Irish set both ends of the Town on fire The Officers and Soldiers made what haste they could to a Mount towards the middle of the Town where they staid till a Party of Dragoons came from Birr to their Relief for the Irish after some small time drew off and would not adventure to force them from the Mount tho' they were four times our number We had about Twenty eight kill'd and some wounded And Captain Henry Gore as he was going towards the Mount had a Rencounter with some of the Irish Granadeers in which with Club-Musket he had his Jaw-bone broke and several Wounds on the Head but he is since recover'd We kill'd several of the Enemy both in the Streets and in the Houses that they went to plunder The 21th some of the Rapparees march'd towards Philipstown in the King's County A Party of ours going out to discover them took two of their Officers and hanged them And the 23d being the Anniversary of the former Irish Rebellon was kept with great Solemnity a Proclamation being issued out the day before commanding the Sixteenth of November to be kept as a day of Thanksgiving for preserving the King and reducing three entire Provinces Which accordingly was obey'd On the 28th there came an Account from Meerscourt in the County of West-Meath that part of the Enemies Forces advanced from Lanesborough in the County of Longford and came within six Miles of Meerscourt but retreated without any harm done to either side If I am not much mistaken when we left Limerick it was our Business and Advice was given accordingly to secure all the Passes upon the Shanon which had been easie at that time our Army being together and in the Field for these and the Castles all along by the Shanon side might easily have been made tenable where our Men might have been secure and had a very plentiful Country at their Backs for their Relief and then might have made Incursions into Conaught when they pleased But in stead of that we retired further into the Country and left them all the Passes and Forts upon the Shanon by which means they are not to be kept in their own Province as they might have been but can both keep us out and also come amongst us when they have a mind to it Several Protestants come from Limerick About this time the Enemy gave leave to several Protestants to come off who gave account that all things were very scarce amongst them Wheat being generally about Ten pound Brass Money a Barrel Malt Nine pound Brandy Three pound a Quart Ale Two Shillings six pence Mens Shooes Thirty shillings Salt Twenty shillings a Quart And that the Irish Army were in a very miserable condition in all respects And yet it was not so bad as 't was reported This Week the Lords Justices had an Account That one Captain Long formerly Master of a Ship was in February last surprised in the Bay of Killibeggs in the North of Ireland and taken Prisoner to Galloway A Ship brought off from Galloway but whilst he was there he so ordered the Matter as with the help of some Protestants he seised upon a Frigat and brought her from Galloway to Carigfergus She had Twelve Guns and Four Patereroes month November And about the beginning of November a French Ship of thirty Tuns loaden with Brandy and Salt sailed into the Port of Kingsale coming to an Anchor under the New Fort believing that Place still to be in the Hands of the Irish but the Ship was soon boarded by our Men and made a Prize His Majesties Birth-day The Fourth of November being His Majesties Birth-day was observed with all the Splendour that Place could afford Dublin Militia all the Town Militia were drawn out being 2500 Foot two Troops of Horse and two of Dragoons all well Cloathed and Armed and at night the Lords Justices made an Entertainment for the most Considerable Persons in and about the Town The next day also being the Fifth of November was observed according to the Act of Parliament By this time Commissions being given out for Lords Lieutenants and Deputy Lieutenants as also for Officers of the Militia in the Country they had got Arms and were in a pretty good Condition And on the First day of the Term Mr. Sergeant Osburn Their Majesties Serjeant at Law moved the Court of King's Bench for Writs of Certiorari to remove all Indictments of High Treason found in several Counties of this Kingdom against those in Rebellion against the King and Queen which was granted and Writs Issued out accordingly Proposals were made also by the Commissioners for the Forfeited Estates to set Leases for a year of all Lands that are Forfeited in this Kingdom but I did not hear of many Tenants for amongst other things there Proposed the Farmer must give in an Exact Account of the Acres both Arable and Pasture of the Farm he designs to take contains and if upon view it appears to be more than to pay 28 s. for every Acre of Arable and 5 s. for every Acre of Pasture that was over-plus this indeed is a good way to get an Account of all the Lands but not to make any Benefit to the King of them for I 'm afraid several Acres will not yield 20 s. in many years An Exploit of Captain Archer's On Tuesday the 13 th of November Captain Archer one of the Militia had a scuffle with the Raparees in the County of Wicklow kill'd about Five and took Twenty three Prisoners with the loss of Five or six of his own Men and about this time the Enemy burnt Philip's Town the chief Town in the King's County so called from King Philip as Mary Borough is from Queen Mary for in this Reign those two Counties were settled and part of them given to Thomas Ratcliff Earl of Sussex though we had a Garrison in it for they came from a great adjacent Bog in the Night and having set the Town on Fire retreated thither again The General comes to Dublin At this time Lieutenant General Ginkle who Commands in Chief over His Majesties Forces in Ireland came to Dublin and on the Thirteenth Published several Orders and Rules how the Army should be subsisted and the Country paid and secured which are too long to insert but very Commendable if they had been observed And the General and Lords Justices consulting together the Justices send out a Proclamation the Fourteenth for regulating the Quartering the Army and assertaining the Rates of things as what should be paid by each Soldier for all sorts of Provisions and Confirming the General 's Orders Published the day before We had News brought from Limerick by a Lieutenant that deserted of several Inconveniencies the Enemy were put to but these were only true in part there was a Report also that a supply of Arms Ammunition and Money was come from France and this was true in some respect for at that time
there was a Ship with Arms Ammunition and some Provisions on Board with about Sixty Officers designed for Limerick but cast away in that River and all the Men lost The Rapparees all this while were very busie about Cashall and Clonmel and did a great deal of mischief this occasioned some of our Army to joyn part of the Militia who went towards Cullen and burnt the Corn bringing away a good Booty without any opposition The Fifteenth of November Colonel Byerly's Horse marched from Dublin to Mount Naelick a Village towards the Frontiers and on the 19 th the Lords Justices Publish a Proclamation Declaring That if any of their Majesties Protestants Subjects had their Houses or Haggards burnt or were Robb'd or Plundred by the Rapparees such Losses should be repaid by the Popish Inhabitants of that County And in regard the Popish Priests had great Influence over their Votaries it was ordered That if any Rapparees exceeding the Number of Ten were seen in a Body no Popish Priest should have liberty to reside in such a County And it was further declared That the Government would not give Protection to any Person that had a Son in the Enemies Quarters unless such Son return to Their Majesties Obedience before the Tenth of December next following And in regard at this time the Government was apprehensive of some danger nigh Dublin it self they Publish a Proclamation the 22 d. That all Papists who have not been noted House-keepers in the City of Dublin for Three Months last past were within Forty eight Hours to depart at least Ten Miles from the City or else to be proceeded against as Spies and that not above Five Papists should meet together upon any Pretext whatever A Plot discovered About the 24 th there was great talk of a Design discovered to the Lords Justices of sending a Supply of Meal Salt Tobacco Brandy and several other things from Dublin to the Enemies Quarters Those who were carrying these things were pursued and overtaken in the County of Kildare upon a By Road they all made their escapes however but one of them being a Woman dropt a Petticoat in which was found a Letter and also another in a Rowl of Tobacco which gave grounds to believe that a Correspondence was kept between the Papists in Dublin and the Enemy beyond the Shanon and therefore on Sunday Night the 30 th of November a general search was made through the City and most of the Papists secured This Piece of Service the Militia performed very dextrously without noise or suspicion till the thing was done A List of the Privy-Council The last Packquets from England brought a List of the Privy Council appointed by His Majesty for the Kingdom of Ireland as also of several of the Judges The Council were The Lord Primate the Lord Chancellor Lord Treasurer Archbishop of Dublin Duke of Ormond Earl of Meath Earl of Drogheda Earl of Longford Earl of Renelah Earl of Granard Viscount Lisburn Bishop of Meath Robert Fitz-Gerrald Esq the Vice Treasurer Chancellor of the Exchequer Chief Justice of the King's Bench Chief Justice of the Common Pleas the Chief Baron of the Exchequer Master of the Rolls Secretary of State Master of Ordance Sir Henry Fane Sir Charles Merideth William Hill of Hillsborongh Esquire On Monday the First of December several of the said Persons attended the Lords Justices at the Council Chamber and there took the usual Oaths of Privy Councellors The Judges named for the Respective Courts in Dublin were Sir Richard Reynoll Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench Sir Richard Stephens one of the Justices of the same Court Mr. Justice Lindon being formerly sworn there In the Common Pleas Mr. Justice Jetfordson Mr. Justice Cox being formerly sworn there In the Exchequer Jo Healy Esq Lord Chief Baron and Sir Standish Hartstone one of the Barons of the Court Mr. Baron Ecklin being formerly sworn there This day we had News of the Enemies passing the Shanon at several Places and Orders were sent to our Frontiers to be in readiness and Colonel Gustavus Hambleton sent a Party from Birr towards Portumna who met with a Party of the Enemy which they routed killing some and brought off two Officers with Eleven Prisoners being Dragoons and Foot month December December the 2 d. A Proclamation was issued out by the Lords Justices and Council forbidding all Their Majesties Subjects of Ireland to use any Trade with France or to hold any Correspondence or Communication with the French King or his Subjects This was the first that was Signed by the Council and these were present viz. Fran. Dublin Drogheda Longford Granard Lisburn Robert Fitz-Gerald Anth. Meath Charles Merideth We had at that time an Account from Cork that on the 22 d. of November last there were 60 of our Horse and Foot who met with near Five hundred of the Rapparees in the Barony of West Carberry near Castlehaven our Men at that disadvantage Retreated towards Castlehaven the Enemy followed in the Rear and fired at a distance several times our Party facing about killed Nine and afterwards being Attackt again they killed one Brown an Ensign of the Enemies Castletown Besieged The Enemy next day Besieged Castletown an House near Castlehaven they were Commanded by O Donavan O Driscoll and one Barry As they approached the House our Men killed Twelve of them this put them into an humour of Retreating though one Captain Mackronine with his Sword drawn endeavoured to hinder them but he and some more of the Party being kill'd the rest got away as well as they could Several of them had Bundles of Straw fastned upon their Breasts instead of Armour but this was not Proof for about Thirty of them were killed upon the Spot amongst whom were young Colonel O Driscol Captain Tiege O Donavan besides several that went off Wounded we lost only two Men. Rapparees defeated At this time Colonel Byerley being at Mountmelick with part of his own Regiment and some of Colonel Earl's Foot he was frequently Allarumed as well by Parties of the Irish Army as by Considerable Numbers of the Rapparees who had a design to burn the Town as they had done several others thereabouts but the Colonel was very watchful and kept good Intelligence a main Matter in this Assair He was told of a Party that designed to burn the Town and he took care to have all his Men both Horse and Foot in readiness to welcome them but they heard of his Posture and durst not venture however on the Third of December he had notice of a Body of Rapparees that were not far from the Town and designed him a mischief he sends out Lieutenant Dent with Twenty Horse and ordered each Horseman to take a Musqueteer behind him when the Horse came almost within sight of the Rapparees they dropt their Foot who marched closely behind the Hedges unperceived by the Enemy When the Enemy espied so small a Party of Horse they Advanced
Charlemont was surrendered Col. Woolsely went with a Party of 1200 Men to a Castle called Bellingargy in which the Enemy had a Garison of above 200 Men. This was seated in a great Water so that our Men must wade up to the middle to come at it Col. Foulks commanded the Foot and marched at the Head of them through the Water The Enemy fired and killed us several Men however they saw we were resolved to have it and so after several Fascins brought to fill up the Ditches and smart firings on both sides they hung out their white Flag and agreed to march away without their Arms. Col. Woolsely going down to encourage the Men was shot in the Scrotum but soon recovered We had 17 Men killed 43 wounded besides two Captains and an Ensign killed Three Gentlemen come from Dublin with an exact Account of the Posture of Affairs there About the middle of May came one Capt. King Mr. Wingfield a Lawyer and Mr. Trench a Clergy-men with five or six more from Dublin in an open Boat and gave the Duke a more exact Account than any he had formerly how all things went with the Irish As to the Civil Affairs the Government was in the hands of Five viz. my Lord Tyrconnel Sir Stephen Rice Lord Chief Baron Lord Chief Justice Nugent Bruno Talbot Chancellor of the Exchequer and Sir William Ellis All Business in Matters Civil was done by them and if a Protestant petitioned the late King it was referred to those and never any answer given except it was indorsed on the Back this solicited by such an One who must be some eminent Papist and then perhaps it was answered These Men ordered all the Protestants Goods to be seized that were fit for Traffick and sent to France The late King pretended to pay them the half value in Brass Mony but that was scarce ever got and often if a Man was known to have Mony he was sent to Goal under pretence of High-Treason Col. Simon Lutteril was Governor of Dublin As to the Churches the late King seemed to incline to continue Protestants in them but what endeavours he made to restore Churches in the Country they were frustrated sometimes under pretence that the King had no Power in those Matters and some say he never design'd they should and therefore his Orders were not to be obeyed or else his Clergy had not so easily disswaded him from performing what he had promised except in the Business about the Church of Limerick wherein he observed that when it was for the purpose of the Papists to have the Protestants turned out of Town then they were very numerous and consequently dangerous but when the contrary answered their Ends as in the Instance of desiring the Church of Limerick then the Protestants were made very few which he took notice of and the Protestants at Limerick keep the Cathedral all this while They gave an account also that our Churches were generally shut up upon any Alarm from Sea or Report from the Army and the Protestants imprisoned As to the Military Affairs they gave an Account that the French about 5000. Men came to Dublin some-time after their landing being well armed and clothed Soon after the possession of the Town and Castle were given to Lauzun whom the French acknowledged to serve and not K. James and they were generally at free Quarter upon the Protestants nor would Monsieur Lauzun set his Guards in Town till he had possession of the Castle That all care was taken to provide Clothes for the Army by obliging the Clothiers to make so many Yards of Cloth a Month the Hatters Hats the Shoemakers Shoes c. And that they had considerable Stores of Corn and other Provisions at Drogheda Trim Navan Dublin Cork Waterford Kilkenny Athlone and Limerick The Method they proposed to deal with K. William's Army was to make good the Pâ—sses upon the Neury Mountains and at Dundalk to spin out the War as by Order from France and dispute their Ground without a general Battel till they came to the Boyne and there to defend the Pass but still without a Battel if they could help it they hoping in a small time to hear some extraordinary thing from a Party for K. James in England and from the French Fleet. Those and several other things they gave an Account of first to the Duke and afterwards to the King Towards the latter end of May we had several small Parties that went abroad one to Finnah and another to Kells bringing off Horses Cattel and some Prisoners And the 6 th of June Count Schonberg came to Belfast At the same time arrived our Train some Arms Ammunition and 200 Carpenters and other Artificers for the Service of the Army month June The King arrives in Ireland And now the general talk and expectation was of the King 's coming over who left Kensington the 4 th of June took Shipping at Highlake the 12 th and on the 14 being Saturday he landed at Carickfergus about four a Clock in the Afternoon His Majesty went through part of the Town and viewed it and notice being given immediately to the General who had prepared Sir William Franklin's House at Belfast for his Majesty's Reception and was there attending his Landing his Grace went in his Coach with all speed to wait on the King Maj. Gen. Kirk and several Officers that were there expecting the King's landing attended the Duke his Majesty was met by them near the White-House and received them all very kindly coming in the Duke's Coach to Belfast he was met also without the Town by a great Concourse of People who at first could do nothing but stare never having seen a King before in that part of the World but after a while some of them beginning to Huzzah the rest all took it as Hounds do a scent and followed the Coach through several Regiments of Foot that were drawn up in Town towards his Majesty's Lodgings and happy were they that could but get a sight of him That Evening his Highness Prince George the Duke of Ormond my Lord of Oxford my Lord Scarborough my Lord Manchester the Honourable Mr. Boyle and a great many Persons of Quality landed only Maj. Gen. Scravenmore staid at Chester till all things were come over who has taken a great deal of pains in our Irish Expedition There came also some Mony a-shore but exceedingly short of what was hoped for Next day the King heard a Sermon preached by Dr. Loyse on Heb. 6. 11. Through Faith they subdued Kingdoms and the same day came several of the Nobility Officers Gentry and Clergy to wait on his Majesty And on Munday Lieut. Gen. Douglass came from Hambleton's Ban where he had been Encamped for nigh a Fortnight and Dr. Walker with a great many more of the Episcopal Clergy presented his Majesty with an Address being introduced by Duke Schonberg and the Duke of Ormond To the King 's most Excellent Majesty
from the side of the Bog towards them the Horse seem'd to Retreat a little till the Rapparees were Advanced within Musquet-shot of our Foot who firing amongst them kill'd feveral and then Lieutentant Dent fell in with his Horse as also the Foot Charged them a second time that after some resistance they kill'd Thirty nine and took Four whom they hanged without any further Ceremony The rest escaped to the Bogs and in a moment all disappeared which may seem strange to those that have not seen it but something of this kind I have seen my self and those of this Party assured me that after the Action was over some of them looking about amongst the Dead found one Dun a Serjeant of the Enemies who was lying like an Otter all under Water in a running Brook except the top of his Nose and his Mouth they brought him out and although he proffer'd Forty Shillings in English Money to save his Life a great Ransom as he believed yet he was one of the Four that was hanged How the Rapparees conceal themselves and their Arms. When the Rapparees have no mind to show themselves upon the Bogs they commonly sink down between two or three little Hills grown over with long Grass so that you may as soon find a Hair as one of them they conceal their Arms thus they take off the Lock and put it in their Pocket or hide it in some dry Place they stop the Mussle close with a Cork and the Tutch-hole with a small Quil and then throw the Piece it self into a running Water or a Pond you may see an hundred of them without Arms who look like the poorest humblest Slaves in the World and you may search till you are weary before you find one Gun but yet when they have a mind to do mischief they can all be ready in an Hours warning for every one knows where to go and fetch his own Arms though you do not Boats fitted up to be sent to the Shanon About this time the Lords Justices Ordered Four Long Boats like Men of Wars Pinnaces to be fitted up with Pattereros and little small Guns the Sides to be fortified with Boards and other Materials and those to be filled with a hundred Choice Men commanded by Captain Hoord who had been Provost Martial but turned out for some Irregular things and was resolved to do some desperate Service to be readmitted These Boats were to be drawn upon Carriages to the Shanon and there put in the Design was very plausible and might have done Service if pursued for there are several Islands in the Shanon wherein the Irish have very considerable Riches and besides Hoord and his Men designed to make Incursions into the Enemies Country and to burn and destroy all before them if a small Party appear'd then they would fight them but if a great Body then they could retreat to their Fleet and go away to another Place And further one design of those Boats was to carry over a part of our Army at least their Necessaries that shortly designed an Expedition beyond the Shanon but the Boats were stopt beyond Mullingar and ordered to go no further A Spy seized Nigh this time one Kirowen an Irish Officer came from Athlone to Mullingar he pretended to be a Deserter and told a fair Story but next day a Protestant that made his escape gave an Account that he was a Spy and had some bad Designs upon which being examined and searched he had on a Pair of Breeches made of the Petticoat of a Gentlewoman whom he had murdered and upon strict examination of his Boy and others it appear'd that he was sent on purpose to burn the Garrison so was the Saturday following hanged for his pains There was also a Discourse as if the Papists had a design to burn Dublin when the Irish Army was to approach which they expected every day this was discovered by a Letter from Lieutenant Colonel Woogan's Lady to him in Limerick the Letter was intercepted and gave an Account that the Protected Papists were ready to join with the Irish Army in doing us what mischief they could upon which most of them were secured as I have said but however those of them that would take the Oath of Allegiance to K. W. and Q. M. were released but the refusers kept in Prison yet were Ordered by a Proclamation from the Lords Justices and Council December the Eight to obey the former Orders in removing from Dublin and all Their Majesties Garrisons on the Frontiers And several of the Papists who had Sons in the Enemies Quarters having made Application to the Lords Justices for further time to bring them in pursuant to a Proclamation November the 19 th they set out another December the 8 th allowing them time till the Tenth of January but for all this I heard of very few that came over Another Proclamation was Dated the same day Ordering all the Laws in that Kingdom for the Restraining the Exportation of Wooll to be put in Execution except to England and Wales only and this with Licence after the usual manner We had an Account from Clonmel that Captain Archer with a Militia Troop met with a Party of the Irish kill'd Twenty five and took a Booty of Three hunder'd Cows with several other things And Colonel Woolsley sent word that what Provisions and Ammunition were sent to the North were safely arrived his Men having kill'd Eight of the Irish the day before and hang'd Three Spies And about the middle of December we had News from Limerick by a Deserter that all things were very scarce the Soldiers wanting both Meat and Cloaths But Leiutenant Kelly who was taken Prisoner at Birr and now released says the Irish are not in so very bad a Condition because they have got nigh Ten thousand Horse load of Corn out of the County of Kerry this Winter which possible we might as well have had as they if we had been as diligent Nigh this time one Mack Finin one of the Prisoners that escaped from Cork as they say a great many did by sinister means marched with a Party of about 400 of the Army and Rapparees towards Iniskeen in the County of Cork and finding it guarded they went to Castletown where there was a Lieutenant and Thirty Dragoons they defended the Place bravely for some time killing Ten of the Enemy but their Ammunition being spent and having Five of their Men kill'd they were forced to surrender upon Quarter but the Lieutenant was afterwards murdered though a Party coming from Iniskeen from Major Culliford set upon the Irish kill'd Twelve and took Five Prisoners The Lords Justices and Council now fearing that in those Houses where there dwelt Papists if any publick Trade was kept as to the selling of Ale Wine Coffee c. they might be Plotting and Contriving Mischief therefore they Publish a Proclamation December the 12 th That no Papist shall keep a Publick House in
time And further the French are retired and it 's to be supposed without design of returning else they would not have gone away Suppose therefore the Irish fortifie all those Places in their possession and have Arms and Ammunition with whatever else is needful from France yet all this will neither put Courage into them to defend those Places nor is it altogether in the power of France to supply them with necessary Provisions And lastly Of our own But Secondly As to our own Army I doubt not but we have several that are indifferent whether the War be quickly at an end or not for they find the Irish to be an easie sort of Enemy and if the War were done here they must expect hotter Service somewhere else They look upon it however as an Enemies Country which is the reason that great Spoils are made and Outrages committed nay which is worst of all no Distinction made of Papist or Protestant This it 's to be fear'd may bring a Famine and then all Peoples Condition in that Kingdom will be very severe For tho' there be Plenty enough in England yet the People of Ireland being poor no body will be at the pains to carry their Goods into a Country where there is nothing to be got in return of them But then whatsoever pains the Irish take in fortifying their Towns we take as much in carrying things to beat them out of them for there is a vast quantity of Bombs of the largest size with all things convenient for such a Design daily brought to Dublin And as to our Army our Numbers are the same as last Year except Two Regiments that are broke they are also much healthfuller and better acquainted both with the Country and their Arms and to encourage us the more the Parliament has granted His Majesty a considerable Fund to carry on the War as also to Equip His Fleet which we were in both defective last Summer Besides we have now at least Twelve thousand of the Militia in good order either to defend our Garrisons behind us or assist in our Army upon occasion for one should think that there is no body so fit to fight for their own Country or indeed to be entrusted with it as those People whose Concern it is And more than all this we shall have a great many Protestant Rapparees from the North and other Places that we can at least set against theirs for the Northern People are most of them arm'd either from our Men that died last Year or by some means or other so that I hope we shall have no want of Men. If therefore we have a mind to retrive our Losses we must encourage such as do well and reward them for their Valour and Conduct but punish Offenders though their Station be the greater And as to the Arrears of the Army they are not so very great as some People make them for though we have not had our Accounts stated for some time yet we have still received Money upon Account and the Soldiers have constantly been supplied with Bread and other Provisions But it 's usual with a great many that when they can have no other Excuse for their Extravagancies then they 'll say the King owes them so much but say not a word of what they have received And as to what the present Irish War both has cost and is like to do both as to Men and Money it is not to be named with that in Cromwell's time which any may see that will but read Burlace's History Nor can there be any Comparison between the present Government and that for then both Law and Religion were trampled upon but now they run in their due Channel But after all the Reason why Ireland was not reduc'd last Year was our late taking the Field and the Occasion of that was because the Affairs of the Army could not be put in a compleat Posture any sooner For England has a long time been used to Peace and Ease and therefore unprovided of those things that are absolutely necessary in time of War which were to come from abroad The King did as much as was possible in the time as any who have seen the Country may know for if Ireland were as well Peopled and Mann'd as the Soil it self will bear it may defie all the World besides You cannot see a Town or a small Castle but where there 's either a Bog or a River or both all Places being fortified as well by Nature as Art And in War there 's no doubt but time must be allow'd to regulate such Mistakes as may happen since no Man is infallible in that Art Nor was there a sufficient Fund of Money the Year past to supply the real Necessities of so great a Work which Inconveniency being now removed a fair Conclusion may be rationally hoped for As to the Charge of maintaining a competent Army there when Ireland is reduced the Country will night do that of it self since the Customs in that part of the Kingdom now in our possession amounted to Sixty seven thousand five hundred twenty six pound for the Six Months last past and what must the whole Kingdom come to in Times of Peace and a setled Establishment I have only this to add That when our Armies go out to defie our Enemies and yet at the same time in their Practice defie the Living God or if we should stay at home and fast and pray for their good Success never so heartily yet God will neither hear us nor help them if we are negligent in our Duty towards him If therefore we desire that our Armies and Fleets may make a considerable Figure in the World let us not grudge at and censure every thing our Betters do but be careful to do our Duty to God and Man then after the enduring for a Season the Inconveniencies of War we may hope to be happy in a lasting Peace Amen FINIS ADVERTISEMENT WHereas there are some mistakes occasioned by the Printer's oversight which the Author being suddenly call'd to his Post in Ireland had neither leisure nor opportunity to Correct the Reader may if he pleases supply such Defects Books lately printed for Richard Chiswell A New History of the Succession of the Crown of England and more particularly from the Time of King Egbert till King Henry the VIII Collected from those Historians who wrote of their own Times A Discourse concerning the unreasonableness of a New Separation on account of the Oaths With an Answer to the History of Passive Obedience so far as relates to Them A Vindication of the said Discourse concerning the Unreasonableness of a New Separation from the Exceptions made against it in a Tract called A Brief Answer to the said Discourse c. An Account of the Ceremony of Investing His Electoral Highness of Brandenburgh with the Order of the Garter at Berlin June 6. 1690. By James Johnston Esq and Gregory King Esq His Majesties Commissioners Dr. Freeman's Sermon at the Assizes at Northampton befote the Lord Chief Justice Pollexfen August 26. 1690. His Thanksgiving Sermon before the House of Commons November 5. 1690. Dr. Tenison's Sermon before the Queen concerning the Wandring of the Mind in God's Service Feb. 15. 1690. His Sermon before the Queen of the Folly of Atheism Feb. 22. 1690. Dr. Fowler 's Sermon before the Queen March 22. 1690. The Bishop of Sarum's Sermon at the Funeral of the Lady Brook February 19. 1690. His Fast Sermon before the King and Queen April 29. 1691. Mr. Fleetwood's Sermon at Christ Church on St. Stephen's day A full and impartial Account of the secret Consults Negotiations Stratagems and Intregues of the Romish Party in Ireland from 1660. to 1889. for the Settlement of Popery in that Kingdom A Ground Plot of the strong Fort of Charlemont in Ireland with the Town River Marshes Boggs and Places adjacent Drawn by Captain Hobson price 6 pence An Exact Ground Plot of London-Derry with the River Woods Ways and Places adjacent by the same Captain Hobson price 6 d. There is preparing and will shortly be Published A Prospect of Limerick bearing due West exactly shewing the Approaches of the English Army with the Batteries and Breach ANglia Sacra Sive Collectio Historiarum partim antiquitus partem recenter scriptarum De Archiepiscopis Episcopis Angliae à Prima Fidei Christianae susceptione ad Ann. 1540. Nunc primum in Lucem editum Pars Prima de Archiepiscopis Episcopis Ecclesiarum Cathedralium quas Monachi possederunt Opera Henrici Whartoni This Book will be ready for Publication by the Fourth of June next Subscriptions will be taken till the First of July Proposals for the same may be had of Richard Chiswell and most other Booksellers in London and the Country
left and so died and all of us had but indifferent Lodgings that Night amongst the Ruins of the old Houses at Newry So little did the poor Men value dying that some of them being in a Stable over-night the next day two were dead and the rest intreating me to get a Fire which I did coming about two hours after they had pull'd in the two dead Men to make Seats of The ninth Day the rest of our Army marched from Dundalk the Duke giving Orders first to burn some Arms and Provisions that could not be got off because the Waggons were imployed to carry the Men and some few sick Men were left that could not be removed those were at the Mercy of the Enemy who did not use them ill but buried several that were dead At their first coming to Dundalk they removed the Corps of our three dead Colonels out of my Lord Bedlow's Vault and buried them nigh the Church-door but did not abuse them as was reported Some Men killed As the Rear of our Army was marching off from Dundalk a small Party of the Enemy's Horse came as far as Moyery-Castle two Miles from the Town where they killed the Adjutant of my Lord Kingston's Regiment with two or three Souldiers that were behind the rest but a Party of our Horse advancing the Enemy retreated towards Dundalk which they had possession of within an hour after we had left it And that nothing might be wanting for the good of the Souldiers the General before he left the Camp viz. on the 23 d of October set forth an Order how all Subaltern Officers and Souldiers were to be subsisted and cleared according to which all Colonels and superiour Officers were to take care that their Men were paid as they would answer the contrary at their Perils A Remarkable Story Sometime after our coming to Quarters I was told a very remarkable Story relating to the manner of our decamping at Dundalk It was by one Mr. Hambleton of Tollymoore a Justice of Peace in his Country and a sober rational Man which was to this effect Himself and two other Gentlemen with their Servants coming from Dublin into the North at least a Year before our Landing As they came towards Dundalk about nine a Clock at Night they espied several little twinkling Lights in the Air with two larger than the rest They staid some time in the Town and designing for Newry that Night Mr. Hambleton went a little before his Company and saw the same Lights again as nigh as he could guess about the Ground where we afterwards Encamp'd On the side of the Hill as he was to go towards the Mountains he turned about and look'd at them and at the same time he heard the most dismal and heavy Groans in the World This startled him something and presently his Company came up who all saw the Lights and heard the Noise which continued till they got almost to Newry but the Lights they saw no more after they turned their Backs off the Plains of Dundalk They have a great many Stories of this kind in Ireland And the Inniskilling-Men tell you of several such things before their Battels but I have only the Reader 's Pardon to ask for the trouble of this How our Army was quarter'd The Army at our decamping was dispersed all over the North to Winter-Quarters which were but very indifferent and what with coming to warm Fire-sides with some and others having little or no shelter to secure them and very little Provisions the Country being all wasted and destroyed nor was it possible to send Provisions every where till Storehouses were fixed And then most of the Men being very weak before they left the Camp and marching in the Cold and Wett to come to those Places we had more that died when they came to Quarters than died in the Camp I have a Copy of the Order by me which directed how and where all Regiments were to be disposed but it 's needless to insert it only our Frontier Garisons were Green-Castle and Rostriver where quartered Beaumont and Stuart Newry where was Sir Henry Inglesby Taudrogee Sir Henry Bellasis and some of Levison's Dragoons Legacory had some of the French and at Armagh were Drogheda and Deering at Clownish Monohan and those places were Hastings and some of the Iniskilliners The General had his Head-Quarters at Lisburn and the Hospital was ordered to be at Belfast which is a very large Town and the greatest for Trade in the North of Ireland it stands at the head of the Bay of Carickfergus and the Inhabitants have lately built a very famous Stone-Bridg but the Wars coming on it is not as yet quite finished I doubt not but most People will be curious to know how many died this Campaign and in Quarters and what could be the occasion of such Mortality as likewise how many the Enemies Numbers were when they lay so nigh us and wonder why two Armies should lie so near together for our Front and theirs were for above a Fortnight not two miles asunder and yet so little of Action happen The Reasons of our Mens dying As to the first whatever the World may think yet I can attribute those Distempers amongst us to nothing else but the Badness of the Weather the moistness of the Place the unacquaintedness of the English to hardships and indeed their lazy Carelessness for I remember a Regiment of Dutch that Encamp'd at the end of the Town were so well hutted that not above eleven of them died the whole Campaign but it 's the same thing with the English whenever you take them first out of their own Country as it was here and let Men be in other things never so happy if they have Courage and know the use of their Arms yet when they come upon Duty if they have not Bodies inured to hardships they lie under a great disadvantage But in truth we could scarce have been more infortunate either in a Place or in the Weather than whilst we were there for it would often rain all Day upon us when there was not one drop in the Enemies Camp this they used to call a Judgment but it was because we lay in a Hollow at the Bottoms of the Mountains and they upon a high sound Ground the Enemy did not at first die so fast as we did because they were born in the Country and were used to bad lying and feeding but before they decamped they were nigh as ill as we and abundance died after they got to Quarters Chirurgions ill provided One thing I cannot omit and that is that our Surgeons were very ill provided with Druggs having in their Chests only some little things for Wounds but little or nothing that might be useful against the Flux and the Feaver which were the two raging Distempers amongst us and yet I cannot but think that the Feaver was partly brought to our Camp by some of those People that
goes to Athlone Lieut. Gen. Douglas and his party Encamped that Night nigh Chappel-Issard and next day at Manouth Friday we Encampt at Glencurry about five miles further and we had not got this length till we begun to plunder though the General gave strict Orders to the contrary Saturday the 12th we marched to Clenard Bridge here we staid all Sunday and Lieutenant-General Douglas took an account of every Man in his party that he might have Bread provided accordingly the Soldiers went abroad and took several things from the Irish who had staid upon the Kings Declaration and frequent complaints came already to the General but Plundering went on still especially amongst the Northern Men who are very dextrous at that sport Sunday morning Captain Aughmouty of Colonel Woolsley's Regiment went with a party of Horse towards the County of Longford And Munday the 14th they met the Army at Mullingar whither we marched and several of the Irish came in for Protections though when they had them they were of little force to secure their Goods or themselves Two Spies taken The party that was sent out brought in a great prey of Cattle from the Enemies Quarters and took two Spies with Letters from Athlone one was to Advise one Tute to Defend an Island nigh Mullingar in which he had store of Horses and several things of value Another Letter was from an Officer at Athlone to his Father in the Country telling him that my Lord Tyrconnel the Duke of Berwick and several more great Officers were come to Limerick with a good Body of Horse and that all their Army would be there in two or three days so that they would make either a Hog or a Dog on 't as he exprest it That the Dauphin was landed in England with a great Army that the French had beat the English and Dutch Fleets that Duke Schonberg was dead and it was said the Prince of Orange was so too that their King was gone for France but it was no great matter he said where he was for they were better without him Then he advised his Father not to take a Protection because those that did were lookt upon as Enemies And after his Letter was sealed he had writ on the out-side Just now we have an Account by a Gentleman that 's come to us from Dublin that Orange is certainly dead so that all will be well again Such were their Hopes and Expectations at that time But though they believed most of those things yet they did not certainly know what to make on 't for they had no good opinion of the late King as may appear by a great many instances for Sarcefield sometime afterward speaking of the Action at the Boyn swore if we would change Kings they would fight it over again and beat us For certainly the Courage and Countenance of the Chief Commander in Armies is a material Point in the success of the Action and especially in Kings for he that has a Genius to the War has Advantages above other Men that makes his Gentry Nobility and Officers strive to imitate his Example by which he is better served and commonly more fortunate The 15th we remained Encamped at Mullingar and about 500 Creights came from the County of Longford with their Wives Children Cattle and every thing that they could bring away their business was to procure the Generals Protection which was granted them and they moved homewards as the Army marched forwards but were most of them plundered afterwards There had been a Friery at Mullingar during the late Kings Reign but the Friday before we got thither the Fathers thought fit to go a Pilgrimage into Conaught This Evening a party of Col. Russel's Horse went towards Athlone and came within three miles of the place but did no feats worth the mentioning next day we marcht to Ballimoor where stands a strong House at the side of a Lough which the Enemy has since fortified Athlone Besieged And Thursday July 17th we came before Athlone and encamped within a quarter of a mile of the Town the Enemy playing their great Guns upon us as we marched but did us little dammage The General sent a Drum to Summons the Town but old Colonel Grace the Governor fired a Pistol at him and sent word those were the Terms he was for The Town it self stands on a narrow Neck of Land between two Bogs one on either side the Shannon and you cannot come to it much less pass the River any where up or down within six or eight miles except at the Town through the midst of which the River Shannon runs and is both very broad and deep being by much the greatest in these three Kingdoms Ptolomy calls this River Senus Giraldus Flumen Senense but the Irish call it Shannon that is the Ancient River It arises out of Theru Hills in the County of Letrim and running through an excellent Country and several Towns particularly Limerick and Athlone it falls into the Sea beyond Knock-Patrick a Mountain upon which St. Patrick conjured all the Venomous Creatures in Ireland and threw them into the Sea insomuch that nothing of that kind has appeared or will live in that Kingdom ever since if you 'll believe what the Irish do however this River is Navigable for above twenty Leagues That part of Athlone standing on the South-side the Shannon is called the English Town and that on the other the Irish Town where stands a very strong Castle Athlone is the head Town in the County of Roscommon and was formerly the Barony of the O Kelly's There is a very good Stone-Bridge between the two Towns which was Built by Sir Henry Sidney in Queen Elizabeth's time and because this is commonly accounted the Center of Ireland that Queen once designed to make it the Residence of the Lords Justices The English Town not being so easie to defend the Irish Burnt it the day before our coming and broke down the Bridge They had several very convenient opportunities to disturb us in our march to the Town because of the Bogs Woods and Passes that lay very advantageous for that purpose but they retired over the River to defend the other side about 200 Yards above the Town they had raised some Breast-works on the River side nigh the end of the Bridge they had cast up several Redoubts and other Works and had planted two Batteries of two Guns a piece besides what were in the Castle Friday we spent in contriving our Batteries and our Works and on Saturday we planted two Field-Pieces which did the Enemies Guns some damage then one hundred and fifty Men out of each Regiment were ordered to make and carry Fascines and in two days more we had a Battery of six Guns finished nigh the Bridge-end which plaid upon the Castle and made a small Breach to wards the top On Sunday the 20th the General sent a Detachment of Horse commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Barry and 150 Granadeers mounted
That day we marched beyond the Devils Bit and all along as we passed we could see the Rapparees looking upon us from the Mountains but we had now so many Cattle Horses and Attenders on our marches as made us look as big nigh hand as the other part of the Army and the Souldiers used to say that the Cattle and Sheep themselves could tell by their different tones to whom they belonged From this place all down to Cashel and so towards Clonmel and Waterford one way and towards Tipperary and Limerick another is one of the finest Countries I ever saw if it had Inhabitants accordingly Great part of it is called the Goulden vale On the 4 Colonel Woolsleys Horse Colonel Tiffins and St. Johns Foot marched back from hence towards Mullingar to secure the Country they came so far lest the Enemy should attack us and now we being secure they marched back another way We marched on the 5. to Holy-Cross nigh Thurles which of old enjoyed several peculiar Priviledges and Freedomes granted in Honour of a piece of Christs Cross there found as the Story goes This place by K. Henry 8. gave the Title of Barons to the Buttlers The General I believe had heard that several people had enjoy'd great priviledges at this place in the days of old and therefore he gave his Souldiers liberty this afternoon to take what they pleased for their sustenance but the true reason was because we had no Bread The 6. we marched to a Village called Dundrum a little to the North of Cashel one of the most Ancient Cities in Ireland famous of old for the Preaching of St. Patrick where afterwards was built a very considerable Cathedral it was made an Archepiscopal dignity by Eugenius the third Bishop of Rome and had under it in times past many Bishopricks and Suffragons As you go up to this Church there is a Stone upon which Antiently all the Kings of Munster used to be Crowned I suppose it was after the same manner with the Ulster Kings which was by throwing an old shooâ— over their heads and sometimes by killing a white Cow c. There are several Monuments of good Antiquity in this Church In the year 1318. The Archb. of Cashel was both Lord Justice and Lord Chancellor and it was remarkable in the late Wars for my Lord Inchiqueens killing all the Priests that were got into it and pretended with a Body of the Irish to defend the place which naturally is pretty strong and it s called at this day the Rock because it stands on the top of one On the 7. We marched to Cullen and on the 8. to Carriganliss whither the Kings Army was gone from Goulden-Bridge It s therefore convenient that I should give the best Account I can of their march from Dublin thither month July The Kings march towards Limerick On the 9. of July His Majesty with his Army Encamped at Cromlin within two miles of Dublin westwards where he settled the method of granting Protections according to his Declaration And gave a Commission to the Bishop of Meath my Lord Longford Dr. Gorge Captain Fitz Gerald Mr. Coughland Dr. Davis and Captain Corker to save all forfeited goods and to see that those and the Corn upon the Estates of all Absentees were safely kept or disposed on for the Kings use The Bishop of Meath whether out of dislike to the proceedings of the rest or averseness to business soon forbore his Attendance at their meetings the rest went on in their Business but in such a method as was neither to the Kings advantage nor satisfaction and not much to their own Credits The 10. in the morning his Majesty set forth a Proclamation to put a stop to the passing of Brass mony only at the valuations following viz. Every large half Crown and new stampt Crown at a penny the small half Crown at three farthings the large Copper Shilling at an half penny the small Shillings and six pences at farthings c. And the same day the Army Encampt between the Ness and Racoole Little hapned remarkable except the Kings great care to keep the Souldiers from Plundring the Country and every night it was given out in orders that on pain of death no man should go beyond the line in the Camp or take violently to the lest value from either Protestant or Papist The 11. the Army marched to Kill Kullen Bridge the King this morning passing by the Ness saw a Souldier Robbing a poor Woman which inraged his Majesty so much that he beat him with his Cane and gave orders that he and several others guilty of the like disobedience should be Executed the Monday following some people were so wicked as put a bad construction on this Action of the Kings but it had so good an effect upon that part of the Army that the Country was secured from any violence done by the Souldiers during that whole march two of the other Sufferers were Iniskillin Dragoons On Sunday the Army rested and on Munday they marched to Tommalin several of the Country people and some Gentlemen that were Papists coming in to whom the King ordered Protections We heard all long on our march of the Confusion the Enemy was in and had Accounts daily of their resorts to Limerick and other strong places whilst we were here several came to us from Killkenny who gave his Majesty an Account of the State of that Garrison that part of the Enemies Horse and Foot were there still but with thoughts of quitting the Town upon our approach and at their going off they made the Inhabitants give them a sum of mony to save the Town from plundring From Tommalin we marched to Castle-Dermot where stood in old time two or three Religious Houses the Ruins of which as yet remain one of these was of the Fryars Minors Sackt and Plundred by the Scots under Bruce in the year 1316. In which year the Irish were here also overthrown by Edward Bottilar or Buttler Lord Justice of Ireland Here the King received some Packets from England giving him a further Account of his Fleet and Sea affairs which was easily understood not to be very grateful and as is supposed was the occasion of our slow marches Several Protestants every day came to the Camp all expressing their great Joy and Satisfaction for his Majesties Presence and their Deliverance We had also an Account here of some that took Protections and yet in the night made their escape to the Enemy having only got those Protections thereby to procure a better opportunity of going off with what they had upon which parties were lent out on all hands to clear the Mountains and Woods near the Army which kept the rest at home from hence Colonel Eppingar went with a party of 1000 Horse and Dragoons to secure Wexeford which some time before was deserted by the Irish Garrison this Town was first taken by Fitz Stephen in the Reign of King Hen. 2.
towards Bi r and joyned our Horse who went that way the Night before Commanded by Sir John Laneir some Three Miles short of the Town There we understood that Sarsfield's Party in Bar was very strong and Major General Kirk thought it was too great a hazard to engage with those Men he had so sent an Express to Lieutenant General Douglas who was then at Mary-Borough some Twenty Miles off We returned to Roscreag that Night and next Morning being re-inforced with Douglas's Horse we marched forwards towards Bi r again The Enemy then had left the Town and encamped Three Miles from it towards the Shanon but their Out-Guards were within a Mile of Bi r and could over-look our Camp The General sent out all the Granadeers who took the shortest way over the Bog towards the Hill where the Enemy stood and at the same time sent out a Detachment of Horse who beat the Enemy off Thursday the 18 th our Army encamped beyond the Town and one Lieutenant Kelly of Levison's Dragoons as he was discovering the Enemy with a Party being surrounded was taken Prisoner He is since exchanged and gives us an Account of the Present State of Limerick which is something different from the Publick Friday the 19 th the Enemy decamped and marched to Banohar-Bridge though that Night a party of their Horse beat in our Out-Guards Saturday the 20 th our Army begun some Fortifications in Town it being only an open place before and part of them stayed here encamped for Ten or Twelve Days Some say also that here was a good opportunity lost in not falling upon the Enemy in their Retreat towards Banohar for they marched off in great Confusion But during our stay here the Soldiers either by the bad Example of others or making the Scarcity of Bread a Pretence they â—…gun to strip and rob most of the Irish that had got Protections which made it natural for them after this to turn Rapparees and do us all the Mischief they could And it did not stop here for there was scarce any distinction made of Papist or Protestant in this Affair Lords Justices come to Dublin Towards the middle of September my Lord Sidney and Tho. Coningsby Esq Lords Justices came to Dublin and on the 15 th they took the usual Oaths of Chief Governours of that Kingdom before the Commissioners of the Great Seal with all the accustomed Formalities the People by their Bonefires and other Signs of Joy expressing their satisfaction for the restoring of the Civil Government One of the first things they did was to consider of the Settlement of the Militia in such hands as might be most for the King's Service and the Countries Interest and in some small time after gave out Commissions accordingly The same Day they sent out a Proclamation to encourage all People to bring in their Goods to the Market at Dublin forbidding any Officers or Soldiers to press such Peoples Horses which has been a trick too frequent in that Country And whereas the Rapparees began to be very numerous in several places the Lords Justices issued out a Proclamation requiring all Papists to remain in their respective Parishes at least not to go Three Miles farther and only then to Market This bears date the 18 th And because the hardships that the Soldiers had endured occasioned a great many of them at the breaking up of the Camp to steal from their Colours and make the best of their way for England a Proclamation came out the 19 th Forbidding all Masters of Ships or Seamen to transport any Officers or Soldiers or other Person whatsoever except known Merchants and Persons of known Quality not belonging to the Army without a Pass from the Lords Justices or the General of the Army The Papists on the Frontiers were very angry at us and gave constant Intelligence to the Enemy of all our Affairs by which means our Men in small numbers were often surprized and murdered and several other Inconveniencies fell out so that a Proclamation came out on the 26 th Forbidding all Papists to dwell within Ten Miles of the Frontiers And another bearing the same Date Commanding all the Wives Children and Dependants upon any of the Irish in King James's Army or of those who had been kill'd or taken in that Service to remove beyond the River Shanon by such a Day or else to be proceeded against as Enemies and Spies And accordingly most of them went having a Guard to conduct them to our Frontiers And a Third there was dated that day also Forbidding any of the Protected Irish to Harbour any that belonged to the late King's Army or that robb'd and plundered the Countrey in the Night And because Coals were now very scarce at Dublin and other Firing not coming in so plentifully as formerly some Days before this there was a Proclamation published Promising Protection to all Ships and Mariners that should be imployed in transporting Coals from any part of the Kingdom of England or Wales to the City of Dublin One there came out on the 30 th Forbidding all people to buy any Goods but in open Markets because several Abuses were committed by the Soldiers taking peoples Goods and selling them at an undervalue And on the 7 th of October there was another Proclamation Forbidding any to pretend to be Soldiers in Colonel Fouks and Colonel Herbert 's Regiments that were not Those two Regiments being then in Town and several Abuses committed that way and some of the Soldiers affronting the Militia had like one Night to have made a great deal of Mischief upon which the Alarm was beat and several people wounded one or two being kill'd out-right All the Army in Quarters By this time the Soldiers every where had got to Quarters and it was proposed by several Justices of the Peace and Deputy-Lieutenants in the Countrey That if the Soldiers would be quiet and not take things at their own hands the Countrey should find them with Meat and Drink with whatever else they could reasonably think on which was very well liked by some Colonels but others for their own Gains sake ordered the Countrey-people to bring in most of their Corn to such and such places and secured it for their own private use allowing the Soldiers in the mean time to do what they would This made the Irish and English both plundered at all hands and if by chance an Englishman had any thing left the Rapparees being stript of what they had themselves were ready to come in the Night and steal that by which things were not in such order as good Men could have wished But before I go any farther this way it will be convenient to look back and see how Major General Scravemore and his Party went on and how the business of Cork and Kingsale was managed On the 17 th of September Major General Scravemore and Major General Tatteau sent Colonel Donap to burn the Bridge of Mallow and to view