THE Letters from Dublin say, That all Artifices are used to bring over the Prote­stants, to espouse the late King's Interest, but they are ineffectual, which is evident, for that there are in Ireland many thousand Prote­stants, of which a great number are able to bear Arms, and amongst them very many good Officers; yet hath not the late King since his Arrival in that Kingdom, with all his gilded offers of Protection, and Liberty of Conscience, been able to prevail with Twenty Men of the Reformed Religion, to take up Arms for Defence of his Popish Cause, or assist to enslave their Posterities.

The French already behave themselves with that haughty Insolence in the Court, Camp, and Coun­trey, as if they were entering on the Meritorious Service (as at home) of Dragooning the defence­less Protestants, and Lording it over the Native Irish, insomuch, that their Biggotry and Loyalty begins to stagger, and the wiser and wealthier of them think they are assisting a Fatal Work to their Posterity, and Countrey, wishing themselves under a Protestant Protection again; the godly Monsieur stick not to say publickly, that Ireland cannot be blessed until there is not one damned Heretick left a­live in the Kingdom.

Upon a modest Calculation, the Papist Army and Mobile, together, have already despoiled the Prote­stants of their personal Estates in Money, Plate, Stock, and Houshould-Goods, to the value of more than five hundred thousand Pounds Sterling; and the Commissioners appointed in each County for Se­questrations, have sequestred more than five hun­dred thousand Pounds per Annum of their real E­states, and are proceeding therein.

And Orders are given for the seizing to the use of the late King what remains unplundered in the Hou­ses of all Protestants Absenters; and the pretended House of Commons have unanimously voted the Restitution of all Lands belonging to Abbeys, Prio­ries, Monasteries, and all other Religious Houses throughout the Kingdom, which makes the Priests, Fryars, Monks, and the order of that disorderly Crew to appear in such Herd [...] as if they were upon a General Muster, and the numbers of Masses for Suc­cess is incredible; but it's a Question among them­selves whether most are offered for the French King, or his Lieutenant.

Amidst all these their Halcyon hopes, the dissatis­faction which appears in the most considerate of the Natives, the unanimous proceedings in England, the firmness and swift proceedings in Scotland, and the Resolution of the Garrisons of London-Derry, and Inniskilling, whose Courage hath destroyed the flower of their Army, & discouraged the rest, who con­fest they have lost before Derry, and elsewhere 10000 Horse, Foot, and Dragoons most killed, some wounded, some taken, and some deserted. And it's [Page 2]credited at Dublin, that the Siege is raised, and the rather, for that some harrassed Troops of Horse (some wanting above half their number) are come thither from before Derry, and are ordered to joyn the Camp that is forming near Dublin, and there to be filled up, whiles Recruits are marching to the Northward, to Reinforce the Army.

The Account credited at Dublin concerning the late Action near Ballyshannon is, That there are in Inniskilling 4000 Foot well Arm'd, and above 1000 Horse, of as brave stout Men from the Northern Borders of both Kingdoms, as any are in Europe, and commanded by Col. William Hamilton, Capt. King­ston, and many other brave Officers, who have made frequent and successful Sallies upon the Irish, particularly in May last, upon the Occasion follow­ing.

Those of Inniskilling having gotten together a great Stock of Provisions of all sorts at Ballyshannon, which they designed to get thither by Water; the Irish got Notice thereof, and with a strong Party of 12, some say 1500 Horse and Dragoons, com­manded by Col. Sarsfield, resolved to make them­selves Masters thereof, and were on their March ac­cordingly. But Col. Hamilton drew out of the Town all the Horse he had, and a considerable Bo­dy of Foot, and Attaqued them so Opportunely, and with that Courage and Resolution, that they were soon forced in Disorder and Confusion, and the Foot coming up and securing a Pass, the whole Party was entirely defeated, Sarsfield and five or six more nar­rowly escaping, the rest being most killed, and about 200 taken, the best of which they kept, and the rest they stript and sent away to carry the News to their Friends. In this Action they got many good Horses, Arms, and Plunder, and have gotten home their Provisions; since which, at a place called Kil­ley-Shani, they attaqued and routed a Detachment that was marching to the Army, and took from them some Cannon and Bombs, 100 Prisoners, and as many killed; of both which Actions they have gi­ven an Account to Derry, and that they are in good Heart, and, if possible, will joyn them in a few days, and take the Field with what Forces they can make, and bring Provisions with them.

Letters from Chester say, That on the 31st. past, about 3 in the Morning, the Wind at South-East, a brisk Gale, Major-Gen. Kirk failed from High Lake, having with him 3 Men of War, and 24 Ships of Bur­then, on whom are Embarqued the Major-General's Regiment, Sir John Hanmore's, and Col. Stewart's, and the rest of the Forces, with Gunners, Engineers, and a great quantity of Provisions, Arms, Ammunition, Bombs, Cannon, Morters, Ball, Pick-axes, and Sho­vels.

Last Night, being June the Fifth, came an Advice from Liverpool, sent in there by the Portland-Frigate, with the account fol­lowing, viz. That being cruising on the Irish Coast, she met with Major-General Kirk on Saturday the first instant, at Ten in the Mor­ning off of Carrick-Fergus Bay, with the whole Fleet, under a good Wind for London-Derry, where they in all probability arrived on Sabbath-day.

There is certain Advice from London-Derry, That the Protestants in London-Derry having Notice on Sabbath-day Morning, June the Se­cond, that Major-General Kirk, and the Fleet under his Command, were arrived within the Harbour's Mouth, called a Council of War, and resolved to make a Sally on the Enemy; which they executed with all the whole Force of the Garrison (about a thou­sand Men excepted) and with that desperate Courage and Resolution, that they fell pell-mell upon the Enemy in their Trenches, and beat them off from their Three Batteries, and out of all their Trenches, took all their Mortars and Guns: And so bloody and ob­stinate was the Fight, that the Protestants lost about 1500 Men, and the Enemy 6000, some account 5000, but the least above 4000 dead on the spot.

After which the Enemy discamped with their whole Army in a very great disorder and confusion, leaving behind them all their Bag and Baggage, of which the Protestants are now the Masters, and of the Field eight Miles round.

This Good News is brought by the Dublin Yatch, Captain Rice Commander, who went with Major-General Kirk to Derry, and left them in the Harbour on Sabbath-day night, intending to land on Munday Mor­ning. The Particulars of this Great and Glorious Action is expected next Post from Derry, with the true state of the Garrison.

The Letters from Portsmouth do affirm, That yesterday, June the Fifth, the Dutch Fleet consisting of Forty Ships of War, &c. came to the Spitt-head, where the reciprocal Joy and Friendship of each Fleet, was loudly proclaimed by their Cannon.