Unknown author

Edited by John T. Gilbert

Letter from English Commissioners for Ireland

To the Right Honourable William Lenthal Esquire, Speaker of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England.

By our last, of the 13 of May from Kilkenny, sent by Captaine Vernon, we gave you account of the treaty then newly concluded on with the Earle of Westmeath, and the Leinster officers of the enemies party.

Since that we understanding that the Lord of Muskery, and his party in Kerry, that are very considerable did not accept thereof, but did expect some butter termes.

The Major Generall, and the Lord Broghil drew to Drumagh, ¹ the onely considerable castle the enemy held in the county of Corke, and was indeed a strong and a secure hold for them, but by the blessing and helpe of the Lord, that was rendred to you, of which the Lieutenant Generall gave you former account from Youghal, and finding that party of yours that reduced that place not to bee sufficient for reducing Rosse, where the strength of the enemy lay.

Upon debate, and conference with Sir Hardresse Waller, and divers of your officers at Corke, it was resolved to draw out what forces could best be spared from these parts to march into Kerry, and having gotten what supplyes were necessary, and could be had, they marched hence to Mallow, and did expect to be at Rosse in Kerry on Sunday the 4 instant.

Since their departure from us, wee doe heare there was some destraction amongst the enemy at Rosse, so as the clergy party, and such as adhered to that interest, drew out of Rosse, but my Lord of Muskerry, and such as stood to him, doe keep in Rosse, what may bee the issue is not known.

The greatest body of the enemy is gathered together about Balleshannon in Ulster, under Clanrickhard. And by letters of the 30 of May, from Commissary General Reynolds from Athlone, and by others we do understand that the enemy hath besieged Balleshannon, a house of the Lord Eliot's, and with two guns have made batteries against it, and having been two or three times repulsed, at last have gained it, and burnt it, before Sir Charles Coot could come to relieve it. And they have also taken the castle of Donegale, and all the enemies forces at Vlster, and Conought are there injoyned. But Sir Charles Coote with his owne party, and part of Commissary Generall Reynolds party, are in pursuit of them on one side, and Colonel Venables, and his party on the other side; and Commissary General Reynolds with a 100 horse from Col. Sankey is also marched up, and orders sent to Col. Hewson to draw downe that way also; so it is hoped (through the helpe of our Lord) they shall bee inabled to finde out that enemy, and to ingage with him. What horse and foot of the Leinster enemy doe come in, we cannot give you any account as yet, having not received our selves any account of the same, onely Grace his party which did infest your quarters in Leinster, most of his horse are come in, and submitted, and himselfe with twelve horse, and about seventy that marched before, are gone to Clanrickhard, and his foot being in all about 1000 are at present dispersed, but do lye scattered in the woods and bogs, and your forces in these parts do daily hunt and attend them. This is the present posture of your forces here, and in all parts their hands are full; and we doe hope you will not be unmindfull to continue your care in providing for them; the plentifull and good provisions you have formerly ordered to be sent hither, are for the most part all come hither, which is a great comfort to the poor souldiery, and we do wish we had more of the intended recruits, such of them as are come already being very able, and fit for your service, and were the residue that are appointed to come over (before the summer be too far spent) it would much advance your affaires as now they stand.

Your humble servants,
Corke 5, June 1652. Miles Corbet, John Jones.

@incollection{E650001-005,
  editor 	 = {John T. Gilbert},
  title 	 = {Letter from English Commissioners for Ireland},
  booktitle 	 = {A Contemporary History of Affairs in Ireland},
  address 	 = {Dublin},
  publisher 	 = {Irish Archaeological Society},
  date 	 = {1880},
  volume 	 = {3},
  number 	 = {2},
  pages 	 = {322–23}
}
 E650001-005.bib