I Know you cannot but much desire to here from your friends especially having left them in this miserable distracted Kingdom, where nothing is frequent but tu­mults and bloudy masacres; yet in the midst of these it hath pleased Almigh­ty God to blesse your friends with health: I know you expect some news from hence, and God be praysed, I never had more cause, nor betternewes to certifie you of, which hath con­duced [Page 4]to the glory of Almighty God, and the comfort of all us poore distressed Protestants, against whom that devouing beast of Rome, hath ad­vanced her Force.

About the beginning of this moneth O Suli­van Beare, came from the Westerne parts with twelue thousand men, and came to Timoleague, where Doctor Roger O Shahqns dwels and pilla­ged the towne, and killed a great many of the English barborously, ravishing theis Wives and Daughters, taking the prey of all the towne, marched away and came to Macharta Reh a great Rebell who had 12000 men, joyned theit Forces, marched to Band [...]nbridge, and there besieged the towne and us in it, threatning to put us all to the sworde if we did not presently render the towne, so these Rebels and their Forces continued before the towne strictly be­sieging us, and daily shooting at the towne, the space of four dayes, in which time we had dispatched certaine Messengers to my Lord President of Munster to Corke, who hearing of our distresse, sent Sir Charles Vavasour, who came in the night with only 500. men and some other English Commanders, and two peeces of Ord­nance, who made an assalt upon them before it was light (they not expecting any such thing) which being so suddenly performed, did so di­stract and amaze the Rebels that they seemed to bee men without life, and we hearing this [Page 5]Alarme in the towne, having 2000. men in readinesse under the command of the Right Honourable the Lords of Cenelmuch & Brahull, both my Lord of Corkes sonnes (as having bee­fore had intelligence of the stratagem) did issue out upon them, and ualiently assailed them, who at the comming of the towne Forces, they were absolutely routed, and every man began to provide for his safetie by flight, nor could the threats nor perswasions of their Commanders cause them to stay but they all run away, and left their cheife Commander O Sulivan Beare, who was there taken prisoner, yet for all their hast there were at this bickering slaine and wounded on the Rebels part to the number of 2000. men wee loosing but twenty men beside some prisoners that were presently conveyed to Corke to my Lord Presedent, who presently cau­sed them all to be hanged. Thus wee dayly see by experience how mightily God fighteth for us, to whom be praise and glory for evermore.

On Wednesday morning the 21. of Mây they burnt Ratowth and so marched to Lonshaglan that day being uery foule and unfit for a long march, on that day Leive-tenant Collonell Read, and Birssad of Kilrow, his eldest Sonne who rendred them selves to the Earle of Ormond, as did also Mr. Patrick Barnwall, were sent by the Earle of Ormond in the conidition of prisoners with twelue horse to the Lords [Page 9]Lords, Iustices, who denying them accesse to their presence, commanded their committall to the Castle, where now they are and still re­maine.

On that day also Captaine Roper Sir Iohn Bor­lasse and Captaine Bien arived from Droghedah by Sea and brought us the glad newes of those which were in Tredah, Garrisons beating the Rebells from all their quarters round about Drogheda, in so much as the Rebells and with them the Arch-rebell Sir Phelim Oneall have bin Constrained shamefull to sorsake the seige and run away, leaveing not a man about the Towne of Drogheda, and so the Lords and other Re­bells of the pale thus abandoned be the Nor­thren Rebells are forced to forsake their owne habitations, and goe along with the Northren Rebells or hide their heads some where else from their owne houses, of which they have mournfully taken their last leave so as many think ever to see them or their owne againe

Sir Henry Tichborne hath burnt severall Townes about him for three or foure miles and brought to the Towe in abundant store of Corn possessed him selfe of Brawly wherby he is Mai­ster of the harbor, and now open Market is kept again in the Towne, so as we have still more cause to ioyne in due thankfullnesse to Goq for his still continued miraculous deliverances of us.

On Thursday the 22. of May other twelve horses were returned back to the Earle of Or­mond in leiu of the twelue he had sent the day before to guard the prisoners hither, but those twelue horse observeing some more strength in the way some six miles hence then they could safely encounter returned back to Dublin again.

Therfore on the next morning being Friday at foure of the Clock 60 horse were sent in their roomes, the Earle wanted not any such acces­sion of strength, 28 put to passe strongly and un­resistably in messages betwene the Lords Iustices, and the Earle whilst he was doing the worke of burning that part of the Pale.

On Sunday the 25. the Earle sent a guard hi­ther with these prisoners following, Edward Dowdall of Muncklowne, Lawrance Dowdall hi [...] son Nicholas Dowdall of Brownestowne, Gerrald Ailmer the Lawyer William Mallone of Lissmulen Stephen Dowdall of Classlowne.

On Tuesday the 27. and Wednesday much pillage vvas sent home by the Army vvherby the other sibe are made to see that now they have done pillaging as we begin to pillage them

The Earle haveing caused divers houses to be burnt and pillaged and amongest the rest some of the Lords houses of the pale, he return­ed to Dublin with the Army haveing left 500 men and a Troupe of horse, which he left with Sir Henry-Tichburne at Drogheda the better to [Page 8]inable him, to burne spoile wast and destroy all the Rebells in the County of Lowsh and the other parts adioyning to Drogheda, which Sir Robert Travers hath already begun to doe and, haveing 200 men which he left in garrison at Millakide, Sir Iohn Netervile also rendred him­selfe in that Iorney to the Earle of Ormond.

Since that time Georg Dovenish Iohn Tal [...] of Robertstowne and Sir Andrew Aileaner rendred themselves to the Lords, Iustices, as also did the Lord Baron of Dunsany on the 27 of May, and that Lord and Sir Iohn Nettervill and all the rest stand Commited to the Castle as Prisoners.