A letter from the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, to the Honorable William Lenthall Esq; Speaker of the Parliament of England,: relating the several successes it hath pleased God lately to give the Parliaments forces there. Together with the several transactions about the surrender of Kilkenny, and the articles agreed thereupon. Die Sabbathi, 13 Aprilis, 1650. Ordered by the Parliament, that the letter of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, ... be forthwith printed and published; ... Hen: Scobell, Cleric. Parliamenti.

For the Honorable William Lenthal Esq Speaker of the Parliament of England.

Mr. Speaker,

I Think the last Letter I troubled you with, was about the taking of Cahiz; since which time there was taken by beating up their quarters, two Colo∣nels, a Lieutenant Colonel, Major, and divers Ca∣ptains, all of Horse: Colonel Johnson, Lieutenant Co∣lonel Longhorn and Major Simes, were shot to death, as having served under the Parliament, but now taken up Arms with the Enemy. Hearing that Castlehaven and Lieutenant General Farrald were about Kilkenny with their Army, lying there quartered, and about Carlo and Loughlin-Bridge; and hearing also that Colonel Hew∣son with a good party from Dublin, was come as far as Ballisannon, and had taken it, we thought fit to send an Express to him, to march up towards us for a conjun∣ction: And because we doubted the sufficiency of his party to march with that security which were to be wish∣ed, Colonel Shilbourn was ordered to go with some Troops of Horse out of the county of Wexford (which was his station) to meet him. And because the Enemy was possessed of the fittest places upon the Barrow for our conjunction, we sent a party of seven or eight hun∣dred Horse and Dragoons, and about five hundred Foot, to attempt upon Castlehaven in the Rere, if he should have endeavored to have defended the places against Colonel Hewson.

Our party being a light nimble party, was at the Bar∣row

side before Col: Hewson could be heard of, and pos∣sessed a House by the Grage: They marched towards Loughlin, and faced Castlehaven at a pretty distance, but he shewed no forwardness to engage.

Our party not being able to hear of Colonel Hewson, came back as far as Thomas-town, a small walled Town, and a Pass upon the Nur between Kilkenny and Ross, which our men attempting to take, the Enemy made no great resistance, but by the advantage of the Bridge quitted the Town, and fled to a Castle about half a mile distant off, which they had formerly possessed: That night the President of Munster and my self came up to the party, we Summoned the said Castle, and after two days it was surrendred to us; the Enemy leaving their Arms, Drums, Colours and Ammunition behinde them, and engaging never to bear Arms more against the Parliament of England.

We lay still after this about two or three days; The President went back to Fetherd, to bring up some great Guns, with a purpose to attempt upon the Granno, and some Castles thereabouts, for the better blocking up of Waterford, and to cause to advance up to us some more of our Foot. In the end we had advertisement that Co∣lonel Hewson was come to Loughlin, where was a very strong Castle and Pass over the Barrow; I sent him word that he should attempt it, which he did, and after some dispute reduced it: By which means we have a good Pass over the Barrow, and entercourse between Munster and Lemster. I sent Colonel Hewson word, That he should march up to me, and we advancing like∣wise with our party, met near by Goran (a populous town) where the Enemy had a very strong Castle, under the command of Colonel Hamond, a Kentishman, who was

a principal actor in the Kentish Insurrection, and did manage the Lord Capels business at his Tryal: I sent him a civil Invitation to deliver up the Castle unto me, to which he returned me a very resolute answer, and full of height: We planted our Artillery, and before we had made a breach considerable, the Enemy beat a par∣ley for a Treaty, which I (having offered so fairly before to him) refused, but sent him in positive conditions, that the Soldiers should have their lives, and the Commission Officers to be disposed of as should be thought fit; which in the end was submitted to.

The next day the Colonel, the Major, and the rest of the Commission Officers were shot to death, all but one, who being a very earnest instrument to have the Castle delivered, was pardoned. In the same Castle also we took a Popish Priest, who was Chaplain to the Catho∣liques in this Regiment, who was caused to be hanged. I trouble you with this the rather, because this Regiment was the Lord of Ormonds own Regiment. In this Castle was good store of Provisions for the Army.

After the taking of this Castle, it was agreed amongst us to march to the city of Kilkenny, which we did upon Friday the 22^th of March; and coming with our body within a mile of the Town, we advanced with some Horse very near unto it; and that evening I sent Sir Walter Butler and the Corporation a Letter, a copy whereof is here inclosed. From whom the next day I received this Answer: We took the best view we could where to plant our Batteries; and upon Monday the 25^th our Battery, consisting of three Guns, began to play. After near a hundred shot, we made a breach, as we hoped, stormable: Our men were drawn out rea∣dy for the attempt; and Colonel Ewers ordered with

about One thousand Foot to endeavor to possess the Irish Town much about the time of our storming, which he accordingly did, with the loss of not above three or four men. Our men upon the Signal fell on upon the breach, which indeed was not performed with usual courage nor success, but were beaten off with the loss of one Captain, and about twenty or thirty men killed and wounded. The Enemy had made two retrenchments or counter-works, which they had strongly pallizado'd; and both of them did so command our breach, that in∣deed it was a mercy to us, we did not farther contend for an entrance there, it being probable that if we had, it would have cost us very dear.

Having possessed the Irish Town, and there being an∣other walled Town on the other side of the River; eight Companies of Foot were sent over the River to possess that, which accordingly was effected, and not above the like number lost that were in possessing the Irish Town. The Officer that commanded this party in chief, at∣tempting to pass over the Bridge into the city, and to fire the gate, which indeed was done with good resolu∣tion, but lying too open to the Enemy-shot, he had forty or fifty men killed and wounded, which was a sore blow to us. We made our preparations for a second Battery, which was well near perfected: The Enemy seeing him∣self thus begirt, sent for a Treaty, and had it; and in some hours agreed to deliver up the Castle upon the Ar∣ticles inclosed, which we received upon Thursday the 28^th of March.

We finde the Castle exceeding well fortified, by the industry of the Enemy, being also very capacious; so that if we had taken the Town, we must have had a new work for the Castle, which might have cost much blood

and time, so that we hope the Lord hath provided bet∣ter for us; and we look at it as a gracious mercy, that we have the place for you upon these terms.

Whilest these affairs were transacting, a Lieutenant Colonel, three Majors, eight Captains, being English, Welch and Scotch, with others possessed of Cantwel Castle, a very strong Castle, scituated in a Bog, well furnished with provisions of Corn, were ordered by Sir Walter Butler to come to strengthen the Garrison of Kilkenny; But they sent two Officers to me, to offer me the place and their service, and that they might have Passes to go beyond Sea to serve Forraign States, with some Money to bear their charges; the last whereof I consented to, they promising to do nothing to the pre∣judice of the Parliament of England.

Colonel Abbot also attempted Enisnag, where were gotten a company of Rogues which revolted from Co∣lonel Jones; The Soldiers capitulated for life, and their two Officers were hanged for revolting.

Adjutant General Sadler was commanded with two Guns to attempt some Castles in the County of Tippe∣rary and Kilkenny, which being reduced, exceedingly tend to the blocking up of two considerable Towns: He summoned Polkerry, a Garison under Clonmel, battered it, they refusing to come out, stormed it, put thirty or forty of them to the Sword, and the rest remaining ob∣stinate were fired in the Castle; he took Ballo-Doin, the Enemy marching away leaving their Arms behinde them; he took also the Granno and Donkit, two very considerable places to Waterford, upon the same terms.

We have advanced our Quarters towards the Enemy, a considerable way above Kilkenny, where we hope by gaining of ground to get subsistance, and still to grow

upon the Enemy as the Lord shall bless us.

Sir, I may not be wanting to tell you, and renew it again, that our hardships are not a few, that I think in my conscience if moneys be not supplyed, we shall not be able to carry on your work; I would not say this to you, if I did not reckon it my duty so to do: But if it be supplyed, and that speedily, I hope through the good hand of the Lord, it will not be long before England will be at an end of this charge; for the saving of which, I beseech you help us as soon as you can. Sir, our Horse have not had one moneths pay of five, we strain what we can that the Foot may be paid, or else they would starve: Those Towns that are to be reduced, especially one or two of them, if we should proceed by the rules of other States, would cost you more money then this Army hath had since we came over; I hope through the blessing of God they will come cheaper to you: But how we should be able to proceed in our at∣tempts without reasonable supply, is humbly submitted and represented to you; I think I need not say, that a speedy period put to this work will break the expecta∣tion of all your Enemies: And seeing the Lord is not wanting to you, I most humbly beg it, that you would not be wanting to your selves.

In the last place, it cannot be thought but the taking of these places, and keeping but what is necessary of them, it must needs swallow up our Foot; and I may humbly repeat it again, That I do not know of much above Two thousand of your Five thousand recruits come to us. Having given you this accompt concern∣ing your Affairs, I am now obliged to give you an ac∣compt concerning my self, which I shall do with all clearness and honesty.

I have received divers private intimations of your plea∣sure to have me come in person to wait upon you in Eng∣land, as also copies of the Votes of the Parliament to that purpose; but considering the way they came to me were but private intimations, and the Votes did refer to a Letter to be Signed by the Speaker, I thought it would have been too much forwardness in me to have left my charge here, until the said Letter came: It not being fit for me to Prophesie whether the Letter would be an absolute Command, or having limitations with a liberty left by the Parliament to me, to consider in what way to yield my obedience; your Letter came to my hands upon Friday the 22^th of March, the same day that I came before the City of Kilkenny; and when I was near the same, and understood by Dr. Cartright who delivered it to me, That by reason of cross winds, and the want of Shipping in the West of England where he was, hindred him from coming with it sooner, it bearing date the eighth of January, and not coming to my hands until the Twenty second of March; The Letter supposed your Army in Winter Quarters, and the time of the year not suitable for present action, making this as the reason of your Command: And your Forces having been in action ever since the 29^th of January; And your Letter which was to be the rule of my obedience, coming to my hands after our having been so long in action, with respect had to the reasons you were pleased to use therein; And having received a Letter signed by your self of the 26^th of February, which mentions not one word of the continuance of your plea∣sure concerning my coming over: I did humbly con∣ceive it much consisting with my duty, humbly to beg a positive signification what your will is, professing (as be∣fore

the Lord) that I am most ready to obey your Com∣mands herein with all alacrity, rejoycing onely to be about that work which I am called to by those God hath set over me, which I acknowledge you to be, and fear∣ing onely in obeying you to disobey you: I most hum∣bly and earnestly beseech you to judge for me, whether your Letter doth not naturally allow me the liberty of begging a more clear expression of your command and pleasure, which when vouchsafed unto me, will finde most ready and chearful observance, from

Sir,

Your most humble Servant, O. CROMVVEL.

Carick, April the second, 1650.