there was a Ship with Arms Ammunition and some Provisions on Board with about Sixty Officers designed for Limerick but cast away in that River and all the Men lost The Rapparees all this while were very busie about Cashall and Clonmel and did a great deal of mischief this occasioned some of our Army to joyn part of the Militia who went towards Cullen and burnt the Corn bringing away a good Booty without any opposition The Fifteenth of November Colonel Byerly's Horse marched from Dublin to Mount Naelick a Village towards the Frontiers and on the 19 th the Lords Justices Publish a Proclamation Declaring That if any of their Majesties Protestants Subjects had their Houses or Haggards burnt or were Robb'd or Plundred by the Rapparees such Losses should be repaid by the Popish Inhabitants of that County And in regard the Popish Priests had great Influence over their Votaries it was ordered That if any Rapparees exceeding the Number of Ten were seen in a Body no Popish Priest should have liberty to reside in such a County And it was further declared That the Government would not give Protection to any Person that had a Son in the Enemies Quarters unless such Son return to Their Majesties Obedience before the Tenth of December next following And in regard at this time the Government was apprehensive of some danger nigh Dublin it self they Publish a Proclamation the 22 d. That all Papists who have not been noted House-keepers in the City of Dublin for Three Months last past were within Forty eight Hours to depart at least Ten Miles from the City or else to be proceeded against as Spies and that not above Five Papists should meet together upon any Pretext whatever A Plot discovered About the 24 th there was great talk of a Design discovered to the Lords Justices of sending a Supply of Meal Salt Tobacco Brandy and several other things from Dublin to the Enemies Quarters Those who were carrying these things were pursued and overtaken in the County of Kildare upon a By Road they all made their escapes however but one of them being a Woman dropt a Petticoat in which was found a Letter and also another in a Rowl of Tobacco which gave grounds to believe that a Correspondence was kept between the Papists in Dublin and the Enemy beyond the Shanon and therefore on Sunday Night the 30 th of November a general search was made through the City and most of the Papists secured This Piece of Service the Militia performed very dextrously without noise or suspicion till the thing was done A List of the Privy-Council The last Packquets from England brought a List of the Privy Council appointed by His Majesty for the Kingdom of Ireland as also of several of the Judges The Council were The Lord Primate the Lord Chancellor Lord Treasurer Archbishop of Dublin Duke of Ormond Earl of Meath Earl of Drogheda Earl of Longford Earl of Renelah Earl of Granard Viscount Lisburn Bishop of Meath Robert Fitz-Gerrald Esq the Vice Treasurer Chancellor of the Exchequer Chief Justice of the King's Bench Chief Justice of the Common Pleas the Chief Baron of the Exchequer Master of the Rolls Secretary of State Master of Ordance Sir Henry Fane Sir Charles Merideth William Hill of Hillsborongh Esquire On Monday the First of December several of the said Persons attended the Lords Justices at the Council Chamber and there took the usual Oaths of Privy Councellors The Judges named for the Respective Courts in Dublin were Sir Richard Reynoll Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench Sir Richard Stephens one of the Justices of the same Court Mr. Justice Lindon being formerly sworn there In the Common Pleas Mr. Justice Jetfordson Mr. Justice Cox being formerly sworn there In the Exchequer Jo Healy Esq Lord Chief Baron and Sir Standish Hartstone one of the Barons of the Court Mr. Baron Ecklin being formerly sworn there This day we had News of the Enemies passing the Shanon at several Places and Orders were sent to our Frontiers to be in readiness and Colonel Gustavus Hambleton sent a Party from Birr towards Portumna who met with a Party of the Enemy which they routed killing some and brought off two Officers with Eleven Prisoners being Dragoons and Foot month December December the 2 d. A Proclamation was issued out by the Lords Justices and Council forbidding all Their Majesties Subjects of Ireland to use any Trade with France or to hold any Correspondence or Communication with the French King or his Subjects This was the first that was Signed by the Council and these were present viz. Fran. Dublin Drogheda Longford Granard Lisburn Robert Fitz-Gerald Anth. Meath Charles Merideth We had at that time an Account from Cork that on the 22 d. of November last there were 60 of our Horse and Foot who met with near Five hundred of the Rapparees in the Barony of West Carberry near Castlehaven our Men at that disadvantage Retreated towards Castlehaven the Enemy followed in the Rear and fired at a distance several times our Party facing about killed Nine and afterwards being Attackt again they killed one Brown an Ensign of the Enemies Castletown Besieged The Enemy next day Besieged Castletown an House near Castlehaven they were Commanded by O Donavan O Driscoll and one Barry As they approached the House our Men killed Twelve of them this put them into an humour of Retreating though one Captain Mackronine with his Sword drawn endeavoured to hinder them but he and some more of the Party being kill'd the rest got away as well as they could Several of them had Bundles of Straw fastned upon their Breasts instead of Armour but this was not Proof for about Thirty of them were killed upon the Spot amongst whom were young Colonel O Driscol Captain Tiege O Donavan besides several that went off Wounded we lost only two Men. Rapparees defeated At this time Colonel Byerley being at Mountmelick with part of his own Regiment and some of Colonel Earl's Foot he was frequently Allarumed as well by Parties of the Irish Army as by Considerable Numbers of the Rapparees who had a design to burn the Town as they had done several others thereabouts but the Colonel was very watchful and kept good Intelligence a main Matter in this Assair He was told of a Party that designed to burn the Town and he took care to have all his Men both Horse and Foot in readiness to welcome them but they heard of his Posture and durst not venture however on the Third of December he had notice of a Body of Rapparees that were not far from the Town and designed him a mischief he sends out Lieutenant Dent with Twenty Horse and ordered each Horseman to take a Musqueteer behind him when the Horse came almost within sight of the Rapparees they dropt their Foot who marched closely behind the Hedges unperceived by the Enemy When the Enemy espied so small a Party of Horse they Advanced
was taken exactly next day In Lieutenant General Douglas's Regiment Wounded Sir Charles Fielding Capt. Rose mortally wounded Capt. Guy Capt. Trevor Capt. Rose junior Capt. Wainsbrough Lieut. Wild mortally wounded Lieut. Wybrants Lieut. Lacock Lieut. Rapine Lieut. Lloyd Ensign Goodwin Ensign Burk Kill'd Major Hambleton Lieut. Ennis Lieut. Morison Ensign Tapp Ensign Pinsent In Colonel Cutts's Regiment Wounded Colonel Cutts Capt. Newton Capt. Foxon Capt. Massham Lieut. Levis Lieut. Barrock Lieut. Cary. Lieut. Trenchard The Adjutant Mr. How 's a Voluntier Kill'd Capt. Hudson Ensign Mead. In the Earl of Meath's Regiment Wounded The Earl of Meath L. C. Newcomb mort wounded Lieut. Blakeney Lieut. Hubblethorn Kill'd Lieut. Latham Ensign Smith In Brigadier Stuart's Regiment Wounded Brigadier Stuart Major Cornwall Capt. Pallferey Capt. Galbreth Capt. Stuart Capt. Casseen Lieut. Stuart Lieut. Cornwall Lieut. Cary. Ensign Stuart Kill'd Capt. Lindon Capt. Farlow Lieut. Russell In my Lord Lisburn's Regiment Wounded Major Allen. Capt. Adair Capt. Holdrich Capt. Hubbart Lieut. Hillton Lieut. Goodwin Ensign Hook Kill'd Capt. Wallace Capt. West Ensign Ogle These make in all Fifty nine whereof Fifteen were killed upon the Spot and several dyed afterwards of their Wounds the Granadeers are not here included and they had the hottest Service Nor are there any of the Forreigners who lost full as many as the English so that I 'm afraid this did more then countervail the loss that the Irish had during the whole Seige at least in the numher of Men. Next day the King sent a Drummer in order to a Truce that the Dead might be buried but the Irish had no mind to it and now the Soldiers were in hopes that the King would make a second Attack and seem'd resolv'd to have the Town or dye every Man But this was too great a hazard to run at one Place and they did not know how scarce our Ammunition was it being very much wasted the day before this day however we continued Battering the Wall and it begun to Rain and next day it was very Cloudy all about and Rain'd very fast so that every Body began to dread the Consequences of it The King therefore calls a Council of War wherein it was Resolv'd to quit the Town and Raise the Siege which as the Case stood then with us was no doubt the most prudent thing that could be done The Siege Raised We drew off therefore our heavy Cannon from the Batteries by degrees And on Saturday August the 30. we marched greatest part of them as far as Cariganliss the Guard being the Earl of Drogheda's and Brigedeer Stuart's Regiments The Rain which had already fallen had softned the ways and we found some difficulty in getting off our Guns especially since for the most part we were obliged to draw them with Oxen a part of our Train Horses being disposed of to the Enemies use before and this was one main Reason for Raising the Siege for if we had not granting the Weather to continue bad we must either have taken the Town or of necessity have lost our Cannon because that part of the Country lies very low and the Ways are deep Therefore on Sunday the last of August all the Army drew off having a good Body of Horse in the Rear As soon as the Irish perceived we had quitted our Trenches they took Possession of them with great Joy and were in a small time after over all the Ground whereon we had Encamped two days before we Raised the Siege a great many Waggons and Carriages were sent towards Cashell and Clonmel with sick and wounded Men which was the Reason that we were forced to leave a great many Bombs Hand Granades and other things behind which we buried in the Artillery Ground but with a Train to blow them up so that when it took Fire the Irish were mightily afraid and thought we were beginning a new Seige from under Ground But yet they dug up most of our dead Officers and Soldiers only to get their Shirts and Shrowds month September The Army removes The Army Encamped that day at Cariganliss and then the Artillery marched forwards to Cullen whither the Army followed the day after but as soon as the Protestants that dwelt in that Country understood that the Army was drawing off they prepared to march along with Bag and Baggage which most of them did and lookt something like the Children of Israel with their Cattle and all their Stuff footing it from Aegypt though most of those poor People had no Promised Land to retire to but were driven into a Wilderness of Confusion for I saw a great many both Men and Women of very good Fashion who had lived plentifully before yet now knew not which way to steer their Course but went along with the Croud whither Providence should direct them In a day or two after we were removed from before Limerick Monsieur Boisleau the Governour made a Speech and told the Irish Monsieur Boiseleau's Speech to the Irish That with much ado he had perswaded them to defend the Town which with Gods help they had done but assured them it was not Fear but Prudence and Policy that had made the Enemy quit the Siege as might appear by their slow Marches and withal he told them his Opinion that the next time the Enemy came they would have it Which said he took leave and went to the French Forces then at Galloway and designing for France His Majesty goes for England His Majesty that day we Raised the Siege went to Cullen and so to Clonmel from thence to Waterford in order to take shipping for England accompanied with the Prince the Duke of Ormond and several of the Nobility From Waterford His Majesty sent back the Right Honourable Henry Lord Viscount Sidney and Tho. Conyngsby Esq to the Camp Lords Justices Appointed they with Sir Charles Porter having a Commission to be Lords Justices of Ireland The King set Sail with a fair Wind for England where he was received with an universal rejoicing and the Two Lords Justices on the Fourth of September came to the Camp then at Cullen where they staid till the Sixth in which two days they and the General Count Solmes ordered all Affairs relating to the Army And here we received Money which was very acceptable for it had been very scarce all the Campaign both with the Officers and Soldiers and yet every body were content and our Wants were no Obstruction to our Duties as His Majesty was pleased to take notice afterwards in His Speech to the Parliament From Cullen we marched on the Sixth to Tipperary blowing up a strong Castle when we Decamped and the two Lords Justices took their Journey towards Dublin in order to enter upon their Government Some that are Men already prejudiced will pretend to be Judges in this Affair though they never saw the Place or the Country and affirm that the Irish made never a false step but one during this whole
Mackarty Moor was in the Duke's Kitchen in the Camp which the Duke smiled at and did not invite him to Dinner saying If he had staid like a Soldier with his Men he would have sent to him but if he would go and eat with Servants in a Kitchen let him be doing When we took possession of the Stores the Irish had but one Barrel of Powder left tho some say they threw several more into the Sea to save their Credit The Irish march out On Wednesday the 28th of August about Ten a Clock the Irish marched out and had Sir William Russel a Captain in Collonel Coy's Regiment with a Party of Horse appointed for their Guard but the Countrey people were so inveterate against them remembring how they had served them some few days before that they stript most part of the Women and forced a great many Arms from the Men and took it very ill that the Duke did not order them all to be put to Death notwithstanding the Articles But he knew better things and so rude were the Irish Scots that the Duke was forced to ride in among them with his Pistol in his hand to keep the Irish from being murdered The poor Irish were forced to fly to the Soldiers for protection else the Countrey people would certainly have used them most severely so angry were they one at another tho they live all in a Countrey However this was laid at the General 's Door by the great Officers in the Irish Army and they would say That he had lost his Honour by engaging in so ill a Cause The Governour of the Town was Mackarty Moor but Owen Mackarty had a great Ascendent over both him and the Garison The Garison consisted of two Regiments of Foot lusty strong Fellows but ill clad and to give them their due they did not behave themselves ill in that Siege The number of the Dead on both sides They had about One Hundred and Fifty killed and wounded in Town and we had near that number killed and about Sixty wounded The Town it self is not very strong but the Castle is considerable it stands upon a Rock and has its Name from Fergus the first King of Scots who first brought the Irish into Britain and was drowned in this Bay as Camden tells you However it 's one of the most important Places in the North of Ireland and the taking of it gave an hopeful prospect of future success The General returns to Bellfast The Duke put Sir Henry Inglesby's Regiment into Carigfergus and on Wednesday the 28 th and the day following the Army marched to Belfast where they Encamped about a mile beyond the Town On Friday Duke Schonberg's Regiment of French Horse consisting of 500 men came to the Camp and on Saturday the last of August the Army was mustered being as follows Horse my Lord Devonshire's Regiment my Lord Delamere's Coll. Coys Duke Schonberg's and Coll. Levison's Dragoons Foot One Battalion of Blew Dutch Carlesoon's White Dutch Coll. Beaumont Coll. Wharton Lord Drogheda Lord Lisburn Lord Meath Lord Roscomon Lord Lovelace Lord Kingston Duke of Norfolk Coll. Herbert Sir Edward Deering Sir Tho. Gower Coll. Earle La Millioneir Du Cambon La Callimott month September September 1. A Letter sent from the D. of Berwick Whilst the Duke staid at Belfast there came a Letter to him by a Trumpet from the Duke of Berwick but 't was return'd un-open'd because it was directed only For Count Schonberg the Duke saying That his Master the King of England had honoured him with the Title of a Duke and therefore the Letter was not to him This is a piece of State that has been often practised amongst Great Men for when King Edward the III d. sate down before Tournay in France he sent to the French King whom he saluted only by the name of Philip of Valoys challenging him to fight a single Combat to prevent Bloodshed or with 100 men each and if those methods did not please then within ten days to join Battel with all their Forces near Tournay To which Philip made no direct Answer alledging That the Letters were not sent to him The King of France but barely to Philip of Valoys yet he brought his Army within sight of the English and by the Mediation of King Philip's Mother and two Cardinals a Peace was concluded till the Midsummer following But to return Our Train sent by Sea to Carlingford Our Artillery-Horses were most of them as yet at Chester and therefore the Duke gave Orders for greatest part of the Train to be Shipt and the Fleet to sail with those and all Necessaries for the Army to Carlinford-Bay within Eight miles of Dundalk And then on Monday the second of September we marched beyond Lisburn this is one of the prettiest In-land Towns in the North of Ireland and one of the most English-like places in the Kingdom the Irish name is Lishnegarvah which they tell me signifies the Gamesters-Mount for a little to the North-East of the Town there is a Mount moated about and another to the South-West these were formerly surrounded with a great Wood and thither resorted all the Irish Out-laws to play at Cards and Dice one of the most considerable amongst them having lost all even his Cloaths went in a Passion in the middle of the night to the House of a Nobleman in that Countrey who before had set a considerable Sum on his head and in this mood he surrendred himself his Prisoner which the other considering of pardon'd him and afterwards this Town was built when the knot of these Rogues was broke which was done chiefly by the help of this one man the Town is so modern however that Cambden takes no notice of it On Tuesday the 3 d. we marched through Hilsborough a place where the Enemy before our coming had kept a Garison near which on the High-way side were two of our men hanged for Deserting We Encamp at Drummore that night we encampt at Drummore the place where Lieutenant-General Hamilton routed the Northern Protestants the Inhabitants had all or most of them left the Town and there was not so much as a Sheep or a Cow to be seen our small marching Train came up with us here from Belfast and here the General had an account That the Duke of Berwick was at Newry with about 1700 Foot and Dragoons and two Troops of Horse designing to defend that Pass At Lough Britland Wednesday the 4 th we march'd to Loughbritland where we encamped in two Lines as from the beginning upon the side of a Hill beyond the Town the Inhabitants had deserted this place also and what little Corn there was some lay reapt and not bound up and the rest was spoiled for want of management As our Army was marching up I went Three miles beyond the Camp where I met with the Iniskillin Horse and Dragoons whom the Duke had ordered to be an Advance-Guard to his
came from Derry for it was observable that after some of them came amongst us it was presently spread over the whole Army yet I did not find many of themselves died of it Number of Men that died at Dundalk As to the Number of our Men that died I am sure there were not above sixteen or seventeen Hundred that died in or about Dundalk but our Ships came from Carlingford and Dundalk about the 13 th of November to Belfast and there were shipt at those two places 1970 sick Men and not 1100 of those came a-shore but died at Sea nay so great was the Mortality that several Ships had all the Men in them dead and no Body to look after them whilst they lay in the Bay at Carickfergus As for the Great Hospital at Belfast there were 3762 that died in it from the first of November to the first of May as appears by the Tallies given in by the Men that buried them There were several that had their Limbs so mortified in the Camp and afterwards that some had their Toes and some their whole Feet that fell off as the Surgeons were dressing them so that upon the whole matter we lost nigh one half of the Men that we took over with us The Enemies Numbers As to the Enemies Numbers and the reason why so little Action happened the Accounts that were given by Deserters both as to the Enemies Numbers and Designs were so various and disagreeing that the General himself was at a Loss what to trust to which if well considered will answer many of those rash Objections made to the management of that Campagne I have seen a List of their whole Army since and the most agree that they had at Dundalk 17 Regiments of Horse and Dragoons with as many Foot as made them nigh forty thousand though their Foot were not all very well armed but some had Scithes instead of Pikes yet Lieut. General Hamilton denies that they were ever so many in the Field And as for so little of Action happening in so long a time the reason on the Duke's side as I humbly conjecture might be that he found himself exceedingly out-done in the number of his Horse nor did the small Body that he had come all at one time but stragling by degrees And therefore he was unwilling to venture a few except he had enough to push for all which he had not And our entrenching our selves might make the Enemy think it was to no purpose to alarm us since they believed it impossible to force our Camp which it certainly was not if we had had any other sort of People to deal withal but Irish But it may be they considered that Maxim that the Invader is still to proffer and the Invaded to decline a Battel A List of our own Army The LIST of our own Army was as followeth Horse and Dragoons Lord Devonshire 6 Troops Lord Delamere 6 Troops Lord Hewett 6 Troops Colonel Coy 6 Troops †Colonel Langston 6 Troops Colonel Villers 6 Troops †Sir John Lanier 6 Troops D. Schonberg's French 9 Troops Col. Woolsely's Inniskilliners 12 Troops Mr. Harbord's Troop 1 Troop Capt. Matthew White 1 Troop Provost Martial's Troop 1 Troop †Col. Hefford's Dragoons 9 Troops Col. Levison's Dragoons 6 Troops Sr. A. Cuningham's Dragoons 6 Troops Col. Gwinn's Dragoons 6 Troops These make in all 13 Regiments besides three Independent Troops 3 of which marked thus †did not come to the Camp and 2 more came late so that we could not make above 8 Regiments of Horse and Dragoons when the Irish drew out upon us and 3 of those were Inniskilliners Foot A Battalion of Blew Dutch Carlesoon's White Dutch Major General Kirk Sir John Hanmer Brigadier Stuart Colonel Beaumont Colonel Wharton Lord Meath Lord Kingston Lord Drogheda Sir Henry Bellasis Sir Henry Inglesby Lord Lovelace then Colonel Zanchy's Lord Roscommon Lord Luburne * Colonel Hamilton * Colonel Hastings Colonel Deering Colonel Herbert Sir Tho. Gower Colonel Earle La Millineir Du Cambon La Callimott Inniskillin and Derry Foot * Col. Gustavus Hamilton * Colonel Lloyd * Colonel White Colonel Mitchelburne * Colonel St. Johns Colonel Tiffany Note that the Foot marked thus * were not at Dundalk but in Garison These make in all counting the Blew Battalion for one thirty Regiments of Foot but those were all that we had in Ireland there were some at Derry and Col. Hamilton's Regiment at Carickfergus some at Inniskillin and others at Sligo till the Irish took it from us Fifty Men were left upon a Party at Newry There were also several killed at Carickfergus and some left sick and wounded at Belfast besides the two Hamiltons Lloyd's White 's St. John's and Hastings's never came to the Camp Sir Henry Inglesby's and two Regiments of Horse came not till our Camp was fix'd and then Maj. Gen. Kirk's Sir John Hanmer's and Brigadier Stuart's Regiments had laid long on Ship-board and had been harassed so that they had lost several of their Number Some also were dead or sick and others run away Put all these things together I say and we cannot suppose that the Duke had above 2000 Horse and Dragoons and not many more than 12000 Foot when the Irish proffer'd him Battel I have no warrant from any body for what I am going to say only I think my self obliged to give an account of what I am perswaded is true in answering those Objections which were made by the Army first and then by several of the People of England that had lost their Relations or Friends viz. That the Duke was to blame he did not go on at first without stopping for then we had got Dublin and all the Kingdom would have fallen of course without half that expence of Treasure that England has been at And that we lost more Men by lying at Dundalk than we could have done in a Battel and also a year's time which might have been employed with an Army in the Heart of France These things and several of the like nature have been objected to the Conduct of that Great Man who always thought it better to owe his Victories to good Management than good Fortune since wise Counsels are still within the Power of wise Men but Success is not And what Man in the World would be thought wise and his Actions entertained as the best if only such were so against whom and which no Objection could be made The Memory therefore of such a Man ought not to suffer who all his Life-long had been said to act with the greatest Prudence in the World And for his management in this Affair no doubt he could give very substantial Reasons yet because those are not nor cannot be known to the World I shall only offer some few that I have had from very good Hands and which I know in the main to be true It 's an easy thing for Men to sit at home by a warm Fire-side and find fault with
Ground at Duleek and thereabouts will say that it 's scarce possible to make an orderly pursuit at such a place for whilst an Enemy continues in a Body there 's no going after them as if Men were a Fox-hunting since nothing encourages even a flying Enemy more to rally and fight again than to see a disorderly pursuit of them The Passes therefore were so narrow and troublesome that before we could get over a Body of Men sufficient to attack the Enemy they were got a mile or two before us and new difficulties between us and them nor was the case the same with them for they got over any where as well as they could except the Rear who kept their order as far as we could see them As for his Majesty himself he chose the Field drew up his Army gave his General Orders to his Officers and the best Orders wherever he was in Person but the greatest Captain that ever was or will be is not nor can be of himself sufficient to redress all Disorders or lay hold on all Advantages in an instant when Armies are once ingaged And further his Majesty having committed a considerable part of his Orders to the care of his General the death of him must needs be a disadvantage to the whole Army Another thing they pretend to find fault with was in not sending ten thousand Men immediately from the Boyne towards Athlone and Limerick since we were as nigh those places here as at Dublin and if we had gone behind them Limerick and Galloway would certainly have yielded for it was at least a fortnight before any number of their Army got thither and then they say the Irish Army must either have fought again in the Field or else submitted since Dublin is not to be kept by those that are not Masters of the Field But there are very good reasons why this was not done for his Majesty knew at this time that the French Fleet was hovering nigh the English Coast and therefore would not divide his Army nor draw them from the Sea nor did his Majesty know as yet whether the Irish would not stay for him between that and Dublin and so fight again And before he was assur'd of it the News of the French Fleets success at Sea altered both his and the Irish Peoples measures for this put them into heart again especially when it came with a report spread a broad I suppose on purpose that King William was dead as well as Duke Schonberg and that the Dauphin of France was landed with an Army in England But though there was little of Truth in these reports yet they animated the Irish who of all men living are the soonest discouraged but up again with the least hopes and to work they went in making provisions to defend their Towns especially beyond the Shannon but this I 'm afraid will be thought impertinent at least it 's out of order and therefore to return King James's Carriage at the Battle and after King James during part of the Action at the Boyn stood at the little old Church upon the Hill called Dunore but when he saw how things were like to go he marched off to Duleek and from thence towards Dublin the first news that went to that place was That K. James had got the day our General killed and the Prince of Orange as they call'd him taken prisoner this was very afflicting to the poor Protestants who were shut up in Prisons all over the Town but towards night they observed several Officers come to Town in great confusion some wounded and others looking very dull upon the matter which they thought were no sings of Victory and then begun to hope better things About nine a Clock King James came to Dublin with about two hundred Horse with him all in disorder My Lady Tyrconnel met him at the Castle-gate and after he was up-stairs her Ladyship askt him what he would have for Supper who then gave her an Account of what a Breakfast he had got which made him have but little stomach to his Supper He staid all Night in the Castle and next Morning sending for the Lord Mayor and some others he told them That in England he had an Army which durst have fought but they proved false and deserted him and that here he had an Army which was Loyal enough but would not stand by him he was now necessitated to provide for his Safety and that they should make the best Terms for themselves that they could and not to burn or injure the Town and immediately after took Horse and with about twelve in Company went towards Bray and so to Waterford where he took Shipping for France The Irish Horse came most of them into Dublin that Night and most of the Foot next Morning And before Night on Wednesday they were all gone taking the City Militia along who were all Papists but they released all the Prisoners not out of love to them but for fear lest we had been at their Heels Some say that K. James sent Sir Patrick Trant and another Gentleman towards Waterford to provide Shipping for him before-hand for fear of the worst but I have not heard the certainty of it However this was not the way that Heroes used formerly to take in England for the Romans burnt their Ships when they landed there that their Men might have no hopes of a Retreat but to conquer or die And so did the Duke of Normandy who soon after got the name of Conquerour King Williams But King William gave his Army better proofs of his Courage and Conduct nor can I pretend to be able to give his Majesty the just commendation his merit forces from his very Enemies only this I am sure of that he dare do any thing and has not a Soul subject to fear or any thing that 's below a Prince never had an Army a better opinion of a King than ours of him their only fear was that he would expose himself too far and whatever difference happens between him and them can be only this that they desire to stand between his Majesty and all danger But he alwayes has a mind to put himself between them and it may we long therefore have such a General in a King and he not only Souldiers but Subjects of all professions that love him as well Prince George accompanied his Majesty in most of his dangers and in the greatest of them was always near him and nothing but the bravery of such a King could hinder him of the greatest Charracter in this Account As to our English Forces there were few of them that had an opportunity at this place to shew themselves but those that had acquitted themselves very well the French and Iniskilliners did good service and to give the Dutch Guards their due they deserve immortal honour for what they did that day I enquired at several who they were that managed the retreat the Irish made that
planted towards the Left where they could bear upon the Enemies Horse These fired several times and the Enemy soon quitted that Post Our English Foot were so little concern'd that though they knew the Enemy to be in the next Hedges yet whilst the Pioneers were at work they would sit them down and ask one another whether they thought they should have any Bread to day for they began to want their Breakfasts though some few of them went to the next World for it The Danes to the Left stood with all the Care and Circumspection in the World but observing the Posture of some of our Men and hearing what they said they believed we had no mind to fight yet no sooner were the Hedges down and our Front advancing in a narrow Field but the Irish fired a whole Volley upon them from the Neighbouring Hedges which our Men seeing some of them cry'd aloud Ah ye Toads are ye there we 'll be with you presently And being led on by my Lord Drogheda and Colonel Earle they ran along the Field directly towards the Hedges where the Irish were planted which the others seeing immediately quitted and then our Men fired upon them as they retreated to the next Hedges and so beat them from one Hedge to another even to the very end of the Suburbs which then were all burnt and levelled During this Action the Danes advanced in the Left and the Blue Dutch with the English on the Right the Horse coming on in the Centre So that in less than half an hour from the first Volley the Irish were driven under their very Walls nor did we lose a Dozen Men in all this Action When as if the Irish had managed this Advantage of Ground and fortified the Pass as well as Ireton's Fort on the Right of it which was built by Ireton on his first coming before Limerick It stands on a Rising Ground and over-looks the Pass on one side and the Town on the other This we commonly called Cromwel's Fort they might have kept us some Days from approaching the Town at least they might have kill'd us a great many Men But the truth is they had not time for all this They had drawn up however several Companies of Men in the Fort but when they saw us coming on they retreated towards the Town without ever firing a Shot The Cannon play We were not as yet saluted with one Great Gun from the Town because their own Men had been between them and us but as soon as they retreated under the Walls they let fly amain amongst us and kill'd several as they marched in amongst others a French Captain had both his Legs shot off and died presently We drew Four Field-Pieces immediately to Cromwel's Fort playing them upon the Town and the Out-works and before Five a Clock in the Afternoon all our Army was marched in and most of them encampt within Cannon-shot In a Siege the first two things that are to be regarded is the safe encamping our Men and the drawing the Line of Countervallation to prevent the Enemy from Sallying but the latter of these we did not much mind because I suppose we did not much fear any desperate Sallies and the former was in some measure prevented by the situation of our Camp The Danes encampt to the Left where they found an Old Fort built by their Ancestors which they were very proud of and from thence they fired Three or Four Field-Pieces upon the Irish that lay entrenched between them and the Town The Detached Party kept an Advance Post till they were relieved about Nine a Clock and the Lord Drogheda's Regiment was placed next the Town nigh Cromwel's Fort where they were to stop the Enemies Career if they attempted a Sally The Town Summon'd As soon as our Army was posted the King ordered a Trumpet to be sent with a Summons to the Town and as we understood since a great part of the Garrison were for Capitulating but Monsieur Boiseleau the Governour the Duke of Berwick and Colonel Sarsfield opposed it with a great deal of Heat telling them that there were great Divisions and Insurrections in England That the Dauphin was landed there with Fifty Thousand Men and that the Prince of Orange would be obliged soon to draw home his Army into England The Trumpeter was sent back from Monsieur Boiseleau with a Letter directed to Sir Robert Southwell Secretary of State not sending directly to the King because he would avoid I suppose giving him the Title of Majesty The Answer That he was surprised at the Summons and that he thought the best way to gain the Prince of Orange's Good Opinion was by a vigorous defence of that Town which his Master had entrusted him withal That Evening a Party of Dragoons was sent to view the Pass at Annaghbegg Three Miles above Limerick where Six of the Enemies Regiments of Foot Three of Horse and Two of Dragoons were posted on the other side of the River where there stood a large New House with a great many Brick Walls about it and several convenient Hedges were adjoyning to the River They fired from thence upon our Men but did little or no Execution and that Night they marched off to the Town The Cannon play'd on both sides till it grew dark A Party pass the River and next Morning early being Sunday the 10 th the King sent Eight Squadrons of Horse and Dragoons Commanded by Lieutenant General Ginkle and Three Regiments of Foot under Major General Kirk who passed the River without any opposition and immediately His Majesty went thither Himself The Stream was very rapid and dangerous though the River has not been known to be so low these many Years The King at his Return left Major General Kirk with his own Brigadeer Stuart's and my Lord Meath's Regiments who encampt one beyond the Ford and two on this side having a Party of Horse relieved every Twenty Four Hours to support them A Cornet this Morning deserted the Enemy who told the King That a great many in Town were for surrendring but prevented by Sarsfield and Boiseleau That Count Lauzun with the French were encampt nigh Galloway the Irish refusing to receive them into Town because themselves had done so with the Irish some time before at Limerick That my Lord Tyrconnel with most of the Irish Horse and some Foot were encamped on the other side about Six or Eight Miles from Limerick That there were Fourteen Regiments of Foot with Three of Horse and Two of Dragoons then in Town The King sent that Afternoon a small Party of Horse to discover my Lord Tyrconnel but 〈◊〉 was then removed about Ten Miles further off towards Galloway The Town described But it will be convenient that I here give as good a Description of the City and its Situation as I can of a Place that I had not the liberty to go into though I have been sometimes very near it It 's
that dare not stand up in their just defence Measures of Obedience We know that the Apostle bids us submit to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake and that there is no Power but of God but he doth not tell us that either Tyranny Slavery or Oppression are from God but that we may resist them for his sake as well our own and certainly if the usurping an absolute Power above and against all Laws be not Tyranny the seizing mens Freeholds contrary to all Justice and Equity be not Oppression and the making ones Will the Law in a Government which the wisest of men call Limited he not reducing people into Slavery I know not what such things mean For in such a case it is not the Law of a Countrey that deposes a Prince nor the Religion that justifies it but 't is his own Act and Deed for if the presenting to the People be but a Ceremony yet a Coronation Oath is not and if a Prince can raise what Storms he pleases in his Dominions without endangering his own Vessel at the same time them such consequences must unavoidably follow as make all other people actually his Slaves not Subjects but sure the greatest Privilege of an English man is to have the Law on his side and his Religion by that Law made a part of his Property which is a Blessing that few other Nations can boast of and one main Reason why this has been continued so long to us whilst other people groan under the Yoke of Arbitrary Power is Because we have the Sea between us and any Foreign Enemy and consequently no pretence for a standing Army in times of peace to defend our Frontiers against any sudden Invasion An Army no doubt in times of peace being the next step to Slavery To say nothing of Inconveniencies by this means brought into private Families and the general Encouragement it gives to all sorts of Vice So that upon the whole matter one should think that none would be fond of King James or his Government unless they resolve at the same time with the Burgers of Mons to receive the French Garisons and afterward become their eternal Slaves As to what I have said in the following Account of the Affairs of Ireland I can affirm it to be true in the main tho possibly I may be mistaken in some Circumstances Nor do I pretend to write a compleat History of the War That I leave to men of better Judgments and more happy Opportunities so that if this prove not advantagious yet I hope it will produce what may by inviting some more skilful hand to undertake the work nothing of this kind being as yet abroad except some little Pamphlets writ at random by those that it seems never saw that Nation I have not writ the least Sentence out of prejudioe to any man but if any have affected the Profit more than the Duty of their Employments and think themselves hinted at in some general Expressions I have only this to say That as I would not flatter so I am not of such a temper as to fear any man so far as to prevent me from speaking Truth nor can I as I hope be blamed by any but those who having done ill themselves take it not well to be told of it But let even those examine their own Actions impartially and they 'll find I have been as sparing in my Expressions as I well could and not conceal the matter of Fact which a great many know the truth of as well or better than my self and I am far from doing any man that injustice as to charge him directly with a Crime that I am not very well assured is due to him What I have said about the management of the Irish Army is not barely our own Accounts but what I got from several of their Officers either Prisoners or Deserters or by other Opportunities as design or chance brought me to them I pretend no importunity of Friends for the publishing of these Papers for I am not so vain as to think they deserve it However I hope they will satisfie some who have not yet had opportunities to know these things and if this Account may be any way serviceable to them I shall be glad of it if not they must e'en have patience till a better appear As to the mixing some small matter of History with the rest I did it because it pleased a particular Friend tho my time will not allow me to do it in such a Method and Stile as the Dignity of the Subject requires AN IMPARTIAL HISTORY OF THE Affairs of Ireland England an happy Kingdom at the Restauration IN the Year 1660. when the Legal Administration of Government both in Church and State was restored with K. Charles II. never was there any People more happy than the English not only secure from all Foreign Invasions by the Scituation of our Country and from all Oppression at home by its Laws but the Temple of Janus was then shut and we enjoyed an universal Peace with all the World This disturb'd by designing Persons And yet Prosperity in a few years becoming a Burthen to us we took an occasion to quarrel with our Neighbours of Holland which several Wise men did then and have since lookt upon to be industriously begun and fomented by Cunning and Designing Persons of a different Interest and Persuasion to weaken the Protestant Interest in Europe Those unhappy Breaches however were made up and open'd again and then a good Understanding secur'd a second time to the satisfaction of all that meant honestly The Methods the French King took to Advance his own Interest The King was a man that loved to be easie and please himself by whose Example a great part of the Nation became in a small time of the same temper and the natural Hardness of the English was to a great degree softned this was chearfully observed by our Neighbouring Monarch who failed not to incourage our King in his way of living by contributing to his satisfaction in whatsoever he had a mind to be delighted withal and in the mean time gave incouragement to our Ship-Carpenters and Seamen both to build him Ships and sail in them and no wonder for they had no business at home About fifteen or sixteen years ago the French King sent a great part of his Fleet to the relief of Messina and some other places in Sicily which some then lookt upon as a Blemish in his Politicks and yet it appears since that this was none of the least depths of them for by this and such like means he has got now a good Fleet and expert Sea-men The D. of York's managing But whilst these things were on foot abroad the Duke of York had a Considerable Game to play at home For tho it 's more than probable he was a Papist all along yet to amuse the People he comes to Church and considering that
the Popish Part in England was by much the least of Three things were so well managed on that Side as to make the Protestants fall foul upon one another not only with hard Names and Characters of Reproach but in other Actions that seem'd more severe by which means the Interest of both Parties was not only considerably weakned but that of the Papists incredibly strengthned Then what by the dexterous management of the Presbyterian Plot and some improvements made of that by the Observator by which the Popish Party obtain'd a great Reputation and people begun to think that the Devil was not so black as he is painted in the height of which when they say some measures were thought of to reduce the D. of Tork and his Favourites King Charles died King James proclaimed The Duke of York was proclaimed King by the universal consent of all People and afterwards as generously assisted in the West as the Circumstances of the Nation would allow But then when the Parliament came to address his Majesty and beseech him That for the satisfaction of the Nation the Popish Officers and others might be removed from Places of Trust and have competent Pensions allowed them he gave a very positive Answer which was in effect That they were his best Friends and he would not be without them After this things grew every day worse than other for then all mens eyes were opened and every body could discern the Storm approaching Ruines his own Interest Accordingly the Rain came and beat violently upon the House but it being founded upon a stock thanks be to God has stood And as God often brings Light out of Darkness and can by ways unthought of or not look'd into by men turn things contrary to what they design or intend them P. of Orange comes so in the midst of our Necessities he rais'd up an Instrument who by his Virtue and Wisdom contrived and by his Valour put our Deliverance in execution How prosperously this succeeded in England is known to all the World for besides the natural Inclinatiof the people to Variety their general aversion to Popery made the thing at that Juncture very easy tho the Prince was then in a manner a Stranger to the Nation in general The State of Ireland at that time But tho all things succeeded so happily for the Protestant Interest in England yet there was a Cloud in Ireland that seem'd to threaten us if due care was not taken in time to disperse it My Lord Tyrconnel during the Late King's Reign had been framing and modelling an Irish Army that might be ready to serve the Popish Interest on all occasions part of which was sent over into England some time before the Prince Landed and after his being proclaimed King my Lord Tyrconnel having still a considerable Body of men in Arms refuses to deliver up the Sword Some say that it was not demanded from him and more That he had been easily forced to it at first or at least there might have been a Method taken to have persuaded him But the management of this was entrusted to Major General Hambleton a profest Papist Lieut. Gener. Hambleton sent over and so well did my Lord Tyrconnell and he with some other play their Cards that they got Hambleton sent over against the advice of most that understood the Affairs of that Kingdom by which means Succours were delayed and Hambleton as soon as he was safe in Ireland was so far from persuading my Lord Tyrconnell to yield that he ordered all the Horses that were left in Protestant hands and fit for Service to be seiz'd for the Late King's use and treated those whom he believed King William's best Friends at Dublin very harshly for which Service he was made Leutenant-General of the Irish Army The State of England at that Juncture But the Affairs of England did not admit of present Succours to be sent to the Protestants in Ireland who now were groaning under several Afflictions for a great part of the old Army was disbanded or sent into Holland the Dutch were sent home and it 's thought some unseasonable Disputes and Heats about Matters of Religion did no small disservice to the Publick There was also a hot Report about that time at London and indeed all over England that King James was dead which Report was only spread abroad by his own Party and several other such little Artifices were used on purpose to make others more secure month March King James lands in Ireland March 12. 1689. for shortly after we had a certain Account that he landed from France at Kingsale in the West of Ireland having about 1800. men with him This was on the 12. of March and after some small time he came to Dublin where he was received with all the Demonstrations of joy imaginable by my Lord Tyrconnell and all the Popish Party who look'd upon him as their only Support Champion and Deliverer tho several of them have since changed their minds A little before this the Protestants in Ireland were in daily expectation of Arms Ammunition Commissions and some Forces from England and it 's more than probable that if they had got them or not hop'd for them the Business had cost neither so much Blood or Treasure as since it has yet some advised not to make any shew of discontent till they had an Opportunity and were in a condition to make their party good by the arrival of Succours from England But the greater part impatient of delays begin to list Men and with what Arms they could get to make a shew of forming an Army Rout at Drummore March 14. Against those in the North Lieutenant-General Hambleton marched with about One Thousand of the Standing Army and nigh twice as many Rapparees in a distinct Body they met at Drummore in the County of Down and on the 14 of March the Protestants were routed with no great difficulty and no wonder for they were very indifferently provided with Arms Ammunition and Commanders nor was their Discipline any better This was called afterwards The Break of Drummore a Word common amongst the Irish Scots for a Rout At the same rate were some others served shortly after at a place called Killeleigh under one Hunter and those that resisted had the same Fate at several other places In the mean time Major-General Macarty by the same measures and some little Artifices brought the Protestants of Munster under the same Circumstances This gave occasion to King James and my Lord Tyrconnell to take the Arms and Horses from all the Protestants of that Kingdom except those that fled to Londonderry and some few that went towards Iniskilling but a great many that could get away for either England or Scotland made what haste they could and in some few Weeks after those that went that way were actually shut up in Derry On the 25th of March they had Arms and Ammunition brought