly and fully concern'd Wherefore they do hereby declare That they do intend to serve his Majesty with their Lives and Fortunes for the suppressing of this wicked Rebellion in such way as shall be thought most effectual by the Wisdom and Authority of the Parliament And thereupon have order'd and provided for a present Supply of Money and raising the number of 6000 Foot and 2000 Horse to be sent from England being the full proportion desired by the Lords Justices and his Majesty's Council resident in that Kingdom with a resolution to add such further Succours as the necessity of those Affairs shall require They have also resolv'd for providing Arms and Ammunition not only for those Men but likewise for his Majesty's faithful Subjects of that Kingdom with store of Victuals and other Necessaries as there shall be occasion And that these Provisions may more conveniently be transported thither they have appointed three several Ports of this Kingdom that is to say Bristol West-Chester and another in Cumberland where the Magazines and Store-houses shall be kept for the supply of the several Parts of Ireland They have likewise resolv'd to be humble Mediators to his most Excellent Majesty for the encouragement of the English or Irish who shall upon their own charges raise any number of Horse or Foot for his Service against the Rebels that they shall be honourably rewarded with Lands of Inheritance in Ireland according to their merit And for the better inducing of the Rebels to repent of their wicked Attempts they do hereby commend it to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland or in his absence to the Deputy or Lords Justices there according to the power of the Commission granted to them in that behalf to bestow his Majesty's gracious Pardon to all such as within a convenient time to be declar'd by the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland or in his absence by the Lord Deputy or Lords Justices there according to the power of the Commission shall return to their due obedience the greatest part whereof they conceive to have been seduced on false grounds by the cunning and subtil practices of some of the most malignant Rebels enemies to this State and to the Reformed Religion and likewise to bestow such rewards as shall be thought fit and publisht by the said Lord Lieutenant Lord Deputy or Lords Justices and Council there upon all those who shall arrest the Persons or bring in the heads of such Traitors as shall be personally nam'd in any Proclamation publisht by the State there And they do hereby exhort and require all his Majesty's loving Subjects both in this and in that Kingdom to remember their duty and conscience to God and his Religion and the great and eminent danger which will befal this whole Kingdom in general and themselves in particular if this abominable Treason be not timely supprest and therefore with all readiness bounty and chearfulness to confer their assistance in their Persons or Estates to this so important and necessary Service for the common Good of all Jo. Browne Cleric Parliament And that the Army might be led by an honourable and promising Person the Lord Lieutenant being not permitted to come over speedily himself made the Earl of Ormond Lieutenant-General of the Army approved of afterwards by the King as one who by his Relation Integrity and Quality was pitch'd on as the fittest Person for that imployment of whose affection to the Protestant Religion and his Majesty's Service his Majesty had great cause to be assured Soon after his settlement in that Place he had notice from Sir Hen. Tichborn that the Rebels with 1300 Foot had sate down before Mellifont the 24th of November intending to surprize it but the Lord Moor whose House it was having plac'd 24 Musketeers and 15 Horsemen therein defended it with much resolution as long as their Powder lasted and at last the Foot yielded on Quarter the same day never observ'd by the Rebels but the Horse charged vigorously through the Enemy and came safe to Tredath This Siege of Mellifont somewhat retarded the Rebels unanimous approach to Tredath upon which the Lords Justices forthwith design'd 600 Foot and a Troop of Horse for the further strengthning of that Garrison They march'd from Dublin the 27th of November but under such a Conduct being newly rais'd and unexperienc'd that most unfortunately the Lord Gormanston's Groom giving intelligence of their approach to the Rebels not without his Lord's privity they were defeated the 29th of November near Julians-Towns at Gellingston-Bridge not above an hundred of the Men besides the Major that led them and two Foot-Captains escaping to Tredath This unhappy Defeat put such a disheartning on the State as it begat sad Suspicions who being surrounded with Rebels Sir Charles Coote the same day was commanded into Wickloe with such Forces as the State could then raise to relieve the Castle of Wickloe then besieged by the Rebels who some days before had with miserable slaughter and cruelty surpriz'd his Majesty's Forts of Cairis Fort Arkloe Fort Chichester Fort and all the Houses of the English in that County the Lord Esmond's House and the adjacent Parts of Wexford threatning to assault Dublin approaching within two miles thereof in actual Hostility Upon which Service Sir Charles Coote vigorously advanced and fought with the Rebels under the Command of Luke Toole conceiv'd to be a thousand strong himself not being many hundreds yet defeated them so shamefully as the terrour thereof rais'd a fear in the Rebels ever after of Sir Charles Coote who thenceforwards so well attended his Commands as to the Government of the City and
service he went out for thought it as honourable to retire to Dublin in the face of them with Sir John Bowen Fitz-Girrald of Timoga Richard Grace of Marryburrough and Captain Crosby Prisoners But when they came to Black-hale-heath between Kilrush and Rathmore about 20 miles from Dublin the Army of the Rebels drew up in a place of advantage to hinder the passage of the English Army having two great Ditches on each Wing so high that we could see no more then the heads of their Pikes and with such a hill before betwixt them and us that we could scarce see their Colours the wind also on their backs and a great Bog a mile behind them However the Lieutenant General called a Councel under a thorn hedge being loath to venture so gallant an Army on such disadvantages but the English Commanders were all of opinion they should be fought with numbers making no difference where the Cause was so good in as much as Sir Charles Coote told them in few words that he discern'd fear in the Rebels faces as well as Guilt in their Persons and that he thought they would hardly stay till his Lordship had put his men in order for the battle and therefore desired they might have presently Command to fall on which indeed he was ever ready to obey before the Word was given neither the matter nor the time now admitting of debate Whereupon Friday the 15th of April about 7 in the morning the English Army marching as if they would force their way to Dublin leaving in and about Athy Captain Erasmus Burrows Captain Grimes Captain Thomas Welden and the two Captain Piggots with their Companies 300 whereof was part of our Army which made ever now and then as the Enemy halted an halt and resolving to fight the Enemy drew up in that sort as did best agree with the Ground Sir Charles Coote who commanded in chief under his Lordship had the ordering of the Foot Sir Thomas Lucas of the right Wing of Horse and Sir Richard Greenvile of the left The Lieutenant-General having many Gentlemen with him who voluntarily followed him in that expedition put them all in a Troop under the Command of Major Ogle a Reformade a worthy Person and himself in the midst of the first rank of them and so attended the Encounter the Ordnance first began to play but without much effect The Rebels Army led by Mountgarret Purcel Baron of Loghmo Hugh-mac Phelim Birn Lieutenant of the Leimster Forces Colonel Toole Sir Morgan Cavenagh Colonel Morris Cavenagh Arthur Caanaugh Colonel Bagnall the Lord Dunboyne Colonel Roger Moore was drawn up as I have said in a place of great advantage upon the top of a hill where there were but too narrow passages to come at them yet our forlorn Hope commanded by Captain Rochford consisting of 150 Musketiers making up the hill fiercely discharged upon the Rebels and was seconded by Captain Sandford with his Fire-locks Sir Charles Coote leading up the rest of the Foot with great celerity Colonel Crafford in the Van and Serjeant Major Pigot excellently well discharging their Commands But before these could come near them our Horse both under Sir Thomas Lucas and Sir Richard Greenvile one charging at one of the passages the other at the other fell in upon them who would not stand the first shock but fled presently taking their flight to a great Bog not far from them a Sanctuary which the Irish in all their flights chuse commonly to provide for themselves and seldom fail to make use of it and so the English gain'd this Victory without any considerable loss or much hazard whilst a body of 2000 Rebels led by the Lord Viscount Mountgarret and General Hugh Birn wheeling about thought to possess themselves of our Ordnance Carriage and Ammunition which my Lord of Ormond perceiving drew out one of his Divisions to attend that great Body and with them and some Voluntier Horse to the number of 30. which were then with his Lordship the rest following the execution he faced that Body and within a short time put them to rout there were not above 600. some write 300 of the Irish slain amongst which there was the Lord of Dunboyn's Brothers the Lord of Ikernis Sons and Colonel Cavenagh's Heads brought by the Souldiers to the Lieutenant General The Enemy lost twenty Colours many Drums all their Powder and Ammunition the Lord Mountgarrets Wain drawn by 8 Oxen where all his Provision was his Sumpture and the Lord of Ikernis Sumpture Colonel Monk who by the quick flight of the Irish was prevented from doing that service in the field he intended followed with a Party of his Regiment to the Bog which the Rebels had taken which looked even black for their Apparel was generally black being all cover'd over with them and there began to fall upon them as resolving upon a severe execution But he was commanded to retire having got Honour enough that day and so the Army marched off the field confusedly whereas that Victory how just soever is ill gloried in which is the loss of Subjects The Van of our Army lay that night at old Connel the rest on the Corrough of Kildare all in open field arriving at Dublin the 17th of April where they were receiv'd by the Lords Justices and Council with all imaginable demonstrations of Joy and Honour The Lieutenant-General's behaviour being presented to the King and Parliament with the greatest advantage to his Person as the business would afford in as much as the Parliament voted 500 l. to be bestowed in a Jewel and to be sent him as an honourable mark of the high esteem they had of him for that days service which was accordingly done and brought to his Lordship with a Letter of thanks from them though I do not hear that he did ever place the Jewel or Letter in his Archive Notwithstanding we find his Majesty takes notice that he was the Person very well approv'd of by the two Houses of Parliament so as the War of Ireland was still managed by his Care and the future Concerns thereof intrusted to his vigilance as the condition of his Majesties Affairs there should be thought important though it was not long before the Parliament entertain'd some jealousies to the prejudice of his service against the Rebels which in reference to what was committed to his charge never alter'd his Principles or Integrity In Connaght generally the English Garrisons excellently well bestirr'd themselves to the relief of their own and neighbours streights wherein Sir Charles Coot Junior mov'd with much vigour and Integrity often infesting the Rebels from Castle-Coot he had frequent intelligence from the Marquiss of Clanrickard's own hand not daring to trust another lest he might be betrayed who being Governour of the County of Galloway had Loghreogh and Portumna his proper Inheritance to reside in to which the English resorted with much security and were indeed by him reliev'd with great Hospitality to an
Athlone wherein he made a breach and commanded a Party to storm it The Rebels killed many of our Men that day by shot besides what perish'd by Stones and other Materials thrown from the top of the Castle the Night afterwards the Rebels stole to a Bog not far distant through the negligence of our Guards and left us the Castle The next Exploit of my Lord President was with the remnant of the two English Regiments and what could be spared out of our Garrisons thereabouts a March towards Balintober to which he was provoked by the Enemy and stimulated on by his own Party impatient of further delays O Conner Dun of Balintober ever since his Son was taken till now that is the middle of July 1642. had acted nothing though the tacit Votes of the Province did seem to own him as their King Prince Roy telel or what Name of Supremacy in that Province could be greatest who seeing that those Forces which were sent from England to the Lord President to subdue that Province which at first much frighted the Rebels had done nothing of moment through a supine negligence if not worse and were much less considerable than those Forces which we had before he began to awake out of his Ale and Aqua-vitae and to call in Subjects to help him out of all the Parts of Connaght but above all that came to joyn with him none were more forward or came in greater numbers than the County of Maio-Men and the rather because in all the Conflicts of Connaght with the English few of that great County came to fight with us They drew together 1800 or 2000 Foot and 160 Horse and more had joyn'd with them if we had defer'd to visit them It was therefore adjudged necessary by the Lord President Sir Charles Coot Sir Mich. Earnly Sir Abraham Shipman Sir Edw. Povey Sir Bernard Ashley and others of the Council of War That we should draw out all the Men sick or sound that were able to march and march to Balintober It was a wonder to see with what alacrity and courage our new-come English put themselves on this service even they that were ready to die as divers of them did on the way rejoycing that they might expire doping their Countrey the best service they could as Souldiers and not as Dogs on a Dunghil Our March that day was from Roscommon through Molinterim and over the Hill of Oran near Clalby which is little more than 2 miles from Balintober from thence we might see the Enemy coming with all speed to meet us The Lord President was of opinion that our Forces should retreat and commanded it but the rest were otherwise resolv'd and without his Orders drew on towards the Rebels whilst he washed his hands from what evil might accrew Our Commanders as they march'd agreed how to order their Men and on what piece of Ground but the Enemy came on so fast that they could not gain the Ground desired which made the Work on our part more difficult for all the way on that Hill till we come near Balintober is boggy with great long Heath in all places very unfit for Horse-service However when the Rebels came near us Captain Rob. King with his Troop well mounted and well arm'd with Back and Brest and as well disciplin'd as any in Ireland was commanded to pass by their Front to their left Flank as Sir Charles Coot and Sir Edw. Povey with the rest of their Troops being before nearer to the top of that ridge of Ground were almost past that they might make way for our forlorn Hope of Musketiers to play in the Front of their great Body of Pikes coming on Captain Rob. King an old Souldier in executing of this saw by the badness of the Ground he march'd on and by the Rebels haste to come up that he should not without disorder get by the left Point of this Battalia gave order to his Men to fire in flank all at once when they should be close up with the Point of the Battalia over one another's Horses Manes which was a thing seldom heard of or practised yet was no new thing either to him or his for he had taught them this amongst other Points of War he had long nurtur'd them in which they exactly perform'd when he was come within two Pikes lengths of the Enemy with their Carbines At which time our forlorn Hope of Foot being come up fired with excellent success on that part of the Front that lay to the right hand so that by this unexpected way of firing by the Horse timely assisted by the Foot the Enemy was soon put into disorder with the loss of many Men which breach Captain King soon apprehending and finding the Pikes of the fall'n Men to have intangled and galled others he rush'd in with his Horse and breaking the left corner of the Battalia so amazed the Rebels as they fell into disorder who quitting their Pikes all at once made a great noise and began to run but before their running that was almost as soon as Captain King was got into their Front Sir Charles Coot and Sir Edward Povey charg'd them in the Flank with their Troops with which they had kept the upper Ground on purpose to encounter with the 160 Horse of the Rebels and to them was Captain Robert King drawing to second them or to fall into the Flank of this Battalia which he had new broken but the Rebels Horse fled before they were able to come near and therefore they had leisure to fall into the Flank of the Foot This Battalia of Pikes was supposed to be 1200. They had 1000 Musketeers which either by bad way or staying longer than the other for to receive Ammunition were not come up to begin the Battel but were within Musket-shot who also ran for company Our men pursued and killed most of them but were commanded not to come too near Balintober where the Credulous were to believe some had seen beyond the Castle another great Body of Men so as not pursuing this Victory we lost the benefit of it In this Battel there was a young Gentleman on the Irish side who very gallantly behav'd himself after that his Party was fled getting to the corner of a Ditch where with his Pike he withstood the encounter of five Horse that had spent their shot till an Agantick Soldier of the English getting within him slew him And amongst the dead one pulling a Mountero from the head of one there fell down long Tresses of flaxen hair who being further search'd was found a Woman After this the President consider'd what was to be attempted and it was resolv'd to go into the County of Galloway But as in all other Designs many Objections were alledg'd and the Lord President with a few accompani'd with the Marquis of Clanrickard went to Galloway before which the Lord Forbes Lieutenant General under the Lord Brook was come the 9th of August 1642. to
with them However Mountgarrets Forces infinitely increas'd so as the Lord President to secure Cork thought it most convenient to retreat thither whilst Mountgarret the 11th of February lodges his Forces in Moyallo brought thither by Serjeant Major Walsh the Inheritance of Captain William Jephson a Town containing one Street of near 200 English Houses thirty whereof were strongly built and Slated having at the South-end thereof a very fair and pleasant House called The great Castle committed to the charge of Arthur Betesworth with 200 Men Arms and Ammunition convenient and one Iron Piece of Ordnance with two Curriers whereof they made good use and advantage And at the North-end of the Town stood another strong Castle called The short Castle excellently well afterwards defended by Lieutenant Richard Williamson who after many Breaches in the Wall the best Assaults Serjeant Major Purcel could make and the loss of many Men was given over though at length yielded out of necessity on terms never perform'd though the remarkable stoutness of Lieutenant Williamson was such as he finding the Rebels to faulter in what they had promised resolutely getting up a Sword vowed to be the death of those who should hinder his and his Parties repair to the other Castle never yielded by Betesworth which being resolutely and on a sudden done struck such a fear in the Rebels as Williamson and his Party were all admitted to go to the Great Castle with what they had which was not irreparably rifled from them by the Rebels And shortly after the Rebels having some aiery rumors of the Lord Presidents Forces to fall upon them Mountgarret march'd thence with his Army the Lord Muskery notwithstanding all his fair pretences to the President being now come to the Rebels which was a great strengthning to that Party he having a considerable Estate and much Money left him by a miserable Father whilst it may be thought the Lord Roch Mac-Donnogh and others being brought to great straits could not worsen but might advance their Estates by the Rebellion Many were much concern'd that the Lord Mountgarret would go from Moyallo leaving the Countrey to be govern'd by themselves a great contest arising amongst them who should be Chief Serjeant Major Purcel Baron of Loghmo challenging the Generalship of that Province But the Heads of the Confederacy meeting at the Lord Muskery's House to avoid contention about Superiority there resolved that none of the Gentry of the County should bear any Office in the Army but that one Garret Barry who had long serv'd under the King of Spain and was reputed a good Soldier should be General and the Lord Muskery and some other prime and select Men should be call'd The Council of War so that that difference at the present was composed And this doughty General mustering up his Forces hover'd about Cork without any Attempt worth notice whilst other parts of the Irish Army visited Lismore the Cattle in and about that Place being driven away by Colonel Richard Butler The 23d of February Mr. Richard Bealing summon'd the Castle but the Lord Broghil whom neither Promises nor Threats could work any thing upon told them That he knew not what Quarter meant daring him to the Assault as soon as he would which He threatned within half an hour after But intelligence being brought that Sir Charls Vavasor was landed at Youghal with 1000 Men the Enemy fled to Dungarvan and the Lord President determining to look abroad advanced with that Regiment and the Lord Broghil's and Captain Courtney's Troop of Horse towards Talloe hoping to surprize Colonel Richard Butler but being disappointed Intelligence flying swifter than our March he set forward towards Dungarvan burning the Countrey as he went being in all 2000 Horse and Foot taking order that a Peece of Artillery should be brought him from Cork by Sea and having slain many of the Enemy in Talloe he burnt the Town and so went forward to Dungarvan and coming to it the 3d. of March 1641. sent a Summons but they refusing and setting out a Flag of Defiance he with his Men violently entred the Town and upon the 5th of March took the Castle giving the Enemy Quarter He put a Ward of 40 Musketeers into the Castle under the Command of Lieutenant Rosington from whom the Enemy not long after surpriz'd it The Lord Broghil the Lord Barrymore marching each of them afterwards on several Expeditions happily succeeded taking in divers Castles as Tourin the 8th of March which the Lord Broghil burnt and Bally-Mac-Patrick standing upon the Black-water which the Earl of Barrimore shortly after burnt meeting now and then with the Enemy on whom they did good execution As did Captain Jephson in the relief of Rathgogan and taking in of Balliha as also in the Encounter he and Lieutenant Downing had with the Enemy at his return where he slew 150 of them The like success he had in taking in Ballynageragh Sir Purcival's Castle Not long after Captain Sherlock Head of the Waterford Rebels amounting to 700 endeavouring to take Cappaquin guarded by Captain Hugh Crocker with a hundred men was in the streets killed and his Forces routed The 3d. of July 1642. the Lord Broghil with 60 Horse and 140 Foot went to fetch off Sir Richard Osborn from his Castle of Knockmone in the County of Waterford six miles from Lismore who in his advance thither burnt and destroy'd the Rebels Quarters though in his return towards Lismore he sent his Scouts to descrie the Enemy suspecting they should way-lay them as indeed they did setting themselves in Battalia in a Field near unto Cappaquin having a little half-Grove at their backs upon which the English perceiv'd that there was no way to secure themselves but by making their way with the Sword and therefore put their Men in the best posture they could the Enemy playing very hard upon them upon which the Lord Broghil resolutely encountred them with his Horse whilst Captain Stephen Brodrip led on his Foot in an orderly and well-compacted Body galling them on all sides so effectually with his Musketeers that the Enemies Horse and Foot were soon put to flight with the loss of one onely man of ours and at least 200 of theirs besides two of their best Captains who died the next day though their Horse carried them off then This was the first pitcht Battel since the Rebellion in Munster and had the Enemy succeeded Cappaquin Lismore and some other Places would have been an easie Prey Not long after the Earl of Barrymore took in upon Quarter the strong Castle of Cloghleagh in the County of Cork the Inheritance of Sir Richard Fleetwood who admitted Sir Arthur Hide to keep it but most treacherously he left it to be surprized by Condon whose Ancestors had been formerly the Proprietors of it an insolent Rebel as his Predecessors were before him Afterwards the Lod Dungarvan and the Lord Broghil summoning the Castle of
discontented Persons at home and so draw assistance and aid to foment and strengthen their Rebellious Party in Ireland Of which if any desire to be more fully satisfi'd each Particular is clearly answer'd by a Person then at the Helm very faithfully though not with that vigour the truth requir'd in a Book entituled The false and scandalous Remonstrance of the Inhumane and Bloody Rebels of Ireland And upon the 8th and 9th of April following it came to be considered in the Commons House of Parliament in Ireland seemingly disliked by all though with that artifice by some as the Remonstrants themselves could not have insinuated more in its defence in as much as these not finding they gain'd on the Anti-Remonstrants at last brought into discourse the Solemn League and Covenant the more colourably to take off the dispute concerning the Remonstrance whereby the business growing hot the House was Prorogu'd till the 6th of May. All things being now in that condition as the necessities of the Army daily increas'd a Cessation grew generally to be spoke of his Majesty having imparted his Commands therein to the Lords Justices by the following Letter C. R. RIght Trusty and Well-beloved Counsellors We greet you well Whereas considering the present Condition of Our Affairs as well in this as that Our Kingdom through the famous Plots and Practises of Persons disaffected to Our Person and Government We have given Command and Authority to Our Right Trusty Entirely and Well-beloved Cousin and Counsellor the Marquis of Ormond Lieutenant General of Our Army and Forces in Ireland to Treat with Our Subjects who in that Kingdom have taken up Arms against us and to agree with them upon a Cessation of Arms for one Year which as it is a Service of very great Concernment to Vs and Our present Affairs both here and there so We Will and Command that you therein give your most effectual assistance and furtherance to advance the same by your Industry and Endeavours as there shall be occasion Given at Our Court at Oxford the 23. of April 1643. About the 1st of May 1643. the Lord Inchequin since the death of his Father-in-law Sir William St. Leger as yet Commander in Chief in the Province of Munster march'd forth with his Army divided into two Parties one Commanded by himself into the West of the County of Cork doing excellent service there without resistance and the other under the Conduct of Sir Charles Vavasor with select Numbers respectively gathered from the Garrisons of Toughall Talloe Castle Lions Lismore Mogily and Cappaquin the whole number consisting of about 1200 Musketeers and 200 Horse besides Volunteers and Pillagers In which Expedition Major Appleyard May the 2d near the Castle of Cosgrave was assign'd to fall on Ballykeroge Sir Walsh's Town and Lands that he might burn and spoil them And Sir Charles Vavasor undertook the Passage to the Comroe upon the left hand whereof there stands an exceeding high Mountain and under the brow a large Wood through which the Army was necessitated to pass an unpassable Bog being on the right hand The Enemy never wanting intelligence against Sir Charles came had cast up a Trench breast high with spike holes along the side of the Wood from the Mountain to the Bog with a strong Barricado and two Courts of Guards for Musketeers to lodge in more artificially done than they were accustomed to But by the help of a Fog our Guide proving faithful the Rebels were not aware of us till our Horse were upon them at which they shot and we retreated leisurely our Foot not being come up through Providence without harm and Sir Charles commanded some Dragooners of Captain Pynes Company to alight which they did soon entring the Enemies Trenches and before the Foot came gain'd the Pass and the Horse and Foot march'd within Musket-shot of Brian's Lord of the Countrey Castle where they made a stand till the Soldiers had fir'd the Countrey and took away their Cattle the Enemy not daring to rescue them firing as they march'd away by Comroe-Castle a good House of Anthony's an English Papist with many other Thatch'd Houses thereunto belonging The same day the whole Army Rendezvousing on a Hill near Kilmac-Thomas resolv'd that night to have advanc'd to Stradbally but marching by Mac-Thomas's Castle they within gave fire upon us 60 of our Soldiers being not able to endure such an affront ran out of the Main Body to the Castle without either Captain Lieutenant Ensign or other Officer and recovering a Ditch upon the South-side of the Castle the Wind blowing Southerly they set the Thatch'd Houses on fire and assaulted the Castle by the help of the smoak blinding the Warders upon which the Besieged cri'd A Drum a drum at which many who had flown thither for safety inconsiderately ran out and were by our Soldiers knock'd on the head whilst the Warders delivering the Castle on some Terms had Quarter as the other might have had too had they staid in the Castle from amongst which six or seven that were thought dead rose up which the Soldiers would have killed but in pity Sir Charles Vavasor suffer'd to go with the Warders to Ballykeroge After which service Ensign Boughton and 40 Musketeers took in a House built by James Wallis Esq strongly fortifi'd by John Fitz-Gerald Son and Heir to Mac-Thomas the Warders and the rest being on Terms also convey'd to Ballykeroge And so facing Clonea belonging to Tibbot Fitz-Gerrard and Cosgrave Castles and passing by Dungarvan some of the Rebels issued out of Town but the English Forces drawing into a Body to oppose them they retired without the least Encounter our Forces marching to their own Garrisons About the 27th of May the Lord Inchequin compleats an Army of 4000 Foot and 400 Horse which Rendevouz'd at Buttevant out of which he sent 200 Horse under the Command of Captain Bridges a resolute active man and 1200 Foot under the Conduct of Lieutenant Colonel Story no ways backward of the Employment into the County of Kerry a dangerous Journey considering the length of the way and scarcity of Provision they had with them the Enemy having wasted and fired Trally a Place as well accommodated with good Land for Corn and Cattle as any other Place in Munster lest the Lord Inchequin should quarter there Whereupon the Lord Inchequin considering the danger of the Journey to divert the Enemy laid a pretended Siege to the Town of Kilmallock a Place of great consequence and a Key to Limerick whereby the Rebels eyes being fixed on Kilmallock's relief the Expedition was much facilitated Bridges and Story bringing away a great Prey of Cattle some Prisoners and fetch'd off many English from the Castle of Ballybeggan without any resistance save a loose Skirmish wherein the Enemy lost four men and were routed The Lord Inchequin the 28th of May having sent Colonel Myn to Patrick Purcel of Croe Governour of Kilmallock to acquaint him he came forth onely
called ordinarily the Council-Table be of Members true and faithful to his Majesty and such of which there may be no fear or suspition of going to the Parliament Party 3. That Dublin Tredagh Trim Newry Catherlagh Carlingford and all Garrisons within the Protestant Quarters be Garrison'd by Confederate Catholicks to maintain and keep the said Cities and Places for the use of our Sovereign Lord King Charles and his Lawful Successors for the defence of this Kingdom of Ireland 4. That the present Council of the Confederates shall swear truly and faithfully to keep and maintain for the use of his Majesty and his lawful Successors and for the defence of the said Kingdom of Ireland the above Cities of Dublin and Tredagh and all other Forts Places and Castles as above 5. That the said Council and all General Officers and Soldiers whatsoever do swear and Protest to fight by Sea and Land against the Parliamentarians and all the Kings Enemies And that they will never come to any Convention Agreement or Article with the said Parliamentarians or any the Kings Enemies to the prejudice of his Majesties Rights or of this Kingdom of Ireland 6. That according to our Oath of Association we will to the best of our power and cunning defend the fundamental Laws of this Kingdom the Kings Rights the Lives and Fortunes of the Subjects His Excellency is prayed to make Answer to the above Propositions at furthest by two of the Clock in the afternoon on Thursday next J. Preston Owen O Neile Let all dis-passionate men now consider what could the Marquis do his Quarters were so strait and narrow that they could yield no support to the few Forces he had left all his Garrisons besieg'd without an Enemy being destitute of all Provisions within all the Army he had for the Field and Garrisons amounted not to 5000 Foot and 1100 Horse without Cloathes Money or Fixed Arms and with so inconsiderable a Store of Ammunition that when the Nuncio was upon his march towards Dublin he had not in that most important City the Metropolis of the Kingdom more than 14 Barrels of Powder So that not onely the Inhabitants but the Soldiers themselves grew impatient of the distresses they were in and which inevitably they saw must fall upon them and they who had before presum'd in corners and whispers to tax the Marquis of not being zealous enough of the English Interest and too credulous of what was promised and undertaken by the Irish had now the boldness to murmur aloud at him as if he had combined with the Irish to put all into their hands They who from the beginning of the Troubles had been firm and unshaken in their Duty and Loyalty to the King and chearfully suffered great losses and undergone great hazards for being so and been of the most constant affection to and confidence in the Marquis and resolved to obey him in whatsoever he should order for the King's Service for the conducting whereof he was solely and entirely trusted by his Majesty could not yet endure to think of being put into or falling under the power of the Irish who by this new breach of Faith had made themselves utterly uncapable of any future Trust for what security could they publickly give for performance of the Contract which they had not lately given for the observation of that which so infamously they had receded from Whereupon he found it absolutely necessary to make a shew of inclining to the English and sent to the Ships then riding in the Bay of Dublin that they would transport some Commissioners from him to the Parliament to treat about the surrender of the City and the other Garrisons under his Command Which Proposition was embrac'd by them and the Persons deputed accordingly conveyed into England By this means the Marquis was forthwith supplied with 20 Barrels of Powder which the Captain of those Ships delivered to him the 10th of March by the permission of the Lord Lisle the Parliaments Lord Lieutenant without which he could have made no defence against the Nuncio whereby the Irish had a fair warning to bethink themselves in time of returning to their Duty since they might discern that if they would not suffer Dublin c. to continue in the Kings obedience it should be delivered to them who would deal less graciously with them and had power enough to punish those indignities which had been offered And the Marquis was still without other Engagement than to do what he should judge most conducing to his Majesties Service However the Rebels persisted in their intentions against Dublin where for a while we must leave them and see what course the Parliament took to infest their Quarters much they were concern'd that affairs went not on so successfully there as they expected where that they might have one Governour answerable to the exigencies of that Kingdom they Voted Philip Viscount Lisle Lord Lieutenant passing thereupon in April 1646. a Patent to him for one year allotting him 40000 l. with what else was requisite for his dispatch in raising which they were so slow many of the House being of an opposite Party as he could not get away from London till the 1st of Febr. 1646. arriving at Bristol the 6th where he found several of his own Troops and his Brother Colonel Sidney's in readiness to be transported for Ireland But Money being not come he was forc'd to Quarter them thereabouts till its arrival and himself with 30000 l. 7 Pieces of Battery 1000 Muskets 100 Barrels of Powder embarqu'd the 18th at Minhead and landed near Cork the 20th and came thither the day following where he was altogether unexpected especially by the Lord Inchequin he found things in great disorder the Army filled with Officers disaffected to him the Custodiums and Contributions no way manag'd to the publick advantage thereupon reform'd the defects and marching the 15th of March to visit Talloe Lismore Toughall Fermoy and other Places found the Countrey protected even to the Walls of the Protestant Garrisons so as no mischief could be done by them to the Rebels and about the 20th of March Knockmohun was delivered to him He order'd all things for the best advantage of the Interest he was put upon and finding his Commission was near expir'd the General Officers petition'd that in case his Lordship were not continued the Command of the Army might rest in them which the Lord President with others oppos'd The Lord Lieutenant's Commission determind ' the 15th of April 1647. And shortly after such animosities arose betwixt the Parliaments Commissioners and the Lord Inchequin as doubtless if some Privy Counsellors had not interpos'd great inconveniencies would certainly thence have risen The Lord Lisle accompani'd with the Lord Broghil and Colonel Sidney went presently for England and arriv'd at London about the beginning of May following taking the first occasion to give the House an account of his Journey which may
Lieutenant that it might be possess'd and sufficiently fortifi'd in one night It is no wonder that in an Army thus constituted and composed the Marquis thought not fit by his Authority to restrain it from pursuing an Enterprise of so much Gallantry and which had so much possibility of success and indeed he still retain'd some hope of advantage by the affection of that City and that even in these last Supplies that were sent over there were many that laid hold of that opportunity to transport themselves for the advancement of the Kings service and with purpose quickly to change their Masters so that he was contented to recede from his former resolution and on the first of August at night sent a strong Party viz. 1500 Foot under Major General Purcel to possess themselves of Baggatrath with Engineers and such other Materials as were necessary to fortifie it and because he concluded that the Enemy would immediately discover what they were doing and would use their utmost endeavours to prevent the execution of a Design which would bring such irreparable damage to them he gave strict order for drawing the whole Army in Battalia and commanded that they should stand in Arms all that night himself continuing in the Field on Horsback till morning as soon as it was day he went to visit the Place that was to be fortifi'd which he found not in that condition he expected the Officer excusing himself by having been misguided in the night so that it was very late before he arrived there though it was not an English mile distant from the Camp wherewith the Marquis being unsatisfi'd displac'd the Officer who commanded the Party and put another of good Name and Reputation into the Charge and appointed him to make his men to work hard since it appear'd that in four or five hours it might be so well fortifi'd that they need fear no attempt from the Town and that they might be sure to enjoy so much time he commanded the Army to remain in the same posture they had been all night and about 9 of the Clock seeing no appearance of any Sally from the Town which he had so long expected he went to his Tent to refresh himself with a little rest which he had not obtain'd for the space of an hour when he was awaken'd by an Alarm from the Enemy and putting himself immediately upon his Horse quickly found that his Officers and Lieutenant General Preston had not been so punctual in their Duty as they ought to have been but had quitted their Posts out of an unhappy confidence that the Besieged would not adventure at that time of the day to make any Sally as soon as the Marquis went to repose himself so that a strong Party out of the Town about 10 of the clock in the morning the 2d of August 1649. march'd directly to Baggatrath and with less opposition than ought to have been made beat roated and dispers'd the Party that possess'd it who finding their Horse not so ready to assist them as they expected quitted the Place with all imaginable confusion which encourag'd Jones's Party who were seconded immediately by the whole Power in Dublin to advance further towards the Army which they discern'd to be in high disorder than at their coming out they intended The Lord Lieutenant used all means to put the Horse in order sending the Lord Taaff to command the Foot But Sir William Vaughan Commissary General of the Horse being in the first Charge killed they who followed him were immediately routed notwithstanding that the Forces from Dublin march'd onely in single Troops and Companies having not time to draw together in Battalia whereupon so great a consternation seiz'd upon the spirits of all the rest that the Marquis could prevail with none to stand with him but the Regiments of his Brother Colonel Butler and Colonel Grady some write Miles Reylye with which he charged the Enemy wherein Colonel Grady being slain and his Brother sore wounded and taken Prisoner that Body was entirely broken and from that time it was not in his power by all the means he could use to rally any Party of Horse and to make them so much as stand by him so that when he was environ'd by the Enemy attended with very few of his own Servants and two or three Gentlemen he was forced to make his way through them and to quit the Field when a small Body of Foot under Colonel Gifford which still kept the ground and valiantly defended themselves finding that they were deserted by their Horse were compelled to surrender their Arms to Jones the Lord Taaff making his own way so prosperously that he got to the North-side where he found that Body composed of the Lord Dillons Sir Thomas Armstrongs the Lord Moores and Lieutenant Colonel Purdons Regiments of Horse Colonel Warrens Colonel Walles and Colonel Mich. Byrns Regiments of Foot which had been left at Finglass in Arms and which had not seen the Enemy that day upon which the Lord Taaff us'd all possible endeavours to perswade them to attempt a Recovery of what was lost which in so great disorder of the Enemy which such success usually produceth was not reasonably to be despaired of But the apprehension jealousies fright and terrour was so universal that he could not incline them to it nor to do more than and that in great confusion to provide for their own security Whilst the Marquis directed his Letters to them ordering therein the one half of them to go to Tredath and the other half to Trym for the security of those Places whilst himself went to Kilkenny to rally what he could of the Army and to raise what new Forces he should be able This was the unhappy and indeed fatal Defeat at Rathmines by the Bishops at Jamestown 1650 thought so improvident and unfortunate as nothing happen'd in Christianity more shameful Yet in his Excellencies Letter from Kilcolgan the 2d of December 1650. to the Assembly at Loghreogh so Answer'd as hitherto no Reply hath been attempted The news of which and the consequences thereof was receiv'd and proclaim'd writes Walsh fol. 583. with much gladness and excess of ioy in Rome as that which made for the Nuncio's Party It was the first and onely loss that fell upon any Army or Party of which the Marquis had the Name and Title and here he had no more than the name of the Supreme Commander and these the whole Circumstances of it In this Battel were slain on the place and in the Chace about 4000. and 2517 taken Prisoners and two whole Cannon three Demi-cannon one long square Gun carrying a Ball of 12 Pound one Saker-drake one Mortar-piece all these Brass besides 200 Draught-Oxen for the Train and the richest Camp of Commodities an Enemy could well be Master of But not to speak further of the sad misfortune of this great Commander than whom no man was more justly magnified for his Courage confided
they made a Breach the next day with their Cannon and storm'd the Place and though they were for some time stoutly resisted and twice beaten off yet at the third Onset led by Cromwel they enter'd and pursu'd their Victory with so much cruelty that they put the whole Garrison in Arms to the Sword not sparing those upon second thoughts to whom in the heat of the Action some of Cromwel's under-Officers promised and gave Quarter a crime writes one then in the Action themselves were most guilty of they again resuming Arms when they had engaged to lay them down So that except some few who during the time of the Assault escaped at the other side of the Town and others who mingling with the Rebels as their own men disguised themselves that they were not discovered there was not an Officer Soldier or Religious Person belonging to that Garrison left alive besides those after Decimation sent to Barbadoes and all this within the space of nine days after the Enemy appear'd before the Walls and when very many Royalists as well as Irish were glad that they were engaged before the Place that was likely to be so well defended and to stop their further progress for that season of the year This indeed was a much greater Blow than that at Rathmines and totally destroy'd and massacred a Body of near 3000 Men with which in respect of Experience and Courage of the Officers and Goodness and Fidelity of the common Men the Marquis would have been glad to have found himself engaged in the Field with the Enemy though upon some disadvantages And he had not now left with him above 700 Horse and 1500 Foot whereof some were of suspected Faith and many new rais'd men And though the Lord Inchiquin was ready to march towards him with a good Party of Horse and Foot and the Lord Viscount of Ardes with the like of Scots yet he had neither Money to give them one days Pay or Provision to keep them together for 24 hours The Commissioners were either dispersed or their Orders for collecting Money not executed or regarded and when in those straits the Lord Lieutenant issued out Warrants for raising of Men and Money they complain'd of the breach of Articles of the Treaty and talk'd amongst themselves of Treating with the Enemy That which was most conciliable and which all men saw was fittest to be practised was to put all their Men into Garrisons and thereby secure the most considerable Places and therewithall Winter now approaching to have prosecuted their Levies and by good Discipline and Exercise of their Men recover their Spirits against the Spring But this was not at all in the Marquis's power to do he was restrained by the Articles of the Treaty from making any new Garrison and from changing any old Governours without the approbation of the Commissioners and he and the Commissioners together had not credit and power enough with the Chief Cities and Incorporate Towns which were most worth keeping and consequently most like to be attempted by the Rebels to force or perswade them to receive Garrisons So Wexford Waterford Limerick and Gallway the most considerable Ports of the Kingdom declared they would admit of no Soldiers nor indeed did they further obey any other Orders which were sent to them than they thought fit themselves If this fatal distemper and discomposure had not been discovered to be amongst them it is not to be believed that Cromwel what success soever he had met with would have engaged his Army which with being long at Sea change of Air and long Duty was much weaken'd and had contracted great sicknesses in the Sieges after the beginning of October yet being encourag'd and in truth drawn on by the knowledge of this humour and obstinacy of the Irish against all Remedies that could preserve them he withdrew his Forces from Tredagh having taken in first Trim Dundalk Carlingford Newry and other smaller Garrisons thereabouts and return'd to Dublin having sent Colonel Venables down with some Forces to oppose George Monro who had a good Strength with him and to relieve London-derry but was not able to keep the Field In his March he was set upon in his Quarters by Colonel Trevor who had 5 or 600 Horse with him and gave him a desperate Attack but the morning appearing he was beaten out by Captain Meredith and his Troop who was appointed by Colonel Venables to charge him this was upon his march towards Belfast which was surrendred unto him upon Conditions from the Scots And while he was here he sent out a Party under Lieutenant Colonel Conally who was encountred as he march'd to Antrim by George Monro and a good strength of Horse and routed Conally was there slain by Colonel John Hamilton Such are the Dispensations of the Almighty as he did not live to receive the fruit of so great service as he had done to that Kingdom in discovering the Plot. Moses saw the good Land but never entred At Dublin Cromwel refresh'd his Soldiers a few days and intending to fish in troubled Waters resolv'd presently to appear before Wexford which the Marquis of Ormond suspecting upon Cromwel's return from Tredagh to Dublin removed his Army from Castle Jordan down towards the Counties of Wexford and Kilkenny there not onely to lie secure till Neil's Army should come up to him according to agreement as you shall hereafter hear but also ready to be drawn into either Wexford or Kilkenny as there should be occasion Cromwel according to his resolution the 27th of September march'd from Dublin but before he march'd thence or presently after he Cashiers the seven old Regiments which Jones had continued at Dublin allowing the Colonels for a little time a small Pension which he soon took off though they were the first who to that instant had serv'd against the Rebels And then he march'd towards Wexford through the County of Wickloe taking the People into protection and not suffering the Soldiers in his Army to commit any spoil as he went but to pay for all Provisions in his march he took in several Castles and Garrisons as Killingkerick Arcklo Little Limerick Iniscorphen alias Eniscorvy Ferns Castle and the Fort of Wexford and the first of October with his Army he sate down before Wexford the Inhabitants whereof appear'd willing under Colonel David Synnot their Governour to make defence albeit they had too long neglected the means thereof and were at last when part of the Enemies Army was lodged within half-Musquet-shot of their Walls contented to receive an assistance of Men from the Lord Lieutenant which upon the first intimation his Excellency hastned to them of the choicest of those he had left all Catholicks for that was still insisted upon under the Command of his Cousin Sir Edmond Butler with near 1500 Men who with some difficulty pass'd the River into that part of the Town which the Parliaments Army could not infest but he had not
towards Castleliskin one of the fastest Places in Ireland and directly in the way to Limerick upon which the Lord Broghil hastned towards them and about midnight in a horrid storm of rain and wind fell upon their Horse-Guards and beat them in upon which their Camp took so hot an alarm as he drove them soon to the Place from whence they came thereby securing the Army before Limerick The Enemy in the interim getting over the Blackwater and afterwards were pursued by the Lord Broghil till finding a convenient ground to draw up their Battle in they were faced by him who kept the Right Wing Major Wally the Command of the Left and Major Cuppage the Foot so happily on each part secured that though indeed the Irish never more resolutely and in better order maintain'd their Station they were at last wholly routed Bogs and Woods usually their safety being not near them The chief Prisoners that day taken were Lieutenant Colonel Mac Gillacuddy Commanding young Muskeries Regiment a man more Popular then Muskery himself Major Mac-Gillariagh an old Spanish Souldier Major Mac-Finine and some considerable Commanders of Horse But to return to the Marquess of Clanrickard who notwithstanding all the fore-mention'd Discouragements some whereof he expected not hearing of Sir Charles Coot's intentions of entring Connaght issued out his Orders to all the Forces which for conveniency of Quarter and the more to infest the Enemy were scattered over the Provinces that they should meet at the General Rendezvous at the time and place appointed Resolving with as much expedition as he could to engage the Enemy where hearing that Sir Charles Coot to whom Ireton had left the Care of that Province was marched towards Athlone he made all possible haste to fall in his Rear or to wait his Motion but after he had gone two days march towards that Place he received certain Intelligence that Sir Charles had taken Athlone and being furnished with all necessary Guides was marched towards Gallway to block it up whereupon he made what haste he could back the same way he came and sent Orders to the Earl of Castlehaven General of the Horse to meet him with the Forces under his Command at a certain Village where the Deputy would expect him The Enemy being then within less then a Mile with their main Body and onely a narrow Pass between them which the Lord Deputy doubted not to defend until all his Forces should come up and then resolved to sight them which was the onely thing he desired and thought himself to be in a very good posture to do it But the Earl of Castlehaven before he would advance to the Lord Deputy thought it convenient to secure a single Pass over the River Shannon whereby the Enemy might possibly get over that so the Enemy might be entirely engaged where the Lord Deputy was without any danger in the Rear But by the time the Earl had marched some miles he heard the report of Muskets and looking back he saw the two Troops of Horse he had left to secure that Pass and the 60 Foot running and dispersing without being pursued for the Enemy having Intelligence of the Earl's march sent over 2 or 3 Boats with Musketiers from the other side of the River and landed without opposition at the Castle scituate on the Pass Upon which news notwithstanding the Earl's Commands or Intreaties his Army in that Consternation without the sight of an Enemy fled and disbanded insomuch that of 4000 which in the morning the Body consisted of the Earl brought not with him to the Place where the Lord Deputy was above 40 Horse whereupon the Lord Deputy saw he was in no case to engage the Enemy that he should be quickly attacked in the Rear by that part of the Army which had already and speedily would pass the River and that the same fright possessed his men who had hitherto kept the Bridge and who now began to yield ground and that in truth very many of his Souldiers had that night run away And thereupon he drew off and marched away both Horse and Foot when they were gotten out of danger of the Enemies pursuit And from this time the Lord Deputy could never draw any considerable and firm Body into the Field nor make any opposition to the Enemies Progress The Irish in all Places submitting to and compounding with them murmuring as much now against the Lord Deputy as they had before against the Lord Lieutenant Before the Lord Lieutenant had left the Kingdom he had sent the Lord Viscount Taaff who had been an Eye-Witness of all his Proceedings and had in vain labour'd to compose and dispose the minds of the Clergy to the Kings Service to give the King an Account of the Affairs of Ireland and how impossible it would be to preserve his Authority in that Kingdom without some more then ordinary Supplies from abroad which joyning with the most considerable and Loyal Part of the Irish might have kept the Refractory in awe His Lordship landed in Flanders the King being then in Scotland and quickly understood how unlikely his Journey into that Kingdom was to advance the Business upon which he came or indeed that he should be admitted to the Presence of the King from whom most were remov'd that attended him thither and thereupon he staid in Flanders and found an opportunity to present the Condition of the Papists of Ireland in such manner to the Duke of Lorrain who being nearly Allied to the King always professed singular affection to his Majesty and his Interest as in the end he prevail'd with him to send them some Relief And assoon as it was known that the Lord Lieutenant was landed in France the Duke sent a Person of Principal Trust about him the Abbot of St. Katharines into Ireland with a Credential as his Ambassador to the Clergy and Catholick Nobility and Gentry of that Kingdom to treat with them in order to their receiving Aid and Supplies from the Duke and to the end that his Highness might in truth understand in what Capacity they were to be relieved and how much they could themselves contribute thereunto it being not then known that the Marquess of Ormond had left the Kings Authority behind him but rather conceiv'd that upon those many Provocations and Affronts which had been offered to him he had withdrawn with his Person the Countenance and Authority they had so much undervalued and so little deserved When the Abbot landed in Ireland which was about the end of February and within little more then 2 months after the Lord Lieutenant departed thence he heard that the Marquess of Clanrickard was the Kings Deputy and thereupon he gave him presently notice of his arrival addressed himself to him shewed his Commission and Credentials and assured him That the Duke his Master had so entire an Affection to the King of England the preservation of whose Interest in that Kingdom was the chief Motive to him
that he remains himself upon his keeping in his own Countrey During the stay of these Troops there they were desired to the relief of a Castle called Rathgogan by one M. Meade which M. Jephson having performed with a Squadron of each Troop and 80. Musqueteers drawn out of his House and mine In his retreat he was encountered by two or three Companies from Kilmallocke on whom he with a Horse and another Officer with a Foot charged in several places and routed them slaying about 150. besides 50. slain in relieving the Castle On the thirteenth of this instant my Lord of Muskry who hath kept his Camp a long time at Rochforts Town three miles from this City caused a part of his Army to chase home our Scouts to the very Suburbs where in a bravado they made a stand wherat my Lord Inchequin Colonel Vavasor and the rest of the Officers being much incensed obtained my leave to issue forth immediately with three hundred Musqueteers and two Troops of Horse upon the sallying out they found the Enemy retreated and pursued him to his Quarters where the main Body consisting of thirty six Colours as they were numbred forthwith appeared and after several parties sent from the main Body to skirmish with our men had been beaten back they began to pack up their Baggage and forsook their Camp after whom our men made all the speed they might and having chased them two or three miles charged upon the rear routed the whole Army which betook it self to flight over a Bog unpassable for our Horse and took all their carriage and luggage whereof the Lord of Muskeries own Armour Tent and Trunks were a part slew about two hundred of their men that took to firm ground and retired without loss of a man Whereby it is very easie to observe with what facility the Enemy might now be dealt withal before he can recollect himself anew or receive forreign supplies which they daily and hourly expect and being once come to their hands it will not then be treble the charge and expence both of blood and treasure that will suppress them which now would reduce them to a very great straight And therefore I do most humbly beseech your Lordship that speedy supplies of Men Moneys Arms Munition and Artilery with all necessaries depending thereon as Conducters Pioneers Mattrosses Carriages Tackle Horses and Oxen for draught and all other appurtenances that may either be sent over or Commission and means to raise and maintain them here here being but one Canoneer and one Clerk of the store in this Province without these your Lordship knows that it is to no boot to march into the Field where if the Enemy be not too hard for us he will certainly retire to his Holds and so secure himself against our Forces The necessary use of Firelocks and Dragoons and of a competent supply of Victual the stock of this Countrey being totally wasted will deserve serious consideration and if I had been so fortunate as to have received any succours by those late Easterly winds it would have so discouraged the Enemy now newly routed and animated the Protestant party as that I am very confident by God's assistance I should have given your Lordship a good account of the quiet of these parts Whereas they observing that this fair opportunity hath conveyed us no relief do begin to muster up their Forces afresh and to take heart at the apprehension of our being deserted in England and left wholly to our selves wherein I cannot sufficiently express how miserable our condition is for having from the beginning of these troubles supported the Forces mentioned in the inclosed list with Moneys gained upon several hard terms and engagements besides what I have impressed to the succour sent thence I was at last constrained to seize upon four thousand pounds belonging to Sir Robert Tynte and ready to be transported out of the Kingdom and which he refused to lend upon the Publick-faith of this State which nevertheless I gave him upon the seisure meerly to preserve the Army from disbanding which otherwise it must have undoubtedly done And therefore I humbly desire that money may be sent over not only to discharge that and other engagements amounting to 4000 pounds more but that there may be order taken for the entring of those men into pay and continuing them therein ever since the beginning of the present troubles which I raised at first by direction from the Lords Justices for this service and that the same course may be taken for them as for the rest The heighth of insolency and arrogancy in the Enemy will appear by the inclosed Remonstrance which they sent me after a motion made for a Cessation which in the condition I was in I had some inclination to condescend unto in case it had been sought for in befitting terms to which purpose I willed them to address their humble petition to his Majesty and in case I did approve thereof I would give way thereunto and to a cessation until his pleasure were known whereupon they transmit me that whereof the inclosed is a Copy at which I took justly as I conceive such offence as caused me to return them the inclosed Answer which I should have seconded with such further testimony of my aversion to their insolency as would tend much to their disincouragement were I enabled with any reasonable strength so to do which I earnestly desire I may be and with instructions what hand to carry in the prosecution of them and how to manage the War against them for that every day they encrease in insolency and riot hanging such prisoners as are not able to pay Ransom ransoming others hanging old Women and stripping all they can lay hold on All that is left in this Province is the City of Corke the Towns of Kingsale Youghall and Bandonbridge the Cities of Limricke and Waterford being fallen into defection save that the Fort in the former is able to command the Town if provided with Munition wherewith I have sent to supply it For persons in Action it is far less difficult to nominate those that adhere to the Crown which are the Earl of Barrymore an industrious servitour the Lord Viscount Killmallocke Sir Andrew Barret and Edmond Fitz-Gerrarld of Ballmarter commonly called the Senescall of Imokilly by whose care and countenance joyned with my Lord Barrimore's that Barrony of Imokilly is kept in due subjection and the passage betwixt this City and Youghall thereby open But whilst we stand on these unable terms to stir out of these Walls the Enemy is at liberty to range and forrage over all parts of the Countrey And indeed our wants of Money are so great and pressing as that for defect of entertainment and encouragement the Officers both of Horse and Foot daily flock unto me and importune to be dismissed and left at liberty to seek their preferment in England and so soon as this little which is left me to
skirmish was in sight of our Walls the Lord Moore in this encounter behaving himself most gallantly indeed no man braver for after he was known by the Rebels they endeavoured to have seized on him yet though he had but 7 in his Company being then at a distance from the main Body charged them home killed many scattered the rest and got off clear After that Tredath had relieved it self and his Majesties Forces became full Masters of the field several as the Lord Nettervile Lord Slane and others writ Letters to the State to excuse themselves as did those with the Lord Gormanston about the 21st of March to the Earl of Castlehaven under the name of the United Lords that he would move the State for a Cessation of Arms and to know upon what Conditions they might come in and submit which the Lords Justices and Council thought a demand full of Insolency they having till then acted with the forwardest of the Rebels notwithstanding whatever dehortations or encouragements the State gave them to the contrary so that then the State had no power to mitigate their Crimes Nor did the Lords Justices and Councel then think fit to prostitute his Majesties Royal Grace to men so ungrateful and unnatural Besides the State in their Commission and Instructions found no express Warrant to pardon such pernicious Traitors as before they inclined to come in hoped to carry all before them by surprizal or open force In the last Service of my Lord Moore 's Barnewell of Rahasket one of dangerous Parts was taken with some Priests and Friers Darcy of Platten in Meath about two miles from Tredath was soon after summon'd who denied the surrender of his House to the Earl of Ormond yet after hearing of two Peeces of Battery surrendred it However at Atherdee the Rebels killed all the Protestants whilst the Earl of Ormond Lieutenant General leaving Dublin the 7th of March prosecuting the Design formerly mention'd upon the arrival of the Forces out of England that they might not be idle in the City was not far from Tredath with 3000 Foot and 500 Horse burning the County of Meath and several of the Lords of the Pale's Houses in their March who came to Tredath the 11th of March exceedingly admiring that such weak Walls should be able to resist so potent an Enemy His Lordship with the Governour the Lord Moore Sir Thomas Lucas Sir Simon Harcourt Sir Robert Ferrall and others in a Councel of War determin'd to prosecute the Rebels But the Earl of Ormond with the rest of his Forces being summon'd to Dublin on Business of great importance beneath the capacity of those who would have had it otherwise the Work fell wholly on the Lord Moore and the Governour who were by the Earl of Ormond recruited with four Companies of Foot and two Troops of Horse and two Peeces of Battery and upon the 21. of March with 1000 Foot and 200 Horse they march'd forward finishing what they had left unburnt at Slane and other Villages in the way And the 23. of March they advanc'd with Fire and Smoak towards Atherdee about a mile from Town the Enemy was descried to be drawn up into two Divisions reported to be 1100 or 1500. upon which Sir Henry Tichborn drew his Souldiers into Battalia sending up a forlorn Hope before to scour the Ditches which they so effectually did as stumbling upon an Ambuscado of the Enemy's Musketiers they beat them out of their Holes drawing so nimbly upon them as they killed about 400 of them in a miles space At the foot of the Bridge our Foot found some resistance by Musketiers plac'd in a Tower upon which Sir Henry Tichborn finding a passage over the River galled them so on the other side that they soon abandon'd it The passage thus open'd the Horse enter'd and with a full career chas'd them through the Town where one Lieutenant Colonel and five Captains of the Rebels were slain the Lord Moore doing much execution with his own hands Now the passage being clear our Forces made an assault on Dundalk fortified by the Rebels with a double Wall double Ditch Marsh-ground on one side and Sea on the other so that our difficulty was great Yet we approach'd the Town the 26th of March about Nine in the Morning planted our Ordnance on a little Hill near the Gate which 500 of them defended a while against a forlorn Hope of ours till they pursued their Work so close as they made many of the Rebels fall at which they retired which our Men perceiving increas'd their fears by shouting that at length a Division under the Command of Lieutenant Colonel Waineman of about 300 resolutely approach'd the Gate with Pick-axes and after a strong encounter enter'd with the Horse who pursued the Enemy with a full Gallop killing many but upon the turning towards the next Gate seeing 2 or 3 brass Peeces planted and 500 of the Rebels ready to receive us we fairly retreated whilst a Castle plac'd at the head of that Street man'd with their best Musketiers in our return played very hot upon us whereby 10 of our Men were slain and Ensign Fortescue a sprightly Gentleman one Serjeant and one that carried the Colours for another Lieutenant Francis Moore was there also shot upon the shoulder-piece of his Armour without much hurt a Gentleman that merits much for his service through the whole Business At this we being not subject to lose any Men the Governour and the Lord Moore were so enraged that they set the Houses near the Castle the only Remora on fire through which the Wind blowing the smoak on the Castle and the Souldiers making bundles of dried Bean-stalks intermixt with Tow and Gunpowder and carrying these on their heads they got themselves un-descried to the Castle-door where they laid down their bundles and giving fire by a train of Powder blew up the Door and some other Boards those within being almost choaked and fully frighted leapt out at a Window and a Serjeant of Captain Owen's with 5 Men upon condition that they might have the pillage of the Place enter'd it and speedily shewed by their naked swords on the top of the Castle that they were Masters of it At which the Governour and the Lord Moore were reviv'd and immediately quench'd the Fires and man'd the Castle with 30 good Musketiers who playing thick into the Town hindred the Rebels from walking the Streets Afterwards we drew up two Peeces of Ordnance against the inner Gate and with 10 Wool-packs found in the Castle very opportunely a kind of Bulwark was made for the Musketiers which the Rebels perceiving left their Peeces there loaden Whereupon the Governour took a Division of a Party of Horse and drew by the back of the Town towards the North-Gate killing 40 in his way and enter'd at a by-Gate found the Town deserted The Lord Moore in the interim also beating open the Gates took possession of the two brass Peeces and another
incredible charge of his own Purse hanging many though of his own kindred whom he found imbrued in Blood greatly resenting the Barbarism and Inhumanity of the Irish In as much as Hubert Boy Bourk and Sir Ulick Bourk his near Relations preying on the English he often frustrated by discovering their Designs and furnishing Sir Charles Coot from time to time with supplies of Arms and Ammunition to oppose them and impoverish their Country So that at last by the advice of Colonel Walsh and others they erected a standing Camp near the Kreggs to molest and pen up our Garrison of Castle-Coot which being almost compleated the Garrison issued out upon them who receiv'd us with a good volly of Shot which ours answer'd not according to command till we came close to them which being done with great resolution their hearts fail'd them and they betook themselves to the next Bog which being at some distance gave our Horse and Foot a fair opportunity to hew them down before they could reach it in which service Major Walsh behav'd himself well with Courage and Rhetorick endeavouring to make the Rebels stand but in vain he at length being forc'd to take the Bog for his own refuge leaving in the Camp Bread Arms Powder Corn Meal c. in great quantity which being more then we could carry away we were forced to burn In the Spring following Sir Charles Coot being inform'd of a good Prey of Cattle in the Barony of Athlone towards Balniaslo in the O Mores Country he with his Forces adventur'd thither got some Cattle great quantity of Cloth and other necessaries killing many of their Souldiers in their beds though in his return he was fought with by the Rebels sculking in in-accessible Places from whence he at last got free with no small hazard to his Person and loss to the Enemy Major Sumner in this as in the whole Siege of Castle-Coot and other places in Connaght doing excellent service as Councellor Engineer and Souldier worthily keeping his promise with one Kelly a Gentleman of good Quality and a kin to the Earl of Clanrikard whom begging his life he saved ransoming himself afterwards for 10. l. in money ten barrels of Wheat and as much Salt which at the following Siege of Castle-Coot proved of great value being sold then at 2s a Quart After which in Easter week 1642. Sir Charles Coot attempted to relieve Athlone and after some small dispute did it though the access to the Place was such as a few men might have been able to have stop'd 1000. he found his greatest difficulty was to fill up the trenches that the Enemy had made as his Horse might have free access which at last he compass'd relieving the Place with what Cattle and other Provisions he got in his Expedition not being a little startled that by such a Troop as the President there had and other Conveniencies no more should have been before attempted Nor had Roscommon Tulsk Elphin Knockvicar Abbeyboyle Belanfad Persons less active in their defence even from the first surprizals of the Rebels acting to amazement when nothing but their own courage secur'd their Forts though the last for want of Water was compell'd after a long siege to yield to the Rebels after that the Governour 's two Brothers the Kings from Boyle with Sir Charles Coot had resolv'd to have reliev'd him but at Carickdrumroosk Sir Charles Coot having intelligence that his own Castle was assaulted he was forced to retire back and very happily prevented that Design in the nick of execution though thereby the other Design was frustrated The 30th of April the Lords Justices and Council appointed a Fast to be observed monthly upon each Friday before the Sacrament to continue until Declaration were made to the contrary for the wonderful discovery of the late Plot against the State and true Religion as for the happy and prosperous success which God in his mercy had given his Majesties Forces against the Rebels and for the avoiding Gods just indignation for the future Upon the return of our Forces from the Battle of Kilrush within few days Philip Sidney Lord Viscount Lisle eldest Son to the Earl of Leicester Lord Lieutenant of Ireland landed at Dublin his Regiment having arriv'd before He was a Member of the House of Commons in England and by them recommended to his Father to be made Lieutenant-General of the Horse in Ireland though very young Assoon as he landed being desirous to put himself upon action he undertook the relieving of the Lady of Offalia Relict of Sir Robert Digby who upon the most insolent Menaces of the Rebels had return'd a noble answer seconding that though then very aged with an unparallel'd and gallant defence besieged in her Castle of Gheshell in the Kings-County by a numerous company of Rebels in a place of most difficult access by reason of the Bogs and Woods which encompassed it on every side The Rebels Letter to the Lady Offalia at Gheshel Honourable WE his Majesties loyal Subjects being at present imployed in his Highnesses Service for the taking of this your Castle you are therefore to deliver unto us free possession of your said Castle promising faithfully that your Ladyship together with the rest in the said Castle restant shall have a reasonable Composition otherwise upon the not yielding of the Castle we do assure you that we will burn the whole Town kill all the Protestants and spare neither Man Woman nor Child upon taking the Castle Consider Madam of this our offer and impute not the blame of your own folly unto us think not that here we brag Your Ladyship upon submissiion shall have a safe Convoy to secure you from the hands of your Enemies and to lead you where you please A speedy Reply is desired with all expedition and thus we surcease Henry Dempsy Charles Dempsy Andr. Fitz. Patrick Con. Dempsy Phelim Dempsy John Vicars James Mac Donnel Superscrib'd To the Honourable and thrice Vertuous Lady the Lady Digby These Give The Lady Offalia her Answer to the Rebels Superscrib'd For her Cousin Henry Dempsy and the Rest. I Receiv'd your Letter wherein you threaten to sack this my Castle by his Majesty's Authority I am and ever have been a loyal Subject and a good Neighbour amongst you and therefore cannot but wonder at such an Assault I thank you for your offer of a Convoy wherein I hold little safety and therefore my resolution is that being free from offending his Majesty or doing wrong to any of you I will live and die innocently and will do my best to defend my own leaving the issue to God and though I have been and still am desirous to avoid the shedding of Christian Blood yet being provoked your threats shall no whit dismay me Lettice Offalia Sir Charles Coot accompanied the Lord Lisle in this Action which with 120 Foot and 300 Horse was perform'd without much difficulty the Rebels not daring to attend their Approaches to
the Castle in a Body but made little skirmishes from the Bogs as they passed along In their way they took in the strong Fort of Phillips-Town in Kings-County which was built upon a Pass in a Countrey almost inaccessible in the former Wars and kept always by the English against the Irish but the Rebels having by Treachery surprized this as they had done most of the other Places of Ireland it was now taken from them by this small Party under the Lord Lisle with their Pistols and Muskets the swiftness of their March and the illness of the Way not admitting any other Artillery such an Enemy not much needing it Being now upon their return to Dublin understanding that the Lord Gormanston and other Lords and Gentlemen of the Pale had gather'd a considerable Force together about Trym the Lord Lisle by the advice of Sir Charles Coote turn'd his March that way with that small company When they came near the Town they saw those Lords at no great distance from them but in such a posture as shewed they intended not to fight and so facing about they marched directly into the Town of Trym which was a Place of very inconsiderable strength but pleasantly situated upon the River of the Boyne in an open Champion Countrey and incompassed with a stone-Wall so old and ruinous as afforded in some places of it entrance to Horse over the heaps of rubbish that lay instead of the Wall The Lord Lisle approach'd with those Forces to the Town and Sir Charles Coote finding a place where he could get in some of his Horse brought them on and got them in without opposition the Lords of the Pale resolving of their dis-ability to keep that Town though they had treble the number of the Assailants quitted it and march'd out in some hast while the Lord Lisle's Horse enter'd in so as they became Masters of the Town without the loss of one Man and finding it a Place of great advantage situated in the most plentiful part of the Rebel's Quarters they resolv'd to make a Garrison of it And for this Reason Sir Charles Coote got the Lord Lisle to go to the Lords Justices at Dublin and acquaint them with the success they had had and the great benefit which might redound to the service of the State if they would think fit to send them down Moneys to fortifie that Place and a Regiment of Foot to keep it The Lord Lisle willing to improve all Arguments that might secure the present Affair took some of his Horse to guard him to Dublin and soon acquainted their Lordships with the Concern pressing the Business with all advantages imaginable whilst the Rebels having notice the day following of his repair to Dublin no Business being carried so private as they had not soon intelligence thereof gathered all their Forces together and having near 3000 Men they came in the dead of the Night to the very Walls of Trym before they were discerned thinking to surprize it But the Sentinels gave the Alarm and Sir Charles Coote who never us'd to go to Bed when he was abroad was the first that took it and having his Horse ready presently mounted but could not at the instant get above 17 Horse with him with these however he goes to the Gates knowing that expedition was not only the life of Action but must at that time be the only means of their preservation He issued out and fac'd the Enemy very numerous making their approaches towards them some few more Horse re-inforcing his strength He charged the first Troop of the Rebels that came towards him routing them immediately and following on upon their disorder charg'd their main Body which presently began to grow loose which he perceiving so vigorously charg'd in amongst them as they all betook themselves to flight and he having now more Men come out of the Town pursued them with great alacrity doing singular execution with his own hands And as he was encouraging his Men bravely to pursue their flying Enemy he was unfortunately shot in the Body as it was thought by one of his own Troopers whether by design or accident was never known it being for many months after his death generally reported and as generally believed that He was accidentally slain by one of the flying Rebels who in despair turn'd about and discharg'd his Musket at him And this end had this gallant Gentleman who began to be so terrible to the Enemy as his very Name was formidable to them His Body was brought to Dublin and there inter'd with great solemnity floods of English tears accompanying him to his Grave After whose death and Sir Harcourt's the Fate of the English Interest in Ireland seem'd eclips'd if not buried the great Artifice being then under several pretences to keep the Souldiers within their Garrisons to consume the Provisions and Stores they had or else to lead them forth without any considerable service till the Battle of Ross. About the beginning of June 1642. came over some Regiments under the Conduct of Sir Foulk Hunks and Lieutenant Colonel Kirk who brought over the Regiment design'd for the Lord Rannelagh whereupon two Regiments were immediately dispatch'd for Connaght and accompanied thither by the Lord Lieutenant who in that Expedition took by storm Knocklinch a strong Castle of Mr. Linches the besieged except Women not accepting of Quarter were put to the sword and Trimbleston a Castle of the Lord Trimbleston's quitted on the former's success as Kymkelf a fair Castle of the Lord Nettervile's and divers other Castles And upon his approach towards Athlone Sir James Dillon who had besieged it ever since Christmass ran away so that the Lord President with about 50 Horse and some 200 Foot met the Lieutenant General 5 miles from Athlone and after an hour or two's stay in the Field the Earl of Ormond took leave of the Lord President leaving at his departure a Regiment for the President himself and another under Sir Michael Earnly Sir Abraham Shipman and Sir Bernard Ashley and two Troops of Horse with which Forces the Lord President might have subdued all Connaght except Galloway But he instead of imploying such brave Men abroad while the Summer lasted kept them at home on short and rotten Commons whereby most of them were famish'd or contracted mortal Diseases and were presently so enfeebled that the tenth Man was hardly able to march In the mean time all almost that had fought against him of his Neighbours were receiv'd under Contribution which was never paid nor Victuals brought in for his Men though the Countrey yet abounded in Corn and Cattle so that the Garrison of Castle-Coot for meer pity baked Bread and sent them many Cart-fulls thereof bringing away in their empty Carts many of their sick Men that they might not perish And yet at last the General the Lord President was perswaded to draw out his Men to service besieging Ballagh Castle in the mid-way between Roscommon and
in Dublin who consumed all the Provisions sent over for their supply lying idle there and oppressing the poor English Inhabitants and such English as had taken sanctuary there Or else making but small expeditions abroad wasting not the Enemy so much as they did their own Provisions It was moved therefore and furthered by this Committee that a considerable Force should be sent forth Whereupon it was resolved 4000 men should be sent out to take Ross or some other Town thereabouts where they might Winter and live in part upon what they could take from the Enemy whereupon many difficulties being found in the Design the Lord Lisle General of the Horse accepted of it with Colonel Monk and others who made ready to go the Lieutenant General of the Army the Earl of Ormond being then much indisposed But as soon as his Lordship recovered he came to the Council Board and there declared that he could not in Honour permit such a considerable part of the Army to go out upon such an important Service under any other Command then his own and so undertook the leading out of the Army himself and carried it to Ross of which you shall hear more in its due place The Parliaments Committee imbarked for London by long Sea the 27th of February 1642. the difference of whose Carriage was observable so much Integrity Discretion and Humility appear'd in the one and so much Pride Arrogancy and Intemperancy in the other as the one went away highly valued and well esteem'd and the other extreamly hated and despised As for Tucker he was the City's property which every one improved to their own humour During their continuance in repute hearing that Balanokil was Besieged by Preston the most reputed Captain amongst the Rebels Colonel Monk was sent forth with 600 Foot and two Troops of Horse the 5th of December 1642. to relieve it which he soon did the Enemy raising the Siege upon his reproach but in his return he met Preston with 3000 men in a disadvantagious Place and though he saw evident danger in so unequal a Fight yet he thought there would be more in a Retreat Wherefore having intrench'd himself so as to fear no attack but in the Front he resolved to receive them bravely and taking care that his Musketiers should not spend their shot in vain he saluted the Rebels in their approach with such a shower of Bullets as killed the boldest of them and made the rest begin to give way which the English perceiving came hotly upon them But the Fight was soon ended by the cowardliness of the Irish who with much more shame than slaughter losing not above 60 Men there betook themselves to the next strong Place and Colonel Monk without the loss of one Man return'd to Dublin The Committee of Parliament whilst they remain'd at the Council interpos'd in many things Amongst the rest it being desired by the Officers of the Army that Major Wodowes might repair to his Majesty to express their service the Committee demonstrated that the Parliament would certainly withdraw their Supplies on notice of such an Address Upon which the Ships were stayed yet the Business was so argued as the Major had licence to proceed in his Journey And now the Committee being discharg'd the Council where the prosecution of the War was to be managed the Parliament took it ill inasmuch as the want of all things afterwards was exceeding great and the main part of the remaining Army was quarter'd within the City and Suburbs of Dublin upon the poor Inhabitants altogether unable to bear the Necessities of their Families much less support 7 or 8000 Men. In alleviation of which the Lords Justices and Council the 31st of December 1642. publisht a Proclamation That all Custodiums should send to his Majesty's Granaries or Stores of Corn half the Wheat gather'd there at 10 s. the Barrel in ready Money c. to the Relief of that and the adjoyning Garrisons Yet small Supplies coming in thereupon the Lords Justices and Council order'd by another Proclamation the 15th of January That all Corn-Masters and others should sell their Corn at a lower rate than was propos'd the 28th of December 1641. and that Bakers accordingly should size their Bread About the 20th of January 1642. Sir Richard Greenvile with a Party of 200 Horse and 1000 Foot with 600 Suits of Cloaths and Money reliev'd Athlone In his return he was encounter'd at Raconnel by 5000 Rebels which he routed took their General Preston's Son Prisoner killed many gained 11 Colours and surprized many Prisoners for which service Captain William Vaughan was by the Lords Justices to whom he brought the News Knighted The Irish thought much of this Victory for that there was an old Prophesie That who got the Battle of Raconnel should conquer all Ireland The Army return'd to Dublin the 10th of February with the remnant of Sir Earnley's Regiment and others who for their better Accommodation would have had some of these Cloaths which was denied and they laid up in the Castle where with others they afterwards prov'd unserviceable to his Majesty's Forces much in want of them in the depth of Winter The Lords Justices being driven to great strait and left without hopes of Relief from England and the Inhabitants of Dublin being no longer able to support the Necessity of their Families and relieve the Souldiers their Insolencies being high the State entertain'd a Design of sending the greatest part of the Army then quarter'd in Dublin into some Parts distant from that City where they might live upon the Rebels and for this end coin'd their own Plate encouraging others to the same Advance of the State 's service whereupon at first they order'd Pieces of Money marked to their Weight Many brought in freely those indeed who considering their imployment and what was expected from them had least reason to do it whilst others issued only out their Warrants and Receipts never yet discharged Yet by the help of what came in and some supplies out of England which had not wholly deserted Ireland the Army march'd out 2500 Foot and 500 Horse under the Command of the Marquess of Ormond whose carriage in that Business and his success at the Battle of Ross we shall leave to the Lords Justices and Council's Letter to the Speaker of the House of Commons in England the 4th of April 1643. where besides the Account of that Battle they present a true state of their Affairs Civil and Military SIR OUr very good Lord the Marquess of Ormond having in his March in his last Expedition consulted several times with the Commanders and Officers of the Army in a Councel of War and so finding that subsistence could not be had abroad for the Men and Horses he had with him or for any considerable part of them it was resolved by them that his Lordship with those Forces should return hither which he did on the 26th of March In
until about 20 of the Rebel's Horse escaped away together leaving the rest of their Company to be killed and taken Prisoners as they were during which time the Foot and Cannon performing well their parts drove the Enemy to shift away to save themselves which Captain Hermon seeing pursued their Rear with some Horse with which he did notable good execution and to say the truth it is probable that most of the Rebels had that day been cut off had not the un-passable deep High-way betwixt both Armies hindred our left Wing of Horse from giving on upon their side and also the disorder that hapned to the right Wing of the Horse by their unhappy wheeling to the left hand But so soon as the Officers of those Troops could reduce their Men again into order my Lord Lisle and Sir Richard Greenvile presently pursued the Enemy with 2 Troops and sent Sir William Vaughan with 2 Troops more to pursue others flying away to the right hand And having followed the chase of them about 2 or 3 miles distant from the Army the Rebels having made their escape over Bogs and un-passable Grounds for Horse our Horse were fain to leave them and return to the rest of the Army where the Cannon stood In which service were 300 of the Rebels slain amongst which were a great number of their best Gentry and Commanders There were of the Rebels taken Prisoners Colonel Cullen their Lieutenant General Major Butler besides divers other Captains and some of their Ensigns of the English Forces were slain not full 20 Men in which service Sir Thomas Lucas unhappily received a very sore wound in his head That night the English Army lodged at Ballybeggan After which time the Army march'd without molestation of any Enemy until they return'd to Dublin whether the Rear of the Army came safe on Munday the 27th of the same month 1643. Where they were again Quarter'd even to the undoing and great desolation of that poor City which had now suffered so much and so long under the burden and insolencies of unpaid wanting Soldiers as they were unable to bear it longer and with loud cries and complaints made known their Grievances to the Lords Justices and Council wholely unable to relieve them And indeed such was the posture of the present affairs at that time as every thing tended to bring on a Cessation yet for the present the Lieutenant General that the Soldiers might be quieted publish'd a strict Edict Prohibiting all Soldiers to offer the least violence to any who brought Provision to the Market or any Inhabitants of the Town under the severest Penalties of the Marshals Court which for a time begat an obedience But the Army being ill Cloath'd meanly Victuall'd worse Paid and seldom employ'd in service necessity enforc'd them to those outrages Humanity could not take notice of many of them being the effects of a very pinching want though the Lords Justices and Council to the great dislike of the Army pursued some of the Offenders with exemplary Justice A sense of which with the Meagre return which Serjeant Major Warren brought out of England on his sollicitation for the Soldiers Pay and the dissatisfaction that thence arose some of the Officers not all there was a Party that presum'd they might have gone through with the work had there not been another in the Loom afterwards presented the State the 4th of April 1643. with a Paper in such a stile threatning so much danger as the Lords Justices and Council remitted the Copy of it to the Parliament of England which here follows My Lords AT our first entrance into this unhappy Kingdom we had no other design than by our Swords to assert and vindicate the Right of his Majesty which was here most highly abused to redress the wrongs of his poor Subjects and to advance our own Particulars in the prosecution of so honest undertakings And for the rest of these we do believe they have since our coming over succeeded pretty well but for the last which concerns our selves that hath fall'n out so contrary to our expectations that instead of being rewarded we have been prejudic'd instead of getting a Fortune we have spent part of one And though we behave our selves never so well abroad and perform the actions of honest men yet we have the Reward of Rogues and Rebels which is Misery and Want when we come home Now my Lords although we be brought to so great an Exigence that we are ready to rob and spoil one another yet to prevent such outrages we thought it better to try all honest means for our subsistence before we take such indirect courses Therefore if your Lordships will be pleased to take us timely into your considerations before our urgent wants make us desperate we will as we have done hitherto serve your Lordships readily and faithfully But if your Lordships will not find a way for our preservations here we humbly desire we may have leave to go where we may have a better being And if your Lordships shall refuse to grant that we must then take leave to have our recourse to that first and primary Law which God hath endued all men with we mean the Law of Nature which teacheth all men to preserve themselves Hence with what countenance some gave it it was thought the Rebels as to the bringing in of the Cessation and their further Aims prevail'd more than in all their Battels Treacheries and Surprizals About Easter the Rebels under Preston besieg'd Baranokil at which time even the 11th of April Colonel Crafford march'd forth of Dublin with 13000 Foot and 130 Horse a Culvering and a Saker Drake towards Monastar-Even that with his Party he might there live and if he should be advised by the Garrisons thereab outs he had Orders to set upon Preston who had with him 4000 Foot 500 Horse three Pieces of Battery and four Field-Pieces But here we must acquaint you that about November 1642. the Lords Justices sent his Majesty then at Oxford a short Petition in the name of the Roman Catholicks of Ireland which they had received from them desiring that his Majesty would appoint some persons to hear what they could say for themselves with many expressions of Duty and Submission Shortly after which Sir James Mountgomery Sir Hardress Waller Knights and Colonels Colonel Arthur Hill and Colonel Audley Mervin a Committee for Ireland in behalf of themselves and other Commanders in his Majesties Army there attended his Majesty at Oxford setting forth by their Petition as follows May it please your Sacred Majesty WE your Majesties most humble Subjects being entrusted from considerable parts of your Majesties Forces in the Kingdom of Ireland to petition your Majesty and your Parliament for Supplies and finding that your Majesty had committed the care and managing of that War to your Parliament here we address'd our selves unto the same whose sense of our miseries and inclination to redress appear'd
took in the Castles of Timolege Roscarby and Rathbarry in the West and Lismore nobly defended it self under Captain Barderoe whilst the Lord Inchequin appearing with 2500 Horse and Foot rais'd the Siege whose Army upon news of the Cessation drew off then ready to give Battle In Connaght after the Battle of Raconnel till Midsummer there was not any considerable service done by our Souldiers and the Enemy either kept close in Garrisons or was drawn off to the Siege of Galloway's Fort And now the Enemies finding that without the Command of some experienc'd General and the uniting of their Forces they were able to do little yea not to defend themselves they got for Commander John Bourk or as they more commonly called him Shane O-Tlevij descended from the Bourks of Castle Barr or if you please of the Mac Williams His first exploit was against the Fort of Galloway to the taking and demolishing of which the Townsmen contributed both with Bodies and Purse very largely they wanted good battering Guns and therefore resolv'd to take it by Famine it being but poorly provided by such as the Parliament appointed to bring timely supplies by Sea knowing that in it they should get battering Guns to take in the rest of the English Garrisons in that Province To this end they made a Chain of Masts Casks and Iron across that part of the Harbour next to the Fort and planted strong Guards at each end of it They prepared some few Ship-Guns and a Morter-Piece which was well cast by a Runnagate out of the Lord Forbes Ships which afterwards they made use of at the Siege of Castle Coot so that with much Industry rather then Gallantry they at length got the Fort by Composition its Relief coming too late into the Harbour The event of which so much struck the Governour as he did not many months after survive the loss Upon the taking of the Fort the Irish were overjoy'd to be Masters of so many brave Guns and thought that the Reputation of this and the help of the Guns would reduce suddainly all Connaght they resolv'd first to fall on Castle Coot the most painant thorn in their side being confident that upon their success there they might in all probability expect to have the rest not because it had any great strength in its Walls but was well mann'd and vigilantly attended though with 4000 Horse and Foot and answerable Accommodations of War they question'd not but to Master it soon having Preston's Engineer Monsieur La Loo an expert Low-Countrey Souldier to manage their Works who upon the knowledge of the situation of the Place question'd not its surrender Galloway having for Fireworks and fitting expedients for that service furnished him with 300 l. However though they had made as regular and handsom a Fortification about the Castle as ever was attempted in Ireland yet the Garrison so nobly attack'd each Redoubt that thence ensued many brave Attempts much certainly to the prejudice of the Besieged the Garrison maintaining their own against all the Attempts the Besiegers ever adventur'd which in truth were many not without Skill as well as Courage maintain'd in as much as the Governour Captain Richard Coot since Lord Baron of Coloony having sent forth a private Messenger to Major Ormsby who before with the help of the English Garrisons had very successfully beaten Owen Roe-O-Neal out of the Province with great loss coming to set upon Boyle Jamestown Carrickdrumzoosh and Elphin at Tulsol to inform him of his wants very carefully consulted with Boyle and Roscommon who joyntly agreed upon a private Sign to relieve them of Castle Coot which the Enemy having notice of by one whom the Garrison had familiarly entertain'd the Treachery on the Enemies side was carried on as they set forth two parties as if one had made to the Castles Relief whilst the other oppos'd it to the countenance of which the Governour being from the Walls encouraged by the Souldiers though against his own suspicions adventured forth with 60 Musketiers but soon found the deceit of the business The Enemy all this while having skirmish with themselves as two Parties who now joyntly fall upon the Governour with those he drew out who so gallantly oppos'd them though in compute not less then 700 Men as they retired to their Camp and he secured his Retreat with much Honour to his Castle The Enemy in the Interim making a bold assault on the other part of the Castle which he came time enough to relieve beating off the Enemy with a considerable loss and having slain many of their men caus'd them decently to be laid out not beheaded as the Irish barbarously are accustomed to do for which their General sent him a Present of Tobacco then very acceptable However afterwards he beat them to inaccessible Places in Bogs and Woods their usual Refuge and recover'd at that time store of Tobacco Cloaths and 11 weeks Pay newly come to satisfie their Souldiers Yet they hearing of the Cessation but not yet having an Express from the Marquiss of Ormond more violently then ever shot at the Castle and having now a Messenger of the Cessation they so far suspected him as a spy as they imprison'd him endeavouring still to gain the Castle but finding their attempts vain Forces from Boyle Roscommon c. faithfully having relieved the Castle all joyntly gallantly set on the Rebels which their General perceiving grew so much enraged against his Souldiers as to profess he had rather be Captain of the 200 in the Garrison then General of the 3000 he had so as at length the Governour as well as Bourk having an Express from the Marquiss of Ormond both acquiess'd therein Thus his Majesties Forces where they were unanimous vigorously proceeded nay should I adventure to recount all their actions time would fail we are obliged to be brief though in omitting any injuries may be done excellent Persons whose pardons I beg whilst they had no better supplies then other Places However the necessities of the Army were daily aggravated yet they in some mens opinion not seeming sufficient to bring on a Cessation such as were principal opposers of it were thought requisite to be remov'd And the 23. of April 1643. Sir Francis Butler arriv'd from England with a Supersedeas for the Lord Parson's Government and a Commission to the Lord Borlase and Sir Henry Tichborn to be Lords Justices who accordingly the first of May were instituted in the Government Who betwixtthe unpaid and Refractory Souldiers and the difficulties that arose about the Cessation which they were to consent to but acted little in encountred no small difficulties in their Government whatever censure it hath since met with Soon after their admission fresh hopes of a more plentiful Supply exceedingly cheer'd the Souldiers but that failing Murmures Mutinies and a discontented Spirit raged every where highly fomented that necessity might be a main plea for the Cessation of which his Majesty
thereof engaging the Kings Customs and the tenths of Prizes for payment and by this means which cost him much labour and time he found himself in a condition to draw several Forces together which he did about the beginning of May having made the Lord Inchequin Lieutenant-General of the Army the Earl of Castlehaven Lieutenant-General of the Horse and the Lord Taaff Master of the Ordnance at the General Randezvouz at Cashol whilst the Scots reduc'd Ulster and Connaght and it being thought fit to lose as little time as might be in marching towards Dublin as soon as any considerable number of men were once together he sent the Earl of Castlehaven with some Forces to take in several Garrisons which were possessed by Owen O Neal in the Queen's County which was the way he intended to march and so would have no Enemy in his Rear And the Earl of Castlehaven accordingly took the Fort of Maryborrough and other Places in that County and Athy and Reban in the County of Kildare whereby their passage was open for the further March Having thus began the Campania the Lord Lieutenant appointed a General Randezvouz for the whole Army at Cloghgrenan alias Glaughgrenan an house of his upon the River Barrow near the Castle of Caterlaugh where he made a Conjunction of all the Forces Protestant and Irish Who by the Wisdom and Temper of the Principal Officers mingled well enough and together about the end of May made a Body as it's generally reported of 3700 Horse and 14500 Foot with a Train of Artillery consisting of four Pieces of Cannon But when they were thus met all the Money which could be rais'd by the Commissioners or which had been rais'd by the Corporate Towns was so near spent in drawing the Forces out of their Quarters and in those short Expeditions into the Queen's County and County of Kildare that they could not have advanced in their March if the Lord Lieutenant had not upon his own Private Credit borrowed 800 l. of Sir James Preston by means whereof he gave the Common Souldiers four days Pay and so about the beginning of June marched from Cloghgrenan and the same Evening appear'd before Talbots Town a strong Garrison of the Enemies which together with Castle Talbot two miles distant from the other was within 3 days surrendred to the Marquess upon promise of Quarter which they had and then he march'd to Kildare which Town was likewise surrendred unto him as were Castle Sallogh and Castle Carby at Kildare He was compelled to stay 3 or 4 days both for want of Provision and for a Recruit of 2000 Foot which by the Lord Inchequin's Care and Diligence was then upon their March and being join'd he was in hope by a suddain and speedy Motion to have engaged Jones who at that time viz. 12. of June was march'd from Dublin as far as Johnstown with his Army consisting of 1000 Horse and 3000 Foot and so having encouraged his Souldiers with 3 days Pay which he was likewise compelled to borrow on his Credit out of the Pockets of Persons of Quality attending on him and of the Officers of the Army he passed the River of Lifly and Jones having upon intelligence of his Motion in great disorder rais'd his Camp and retir'd into Dublin after that Major Cadogan by his Command had done notable and severe Service about Tecroghan burning the Countrey not in 5 years before Visited and had beaten a part of the Marquess's Forces though he got not so much by his Victory though considerable as Jones afterwards lost by Treachery the Garrison of Allan being delivered up for 200 l. The Marquess encamped his whole Army at the Naas twelve miles from Dublin that he might maturely deliberate what was next to be undertaken being now the middle of June That which appeared worthy of debate was whether the Army should first make an Attempt upon Dublin in which it was believ'd there were very many both Officers and Souldiers and other Persons of Quality well affected to the Kings service and who had formerly served under the Marquess and esteem'd him accordingly who might make that work more easy Or whether the Army should be first imployed in the taking in of Trim Tredagh and other out-Garrisons from whence the City receiv'd much Provisions of all kinds and from whence Provisions to the Army would be cut off and much other prejudice might arise But upon full consideration the Council of War which consisted of the General Officers inclined to the former concluding that if they could take Dublin all other places would quickly fall into their hands and if they should delay it and waste their Provisions in those lesser Attempts there might probably arrive out of England such supplies of Men Money and other necessaries to Jones which were daily expected as might render that important work almost impossible Hereupon the Lord Lieutenant marched the very next morning toward Dublin and that afternoon re-passed the whole over the River of Liffy by the Bridge of Lucan and encamped near that place to rest his men a few hours He marched very early in the morning being the 19th of June and appear'd by nine of the Clock at a place called Castleknock in view of the City and hearing that Jones had drawn out all his Horse into the Green not far from the Walls he sent a Party of Horse and Musketiers to face them while he drew his whole Body within less then Cannon-shot of their Gates hoping thereby to give some countenance to those in the Town to raise some Commotion therein and having spent some part of the day in this posture and expectation after some slight skirmishes between the Horse writes one others say considerable where the Earl of Clanrickards Regiment of Horse was sorely beaten though they ralli'd twice He found it necessary to draw off and encamped that night at a place two miles from the Town called Finglas whither great multitudes of Roman Catholicks whereof most were aged Men Women and Children whom Jones had turned out of the City repair'd to him whom he sent with all due Order for their Reception into Quarters adjacent The Marquess was no sooner in his Quarters then he receiv'd sure intelligence that Jones had sent his Horse to Tredagh from whence they would have been able to have distressed his Army several ways and to have interrupted Provision which came out of the Countrey out of the Magazines which were at least 30 miles distant And several Officers were of opinion upon the view they had taken that day of the Enemy and the countenance they had observed of their own men that they were not presently provided for a formal Siege and as ill to attack the Town by a brisk attempt and therefore he resolv'd to remain encamp'd at that place for some time whereby he might take the advantage of any opportunity that within the Town would administer unto him and presently sent the Lord Inchequin
opinion that all that was done both by Sir Charles Coot and Colonel Monk was transacted by the privity if not consent of the Grandees in England but the Grounds to fasten this upon them could never be found though the business hath been narrowly search'd into Known it was that there was a Person sent over and many Overtures made by a Priest O Rely to the Committee of Derby-house but with whatreception the certainty yet remains in the Clouds However Sir Charles Coot having by this means delivered himself from the straitness of a Siege and having received some new supplies of Men and Provisionsout of England Colonel Hunks being sent from Cromwel with Forces to his Relief presently marched out and clear'd the Countrey about him and afterwards in October got such a strength together as he went to Colerain and took in that Town by Anslat and so went on to the Siege of Carigfergus However he so resents the Parliaments slow supplies as in June this year there is exhibited his complaint truly a sad one in reference to their neglect and in conclusion desires either to be suppli'd answerable to his condition or to be discharg'd from his Employment But to look backwards All the Places of Moment near Dublin being as we have shew'd reduc'd by the Marquis Ormond's Party who on the 24th of July took a view of his whole Army and found it to consist of no less than 7000 Foot and about 4000 Horse others write more which though a good Force was not equal to the work of forming a Regular Siege of so large and populous a City as Dublin and as unfit to storm it therefore it was resolv'd still to continue the former design of straitning it until the necessities within abated the obstinacy of that People for the better doing whereof the Lord Viscount Dillon of Costiloe was appointed to remain still on the North-side of the Town with a Body of 2000 Foot and 500 Horse to block it up having two or three small Places of strength to retire to upon occasion and that the Sea as far as his Power might extend might not be unprovided his Excellency granted Letters of Mart the 6th of July signed by Secretary Lane to Captain Joseph Containe of Waterford and others And then the Lord Lieutenant march'd with the remainder of the Army over the River of Liffy to the South-side to a Place called Rathmines where he resolved to Incamp and from whence by reason of the narrowness of the River he might discourage an attempt of sending Relief into the Town by Sea from England And in truth if he had come time enough to have rais'd a Work upon the Point some interruption might have been given to that Enterprise but it pleased God that that very same day the 25th of July the Marquis marched thither in sight of his Army a strong gale of Wind from the East brought into Dublin Harbour Colonel Reynolds Colonel Hunks and Colonel Venables with a good supply of Horse viz. 600 and 1500 Foot Money and all other necessaries whereof the Garrison stood in need which marvellously exalted the spirits of those who were devoted to the obedience of the Parliament and depressed the minds of them who watched all opportunities of doing service to the King There were then in Dublin 5000 Soldiers besides Inhabitants However the Marquis pursued his resolution and encamped that night at Rathmines and the next day made himself strong there till upon information he was sure to receive an account of the state and condition of the Enemy that he might better conclude what was next to be done There were many men within the City who found means to send the Marquis still advertisement of what was necessary for him to know some Ships which brought Supplies for the Parliaments Forces there brought likewise intelligence from those that wished well to the Kings service unto the Lord Lieutenant and unto other Persons of Honour that were with him and from several Persons of known Integrity and who were like enough to know what was transacted in the Councils of the Parliaments Party It was informed that this Supply which was already landed at Dublin was all that was intended for that Place and believed it to be sufficient to defend it against any Army the Marquis could bring to attaque it and that Cromwel who was known to be ready in England to Embarque with a great Army meant to land in Munster a Countrey but lately fall'n from their Devotion and where there were still many inclined to him and thereby to compel the Lord Lieutenant to rise from Dublin And it is very true that at that time Cromwel was resolv'd to have proceeded in that manner after he had with much seeming difficulty been brought to accept of the Place the Presbyterians laying Wagers he would never come and the Independents sought to divert him from it by their unexpected Mutinies on a Tenent That all were to enjoy their own Principles Yet upon this joynt intelligence of Cromwel's advance for it came from some Persons to the Lord Lieutenant and from others to the Lord Inchiquin it was upon consultation with the General Officers concluded absolutely necessary that the Lord Inchiquin being Lord President of Munster should immediately with a strong Party of Horse repair into that Province whereby at least the Garrisons there might be supported against any sudden attempt of the Enemy if they should land there and that the Army being thus weakned by the Quality as well as the Number of this Party who were the best Horse of the Body the Lord Lieutenant should retire to Drumnagh being a Quarter of greater strength and security than that of Rathmines was or could be made and was at such distance as might as well block up the Enemy as the other and from thence an interrupted Communication might be held with that Party which encamp'd on the North side of the River And upon this Conclusion the Lord Inchiquin departed towards Munster When it was known that his Excellency was to retire the Officers and Soldiers expressed much trouble and seem'd to believe the reducing of the Town not to be a matter of that difficulty as was pretended if they could hinder the Parliamentarians Horse from grasing in the Meadows near the Walls which was the onely Place they were possessed of to that purpose they could not be able to subsist five days and it would be in their power to take that benefit from them if they possess'd themselves of the Castle of Baggatrath very near adjoyning to that Pasture which was already so strong that in one night it might be made sufficiently fortifi'd And this discourse which was not indeed unreasonable got so much credit that the Council of War intreated the Marquis to decline his former resolution of retiring to Drumnagh the Earl of Castlehaven General Preston Sir Arthur Aston and Major General Purcel having viewed Baggatrath and assured the Lord
Enemy though the Inhabitants had so obstinately and disobediently refused to receive a Garrison which would have prevented their present pressures whereas they were now closely besieged to their Walls on all that side of the Town which lay to Munster the other being open and to be reliev'd by the River Sure which there severs Leimster and Munster and washeth the Walls of the Town on that side The Inhabitants seeing Destruction at their Door abated so much of their former Madness as to be willing to receive a Supply of Souldiers yet under a condition that they might be all of the old Irish of Ulster who under the Command of Owen O Neal had long oppos'd the King's Authority and were now newly joyn'd with the Marquess and in express terms refused any of their Neighbours and Kindred the Confederate Irish Catholicks of Munster or Leimster to the great offence and scandal of that Part of the Nation which had been as zealous for their Religion as any However since there was no other way to preserve them the Lord Lieutenant was content to comply even with that Humour and so choosing a strong Party of near 1500 Men and putting them under the Command of Lieutenant General Farral who was the most acceptable to them his Excellency himself march'd with them and put them into the Town which he had no sooner done than Cromwel thought it convenient to raise his Siege having taken in Passage-Fort within 2 miles of Waterford and march'd to Dungarvan delivered up the 3d. of December where he found the Lord Broghal who partly by his own Interest and the dis-affection in the Souldiers to the Lord Inchiquin had gotten in all the Towns in Munster that had formerly been under the Parliament A Service most considerable and such as was of very great advantage to Cromwel who was now in great straits where to take up his Winter-Quarters for his sick and distressed Regiments his Army partly by sickness partly by leaving Garrisons in the several Places he had taken in being so much weakned and impair'd so as he brought not of all the Men he carried over with him above 5000 Horse and Foot to Dungarvan where Colonel Jones who sickned in his way thither died about the 18th of December 1649. of a Purple Fever a Person certainly of much Gallantry and one in the Discipline of the Army whereof he was Lieutenant General very exact carrying his Victories oftner more by the dint of his Sword than the number of his Men And though he passes not in the History of our Age without some Reflections as too obstinately adhering to Cromwel whom he us'd to call Companion in Labours yet those who were intimate with him had that certainty of his Worth as nothing so much steer'd him in the Service of Ireland as a just Reflection on the Murthers and Insolencies committed by the Irish on the Protestants not otherwise to be pacified than by a due Revenge And had he surviv'd this Service it is confidently believ'd Cromwel how well soever he spoke of him would have found some Expedient to have laid him aside Cromwel having thus gain'd Dungarvan shortly after betook himself to his Winter-Quarters garrisoning at Bandonbridge Colonel Ewer and his Regiment at Kinsale Colonel Stabber at Cork Colonel Phaier and Colonel Cook at Wexford and Youghal and other adjacent Places was assign'd the head-Quarters Whilst the Marquess of Ormond sensible of what might be the product of so un-controul'd a Success having left Waterford in his thoughts full of the sence of the late benefit and preservation which by his vigilance that City had receiv'd in December a season much colder than usually had been observ'd in that Countrey cast all ways imaginable to hinder the Enemy's future Attempt upon that Place and to reduce Passage Wexford and other Places weakly mann'd and provided by Cromwel And accordingly he drew his Forces together and leaving them on the other side of the River Sure himself with a Train only of 40 or 50 Horse consisting of his Friends and Servants went into the Town presuming he should be able to perswade them to submit to joyn in whatsoever should manifestly appear for their own benefit or advantage When he came into the Town he found Lieutenant General Farral engaged in a Design to take Passage a Place seized on by Cromwel when he had retir'd from Waterford and which was an in-convenient Neighbour to that City Colonel Wogan who had been seasonably sent by the Marquess into Duncannon even when the first Governour placed thereby the Confederate Catholicks was ready to deliver it up to the Enemy and who had with notable courage defended it against Cromwel and in the end after the loss of a great number of his Men compell'd him to retire had agreed to meet Lieutenant General Farral Commander of the Ulster Forces at a Place and House appointed and together to fall on Passage Though the Marquess had not been informed of the contrivance of the Design yet he knew well enough what interpretation would be made of his Interposition or Command or Wariness should he declare against it therefore he was very willing it should proceed The Matter was well laid and carried with secrecy being hopeful enough Lieutenant General Farral had not been march'd from the Town many hours when the Marquess discovered from some Place of prospect in the Town a strong Party of Horse marching in good order the way that led to Passage which belonging to the Enemy made him conclude that they had notice of the Design Whereupon he presently sent for the Maior of the Town and shewing him the in-evitable danger their whole Party was in which was the only Srength against any Enterprize of the Enemy if they were not instantly reliev'd required him presently to send some Body over the Water for the transporting from the other side of the River of a Regiment or two of Horse with which he would himself endeavour to rescue them How apparent soever the danger and mischief was and how visible and natural soever the remedy all the Commands and Entreaties he could use could not prevail to get one Body or their Consent that any of his Horse should be suffered to march through the Town without which they could not go to their Relief When he had in vain tryed all the means he could invent to convince and perswade them to so natural an Action he caused all his Friends and Servants aforemention'd to mount their Horses and with all imaginable haste himself led them towards Passage that he might at least discover though he was not like to prevent the loss that was to ensue When he came within sight of the Town he could discern a Party of Foot marching in great haste and disorder towards him being pursued by the Enemy's Horse who had even over-taken them having fallen upon the remainder and either killed them upon the Place or taken them Prisoners Though the
company which attended the Marquess was too few to encounter the Enemy's Horse with any considerable hope yet he drew them up in that manner on the side of an Hill that the Enemy imagining their number to be more considerable thought fit to lessen their pace and to send small Parties to discover them which being again entertain'd by the like number in like skirmishes the Foot as much improving their March they were in the end by the Marquess's frequent opposing of his own Person to retard the Enemy's pursuit preserv'd and so brought back with him into the Town about half of those who had march'd thence the rest being killed or taken Prisoners by Colonel Zanckey which also had been infallibly destroyed if the Marquess had not taken that desperate course to redeem them as he might in hope have recovered all the others who were made Prisoners and defeated all that Body of the Enemy and consequently have taken Passage if the City would have permitted his Horse to have been transported over the River and to have march'd through it His Excellency's Forces had not better success in their Attempt to re-take Carrick governed by Colonel Reynolds meerly through the want of Pick-axes and Spaces though his confidence of the Design built on the brittle assurance of his Commanders had brought him almost thither where if it had not been for Colonel Milo Power who acquainted him of his Armies being baffled and of its removal thence he had been surprized by the Enemy And the Lord Inchiquin's Lieutenant Colonel Trevor's Sir Armstrong's Expeditions against Wexford and Ross ended in the like loss and misfortune The Marquess however leaves nothing un-attempted to fortifie Waterford what dis-couragements soever he had received by the Insolency of some Men instigated by the Violence and Opiniastrise of the Clergy In as much as he knew Passage or the other Places could not be regain'd without he might bring his Army over the River which they would not admit of nay desiring that his Army might for a little time be but hutted under their Walls where they should receive their Provisions and Pay duely out of the Countrey and so should be a Security and Benefit to the Town without the least damage in any Degree This Proposition also found no more regard then the former and instead of consulting with what Circumstances to comply with so just and necessary a Demand of the Kings Lieutenant it was proposed in the Council of the Town To seize on his Person and to fall on all who belonged to him as an Enemy Which Advice met with no other Reprehension then that for the present the major part did not consent unto it Of all which when the Marquess was fully informed he thought it time to depart thence and to leave them to their own Imaginations and so marched away with his Army which after this Indignity it was a thing impossible to keep them together And because the Principal Towns refused to admit them in he was fain in the depth of Winter to scatter them over all the Kingdom The greatest part of the Ulster Forces were sent into their own Province there to chuse a new General according as their Conditions allowed them for Owen O Neal was dead And Luke Taaff with his Men were sent back into Connaght to my Lord of Clanrickard The Lord Inchequin with the remainder of such as belonged unto him went over into the County of Clare The Lord Dillon with his into Meath and towards Athlone all the rest were scattered several ways Onely Major General Hugh O Neal was admitted with 1600 Ulster Men into Clonmel as Governor whilst the Marquess went to his Castle of Kilkenny From thence he dispatch'd the 24th of December an Account to the King who was then in the Isle of Jersey of the true Estate of his Affairs in that Kingdom By which his Majesty might see how much Cromwel's Forces who disclaimed any Subjection to him prevail'd against his Authority And how it was equally contemned deluded or dis-regarded by his Subjects who made all the Professions of Obedience and Duty to him which was a Method these ill times had made his Majesty too well acquainted with And from this time which was towards the end of December 1649. the Marquess never did or could draw together into one Body a number of 500. what endeavours he used to do it will be mention'd in order hereafter Assoon as the Lord Lieutenant came to Kilkenny he consulted with the Commissioners of Trust without whose approbation and consent he could do no act that was of importance what remedy to apply to the disorder and confusion which spread it self over all their Affairs they had been still Witnesses of all his actions of his unwearied pains and industry and of the little fruit that was reaped by it how his Orders and Commands and their own had been neglected and dis-obeyed in all those Particulars without which an Army could not be brought or kept together how those places which the Rebels had possessed themselves of had been for the most part lost by their own obstinate refusal to receive such assistance from him as was absolutely necessary for their preservation and yet that they had rais'd most unreasonable Imputations and Reproaches on him as if he had fail'd in their Defence and Relief They had seen the wonderful and even insupportable wants and necessities the Army had always undergone and knew very well how all Warrants had been disobeyed for the bringing in of Money and Provisions for the supply thereof And yet their Countrey was full of clamour and discontent for the payment of Taxes and being exhausted with Contribution He desired them therefore to examine where any mis-demeanors had in truth been and that they might be punished and from whence the Scandal and Calumnies proceeded that the minds of the People might be informed and composed The Commissioners for the most part had discharged the Trust reposed in them yet there were some amongst them too able and dexterous in Business who alway malign'd the Person of the Marquess or rather his Religion and the Authority he represented And what professions soever they made of respect to him still maintain'd a close Intelligence and Correspondence with those of the Clergy who were the most dis-affected to his Majesties Interest and who from the misfortune at Rathmines had under-hand fomented and cherish'd all the ill humours and jealousies of the People The Commissioners advised the Marquess as the best expedient to satisfie the Countrey that Orders might be sent to them to elect some few Persons amongst themselves to send to Kilkenny as Agents to represent those Grievances which were most heavy upon them and to offer any desires which might promote their security alledging that they could by this means be clearly inform'd how groundless those jealousies were and the Artifices would be discover'd which had been used to corrupt their affections though the
Marquess well saw how tedious and inconvenient this course might prove and rather advance all the scandalous and seditious Designs then suppress them Yet he fore-saw as well that if it were declin'd by him he should be un-avoidably reproach'd with not being willing to be informed of the just Grievances of the People and consequently not to remedy them And therefore without giving countenance to any such irregular Convention by any formal summons of his own he gave way that the Commissioners should write their Letters to that purpose and accordingly the Agents did come thither from the several Countreys to communicate and present their Complaints and Desires together in January following And the Lord Lieutenant received them with good Countenance and wished them freely to consult together as soon as they could to present whatsomever they had to say to him to which they should be sure to receive a speedy Answer About which time Colonel Barry who through the whole Scene had been intrusted by the Supream Council to negotiate with the King and was not ill thought of by the Marquess of Ormond had then licence from Cromwel to visit his Wife and Family at Castlelions under the Parliaments obedience where he transacted through the Mediation of a noble Person many Concerns to the composing of Differencies with the greatest though what tended to an Agreement with Inchequin would never in the least be indulged and the rest then spoke of had a fate not seasonably to be composed In the mean time the Bishops and Clergy of themselves and without any Authority received or desired from the Lord Lieutenant Assembled at Cloanmacnoise upon the River Shannon upon whose Councils and Conclusions all mens eyes were more fixed then upon what the Agents should represent at Kilkenny it being very evident that many of the Catholick Noblity of the Kingdom and some principal Persons of Quality and Interest formally concurred with the Marquess And the Commissioners of Trust were for the most part as zealous for the execution and observation of the Articles of Peace and that the same might be rendred useful to the Nation Yet the Clergy and Religious Persons had found means to obstruct that Union which was necessary for the carrying on the Work and especially had that influence upon the Corporate Towns that no Garrisons would be admitted therein or such Submission paid to the Lord Lieutenant or the Commissioners Orders as were essential to their own defence and to the making War against the Enemy So that all men were in suspence what would be the issue of that Meeting And it cannot be denied but that those Bishops and that part of the Clergy which were best affected and knew the ways which were most conducing to the happiness of their Countrey prevail'd so far that the Conclusions which were made there seem'd full of respect for the Kings Service and wholsom Advice and Council to the People They declared how vain a thing it was to imagine that there would be any security for the exercise of their Religion for the enjoying of their Fortunes or for the preservation of their Lives by any Treaty with or Promise from the Parliament That they abhorred all factious Animosities and Divisions which raged amongst themselves to the hindrance of the Publick Service And therefore enjoyn'd all the Clergy of what Quality soever and Ecclesiastical Persons by Preaching and all other means to incline the People unto an union of Affection and to the laying aside of all jealousies of each other and unanimously to concur in opposing the Common Enemy And appointed the Bishops and other Persons to proceed with greater severity against those Religious and Spiritual Persons who should under-hand cherish and foment those Jealousies and Divisions In a word they said so much and so well that when the Lord Lieutenant was informed of it and when he saw the Extract of their Determinations he conceiv'd some hope that it might indeed make good Impression on the People and produce a very good effect The Particulars of which here follows The Copies of Acts and Declarations by the Ecclesiastical Congregation of the Archbishops Bishops and other Prelates met at Clonmacnoise the fourth day of December 1649. And since Concluded By the Ecclesiastical Congregation of the Archbishops Bishops and other Prelates WHereas heretofore many of the Clergy and Laity did in their actions and proceedings express much discontents and divisions of mind grounding the same on the late difference of Opinion happened amongst the Prelates and the Laity by which the Nation was not so well united as was necessary in this time of great danger wherein all as with one heart and hand ought to oppose the Common Enemy We the Archbishops Bishops and Prelates of this Kingdom met motu proprio at Clonmacknose 4. Decembris 1649. having removed all differences among us not entring into the merits of diversities of former Opinions thought good for removing of all jealousies from our own thoughts hearts and resolutions and from others who had relation or were adherent to the former diversity of Opinions to manifest hereby to all the World that the said Divisions and Jealousies grounded thereupon are now forgotten and forgiven among us on all sides as aforesaid And that all and every of us of the above Archbishops Bishops and Prelates are now by the blessing of God as one body united And that we will as becometh charity and our Pastoral charge stand all of us as one intire Body for the Interest and Immunities of the Church and of every the Prelates and Bishops thereof and for the Honour Dignity Estate Right and Possession of all and every the said Archbishops Bishops and other Prelates And we will as one intire and united Body forward by our Councils Actions and Devices the advancement of his Majesties Rights and the good of this Nation in general and in particular occasions to our Power and that none of us in any occasion whatsoever concerning the Catholick Religion or the good of this Kingdom of Ireland will in any respect single himself or be or seem opposite to the rest of us but will hold firm and intire in one sence as aforesaid hereby detesting the actions thoughts and discourses of any that shall renew the least memory of the differences past or give any ground of future difference among us And do in the Name of Jesus Christ exhort all our flock to the like brotherly affection and union and to the like detestation of all past differences or jealousies as aforesaid arising hitherto among them And we desire that this our Declaration be Printed and Published in each Parish by Command of the respective Ordinaries Ut videant opera vestra bona glorificent Patrem vestrum qui in Coelis est Datum apud Clonmacnose 13. Decem. 1649. Signed by Hugo Ardmachanus Fr. Thomas Dublin Thomas Casshel Joan. Archiep. Tuam Fr. Boetius Elphyn Fr. Edmundus Laghlinensis Procurator Waterfordiensis Emerus Clogher Robertus Corcagiensis