I Received your Letter dated September the third, concern­ing the proceedings of the Parliament and Sir Thomas Fairfax's Army, in which (I most humbly thank your Lord­ship) I received abundant satisfaction; I shall not fail, in some manner of requitall, to give your Honour a particular ac­count of the Affairs of this Kingdome, and more especially of the great and most remarkable Victory, which it pleased God to give my Lord Inchequin, and the forces under his command, begun at Conmell Castle on the Lords day at night on Septem­ber the fift, and perfected on the day following, September the sixt, where all the Cavalry of the Rebels under the Lord Mus­kry, and the Earle of Glamorgan were deeply routed, and a­bove 2000 foot slain under the command of that Arch-rebell Owen-Roe-Oneal.

And surely, though the mercies of Almighty are spread o­ver all his works, yet they are no where more visibly to be seen, nor more legibly to be read then in his most gracious delive­rance of this Kingdome of Ireland, from the hands of the most barbarous and insulting Rebels, at what time with a wicked confidence, they threatned to root both us and our Religion out of the Kingdom, and with open-mouth were ready to devoure [Page 2] us, but blessed be the Name of the Lord of Hosts who will not be seen on their side, who boast of the numbers of their Cha­riots and Horses, and put their trust in the arme of flesh, but is pleased to give the Victory, who, though weak in outward strength do make him their shield and their buckler, who fight­ing for the truth of the Gospel, and for the cause of Christ in the purity of Religion, hee is always found to be miraculously neer unto them in the day of their visitation.

On Wednesday, September the first, my Lord President ha­ving quieted his Army, and removed a great part of their dis­content, by assuring them that there was a considerable sum of money comming from England to their reliefe, hee drew them into the field, and so much of the Artillery with him, for which he could provide himself with carriages, which was one De­miculverin, and three field peeces, with these hee marched the first night to Ballekerry, and next morning having secured the the passe of Addor, he marched to Limbry, and quartered that night at a little Village called Nully, where our forces that were sent to gather cattle, and drive them toward the campe, came very late, but with a considerable booty of about 2000 Cows and Sheep: The next day wee sate downe before the Castle of Conmell, having not the sight of any Enemy in all our march.

My Lord President had no sooner placed his posts, and made his approches unto the Castle, but he sent his Trumpet to sum­mon it, but the Rogues (though they had quarter offered for life, and their wearing apparell) obstinately denyed to yield, and returned answer by his Lordships Trumpet, that rather then they would surrender the Castle, they would bury themselves in the ruines of it, whereupon my Lord President commanded the Pioners to open the ground, and draw a line about the Castle, who immediatly undertook the work, and that with such dili­gence and celerity, that by Saturday on three of the clock in the afternoon, the Line was almost perfected: On the Lords Day some works were made whereon wee began to plant our Ord­nance to make our batteries. In the mean time the Enemy shot very violently from the Castle, their great Guns and their Mus­kets [Page 3] without intermission, playing perpetually on us by day and night: but with little or no execution, onely a common souldier shot in the shoulder, and Captain Dothick lightly razed with a Musquet Bullet on his thigh: About five of the clock in the Evening, our Scouts brought word that they had discovered a Body of the Enemyes horse, consisting of about 400 on the other side of the Hill Westward by the River: Immediately Major Trenchard was commanded with 200 Horse to march up the Hill, and Lievtenant Colonell Knight to follow him with 400 foot; Major Trenchard had order to observe the motion of the Enemy, and if he could find any advantage to fight with them, and upon all occasions to returne advertisements to my Lord President.

The enemy perceiving a considerable party advanced on the hill, durst not adventure the encounter; but retreated back into the woods, which did not a little befreind them, for though a forlorne was sent out after them, by reason of the thicknesse and un-frequentednesse of the woods, they could not take any one prisoner, whereby to learn certainly the number or designe of the enemy, insomuch that night comming on, our men were enforced to retreat to the main body of our Army before Con­mell Castle, without being able for the present to put any thing in execution.

That night a very strong guard and Sentinell was appoin­ted, and about one of the clock in the morning, the enemy in a full body issued out of the woods, and in great silence advanced up the hill, the moon at that time shone very bright, and casting a great shade down the hil, the body of the enemy seemed to be far more and greater then indeed they were. However, it could nothing discourage the gallant resolution of Major Sefford, who having received orders to that purpose, was not onely in a preparation to sustain them, but on his advance to meet them halfe the way, which be performed with such dexterity and successe, that though the Rebels horse came pouring down up­on him, and gave an Alarme to all the Campe, yet he stopped at the first, the course of their career, being assisted for that ser­vice [Page 4] with about 300 foot, and the Dragoons of Captain Trum­ball, and forced the enemy to retreat from whence they came, and not long after he did heat them from the advantage of the hill, and forced them to fly amayn into the woods, from which they first did issue, but not thinking it expedient to follow them further into the woods, for feare of Ambuscadoes, he returned to the top of the hill, where he continued till the morning.

The day appearing, they found among the slain divers Re­negadoes, belonging heretofore to Sir John Barlase his Regi­ment of horse, and the Lord Muskryes Cornet, and many others of eminent note and quality. But my Lord President not wil­ling to lose any oportunity to prosecute the victory, gave order to enter the woods, and that in as quick a posture, and close a body as possibly they could, which immediately was put in exe­cution, and the enemy forced by degrees from one hil of defence, and from one wood unto another. As they were upon the as­sent of the second hill, the enemy gave fire almost from behinde every tree, and maintained the narrow passe with great resolu­tion, but such was the courage and expertnesse of our Souldiers, that by fireforce they did beat them from it, and having got the top of the second hill they found the whole Army of Owen Ro-neale in a plain on the bottome of the hill, who at the first sight of our men gave a lowd shout, that the woods and hils did eccho with the sound thereof.

On this my Lord Inchequin, who knew how to carry him­selfe in all necessities, dissembling the danger, did immediately cause the greatest part of his Army to be drawn off from Con­mell, leaving only a party to save the works. And a Councell of Warre being called, it was suddainly resolved, that it was the best and most honourable course to fight with the enemy, which immediately was put in execution, and his Lordship ordering the battail in his own person, he commanded Major Purdon to the right wing; with about 500 horse, Major Jefford and Major Trenchard had the ordering of the left wing, His Lordship brought up the maine body himselfe.

The Enemy stood fast on the foot of the Hill, & covered their [Page 5] Infantry with their horse, that their numbers might be lesse dis­covered, but perceiving our Army to march down the Hill with a resolution to fight with them, their Body of horse did cleave a sunder, being at the least 2000 in number to serve as wings on each side of their foot, who being now open and within Musket of our Forces gave upon them very gallantly, who were not slow in answering them. The Lord Inchequin shewed excel­lent demonstrations of his valour, and by his example encou­raged all the Army to acts of Chivalry and Honour: The place where they fought was large and very plain, and the Armies so neer, that in a manner, both horse and foot charged all at once: Major Jefford at the first impression charged clean through the left wing of the Enemyes horse, and fell upon a Reserve of their, wherein was the Earle of Glamorgan, who held him to it very handsomly, insomuch, that hee began to wheel about, but the Lord President having found their mayn Body, and broke through it like a thunderbolt, this Reserve of Horse fol­lowed the example of the foot, and fled also with what speed they could: In the mean time Major Jefford, and M. Trenchard gave a deep Rout to the Lord Muskryes Horse, on the right wing, and pursued them with great execution, although they were extreamly harrassed with the service of all the morning and the night before.

There were sl [...]n in this Battail and in the pursuit above 2300, not any of the English had quarter for life, but only the Earle of Glamorgan, who by marriage is allied to my Lord President whose second wife is daughter to Henry O Bryan late Earl of Thomond, There were 700 Irish taken prisoners. I have here sent unto your Lordship a list of who were slain, and what was taken at the Battail, which I beseech your Lordship to accept from him who is,

• Colonel Cowran.
• Colonel O Rork.
• Colonel Rowland.
• Colonel Butler.
• Lievtenant Col. Talbot.
• Lievtenant Col. Jones.
• Lievtenant Col. Farely.
• Liev. C. Fitz-Simmonds
• Five Majors.
  • Two thousand three hundred Officers and Souldiers.
• Owen Neal totally row­ted and fled.
• The Earle of Glamorgan taken and wounded.
• Twenty Colours taken.
• One thousand Muskets.
• Ten Carriages.
• Thirty Field-officers.
• Seven hundred prisoners amongst which two hundred Officers and Gentlemen.
• Three hundred Pistols and other Arms.
• Four hundred head of cattle.
• Two thousand Sheep.
• Five thousand horse and foot toally routed.
• One thousand servicea­ble Horse.
• Four load of powder and Match.