YOur courtesies hath so tyed me that I cannot chuse but intimate to you, of such Occurrences as hath hath happened to us since our departure from Bristoll, from whence we departed with 200. men well appointed, and with Colours fly­ing, arrived at the Fort of Duncannon, in the mouth of the River of Waterford, the 24. of the same, where we found the good Lord Esmond in safe possession of the Forte, who had endured many a shroud Bickering all the Winter with a Hundred men; but many of them Sicke when we Arrived there, what Ioy was in the good old Lord, you may con­ceive, having had 1000. Men of the Ene­mies lying against daily for many Monethes before, when we Arrived, The Lord Esmond [Page] granted a cessation of Armes for 5. dayes, at the reuest of the Rebels, for he alwayes kept them play, And after that they sent for a Truce for 14. dayes more, but my Lord refused, then they desired a Parley with 4. of our best men, with 4. of theirs, which wee accepted of, and as we were marching to­wards them, came a Messenger desiring (from Colonell Pierce Butler) that hee might meet with my Lord, and conferre with him, but we sent him word, that they had no man of quality, good enough for him to to conferre with, yet if he would come to the Fort, he should speake with him, but we heard no more of them.

The next day being the 22. of March, our Souldiers being in much want of bedding or Bed-cloathes, and the Rebels Quarters being little more then Musket shot from us, we sal­lied forth, my selfe and two Lievtenants more, with onely 20. Mvsketiers a peece ear­ly in the morning, in hope to have driven them from their quarters, and burnt it, but their numbers were to great for us, yet wee [Page] fought with them about an houre, what hurt we did them we know not as yet, we had one­ly one man of my Squadron shot into the shoulder, they having 9. Colours flying be­fore vs, but very slenderly armed, with some Fowling-peeces, Pikes made of Dale boards, and some Darts, and of a certaine they count their owne cases desperate, not knowing whether to leape into the Fire, or the Water, the relieving of this Fort hath much appaled them, their Gennerall is the Lord Mon-Gar­ret.

The 26. of this Month, we had another Skirmish, where without doubt we did them much harme, and received onely the hurt of one man, being shot in the Face, the same day at night the Fellowship of Bristoll arrived, being a Man of Warre, with a Pinnace, shee having 24. Pieces of Ordnance, and the Pin­nace 6. with 16. Oares, being appoynted for this servece.

And on Munday after we appoynted to Batter downe the Towne of Ballihacke, and passage of both Townes upon the River of Waterfoard, and full of good Pillage that they [Page] have robed the English of, Waterford is revol­ted, and the River of Waterford is of that large extent, that it runnes through 9. seve­rall Counties in 3. severall Armes, and all those 9. Counties are in Rebellion.

Therefore I pray God put into the hearts of the King and Parliament, to furnish vs al­wayes with a Ship of good force with a small Pinnace, and to furnish the Noble old Lord Esmond, with a Regiment, who is the last of those Valiant old Souldiers that reduced this Kingdome to Obedience, in Queene Eliza­beths dayes; And is much awed by all this whole Countrey, none except the Lord Pre­sident of Munster is able to doe his Majesty like Service; We heare for certaine by the Countrey People that the Lord President of Munster hath burned Dungarvin to the ground, a Sea-port Towne within 12. Leagues of vs, And slaine 300. of one Captaine Wises Regi­ment, And driven Sir Nicholas Welch to Wa­terford the 28. of March, we removed the Re­bels further from us, fired their Quarters, and burnt some certaine housess, and brought a­way [Page] their Corne, we being not above 250 men have driven from these Quarters 9 Com­panies with their Colours flying, blessed be God that fighteth our Battels, we are very prosperous at this present.

The 29. of March we sent the great Ship and Pinnace to the passage, and Balihacke to batter it downe the great Ship hath bestow­ed great store of great shot upon them, what further they have done we cannot know till to morrow, this is all I can acquaiut you with till my next Letter.

My Captaine is come for England to move about a Regiment for my Lord Esmond, he being in hope to obtaine a Livetenant Colo­nels place, he hath promised me to move for a company for me, he can now report suffici­ently of my ability, I shall intreate you to a­sist him for me, J doubt not but in due sea­son I shall be able to give you a testimony of thankefulnesse, thus having writ unto you by another Gentleman belonging to the Earle of Ormond, and fearing it might faile, I have written againe with an addition of what hath happened since I writ that Letter, J [Page] will not faile you every oppertunity of wri­ting, I request I may be remembred to your little Gentleman Mr. Morgan, and that I may heare from you touching the affayres of of our Church and Common wealth, who to­gether with his Majestie God prosper, which God alwaies blesse and prosper you.