thousand foot and a hundred horse with able Captaines under the command of Sir Henry Tichburne who was also made Governour of the Towne whom as long expected so was November the fourth joyfully received by us But by the Town as coldly and discourteously making him to wait for his lodging till nine a clock at night in the street though come in by two and at length was compelled by his own Authority to provide one himselfe with divers other particulars which I will not trouble the Reader with But it was so resented that howsoever the Town Armes offered their service that night yet it was rejected and notwithstanding the wet long and heavy march that day three hundred of the Souldiers were drawn out of the severall Companies to continue the Watch that night wherein our vigilant Governour took a voluntary share himselfe also The next day being the fifth of November and the thankfull remembrance â—or our delivery from the Papists Conspiracy in England we kept it solemnly with an addition of the like for our preservation in part from this also which thoâ—gh it were the younger sister yet being in its own Countrey got the preheâ—inence Before it was not well taken to call it Rebellion but only the act of some discâ—ntented Gentlemen But now we took heart to speak as we thought To this Regiment the State was pleased not long after to adde three Companies more so that now besides the Town Arms we were fifteen hundred foot and a hundred and threescore horse by which our feares of meeting daily at the Church wâ—â—â— cured and we encouraged to double our weekly Fasts when by turns each division of the Regiment might â—artake of one and by our frequent admâ—nitions endevoured to prevent these vices usually incident to Souldiers as also in regard that by their continuall Watches they could not attend the publike Prayers offered twice every day in the Church where as best agreeing with our present estate wee used that forme appointed in King Iames his Reigne when all the Refâ—râ—ed Churches were conceived to be in the like danger Anno 1628. by the assistance of some of my Brethren here each part had it with one fitted to our present condition upon their Guards evening and morning and there was reason that where Religion was the cause the better successe might be expected if it could be infâ—sed into the defenders of it Not many nights after here crept out in the twilight this following Declaration framed as it appeares upon the presumption the thing contrived had been effected which was found in the streeâ—s and by the wax at each corner seemed to have beene some where affixed And howsoever wee had seene before some other imperfect ones yet by the draught and fairnesse of the hand with other circumstances wee apprehended this to be the most authenticall The Generall Declaration of the Catholickes of Ireland WHereas we the Roman Catholiks of this Kingdom of Ireland have been continually loving and faithfull subjects to his Sacred Majesty and notwithstanding the generall and heavy oppressions suffered by subordinate Governours to the ruine of our lives honours and estates yet having some liberty of Religion from his Majesty out of the affluence of his Princely love to us wee weighing not corporall losse in respect of the great immunity of the soule are inviolably resolved to infix our selves in an immutable and pure allegiance for ever to his Royall Majesty and Successours Now it is that the Parliament of England maligning and envying any graces received from his Majesty by our Nation and knowing none so desired of us as that of Religion and likewise perceiving his Majesty to be inclined to give us the liberty of the same drew his Majesties Prerogative out of his hands thereby largly pretending the generall good of his Majesties Kingdomes But wee the said Catholicks and loyall Subjects to his Majesty doe probably find as well by some Acts to passe by them the said Parliament touching our Religion in which the Catholicks of England and Scotland did suffer As also by threats to send over the Scottish Army with the Sword and Bible in hand against us That their whole and studied plot both was and is not only to extinguish Religion by which we only live happily but also likewise to supplant us and raze the name of Catholicks and Irish out of the whole Kingdome And seeing this surprize so dangerous tending absolutely to the overthrow of the liberty of our consciences and Countrey and also our gracious Kings power forced from him in which and in whose prudent care of us our sole quiet and comfort consisted and without which the feare of our present ruines did prescribe opinion and premonish us to save our selves We therefore as well to regain his Majesties said Prerogative being only due to him and his successours and being the essence and life of Monarchy hoping thereby to continue a strong and invincible unity between his Royall and ever happy love to us and our faithfull duty and loyalty to his incomparable Majesty have taken Arms and possessed our selves of the best and strongest Forts of this Kingdome to enable us to serve his Majesty and defend us from the tyrannous resolution of our Enemies This in our consciences as wee wish the peace of the same to our selves and our posterity is the pretence and true cause of our present rising in Arms by which we are resolved to perfect the advancement of truth and safety of our King and Countrey Thus much we thought fit in generall to publish to the world to set forth our innocent and just cause the particulars whereof shal be speedily declared Dated October 23. 1641. God save the King After the Souldiers in some good order were quartered Sir Henry Tichburne our Governour took a diligent view of the Wals Consultations were had for the better fortifying of them The Mill-Mount conceived a very defensive place for the guard of Meath-side the weaker part of the Town and so accordingly were mounted foure peeces of Ordnance and there soone appeared good cause for this preparation The whole County of Louth scarce a Gentleman that was a Papist excepted were drawn into this Conspiracie so that we were beset on that side Northward with five thousand or as their owne list reported it eight thousand The infection did so spread that it not only tainted but broke out in the faces and lips of some of our Aldermen one Stâ—nley who was a Town Burgesse for the Parliament took himself highly promoted to be a Captaine with them others who not long before seemed to doe good service in the discovery of the like whose Letters I had seene deeply exclayming against those courses now ran the same way also Nay the very Sheriffe of the County who had beene so favoured as to continue Knight of the Shire also was a Leader in that Rebellion too He with Stanley came in hither often upon protection as joynt Commissioners from the Rebels
37. pag 86. Denounceth a judgement upon him and his if hee should so much as give any Quarter to the chiefest of us by the warning of Sauls rejection for reserving Agag and Ahabs threatning that his life should goe for dismissing of Benhadad m Cum Turcis Mahumetanis Ethnicis Hebraeis faedus tibi facere Imperator licet ut Deut. 20. 5. Cum civitatibus quae a te valde procul sunt foedus inire poteris c. non autem cum haereticis qui vicini sunt qui pleraque nobiscum habeant communia de his praecepit Deus ut nullum omnino permittes vivere occidatis omnem animam viventem c. pag. 81. 82 83. Gasp Scioppii consiliarii Regii Classicum belli sacri sive Heldus redivivus hoc est ad Carolum qâ—inâ—um Imperatorem suasoria approbat authoritat super ut omne lectiore memoria dignum omnibus perutile With Turks and Heathens hee allows him to make a peace but for us that partake with them in some common principles no plea can be admitted to reprieve us from a present slaughter of old and young not saving alive any that breathes whom els where he terms * Gasp Sciopii Scorpiacum i. e. remedium adversus haereses ab ipsis Protestantibus Scorpionibus petitum Scorpions and therefore to be kild assoon as we are born Which horrid Counsell is justified by n Haeresis cum alte radices egit non nisi ustionibus sectionibus seu bellorum vi impetu ac violentia exsâ—indi debet Praecipitar Deut. 17. ut qui sacerdotis Imperio de Religionis controversiis se non submiserit interficiatur Anâ—mitius tractabimus eos qui corrâ—â—câ—nte Christi Evangelio a Catholica fide deficiunt Quid nos facere convenit nisi ut Zelum imitantes Regum veteris Testamenti eos mature emedio tollamus Hac enim laude Helias Iehu alii celebrantur Non esse crudelitatem occidere Haâ—â—ticos sed pietatem saeva est clementia parcere c. Iâ—aâ— Paul Windeck deliberatio de extirpandis haeresibus Antidot 10. 11. Windeck in the like application and exhorcation to the burning killing and all other violent course of war for our extirpation by the Presidents of zealous Kings and Magistrates in the old Testament whom such as are Christians he saith ought to exceed accordingly as Heresie under the Gospell is the more damnable concluding all clemencie to us to be cruelty and that which might seeme cruelty to be piety This with much of the like is the sentence they have decreed against us in their Schools published in their Books exhorted Princes to in their Doctrines and accordingly made this Kingdom the bloudy stage wherein they have acted it to the full in murthering and drowning without distinction of sex or age Now whether these evill servants may not be justly judged out of their owne mouthes whose Religion hath bin long agon by the Bishops of this Kingdome decreed to be Hereticall and Apostaticall or recompenced according to their own works upon us which have been so horrid and barbarous as all Heathen and Turkish story are to seek for presidents I leave it to your Honorable wisdoms to determine onely I am sure no stricter bonds can be taken of them to secure us for the future then those which they have broken at this present even that treble obligation of nature oaths and favour wherein they are stil supported by their Clergy as if they did God good service And indeed what hopes can there be of peace where a Kingdome is not at one in Religion which as our wofull experience sheweth it so reason is sufficient to evince it and I am willing to give a Iesuite leave to speak it for me o Nulla unquam familia fuit in qua dissentiens Religio pacem non turbavit exemplo sit discordia inter Isaac Ishmaelem inter Iacob Laban inter Mosen uxorem Sephoram quomodo ergo in toto Regno pax concordia sperari potest ubi Religionis fidei fumma est discordia Qui olim conjunctiores quam Judaei Israelitâ—â— At postquam altare contra altare templum contra templum erectum est mox inexplabili dissidio dissecti dissociati sunt Becanus de poems Haereticorum Quaest 6. What family saith he was there ever where a difference in Religion made not a breach see it in Isaac and Ismael Iacob and Laban Moses and his wife Zipporah and if so what concord can be expected in a whole Kingdome where there is much more disagreement who were neerer a kin then Israel and Iudah but assoone as Altar was erected against Altar they were soone divided in an irreconcileable war The argument mee thinks is probable onely let the application bee to themselves and the endeavours to this Honorable Parliament so to fan and throughly purge the floore of this our Church that there be no such Cananites left in the Land to be thorns and pricks in the eâ—es of our posterity hereafter of whose Idolatrous falshood and murderous projects wee in this late besieged Towne of Drogheda so thirsted for by them have had too much experience wherein the service that hath beene performed in the unanimous defence of it by my Lord Viscount Moore whose laborious vigilancy and large expences in the want of supplyes elswhere deserves a speciall remembrance Sir Henry Tichburn our valiant Governour with the rest of our couragious Captains and Commanders may merit a prime place in your honorable favour A Collection of some passages in which being by many desired as seasonable for the present and profitable for the future I have in the midst of other distractions and employments presumed in this rude forme to present to this Honourable House whose paternall bowels wee find already have yearned upon us and in the continuance of whose indulgent care with an Application to his Majestie all our hopes are deposited And I doubt not but this poore and meane offering shall the rather gaine acceptance in that it is derived from such who have these many moneths liv'd the next doore to Martyrdome GOD in his goodnesse prosper all your designes for for the reducing of this Kingdom to due obedience refining and enlarging of our Church and the returning of a more setled peace to this disjoynted Island which must be the daily prayers and is the beliefe of Your Honours most humble and devoted Servant N. BARNARD Droghedah May 25. 1642. To the Reader THou hast here the earnest of a succeeding bloudy History which by some other hand hereafter may be perfected and may well be entitled the Martyrologue of Ireland for the present thou mayst apprehend this Relation as an abridgment of the whole wherein each of their parts have been in some measure acted and by the touch of this pulse onely in this one member thou mayst give the righter judgment of the malignity in the body This town was for a long time
taking their Ensignes and no losse of ours p. 51. The wofull extremity of famine after the Towne had been sifted and all possible reliefe neer hand adventured for p. 36. Our reliefe the second time February 20. wherein Gods speciall hand was evident in divers particulars pag. 57. The same day the Rebels beaten off from our wals when they had mounted many of their scaling ladders pag. 59. Divers horrible cruell acts committed upon the English Protestants neer us pag. 20. The killing of three hundred of the Rebels at the bridge of Gillingstone in revenge of the like number of ours at the same place p. 62. The burning of Morlenton and Colpe with divers of the like and routing them on the South side p. 64. March the 5th Their routing on the North side at Tallagh-holland when seven of their Captains with three hundred others were slaine p. â—7 The taking possession of foure of their Castles on each side of the River Of the taking of Atherdee about eight miles from us with the battle there when foure hundred of them were killed p. 74. The admirable providence of God in the quicke taking of Dundalke about 16 miles from us March 26. with which we accounted our Siege fully raised pag. 75. An Appendix of some other occurrences in the prosecution of our victory since which give some light to the former pag. 80. The Names of the severall Captains as they came in for our defence at DROGHEDAH Octob. 26. 1641. THe Lord Viscount Moore of Droghedah with his troope of Horse consisting of sixty six Sir Iohn Nettervill Captain With their two half standing Companies Rockley Captain Seafowle Gibson Captain His Company of the English Inhabitants and other Protestants were to the number of six score Novemb. the fourth 1642. Sir Henry Tichburne Colonell and Governour of the Town his Company of Foot Sir Iohn Borlase Captain These three though having beene before Officers of the field yet out of their zeal to the present service came as private Captains L. Colonel Byron Captain L. Colonell VVenmond Capt. Iacob Lovel Serjeant Major who died in the Siege Captain Chichester Fortescue Captain Will. Willoughby Captain Edw. Billingsley Captain Lewis Owens Captain Iohn Morris The Troops of Horse Iohn Sloughter Captaine Lievtenant to Sir Thomas Lucas Commissary Generall Thomas Greymes Lievtenant to Sir Adam Loftus Novemb. the tenth Captain Henry Bryan Captain Patrick Trevor Captain Foulke Martin November the two and twentieth Christopher Roper Serjeant Major These 3 Captains escaped very defective in their Companies from the defeat at the bridge of Gellingston Captain William Cadowgan Captain Charles Sownsley Fifty Horse under the command of Sir Patrick Weymes Captaine Lievtenant to the Earle of Ormond February the twentieth with our second relief Captain Richard Borrows Captain Edward Trevor Captain William Hamilton When all the aforesaid Captains excepting the Regiment of Sir Henry Tichburne were appointed to be under my Lord Moores command WEE whose names are here underwritten who have been and continued Captains within the Towne of Droghedah during the Siege and so eye-witnesses of most things which have falne out in it Having duly and diligently read over this Book entituled The Siege of Droghedah doe hereby according to the severall times of our comming thither and according to our best remembrance confirme this following Narration to be wholly truth and do testifie it to be in each particular very impartially and fully related As witnesse our hands this 11 of Iune 1642. Seaf Gibson Io. Sloughter Rob. Byron Rich. Borrows Phil. Wenman P. Wemys The Lord Viscount Moore of Droghedah his Confirmation of the truth of this following Narration HOwsoever the knowne integrity of the Authour is a sufficient testimony of it selfe yet having the second time read over this Booke entituled The Siege of Droghedah where I have beene an eye-witnesse of what hath been done from the beginning of it I doe hereby according to the attestation of the six other Captains and in answer to the desire of such as have conceived it necessary confirme this following Relation to be wholly truth and in each particular to be fully and very impartially written onely declining throughout such passages as may concern my self As Witnesse my hand thâ—s 22 of Iune 1642. MOORE THE Siege of Drogheda in IRELAND OR A Relation of such memorable passages as have faln out here and the Townes neere adjoyning from the beginning of this late REBELLION THe 23 of October 1641 was the fatall Day pitched upon by the Papists of this Kingdome of Ireland with one consent for the utter ruine of the Protestants and the true Religion professed by them here and doubtlesse had taken effect accordingly had not the speciall providence of God prevented it in a timely discovery at the root which was to have surprized the Castle of Dublin undertaken by the Lord Mac-Guire and as they say cast upon him by some sacred Lot but that morning he was taken himselfe and committed close prisoner where hee had in his thoughts provided the like lodgings for others The fact was horrid in the ayme desperat in the attempt crafty in the project bloudy in the fruits close in the carriage undiscryed till the very Eye of the morning for execution generall in the extent being a Catholike Cast indeed like those Romanists for the whole Coat of our Saviour at the ruine of the whole State at once This though thus stopped at the head yet wrought not so full a cure but that it broke out in deadly issues through most parts of the Body of the Kingdome into which it is not now my purpose to range leaving it to the severall relations of others The chiefe intent of this discourse is to give thee a true account of what hath fâ—lne out within this besieged Town of Drogheda wherein I have beâ—◠〈◊〉 this â—hole Winter my selfe The news of the foresaid discovery posting from Dublin hither was met with the same night by much of the like Nature out of the North The treaâ—herous surpâ—â—â—all of Castle Blâ—â—y Newry Carrick Charlemom Monahan with others came in thick like Iobs â—essengers one upon another all confidently assured by their Surprizers that Dublin was taken already These reports howsoever credâ—blâ— enough by the conditions of such who were the Actors yet the suddennesse of them bred not at first a full perswasion till wee received a double and treble Confirmation by the flight of many to us stripped and wounded in whom wee began then to apprehend the draught of our owne Picture next but whether by some Skeen abroad or Sword at home or both lay in an even ballance for each man to conjecture Our first succour was my Lord Viscount Moore being then at Mellifont about three miles from us who by the sad news of his sister the Lady Blany and her childrens imprisonment had a warning piece given him of their affection towards himself came with some part of his Troop hither at midnight knockt up the Major
pretence of endangering the favour of a faire quarter which they expected if the Towne were taken yet a Lievtenant of one of the Troops though a Papist and protesting his constancy in that Religion upbraided them to their faces that they could be no good Subjects in their refuall And here it was not unobserved as a just judgment of God upon some of the Souldiers for their perjury who having taken the Oath and a night or two afterwards stealing over the walls to the Rebells one brake his back and another his neck and others much bruised themselves lying there as examples to others that should doe the like which was the more observable in that before that Oath many had climbed over and had no hurt The Rebels finding that neither their faire pretences nor bloudy threatnings to prevaile so far as to gain us to any composition for giving up the Towne they put their resolutions into action and so Saint Thomas his Eye was the night appointed with one consent to give us an on-set on all sides at once which as wee had notice of by our Spyes so towards the Evening wee might see them our selves drawing nigh in severall bodies of six or seven thousand which by their owne relation is twice doubled and lately hath been confessed by one of their chiefe to have beene sixteen thousand the issue of which was as followeth The on-set given by the Rebels with their whole strength December the twentieth being Saint Thomas his Eve THat afternoon there came certain information of that being the fatall night pitched upon by all their forces for our ruine who made no other account but of swallowing us up quick and with it very good grounds to assure us of some assistance promised them by the Towne who at such an houre and at such an allarme were to fall upon us and to open a Pâ—rt upon which the Governour instantly disarmed the Town-forces of such Muskets and Pikes as he had intrusted them with caused a search to be made for any other Armes and to be gathered all that could be found into one roome Commanded all the Townsmen within doores upon pain of death and about that houre set for the mutiny within whereby the Enemy might the securer assault us without hee was once for triall sake thinking to have set forty Musketiers to have shot powder one against another and so to make a confused noyse as if the Towne had beene in an uprore and falne upon us indeed but for feare of some unexpected mistakes which might have hapned by such as could not have knowne the mystery hee desisted and rested in the beliefe of that which evidently declared it self afterwards The whole Garrison of Foot and Horse consisting of eighteene hundred stood to their Arms all that night every Company being appointed to their severall Guards unto which there was added another of Volunteers out of the able and sufficient housholders of the Towne to the number of fourscore who proffered themselves and had presently a Captaine and Officers appointed them of whom seven were of the Clergie all sorts without exception thinking it high time now to stand for their lives The streets were well beset with Candles The Crescets in the dark night being lighted our Governour continually rounding the Towne to see all things in order and to prevent our Popish Inhabitants and the Enemies concurrence at the set houre by discerning how the night went caused the clock to be set back two houres All things being in a readinesse great expectation was there of our greeting At length about one a clock they began to give some warning shot which was deemed to be rather directed to the Townsmen then to us which being at that distance our Souldiers daigned not to take notice of Not long after at a watch-word given and about the hour prefixed they all approched the wals and according to their use gave such a terrible shout round about the Towne such as I remember never to have heard the like The end of it was believed either to scar and confound our forces or to invite the Town to make good their promise for the furthering of which some were heard to cry out of their windows that the Town was lost but neither had their issue That tumultuous cry at one gate was instantly so well answered by the dolefull Echo of a Cannon from the Mount that we soon heard them quite of another tune as being the slaughter of multitudes of them for three or foure houres was this musicall discord continued till by the mistake of the clock the day breaking suddenly before they were aware they took themselves to slight and every one invited the other to all possible speed after whom being now fully discovered were posted all sorts of shot from all quarters which caused many who by turning their backs had no mind to see their own deaths to drop by the way some of them by their clothes and faire horses were deemed Commanders scaling Ladders were multiplyed in the rumour which came often to our eares before but wee saw none now neither was indeed the time come for their use The numbers of their slaine is not certaine only such as were sent out that morning upon a view found all the fields bedewed with bloud here and there some limbes scattered from their bodies many cart loads of their dead were seen driving away abundance left behind in ditches which in their hast they had forgotten whose stolne clothes and linnes proved a better booty to their strippers then was expected many being the very provant Clothes taken from ours at the Bridge as with one of them whose head was brought in was found the very armour of one of our Officers slain there For ours such was Gods protection of us that there was not one man slain nor so much as hurt notwithstanding at Saint Iohns Gate which was the most naked and where Captain Moris commanded there was the hottest work good language past on both sides ours called them the Kings Traytors they ours the Queens some of our Popish Souldiers who had run away were their Guides and were so bold as to call their severall Captains by their names as they discerned them by their voyces some of ours by this continued acquaintance at length grew so courteous that when they found the Enemy slow in giving fire deeming it might be for want of Powder offered to throw them a Bag if they would but fetch it wagers were laid commonly amongst the Musketiers who should take of such Commander appearing more gallantly mounted and clothed then the rest and indeed seldome missed but one wâ—n the Set. Thus this night made choice of according to their proverb in hope or Saint Thomas his blessing turned the contrary much of their bloud was spilt and by Gods especiall goodnes none of ours which that morning as soon as the storm was over we failed not in the Church solemnly and publickly to acknowledge and to
and properly for a religious one it should be a voluntary act Fasts are called Sabbaths but vvith us novv every Sabbath vvas become a Fast so that that distinction according to the ancient Canons could not binde us but still see the accepting of our very intentions that very Sunday February the 14 â—h was there a booty offered to us of above fourescore Covves and tvvo hundred Sheep which sâ—me Horse and Foot instantly issuing out returned with the spoyle of by that time vve vvere going to Church vvhereby my subject vvas turned to thanksgiving That as David we might acknovvledge I did but say I would confesse and thou forgavest c. Thou preventedst me with thy loving kindnesse c. And still this vvas vvith the losse of some of our Enemies but of ours notvvithstanding the shot as thicke as Haile from the other side of the River not one man so much as hurt a Horse vvas onely shot through the eare The popish Tovvnes-men could not dissemble their sadnesse at the sight of this reliefe but it appeared in their faces and speeches and casually a Horse at the Gate slipping out of his Riders hand and running through the Tovvne some of them could not but expresse their joy in hope one Horseman had beene slaine Another Sally vvas made tvvo dayes after on the other side vvith a hundred Foot and a troop of Horse to secure the bringing in of some Corne a mile and a halfe off but by some secret notice given to the Rebels by those of their ovvne party vvithin fifteene hundred from divers parts suddenly beset them our men ran not avvay but having called backe their Forragers made a faire orderly retreate through them to the killing of nine of the Rebels as hath been since confessed by themselves and of ours none so much as hurt onely some straglers of poore unarmed men and women vvho against command to get some Corne stayed too long behinde they barbarously and basely butchered vvithout giving them any quarter to the number of tvventy or thirty which was revenged not long afterwards NOvv Sir Philim O Neile being returned out of the North came very short of those braggs he made vvhen he vvent vvhich vvere nothing but of great Peeces of Battery and so many thousands of men vvhich should be able to eat us up instantly but in stead of that stately march he invisibly stole hither lying at Beauly a mile and a halfe from us three or foure dayes unknovvne and brought but forty Horse vvith him and halfe of those unarmed by vvhich vve suspected the Scotch had not used him very kindely in thâ—se parts yet as soone as he vvas discovered he sent a message to my Lord MOORE That he had taken all the Townes in the North but two which were also at his pleasure That the whole Kingdome was in the like case and still wondred DROGHEDA should be so singular as to thinke to hold out and to bee delivered out of his hand see a little RABSHECAH yet againe protesting his Love to him and renevving that offer of their former honours vvith assurance of being payed to a penny all his dammages But if not gave him vvarning before such a day to prepare himselfe for his last for he vvould then take the Towne whatsoever it cost him and that his Lordship must looke for no quarter from him But hovvsoever vvee vvere ready against his day prefixed yet that feared us not so much as the extremitie of Famine vvhich pressed and grew every day upon us more and more Insomuch that novv nothing but desperate courses could I heare thought of and resolved upon by such as used to be most hearty in the feare of the losse of all at last if they vvere not relieved by such a day and that very neare at hand vvhich though the onely possible meanes must be by Sea from DVBLIN yet the continuance of such a contrary winde dashed our hopes that way also This utmost extremity seemes to me to be Gods onely time when most probably he would be seene even when all sense failed and methought bespoke a present extraordinary spending a day in his house of Prayer which we knew not but might be our last as a speciall triall of the fruit of those exercises as sometimes the Lord of Hoasts hath bidden his to prove him in some cases of want if he did powre them out a blessing Mal. 3. 10. and as an evidence to our very Enemies who had made the cause Religion that we were his Church and chosen by his speciall providence in relieving us and so by a common consent though a private warning the next day being Friday and the eighteenth of February was it thus set apart for the begging our bread of God which accordingly for the subject I tooke the fourth Petition of the Lords Prayer This day we continued in the house of God from morning to evening which was blest with much affection and many teares we begged pardon of our former abuse of his benefits renued our vowes of better obedience c. wherein howsoever some confident passages of assurance of having presently an answer of our desires might well seeme to be without warrant yet see the event that evening the wind inclined and the very next morning from the worst of winds a North-West it instantly turned to the best a South-East and with such weather as we could have wished and so continued Nay it went not unobserved by the very Papists as a wonder that that very evening there were a world of Roaohes and other Fish taken with Angles by the Souldiers never knowne to be found there in the River before which they drew up for many houres as fast as they could cast in The continuance of which gave a present reliefe to most and if a Sparrow fall not to the earth without a providence why should not we judge it a speciall providence when it is for supplying the wants of his children that cry unto him who are of much more value That Saturday in the evening having some notice of the approach of our reliefe we met on the Sunday morning earlier then we used contriving to have done by the Tide and in the continuance of the same former subject and Petition blessed with the same affections praying that it might now passe through the envie and opposition of all our Enemies Now it so fell out that as I was upon the very conclusion of the Sermon a Messenger came into the Church with that joyfull tydings that some of the Vessels were come within the Bar which answer of our prayers receiving upon Gods owne day in his owne house and in the continuance of his owne ordinance we took as from God himselfe and so concluding with all possible thankes and praise to him from whom every good gift descendeth we went out and saw the salvation of God When two Pinaces sixe Gabbards three Friggots with a Shallop came all safely to us all but the two Pinaces