THe Lord Broghill hath given battle to the Lord Muskerry's Army which consisted of 1000. horse and Dragoons, and neer 2000 foot. My Lord Broughill had but 400. horse and Dragoons, and under 600 foot, the charge was bloody on the Victors side; For the Lord Broghill had 120▪ horse-men shot, and 30 killed; he charged him that led up the Irish opposite wing, and killed him, but the Irish did so over­wing him, that his own Troop that consisted of most Gent. Refor­madoes, was charged in Front, Flank and Rear both by horse and foot; Amongst which my Lord was so farre engaged, that they offered him Quarter, upon the refusal whereof they cried, kill the fellow with the Gold lace coate, which in all probability had been effected if a Reformado Leivtenant of his Troop had not come in to his rescue, whose horse was killed on that account, and himself twice shot. The Lord Broghill got off with a dry Pike beating by the Pikemen, but his horse received three shots. The Irish lost 600 men, among which many officers, prisoners but few are taken, besides some Officers of the field which are now in Corke; the defeated Army had designed conjunction with the Lemster forces and the releif of Limrick where the siege still con­tinues, as also before Galloway, but of their rendition I yet say no­thing. The Lord Deputies designe upon Limrick, being, as it is believed, to reduce it by famine, and therefore to prevent them from all relief, is very diligent. The Toryes do so infest all parts of this Dominion, that without parties of horse all parts are dan­gerous. The Plague, I praise God, is quite ceased at Youghall, and is not at Bandon, but hot extremely at Kinsale, and in most of the rest of the townes in this Province, except Corke, where it decreas­eth. To morrow the Lord Broghill goeth again hence into the field to hinder the Irish from gathering in a body again.

Blairney 1. August.

I Presume in this enclosed to give you the Relation of a late mercy, the Lord was pleased to confer on a part of the Par­liaments Army under my command; it was truely a very seasonable one, in respect of the consequence of it, and by rea­son God had of late been pleased to withdraw his Favour from us, in many (though small) encounters; I trust this has taken away the expectation of relief from Limbrick, who my Lo. Deputy the last night did acquaint with our Victory, by 3 peals of Ordnance, and three volleys of small shot round about the Leager. I make bold also to send you a Copy of one of those many charmes which we found quilted in the doublets of many which were kild, that you may see how miserably the poor creatures are deluded by their Preists, and how impossible it is to keep the Natives of this Dominion out of Armes, whilst such great seducers have so un­questioned a power over them. I am not so vain to write this un­to you, as you are of so eminent and publike a capassity, but only as you are a person, which has placed so many signal obligations on me, that I almost esteem it as highly my duty to give you an ac­count of my actions, as of being unalterably Sir,

THere having been letters intercepted out of Limerick from the Governour, the Bishop, the Major, and the other prime men in it, that they were in a very low condition; and that if not suddenly relieved, the Commonalty of the town would force them to take conditions, conjuring all their friends in armes over all Ireland to march day and night to their relief; I instantly drew all the forces of this County together, hearing that the Lord Muskery was marched out of the County of Kierry, with all the Forces he had there, and was drawing to him all the men he had in this County, intending a general Randezvouz with the Forces of Lei [...]ster at Galbally, a fast mountainous Country, not above 15. mile from Limerick, which was the place they intended to relieve; upon my advance up to Mallow, Muskerys forces not being formed, retired westward into the mountains and woods neer Drishane; the place wherein the [Page 3] beginning of the last winter he had defeated a considerable Par­ty of ours, under the Command of Lieut. Col. Elsing; This made us not credit that their designe was for Limerick, but ra­ther for the destroying of our Quarters, and that which inclined us the more to that faith, was, the certain intelligence we had of a strong Party of Horse, being gone over the Black-water only to that end, for we could not fancy if really they mean't any high thing, they would voluntarily deny themselves such an assist­ance. We therefore for the security of our Quarters div [...]ded our selves in two parts, yet not so far asunder, but that in six houres we could easily joyne, and because those Horse gone over the Black-water might be timely looked after, I marched all that night (which was the most tempestuous night I ever was in) in order thereunto. In the morning by dawn of day a in thick mist, their body got by us within Musket-shot, but a Party of ours took two Lieutenants of Horse and some Troopers, by whom we learn't (as the same day I did by several intelligences) that Muskery would instantly again come up to Droumagh, a place about 12. miles from Mallow, and there would be forming his Army. This made me suddenly again Randezvouz at Castle-lyons, where I received Orders from my Lord Deputy to make the fighting or dispersing of Muskery's Army, my only designe. The 21. therefore of this instant I marched to Mallow, the 22. (though we knew the enemy had treble our numbers, both in Horse and Foot, yet in regard if they were not suddenly fought with, we might be necessitated to bring all our interest in Ireland to one Cast.) We resolved at a Councel of Warre, on Horse­back to go and seek them, but we were not three miles on our March towards them, but a Spy I had sent out, brought me cer­tain intelligence, that the enemies Army was three houres be­fore marched from Droumagh towards Castle-lishin, one of the fastest places in Ireland, and directly in the way to Limerick, which was immediately confirmed by some Prisoners our Scouts brought in. This made us hasten after them, and about the fall of night we discovered the fires of their Campe; about midnight in an horrid storm of rain and winde, we fell upon their Horse-guards and beat them in, at which their Camp took so hot an Alarum, that without giving us leave or time to do any thing else, they drew all away in haste and disorder, but through a place [Page 4] and country that the very Teigs themselves could hardly march in but we had this satisfaction, that 'twas to the place from whence they came, which secured us from any intent they had on our freinds before Limerick. The 23. we lay within four miles of their Army again. The 24. we advanced to fight them, but they retreated over the Black-water to Drishane. The 25. we followed them over the Black-water, which was much risen by the vast rain which were fallen, concluding if they would not fight on that advantage, 'twas in vain any longer to follow them. besides, our Men and Horses were exceedingly harrast, we had spent all our Bread, and which was worse, they might by a further prosecution of them that way, give us the slip in the night and get to Limericke, or to a conjunction with their friends, before we could get up to ours. These and many such other considerations made us, after we were past the Black water, and saw no Enemy, to return toward Mallow, from whence we intended having breaded our Souldiers, to march to a Place called Courtstowne, which lay fitly to interpose between Muskeries Army and the Galbally, and not above one good daies march from Limericke. In prosecution whereof we marched from the ground we were drawn up in, and our Van was not full half a mile from it, when our Rear sent me word, they discovered foure great divisions of Horse come down the hill, and that they were mar­ching after us. This Alarme made me march back to a faire Moore I had newly gone over, where I drew up the Van of the Horse and our Foot, and went to a rising ground, from whence I discovered all their Army come down into the Plain and advancing directly towards us, I knew when once their Foot came into the Plain they would give us a faire field, and to speak truth they could not then have avoided it. I gave Major Wallis the command of our Left Wing, Maj. Coppage, commanded our Foot, & I our Right wing. Our Word was Prosperity theirs St. James, our signall white in hats, theirs greene Fearne. Being drawn up as we desired, I went to every division of Horse and Foot, and encouraged them, but blessed be God, they needed no such thing; for indeed I never saw men more general­ly willing to fight then our men were. In this good temper to save the enemie the labour of coming to us, I advanced to meet them, and a Regiment of their Foot having saluted my wing all the way they marched to the charge (though God be praised not disorder'd it, we fired in each others faces, and mingled, I [Page 5] had the happinesse to kill the Officer which lead the Division I charged, and after a round dispute, though we were so very much overnumber'd and winged, that they charged us in Flanck and Rear, and that their Pikes too galled us exceedingly; yet after a second charge on one of their rallyed Divisions, we gave them a totall route, and carryed all that wing of Horse and Foot before us. This was done before our left wing engaged (we it seems marching somewhat of the fasttest. And though after­ward when I saw our left wing engaged and mingled; and I was rallying some Horse to go and help them, yet by a great Division of theirs falling into our Rear, after we had beaten what we charged in Front, we were necessitated to mind our selves, and by that time we had beaten these importunate followers, God was pleased to give Major Wallis's wing the like successe to what he had given mine. We had a very fair execution for above three miles, and indeed it was bloody, for I gave order to kill all though some few Prisoners of good quality were saved▪ All their Foot field-officers charged on foot with pikes in their hands, so that few of them got off, it too, being farre from any boggs or woods, which they say they elected purposely that their men might have no confidence but in their courages; but we relyed on a better strength then the Arme of flesh, and when their strength failed them, ours did not fail us. Their Priests all the way before they came to fight, encouraged them by speeches, but especially by sprinkling holy water on them, and by charmes, of which I herewith send you a coppy, (many of them were found quilted in the doublets of the dead). Certainly they are a people strangely given over to destruction, who though other­wise understanding enough, let themselves be still deluded by rediculous things, and by more rediculous persons; Had I been one of the charmed, I would have first tryed mine on the Priest which gave it. Muskery himself got off narrowly.

The chief of our prisoners are L. Col. Macgillacudáy com­manding young Muskery's Regiment, and a man more popular than Muskery himself in his own country. Major M ^r. Gillariogh an old Spanish Souldier, Maj Mac Fivine, a very leading man in Ker­ry, Capt. Mac Gillacuddy, brother to the Lieut. Col. Cap. Seales Governour of the Island of Valentia, Cap. Suillivane, Capt. Clausly with some Troopers, and other inferiour Officers. What peo­ple [Page 4] of quality are killed we know not, onely one L. Col. Suggaine that ran up and down the field offering 100li. for his life, neither doe we know the number of the dead, but this we know, that all the field was well bestrewed with dead bodies. I think that there was never knowne better knocking in Ireland, nor so faire a field, where all divisi­ons came to handy-blowes, few of our Horse Officers but are them­selves or their horses wounded. My own Horse was wounded in three severall places, and I had a good knock with a Pike over my left arm Lieut. Inman under God saved my life, but in doing it, had like to have lost his owne, being wounded in two places, and his horse shot under him. We have not lost above 26 men, all Troopers, and we have not lesse then 130 wounded, all Troopers too but six. There were (in this signal mercy) many sweet appearances of providence towards us, O that our returns were proportionable to their cause: But truly I blesse God, I can confidently say this, that not the meanest Soul­dier amongst us, but did with his mouth acknowledge God in the whole action, and I hope did it too, with, and in his heart.

We are so extreamly shattered, that we are come for a few daies to refresh and fit ourselves for a second march.

This Orizon was found on the Sepulcher of Christ, and was ap­proved of by the Councell of Trent: Whosoever carries this Orizon about him shall not perish in Battle, Water, or in Fire, and shall be free from the Pestilence, and from all his Enemyes both spirituall and corporal, and shall be eased from the disease of his heart: And she, whosoever, that is troubled with childe-birth, bind this Orizon about her belly and she will be delivered of the child without danger. Fi­nally, Whosoever carrieth this Orizon about him continually, shall see the virgin Mary 14 dayes before his death.