ON Satterday the 16. of September, 1648. Col. Jenas, our Commander in chiefe and Govern our of Dublin marched forth of Dublin [...] about 2500 foot [Page 2] and 300. Horse, one Demi-canon, two Culverings, and one Morter-peece, the rest of our Forces from the-out Garrisons being to meet at the Randezvouz, that night we quartered at Rascoole, six miles from Dublin.

Septemb. 17. we quartered neere Duddings-town in the County of Kildare, short of the river of Liffy, whi­ther came Sir Thomas Arme-strong with his Troop, Sir Patrick Wemis, Lievt. Col Yarner, and Captaine Fisher with their Troops, and some Troops of Colonell Cootes Regiment.

Sept. the 18 we passed the Liffy, and sate downe be­fore Ballisonan, whither the rest of our Forces being come from Drogeda, Prim, Athboy Kildare, and other Garrisons, our Army was about 4000. Foot, and 1000 Horse; of all the enemies Garrisons in Lemyster this of Ballisonan lay most to the annoyance of our quarters, and stood as a maine stop to the proceedings of our Army, or any out-designes towards Satherlagh, Kilken­ny, and other the enemies principall holds, of all which this of Ballisonan was held for strength most considera­ble, and was known by the name of the Maiden Gar­rison, as having never been by our Forces attempted since the beginning of the Rebellion; whilst our Ar­mies marched further off, and by it to Castledermot, Ca­therlogh, and Rossy, this being still passed over as impreg­nable; this place had been mainely fortified by Pierce Fitz Gerrard, (commonly knowne by the name of Mac Thomas) Lievt. Gen. of the Rebells Horse in Lemy­ster, and proprietor of the place.

It had a large out-line of good defence, & a strong Ca­stle on the West of it, as part of the work and first to be attempted, as commanding all approaches to the main worke; within this out-line was cast up a great ditch running East and West with a returne to the Church answering to the Castle, and the maine work where­unto that Line and the Church served as a second [Page 3] Out-work, and very defencible; within which second Line was an high Mount over-looking all, having on the top a round Brest-worke open to the house, and principall workes, whither was from the Mount a narrow way leading on either side pallizadoed.

Thence by a Draw bridge was entrance into that called the Fort of Ballisonan, compassed with an out Moat or Ditch, with water about twenty foot over, and very deepe, regularly flancked, where by ano­ther Draw-bridge was entrance into the innermost workes over another large Moat, with water more then twenty foot over, and of a very great depth; within was a stone wall well and strongly flancked, and within that the house, a place of good strength, double roofed, and having at the West end of it a small round Garret. Besides, a Foot Company, the ordinary Terret of the place there had been (on the noise of our approaching) two other select Compa­nies drawne thither with all necessaries, and the com­mand of all given to one Captaine St. Leiger. There was also in the place Mistris Fitz Gerrald, Wife to Mac Thomas, a Gentlewoman of a masculine spirit; as for Mac Thomas, he would not be shut up there, ha­ving thereby opportunity for solliciting Preston and his confederates in Munster and Connaught, as also Owen Roe with his Forces, for releeving a place to all of them of so generall concernment.

Untill the 19. we did but looke on (our blindes cast behind us in our march, not coming up to us untill two of the Clock in the afternoone; the Governour had a little before summoned the place, and Sir Theo­philu [...] [...]f [...] (who had been at B [...]s [...]an a Prisoner and there found civill respects) laboured by Letters to fa­cilitate the businesse, by dealing with Mistris Fitz-Gerr [...]rd for the surrendring the place, offering himselfe (in way of gratitude) to mediate with the Gover­nour for bettering her conditions if then yeelding, [Page 4] unto all which there were returnes given full of reso­lution for holding out to the last. That night was spent in setting up the blindes and preparing the bat­tery, with our three Guns against the Castle part of the out-worke.

September 20, our Ordinance began to play, after a while one of our Culverings was rendred unservice­able, fayling in her carriage, so as the battery was maintained by the Demi canon and one Culvering only, our Morrer peece being there, and at that di­stance of no use; About ten of the Clocke, and after thirty six great shot one side of the Castle fell, in all which time the Defendants shot at us, holding out with an undaunted resolution, untill our men entred the Breach; whereupon the enemy in the Castle re­tired to the Fort of Ballisonan, yet with some losse be­ing overtaken, and the Officer commanding in that Castle slaine in the going off.

Being so possessed of the Castle, the Out-workes with the Church became ours, whence the enemy had been beaten, and retired into the Fort not farre from them; then was the Mount gallantly stormed by our men, and resolutely maintained for some time by the enemy, wherein we lost three or foure (which was all that was lost in that whole service) some we had wounded, among whom Sir Theophilus Jones for­cing the Mount, he being shot in the neck, the Bullet at quarter Musket shot) entring into the collour, and by a strange providence graysing only on the flesh.

The Mount thus gained that thereof open to the House, and inner workes was by us suddainely made up, and it with the Castle and Church manned, out of all which our Musqueteers played on the Enemy in the maine workes; ther [...] had beene five Shot made at the House from the first battery, but being at that distance it did no hurt; The Gover­nour therefore commanded the Gunnes to be drawn [Page 5] without the out-line, and making use of the second out-line for a blinde as present, th [...]re were thence made five Shot at the round Terret at the end of the House, whereon had beene bung out a Flag of de­fiance, which at the first Shot was beate downe, with part of the Terret, the Morter-Piece planted also neere the Church began to play, and did great execution on the House to the great terror of the defendants; this night were the blinds set up, and the battery setled as the Church against the House and Inner workes.

September 21. Upon fight of our Gunnes so planted the Enemy beat a Parle, St. Leiger commanding in the place desiring time untill three or foure of the clock in the afternoone, for resolving on further answer to the summons sent him, adding that he was limited to a time for holding out, and could not till then give any positive answer, whereby and by other advertisements given; the Governour found this to be intended onely as delatory for hindering us in our worke, and for gaining time untill the Enemy might draw towards [...] for relieving the place which was expected of the besieged, and probably believed of us, the consequence of the place considered with the near­nesse of Preston about twelve or thirteen miles from us, and Mac Thomas shewing himselfe with some Horse within lesse then two miles of our Campe.

Wherefore our Governour i [...] [...]eturne would but afford them one halfe houre [...] tim [...] onely to consider of their course, which not [...]ed, our Battery be­gan to play at the workes and flan [...]ers [...]d our Morter-Piece at the House, so continuing untill two in the afternoone, having in that time made sixteen great Shot▪ and six out of the Morter-Piece, the latter was of the gre [...]st t [...]rror, and losse to the defendants, especially to the women, of whom were about [...]00 in the place, by whose out [...] and the not appearing [Page 6] of the expected and promised supplies, and by the re­solution of our men (more then men) the [...]nem [...] did againe come to a Pailey, and about foure of the clock was concluded that Captaine Sir Lerger Gover­nour of the place, with all the rest of the Souldiers should by twelve of the clock the next day, march our with their Armes, bag and baggage, and that in the mean time 200 of our men should be admitted for pos­sessing the place for us, which was done accordingly.

September 22. According to the articles of surren­der, there marched away three Companies of the Re­bells, many of their wounded being left in the place to be sent for

Colonell Fenwick was appointed to the guard of the place with 200 Foot, and two Proopes o Horse; The gaming of the place in so short a time was strange to all, knowing the strength of it, the Enemy believing it would hold us so many Moneths rather then dayes, occasioning their not yet appearing to the reliefe of it, which otherwise they would doubtlesse have attemp­ted, if any danger of carrying it had been but suspect­ed; The place also being gained and better viewed by us, it seemed to us, yet more strange to them parti­culary, who untill then little valued the worke, con­ceiving it to be more feaziable then it how appeared, which before considered of by our Governour, and that the storming of that place might be the lost of five hundred mens lives, and yet not carry it, that losse of time might be dangerous, there being so many and so great parties in the field, as Preston with his Army, with in one mile of Casterl [...]gh, Owen-Roe with his Ar­my in the Queenes County, and Inchiquin at Aghoboe, earnestly sollicited by Preston, and Mac Thomas against us, who yet refused to joyne with them against the English, whereunto was added the falling short of our provisions, and particularly our Powder and Ammu­nition, whereof at the last Parley was found left but [Page 7] two Barrels, onely besides the convenience of the place for a fixt Magazine on further undertakings, and for a present Garrison, to our Quarters, of exceeding great concernment, the conveniently whereof had been lost if the Battery had continued, the House being already much defaced; in all which considerations, our Go­vernour conceived it necessary to lay hold on all oc­casions, to entertaine any reasonable propositions, whereby the place might be in our power without further dispute; The strong Castle of Blackball neere Bollyson [...]n a piece of great consequence lying on a passe, and a place of great strength, nothing short of the Castle of Iron-hill, the only Battered Castle in our last going out and Ra [...]le in the County of Catherlagh, and G [...]any in the County of Wickloe (all following the for­tune of Ballysonan) submitted to us.

23 Order was given for making up the breaches at Ballysonan, and for fortifying the Mount with a new worke, then a convay of 150 Horse were sent to se­cure our provisions from Dublin to the Campe at Bal­lis [...]nan, which for want of a convenient number of carriages brought us not provisions for halfe a weeke, this shortnes of carriages being found the great ob­struction to all our great undertakings, so that without them nothing of consequence can be attempted, more then twenty miles from Dublin▪ whence we are all to be supplyed.

Therefore our Governour was enforced to worke neerer home, and the [...]4 to march backe towards the Island of Alton, the next most consider able place pos­sessed by the Enemy, to the great annoyance of our Quarters, this being within us a very receptacle and den of theeves whence were made daily incursions e­ven to the very gates of Dublin; The Island of Allon being a neere and safe retreat for them, It is called an Island being encompassed with a Bogg to horse [Page 8] in accessible and not to be passed by foot, but by blin [...] and dangerous wai [...]s, and easi [...]y defended by a fe [...] gainst thousands. This Island is about seven or eight miles compasse, having in it sixteen Villages and some Castles, among others the principall and of grea [...] strength is that of Kil [...]ma [...]ge two miles within the I­sland, possessed by M [...]rris Fitz Gerrara of All [...]n, it is [...] ­ted well and d [...]eply, having a draw bridge, [...] Iron Grate, and out workes very defensible▪ having also two companies for the guard of it, command [...] by Captaine B [...]r [...]all. Into this Boggy Island was b [...]t one common passage called the [...]acka [...]ch, being a ca [...]sey made through the Bogg▪ almost a quarter of a mile in leng [...]h, this the Rebel [...] had cast through in [...] severall places more then twenty Foot over and to cast it up ridgeway almost throughout, that where it was not cut but for one Footman to stand upon, with­out Ordinance was not the Castle to be forced, and this way onely was Ordinance to be brought, the [...]ting whereof would have been a worke very diff [...]rent (were there) thereunto no opposition given; but for hindering any such designe, the Rebels had to­wards the further end of that causey, made a round Fort of Sod with a great Moat, and water twenty Foot over, and a picke length in depth, over which was a passage by plankes, onely drawne into the Fort in nature of a drawbridge and put forth as occasion ac­quired; the passage into the first was so low that with­out stooping almost knee low there was no entrance the top of this worke was rounded with Musquet Baskets, artificially made and orderly placed with ad­vantage to the defendants, within were huts and roome for forty men, and the Fort it selfe so placed that our Ordnance could not command it at such distance, the Guard whereof was committed to a Ser­jeant and twelve Musqueteers.

[Page 9] For gaining this passage, and if it were possible the Fort also, our Governour sent out five hundred com­manded Foot, with about one hundred Horse. This night the Army passing by the Li [...] q [...]artered at a place called A [...]ris-T [...]wn, about one [...] short of the passe, that resolute commanded Party of Foot had with much danger gained a passage through the bogg, sideling of that broken Cawsey; and having sur­rounded the Fort threatned the casting in of Grana­does, which could not have been no other then Bug­beares had not God himselfe in [...], as in all other things done his owne worke by [...] taking from the Rebells their resolutions, they after some little dis­pute desiring quarter, and that they might retire into the Castle of Kilm [...]g [...] in the Island, adding, that they saw all given to us▪ and that there was no resisting us; there was a Guard of ours placed the rest of that com­manded Party of Foot, went into the Island, and quartered that night-short of the Castle of Kilmaoge.

September the 25. Orders were given for cutting downe Trees for making the way passable for Ord­nance, and many hands imployed in the worke, which was found a work [...] of time beyond what we first imagined, most of this day being spent on it with little advantage; our Governour having with some difficulty and hazard passed the Boggs into the Island, and appearing before the Castle with that small Party before mentioned, and summoning the place the Defendants came to a Parley, and that night admitted of a Garrison of fourscore men into the Ca­stle, the Rebells being the next day to march out.

Septemb. 26. Captaine White, of Colonell Kinnistons Regiment with one hundred men was appointed for the defence of the Castle and Fort of the enemy, ha­ving marched away according to agreement. This day upon intelligence given of Prestons and Taa [...]es prepara­tions [Page 10] for attempting something against Ball [...]son [...], [...] ­ders were given for drawing in thither some oth [...] Companie [...] if cause so required, as also for streng [...] having the Garrisons of Kildare, Naray, and [...]ron [...] This day the Army passing the Liffy marched hom [...] wards, quartered that night at Kill, two miles ne [...] Dublin.

September 27. our Parties called from the out quar­ters for this service, being sent backe to their res [...] ­ctive homes, the Governour with the rest of the [...] my returned un [...] Dublin, having in this march very much enlarged and secured all, and almost lockt up our quarters from incursions by the enemy whereu [...] to we were formerly laid open.