July 22. 1642. A brief relation of the late passages that happened at His Majesties fort of Duncannon, in the county of Wexford in Leinster, since the 8 of June, 1642.: With the taking and burning the town and castle called Dunmore, being a place of shelter for the rebels, with divers other matters of note. Written by Captain Thomas Aston, imployed in that service under command of the Lord Esmond; and by him sent to a gentleman of good credit in London.

Iune 30.

Thursday morning, having obtained leave of his Lordship to relieve the men at Tintein with some corne which we got out of a Ship that was at the Fort, they being in great distresse (Captaine Weldon being ap∣pointed by his Lordship to second mee with his Com∣pany at Kilbreede) we came to Tintein within shot ther∣of, but before I came thither I must bee enforced (by reason of the many bogs, which are unpassible) to march through Battlestowne, wherein was a Castle which we formerly had burned, which Castle if the enemy had gotten and manned the same, might have proved very dangerous to us in our retreate, the enemy being very thick round about us, wherefore I commanded twelve musketteers, Captaine VVeldon being appointed to send so many more to strengthen them, which was done accordingly, to make good the same untill my returne; Before I had marched within musket shot of Tintein as aforesad, and the Corne was delivered, the enemy was gathered together round about us in seve∣r••ll places, some of them about 200, made towards Battlestowne thinking to have gotten that, but whenas my men shot at them, they retreated and kept a loofe

off them, about 200 more came from Dungolph, and manned the ditches that lay betweene Dungolph, and Batlestowne, whereas wee must of necessity be forced to march along by them, whenas I came to Battlestowne I commanded of my men from off the Castle, resolving to make our passadge through them that lay before us, for the enemy had gotten the advantage both of our Van, and Reare, and shot at us very thicke, being in this dangerous case I led up the Van of my Compa∣ny, mine Ensigne bringing up the Reare, my men gave fire upon the enemy so roundly both in the Van, & R••are, that we forced them to keepe off at distance, so as they could not gaine any advantage upon us, and manteined the same so well, that I had gotten my men over a narrow passage of water, in a bogge which lay betweene us and Captaine VVeldon: which we God be praised having recovered in safety, onely I lost one of my men and an other was hurt upon the first on∣set: But 'tis conceived the enemy lost more on their side, for there was heard a great cry among them. Then marching up to Kilbreede to Captaine Weldon there also was an other Company of the Rebells within halfe a mile thereof, that intended to have got that place, which Captaine VVeldon was compelled to make good, and therefore could not safely come to relieve, or second mee, which if it had fallen out otherwise I doe presume hee would have done, Then wee mar∣ched unto the Fort, the enemy not pursuing us any further.

Where wee had not remained above the space of two howers, but that the enemy just a our men were at dinner gave us a suddaine Allarum, sending their Horses skouting abroad, who tooke two of our Horses,

as they were feeding, without command of the Fort, and drove them away unt•• a place called Ramsegrange, about a mile and a halfe from the Fort, where when∣as our men were gotten in Armes, and some of them had sallyed forth, they were discovered about 300 of them: Captaine VVeldon and I sallyed presently forth with 200 Musketteeres, and Pikes, towards them, offering to meete with them in a plaine plot of ground, but they would not come on, intending solely to have drawne us so farre from the Fort, that there Ambuscadoes might have cut us off, But wee well knowing their accustomed treachery, made a stand, and mainteined all such places of advantage that we could, for prevention of any suddaine attempt that might bee given against the Fort, which the enemy perceiving, immediatly they appeared in severall bodies, whereas they lay formerly concealed, amount∣ing in the whole number as neere as wee could guesse to a thousand Foote, and an hundred Horse, then we retreated, onely a few Shot were bandied between us and came into the Fort, All which companies of the enemies had (as wee conjecture) intelligenee of my going to relieve Tyntein, and were fully bent to have cut me off, and my company, had it not pleased God to protect us, it hastning our returne from thence, and likewise to protract most of them, who came under the command of the Lord Mungarralds. Sonne, to have joyned with the rest of the Rebells (which I met with∣all in the morning) so long that their intended pro∣ditious designe was altogether made frustrate and prevented.