Very sad and BLOODY NEVVES FROM IRELAND, Of the losse of BUNRATTY in MUNSTER, and ROSCOMON in CONNAUGHT.
Where the Rebels put to the Sword, Sir Charles Coot his brother, L. Colonel Mac-Adams, and many gallant Englishmen, and the particulas thereof.
AS ALSO, Letters from the Officers of the Scottish Army, and their desires to the Committee of both Kingdomes.
These are Examined, and printed and published according to ORDER of PARLIAMENT.
LONDON Printed by Jane Coe. 1646.
THE Copie of a Letter from the Officers of the Scottish Army, in IRELAND, to the Committee of both Kingdomes.
WIth the last Gentlemen sent from this Army, your Lordships were made a quainted with the miserable condition wee have ever beene in since our comming to Ireland, yet hitherto we have seen noappearance of wayes taken for our supply, which your Lordships may conceive is no small discouragement to this Armyd that God having put the affayre of England in such a good posture, that without hurting or hindering the p [...]osecution of you Wars at home, we might have beene furnished with at least as much sustenance as your Lordships would have allowed Captives. Our miserie is so great, if necessitie did not comp [...]ll us, we are ashamed to show that vnder such a mighty Estate so many gentlemen notwithstanding o [...] our Treatie, which encouraged our over comming to this desolate Land, should starve for l [...]cke of Bread divers times, hath made us goe abroad to haz [...]rd [Page 2] the buying of it with our blood, but our enemies were so well acquainted with the shortnesse of our entertainment, that a little wayes flying, put them without out reach, so that the very same necessity of provision made vs returne without effectuating any thing according to your Lordships expectations or our desires. Our Officers these sixteene Moneths have had nothing either from England or Scotland, Our Souldiers have had but an English pound and an halfe of mea'e a day, which is so vnreasonable maintenance, as the effects of the last conflict wee had, did testifie after wee had above three houres dispute with shot for the Victory, yet when our bodies joyned, wee sensibly found the weakenesse of men, our patience is now almost expired, our misery any longer vnsupportable. That if present supply be not sent us, we must ruine, and your Lordships hazard the losing of a Kingdome, If your Lordships have no intention for keeping us longer in your service, according to the custome of Armies, we desire our accompts may be cleared, and we for our by-runne service contented, And wee shall in every thing show our selves loyall Subjects, true Patriots, and
A Letter from DƲBLJN, of the sad Newes from JRELAND, of the Rebels Bloody actions in taking Bunratty and Rascomount.
WEe have very sad New's come hither both out of Munster and also out of Conought, the perticulers whereof I thought fit to acquaint you with; which in briefe is thus, (I know you are fully satisfied of th [...] good successe that Sir Charles Coote had in Conought the first of June, against Preston, therefore [Page 4] I shall not say any thing of that now, but acquaint you with the il successe we have had since.) Generall Preston having rallied his men, and gathered a great Body, in Connought, vowing revenge for that great losse he then had had by Sir Charles Coot which indeed was a very great defeat w ch was given to the Rebels at that time; Preston with most desperate Rebels of the Irish Papists, came against the Lord Raughnelaghs House in Connought, called Roscomon; which siege was made very strong, and in which place was Sir Charles Cootes his brother, and many other very gallant men, who held it out so long as they could by force, the enemy losing many men; but being over-power'd Preston hath taken the place, and all the men at mercy, and the cruell bloody Rebels put many of them (some say all or most part of them) to the Sword, in a most cruell and barbarous manner, Sir Charles Cootes his brother is slaine (for ought wee can heare) and divers gallant men besides: They have taken all the Armes and Ammunition, wh [...]ch is very sad and grievous to the protestants in those parts, and should be to you in England; for our destruction doth make way for yours.
And as for the Rebels in Munster, they get much upo [...] [...]s, because no reliefe hath been sent to them: We hoped that when the Lord Toomount delivered up those Garrisons, hee brought in t [...] the power of the King and Parliament, that wee had gained m [...]ch upon [...]he Rebels, and the [Page 5] Rebels themselves were so sensible of it, that they raised what power they could under the command of Generall Musgrave; and immediatly besiged Bunratti in Toomount in the County of Clare, in Munster, where they have lain these 3 Moneths, where that gallant active godly Gentleman, Sir Arthur Lostus hath used all the meanes hee could for their reliefe, and left his Lieutenant Colonell Mac-Adams to keep it whilst himselfe came in person to get reliefe, the enemy being many times beaten off with losse, and yet no reliefe could be procured in all these three Moneths, yet they still held out to the uttermost, hoping to heare of reliefe, but still none came, nor indeed no hopes of any, though Sir Arthur Loftus had there as gallant a Regiment as any is in Ireland, and had there been but reliefe sent, the very noyse of it would have raised the Rebels: They stormed severall times and were repulsed, and severall good successes wee had in beating them off, but still no reliefe came: And now we have the sad experience of the delay thereof: for General Musgrave and the Rebels have taken Bonratti, with all the Ordnance, Armes and Ammunition, slain Lieutenant Colonell Mac-Adams, and divers others, and so very much strengthened themselves in that part of Munster: And if so bee that reliefe come not speedily to this languishing Kingdome, wee shall be in danger to lose more.
[Page 6]The Rebels grow strong, and are cruell and very barbarous where they conquer, wee had hopes that such reliefe would have been sent hither from England before this, as would have put us in a better posture: but we hope you will not let us perish for want of helpe, by the Warres that hath beene in England you may conceive part of the present miseries of this Kingdome; but the rage of the inhumane and bloody Rebels here, are more grievous and horrible; God grant that some course may be taken for reliefe and helpe in time, lest we perish for want of helpe: and become a prey to the furie of these bloodie Villaines, who seeke our utter destruction, and in the meane time wee desire your prayers for the Protestants of this poore Kingdome, and amongst them for