AN IMPARTIAL HISTORY OF THE AFFAIRS of IRELAND DURING The Two Last YEARS WHITE-HALL APRIL 30. 1691. LET this be Printed by Order of the Right Honourable the Lord Viscount SYDNEY one of Their Majesties Principal Secretaries of State W. BRIDGEMAN A TRUE and IMPARTIAL HISTORY OF The Most Material Occurrences IN THE Kingdom of Ireland DURING The Two Last YEARS WITH The Present State of Both ARMIES PUBLISHED To prevent Mistakes and to give the World a Prospect of the future Success of Their MAJESTIES Arms in That NATION Written by an Eye-witness to the most Remarkable PASSAGES LONDON Printed for Ric. Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-yard MDCXCI TO The RIGHT HONOURABLE CHARLES LORD VISCOUNT MORPETH AND The RIGHT WORSHIPFUL Sr WILLIAM LEVISON GOWER Bar t. Both MEMBERS Of the Honourable House of Commons These PAPERS About the AFFAIRS of IRELAND ARE HUMBLY DEDICATED THE PREFACE THese Papers were not designed to be published till after the surrender of the City of Mons to the French for since there are some and those too calling themselves Protestants who upon all occasions make it their business to advance the Conquests of that King and at the same time to lessen the Conduct and Success of His Present Majesty representing his Affairs to be in such a Condition at Home and his Army so inconsiderable in Ireland that they presently from thence expect such a Turn of State as if it should happen would certainly prove unfortunate and destructive to themselves as well as other people tho they have no mind or at least do not seem to see it I do not pretend nor do I think it possible to make such men sensible of the folly of their unaccountable Behaviour at this Juncture only I think it a good Opportunity to let Them and the World know the impartial Truth of the most material Passages of the Two last Campaigns in Ireland with the true State of both Armies as it stood in January last which possibly may serve to mortifie all their Expectations from their Friends in that Kingdom And as to the Matters of Fact I defie all the Enemies of our Government and Religion to contradict me tho at the same time I assure them That I have done their Side all the Right that the thing it self will bear and have concealed nothing that I think could make any way for their Advantage But before I come to this I will take the liberty to speak out since I am to treat of an Affair that concerns all that value either the publick Safety Honour or Peace of their Native Countrey it being every day more apparent than other that we are designed as a Prey to that Nation to whom we nor our Fathers were never yet in Bondage This is no vain and groundless Fear or Pretention but the Reasons for it are many Amongst the rest take only these few First The Late King by his unhappy Management has given up the Cudgels to the French whom it 's not to be doubted he had rather should govern the Nation than those who at present do by this means placing his own Interest and that of all English Protestants in a diametrical opposition to one another since it 's plain that unfortunate Prince has been made instrumental and is so still by the Zealots of the Church of Rome to advance their Religion on the one hand and by his most Christian Majesty on the other to promote his Glory All the Care and Pains that has been taken of late by the Priests in a Business of the greatest moment was not to propagate King James's Family but his and their own Religion for they value not tho He and His Name perish if their Work go but on And suppose the P. of W. really what our Adversaries would have him who can ever imagine that a Successor that there was so much pains taken about will either be bred a Protestant or made serviceable to that Interest especially since he is taken out of the Kingdom and put into the hands of the greatest Enemy to our Nation And as to the French King's part can any one think that he does all this out of a Principle of Honour and Love for the re-establishing of King James All people know that his Generosity extends no further than his Interest Those that will not believe this let them only look back upon his treatment of the same individual Prince some years ago for it 's plain that he has no other Prospect nor regard to Men and Things but his own Greatness and Ambition not spearing even those of his own Perswasion when they stand in his way Every one sees that hsi Brother of Constantinople and he agree much better than his Holy Father at Rome and he ever did or are like to do because the former is more favourable to his Designs than the other If then he falls out with him whom his own Religion obliges to pay all Deferrence and Respect to and honour as a Father what can Protestants nay even English Papists themselves expect but to submit to his Yoke if they once give way for his Admission When the Late King appear'd all on a sudden last Summer in France after the Defeat at the Boyn it was observable that tho the French King was surprized at his Presence yet he received him with all the seeming joy in the World thinking it not fit to discourage a Prince whom he had still further occasion for This has already been seen into by some great Officers even in the Irish Army who begin to be at a stand how to manage since they can have no other Prospect from the success of their own present Affairs but future Ruin to their Countrey Secondly Suppose the War already ended and the Late King sent into England with all the Grandeur that France could afford him and received here by the consent of every Body Yet the French King has a very large Bill to bring in which he 'll certainly pretend cannot be discharged with the Possâ—ssion of Ireland what then can be more rationally intended than that one day or other England may be brought to a severe account for those vast Expences and the non-repayment of them shall be a sufficient Pretence for a War when he finds an Opportunity tho King James himself sate at the Helm For how easy a thing it is to break all Rules whatever when a man has the Power in his own hand is known to most men Those then who favour him most will only have the honour to be last devoured and even those of his own Persuasion will have cause to wish themselves rather under a Protestant Prince than a Popish Tyrant We see further that His Present Majesty has not declared it a War of Religion but is linked in a Confederacy with a great many Princes of the Romish Church that have all the same reason to dread the growing-Power of France who neither spares Protestant when he has an
opportunity nor a Papist when he can gain by it And yet if we look narrowly into the thing the present War of Ireland is both more difficult and expensive for him to support than it is for England both as to the distance of place and multiplicity of other Diversions for tho he 's a great Prince yet his Power is not without limits Thirdly It neither was nor is the Interest of Their present Majesties only that we are struggling for but under them for the Liberties of England and that against the most dangerous Enemy that our Nation ever had this most men think themselves obliged to do tho the King 's natural Life should end to morrow which God forbid since for his own sake all that have had the honour to be Eye-witnesses of those Noble and Heroick Personal Actions of His Majesty in pursuance of what he so generously undertook at first dare and will serve him even to death it self what he pleases to command them for the Quarrel is not Whether the Late King or the Present shall Rule in England but whether the French King shall have our Countrey or we keep it to our selves Neither is it only the King and Queen's Quarrel that we spend so much Treasure in and lose those Men as is frequently objected but it 's the King that makes himself a Drudge for ours if I may so express it running all Hazards and suffering all Hardships possible upon that Account He was a Rich and Great Prince before and wanted neither Glory nor Power to have lived happy and magnificent nor is it likely he had any Design to provide for his Posterity in what he did since we are as yet deprived of so great a Blessing And whatever may be called unnatural in this War is for the Father of his Country to endeavour the depriving both his Natural and Legal Children of what God and Nature have made them Heirs to Fourthly King James might have been one of the greatest and happiest Princes in Europe notwithstanding his Religion and the Roman-Catholicks enjoyed the same Privilege as to the exercise of theirs that other Dissenters do at this day if that would but have pleased them but it was an odd thing to all men of thought that the hundredth part of a Nation as the Papists are no more at best should think to bring all the rest over to their Side and that against both their Humours and Interests but it 's now plain that the Affairs of England and Rome cannot be reconciled And I would fain ask any Protestant Whether in King James's time he would not have been willing with all his heart to have been secured from the approaching Danger Or whether he thinks it pâ—ssible this could have been done more easily or more to the satisfaction of the Nation in general than it was But this is the mischief of it we all would be out of harms way but then every man must do it as he himself thinks fit or else it all stands for nothing If King William had made his entry through a Sea of Blood this had pleased some People better and made others more afraid the Easiness of the thing was the greatest Providence in it and yet by our fickle Factious Humours we begin to make it both more expensive and hazardous but let us take heed lest if we tread in the Steps of our Forefathers in Divisions and homebred Jarrings we also run the same fate in being subject to a Nation of Foreigners and yet it 's to be feared that the real ground of some Peoples Discontents is not that they at first disliked the Present Government but that they were disappointed in their hopes of some Preferment that they thought themselves best deserved and yet God be thanked I cannot see any great Injury that those People can do to the Present Establishment since the King Parliament and People are all of a side and as for the Malecontents they are neither Popular nor Considerable There is a Story in Josephus something parallel to our Case that was The Jews were commonly very strict in the observance of the Sabbath and amongst other Tenets of that nature they held it unlawful so much as to defend themselves tho attackt by the Enemy on that Day this their Enemies came to the knowledge of and put them upon the trial cutting a great many to pieces which made the rest grant that it was lawful to stand upon their own defence but not to press upon the Enemy and they met with a second Disadvantage upon that score but finding to their Cost the folly of such Conceits it came at last to this That when they were undertaken a third time out of hopes of like success they not only defended themselves but defeated their Adversaries most effectually This Story I apply thus That notwithstanding of late we have mixt Matters of Religion and Policy too much and advanced the Arbitrary Power of Princes by stretching the Doctrine of Passive Obedience beyond its due limits yet let not our Adversaries believe that we want either Hearts or Hands to opppose a Foreign or Vnlimited Power and that too without either departing from the Principles of Religion or so much as wavering in our Profession Let those then then that will be fond of the Garlick and Onions of Egypt for my own part I cannot see how we can make one step backwards without the danger of being poisoned by them For certainly there are several Questions now in hand not to be resolved by the Rules of our Church but by our Legal Constitution which in some Cases binds the Ecclesiastical it self And for all that specious Objection which some People make That our Laws as well as our Religion are against the Deposing Doctrine Yet it will endure no serious thought That God has made so many Millions of People to be subject to the Humour or Interest of any one particular Man For whatever has been said to the contrary of late it 's both agreeable to the Principles of Reason and Religion that Salus populi suprema Lex Government no doubt is Jure Divino of which if we were destitute nil sane brutis amantibus praestaremur says Melanction but then it 's not necessary to have it terminated in this or that Individual for tho it 's an undoubted Truth that any private person had better suffer Injuries than hazard the publick Peace of his Country by endeavouring to redress the same and it cannot be lawful for every one to fly in the face of Authority when he 's injured or at least thinks himself so yet neither the Laws of Nature Reason or Religion oblige us to sit still and see the Fundamental Constitutions of our Country overturned without any indeavour of ours to obstruct it And tho there may be danger in endeavouring to stem such a Tide yet I may go further and say That those People do not deserve good Laws but rather are the Betrayers of them
The humble Addess of the Clergy of the Church of Ireland now in Vlster An Address presented to his Majesty GReat Sir We your Majesty's Loyal Subjects out of the deepest sense of the Blessing of this Day with most joyful Hear to congratulate your Majesty's safe Landing in this Kingdom And as we must always praise God for the Wonders he hath already wrought by your Majesty's Hands so we cannot but admire and applaud Your remarkable Zeal for the Protestant Religion and the Peace of these Kingdoms We owe all imaginable Thanks to God and Acknowledgment to your Majesty for the Calm and Safety we have enjoyed by the Success of your Arms under the happy and wise Management of his Grace the Duke of Schonberg And we do not doubt but God will hear the Prayers of his Church and crown your Majesty's Arms with such Success and Victory that those happy beginnings of our Joy may terminate in a full Establishment of our Religion and our Peace and with lasting Honours to your Majesty May Heaven bless and preserve your Majesty in such glorious Vndertakings give strength and prosperity to such generous Designs that all your Enemies may flee before You that your Subjects may rejoice in Your easy Victory and that all the World may admire and honour You. Give us leave great Sir after the most humble and grateful manner to offer our selves to your Majesty and to give all assurance of a steady Loyalty and Duty to your Majesty of our Resolution to promote and advance your Service and Interest to the utmost of our Power And that we will always with the most hearty importunity pray That Heaven may protect your Royal Person from all Dangers that we may long enjoy the Blessings of your Government and Victories and that after a long and peaceful Reign here God may change your Lawrels into a Crown of Glory The King staid at Belfast till Thursday where on the 19 th he sent out a Proclamation encouraging all People of what perswasion soever to live at Home peaceably commanding the Officers and Souldiers upon no Pretext whatever to Rob or Plunder them That day the King dined at Lisburn with the General and then went to Hillsburough where he sent out an Order on the 20 th forbidding the pressing of Horses from the Countrey People And seeing that things did not go on so fast as he desired he exprest some Dissatisfaction saying that he did not come there to let Grass grow under his Feet The Army takes the Field And he made his Words good for the whole Army now received Orders to march into the Field on the 21 th several English Regiments met and encamped at Loughbritland some being already at Newry with Maj. Gen. Kirk and Lieut. Gen. Douglass between Hambleton's Ban and Tandrogee with 22 Regiments of Foot and eight or nine of Horse and Dragoons The Enemy had formed a Camp sometime before this at Ardee whither K. James came about the 18 th with 5000 French Foot leaving Col. Latterel with about 6000 of the Militia in Dublin who when the late King was gone shut up all the Protestants in Prison so that all the Churches and publick Places were full of them The Enemy at Dundalk About the 19 th or 20 th the Enemies Army came and Encamped beyond the River at Dundalk all along where our last Camp had been the Year before A Party of ours falls into an Ambush On Sunday Morning the 22 d a Party of Col. Levisons Dragoons commanded by Capt. Crow and a party of Foot under Capt. Farlow in all about 200 went from Newry towards Dundalk to discover the Enemy and to see if the Ways were mended according to the Duke's Order We had sent out several small Parties before and the Enemy had notice of it which occasioned them to lay an Ambuscade of about 400 Men at a place half-way where they had cast up some Works the Year before In that next the Pass they had placed part of their Foot and had the rest with the Horse some distance off the Morning was very foggy and favoured their Design so that after greatest part of our Foot were got over the Pass and the Dragoons advanced about 200 Yards beyond it then the Irish fired from the Fort and at the same time another party charged our Dragoons who being some of them Recruits retreated past our own Foot but most of them advanced again and the Engagement was pretty sharp yet our Party not knowing but the Enemy might have more Men in covert retreated over the Pass and there drew up but the Irish did not think fit to advance upon them Capt. Farlow and another Gentleman were taken Prisoners and we had about 22 kill'd but the Enemy lost more as we understood by some Deserters that came off next Day The King comes to the Camp that Afternoon His Majesty Prince George the General the Duke of Ormond and all the great Men came to the Camp at Loughbritland The King had given Orders before His coming that we should remove our Camp from the South side of the Town to the North west that His Majesty might take a View of the Regiments as they marched the Weather was then very dry and windy which made the Dust in our marching troublesome I was of opinion with several others that this might be uneasie to a King and therefore believed that His Majesty would sit on Horseback at a distance in some convenient place to see the Men march by Him but He was no sooner come than He was in amongst the throng of them and observed every Regiment very critically This pleased the Soldiers mightily and every one was ready to give what Demonstrations it was possible both of their Courage and Duty The King and the Prince had their moving Houses set up Those Houses were made of Wood but so convenient that they could be set up in an hours time and never after lay out of the Camp during Their stay in Ireland His Majesty lost no time but sent Major General Scravemoor who now was come over that Evening with 500 Horse and a good Detachment of Foot commanded by Lieutenant Collonel Caulfield to discover the Ways and observe the Enemy they marched over part of the Barony of Phuse and almost to Dundalk returning the 23 d in the Evening That Morning His Majesty with a Party of Horse went four Miles beyond Newry and return'd towards the Evening to the Camp at Loughbritland At His coming back some brought Him a Paper to Sign about some Wine and other things for His Majesty 's own use but He was dissatisfied that all things for the Soldiers were not so ready as he desired and with some heat protested That He would drink Water rather than His Men should want A little after His Majesty received a Letter by an Aid du Camp from Major General Kirk Acquainting the King That the Party he sent out that Morning went