ACcording to my promise, and obligation wherein I am for ever bound, I neither may nor will omitt any occasion, to give you notice of such further proceedings as concernes this his Ma­sters service in Ireland, but more especially in the forte of Duncannon, I hope you have not onely received my Letters, but also seene my Captaine, and that Noble Liefetenant that came from this good old Lo. Esmond, since which time we have removed the Rebels Campe further from us.

Vpon the 26. of March wee fetcht in a prey consi­sting of 150. sheepe, and about 20. Hoggs, and recei­ved no hurt, we have often times dared them to fight, but they will not, their guilty consciences hath weake­ned their hearts and hands.

The 28. of this Moneth wee burnt a Towne called Ramsgrange, and tooke the Castle, wherein was a com­pany of the Rebels, under the command of one Cap­taine Thomas Keating, which Captaine we tooke priso­ner, and 23 of his souldiers, onely with the losse of one man on our parts, and upon their owne Gallowes which they had set up for us, wee hang'd 16. of them, the rest of them we restord to the Enemy, man for man in Lieu of prisoners they had of the English; and for the Captaine, the Countesse of Ormond beg'd, who at that time was here in the fort, and being sent for, by the Earle to Dublin, by one of the Kings shipps, since [Page 2]the hanging of which men, my Lord hath received ma­ny threaning Letters from one Colonell Butler, and Colonell Wall, both great Rebels, and generall Lord Mongarre [...]t threatens much to the fort, but wee feare them not: If God put it into the hearts of the King and Parliament to provide for us, by adding of such more strength as is desired by this good old warriour the Lord Esmond, in his Letters, espcially for shipping, one ship of good fort is as much as a thousand men.

It must be shipping that must recover Waterford and Rosse againe or else never, and good Garisons put into them when they are recovered, the Mayor of Water­ford is true, and hath done many private courtesies for the distressed Protestants, and cannot helpe the rebel­lion of the City, the Soveraigne of Rosse hath done the like, and both hath privatly intimated as much to my Lord, that if shipping and souldiers doe come in time, they will doe their indeavours for the surrendring of both city and towne, which should bee done with as much speede as may bee, they both being places of great Traffique with Spaine and Dunkirke, and the heate of all the prime of Ireland.

They begin to be in a thousand distractions, for wee have stopt going to relieve them, and taken one Barque laden with Herrings, one laden with corne, and ano­ther with wines and Salt.

This day we have made stay of a ship of London la­den with Sackes from Cales, and some Letters from Priests and Iesuites in Spaine, to some Priests and Fry­ers here, for which we much suspect them, the Letters import matters of great joy for the alterration of the times, this is all I can informe about these parts.

We are further certified from Dublin, by true In­telligence [Page 3]that Droghedah is relieved, the gates opened, and a great Market comes in daily, from Droghedah the Army there with some 500 foote and 100 horse under the command of that valiant Sir Henry Tichborne, marched this last weeke to Ardee eight myles from thence, & there defeated the Enemie, from then he marched to Dundalke, 16. miles from Droghedah, and there he defeated the ene­my, slew 1100 of them, and fifteene officers, tooke foure peeces of ordinance from them, and great ster [...] of pil­lage: it is credibly reported they got 20000 in pillage, in both these walled Townes, wee lost not above 20. men, which is the Lords great mercy to us.

Our Army from Dublin have burnt & forraged all along to Droghedah, 20 miles, and to the hill of Tarah 16 miles, and Naas, 10 miles, but to the [...] (on the moun­taines) of us the enemies lies strong and neere us.

On fryday last an Army of the Rebells came downe from the mountaines within foure miles of Dublin, our Horse went to meete them on Saterday early in the mor­ning, and put them all to flight, and pursued 300 of them into the Castle of Carickmaine 6 miles from Dublin, by 9. in the morning some messengers came to Dublin for two peeces of Ordinance againstthe castle, 2 dayes was passed over in consultation, so that the taking of the Castle cost dearely, the losse but of a few, not past ten men, but five of them were officers of great note, one of them the flow­er of the English Army for valour, dscretion, and Religi­on, Sir Symon Harcourt, cheife commander that day, and Captaine Barrey a brave Gentleman and wise, who with 1500 men, and two demy Culverings tooke that Castle where Sir Simon Harcourt was shot in the left shoulder with a slug of leade, for it seemes the Rebels hath not store of moulds to cast bullotts in, who dyed two dayes [Page 4]after at Myrian in the Lord Fitz Williams house, 3. miler from Dublin: A man much lamented for Cagtaine Berrey shot through the shoulder, his Liefetenant shot dead, but one Leifetenant Huse making choyse of some few brave souldiers with Hatchets and other instruments, broke ope the Castle gate, where they found 60 horses bridled and sadled, then Leiftenant Marett entred in, where they killed man woman and child.

Collonell Reade, and Mr. Mahone, were lately racked at Dublin, who confessed they was to have Murthered the two Lord Iustices, with Man, Woeman, & Child, of the English. And that READE should have beene Lievtenant Generall of Meath, And had 600. l. P [...]ann. Also that the Lord Dunsaney, Sr. Iohn Nettersfeild, and Dondall the Regester, who was Clerke of the Councell to the Rebells, And Mr. Barnewell of Kilbrue, with o­thers, came in to the Iustices, But Barnewell, was racked foure dayes since, and confessed that the Lord Dunsany was one of the cheife Actors in the Pale, with some others, which yet I cannot Learne.

Sir Philomy Oneale is fled to the Newry, a cheife Gar­rison of the Rebells, it being the next place Sir Henry Tichburne intends to begin withall, haveing sent to Dubline for 500. Men more (which is granted) And goeth to him very speedily, for whose safety and suc­cesse, is the Subject of our daily Prayers.

We are informed by divers from Carrickfergus, that there is a Generall Complaint of the Country against the Scots, for they plunder them worse then the Rebels, I doubt not but you have heard of my Lord Blaneys Landing, and that one Captaine Blunt is our Sergeant Major, a Noble Gentleman and a good Souldier, And for the Forces in Carrickfergus, the Castle is repairing [Page 5]some 8. Peeces of Ordinance being in it, and one Cap­taine Lowden Commander of it, who hath disbursed much Money in the repaire of it, and it is a great deale of pitty that the Scots should take the Command over his head, which the Towne much feares.

The Enemy Attempted Antrim, with some small Forces, but came of with [...] of some of their men, but they, and Knockfergus looke to be charged againe every day.

This is all I can informe you for the present, vntill the next oppertunity, praying to GOD to Blesse you and our Actions, to whose protection I Committ you and Rest.

The Bearer hereof, Master Bridges and my good friend, can give you a good testimony of the state of this Kingdome, being one that hath beene pillaged by the Rebells.

I Have written by the two last Posts, and now I have gotten a lame hand; but having good News, it shall trot to impart it unto you. The last Satterday the Lord Moore, and sir Henry Tichbourne sallyed out of the Town, and fell upon the enemies, and drove them out of their Trenches, and raisd their siege, slew about 350 of their men, & tooke many of their chief Officers, & have relieved themselves bravely, and tooke 150 of their Muskets, and a field full of Pikes, wee having lost, as some affirme, no men. Here are three of our Cap­taines come by Land, so that this newes is true. Vpon M [...]nday our Forces went out, 4000. Foot, and 500. Horse; they are already within 5. Miles of Treaigh, by the way, Lievtenant Colonell Read came into our men and submitted, if he had not done it, he could not have fled: he is sent hither, and lodg'd in the Castle, I do believe we shall now get good store of Corn out of the Countrey, which will keep the price from rising. Our men are not expected home this week, pray God keep them safe. Sir Phelomy O Neal was in the Battle, But was faine to fly.