The Scotch and Irish post giving a faithful account of the affairs of both kingdoms.

THE Scotch and Irish Post. GIVING A Faithful Account of the Affairs of both Kingdoms.

BY Letters from Edinburgh, bearing Date the 6th Instant, we are told, a Gentleman came from Ireland, whose Name is Mr. Oneale, but Married in Scotland to the Lady Bute, who gave an Account to the Council, That Sir William Ellis, who supply'd the Earl of Melford's place of Secretary of State, and se∣veral others of the Irish Nobility, had desert∣ed the late King, and were gone to Duke Schombe••gh's Camp, foreseeing their own ine∣vitable Ruin should they stay to partake with the late King in his unavoidable Misfortunes. A piece of Prudence common to Rats and Mice, To forsake a falling House. Withal he gives a farther Account, That the late King's Army, together with the French Recruits, will very near amount to Sixty Thousand Men, but that provisions, (without which 60000 Men signifie but little,) are extreamly scarce among them; besides, that the Country People are totally Ruin'd with bad Money, and ill Pay∣ment. On the other side, that Duke Schom∣bergh's Army is no less than Forty Thousand, besides the Additional Forces which are ex∣pected with his Majesty out of England and Scotland; and that there is a very great Plen∣ty of all manner of Provisions; besides, that the Soldiers are much encourag'd by the pre∣sence of General Dowglass. Sir Evan Cameron is certainly Dead. And the best Account how he came by his Death, is as follows: The Re∣bels not well pleas'd with the ill Success of their Affairs, resolv'd to send some persons of their Number to the late King, to let him know the badness of the Condition they were in, which was such, that they should not be able to hold out against the powerful Forces that were coming against them without speedy Succor. In the midst of which Consultation, Sir John Drummond of Maccany could not for∣bear, as occasion offer'd, to tell Macdonald of Glengary, that King James's Thirteen Prose∣lites had been his Ruin. At which Mackdo∣nald taking fire, in a great heat told Sir John Drummond, He was a Rogue; and that he was as good a Protestant as himself. Presently upon this they both drew, at what time the Laird of Lockziel running in to part the two eager Combatants, receiv'd his Deaths wound, of which he Dy'd after. A loss of Importance to the Rebels, in regard that this Sir Evan Ca∣meron was a person little inferior in Authority and Command among his own and several o∣ther Clans adjoining, than either Dundee, or the Duke of Gourdon himself, and no less be∣lov'd than either, being a person both Daring and Graceful. Two great Attractives of In∣ferior Awe and Veneration.

Since the Defeat given to the Rebels by the Prudent Conduct of Sir Thomas Levingston and Major Mackey, Letters of a later Date make this Addition, That the Victors understand∣ing that Buchan and Cannon were fled different ways, during the heat of the Action, they thought it convenient to bend the strength of their pursuit after Cannon, and his Party, as being the most considerable; of which a fuller Account is expected by the next.

From Clownish we are inform'd, that it has been thought convenient to raise two Danish Forts not far distant one Story higher than the old Foundation. Which, tho' it may seem of little Consequence at first Sight, yet, in the Ef∣fects, is Remarkable: For it has struck a strange Terror into the Superstitious Red Letter'd Crew in these parts, upon the Score of a cer∣tain Prophesie, still prevailing among the ig∣norant Multitude, That they shall one Day be subdu'd by the Danes. For our parts we take no Care to inform them better: For it is half a Conquest to gain upon the Mind by Fright of Superstition. And this was experienced by the late Approach of the Danes to Belturbet, at what time the Irish fled, like so many Deer before a pack of Hounds.

By a Letter dated from Edinburgh the 8th In∣stant, we have this Account from Ireland, that about the latter end of April, Colonel Gustavus Hamilton marched from his Garison at Clow∣nish with a small party into the Enemies Coun∣try, and brought away 200 Cows, 400 Sheep, and a great many Garrons: And tho' they passed by several of the Irish Garisons, they met with no Opposition, but got safe with their Booty to their Quarters.

Upon the 22d of April, a party of 400 Irish got safe into Charlemont, but we do not hear that they furnished the Garison with a••y more

provisions than what they carry'd upon their backs. Nor is this Recruit much valued by the more experienced Commanders here, who generally concur, that the Situation of that place do's not require great Numbers of Men for its De••ence. It ••s also sa••d, that th•• Late King ha•• ••e••m••••ted ••••veral VV•••••••• of Quali∣ty to depart ••ut of Dubli••, ••h••, ret••ri••g un∣der the protection of the English Army, report, that there is great Clashing between the Irish and French Factions; but that the late King, conceiving the Irish to be his best Support, at present most complies with and favours them. They add, that Tyrconnel, and the French Gene∣ral can by no means set their Horses together; however that Tyrcennel, and his Cabal, prevail above the other in all Debates and Consulta∣tions: For which, if neither party prevail, (as it is morally improbable) the late King is like to be thank'd over the Left Shoulder by his French Assistant, and then where will he hide his Head?

The Gentleman's Correspondent sends word that after the Closing of these Letters, a Man that came just then from Armah brought word, that upon the 7th of May, by Day-brake, O Regan, Governor of Charlemont, March'd from his Garrison with 500 Men, intending to have surpriz'd a small Fort which the English have upon the Black water, near Benbu••be, 12 Miles distant from Charlemont; which Fort is kept by one Captain Moore, with a Detach∣ment of a Hundred of In••••kill•••• Men, Who being Alarm'd by the Out Centinels that were beaten in, he presently put his Men in Order, and Marching boldly out, Encounter'd the Enemy in the open Field, being divided into Three Squadrons, the one drawn up before the other: The first of which the Captain At∣tack'd so vigorously, that he quickly put them to the Rout; which strook such a Terror in∣to the other Two, that they flung down their Arms, and ran for it. O Regan with the great∣est Number of his Party fled toward Cawfeild, the rest toward Lough Gall, where some of Colonel Duncomb's French being Quarter'd, Is∣su'd out, and having knock'd several of the Fugitives on the Head, brought in Thirteen Prisoners. And when the Man came away, which was about Nine of the Clock, he says, that all the Country was up in pursuit of those that escap'd: but how many of the Enemy were Kill'd, he could not then learn: but that of the English Twelve or Thirteen were Slain, and several Wounded.

Lieutenant George Murray who was taken Prisoner at Perth, about a Twelve Month a∣go by Viscount Dundee, and was detain'd a Prisoner ever since, for the most part, in the Island of Mull, till lately exchang'd for Cap∣tain Dunbar, arriv'd here on Tuesday Night, being the 6th Instant, and gives this Incourage∣ment to all honest Men here, that the Rebels are in great Consternation, fearing they shall be disappointed of Relief from Ireland; and that he makes no ••oubt, but the Common Peo∣ple will submit upon the first appearance of any of ••is Majesties Forces.

Affairs in Parliament.

Upon the 8th Instant t••e Parliament met, at what time the first thing mov'd, was the appointing a Com∣mittee of Elections. But the King's Advocate urged, that the Act concerning the Repeal of the former Com∣mittee of Parliament call'd the Articles, which had been already declared a Grievance by the Committee of Estates, o••ght to be first considered. On the other side the Duke of Hamilton moved; that the Act for Freedom of Speech might be taken into consideration in the first place; but both being put to the Vote, it was carried for the fo••••er.

Then the Earl of Argyle delivered in the Act which rescinded the former A••t in relation to the Articles, by which the Officers of State were to be Supernumerary in that Committee, and declaring that the King, or his Commissioners, might appoint the Officers of St••••e to Sit, but not Vote: Nevertheless, that the Bench of Noblemen might ch••se the Officers of State to be Mem∣bers of the Committee, notwithstanding their being Officers of State.

Sir James Ogilby also delivered in another Act drawn up after the same manner, if it might ••••r rather be said to be a Copy: And the Duke of Hamilton brought in another Act, almost of the same Nature, for conti∣nuing the Articles. This occasioned a Debate which of the Three should be taken into consideration till Si•• James Ogilby giving way to the Earl of Argyle, the De∣bate was contracted into which of the Two ••hould be first considered; but then there being but 15 for the Duke of Hamilton's Bill, it was laid aside, and the Earl of Argyles was with very little Amendment approved, and immediately touched with the Scepter, in token of the Royal Assent.

The next thing in Debate was, Whether Church-Go∣vernment should be committed, or put off till a farther time? And it was carried in the Affirmative that it should be committed.

In the next place it was debated, Whether the For∣feitures and Fines should be deferred for farther Con∣sideration, or committed? And carried in the Affirma∣tive.

After that, the Supply for his Majesty was moved, and carried by number of Votes to be committed, as was also the Act for Freedom of Speech.

Then the Parliament having sate long, till five of the Clock, some were for Adjourning, but others mov••d that the Three several Estates might remove into sepa∣rate Apartments, and chuse their Members for the fore∣said several Committees, but that was put off till the next morning.

Then the Estate of the Boroughs brought in an Act for the Repeal of an Act of Charles II. by vertue of which the Unfree Corporations incroached upon their Trade, which was once Read, and put off till the next morning at Eight of the Clock, till which time the House adjourned. In all which Proceedings the People here are extremely well satisfied, as believing them to be great steps toward the Settlement both of Church and State.