Carlow where he met with some Accounts from England upon which he exprest himself doubtful whether to go over or return to the Army However he went on as far as Chappel Izard and there he was employed for about Three days in hearing Petitions some of which related to the violation of Protections and the Outrages committed by Lieutenant General Douglas's Party As also others about Abuses and Inconveniences from the late Commission and several Complaints were made against Col. Trelawney's Regiment then in Dublin Here the King gave Orders that Count Sehomberg's Horse Col. Mathews's Dragoons Col. Hasting's and Col. Trelawney's Foot with one Troop of Guards should be shipt for England A second Declaration and on the first of August published a Second Declaration not only confirming and strengthning the former but also adding That if any Foreigners in Arms against Him would submit they should have Passes to go into their own Countries or whither they pleased And another Proclamation came out dated July 31. Commanding all the Papists to deliver up their Arms and those who did not were to be look'd upon as Rebels and Traytors and abandoned to the discretion of the Soldiers A Proclamation for a Fast And at the same time was likewise published a Proclamation for a General Fast to be kept constantly every Friday during the War in all parts of the Kingdom under his Majesty's Obedience for asking God's Pardon for our Sins and imploring a Blessing upon Their Majesties Forces by Sea and Land At this time also Mr. Poyne Mr. Reves and Mr. Rothford Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal began to act and received Instructions from the King how to proceed And now the King received a further account from England that my Lord Torrington and several more were secured and that several wicked Designs were discovered and prevented That the Loss at Sea was not so great as was at first reported and that the French had only burnt a small Village in the West of England and gone off again month August so that the danger of this being partly over His Majesty resolved to The King returns to the Army return to the Army he lessened his Baggage and Retinue giving his spare Horses to the Train and then on the 2 d of August went back towards his Army which he found then at Goulden Bridge on which day a Soldier was hang'd for mutining Here the King stay'd a day or two and had Accounts from several Deserters of the Preparations the Enemy was making for their own defence and safety On the 6 th the King with his Army march'd to Sallywood having the day before sent a Party of Horse towards Limerick And on the 7 th his Majesty march'd to Carigallis within five miles of Limerick Upon our approach thither the Enemy burnt and levell'd all the Suburbs as also set fire to all the Houses in the Country between us and the Town A Party sent toward Limerick On the the 8 th of August early in the Morning my Lord Portland and Brigadeer Stuart were sent towards Limerick with about Eleven hundred Horse and Foot who advanced within Cannon shot of the Town but met with little opposition from the Enemy and before they returned his Majesty went out with about Three hundred Horse being accompanied with Prince George the Heer Overkirk Major General Ginkle and several other great Officers When these went nigh the Town a Party of the Enemies Horse advanced toward them But Captain Selby of my Lord of Oxford's Regiment having the Advance Guard drew towards them with a design to charge them which they perceiving thought fit to draw homewards their Cannon firing from the Town several times Then in the Evening Lieutenant General Douglass with his Party join'd the Kings Army The 9 th of August in the morning early the King sends three Squadrons of Horse and Dragoons with a Detachment of One Thousand Foot commanded by Sir Henry Bellasis as Brigadeer my Lord Drogheda and Colonel Earle as an Advance Guard to make the first approach The whole Army make their Approach and all the Army both Horse and Foot followed in order About six a Clock our Advance Party discovered some of the Enemy upon the top of an Hill three Miles on this side the Town our Men drew up and then marched slowly forwards and as we proceeded the Enemy disappear'd by degrees till they were all gone off the Hill We drew forwards and about half a mile further we cou'd see a great part of the Town from a rising ground but could not discover the ways to it nor who were between us and it because of a great many thick Inclosures and Lanes in one of which the Enemy appeared again Our Men halted a little till the Pioneers had cut â—…wn the Hedges to the right and left which done they advanced and the Enemy drew back This took some time a doing and therefore the Front of our Army both of Horse and Foot came up The King was here at first riding from one place to another to order Matters as his Custom always was We cut the Hedges in a great many places and went forwards and the Enemy they drew homewards till they came to a narrow Pass between two Bogs within half a Mile of the Town The Neck of Land between these Bogs is not above 150 Yards over and this full of Hedges with a large Orchard a Stone Wall and also the Ruines of a great House upon the Lane-side which the Irish had burnt the Day before But there were Three Lanes that led this way towards the Town the middlemost being the broadest the Irish Horse stood in it on the Pass beyond this old House and whilst our Pioneers were at work the Front of our Horse went up so close that there were several little Firings but not much damage done on either side To the Right and Left of the Irish Horse the Hedges were all lined with Musqueteers of whom our Foot were got now within less than two hundred Yards The Pioneers laboured at the Hedges all this while and the Army made their Approaches in excellent Order The Detached Party of Foot was upon the Advance towards the Centre the Horse a little to the Right of them followed by the Earl of Drogheda's Regiment and Lieutenant General Douglas at the Head of them my Lord Drogheda himself being upon the Advance Guard The Danes were towards the Left led on by the Prince of Wirtemberg and Major General Kirk The Blue Dutch and several English Regiments were upon the Right All those were lined with Horse and these supported again with more Foot So that all Men that understood it said it was a most curious sight for though the Hedges were very thick and troublesome yet it was so ordered that the Front kept all on a Line except the advance Party who went always some distance before Whilst things were going on thus the King ordered Two Field-Pieces to be
commanded by Major Morgison and Captain Carlile towards Lanesbrough Pass but they returned the next day without doing any thing that was Remarkable the Enemy having a Fort well mann'd towards the Bridge and four Companies of Foot in the Town That day one Captain Mackgill a Voluntier was kill'd at our Battery with a Canon-shot from the Castle Our Train at Athlone was only two twelve Pounders ten lesser Guns and two small Field Mortars which when planted against the Castle did it little or no damage This was a misfortune that Lieutenant-General Douglas found Athlone stronger than he expected for it 's said he had what Guns and Men he desired to reduce it withal The firing continued however on both sides and on Tuesday one Mr. Nelson our best Gunner was killed with a small Shot On Wednesday we had news that Sarcefield with 15000 Men was coming to raise the Siege which made the General send all his sick and wounded Men towards Mullingar Next Morning early the Besieged hung out a Bloody Flag which occasion'd smart firing and in the Evening the General called all the Colonels to a Council of War where he told them the necessity of Removing from the Town for we had very little Bread all the while and there was some reason to believe the Irish Army would cut off our Communication from Dublin So that we had Orders to be ready to march at twelve a Clock that Night we begun at the time appointed to send away our Baggage and at break of Day or a little after we marcht off the Enemy not so much as firing one Gun at us Reasons why it was not taken I know that whilst we lay here there were some that profferr'd to pass the River at a Ford a little above the Bridge and so beat the Irish out of their Works but this was sooner said than done for the Ford is naturally very deep and dangerous besides the Irish had fortified the other side with Breast-works two Batteries and a considerable Fort And then if we had forced our way over and could not have taken the Castle in a small time we must have been obliged to fight the greatest part of the Irish Army which was then drawing down upon us Nay if we had been Masters of the Town and Castle the Irish might so have ordered it as to have cut off our Communication from Dublin and so starved us for we were already glad of a very small Allowance of Bread Colonel Grace the Governor had been very active on the Irish side in the last Wars but was now very old and this was the third time that he had burnt that Town the Enemy had in it three Regiments of Foot nine Troops of Dragoons and two of Horse and more lay encamped not far off During our stay here which was from Thursday the 17th to Friday the 25th the Country People of all Perswasions begun to think us troublesome This must be said for Lieutenant-General Douglas that both whilst he staid here and all along on his march he constantly gave out very strict Orders against Plundering or Stragling from the Army But it were better that good Rules were not made than when they are so they should not be observed and the breakers escape punishment For some Peoples taking liberty to break Rules encourage others to lose their Reverence to them Example always goes further than Precept and most Men see better than they understand so that whatever Rules are made in an Army by a General they are to be observed by every one else with what justice can one be punished for the breach of those Orders which others make no Conscience in obeying What Men lost there We lost in this Expedition not above thirty Men before the Town and the Enemy very few but in our march too and again what with sickness hard marching the Rapperees surprising as they straggled and several other disadvantages we fell short of our Number three or four hundred though before we got to the Kings Army we killed and took Prisoners a great many thousands but more of these had four Feet than two All the poor Protestants thereabouts were now in a worse condition than before for they had enjoyed the benefit of the Irish Protections till our coming thither and then shewing themselves Friends to us put them under a necessity of retreating with us which a great many did leaving all their Harvest at that time ready to cut down c. and yet were hardly used by our own Men. On our first Days march backwards the General received an Express from the King some say it was to draw off and joyn the Army and that he had positive Orders before not to pass the Shannon at all And at the same time we had an Account of a Conspiracy in England against the Queen and that some French were Landed there having burnt some Towns on the Coast And it was reported also that the late King was Landed in that Kingdom We marched back that Day to Ballimore where we staid four Days on one of which there hap'ned the greatest Thunder and Lightning that has been heard of in those parts And about this time several of the Irish that had taken Protections when they could not have the benefit of them began to turn Rapperees stripping and sometimes killing our Men that they found straggling Lieutenant General Douglas marches to joyn the Kings Army On the 30 of July Colonel Babington's Regiment marched from Ballimore towards Dublin and the same day Leiutenant-General Douglas marched with all the rest of his party to Stony-Cross which is out of all publick Rodes from Dublin and so were most of our future marches till we joyn'd the Kings Army which was one reason why we had little or no Bread for almost four days together and after that but a very slender allowance From this place we marched to Balliboy and as we went a long the General ordered one of his own men to be Shot immediately for Morodeing as they called it The General had given out orders that none should stir out of their Ranks on pain of Death however this poor Fellow and four more were not so observant of their duty as they ought to be which the General espying caused them to be seized immediately and throw Dice for their lives month August We had an Account at Ballyboy that the Enemy was at Banoher Bridge with a very strong party to disturb our march which made us next day strike to the left to Roscreaugh instead of going to Bur as we designed for that way was full of Woods and narrow Passes where the Enemy had great Advantage of us We stayed at Roscreaugh the second of August and on the third in the Morning came twelve Troopers from the Kings Army who lay then at Goulden Bridge to hasten our march for the King exprest himself to be in trouble lest the Enemy should be too many for us in that place
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
AN IMPARTIAL HISTORY OF THE AFFAIRS of IRELAND DURING The Two Last YEARS WHITE-HALL APRIL 30. 1691. LET this be Printed by Order of the Right Honourable the Lord Viscount SYDNEY one of Their Majesties Principal Secretaries of State W. BRIDGEMAN A TRUE and IMPARTIAL HISTORY OF The Most Material Occurrences IN THE Kingdom of Ireland DURING The Two Last YEARS WITH The Present State of Both ARMIES PUBLISHED To prevent Mistakes and to give the World a Prospect of the future Success of Their MAJESTIES Arms in That NATION Written by an Eye-witness to the most Remarkable PASSAGES LONDON Printed for Ric. Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-yard MDCXCI TO The RIGHT HONOURABLE CHARLES LORD VISCOUNT MORPETH AND The RIGHT WORSHIPFUL Sr WILLIAM LEVISON GOWER Bar t. Both MEMBERS Of the Honourable House of Commons These PAPERS About the AFFAIRS of IRELAND ARE HUMBLY DEDICATED THE PREFACE THese Papers were not designed to be published till after the surrender of the City of Mons to the French for since there are some and those too calling themselves Protestants who upon all occasions make it their business to advance the Conquests of that King and at the same time to lessen the Conduct and Success of His Present Majesty representing his Affairs to be in such a Condition at Home and his Army so inconsiderable in Ireland that they presently from thence expect such a Turn of State as if it should happen would certainly prove unfortunate and destructive to themselves as well as other people tho they have no mind or at least do not seem to see it I do not pretend nor do I think it possible to make such men sensible of the folly of their unaccountable Behaviour at this Juncture only I think it a good Opportunity to let Them and the World know the impartial Truth of the most material Passages of the Two last Campaigns in Ireland with the true State of both Armies as it stood in January last which possibly may serve to mortifie all their Expectations from their Friends in that Kingdom And as to the Matters of Fact I defie all the Enemies of our Government and Religion to contradict me tho at the same time I assure them That I have done their Side all the Right that the thing it self will bear and have concealed nothing that I think could make any way for their Advantage But before I come to this I will take the liberty to speak out since I am to treat of an Affair that concerns all that value either the publick Safety Honour or Peace of their Native Countrey it being every day more apparent than other that we are designed as a Prey to that Nation to whom we nor our Fathers were never yet in Bondage This is no vain and groundless Fear or Pretention but the Reasons for it are many Amongst the rest take only these few First The Late King by his unhappy Management has given up the Cudgels to the French whom it 's not to be doubted he had rather should govern the Nation than those who at present do by this means placing his own Interest and that of all English Protestants in a diametrical opposition to one another since it 's plain that unfortunate Prince has been made instrumental and is so still by the Zealots of the Church of Rome to advance their Religion on the one hand and by his most Christian Majesty on the other to promote his Glory All the Care and Pains that has been taken of late by the Priests in a Business of the greatest moment was not to propagate King James's Family but his and their own Religion for they value not tho He and His Name perish if their Work go but on And suppose the P. of W. really what our Adversaries would have him who can ever imagine that a Successor that there was so much pains taken about will either be bred a Protestant or made serviceable to that Interest especially since he is taken out of the Kingdom and put into the hands of the greatest Enemy to our Nation And as to the French King's part can any one think that he does all this out of a Principle of Honour and Love for the re-establishing of King James All people know that his Generosity extends no further than his Interest Those that will not believe this let them only look back upon his treatment of the same individual Prince some years ago for it 's plain that he has no other Prospect nor regard to Men and Things but his own Greatness and Ambition not spearing even those of his own Perswasion when they stand in his way Every one sees that hsi Brother of Constantinople and he agree much better than his Holy Father at Rome and he ever did or are like to do because the former is more favourable to his Designs than the other If then he falls out with him whom his own Religion obliges to pay all Deferrence and Respect to and honour as a Father what can Protestants nay even English Papists themselves expect but to submit to his Yoke if they once give way for his Admission When the Late King appear'd all on a sudden last Summer in France after the Defeat at the Boyn it was observable that tho the French King was surprized at his Presence yet he received him with all the seeming joy in the World thinking it not fit to discourage a Prince whom he had still further occasion for This has already been seen into by some great Officers even in the Irish Army who begin to be at a stand how to manage since they can have no other Prospect from the success of their own present Affairs but future Ruin to their Countrey Secondly Suppose the War already ended and the Late King sent into England with all the Grandeur that France could afford him and received here by the consent of every Body Yet the French King has a very large Bill to bring in which he 'll certainly pretend cannot be discharged with the Possâ—ssion of Ireland what then can be more rationally intended than that one day or other England may be brought to a severe account for those vast Expences and the non-repayment of them shall be a sufficient Pretence for a War when he finds an Opportunity tho King James himself sate at the Helm For how easy a thing it is to break all Rules whatever when a man has the Power in his own hand is known to most men Those then who favour him most will only have the honour to be last devoured and even those of his own Persuasion will have cause to wish themselves rather under a Protestant Prince than a Popish Tyrant We see further that His Present Majesty has not declared it a War of Religion but is linked in a Confederacy with a great many Princes of the Romish Church that have all the same reason to dread the growing-Power of France who neither spares Protestant when he has an
the Popish Part in England was by much the least of Three things were so well managed on that Side as to make the Protestants fall foul upon one another not only with hard Names and Characters of Reproach but in other Actions that seem'd more severe by which means the Interest of both Parties was not only considerably weakned but that of the Papists incredibly strengthned Then what by the dexterous management of the Presbyterian Plot and some improvements made of that by the Observator by which the Popish Party obtain'd a great Reputation and people begun to think that the Devil was not so black as he is painted in the height of which when they say some measures were thought of to reduce the D. of Tork and his Favourites King Charles died King James proclaimed The Duke of York was proclaimed King by the universal consent of all People and afterwards as generously assisted in the West as the Circumstances of the Nation would allow But then when the Parliament came to address his Majesty and beseech him That for the satisfaction of the Nation the Popish Officers and others might be removed from Places of Trust and have competent Pensions allowed them he gave a very positive Answer which was in effect That they were his best Friends and he would not be without them After this things grew every day worse than other for then all mens eyes were opened and every body could discern the Storm approaching Ruines his own Interest Accordingly the Rain came and beat violently upon the House but it being founded upon a stock thanks be to God has stood And as God often brings Light out of Darkness and can by ways unthought of or not look'd into by men turn things contrary to what they design or intend them P. of Orange comes so in the midst of our Necessities he rais'd up an Instrument who by his Virtue and Wisdom contrived and by his Valour put our Deliverance in execution How prosperously this succeeded in England is known to all the World for besides the natural Inclinatiof the people to Variety their general aversion to Popery made the thing at that Juncture very easy tho the Prince was then in a manner a Stranger to the Nation in general The State of Ireland at that time But tho all things succeeded so happily for the Protestant Interest in England yet there was a Cloud in Ireland that seem'd to threaten us if due care was not taken in time to disperse it My Lord Tyrconnel during the Late King's Reign had been framing and modelling an Irish Army that might be ready to serve the Popish Interest on all occasions part of which was sent over into England some time before the Prince Landed and after his being proclaimed King my Lord Tyrconnel having still a considerable Body of men in Arms refuses to deliver up the Sword Some say that it was not demanded from him and more That he had been easily forced to it at first or at least there might have been a Method taken to have persuaded him But the management of this was entrusted to Major General Hambleton a profest Papist Lieut. Gener. Hambleton sent over and so well did my Lord Tyrconnell and he with some other play their Cards that they got Hambleton sent over against the advice of most that understood the Affairs of that Kingdom by which means Succours were delayed and Hambleton as soon as he was safe in Ireland was so far from persuading my Lord Tyrconnell to yield that he ordered all the Horses that were left in Protestant hands and fit for Service to be seiz'd for the Late King's use and treated those whom he believed King William's best Friends at Dublin very harshly for which Service he was made Leutenant-General of the Irish Army The State of England at that Juncture But the Affairs of England did not admit of present Succours to be sent to the Protestants in Ireland who now were groaning under several Afflictions for a great part of the old Army was disbanded or sent into Holland the Dutch were sent home and it 's thought some unseasonable Disputes and Heats about Matters of Religion did no small disservice to the Publick There was also a hot Report about that time at London and indeed all over England that King James was dead which Report was only spread abroad by his own Party and several other such little Artifices were used on purpose to make others more secure month March King James lands in Ireland March 12. 1689. for shortly after we had a certain Account that he landed from France at Kingsale in the West of Ireland having about 1800. men with him This was on the 12. of March and after some small time he came to Dublin where he was received with all the Demonstrations of joy imaginable by my Lord Tyrconnell and all the Popish Party who look'd upon him as their only Support Champion and Deliverer tho several of them have since changed their minds A little before this the Protestants in Ireland were in daily expectation of Arms Ammunition Commissions and some Forces from England and it 's more than probable that if they had got them or not hop'd for them the Business had cost neither so much Blood or Treasure as since it has yet some advised not to make any shew of discontent till they had an Opportunity and were in a condition to make their party good by the arrival of Succours from England But the greater part impatient of delays begin to list Men and with what Arms they could get to make a shew of forming an Army Rout at Drummore March 14. Against those in the North Lieutenant-General Hambleton marched with about One Thousand of the Standing Army and nigh twice as many Rapparees in a distinct Body they met at Drummore in the County of Down and on the 14 of March the Protestants were routed with no great difficulty and no wonder for they were very indifferently provided with Arms Ammunition and Commanders nor was their Discipline any better This was called afterwards The Break of Drummore a Word common amongst the Irish Scots for a Rout At the same rate were some others served shortly after at a place called Killeleigh under one Hunter and those that resisted had the same Fate at several other places In the mean time Major-General Macarty by the same measures and some little Artifices brought the Protestants of Munster under the same Circumstances This gave occasion to King James and my Lord Tyrconnell to take the Arms and Horses from all the Protestants of that Kingdom except those that fled to Londonderry and some few that went towards Iniskilling but a great many that could get away for either England or Scotland made what haste they could and in some few Weeks after those that went that way were actually shut up in Derry On the 25th of March they had Arms and Ammunition brought
them by Captain James Hambleton and all the World knows they behaved themselves very well month April April 13. Succors sent to Derry On the 13th of April Collonel Richards and Collonel Cunningham were sent to their relief with two Regiments who came into the Lough but returned without doing any thing and were broke for their pains Maj. General Kirk in the Lough Then went Major General Kirk with his own Sir John Hanmer's and Brigadeer Stuart's Regiments of Foot the Winds were cross and the Irish fortified the River that it was difficult to relieve the Town and our Ships laid at least two Months in the Lough the poor Soldiers as well in Town as on Board endured great hardships all this while But the Dartmouth Frigat at length forced her way month July July 31. Siege Raised and the Siege was raised on the last of July Some condemn the Irish Politicks mightily in sitting down before this Town whenas if they had let it alone the people would either have submitted of themselves or however they had been at leisure to have sent a part of their Army into Scotland which was an easy thing as then to do and would no doubt have hindered any Succours going over that year from England but Providence orders all things and rules the Actions and disposes of the Councels of men accordingly Mackarty taken Prisoner The day before the Siege of Derry was raised the Iniskilliners hearing of a Body of about Six Thousand of the Irish Army Commanded by Major General Mackarty that was marching towards them they very boldly and bravely met them nigh twenty miles from the Town of Iniskillin and at a place call'd Newtowne Buttler fought and routed them taking Mackarty Prisoner killing and drowning nigh Three Thousand there being of the Iniskillin-men in all both Horse and Foot not above Two thousand losing not above Twenty and having about Fifty wounded This Story seem'd to me at first very Incredible but I was told it partly hapned by a Fatal Mistake in the Word of Command amongst the Irish for the Iniskillin-men charged the Irish Right Wing very smartly which Mackarty perceiving ordered some of his Men to face to the Right and march to relieve their Friends the Officer that received the Orders mistook and commanded the men instead of facing to the Right to face to the Right about and so march the Irish in the Reer seeing their Front look with their Faces towards them and move thought they had been running and so without more ado threw down their own Arms and run away the rest seeing their men run in the Reer run after them for company and were most of them cut off or drowned in Boggs and Loughs so unhappy may a small thing prove to a great Body of men and at other times a little thing in appearance proves very advantageous For we read of a Roman at plough who stood with his Ox-yoke in a Gap and stopt the Soldiers that were running away this made them face about and win the Field though I believe in that Action of the Iniskilliners as well as Derry there was a great deal due to their Valour and more to the Providence of God Forces raised in England During these Transactions in Ireland the King gives out Commissions in England to raise 18 Regiments of Foot and four or five of Horse for the Service of Ireland Most of those had their Commissions dated the 8th of March 1688 9 and the Levies went on with all imaginable speed for greatest part of them were raised armed and cloathed in less than Six weeks I was in the Armories at the Tower when the Arms were to be delivered out to the new Levies but there was not half so many there as would do it for the Arms were most squandred away or lost in the late hurry of Affairs and though several Proclamations were sent abroad to bring them in yet His Majesty was forc'd to have most of his Arms out of Holland which was both expensive and troublesome March to Chester This Army was mustered and disciplin'd as well as the time would allow My Lord Devonshire and the honble Mr Wharton being appointed Commissioners to view them in their several Quarters and in July most of them were commanded to Chester in order to be ship'd for Ireland I am a Stranger to the Reasons of State why they went no soonner yet that that seems considerable to me was that my Lord Dundee had left the Convention at Edenbrough raising a powerful Faction for the Late King in the North of Scotland and the Castle of Edenbrough was not as yet surrendered by the Duke of Gordon it might not therefore be thought prudent to part with an Army out of our own Kingdom till the Danger were over from that Quarter so that it was the beginning of August before our Army got to Chester month August August 8. Encamp at Neston and then embarque Most of them encampt about a Week at Neston and then on Thursday the 8th of August about Six a Clock in the Morning His Grace Duke Sconberg General of all Their Majesties Forces Count Solmes General of the Foot and several great Officers more with not Ten Thousand Foot and Horse embarqued at Highlake for Ireland The Winds being cross they lay on Board till Monday the 12th when at Four a Clock in the morning the Wind being S. S. E. and S. E. the Bonaventure Frigat Captain Hobson Commander fired a Gun and put his Light in the Main Top-mast Shrouds that being the Sign for sailing There was also The Antilope the James Galley c. The Cleaveland and the Monmouth Yats with between 80 and 90 Vessels more who all were under sale at Six a Clock and at Eight the Bonaventure put out an Ensign in the Mizen-shrouds for all the Captains and Masters to come on board which done they received Orders to sail directly to Carigfergus-Bay in Ireland In case of bad weather so that they could not reach thither to sail for Loureau in Galloway in Scotland and if they fell short of that Ramsey Bay in the Isle of Man to be the place of Rendezvouz Tuesday the 13th at break of day the greatest part of the Fleet was up with the Mountains of Dundrum in the County of Downe these are commonly called the Mountains of Mourne and are said to be the highest in Ireland on the top of one of the highest stood a famous Monastery in time of old About Three that Afternoon the Fleet came up the Lough within a mile and a half of Carigfergus at Four they came to an Anchor in Bangor Bay and immediately the General ordered his Flag to be put out at the Yats Main-yard-Arm that being the Sign for landing our men which was done accordingly Land in Ireland and they encamped that night in Fields adjoining to the Shoar they lay upon their Arms all night having frequent Allarms of the Enemies
came from Derry for it was observable that after some of them came amongst us it was presently spread over the whole Army yet I did not find many of themselves died of it Number of Men that died at Dundalk As to the Number of our Men that died I am sure there were not above sixteen or seventeen Hundred that died in or about Dundalk but our Ships came from Carlingford and Dundalk about the 13 th of November to Belfast and there were shipt at those two places 1970 sick Men and not 1100 of those came a-shore but died at Sea nay so great was the Mortality that several Ships had all the Men in them dead and no Body to look after them whilst they lay in the Bay at Carickfergus As for the Great Hospital at Belfast there were 3762 that died in it from the first of November to the first of May as appears by the Tallies given in by the Men that buried them There were several that had their Limbs so mortified in the Camp and afterwards that some had their Toes and some their whole Feet that fell off as the Surgeons were dressing them so that upon the whole matter we lost nigh one half of the Men that we took over with us The Enemies Numbers As to the Enemies Numbers and the reason why so little Action happened the Accounts that were given by Deserters both as to the Enemies Numbers and Designs were so various and disagreeing that the General himself was at a Loss what to trust to which if well considered will answer many of those rash Objections made to the management of that Campagne I have seen a List of their whole Army since and the most agree that they had at Dundalk 17 Regiments of Horse and Dragoons with as many Foot as made them nigh forty thousand though their Foot were not all very well armed but some had Scithes instead of Pikes yet Lieut. General Hamilton denies that they were ever so many in the Field And as for so little of Action happening in so long a time the reason on the Duke's side as I humbly conjecture might be that he found himself exceedingly out-done in the number of his Horse nor did the small Body that he had come all at one time but stragling by degrees And therefore he was unwilling to venture a few except he had enough to push for all which he had not And our entrenching our selves might make the Enemy think it was to no purpose to alarm us since they believed it impossible to force our Camp which it certainly was not if we had had any other sort of People to deal withal but Irish But it may be they considered that Maxim that the Invader is still to proffer and the Invaded to decline a Battel A List of our own Army The LIST of our own Army was as followeth Horse and Dragoons Lord Devonshire 6 Troops Lord Delamere 6 Troops Lord Hewett 6 Troops Colonel Coy 6 Troops †Colonel Langston 6 Troops Colonel Villers 6 Troops †Sir John Lanier 6 Troops D. Schonberg's French 9 Troops Col. Woolsely's Inniskilliners 12 Troops Mr. Harbord's Troop 1 Troop Capt. Matthew White 1 Troop Provost Martial's Troop 1 Troop †Col. Hefford's Dragoons 9 Troops Col. Levison's Dragoons 6 Troops Sr. A. Cuningham's Dragoons 6 Troops Col. Gwinn's Dragoons 6 Troops These make in all 13 Regiments besides three Independent Troops 3 of which marked thus †did not come to the Camp and 2 more came late so that we could not make above 8 Regiments of Horse and Dragoons when the Irish drew out upon us and 3 of those were Inniskilliners Foot A Battalion of Blew Dutch Carlesoon's White Dutch Major General Kirk Sir John Hanmer Brigadier Stuart Colonel Beaumont Colonel Wharton Lord Meath Lord Kingston Lord Drogheda Sir Henry Bellasis Sir Henry Inglesby Lord Lovelace then Colonel Zanchy's Lord Roscommon Lord Luburne * Colonel Hamilton * Colonel Hastings Colonel Deering Colonel Herbert Sir Tho. Gower Colonel Earle La Millineir Du Cambon La Callimott Inniskillin and Derry Foot * Col. Gustavus Hamilton * Colonel Lloyd * Colonel White Colonel Mitchelburne * Colonel St. Johns Colonel Tiffany Note that the Foot marked thus * were not at Dundalk but in Garison These make in all counting the Blew Battalion for one thirty Regiments of Foot but those were all that we had in Ireland there were some at Derry and Col. Hamilton's Regiment at Carickfergus some at Inniskillin and others at Sligo till the Irish took it from us Fifty Men were left upon a Party at Newry There were also several killed at Carickfergus and some left sick and wounded at Belfast besides the two Hamiltons Lloyd's White 's St. John's and Hastings's never came to the Camp Sir Henry Inglesby's and two Regiments of Horse came not till our Camp was fix'd and then Maj. Gen. Kirk's Sir John Hanmer's and Brigadier Stuart's Regiments had laid long on Ship-board and had been harassed so that they had lost several of their Number Some also were dead or sick and others run away Put all these things together I say and we cannot suppose that the Duke had above 2000 Horse and Dragoons and not many more than 12000 Foot when the Irish proffer'd him Battel I have no warrant from any body for what I am going to say only I think my self obliged to give an account of what I am perswaded is true in answering those Objections which were made by the Army first and then by several of the People of England that had lost their Relations or Friends viz. That the Duke was to blame he did not go on at first without stopping for then we had got Dublin and all the Kingdom would have fallen of course without half that expence of Treasure that England has been at And that we lost more Men by lying at Dundalk than we could have done in a Battel and also a year's time which might have been employed with an Army in the Heart of France These things and several of the like nature have been objected to the Conduct of that Great Man who always thought it better to owe his Victories to good Management than good Fortune since wise Counsels are still within the Power of wise Men but Success is not And what Man in the World would be thought wise and his Actions entertained as the best if only such were so against whom and which no Objection could be made The Memory therefore of such a Man ought not to suffer who all his Life-long had been said to act with the greatest Prudence in the World And for his management in this Affair no doubt he could give very substantial Reasons yet because those are not nor cannot be known to the World I shall only offer some few that I have had from very good Hands and which I know in the main to be true It 's an easy thing for Men to sit at home by a warm Fire-side and find fault with
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
day so much to their advantage for not to say worse of them then they deserve it was in good order so far as we could see them I mean with the Horse and French Foot whatsoever they did afterwards but I could hear of none in particular only Lieutenant Gen. Hambleton says it was my Lord Gilmoy who is not thought an extraordinary Souldier but this is certain that the French were towards the left of their Army that day and so did little or no service except it was in the retreat whereas if they had posted them instead of the Irish Foot at the Pass we had found warmer work of it But Providence orders all things and amongst those the Counsels of the greatest The night after the Battle we lay upon our Arms at Duleck and next morning were sent a Party back out of every Regiment to fetch up our Tents and Baggage from beyond the Boyn As likewise Brigadeer La Millinier was sent with a Party of a thousand Horse and Dragoons about three hundred Foot and eight peice of Canon to summon Drogheda Drogheda surrendred The Governour received the first Summons very indifferently but then he had word sent that if he forced the Canon to be fired on them they should have no quarter The Governor at length considered better of it and believing the Irish Army to be totally routed he surrendred upon Condition to be conducted to the next Garrison which was Athlone And the next day about 1300. of them marched out without their Arms having a Convoy according to Agreement Colonel Cuts's Men took possession of the Place where they found good store of wine and other things that were considerable and took great care to preserve the Town from any violence of the Souldiers This Town is one of the best in Ireland unto which King Edward the Second for Theobald Verdens sake granted License for a Market and Fair and succeeding Kings confirmed many and great Priviledges to it amongst others that of a Mint Cromwel at his first landing in Ireland took it by Storm and put above 2000. men to the Sword in it The River Boyn runs thro' the Town which takes its name from swift running for Boin both in Irish and Brittish signifies Swift as the Learned say It s a great and rapid River and whatever it has been formerly it will be famous in succeeding Ages for this Action I have shewn the spot of ground to some who design to erect a Pillar where the King escaped so narrowly to perpetuate so memorable an Action Near the ground where we encampt stands Mellifont-Abby founded in the year 1168. by Donald King of Uriel and is much praised by St. Bernard it was given afterwards by Queen Elizabeth to Sir Edward More of Kent for his good service in the Wars both at home and abroad and is now the Seat of the Earl of Drogheda But this I 'm afraid will be thought a little out of my present rode and therefore Wednesdy the 2 of July we marched not above a mile to convenient Ground and there pitched our Tents I remember we had a kind of Alarm that afternoon and some say it was five Troops of Horse and three Regiments of Foot that came from Munster to joyn King James's Army who appeared in the flank of us but sending two Spies to discover who we were they were taken and hanged tho the Party marched off untouched Mounsieur Cambon had almost set his own and my Lord Drogheda's Regiment by the Ears by ordering a Detachment of his men to take away by force the Grass from the Rear of the other Regiment The matter came so high that both Parties were charging their Peeces but my Lord Drogheda ordered his men to their Tents and Lieut. Gen. Douglas ordered Mounsieur Cambon to desist from his pretensions this might have been of dangerous consequence and yet my Lord was so kind to Mounsieur Cambdon as not to acquaint the King with it King William marches toward Dublin On Thursday the 3. of July his Maiesty marched forwards with his Army to a place called Bally Brighan and there encamped on his march he had an account by one Mr. Sanders whom the Bishop of Meath Dr. King Captain Fitz Gerald and other Protestants that had taken upon them the protection of the City had sent for that purpose that the Irish had left Dublin towards which the Duke of Ormond marched with 1000 Horse and found Captain Farlow Governour who two days before had been a Prisoner The Dutch Guards were sent also who took possession of the Castle as the Duke of Ormond did of the out Guards of the Town with his Horse next day we lay Encamped and above 300 Citizens came out from Dublin to wait upon the King and to welcome our Army and abundance of people flocked from all places to see our Camp The Country all hereabouts is most of it Inhabited with old English and is called Fingal that is a Nation of Foreigners It s scarce worth the Relating what is writ in the Irish Annals of a Country man nigh this place that in the year 1341 found a pair of Gloves in drawing on of which he Barked like a Dog and from that present the Elder in that Country Barked like big Dogs and the young ones like Whelps and this continued with some for eighteen dayes with others a month and with some for two years and entred also into several other places and they tell you likewise of the men in the County of Tipperarys being turn'd into Wolves at a certain time of the year but these are trifles for they are commonly Dogs or Wolves in their Nature but no otherways Encamps at Finglass Saturday the 5 of July we marched to Finglass two miles wide of Dublin his Majesty did not go to the City but staid in the Field with his Army yet next day being Sunday he went to St. Patricks Church and returned on Horseback to the Camp to dinner A Description of Dublin This City of Dublin is by much the Largest and Best in all Ireland and inferiour to none in England except London most of the Houses and Streets are very Regular and Modern and the people as Fashionable as any where It s called by Ptolomy Eblana the Irish call it Bala Cleigh that is the Town upon Hurdles because they say it was built upon a Fenny Boggy place but whatever it has been the Ground about it is now very sound and the Air wholsome it was much afflicted in the Danish Wars and afterwards came under subjection of Edgar King of England then the Norvegians possessed themselves of it and we read that Harold of Norway after he had subdued the greatest part of Ireland built Develin And hither King Hen. 2. after he had gain'd a great interest in this Kingdom sent over a Collony of Bristow men who were the first English Inhabitants of this City In the year 1220. was the Castle of Dublin
built by Henry Londres Arch-Bishop of that Sea And in the Reign of King Ed. 2. Alexander de Bicknor Arch-Bishop of Dublin began to incourage the profession of Learning having obtained from Pope John the 22. the priviledges of an University to the Colledge of Dublin which he builtin the place where of old stood the Monastry of All-hallows the first Master hereof was Fryar William Hardite In times of War and Tumult it was defac'd but rebuilt in Queen Elizabeths time and endowed with several priviledges being ever since a Nursery of Protestants till they were turn'd out by King Jams's Souldiers and it made a Guard House but now at King Williams coming restored to the Protestants with their other possessions Monday the 6. Several parties of Horse were sent up and down the Country and next day the Bishop of Meath the Bishop of Limerick and all or most of the Clergy then in or near the City of Dublin waited upon the King the Bishop of Meath made a Speech telling his Majesty The Bishops and Clergy Address the King That they came not to Beg his Protection for he had given sufficient demonstrations of his affection towards them by ventring his Royal Person for their deliverance but they came to Congratulate his Arrival to pray for the continuance of his good success and to give his Majesty all the assurance possible of their Loyalty and Obedience intreating his Majesty not to think worse of them for staying in Ireland and submitting to a Power that it was impossible for them to resist since they had been as serviceable to the Churches interest and his Majesties by staying as they could have been otherwise with a great deal more to that purpose The King made Answer that as he had by the blessing of God succeeded so far he doubted not but by Gods Assistance to free them absolutely and that in a small time from Popish Tyranny which was his design in coming Then the Bishop of Limerick desired his Majesty to give them leave to appoint a day of publick Thanksgiving and to compose a Form of Prayer upon that Occasion to which his Majesty assented Money left in the Treasury The Irish went away in such haste that they left 16000 l. Brass mony in the Treasury and a great quantity of French peices called Souses I enquired of some People concern'd in the Treasury in King James's time and they told me that there had not been much above 1100000 l. Brass mony Coyned during all the time it passed On Tuesday July the 7. the King sent out his Declaration to the Irish assuring all under such a Quality of his protection and because the not observing of it has since done a great deal of prejudice not only to his Majesties affairs but also to all sorts of People belonging to that Country it will not be improper here to insert it The Declaration of William and Mary King and Queen of England Scotland France and Ireland c. To all Our People of Our Kingdom of Ireland whom it may concern William R. K. Williams Declaration AS it hath pleased Almighty God to bless Our Arms in this Kingdom with a late victory over Our Enemies at the Boyn and with the Possession of Our Capital City of Dublin and with a general dispersion of all that did oppose us we are now in so happy a prospect of Our Affairs and of extinguishing the Rebellion of this Kingdom that We hold it reasonable to think of Mercy and to have Compassion upon those whom we judge to have been seduced Wherefore We do hereby declare We shall take into Our Royal Protection all poor Labourers Common Souldiers Country Farmers Plowmen and Cottiers whatsoever As also all Citizens Trads-men Towns-men and Artificers who either remain'd at home or having fled from their dwellings shall by the first of August next repair to their usual places of abode surrendring up what Arms they have to such Justices of the Peace as are or shall be appointed by Vs not only to receive the same but also to Register the Appearance of such of the said Persons as shall come and submit to Our Authority For Our Royal Intention is and We do hereby declare That We will not only pardon all those seduced people as to their Lives and Liberties who shall come in by the time aforesaid for all violences they have committed by the command of their Leaders during the time of the War But We do also promise to secure them in their Goods their Stocks of Cattle and all their Chattels personal whatsoever willing and requiring them to come in and where they were Tenants there to preserve the Harvest of Grass and Corn for the supply of the Winter But forasmuch as many of them have a Legal Right to the Tenancy of several Lands some holden from Protestants and some held from Popish Proprietors who have been concern'd in the Rebellion against Us. Our Will and Pleasure is that all those who held from Our good Protestant Subjects do pay their Rents to their respective Landlords and that the Tenants of all those who have been concern'd in the Rebellion against us do keep their Rents in their hands until they have notice from the Commissioners of Our Revenue unto whom they are to account for the same And as we do hereby strictly forbid all violence Rapine and Molestation to any who shall thus come in and remain Obedient to us We do hereby Charge and Require that they be not disquieted in any sort without Our particular Command For the desperate Leaders of this Rebellion who have violated those Laws by which this Kingdom is united and inseparably annexed to the Imperial Crown of England who have called in the French who have Authorized all Violences and depredations against the Protestants and who rejected the Gracious Pardon We offered them in Our Proclamation of the 22 of February 1688. As we are now by Gods great favour in a Condition to make them sensible of their Errours So are we resolved to leave them to the Event of War unless by Great and Manifest demonstrations We shall be convinced that they deserve Our Mercy which We shall never refuse to those that are truly penitent Given at Our Royal Camp at Finglass neer Dublin the 7 th of July 1690. In the Second year of Our Reign This Declararion was published in the Camp two days after and had it been punctually observed according to the intent of it we had had fewer Enemies at this day by at least 20000 For tho' the King was punctual in his observance of it some Officers and Soldiers were apt to neglect the Kings Honour and the Honour of our Country and Religion when it stood in Competition with their own profit and advantage July the seventh and eighth the King took a view of his Army by distinct Regiments and though it often Rain'd very fast yet his Majesty sate on Horseback in the midst of it and saw
were secured in other places The County of Cork was formerly a Kingdom and is the most fertile Country in Ireland This Kingdom was granted in the Time of Henry the Second to Sir Robert Fitz Stephen and Sir Miles de Cogan in these Words Know ye that I have granted the whole Kingdom of Cork excepting the City and Cantred of the Oustmans to hold for them and their Heirs of Me and John My Son by the Service of Sixty Knights At Cork was born one Briork a Famous Saint in the Days of Old The same Afternoon a Party of about Five hundred Horse were sent under Brigadeer Villars to infest Kingsale he sent a Trumpeter at his Approach to summon the Town but the Governor threatned to hang him up for bringing such a Message and then set fire to the Town and retreated to the Old Fort which our Horse seeing rid in and quenched the Fire killing seven or eight of the Irish that they found in Town On the 30th a Party of our Foot marched to Five-mile-House towards Kingsale and the Magistrates of Cork reassuming their Places proclaim'd King William and Queen Mary and put the Place into some order month October The Army marches to Kingsale On the First of October the Earl of Marlborough marched out of Cork to Five-mile Bridge and the next day came near the Town then in the possession of our own Men Towards the Evening the Lord Marlborough posted his Men towards the New Fort and Major General Tetteau with 800 Men the next morning early passed the River in Boats stormed the Old Fort in which he succeeded very well Several Barrels of Powder at the same time accidentally taking fire blew up nigh Forty of the Enemy the rest flying into an old Castle in the midst of the Fort were a great many of them kill'd before they got thither and all that made resistance as we scaled the Walls were cut in pieces The Old Fort taken So that of 450 Men in this Fort about 200 were blown up and kill'd and the rest submitting to Mercy were made Prisoners Some endeavoured to escape to the New Fort by Water but were most of them kill'd from the Shore The Governor and several Officers that would have prevented our Men from coming over were killed upon the Ramparts The New one besieged My Lord Marlborough having gained this Fort resolves to make as quick work as he could with the New one for the Weather was now very bad and Provisions were growing scarce and withal his Men began to fall sick which made him judge it was the best way to attack the Place briskly in which he was like to lose fewer Men than if by lying long before it he should have it surrendred He sends a Summons however to the Governor to surrender who return'd him answer That it would be time enough to talk of that a Month hence Batteries raised Whereupon the Cannon being planted we began to batter the Fort in two Places the Danes on the Left and the English on the Right On the Fifth of October the Trenches were opened and on the Ninth we were got nigh the Counterscarp On the Twelfth in the Morning Six Pieces of Cannon were mounted at the Danes Attack and Two Mortars at the English which fired all day and the Mortars continued all night On the Thirteenth Two Guns of Twenty four pound Ball were planted on the English Battery and on the Fourteenth Three more for the Danes on their side had made a pretty large Breach We then sprung a Mine with very good success and were preparing to spring another and being Masters of the Counterscarp on the Fifteenth the Cannon plaid all the Morning and every thing was ready to lay our Galleries over the Ditch But at one a Clock the Enemy beat a Parly and desired a Treaty about the Surrendry of the Fort The Fort surrendred which being done the Articles were agreed to and signed by which the middle Bastion was to be delivered up next Morning and the Garrison being about 1200 Men to march out the day after with their Arms and Baggage and be conducted to Limerick We had kill'd and wounded in our several Attacks about 200 but a great many more were sick and dead by reason of bad Weather In this Fort we received a very considerable Magazine and great plenty of all sorts of Provisions sufficient to have supported a thousand Men for a Year there were 1000 Barrels of Wheat 1000 Barrels of Beef Forty Tuns of Clarret a great quantity of Sack Brandy and strong Beer My Lord Marleborough did a considerable piece of Service in reducing those Places which will be of great advantage to the next Campagn In October 1601. Don John d' Aquila landed at Kingsale from Spain with an Army to assist the Irish against Queen Elizabeth calling himself Master General and Captain of the Catholick King in the War of God for holding and keeping the Faith in Ireland But by the Courage and Industry of Sir Charles Blunt Baron Mountjoy then Lord Deputy the Irish were defeated and the Spaniards forced to go home upon dishonourable Terms But to return again to Dublin and the Affairs of that part of the Kingdom On the 18th of October the Blue Dutch Guards set sail for England and a day or two afterwards landed Colonel Mathews's Dragoons and Count Schonberg's Horse from thence And now after the taking of Cork and Kingsale part of the Irish Army that was in Kerry made several Incursions and burnt all the Towns and Villages of the Counties of Cork and Limerick that had hitherto escap'd My Lord Duke of Berwick dined in Charlevil-house one of the Second-rate Houses of these Kingdoms built by the late Earl of Orrery and after Dinner order'd it to be fir'd and staid to see it in Ashes And those of the Irish Army that lay between Limerick and Athlone burnt Balliboy wherein were Six Companies of my Lord Drogheda's Regiment The thing was thus Lieut. Col. Bristow was at the Breaking-up of the Camp at Birr ordered to Kilkormack Castle a considerable Pass and within Two Miles of Balliboy but he liking Balliboy better as a Place of more Forrage and Shelter for the Men quitted the other and took most of his Men into that open Village which the Irish having notice of came in the night and lay in the Hedges nigh the Town Our Men had heard of the designed Attempt the day before and desired Colonel Bristow to deliver out Ammunition but he apprehending no danger took no care to prepare for such a Mischief However our Men sate up all that night and sent out a Lieutenant with Twenty Men mounted to learn Tidings of the Enemy who returned without discovering any for they were all this while close in the Hedges After Revallia the Officers and Soldiers thinking all safe went to their Lodgings all but the ordinary Guard They had not been dispersed half an hour till the
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