A Full and particular account of the seizing and imprisonment of the Duke of Tyrconnel, and other great officers, by the express command of the French King

SIR,

I Hope my Letter I sent you on Wednesday, last (wherein I gave you the Particulars of the brave Action of Collonel Woosely, in taking the strong Castle of Bellingargy) came safe to your Hands; since which, we have the following Account from Bellfast.

Five Persons making, lately, a dan∣gerous, and almost miraculous escape, to the North, who gives the follow∣ing Relation of Affairs, in Dublin, that Collonel Darington (who command∣ed the Royal Regiment there; and was Commander in chief, in the Ca∣stle, and City of Dublin, under the late King James) being dissatisfied with his being removed from that Post, to make room for the French, (by Concurrence and Approbation of Tyr∣connel, and other Irish Grandees of King James's Council,) presented a Petition to the King in Council, set∣forth▪

That he knew his Innocency and Loyalty, could not justly be ble∣mish'd, or suspected, by any; not∣withstanding which, he had reason to suspect, he was misrepresented to his Ma••esty and Council, in that he was removed from his Post, &c. and therefore, prayed his Innocency and Loyalty might be freed from those Imputations, and be restored to his Post: But if it should appear he was guilty of any Crime, he was Free not only to lose his Command, but his Life.

Upon the reading of which, King James was mightily of∣fended; and immediately commit∣ted him clo•••• P••••soner to the Castle,

And Tyrconnel taking his part, by strenously arguing the Case with King JAMES, put him into so great a passion, that extorted this Expression from him: And will you turn Rebel also, and dispute my Commands? and then gave Order for his immediate Com∣mitment also.

They add, That the French are very insolent and rude to the Prote∣stants, especially to the Women-kind; towards whom, they act their Parts like Death, sparing none; for nei∣ther young Women, nor old, dare walk the Streets, or scare peep out of doors for them: And being on free Quarter, they devour all the poor Protestants have left. Alder∣man Jervice had Thirty quartered on him, notwithstanding the French Am∣bassador, when he romoved from his House to Sir John Davis's, took all the Alderman's Goods from him.

They add also, That King JAMES having seized all the Corn, and brought it into Granaries of his own: Paid some in Brass Money, and others he has given Tickets to be paid, as fast as the Brass Money can be made: And for all the Corn, he gives but a small rate; and now he sells it out, to the Owners thereof, at treble the price, and will not take Brass Money, but be paid in Silver, or Gold; so that they who cannot get Silver, or Gold, to buy Bread, must be star∣ved; though he pays nothing but Brass Money amongst them. By this means, King JAMES will get all the Silver and Gold that's left, in his Quarters; for he forces the Irish, as well as the English, to buy at this rate, designing to lay up, what he gets this way, in bank in France, to keep him when he's deserted of all: For 'tis generally thought his oppres∣sion and tyranny, will, in a little time, make the Irish (though for∣merly his Dear Joys, and Guardian Angels) weary of him; and the French King, when he can be no far∣ther serviceable to him, will cast him by like an old Almanack.

They add likewise, That the Irish have deserted the Towns of Ardee Dundalk, and Carlingford, on which, his Grace the Duke of Schonberg has ordered a Regiment of Horse, and a Party of Dragoons, to take poss••ssi∣on of Ardee, with other Forces to Dundalk; and has ordered several Vessels with Provision and Ammuni∣tion to go by Sea to Dundalk.

Now the Castle of Bellingargy is taken, there is but one Pass more in those parts, which is that of Fina, which is a strong Pass, still possest by the Irish; which being once reduced, will open a clear way into the Pro∣vince of Connaught, which will be quickly over-run, there being but few Places of any strength in that Province. The taking of Fina, I hope, will be the Subject of my next to you, who am,

SIR,

Yours, &c.