24. This Morning our Guns Fired very briskly at the Walls but being too far off did little Execution so that Two new Batteries were this day made within Eighty Paces of the Wall and our Trenches were carried on by the indefatigable labour of our Men within Pistol-shot of the Counterscarp and our Guns were carried this Night down to the said Batteries first against the Wall of Eight half Cannon the other of Two Eighteen Pounders against the King's-Island This Night a Deserter came over to us who says our Fire Utensils and great Shot have done them much damage destroying at least Thirty People The 25. This Morning about break of day we began to Fire from our new Batteries against the Wall but it Rained so hard till Three in the Afternoon that our Men could not work the Guns however on any intermission of the Rain our Guns Play'd violently against the Walls and from Three we fired at least 300 Shot with good Success against the Wall had not this day proved so wet we had Stormed the Counterscarp however we advanced our Trenches within 30 yards of the Ditch A Deserter that came out of the Town inform'd us That the day we took the Redoubt the Enemy lost above 300 Men. The 26. We widened the Breach we had made the day before in the Wall of the Town and beat down part of the Enemies Pallisado's on the Counterscarp This Night we set Fire to the Town again which Burnt very vehemently A Deserter gives us an account That Colonel Darington Colonel Gar. More Sir Maurice Huestas and Colonel Lutterel were Killed in the Sally The 27. The King ordered an Attack to be made on the Counterscarp which was begun about Three in the Afternoon a Detached Party of Granadeers made the onset and was seconded by other Detachments who went on with that Heat and Courage that having gained the Counterscarp and a Fort which the Enemy had under the Walls instead of lodging themselves there as they were ordered to do and not to advance any further they mounted the Counterscarp following the Irish that fled that way and some were entring into the Town but the Enemy being Intrenched behind the Breach and having Planted Cannon against it they were cut off The Fight lasted Three hours during which the Enemy were still supplied with fresh Men and they sprang a Mine in the Ditch but with little Effect but in conclusion our Men having lost the opportunity of Lodging themselves it was thought fit to retire to our Trenches What Men we have lost in these several Actions we cannot precisely say but by the best Computation and nicest Scrutiny of the most Intelligent Observers it 's thought we may have lost about 700. Killed and Wounded since the beginning of the Siege The 28. At Night we advanced our Trenches about 20 Yards notwithstanding it had Rained most part of the Day it continued to Rain all this Night and all the next day to the 30th almost without Intermission On which a Council of War being Called where as is said the following Reasons among others being urged His Majesty thought fit to give Order for the raising the Siege First That the Rain that had fallen and in all probability was likely to fall would in a little time so moisten the Ground about Lymerick that it would be impossible to draw off the Cannon and heavy Baggage Secondly That the River Shannon began so to swell that if they did not suddenly Pass the same the Communication with the other part of the Army would be cut off Thirdly The Watry Season would undoubtedly bring the Country Distemper on our Army and so more dye of it than by the hand of the Enemy in the same manner they did the last Campaign at Dundalk Fourthly That the Garrison of Lymerick being very numerous if they abide any Assault which on the account of the Weather must be made with great disadvantage we should lose a great many Men. The 30. In the Afternoon the Cannon and heavy Baggage were sent from the Camp On the 31. Five Thousand Horse being ordered for a Rear-Guard to Repress any Sallies the whole Army Decamped and marched off in very good Order and without any disturbance from the Enemy towards Clonmel from whence a strong Detachment under the Command of Lieutenant General Douglas and Major General Kirk was ordered towards Cork and Kin-sale His Majesty having given the necessary Orders disposed the Army and named the Lord Viscount Sidney and Thomas Coningsby Esquire to be Lords Justices of Ireland went accompanied with the Prince of Denmark to Duncannon-Fort And on the 5th in the Afternoon the Wind proving fair they Embarked and Sailed out of the Bay of Waterford accompanied with Three Yatches Two Men of War and several small Tenders On the 6th About Five in the Evening His Majesty Arrived safely in Kings-Road His Majesty being come a Shore lay that Night at Kings-Weston not far from Bristol On the 7th being Sunday in the Morning His Majesty went to Bath and lay the Night following at the Duke of Beaufort's at Badminton Monday 7th His Majesty lay at the Duke of Somerset's at Marlborough Tuesday 8th His Majesty lay at the Castle of Windsor Wednesday 9th About Four in the Afternoon His Majesty came to Kinsinton attended by the great Officers of the Court and other Persons of the chiefest Quality who went to meet him His Majesty was receiv'd in all the places he passed through with most zealous Demonstrations of Duty and Affection and Joy for His Safe and Happy Return POST-SCRIPT 'T IS equally hard to determine whether His Majesty in the Action of the Boyne or in His Decamping before Lymerick has shewed most of a General In the one he gave inimitable proofs of His Courage and Bravery and to it alone we ow'd the Victory But in Rising before Lymerick when Three of the Four Elements conspired to the utter undoing of His Army if He had staid He has given yet a Nobler Proof of a consummated Prudence Wariness and Conduct seldom or never to be found in Company with so boundless a Courage In this He has imitated Zenophous Cyrus who valued himself more upon the Title of the Father of his Soldiers than all the great Names his Persian Admirers bestowed upon him and who was heard often to say He had rather Save one of his own than Cut off a Thousand of his Enemies One of the greatest Men of the last Age in his Dying Advice to his Son who was to Succeed him in the Kingdom of Spain tells him 'T is one of the truest Politicks of a King or a General to know the Critick Moment wherein 't is fit to abandon the Enterprise for want of which fore-sight on the one hand adds Philip II. the greatest Misfortunes have befallen them as on the other hand the exact observance of it has produced in the end the greatest and happiest advantages Thereafter he gives his Son several incident Circumstances that ought to determine a King or a General when 't is time to leave off the present Execution of a Design whereof this is one When Nature and Things not in our Power do concur to render the Attempt either impossible of it self or not able to counter-balance the Expence though it should succeed One would almost think that in these Words Philip by I know not what Instinct should have meant this Advice to the great Grand-child of his inveterate Enemy William of Orange rather than to Philip the III. for it meets in every Act with His Majesties Case before Lymerick It was the swelling of the Shannon the falling down of the Buckets of Heaven the nature of the Soil and the approaching Season of the Year all of them things not lying within our Power that rendred the Enterprise upon Lymerick either impossible or if at all Successful not capable to Counterbalance the certain inconveniences and Losses that must have attended it 'T is certain That in all the Actions of War there is none wherein a General has occasion to shew more of his Wisdom than in Besieging of Towns and to determine whether to continue or raise a Siege many times is the truest Touchstone of his Skill both in War and Politicks How many dismal Examples could there be instanced from the Greek and Roman Historians of continuing a Siege too long in spite of just reason to the contrary A famous instance of which we have in the preceding Age which occasioned the loss of a Battle to the French Army of the Dutchy of Millan to the French Crown and of his Liberty to a French King Francis I. having forced his Passage into Italy in order to recover his pretended Right to the Dutchy of Millan he came at first to lay Siege to the Strong Castle of Pavie with a very brave and numerous Army At first the Enterprize seemed very favourable but a little after partly by the swelling of the River partly by the continual Rains and partly from the Season of the Year the French Army began to diminish daily and then the hopes of Taking the Town every day grew less Notwithstanding all these Circumstances which ought in reason to have determined Francis I. to raise the Siege of Pavie as the very like has wisely determined His Majesty to raise that of Lymerick That Prince would not be prevailed with by all the Insinuations of his best Officers to give it over for that Juncture In short he lay before the Town till he was forced to a Battle the most Fatal the French have Fought near these Three Ages in which he was taken Prisoner and had the Mortification to be carried to Madrid in that Quality FINIS
de la Meloniere gave Protections to a great many Papists who expected to have been plundered and marched to joyn the Army whom we shall leave for a little time and give the Reader here an account of the Movements of the late King and his Troops and the Affairs in and about Dublin and the Protestants therein Friday June 13. The Protestants in Dublin receiv'd the certain Account of King William's Landing Before this a Camp had been laid out by the Irish about Atherdeâ— and the late King James had ordered his Army to Rendezvouz there from several parts of the Kingdom On Monday the 16th King James marched out of Dublin to joyn them with about 6000 French Foot most old Soldiers excellently well Arm'd and Clad one Regiment of these were Dutch and Protestants and were observed carefully for fear of Deserting The whole Irish Army encamped made about 36000 all well Clad and in good heart both Horse and Foot The same day King James left Dublin there marched in 6000 of the Countrey Militia and Collonel Luterel and Mac Gillicuddy as his Assistant were left Governors It was expected the Irish would have been much cast down upon King James's leaving Dublin and the certain News of King Williams's Landing but they were much the contrary they Triumphed and rejoyced as if they had got King William in a Pound and the Day were their own They were assured either that the French Fleet would cut of King William from England or that an Insurrection would be made there for we were told that an hundred thousand Men were ready to rise under the Notion of declaring for a Common-wealth The Protestants in Dublin knew not what to think of these things for they were kept as Prisoners of War and suffered to know no more nor enjoy any more than what the others pleased But this the Protestants feared most because the Irish spoke least of it that some desperate Persons had undertaken to Destroy King William as soon as he should come ashoar For the great assurance of the Irish could not be imputed to any other thing than this Some were so open as to tell their Protestant Friends very lately That they would be glad to go to Mass within this Twelve Month with several other Expressions of the like nature The great concern of the Protestants in Dublin was how they should be preserved from being Plundered and Burnt in case of the Defeat of the Irish Army this they thought could be done only by the English pursuing the Victory close for by a particular Providence the Irish had neglected all this time to fortifie Dublin or else by sending a Party by Sea to Land at the Bay at the time of the Engagement neither of which as it afterward happen'd was done But God alone preserv'd the Protestants of Dublin by an extraordinary Deliverance On Thursday June 19. After King James was gone to Encamp about Twelve at Noon the Governour ordered all Persons walking the Streets without Swords or Bayonets which was the Badge of Protestants to be taken up and secured in Parades At Night he pickt out whom he thought fit and sent them to several Prisons where they were considerably incommoded After this followed a Proclamation That not above Five Protestants should meet in any place above the Family on pain of Death By which they were from that time shut out from our Churches which by an extraordinary Providence they had enjoyed all these times except Christ Churh Most of them were frequented twice every Day at Prayers The Church-men who stayed in the City though they had lost all their Subsistance by the Irish Parliament except what People voluntarily contributed acquitted themselves with a great deal of Zeal and Diligence being particularly influenc'd by the Bishop of Meath and Dr. King Dean of St. Patricks who have been the Bulwark of the Protestants in these sad times On Tuesday 24. Dr. King was clapt up in the Castle and many other of the principal Protestants in the College which was now a Garison and other publick places The Galway Protestants being about 200 these were they of Sir Thomas Southwel's party which were lately brought to Dublin in order to be exchanged were removed from White Fryars to the Round Church and all the Newgate Prisoners were put to them where they were near stifled The Prisoners of War were brought from Kilmainham to St. John's Church the publick Contributions which hitherto had been very liberal every Lord's Day to their Relief were now intercepted and the Poor began to suffer much few Protestants daring to walk the Streets Saturday the 28th News came to Dublin That the Irish Army retreated and the English Army were come towards Droghedah and seemed to press forward for Dublin On Sunday the 29th the Irish Army came on this side the Boyne and King James as it should seem distrusting the Issue Sir Patrick Trant First Commissioner of the Revenue and another Gentleman were ordered to go from Dublin on Monday Morning to Waterford to prepare Ships July 1st Early in the Morning the Protestants in Dublin were wakened by an Alarm and the News that there would be a Battle The Gates of the City were kept strictly Guarded and the Protestants kept their Houses The Issue they expected with the greatest apprehensions Several Reports were spread abroad every Hour one while that the French Fleet were in the Bay another that a French Express was come from Waterford with the news of taking the Isle of Wight by the French and of their being gone to Dover then that the English Right Wing was quite routed then that the P. of Orange was taken Prisoner But at Five that Afternoon some that had made their escape on tired Horses told the Protestants The Irish were much worsted and others at Six That they were totally defeated from hence till One that Night all the Entries of the Town were filled with dusty wounded and tired Soldiers and Carriages perpetually coming in After these several of King James's Horse Guards came in stragling without Pistols or Swords and could not tell what was become of himself Near ten that Night he came in with about 200 Horse all in disorder The Protestants concluded now that it was a total rout and that the English Army were just ready to come into Town but were greatly Surprised when an hour or two after they heard the whole Body of the Irish Horse coming in in very good order with Kettle-Drums Haut boys and Trumpets and early the next Morning the French and a great Party of the Irish Foot These being a little rested Marched out again as they gave out to meet the Enemy which were supposed to draw nigh Wednesday July 2d About five this Mornning King James having sent for the Irish Lord Mayor and some Principle Persons to the Castle made a Speech to them to this purpose Gentlemen I had a very good Army in England and when I had the greatest occasion for them they
from the English and therefore praying not only the Security of Our General Declaration but of particular Protections to be granted to such as should desire the same As We abhor all manner of Violence done to Our Loving Subjects of what Religion soever against the Tenour of Our said Declaration which being under the Great Seal of this Our Kingdom is above all other Securities Yet to gratifie Our said Subjects and to deter all Offenders We shall Order particular Protections to be granted to such as desire the same And shall farther Require upon pain of Our highest Displeasure that they become effectual to all such of Our Loving Subjects as shall remain stedfast in their Duty to Us. And who have not since the Publishing of Our Declaration aforesaid Plundered Our Protestant Subjects or sheltered under such Protections as already they have had the Goods and Stocks of Our Enemies who continue Obstinate in their Disobedience for in either of these Cases they cannot expect but to remain accountable for what they have done unless they forthwith make Restitution of all such Plundered Goods to the Right Owners and also discover immediately to some of Our Justices of the Peece what Goods and Stock they have so conceal'd As for others of Superiour Rank and Quality and also such as have born Offices under Our Enemies whether Military or Civil That which at present we do declare is this That if any of them shall within the time aforesaid surrender themselves to Our Obedience and shall be content during the Rebellion in this Kingdom to betake themselves to such Town or City as shall be assign'd them they shall be secure in their Lives and have the Liberty of such Town or City and if they are destitute and in want shall also have a Subsistence allow'd them according to their respective Qualities and the same shall be paid them by the Commissioners of Our Revenue till by the blessings of Peace We may be in a Condition to consider all Our Loving Subjects and those in particular who shall have been most early in their Obedience towards Us. As to Strangers of what Nation soever they be who have taken Service in this Kingdom against Us We do farther Declare That if they shall forsake the Enemy and come into Our Quarters within the time aforesaid they shall not only receive Our Protection whilst they are in the Kingdom but forthwith have Passports given them to go directly home into their respective Countries But if these Manifestations of Our Grace and Favour shall not be valued as they deserve or if any shall persist in that barbarous and Unchristian way of Burning and Desolation which in some places hath of late been practised We shall hold Our selves discharged of those Consequences and Calamities which must inevitably follow since those who are obstinate against Our Mercy become the Authors of their own Confusion Given at our Court at Chapel-Isaâ—d this First Day of August 1690. in the Second Year of Our Reign The same week was Published a Proclamation concerning the Irish Papists hiding their Arms and Amunition c. the substance of which was as followeth That notwithstanding it was Notoriously known that the Papists of the Kingdom of Ireland of all Ranks and Degrees were lately very well furnished with Fire-Arms Swords Bagonets Skeins Pikes Half-Pikes Scythes and other Arms Offensive and Deffensive as also with great quantities of Gun-powder And although Hi Majesty in His Royal Proclamation of the Seventh of July did Extend and hold forth His Mercy and Compassion to all Citizens Towns-men c. and Assured them not only of Pardon as to their Lives and Liberties for all Violences c. but also security in their Goods Stacks of Cattle and Chattels Personal and that those of any other Rank or Quality within His Majesties Quarters and Obedient to Him should not be disquieted in any sort without His particular Command And nothing more was expected on their parts but either to continue in or return to their respective Dwellings and to give us their Arms and to follow their several Trades and Callings But although several Persons had laid hold on His Majesties said Declaration and are received into His Royal Protection yet few of them had brought in their Arms and most of those brought in were broken which His Majesty looked upon as an high Contempt and done out of a Wicked Design on any Oppertunity to joyn with the Rebels Therefore to the end that all Persons might be left without Excuse and prevent the fatal Consequences of their Contempt and Disobedience His Majesty strictly Commands all Persons of the Popish Religion within the Kingdom of Ireland who reside in any part under His Majesties Obedience that they do within Ten days after the Publishing this Proclamation in the City or Shire Town of that County wherein they respectively Dwell or Reside Surrender and Deliver all the Fire Arms Swords c. as also the Gunpowder which they lately had in their own Custody or in the Custody of any other for their Use To the next Mayor Chief Magistrate c. in the City Town or Country where they respectively Dwell or Reside Who are required to Register the same and to return a perfect List of such Arms and Amunition as they shall receive by Vertue of the Proclamation as also to lodg the same in some safe Garrison of His Majesties that is nearest adjacent And His Majesty further Declares that if the aforesaid Persons of the Popish Religion do not by the time limited deliver their Arms c. they shall be looked upon as Contemners of His Royal Authority and as Persons designing the Disturbance of His Government and as Traytors and Rebels and will accordingly abandon them to the Discression of His Soldiers or they shall be committed to Goal without Bail or Main-prise His Majesty likewise Commands all Protestants of the Kingdom That they do not keep or conceal any Arms or Ammunition belonging to any Papist but that they be forthwith delivered to the Magistrates and Officers aforesaid At the same time was likewise Published the following Proclamation By the King and Queens most Excellent Majesties a Proclamation for a Fast William Rex WHereas We have under the Protection of Almighty God taken upon Us the Deliverance of Our good Protestant Subjects of Ireland from the Oppression of Popery and Arbitrary Power under which they lately groaned And having been already blest with some happy Progress in this Work and resolving still to persevere therein till the Rebellious parts of this Kingdom shall be also Reduced in due Obedience to Our Crown of England We cannot but hold it needful to invoke the Assistance of Almighty God who hath hitherto been so Propitious to Us and pour forth Our Prayers in Publick and Solemn Manner that he would vouchsafe to Bless the future Progress of Our Arms and bring Us to a speedy Enjoyment of Peace and Quietness in the Land Wherefore We do hereby
them Talk with their damn'd Irish Brogue on their Tongues but they were separated from us by a Bog which was very deep and so scituated that we could not possibly Attack them This Night it was resolved at a Council of War that the Army should March towards the Town in order to Battle for we understood as you have heard That the Country being very close and full of Hedges and Ditches the Enemy had lined them to defend the approaches to the Town Accordingly the next day being the 9th our whole Army Decamped by Five in the Morning Colonel Earl leading the Van with Two Hundred Horse and Dragoons and One Thousand chosen Foot out of all the Regiments in the Army both English and Forreigners Upon our approach we found the Enemy drawn up within Two Miles of the City of Lymerick whereupon Colonel Earl ordered his advanced Troops to make a Halt until the rest were come up Then our Horse pushed them for near a Mile their Horse at first made a shew as if they would make vigorous Resistance and stood our first Charge but soon afterwards gave way when they threw themselves behind the Hedges and Fired so from thence that our Horse could not come to them Upon which we brought some small Field-Pieces to Fire upon them and at the same time the 1000 Detached Foot were ordered to Attack them Accordingly about One a Clock Colonel Earl led on his Foot who run on with that Bravery tho' the Enemy made a great Fire through the Hedges and continued this sort of Fighting for Two Hours advancing within Four Hundred yards of the Town and possessing themselves of Two advantagious Posts called Ireton's-Fort and the Old Kirk and such was the Bravery Courage and Resolution of our Men that their Officers could hardly stop them there notwithstanding they were told it was His Majesty's Express Order Then the Besieged began to Fire from the Town with their Great Guns which killed us some Men but in all this days Action we had not above 35 Killed and Wounded tho' above 250 of the Enemy were Killed in their several Retreats among which were several Officers of Note besides divers taken Prisoners Our Pioneers were imployed most part of the Afternoon in levelling the great number of Trenches the Enemy had cast up for their Defence Between Six and Seven in the Evening His Majesty ordered a Trumpeter to be sent with a Summons to the Town and as the Deserters hath since Informed us a great part of the Garrison with some of the Officers were for Capitulating but Monsieur Boiseleau who is Governor Duke of Berwick and Colonel Lutterel c. resolutely oppos'd it making a Speech to the Garrison of the great Divisions there were in England and that 50000 French had made a descent and said the Prince of Orange would be obliged to draw off His Army in few days to defend the Kingdom of England and thereupon prevailed upon them to stand to their Arms. The Trumpeter was sent back with this Answer from Monsieur Boiseleau the Governor That as King James had intrusted him with that Garrison he would recommend himself to the Prince of Orange by a vigorous Defence About Eight at Night the King went to his Camp a little Mile from the Town having been on Horseback from Four in the Morning giving the necessary Orders and exposing himself amidst the greatest of dangers wherein His Royal Highness the Prince of Denmark did every where accompany His Majesty The Cannon ceas'd not all the while to Play from the Town several of the Shot coming over His Majesty's Tent and some falling near it The same Evening a Party of the Royal Regiment and other Dragoons was sent to view the Ford at Annaghbeg a place about Two Miles above the Town where Six of the Enemies Regiments of Foot Three of Horse and Two of Dragoons Commanded by Berwick and Lutterel were Posted on the other side of the River with a Breast-work to cover them who all Fired upon our Men but being such extraordinary Marksmen they neither Killed nor Wounded any of them The Enemy being thus posted so very advantagiously that we expected to have met with great difficulties and opposition in passing the River which is very Rapid and the bottom Stony but the Enemy in the middle of the Night abandoned their Station with great precipitation so that Lieutenant General Ginkle and Major General Kirk who were Commanded by the King with a Detachment to force their way over passed the River the next Morning early being the 10th with about Five Thousand Horse Foot and Dragoons selected out of the several Regiments the Horse and Dragoons first and the Foot afterwards who went almost to the middle in Water and yet the River is shallower now than has been known for many Years About Eight a Clock the King went over in Person accompanied with His Royal Highness the Prince of Denmark and the Heer Bentink Earl of Portland and Monsieur Overkirk c. and Three Regiments of Foot with some Pieces of Cannon were posted there About Four in the Afternoon His Majesty upon the Information he had receiv'd by some Deserters That the Lord Tyrconnel was with a small Camp about Six Miles from Lymerick in the Road to Galway sent out a Party of Horse under the Command of a Lieutenant Colonel to get a farther account of them but they were retired from thence before our Men came up We had likewise an account this Night brought to our Camp by a Deserter That the Count De Lausun lay with his Men near the City of Galway the People there refusing to receive them into the Town The 11. was spent in visiting the several Posts and giving the necessary Orders about the Siege The 12. His Majesty Commanded Brigadeer Stewart with a Detatchment and Four Pieces of Cannon to go early this Morning and Attack Castle Connel which is of considerable Strength scituated on the Shannon about Four Miles from Lymerick There were in it above 140 Men Commanded by Captain Barnwel who had refused to Surrender upon the Summons sent him the Night before but no sooner saw the Cannon but submitted at Discretion The same day Advice came into our Camp That General Sarsfield having with 5 or 600 Horse and Dragoons passed the Shannon Nine Miles above Lymerick had about Two that Morning surprised near a place called Cullen Eight Pieces of our Cannon of 18 Pound Ball which were coming with some Waggons laden with Powder and Ball from Kilkenny under the Guard of a Squadron of Horse and a small Party of Foot The Enemy Killed all they met Men Women and Children in all about sixty the rest escaping the Women and Children that belonged to the Wagoners and Gunners they Murdered most Barbarously in their Beds they Blew up the Powder which burst Two of the Guns the other Six with the Pantons being left intire and fit for Service and they likewise Burnt some of the Carriages