c. But this is no difficult Business to resolve since they had the publick Faith of the French and Irish Officers which is seldom or never violated in such Cases but all Men during a Cessation are commonly treated with the greatest Civility imaginable Besides which my Lord Lucan and Major General Waughop gave the following Engagement under their Hands as did also the two French Lieut. Generals D'Vssone and De Tessee another in French to the same purpose giving also Hostages for the better performance of all Conditions We the Earl of Lucan and Major General VVauhop whose Names are under-written do hereby promise 1. THat all the Ships that have been furnished by My Lord Lucan and Major-General Wauhop's Engagement for the Shipping Lieut. General Ginckel and that are to transport Troops from Ireland to France â— according to the late Capitulation shall be sent back and return to Cork Kinsale or Waterford without any hinderance or prejudice to the said Ships by any Men of War Privateers or other Ships belonging to the French King or having his Commission 2. That assoon as the said Ships shall have Landed the Irish Troops in France they shall have full liberty to go back for Ireland when they think fit without being hindered upon any pretence whatsoever 3. That if the said Ships do want some Provisions for their Return here into Ireland they shall be supplied with all such as they shall have occasion for at the same Rates they were furnished in Ireland to the Irish Troops for their Transportation into France and what they amount to shall be deducted out of the Money that shall be due for the Provisions that were put on Board the Ships for the said Troops 4. That the Rates of the Provisions that shall be furnished for Transportation of the said Troops shall be paid immediately after their Landing in France or in Bills of Exchange payable at London at 15 days sight And if the Contents of this present Agreement should not be put in execution in all its Particulars or in any one part besides Col. Hugh Mac Mahon Col. Robert Arthur Col. O Gara c. that shall be left in Ireland for Hostages we do engage our Words and Honour that we shall surrender our selves Prisoners of War three months after our Landing in case of Contravention at Whitehall in the Hands of the Secretaries of State In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our Hands this 14th Day of October 1691. Jo. Wauhop Lucan The 16th my Lord Lucan went from Lymerick towards Cork to see things in a readiness for the Irish Transportation and the same day Sir Maurice Eustace 's Major General Talbot's Lord Bedloe 's Prince of Wales 's my Lore Clanrichard 's and Col. Bremingham 's Regiments being joyned they march'd out and made in all only 618 Men. As they march'd through the Irish-Town their men run away by dozens having the way open for them nor could their Officers prevent it by all their Care for they kept the Gates always fast lock'd and yet several from within the Town made their Escapes by swimming the River The 17th my Lord Iniskillin 's Regiment that had been for some time in the County of Clare was mustered beyond the Town and so were some others of them on the 18th and 19th During which time our men were employed in making clean the Irish Town Major General Talmash going often amongst them himself to encourage them to work CHAP. X. The Campaign ended Irish Prisoners of War released some Rapparees lay down their Arms. Proclamations of Pardon to the rest The Ulster-Irish return home with their Cattle The French Fleet arrives in the Shannon Sir Ralph Delaval with a Squadron in those Seas Two Letters from the General to him Some Objections against the Articles of Limerick answered The last of the Irish quit the English Town 120 of them drowned Their Horse ship off at Cork The General goes to Dublin The Recorder's Speech to him Orders for mustering our Army Major-General Talmash leaves Limerick Orders for the Danes to ship off Fortifications at Mullingar and Ballymore demolished A Proclamation The General goes for England The Transport-Ships return from France The late King's Letter to the Irish at their landing Their Reception in France Several desert that were not as yet shipp'd off My Lord Lucan 's Release to the General All the Irish go off except the Hostages The Irish that staid very unruly in their Quarters Orders and Instructions for breaking of them The Oaths taken according to the New Act of Parliament An Order to turn out all Irish Papists from our Regiments Arms and Ammunition sent for England The French Hostages go for France Lieutenant-General Ruvigny lands in Ireland A Proclamation declaring the War of Ireland ended ANd now the Campaign being ended so that no continued Thread of Affairs can be drawn from the Army any thing that has happen'd since may possibly not be so acceptable yet I hope it may not be amiss to give you some slender account how things have gone in that Kingdom since the Siege of Limerick to the time of the Proclamation for the War 's being ended though before I proceed further it will be necessary to look back and bring the Actions done in several other parts of the Kingdom up to the Armies removing from Limerick which indeed may be told in few Words since little of moment cou'd be expected in any other place but where the Seat of War was fixed In the beginning of October Sollicitor-General Levinge and Sir Richard Reves being appointed Judges for the Connaught-Circuit because the Countrey was very indifferently inhabited and not as yet throughly settled Assizes were appointed to be held for this Province only at Mullingar Roscommon and Galway which was done accordingly About 20 Rapparees were killed in the Counties of Waterford and Cork by some small Parties of the Militia and one Whitney with 4 more in his Company were set upon and murdered by a Party of Rapparees as they were going towards the Queen's County though they killed two and wounded others before they were seized And now those loose Fellows seeing how it was like to go with their Party several of them come in under Protection and desire to serve their Majesties abroad when they were out of hopes to plunder their Subjects any longer at home All the Irish Prisoners of War that were in Waterford-Gaol Irish Prisoners of War released being upwards of 200 were set at liberty as they were afterwards at several other Places particularly at Carigfergus where 15 Officers and about 60 private Men had been Prisoners ever since the Rout at Cavan and at Lambay where the Prisoners taken at Ballymore were kept most of this Summer but now were all discharged according to the Capitulation And as the Irish grew weary of their former Courses on that side of the Country towards Dublin or rather being forced to it when they could no longer carry it on so
some of O Donnel's Men then in that Country which was done accordingly There hapned about this time two Violent Flashes of Lightning and Claps of Thunder at Kinsale by the latter of which the Portsmouth Frigatt suffered great damage having her Main To and Main Yard broke to pieces and the Main Mast split for twelve foot downwards breaking throw the Larboard side of the Ship twelve foot in length and did some other mischief tho only one Man was hurt by it Nigh the same time the Officers belonging to the Train of Artillery The Waggoners and others of that Society were broke as being no farther useful in this Kingdom And January 23 being the first day of the Term the The Oaths taken according to the new Act of Parliament Lords Justices came to the Court of King's-Bench and there took the Oaths to Their Majesties and Subscribed the Declaration required by the late Act of Parliament in England as did also several of the Nobility Whence the Lord Chancellor returned to his High Court of Chancery where the Judges of the several Courts Masters of Chancery King's Councel the Lawyers and several other Persons of different Qualities and Imployments took the prescribed Oaths c. For the Act of Parliament being Reprinted at Dublin and spread abroad by the Lords Justices Order and requiring all Persons whatever in any Imployment within Thirty Miles of that City to take the said Oath and subscribe the Declaration before the end of Hillary Term January 1692. and no exception being made or excuse allowed for Men's being Sick or otherwise disabled several were brought up to Town with great difficulty and the Courts daily throng'd 'till the Term was over Great quantities of Wheat and other Grain were ordered from Cork and Kingsale to furnish the Stores of Limerick that part of the Countrey being now very much put to it for want of Bread as being the seat of War this two years past The 25th Colonel Mathew's Dragoons were Shipp'd at Belfast as Sir John Lanier's Horse had been some time before and on the 27th my Lord Portland's Horse were Shipp'd at Passage near Waterford A Declaration was Publish'd by the Lords Justices A Declaration forbidding the buying Debenters or Arrears forbidding any Officer Clerk or other Person whatever belonging to imploy'd in or depending on their Majesties Treasury either by himself or any other directly or indirectly to buy any Arrears or Debenters due to any Officer or Souldier or any other Persons who have been imploy'd in Their Majesties Service during this present War upon pain of losing the benefit of such Contract or Agreement as also of being dismissed their Imployments and of being declared uncapable of being Imployed in the Treasury for the future The buying of such Debenters being adjudged dishonourable to Their Majesties Service and Government and to the loss of the persons to whom the same are payable And nigh the same time another Order was sent Another Order to turn out all the Irish Papists out of our Regiments out Commanding all Colonels and others in Their Majesties Army who had entertain'd any Irish in their respective Regiments Troops or Companies forthwith to dismiss them and not to keep any one Irish Papist under their Command upon pain of having January 1692. such Regiments broke where any such were found A great Frost began January the 19th and is now so violent that Multitudes of the poor People and especially of the Irish perish for Cold The Lords Justices and Council very Charitably order all the Poor then in and about the City of Dublin to be taken up and put into sveral Convenient Houses being in all 640 odd who were provided for with Meat and Fire without which Care several hundreds must have perished in the Streets And yet a great many of them had been so used to that Trade of Begging that the being provided for with Necessaries and Confin'd to a Place was uneasie to them so that several stole out and fell to Begging again But this Charitable Care was not taken in other parts of the Kingdom so that a Man might every where see a great many Objects of Pity and Misery and they continue so to this very day Some time before this the Danes were Shipp'd as is said having four Men of War and 46 other Vessels to Transport them but being driven back by contrary Winds and kept in the Harbour by stress of weather a new supply of Provisions was Ordered them Two Proclamations were Publish'd at Dublin one Commanding all Persons that were not qualified by the Articles of Limerick and Galway which were Noble-Men and Gentlemen who were House-keepers and have Estates of Freehold of one Hundred Pounds a year which by the said Proclamation was declared to be the qualification of the Persons Compriz'd in the said Articles to deliver up their Arms of all sorts before the Tenth of March and if they failed therein to be prosecuted with the utmost severity of Law And whosoever shou'd discover any Fire Arms so detain'd after the 10th of March shou'd have Ten Shillings Reward February 1692. and Five Shillings for every discovery of other Arms to be paid him by the Sheriff of the City or Justice of the Peace to whom such Discovery shou'd be made the same to be repaid by the Sheriff of the County and allowed in his Accounts in the Exchequer And the Persons in whose Custody such Arms are found shall lose the benefit of the said Articles and be bound over to the next Assizes or Sessions which shall first happen And all Persons who had Arms before the first day of November last being not qualified to keep them and shall not give a satisfactory Account how they have disposed of them shall be look'd upon as guilty of a Contempt against the said Proclamation And the Sheriffs of the respective Counties were to give an Account from time to time of what Arms were brought in to the Clerk of the Council or his Deputy And that all Persons that were qualify'd to keep Arms might wear the same without being affronted or have the same taken from them on any pretence each Person was to apply himself to the Lords Justices for a License for that purpose which was to be granted without any Fee or Reward whatever Which Proclamation was to be publish'd three Market-days successsively in each Town in Ireland and then affixed Dated the 4th of February 1691 2. The other Proclamation was to forbid all Justices of the Peace Mayors Sheriffs and other Magistrates whatever to presume so far upon their Authority as to meddle with the Property Right Title or Possession of the Estate or Goods of any of Their Majesties Subjects other than as by due Course of Law they are required or can justifie By which Proclamation some of the Irish that had been wronged were set to rights and satisfied tho' they were not so forward in obeying February 1692. the former in
by Their Majesties special Direction and Command do by this Our Proclamation Publish Declare and Promise that All and Every the Private Souldiers now in Arms against Their Majesties in the Enemies Army who shall within three Weeks after the Date of this Our Proclamation surrender up Themselves their Horse Arms and Furniture to the Commander in Chief or any other Their Majesties Officers shall not only be paid a reasonable Rate for their Horse Arms and Furniture which they shall so deliver up but shall be fully and freely Pardoned of all Treasons and other Crimes and Offences against Their Majesties and that All and Every Person or Persons who now are Governours Officers Commanders or Souldiers of or in any Cities Towns Forts Castles or other Garrisons in Their Kingdom of Ireland not already under Their Majesties Power and Obedience who shall surrender deliver and yield up any such City Town Fort or Garrison unto the General or other Officer of Their Majesties Army within three Weeks after the Date of this Our Proclamation and All other Officers and Souldiers now serving or being in the Enemies Army or Quarters who shall within three Weeks time after the Date of this Our Proclamation come in and bring with them their Regiments Troops or Companies or some considerable part thereof and submit themselves to Their Majesties Obedience and deliver up their Horses Arms and Furniture of War they and every of them both Officers and Souldiers shall be fully freely and absolutely Pardoned of all manner of Treasons Crimes or Offences committed against Their Majesties Their Crown and Dignity and shall also be Restored to and put in Possession of all their Estates forfeited for such Treasons Crimes and Offences and if any Citizens and Inhabitants or other Persons Residing in the City of Limerick or Town of Galway shall within the time aforesaid either of themselves or by joyning with any other be Instrumental or assisting in delivering up either of the said Places to Their Majesties Obedience they and every of them shall be likewise fully freely and absolutely Pardoned of all manner of Treasons Crimes or Offences committed against Their Majesties Their Crown and Dignity and shall also be Restored to and put in Possession of all their Estates forfeited for such Treason Crimes or Offences and we do hereby further Publish and Declare that if any Officers and Souldiers now in Command in the Enemies Army or in any of the Cities Castles Forts or Garrisons of the Enemy not having any Estates forfeited or to which he or they can be Restored shall render unto Their Majesties any of the Services aforesaid such Person and Persons Officers and Souldiers shall be fully and liberally Rewarded by the General of Their Majesties Army in such or greater Proportion as the Services by them done shall deserve and such of the said Officers and Souldiers as shall desire to Enter into Their Majesties Pay shall be Received in the like or better Post and Condition as they now Serve under the Enemy and lest those who are to take Benefit by this Proclamation may be Apprehensive of being prosecuted for Exercising their Religion tho Their Majesties have sufficiently manifested to the World by the Rest and Quiet not only Roman Catholicks of this Kingdom but those of England have injoyed under Their Government may be sufficient to Remove any such Apprehensions we are commanded further to Publish Declare And we do Hereby Publish and Declare that as soon as Their Majesties Affairs will permit them to Summon a Parliament in this Kingdom They will endeavour to procure them such further security in these particulars as may preserve them from any disturbance upon the account of their Religion and we do hereby Advise and Admonish all such Persons who still Adhere to the Enemy Carefully and Prudently to consider the ill Estate and Condition whereunto they are Reduced and seriously to recollect into their Minds and Memory the Quiet and Blessed Estate and Security which they enjoyed under the English Government and the vast difference betwixt that and the Tyranny of France and withal the terrible Consequences which must follow if they any longer neglect returning to their Duty and thereby lose the Benefit of Their Majesties most Benign and Gracious Compassion and Intention towards them Given at Their Majesties Castle of Dublin the 7th Day of July 1691. in the Third Year of Their Majesties Reign God Save the KING and QVEEN July the 8th all the heavy Baggage was a passing over the River and it was ordered that the Officers of the Quarter-Guards should go frequent Rounds and send all the Souldiers they found Gameing or Drinking after Taptoe to the Provoe's the General being much displeased at such Disorders by means of which a great many irregular things were done especially Plundering and Robbing of Tents which yet was continued tho several were made Examples to the very end of the Campaign It was also ordered that an Account of all those that were killed and wounded since our coming to this Town should be returned to the Adjutant General which was about Sixty Killed and a Hundred and Twenty wounded And that the General might leave nothing unattempted which might contribute to the bringing the Enemy over by fair means he settled Allowances of Subsistance to all Persons that would come off according to their several Qualifications viz. Collonels of Horse and Dragoons 11 l. 10 s. per Month and Foot 10 l. per Month and so proportionably to every one July the 9th proved a very hot day till about 5 in Extraordinary Rains and Thunder the Afternoon when it fell a Raining and then such Thunder Hail and a Hurrycane of Wind as the like had scarce been seen before this continued for two Hours in which time two Men and a Boy were killed by Lightning and two or three more hurt in the Prince of Hess's Regiment The Town being now pretty well cleared and new Works raised on Conaught side On Friday the 10th Our Army March from Athlone of July the General having left Col. Lloyd Governour of Athlone with his own and Lieut. Gen. Douglas's Regiments he moved forwards with the Army and Encamped that Night at Killcashel 7 Miles nearer to the Enemy whence the General went to view the Pass at Ballynasloe a small Village upon the River Suck where stands a Castle built formerly by the Ancestors of my Lord Clanrickard from hence the Enemy was retired 3 Miles further Saturday the 11th we marcht to Ballynasloe and encampt along the River Suck upon the Roscomon side this is a good Pass and the Irish might have given us some trouble in gaining it but that they had found out a much better place as will soon appear As our Army was Encamping our Great Officers went to the Hills of Knocksdunloe in the County of Galway about a Mile distant from our Camp from whence they could see the Enemies out-Guards upon the Hills of Corbally who upon our
Ties of Nation Blood and indeed of Interest But as the Nature of Man is apter to degenerate than improve so do the English oftner fall in love with the Barbarous Customs of the Irish than on the contrary Hence we read of the Earl of Desmond's complaining that the English were taking away their Estates and Countrey and advises the Irish to join with him in their Defence and yet his own Family had not been then in Ireland above three Generations and not that difference of Religion between them and the Natives as now and it 's observable that several Families removing out of England into Ireland call themselves by the Counties in England from whence they came for two or three Generations and then forgetting those they often turn meer Irish for put a drop of Wine into a pint of Water and it presently so far incorporates as you can by no means discern it so is it often with an English Family that has the Misfortune to be planted amongst the meer Irish for it soon becomes of the same stamp with themselves The consequence of which has been lookt upon to be so pernicious to the English Interest in that Country that not only the English have been forbid Cohabitation with the Irish but there was a time when Thomas Lord Burrough then Lord Deputy of Ireland amongst other Instructions had Charge to enquire what English Vndertakers had contrary to their Covenants suffered Irish Men to Inhabit their Lands Cox Vol. 1. Page 413. But I shall forbear this Subject for some time and since I am run abroad I shall give you some of many Instances in former times wherein the Irish lost considerable numbers with small loss to the English Instances wherein the Irish have been formerly overthrown by the English and that with very little Loss to the Britains To omit therefore the inequality of Numbers at the first Conquest and the little loss commonly on our side in those great Victories then obtained In the Year 1316. William de Burgo and Richard de Brimingham encountred Falany O Connor King of Conaught and killed the King with 8000 of his Men near Athenree with very little loss to themselves and yet the numerous Off-spring of those brave English Commanders are all or most of them at this day reputed Irish and have declared themselves for that Interest August the 9th 1336. The English gave the Irish another defeat in Conaught with the loss of one Man killing Ten Thousand of their Enemies And Anno 1504. the Lord Deputy Kildare fought with Bourk then turned Irish and a great many other Irish Lords in a strong Confederacy at Knocklow on the 19th of August and killed four thousand some say 9000. and not one man killed or hurt on his side In the Year 1566. Col. Randolph Governour of Derry sallyed thence with 300 Foot and 50 Horse upon O Neal who then designed to Besiege the Town In which Sally Four Hundred of the Irish were killed without the loss of one English man except Col. Randolph himself James Fitz-Maurice and others were also Defeated in Queen Elizabeth's time and Four Hundred of them killed without the loss of one English man except a Servant of one Captain Malby's And Sir George Bingham Routed a Party of the Irish The Irish always come off the losers Commanded by the Bourks at a place called Ardaner being three thousand in number of whom only Seven escaped and yet very little loss to Sir George's side August the 8th 1647. Six thousand of the Irish are said to be killed at the Battle of Dungan-Hills fought by Maj. Gen. Jones and not above Twenty English slain And what wonder is it then if the Battle of Aghrim the Greatest and Best that ever the Irish fought should be won with the loss of so few on our side But such is the unhappiness of that People that tho they always have the worst of it yet Campion makes this severe Remark upon them and affirms That notwithstanding their Oaths and their Pledges they are no longer true than they find themselves the Weaker And indeed all things considered it can be reckoned no other than a misfortune to England in having that Island so near adjoyning whose Inhabitants have all along differed from us in Language and in Interest and of late also in Religion too Hence sad experience tells us that the Blood and Treasure of England have been Exhausted upon Ireland when ever any Foreign Prince could think his Affairs secure or advanced by a dispute in having the Irish Natives on his side who have been ready always to joyn with any against England whose Subjects they have over over again acknowledged themselves tho Heaven seems still to blast their attempts and perfidy to that degree that what side soever they have taken as yet against the English has never prospered Which And those also that set them a work puts me in mind of a Story that I have heard relating to the former Wars when several of the Irish Nobility and Gentry assembled at Kilkenny were consulting what means to use for the driving out of Oliver Cromwell then lately Landed with an Army from England after several proposals all which were found difficult My Lord Clanmalera a well meaning Gentleman amongst them but who seldome used to make Speeches he now stood up and after a profound silence and great expectation he gravely advised them by all means to joyn with Cromwell and to espouse his Interest heartily as the only Expedient to Ruine him and then to confirm his Opinion he gave them several instances of their being unfortunate to their Friends and Confederates formerly As to this last Effort of theirs which yet I pray God may be so it was no less unhappy than any of the former since before that Ireland was in the fairest way imaginable of being made for ever an English Countrey for the Natives were generally poor and not able to carry on a War even against the English of their own Kingdom whose Servants or Tenants commonly they were till by an unaccountable Zeal for Popery in King James a dexterous management in My Lord Tyrconnel to make himself Great and so to advance the Interest of his Nation together with a secret design of the French King's for his own sake the Irish were encouraged to that degree that the Child as yet unborn may curse the occasions of so much Blood spilt and Treasure lost as has been expended in their suppression and yet I see little advantage that either themselves or any of their Patrons have got by the Bargain I shall conclude this Digression and the Battle of An account of some Iâ—ish Prophecies Aghrim with an Account of a Prophecy which the Irish had of a Battle to be fought at this place I was told by a Gentleman who lives now in that Neighbourhood that at least a year before the Battle was fought several of the Vlster Creights driving their Cattle that
Place where their black Battery was the Year before The Enemy had cast up a Blind to prevent our beating down Balls-Bridg but as our Battery was planted the Blind was ineffectual though we did not mind the Bridg much on that Side A great many Bombs and Carcasses were thrown into Town which set it on fire and we understood afterwards that several People were killed in the indeavouring to quench it That Morning all the empty Casks in the Army were ordered to be taken up and carried to the Artillery where they were to be made use of when there was occasion for Floats The Enemy that Afternoon made a Pretence of sallying and some of them came out to secure a Ditch not far from our Battery but were soon repulsed and several of them killed with the Loss of one Granadeer on our Side There was also a Work begun close to the River-Side adjoining to the Island but the Spring-Tide over-flow'd it next Day Though several Woolsacks were carried down in order to make an Attack Some thoughts of storming it upon the Island and from thence upon the Breach but this being found difficult the Woolsacks were left with a Sentinel upon them at Night which the Irish perceiving some of them came over the River in the Night in Cots and burnt several of the Woolsacks the Sentinel looking on and alledging for an Excuse That he had no Orders to fire The General gave Command to draw off the Guns from Mackay's Fort to some more convenient Place But Colonel Wythers Adjutant General informing him what Execution some that were planted there did in the Town the Year before he ordered them to continue firing which they did to very good purpose Sept. 10. There was an Order for a Pinnace and its Crew to attend Francis Burton Esq who made several Journeys into the County of Clare and had so ordered the Matter that Clare-Castle was to be delivered up to us though for some Reasons the General neglected the Opportunity till it was included in the General Capitulation In the Morning one Capt. Dobbin a Quartermaster and Serjeant desert the Enemy and told us that the Bombs did great Execution in the Town and had killed several Our Guns fire very hard all that Day and in the Evening a Bomb fell into a store of Wine Brandy Oats and Bisket spoiling a great part of it The Town was also set on fire in several Places which burnt great part of the Night And that Evening two Mortars were brought from on Board and planted at Mackay's Fort being managed by Lieutenant Brown Lieutenant Lieuten Brown our best Bombardeer to Capt. Pitts Miners who did more Execution than all the rest firing three for one of theirs and throwing the Bombs very exact he neither made use of Sand upon the Bomb nor fired the Fuse but putting it into the Mortar with the Fuse down the Flash of the Powder kindled the Fuse as it was discharged from the Mortar Colonel Wythers was sent by Sea and Robert Powley Esq by Land to hasten up our Fleet which we understood was at Cork the General having some Accounts that the French designed to relieve the Town On the 11th the Breach was widened at least forty Paces and Floats being prepared there were great Debates amongst the chief Officers whether it should be attempted by Storm tho most say it was only designed at first for the more conveniency of battering the Town Deserters telling us of a great Ditch without the Wall always full of Water and well pallisado'd besides several Works within which would have rendred the Attempt very hazardous but afterwards we found little Truth in this though indeed we could not do the Enemy a greater Pleasure nor our selves a greater Prejudice in all Probability than in seeking to carry the Town by a Breach before those within were more humbled either by Sword or Sickness for we understood certainly that they had as many Men within as we without besides the Hazard in getting into or keeping the King's Island where there stood a most excellent Fort with a double Line of Communication from thence to the Town mann'd for the most part by the best of their Dragoons dismounted Part of the Guns however were drawn off from Ireton's Fort to a new Battery which was to the Right of the great one and some planted nigh St. Thomas's Island to cut off the Irish Communication Guns planted near St. Thomas's Island by a large Causey that led that way towards the Town Five Deserters came off who tell us of some Officers killed upon the Key by a Bomb that they had only two Tuns of Powder in Town and that their Stores were a great part of them buried in Ruines Some of Sir Albert Cunningham's Officers gave the General an Account from Lieutenant Colonel Ecklin that Sir Albert was killed by a Party of the Irish at Colloony nigh Sligoe where they surprized him in the Morning early most of his Dragoons shifting for themselves and Balderock O Donnel who then had joined him very hardly making his Escape But the English Pacquets brought us better News of the Turkish Army's being defeated in Hungary and a great many Thousands slain The 12th most of our Guns and Bombs are directed The Cannon and Bombs fire at the Cathedral towards the great Church in the midst of the English Town because we understood that it was made their principal Store and four Deserters tell us what great Damage was already done in all Places of the Town But the Irish continuing obstinate and the indeavouring to reduce the Town by Force with such a little Army as we had seeming dangerous considering the very great Strength of their Works which were still intire though the Town was much shattered those and other Reasons were like to render it a Work of longer time than at first we hoped for and the Winter now drawing on apace therefore Orders were given to fit up Killmallock for a Place of Stores And On the 13th the General sent Colonel Earl into England Col. Earl sent into England to acquaint her Majesty with the present Circumstances of Affairs that if we should not take the Town this Season it would be absolutely necessary to send more Frigats in order to block up the River Shannon since Capt. Cole that commanded and other Marine Officers then in the River had given it under their Hands that they could post twenty Frigats so advantageously towards the Mouth of the River under some Islands that they should be able to live all Winter and keep off twice the Number if any Attempt should be made by the French towards the Relief of the Town and that in the mean time the Army was to make as nigh a Blockade as they could This was but melancholy News to both Officers and Souldiers who were all willing to undergo any Hardships rather than go away without being Masters of the Place The 14th some Dragoons
the General and State being entertained by my Lord Chancellor Porter the Night concluding with Bonefires and other Demonstrations of Joy An Order was directed to Abraham Tarner Esq Commissary-General Orders for Mustering ouâ— Army of the Musters to take a Muster of all their Majesties Forces both English and Foreign now in their Majesties Pay in this Kingdom dated Novemb. 5th by which Muster all their Accounts were to be stated and satisfaction given them for their Arrears of Pay due to them since their first coming into that Countrey November the 9th Major General Talmash who had full Power and Authority to transact all things necessary for the Transporting the Irish and now having seen them all from Limerick Major General Talmash leaves Limerick and the Town put into as good a Condition as the shortness of the time would allow he left the place and went to Dublin and from thence to England Lieutenant General Mackay being ship'd off some Days before And now greatest part of Their Majesties Forces in this Kingdom being at liberty to be imployed elsewhere Orders for the Danes to Ship off as there was occasion and His Majesty giving directions to that purpose the General sent the following Letter To the Duke of Wirtenberg Commander in Chief of the Danish Forces HAving received His Majesties directions for the Embarking with the first opportunity the Danish Forces employed in Their Service within this Kingdom under your Grace's Command I desire that your Grace will please to cause the several Battalions of Foot of the said Forces to March forthwith from their respective Quarters to Cork and Kinsale and Embark there upon such Ships of War and Vessels of Burden as shall be appointed to take them on Board and Sail with them for the Downs where they will receive further Orders from Their Majesties as to their Transportation to Ostend And of this your Grace will please not to fail Given at the Castle of Dublin the 10th of November 1691. Bar. de Ginckell November the 16th my Lord Lisburn's and my Lord Drogheda's Regiments March'd from Limerick lying Encamp'd without the Town ever since the Army lest that place the former went towards Ross and the other towards the North the poor Men enduring a great deal of Hunger and Hardship in so long a March. November the 21st Colonel Byerley's and Colonel Boucour's Regiments of Horse were Ship'd off at Dublin for England and near this time Colonel Gordon O Neal's and Colonel Phelim O Neal's Regiments being Encamp'd in the County of Kerry as part of the Irish designed for France they came over to our side as several others did daily being every Day more and more satisfied with the Indulgence of the Government towards them The 23 d the Barbadoes and Virginia Fleets which came in August and September last Sailed from Kinsale for England under the Convoy of Twelve Men of War but whether they wanted a Wind all this while which seldom happens in that Countrey or that they now took this opportunity of a Cessation others are more Competent Judges than I shall pretend to Colonel Brewer's and Colonel Herbert's Regiments March'd from Galway to Kinsale there to be Embarked And Two French Men of War with some of their Ships of Burden and the last of our Transport Ships in the River being in all Thirty Sail went thence for France November the 25th An Order was Signed for the Demolishing Fortifications at Mullingar and Ballymore demolished the Fortifications at Mullingar and Ballymore the Irish Souldiers Quartered in the Neighbouring Garrisons being ordered to assist when required And several Complaints being made to the Lords Justices and the General of the Irregular and Arbitrary Proceedings of some Officers and Souldiers in their Quarters another Order was Signed for the holding frequent Court-Martials at Limerick Galway and Athlone for the Redressing of such Inconveniencies and satisfying the Parties aggrieved Another Order was likewise Signed to break Six of the youngest Troops of Colonel Woolsley's Regiment according to directions from England The 28th Col. Hales's Regiment of Foot and Col. Langston's Horse came to Dublin in order to be shipp'd for England And now the Danes are got to Cork and Kinsale to be embarked also according to the former Order sent to the Duke of Wirtenberg In their March they committed some Irregularities knowing they were to leave the Kingdom without hopes of ever seeing of it more tho' to do them Justice they behaved themselves more mildly than Northern Soldiers generally do especially at their going off who often prove the Ruine of that Country who employ them And towards the Close of this Month some Ships arrive from England at Sligo with Supplies of Provisions and other Necessaries very much wanted before in that part of the Country December 1691. Tuesday December the 1st Colonel Monopovillon's Regiment of Horse came to Dublin and on the 3 d. Colonel Hales's Regiment set sail for the North of England The Lords Justices and the General being sensible that both the Country and the Souldiers were at a loss by reason a good part of the Money designed for the Armies Subsistence was forced to be given to the Danes the Irish and other Publick Uses they therefore Order a Proclamation to be Published to the effect following Charles Porter Tho. Coningesby Baron De Ginckel WHereas there are several Sums due from the Army A Proclamation to Persons in this Kingdom for their Subsistence in their Quarters as also from the said Persons to Their Majesties for Excise and other Branches of the Revenue which Debts or Arrears the said Persons are not able to pay by reason of the Debts due to them from the Army We do therefore require and authorize the several Collectors of Their Majesties Revenue to give Discharges to all such Persons as are indebted to Their Majesties upon any Branch of the Revenue or to their Assigns for so much of their Arrears respectively as shall be equal to the Sums hereafter certified to them by the Commissioners of Their Majesties Revenue to be deducted and stopt for the said Persons from the Pay of the Army And We do hereby direct the Commissioners for stating the Accounts of the Army to transmit Certificates to the said Commissioners of the Revenue of all such Sums as they have stopt or shall stop from the Pay of the Army writing therein each Person 's Name and Place of Abode for whom any part of the said Deductions have been made and particular Sums stopt for him And for so doing this shall be to the said Collectors a sufficient Warrant and Discharge on their Accounts as also to the said Commissioners appointed for stating the Accounts of the Army a sufficient Warrant Given at Their Majesties Castle of Dublin the Third of December 1691. By Command of the Lords-Justices and the Commander in Chief of Their Majesties Forces Geo. Clarke December the 5th Lieut. General Ginckel being accompanied The General goes
Prosperity of Ireland that thereby it might not only support it self in time of Peace but defend and maintain it self in War which nothing but promoting its Trade and Wealth will do For what Ireland cannot do in order to its safety England must supply to prevent its own danger since if ever a Foreign Enemy Surprize and Possess Ireland especially the French then England must maintain a greater Standing Force to secure themselves than wou'd have secured Ireland if imploy'd in its defence it being no groundless Saying of some Old-fashion'd Poet. He that wou'd England win Must with Ireland first begin For tho' in former times when little or no Shipping appear'd upon these narrow Seas and France and other Countries knew not what it was to have a Fleet and there was but small Commerce even between England and Ireland themselves yet in this active Age of the World it wou'd go very hard with England if the French shou'd possess Ireland who have all the Harbours from Dunkirk to Brest and if they had Cork Baltimire and Bantry where wou'd our Western Trade be Besides by the possessing the Eastern Coasts of Ireland they wou'd surround three parts in four of England and a great part of Scotland and cou'd Invade either when they pleas'd which wou'd necessitate England to be always at the Charge of a Considerable Standing Army and then farewell both their Wealth and long enjoy'd Liberty And so sensible have our Ancestors been of something or other to be done in this Affair that Sir Henry Sidney that most excellent Governour who had spent great part of his time in that Kingdom holding a Parliament Our Ancestors sensible of this there for a Subsidy in the Eleventh Year of Queen Elizabeth He with the Lords and Commons in the Preamble to the Act of Parliament thus express themselves to the Queen Considering the infinite masses of Treasure able to purchase a Kingdom that your Noble Progenitors have exhausted for the Government Defence and Preservation of Your Majesties Realm of Ireland c. Which Evils still remaining the Remedies are as yet The former Evilâ— still remain to be found out at least to be put in practice for tho' the War be now happily ended yet there are at this day at least three differnt Interests on Foot in that Kingdom the English Irish and Scots the first of which seem to be the least concern'd in their own advancement but the last gain ground daily in the North there being at least Ten Thousand People come thither out of Scotland within these Twelve Months which in time will make their Party Considerable for the People of England live better than the Scots at home and so are not so easily invited to look abroad Whereas the Scots their part of Ireland by this means in a few Years is like to be more than it has been And as to the Irish every one sees their indefatigable Industry in promoting the Interest of their own Party no discouragements being able to blunt but rather serve to sharpen their endeavours for the effecting of what they believe may be some steps towards their future Prosperity making every particular Man's Case a general Grievance and each assisting other as being all concerned in the same general cause whilst the English even in that Country who still feel the smart of their former Calamities will yet rather sett their Lands to an Irish Man or a Scot that shall give them Sixpence in an Acre more and never improve it further than to an English Farmer that if he had Encouragement wou'd in a few Years make good Improvements which will still continue one great reason why Ireland will not easily be made an English Country But I can carry the matter yet higher and affirm that The Interest of the Irish Papists themselves to Advance the Power of England it 's the real Interest of the Roman Catholicks of Ireland themselves whether of Irish or English Extraction to promote that of England as much as they can in their Country if they will but consult the future safety of themselves and their Posterity since without the support of some other Nation they can never hope of themselves to be an Independant Kingdom and if they were we scarcely can find out how they wou'd agree amongst themselves who should Command or who Obey which they never could yet from the beginning do and what did the Irish ever get by accompanying either their Lords or Followers into Rebellion Or what should they have gotten if the late Attempt had absolutely succeded but a more absolute Servitude under the French And therefore it 's better for them to have their old English Friends they have been so long acquainted with than run the hazard of either setting up new Tyrants of their own or having them come to 'em from abroad Besides if the English Interest were strong and powerful in Ireland this wou'd cut off the hopes of all disaffected People for ever thinking to withstand it and wou'd make them reject all Tenders from abroad and Inticements from their Jesuited Priests at home and never wou'd they more run such desperate Risks which still fall upon their own heads at last so that if the English Interest were so fortified that all hopes of removing it were cut off the Irish would not be prevailed upon to make such destructive attempts to themselves and Posterities as they often have done hitherto by the Insinuations of their Priests who have nothing to lose nor Families to provide for but only hazard the Lives and Fortunes of others that have both Since as Sir William Petty observes there are and ever will be in England Men ready for any Exploit and Change either by being discontented with their present Condition or otherways well inclined to the service more than are sufficient to quell any Insurrection which the Irish can make and abide by Which wou'd spare both the Blood and Treasure of England if those of that Nation in Ireland cou'd do it of themselves There are only two Objections that I know of which Two Objections answered seem to be considerable against this Opinion of promoting the Trade and Wealth of Ireland The first that if Ireland should be encouraged so far as to make it altogether an English Country it would drain the wealth and Inhabitants of England to that degree that we should impoverish our selves by putting our Trade into their hands who wou'd be equal if not Superiour to us in a small time since their Country lies as Convenient in all respects for Trade as ours and has several Advantages above it Answer This would rather incourage England to be more industrious in Trade and Manufactures when they saw their younger Sister of Ireland by having the same priviledges of Trade with her self begin to contend with her in this particular and would create a profitable emulation amongst the People of both Kingdoms since I have not that Opinion of Trade that