Ginckel made Commander in Chief of the Army Lords Justices begin their Government The Earl of Marlborough sent with a Fleet into Ireland Cork and Kinsale taken The Irish make Attempts upon our Frontiers Part of our Army move towards the Shannon Rapparees in the Bog of Allen Those People serviceable to the Irish Interest and how My Lord Tyrconnel returns from France Sarsfield made Earl of Lucan The Irish defeated at the Mote of Greenoge Several Adventures with the Rapparees and Parlies of the Irish Army Some of our Regiments take the Field at Mullingar ON the sixth of September our Army marched to Tipperary about fourteen Miles from Limerick where they begun to disperse towards their respective Quarters And we had an Account by some Deserters that my Lord Tyrconnel and all the French Forces were Ship'd off at The French leave Ireland Gallway for France The reason of this was also enquired after by a great many that the French shou'd absolutely quit Ireland at a time when we had raised our Siege which might have given them hopes of re-gaining the next Year what they lost this at least to defend the Province of Connaught against us and so protract the War beyond what they cou'd have hoped for if the Town had been taken and that if the want of Provisions was an Objection it was easier to carry those to the Men than bring the Men to their Provisions But the reason that I have heard given for their departure was That the late King appearing very unexpectedly in France at a time when all People were over-joyed with the News of the Battel of Flerus won at Land and a Victory also gained at Sea to palliate matters therefore as to himself he laid all the blame upon the Irish that they wou'd not fight but many of them laid down their Arms in such order as if they had been Exercising which indeed some of them did Upon which the Fr. K. concluding that all was lost in that Kingdom he sent Orders to Count Lauzun to make the best of a bad Market and so come off for France as well as he could with all his Men. But the Irish taking heart of grace at our Fleets and the Dutch Armies misfortunes they held out beyond expectation And those Orders of the French Kings not coming till after His Majesty had raised the Siege of Limerick Count Lauzun waited about twelve Days for a Countermand but that not appearing he set sail for France tho' he met with contrary Orders at Sea but then it was too late For His Majesty had been a Fortnight at London before they heard at Paris that the Siege of Limerick was raised which shewed that whatever good Intelligence they might have from England or Ireland at other times they wanted it now but whether the Wind was cross or what else was the reason I am uncertain About the fourteenth we heard that Sarsfield with a part of the Irish Army had marched over the Shannon at Banoher-Bridge and besieged the Castle of Birr wherein Birr besieged by the Irish was only a Company of Colonel Tiffin's Foot who stoutly defended the Castle the only temble place but Major-General Kirk marching thither with a part of our Army the Enemy quitted the Siege and marched off At this time Count Solms who commanded in Chief was at Cashel where he received a Letter by a Trumpeter from the Duke of Berwick then at Limerick complaining that they heard of a Design of ours to send all those Prisoners we had taken at several places to be Slaves in the Foreign Plantations and withal threatning ours with the French Gallies But this was only a trick of the Irish Officers themselves to prevent their Soldiers from deserting making them believe there was a Contract to sell them all to Monsieur Perara the Jew for so much Bread which made the name of the Jew very terrible to the Irish But this was a mere Story of their own framing and therefore Count Solms sent the following Answer to the Duke's Letter Henry Count de Solms General of Their Majesties Army in their Kingdom of Ireland HAving never before heard of a Design to send those Numbers Count Solms's Answer to the Duke of Berwick's Letter of your Men we have Prisoners to the Foreign Plantations we detained your Trumpeter here for some Days in hopes we might have been able to trace this Report which you send us word is spread about of such our Intentions but no enquiry we have made giving us the least light therein we have reason to think that neither those Prisoners we have of yours need fear so long a Voyage nor those few of ours in your hands be apprehensive of yielding a small Recruit to the French King's Gallies However we think fit to declare that your Men shall severely feel the effects of any ill usage you shall offer to ours for which they may reckon themselves obliged to their Generals Given at our Head-Quarters at Cashel the 21st Day of September 1690. To the Duke of Berwick or the Officer in Chief commanding the Enemies Forces Soon after this Count Solms went for England and the Lieutenant-General Ginckel made Commander in Chief Baron de Ginckel was made Lieutenant-General and Commander in Chief of the Army who went to his Head-Quarters at Kilkenny Towards the middle of September Henry Lord Viscount Sidney and Thomas Coningesby Esquire two of the Lords-Justices went to Dublin where they took the usual Oaths of Chief Governors of that Kingdom before the Commissioners of the Great Seal and immediately begun their The Lords-Justices go to Dublin work of putting the Country in as good a condition of Safety as the nature of the times would bear Whilst the King was imployed in the Field with his Army against the Town of Limerick it was first proposed by the Earl of Nottingham to my Lord Marlborough and afterwards approved of in Councel as very Advantageous to Their Majesties Affairs to send a Party from England who joyning with a Detachment from the King's Army might reduce those two important Garrisons of Cork and Kinsale and provisions were made accordingly But not being ready so soon as was designed His Majesty upon His return for England sent the Earl of Marlborough with his own Regiment of Fusiliers Brigadier Trelawny's Princess Ann's Earl of Marlborough sent into Ireland Colonel Hastings's Colonel Hales's Sir David Collier's Colonel Fitz-Patrick's one hundred of the Duke of Bolton's and two hundred of the Earl of Monmouth's with my Lord Torrington's and Lord Pembrook's Marine Regiments CORK CITY After the taking of those two Towns the Irish that lay October 1690. in the County of Kerry made several Incursions and burnt some small Villages in the County of Cork and near the same time another Party burnt Balliboy a Village 8 miles The Irish make some attempts upon our Quarters from Birr wherein there was then six Companies of the Earl of
contrived towards the King's Island 206 A Breach made in the Wall 210 Guns planted near St. Thomas's Island 213 Collonel Earl sent into England 214 My Lord Lisburn killed 215 A Party pass the River upon a Bridge of Boats 216 The Irish in a great Consternation 217 Debates whether the Siege should be continued or turned into a Blockade 220 Orders in case of an Alarm 222 Our Forces pass the River a second time 223 The Attack at Thoumond Bridge where six hundred of the Enemy were killed 224 A Remarkable Paper found in the Pocket of a Collonel in the Irish Army 225 The Enemy beat a Parley 228 A Cessation agreed to Hostages exchanged 229 230 The Irish Proposals rejected by the Generals ibid. Articles agreed to 231 The General 's Letter to Sir Ralph Delaval giving him an Account of the Cessation 232 A brief Account of what happened in other parts of the Kingdom during this Month 268 c. CHAP. IX THE Lords Justices come to the Camp 238 The Articles signed ibid. The Articles at large both Civil and Military with Their Majesties Confirmation of them 239 c. Our men take possession of the Irish Town 256 A Lieutenant-Collonel imprisoned for denying to go into France 257 A Declaration from the General 258 My Lord Lucan's Arguments to the Irish to persuade them to go into France 260 Their Foot drawn out and put to the trial ibid. The Lords Justices return towards Dublin ibid. Our Army decamps and goes to Quarters 263 Some of the Irish go towards Cork 264 CHAP. X. THE Campaign ended and Irish Prisoners of War released 268 Some Rapparees deliver up their Arms 269 A Proclamation of pardon to the rest ibid. The Ulster Irish return home with their Cattle 270 The French Fleet comes into the Shannon 271 Some Objections against the Articles of Limerick answered 275 The last of the Irish march from Limerick 281 The General goes to Dublin and thence for England 288 Major-General Mackay and Major-General Talmash go for England 284 The Danes ordered to be shipt off ibid. Fortifications of Ballymore and Mullingar demolished 285 Our Transport Ships that carry the Irish return from France 288 The Late King's Letter to the Irish at their Landing 289 Their Reception in France ibid. My Lord Lucan's Release to the General 292 The Irish that stay'd with us very unruly in their Quarters Orders and Instructions for breaking them all except two Battalions 294 295 The Oaths taken according to the New Act of Parliament 296 An Order to turn out all Papists from our Regiments 297 A Proclamation declaring the War of Ireland ended 302 CHAP. XI A Brief Account of the former and present Circumstances of Ireland 304 Its Division into Provinces and Counties Bishopricks and Parishes Cities and Corporations It s Soil c. 305 306 Sir John Davis's Reasons why Ireland has been so long in being intirely subjected to the Crown of England 307 What Tavistry is 309 This a Reason why the Irish did not improve their Country 310 Of Fosterings and Cosherings ibid. Ireland ought to be put into a Condition to bear its own Burden 314 What Methods the Irish first took to make the old English joyn with them 315 A brief Account of the Expences of the former War ibid. An Essay towards the Charge of this 316 A modest conjecture at the Numbers lost on both sides and in the Country during the VVar 317 The Interest of England to advance the power of the English in Ireland 318 Our Ancestors sensible of this 320 The former Evils still remain ibid. The Interest of the Irish-Papists themselves to advance the Power of England 321 Two Objections answered 322 Religion in the first place to be taken care of 323 An Invasion from France at this Juncture upon any of these three Kingdoms not practicable 326 A Remark upon the last that endeavoured it 328 A Continuation of the Impartial History OF THE WARS of IRELAND CHAP. I. A brief Account by way of Introduction of the Cause of the War The state of the Protestants in that Kingdom The Late King 's landing there The Sessions of Parliament in Ireland Protestants Routed at Drummore and other Places Derry Besieged and Relieved The Irish beat at Croom Castle Duke Sconberg lands in August 1690. Carigfergus Surrendred Newry Burnt The Army march'd to Dundalk And Encamp there nigh ten Weeks Sligo taken by the Irish A Party of theirs Repulsed at Newry The Battel of Cavan The Danes land in Ireland 5000 French Foot land at Kinsale Charlemont Surrendred THE Actions of Great Men have generally been esteemed so powerful for the instructing of those that come after that most Civil States have made it their Business to Transcribe and preserve them to posterity for their Example and Imitation Even the Irish themselves when they were far from being one of the most Reformed Nations in the World had their Bards and Ballad-makers who have taken no small pains in their way to render the Chieftains of their own Country as famous as others Nay the Greatest Generals and Emperors have in the midst of their Conquests imployed some of their time to leave the immortal Memory of their own and other Great Mens Actions in writing the omission of which has been a great defect in the middle Age of the World since those are commonly the most Competent Judges of the management of Affairs and ablest to give a true Account But because in this Fighting Age wherein we now live their time is other ways imployed and Great Men have scarce leisure to read much less to write great Books we must be contented to take the best Accounts we can get of their Actions from meaner Hands such as have been Eye-witnesses of them or at least have good grounds for what they tell us And forasmuch as the Disturbances in Ireland have made so great a noise in the Ears of all Europe whilst they lasted and my self as a constant Attendant on their Majesties Army having been an Eye-witness to the most Remarkable Occurrences I shall not scruple to tell the World all I know which as it is for the most part little else but the bare matter of Fact I hope it may not be despised though it come from so mean a Hand and in so homely a Dress I need not trouble the Reader with a long Discourse about the Occasion of the War The general Aversion of the People of England to Popery and their being ill treated by a Prince of that Persuasion made such a sudden Change in that Kingdom as the like never happened before in any Age or Countrey But Ireland was under different Circumstances the Roman-Catholick Party being there by much the stronger at least more numerous of whom my Lord Tyrconnell had during the late King's Reign been modelling an Army that might be ready on all Occasions to maintain the Popish Interest by which the Protestants in that Kingdom were brought upon the very brink of Ruine and then
the Town but such a Guard as we think fit to send to one of the Gates which shall immediately be delivered to us according to the Custom of War III. That the Garison shall march out to morrow by Ten a Clock and be conducted by a Squadron of Horse to the nearest Garison of the Enemy and there shall be no crowding nor confusion when they march out IV. That nothing be carried out of the Town which belongs to the Protestants or other Inhabitants V. That the Governour obliges himself to deliver all Cannon and other sort of Arms Munition Victuals of any kind into the hands of such a Commissary as shall be ordered by us to receive them to morrow morning VI. That if there be any thing due from the Garison to the Inhabitants of the Protestant Religion it shall be paid and what has been taken from them shall be restored VII That a safe Conduct for all the Inhabitants of the Countrey and such of the Roman-Catholick Clergy that came for shelter to this Garison shall be allowed and that they go to their respective habitations together with their Goods and there be protected pursuant to King William 's Declaration bearing date the 22 d. of February last past VIII That care shall be taken of the sick and wounded men of the Garison that cannot go along with the Regiments and that when they are in a condition to follow the rest they shall have our Pass SCHONBERG Pursuant to which Articles the Irish marched out tho the Duke himself had much a-do to protect them from the Violence of the Countrey People the Injuries they had received in being plundered and stript by them were so fresh in their memories The Irish had about 150 killed and wounded during the Siege and the Duke near the same number and Wednesday the 28th and the day following the Army marched back to Belfast where they were joined by Duke Schonbergh's French Horse Sir Thomas Gowers Foot and some other Regiments sent from England On Saturday the last of August our Army was Our Army mustered at Belfast Mustered being Four Regiments of Horse one of Dragoons and Eighteen Regiments of Foot viz. Horse Earl of Devonshire's Lord Delamere's Col. Coy's and Duke Schonberg's with Col. Leveson's Dragoons Foot one Battalion of Blew Dutch Carleson's White Dutch Princess Anne's Col. Wharton's Earl of Drogheda's Lord Lisburn's Earl Meath's Lord Roscommon's Lord Lovelace's Earl of Kingston's the Duke of Norfolk's Col. Herbert's Sir Edward Deering's Sir Thomas Gower's Col. Earl's La Mellionere's Du Cambon's La Callimot's and a day or two after we were joined by most of the Inniskilling Horse who stayed with us during the succeeding Campaign The Duke having ordered most of his Artillery and Ammunition on Board at Carrickfergus our Train Horses being many of them as yet at Chester and then to go for Carlingford within eight miles of Dundalk he marched The Army march to Newry his Army forwards on Monday the 2 d. of September and came on the 6th to Newry which he found laid in Ashes by the Duke of Berwick who having been there with about 1700 Foot and Dragoons and two Troops of Horse had retired towards Dundalk the evening before and left Newry in a flame Here the General posted Capt. Palliser of Sir Thomas Gower's Regiment with Fifty men in an old Castle that was unburnt and on Saturday the 7th we Thence to Dundalk marched to Dundalk where the Army encamped on a low moist Ground nigh a mile short of the Town On Sunday the 8th Major-General Kirk's Sir John Hanmer's and Brigadier Stuart's Regiments join'd us from the North. The Irish Army were at this time in a great Consternation The Irish in confusion and it was debated whether they should quit Drogheda and Dublin and so retire towards the Shannon but my Lord Tyrconnel opposed it and when Marshal De Rose understood that Duke Schonberg halted at Dundalk He was sure he said that he wanted something necessary for their going forwards and therefore part of their Army advanced first to Ardee and then in a day or two to a place called the Bridge of Fane upon a small River within three miles of Dundalk whither the late King with his whole Army being about 28000 well arm'd and nigh Ten thousand indifferently arm'd men followed about the 15th at what time we began to intrench our Camp and also some shipping with Provisions came to us Friday the 20th we were alarm'd with the Enemies The Irish make a shew of fighting approach and they did appear upon the Hills above the Town next day drawing out their whole Army with a Train of Artilery which the Duke seeing ordered all his men to stand to their Arms and expected the Enemies attacking him but that they had no great mind to and after a Discovery of a Plot by some French to carry the rest over to King James one Du Plessy and five more being hanged as also Two hundred others sent for England the Enemy seeing that opportunity lost they returned with the main Body of their Army to Ardee where they encamped till about the 4th of November and then they marching off we thought it high time to do so likewise after being encamp'd almost Ten weeks in a very unwholsome place and pestered with all the disadvantages of bad weather by reason of which we lost in the Camp in our going to Quarters and in them and the Hospitals at least one half of our men the Army consisting then of Nine Regiments and Two Troops of Horse Four Regiments of Dragoons and Thirty Regiments of Foot whereof Two Regiments of Horse One of Dragoons and Six of Foot did not come to the Camp but were quartered in the Countrey The English Camp near Dundalk Towards the latter end of November the General ordered a Meeting of all the Countrey Gentlemen then in the North of Ireland to be at Lisburne where his Grace's Head Quarters were fixed at what time they presented the Duke with an Address and then agreed upon Rates for all sorts of Provision which by Proclamation from the General were commanded to be sold accordingly December the 12th Collonel Woolsly marched with a Party towards Belturbet which was surrendred to him by the Irish and on the 13th the Duke went to view Charlemont a strong-hold which the Irish then had and kept for some time afterwards Towards the latter end of December the Irish began to lessen the Coin of their Brass-Money calling in the large Half-Crowns and stamping them a new for Crowns and near the same time Major-General Major-General Mackarty makes his escape Mackarty made his escape from Inniskilling where he had remained a Prisoner ever since the Rout at Croom Castle Collonel Hambleton Governour of the Town was Tried by a Court-Marshal for it afterwards but producing Major-General Kirk's Letter to him wherein he desired that some further Conveniencies might be allowed Mackarty than formerly upon which it
being done with the Duke's consent who took Mackarty for a man of Honour the Governor was acquitted The beginning of January our Regiments being all very thin and it appearing a little difficult to recruit them in England most people being then out of humour for the loss of their Relations and Acquaintance nor altogether that number of Voluntiers appearing then as formerly therefore several Regiments were broke one into another and the supernumerary Officers continued at half-pay till Provision could be made for them in other Regiments Sir Tho. Gower being dead my Lord Drogheda's Regiment was broke into his and his Lordship made Collonel of it my Lord Roscommon's Regiment was broke also into Collonel Earl's and Collonel Zanchy's formerly my Lord Lovelace's Sir Henry Inglesby's and Collonel Hambleton's of Inniskilling were broke into other Regiments and about the 12th 16th and 20th most of the Officers designed for that Service went from Lisburne towards England for Recruits to the Army January the 18th A Proclamation was published strictly forbidding Cursing Swearing and Prophaneness in Officers or Soldiers under the Penalties enjoined in the Articles of War and his Grace's utmost Displeasure but neither this nor yet the Judgments of God then hanging upon us for those and a great many other sins had that effect that the General and other good men heartily wished for and no doubt of it the Debaucheries in Armies are the high-way to Ruin since those both obey and fight best that are the most sober The 22 d. Brigadier Stuart went with a Party of Five hundred Horse and Foot towards Dundalk destroying several Cabins amongst the Mountains where the Irish used to shelter themselves and his Party brought in a considerable Prey at their return The 25th the General went from Lisburne in order to visit our Frontier Garisons and appointed stores of Bread Cheese Shooes and other Necessaries at several places especially at Armagh the Metropolis of the whole Island On the 11th of February a part of our Army being The Irish Army in motion drawn together to attend the Enemy's Motion who we understood were then in a Body towards Dundalk The General himself went to Drummore and so to Loughbritland in order to give the Enemy Battel if they advanced our Men and Horses having recovered by this time from their late Diseases to a Miracle Sir John Laneir and Brigadier La Mellionere advanced with a Party towards Carlingford but returned with an Account that there were only three Regiments at Dundalk as formerly but the Design of the Irish lay another way For whilst the Duke was abroad on that side Collonel Woolsley had notice that the Enemy were resolved to fall upon Belturbet where he then commanded to which purpose they had already crouded a Garison of theirs called Cavan eight miles from Belturbet at what place they expected a greater Force in a day or two but Collonel Woolsley to be before-hand with their visit marched from Belturbet on the 12th about Four in the Afternoon with Seven hundred Foot and Three hundred Horse and Dragoons hoping to surprize the Enemy next Morning early but he met with so many Difficulties in his march that instead of being at the Place before day as he designed it was fair day-light before he came near it the Enemy had also taken the Alarm and were so far from being surprized that instead of the usual Garison which we only as yet expected there the first thing that our men saw was a Body of the Enemy's drawn up in good order and judged to be about Four thousand It was rather therefore a surprize upon us than them however we fought and routed The Battel of Cavan them killed Brigadier Nugent with several other Officers and about Three hundred Soldiers taking Twelve Officers and Sixty private Men Prisoners burnt the Town and returned with a good Booty having lost Major Trahern Captain Armstrong and Captain Mayo with about Thirty private Men and double the number wounded And to let the Enemy see that we were ready Sir John Lanier goes to Dundalk with a Party for them on all sides Sir John Lanier marched again on the 15th towards Dundalk with a Party of One thousand Horse Foot and Dragoons he came before the Place early next Morning which the Enemy had fortified very regularly And placing some of his men near the Works on the North-east Side towards the Bridge he sent a Party of Collonel Leveson's Dragoons cross the River who took Bedloe's Castle an Ensign and Thirty men surrendring themselves Prisoners In the mean time another Party marched in at the South-west End of the Town and burnt most of what was left without the Works in which Service we lost a Lieutenant and two or three Dragoons our Men returning with a Prey of Fifteen hundred Cows and Horses The beginning of March landed the Duke of Wertenberg The Danes land in Ireland with Six Thousand Danes being proper men very well Cloathed and Armed On the 12th Colonel Callimot with a Party endeavoured to burn the Wooden Bridge at Charlemont which he set fire to and killed about Twenty of the Enemy lost his own Major with about Six men and so returned March the 14th Five thousand French Foot under 5000 French land in Ireland Count Lauzune and the Marquess de Lery landed at Kinsale in order to join the Late King's Army for whom in exchange Major-General Macharty and near the same number of Irish were sent into France our English Fleet then attending the Queen of Spain made this Undertaking more easie to the French April the 6th Collonel Woolsley with a Party of Seven hundred men attacked the Castle of Killyshandra seven miles from Belturbet where the Enemy had a Garison of One hundred and sixty men commanded by one Captain Darcy after some Mines were fixed and a brisk Assault or two made upon their Works in which we lost Eight men the Besieged surrendred and we left a Garison of One hundred men in the Place Nigh which time a great many Recruits as also Collonel Cutt's Collonel Babington's with a Danish Regiment of Horse landed at White-House April the 18th Sir Clousley Shovell went into the Bay Sir Clousley Shovell takes a Frigat out of the Bay of Dublin of Dublin and brought from a Place called the Salmon Pool a Frigat of Sixteen Guns and Four Pattereroes loaden with Hides Tallow some Plate and other Rich Moveables designed for France the Late King and several of his Irish Regiments marching as far as Rings-End where they were all Witnesses of so wicked an Action as they called it done on so good a Day it being Good-Friday May the 2 d Lieutenant-Collonel Mackmehon with Relief put into Charlemont about Four hundred men Ammunition and some small quantities of Provisions got into Charlemont in the Night but our French and other Regiments posted thereabouts watched him so narrowly that though he made two or three Attempts yet he could not
the County of Longford and killed six of them others being also drowned who made more haste than good speed to pass the River Quarter-master Topham kills at one time six and at another time seventeen Rapparees and took nine Prisoners most of which were Hanged Colonel Tiffin sends two Hundred Foot and a Hundred Dragoons from Bally-shannon towards Sligo who in their march killed Forty-two Rapparees and took ten Prisoners bringing off a good Prey at their return April the 11th being the Anniversary of their Majesties Coronation was observed with the usual Solemnities About five Hundred of the Irish came to attack Clonakilty a Garrison of ours in the County The Irish make several attempts upon our Frontiers of Cork but with no great difficulty were beaten off having lost only three Men in the Attempt Next day they seem'd resolved to do something extraordinary and Colonel Mack Finnins Colonel Macarty's and two more Regiments making in all about one Thousand five Hundred Commanded by Brigadier Caroll came to Iniskean with a design to have that place and some other small Garrisons near it as steps to further advancements There were in Iniskean only two Ensigns with Forty-four Men who defended the Streets of the Town for some time but the Irish getting in at the back doors and so firing the Town our Men betook themselves to an House that seemed the best shelter the place could afford and there they defended themselves against all the Attempts of the Irish tho' they were at last in hazard to have been burnt out but that Lieutenant Colonel Ogleby came seasonably from Bandon with a Hundred and fifty Horse and Foot which occasioned the Irish to draw off and being followed by our small Party of Horse in the retreat and the action in Town they lost Seventy-two April the 14th the Titular Popish Archbishop of Dublin Father Brohey and Father Mooney were found hid in a Cave within a Mile of Athy and sent Prisoners to Dublin The 18th a Proclamation was published to promise a Reward for the Apprehending the murdersrs of some of Colonel Foulks's Souldiers in the Church at Mallahuddart fifty Pound being promised for one Christopher Brown with a Ten Pound a piece for five more concerned in the same Fact with Pardon to any of themselves that would discover the rest some of whom were apprehended and Hanged afterwards April the 20th a considerable Body of the Irish They attempt Macroomp advanced towards Macroomp another Garrison of ours in the County of Cork where they seemed now to press us most but a Party of Eighty Horse and three Hundred Dragoons of the Army and Militia were sent out under Major Kirk of Brigadeer Villers's Regiment these came within sight of the Enemy by break of day who being surprised at our unexpected approach the Irish betook themselves to the adjacent Boggs in the pursuit of whom we killed twenty and took an Officer with four Souldiers Prisoners A Party of Rapparees coming near Tallough steal away several Horses and four Men belonging to Colonel Donep's Regiment of Danish Horse This being easily believed could not be done without the knowledge of the Inhabitants in the adjacent Villages Col. Donep's Project to recover his Men and Horses the Colonel ordered several of them to be taken up and threatned to Hang them all unless the Horses and Men were brought back by such a day which was accordingly done and some of the Men that stole them delivered up The 24th some Provisions going to Mullingar under a slender Convoy were seized by the Rapparees at Kinegad but a Party of the Garrison hearing of it came time enough to kill four of them and retrieve some of the Provisions though part of it was lost the Boggs lying at that place so very convenient Twenty-one Rapparees who lately went over the Shannon were taken nigh Belturbet by a Detachment from Finnagh one Duffee and his Lieutenant Commanding this Party had Commissions from Balderock O Donnel And now our English Letters bring us an Account of his Majesties safe Arrival at White-Hall on April the fourteenth Nigh this time his Majesty was pleased to Create Count Schonberg Created Duke of Leinster Count Maynard second Son to the last Duke of Schonberg Duke of Leinster Earl of Bangor and Baron of Mullingar and there was a report as if his Grace should have then gone over into Ireland to Command the Army the succeeding Campaign April 27. My Lord Meath's and my Lord Lisburn's Regiments came to Mullingar the place design'd for the Rendezvous of the Army and encamp without the Town They found a great many of the Some Regiments come to encamp at Mullingar Irish that had made the best provision they could for themselves and Families by the Ditch-sides For Colonel Brewer sometime before this had commanded them all out of Town upon his being informed of their Correspondence with the Enemy This occasion'd them to build a great many Hutts all along the dry Ditches which they make no difficulty in performing for it 's but bending down two or three Sticks with one end on the Ground and the other on the top of the Ditch and then a little Straw or long Grass makes it a Cabbin in less that half an hour for a Family of ten or a dozen young and old to creep into The same Day one Brown was executed as a Several Rapparees kill'd by Colonel Brewer Spie And the 28th Colonel Brewer with Lieutenant-Colonel Hamilton of my Lord Meath's Regiment went from Mullingar towards Dunore with six hundred Foot and twenty Horse their Design was to surprize about two thousand Rapparees that had hutted thereabout for some time At break of Day next Morning our Party came within sight of the Enemy who took the Alarm and began to draw up on several Hills in distinct Bodies both of Horse and Foot and made a shew at first of advancing in order to an Engagement but they always retired to their Fastnesses upon the near approach of any of our Men However the Party so ordered it as to kill nigh fifty and burn their Hutts and Cabbins returning without any loss The same Day the Governor of Meers-Court went towards Ballymore and at Night took the Patrole Prisoner bringing off some of the Horses belonging to that Garrison Fourteen Deserters also came from the Enemy to Mullingar And a crook-back'd Beggar was brought a little after to Colonel Brewer in a Sack he had been formerly a Spie and now upon his detection he accused several protected Papists thereabouts for holding Correspondence with the Enemy The Dragoons posted at Fox-Hall upon scouring the Country kill six Rapparees and three more were taken near Tallough Nigh this time Captain Palliser and one Lieutenant Captain Palliser and his Men taken Prisoners Armstrong went out with a Party of sixty Fire-Locks from their Quarters near Birr their Design was to surprize some of the Irish and bring off a prey they
sired upon them but our Men contemning all Disadvantages advanced immediately to the lowest Hedges and beat the Irish from thence The Enemy however did not retreat far but posted themselves in the next Ditches before us which our Men seeing and disdaining to suffer their Lodging so near us they would needs beat them from thence also and so from one Hedge to another till they were got very nigh the Enemies main Battel But the Irish had so ordered the matter as to make an easie Passage for their Horse amongst all those Hedges and Ditches by which means they poured in great numbers both of Horse and Foot upon us which Colonel Earl seeing encouraged his Men by advancing before them and saying There was no way to come off but to be Brave As great an Example of true Courage and Generosity as any Man this Day living But being both flanked and fronted as also exposed to all the Enemies Shot from the adjacent Ditches our Men were forced to quit their Ground and betake themselves to the Bogg again A Party of our Foot beat back whither they were followed or rather drove down by main strength of Horse and Foot and a great many killed Colonel Earl and Colonel Herbert were here taken Prisoners the former after twice taking and retaking got free at last tho not without being wounded Whilst this was a doing here Col. St. Johns Col. Tiffin Lord George Hambleton the French and several other Regiments were marching over below upon the same Bogg The Irish in the mean time laid so close in their Ditches that several were doubtful whether they had any Men at that place or not but they were convinced of it at last for no sooner were the French and the rest got within twenty yards or less of the Ditches but the Irish fired most furiously upon them which our Men as bravely sustained and pressed forwards tho they could scarce see one another for Smoak And now the thing seemed so doubtful for some time that the By-standers would rather have given it on the Irish side for they had driven our Foot in the Centre so far back that they were got almost in a Line with some of our Great Guns planted near the Bogg which we had not the Benefit of at that Juncture because of the mixture of our Men and theirs M. G. Ruvigny's French Horse and Sir John Laniers being both posted on the Right were afterwards part of Our Horse pass the Bogg near the Castle of Aghrim them drawn to the Left where they did very good Service And the Right Wing of our Horse in the mean time were making what haste they could to succour our Foot for seeing their Danger and indeed that all was in hazard by reason of the Difficulty of the Pass they did more than Men in pressing and tumbling over a very dangerous place and that amongst Showrs of Bullets from a Regiment of Dragoons and two Regiments of Foot posted conveniently under Cover by the Enemy to obstruct our Passage Our Horse at this place were sustained by Major General Kirks and Colonel Gustavus Hambleton's Foot who after we had received the Enemies Fire for a considerable time marched under the Walls of the Castle and Lodged themselves in a dry Ditch in the throng of the Enemies Shot from the Castle and some other old Walls and Hedges adjoining Those that have seen the place and considered the Disadvantages that our Men had at such a Juncture to encounter withal must needs Acknowledge the Action very Brave For it s reported that Monsieur St. Ruth seeing our Horse draw that way and then begin to scramble over at a place where only two a Breast could pass and that too with great difficulty after all which they had no other way to march but to go within thirty yards of the Castle The French General seeing our Men attempt to do this askt What they meant by it And being answered That they would certainly endeavour to pass there and Attack him on the Left he is said to reply with an Oath They are brave Fellows it s a pity they should be so exposed or Words to that purpose Our Horse with much difficulty made good that Pass Sir Francis Compton with my Lord of Oxford's Regiment being one of the first that could be in a posture to Engage he fell at Random in amongst the Enemy and charged them briskly with Sword in Hand and tho his Men were once or twice Repulsed yet being seconded with part of Major General Ruvigny's Horse Colonel Langston's and some of Colonel Byerley's Horse as also Brigadeer Leveson's Dragoons they soon made Good their Party on that side tho' not without the loss of several both Men and Horses The Major General Talmash seeing the Disadvantage Major General Talmash Succours our Foot our Foot laboured under in the Centre he shewed at once an extream concern for his Countrymens being repulsed and as much Generosity and Courage by hastning to Succour those that at that time stood most in need of it coming up therefore in all haste with some fresh Men he gave Orders for our broken Regiments to halt and face about which they did immediately and returned the same Measure to the Irish that some of themselves had met withal the very Minute before that is they knockt them on the Head for the Irish followed us toward the Centre of the Bogg which tho not two hundred yards from the lowest Ditches yet before the Enemy could recover those again our Men had killed above three hundred of them and then marched boldly up to their old Ground again from whence they had been lately beat which is only natural to English Men for it 's observable that they are commonly fiercer and bolder after being repulsed than before and what blunts the Courage of all other Nations commonly whets theirs I mean the killing of their Fellow Soldiers before their Faces At the same time Major General Mackay had fallen upon the Enemy with a good Body of Horse on their Left and then Major General Ruvigny went along the side of the Bogg with another Party of Horse who did extraordinary Service bearing down all before them then the Horse and Foot of our Right and their Left mixing there was nothing but a continued fire and a very hot dispute all along the Line The Irish indeavouring to defend their Ditches and our men as forward to beat them from thence But the thing was doubtful not much longer for Mons St. Ruth when he first saw our Foot in the Centre repulsed in a great Ecstasy told those next him that he wou'd now beat our Army back to the Gates of Dublin But seeing our Horse press over towards the Castle he ordered a Brigade of his own Horse to march up then Riding to one of his Batteries and giving orders to the Gunner where to fire he was marching towards the place where he saw us indeavour to come over but was
Sligo to view the Posture of the Enemy thereabouts and it being reported that Lieutenant General Sheldon's Horse were in that part of the Country two hundred Horse and Dragoons were sent abroad to discover the Truth of it Lieutenant Colonel Ramsey with the rest of the Party marched to Ballysedara Bridge four Miles from Sligo where he found old Sir Teague O Regan with eighty Horse and about two hundred Foot very Advantageously posted to hinder our passage that way but our Party attacking them they gave ground after some time and Sir Francis Hambleton with some of the Militia and a Troop of Colonel Winn's Dragroons coming in the mean time the Enemy were pursued almost to the Fort of Sligo about thirty of them killed and ninteen taken Prisoners amongst whom were two Lieutenants and an Ensign and the Store-keeper of Sligo Sir Teague himself narrowly escaping for his mean Appearance was the reason that a Lieutenant was seized instead of him The Earl of Drogheda's Regiment had now Orders to march from the Queens County to Mullingar where the men were daily imployed to improve and strengthen the Works my Lord himself marched always with his Regiment and then took a great deal of pains as well in seeing the Works compleated as in forwarding the Stores and also in hearing and redressing Complaints and Grievances relating as well to the Army the Country A Party of the Militia bring in some Prisoners from the Island nigh Lanesborough who were afterwards sent to Dublin Seventeen Rapparees were killed in the County of Kildare by two Parties of the Militia and three hanged at Edenderry five hundred of the Militia of the County of Cork under the Command of Colonel Beecher met with about four hundred of the Irish beyond a place called Shibbareene and after a small dispute the Enemy were put to flight by which means our Party had almost surpriz'd Mackarty Moore and Colonel O Donavan who were not far off the Enemy lost nigh sixty and the Militia got a considerable Booty of Cattle and nigh the same time one Barry a Captain with ten of his men deserted from the Enemy On the Thirtieth of July part of the Militia of the County of Wickloe being two Troops of Horse two of Dragoons and five Companies of Foot rendezvoused on the Murrough five Miles from Wickloe where they were viewed by Major Brooks and Captain Phillips appointed by the Government as Superintendents of the Militia of that County And thus ended this active month of July in Ireland where more execution was done then in all Europe besides notwithstanding the great Preparations CHAP. VII Several fresh Regiments ordered towards the Camp to Recruit the Army Brigadier Leveson sent with a Party towards Nenagh that place deserted by long Anthony Carol. A Treaty with Balderock O Donel. The Army marches to Cariganlis The General with a Party views Limerick News of the Death of my Lord Tyrconel Irish Lords Justices act after my Lord Tyrconels death A Party sent to meet our Guns Colonel Lumnley goes with a Party towards Charlevil A Spy returns with an account of the Estate of Limerick An Order about the Rates of Provisions Another prohibiting the buying Cattle without the Generals License Our Army goes to Limerick Iretons Fort taken then Cromwels Fort. Col. Donep killed Our heavy Cannon came up A Party sent to Castle-Cannel Our Ships come up nigh the Town Batteries planted The Enemy afraid of our passing the River Brigadier Leveson sent into Kerry Some Protestants released from St. Thomas 's Island Major General Talmash commands in the Trenches A brief Account of what hapned in other places of the Kingdom during the Month of August THe General being assured that the Irish were Fresh Regiments sent for to the Camp using their utmost skill and industry to rally and re-inforce their shattered Army and not knowing how far despair might carry Men that were come now to their last Stake considering also that we had a strong Town before us which would be the work of some Time to reduce if the Enemy made what Resistance might justly be expected his own Troops being likewise harrassed by continual labour and toil suffering often through scarcity of Bread and other Necessaries by reason of continual marching Those and other Considerations prevailed with the General to send for all the Regiments that had been left in Munster and other places except Colonel Hastings at Cork and some Inniskilliner's in the North and some of them being already upon their march we were joyned on the First of August at Banoher The Army marched to Banoher Bridg. Bridge by Colonel Matthews Dragoons and Colonel Lloyd's Foot the latter upon further consideration being ordered back to Athlone for that Balderock's Party was still on foot Banoher is about fourteen miles from Athlone down the River towards Limerick and is a very strong Pass at which the Irish kept three Regiments all the precedeing Winter building small Huts to shelter thâ—mselves from the Weather The Bridge it self consists of seventeen large Arches one of which was broke down by the Irish and another is since fallen At the Bridge end on Leinster side had been a considerable Stone Fort built in the former Wars now demonished by the Irish but on the other side of the River they had cast up a Work close to the Bridge and there planted four Field peeces behind which stood an Old Castle not to be forced without Cannon and nigh that a very Regular Fort and well palisado'd so that it was not so easie a thing to force this place at any time during the former Winter as some Coffee-House Generals and pot valiant Souldiers made it but Men that have been bred up that way and are actually upon the Place are commonly best Judges of what is fit to be attempted in such a Case though it is not convenient they should alwayes give Reasons for what they do to every one who pretend to be concern'd Our Army encamped here on a narrow Neck of Ground left by the slopeing of the River on the Right and a vast Bog on the Left The Encampment being so strong that it had been impossible for any Army or numbers of Men to have forced us from our Ground August the Second the Army halted and a detachment Brigadier Leveson sent forwarwards with a Party of four Men out of each Troop of Horse with a Party of Dragoons making in all five hundred men under the Command of Brigadier Leveson were sent forwards to scowre the Country On the Fourth this Party went to Nenagh where stands the Remains of an Old Castle built by King John and now the Inheritance of the Duke of Ormond The Roof of this Castle was burnt by a Party of our Army at our decamping last year but the Walls and some other conveniencies remain still being possest all Winter by long Anthony Carol whose Party was now about five hundred Hearing therefore of Brigadier Levesons approach he
who have surrendred themselves But in case the Persons invited by this Declaration should neglect in time prescribed to lay hold on the same they must never more expect the like Advantageous Terms and Condiscentions Given at the Camp by Nenah the Eleventh Day of August 1691. in the Third Year of Their Majesties Regin Bar. De Ginckell The Army that day marched to a place called Shalley in a wild and desolate Country nigh the Silver-Mines where in the former Wars about seventeen of Sir George Hambleton's Followers were slain by the Kenedies and here Major General Trelawyng's Regiment joined us the 12th we marched to a place called Tulla where we halted next day and our Advance Guards brought in one of the Enemies Outscouts a Prisoner Several Deserters also come off to us amongst whom were two of the Horse Guards who inform the General that the Irish Foot were drawn into Limerick and their Horse having burnt several places that escaped their fury last year were retired likewse near the Town we understand also that my Lord Tyrconnell was taken suddenly very ill and there were several disorders amongst the Chief Officers in Limerick some of them being suspected to incline to our side From hence the General sent a Spy who took several of the Declarations in order to disperse them in Town The 14th we marched to Cariganliss and the General The Army go to Cariganliss with the rest of our Great Officers went with a Party within two Miles of Limerick near which three of the Enemies Scouts being posted upon the top of a round Hill towards our left two of them deserted to us as our Party drew off The 15th in the Morning early fifteen hundred A Party go towards Limerick Horse and Dragoons commanded by Major General Ruvigny and one thousand detached Foot as a reserve in case of danger commanded by the Prince of Hess with six Field-peeces were ordered to march towards Limerick with whom went the General and all the Chief Officers in order to view the Town The Enemy had lined the Hedges in several places with Foot and there appeared two Squadrons of Horse and a Party of a Dragoons about a Mile on this side the Town who fronted our Men for some time but when they saw our Advance Party resolved to push them they retired nearer home and afterwards their Foot fired several Small-shot but without any harm to us tho' about seven of the Enemy were killed by our Dragoons We stayed several hours within less then Cannon-shot of the Town upon the Ground where we encamped the year before we could see that they had repaired Ireton's Fort and built another some distance to the Right where formerly stood an Old Church and a third was begun also with a Line of Communication from one to the other but not as yet finished they had then two Field-peeces in Ireton's Fort but did not fire them and drew them off to the Town next day Whilst we staid there first a Drummer and then one Hagan a Captain came off to us who informed the General that my Lord Tyrconnell died the day before some say of Grief because things went My Lord Tyrconnell dies at Limerick not according to his desire and that after all his Endeavours and good Services to promote the Catholick Cause he was slighted to that Degree that whilst their Camp lay by Athlone one Lieutenant Colonel Conner came to my Lord's Tent and bid him be gone from the Camp else he would cut his Tent-Cords My Lord Tyrconnell knowing that he durst not be so impudent without a considerable Faction to support him went next Morning early towards Limerick where he remained till his death which some say was not without suspition of foul play in being poisoned with a Cup of Rattafeau this is nothing but Apricock-stones bruised and infused in Brandy which gives it a pleasant Relish some of which my Lord Tyrconnell had given him at an Entertainment and falling ill upon it he often repeated the word Rattafeau which made several believe that he had received Poyson in that Liquor because he would not comply with the prevailing Faction then in Town But most People say that he died of a Fever However it was he certainly had managed the Affairs of that Kingdom from his entrance upon publick Business to his dying day with as much dexterity and zeal for the Interest he * As to his encouraging one Jâ—nes to Assassinate King William in the year 1690. proved by Original Letters under his own hand I leave others hereafter to give a more particular account of pretended to serve as any man could have done At the General 's return from viewing the Town he found a considerable quantity of Bread-Waggons come to the Camp under the Convoy of the Militia Horse and Dragoons of the County of Tipperary whom the General viewed and sent home again We had now a Train of nine 24 Pounders nine 18 Pounders and three Mortars with Ammunition and other Utensils of War proportionable which left Athlone on the 12th under the care of Col. Lloyd's Regiment and a Party the Militia who were met upon the Road by the Earl of Drogheda's and Colonel Venner's Foot Regiments with a small Party of Horse but the General remembring what hapned to our Train the year before and that the same People were still as industrious as formerly Major General la Forrest with a good Detachment of Horse and Dragoons was sent on the 16th to meet our Cannon The same day a Captain and a Lieutenant desert from the Enemy and confirm the Report of the death of my Lord Tyrconnell and withal that Francis Plowden Esq one of the Commissioners of the Revenue in the late King's time had brought over a Commission from the late King out of France appointing Sir Alexander Fitton Sir Richard Neagle and the said Francis Plowden Esq to be Lords Justices of Ireland which Commission lay dorment till my Lord Tyrconnel's death by which it appeared that his Adversaries were like to prove too many for him if he had lived and that tho he had promoted the late King's desires tho' not his real Interest to the utmost and was of the same Religion too with himself yet he was in a fair way of being served as Some of the Irish Officers suspected for holding a Correâ—pondence with our Ar others had been before him We understood also that Colonel Henry Lutterill was not only suspected to hold a Correspondence with our Army but was taken into Custody and tried for his life in that he with some others had consulted about the surrender of the Town for which they designed to put him to death but that they either wanted clear Proof or else waited for Advice from France about it but the occasion of Colonel Lutteril's confinment was upon the account of a Letter brought him by a Trumpeter from some great Officer in our Army when the Garison of Gallway was conveyed
c. But this is no difficult Business to resolve since they had the publick Faith of the French and Irish Officers which is seldom or never violated in such Cases but all Men during a Cessation are commonly treated with the greatest Civility imaginable Besides which my Lord Lucan and Major General Waughop gave the following Engagement under their Hands as did also the two French Lieut. Generals D'Vssone and De Tessee another in French to the same purpose giving also Hostages for the better performance of all Conditions We the Earl of Lucan and Major General VVauhop whose Names are under-written do hereby promise 1. THat all the Ships that have been furnished by My Lord Lucan and Major-General Wauhop's Engagement for the Shipping Lieut. General Ginckel and that are to transport Troops from Ireland to France â— according to the late Capitulation shall be sent back and return to Cork Kinsale or Waterford without any hinderance or prejudice to the said Ships by any Men of War Privateers or other Ships belonging to the French King or having his Commission 2. That assoon as the said Ships shall have Landed the Irish Troops in France they shall have full liberty to go back for Ireland when they think fit without being hindered upon any pretence whatsoever 3. That if the said Ships do want some Provisions for their Return here into Ireland they shall be supplied with all such as they shall have occasion for at the same Rates they were furnished in Ireland to the Irish Troops for their Transportation into France and what they amount to shall be deducted out of the Money that shall be due for the Provisions that were put on Board the Ships for the said Troops 4. That the Rates of the Provisions that shall be furnished for Transportation of the said Troops shall be paid immediately after their Landing in France or in Bills of Exchange payable at London at 15 days sight And if the Contents of this present Agreement should not be put in execution in all its Particulars or in any one part besides Col. Hugh Mac Mahon Col. Robert Arthur Col. O Gara c. that shall be left in Ireland for Hostages we do engage our Words and Honour that we shall surrender our selves Prisoners of War three months after our Landing in case of Contravention at Whitehall in the Hands of the Secretaries of State In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our Hands this 14th Day of October 1691. Jo. Wauhop Lucan The 16th my Lord Lucan went from Lymerick towards Cork to see things in a readiness for the Irish Transportation and the same day Sir Maurice Eustace 's Major General Talbot's Lord Bedloe 's Prince of Wales 's my Lore Clanrichard 's and Col. Bremingham 's Regiments being joyned they march'd out and made in all only 618 Men. As they march'd through the Irish-Town their men run away by dozens having the way open for them nor could their Officers prevent it by all their Care for they kept the Gates always fast lock'd and yet several from within the Town made their Escapes by swimming the River The 17th my Lord Iniskillin 's Regiment that had been for some time in the County of Clare was mustered beyond the Town and so were some others of them on the 18th and 19th During which time our men were employed in making clean the Irish Town Major General Talmash going often amongst them himself to encourage them to work CHAP. X. The Campaign ended Irish Prisoners of War released some Rapparees lay down their Arms. Proclamations of Pardon to the rest The Ulster-Irish return home with their Cattle The French Fleet arrives in the Shannon Sir Ralph Delaval with a Squadron in those Seas Two Letters from the General to him Some Objections against the Articles of Limerick answered The last of the Irish quit the English Town 120 of them drowned Their Horse ship off at Cork The General goes to Dublin The Recorder's Speech to him Orders for mustering our Army Major-General Talmash leaves Limerick Orders for the Danes to ship off Fortifications at Mullingar and Ballymore demolished A Proclamation The General goes for England The Transport-Ships return from France The late King's Letter to the Irish at their landing Their Reception in France Several desert that were not as yet shipp'd off My Lord Lucan 's Release to the General All the Irish go off except the Hostages The Irish that staid very unruly in their Quarters Orders and Instructions for breaking of them The Oaths taken according to the New Act of Parliament An Order to turn out all Irish Papists from our Regiments Arms and Ammunition sent for England The French Hostages go for France Lieutenant-General Ruvigny lands in Ireland A Proclamation declaring the War of Ireland ended ANd now the Campaign being ended so that no continued Thread of Affairs can be drawn from the Army any thing that has happen'd since may possibly not be so acceptable yet I hope it may not be amiss to give you some slender account how things have gone in that Kingdom since the Siege of Limerick to the time of the Proclamation for the War 's being ended though before I proceed further it will be necessary to look back and bring the Actions done in several other parts of the Kingdom up to the Armies removing from Limerick which indeed may be told in few Words since little of moment cou'd be expected in any other place but where the Seat of War was fixed In the beginning of October Sollicitor-General Levinge and Sir Richard Reves being appointed Judges for the Connaught-Circuit because the Countrey was very indifferently inhabited and not as yet throughly settled Assizes were appointed to be held for this Province only at Mullingar Roscommon and Galway which was done accordingly About 20 Rapparees were killed in the Counties of Waterford and Cork by some small Parties of the Militia and one Whitney with 4 more in his Company were set upon and murdered by a Party of Rapparees as they were going towards the Queen's County though they killed two and wounded others before they were seized And now those loose Fellows seeing how it was like to go with their Party several of them come in under Protection and desire to serve their Majesties abroad when they were out of hopes to plunder their Subjects any longer at home All the Irish Prisoners of War that were in Waterford-Gaol Irish Prisoners of War released being upwards of 200 were set at liberty as they were afterwards at several other Places particularly at Carigfergus where 15 Officers and about 60 private Men had been Prisoners ever since the Rout at Cavan and at Lambay where the Prisoners taken at Ballymore were kept most of this Summer but now were all discharged according to the Capitulation And as the Irish grew weary of their former Courses on that side of the Country towards Dublin or rather being forced to it when they could no longer carry it on so
Souldiers in order according to their Lists they first carried all the Men on Board and many of the Women at the second return of the Boat for the Officers catching hold to be carried on Board were dragged off and through fearfulness losing their hold were drowned but others who held faster had their fingers cut off and so perished in sight of their Husbands or Relations tho' those of them that did get over wou'd make but a sad Figure if they were admitted to go to the late Queen's Court at St. Germaine The Sheriffs for the several Counties in Ireland were prick'd and the same day all the Irish Prisoners that were in Newgate in Dublin were released and my Lord Lucan finding that he had Ships enough for all the Irish that were like to go with him the Number that went before and these Shipt at this time being according to the best computation about 12000 of all sorts he Signs the following Releasement WHereas by the Articles of Limerick Lieutenant My Lord Lucan 's Release to the General General Ginckell Commander in Chief of the English Army did engage himself to furnish ten thousand Tun of Shipping for the Transporting of such of the Irish Forces to France as were willing to go thither and to facilitate their passage to add four thousand Tun more in case the French Fleet did not come to this Kingdom to take off part of those Forces and whereas the French Fleet has been upon the Coast and carried away some of the said Forces and the Lieutenant General has provided Ships for as many of the rest as are willing to go as aforesaid I do hereby delare that the said Lieutenant General is released from any Obligation he lay under from the said Articles to provide Vessels for that purpose and do quit and renounce all farther Claim and Pretension on this Account c. Witness my Hand this 8th of December 1691. Witnesses Lucan Mark Talbot F. H. de la Forest Susannel December the 20th Colonel Langston's and Colonel Monopouillon's Horse and the Prince of Hess's Foot Shipp'd at Dublin for England and Colonel Neuhewson's Horse and the Brandeuburgh Foot march'd into Dublin The 22 d my Lord Lucan and the rest of the Irish Great Officers went on Board the Transport Ships leaving Hostages at Cork for the return of the said All the Irish go off except the Hostages Ships And at the same time Colonel Hasting's Sir David Collier's Colonel Brewer's and Colonel Herbert's Regiments were Shipp'd for England the Government taking all possible Care to Discharge the Kingdom of both Armies who had already brought it into a very low Condition December the 24th an Order was given out to the Comissary General of the Musters or his Deputies to An Order for Mustering all the Irish that came over to us take an exact Muster of all the Irish Forces now in Arms that had come over to our side since the beginning of the Truce at Limerick and they had Quarters allotted them in several places of the Kingdom but behaved themselves after their usual rate for tho' they had Changed their King yet not their Customs for they Taxed the People where they Quartered as they pleased themselves Imprison'd several and Released others as they saw good forced The Irish very unruly in their Quarters the Markets and did a great many other Illegal Tricks Insomuch that Complaint being made to the Lords Justices of those Disorders they writ a Letter to my Lord Kingston December 31. Desiring his Lordship to do them the Country and His Majesty what Service he cou'd in suppressing those Irregularities and to have the Court Martials that were Ordered in several Places put in Execution January the 6th there being no further use of a Marching Hospital in this Kingdom and the same The Marching-Hospital broke being expensive to the Government an Order was given out for the discharging several Physicians and others that attended on the same And now Their Majesties Pleasure being known about the Irish Orders and Instructions were directed to Colonel Foulk Colonel St. Johns and Brigadeer Villers to view and discharge all the Irish Forces except 1400 Choice Men the form of their Commissions for it ran thus By the Lords Justices of Ireland WHEREAS Their Majesties are pleased to Direct Orders and Instructions for breaking the Irish Forces that there be an immediate Regulation of such of the Regiments whether Horse Foot or Dragoons of the late Irish Army as came in and submitted to Their Obedience And We being well assured of the Care Diligence and Circumspection as well as of the Loyalty and Readiness of Colonel John Foulks to do Their Majesties good and faithful Service do hereby appoint him to make the said Regulation and Reform c. The Irish being by the said Instrument commanded January 1692. to obey him and our own Troops and Militia to observe his Directions in their Marching from place to place as he saw occasion The said Colonel Foulk and the other Officers aforesaid had Directions to assure the Irish both Officers and Souldiers of Their Majesties Gracious Disposition towards them tho' the present State of their Affairs wou'd not admit of any more than 1400 Men to be employed at this time and those to be divided into two Battalions Commanded by Colonel Wilson and Balderock O Donnel And that the Officers that were not willing to go home might attend those two Battalions where they wou'd have Subsistance till better provided for As for those that returned to their Habitations and desired to live peaceably at home if they were Souldiers and had their Arms nine Shillings a piece was ordered them but if without Arms they had six Shillings The Officers had a Fortnights Subsistence each to bear their Charges home These Orders and Instructions bore Date the 11th and 12th of January pursuant to which as soon as it cou'd conveniently be done Colonel Wilson's Colonel O Ryley's Colonel Nugent's Lord Iveigh's Lord Dillon's Colonel Cormack Oneal's Colonel Foelix Oneal's Colonel Geoghagan's Colonel O Donnel's Colonel Rourk's Colonel Oxborough's Colonel Lutteril's Horse Colonel Tho. Burk's Troop of Horse Sir Colonel John Burk's Troop Briggadier Clifford's Draggoons Colonel Mackgenni's Draggons were all broke by Colonel Foulk In Munster also Colonel Corbet's Horse were broke by Brigadier Villers And Colonel Mackdermot's Foot Colonel Bryan Oneal's Colonel Rob. Purcel's and Lieutenant Colonel Cahan's were broke by Colonel St. Johns only two Battalions being drawn out of the whole as is said and had Quarters assigned them in the Barrony of Muskerry These Irish had the Name of a great many January 1692. Regiments but scarce an hundred Men in each one with another for they were thin at best and several of them were gone into France having the Names of Regiments there also But after some time all the Irish not laying down their Arms an Order was directed to Sir Francis Hambleton Governour of Donegal to break
delivering up their Arms a very small return being made through the whole Kingdom they keeping as yet some thousands of all sorts of Arms still concealed which I hope will effectually be taken care of in time The weather was now so violent that the Adventure of London was cast away going to Dublin and several other Ships lost in and about that Bay And the Swallow one of Their Majesties Ships was forced a ground nigh Charles-Fort at Kingsale and there foundred tho' all the Men were saved except two February the 12th John Stone Esq being dead and Captain South imployed elsewhere in the Army a new Commission was granted putting in their Places Colonel Foulks and William Palmer Esquires Commissioners for stating the Accounts of the Army And nigh the same time the Commissary General was sent into England with all the Muster Rolls February 16. the weather breaking up part of my Lord Oxford's Horse driven back by stress of weather Lieutenant General Ginckel's and Major General Ruvigney's Horse with the Princess Anns Foot were all Shipp'd for England The same day Lieutenant General Scravemore went on Board as did Brigadier Leveson in a day or two after Colonel Coy's Horse also are Shipp'd off at Belfast and the Garison of Athlone that had been very uneasie to the Officers and Souldiers all Winter by reason they had no shelter except some small Hutts of their own making was now relieved February the 20th the Commissioners of the Ordnance Arms and Ammunition sent for England had an Order directed to them to send all the Stores of Amunition and other Stores of War that cou'd be spared out of the Magazines for England to be employed elsewhere in Their Majesties Service and accordingly March 1692. a vast quantity of Arms and other Utensils of War were Shipt off February 28 Captain Townsend of the Earl of Meath's Regiment took eight or ten French Men Prisoners who had come a Shoar from a Privateer nigh Castle-Haven and we had an Account from England that His Majesty had Created Lieutenant General Ginckel Baron of Aghrim and Earl of Athlone February 26 An Order was directed to Colonel Foulk to break my Lord George Hambleton's Regiment which was done accordingly in some days after 150 ' of the Men being sent for England and the rest entertained in the Earl of Drogheda's Brigadier Stuart's Sir Henry Ballasis and Colonel Foulk's Regiments March the first a Pass was given out for a Ship to The Hostages go from Cork to France go to France with the Hostages left at Cork and other sick Officers and Souldiers according to the Articles of Limerick And on the third another Order was granted to Colonel Foulk for the raising five Companies of 100 Men in each of the Irish all the subaltern Officers to be of those Reformed in Colonel Wilson's and O Donnel's Battalions and the whole to be commanded by my Lord Iveigh and employed in the Emperor's Service And March the fifth an Order was directed to Mr. Foliot Sherigly chief Deputy Commissary to Disband the Troop of Provoes which was done accordingly March the 17th Lieutenant-General Ruvigny Landed Lieutenant General Ruvigny lands in Ireland from England being made Commander in chief of the Army left in Ireland and Created by his Majesty Lord Viscount Galway and two days after his Lordship and the Lord Viscount Blessington were Sworn of Their Majesties Privy Council as the Bishop of Kildare had been some time before And March the 23 d. the following Proclamation was Published declaring the War of Ireland to be at an end 1692 WILLIAM REX WHEREAS by An Act made in Our Parliament A Proclamation declaring the Wars of Ireland ended at Westminster in the First Year of Our Reign Intituled An Act for the better Security and Relief of Their Majesties Protestant Subjects of Ireland it was among other things Enacted that all and every Person and Persons whatsoever of the Protestant Religion should be absolutely Discharged and Acquitted of and from the Payment of all Quit-Rents Crown-Rents Composition-Rents Hearth-Money Twentieth Parts Payments and other Chief Rents arising or Payable out of any Houses Lands Tenements Hereditaments Rectories Tyths or Church-Livings incurring or becoming due to us at any time after the Five and Twentieth Day of December in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Six Hundred Eighty Eight until the said Kingdom of Ireland shou'd be by us declared to be reduced and the War and Rebellion there ended We have now pursuant to the said Act of Parliament thought fit by and with the Advice of Our Privy Council to Issue this Our Royal Proclamation hereby Declaring that the said Kingdom of Ireland is reduced to Our Obedience and the War and Rebellion there ended And We do hereby Will and Require that all and Singular such Rents and Payments and all other Duties payable to the Crown which shall henceforth grow incur and become due be duely answered and payed to us in such manner and under such Penalties and Forfeitures as if the said Act had not been made Given at Our Court at Kensington the Third Day of March 1691 2. in the Fourth Year of Our Reign God save the King and Queen After which time little of moment happened save March 1692. that the Lords Justices by Directions from Their Majesties appointed a time for those that pretended to the Benefit of the Articles of Limerick or Galway to give in their Names and make good their claims by the 20th of February which time was by Proclamation enlarged to the first of April and afterwards to the 15th Wednesday the sixth of April was appointed the first Day to begin upon those Claims all those concerned being to enter their Names sometime before with the Clerk of the Council which Names were to be posted up at least ten Days before their Cause was to be heard their Claims being to be made out by at least three Credible Witnesses one of which was to be a Protestant Accordingly on the sixth of April the Council met upon this Affair and continued every Monday Wednesday and Friday so to do which was a much easier way and more to the Interest and Advantage of the Irish than any Court of Claims erected only for that purpose cou'd have been CHAP. XI A brief Account of the former and present Circumstances of Ireland The Division of it into Provinces and Counties Bishopricks and Parishes The Soil of Ireland Sir John Davis his Reasons why Ireland was so long in being entirely subjâ—cted to the Crown of England What Tanistry is This a reason why the Irish did not improve their Country Of Fosterings and Cosherings A Brief Estimate of the Expence of the former Wars of Ireland An Essay towards the reckoning the Charge of this last The former evils still remain The Interest of the King and People of England in general to advance the Power and Trade of the English in Ireland The Interest also of the Roman Catholicks
much more so to others especially in an Age wherein so many Learned and Great Men have brought our Language to so great Perfection But all the hopes I have is That the most Learned Men are aptest to put the most favourable Construction upon a private man's Endeavour and will be ready to pardon a great many Defects in one that means well and as for all the Censorious men in the world I shall not be much concerned at what they say ERRATA PAge 1. l. 6. for 1690. read 1689. p. 27. l. 10. for Coltiers r. Cottiers p. 28. in the Marg. dele A List of Their Majesties Army p. 42. l. 2. dele a p. 46. l. 10. for have r. having p. 50. l. 29. for Raparees r. Raparee p. 53. l. 4. dele here p. 57. l. 15. for drawn on r. drawn up p. 90. l 10. for Handshot off r. Head shot off ibid. l. 32 for terrible r. terribly p. 109. l. 30. for in these r. these p. 116. l. 20. r. necessaries p. 126. l. 29. for 1000 r. 10000. p. 151. l. 13. for went r. going p. 162. in the Marg. for Monks r. Mackay ' s. p. 165. l. 16. for litera r. literae p. 181. l. 19. for bene r. breve p. 187. l. 17. for Connor r. Connel p. 191. l 25. for amounted r. mounted p. 215. l. 16. the word being misplaced p. 249. l. 5. for Commader r. Commander p. 254. l. 15. for Account r. which Account p. 260. l. 32. for each r. reach p. 292. l. 8. r. Major-Generals ibid. l. 11. r. Boats p. 295. l. 29. dele Sir p. 318. l 31. before the word Kingdom add King or p. 324. l. 35. for Conversation r. Conversing There are some other small Errors in Pages Months or Names which the Reader may please to Correct as he finds them THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. A Brief Account of the Cause of the War Page 2 The State of the Protestants in that Kingdom 3 The late King lands there from France Ibid. Protestants routed at Drummore Ibid. An Irish Parliament called 4 Derry Besieged and Relieved 4 5 The Irish beat at Croom-Castle Ibid. Duke Schonberg lands in August 1689. 6 Carigfergus surrendred with the Articles of Surrender 7 Newry burnt by the Irish 9 Our Army march to Dundalk Ibid. And encamp there nigh Ten weeks 10 Sligo taken by the Irish Ibid. A Party of the Irish repulsed at Newry Ibid. The Battel of Cavan 14 The Danes land in Ireland Ibid. 5000 French Foot land at Kinsale 15 Charlemont surrendred 16 CHAP. II. HIS Majesty lands in Ireland 18 Our Army marches towards the Boyne 20 His Majesty 's narrow escape the day before the Battel Ibid. The Battel at the Boyne 22 The Number of the Dead 23 The late King quits Ireland 25 Our Army march to Dublin 26 His Majesty's Declaration to the Irish 27 A List of our General Officers 28 And of those belonging to the Irish Page 30. The Number of men in both Armies 31 Lieutenant-General Douglass sent with a Party to Athlone ibid. A Commission granted by the King to secure Forfeited Goods 32 Wexford Waterford and Dungannon Fort surrendred to his Majesty 34 35 Limerick besieged 36 Some of our Guns surprized 37 A Fort taken then an Attack made upon the Town 38 His Majesty raises the Siege and returns to England 39 40 CHAP. III. THE French Forces quit Ireland 41 Bi r besieged by the Irish 42 Count Solm's Answer to the Duke of Berwick's Letter 43 Lieutenant-General Ginckle made Commander in Chief Ibid. Lords Justices begin their Government 44 Earl of Marlborough sent into Ireland Ibid. Cork and Kinsale surrendred 45 The Irish attempt our Frontiers 46 Part of our Army move towards the Shannon 48 Rapparees in the Bog of Allen 49 Those people serviceable to the Irish Interest and how 50 My Lord Tyrconnel returns from France 51 Sarsfield made Earl of Lucan 55 The Irish defeated at the Mote of Greenoge 57 Several Adventures with the Rapparees and Parties of the Irish Army 58 59 60 c. Some of our Regiments take the Field at Mullingar 68 CHAP. IV. THirty Rapparees killed 72 Major Wood defeats a Party of the Irish 73 Several Skirmishes between the Irish and Militia 74 75 Some of our Sea-men and Militia join and march into the Enemies Quarters 77 Monsieur St. Ruth lands in Ireland to command their Army 78 Our great Officers take the Field at Mullingar 80 CHAP. V. THE Fortifications at Mullingar contracted Page 85 A Stratagem of the Irish to get Horses Ibid. The Irish Army march towards Athlone 86 Our Army Besieges Ballimore 87 Its Scituation described ibid. The Fort surrendred 91 Its Fortifications improved ibid. Our Army joined by the Duke of Wertenberg nigh Athlone 94 That Town Attacked with the manner of it 95 The English Town taken Batteries against the Irish Town 98 A Design to pass the Shannon frustrated 100 The Enemy burn our Close Gallery 102 A Councel of War held 105 The Town Stormed 107 The Number of the Dead 108 A part of our Army left in the Country and why 110 What happened in other Places of the Kingdom during this Month ibid. CHAP. VI. THE Irish Army Removes 114 The Dead buried at Athlone ibid. The Irish resolve to give us Battel 115 Irish Prisoners sent towards Dublin 117 The Lords Justices Declaration to the Irish ibid. The Enemy's Camp and Posture at Aghrim described 122 Monsieur St. Ruth's supposed Speech to the Irish 123 The Battel of Aghrim 127 The number of the dead on both sides and of the Irish Prisoners 136 Instances in former Battels wherein the Irish have been routed with little loss to the English 142 An Account of some Irish Prophecies 145 Loughrea deserted by the Irish 148 Portumna Surrendred ibid. Our Army marches towards Galway 259 The Town Besieged 160 The Articles of Surrender with their Majesties confirmation of them 165 Our Army returns towards Limerick 174 An Account of what happened in other places of the Kingdom during this Month 174 175 CHAP. VII SEveral fresh Regiments ordered towards the Camp to recruit the Army 179 Brigadier Leveson sent with a Party towards Nenagh A Treaty with Balderock O Donnell 182 Our Army marches to Cariganliss 186 News of the death of my Lord Tyrconnell 187 Irish Lords Justices Act after his death 188 An Order about the Rates of Provisions 186 Another prohibiting the Buying of Cattel without the General 's License ibid. Our Army approaches Limerick 188 Ireton's and Cromwell's Forts taken 189 A Party sent to Castle Connell 190 Our Ships come up the River near the Town 191 Brigadier Leveson sent into Kerry 193 A brief Account of what happened in other places of the Kingdom during the Month of August 195 CHAP. VIII OUR Bombs set the Town on fire 240 The Irish design a Sally but are repulsed ibid. Brigadier Leveson routs a Party of the Irish in Kerry ibid. A Design to pass the River 205 A new Battery
forced most of them to fly from thence to secure their Lives against an Insolent and ungovernable Irish Army who by order from the Government seized upon all the Horses and Arms they could find in the Hands of the Protestants throughout the Kingdom and made all possible Preparations to resist a powerful Army from England which was but reasonable to look for since it 's so inconsistent with the Laws Interest and Policy of this Kingdom to have Ireland in any other hands but their own On the 12th of March the Late King with about The Late King lands in Ireland 1800 men from France landed at Kinsale in the West of Ireland And on the 14th several of the Northern Protestants that had betaken themselves to Arms were routed at a place called Drummore by Lieut. Gen. Hambleton who was some time before sent into Ireland to treat with my Lord Tyrconnel to deliver up the Sword but joining with his Lordship and the Irish at his Landing he was preferred to that Post He had with him at Drummore about 2000 of the Irish standing Army and nigh as many Rapareers though he killed but few of the Protestants they making a Running Fight of it as others also did at Killileigh Claudyfoord and some other Places several flying into England or Scotland though the most resolute amongst them went towards London-Derry where in a short time they were actually besieged by the greatest part of the Irish Army And then the Irish make Preparations for the sitting of their Parliament which was on the 7th of May 1689. wherein all the mere Irish were admitted as An Irish Parliament called Members and most of the English Nobility Gentry Clergy and substantial Tradesmen of that Kingdom were attainted by name their Estates and Goods being declared forfeited if they returned not by a certain day which to the greatest part was next to an impossibility There were some Protestants however in this Parliament who endeavoured to do their Absent Brethren and the Protestant Interest all the faithful service imaginable particularly the Bishop of Meath who made several excellent Speeches in the House of Lords in opposition to their Proceedings but the Current was then too strong to be stopt and whoever endeavoured it their Attempts were fruitless But the greatest Thorn in their sides at that time in The Siege of London-derry Ireland was the City of London-derry which contemned both their Threats and fair Promises baffling the chieâ— of their Forces for at least Four Months together without any extraordinary Supplies from England till they were reduced to the last Extremity Yet on the 25th of March the Besieged had some Arms and Ammunition brought them by Captain James Hambleton And on the 13th of April Collonel Richards and Collonel Cunningham were sent with Two Regiments from England to their Assistance who coming to the Lough of Derry and being ordered to obey the then Governour Lundy's directions they were told by him That the Town could not hold out a Week and that their coming in would only be the loss of their men and the Besieged also and advised them to return which they did tho they lost their Regiments upon it A GROUND PLAT OF LONDON-DERRY tc Then went Major-General Kirk with his own Regiment Sir John Hanmer's and Brigadier Stuart's who anchor'd in the Lough Two Months during which Major-General Kirk sent to their relief time a great many French Commanders were sent to the Irish Camp and also the late King himself went down to encourage the Besiegers fresh Supplies of men going thither daily but all to no purpose which when he saw how unsuccessful the Attempts of his Irish Army against the Town were like to prove it 's confidently reported that he exprest himself to this effect That if he had had as many English-men in his Army as he had of others they would have brought him it stone by stone ere that But being weary of so tedious a Siege he returned to Dublin and at last the Dartmonth Frigat forced her way up to the Town and the Irish raised their Siege on the last of July The Management of this Affair was blamed by some of themselves who were either for pushing on the Siege with their whole Army or else for making a Blockade and so going into Scotland with the rest of the Army as my Lord Melfort advised and as my Lord Dunee earnestly writ for several times but some of the Irish Officers advised the late King to a Medium by making a slow and regular Siege which would teach his men to be the better Soldiers but thereby he lost his opportunity in not sending to reinforce Dundee whereby he might at least have changed the seat of the War Nor were the Inniskilliners behind their Neighbours of Derry in opppsing the Irish on all occasions for besides several Actions of moment performed by them at other times the very day before the Siege of Derry was raised the Inniskilliners hearing of about Six thousand of the Irish Army commanded by Major-General Mackarty commonly called my Lord Moncashel that were marching towards them in order to Besiege their Town also they very bravely met them nigh Twenty Miles from home and at a place called Newtown Butler near Croom-Castle they fought and routed the Irish killing and drowning in Loughs and Bogs nigh Three thousand The Battel at Newtown Butler Mackarty himself and some few more being taken Prisoners The whole Body of the Inniskilliners both Horse and Foot were not above Two thousand and scarce Twenty of those were killed with about Fifty more wounded This I have had confirmed by several very good men of that Party and it 's in a great measure owned by the Irish themselves After these Affronts the Irish Army retire into Leinster Duke Schonberg lands with an Army in Ireland and Munster in order to recruit and refresh themselves when they had soon an account to their sorrow That Duke Schonbergh General of all Their Majesties of Great Britain's Forces was landed with an Army at Bangor in the North of Ireland This was on Tuesday August the 13th and on the 17th the General with his Army marched to Belfast from whence on the 20th he sent Five Regiments of Foot with some Horse to Invest the Town of Carrickfergus and the next day followed himself with the remainder of the Army There were Two Regiments of Foot in the Town under Mackarty Moore the Governor and Owen Mackarty who held it out till the 27th at what time the following Articles were agreed to and signed Articles of Agreement between Frederick Duke of Schonbergh General of Their Majesties Forces and Col. Charles Mackarty Moore Governor of Carrickfergus August 27. 1689. Art I. THAT the Garison shall march out with flying Articles of Carrickfergus Colours Arms lighted Matches and their own Baggage to morrow by Ten a Clock II. That in regard the Garison are in such Disorders none be admitted into
get out again And the second Week in May several English a Brandenburg and Three Dutch Regiments landed By which time also all our Recruits were compleated and the Regiments Cloathed so that we had now an Excellent Army all over-joyed with the Assurance that His Majesty in person designed to make that Campaign in Ireland A part of our Army also begin to take the Field and Encamp almost round Charlemont Cannon and Mortars were sent up that way too in order to force old Teague O Regan the Governour from his Nest if he would not quit it otherways but their Provisions being spent and no hopes of Relief appearing on the 12th of May the Governour desired a Parley and after some time it was agreed That his Garison should march out with their Arms and Baggage which they did Charlemont surrendred on the 14th being about Eight hundred besides two hundred Women and Children four Companies of Collonel Babington's Regiment taking possession of the Place We found Seventeen Pieces of Cannon one large Mortar Eighty three Barrels of Powder with some Fire Arms and other useful Materials in the Castle The same day that Charlemont was surrendred Collonel Woolsley and Collonel Foulks with Twelve hundred men went to a Castle called Bellynacargy in which the Enemy had Two hundred men this was scituate in a small Lough so that our men were forced to march up to their middles in water to make their Approaches the Enemy fired smartly upon us killed us Two Captains an Ensign and Seventeen men and wounded Forty three but when they saw us resolved to have the Place they hung out their White Flag and agreed to march away without their Arms. A Ground Plot of the STRONG FORT of CHARLEMONT in IRELAND With the Town River Marshes Boggs places adjacent ct CHAP. II. His Majesty lands in Ireland Our Army takes the Field The King marches towards the Boyn His Majesty's narrow Escape the day before the Battel The Battel of the Boyn The number of the Dead The Late King quits Ireland Our Army marches to Dublin His Majesty's Declaration to the Irish A List of our General Officers and of those belonging to the Irish Army The number of men in both Armies Our Army divides Lieutenant-General Douglass marches with a Party towards Athlone A Commission granted by the King to secure forfeited Goods Wexford secured Clonmell quitted Waterford and Dungannon-Fort surrendred to His Majesty The King intends for England and sends some Forces thither But returns to the Camp Limerick Besieged Some of our Guns surprized A Fort taken An Attack upon the Town Our men draw off His Majesty raises the Siege and returns to England ALL People were now big with hopes of His Majesty's coming for Ireland who left Kensington the Fourth of June 1690. took Shipping at Hylake His Majesty Lands in Ireland on the 12th and on the 14th being Saturday he landed about Four in the Afternoon at Carigfergus from whence being upon the Road to Belfast he was met by the General Major-General Kirk and a great many more Officers of the Army that were there expecting His Majesty's Landing And that Evening landed his Highness Prince George the Duke of Ormond Earl of Oxford Earl of Portland Earl of Scarborough Earl of Manchester my Lord Overkirk my Lord Sidney with a great many other Persons of Quality some of them Officers in the Army and others Voluntiers The two following days His Majesty was attended by most of the Nobily Clergy and other Gentlemen inhabiting that part of the Kingdom He was presented also with an Address from the Episcopal Clergy and another from several Presbyterian Ministers both which His Majesty received very graciously The King stayed at Belfast till Thursday the 19th and having set out a Proclamation to encourage all People of what Persuasion soever to live peaceably at home His Majesty went to Hilsburrough giving Ordes for his Army to take the Field And on the All our Army takes the Field 22th His Majesty Encampt at Loughbritland with that part of the Army which had their Rendezvouz there and never laid out of the Camp except upon his Journey from Caruck to Dublin after that during his stay in Ireland That Morning a Party of Two hundred Foot and Dragoons going from Newry towards Dundalk to discover the Enemy who ere this had taken the Field and then lay encamped there our men fell into an Ambuscade of about Four hundred of the Irish at a narrow Pass upon a Bog nigh a place called the Four-mile House by which we lost Twenty two of our Party and Captain Farlow with another Officer were taken Prisoners but the Enemy did not gain much by this Attempt for they lost more in number than we did Captain Farlow was the first who gave the Late King a certain Account of King William's being in Ireland for till then he would not believe it June the 27th our whole Army joined at Dundalk making in all about Thirty six thousand though the World called us at least a third part more The Irish at our approach hither had removed to the Boyn And on Sunday the 29th our Army marched beyond Ardee which the Enemy had fortified much after the same manner as they had done Dundalk and early next morning our whole Army moved toward the The Army marches to the Boyn Boyne making their Approaches very finely After some time His Majesty sent down small Parties of Horse to discover the Ways and then rid towards the Pass at Old Bridge having a full view of the Enemy's Camp as he went along His Majesty stopt some time at Old Bridge to observe the Enemy's Posture and then going a little further His Majesty alighted to refresh himself and sate nigh an hour upon the Grass during which time the Enemy brought down two Field-pieces under Covert of a small Party of Horse and planted them at the Corner of a Hedge undiscovered and when His Majesty the Prince and the rest were mounted again and riding softly the same way back their Cannonier let fly and at the second Shot was so near the killing His Majesty His Majesty's narrow Escape from a Great Shot as that the Bullet slanted upon his Right Shoulder took away a piece of his Coat and struck off the Skin which might have been a fatal Blow to his Army and Kingdoms too if the Great Creator of the World who orders and governs all things had not been at his Right Hand where he always is and I hope will be as well for the defence of His Majesty's Sacred Person as the good of those he has undertaken to protect The Enemy then fired those two Pieces as fast as they could charge and discharge doing some damage amongst our Horse that were drawing up before them which made the King give Orders for his Horse to rein a little backwards and have the advantage of a Rising Ground between them and the Cannon About Three a Clock
Conduct that day After the Battel our Army lay upon their Arms all night at Duleek having left our Tents all standing beyond the Boyne And next morning his Majesty sent Brigadier La Mellionere with One thousand Horse and Dragoons a Party of Foot and Eight Pieces of Cannon to summons Drogheda wherein the Irish had a Garison of about 1300 men commanded by my Lord Iveagh who surrendred the Town upon Condition That his Garison should have leave to march out without their Arms and be conducted to Athlone Tho their Barbarity in tying the Protestants in Town back to back and placing them where they expected our Guns to play ought not to be forgot This is a Town of no great strength only a Mount whereon are planted Ten Guns on the South-side the River seems capable of Defence Thursday the 3 d. of July his Majesty had an Account That the Irish had left Dublin and were making what haste they could towards the Shannon upon which the Duke of Ormond marched to that City with One thousand Horse and found Captain Farlow Governor of the Castle who two days before had been a Prisoner his Grace took possession of all the Out-Guards of the Town with his Horse and the Dutch Blue Guards were sent to the Castle The 5th His Majesty with his Army marches to Dublin our Army marched to Finglass a little Village two miles to the North-west of Dublin where we lay encamped for several days The 6th being Sunday his Majesty went to St. Patrick's Church in Dublin and next day towards the evening the Bishop of Meath the Bishop of Limerick Dr. King and all the Clergy then about Dublin except the Lord Primate who sent his Excuse to his Majesty by reason of his great Age and Infirmness waited upon the King at his Camp where the Bishop of Meath made an excellent Congratulatory Speech for his Majesty's happy Victory and their Deliverance Whereunto his Majesty gave a Gracious Answer And the Bishop of Limâ—rick desired they might appoint a Day of Publick Thanksgiving and have leave to Compose a Form of Prayer suitable to the occasion which was granted The same day his Majesty signed a Declaration His Majesty's Declaration to the Irish wherein he promised Protection to all poor Labourers common Soldiers Countrey-Farmers Plow-men and Coltiers as also to all Citizens Tradesmen Townsmen and Artificers who either remained at home or having fled from their Dwellings should return by the first of August following c. leaving all others to the Event of War unless by great and manifest demonstrations they would convince his Majesty that they deserved his Mercy which he promised never to refusâ— to those who were truly penitent A great many of the Irish Officers complained The Irish Objections against the Declaration That this Declaration was too narrow in excluding them from any Advantage by it and that they were obliged afterwards to stick together as being their only safety but this Declaration was narrower than his Majesty's Royal Intentions on purpose to comply with the English Proprietors of that Countrey And as to the Irish Officers this was only a pretence for when it was enlarged afterwards by his Majesty and the Government the year succeeding made them all the reasonable Proffers that could be hoped or wished for yet most of them continued obstinate till they could not help it But tho his Majesty was very careful to have this and his other Declaration that succeeded it observed yet some Officers and Soldiers were apt to forget the King's Honour with that of our Countrey and Religion too when they stood in competion with their own Profit and Advantage That day and the next his Majesty took a view of his Army by distinct Regiments nor did the inconveniency of the bad Weather which fell out at Our Army mustered that time prevent him from observing each Regiment very nicely the whole number of Horse Foot and Dragoons that marched in the Ranks was 30330 besides 483 Reformed Officers as also all the Officers and Serjeants in the Army and Four Regiments in Garison so that the compleat Number of our whole Army was at least 36000 as is said before Nor will it be improper to gâ—ve here a List of our General Officers who commanded this Campaign under his Majesty and were employed in his Service but we must take it from the beginning since his Grace Duke Schonberg was killed ere this A LIST of the General Officers of Their Majesties Army 1690. FRederick Duke of Schonberg Captain-General A List of their Majesties Army 1690. The Duke of Wirtenbergh General of the Danes Count Solmes General of the Foot Count Schonberg General of the Horse Lieutenant-General Douglass Lord Overkirk Maistres Generals des Camp Earl of Portland Maistres Generals des Camp Henry Lord Viscount Sidney Major-Generals of Foot Count Nassau Major-Generals of Foot Major-General Kirk Major-Generals of Foot Major-General Tetteau Major-Generals of Foot Monsieur Screvenmore Major-Generals of Horse Maj. Gen. La Forrest Major-Generals of Horse Sir John Lanier Major-Generals of Horse Monsieur Du Cambon Quarter-master-General Brigadier Trelawney Brigadiers of Foot Sir Henry Bellasis Brigadiers of Foot Sir John Hanmer Brigadiers of Foot Brigadier Stuart Brigadiers of Foot Brigad La Mellionere Brigadiers of Foot Brigad Villars Brigadiers of Horse Brigad Eppinger Brigadiers of Horse Brigad Schack Brigadiers of Horse Sir Robert Southwell Secretary of State Thomas Coningesby Esq now Lord Coningesby and Charles Fox Esq Pay-masters-General Sir John Topham Advocate-General Henry Wythers Adjutant-General of Foot Francis Russel Adjutant-General of Horse George Clark Esq Secretary at War Monsieur Perara Commissary-General of the Provisions Abraham Yarner Esq Muster-master-General Dr. Lawrence Physician-General Charles Thompson Esq Chyrurgion-General A CATALOGUE of the General Officers A List of the Irish General Officers and others in King Jams's Army taken out of the Muster-Rolls June the 2 d 1690. DUKE of Tyrconnel Captain-General Duke of Berwick Lieutenant-Generals Richard Hambleton Lieutenant-Generals Count Lauzune General of the French Monsieur Leary alias Geraldine Lieutenant-General Dominick Sheldon Lieutenant-General of the Horse Patrick Sarsfield Major-Generals Anthony Hambleton Major-Generals Monsieur Boiseleau Major-Generals Thomas Maxwell Brigadeers John Hambleton Brigadeers William Dorrington Brigadeers Solomon Slater Muster-master-General Robert Fitz-Gerald Comptroler of the Musters Sir Richard Neagle Secretary at War Sir Henry Bond Receivers General Louis Doe Receivers General Sir Michael Creagh Pay-master General Foelix Oneil Advocate General Dr. Archbold Physician to the State Patrick Archbold Chyrurgeon General The Irish had at that time in their Army Two Troops of Horse-Guards with another of Horse-Granadiers Eight Regiments of Horse Seven Regiments of Dragoons a Regiment of Foot Guards of Twenty two Companies and Ninety men in a Company Forty four other Regiments of Foot Thirteen Companies in a Regiment and Sixty men in a Company which with the Five thousand French Foot made their Army according to their own Computation
of the Regiments and the numbers in each to be 39320 Foot 3471 Horse and 2480 Dragoons which in all make an Army of 50271. besides their Rapparees in all the Corners of the Countrey but these were all that they had to man the whole Garisons of Ireland so that they were not above 27000 at the Boyn besides the French But to return About the 8th or 9th of July it was known abroad That His Majesty had an Account of the Misfortune of the English and Dutch Fleets at which time he divided his Army and marched himself towards Kilkenny with the greatest part of it For though His Majesty was sensible that going with his whole Army towards Athlone and so into Connaght was the readiest way to reduce the Irish yet having some Reasons to apprehend that the French after the Battel of Flerus might send off Detachments from their Army and so disturb England or at least send part of their Fleet and burn his Transport-Ships he made hast to secure Waterford Haven for them since the Bay of Dublin is no Place of safety Sending at the same time Lieutenant-General Douglas with three Regiments of Horse two of Dragoons and ten of Foot towards Athlone Ffty miles to the Northwest from Dublin before which Place he came on the 17th with the aforesaid Party Twelve Field-pieces and two small Mortars The Irish burnt and deferted that part of Athlone on Leinster side the Bridge called the English Town But seeing our Party and our Train not suitable to such an Undertaking and having three Regiments of Foot nine Troops of Dragoons and two of Horse in and about the Town with a fresh supply of Forces not far off they positively refused to deliver up the Place which Lieutenant-General Douglas seeing no hopes of forcing them to on Friday the 25th early in the morning he raised his Siege and marched to join the King's Army again having not lost above Thirty men before the place but near Three hundred by Sickness and other Accidents Our rising from before that Town did so puff up the Irish that one Malady the Late King 's High Sheriff for the County of Longford got at least Three thousand of the Rabble or such like People together near Mullingar where they hectored and swaggered for some days but Collonel Woolsley with his own Horse and two Regiments of Foot being sent back to secure that part of the Countrey about Forty of his Horse being an Advance Guard fell in with a Party of the Irish towards the Evening which giving the Alarm to the rest they immediately began to disperse and every man to shift for himself and Night coming on our Party had only the opportunity of killing about Thirty of them High Sheriff Malady himself being wounded and never since able to raise such another posse Commitatus But to return to His Majesty's Camp which on the 9th he pitched at a place called Cromlin two miles to the West of Dublin where the King setled the method A Commission about Forfeited Goods of granting Protections according to his Declaration And then gave a Commission to Francis Earl of Longford Anthony Lord Bishop of Meath Robert Fitz-Gerald Esq Sir Henry Fane Doctor Gorge William Robinson Esq Joseph Coghlin Esq Edward Corker Esq and Henry Davis Esq or any five of them to enquire into seize and secure all Forfeitures to the Crown by the General Rebellion of the Irish Nation This Commission empowered them to appoint Deputies to summon and swear Witnesses to call the Justices of the Peace and Deputy-Lieutenants to their Assistance to let Leases for a year and in doubtful Cases to consult the Judges learned in the Law and this Power of theirs to continue until a more legal method could be put in practice when the Courts of Judicature were open The Bishop of Meath whether his Lordship was sensible of the Defect of the Commission at first or else did not like the Proceedings of some of the rest he soon forbore his attendance at their Meetings but several of the rest proceeded in their Business and took possession of Goods of all sorts as well in the Hands of Roman-Catholicks and on their Grounds as in the hands of Protestants where they had been left by their Catholick Neighbours upon which account those Gentlemen had the misfortune to be much censured afterwards as well by some in the Countrey where they made Seisures as by the Commissioners of Their Majesty's Revenue who complained of the small Returns made into the Exchequer This occasioned several of the above-named Gentlemen who had been imployed to make a representation of their Case afterwards to the Lords Justices which I have seen and it was to this effect That amongst a great many Discouragements in so troublesome an Imployment their Commission it self was so defective that it seemed a perfect Snare to them contrary to the intent or Interest of His Majesty in that it gave them power to seize upon all Forfeitures but not to dispose of any except of Lands by lease for a year by which means the Goods seized by the Commissioners and their Deputies were often either stole or forced away sometimes by the Army and at other times by the Rapparees after they had been at great charge about them And a great many other things they have to say for themselves by which it appears that those Aspersions cast upon some of them were groundless though others of them or where-ever the fault else laid some I say there were who did Their Majesties Affairs no great Advantage nor themselves much Credit by their management But this being a matter of publick Concern is none of my business to look into His Majesty then marched forwards and from a Wexford secured Place called Castledermot sent Brigadier Eppinger with a Party of One thousand Horse and Dragoons to secure Wexford which before his Arrival was deserted by the Irish Garison The King all along upon his march was acquainted with the Disorders and Confusion of the Irish Army and of their speedy marches to Limerick and other Strong Holds The 19th His Majesty dined at Kilkenny a Walled Town wherein stands a Castle belonging to the Duke of Ormond which had been preserved by Count Lauzun with all the Goods and Furniture And next day His Majesty Clonmel quitted by the â—ish understood that the Enemy had quitted Clonmell whither Count Sconberg marched with a Body of Horse Monday the 21st The Army marched to Carrick where the King received an Account of the state of Waterford and whither Major-General Kirk went Waterford and Duncannon Fort surrendred next morning with a Party to summon the Town wherein were two Regiments of the Irish who submitted upon condition to march out with their Arms As did also the strong Fort of Duncannon in a day or two after which gave His Majesty sufficient shelter for all his Shipping When Waterford was surrendered His Majesty in Person went to view it where
Drogheda's Regiment who finding themselves very much outnumbred and the Village no ways Tenible they retired all to a Mount nigh the middle of the same Village which they defended till the Irish were obliged to quit the place have killed us about 28 themselves leaving 16 dead upon the Streets besides several more that were killed in Plundering the Houses And several such Accidents hapned up and down the Kingdom most of which are already related in the former part of this History Towards the beginning of December his Majesty for the A Privy-Council appointed in Ireland better ordering the Affairs of that Kingdom appointed a Privy-Council and gave out new Commissions to supply the places of several Judges as yet awanting in the respective Courts of Judicature But though the Irish in and about Limerick and indeed in most other places within their Line were reduced to great necessities both as to Provisions and Cloaths yet this did not prevent them from having a very good opinion of themselves nor blunt the Edge of that Vain-glorious Boasting so peculiar to that sort of People as may appear by a pretended Declaration of the then Brigadeer Dorington's who after several invective Expressions against his Majesty and the English Government and Wheedling Insinuations to all Foreigners and others who he pretends were drawn in at unawares he promises to protect and receive into Pay all Officers or Souldiers that would forsake their Majesties Service and advance them according to their Merit or those that had no mind to serve should be Transported into France having all necessary Accommodation and be provided for in the mean time Dated at Limerick the 13th of December 1690. and Signed W. Dorington But this worthy Declaration had no other effect than to shew the folly and vanity of the Publisher only I cannot but observe what a scurvy Return those Officers and Souldiers of King William's to whom he addresses himself made him for his kind proffer since instead of going to him for his Pass into France they soon after sent his Worship himself Prisoner into England Monday the 15th of December Henry Lord Viscount My Lord Sidney goes for England Sidney being appointed one of the Secretaries of State for England set Sail for that Kingdom And on the 24th Sir Charles Porter another of the Lords-Justices came from thence being Sworn Lord Chancellour of Ireland on the 29th and then received the Purse and Great Seal from the late Commissioners We had now a part of our Army on their March towards Part of our Forces move towards the Shannon Lanesborough Pass Commanded by Major General Kirk and Sir John Lanier Lieutenant General Douglas was also upon his March towards Sligoe as was Major General Tetteau in Munster towards the County of Kerry The first Detachment beat the Irish from their Works on this side the River and staying there some time returned to Quarters as did also Lieutenant General Douglas Major General Tetteau Marched towards Ross taking a Fort called Screnelarld in his way after which the Irish set most of the Country on Fire and retreated He took also another Fort wherein were 80 of the Irish who being attacked by fifty Danes and fifty of the Kinsale Militia our Men carried the place and put most of the Enemy to the Sword Then our Party Marched towards Tralee where Lieutenant General Sheldon bad been with 21 Troops of Dragoons and 7 of Horse but with his Men had deserted the Town and made what haste they could towards Limerick resolving to force their way through Lieutenant General Ginckel's Troops who then was abroad also with a Party if they were not very much stronger or otherways to kill all their Horses and save themselves by crossing the Shannon in Boats But not being informed of this our Men returned without securing a considerable quantity of Provisiâ—â—â— then in Trallee which the Irish got afterwards to supply the Garrison of Limerick The Rapparees by this time were got to the end of the Rapparees in the Bogg of Allen. Bogg of Allen within 12 miles of Dublin and there Robb'd and Plunder'd the Country all about Fortifying an Island in the Bogg to secure their Prey which being so nigh Dublin it made a great noise So that Collonel Foulks with his own Regiment part of Collonel Cutts's and a Detachment of the Dublin Militia as also three small Field-Pieces Marched out towards them The Irish at first seemed to defend the place but as our Men advanced they quitted their Posts leaving us to fill up the Trenches they had made cross the Causeway which done Colonel Foulks Marched over into the Island of Allen where he met with Colonel Piper who had come in at the other side but the Irish betook themselves to the Woods and we only got some small Booty which they had left I have heard that my Lord Baltimore at his coming over from Ireland in King James the First 's time to give his Majesty an account of the State of that Kingdom amongst otherthings told the King That the Irish were a wicked People but had been as wickedly dealt withal I make no Applications of the Expression to our selves tho' most people that have been in that Country know how to do it But as to any publick Action little of moment hapned for some time after we returned to our Winter Quarters tho' the Rapparees being encouraged by our withdrawing were very troublesome all the Country over nor will it be amiss once for all to give you a brief Account how the Irish managed this Affair to make the Rapparees so Considerable as they really were doing much more mischief at this Upon what account the Rapparees were servicable to the Irish time o' th' year than any thing that had the face of an Army could pretend to When the Irish understood therefore how our Men were Posted all along the Line and what advantage might be hoped for at such and such places they not only encouraged all the protected Irish to do us secretly all the mischief they could either by concealed Arms or private Intelligence under the pretence of their being Plundered and abused but they let loose a great part of their Army to manage the best for themselves that time and opportunity would allow them to all these they gave Passes signifying to what Regiment they belonged that in case they were taken they might not be dealt withal as Rapparees but Souldiers These Men knew the Country nay all the secret Corners Woods and Boggs keeping a constant Correspondence with one another and also with the Army who furnished them with all necessaries especially Ammunition When they had any Project on Foot their method was not to appear in a Body for then they would have been discovered and not only so but Carriages and several other things had been wanting which every one knows that's acquainted with this Trade Their way was therefore to make a private appointment to meet at
this Declaration as others before it of like nature had not the wished-for effect since the Irish are generally of that Temper as to think you are most afraid of them when best Terms are proferr'd This made the Irish Peasants value themselves mightily upon King William's first Declaration after the Rout at the Boyne who then look'd upon themselves to be the most considerable part of the Irish Nation because they had Terms proferr'd before the Great Ones The sixth a Proclamation was published by the Lords-Justices A Proclamation prohibiting the destroying Improvements and Council prohibiting all Officers and Soldiers to plunder or take away the Goods either of Protestants or Papists nor cut down Improvements as some unreasonably went about nor to take the Horses and Cattle out of the Plough or to exact and levy Money Of all which there had been frequent Complaints and therefore the Soldiers were commanded to pay their Quarters with their Subsistence which was ordered them and the Officers too from the first of January Nigh this time Francis Sheldon and John Green two Commissioners sent over to build Ships in Ireland that were Skilful in the Art of Building Ships were both sent over in equal Commission by Authority of the Navy-Board in England to build Ships for Their Majesties Service at Waterford or Wexford nigh which Places and in the County of Wickloe there is good store of suitable Timber and other Advantages for building Ships at easier Rates than in England but what progress has been made herein I am uncertain February the 8th Colonel Brewer and Major Boad with a Party of 150 Horse and 200 Foot march'd from Mullingar towards Meers-Court to Relieve that and some other Garrisons with Provisions and some Men which having done Colonel Brewer went with a Party towards Ballymore to view the Posture of the Enemy at that place he met with a small Party of them at a Pass a Mile on this side the Fort whom he put to flight and pursued to the Garrison nigh which he kill'd six or eight and burnt the House at the Pass when he returned bringing the Owner away Prisoner February the 10th Sir Richard Reynolds Lord Chief Justice of the King's-Bench came from England and sate as Judge in that Court being afterwards sworn of the Privy-Council And nigh the same time we had an account that considerable Numbers of Recruits both for Horse and Foot lay ready at Bristol to be ship'd for Ireland The Montague and Dover Frigats bring into Kinsale a Privateer of St. Maloes of 24 Guns and six Pettereroes A Party of our Army quartering at Bally-Hooly in the County of Cork went into the Enemies Country and kill'd 25 Rapparees and soon after Major Kirk kill'd 16 more taking two Officers Prisoners yet for all this the Enemy watched all opportunities of Advantage killing our Men by surprize in a great many places but especially keeping Correspondence with the protected Irish in all corners of the Country they stole away our Horses The Irish steal away our Horses to Recruit their own Army sometimes in the Night and often at Noon-day when our Men least suspected it by which means they recruited their own Horse considerably and did us no small disservice nor is it probable unless they had made use of some such ways they could have brought any Body of Horse into the Field worth taking notice of the succeeding Campaign whereas we were sensible afterwards that their Horse were once not contemptible The 9th two Officers and a Soldier desert from Limerick and come to Cashel And a Day or two afterwards about 100 Protestants are permitted to come away who all agree that the Irish were more dissatisfied since my Lord Tyrconnel's Landing than before since the Money and Cloaths brought them from France were both in themselves very contemptible the one for quantity and the other for quality We had also an Account that Sarsfield was made Sarsfield made Lord Lucan Earl of Lucan and Lieutenant-General of the Army Dorington Major-General and Barker General of the Foot One Langton was Hanged at Kilkenny for endeavouring to seduce a Souldier of Count Nassau's Regiment and some others And at Birr the Rapparees killing one of Colonel Hamilton's Souldiers drew out his Guts and mangled his Body after amost barbarous and unusual manner Several Ships arrive at Waterford with Meal Bisket Corn and other Provisions for their Majesties use and a great many Merchant Ships come to that and other Ports with Victuals and other conveniencies for the Army and Country On the 13th about 400 of the Irish Army Commanded A Party of the Irish burn Edenderry by Lieutenant Colonel Conner came to Edenderry and burnt greatest part of it killing 7 Men and a Woman and had 11 of theirs kill'd by a Militia Troop then in Town who were obliged to defend the strongest Houses and the Irish returning by Phillips-Town burnt Bally Brittan And now the Civil Government begun to look with a Judges appointed to go their several Circuits better countenance than formerly for February the 17th the Judges were appointed for their several Circuits viz. Munster Circuit Lord Chief Justice Reynolds Mr. Justice Cox Leinster Circuit Lord Chief Justice Pyne Mr. Justice Jefferson North-East Circuit of Vlster Lord Chief Baron Healy Mr. Justice Lyndon North-West Circuit Mr. Baron Eclyn Mr. Serjeant Ryves These all went their districts accordingly and found things much out of order in several places by reason of the looseness of the Times and the general inclination of most people to a disorderly way of living February 24th a large French Pinck bound from Bourdeaux to Connaught with Wine Brandy Salt c. was driven by stress of Weather into Arcklow-Haven the Men being made Prisoners the Ship and Cargo were seized for The Duke of Berwick and others of the Irish Army go for France their Majesties use And nigh this time we heard that the Duke of Berwick and some other great Officers of the Irish Army were gone off from Limerick to France being discontented as 't was said at my Lord Tyrconnel's way of Proceeding in the Government The 25th Lieutenant Colonel Lillingston went from Roscreagh with a Party to Monogall where he surprised a Company of Colonel Oxburrough's Regiment and several Rapparees kill'd 35 and took 5 Prisoners with one O Conner who Commanded The 26th in the Morning Lieutenant General Ginckel and Sir John Lanier having drawn a considerable Body both of Horse and Foot together they advanced from Streams-Town towards Athlone The Enemy never wanted Intelligence of our Motions by reason of their Friends always amongst us and therefore as we approached we found a Body of Horse and Foot to the number of about 2300 Commanded by Brigadeer Clifford drawn on at a Pass 4 miles from Streams-Town the place it self was of great advantage its natural situation being improved by Art but as soon as a Party of ours under Captain Pepper of The
Irish defeated at the Mote of Greenoge Colonel Earl's Regiment advanced on the other side the Irish quitted the Pass being followed by our Horse and Dragoons towards the Mote of Greenoge where a greater Body of their Army was Posted upon the side of an Hill and those also upon seeing what happened retired into the Town at the entrance of which there was a very defensible Ditch with a Pallisado'd Work which the Irish quitted and March'd towards Athlone our Advance Party being 10 of my Lord of Oxford's Horse 12 of Sir John Lanier's Commanded by Cornet Lisle and sustained by Lieutenant Monk's Dragoons those were four choice Men out of a Company in Major General Kirk's Regiment mounted on Horseback and Commanded by Lieutenant Monk who always did Dragoon service and a Party of Colonel St. John's Foot under Captain Worth and all Commanded by Colonel Woolsley those overtook the Enemies Foot before they were got out of Town very soon obliging them to disperse into the Woods and Boggs several being killed and whilst this was adoing our Advance Party of Horse followed the Enemies Horse so fast upon the great Road that leads towards Athlone that our Body of Horse behind could not come up though they endeavour'd it by marching very hard A great many of the Irish fearing to be overtaken quit their Horses Boots and Arms making what haste they could to their usual shift the Woods and Boggs and thus it continued for six miles till they were got near Athlone They lost all their Equipage and Baggage with a great many Horses and Arms and had about Two Hundred Kill'd two Hundred kill'd We lost only one Trumpeter and had four men more Wounded Major General Kirk stayed behind and took Cairn Castle and the General at his return took Castle-Conway in some few days dispersing his Men to their respective Quarters The 28th several Rapparees were killed and hanged by the Militia near Montrath they being usually more March 1691. severe upon those sort of People than the Army was March the 7th a Cornet two Quarter-masters and some other Deserters came from the Enemy to Dublin Some Deserters come in and encouraged by the General where the General then was and received them very kindly allowing them subsistence to encourage others to follow their examples Several Ships arrive at Cork Waterford Kinsale and Dublin with Provisions and other necessaries for the Army and the Militia kill some Rapparees and bring in their Heads a Custom in that Country and encouraged by a Law which allows so much for every Head according to the Quality of the Offender though the usual way is by Proclamation from the Government wherein the Offender and his Price are March 1691. named Nigh this time three of the Danish Soldiers deserting upon Major-General Dorington's Declaration or what other Inducements I know not but they were met upon the Road between Limerick and Cashel by four others that had belonged to the Irish Army and now deserting to us these very fairly set upon the Danes took them Prisoners and brought them back to Cashel where they were afterwards hanged A Party of Colonel Villers's and some Danish Horse march from Tallow within the Enemies Frontiers kill two and take some few Prisoners And Colonel Blunt High-Sheriff of the County of Tipperary with his Militia Troop of Dragoons a Danish Troop of Horse and others to the Number of 200 went from Clonmel as far as Mitchels-Town nigh twenty Miles within the Enemies Quarters in which Expedition they kill'd forty seven Rapparees took thirteen Prisoners and burnt several Cabbins where they used to shelter Captain Palliser of the Earl of Drogheda's Regiment went with a Party from Carolante towards Portumna where he surprized some of my Lord Galmoy's Horse and took several Prisoners as also good store of rich Plunder with Arms Cloaths and several other things of value Cornet Russel and one Crofton come from the Enemies Quarters and give an Account that Balderock O Donnel had got several Men together again but wanting Arms and other Accoutrements they begun to desert And we also heard that Judge Daily was secured for being suspected to endeavour the delivering up of Gallway to our Forces And that Provisions and Forrage were very scarce in Connaught The Lords-Justices and Councel to encourage the bringing of Arms and Ammunition into Ireland by Merchants and others they set out a Proclamation declaring A Proclamation to encourage the Importing of Arms. that they shall be Duty-free pursuant to which Her Majesty made an Order of Council in England dated March the 3d. That no Duty shall be hereafter demanded or payable in Ireland for any Arms which shall be carryed to such parts of that Kingdom as are or shall be at the time of Importation under Their Majesties Obedience provided that the Parties exporting Arms from any other parts of Their Majesties Dominions do enter into sufficient Bonds for landing the same in such Parts of Ireland as aforesaid and no others The Rapparees at this time were very troublesom nigh Several Rapparees kill'd in the County of Longford Fox-Hall in the County of Longford till Lieutenant-Colonel Toby Purcel at three several times kill'd about one hundred of them in the last of which they kill'd fifty two and returning towards Quarters they were way-laid by the greatest part of Sir Donold O Neal's Dragoons Our Party were thirty five Dragoons and one hundred and forty Foot one Quarter-master Topham being with nine Dragoons commanded as an Advance-Party to view the Enemy as soon as discovered by us and seeing them in a confusion at his appearing he charged their Front who running away made all the rest of the same humour every one endeavouring to get first to their Garrison at New-Castle three were kill'd and one Dillan with four more taken Prisoners This Party its said was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Barnwell Upon this Defeat one Mack-Guire comes from the County of Longford with several hundreds of the Creights and most of the Stock that was left them for which and themselves they obtained Protections About the 10th of March we had an Account by some Protestants that came out of Connaught that the Irish a little after my Lord Tyrconnel's landing being out of humour with the Brass Money little or nothing being to be The Irish cry down their Brass Money had for it they cry'd it down by Proclamation the Crown piece to three Pence the Half-crown to three half-Pence the Shilling to a Penny and the Six pence to an half-penny After which the Soldiers lived upon free quarters Provisions also being scarce and no Markets for want of Money those Parts begun to be under worse Circumstances every Day We had Notice from Tallough that Sarsfield had Rendezvous'd part of his Army and some of the Irish Militia at Knockhany and that he had detached ten Men out of a Company and as many out of each Troop to Attack the Pass at
now there is neither House nor Cabbin standing A little to the right of the Town as you go to Athlone stood a pretty Church upon a rising ground about a hundred and twenty Yards from which there lies a spot of Ground about six Acres which is almost an Island by reason of a great Lough to the East North and North-East and on the North-West there is Bogg a small neck of Land running from the Church on the South-West prevents it from being altogether an Island This Isthmus had been formerly Fortified with a double Ditch and within that a Stone Wall and then there stood a pretty strong House where one Widow White lived the year before when Lieutenant-General Douglas march'd that way to Athlone who took Protection and secured a good stock of Sheep and Cows in this Peninsula whilst we lay Encamp'd by the Town At the further end next the broadest part of the Lough stood a strong Danish Fort as this Kingdom is every where full of them now Fortified with a Ditch twenty Foot broad and ten Foot deep being also Pallisado'd round Towards the East and North-East the Lough is so broad that Cannon can do no execution over it but towards the South-East there is a large round Hill which overlooks the Island and from whence you may see into all places of it This place was neglected by us last year as being so poor in it self that it could not support a Garrison but the Irish seeing the natural strength of it and withal the advantage of disturbing our neighbouring Garrisons from thence they presently fell to work and Fortified it here they kept a Garrison all Winter and towards the Spring sent that Detachment thither which we now found By ten a Clock at night four Batteries were raised one below the Hill on the East towards the Lough side Four Batteries planted of six Guns two more of four a piece towards the Church and another for four Mortars On Munday the 8th about Sun-rising these Batteries began to play and some time after the General sent a Summons to the Governour That if he would not deliver up the Place within two hours he should have the same Treatment that his Serjeant met with the day before But he pretending to mistake the Message and desiring his Excellency to let him have his pleasure in Writing the General sent a Gentleman again with this following Note Since the Governour desires to see in Writing the The General 's Message to the Governour sent afterwards in Writing Message which I just now sent him by word of mouth he may know That if he Surrenders the Fort of Ballymore to me within two hours I will give him and his Garrison their Lives and make them Prisoners of War if not neither he nor they shall have any Quarter nor another opportunity of saving themselves However if in that time their Women and Children will go out they have my leave Given at the Camp this 8th day of June 1691 at 8 a Clock in the Morning Bar De GINCKEL But nothing less than marching out with Bag and Baggage Drums beating Colours flying c. would satisfie this Noble Governour Upon which the General ordered all our Guns and Mortars to fall to work the Bombs tearing up the Sandy Banks and the Irish running like Conies from one Hole to another whilst the Guns were battering the Works and making a Breach the Irish in the mean time did what they could with their two Guns and small Shot but Lieutenant-Colonel Burton their Ingineer had his Hand shot off from one of our Batteries and their Works went down apace which made the Irish very uneasie This Siege however was very delightful to our whole Army who had a view of it from the adjoyning Hill My Lord Justice Coningesby also who was now in the Camp and stay'd here for some time having the satisfaction of being an Eye-witness of the forwardness of our Soldiers About twelve a Clock the Enemy beat a Parley and A Parley beat hung out a white Flag but the General would not take notice of it and our Batteries went on with that success that two Breaches were made one in the uttermost Fort next the Town the other on the Works on the same side within the Island and the General seem'd resolved to Storm the Fort next morning at the coming up of the Tin Boats there were four large Boats however then in the Camp which were the Fleet prepared last Year for Hoard's Expedition upon the Shannon and were all Winter at Mullingar These the General ordered to be Launched upon the Lough and filled with Armed Men. The Enemy seeing this and their Island being altogether open on that side they were most terrible affraid of being all destroyed So that about seven a Clock they began to beat a Parley again and hung out their Flag begging Quarter for God's sake which the General hearing and being in his own temper a very Merciful Man he was pleased to order the Guns and Mortars to forbear firing and by eight of the Clock the Governor and some of the Officers coming out they surrendred The Fort surrendred the Place at discretion Upon which Colonel Earl with eight hundred Fire-Locks march'd in over the Breach that our Guns had made and the Enemy laying down their Arms were continued Prisoners in the Fort all Night June the 9th About six a Clock in the Morning the What Stores and Provisions found therein General went to view the Fort wherein were found fifty one Officers seven hundred and eighty Soldiers and two hundred and sixty Rapparees who were most of them Arm'd these were all sent Prisoners to Dublin and from thence all except the Officers were sent to Lambay an Island above a League from the Continent There were also nigh four hundred Women and Children all crouded up in this sad place who were set at liberty Our Men found also in the Fort four hundred and thirty Sheep about forty Cows and fifty Garrans and good store of Oat-meal We lost in this Action only eight Men and the Irish had about forty kill'd by our Bombs and Cannon But it seemed very inaccountable to most People that the Enemy neither endeavoured to relieve or quit this place since they lost in it above a Regiment of their best Men tho' this was but what they did afterwards at several places nigh Limerick The 10th In the Morning early two hundred Men Ballymore better fortified were drawn out to work at the Fort which the General had ordered to be better fortified by a Line of Communication from the Out-works to the Danish Fort and other additions towards the Water-side our Men fell to work at first in repairing the Breaches but were obliged to desist by bad Weather however they levelled all the Batteries and Trenches that we had made against the Fort. And Orders were given out that Night for one hundred Men of a Regiment to be for
do us what mischief lay in their power and this was one reason that Col. Coys Horse and Col. Matthews Dragoons with Col. Hastings Sir John Hanmers Princess Anns Major General Trelawny's Col. Hale's the Bandenburgh and Danish Regiment of Foot were left in the County of Cork as well to keep in the Irish on that side as to secure those Garrisons from any foreign Invasion My Lord Drogheda's Regement was left in Westmeath and Col. Mitchelburns and Col. Venners in the A part of our Army left in the Country and why North and besides those we had in most places of the Kingdom under their Majesties Government a very active Malitia who were ready on all occasions to do Service Towards the beginning of June Major Culliford with a Party of Col. Matthews Dragoons and some Militia make inroads into the Enemies Quarters and bring several Preys from thence but with little loss of men to either side But hearing that a Party of the Enemys Horse and Foot to the number of 2000. or more as was reported were ordred to defend a part of the County of Cork and that of Kerry from whence the Irish had got greatest part of their Relief the preceeding Winter and were in hopes still so to do Major Culliford Major Culliford surprizes some of the Enemy with 120. of Col. Matthew's Dragoons and 50 Militia Foot surprised two of the Enemies Troops killed about 20. and pursued the rest to Newmarkit where we killed 15 more and took a prey and after that went four Miles further in hopes of a greater which we met with But Sir James Cotter being nigh the place with about 500. Horse and Dragoons fell upon our men as they were in disorder killed 20 and took as many Prisoners Major Culliford with 80. men made good their retreat and in the mean time 24. Militia and a 11 Dragoons got to a place called Drumaugh with part of the Prey and 20. of our men under Capt. Bower did the Enemy some mischief in their drawing off killing 23 or there abouts The same day Col. Hastings Col. Ogelby c. with 200. of the Army and 500 Militia being at Ballynagooly and understanding Major Cullifords danger they marched beyond Balycleugh to his Relief where the Enemy had lined some Hedges but our men forced them from thence and that Evening killed 50 next morning relieving those who took unto Drumaugh killing 13 and burning all the Country thereabouts Nigh the same time our Militia kill and take several Rapparees near Cashell and Major Welden with a party from Mountmelick kills 14. A party also of Col. Woolsley's Horse being Detached to scowre the Country about Bally-Boy killed 50. Rapparees at several times Judge Cox being made Governour of the Militia Judge Cox orders Iniskean to be Fortified in the County of Cork Fortifies Iniskean and puts a a Garison in it sending some of the Militia under Col. Townsend towards Bantree where they killed nigh a 100 Rapparees and brought off good store of Plunder and Col. Hastings from Cork seizes upon Drummaneer a considerable Post near the Black Water June the 17. A Party marched from Cashel and Clonmell who were in expectation of meeting with 400. Irish nigh Typerary but they having notice of it withdrew only our Party met with about 30 most of whom were killed and the Town Burnt The Rapparees near Roscreagh had a design to steal the Cattle of that Town but in the effecting of it 12. were killed and the Prey rescued Capt. White and some of the Militia went towards the Bogg of Allen where they killed 13 and the rest with Mackabe their Leader escaped for that time June the 19. A Party of the Earl of Drogheda's Regiment went from Athy to a place called Clonmellera having along with them Sir Thomas Atkins High Sheriff of the Queens County and a Party of the Militia their design was to surprize several notorious Rogues whom they had information were Harboured in that place they kill'd about 8. or 10. tho they did not meet with those Rogues that they expected June the 20. Two Rapparees were kill'd at Caperquin and two at the Gualtire and nigh the same time there was a party of a ragged Irish Regiment called the Prince of Wales's under one Delany a Franciscan Fryer near Castle-Town not far from Cashell who being frighted with a Rumour that part of our Forces were marching that way they all indeavour'd to shift for themselves Three of our Danes were surprized near Clonmell and carry'd to the Mountains but they and a Militia Trooper getting loose in a place where the Rapparees had bound them kill'd three Rapparees and got safe home Ten more were kill'd near Thurles and Twelve a day or two after near Bally-Boy as also two of Lutterill's Dragoons My Lord Blaney Lord Lieutenant of the County of Monahan having ordered the Militia of that County to be in Arms they kill'd 7 Rapparees at one time and 5 at another in the County of Monahan and two more in the County of Armaugh his Lordship by his diligence being very instrumental in keeping in the Irish from making Excursions from those parts about Sligoe And towards the latter end of June the Lords Justices by a Proclamation ordered the Weekly Fast to be renewed and every Friday to be set a part for craving the assistance of Almighty God in prospering of our Fleet and Army CHAP. VI. The Irish Army Decamp The Dead buried at Athlone The Enemy resolve to give us Battle The Works of Athlone repaired A party of our Horse surprized The Irish Prisoners sent to Dublin The Lords Justices Declaration to the Irish Our Army march from Athlone The Enemies Camp and Posture described The Orders that Night Monsieur St. Ruth 's supposed Speech to the Irish Our Army in sight of the Enemy The Line of Battle The Battle of Agrim A party of our Foot beat off Reinforced by Major General Talmash they beat the Enemy Monsieur St. Ruth kill'd Their Army Routed The number of the Dead And of the Prisoners Our loss at the Battle Instances in former Battles wherein the Irish have been Routed with little loss to the English An account of some Irish Prophecies Our Army lye upon their Arms that night Brigadeer Eppinger goes towards Portumna Loughrea deserted by the Irish Our Army march thither Then to Athenree July 1691. The General goes towards Galway The Town described Siege laid to it Major General Mackay passes the River A Fort taken The Irish beat a parley Hostages exchanged The Articles of Surrender Our Army return towards Limerick A Brief account of what happned in other places of the Kingdom during this Month. THE first of July My Lord Portland's Regiment of Guards Landed at Dublin and marcht in two or three Days towards the Camp upon our taking the Town Mons St. Ruth with the Irish Army The Irish Army decamp decamped that night and marcht towards Milton Pass and next
day about 10 a Clock their Reer Guard of Horse stood on the other side of Melahy their Foot vanishing out of sight toward Balynasloe for Monsieur St. Ruth being out-done in so considerable a matter as the losing Athlone he was resolved to retrieve his loss or Dye since he could not be answerable to his Master that imployed him for what had already happened and therefore he used all the means possible to strengthen his Army find out a convenient place of advantage to try his Fortune in since he saw that we were not shye in affording him opportunities now he begins to be very kind to and familiar with the Irish Officers whom formerly he had treated with Disrespect and Contempt and to Caress the Soldiers tho a little before he would Hang a Dozen of them in a morning for very slender faults as they thought he draws therefore his Army into the most convenient posture he could to watch our Motions The first thing our General did after the Town was The Dead about Athlone Buried taken was to order the Dead in and about the Town to be buryed and in the Evening all our Army was drawn up and 41 pieces of Cannon fared three rounds being seconded by the Horse and Foot and then followed Bonfires for Joy that the Town was taken which had cost us 12000 Cannon Bullets 600 Bombs nigh 50 Tun of Powder and a great many Tun of Stones shot out of our Mortars But after the Town was taken the Soldiers were many of them unruly and committed several outrages therefore it was given out in Orders that night that no Soldier should go to the Town or over the Water on pain of Death and the Sutlers that went to Dublin were ordered to go to the Hospital and take up the sick and wounded Men. And here let me observe once for all that we had much better conveniencies for our Sick and Wounded this Campaign than formerly having a great many large Tents set up in form of a Quadrangle with Quilts and other conveniencies for every Soldier nor was Dr. Lawrence Physitian to the Army Charles Thomson Esquire Chirurgeon General Mr Thomas Proby and the rest of the Chirurgeons wanting in their careful industry to recover and heal the Sick and Wounded which no doubt must be a great incouragement to the poor Soldiers when they know that if any misfortune attends them they shall undoubtedly be taken care for The Enemy Resolve to give us Battle July the 2 d. We had an account by some Deserters that the Enemies Foot were gone beyond Balynasloe and their Horse were Encampt on this side of it that they resolved to stay thereabouts and Fight us tho at present they were in a great Consternation and seem'd doubtful of their own performances A great many of the Country people and Deserters came hourly in and the General gave them all protections assuring them that they shou'd be kept Inviolable against any of our Army or others resolving to punish the Offenders with Death but on the other hand expected all conformity of dutiful Subjects to their Majesties from them and if any were found to carry Intelligence to the Enemy or harbour succour or conceal them they should suffer Death for it This day the General had an account from one Capt. Aughmouty that the Enemy had quitted Lanesbourgh and that he with his Troop had possest himself thereof July the 3 d. The General commanded his Army The Works of Aâ—hlone repaired to begin the repairing the Works of Athlone which were strangely shattered by our Cannon and not one House left whole in all the Town Especially the Castle which was beat down to the ground on the Southeast side as was also the Tower within it we fell to work therefore and put some few shattered Houses in a condition to hold our Magazines and Stores which were daily coming up from Dublin and Mullingar and without which we could not march forwards That morning William Robinson Esquire one of the Pay-masters to the Army came with Money as also many Waggons and Carts with Ammunition and other Mecessaries A Trumpeter returns with an answer of a Letter sent to the Enemy about the exchange of Prisoners The Fourth proved very Rainy yet our Men were imployed in clearing the Streets repairing the Breaches and mounting four of the Enemies Guns taken in the Town upon some of our spare Carriages That Evening a Party of 20 Horse and ten of Kirk's Granadeers A party of our Horse surprized mounted were sent out to view the Enemies Camp being Guided and Commanded by one Higgins a Converted Priest but they fell into an Ambush of 400 of the Enemies Horse in the Woods of Clanoult our men defended a Bridge and fought stoutly for some time but were at last broke 15 kill'd and 4 taken Prisoners the rest escaping with Higgins who was sadly Wounded The 5th Major General Maxwell and other Prisoners were sent towards Dublin but some of them make their escapes Three out of Col. Parker's and as many out of My Lord Antrim's Regiments deserted to us The 6th The Prisoners sent to Dublin one of our men taken Prisoner two days before was released by Lieutenant General Sheldon and that Evening it was given out in Orders to be ready to march by 5 in the morning the left Wing over the Pontoons and the right Wing over the Bridge which was now repaired and every Soldier was to have 15 shot of Powder The 7th the Army marched over the River and a Prisoner that had made his escape going to Mullingar was taken nigh Banoher and having stole a Horse he was hanged with a Rapparee guilty of the like Fact Capt. Villers returns with 30. Horse from viewing the Enemy still at Balynasloe and the Militia possess some Passes upon the Shanon And because a Declaration published this day by the Lords Justices by direction from England made a great noise both in the Enemies Camp and ours as also all the Kingdom over during the remainder of the Campaign being that upon which the Articles of Galway and Limerick and all the Irish Capitulations were afterwards founded it will not be amiss here to give you the Declaration it self at large as it was Published By the Lords Justices of Ireland a Proclamation Charles Porter Tho. Coningsby SInce it hath pleased Almighty God to give so great Success to their Majesties Arms toward the Reduction of the Kingdom of Ireland that in all probability the whole must in a short time be brought under Their Majesties Obedience with great Effusion of Blood and Destruction of Their Majesties Enemies Their Most Excellent Majesties in Compassion to their Seduced Subjects to avoid further Effusion of Blood and that nothing on Their Majesties part be wanting to Incourage and Invite all who are now in Arms against Them to subject themselves to Their Obedience and Government have Commanded us And we the Lords Justices of this Kingdom
Ties of Nation Blood and indeed of Interest But as the Nature of Man is apter to degenerate than improve so do the English oftner fall in love with the Barbarous Customs of the Irish than on the contrary Hence we read of the Earl of Desmond's complaining that the English were taking away their Estates and Countrey and advises the Irish to join with him in their Defence and yet his own Family had not been then in Ireland above three Generations and not that difference of Religion between them and the Natives as now and it 's observable that several Families removing out of England into Ireland call themselves by the Counties in England from whence they came for two or three Generations and then forgetting those they often turn meer Irish for put a drop of Wine into a pint of Water and it presently so far incorporates as you can by no means discern it so is it often with an English Family that has the Misfortune to be planted amongst the meer Irish for it soon becomes of the same stamp with themselves The consequence of which has been lookt upon to be so pernicious to the English Interest in that Country that not only the English have been forbid Cohabitation with the Irish but there was a time when Thomas Lord Burrough then Lord Deputy of Ireland amongst other Instructions had Charge to enquire what English Vndertakers had contrary to their Covenants suffered Irish Men to Inhabit their Lands Cox Vol. 1. Page 413. But I shall forbear this Subject for some time and since I am run abroad I shall give you some of many Instances in former times wherein the Irish lost considerable numbers with small loss to the English Instances wherein the Irish have been formerly overthrown by the English and that with very little Loss to the Britains To omit therefore the inequality of Numbers at the first Conquest and the little loss commonly on our side in those great Victories then obtained In the Year 1316. William de Burgo and Richard de Brimingham encountred Falany O Connor King of Conaught and killed the King with 8000 of his Men near Athenree with very little loss to themselves and yet the numerous Off-spring of those brave English Commanders are all or most of them at this day reputed Irish and have declared themselves for that Interest August the 9th 1336. The English gave the Irish another defeat in Conaught with the loss of one Man killing Ten Thousand of their Enemies And Anno 1504. the Lord Deputy Kildare fought with Bourk then turned Irish and a great many other Irish Lords in a strong Confederacy at Knocklow on the 19th of August and killed four thousand some say 9000. and not one man killed or hurt on his side In the Year 1566. Col. Randolph Governour of Derry sallyed thence with 300 Foot and 50 Horse upon O Neal who then designed to Besiege the Town In which Sally Four Hundred of the Irish were killed without the loss of one English man except Col. Randolph himself James Fitz-Maurice and others were also Defeated in Queen Elizabeth's time and Four Hundred of them killed without the loss of one English man except a Servant of one Captain Malby's And Sir George Bingham Routed a Party of the Irish The Irish always come off the losers Commanded by the Bourks at a place called Ardaner being three thousand in number of whom only Seven escaped and yet very little loss to Sir George's side August the 8th 1647. Six thousand of the Irish are said to be killed at the Battle of Dungan-Hills fought by Maj. Gen. Jones and not above Twenty English slain And what wonder is it then if the Battle of Aghrim the Greatest and Best that ever the Irish fought should be won with the loss of so few on our side But such is the unhappiness of that People that tho they always have the worst of it yet Campion makes this severe Remark upon them and affirms That notwithstanding their Oaths and their Pledges they are no longer true than they find themselves the Weaker And indeed all things considered it can be reckoned no other than a misfortune to England in having that Island so near adjoyning whose Inhabitants have all along differed from us in Language and in Interest and of late also in Religion too Hence sad experience tells us that the Blood and Treasure of England have been Exhausted upon Ireland when ever any Foreign Prince could think his Affairs secure or advanced by a dispute in having the Irish Natives on his side who have been ready always to joyn with any against England whose Subjects they have over over again acknowledged themselves tho Heaven seems still to blast their attempts and perfidy to that degree that what side soever they have taken as yet against the English has never prospered Which And those also that set them a work puts me in mind of a Story that I have heard relating to the former Wars when several of the Irish Nobility and Gentry assembled at Kilkenny were consulting what means to use for the driving out of Oliver Cromwell then lately Landed with an Army from England after several proposals all which were found difficult My Lord Clanmalera a well meaning Gentleman amongst them but who seldome used to make Speeches he now stood up and after a profound silence and great expectation he gravely advised them by all means to joyn with Cromwell and to espouse his Interest heartily as the only Expedient to Ruine him and then to confirm his Opinion he gave them several instances of their being unfortunate to their Friends and Confederates formerly As to this last Effort of theirs which yet I pray God may be so it was no less unhappy than any of the former since before that Ireland was in the fairest way imaginable of being made for ever an English Countrey for the Natives were generally poor and not able to carry on a War even against the English of their own Kingdom whose Servants or Tenants commonly they were till by an unaccountable Zeal for Popery in King James a dexterous management in My Lord Tyrconnel to make himself Great and so to advance the Interest of his Nation together with a secret design of the French King's for his own sake the Irish were encouraged to that degree that the Child as yet unborn may curse the occasions of so much Blood spilt and Treasure lost as has been expended in their suppression and yet I see little advantage that either themselves or any of their Patrons have got by the Bargain I shall conclude this Digression and the Battle of An account of some Iâ—ish Prophecies Aghrim with an Account of a Prophecy which the Irish had of a Battle to be fought at this place I was told by a Gentleman who lives now in that Neighbourhood that at least a year before the Battle was fought several of the Vlster Creights driving their Cattle that
loss to us because of the conveniency of Ground we had to Encamp on There were only three Ships left now in the Bay who anchoring nigh the Town they made off from the Shoar as the Army marched in And there was a Proposal offered to make all our Tin-Boats into four Floats and put two small Field-pieces upon each with which we were to attempt the seizing the Ships in the Bay for it was supposed that if the Ships had Guns yet our Floats would be so flat as to lie under them and so we might with no great danger either board or sink the Vessels but after having made the Floats and mounted some of our Guns upon them the design was found impracticable for several Reasons and we had an opportunity of lamenting our misfortune in not having at that time so much as one English Frigat near us The Boats therefore were to be imployed other-ways for as soon as it was grown dark Lieutenant A Party of Monks pass the River General Mackay with Colonel Tiffins Colonel St. Johns Monsieur Cambons Lord George Hambletons one Dutch and a Danish Regiment of Foot with four Squadrons of Horse and Dragoons were wafted over the River about two Miles above the Town by break of day our men were all safe on the other side meeting with no opposition only a small Party of Dragoons fir'd at the first Party that landed and then scoured off whether the Irish really expected Balderock O Donnell to come into Town that way is uncertain however we had now destroyed all hopes of it and he retired again into the County of Mayo from whence he writ to the General as has been said On Sunday in the Evening not many hours after we appear'd before the Town one Captain Bourk deserted from the Eâ—â—my and gave the General an account that the Fort the Irish were making towards the South-East was almost finished and therefore the sooner it was attacked it would be the easier gained and that it was as necessary for us to take as them to keep it because iâ— commanded a great part of the Wall on that side the Town Nâ—xt Morning early A Fort taken Count Nassau with a Party of Granadeers and two Regiments of Foot was conducted by Captain Bourk the safest way to attack this Fort Major General Talmash would needs go a Volunteer as he usually did when it was not his turn to command we mannaged it so well that our Granadeers were got almost to the Foot of the Enemies works before they discovered us upon which the Irish made some faint firings but our men then rushed forwards and threw in their Granado's which soon forced the Enemy to retire by a Line of Communication that was drawn from the Fort to the Town we lost in this Action only a Lieutenant and five Men having two Lieutenants and eight men more wounded and after the Fort was in our possession the Irish fired both small and great shot upon us from their Walls by which they wounded several and killed one Mounsieur Madronet an Ingineer as he was giving Orders to the Workmen That morning five Troopers desert from Balderock's Party giving some account of his present circumstances tho when the Irish within saw a part of our Army beyond the River they still made shew of resisting and burnt all the Suburbs on that side the Town which were very large and the Irish the readier to destroy them because most of the Houses thereabouts had formerly belonged to the English About ten a Clock and whilst their Suburbs were yet in a flame the Irish beat a Parley the Governour sending The Irish beat a Parley a Drummer wiâ—â— a Letter to the General to desire a safe Conduct for some Persons to come out in order to a Capitulation To which the General returned a satisfactory Answer and presently a Cessation was commanded between the Camp and Garrison those in Town crowding in great numbers upon the Walls and our Souldiers going to the out-side of the Irish Works enquiring each for their Friends and Acquaintance in one anothers Army In the afternoon Hostages were exchanged in order Hostages exchanged to a Treaty Those on our side were Lieutenant Colonel Purcel Lieutenant Colonel Coot and the Marquess de Rhada Lieutecant Colonel to my Lord Cutts The Enemies Hostages were Lieutenant Colonel Linch Lieutenant Colonel Burk and Lieutenant Colonel Reyley The Articles were not agreed upon that day and the Irish prevailed with the General to continue the Cessation till Tuesday at ten a Clock which time being come the General ordered eight Guns and four Mortars to be drawn down to that Fort we took the day before and there to be planted then sent a Drum to command away his Hostages but the Irish had some debates amongst themselves not that they pretended to hold out the Town but about the method of Surrender and the Substance of their Articles Their delayes however made the General impatient and he sent once or twice to hasten their Resolutions At last Lieutenant Colonel Burk one of their Hostages was permitted to go in Major General Talmash as was believed being inclined to lay the Treaty aside desired him When they were ready to begin afresh to give us a sign to secure our selves by firing a Gun into the Air The other replied That they would not fire from within till we provok'd them to it from without But after some further time it was agreed to that next Sunday morning the Town should be delivered up upon the following Articles The Articles of Galloway as they were confirmed afterwards by their Majejesties GUlielmus Maria Dei gratia Angliae Scotiae Franciae Hiberniae Rex Regina Fidei Defensores c. Omnibus ad quos praesentes Litera Nostrae pervenirint salutem Inspeximus Irrotulamentum quarundum literarum patentium de confirmatione gerenda apud Westmonasterium decimo Septimo die Februarii ultimo praeterito in Curia Cancelaria Nostra Irrotulata ac ibidem Recordo Remanente in haec verba WIlliam and Mary by the Grace of God c. To all to whom these presents shall come Greeting Whereas certain Articles bearing date the one and twentieth day of July last past were made and agreed upon by our Trusty and well belvoed Rebort Baron de Ginckel Lieutenant General and Commander in Chief of Our Forces in Our Kingdom of Ireland and the Constable and Governour of Our Town of Galway in Our said Kingdom Whereby Our said General promises that We should ratifie these Capitulations within the space of three months from the date thereof or sooner The Tenor of which said Articles is as followeth Viz. Articles granted to the Town and Garison Articles of Galloway of Galloway by Lieutenant General Ginckell Commander in Chief of Their Majesties Forces the 21st of July 1691. I. THat the Town and Fort of Galloway shall be given up to his Excellency or such Officer as he shall
appoint on Sunday Morning next by six of the Clock together with all the Stores of Ammunition and Provision and Magazines of all sorts without Embezlement and that immediately upon the signing these Articles such Persons as the General shall appoint have leave to inspect them II. That all Deserters that are in the Town shall be given up III. That immediately after the signing these Articles all the Outworks of the Town shall be delivered to such Officers as the General shall appoint to take Possession of the same and that the General shall withdraw all the Cannon from the Wall IV. That till the Town is surrendred as aforesaid the General may order such Works and Batteries to be made as he shall judge convenient provided he doth not bring them within three yards of the Wall nor the Guns within ten yards of the Batteries and that in the Town they shall not proceed to work to fortifie the same any further V. In Consideration of the said Rendition his Excellency gives leave to Lieutenant General d'Vssone Monsieur Metlet Commissary of War and the rest of the French Officers and Souldiers and others of that Nation now in Gallway to go to Limerick with their Arms Bag and Bagage whether they shall be safely conducted the nearest way and in case that the said Lieutenant General d'Vssone shall want Horses to carry his Equipage thither the General will furnish him with them VI. That such of the Garison as desire it may remain in Town or go to their respective homes and enjoy the benefit of this Capitulation and the rest shall march to Limerick with their Arms six pieces of Cannon Drums beating Colours flying Match lighted Bullet in mouth and as much Ammunition and Provisions as each Officer and Souldier can carry with him and that they shall be furnished with Draught-Horses and Harnesses for their Guns if they want them which said Guns they shall have liberty to choose provided they take none above twelve Pounders VII That the wounded and sick Officers may stay in Town till they are cured and that then they shall be sent to Limerick with a safe Conduct and in the mean time shall be provided in Town with necessaries for their Cure and Subsistance VIII That the Governor Constable Mayor She riffs Aldermen Burgesses Freemen and Natives of Gallway and the Inhabitants thereof or the reputed ones by any former Charter of King James the II. granted before his Abdication or any of his Ancestors shall have a general Pardon of all Attainders Outlawries Treasons Fellonies Premunires and all manner oâ— Offences committed since the beginning of the said King James's Reign to the date hereof IX That all and every of the Garison Officers Governor Constable Mayor Sheriffs Aldermen Burgesses Freemen and Inhabitants aforesaid shall enjoy and possess their Estates real and personal and all other Liberties and Immunities as they held or ought to have held under the Acts of Settlement and Explanation or other-ways by the Laws of this Kingdom freely discharged from all Crown-rents quit-rents and all other Charges to the date hereof X. That the Names of the Roman Catholick Clergy of the Town of Gallway be given to the General on or before Tuesday next and that they as well as the Laity of the said Town shall have the private Exercise of their Religion without being prosecuted on any Penal Laws for the same and that the said Clergy shall be protected in their Persons and Goods XI That the Gentlemen of Estates now belonging to the Town and Garison of Gallway shall have liberty to keep a Gun in their Houses for the defence of the same and wear a Sword and Case of Pistols if they think fit XII That all the Roman Catholick Lawyers of the said Town shall have the free liberty of Practice that they had in King Charles the Second's time XIII That such of the Officers belonging to any of the Regiments that are now in Gallway and not present at the signing of these Capitulations shall have the benefit of the same provided they shall submit within three Weeks to the Governor of Gallway for the time being who shall be appointed by the General or that they shall have a safe Conduct to go to Limerick in the same manner as the said Garison has XIV That such other Persons now in Town as desire to go out with the Garison or such part thereof as goes to Limerick shall have liberty to do so and carry their Families and Goods along with them and that such Officers Wives belonging to the said Garison as are there or in any other part of Conaught may at the same time depart with their Goods or at any other convenient time afterwards particularly Colonel Edmund Reily's Wife Mother and Family the Lady Jvaugh and her Daughter and Lieutenant Colonel Luke Reily his Brother Philip Reily their Wives and Families XV. That immediately all Acts of Hospitality shall cease on both sides and that if it shall happen that any provoking Language shall pass between the Souldiers they shall be punished by their respective Officers for the same and not permitted to fire on one another XVI That for the due performance of these Articles the Governor shall immediately give the Persons undernamed for Hostages Earl of Clanrickard Colonel Dominick Brown Lord of Iniskillin Major Dillon Lieutenant Col. Bodkin Lastly The General promises to have these Capitulations ratified by Their Majesties within the space of three Months from the date hereof or sooner if possible Signed and Sealed the day above-mention'd by the Commander in Chief of Their Majesties Forces and the Constable and Governor of the said Town interchangeably Dillon Clanrickard Iniskillin Signed and Sealed in the presence of Dominick Brown John Bodkin Thomas Dillon James Skelton James O Brian Hugh Dogherty John Stephenson Oliver O Gara William Bourke Anthony O Dogherty Robert Linch Bryan O Neile Hugh O Neile John Dogherty And whereas the said Town of Gallway hath been since in pursuance of the said Articles surrendred to us Know ye that we having considered of the said Articles are graciously pleased hereby to declare that we do as far as in us lies ratifie and confirm the same and every Clause Matter and Thing therein contained And as to such part thereof for which An Act of Parliament shall be found to be necessary we shall recommend the same to be made good by Parliament And shall give our Royal Assent to any Bill or Bills that shall be passed by our two Houses of Parliament for that purpose Provided always and our Will and Pleasure is that these our Lettees Pattents shall be enrolled in our Court of Chancery in our said Kingdom of Ireland within one year next ensuing In witness c. Witness our self at Westminster the Seventeenth Day of February Anno Regni Regis Regina Guillielmi Mariae quarto per bene de privato Sigillo Nos autem tenorem praemissorum praedict ac requisitionem Atturnati
Generalis Domini Regis Dominae Reginae pro Regno Hyberniae duximus exemplificandum per praesentes In Cujus rei Testimonium has litteras nostras fieri facimus patentes Testibus nobis ipsis apud Westmonasterium quinto die Aprilis Anno Regni eorum quarto Bridges Examinat per nos S. Keck Lacon W. Child In Cancell Magistros This Town with a good Garison in it might have July 169â— given us more trouble and so have postponed the Siege of Limerick yet considering their present Circumstances they did not manage ill in procuring for themselves those Terms which they had tho' the General might safely condescend to grant any thing included in the Lords Justices Declaration which both the Articles of Gallway and Limerick are At the same time that Gallway was Capitulating there came a Drum from Limerick which put us in hopes that all was over and that they had a mind to make Terms not only for Gallway but for the Irish Nation in general but it was only about the exchange or releasing of some Prisoners which at that time could not be granted or rather it was to understand what became of Gallway that so the others might take their measures accordingly THE TOWN OF GALLOWAY Besieged the 19th of Iuly and surrendred the 14th 1692. About ten a Clock my Lord Dillon marched out with the Irish Garison being not above two thousand three hundred men and those but indifferently armed and worse cloathed they had six pieces of Cannon according to the Capitulation four of which were Iron and drawn by six Teams of our Horses having a Guard of Horse and Dragoons from our Camp to conduct them to Limerick At twelve a Clock the General himself went into Town being attended after his entrance by the Mayor and Aldermen the Recorder making a Speech to wish him Joy In the Evening one Captain Brain O Neal with most of his Company deserted from the Enemy as did also several others and taking the Oath of fidelity to their Majesties were either dismist to their several Habitations or else were entertained in our Army as their fancy led them We found several Guns in Town unmounted and two or three very fine Brass Guns which they had not planted in any place to be made use of there was also good store of Ammunition left besides eight hundred Hogs-heads of Meal and other things of value July the 27th That part of the Army encampt beyond the River under Lieutenant General Mackay marcht through the Town and our men were set to work in improving the Fort which the Irish had formerly begun towards the South-East Corner of the Wall six of our Guns were likewise sent into Town since we had furnished the Irish with Draught-horses for so many of theirs then we levelled all the Batteries and other Works that we had begun against the place and all sick Souldiers that were not able to march were ordered to be taken care of by the Governor except such as were sent in Waggons towards Athlone The 28th we marched back to Athenree and as the Army were in motion Captain Coal with nine Men of The Army removes War and eighteen other Ships appeared in the Bay of Gallway to whom the General sent Orders to sail immediately for the Shannon the twenty ninth we marched to Lougbreagh and the next day proving very rainy the Army rested The 31th the Army marched A Squadron of Ships come into the Bay towards Airs Court a well improved place and a good Country all about but upon occasion of the Waters being swelled by the former days rain or else through the mistake of Orders the Army encamped that night in three several places which had been a good opportunity for a vigorous Enemy to endeavour the retrieving of their Losses but the Truth of it was they were at too great a distance for any such Attempt And since we have brought the Army to the end of A Brief Account of what hapned in other places of the Kingdom this month let us leave them a while on their march towards Limerick and briefly give an account of what hapned much about this time in several other parts of the Kingdom July the 1st Lieutenant Colonel Dawson marcht with a Party of the Militia towards the Comorra Mountains not far from Waterford where he killed three Rapparees and Major Stroud being one of the Officers appointed by the Government to Command the Militia in the County of Cork killed ten Rapparees near Baly-Cleugh and in ten days there were sixty more killed in that part of the Countrey adjoyning to Bandon by Lieutenant Colonel More and others of the Militia and Colonel Blunt killed five near Cashell In the beginning of April one Duppine obtained Letters Patents for the setting up a Linnen Manufacture in Ireland this was very taking at first and a great many of the Chief men in the Kingdom had shares in it On the 8th of July the Lords Justices with several of the Nobility and Judges met at the Tholsâ—ll in Dublin and there admitted several new Members of the said Corporation but what this project will come to in this Kingdom is as yet uncertain The same day our Smirna Fleet came into the Harbour of Kinsale and we had an account that our Grand Fleet was then nigh Cape-Clere About this time five and twenty Rapparees were killed near Mount Melick and part of the Militia of Roscreagh go towards Nenagh upon an expedition for black Cattle and killed ten Rapparees one Captain Warren killed nine also in the County of Killkenny On the 17th ten Ships with Mortars Bombs Ammunition c. came from Dublin to Kinsale being part of those convoyed afterwards by Captain Coale to Limerick and then our Fleet convoyed the Smirna-Fleet from Kinsale towards England Ships also came to Waterford with one hundred Recruits for the Brandenburg Regiment who suffered much in the former Siege of Limerick and some few also for the Danes John Weaver Esq High Sheriff of the County of Westmeath by Order from the Government gives Protections to several Rapparees and those discover a knot of Rogues twenty three of whom were killed by the Militia and three Gun-smiths also who were at work for them on a Forge built in the midst of a great Wood. July the 20th a Party of the Irish Army appear nigh Cashell but marched off again without attempting any thing And Colonel James Barry with a Party of the Militia killed five and thirty Rapparees near Tallough but being way-laid by the Enemy most of his Party were killed or taken Prisoners and himself carried to Limerick where he remained a Prisoner till the Town was surrendred The 22 d. three Rapparees were killed near Cork and four more towards Cahir The 23 d. Lieutenant Colonel Ramsey Captain Kingsly and other Officers with one hundred Souldiers out of Colonel Venner's Regiment formerly Sir Edward Deering's joyned with four hundred of the Militia marched towards
detached a Party towards a Bridge about half a mile from the Place thinking to maintain that Pass till his Men might march safely off towards Limerick but at his coming to the Bridge perceiving our Men marching to the Right and Left to incompass him after some few shots he retreated to Nenagh setting the small part of the Town that was left on fire which was soon Nenagh deserted by the Irish quenched by some English Prisoners that had been kept there but now released when the Irish made towards Limerick when our Men got to Nenagh Major VVood was ordered with a Party to pursue the Irish which he did almost to Cariganlis taking most of their Baggage and about four hundred large Cattle which the Irish were in too great haste to carry off The Third our Army marched to Bi r but the passage over the Bridge at Banoher being exceeding troublesom it was late before the Guns and Carriages could be got up and therefore we rested on the Fourth And now we found that notwithstanding all the supplies of Horses that we had out of England yet there still wanted a great many for the use of the heavy Cannon and therefore it was proposed to bring them down from Athlone to Limerick by Water but that being found impracticable the General sent to Dublin where most of the Nobility and Gentry furnished him with their Coach Horses but all those not being sufficient a great many more were pressed by an Order from the Government The Fifth we marched to Burasicane where there had been a pretty English Plantation but burnt down the former Winter by the Garrison of Bi r because they did not desire to have the Rapparees in so near a Neighbourhood The Sixth we marched to Ninagh where we stayed four dayes for want of Bread and other Necessaries The Army march thither it being no small difficulty to furnish an Army with constant Supplies in a desolate Country when they are still upon their march and where every thing must he carried upon the Axletree Friday the Seventh The Lord Justice Coningesby came to the Camp where he staid nigh a Fortnight And Saturday the Eighth a Party of Horse and Dragoons with several Pioneers went towards the Silver Mines to mend the Roads for our heavy Carriages Another Party at the same time marching towards Killalow Pass who brought in seven or eight Prisoners A Brigadier of the Guards and two more Horsemen desert the Enemy and inform us that they were encamped nigh Cariganlis and making what preparations they could to withstand us forcing all the Irish into Arms that were within their Jurisdiction and arming their Foot anew out of the Stores at Limerick and that they talked of giving us Battle again before we should approach the Town The same day one Mr. Richards came A Treaty with Balderock O Donel. from Balderock O Donel to our Camp where he stayed two or three dayes and then went towards Dublin in order to wait upon his Majesty who was then in Flanders His business was to assure the General of Balderooks affections to their Majesties Service and that if he might have the Men he brought over with him admitted into pay in order to serve his Majesty in Flanders or elsewhere himself made Earl of Tyrconnel to which he pretended a Title from his Ancestors and have two thousand pounds given him for his expences he would then come over to us and bring a considerable Body of the Irish along with him The General therefore considering that it was no ill policy to get the Irish to draw bloud one of another consented to some of O Donnels proposals and the business was shortly after compleated tho' Balderock complained heavily that the thing should be made publick to the great hinderance August 169â— of the Numbers of Men he designed to bring off and almost to the hazard of his own life for this Treaty was first in the Dublin Intelligence and then in the London Gazette dated August the 13th which was before the thing was really compleated but those that have seen Balderock will believe that it was partly his own fault There was also an Officer sent at the same time by Sir Teague O Regan from Sligo about the surrender of that place the Articles being in a manner agreed to but this business was afterwards delayed and the Government obliged to be at the expence and trouble of sending a Body of men from Dublin and other parts of the Kingdom to reduce it by force and it s confidently averred that this hapned meerly by the covetousness of one of our Colonels who had the Secreet of this Affair committed to his management August the 9th Lieutenant Colonel Oxborough of Colonel Lutterill's Horse his Lieutenant and their Attendance desert and come to our camp and a Foot Officer with eleven Musquiteers and their Arms came in also A Man and a Woman were this day hanged in the Camp the Man for robbing Tents and the Woman for being accessary to the Murther of one of our Souldiers nigh Gallway The time limited in the Lords Justices Proclamation dated July the 7th being now expired and the General willing still to use all fair means possible to bring in the Irish without the effusion of more Blood he therefore orders the following Declaration to be prepared By Lieutenant General Ginckell Commander in Chief of Their Majesties Forces August 1691. THE Enemies of Their Majesties Government A Declaration from the General to the Irish and the Disturbers of the Quiet of this Kingdom having been very industrious to conceal the Grace and Favour which has been offered to such as should return to their Duty To take away all manner of excuse for the future from those that still continue in Arms I have thought fit to publish that tho' the Term prescribed by the Lords Justices in their Proclamation of the seventh of July is expired so that no man can lay claim to the Condiscentions therein made yet if within ten days from the date hereof any Person or Persons shall do the Services therein mentioned I promise with the Consent of the Lords Justices who are thereunto impowered by Their Majesties that they shall have a full and free Pardon of all Treasons Crimes and Offences by them committed against Their Majesties Government and be restored to their Estates forfeited by the said Treasons c. And to shew their Majesties Bounty and Confidence in them that leave the Enemy and have a mind to testifie their Zeal and Affection to Their Majesties Service I do hereby engage that all such Officers and Souldiers as come off from the Irish with a Body of Men or surrender any Town or strong Castle into our Hands within the abovesaid ten days shall have if they desire it the same or better Post or Employment in the Army then they left and a Reward suitable to the Merit of the Service they perform as those have already had
loss casting up some Works nigh the Shannon towards the West behind which the Danes encamped and maintained that part of the Work during the Siege We improved also these Forts deserted by the Irish and drew a new Line from the old Church Fort to Mackay's The 27th in the Morning the Prince of Hess with his The Prince of Hess sent to Castle-Connel own Regiment Col. Tiffin's and Col. St. John's five pieces of Cannon and about 700 Horse and Dragoons marched to Castle-Connel which we had not blown up effectually last Year and wherein the Irish had now a Garison of 250 Men. They refused the Prince's Proffers to them at first but after two Days Siege were content to be all made Prisoners of War The same Day Maj. Gen. Scravemore went with another Party and four Guns to Carick-a-Gunnel a Castle upon the River three miles below the Town wherein was a Garison of 150 Men who also submitted to be Prisoners of War as did one or two Castles more the leaving these Detachments in such places being very inaccountable since they had a mind to defend them no better This seems rather want of Instructions what to do than Courage to perform it for to give the Irish their due they can defend stone Walls very handsomly We read that Sir George Carew President of Munster in Queen Elizabeth's Time took the Castle of Dunboy in the West of Ireland by Assault where the Irish made the most resolute Defence of any of the like nature before or since for the Garison being 130 choice Men were all either killed or hanged for holding out and some of them defended the very Vaults during a whole Night though all the rest of the Castle was taken and one Mack Geoghagan being desperately wounded when he saw the English enter the Vault he endeavoured to cast a lighted Candle into a Barrel of Powder to blow himself and them up together but was prevented in his Design and so died The Irish planted two Field-pieces on the opposite side the River by which they obliged two Regiments of our Dragoons that lay close to the Shannon to remove but as soon as we had placed some Guns to flank their small Battery they drew off Orders were given to fit up 600 Bombs and 1000 Hand-Granades and in the Afternoon eighteen of our Ships came up the River within a mile of the Town and fired some Shots into the Irish Our Ships come nigh the Town Horse-Camp as they sailed along they being encamped at that time nigh the River at a place called Craightulagh This put several of the Irish much out of Countenance for till then they were made believe that either we had no Ships in the River or else those we had would quickly be swallowed up by the French Fleet which they hourly expected The 28th an Order was sent to Kinsale for the rest of the Provision-Ships then in that Harbour to sail to the Shannon And the General went on board some of those Ships that came up the Day before giving Command to bring on shoar several Pieces of new Cannon and Mortars which was performed on the 29th And all the Prisoners that had been taken in several Castles being about 400 in number were sent towards Clonmel with a Party of Horse and Dragoons to guard them This Evening our Line of Circumvallation was finished and our other Works by hard labour much improved the Enemy playing hot upon us from the King's Castle and three more Batteries Our Business was now to raise a Battery for ten Guns and seven Mortars which was performed before next Morning and August the 30th our Guns and Mortars were drawn down to it the first began immediately to play on Thoumond-Bridg and the Houses on that side the Town at Night also our Bombs began to fly with pretty good Success 101 being thrown before next Morning The Enemy now desert Killmallock a Town upon the The Enemy desert Killmallock Road between Cork and Limerick whither the Irish flocked in great Numbers in former times to welcome the Earl of Desmond out of England who was sent over upon some Reasons of State by Queen Elizabeth their first Saluations were to throw Wheat and Salt upon him in token of Peace and Plenty But next day when they saw him go to Church they fell to murmur and spit at him and never would own him more And so hateful was not only our Religion but even the Civil Habits and Customs of the English to some of them that in the same Queen's Reign it was with much difficulty that some of the Irish Nobility could be perswaded to put on their Robes when they were to appear in the House of Lords in time of Parliament And I have heard it affirmed by those that knew it that even in this last War and if I am not much mistaken in the Parliament that was held at Dublin by the late King too it was proposed by some to destroy all fine Houses and every thing else that look'd like Improvement and so return to the former barbarous way of living of their Ancestors that it might not be worth the while for England or any other Nation to seek a new Conquest over them but these Men did not consider that England has been at too much Expence and is now too well acquainted with Ireland ever to be without it August 31. One Capt. Morice a Lieutenant and eleven Dragoons belonging to Sir Donald O-Neal's Regiment deserted from beyond the River and tell us that the Enemy were mightily apprehensive of our getting over but that their Horse and Dragoons would endeavour to watch our Motion and do all they could to prevent us Our Batteries play very hard all this Day and at Night four out of each Troop of Horse and Dragoons throughout the Army were ordered to work at a new Battery to the Right of the former and somewhat nearer the Town they wrought very stoutly and finished their Battery before next Morning This was a thing very unusual for Horsemen especially to work in Trenches but there was in a manner a Necessity for it for our Foot were upon Duty by whole Regiments every second Night beside Detachments and Workmen upon sundry Occasions every Day And therefore Adjutant General Withers was commanded to order the Regiments that marched to the Trenches not to mount with Colours that the Enemy might not be sensible how fast our Duty came upon us The same Day a Party of four hundred Horse was Brigadeer Leveson sent into Kerry sent abroad to scour the Country And Brigadeer Leveson with seven hundred Horse and Dragoons went into the County of Kerry to reduce the Irish in those Parts Which some of the Inhabitants in other Places will needs call the most natural Irish in the Kingdom and yet they say every Cow-boy amongst them can speak Latin on purpose to save them from the Gallows when they come afterwards to be tried for Theft For though
there be very severe Laws against it and often put in Execution yet Robbing Plundering or Stealing are accounted but small Crimes amongst the Natives if not done to their Lords or Followers for what they could purchase formerly they thought it clear Gain and Castles built to secure it which thievish Spirit is not as yet quite banished that part of the Country nor scarce any other part of the Kingdom And though this sort of People have been always observed to have dexterous Faculties at more kinds of Mischiefs than Stealing yet it 's no new Complaint That by long Vse it is grown to a mischievous Custom in Ireland that Rebels and Malefactors might with the Money they had gotten by Pillage and Plunder when they set Places on fire procure for themselves Protections and escape without Punishment Cox Vol. 1. p. 415. Brigadeer Leveson at his going into Kerry found the whole Country up in Arms against him my Lord Merion's and my Lord Bretta's Horse being there to assist the Rapparees About a Mile above Limerick there lies a small Island in the Shannon called St. Thomas's Island where formerly stood a Chappel dedicated to that Saint but now ruinous though at present there are two or three small Houses in the Island and some little Inclosures Here the Irish had kept several of the Protestants belonging to the City under a Guard for some time past and now they were released by Major Stroud who kept Guard at Anighbegg with a Party of the County of Cork Militia the Irish Captain and some others of their Guard coming off also with them But what can be a greater Testimony of a rapacious Humour than this for some of the Militia stripp'd their Fellow-Protestants of what the Irish had left them as they conducted them from the Island to our Camp which I would not have said but that I had it from the Mouths of those very People that were so served who during their stay in Town with other Protestants of all sorts had shewed the greatest Affection and Compassion imaginable to those of our Army that were Prisoners there but now the Scene was altered and all the shift that themselves could make for some days was to make up little Places to creep into amongst the Fascines that lay on heaps by the General 's Quarters till our Waggons carried them farther off into the Countrey This Night Major General Talmash commanded in the Major General Talmash commands in the Trenches Trenches by whose Diligence and Example the Works were run nearer and much strengthned though the Enemy fired very briskly all Night and did us some Damage The Battery raised by the Troopers was also improved lying between Nassaw's Fort and the other Battery and eight Guns brought down to it but this being judged also too remote from the Town the Guns were never planted But it 's now time to leave the Camp a little and look backwards to see what was done in other parts of the Kingdom during this Month of August And first at What hapned in other Parts of the Kingdom this Month. Dublin there was great care taken to procure as many Horses as could be got for the necessary Occasions of the Army Provisions likewise of all sorts and Ammunition were sent up continually and the Harvest being now almost ready and very few Hands being left to take care of that Corn which the Irish had sown in several places of Connaught the Lords Justices therefore order a Proclamation to be published August the fourth That whereas since the Battel of Aghrim and the Surrender of Galway the Farmers Cottiers and other Inhabitants of Connaught had withdrawn themselves so that there were not Hands sufficient to get in the Harvest It was therefore proclaimed That all Farmers Cottiers and Under-Tenants following the Enemies Camp that should within fifteen days return to their Habitations in Connaught and apply themselves to the bringing in the Harvest they should not only quietly and peaceably enjoy their several Farms as they formerly did c. but should be fully and absolutely protected if not guilty of private Murder And that all Persons that would mow the Grass and reap the Corn upon the Land of such Absentees as would not return themselves should have one half of such Corn and Hay to their own proper Use and be protected in the quiet and peaceable Possession thereof behaving themselves as good Subjects and bringing the other half to some convenient Place upon the Farm for the King's Service But how good soever the Design might be I heard of little Effect this Proclamation had for several of the Irish last Spring had plowed and sown their Lands in Connaught hoping we would never come thither and those that did not plow expected to come over and get enough on our side the Shannon but when they were disappointed in both these they would yet go along with the Crowd in hopes of returning again in a small time And it 's observable that there have not been so many Marriages for many Years before amongst the Irish as was last Winter in Limerick Galway and all Connaught over whether it was out of confidence that they should certainly be Masters of the Kingdom after all or else that they were crowded into a narrower Compass and so had the more Opportunities of Courting I leave others to judg August the fourth Sir Albert Cunningham's Dragoons being left at Galway when the Army moved from thence march'd now to Portumna and Athenree and a hundred Foot detached under Major Smith to Loughrea By Letters from Cashell August 5. the Government had notice that great Heats and Debates arose daily amongst the great Officers in the Irish Army and that some Persons endeavouring to get off for France were forced back again and the Ship taken wherein the Goods belonging to Monsieur Saint Ruth the late General were on board and that several Ladies were forced ashore in Kerry or obliged to return to Limerick and that a Privateer brought into Rye a Prize of six Guns and six Patereroes bound from Limerick to France having several Passengers on board amongst the rest my Lord Abercorne who was killed in the Fight as were several more killed and wounded on both sides What Letters and other Papers they had could not be recovered for they threw them over-board Nigh this time Colonel Mitchelburn with his own Regiment and a Party of the Militla invest Sligo and Terms were proposed but not agreed to as is already said Part of the Virginia Fleet being seventy two Sail of Merchant-Ships came into Kinsale Bay on the twelfth of August under the Convoy of the Experience and the Wolf forty Sail more of them being gone to Bristol August the 13th three Leagues West of Cape Clear a French Man of War met with 14 English Merchant-Men homewards bound from Antego Mevis and Monserat and took two of them the rest escaping into Cork and Baltimore Havens Two of our Men of War
four executed two more were hanged at Carlow by Sir Thomas Butler's Orders and one of Mackabe's Servants kill'd and thus ended the Month of August CHAP. VIII September 1691. Our Bombs set the Town on fire The Irish design a Salley but are repulsed by my Lord Drogheda 's Regiment Brigadeer Leveson routs a Party of the Irish in Kerry A Design to pass the River A new large Battery made towards the King's Island A Breach made Some thoughts of storming it Guns planted nigh St. Thomas 's Island The Cannon and Bombs play at the Cathedral and why Colonel Earl sent into England Rejoicing in the Camp for the Defeat of the Turks My Lord Lisburn killed A Party ordered to pass the River by a Bridg of Boats The Irish in a great Consternation The Castle on the Weir taken Debates whether the Siege should be continued or turned into a Blockade Orders in case of an Alarm Some Guns shipp'd Our Men pass the River a second time The Attack at Thoumond Gate Six hundred of the Enemy killed A remarkable Paper found in the Pocket of a Colonel in the Irish Army The Enemy beat a Parley A Cessation agreed to Hostages exchanged The Irish Proposals rejected by the General Articles agreed to The General 's Letter to Sir Ralph Delaval giving him an Account of the Cessation A brief Account of what happened in other Parts of the Kingdom during this Month. SEptember the First Col. Woolsley with a Party of 500 Horse and Dragoons went towards Killalow it being reported that Sarsfield was moving that way upon some secret Expedition into our Quarters All last Night and that Morning our Bombs and Cannon plaid upon the Town setting it on fire in some Places which was no small trouble to those within to put it out It Our Bombs set the Town on fire was ordered that Afternoon that most of our Guns and Mortars should be shipp'd again and at Night Maj. Gen. Tettan commands in the Works A little after our Guards were relieved we understood the Irish designed a Salley in order to which a considerable Body of their Men advanced towards our Works between Nassau's Fort and the great Battery where the Earl of Drogheda with his Regiment was then upon Duty His Lordship The Irish intend a Salley perceived the Irish were coming and therefore ordered his Men not to fire till they should advance within Pistol-shot of us and then to give them a whole Volley But the Souldiers perceiving the others Approach would not forbear to shoot amongst them which was the reason that the Irish could not be perswaded to advance any But are repulsed by my Ld Drogheda's Regiment further though they had then a very good Opportunity since there was but one Regiment at that time to defend above 300 Yards of the Works We had one Man kill'd and two wounded and were in a small time reinforced by Col. Venner's Regiment and a Party of Horse were sent down to remain all Night as near the Works as they could conveniently The Guns plaid and Mortars also for some part of the Night but the General saw that our Batteries were too far off and therefore new Measures were consulted on LYMRICK A Council of War was this day held and also a Court Martial whereof the Earl of Drogheda was President at which amongst other things a Woman was condemned for endeavouring to intice some of our French Souldiers into Town whom she took to be Roman Catholicks This Evening two great Mortars 18 Inches and an half Diameter that were brought from Ship-board were mounted and several Bombs thrown but they did not do the hoped-for Execution which occasioned the drawing them and the Guns off from the Batteries with a design to attempt something elsewhere or if it could be to pass the River which the Enemy having private A Design to pass the River notice of they removed their Horse-Camp about two Miles to the North-East of Limerick posting four Regiments of Dragoons to guard the Shannon below Anighbegg where they had three Regiments of Foot lay intrenched The Cannon however had been so troublesom to the Inhabitants that most of them left the Town and encamp'd under Sheets and Blankets with what else they could procure nigh a Party of their Horse where they and their Army wanted nothing so much as Salt The General seeing the Enemies Camp removed went to a convenient Place to view them The third the Guns and Mortars put on board were again unshipp'd upon new Measures being taken and brought up to the Artillery-Ground One of Col. Nugent's Dragoons deserted from the Enemy leaving them the Night before and says that 17 Regiments of Horse and Dragoons belonging to their Army were most of them at that time beyond the River but neither well equipp'd nor clad nor were the Regiments nigh full The 4th Lieut. Col. Peck with the Princess Ann's Regiment came to the Camp and in the Evening a Party of 300 Horse and Dragoons were sent to reinforce Brigadeer Leveson and some Reports there were that he was surrounded by the Enemy upon which the General sent to him to return but it proved only a Prey of Cows that the Enemy had taken from some of the Countrey-People who had bought them from the Brigadeer's Party at the Rout they gave the Irish However the Brigadeer had Orders afterwards to secure the County of Kerry and to endeavour the reducing the Enemies Garisons there six Guns being ordered for that Service For the Enemies keeping some small Garisons between our Camp and Cork was a great Disadvantage to us in point of Provisions which otherwise we might have expected Plenty of from that part of the Countrey The Duke of Wyrtemberg as 't is said by the Advice of my Lord Castle-connel who was come to our Camp had A new Battery contrived nigh the Kings Island now found out a Place for a new Battery nigh the King's Island on the River-side which was thought nearer the Town than the former and from whence we could batter the English Town more effectually This Place in our publick Accounts was said to be within Carbine shot of the Wall and yet it was at least 300 Yards from it Nor was there any Conveniency to raise a Battery any nearer against this part of the Town by reason of the River to the Right and a low Morass Ground on the Front But some Disputes about this new Battery were raised before it self though at last it was concluded on and several Regiments both of Horse and Foot were ordered to move towards the Right as well for the security of our Battery as to front the Irish Army who were gone that way before us We were at work also very hard upon a Line of Contravallation raising three or four new Forts between the old Church and the King's Island to secure the remaining part of our Army in case some of them should be commanded over the River September the 5th
in the Evening we begun to work The Battery begun at our new Battery At first the Enemy did not discover us but after some time the Moon shining very bright they found us out and fired both great and small Shot very lavishly killing five or six but still the rest went on bravely with their Work and had soon brought it into such a Condition as to secure themselves The 6th one Barnwell deserted the Enemy and tells us they seem resolved to defend the Town which they might do except we passed the River having all the County of Clare open to go out and in at pleasure Our Men work still at the Battery which being designed for a great many Guns it could not be finished in one Night tho the Rain did us some Damage This Night some Townsmen swam over the River and confirm the Account given by Barnwell the day before that the Irish resolve not to give us the Town except we pass the River since they had a free Passage to bring in and take out what they pleased and amongst other things they had forty Chirurgions Chests that landed from France in Kerry which were conveyed cross the River and so into Town at Thoumond Gate They informed us also that most of the Towns-people having left it and the Souldiers lying continually in the Works our Bombs did not do that Execution that was hoped for but that upon whatever House a Bomb fell the Irish Souldiers presently rushed in and plundered it And tho the Weather seemed to threaten us yet this was no great Discouragement since if it came to the worst we had now our Ships in the River and could at any time put our Guns on board which Conveniency we wanted the Year before The General had now an Account from Brigadeer Leveson out of Kerry that the Enemy according to their usual way of destroying had burnt Tralee and that he had secured two of the Irish Captains that were active in that Affair upon which he sent the following Answer Camp at Limerick Sept. 6. 1691. SIR SInce my last to you I have received your Letter of the and notwithstanding what I writ about your returning to the Camp I now desire you will stay with your Detachment in Kerry for the Safety of that Countrey and secure your self there as well as you can I have sent you the Princess of Denmark 's Regiment to be disposed of as you shall judg best As for those two Captains that burnt Tralee I would have them both hanged if they cannot produce Major General Sarsfield 's or the Orders of the Commander in Chief for what they did and then I desire you 'll respite their Execution till you send me a Particular of their Case To Brigadeer Leveson Bar. de Ginckell September the 7th this Letter was sent the Brigadeer then encamp'd at Lixnaw by Capt. William Fitz-Maurice of the Earl of Drogheda's Regiment and Son to the Lord of Kerry who this Morning left the Camp with about twenty or thirty of that Country-Gentlemen in his Company having also an Order for a Guard of Horse and Dragoons from Asketon But next Day coming to Listoell within five Miles of the Brigadeer's Party one of the Enemies Dragoons mistaking them for a Party of their own Men came hastily up and told them he was at first afraid they had been English but that my Lord Merion's my Lord Britta's Sir Maurice Eustace Sir James Cotter's Dragoons with a Body of between 3 and 4000 Irish lay behind the Hill this Fellow they immediately shot for his pains and sent to give the Brigadeer notice of their Danger making all convenient haste towards Lixnaw But the Enemy soon had notice of them and drew out several Parties to intercept their Passage our Men however with some difficulty gained a Pass and yet the Irish ordered the matter so as to be in a fair way to destroy them all had not the Brigadeer appeared with a Party in the mean time for having received an Account that the Irish were got into a Body in such a place he was going then with a Party to discover them not knowing the Danger our own Men were in Upon the Brigadeer's approach when our Men understood who it was they gave a Huzzah At which the Irish began to draw off and being in great Confusion by reason of their eager haste to pursue our small Party the Brigadeer fell upon them in that posture and killed about thirty taking Lieut. Col. O Ryan and about thirty more Prisoners the rest making too great haste to the Woods and Bogs to be overtaken Our Party then went to the place where the Irish Camp had been and found two Barrels of Powder with a great deal of other Luggage left behind At Limerick the Enemy fired very briskly upon us all that day with eight Guns which they had planted in the King's Island and other places However we finished the Platform of the great Battery and the flooring for the Mortars September the 8th our new Batteries were all ready one to the left of ten Field-pieces to shoot red hot Ball another to the right of 25 Guns all 24 and 18 Pounders The Batteries finished and play upon the Town and in the Center were placed eight Mortars from 18 Inches 3 quarters to 10 ½ Diameter these stood altogether upon the North-east of the Town nigh the Island then there were 8 Guns of 12 pound Ball each planted at Mackay's Fort and some also towards the River on the South-west where the Danes were posted Those fell to work all at a time and put the Irish into such a fright that a great many of them wish'd themselves in another place having never heard such a Noise before nor I hope never shall in that Kingdom One of the great Mortars had a Shell burst in her flinging the Mortar and Carriage nigh two yards from the flooring which is demonstration that the firing the Fuse before you give fire to the Mortar is neither the readiest nor the safest way but this was the method of all our Foreign Bombardeers tho one Lieut. Brown afterwards at Mackay's Fort made use of a much better way as shall in time be related We threw Bombs Fire-balls and Carcasses all day long and our Guns were discharged almost without ceasing by which there appeared a considerable Breach in the Wall within the King's Island between A Breach made the Abbey and Ball 's Bridg and our Bombs Fire-balls and Carcasses had the like success upon the Houses in Town The 9th more Provision-Ships are ordered from Cork under the Smirna-Merchant We improved our Forts between the old Church and our great Battery and our Guns fire all day at the Breach by which it was widened to a great Degree and also a great many Houses beat down we dismounted also two Guns from a Spur in the King's Island nigh Balls-Bridg and play'd from Mackay's Fort upon four Guns more that disturbed us from a
the Afternoon we had Orders to return leaving a Guard in a Fort newly cast up on the other side to secure our Bridg whenas it 's not improbable had we pursued our good Fortune the Irish Horse had been routed and the Town delivered upon our own Terms The Irish had still a small Garison in S. Thomas's Island which now submitted where we got two pretty small Brass Field-pieces There was also an Ensign with twenty Men in a Castle in the midst of the River a little below the Island who were made Prisoners This is The Castle on the Wier taken called the Wier Castle because it stands on a Salmon Wier In the former Wars the Irish had a Garison here also who deserting the Place betook themselves to the River but being shot at part of them came on shoar towards the West who had Quarter promised them by a Captain in Colonel Tuthill's Regiment and yet were stripp'd and killed by the Colonel's Orders who was tried and cashiered for it but the rest coming a-shore on the East where Colonel Inglesby was had better Treatment and sent to the Town Ireton being very angry at the others Breach of Faith We had only one Serjeant killed in all this Day 's Adventure and about twenty Men wounded and the Enemy lost not above fifteen or twenty at most One Capt. Taaf in the Irish Royal Regiment deserts and says the Besieged had not above ten Days Bread and that our Bombs had destroyed a great part of their Ammunition And that nothing might be left unattempted to shew their Majesties Clemency the Government 's Lenity and the General 's generous Compassion towards the Irish he orders the following Declaration to be sent them By Lieutenant General Ginckell Commander in Chief of their Majesties Forces ALthough their Majesties have already been more gracious than could be expected or the Behaviour of the Irish has deserved yet to leave no means untried that may bring them to a Sense of their Interest and Duty and this Kingdom to that quiet and settled Condition it formerly enjoyed they have been pleased to impower me to assure the Enemies Army and the Garison and Inhabitants of Limerick that if within eight Days from the Date hereof they shall surrender and submit themselves to their Majesties Obedience they shall have that Pardon of their Offences Restitution of their Estates and Reward of their Services and all the Benefits promised by the Lords Justices in their Proclamation of the 7th of July last from which they are not debarred by any Act of Parliament as they are falsly made to believe by some Persons who live by sacrificing their Country to the Tyranny and Ambition of France and ought for that reason to be excluded from Mercy by both Sides But if they shall still continue obstinate and neglect to lay hold on this Favour which is the last that will be offered them they must be answerable for the Blood and Destruction they draw upon themselves for I hereby acquit my self before God and the World and wash my Hands of it Given at the Camp before Limerick this 16th Day of September 1691. On the 17th a Council of War was held wherein it Disputed whether the Siege continued or a Blockade was hotly disputed whether we should go on with the Siege or march over the River and destroy all the Enemies Forage in the County of Clare and then make a Blockade and it was so far carried for the latter that an Engineer was ordered to go with a Guard towards Killmallock and fortify that Place but before he got out of the Camp he was countermanded and a great many Pallisado's were brought up to Mackay's Fort as if we intended to winter there three hundred Cars with Bullets Bombs and other Necessaries come to the Camp from Dublin and our Guns play still from the great Battery Eleven of the Enemies Troopers desert and a Standard was brought in that was taken the Day before and my Lord Lisburn's Corps were sent hence towards Dublin there to be interred Our Bridg of Boats was this Evening removed towards St. Thomas's Island but being too short it was carried to another Place where it had also the same Inconveniency The 18th Orders were sent to the Men of War and other Vessels in the River to set some Men on Shoar in the County of Clare to destroy all the Forage they could meet with since this was the time of Harvest and if we must needs remove the General was resolved to make the Irish Quarters as bare as possible and several of our heavy Cannon were put on Ship-board The 19th it being resolved to pass the River with a Party either to prosecute the Seige or at least to burn the Forage a Battery was raised between Ireton's Fort and the old Church to flank the Irish in Case of a Sally from St. John's Gate it being reasonable to expect one when part of our Army once pass'd the River and now our People were very busy in lengthning our Bridg which they found some Difficulty in fixing because the the Rains had swelled the River and we had not Boats enough to reach over but that Defect was supplied by some large Carts and Barrels that were industriously fixed next the Sides and so the Work was compleated a Guard being always on the other Side for its Security and my Lord Lisburn's and Colonel Creighton's Foot were encamp'd by it on our side This Afternoon four Mortars were brought from the great Battery to Mackay's Fort that Place being judged the fittest for bombarding since the whole Town lay in a Line from thence Three Rapparees were also brought in by the Militia and accused for murdering several of our Men as they straggled from the Camp to dig Potatoes one of them produced a Pass as being of my Lord Gallmoy's Regiment of Horse but this was an usual shift for in a Day or two there being evident Proof against them they were condemned by a Court-Martial the General gave Orders that they should be broke upon the Wheel but being told that this way of Torture was against the Laws of England they were first hanged and then their Quarters dispersed and hung upon the Hedges on the adjacent High-ways to the Camp That Evening the General was informed that the Enemy resolved to make a Sally and therefore most of our Horse and Dragoons were ordered to remain sadled all Night And in case of an Alarm the Commander in chief where it should be Orders in case of an Alarm given was immediately to acquaint the General with it upon which three Guns were to be fired from the Artillery to warn the Regiments those on the left were to defend the left Trench Kirk's Earl's and Hales's were to defend from the Place my Lord Lisburn was killed to the great Battery the other five Regiments of that Brigade were to defend from Mackay's Fort to the Well and those Regiments of the Prince of Hesse and
the Afternoon Hostages exchanged my Lord Cutts Sir David Collier Colonel Tiffin and Colonel Piper were sent into the Town for whom were sent out the Lords Westmeath Iveagh Trimblestowne and Louth The 27th the Irish sent out their Proposals which were 1st That their Majesties will by an Act of Indemnity The Irish Proposals pardon all past Crimes and Offences whatsoever 2dly To restore all Irish Catholicks to the Estates of which they were seized or possessed before the late Revolution 3dly To allow a free Liberty of Worship and one Priest to each Parish as well in Towns and Cities as in the Country 4thly Irish Catholicks to be capable of bearing Imployments Military and Civil and to exercise Professions Trades Callings of what Nature soever 5thly The Irish Army to be kept on Foot paid c. as the rest of their Majesties Forces in case they be willing to serve their Majesties against France or any other Enemy 6thly The Irish Catholicks to be allowed to live in Towns Corporate and Cities to be Members of Corporations to exercise all sorts and manners of Trades and to be equal with their Fellow-Protestant Subjects in all Privileges Advantages and Immunities accruing in or by the said Corporations 7thly An Act of Parliament to be past for ratifying and confirming the said Conditions These Propositions were very unreasonable and they say mightily insisted upon by Mack Guire and others of the Priesthood this Man I 'm told was Chaplain to the Spanish Ambassador at Rome when Plunket the Titular Primate was hanged about the Popish Plot in Ireland and few People daring to assume that Title at such a Juncture the Ambassador procured it from the Pope for him When those Proposals were brought out to the General he was so far from granting them that he returned Answer Though he was in a manner a Stranger to the Laws of England yet he understood Rejected by the General and new Batteries ordered to be raised that those things they insisted upon were so far contradictory to them and dishonourable to himself that he would not grant any such Terms and so returned them ordering a new Battery to be immediately raised to the left of Mackay's Fort for Mortars and Guns Then the Irish sent again to know what Terms his Excellency would please to propose to them who after a Consultation sent them in twelve Articles much the same in Substance with those afterwards agreed upon and said he would allow of no other He sent them however all the Prisoners that we had of theirs in the Camp in Requital of ours that were released before their wounded Prisoners having always the same Conveniences with our own Men. The 28th early in the Morning Sarsfield Waughup Articles agreed upon the Titular Primate Baron Purcell of Loughmoe Arch-Bishop of Cashell Sir Garret Dillon Sir Theobald Butler and Colonel Brown the three last Counsellors at Law with several other Officers and Commissioners came to the General 's Quarters whither he sent for all our General Officers and after a long Debate Articles were agreed on not only for the Town of Limerick but for all the other Forts and Castles in the Kingdom then in the Enemies Possession as Ross Clare c. The same Afternoon an Order was signed for part of the Transport Ships to sail from Cork to the Shannon and there to take on Board some of the Irish Forces The following Letter was also sent by the General to Sir Ralph Delavall who he understood was upon the Coast with a Squadron of English Men of War Camp before Limerick Septemb. 28. 1691. SIR I Have notice from my Lord Nottingham that you The General 's Letter to Sir Ralph Dalaval were to come with the Squadron under your Command into these Seas which makes me send this to acquaint you that I have entred into a Treaty with the City of Limerick and the Irish Army which is now just come to a Conclusion In the mean time we have a Cessation of Arms at Land and have agreed there shall be one too at Sea upon the Coasts of this Kingdom since several of the Irish Army are to be transported and to make use of French as well as English Ships for that Purpose and therefore I must desire you will not hinder the Transport Ships of France from coming into the Shannon nor the rest of their Fleet into Dingle Bay The French Intendant here has written his Part to the Squadron of their Men of VVar that is expected and gives Assurance that no Hostility will be committed by them and you will please to observe the same on your Side which is very necessary for their Majesties Service and the speedy finishing the Affair we have in hand to which I am sure you will contribute what you may as well as SIR Your most humble Servant Bar. de GINCKELL The 29th all our Horse and Dragoons commanded by the Marquess Ruvigny go to encamp beyond Six-mile-Bridg for the Conveniency of Forage and a friendly Correspondence begun between the Irish and us several of our Army going into Town and others of them coming into our Camp The 30th most of the Irish General Officers dined with the Duke of Wirtembergh nothing further being to be done till the Arrival of the Lords Justices who were sent for to confirm the Articles according to Agreement And by this time the Irish Souldiers and ours were also pretty well acquainted they coming into our Camp and our Men being admitted to view all their Works where we will leave them asking strange Questions one at another and look back a little upon the Actions that hapned in other Parts of the Kingdom during this Month. For whilst the Army was busied in the Field against A brief Account of what hapned in other Places of the Kingdom this Month. the main Strength of the Irish the Government was not wanting to order the Militia in several Parts of this Kingdom to suppress the skulking Tories and other mischievous Persons who laid hold on all Occasions to do Mischief On the 5th of September a Party of Rapparees near Tallough rob some Carriages belonging to the Officers in the Princess Ann's Regiment and got away into the Woods The Militia kill three Rapparees near Caperquin and four more nigh Lismore The 6th our Barbadoes Fleet came into Kinsale under Convoy of the Princess Ann and the Bristol Frigats and the same Day the St. Albans and Soldadoe brought 7 French Prizes into Cork The Militia of Dublin and eight hundred more from the North being joined by Balderock O Donnel with about twelve hundred Irish were at Abby Boyle the 9th of September on their March to Sligoe and on their way they summon'd Loughlin commanded by Colonel Theobald Dillon and another Place commanded by Colonel Charles Kelly both strong Castles and garison'd by the Irish which surrendred and then the Earl of Granard Commander in chief sent to summon Ballymott which refusing to surrender
Balderock with a thousand Men was ordered to attack it This Place they say is very strong and at that time commanded by one of the O Connors who upon Sight of the Artillery surrendred upon Condition to march with his Party and Baggage towards Sligoe This done my Lord Granard marches to Sligoe having Advice that Colonel Mitchelburn's Regiment and some of the Militia under Lieutenant Colonel Caulfield had forced old Sir Teague and his Crew from several Out-works and Ditches and obliged them to retire into the Fort. The Earl of Granard and his Party were hard put to it in their March thither over the Curlew Mountains for their Draught-Horses being none of the best and several of them tiring the Men themselves were forced to draw the Cannon and that for several Miles which they performed very chearfully That Afternoon the Enemy beat a Parley but we found it was only to gain Time and therefore in the Evening we began to fire with great and small Shot and so continued most part of the Night without any further Loss on our Side but of an Ensign who had his Head shot off with a great Shot But the Enemy seeing a great many Carriages with my Lord Granard's Party they were perswaded that they had brought heavy Cannon with Mortars Bombs Carcasses c. So that they beat another Parley and after some time they consented to surrender the Sligoe surrendred to my Ld Granard Town upon the Articles that were agreed to on the 6th of August viz. Their Party to march to Limerick with Arms and Baggage and that all the little Garisons thereabouts in the Hands of the Irish should have the Benefit of the Capitulation The Fort was surrendred on the sixteenth being made of Turf and having in it six hundred Men and sixteen Guns and Colonel Mitchelburn was left Governour In former times the Castle of Sligoe was a good Fortification being built by Maurice Fitz-Gerald Lord Justice in the Year 1242. September the 17th the Dublin Militia return Conquerors home again having not lost one Man in their whole March and those of the North march towards Ballynewton and Castle-burk to have them surrendred according to the Articles of Sligoe many Robberies and Murders being committed in that Countrey particularly on Dr. Brooks an eminent Physician and three more the Rapparees first wounding them in several Places and then for security cutting their Throats September the 12th the Irish take a good Prey near Tallough and the Militia to be even with them take another Prey and kill one of my Lord Merion's Troopers with two Rapparees Captain Orfeur of Colonel Hastings's Regiment going out with a Party of the said Regiment and some of the Militia he killed twenty of the Rapparees near Lismore which so terrified the rest that the Countrey thereabouts was pretty quiet for some time On the 12th of August John Mackabe the notorious Rapparee who so much infested the Bog of Allen was brought with four of his Companions by Lieutenant Sheilds and Lieutenant Courtney to Dublin and on the 19th they were hanged up in Chains at the Naas This Fellow and another called the White Serjeant had been both in the Irish Army but broke there for some Rogueries and after a great deal of Mischief done to the Countrey they both got what they deserved the one being killed and the other hanged About this time one of the Militia was killed and several wounded by the Rapparees near Caperquin but in requital the Militia kill five of them Towards the latter End of September two Lieutenants of the Irish Army having deserted and got our General 's Pass to go home they were met withal by Hogan and his Party and stripp'd of what they had but neither himself nor any of his Crew could read the Pass else it 's probable they would have sent them the way they sometimes did our Militia when they fell into their Power Two Rapparees of one Higgins's Party are taken and himself desires a Protection Six more are killed near Mountmelick And on the 26th one Caloghan a great Rapparee and some of his Party come in under Protection at Edenderry for now they began to be sensible how things were like to go on their side and October 1691. therefore when they were afraid to lose the Power of doing Mischief they came in and not before And to conclude the Month Hogan and his Party meeting with some of our Militia Dragoons near Roscreagh murder seven of them and the eighth hardly escaped One Tiercy was seized and hanged And one Purcell after the Rope had broke with him promising to make a Discovery was saved and detected four more And nigh the End of this Month our Packets brought us an account of the Death of Lieutenant General Dowglass in Flanders CHAP. IX The Lords Justices come to the Camp The Irish General Officers come to the General 's Tent. Articles signed The Articles at large both Military and Civil with their Majesties Confirmation to both We take possession of the Irish Town A Lieutenant Colonel imprisoned for denying to go to France A Declaration from the General My Lord Lucan perswades the Irish to go into France Their Foot drawn out and put to the trial The Lords Justices return towards Dublin Our Army decamps from Limerick Some of the Irish march out OCtober the first upon a Complaint from Lieut. Gen. Sarsfield that some of our Men begun to plunder and strip theirs as they found Opportunities the General gave Orders that the Souldiers should not go beyond our own Works And now the Irish begin to make Hutts in the King's Island and draw several Regiments out of the Town thither keeping all their Gates fast-lock'd lest their Men should run away from them upon the news of going for France for how fond soever they might be of K. James's Service yet few of the common People have any stomach for travelling That Evening about nine a Clock the Lords Justices came to the Camp which being The Lords Justices come to the Camp signified to the Irish Officers on the 2 d about 3 a Clock in the Afternoon came Sarsfield Waughup and all the other Great Men of the Irish Nation Civil Military The Irish Great Officers come to the General 's Tent. and some Ecclesiastical only 't was observable that the French Lieutenant Generals kept in Town and pretended Indisposition tho they signed the Articles and yet the Matter was not great as to us whether they had or not tho it was material to the Irish as bringing them under the same Circumstances with themselves But tho things were in a manner adjusted before yet there arose new Debates about the Rapparees and other things that lasted till 12 a Clock at Night Then the Articles were ordered to be engrossed and the Irish return into Town My Lord Merion and my Lord Brittas were also now come from Kerry and their Party included in the Articles The 3 d most
desires a parley with the Lord-Deputy wherein he mentions that having found his Lordship though a sharp and powerful Antagonist yet an honourable and generous Enemy and the Irish not only weak and barbarous but as he feared perfidious Friends he therefore desired to depart upon such Terms befitting such Men of War as are not by necessity enforced to receive Conditions but willingly induced for just Respects to disengage themselves and to relinquish a People by whom their King and Master had been so notoriously abused if not betray'd Pacata Hib. p. 241. And its probable that upon some such Motives as those Monsieur D'Vssone consented to the Irish Capitulations though we heard afterwards that the French King was so far from thanking him for it that after some publick Indignities he sent him to the Bastile I humbly therefore am of Opinion that the Lords-Justices and the General did nothing in this Affair without Command or at least Instructions from Their Majesties and that it was neither inconsistent with the Rules of Prudence or Policy to grant the Irish what Terms they did which for the future may help to moderate the Passions of some sort of People Nor were the Lords-Justices Proclamations for the bringing in of the Rapparees and others not included in the Articles less seasonable since by this means the Kingdom became so calm and quiet all on a sudden that within one Fortnight after our Army was removed from Limerick a Man might have travelled alone through that whole Kingdom and that with as great Safety as through any part of England but if this had been delayed and the reducing those Scamperers attempted altogether by force pray let it be remembred how securely the Banditto's of Italy have November 1691. lived between the Power of the King of Spain and that of the Pope and how many Men in all Countries have prospered in doing mischief but especially in Ireland where there are so many Difficulties to march an Army and the Irish so well acquainted with the Boggs and other Fastnesses that it is impossible to beat them sooner out of one place than they 'll out-strip you to another being by constant practice extremely well skilled in making use of those Advantages but the aforesaid Articles and Proclamations have remedied all those Inconveniences and that Kingdom never enjoyed a more profound Peace than at present since every Insurrection when it is subdued makes an Addition to the Power of the Government But I 'm afraid a good Cause may suffer by ill management and therefore as to my business Towards the latter end of October we had an Account of his Majesty's safe Arrival in England from Flanders and that the English Parliament met on the 22 d. according to their Prorogation November the first all the Irish march out of the English Town of Limerick and our Men take possession of it The last of the Irish quit the English Town A great many of the Irish were shipp'd in the River some on Board the French Fleet and others in some of our Transport-Ships The number shipp'd in the River and that march'd towards Cork this last time is said to be 5650. But those that march'd by Land several of them deserted upon the Road notwithstanding the care of the Irish Officers to secure them for they begun to be sensible of the kind Treatment of those that were already returned home and were sorry to quit a Country they saw already so peaceable The Rose of Chester going down the Shannon with 120 of them drowned 120 Irish on Board was overset amongst the Rocks and all the Irish drowned tho' the Seamen were most of them saved The French Lieutenant-General took this very ill as if done on purpose by the Master and would needs have him tried for his Life for it but it appearing to be a perfect Accident he was satisfied And now the Irish Horse as many as were left were Their Horse shipt at Cork shipp'd off at Cork and with them Daniel Butts Esq Deputy Commissary-General of the Danish Forces to receive their Bills of Exchange and to see the Transport-Ships returned November the 3 d. the General came from Kilkenny The General goes to Dublin to Dublin being met and complemented on the Road by the Nobility Judges and Gentry Col. Byerley's Horse and the Prince of Hesse's Foot with the City-Militia both Horse and Foot being in Arms to receive him The Lord Mayor Aldermen Sheriffs and Citizens being all in their Formalities the Canons discharged several times and all the Demonstrations of Joy that could be made upon such an extraordinary Occasion Next Morning His Excellency was waited upon by the Lord Mayor and Aldermen and the other Citizens the Recorder Tho. Coote Esq in the Name of the City making a Speech to this effect That the City throughly sensible of the Dangers that lately The Recorder's Speech to him threatned them from an implacable Enemy that aimed at nothing less than the total Extirpation of the Protestant Religion and English Interest in this Kingdom to the tyrannical and slavish Government of the French King And finding themselves by your Excellencies Courage and Conduct not only delivered from those their just Fears but placed in view of a lasting Peace and Security And being zealous to express as much of their Gratitude as their present Circumstances will permit they are unanimously come to congratulate your Excellency on your great Success and to assure your Excellency that tho' they have many Grievances to place to the Account of that Enemy you have so gloriously subdued yet there are none they resent more than the having rendered them unable to raise to your Excellencies Memory those Monuments your Merits and their Obligations challenge yet what will be wanting in Brass and Marble they will endeavour to make up by their perpetual Applications to serve your Excellency And shou'd the rest of the World be so far ungrateful as to forget what your Excellency has done for the Preservation of the Protestant Religion and publick Liberty of Europe this City will while one stone stands upon another in it perpetuate to Posterity the glorious Actions you have performed this Campaign To which the General made return that he was extremely sensible of the Honours and Kindness the City had tendred him which he would upon all occasions acknowledge Next Day being the Anniversary of His Majesty's Birth it was observed with all the Splendour and Greatness imaginable my Lord Justice Conningsby entertaining the General with most of the Nobility at the Castle of Dublin And the Day following being Gun-Powder Treason had its usual Observations where at the end of the Service appointed for the Day the Baron de Ronsill a Flemish Lord who has lived these five or six years past in this Kingdom made a solemn Renunciation of the Romish and Profession of the Protestant Religion and was received at Christ-Church by the Arch-Bishop of Dublin After Sermon