THE Port being more open since the Return of the Forces from the North, I found an Opportunity by Captain Beal to inclose the particulars to the Sheriff of Chester with di­rection to be sent forward.

You Impose upon me a difficult Task, to Recite the Occurrences here, the very Memory of which is Dismal. We were Miserable enough before, but when the Duke of Berwick Return'd in that Confu­sion before London-Derry, never were People in such a Distraction; Twelve of the Captains of the Re­giment of Guards, who were all that Return'd of Twenty Four Companies, laid down their Com­missions in hopes to Compound for their Lives and Estates. Since whole Regiments have followed their Example, as Col. Kennedy of the County of Tiperary, Col. Scot of the Queens County, and others. The famous Soldier M. G. Macarty was Kill'd, or Mortally Wounded, before Inniskilling, where they lost a great many Men, Mr. Fitz James with some principal Voluntiers and Officers, were brought Wounded to Town. [...]ng James upon this Deser­tion of the Officers was over-heard to say, I am Twice betray'd.

As an Omen of worse Success, that very Night fell down the Mid Rampier of the Black Tower of the Castle, with the Fane, on which was dis­play'd the Crown and Regal Arms, which did no harm, only Kill'd the Sentry who was found Dead amongst the Rubbish. The same Night was blown up, (whither by Treachery or Chance we know not,) the little Store-house which was built in the Garden remote from the Castle. It shatter'd some Houses in St. George's Lane, and Ship-street, but did no other damage.

King James, Jealous of some Treachery, (as his last Refuge,) Arms his dejected Protestants a­gain. An Oath of Fidelity is Administer'd, and Arms deliver'd, both which we are forced to take, or be no longer of this World. The French, (dif­daining that any Trust should be imposed in Here­ticks,) drew up in a Body of Two Hundred Horse to disarm us. We deny. An Officer is sent from King James to desire us to lay down. We Capitu­late and Promise, if they will let us March with our Arms into Town, we will deliver them at our own Houses upon Demand. It is granted, and we order'd to be ready upon the first Demand, other­wise, we are Threaten'd, (should we join with the Protestants,) to have the City Fir'd about out Ears, as they have done Carickfergus, and the rest of the North. And indeed this it is we most Dread, the Irish long having Attempted to make Waterford the Capital City.

While we are in this Confusion in Dublin, King James is advertis'd from Cork of the Approach of Admiral Herbert, and the English Fleet, which were before Brest, discover'd on that Coast, bearing up Westward, the Wind at S. W. and by S. K. James by their Steering that Coast, being jealous of some Design of Kingsail, gathers all his scatter'd Forces together, French and Irish, with a design to Rein­force that Garrison. They Marched out of Dublin on Thursday the 8th. Instant. 8000 strong, Natives and Auiliaties, under the Command of the French General Rose. On Saturday the 10th. The King accompany'd with Coll. Porter, Coll. Stuart and Two more, follow'd in the Reer, with Resolution to secure one Important Garrison, if he had Re­linqish'd another, and Recover in the West what he had lost in the North.

But see the Fate that Attends the Unfortunate Scarce had he got a days Journy off, when Captain Kelly who was sent to observe the motions of the English Fleet at Chester, brought an Express, that his Grace General Schomberg had Embarqu'd all his Forces on the 8th. which was Two days before the King left Dublin: The General himself being on Board, and fallen down unto Highlake, from whence he had set Sail with a fair Wind, and con­sequently must Land in a few Hours in some Place­about Dublin: Count Zolms, having set out some days before, with the same Expedition for the North.

In this Exigence, it is hard to Determin what is to be don. If we loose Dublin, we loose Ireland. If we loose Kingsale, we shall loose our Interest with France. The French Advice is to go back and Fire Dublin, and though the Irish be naturally Inclined to Cruellty, yet are they Animated by the French, to Commit this Barbarity, which had it not been pre­vented by K. James himself, had at that In [...]ant been put in Execution.

An Army of 1500 Men, being left in and about Dublin, to secure the King's Return, he Marches with his 8000 Confederates towards Kingsale. He had not reach'd Clonmel, when an Express is brought him by Ensign Bourk, that Herbert was with his whole Fleet before Kingsale, that he had Landed 12000 Men, and Beseiged the Garrison. Scarce had he Wisper'd his Doleful News, when Capt. Coughlin Rideing in full Speed, Informs him that Kingsale was Beseiged by Admiral Herbert, nay, and what was worse, that by that time he fear'd it was Sur­render'd. Disdaining the Report, he Orders the Messengers to be Secur'd, and seeming Undaunted at the News, Marches on with his Army, since which time he has not been heard of, which has given occasion of some Discourse which I shall not mention until better Information.