I Know you cannot but much desire to hear from your Friends especially having left them in this miserable distracted King­dom, where nothing is frequent but tumults and bloudy massa­cres; yet in the midst of these it hath pleased Al­mighty God to blesse your Friends with health: your bed fellow is in good health, and your Fa­ther in law Master Freake, and your brother Ma­ster Arthur Freake, I know you doe expect some news from hence, and God be praysed, I never had more cause, nor better news to certifie you of, which hath conduced to the glory of Almigh­ty God, and the comfort of all us poore distressed Protestants, against whom that devouring beast [Page 2]of Rome, hath advanced all her Force. About the beginning of this moneth O Sulivan Beare, came from the Westerne parts with twelve thousand men, and came to Timoleague, where Sir Ro­ger O Shahons dwels and pillaged the towne, and kill'd a great many of the English barbarously, ravishing their Wives and Daughters, taking the prey of all the town, and setting fire to the most part of the towne, marched away, and came to Macha [...]a Reh. a great Rebell who had 12000 men, joyning their Forces, marched to Bandon­bridge, and there besieged the towne and us in it, threatning to put us all to the sword if we did not presently render the town, but upon refusall, they set the base town on fire, hoping by that meanes to fire the towne of Bandonbridge, but God be thanked, it took not that effect which they expe­cted, for the wind blowing pretty hard from the West, kept the fire from us, to our no little joy, and their vexation, who were thus disappointed of their wicked intentions only by the provi­dence of Almighty God, to whom let all good Christians render perpetuall thanks for his great mercies shewed to his distressed people: these Rebels and their Forces continued before the town strictly besieging us, & daily shooting into [Page 3]the Towne, the space of foure dayes, in which time we had dispatched certaine Messengers to my Lord President of Munster to Corke, who hea­ring of our distresse, sent Sir Charles Vavasour, who came in the night with only 500. men, and some other English Commanders, and two peeces of Ordnance, who made an assault upon them be­fore it was light (they not expecting any such thing) which being so suddenly performed, did so distract and amaze the Rebels that they seemed to be men without life, and we hea­ring this Alarme into the Towne, having 2000. men in readinesse under the command of the Right Honourble the Lords of Kenelmech and Brahull, both my Lord of Corkes sonnes (as having before had intelligence of the stratagem) did issue out upon them, and valiantly assailed them, who at the comming of the Towne forces, they were absolutely rowted, and every man began to pro­vide for his safetie by flight, nor could the threats nor perswasions of their Commanders cause them to stay, but they all run away, and left their chiefe Commander O Sulivan Beare, who was there shot and taken prisoner, and had not Ma­charta Reh fled, he had beene his companion in [Page 4]imprisonment, as he was before in Armes, yet for all their hast there was at this bickering slaine and wounded on the Rebels part to the number of 2000. men, wee losing but twenty men be­side some prisoners that were presently conveyed to Corke to my Lord President, who presently caused them all to bee hanged, as for O Sulivan Beare we have him in sure custody untill he may be safely conveyed to Dublin. Thus we daily see by experience how mightily God fighteth for us, to whom be praise and glory for evermore: After the flight and massacre of these miserable people, the whole spoyle of their Campe was taken, which was great, & a great part of it was devided amongst the the Souldiers to incourage them, the rest is kept for the reliefe of our men, there was taken some 60. head of cattell, some provision of bread & meat, three barrels, of powder 300. Mus­kets, 200. Pikes, with certaine Swords and Skeenes, seven Colours, and certaine other things, not worth expressing, to the great disheartning of them, and and incouragement of us.

The Rebels have since assembled their scatte­red run-awayes, which our forces hearing did [Page 5]march towards them, but could not cause them to stay, nor durst they fight, the feare which the last skirmish had stricken them into being still in them, and the want of Armes and powder (which if they had, they would soone be with us) doth cause them (when our men come neere them) to shift away through woods and other by wayes, so that they will not by any meanes stand the hazard of a fight: wee want men and money extraordinarily (for had not God blessed us with this little pillage to releeve our men, we had beene in a miserable condition, but we hope, and daily expect supplyes of both from England, which if a speedy course bee not taken, it will much endanger the losse of this Kingdome, and the lives of many thousands of poore distressed Protestants, for there is scarce an Irish Gentleman, but is turned to the Rebels, for they call themselves the holy Catholique Campe, and doe expect supplies from some for­raigne Enemie. And further to certifie you, they have burned your Father Freakes house at Rose and the Deanes house, and have taken all the pil­lage in and about the Towne, and have left a [Page 6]Garrison there: Your friend hopes shortly to see you here againe with a supply of men and mo­ney, your wife, children, and friends are all well, and remember you daily in their prayers to God: so till I see you (and ever) I shall remaine,