The Marquesse of Ormond's letter to His Majestie: concerning the late fight betwixt the forces under his command, and the garrison of Dublin. : The copie whereof was taken out of His Majesties letter, and sent from S. Germain en Laye, bearing date the 25. of this instant, (new style) to an eminent person of this kingdome. : Together with the most considerable occurrences in relation to the appeasing of that kingdome, and embracing the princes interest.

The Marquesse of ORMONDS Letter to His MAJESTY, &c.

May it please your Majesty,

THe Rebels are possessed with such an admirable dexte∣rity of spreading abroad petty defeats, for Glorious Victories, and use such an extraordinary vigilance to In∣tercept, and Bury, all those Letters which may present the Truth without disguise: That though the last Action upon August the second, be scarcely worth the Royall notice, yet their swelling Relations may convey it to your Majesties knowledge in such a multiplying Glasse, as to deliver a Camisadoe for a Bat∣tell, and the trifling successe of it for a memorably compleat Victory.

I shall therefore deliver your Majesty a most exact accompt of that dayes emergencies, in which I had rather exceed to the Re∣bells advantage, then by an unseasonable flattering your Majesty with a pretended Prosperity, divert your Princely thoughts and care, from strengthning our hands with such Forraign strength as may be procured to your Majesties Service: It being an undoub∣ted Maxim, that the securing this Kingdome, will (by Gods blessing) speedily reduce the other two out of the Jawes of those Barbarous Rebells, to your most Just, and naturall Obedi∣ence.

On Wednesday at night, August the first, it was Resolved by a Councell of Warre, (the Results whereof, Sir Robert Welch is to present your Majesty in Duplicate) That Baggohrath should im∣mediately be Possessed, and Fortified. The accomplishment whereof, could not but extreamly strengthen the Rebells in their Provision, who, though by the Addition of Force out of Eng∣land, they were growne something Numerous; yet in our ap∣prehensions, were become capable of hastning the Famine to its full groweth amongst them. Nor did their number so much adde to our feares, as it wasted from their owne Provision: To the acceleration of which wast, the possession of this place would have been considerable; since (by thus Pin-folding them up) their Horse, and Cattell, must have been totally deprived of all ima∣ginable subsistance.

The consequents arising from the Fortifying of this place, the Rebels apprehended to be of no lesse danger to them, then we decreed it of advantage to us; and therefore Sallyed out with all the strength of Horse and Foot they could possibly make to beat us thence: To facilitate the which, and the more to amuse us, a Report was spread in my Army, (through their artifice) That Cromwell himselfe, was Landed in the Night, and that the whole English Power of the transported Rebells would that day be upon our Shoulders: Which, though I looked upon as a Lie, (& a leisure to have searched, would quickly have discovered the Author:) yet I could not undeceive the Souldiery, who were wholly possessed with it: more especially, those I had sent to Baggohrath, upon the eruption of the necessitated Rebel, did con∣clude it for a Truth indisputable.

This proposition of their Mindes being extream prejudiciall upon the instant of Engagement, the better part of the Army Commanded to other places, or not come up. The Lord Inchi∣quin himselfe, being gone into Munster with a considerable Bo∣dy of the Horse, and twelve thousand I expected from Clan∣rickard; and the Lord of Ards not yet come up, I resolved to call those Commanded Forces off from Baggohrath; and in or∣der thereunto, gave Command to the Earl of Fingall, Sir Wil∣liam Vaughan, and my Brother, to bring them off without enga∣ging at all the Enemy.

But the Rebels advancing with an extraordinary expedition, (enforced by necessity, and now encouraged by our declining the engagement) fell with a confident speed upon our Rear, where Sir William Vaughan, and Sir Edmund Varney, making a vigorous resistance, had the honour to Sacrifice their Lives in your Majesties Quarrell: My Lord of Fingall, and my Brother (over-venturously voluntiering it) after some Wounds, were en∣forced to become their Prisoners; the rest of the Commanded Party full of amazement and prepossession, defended themselves rather out of despaire of Life, then hope of Victory; which be∣ing perceived by the Rebell, (highly animated with a prosperous beginning) all, or most of the Commanded Foot, being in num∣ber about twelve hundred, were either slain, or taken. The Horse, with inconsiderable losse, drew off to their advancing seconds.

This was performed with such speed, that the Seconds I had

sent forth after necessity of Engagement, were not able to come up to their Relief; and the Violent Rebell was so flushed with this Victory, that (growing eager to pursue his Fortune) he would needs charge those succours: which by the signall Valour, and Bravery of the two Lords, Castle-haven and Taffe, turned so little to their advantage, that about 500. of their Horse left their triumphant Riders upon the place, and the rest making a swift Retreat with their Foot into the City, of my 200. Men before ta∣ken Prisoners were recovered: which, with eight of their Horse-Colours taken, may very well serve to bring the Victory to a new Dispute, what ever they may hereupon write to the con∣trary, to haule Cromwells unwilling Souldiery to the relief of their loud Necessities.

At the present, Sir, We will not any more commit any thing to Fortune, by attempting to Block them up, (otherwise then on this side) till a full conjuncture with the Forces which Clan∣rickard, Inchiquin, and Ards, are Marching up with towards us: which we resolve upon so much the rather, as resting assuredly confident, that Providence hath designed this particular place for the seat of Warre in this Kingdome, in regard Cromwell, with the remaining division of his Army, (the treacherously intended delivery of Corke being happily prevented) cannot be of any con∣siderable power to Land in any other part to our disadvan∣tage.

In this Paper, Sir, I have given your Majesty an entire, and exact account of every thing worth your Princely knowledge, which may have passed in the late Action of August the second. Of which, though the Rebells, who reckon Deliveries for Con∣quest, may, peradventure, unseasonably triumph in the Gazets: They have no other true Ground then what is included in this Narration. The Bearer whereof, Sir Robert Welch, hath in Com∣mission to satisfie all such Scruples as may appear justly questi∣onable: who furthermore, is to assure your Majesty, that the Army under my Command, hath recovered so much Spirit, and Ardour against the most Barbarous Rebell, That Cromwell at his arrivall, will find an Enemy fully possessed with a generous desire of Revenge, Honour, and Liberty, of a more high, and noble Courage, then his mercenary Souldiery can ever be Principled into, whose Conscience clogged with a guilty violation of all

Lawes, both Divine and Humane, must at one instant drive him into a Cowardly despaire, and infuse a glorious confidence of Victory into all the honest Soules of your Majesties Party in Generall. And particularly, Sir, into the Bosome of

Your Majesties most obedient Subject, and obliged Servant, ORMOND.

Finglai, August the 4. 1649.

The indorsment was to HIS MAJESTY.