Conduct that day After the Battel our Army lay upon their Arms all night at Duleek having left our Tents all standing beyond the Boyne And next morning his Majesty sent Brigadier La Mellionere with One thousand Horse and Dragoons a Party of Foot and Eight Pieces of Cannon to summons Drogheda wherein the Irish had a Garison of about 1300 men commanded by my Lord Iveagh who surrendred the Town upon Condition That his Garison should have leave to march out without their Arms and be conducted to Athlone Tho their Barbarity in tying the Protestants in Town back to back and placing them where they expected our Guns to play ought not to be forgot This is a Town of no great strength only a Mount whereon are planted Ten Guns on the South-side the River seems capable of Defence Thursday the 3 d. of July his Majesty had an Account That the Irish had left Dublin and were making what haste they could towards the Shannon upon which the Duke of Ormond marched to that City with One thousand Horse and found Captain Farlow Governor of the Castle who two days before had been a Prisoner his Grace took possession of all the Out-Guards of the Town with his Horse and the Dutch Blue Guards were sent to the Castle The 5th His Majesty with his Army marches to Dublin our Army marched to Finglass a little Village two miles to the North-west of Dublin where we lay encamped for several days The 6th being Sunday his Majesty went to St. Patrick's Church in Dublin and next day towards the evening the Bishop of Meath the Bishop of Limerick Dr. King and all the Clergy then about Dublin except the Lord Primate who sent his Excuse to his Majesty by reason of his great Age and Infirmness waited upon the King at his Camp where the Bishop of Meath made an excellent Congratulatory Speech for his Majesty's happy Victory and their Deliverance Whereunto his Majesty gave a Gracious Answer And the Bishop of Limâ—rick desired they might appoint a Day of Publick Thanksgiving and have leave to Compose a Form of Prayer suitable to the occasion which was granted The same day his Majesty signed a Declaration His Majesty's Declaration to the Irish wherein he promised Protection to all poor Labourers common Soldiers Countrey-Farmers Plow-men and Coltiers as also to all Citizens Tradesmen Townsmen and Artificers who either remained at home or having fled from their Dwellings should return by the first of August following c. leaving all others to the Event of War unless by great and manifest demonstrations they would convince his Majesty that they deserved his Mercy which he promised never to refusâ— to those who were truly penitent A great many of the Irish Officers complained The Irish Objections against the Declaration That this Declaration was too narrow in excluding them from any Advantage by it and that they were obliged afterwards to stick together as being their only safety but this Declaration was narrower than his Majesty's Royal Intentions on purpose to comply with the English Proprietors of that Countrey And as to the Irish Officers this was only a pretence for when it was enlarged afterwards by his Majesty and the Government the year succeeding made them all the reasonable Proffers that could be hoped or wished for yet most of them continued obstinate till they could not help it But tho his Majesty was very careful to have this and his other Declaration that succeeded it observed yet some Officers and Soldiers were apt to forget the King's Honour with that of our Countrey and Religion too when they stood in competion with their own Profit and Advantage That day and the next his Majesty took a view of his Army by distinct Regiments nor did the inconveniency of the bad Weather which fell out at Our Army mustered that time prevent him from observing each Regiment very nicely the whole number of Horse Foot and Dragoons that marched in the Ranks was 30330 besides 483 Reformed Officers as also all the Officers and Serjeants in the Army and Four Regiments in Garison so that the compleat Number of our whole Army was at least 36000 as is said before Nor will it be improper to gâ—ve here a List of our General Officers who commanded this Campaign under his Majesty and were employed in his Service but we must take it from the beginning since his Grace Duke Schonberg was killed ere this A LIST of the General Officers of Their Majesties Army 1690. FRederick Duke of Schonberg Captain-General A List of their Majesties Army 1690. The Duke of Wirtenbergh General of the Danes Count Solmes General of the Foot Count Schonberg General of the Horse Lieutenant-General Douglass Lord Overkirk Maistres Generals des Camp Earl of Portland Maistres Generals des Camp Henry Lord Viscount Sidney Major-Generals of Foot Count Nassau Major-Generals of Foot Major-General Kirk Major-Generals of Foot Major-General Tetteau Major-Generals of Foot Monsieur Screvenmore Major-Generals of Horse Maj. Gen. La Forrest Major-Generals of Horse Sir John Lanier Major-Generals of Horse Monsieur Du Cambon Quarter-master-General Brigadier Trelawney Brigadiers of Foot Sir Henry Bellasis Brigadiers of Foot Sir John Hanmer Brigadiers of Foot Brigadier Stuart Brigadiers of Foot Brigad La Mellionere Brigadiers of Foot Brigad Villars Brigadiers of Horse Brigad Eppinger Brigadiers of Horse Brigad Schack Brigadiers of Horse Sir Robert Southwell Secretary of State Thomas Coningesby Esq now Lord Coningesby and Charles Fox Esq Pay-masters-General Sir John Topham Advocate-General Henry Wythers Adjutant-General of Foot Francis Russel Adjutant-General of Horse George Clark Esq Secretary at War Monsieur Perara Commissary-General of the Provisions Abraham Yarner Esq Muster-master-General Dr. Lawrence Physician-General Charles Thompson Esq Chyrurgion-General A CATALOGUE of the General Officers A List of the Irish General Officers and others in King Jams's Army taken out of the Muster-Rolls June the 2 d 1690. DUKE of Tyrconnel Captain-General Duke of Berwick Lieutenant-Generals Richard Hambleton Lieutenant-Generals Count Lauzune General of the French Monsieur Leary alias Geraldine Lieutenant-General Dominick Sheldon Lieutenant-General of the Horse Patrick Sarsfield Major-Generals Anthony Hambleton Major-Generals Monsieur Boiseleau Major-Generals Thomas Maxwell Brigadeers John Hambleton Brigadeers William Dorrington Brigadeers Solomon Slater Muster-master-General Robert Fitz-Gerald Comptroler of the Musters Sir Richard Neagle Secretary at War Sir Henry Bond Receivers General Louis Doe Receivers General Sir Michael Creagh Pay-master General Foelix Oneil Advocate General Dr. Archbold Physician to the State Patrick Archbold Chyrurgeon General The Irish had at that time in their Army Two Troops of Horse-Guards with another of Horse-Granadiers Eight Regiments of Horse Seven Regiments of Dragoons a Regiment of Foot Guards of Twenty two Companies and Ninety men in a Company Forty four other Regiments of Foot Thirteen Companies in a Regiment and Sixty men in a Company which with the Five thousand French Foot made their Army according to their own Computation
this Declaration as others before it of like nature had not the wished-for effect since the Irish are generally of that Temper as to think you are most afraid of them when best Terms are proferr'd This made the Irish Peasants value themselves mightily upon King William's first Declaration after the Rout at the Boyne who then look'd upon themselves to be the most considerable part of the Irish Nation because they had Terms proferr'd before the Great Ones The sixth a Proclamation was published by the Lords-Justices A Proclamation prohibiting the destroying Improvements and Council prohibiting all Officers and Soldiers to plunder or take away the Goods either of Protestants or Papists nor cut down Improvements as some unreasonably went about nor to take the Horses and Cattle out of the Plough or to exact and levy Money Of all which there had been frequent Complaints and therefore the Soldiers were commanded to pay their Quarters with their Subsistence which was ordered them and the Officers too from the first of January Nigh this time Francis Sheldon and John Green two Commissioners sent over to build Ships in Ireland that were Skilful in the Art of Building Ships were both sent over in equal Commission by Authority of the Navy-Board in England to build Ships for Their Majesties Service at Waterford or Wexford nigh which Places and in the County of Wickloe there is good store of suitable Timber and other Advantages for building Ships at easier Rates than in England but what progress has been made herein I am uncertain February the 8th Colonel Brewer and Major Boad with a Party of 150 Horse and 200 Foot march'd from Mullingar towards Meers-Court to Relieve that and some other Garrisons with Provisions and some Men which having done Colonel Brewer went with a Party towards Ballymore to view the Posture of the Enemy at that place he met with a small Party of them at a Pass a Mile on this side the Fort whom he put to flight and pursued to the Garrison nigh which he kill'd six or eight and burnt the House at the Pass when he returned bringing the Owner away Prisoner February the 10th Sir Richard Reynolds Lord Chief Justice of the King's-Bench came from England and sate as Judge in that Court being afterwards sworn of the Privy-Council And nigh the same time we had an account that considerable Numbers of Recruits both for Horse and Foot lay ready at Bristol to be ship'd for Ireland The Montague and Dover Frigats bring into Kinsale a Privateer of St. Maloes of 24 Guns and six Pettereroes A Party of our Army quartering at Bally-Hooly in the County of Cork went into the Enemies Country and kill'd 25 Rapparees and soon after Major Kirk kill'd 16 more taking two Officers Prisoners yet for all this the Enemy watched all opportunities of Advantage killing our Men by surprize in a great many places but especially keeping Correspondence with the protected Irish in all corners of the Country they stole away our Horses The Irish steal away our Horses to Recruit their own Army sometimes in the Night and often at Noon-day when our Men least suspected it by which means they recruited their own Horse considerably and did us no small disservice nor is it probable unless they had made use of some such ways they could have brought any Body of Horse into the Field worth taking notice of the succeeding Campaign whereas we were sensible afterwards that their Horse were once not contemptible The 9th two Officers and a Soldier desert from Limerick and come to Cashel And a Day or two afterwards about 100 Protestants are permitted to come away who all agree that the Irish were more dissatisfied since my Lord Tyrconnel's Landing than before since the Money and Cloaths brought them from France were both in themselves very contemptible the one for quantity and the other for quality We had also an Account that Sarsfield was made Sarsfield made Lord Lucan Earl of Lucan and Lieutenant-General of the Army Dorington Major-General and Barker General of the Foot One Langton was Hanged at Kilkenny for endeavouring to seduce a Souldier of Count Nassau's Regiment and some others And at Birr the Rapparees killing one of Colonel Hamilton's Souldiers drew out his Guts and mangled his Body after amost barbarous and unusual manner Several Ships arrive at Waterford with Meal Bisket Corn and other Provisions for their Majesties use and a great many Merchant Ships come to that and other Ports with Victuals and other conveniencies for the Army and Country On the 13th about 400 of the Irish Army Commanded A Party of the Irish burn Edenderry by Lieutenant Colonel Conner came to Edenderry and burnt greatest part of it killing 7 Men and a Woman and had 11 of theirs kill'd by a Militia Troop then in Town who were obliged to defend the strongest Houses and the Irish returning by Phillips-Town burnt Bally Brittan And now the Civil Government begun to look with a Judges appointed to go their several Circuits better countenance than formerly for February the 17th the Judges were appointed for their several Circuits viz. Munster Circuit Lord Chief Justice Reynolds Mr. Justice Cox Leinster Circuit Lord Chief Justice Pyne Mr. Justice Jefferson North-East Circuit of Vlster Lord Chief Baron Healy Mr. Justice Lyndon North-West Circuit Mr. Baron Eclyn Mr. Serjeant Ryves These all went their districts accordingly and found things much out of order in several places by reason of the looseness of the Times and the general inclination of most people to a disorderly way of living February 24th a large French Pinck bound from Bourdeaux to Connaught with Wine Brandy Salt c. was driven by stress of Weather into Arcklow-Haven the Men being made Prisoners the Ship and Cargo were seized for The Duke of Berwick and others of the Irish Army go for France their Majesties use And nigh this time we heard that the Duke of Berwick and some other great Officers of the Irish Army were gone off from Limerick to France being discontented as 't was said at my Lord Tyrconnel's way of Proceeding in the Government The 25th Lieutenant Colonel Lillingston went from Roscreagh with a Party to Monogall where he surprised a Company of Colonel Oxburrough's Regiment and several Rapparees kill'd 35 and took 5 Prisoners with one O Conner who Commanded The 26th in the Morning Lieutenant General Ginckel and Sir John Lanier having drawn a considerable Body both of Horse and Foot together they advanced from Streams-Town towards Athlone The Enemy never wanted Intelligence of our Motions by reason of their Friends always amongst us and therefore as we approached we found a Body of Horse and Foot to the number of about 2300 Commanded by Brigadeer Clifford drawn on at a Pass 4 miles from Streams-Town the place it self was of great advantage its natural situation being improved by Art but as soon as a Party of ours under Captain Pepper of The
indeed the Militia were as active to suppress them However the White Serjeant with one Mackabe and Cavenagh were very troublesome nigh Kildare Those were three Fellows all under the same Circumstances who running away from the Irish Army they got small Parties of Rogues together and haunted the Bogg of Allen and other places of the Country thereabouts which were particularly well known to them and by that means gave the Inhabitants no small disturbance They were hunted by the Militia nigh this time and three of the White Serjeant's men Shot at one time and two of Mackabe's at another and soon after three more were killed near Murney And our publick Accounts tell us of a hundred and ten Rapparees killed by Captain Baggott's Militia Dragoons since the beginning of this Month in several Parties But Cavenagh and his Men being afraid to trade any more in the Bogg of Allen they remove towards the Mountains of Wicklow where Lieutenant Cooly met with them and killing fifteen took their Captain upon which the rest dispersed or joyned with Mackabe and the White Sergeant May the 20th Mark Baggot formerly spoke of Mark Baggâ— hanged being condemned and reprieved till now was this Day hanged having said nothing to the purpose but that our best places to pass the Shannon were Melick and Banoher May 24. Major Welden of the Militia and Captain Phillips of Colonel Earls's Regiment kill thirteen Rapparees near Montmelick Captain Vnderhill of my Lord Lisburn's Regiment with sixty Foot and ten Dragoons goes to Ballenderry May the 26th where they met with a Party of nigh three hundred of the Irish Army whom they engaged killing Captain Geoghagan and four more Officers and as the Account was fifty private Men. Next Day the same Captain went out with only twenty four Men and kill'd twelve but being set upon by a good Party of the Irish commanded by Colonel Geoghagan he made his retreat to Dunore Castle having only one Man kill'd and another wounded The same Day some Dutch Horse being come to the Camp now at Mullingar a Party of them went abroad kill'd several Rapparees and brought in thirty Prisoners At this time Lieutenant-General Douglas was marched Lieutenant-General Douglas encamps with a Party at Ardagh out of the North with a Body of Men and encamped at a place called Ardagh in the County of Longford twelve Miles from Mullingar And the Duke of Wirtenberg was gone towards Thurles where the Foreigners that quartered last Winter in Munster were ordered to Rendezvouz and to be ready to joyn the rest of the Army nigh Banoher where our Great Men had some thoughts at that time of passing Our Train of Artillery was also upon their march from Dublin to Mullingar being such an one as never had been seen before in that Kingdom Major-General Ruvigny is now at the Camp at Mullingar Our Great Officers take the Field whither went Major-General Mackay on the 28th who came lately from Scotland Major-General Kirk and Sir John Lanier go for England and land at Neston on the thirtieth And much about the same time the Duke of Leinster's Regiment of Horse formerly my Lord Devonshire's landed in England and march'd towards Coventry Major-General Talmash being sent by His Majesty to assist the other Great Officers this Campaign in Ireland landed at Dublin the latter end of May having with him Sir Martin Beckman chief Ingineer and in a Day or two he went towards the Camp About this time the Gentlemen of the County of East-Meath meeting at Trim agreed to scoure the Red Bog nigh that place where the Rapparees haunted and had done much mischief during the last Winter the issue was that thirty five were kill'd and six more fairly hanged Some were also kill'd by the Militia of the County of Waterford and others near Kilmallock by Parties that advanced so far By Packets from England the General had an Account by Letters from Monsieur de Opdam Lieutenant-General of the Horse in Holland who went to Breda about the exchange of Prisoners taken at the Boyne Cork Kinsale c. with the Dutch taken at the Battle of Fleur that the French refused to release the Irish Officers under such Characters as they gave themselves but left them under very ill Circumstances upbraiding them in terms very disrespectful tho' they released the Irish Soldiers and sent them to Thoulon Marseilles c. for the Sea-service This Month now draws towards an end and all People that had any business towards the Camp are resorting thither in order to which the Lords-Justices set out a Proclamation Commanding all Sutlers and others to carry no Ale or other Liquors to the Camp but what was good and well brewed and to be at least six Days old to prevent Fluxes and other Distempers There was also another Proclamation Commanding all Persons that designed to be Sutlers to come to Dublin for Licenses and to renew those each Journey But this being found inconvenient for the Army it was recalled May the 30th Lieutenant-General Ginckel went The General goes to the Camp from Dublin and lying that Night at Tycroghan next Day his Excellency came to the Camp at Mullingar where he found Foot viz. Major-General Kirk's Lord Meath's Lord Lisburn's Lord Cutts's Colonel Foulks's Colonel Brewer's Lord George Hamilton's and Colonel Earls's Horse Sir John Lanier's Brigadier Villers's Colonel Langston's Rydesel's Roucour's and Monopovillon's with Colonel Leveson's Dragoons who before his coming over was made a Brigadier by His Majesty The Soldiers every Day in one Regiment or another began to appear fine in their new Cloths and before the Army took the Field the Lords-Justices with the Advice of the General appointed several Officers that had been or were actually then in the Army to Command the Militia in different places of the Kingdom not as being Absolute but rather Superintendents of the whole As in the County of Cork Major Stroud was imployed in the Counties of Wickloe and Wexford Major Brooks and Captain Phillips as were also Major Tichburn Lieutenant-Colonel Toby Caulfield and others in several other places CHAP. V. June 1691. The Fortifications at Mullingar contracted into a narrower compass A Stratagem of the Irish to get Horses The Irish march towards Athlone Our Army goes towards Ballymore That place besieged Its Situation described Four Batteries planted The General 's Message sent in writing A Parley beat The Fort surrendred Ballymore better fortified The Army march towards Athlone and joyned by the Duke of Wirtenberg We approach the Town Batteries planted The order of the Attack The English Town taken Batteries against the Irish Town The Enemy ruin our Works A design to pass the Shannon The Enemy burn our close Gallery A Councel of War held A Party ordered to pass the River The Town stormed An Express sent to St. Ruth A part of our Army left in the Country and why Major Culliford surprizes some of the Irish Inniskeen fortified JVne the 1st Very
the Town but such a Guard as we think fit to send to one of the Gates which shall immediately be delivered to us according to the Custom of War III. That the Garison shall march out to morrow by Ten a Clock and be conducted by a Squadron of Horse to the nearest Garison of the Enemy and there shall be no crowding nor confusion when they march out IV. That nothing be carried out of the Town which belongs to the Protestants or other Inhabitants V. That the Governour obliges himself to deliver all Cannon and other sort of Arms Munition Victuals of any kind into the hands of such a Commissary as shall be ordered by us to receive them to morrow morning VI. That if there be any thing due from the Garison to the Inhabitants of the Protestant Religion it shall be paid and what has been taken from them shall be restored VII That a safe Conduct for all the Inhabitants of the Countrey and such of the Roman-Catholick Clergy that came for shelter to this Garison shall be allowed and that they go to their respective habitations together with their Goods and there be protected pursuant to King William 's Declaration bearing date the 22 d. of February last past VIII That care shall be taken of the sick and wounded men of the Garison that cannot go along with the Regiments and that when they are in a condition to follow the rest they shall have our Pass SCHONBERG Pursuant to which Articles the Irish marched out tho the Duke himself had much a-do to protect them from the Violence of the Countrey People the Injuries they had received in being plundered and stript by them were so fresh in their memories The Irish had about 150 killed and wounded during the Siege and the Duke near the same number and Wednesday the 28th and the day following the Army marched back to Belfast where they were joined by Duke Schonbergh's French Horse Sir Thomas Gowers Foot and some other Regiments sent from England On Saturday the last of August our Army was Our Army mustered at Belfast Mustered being Four Regiments of Horse one of Dragoons and Eighteen Regiments of Foot viz. Horse Earl of Devonshire's Lord Delamere's Col. Coy's and Duke Schonberg's with Col. Leveson's Dragoons Foot one Battalion of Blew Dutch Carleson's White Dutch Princess Anne's Col. Wharton's Earl of Drogheda's Lord Lisburn's Earl Meath's Lord Roscommon's Lord Lovelace's Earl of Kingston's the Duke of Norfolk's Col. Herbert's Sir Edward Deering's Sir Thomas Gower's Col. Earl's La Mellionere's Du Cambon's La Callimot's and a day or two after we were joined by most of the Inniskilling Horse who stayed with us during the succeeding Campaign The Duke having ordered most of his Artillery and Ammunition on Board at Carrickfergus our Train Horses being many of them as yet at Chester and then to go for Carlingford within eight miles of Dundalk he marched The Army march to Newry his Army forwards on Monday the 2 d. of September and came on the 6th to Newry which he found laid in Ashes by the Duke of Berwick who having been there with about 1700 Foot and Dragoons and two Troops of Horse had retired towards Dundalk the evening before and left Newry in a flame Here the General posted Capt. Palliser of Sir Thomas Gower's Regiment with Fifty men in an old Castle that was unburnt and on Saturday the 7th we Thence to Dundalk marched to Dundalk where the Army encamped on a low moist Ground nigh a mile short of the Town On Sunday the 8th Major-General Kirk's Sir John Hanmer's and Brigadier Stuart's Regiments join'd us from the North. The Irish Army were at this time in a great Consternation The Irish in confusion and it was debated whether they should quit Drogheda and Dublin and so retire towards the Shannon but my Lord Tyrconnel opposed it and when Marshal De Rose understood that Duke Schonberg halted at Dundalk He was sure he said that he wanted something necessary for their going forwards and therefore part of their Army advanced first to Ardee and then in a day or two to a place called the Bridge of Fane upon a small River within three miles of Dundalk whither the late King with his whole Army being about 28000 well arm'd and nigh Ten thousand indifferently arm'd men followed about the 15th at what time we began to intrench our Camp and also some shipping with Provisions came to us Friday the 20th we were alarm'd with the Enemies The Irish make a shew of fighting approach and they did appear upon the Hills above the Town next day drawing out their whole Army with a Train of Artilery which the Duke seeing ordered all his men to stand to their Arms and expected the Enemies attacking him but that they had no great mind to and after a Discovery of a Plot by some French to carry the rest over to King James one Du Plessy and five more being hanged as also Two hundred others sent for England the Enemy seeing that opportunity lost they returned with the main Body of their Army to Ardee where they encamped till about the 4th of November and then they marching off we thought it high time to do so likewise after being encamp'd almost Ten weeks in a very unwholsome place and pestered with all the disadvantages of bad weather by reason of which we lost in the Camp in our going to Quarters and in them and the Hospitals at least one half of our men the Army consisting then of Nine Regiments and Two Troops of Horse Four Regiments of Dragoons and Thirty Regiments of Foot whereof Two Regiments of Horse One of Dragoons and Six of Foot did not come to the Camp but were quartered in the Countrey The English Camp near Dundalk Towards the latter end of November the General ordered a Meeting of all the Countrey Gentlemen then in the North of Ireland to be at Lisburne where his Grace's Head Quarters were fixed at what time they presented the Duke with an Address and then agreed upon Rates for all sorts of Provision which by Proclamation from the General were commanded to be sold accordingly December the 12th Collonel Woolsly marched with a Party towards Belturbet which was surrendred to him by the Irish and on the 13th the Duke went to view Charlemont a strong-hold which the Irish then had and kept for some time afterwards Towards the latter end of December the Irish began to lessen the Coin of their Brass-Money calling in the large Half-Crowns and stamping them a new for Crowns and near the same time Major-General Major-General Mackarty makes his escape Mackarty made his escape from Inniskilling where he had remained a Prisoner ever since the Rout at Croom Castle Collonel Hambleton Governour of the Town was Tried by a Court-Marshal for it afterwards but producing Major-General Kirk's Letter to him wherein he desired that some further Conveniencies might be allowed Mackarty than formerly upon which it
he admitted my Lord Dover to a more particular Protection than ordinary because he had applied himself formerly by a Letter to Major-General Kirk to desire a Pass for himself and Family to go into Flanders His Majesty at his return to the Camp declared The King intends for England his Resolution to go for England and leaving Count Solmes Commander in Chief he went as far as Chappel-Izard nigh Dublin with that Intention ordering one Troop of Guards Count Sconberg's Horse formerly my Lord Devonshires Collonel Matthews's Dragoons Brigadier Trelawny's and Collonel Hastings's And sends some Forces thither Foot to be shipt off for that Kingdom And on the first of August His Majesty published a Second Declaration not only confirming and strengthening the former but also adding That if any Foreigners then in Arms against him in that Kingdom would submit they should have Passes to go into their own Countries or whither else they pleased A Proclamation was also published for all the Irish in the Countrey to deliver up their Arms and those who refused or neglected to be abandoned to the Discretion of the Soldiers As also another Proclamation for a Weekly Fâ—st And then His Majesty appointed Richard Pine Esq Sir Richard Reves and Robert Rochfort Esq Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal who began now to act accordingly But the King received a further Account from England But returns to the Camp That the loss at Sea was not so considerable as it was at first given out and that there was no danger of any more French Forces landing in that Kingdom they having already burnt only a small Village and so were gone off without doing any further damage The danger of that being therefore over His Majesty returned to the Army which he found encamped at Golden Bridge nigh Cashell and about seventeen miles from Limrick where His Majesty had intelligence of the Posture of the Enemy in and about that City August the 8th Lieutenant-General Douglas and his Limerick Besieged Party from Athlone joined the King's Army at Cariganlis And on the 9th the whole Army approached that strong Hold of Limerick without any considerable loss the greatest part of their Army being Encampt beyond the River in the County of Clare His Majesty as soon as his Army was posted sent a Summons to the Town which was refused to be obeyed by Monsieur Boiseleau the Duke of Berwick Sarsfield and some more though a great part of their Army were even then willing to Capitulate Next Morning early the King sent a Party of Horse and Foot under Major-General Ginckell and Major-General Kirk to pass the River which they did near Sir Samuel Foxon's House about two miles above the Town The same day some Deserters from the Enemy gave his Majesty an account of their Circumstances and one of our own Gunners did as much for us who informed the Enemy of our Posture in the Camp as also of Eight Pieces of Cannon with Ammunition Provisions the Tin-Boats and several other Necessaries then upon the Road which Sarsfield with a Party of Horse and Dragoons had the luck to surprize two Some of our â—â—ns surprized days after at a little old Castle called Ballynedy within seven miles of our Camp killing about Sixty of the Soldiers and Waggoners and then marched off with little or no opposition tho his Majesty had given Orders for a Party of Horse to go from the Camp and meet the Guns the night before Tuesday the 12th Brigadier Stuart went with a Party Castle Connel taken and four Field-Pieces to Castle-Connel a Strong-hold upon the Shannon four miles from Limerick the besieged being 126 under one Captain Barnwell after some time submitted and were brought Prisoners to the Camp Sunday the 17th at night we opened our Trenches Our Trenches opened which were mounted by Seven Battalions under the Duke of Wirtenbergh Major-General Kirk Major-General Tetteau and Sir Henry Bellasts beating the Irish out of a Fort nigh two old Chimneys where about Twenty were killed and next night our Works were relieved by Lieutenant General Douglas my Lord Sidney Count Nassau and Brigadier Stuart with the like number and the day following we planted some new Batteries which his Majesty going to view as he was riding towards Ireton's Fort he stopt his Horse on a sudden to speak to an Officer a Four and twenty pound Ball the very moment grazing on the side of the Gap where his Majesty was going to enter which certainly must have dash'd him to pieces had not the commanding God of Heaven prevented it who still reserves him for greater matters This I saw being then upon the Fort as I did that other Accident at the Boyne before Wednesday the 20th we attack'd a Fort of the Enemies A Fort taken nigh the South East Corner of the Wall which we soon took and killed 50 taking a Captain and twelve men Prisoners and about an hour after the Enemy sallyed with great Bravery thinking to regain the Fort but were beat in with loss there being killed in the Fort and the Sally about Three hundred though we lost Captain Needham Captain Lacy and about Eighty private men A PROSPECT of LIMERICK BEARING DUE WEST Exactly shewing the Approaches Batteries Breach ct Sold by R. Chiswell in St. Pauls churchyard Next day the Soldiers were in hopes that his Majesty would give orders for a second Attack and seemed resolved to have the Town or lose all their lives but this was too great a risque to run at one place and they did not know how our Ammunition was sunk especially by the former day's work we continued however our Batteries and then a storm of Rain and other bad weather begun to threaten us which fell out on Friday the 29th in good earnest upon which his Majesty calling a Council of War it was concluded the safest way was to quit the Siege without which we could not have secured our heavy Cannon which we drew off from the Batteries by degrees and found much difficulty in marching them five miles next day Sunday the last of August all our His Majesty raised the Siege Army drew off most of the Protestants that lived in that part of the Countrey taking that opportunity of removing further into the Countrey with the Army and would rather leave their Estates and all their Substance in the Enemies hands than trust their persons any more in their power His Majesty seeing the Campaign nigh an end went towards Waterford where he appointed Henry Lord Viscount Sidney Sir Charles Porter and Tho. Conningsby Esq Lords Justices of Ireland and then setting And returns to England sail with a fair Wind for England his Majesty was welcomed thither with all the Joy and Satisfaction imaginable CHAP. III. September 1690. The French Forces quit Ireland Birr besieg'd by the Irish who draw off towards Banoher Bridge Count Solms 's Answer to the Duke of Berwick 's Letter Lieutenant-General
Drogheda's Regiment who finding themselves very much outnumbred and the Village no ways Tenible they retired all to a Mount nigh the middle of the same Village which they defended till the Irish were obliged to quit the place have killed us about 28 themselves leaving 16 dead upon the Streets besides several more that were killed in Plundering the Houses And several such Accidents hapned up and down the Kingdom most of which are already related in the former part of this History Towards the beginning of December his Majesty for the A Privy-Council appointed in Ireland better ordering the Affairs of that Kingdom appointed a Privy-Council and gave out new Commissions to supply the places of several Judges as yet awanting in the respective Courts of Judicature But though the Irish in and about Limerick and indeed in most other places within their Line were reduced to great necessities both as to Provisions and Cloaths yet this did not prevent them from having a very good opinion of themselves nor blunt the Edge of that Vain-glorious Boasting so peculiar to that sort of People as may appear by a pretended Declaration of the then Brigadeer Dorington's who after several invective Expressions against his Majesty and the English Government and Wheedling Insinuations to all Foreigners and others who he pretends were drawn in at unawares he promises to protect and receive into Pay all Officers or Souldiers that would forsake their Majesties Service and advance them according to their Merit or those that had no mind to serve should be Transported into France having all necessary Accommodation and be provided for in the mean time Dated at Limerick the 13th of December 1690. and Signed W. Dorington But this worthy Declaration had no other effect than to shew the folly and vanity of the Publisher only I cannot but observe what a scurvy Return those Officers and Souldiers of King William's to whom he addresses himself made him for his kind proffer since instead of going to him for his Pass into France they soon after sent his Worship himself Prisoner into England Monday the 15th of December Henry Lord Viscount My Lord Sidney goes for England Sidney being appointed one of the Secretaries of State for England set Sail for that Kingdom And on the 24th Sir Charles Porter another of the Lords-Justices came from thence being Sworn Lord Chancellour of Ireland on the 29th and then received the Purse and Great Seal from the late Commissioners We had now a part of our Army on their March towards Part of our Forces move towards the Shannon Lanesborough Pass Commanded by Major General Kirk and Sir John Lanier Lieutenant General Douglas was also upon his March towards Sligoe as was Major General Tetteau in Munster towards the County of Kerry The first Detachment beat the Irish from their Works on this side the River and staying there some time returned to Quarters as did also Lieutenant General Douglas Major General Tetteau Marched towards Ross taking a Fort called Screnelarld in his way after which the Irish set most of the Country on Fire and retreated He took also another Fort wherein were 80 of the Irish who being attacked by fifty Danes and fifty of the Kinsale Militia our Men carried the place and put most of the Enemy to the Sword Then our Party Marched towards Tralee where Lieutenant General Sheldon bad been with 21 Troops of Dragoons and 7 of Horse but with his Men had deserted the Town and made what haste they could towards Limerick resolving to force their way through Lieutenant General Ginckel's Troops who then was abroad also with a Party if they were not very much stronger or otherways to kill all their Horses and save themselves by crossing the Shannon in Boats But not being informed of this our Men returned without securing a considerable quantity of Provisiâ—â—â— then in Trallee which the Irish got afterwards to supply the Garrison of Limerick The Rapparees by this time were got to the end of the Rapparees in the Bogg of Allen. Bogg of Allen within 12 miles of Dublin and there Robb'd and Plunder'd the Country all about Fortifying an Island in the Bogg to secure their Prey which being so nigh Dublin it made a great noise So that Collonel Foulks with his own Regiment part of Collonel Cutts's and a Detachment of the Dublin Militia as also three small Field-Pieces Marched out towards them The Irish at first seemed to defend the place but as our Men advanced they quitted their Posts leaving us to fill up the Trenches they had made cross the Causeway which done Colonel Foulks Marched over into the Island of Allen where he met with Colonel Piper who had come in at the other side but the Irish betook themselves to the Woods and we only got some small Booty which they had left I have heard that my Lord Baltimore at his coming over from Ireland in King James the First 's time to give his Majesty an account of the State of that Kingdom amongst otherthings told the King That the Irish were a wicked People but had been as wickedly dealt withal I make no Applications of the Expression to our selves tho' most people that have been in that Country know how to do it But as to any publick Action little of moment hapned for some time after we returned to our Winter Quarters tho' the Rapparees being encouraged by our withdrawing were very troublesome all the Country over nor will it be amiss once for all to give you a brief Account how the Irish managed this Affair to make the Rapparees so Considerable as they really were doing much more mischief at this Upon what account the Rapparees were servicable to the Irish time o' th' year than any thing that had the face of an Army could pretend to When the Irish understood therefore how our Men were Posted all along the Line and what advantage might be hoped for at such and such places they not only encouraged all the protected Irish to do us secretly all the mischief they could either by concealed Arms or private Intelligence under the pretence of their being Plundered and abused but they let loose a great part of their Army to manage the best for themselves that time and opportunity would allow them to all these they gave Passes signifying to what Regiment they belonged that in case they were taken they might not be dealt withal as Rapparees but Souldiers These Men knew the Country nay all the secret Corners Woods and Boggs keeping a constant Correspondence with one another and also with the Army who furnished them with all necessaries especially Ammunition When they had any Project on Foot their method was not to appear in a Body for then they would have been discovered and not only so but Carriages and several other things had been wanting which every one knows that's acquainted with this Trade Their way was therefore to make a private appointment to meet at
Irish defeated at the Mote of Greenoge Colonel Earl's Regiment advanced on the other side the Irish quitted the Pass being followed by our Horse and Dragoons towards the Mote of Greenoge where a greater Body of their Army was Posted upon the side of an Hill and those also upon seeing what happened retired into the Town at the entrance of which there was a very defensible Ditch with a Pallisado'd Work which the Irish quitted and March'd towards Athlone our Advance Party being 10 of my Lord of Oxford's Horse 12 of Sir John Lanier's Commanded by Cornet Lisle and sustained by Lieutenant Monk's Dragoons those were four choice Men out of a Company in Major General Kirk's Regiment mounted on Horseback and Commanded by Lieutenant Monk who always did Dragoon service and a Party of Colonel St. John's Foot under Captain Worth and all Commanded by Colonel Woolsley those overtook the Enemies Foot before they were got out of Town very soon obliging them to disperse into the Woods and Boggs several being killed and whilst this was adoing our Advance Party of Horse followed the Enemies Horse so fast upon the great Road that leads towards Athlone that our Body of Horse behind could not come up though they endeavour'd it by marching very hard A great many of the Irish fearing to be overtaken quit their Horses Boots and Arms making what haste they could to their usual shift the Woods and Boggs and thus it continued for six miles till they were got near Athlone They lost all their Equipage and Baggage with a great many Horses and Arms and had about Two Hundred Kill'd two Hundred kill'd We lost only one Trumpeter and had four men more Wounded Major General Kirk stayed behind and took Cairn Castle and the General at his return took Castle-Conway in some few days dispersing his Men to their respective Quarters The 28th several Rapparees were killed and hanged by the Militia near Montrath they being usually more March 1691. severe upon those sort of People than the Army was March the 7th a Cornet two Quarter-masters and some other Deserters came from the Enemy to Dublin Some Deserters come in and encouraged by the General where the General then was and received them very kindly allowing them subsistence to encourage others to follow their examples Several Ships arrive at Cork Waterford Kinsale and Dublin with Provisions and other necessaries for the Army and the Militia kill some Rapparees and bring in their Heads a Custom in that Country and encouraged by a Law which allows so much for every Head according to the Quality of the Offender though the usual way is by Proclamation from the Government wherein the Offender and his Price are March 1691. named Nigh this time three of the Danish Soldiers deserting upon Major-General Dorington's Declaration or what other Inducements I know not but they were met upon the Road between Limerick and Cashel by four others that had belonged to the Irish Army and now deserting to us these very fairly set upon the Danes took them Prisoners and brought them back to Cashel where they were afterwards hanged A Party of Colonel Villers's and some Danish Horse march from Tallow within the Enemies Frontiers kill two and take some few Prisoners And Colonel Blunt High-Sheriff of the County of Tipperary with his Militia Troop of Dragoons a Danish Troop of Horse and others to the Number of 200 went from Clonmel as far as Mitchels-Town nigh twenty Miles within the Enemies Quarters in which Expedition they kill'd forty seven Rapparees took thirteen Prisoners and burnt several Cabbins where they used to shelter Captain Palliser of the Earl of Drogheda's Regiment went with a Party from Carolante towards Portumna where he surprized some of my Lord Galmoy's Horse and took several Prisoners as also good store of rich Plunder with Arms Cloaths and several other things of value Cornet Russel and one Crofton come from the Enemies Quarters and give an Account that Balderock O Donnel had got several Men together again but wanting Arms and other Accoutrements they begun to desert And we also heard that Judge Daily was secured for being suspected to endeavour the delivering up of Gallway to our Forces And that Provisions and Forrage were very scarce in Connaught The Lords-Justices and Councel to encourage the bringing of Arms and Ammunition into Ireland by Merchants and others they set out a Proclamation declaring A Proclamation to encourage the Importing of Arms. that they shall be Duty-free pursuant to which Her Majesty made an Order of Council in England dated March the 3d. That no Duty shall be hereafter demanded or payable in Ireland for any Arms which shall be carryed to such parts of that Kingdom as are or shall be at the time of Importation under Their Majesties Obedience provided that the Parties exporting Arms from any other parts of Their Majesties Dominions do enter into sufficient Bonds for landing the same in such Parts of Ireland as aforesaid and no others The Rapparees at this time were very troublesom nigh Several Rapparees kill'd in the County of Longford Fox-Hall in the County of Longford till Lieutenant-Colonel Toby Purcel at three several times kill'd about one hundred of them in the last of which they kill'd fifty two and returning towards Quarters they were way-laid by the greatest part of Sir Donold O Neal's Dragoons Our Party were thirty five Dragoons and one hundred and forty Foot one Quarter-master Topham being with nine Dragoons commanded as an Advance-Party to view the Enemy as soon as discovered by us and seeing them in a confusion at his appearing he charged their Front who running away made all the rest of the same humour every one endeavouring to get first to their Garrison at New-Castle three were kill'd and one Dillan with four more taken Prisoners This Party its said was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Barnwell Upon this Defeat one Mack-Guire comes from the County of Longford with several hundreds of the Creights and most of the Stock that was left them for which and themselves they obtained Protections About the 10th of March we had an Account by some Protestants that came out of Connaught that the Irish a little after my Lord Tyrconnel's landing being out of humour with the Brass Money little or nothing being to be The Irish cry down their Brass Money had for it they cry'd it down by Proclamation the Crown piece to three Pence the Half-crown to three half-Pence the Shilling to a Penny and the Six pence to an half-penny After which the Soldiers lived upon free quarters Provisions also being scarce and no Markets for want of Money those Parts begun to be under worse Circumstances every Day We had Notice from Tallough that Sarsfield had Rendezvous'd part of his Army and some of the Irish Militia at Knockhany and that he had detached ten Men out of a Company and as many out of each Troop to Attack the Pass at
killed with a great Shot from one of our Batteries as he rid down the Hill of Monsiuer St. Ruth killed Killkomodon the place where the main stress of the Battle was fought being just under the Enemies Camp When Monsieur St. Ruth fell one of his Retinue threw a Cloak upon his Corps and soon after removed him beyond the Hill his Guard going off at the same time which the Irish Horse perceiving a great many of them drew off also I never could learn what became of his Corps some say that he was left stript amongst the other dead when our men pursued beyond the Hill and others that he was thrown into a Bogg However tho the man had an ill Character in being one of the greatest Persecutors of the Protestants in France yet we must allow him to be very brave in his Person and indeed considerable in his Conduct since he brought the Irish to fight a better Battle than ever their Nation could boast of before And this was the reason as the Irish report that the General being killed tho it was not presently known yet their Army was soon in Confusion for want of Orders and so the Horse forced to draw off But the truth of it was the Irish before they began to shrink had behaved themselves beyond all expectation and had fought longer than ordinary yet when they saw our Horse come over so dangerous a Pass and our Foot in the Centre Rally and resolve to dye every man rather than be beat back again the Irish then thought they must be beat if the other would not so that notwithstanding all their advantages of Hedges and Ground Sun and Wind they were forced to quit one advantagious Post and after that another till being beat from Ditch to Ditch they were driven up to the Top of the Hill of Killkomodon where The Irish Army Routed their Camp had laid which being levelled and they exposed to our Shot more openly they began now to run down right the Foot towards a great Bogg behind them on their Left and the Horse on the High-way towards Loughreagh The Irish upon their advantage in the Centre of the Battle had taken some Prisoners as has been said but not being able to carry them off they killed Col. Herbert and one or two more which several have lookt upon as a piece of cruelty and yet it 's no more than what has been often practised in such Cases and that to a greater degree for at the Battle of Agincourt Fought between Hen. 5th of England and Charles the 6th of France upon the 24th of Octob. 1414. the number of the Prisoners taken by the English being very great and King Henry after the Battle perceiving fresh Troops of the King of Sicill's to appear in the Field and these strong enough without any new rallyed Forces to Encounter his wearied Soldiers that he might not therefore have both Prisoners to Guard and an Enemy to fight at once he commanded every man to kill his Prisoner contrary to his Generous Nature which was immediately done some principal men excepted and then upon his Message to the Enemy either to Fight or immedately to quit the Field they chose the latter And some say that My Lord Galway had hard measure from some of our Foreign Toopers who kill'd him after he had surrendered himself a Prisoner not to themselves but to some others The place where this Battle was fought will make a noise in History for the future tho there 's nothing worth taking notice of near it For that which they call the Castle of Aghrim is only an old ruinous Building with some Walls and Ditches about it and never has been a place of any Strength only as it 's seated upon a Pass There are about half a score little Cabbins on the other side a small Brook with the Ruins of a little Church and a Priory Dedicated to St. Catherine and founded by the Butlers the whole being at this day the Estate of the D. of Ormond After things went clear on our side this old Castle Aghrim Castle taken was taken and a great many put the Sword in it Col. Burk the Commander his Major Eleven Officers more and Forty Soldiers were made Prisoners In this Battle we took from the Enemy nine pieces of Brass Cannon which they had planted at several places to their greatest advantage all their Ammunition Tents and Baggage with most of their small Arms which they threw away to run the faster we took also Eleven Standards and thirty two pair of Colours The General rewarding every one that brought any in the next day and sent them afterwards by my Lord O Bryan as a present to Her Majesty We killed seven Thousand of the Irish upon The number of the Dead the Spot as was generally believed and there could not be many fewer for looking amongst the Dead three days after when all our own and some of theirs were buried I reckoned in some small Inclosures 150 in others 120 c. lying most of them by the Ditches where they were Shot and the rest from the top of the Hill where their Camp had been looked like a great Flock of Sheep shattered up and down the Countrey for almost four Miles round And the Irish themselves tho they will not allow so many to be killed yet they own that they lost more which they could never have any account of except they stole home privately or else turned Rapparees We took also above four hundred and fifty Prisoners of the chief of whom and those killed there was shortly after a List in Print which time has informed me of some mistakes in tho possibly there may be some as yet remaining The General and Field Officers taken Prisoners 26. viz. Lord Duleek Lord Slane Lord Buffin Sir Nicholas Brown alias Lord Killmare Major General Dorrington Major Gen. John Hambleton Brigadeer Tuite Col. Walter Bourk Col. Gordon O Neal. Col. Butler of Kilkash Col. O Connel Col. Edmund Madden Lieut. Col. John Chappel Lieut. Col. John Butler Lieut. Col. Baggot Lieut. Col. John Border Lieut. Col Mack Genuis Lieut. Col. Rossiter Lieut. Col. Mack Guire Major Patrick Lawless Major Kelly Major Grace Major William Bourk Major Edmund Butler Major Edmund Broghill Major John Hewson with 30 Captains 25 Lieutenants 23 Ensig 5 Cor. 4 Quarter-masters and an Adjutant KILLED Monsieur St. Ruth General of the Irish Army Lord Killmallock Lord Galway Brigadeer Connel Brigad W. Mansfield Barker Brigad Hen. Mack J. O Neal. Col. Charles More his Lieut. Col. and Major Col. David Bourk Col. Vlick Bourk Col. Cohanaught Macguire Col. James Talbot Col. Arthur Col. Mahoony Lieut. Col. Morgan Major Purcel Major O Donnell Sir John Everard with several others not yet known besides at least five hundred Captains and Subaltern Officers We lost Seventy Three Officers who were killed in this Action with an Hundred and Eleven Wounded Six Hundred Soldiers were Killed and Nine Hundred and
the Afternoon Hostages exchanged my Lord Cutts Sir David Collier Colonel Tiffin and Colonel Piper were sent into the Town for whom were sent out the Lords Westmeath Iveagh Trimblestowne and Louth The 27th the Irish sent out their Proposals which were 1st That their Majesties will by an Act of Indemnity The Irish Proposals pardon all past Crimes and Offences whatsoever 2dly To restore all Irish Catholicks to the Estates of which they were seized or possessed before the late Revolution 3dly To allow a free Liberty of Worship and one Priest to each Parish as well in Towns and Cities as in the Country 4thly Irish Catholicks to be capable of bearing Imployments Military and Civil and to exercise Professions Trades Callings of what Nature soever 5thly The Irish Army to be kept on Foot paid c. as the rest of their Majesties Forces in case they be willing to serve their Majesties against France or any other Enemy 6thly The Irish Catholicks to be allowed to live in Towns Corporate and Cities to be Members of Corporations to exercise all sorts and manners of Trades and to be equal with their Fellow-Protestant Subjects in all Privileges Advantages and Immunities accruing in or by the said Corporations 7thly An Act of Parliament to be past for ratifying and confirming the said Conditions These Propositions were very unreasonable and they say mightily insisted upon by Mack Guire and others of the Priesthood this Man I 'm told was Chaplain to the Spanish Ambassador at Rome when Plunket the Titular Primate was hanged about the Popish Plot in Ireland and few People daring to assume that Title at such a Juncture the Ambassador procured it from the Pope for him When those Proposals were brought out to the General he was so far from granting them that he returned Answer Though he was in a manner a Stranger to the Laws of England yet he understood Rejected by the General and new Batteries ordered to be raised that those things they insisted upon were so far contradictory to them and dishonourable to himself that he would not grant any such Terms and so returned them ordering a new Battery to be immediately raised to the left of Mackay's Fort for Mortars and Guns Then the Irish sent again to know what Terms his Excellency would please to propose to them who after a Consultation sent them in twelve Articles much the same in Substance with those afterwards agreed upon and said he would allow of no other He sent them however all the Prisoners that we had of theirs in the Camp in Requital of ours that were released before their wounded Prisoners having always the same Conveniences with our own Men. The 28th early in the Morning Sarsfield Waughup Articles agreed upon the Titular Primate Baron Purcell of Loughmoe Arch-Bishop of Cashell Sir Garret Dillon Sir Theobald Butler and Colonel Brown the three last Counsellors at Law with several other Officers and Commissioners came to the General 's Quarters whither he sent for all our General Officers and after a long Debate Articles were agreed on not only for the Town of Limerick but for all the other Forts and Castles in the Kingdom then in the Enemies Possession as Ross Clare c. The same Afternoon an Order was signed for part of the Transport Ships to sail from Cork to the Shannon and there to take on Board some of the Irish Forces The following Letter was also sent by the General to Sir Ralph Delavall who he understood was upon the Coast with a Squadron of English Men of War Camp before Limerick Septemb. 28. 1691. SIR I Have notice from my Lord Nottingham that you The General 's Letter to Sir Ralph Dalaval were to come with the Squadron under your Command into these Seas which makes me send this to acquaint you that I have entred into a Treaty with the City of Limerick and the Irish Army which is now just come to a Conclusion In the mean time we have a Cessation of Arms at Land and have agreed there shall be one too at Sea upon the Coasts of this Kingdom since several of the Irish Army are to be transported and to make use of French as well as English Ships for that Purpose and therefore I must desire you will not hinder the Transport Ships of France from coming into the Shannon nor the rest of their Fleet into Dingle Bay The French Intendant here has written his Part to the Squadron of their Men of VVar that is expected and gives Assurance that no Hostility will be committed by them and you will please to observe the same on your Side which is very necessary for their Majesties Service and the speedy finishing the Affair we have in hand to which I am sure you will contribute what you may as well as SIR Your most humble Servant Bar. de GINCKELL The 29th all our Horse and Dragoons commanded by the Marquess Ruvigny go to encamp beyond Six-mile-Bridg for the Conveniency of Forage and a friendly Correspondence begun between the Irish and us several of our Army going into Town and others of them coming into our Camp The 30th most of the Irish General Officers dined with the Duke of Wirtembergh nothing further being to be done till the Arrival of the Lords Justices who were sent for to confirm the Articles according to Agreement And by this time the Irish Souldiers and ours were also pretty well acquainted they coming into our Camp and our Men being admitted to view all their Works where we will leave them asking strange Questions one at another and look back a little upon the Actions that hapned in other Parts of the Kingdom during this Month. For whilst the Army was busied in the Field against A brief Account of what hapned in other Places of the Kingdom this Month. the main Strength of the Irish the Government was not wanting to order the Militia in several Parts of this Kingdom to suppress the skulking Tories and other mischievous Persons who laid hold on all Occasions to do Mischief On the 5th of September a Party of Rapparees near Tallough rob some Carriages belonging to the Officers in the Princess Ann's Regiment and got away into the Woods The Militia kill three Rapparees near Caperquin and four more nigh Lismore The 6th our Barbadoes Fleet came into Kinsale under Convoy of the Princess Ann and the Bristol Frigats and the same Day the St. Albans and Soldadoe brought 7 French Prizes into Cork The Militia of Dublin and eight hundred more from the North being joined by Balderock O Donnel with about twelve hundred Irish were at Abby Boyle the 9th of September on their March to Sligoe and on their way they summon'd Loughlin commanded by Colonel Theobald Dillon and another Place commanded by Colonel Charles Kelly both strong Castles and garison'd by the Irish which surrendred and then the Earl of Granard Commander in chief sent to summon Ballymott which refusing to surrender
Souldiers in order according to their Lists they first carried all the Men on Board and many of the Women at the second return of the Boat for the Officers catching hold to be carried on Board were dragged off and through fearfulness losing their hold were drowned but others who held faster had their fingers cut off and so perished in sight of their Husbands or Relations tho' those of them that did get over wou'd make but a sad Figure if they were admitted to go to the late Queen's Court at St. Germaine The Sheriffs for the several Counties in Ireland were prick'd and the same day all the Irish Prisoners that were in Newgate in Dublin were released and my Lord Lucan finding that he had Ships enough for all the Irish that were like to go with him the Number that went before and these Shipt at this time being according to the best computation about 12000 of all sorts he Signs the following Releasement WHereas by the Articles of Limerick Lieutenant My Lord Lucan 's Release to the General General Ginckell Commander in Chief of the English Army did engage himself to furnish ten thousand Tun of Shipping for the Transporting of such of the Irish Forces to France as were willing to go thither and to facilitate their passage to add four thousand Tun more in case the French Fleet did not come to this Kingdom to take off part of those Forces and whereas the French Fleet has been upon the Coast and carried away some of the said Forces and the Lieutenant General has provided Ships for as many of the rest as are willing to go as aforesaid I do hereby delare that the said Lieutenant General is released from any Obligation he lay under from the said Articles to provide Vessels for that purpose and do quit and renounce all farther Claim and Pretension on this Account c. Witness my Hand this 8th of December 1691. Witnesses Lucan Mark Talbot F. H. de la Forest Susannel December the 20th Colonel Langston's and Colonel Monopouillon's Horse and the Prince of Hess's Foot Shipp'd at Dublin for England and Colonel Neuhewson's Horse and the Brandeuburgh Foot march'd into Dublin The 22 d my Lord Lucan and the rest of the Irish Great Officers went on Board the Transport Ships leaving Hostages at Cork for the return of the said All the Irish go off except the Hostages Ships And at the same time Colonel Hasting's Sir David Collier's Colonel Brewer's and Colonel Herbert's Regiments were Shipp'd for England the Government taking all possible Care to Discharge the Kingdom of both Armies who had already brought it into a very low Condition December the 24th an Order was given out to the Comissary General of the Musters or his Deputies to An Order for Mustering all the Irish that came over to us take an exact Muster of all the Irish Forces now in Arms that had come over to our side since the beginning of the Truce at Limerick and they had Quarters allotted them in several places of the Kingdom but behaved themselves after their usual rate for tho' they had Changed their King yet not their Customs for they Taxed the People where they Quartered as they pleased themselves Imprison'd several and Released others as they saw good forced The Irish very unruly in their Quarters the Markets and did a great many other Illegal Tricks Insomuch that Complaint being made to the Lords Justices of those Disorders they writ a Letter to my Lord Kingston December 31. Desiring his Lordship to do them the Country and His Majesty what Service he cou'd in suppressing those Irregularities and to have the Court Martials that were Ordered in several Places put in Execution January the 6th there being no further use of a Marching Hospital in this Kingdom and the same The Marching-Hospital broke being expensive to the Government an Order was given out for the discharging several Physicians and others that attended on the same And now Their Majesties Pleasure being known about the Irish Orders and Instructions were directed to Colonel Foulk Colonel St. Johns and Brigadeer Villers to view and discharge all the Irish Forces except 1400 Choice Men the form of their Commissions for it ran thus By the Lords Justices of Ireland WHEREAS Their Majesties are pleased to Direct Orders and Instructions for breaking the Irish Forces that there be an immediate Regulation of such of the Regiments whether Horse Foot or Dragoons of the late Irish Army as came in and submitted to Their Obedience And We being well assured of the Care Diligence and Circumspection as well as of the Loyalty and Readiness of Colonel John Foulks to do Their Majesties good and faithful Service do hereby appoint him to make the said Regulation and Reform c. The Irish being by the said Instrument commanded January 1692. to obey him and our own Troops and Militia to observe his Directions in their Marching from place to place as he saw occasion The said Colonel Foulk and the other Officers aforesaid had Directions to assure the Irish both Officers and Souldiers of Their Majesties Gracious Disposition towards them tho' the present State of their Affairs wou'd not admit of any more than 1400 Men to be employed at this time and those to be divided into two Battalions Commanded by Colonel Wilson and Balderock O Donnel And that the Officers that were not willing to go home might attend those two Battalions where they wou'd have Subsistance till better provided for As for those that returned to their Habitations and desired to live peaceably at home if they were Souldiers and had their Arms nine Shillings a piece was ordered them but if without Arms they had six Shillings The Officers had a Fortnights Subsistence each to bear their Charges home These Orders and Instructions bore Date the 11th and 12th of January pursuant to which as soon as it cou'd conveniently be done Colonel Wilson's Colonel O Ryley's Colonel Nugent's Lord Iveigh's Lord Dillon's Colonel Cormack Oneal's Colonel Foelix Oneal's Colonel Geoghagan's Colonel O Donnel's Colonel Rourk's Colonel Oxborough's Colonel Lutteril's Horse Colonel Tho. Burk's Troop of Horse Sir Colonel John Burk's Troop Briggadier Clifford's Draggoons Colonel Mackgenni's Draggons were all broke by Colonel Foulk In Munster also Colonel Corbet's Horse were broke by Brigadier Villers And Colonel Mackdermot's Foot Colonel Bryan Oneal's Colonel Rob. Purcel's and Lieutenant Colonel Cahan's were broke by Colonel St. Johns only two Battalions being drawn out of the whole as is said and had Quarters assigned them in the Barrony of Muskerry These Irish had the Name of a great many January 1692. Regiments but scarce an hundred Men in each one with another for they were thin at best and several of them were gone into France having the Names of Regiments there also But after some time all the Irish not laying down their Arms an Order was directed to Sir Francis Hambleton Governour of Donegal to break
much more so to others especially in an Age wherein so many Learned and Great Men have brought our Language to so great Perfection But all the hopes I have is That the most Learned Men are aptest to put the most favourable Construction upon a private man's Endeavour and will be ready to pardon a great many Defects in one that means well and as for all the Censorious men in the world I shall not be much concerned at what they say ERRATA PAge 1. l. 6. for 1690. read 1689. p. 27. l. 10. for Coltiers r. Cottiers p. 28. in the Marg. dele A List of Their Majesties Army p. 42. l. 2. dele a p. 46. l. 10. for have r. having p. 50. l. 29. for Raparees r. Raparee p. 53. l. 4. dele here p. 57. l. 15. for drawn on r. drawn up p. 90. l 10. for Handshot off r. Head shot off ibid. l. 32 for terrible r. terribly p. 109. l. 30. for in these r. these p. 116. l. 20. r. necessaries p. 126. l. 29. for 1000 r. 10000. p. 151. l. 13. for went r. going p. 162. in the Marg. for Monks r. Mackay ' s. p. 165. l. 16. for litera r. literae p. 181. l. 19. for bene r. breve p. 187. l. 17. for Connor r. Connel p. 191. l 25. for amounted r. mounted p. 215. l. 16. the word being misplaced p. 249. l. 5. for Commader r. Commander p. 254. l. 15. for Account r. which Account p. 260. l. 32. for each r. reach p. 292. l. 8. r. Major-Generals ibid. l. 11. r. Boats p. 295. l. 29. dele Sir p. 318. l 31. before the word Kingdom add King or p. 324. l. 35. for Conversation r. Conversing There are some other small Errors in Pages Months or Names which the Reader may please to Correct as he finds them THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. A Brief Account of the Cause of the War Page 2 The State of the Protestants in that Kingdom 3 The late King lands there from France Ibid. Protestants routed at Drummore Ibid. An Irish Parliament called 4 Derry Besieged and Relieved 4 5 The Irish beat at Croom-Castle Ibid. Duke Schonberg lands in August 1689. 6 Carigfergus surrendred with the Articles of Surrender 7 Newry burnt by the Irish 9 Our Army march to Dundalk Ibid. And encamp there nigh Ten weeks 10 Sligo taken by the Irish Ibid. A Party of the Irish repulsed at Newry Ibid. The Battel of Cavan 14 The Danes land in Ireland Ibid. 5000 French Foot land at Kinsale 15 Charlemont surrendred 16 CHAP. II. HIS Majesty lands in Ireland 18 Our Army marches towards the Boyne 20 His Majesty 's narrow escape the day before the Battel Ibid. The Battel at the Boyne 22 The Number of the Dead 23 The late King quits Ireland 25 Our Army march to Dublin 26 His Majesty's Declaration to the Irish 27 A List of our General Officers 28 And of those belonging to the Irish Page 30. The Number of men in both Armies 31 Lieutenant-General Douglass sent with a Party to Athlone ibid. A Commission granted by the King to secure Forfeited Goods 32 Wexford Waterford and Dungannon Fort surrendred to his Majesty 34 35 Limerick besieged 36 Some of our Guns surprized 37 A Fort taken then an Attack made upon the Town 38 His Majesty raises the Siege and returns to England 39 40 CHAP. III. THE French Forces quit Ireland 41 Bi r besieged by the Irish 42 Count Solm's Answer to the Duke of Berwick's Letter 43 Lieutenant-General Ginckle made Commander in Chief Ibid. Lords Justices begin their Government 44 Earl of Marlborough sent into Ireland Ibid. Cork and Kinsale surrendred 45 The Irish attempt our Frontiers 46 Part of our Army move towards the Shannon 48 Rapparees in the Bog of Allen 49 Those people serviceable to the Irish Interest and how 50 My Lord Tyrconnel returns from France 51 Sarsfield made Earl of Lucan 55 The Irish defeated at the Mote of Greenoge 57 Several Adventures with the Rapparees and Parties of the Irish Army 58 59 60 c. Some of our Regiments take the Field at Mullingar 68 CHAP. IV. THirty Rapparees killed 72 Major Wood defeats a Party of the Irish 73 Several Skirmishes between the Irish and Militia 74 75 Some of our Sea-men and Militia join and march into the Enemies Quarters 77 Monsieur St. Ruth lands in Ireland to command their Army 78 Our great Officers take the Field at Mullingar 80 CHAP. V. THE Fortifications at Mullingar contracted Page 85 A Stratagem of the Irish to get Horses Ibid. The Irish Army march towards Athlone 86 Our Army Besieges Ballimore 87 Its Scituation described ibid. The Fort surrendred 91 Its Fortifications improved ibid. Our Army joined by the Duke of Wertenberg nigh Athlone 94 That Town Attacked with the manner of it 95 The English Town taken Batteries against the Irish Town 98 A Design to pass the Shannon frustrated 100 The Enemy burn our Close Gallery 102 A Councel of War held 105 The Town Stormed 107 The Number of the Dead 108 A part of our Army left in the Country and why 110 What happened in other Places of the Kingdom during this Month ibid. CHAP. VI. THE Irish Army Removes 114 The Dead buried at Athlone ibid. The Irish resolve to give us Battel 115 Irish Prisoners sent towards Dublin 117 The Lords Justices Declaration to the Irish ibid. The Enemy's Camp and Posture at Aghrim described 122 Monsieur St. Ruth's supposed Speech to the Irish 123 The Battel of Aghrim 127 The number of the dead on both sides and of the Irish Prisoners 136 Instances in former Battels wherein the Irish have been routed with little loss to the English 142 An Account of some Irish Prophecies 145 Loughrea deserted by the Irish 148 Portumna Surrendred ibid. Our Army marches towards Galway 259 The Town Besieged 160 The Articles of Surrender with their Majesties confirmation of them 165 Our Army returns towards Limerick 174 An Account of what happened in other places of the Kingdom during this Month 174 175 CHAP. VII SEveral fresh Regiments ordered towards the Camp to recruit the Army 179 Brigadier Leveson sent with a Party towards Nenagh A Treaty with Balderock O Donnell 182 Our Army marches to Cariganliss 186 News of the death of my Lord Tyrconnell 187 Irish Lords Justices Act after his death 188 An Order about the Rates of Provisions 186 Another prohibiting the Buying of Cattel without the General 's License ibid. Our Army approaches Limerick 188 Ireton's and Cromwell's Forts taken 189 A Party sent to Castle Connell 190 Our Ships come up the River near the Town 191 Brigadier Leveson sent into Kerry 193 A brief Account of what happened in other places of the Kingdom during the Month of August 195 CHAP. VIII OUR Bombs set the Town on fire 240 The Irish design a Sally but are repulsed ibid. Brigadier Leveson routs a Party of the Irish in Kerry ibid. A Design to pass the River 205 A new Battery
being done with the Duke's consent who took Mackarty for a man of Honour the Governor was acquitted The beginning of January our Regiments being all very thin and it appearing a little difficult to recruit them in England most people being then out of humour for the loss of their Relations and Acquaintance nor altogether that number of Voluntiers appearing then as formerly therefore several Regiments were broke one into another and the supernumerary Officers continued at half-pay till Provision could be made for them in other Regiments Sir Tho. Gower being dead my Lord Drogheda's Regiment was broke into his and his Lordship made Collonel of it my Lord Roscommon's Regiment was broke also into Collonel Earl's and Collonel Zanchy's formerly my Lord Lovelace's Sir Henry Inglesby's and Collonel Hambleton's of Inniskilling were broke into other Regiments and about the 12th 16th and 20th most of the Officers designed for that Service went from Lisburne towards England for Recruits to the Army January the 18th A Proclamation was published strictly forbidding Cursing Swearing and Prophaneness in Officers or Soldiers under the Penalties enjoined in the Articles of War and his Grace's utmost Displeasure but neither this nor yet the Judgments of God then hanging upon us for those and a great many other sins had that effect that the General and other good men heartily wished for and no doubt of it the Debaucheries in Armies are the high-way to Ruin since those both obey and fight best that are the most sober The 22 d. Brigadier Stuart went with a Party of Five hundred Horse and Foot towards Dundalk destroying several Cabins amongst the Mountains where the Irish used to shelter themselves and his Party brought in a considerable Prey at their return The 25th the General went from Lisburne in order to visit our Frontier Garisons and appointed stores of Bread Cheese Shooes and other Necessaries at several places especially at Armagh the Metropolis of the whole Island On the 11th of February a part of our Army being The Irish Army in motion drawn together to attend the Enemy's Motion who we understood were then in a Body towards Dundalk The General himself went to Drummore and so to Loughbritland in order to give the Enemy Battel if they advanced our Men and Horses having recovered by this time from their late Diseases to a Miracle Sir John Laneir and Brigadier La Mellionere advanced with a Party towards Carlingford but returned with an Account that there were only three Regiments at Dundalk as formerly but the Design of the Irish lay another way For whilst the Duke was abroad on that side Collonel Woolsley had notice that the Enemy were resolved to fall upon Belturbet where he then commanded to which purpose they had already crouded a Garison of theirs called Cavan eight miles from Belturbet at what place they expected a greater Force in a day or two but Collonel Woolsley to be before-hand with their visit marched from Belturbet on the 12th about Four in the Afternoon with Seven hundred Foot and Three hundred Horse and Dragoons hoping to surprize the Enemy next Morning early but he met with so many Difficulties in his march that instead of being at the Place before day as he designed it was fair day-light before he came near it the Enemy had also taken the Alarm and were so far from being surprized that instead of the usual Garison which we only as yet expected there the first thing that our men saw was a Body of the Enemy's drawn up in good order and judged to be about Four thousand It was rather therefore a surprize upon us than them however we fought and routed The Battel of Cavan them killed Brigadier Nugent with several other Officers and about Three hundred Soldiers taking Twelve Officers and Sixty private Men Prisoners burnt the Town and returned with a good Booty having lost Major Trahern Captain Armstrong and Captain Mayo with about Thirty private Men and double the number wounded And to let the Enemy see that we were ready Sir John Lanier goes to Dundalk with a Party for them on all sides Sir John Lanier marched again on the 15th towards Dundalk with a Party of One thousand Horse Foot and Dragoons he came before the Place early next Morning which the Enemy had fortified very regularly And placing some of his men near the Works on the North-east Side towards the Bridge he sent a Party of Collonel Leveson's Dragoons cross the River who took Bedloe's Castle an Ensign and Thirty men surrendring themselves Prisoners In the mean time another Party marched in at the South-west End of the Town and burnt most of what was left without the Works in which Service we lost a Lieutenant and two or three Dragoons our Men returning with a Prey of Fifteen hundred Cows and Horses The beginning of March landed the Duke of Wertenberg The Danes land in Ireland with Six Thousand Danes being proper men very well Cloathed and Armed On the 12th Colonel Callimot with a Party endeavoured to burn the Wooden Bridge at Charlemont which he set fire to and killed about Twenty of the Enemy lost his own Major with about Six men and so returned March the 14th Five thousand French Foot under 5000 French land in Ireland Count Lauzune and the Marquess de Lery landed at Kinsale in order to join the Late King's Army for whom in exchange Major-General Macharty and near the same number of Irish were sent into France our English Fleet then attending the Queen of Spain made this Undertaking more easie to the French April the 6th Collonel Woolsley with a Party of Seven hundred men attacked the Castle of Killyshandra seven miles from Belturbet where the Enemy had a Garison of One hundred and sixty men commanded by one Captain Darcy after some Mines were fixed and a brisk Assault or two made upon their Works in which we lost Eight men the Besieged surrendred and we left a Garison of One hundred men in the Place Nigh which time a great many Recruits as also Collonel Cutt's Collonel Babington's with a Danish Regiment of Horse landed at White-House April the 18th Sir Clousley Shovell went into the Bay Sir Clousley Shovell takes a Frigat out of the Bay of Dublin of Dublin and brought from a Place called the Salmon Pool a Frigat of Sixteen Guns and Four Pattereroes loaden with Hides Tallow some Plate and other Rich Moveables designed for France the Late King and several of his Irish Regiments marching as far as Rings-End where they were all Witnesses of so wicked an Action as they called it done on so good a Day it being Good-Friday May the 2 d Lieutenant-Collonel Mackmehon with Relief put into Charlemont about Four hundred men Ammunition and some small quantities of Provisions got into Charlemont in the Night but our French and other Regiments posted thereabouts watched him so narrowly that though he made two or three Attempts yet he could not
get out again And the second Week in May several English a Brandenburg and Three Dutch Regiments landed By which time also all our Recruits were compleated and the Regiments Cloathed so that we had now an Excellent Army all over-joyed with the Assurance that His Majesty in person designed to make that Campaign in Ireland A part of our Army also begin to take the Field and Encamp almost round Charlemont Cannon and Mortars were sent up that way too in order to force old Teague O Regan the Governour from his Nest if he would not quit it otherways but their Provisions being spent and no hopes of Relief appearing on the 12th of May the Governour desired a Parley and after some time it was agreed That his Garison should march out with their Arms and Baggage which they did Charlemont surrendred on the 14th being about Eight hundred besides two hundred Women and Children four Companies of Collonel Babington's Regiment taking possession of the Place We found Seventeen Pieces of Cannon one large Mortar Eighty three Barrels of Powder with some Fire Arms and other useful Materials in the Castle The same day that Charlemont was surrendred Collonel Woolsley and Collonel Foulks with Twelve hundred men went to a Castle called Bellynacargy in which the Enemy had Two hundred men this was scituate in a small Lough so that our men were forced to march up to their middles in water to make their Approaches the Enemy fired smartly upon us killed us Two Captains an Ensign and Seventeen men and wounded Forty three but when they saw us resolved to have the Place they hung out their White Flag and agreed to march away without their Arms. A Ground Plot of the STRONG FORT of CHARLEMONT in IRELAND With the Town River Marshes Boggs places adjacent ct CHAP. II. His Majesty lands in Ireland Our Army takes the Field The King marches towards the Boyn His Majesty's narrow Escape the day before the Battel The Battel of the Boyn The number of the Dead The Late King quits Ireland Our Army marches to Dublin His Majesty's Declaration to the Irish A List of our General Officers and of those belonging to the Irish Army The number of men in both Armies Our Army divides Lieutenant-General Douglass marches with a Party towards Athlone A Commission granted by the King to secure forfeited Goods Wexford secured Clonmell quitted Waterford and Dungannon-Fort surrendred to His Majesty The King intends for England and sends some Forces thither But returns to the Camp Limerick Besieged Some of our Guns surprized A Fort taken An Attack upon the Town Our men draw off His Majesty raises the Siege and returns to England ALL People were now big with hopes of His Majesty's coming for Ireland who left Kensington the Fourth of June 1690. took Shipping at Hylake His Majesty Lands in Ireland on the 12th and on the 14th being Saturday he landed about Four in the Afternoon at Carigfergus from whence being upon the Road to Belfast he was met by the General Major-General Kirk and a great many more Officers of the Army that were there expecting His Majesty's Landing And that Evening landed his Highness Prince George the Duke of Ormond Earl of Oxford Earl of Portland Earl of Scarborough Earl of Manchester my Lord Overkirk my Lord Sidney with a great many other Persons of Quality some of them Officers in the Army and others Voluntiers The two following days His Majesty was attended by most of the Nobily Clergy and other Gentlemen inhabiting that part of the Kingdom He was presented also with an Address from the Episcopal Clergy and another from several Presbyterian Ministers both which His Majesty received very graciously The King stayed at Belfast till Thursday the 19th and having set out a Proclamation to encourage all People of what Persuasion soever to live peaceably at home His Majesty went to Hilsburrough giving Ordes for his Army to take the Field And on the All our Army takes the Field 22th His Majesty Encampt at Loughbritland with that part of the Army which had their Rendezvouz there and never laid out of the Camp except upon his Journey from Caruck to Dublin after that during his stay in Ireland That Morning a Party of Two hundred Foot and Dragoons going from Newry towards Dundalk to discover the Enemy who ere this had taken the Field and then lay encamped there our men fell into an Ambuscade of about Four hundred of the Irish at a narrow Pass upon a Bog nigh a place called the Four-mile House by which we lost Twenty two of our Party and Captain Farlow with another Officer were taken Prisoners but the Enemy did not gain much by this Attempt for they lost more in number than we did Captain Farlow was the first who gave the Late King a certain Account of King William's being in Ireland for till then he would not believe it June the 27th our whole Army joined at Dundalk making in all about Thirty six thousand though the World called us at least a third part more The Irish at our approach hither had removed to the Boyn And on Sunday the 29th our Army marched beyond Ardee which the Enemy had fortified much after the same manner as they had done Dundalk and early next morning our whole Army moved toward the The Army marches to the Boyn Boyne making their Approaches very finely After some time His Majesty sent down small Parties of Horse to discover the Ways and then rid towards the Pass at Old Bridge having a full view of the Enemy's Camp as he went along His Majesty stopt some time at Old Bridge to observe the Enemy's Posture and then going a little further His Majesty alighted to refresh himself and sate nigh an hour upon the Grass during which time the Enemy brought down two Field-pieces under Covert of a small Party of Horse and planted them at the Corner of a Hedge undiscovered and when His Majesty the Prince and the rest were mounted again and riding softly the same way back their Cannonier let fly and at the second Shot was so near the killing His Majesty His Majesty's narrow Escape from a Great Shot as that the Bullet slanted upon his Right Shoulder took away a piece of his Coat and struck off the Skin which might have been a fatal Blow to his Army and Kingdoms too if the Great Creator of the World who orders and governs all things had not been at his Right Hand where he always is and I hope will be as well for the defence of His Majesty's Sacred Person as the good of those he has undertaken to protect The Enemy then fired those two Pieces as fast as they could charge and discharge doing some damage amongst our Horse that were drawing up before them which made the King give Orders for his Horse to rein a little backwards and have the advantage of a Rising Ground between them and the Cannon About Three a Clock
in the Afternoon some of our Field-pieces came up which were immediately planted and then played into the Enemy's Camp the rest of the day was spent in our Army 's Encamping and in firing Great Guns one upon another from several Batteries without any extraordinary loss Whether His Majesty had already an Account of what had happened to the Confederate Army at Flerus I am not able to give an Account but it 's probable he had some intimation of it since in a Council of War held that night His Majesty seemed positive in passing the River next day and therefore gave Orders for his Army to be ready accordingly The late King had likewise another Council of War on his side the River wherein all the French and Irish Officers agreed which was the only time they ever did so before or after Not to give us Battel but to march off in the night and then retreat towards Athlone and Limerick filling all their Towns that were tenable as they went with sufficient Garisons to defend them And their reason was this as soon as Sir Cloudsley Shovel with his Squadron of Men of War had seen the King safe in Ireland he was ordered to sail immediately and join my Lord Torrington then at Sea with the English Fleet which the French having notice of and that all our Transport Ships with our Provisions and other Necessaries for War were left at Carigfergus-Bay with little or no Convoy and would have Orders to coast along as the Army marched they resolved to send Ten small Frigats and Twelve Privateers into the Channel and burn all our Ships which if it had been done then our Communication from England had been in a manner cut off and our Army forced to subsist upon the Countrey or starve at least we had been debarred those Necessaries without which the War could not have been carried on This Design of the French was not unknown to the King and therefore he was the more earnest in going forward It was advised therefore in the Irish Camp That seeing we had a better Army by much in the Field than theirs and might probably beat them if they engaged to march away and so protract the time till they saw what became of the Design about burning our Ships which they were confident would take effect But the late King himself was very much bent upon fighting alledging That if he retreated with his Army and left Dublin and other places to the Enemy the Irish who are soon disheartned and only judge according to appearance would all desert him by degrees and then himself and those that stood by him would be delivered up to the Mercy of the Enemy So that seeing him in this humour they were in hopes that a vigorous fit of Valour had seized him and that he would next day play the Hero in either Conquering Valiantly or Dying Gloriously and then having ordered the disposing of their Army they concluded to stay and watch our motion The Battle at the Boyne On the Irish side were killed my Lord Dungan my The number of the Dead Lord Carlingford Sir Neal O Neal with a great number of other Officers and about Thirteen or Fourteen hundred Soldiers and we lost on our side nigh Four hundred but the loss of Duke Schonberg who was killed soon after the first of our Forces passed the River near the little Village called Old-Bridge was much more considerable than all that fell that day on both sides whom his very Enemies always called a Brave Man and a Great General whose Name will make a considerable Figure in History whilst there are such places as Germany Flanders France England and Ireland Monsieur Callimot a brave and worthy Gentleman died soon after him of his Wounds having followed that great man in most of his Fortunes whose elder Brother the Marquess Ruvigny had Duke Schonberg's Regiment of French Horse bestowed upon him by the King For the further Particulars of this Battel and what hapned during the preceding Campaign and also the most material Circumstances of this I refer the Reader to the First Part of this History already printed Some will pretend to say That his Majesty was a little too soon in the passing his Foot over the River for the Left Wing of the Irish Army seemed resolved to fight Douglass but when they heard how things went at Old-Bridge they retreated immediately towards Duleek and so marched off untouched But there was a very good reason for what his Majesty did in this case for it was about a quarter past Ten when our Foot first entred the River and if the King had deferred it an hour longer then the Tide which generally comes up above Old-Bridge would certainly have prevented our men from passing either there or below so that the Right Wing of our Army had been exposed to the hazard of fighting all theirs and the rest not able to come to their relief till possibly it had been too late and this may serve to answer whatever can be objected in that case The late King at the beginning of this Battel stood by an old Church near the Village called Dunore but assoon as he saw his men give way he made haste to Duleek and from thence to Dublin whither he got that Evening by Nine a Clock and early next morning sent for the Popish Lord-Mayor with some other Officers of the City and gave them a charge not to burn it and then going towards Bray scarce looked behind him afterwards till he got to Waterford and so on Ship-board for France leaving his poor Teagues to fight it out or do what they pleased for him And what was more remarkable finding some of the Frigats at Waterford that were to go upon the Project of Burning our Ships he told them all was lost and that it was past time and so took them along with him which prevented any further Attempts upon our Ships Whilst his present Majesty King William gave his Army other kind of Proofs both of his Courage and Conduct having a Soul far above Fear or any thing that may look mean in so Great a Prince Nor ever had an Army a more entire Affection for their chief Commander than his Majesty 's for him his Resolution being always undaunted and their only Fear being for his Majesty's Person And whatever difference happens hereafter between his Majesty and his Army can only be this That they desire to stand between his Person and all Danger but he always 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 Soldiers but Subjects too of all other Professions that honour him to that degree Those of our English Forces that were engaged and had opportunity to shew themselves gave signal demonstrations of their Courage and Bravery the Inniskilliners and French too both Horse and Foot did good service and the Dutch Guards deserve no small Honour for their
of the Regiments and the numbers in each to be 39320 Foot 3471 Horse and 2480 Dragoons which in all make an Army of 50271. besides their Rapparees in all the Corners of the Countrey but these were all that they had to man the whole Garisons of Ireland so that they were not above 27000 at the Boyn besides the French But to return About the 8th or 9th of July it was known abroad That His Majesty had an Account of the Misfortune of the English and Dutch Fleets at which time he divided his Army and marched himself towards Kilkenny with the greatest part of it For though His Majesty was sensible that going with his whole Army towards Athlone and so into Connaght was the readiest way to reduce the Irish yet having some Reasons to apprehend that the French after the Battel of Flerus might send off Detachments from their Army and so disturb England or at least send part of their Fleet and burn his Transport-Ships he made hast to secure Waterford Haven for them since the Bay of Dublin is no Place of safety Sending at the same time Lieutenant-General Douglas with three Regiments of Horse two of Dragoons and ten of Foot towards Athlone Ffty miles to the Northwest from Dublin before which Place he came on the 17th with the aforesaid Party Twelve Field-pieces and two small Mortars The Irish burnt and deferted that part of Athlone on Leinster side the Bridge called the English Town But seeing our Party and our Train not suitable to such an Undertaking and having three Regiments of Foot nine Troops of Dragoons and two of Horse in and about the Town with a fresh supply of Forces not far off they positively refused to deliver up the Place which Lieutenant-General Douglas seeing no hopes of forcing them to on Friday the 25th early in the morning he raised his Siege and marched to join the King's Army again having not lost above Thirty men before the place but near Three hundred by Sickness and other Accidents Our rising from before that Town did so puff up the Irish that one Malady the Late King 's High Sheriff for the County of Longford got at least Three thousand of the Rabble or such like People together near Mullingar where they hectored and swaggered for some days but Collonel Woolsley with his own Horse and two Regiments of Foot being sent back to secure that part of the Countrey about Forty of his Horse being an Advance Guard fell in with a Party of the Irish towards the Evening which giving the Alarm to the rest they immediately began to disperse and every man to shift for himself and Night coming on our Party had only the opportunity of killing about Thirty of them High Sheriff Malady himself being wounded and never since able to raise such another posse Commitatus But to return to His Majesty's Camp which on the 9th he pitched at a place called Cromlin two miles to the West of Dublin where the King setled the method A Commission about Forfeited Goods of granting Protections according to his Declaration And then gave a Commission to Francis Earl of Longford Anthony Lord Bishop of Meath Robert Fitz-Gerald Esq Sir Henry Fane Doctor Gorge William Robinson Esq Joseph Coghlin Esq Edward Corker Esq and Henry Davis Esq or any five of them to enquire into seize and secure all Forfeitures to the Crown by the General Rebellion of the Irish Nation This Commission empowered them to appoint Deputies to summon and swear Witnesses to call the Justices of the Peace and Deputy-Lieutenants to their Assistance to let Leases for a year and in doubtful Cases to consult the Judges learned in the Law and this Power of theirs to continue until a more legal method could be put in practice when the Courts of Judicature were open The Bishop of Meath whether his Lordship was sensible of the Defect of the Commission at first or else did not like the Proceedings of some of the rest he soon forbore his attendance at their Meetings but several of the rest proceeded in their Business and took possession of Goods of all sorts as well in the Hands of Roman-Catholicks and on their Grounds as in the hands of Protestants where they had been left by their Catholick Neighbours upon which account those Gentlemen had the misfortune to be much censured afterwards as well by some in the Countrey where they made Seisures as by the Commissioners of Their Majesty's Revenue who complained of the small Returns made into the Exchequer This occasioned several of the above-named Gentlemen who had been imployed to make a representation of their Case afterwards to the Lords Justices which I have seen and it was to this effect That amongst a great many Discouragements in so troublesome an Imployment their Commission it self was so defective that it seemed a perfect Snare to them contrary to the intent or Interest of His Majesty in that it gave them power to seize upon all Forfeitures but not to dispose of any except of Lands by lease for a year by which means the Goods seized by the Commissioners and their Deputies were often either stole or forced away sometimes by the Army and at other times by the Rapparees after they had been at great charge about them And a great many other things they have to say for themselves by which it appears that those Aspersions cast upon some of them were groundless though others of them or where-ever the fault else laid some I say there were who did Their Majesties Affairs no great Advantage nor themselves much Credit by their management But this being a matter of publick Concern is none of my business to look into His Majesty then marched forwards and from a Wexford secured Place called Castledermot sent Brigadier Eppinger with a Party of One thousand Horse and Dragoons to secure Wexford which before his Arrival was deserted by the Irish Garison The King all along upon his march was acquainted with the Disorders and Confusion of the Irish Army and of their speedy marches to Limerick and other Strong Holds The 19th His Majesty dined at Kilkenny a Walled Town wherein stands a Castle belonging to the Duke of Ormond which had been preserved by Count Lauzun with all the Goods and Furniture And next day His Majesty Clonmel quitted by the â—ish understood that the Enemy had quitted Clonmell whither Count Sconberg marched with a Body of Horse Monday the 21st The Army marched to Carrick where the King received an Account of the state of Waterford and whither Major-General Kirk went Waterford and Duncannon Fort surrendred next morning with a Party to summon the Town wherein were two Regiments of the Irish who submitted upon condition to march out with their Arms As did also the strong Fort of Duncannon in a day or two after which gave His Majesty sufficient shelter for all his Shipping When Waterford was surrendered His Majesty in Person went to view it where
Ginckel made Commander in Chief of the Army Lords Justices begin their Government The Earl of Marlborough sent with a Fleet into Ireland Cork and Kinsale taken The Irish make Attempts upon our Frontiers Part of our Army move towards the Shannon Rapparees in the Bog of Allen Those People serviceable to the Irish Interest and how My Lord Tyrconnel returns from France Sarsfield made Earl of Lucan The Irish defeated at the Mote of Greenoge Several Adventures with the Rapparees and Parlies of the Irish Army Some of our Regiments take the Field at Mullingar ON the sixth of September our Army marched to Tipperary about fourteen Miles from Limerick where they begun to disperse towards their respective Quarters And we had an Account by some Deserters that my Lord Tyrconnel and all the French Forces were Ship'd off at The French leave Ireland Gallway for France The reason of this was also enquired after by a great many that the French shou'd absolutely quit Ireland at a time when we had raised our Siege which might have given them hopes of re-gaining the next Year what they lost this at least to defend the Province of Connaught against us and so protract the War beyond what they cou'd have hoped for if the Town had been taken and that if the want of Provisions was an Objection it was easier to carry those to the Men than bring the Men to their Provisions But the reason that I have heard given for their departure was That the late King appearing very unexpectedly in France at a time when all People were over-joyed with the News of the Battel of Flerus won at Land and a Victory also gained at Sea to palliate matters therefore as to himself he laid all the blame upon the Irish that they wou'd not fight but many of them laid down their Arms in such order as if they had been Exercising which indeed some of them did Upon which the Fr. K. concluding that all was lost in that Kingdom he sent Orders to Count Lauzun to make the best of a bad Market and so come off for France as well as he could with all his Men. But the Irish taking heart of grace at our Fleets and the Dutch Armies misfortunes they held out beyond expectation And those Orders of the French Kings not coming till after His Majesty had raised the Siege of Limerick Count Lauzun waited about twelve Days for a Countermand but that not appearing he set sail for France tho' he met with contrary Orders at Sea but then it was too late For His Majesty had been a Fortnight at London before they heard at Paris that the Siege of Limerick was raised which shewed that whatever good Intelligence they might have from England or Ireland at other times they wanted it now but whether the Wind was cross or what else was the reason I am uncertain About the fourteenth we heard that Sarsfield with a part of the Irish Army had marched over the Shannon at Banoher-Bridge and besieged the Castle of Birr wherein Birr besieged by the Irish was only a Company of Colonel Tiffin's Foot who stoutly defended the Castle the only temble place but Major-General Kirk marching thither with a part of our Army the Enemy quitted the Siege and marched off At this time Count Solms who commanded in Chief was at Cashel where he received a Letter by a Trumpeter from the Duke of Berwick then at Limerick complaining that they heard of a Design of ours to send all those Prisoners we had taken at several places to be Slaves in the Foreign Plantations and withal threatning ours with the French Gallies But this was only a trick of the Irish Officers themselves to prevent their Soldiers from deserting making them believe there was a Contract to sell them all to Monsieur Perara the Jew for so much Bread which made the name of the Jew very terrible to the Irish But this was a mere Story of their own framing and therefore Count Solms sent the following Answer to the Duke's Letter Henry Count de Solms General of Their Majesties Army in their Kingdom of Ireland HAving never before heard of a Design to send those Numbers Count Solms's Answer to the Duke of Berwick's Letter of your Men we have Prisoners to the Foreign Plantations we detained your Trumpeter here for some Days in hopes we might have been able to trace this Report which you send us word is spread about of such our Intentions but no enquiry we have made giving us the least light therein we have reason to think that neither those Prisoners we have of yours need fear so long a Voyage nor those few of ours in your hands be apprehensive of yielding a small Recruit to the French King's Gallies However we think fit to declare that your Men shall severely feel the effects of any ill usage you shall offer to ours for which they may reckon themselves obliged to their Generals Given at our Head-Quarters at Cashel the 21st Day of September 1690. To the Duke of Berwick or the Officer in Chief commanding the Enemies Forces Soon after this Count Solms went for England and the Lieutenant-General Ginckel made Commander in Chief Baron de Ginckel was made Lieutenant-General and Commander in Chief of the Army who went to his Head-Quarters at Kilkenny Towards the middle of September Henry Lord Viscount Sidney and Thomas Coningesby Esquire two of the Lords-Justices went to Dublin where they took the usual Oaths of Chief Governors of that Kingdom before the Commissioners of the Great Seal and immediately begun their The Lords-Justices go to Dublin work of putting the Country in as good a condition of Safety as the nature of the times would bear Whilst the King was imployed in the Field with his Army against the Town of Limerick it was first proposed by the Earl of Nottingham to my Lord Marlborough and afterwards approved of in Councel as very Advantageous to Their Majesties Affairs to send a Party from England who joyning with a Detachment from the King's Army might reduce those two important Garrisons of Cork and Kinsale and provisions were made accordingly But not being ready so soon as was designed His Majesty upon His return for England sent the Earl of Marlborough with his own Regiment of Fusiliers Brigadier Trelawny's Princess Ann's Earl of Marlborough sent into Ireland Colonel Hastings's Colonel Hales's Sir David Collier's Colonel Fitz-Patrick's one hundred of the Duke of Bolton's and two hundred of the Earl of Monmouth's with my Lord Torrington's and Lord Pembrook's Marine Regiments CORK CITY After the taking of those two Towns the Irish that lay October 1690. in the County of Kerry made several Incursions and burnt some small Villages in the County of Cork and near the same time another Party burnt Balliboy a Village 8 miles The Irish make some attempts upon our Quarters from Birr wherein there was then six Companies of the Earl of
such a Pass or Wood precisely at such a time o' th' night or day as it stood with their conveniency and tho' you could not see a Man over night yet exactly at their hour you might find three or four hundred more or less as they had occasion all well Armed and ready for what design they had formerly projected but if they hapned to be discovered or over-powered they presently dispersed having before-hand appointed another place of Rendezous ten or twelve miles it may be from the place they then were at by which means our Men could never fix any close Engagement upon them during the Winter so that if they could have held out another year the Rapparees would have continued still very prejudicial to our Army as well by killing our Men privately as stealing our Horses and intercepting our Provisions But after all least the next Age may not be of the same humour with this and the name of a Rapparees may possibly be thought a finer thing than it really is I do assure you that in my Stile they never can be reputed other than Tories Robbers Thieves and Bogg-trotters The Insolence of those People however in the Bogg of Allen was curbed by Colonel Foulks and Colonel Piper before their return who killed one Gibney a Captain and several others About which time the King disposed of all January 1691. the vacant Bishopricks and other Ecclesiastical Preferments void in Ireland since the death of King Charles the Second On the 14th of January about sixty of the Garrison of A Party of ours march beyond the Shannon Castle-Forbes in the County of Longford with some of the Militia passed the River Shannon and burnt several places on the other side bringing off a good Booty without any loss And seventeen Transport Ships with two Men of War were ordered from the Bay of Dublin towards Kinsale to carry the Earl of Marlborough's and Colonel Fitz-Patrick's Regiments into Flanders together with the Prisoners taken at Cork and Kinsale these having joyned some other Vessels suffered much in their Voyage to Flanders by reason of bad Weather and some of them forced upon the Coast of England one or two Ships being lost And nigh the same time the Dover Frigat brought into Kinsale a French Privateer of 22 Guns and 10 Pettereroes belonging to St. Maloes Several Prisoners are now taken in scampering Parties and some Deserters come in who all give an account of the extraordinary scarcity of Provisions and other Necessaries amongst the Irish tho' this was only true in part for Prisoners will stretch to gain favour and Deserters are commonly prejudiced so that they make things as they would have it or speak by hear-say few of them telling any thing of their own knowledge for before a Man deserts any side he commonly converses with those that are most disaffected and consequently least trusted he comes off partial however so that no extraordinary stress is usually to be laid upon such Informations Nigh this time several Ships arriv'd at Gallway from France My Lord Tyrconnel returns from France and brought over my Lord Tyrconnel Sir Richard Neagle and Sir Stephen Rice with about only 8000 l. in Money which was a great disappointment to the Irish who had a small distribution by way of Donative but not as pay There came also some Soldiers-Coats and Caps but such sorry ones that the Irish themselves could easily see in what esteem their Master of France had them A Party of the Militia of Bandon advance into the Enemies Quarters and killing some few stranglers brought off a good Prey according to the custom of the Country But afterwards about 1500 of the Enemy pass the Black-Water A Party of the Irish besiege Fermoy near Fermoy where there was some of the Danes posted in a Fort which the Irish pretended to Attack upon their near approach our Men fired and the Irish seemed resolute for some time but sixteen of them being killed with a French Officer the rest were presently a little more calm and then they made an attempt on the other side on Fermoy-Bridge but were beat back with two small Field-Pieces which they had Intelligence were removed and six of them killed at that place but by this time part of Colonel Donep's Horse were come to Castle Leons and fifty of them with 30 Militia Dragoons engaged a greater Number of the Irish and killed sixty pursuing the rest nigh two Miles till they came towards their main Body which was commanded by Brigadier Carol who was obliged to retire without what he came for Richard Pyne Esquire formerly one of the Commissioners of the Great Seal is now made Lord Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas And Jan. 26 some Recruits are sent from Dublin to re-inforce the Garrison of Kiâ—meague in the Isle of Allen and other places in the County of Kildare And now to satisfie both the Army and Country as much as could be comes out a Proclamation That all Persons who had given subsistence of Provisions c. to the Army should receive satisfaction for the same according to the Rates made publick in the beginning of Winter And that all Arrears of Pay due to Officers or Soldiers who died were killed or removed from Their Majesties Service should be paid to their Relations In order to which there were certain Commissioners appointed to state the Accompts of the Army February 1691. These Commissioners were William Robinson John Stone Edward Corker John South and Edward Molineux Commissioners appointed to state the Accompts of the Army Esquires who some of them here sate every Day for many Months together upon this Affair Jan. 29. A Ship belonging to Chester-Water was cast away in the Bay of Dublin Ball the owner and all the Passengers being lost The same Day upwards of 200 Prisoners were put on Board there and sent to Cork with Orders to be transported to Flanders A Detachment of the Garrison of Cork being two hundred Foot and 300 Dragoons march towards Church-Town and Buttafant two of the Enemies Frontier-Towns in that County where they had a Party of Horse and Foot but they withdrew at our approach leaving the Places to be burnt by our Men which was done accordingly The beginning of February a Party of the Army with some of the Militia march'd from Clonmell within ten Miles of Limerick meeting with little opposition killed only about twelve stragling Rapparees and burnt what Cabbins and other places of shelter for the Irish they met withal returning with a prey of Cattle and three or four Prisoners February the 4th A Declaration was published at Dublin A Declaration from the General to the Irish by Lieutenant-General Ginckel setting forth That Their Majesties had no design to Oppress their Roman-Catholick Subjects of this Kingdom in either their Religion or their Properties but had given him Authority to grant reasonable Terms to all such as would come in and submit according to their Duty But
the County of Longford and killed six of them others being also drowned who made more haste than good speed to pass the River Quarter-master Topham kills at one time six and at another time seventeen Rapparees and took nine Prisoners most of which were Hanged Colonel Tiffin sends two Hundred Foot and a Hundred Dragoons from Bally-shannon towards Sligo who in their march killed Forty-two Rapparees and took ten Prisoners bringing off a good Prey at their return April the 11th being the Anniversary of their Majesties Coronation was observed with the usual Solemnities About five Hundred of the Irish came to attack Clonakilty a Garrison of ours in the County The Irish make several attempts upon our Frontiers of Cork but with no great difficulty were beaten off having lost only three Men in the Attempt Next day they seem'd resolved to do something extraordinary and Colonel Mack Finnins Colonel Macarty's and two more Regiments making in all about one Thousand five Hundred Commanded by Brigadier Caroll came to Iniskean with a design to have that place and some other small Garrisons near it as steps to further advancements There were in Iniskean only two Ensigns with Forty-four Men who defended the Streets of the Town for some time but the Irish getting in at the back doors and so firing the Town our Men betook themselves to an House that seemed the best shelter the place could afford and there they defended themselves against all the Attempts of the Irish tho' they were at last in hazard to have been burnt out but that Lieutenant Colonel Ogleby came seasonably from Bandon with a Hundred and fifty Horse and Foot which occasioned the Irish to draw off and being followed by our small Party of Horse in the retreat and the action in Town they lost Seventy-two April the 14th the Titular Popish Archbishop of Dublin Father Brohey and Father Mooney were found hid in a Cave within a Mile of Athy and sent Prisoners to Dublin The 18th a Proclamation was published to promise a Reward for the Apprehending the murdersrs of some of Colonel Foulks's Souldiers in the Church at Mallahuddart fifty Pound being promised for one Christopher Brown with a Ten Pound a piece for five more concerned in the same Fact with Pardon to any of themselves that would discover the rest some of whom were apprehended and Hanged afterwards April the 20th a considerable Body of the Irish They attempt Macroomp advanced towards Macroomp another Garrison of ours in the County of Cork where they seemed now to press us most but a Party of Eighty Horse and three Hundred Dragoons of the Army and Militia were sent out under Major Kirk of Brigadeer Villers's Regiment these came within sight of the Enemy by break of day who being surprised at our unexpected approach the Irish betook themselves to the adjacent Boggs in the pursuit of whom we killed twenty and took an Officer with four Souldiers Prisoners A Party of Rapparees coming near Tallough steal away several Horses and four Men belonging to Colonel Donep's Regiment of Danish Horse This being easily believed could not be done without the knowledge of the Inhabitants in the adjacent Villages Col. Donep's Project to recover his Men and Horses the Colonel ordered several of them to be taken up and threatned to Hang them all unless the Horses and Men were brought back by such a day which was accordingly done and some of the Men that stole them delivered up The 24th some Provisions going to Mullingar under a slender Convoy were seized by the Rapparees at Kinegad but a Party of the Garrison hearing of it came time enough to kill four of them and retrieve some of the Provisions though part of it was lost the Boggs lying at that place so very convenient Twenty-one Rapparees who lately went over the Shannon were taken nigh Belturbet by a Detachment from Finnagh one Duffee and his Lieutenant Commanding this Party had Commissions from Balderock O Donnel And now our English Letters bring us an Account of his Majesties safe Arrival at White-Hall on April the fourteenth Nigh this time his Majesty was pleased to Create Count Schonberg Created Duke of Leinster Count Maynard second Son to the last Duke of Schonberg Duke of Leinster Earl of Bangor and Baron of Mullingar and there was a report as if his Grace should have then gone over into Ireland to Command the Army the succeeding Campaign April 27. My Lord Meath's and my Lord Lisburn's Regiments came to Mullingar the place design'd for the Rendezvous of the Army and encamp without the Town They found a great many of the Some Regiments come to encamp at Mullingar Irish that had made the best provision they could for themselves and Families by the Ditch-sides For Colonel Brewer sometime before this had commanded them all out of Town upon his being informed of their Correspondence with the Enemy This occasion'd them to build a great many Hutts all along the dry Ditches which they make no difficulty in performing for it 's but bending down two or three Sticks with one end on the Ground and the other on the top of the Ditch and then a little Straw or long Grass makes it a Cabbin in less that half an hour for a Family of ten or a dozen young and old to creep into The same Day one Brown was executed as a Several Rapparees kill'd by Colonel Brewer Spie And the 28th Colonel Brewer with Lieutenant-Colonel Hamilton of my Lord Meath's Regiment went from Mullingar towards Dunore with six hundred Foot and twenty Horse their Design was to surprize about two thousand Rapparees that had hutted thereabout for some time At break of Day next Morning our Party came within sight of the Enemy who took the Alarm and began to draw up on several Hills in distinct Bodies both of Horse and Foot and made a shew at first of advancing in order to an Engagement but they always retired to their Fastnesses upon the near approach of any of our Men However the Party so ordered it as to kill nigh fifty and burn their Hutts and Cabbins returning without any loss The same Day the Governor of Meers-Court went towards Ballymore and at Night took the Patrole Prisoner bringing off some of the Horses belonging to that Garrison Fourteen Deserters also came from the Enemy to Mullingar And a crook-back'd Beggar was brought a little after to Colonel Brewer in a Sack he had been formerly a Spie and now upon his detection he accused several protected Papists thereabouts for holding Correspondence with the Enemy The Dragoons posted at Fox-Hall upon scouring the Country kill six Rapparees and three more were taken near Tallough Nigh this time Captain Palliser and one Lieutenant Captain Palliser and his Men taken Prisoners Armstrong went out with a Party of sixty Fire-Locks from their Quarters near Birr their Design was to surprize some of the Irish and bring off a prey they
who have surrendred themselves But in case the Persons invited by this Declaration should neglect in time prescribed to lay hold on the same they must never more expect the like Advantageous Terms and Condiscentions Given at the Camp by Nenah the Eleventh Day of August 1691. in the Third Year of Their Majesties Regin Bar. De Ginckell The Army that day marched to a place called Shalley in a wild and desolate Country nigh the Silver-Mines where in the former Wars about seventeen of Sir George Hambleton's Followers were slain by the Kenedies and here Major General Trelawyng's Regiment joined us the 12th we marched to a place called Tulla where we halted next day and our Advance Guards brought in one of the Enemies Outscouts a Prisoner Several Deserters also come off to us amongst whom were two of the Horse Guards who inform the General that the Irish Foot were drawn into Limerick and their Horse having burnt several places that escaped their fury last year were retired likewse near the Town we understand also that my Lord Tyrconnell was taken suddenly very ill and there were several disorders amongst the Chief Officers in Limerick some of them being suspected to incline to our side From hence the General sent a Spy who took several of the Declarations in order to disperse them in Town The 14th we marched to Cariganliss and the General The Army go to Cariganliss with the rest of our Great Officers went with a Party within two Miles of Limerick near which three of the Enemies Scouts being posted upon the top of a round Hill towards our left two of them deserted to us as our Party drew off The 15th in the Morning early fifteen hundred A Party go towards Limerick Horse and Dragoons commanded by Major General Ruvigny and one thousand detached Foot as a reserve in case of danger commanded by the Prince of Hess with six Field-peeces were ordered to march towards Limerick with whom went the General and all the Chief Officers in order to view the Town The Enemy had lined the Hedges in several places with Foot and there appeared two Squadrons of Horse and a Party of a Dragoons about a Mile on this side the Town who fronted our Men for some time but when they saw our Advance Party resolved to push them they retired nearer home and afterwards their Foot fired several Small-shot but without any harm to us tho' about seven of the Enemy were killed by our Dragoons We stayed several hours within less then Cannon-shot of the Town upon the Ground where we encamped the year before we could see that they had repaired Ireton's Fort and built another some distance to the Right where formerly stood an Old Church and a third was begun also with a Line of Communication from one to the other but not as yet finished they had then two Field-peeces in Ireton's Fort but did not fire them and drew them off to the Town next day Whilst we staid there first a Drummer and then one Hagan a Captain came off to us who informed the General that my Lord Tyrconnell died the day before some say of Grief because things went My Lord Tyrconnell dies at Limerick not according to his desire and that after all his Endeavours and good Services to promote the Catholick Cause he was slighted to that Degree that whilst their Camp lay by Athlone one Lieutenant Colonel Conner came to my Lord's Tent and bid him be gone from the Camp else he would cut his Tent-Cords My Lord Tyrconnell knowing that he durst not be so impudent without a considerable Faction to support him went next Morning early towards Limerick where he remained till his death which some say was not without suspition of foul play in being poisoned with a Cup of Rattafeau this is nothing but Apricock-stones bruised and infused in Brandy which gives it a pleasant Relish some of which my Lord Tyrconnell had given him at an Entertainment and falling ill upon it he often repeated the word Rattafeau which made several believe that he had received Poyson in that Liquor because he would not comply with the prevailing Faction then in Town But most People say that he died of a Fever However it was he certainly had managed the Affairs of that Kingdom from his entrance upon publick Business to his dying day with as much dexterity and zeal for the Interest he * As to his encouraging one Jâ—nes to Assassinate King William in the year 1690. proved by Original Letters under his own hand I leave others hereafter to give a more particular account of pretended to serve as any man could have done At the General 's return from viewing the Town he found a considerable quantity of Bread-Waggons come to the Camp under the Convoy of the Militia Horse and Dragoons of the County of Tipperary whom the General viewed and sent home again We had now a Train of nine 24 Pounders nine 18 Pounders and three Mortars with Ammunition and other Utensils of War proportionable which left Athlone on the 12th under the care of Col. Lloyd's Regiment and a Party the Militia who were met upon the Road by the Earl of Drogheda's and Colonel Venner's Foot Regiments with a small Party of Horse but the General remembring what hapned to our Train the year before and that the same People were still as industrious as formerly Major General la Forrest with a good Detachment of Horse and Dragoons was sent on the 16th to meet our Cannon The same day a Captain and a Lieutenant desert from the Enemy and confirm the Report of the death of my Lord Tyrconnell and withal that Francis Plowden Esq one of the Commissioners of the Revenue in the late King's time had brought over a Commission from the late King out of France appointing Sir Alexander Fitton Sir Richard Neagle and the said Francis Plowden Esq to be Lords Justices of Ireland which Commission lay dorment till my Lord Tyrconnel's death by which it appeared that his Adversaries were like to prove too many for him if he had lived and that tho he had promoted the late King's desires tho' not his real Interest to the utmost and was of the same Religion too with himself yet he was in a fair way of being served as Some of the Irish Officers suspected for holding a Correâ—pondence with our Ar others had been before him We understood also that Colonel Henry Lutterill was not only suspected to hold a Correspondence with our Army but was taken into Custody and tried for his life in that he with some others had consulted about the surrender of the Town for which they designed to put him to death but that they either wanted clear Proof or else waited for Advice from France about it but the occasion of Colonel Lutteril's confinment was upon the account of a Letter brought him by a Trumpeter from some great Officer in our Army when the Garison of Gallway was conveyed
four executed two more were hanged at Carlow by Sir Thomas Butler's Orders and one of Mackabe's Servants kill'd and thus ended the Month of August CHAP. VIII September 1691. Our Bombs set the Town on fire The Irish design a Salley but are repulsed by my Lord Drogheda 's Regiment Brigadeer Leveson routs a Party of the Irish in Kerry A Design to pass the River A new large Battery made towards the King's Island A Breach made Some thoughts of storming it Guns planted nigh St. Thomas 's Island The Cannon and Bombs play at the Cathedral and why Colonel Earl sent into England Rejoicing in the Camp for the Defeat of the Turks My Lord Lisburn killed A Party ordered to pass the River by a Bridg of Boats The Irish in a great Consternation The Castle on the Weir taken Debates whether the Siege should be continued or turned into a Blockade Orders in case of an Alarm Some Guns shipp'd Our Men pass the River a second time The Attack at Thoumond Gate Six hundred of the Enemy killed A remarkable Paper found in the Pocket of a Colonel in the Irish Army The Enemy beat a Parley A Cessation agreed to Hostages exchanged The Irish Proposals rejected by the General Articles agreed to The General 's Letter to Sir Ralph Delaval giving him an Account of the Cessation A brief Account of what happened in other Parts of the Kingdom during this Month. SEptember the First Col. Woolsley with a Party of 500 Horse and Dragoons went towards Killalow it being reported that Sarsfield was moving that way upon some secret Expedition into our Quarters All last Night and that Morning our Bombs and Cannon plaid upon the Town setting it on fire in some Places which was no small trouble to those within to put it out It Our Bombs set the Town on fire was ordered that Afternoon that most of our Guns and Mortars should be shipp'd again and at Night Maj. Gen. Tettan commands in the Works A little after our Guards were relieved we understood the Irish designed a Salley in order to which a considerable Body of their Men advanced towards our Works between Nassau's Fort and the great Battery where the Earl of Drogheda with his Regiment was then upon Duty His Lordship The Irish intend a Salley perceived the Irish were coming and therefore ordered his Men not to fire till they should advance within Pistol-shot of us and then to give them a whole Volley But the Souldiers perceiving the others Approach would not forbear to shoot amongst them which was the reason that the Irish could not be perswaded to advance any But are repulsed by my Ld Drogheda's Regiment further though they had then a very good Opportunity since there was but one Regiment at that time to defend above 300 Yards of the Works We had one Man kill'd and two wounded and were in a small time reinforced by Col. Venner's Regiment and a Party of Horse were sent down to remain all Night as near the Works as they could conveniently The Guns plaid and Mortars also for some part of the Night but the General saw that our Batteries were too far off and therefore new Measures were consulted on LYMRICK A Council of War was this day held and also a Court Martial whereof the Earl of Drogheda was President at which amongst other things a Woman was condemned for endeavouring to intice some of our French Souldiers into Town whom she took to be Roman Catholicks This Evening two great Mortars 18 Inches and an half Diameter that were brought from Ship-board were mounted and several Bombs thrown but they did not do the hoped-for Execution which occasioned the drawing them and the Guns off from the Batteries with a design to attempt something elsewhere or if it could be to pass the River which the Enemy having private A Design to pass the River notice of they removed their Horse-Camp about two Miles to the North-East of Limerick posting four Regiments of Dragoons to guard the Shannon below Anighbegg where they had three Regiments of Foot lay intrenched The Cannon however had been so troublesom to the Inhabitants that most of them left the Town and encamp'd under Sheets and Blankets with what else they could procure nigh a Party of their Horse where they and their Army wanted nothing so much as Salt The General seeing the Enemies Camp removed went to a convenient Place to view them The third the Guns and Mortars put on board were again unshipp'd upon new Measures being taken and brought up to the Artillery-Ground One of Col. Nugent's Dragoons deserted from the Enemy leaving them the Night before and says that 17 Regiments of Horse and Dragoons belonging to their Army were most of them at that time beyond the River but neither well equipp'd nor clad nor were the Regiments nigh full The 4th Lieut. Col. Peck with the Princess Ann's Regiment came to the Camp and in the Evening a Party of 300 Horse and Dragoons were sent to reinforce Brigadeer Leveson and some Reports there were that he was surrounded by the Enemy upon which the General sent to him to return but it proved only a Prey of Cows that the Enemy had taken from some of the Countrey-People who had bought them from the Brigadeer's Party at the Rout they gave the Irish However the Brigadeer had Orders afterwards to secure the County of Kerry and to endeavour the reducing the Enemies Garisons there six Guns being ordered for that Service For the Enemies keeping some small Garisons between our Camp and Cork was a great Disadvantage to us in point of Provisions which otherwise we might have expected Plenty of from that part of the Countrey The Duke of Wyrtemberg as 't is said by the Advice of my Lord Castle-connel who was come to our Camp had A new Battery contrived nigh the Kings Island now found out a Place for a new Battery nigh the King's Island on the River-side which was thought nearer the Town than the former and from whence we could batter the English Town more effectually This Place in our publick Accounts was said to be within Carbine shot of the Wall and yet it was at least 300 Yards from it Nor was there any Conveniency to raise a Battery any nearer against this part of the Town by reason of the River to the Right and a low Morass Ground on the Front But some Disputes about this new Battery were raised before it self though at last it was concluded on and several Regiments both of Horse and Foot were ordered to move towards the Right as well for the security of our Battery as to front the Irish Army who were gone that way before us We were at work also very hard upon a Line of Contravallation raising three or four new Forts between the old Church and the King's Island to secure the remaining part of our Army in case some of them should be commanded over the River September the 5th
in the Evening we begun to work The Battery begun at our new Battery At first the Enemy did not discover us but after some time the Moon shining very bright they found us out and fired both great and small Shot very lavishly killing five or six but still the rest went on bravely with their Work and had soon brought it into such a Condition as to secure themselves The 6th one Barnwell deserted the Enemy and tells us they seem resolved to defend the Town which they might do except we passed the River having all the County of Clare open to go out and in at pleasure Our Men work still at the Battery which being designed for a great many Guns it could not be finished in one Night tho the Rain did us some Damage This Night some Townsmen swam over the River and confirm the Account given by Barnwell the day before that the Irish resolve not to give us the Town except we pass the River since they had a free Passage to bring in and take out what they pleased and amongst other things they had forty Chirurgions Chests that landed from France in Kerry which were conveyed cross the River and so into Town at Thoumond Gate They informed us also that most of the Towns-people having left it and the Souldiers lying continually in the Works our Bombs did not do that Execution that was hoped for but that upon whatever House a Bomb fell the Irish Souldiers presently rushed in and plundered it And tho the Weather seemed to threaten us yet this was no great Discouragement since if it came to the worst we had now our Ships in the River and could at any time put our Guns on board which Conveniency we wanted the Year before The General had now an Account from Brigadeer Leveson out of Kerry that the Enemy according to their usual way of destroying had burnt Tralee and that he had secured two of the Irish Captains that were active in that Affair upon which he sent the following Answer Camp at Limerick Sept. 6. 1691. SIR SInce my last to you I have received your Letter of the and notwithstanding what I writ about your returning to the Camp I now desire you will stay with your Detachment in Kerry for the Safety of that Countrey and secure your self there as well as you can I have sent you the Princess of Denmark 's Regiment to be disposed of as you shall judg best As for those two Captains that burnt Tralee I would have them both hanged if they cannot produce Major General Sarsfield 's or the Orders of the Commander in Chief for what they did and then I desire you 'll respite their Execution till you send me a Particular of their Case To Brigadeer Leveson Bar. de Ginckell September the 7th this Letter was sent the Brigadeer then encamp'd at Lixnaw by Capt. William Fitz-Maurice of the Earl of Drogheda's Regiment and Son to the Lord of Kerry who this Morning left the Camp with about twenty or thirty of that Country-Gentlemen in his Company having also an Order for a Guard of Horse and Dragoons from Asketon But next Day coming to Listoell within five Miles of the Brigadeer's Party one of the Enemies Dragoons mistaking them for a Party of their own Men came hastily up and told them he was at first afraid they had been English but that my Lord Merion's my Lord Britta's Sir Maurice Eustace Sir James Cotter's Dragoons with a Body of between 3 and 4000 Irish lay behind the Hill this Fellow they immediately shot for his pains and sent to give the Brigadeer notice of their Danger making all convenient haste towards Lixnaw But the Enemy soon had notice of them and drew out several Parties to intercept their Passage our Men however with some difficulty gained a Pass and yet the Irish ordered the matter so as to be in a fair way to destroy them all had not the Brigadeer appeared with a Party in the mean time for having received an Account that the Irish were got into a Body in such a place he was going then with a Party to discover them not knowing the Danger our own Men were in Upon the Brigadeer's approach when our Men understood who it was they gave a Huzzah At which the Irish began to draw off and being in great Confusion by reason of their eager haste to pursue our small Party the Brigadeer fell upon them in that posture and killed about thirty taking Lieut. Col. O Ryan and about thirty more Prisoners the rest making too great haste to the Woods and Bogs to be overtaken Our Party then went to the place where the Irish Camp had been and found two Barrels of Powder with a great deal of other Luggage left behind At Limerick the Enemy fired very briskly upon us all that day with eight Guns which they had planted in the King's Island and other places However we finished the Platform of the great Battery and the flooring for the Mortars September the 8th our new Batteries were all ready one to the left of ten Field-pieces to shoot red hot Ball another to the right of 25 Guns all 24 and 18 Pounders The Batteries finished and play upon the Town and in the Center were placed eight Mortars from 18 Inches 3 quarters to 10 ½ Diameter these stood altogether upon the North-east of the Town nigh the Island then there were 8 Guns of 12 pound Ball each planted at Mackay's Fort and some also towards the River on the South-west where the Danes were posted Those fell to work all at a time and put the Irish into such a fright that a great many of them wish'd themselves in another place having never heard such a Noise before nor I hope never shall in that Kingdom One of the great Mortars had a Shell burst in her flinging the Mortar and Carriage nigh two yards from the flooring which is demonstration that the firing the Fuse before you give fire to the Mortar is neither the readiest nor the safest way but this was the method of all our Foreign Bombardeers tho one Lieut. Brown afterwards at Mackay's Fort made use of a much better way as shall in time be related We threw Bombs Fire-balls and Carcasses all day long and our Guns were discharged almost without ceasing by which there appeared a considerable Breach in the Wall within the King's Island between A Breach made the Abbey and Ball 's Bridg and our Bombs Fire-balls and Carcasses had the like success upon the Houses in Town The 9th more Provision-Ships are ordered from Cork under the Smirna-Merchant We improved our Forts between the old Church and our great Battery and our Guns fire all day at the Breach by which it was widened to a great Degree and also a great many Houses beat down we dismounted also two Guns from a Spur in the King's Island nigh Balls-Bridg and play'd from Mackay's Fort upon four Guns more that disturbed us from a
some poor ignorant Irish Priest and kept by Colonel Skelton either out of Ridicule or possibly out of some Religious Design since I have heard that they had a great many of those Papers printed and kept amongst them with a great deal of Devotion and if we 'll look amongst them we may find a great many Instances of the like nature and altogether as great Absurdities for Colonel Skelton was no Irishman nor could he well be fond of the Fopperies of that Nation In the former Wars we have several Relations of such like Religious Papers found upon the Irish with a great many Charms and other such like Stuff particularly at the Battel of Knocknaclashy the last of that Rebellion and parallel to this in several Circumstances for amongst other Charms taken at that time this one is remarkable viz. This is the Print of our Lady's Foot and whoever wears it and says twenty Ave Maries shall be free from Gunshot Cox p. 68. But this Digression I 'm afraid is scarce pardonable and therefore when our Men had lodged themselves within ten Yards of the Bridg notwithstanding an high Tower that stood near that End of the Bridg next to them the Irish being then cut off from all Communication with their Horse and despairing of Succours from France they began soon to think upon giving up the Town but it must needs be thought very unaccountable that when they saw our Forces divide and part of them indeavouring to approach the Town on their Side they should not then have brought all their Army together and given us Battel rather than suffer the Town to be surrounded nor could they have been so pinn'd up in the Town by us if they really had been beat but that their Horse and Dragoons might have fought their way out again at some time when we had not been at our Arms for there was no Forage left nigh the Town and our Horse could no more stay long near it than theirs within it But it 's probable e're this time that they were grown jealous of one another and a great many of them weary of the War it self and it 's as probable that if their Horse and Dragoons after a brisk Trial of Skill had been forced towards the Town they had been served the same sauce by the French Major as their Foot were and therefore they were wiser and kept at a good Distance beyond Six-mile-Bridg and nigh Ennis towards whom the General sent a Party of our Horse Next Day being Wednesday the 23 d one hundred Cattle taken from the Enemy the Day before and six hundred more sent out of the County of Kerry by Brigadeer Leveson were divided amongst the Army And though the Day proved very rainy yet our Guns and some Mortars ceased not to play upon the Town nor the Enemy to fire more furiously than they had done for some time before One Lieutenant Colonel Corbet came off from the Enemy and proposed to the General the bringing over my Lord Tyrconnel's and Galmoy's Regiments of Horse and out of those two to make one good Regiment to serve their Majesties in Flanders provided he might have the Command of them Towards Night the Rain begun to cease and both Storms were ended together for about six a Clock the Enemy beat a Parly The Enemy beat a Parly on both Sides the Town one Colonel Ruth coming towards Mackay's Fort where the Earl of Drogheda's Regiment then were upon Duty But Major General Talmash shortly after coming that way and being acquainted with it he referred the Matter to Lieutenant General Scravemore and the Marquess Ruvigny The General being then beyond the River Major General Waughup or Lieutenant General Sarsfield went out to him and a Cessation was concluded for that Night The 24th in the Morning Lieutenant General Sarsfield A Cessation agreed to and Major General Waughup came out to the General and desired it might be continued for three Days longer till they could send to their Horse who then were encamp'd towards Clare in order to their being included in the general Capitulation which they then proposed and the Request was granted The Enemy had now in Town two hundred forty and odd Prisoners of our Army and Militia that had been taken in the County of Cork and other Places who remained there all the Siege and were pretty well look'd after whilst the Protestants had leave to stay who were inexpressibly kind to them but no sooner were they turn'd out of Town but the poor Prisoners were in a miserable Condition being exposed to the Fury of our own Guns and Mortars and about thirty of them killed during the Siege This Afternoon those alive were brought out to us and delivered between Mackay's Fort and the Town many of them in a miserable Condition those of them that were not able to walk were brought out upon poor lean Garrons and some died upon the Spot where they were set down being weak and unacquainted with the open Air Nay so barbarous had the Irish been in this Particular that they had not so much as ordered the Wounds of some of our Men to be dressed that they had got in Prison by our own Guns but after several Days keeping them in that Misery they brought them out and made us all Witnesses of their Barbarity I give one Instance of a Dragoon in Colonel Matthews's Regiment who had his Hand shattered to Pieces and being never dress'd he died within an Hour after his bringing out The same Day we had an Account that Galloping Hogan a Fellow that had got upwards of one hundred Rapparees together Horse and Foot and got much Plunder by robbing the Sutlers and other People that came into his Power he was now so bold as to set upon a Party of Carrs coming towards the Camp with little or no Guard nigh Cullen and took away with him seventy one small Horses though he durst not stay to do any further Mischief The 25th Lieutenant General Sheldon the Lords Their great Officers come from the Horse Camp to consult with the rest in Town Galmoy Westmeath Dillon and Trimblestowne Mack Guire the Titular Primate the Titular Archbishop of Cashell Sir Theobald Butler and several more of the Irish Officers came from their Horse Camp and dining with the General they went afterwards into Town in a Boat rowed by French Seamen there being then three Vessels drawn up within the Key and one of them sunk a-cross it to prevent our coming up the River in the Night by way of Surprize as they rid by the End of the Bridg towards the Boat a Party of their own Men were burying the Dead killed in the last Action they stopp'd and enquired for several People whom they there found dead and the Cessation was continued till next Day at ten a Clock The 26th Sarsfield and Waughup dined with the General and it was agreed that Hostages should be exchanged in order to a further Treaty Accordingly in
Balderock with a thousand Men was ordered to attack it This Place they say is very strong and at that time commanded by one of the O Connors who upon Sight of the Artillery surrendred upon Condition to march with his Party and Baggage towards Sligoe This done my Lord Granard marches to Sligoe having Advice that Colonel Mitchelburn's Regiment and some of the Militia under Lieutenant Colonel Caulfield had forced old Sir Teague and his Crew from several Out-works and Ditches and obliged them to retire into the Fort. The Earl of Granard and his Party were hard put to it in their March thither over the Curlew Mountains for their Draught-Horses being none of the best and several of them tiring the Men themselves were forced to draw the Cannon and that for several Miles which they performed very chearfully That Afternoon the Enemy beat a Parley but we found it was only to gain Time and therefore in the Evening we began to fire with great and small Shot and so continued most part of the Night without any further Loss on our Side but of an Ensign who had his Head shot off with a great Shot But the Enemy seeing a great many Carriages with my Lord Granard's Party they were perswaded that they had brought heavy Cannon with Mortars Bombs Carcasses c. So that they beat another Parley and after some time they consented to surrender the Sligoe surrendred to my Ld Granard Town upon the Articles that were agreed to on the 6th of August viz. Their Party to march to Limerick with Arms and Baggage and that all the little Garisons thereabouts in the Hands of the Irish should have the Benefit of the Capitulation The Fort was surrendred on the sixteenth being made of Turf and having in it six hundred Men and sixteen Guns and Colonel Mitchelburn was left Governour In former times the Castle of Sligoe was a good Fortification being built by Maurice Fitz-Gerald Lord Justice in the Year 1242. September the 17th the Dublin Militia return Conquerors home again having not lost one Man in their whole March and those of the North march towards Ballynewton and Castle-burk to have them surrendred according to the Articles of Sligoe many Robberies and Murders being committed in that Countrey particularly on Dr. Brooks an eminent Physician and three more the Rapparees first wounding them in several Places and then for security cutting their Throats September the 12th the Irish take a good Prey near Tallough and the Militia to be even with them take another Prey and kill one of my Lord Merion's Troopers with two Rapparees Captain Orfeur of Colonel Hastings's Regiment going out with a Party of the said Regiment and some of the Militia he killed twenty of the Rapparees near Lismore which so terrified the rest that the Countrey thereabouts was pretty quiet for some time On the 12th of August John Mackabe the notorious Rapparee who so much infested the Bog of Allen was brought with four of his Companions by Lieutenant Sheilds and Lieutenant Courtney to Dublin and on the 19th they were hanged up in Chains at the Naas This Fellow and another called the White Serjeant had been both in the Irish Army but broke there for some Rogueries and after a great deal of Mischief done to the Countrey they both got what they deserved the one being killed and the other hanged About this time one of the Militia was killed and several wounded by the Rapparees near Caperquin but in requital the Militia kill five of them Towards the latter End of September two Lieutenants of the Irish Army having deserted and got our General 's Pass to go home they were met withal by Hogan and his Party and stripp'd of what they had but neither himself nor any of his Crew could read the Pass else it 's probable they would have sent them the way they sometimes did our Militia when they fell into their Power Two Rapparees of one Higgins's Party are taken and himself desires a Protection Six more are killed near Mountmelick And on the 26th one Caloghan a great Rapparee and some of his Party come in under Protection at Edenderry for now they began to be sensible how things were like to go on their side and October 1691. therefore when they were afraid to lose the Power of doing Mischief they came in and not before And to conclude the Month Hogan and his Party meeting with some of our Militia Dragoons near Roscreagh murder seven of them and the eighth hardly escaped One Tiercy was seized and hanged And one Purcell after the Rope had broke with him promising to make a Discovery was saved and detected four more And nigh the End of this Month our Packets brought us an account of the Death of Lieutenant General Dowglass in Flanders CHAP. IX The Lords Justices come to the Camp The Irish General Officers come to the General 's Tent. Articles signed The Articles at large both Military and Civil with their Majesties Confirmation to both We take possession of the Irish Town A Lieutenant Colonel imprisoned for denying to go to France A Declaration from the General My Lord Lucan perswades the Irish to go into France Their Foot drawn out and put to the trial The Lords Justices return towards Dublin Our Army decamps from Limerick Some of the Irish march out OCtober the first upon a Complaint from Lieut. Gen. Sarsfield that some of our Men begun to plunder and strip theirs as they found Opportunities the General gave Orders that the Souldiers should not go beyond our own Works And now the Irish begin to make Hutts in the King's Island and draw several Regiments out of the Town thither keeping all their Gates fast-lock'd lest their Men should run away from them upon the news of going for France for how fond soever they might be of K. James's Service yet few of the common People have any stomach for travelling That Evening about nine a Clock the Lords Justices came to the Camp which being The Lords Justices come to the Camp signified to the Irish Officers on the 2 d about 3 a Clock in the Afternoon came Sarsfield Waughup and all the other Great Men of the Irish Nation Civil Military The Irish Great Officers come to the General 's Tent. and some Ecclesiastical only 't was observable that the French Lieutenant Generals kept in Town and pretended Indisposition tho they signed the Articles and yet the Matter was not great as to us whether they had or not tho it was material to the Irish as bringing them under the same Circumstances with themselves But tho things were in a manner adjusted before yet there arose new Debates about the Rapparees and other things that lasted till 12 a Clock at Night Then the Articles were ordered to be engrossed and the Irish return into Town My Lord Merion and my Lord Brittas were also now come from Kerry and their Party included in the Articles The 3 d most
of the Irish Officers came again and dining with the Duke of Wirtemberg they went all afterwards to the General 's Tent where the following Articles Articles signed were interchangeably signed The former about the Surrender of the Town signed by the Generals and the latter about the Privileges granted to the Irish signed by the General and Lords Justices jointly being afterwards ratified by their Majesties Letters Patents under the Great Seal of England in Form following The Civil Articles of Limerick GVlielmus Maria Dei gratia Angliae Scotiae Franciae Hiberniae Rex Regina Fidei Defensores c. Omnibus ad quos praesentes literae nostrae pervenirint salutem Inspeximus Irritulament quorund literarum patenttum de Confirmatione geren dat apud Westmonasterium vicessimo quarto die Februarii ultimi praeteriti in Cancellar nostr Irrotulat ac ibidem de Record remanen in haec verba William and Mary by the Grace of God c. To all to whom these Presents shall come greeting Whereas certain Articles bearing Date the third Day of October last past made and agreed upon between our Justices of our Kingdom of Ireland and our General of our Forces there on the one Part and several Officers there commanding within the City of Limerick in our said Kingdom on the other Part Whereby our said Justices and General did undertake that we should ratify those Articles within the space of eight Months or sooner and use their utmost Indeavours that the same should be ratified and confirmed in Parliament The Tenor of which said Articles is as follows viz. Articles agreed upon between Lieutenant General Ginckell Commander in Chief of the English Army on one Side and the Lieut. Generals D'usson and De Tesse Commanders in Chief of the Irish Army on the other Side and the General Officers hereunto subscribing 1. THAT all Persons without any Exception of what Quality or Condition soever that are willing to leave the Kingdom of Ireland shall have free Liberty to go to any Country beyond the Seas England and Scotland excepted where they think fit with their Families Houshold-stuff Plate and Jewels 2. That all General Officers Colonels and generally all other Officers of Horse Dragoons and Foot-Guards Troopers Dragoons Souldiers of all kinds that are in any Garison Place or Port now in the Hands of the Irish or encamp'd in the Counties of Cork Clare and Kerry as also those called Rapparees or Volunteers that are willing to go beyond the Seas as aforesaid shall have free leave to embarque themselves where-ever the Ships are that are appointed to transport them and to come in whole Bodies as they are now composed or in Parties Companies or otherwise without having any Impediment directly or indirectly 3. That all Persons above-mentioned which are willing to leave Ireland and go into France shall have leave to declare at the Times and Places hereafter mentioned viz. the Troops in Limerick on Tuesday next at Limerick the Horse at their Camp on Wednesday and the other Forces that are dispersed in the Counties of Clare Kerry and Cork on the 8th Instant and on none other before Monsieur Tameron the French Intendant and Colonel Withers and after such Declaration is made the Troops that will go to France must remain under the Command and Discipline of their Officers that are to conduct them thither and Deserters on each Side shall be given up and punished accordingly 4. That all English and Scotch Officers that serve now in Ireland shall be included in this Capitulation as well for the security of their Estates and Goods in England Scotland and Ireland if they are willing to remain here as for passing freely into France or any other Country to serve 5. That all the Generals French Officers the Intendant the Engeneers the Commissaries of War and of the Artillery the Treasurer and other French Officers Strangers and all others whatsoever that are in Lymerick Sligo Ross Clare or in the Army or that do Trade or Commerce or are otherways imployed in any kind of Station or Condition shall have free leave to pass into France or any other Country and shall have leave to Ship themselves with all their Horses Equipage Plate Papers and all their Effects whatever and that General Ginckel will order Pasports for them Convoys and Carriages by Land and by Water to carry them safe from Lymerick to the Ships where they shall be Embarqued without paying any thing for the said Carriages or to those that are imployed therein with their Horses Carts Boats and Shallops 6. That if any of the aforesaid Equipages Merchandize Horses Money Plate or other Moveables or Houshold Stuff belonging to the said Irish Troops or to the French Officers or other particular Persons whatsoever be Robbed destroyed or taken away by the Troops of the said General the said General will order it to be restored or payment made according to the Value that is given in upon Oath by the Persons so robbed or plundred and the said Irish Troops to be Transported as abovesaid and all Persons belonging to them are to observe good Orders in their March and Quarters and shall restore whatever they shall take from the Country or make restitution for the same 7. That to Facilitate the Transporting the said Troops the General will Furnish fifty Ships each Ship Burthen two hundred Tuns for which the Persons to be Transported shall not be obliged to pay and twenty more if there shall be occasion without their paying for them and if any of the said Ships shall be lesser Burthen he will furnish more in Number to countervail and also give two Men of War to Embarque the Principal Officers and serve for a Convoy to the Vessels of Burthen 8. That a Commissary shall be sent forthwith to Cork to Visit the Transport Ships and see what Condition they are in for Sailing and that assoon as they are ready the Troops to be Transported shall March with all convenient Speed the nearest way in order to Embarque there and if there shall be any more Men to be Transported than can be carryed off in the said fifty Ships the rest shall quit the English Town of Lymerick and March to such Quarters as shall be appointed for them Convenient for their Transportation where they shall remain till the other twenty Ships are ready which they are to be in a Month and may Embarque on any French Ships that may come in the mean while 9. That the said Ships shall be furnished with Forage for Horse and all necessary Provisions to subsist the Officers Troopers Dragoons and Souldiers and all other Persons that are shipt to be Transported into France which Provision shall be paid for assoon as all are disembarqued at Brest or Nantz upon the Coast of Brettany or any other part of France they can make 10. And to secure the return of the said Ships the danger of the Seas excepted and the payment for the said Provisions
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
delivering up their Arms a very small return being made through the whole Kingdom they keeping as yet some thousands of all sorts of Arms still concealed which I hope will effectually be taken care of in time The weather was now so violent that the Adventure of London was cast away going to Dublin and several other Ships lost in and about that Bay And the Swallow one of Their Majesties Ships was forced a ground nigh Charles-Fort at Kingsale and there foundred tho' all the Men were saved except two February the 12th John Stone Esq being dead and Captain South imployed elsewhere in the Army a new Commission was granted putting in their Places Colonel Foulks and William Palmer Esquires Commissioners for stating the Accounts of the Army And nigh the same time the Commissary General was sent into England with all the Muster Rolls February 16. the weather breaking up part of my Lord Oxford's Horse driven back by stress of weather Lieutenant General Ginckel's and Major General Ruvigney's Horse with the Princess Anns Foot were all Shipp'd for England The same day Lieutenant General Scravemore went on Board as did Brigadier Leveson in a day or two after Colonel Coy's Horse also are Shipp'd off at Belfast and the Garison of Athlone that had been very uneasie to the Officers and Souldiers all Winter by reason they had no shelter except some small Hutts of their own making was now relieved February the 20th the Commissioners of the Ordnance Arms and Ammunition sent for England had an Order directed to them to send all the Stores of Amunition and other Stores of War that cou'd be spared out of the Magazines for England to be employed elsewhere in Their Majesties Service and accordingly March 1692. a vast quantity of Arms and other Utensils of War were Shipt off February 28 Captain Townsend of the Earl of Meath's Regiment took eight or ten French Men Prisoners who had come a Shoar from a Privateer nigh Castle-Haven and we had an Account from England that His Majesty had Created Lieutenant General Ginckel Baron of Aghrim and Earl of Athlone February 26 An Order was directed to Colonel Foulk to break my Lord George Hambleton's Regiment which was done accordingly in some days after 150 ' of the Men being sent for England and the rest entertained in the Earl of Drogheda's Brigadier Stuart's Sir Henry Ballasis and Colonel Foulk's Regiments March the first a Pass was given out for a Ship to The Hostages go from Cork to France go to France with the Hostages left at Cork and other sick Officers and Souldiers according to the Articles of Limerick And on the third another Order was granted to Colonel Foulk for the raising five Companies of 100 Men in each of the Irish all the subaltern Officers to be of those Reformed in Colonel Wilson's and O Donnel's Battalions and the whole to be commanded by my Lord Iveigh and employed in the Emperor's Service And March the fifth an Order was directed to Mr. Foliot Sherigly chief Deputy Commissary to Disband the Troop of Provoes which was done accordingly March the 17th Lieutenant-General Ruvigny Landed Lieutenant General Ruvigny lands in Ireland from England being made Commander in chief of the Army left in Ireland and Created by his Majesty Lord Viscount Galway and two days after his Lordship and the Lord Viscount Blessington were Sworn of Their Majesties Privy Council as the Bishop of Kildare had been some time before And March the 23 d. the following Proclamation was Published declaring the War of Ireland to be at an end 1692 WILLIAM REX WHEREAS by An Act made in Our Parliament A Proclamation declaring the Wars of Ireland ended at Westminster in the First Year of Our Reign Intituled An Act for the better Security and Relief of Their Majesties Protestant Subjects of Ireland it was among other things Enacted that all and every Person and Persons whatsoever of the Protestant Religion should be absolutely Discharged and Acquitted of and from the Payment of all Quit-Rents Crown-Rents Composition-Rents Hearth-Money Twentieth Parts Payments and other Chief Rents arising or Payable out of any Houses Lands Tenements Hereditaments Rectories Tyths or Church-Livings incurring or becoming due to us at any time after the Five and Twentieth Day of December in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Six Hundred Eighty Eight until the said Kingdom of Ireland shou'd be by us declared to be reduced and the War and Rebellion there ended We have now pursuant to the said Act of Parliament thought fit by and with the Advice of Our Privy Council to Issue this Our Royal Proclamation hereby Declaring that the said Kingdom of Ireland is reduced to Our Obedience and the War and Rebellion there ended And We do hereby Will and Require that all and Singular such Rents and Payments and all other Duties payable to the Crown which shall henceforth grow incur and become due be duely answered and payed to us in such manner and under such Penalties and Forfeitures as if the said Act had not been made Given at Our Court at Kensington the Third Day of March 1691 2. in the Fourth Year of Our Reign God save the King and Queen After which time little of moment happened save March 1692. that the Lords Justices by Directions from Their Majesties appointed a time for those that pretended to the Benefit of the Articles of Limerick or Galway to give in their Names and make good their claims by the 20th of February which time was by Proclamation enlarged to the first of April and afterwards to the 15th Wednesday the sixth of April was appointed the first Day to begin upon those Claims all those concerned being to enter their Names sometime before with the Clerk of the Council which Names were to be posted up at least ten Days before their Cause was to be heard their Claims being to be made out by at least three Credible Witnesses one of which was to be a Protestant Accordingly on the sixth of April the Council met upon this Affair and continued every Monday Wednesday and Friday so to do which was a much easier way and more to the Interest and Advantage of the Irish than any Court of Claims erected only for that purpose cou'd have been CHAP. XI A brief Account of the former and present Circumstances of Ireland The Division of it into Provinces and Counties Bishopricks and Parishes The Soil of Ireland Sir John Davis his Reasons why Ireland was so long in being entirely subjâ—cted to the Crown of England What Tanistry is This a reason why the Irish did not improve their Country Of Fosterings and Cosherings A Brief Estimate of the Expence of the former Wars of Ireland An Essay towards the reckoning the Charge of this last The former evils still remain The Interest of the King and People of England in general to advance the Power and Trade of the English in Ireland The Interest also of the Roman Catholicks
Officers desired might be made good after the coming of the French Fleet And first it was but reasonable seeing it was within the intent of the Articles Secondly It was Prudence not to deny it since the French Fleet being Eighteen Men of War Four Fireships and Twenty Ships of Burden were certainly too hard for Captain Coal and his Squadron then in the Shannon and might have put what Men and Provisions they pleased into the English Town our Army also being gone to Quarters we had only Five Regiments in the Irish Town with my Lord Drogheda's and my Lord Lisburn's Encamp'd without the Walls Provisions also were so scarce with us that our Men had only a Pint of Meal a Day allowed them and the Irish in the other Town were not only more in number but better provided so that if Justice could not have obliged the General to the Confirmation of that Clause yet discretion at that Juncture would In a Day or Two after the Articles were Signed we had News that the French Fleet was come to Dingle Bay with Ammunition and all sorts of Provisions for the Relief of the Town this made the Irish Great Officers hang their Heads to think they should so easily part with a place of that importance or rather how they could Answer it to the French King who had been at all that expence and hazard in order to their Relief but the opportunity was lost in doing it no sooner which some have look'd upon since as one of the falsest steps made in France of a long time our King being now at leisure to visit them instead of their supporting his Enemies in Ireland And tho' the French Fleet came too late to Relieve the Some Objections against the Articles of Limerick Answered Town yet I hope it may not be impertinent to endeavour the Answering some Objections that have been since made against the Capitulations of Limerick As if the Lords Justices and the General had condescended too far in granting the Irish any Terms at all at least such as they did which put them into a Condition of Revolting again whensoever an opportunity offered it self That therefore Providence seem'd now to have given the Irish up as the Barbarous Nations were formerly to the Jews and that if this occasion was neglected of putting it out of their power for ever hereafter to endanger the English Interest Or if it was not made a right use of by which they understood destroying of them Root and Branch then we might certainly expect that all the Expence and Blood it has cost England in their Reduction will in a small time signifie nothing since it 's observed that the Irish of themselves are a sloathful People naturally inclined to Spoil Rapine Stealth and Oppression bred in no Trades Manufactures or other ways of Civil Industry to live by in times of Peace wherein they never did nor can endure to continue long loving always a savage and unbridled kind of Life And therefore when one opportunity is neglected of destroying them it will be the Justice of God to make them afterwards the Instruments of our punishment as they have been hitherto And thus Argue a great many People of that Countrey who pretend good experience and that very lately for what they say But as to those Comparisons between us and the Jews the Irish and the Barbarous Nations formerly Inhabiting Judea there can be no just proportion made to draw any reasonable Conclusions from since the Irish are Christians as well as we tho' misled and abused in a great many points and have a natural right to their Countrey which several of them have never forfeited by any Rebellions how forward soever others may have been And for my own part I must own my self of the Opinion that any Policy that is founded in Blood and tends to the destruction of Mankind is not so warrantable by the Law of God as some people endeavour to make it excepting that one Instance of the Jews which is no precedent to any other People And what means soever may be used for the procuring of Unity or Settlement in a Countrey Men must at the same time be careful not to deface and dissolve the Bonds of Christian Charity nay of humane Society since acting the contrary is but to dash the second Table against the first and so to consider others as of this or that Persuasion and treat them ill upon that account is to forget that they are Men as my Lord Bacon has formerly observed And indeed to me it seems full as unreasonable to destroy other People purely because they cannot think as we do as it is for one man to ruine another because the outward Figure and Shape of his Body is not the same with his own Nor can I imagine that the destruction of those men if they really had been in our power could any way have contributed either to the profit or further advancement of the Interest of that Country since the Act of Settlement of the Crown of England upon their present Majesties very deliberately provides That no Papist or any one marrying a Papist shall for ever hereafter be capable to inherit the Imperial Crowns of these Kingdoms And the late swearing Act relating to Ireland entituled An Act for abrogating the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy in Ireland and appointing other new ones are both very considerable Advantages to the Protestant Interest in that Kingdom and no doubt it will be easier for the Government to observe and keep their part of those Articles than for the Irish themselves to do their duty which will be seen in time and there are other convenient Maxims to be observed which being things out of my way I do not pretend to consider them what I have to offer upon this Head being rather Matter of Fact than Argument and that by comparing the state of the Irish at Lymerick and other Places of the Kingdom at the making of these Articles with their Condition at their surrendring up all in the former Wars In the former Wars of Ireland the City of Lymerick was surrendered to Ireton on the 29th of October 1651 upon severe Articles the Governour the Titular Bishop of Lymerick and twelve more being excepted by name and some of these were afterwards executed but during the Siege the Irish lost 5000 men of whom the Plague destroyed many more than the Sword 1300 only marched out and about 4000 Irish remained within Cox Vol. 2. p. 69. Then Galway was surrendered on the 12th of May following to Sir Charles Coot and on the 27th of June Major General Ludlow frighted the Garrison of Ross in Kerry into a Surrender by a small Vessel that he was bringing over the Hills to put into the Lough that surrounds Ross-Castle Rosscommon and James-Town had surrendred to Col. Reynolds on the 27th of April before and Inchylough surrendred to Col. Zanchy on the first of August at what time the Lords of Westmeath and
Muskery O Connor Roe Sir Francis Talbot Sir William Dungan and several others submitted upon those Conditions That they should abide a Trial for the Murders committed in the beginning of the Rebellion and those that only assisted in the War were to forfeit two Thirds of their Estates and to be banished And what I would further observe is this That when the General Assembly of the Popish Clergy and others at Loughreagh desired the then Marquess of Ormend's leave to treat with the Enemy for the Nation in general at the Surrender of Galway Cromwel's Army positively refused it being resolved not to admit of any Treaty for the whole but those that would capitulate should do it only for themselves or the Towns and Places they respectively belonged to By which means tho' the Town of Galway was the last considerable one that was surrendered being on the 12th of May 1652. yet it was the 26th of September 1653. before it was declared That the Rebels were subdued and the Rebellion appeased and ended And though His Majesties Proclamation about the ending of this present War was nigh six Months after the Surrender of Lymerick yet this was deferred only with respect to the poverty of the Country in forgiving the Kingdom half a years Quit-Rents and had not the least relation to any appearance of a further Disturbance as appears by the Proclamation it self Now if Lymerick had been no stronger Town when we last besieged it than it was some time after the first Conquest of Ireland when Earl Reymond Son-in-Law to Strongbow and General of the Army with David Walsh and others swam into the King's Island who taking the City without any sort of Cannon and plundering it they left a Garrison of their own men there or indeed if it had been in no better condition than in the former Wars when there appeared nothing like Works without the Walls themselves or if the Irish People were no better skill'd in Arms now than they have been heretofore even in the late times being most of them rather a confused Rabble than any thing that deserved the Name of an Army then it had been a Reflection upon an Army so well disciplin'd and in so good order as ours was not to have humbled them without any Terms But besides the natural strength of its Situation Lymerick is now improved by Art to that degree that it is very much stronger than it was when we laid Siege to it the former year the Enemy with extraordinary diligence and industry having since that cast up very strong new Works round the Irish Town with great Improvements in the King's Island and elsewhere And the Irish had not only the Advantages of being train'd up to the use of Arms by my Lord Tyrconnel and serving in an Army for some years past but several of them have been abroad in foreign Service besides the being for the most part in Action during the three Campagnes in Ireland and Custom it self is no doubt of it one Point of Courage But those who ever read the Story of Noteburg will not wonder at this Capitulation this they say is a Town built in an Island at the Entrance of the Lake Lagoda made by the Muscovites and encompassed with a strong Wâ—ll against the Attempts of the Suedes it standing upon their Frontiers This the Suedes took under the Command of James De la Garde but not till the Extremities of the Siege and a contageous Disease had consumed the whole Garrison to two Men who yet made a very advantageous Capitulation vid. Ambassadors of Hollands Travels into Muscovy and Russia And as to the Irish it must needs be acknowledged that they never had formerly so fair a Pretext as now nor had they ever been so unanimous since in the late Wars they had at least three different Armies on Foot at the same time they had now also the Assistance and Encouragement of France which is without question at present one of the most powerful Interests in the World and if they had held out till the following Winter they must needs have much fatigued our Army by continual Alarms and Watchings besides other Difficulties that would have attended us in a Blockade in which there 's no subsisting without continual Supplies of Money Ammunition and Victuals and especially near such a place as Limerick then was the Countrey thereabouts being ruined and exhausted in continuing the Seat of War for two Campaigns so that abstracting from the deepness of the Soil and the sharpness of the Winter as it afterwards proved unless we had been full as carefully supplied with Necessaries as ever we had been formerly the whole Design had been still in hazard besides the loss of Time and Treasure And though we had passed the River yet we were still as far from entring the Town as ever What might have been done some time before I am no competent Judge of but since the Irish had it still in their Power to give us the Town or keep it to themselves I see no Reason why they ought not to make a Bargain for it and expect the performance of their Contract which Their Majesties have been graciously pleased to ratifie under the Great Seal of England It may rationally be here demanded why the Irish would treat with us for the Town since they had full as many Foot within as we had in our Army without and and notwithstanding all the Stories told us by Deserters about the scarcity of Provisions they had a quantity of the finest French Bisket I ever tasted sufficient for the whole Garrison for two Months some of which I saw and Commissary-General Aspole assured my self and some other Friends that they had the rest Upon which I asked him the reason of giving us the Town And his Reply was That if they had been driven by necessity to yield they must then have accepted what Terms we had pleased to give them but since they were not they had stood upon such as were for the Advantage of their whole Party But the Truth of it is the Irish were either weary of the War or jealous of one another or it may be both it being no ill Policy on our side to foment their differences and make their private Quarrels advance our Publick Service And as for what happen'd at this Juncture it 's certain that the French Lieutenant-Generals were jealous of the Irish betraying or at least forsaking them And 't is without question they used their Interest in persuading the Irish to hold out till Relief came for they knew considering all things it had been very improper for us to endeavour the forcing the Town by a Breach But I imagine Monsieur D'Vssone's Case now was much the same as that of Don John de Aquila at Kinsale in the Year 1601. who finding the Town was like to be lost and that instead of conquering a Kingdom his Men and himself were like to become a Prey to the Enemy He then