For the Honorable, WILLIAM LENTHAL Eſq Speaker of the PARLIAMENT of ENGLAND.

SInce my laſt from Wexford, we marched to Roſs, a walled Town, ſcituate upon the Bar­row, a Port Town, up to which a Ship of ſeven or eight hundred Tun may come. We came before it upon Wedneſday the Seventeenth inſtant, with three pieces of Canon: That evening I ſent a Summons; Major General Taaff being Governor, refuſed to admit my Trumpet into the Town, but took the Summons in, returning me no anſwer. I did hear, that near One thouſand Foot had been put into this place, ſome few days before my coming to it; the next day was ſpent in making preparati­ons for our Battery; and in our view there were boated over from the other ſide of the River, of Engliſh, Scots and Iriſh, Fifteen hundred more, Ormond, Caſtlehaven, and the Lord of Ardes, be­ing on the other ſide of the Water to cauſe it to be done. That night we planted our Battery, which begun to play very early the next Morning: The4 Governor immediately ſent forth an Anſwer to my Summons, Copies of all which I make bold here­with to trouble you; the rather, becauſe you may ſee how God pulls down proud ſtomacks: He de­ſired Commiſſioners might Treat, and that in the mean time there might be a ceaſing of acts of Ho­ſtility on both ſides, which I refuſed, ſending in word, That if he would march away with Arms, Bag and Baggage, and give me Hoſtages for per­formance, he ſhould. Indeed he might have done it without my leave, by the advantage of the River. He inſiſted upon having the Canon with him, which I would not yield unto, but required the leaving the Artillery and Ammunition; which he was content to do, and marched away, leaving the great Ar­tillery, and the Ammunition in the Stores, to me. When they marched away, at leaſt Five hundred Engliſh (many of them of the Munſter Forces) came to us: Ormond is at Kilkenny, Inchiquin in Munſter, Henry O Neal, Owen Roe's Son, is come up to Kilkenny, with near Two thouſand Foot and Horſe, with whom and Ormond there is now a per­fect Conjunction: So that now I truſt ſome angry friends will think it high time to take off their jea­louſie from thoſe to whom they ought exerciſe more charity. The Rendition of this Gariſon was a ſea­ſonable Mercy, as giving us an opportunity towards Munſter, and is for the preſent a very good Re­freſhment to our men. We are able to ſay nothing to all this, but that the Lord is ſtill pleaſed to own a company of poor worthleſs Creatures; for which we deſire his Name may be magnified, and the4 hearts of all concerned may be provoked to walk worthy of ſuch continued Favors. This is the ear­neſt deſire of

Colonel Horton is lately dead of the Countrey Diſ­eaſe, leaving a Son behinde him: He was a perſon of great Integrity and Courage; his former Ser­vices, eſpecially that of the laſt Summer, I hope will be had in remembrance.

For the Commander in Chief in Roſs.

SInce my coming into Ireland, I have this witneſs for my ſelf, That I have endeavored to avoid effuſion of blood, having been before no place, to which ſuch terms have not been firſt ſent, as might have turned to the good and preſervation of thoſe to whom they were offered. This being my principle, That the people and place where I come may not ſuffer, except through their own wilfulneſs. To the end I may obſerve the like courſe with this place, and the people therein, I do hereby ſummon you to deliver the Town of Roſs into my hands to the uſe of the Parliament of England: Expecting your ſpeedy Anſwer, I reſt,

For General Cromwel, or in his abſence, To the Com­mander in Chief of the Army now incamped before Roſs.

I Received a Summons from you the firſt day you appeared before this place, which ſhould have been anſwered ere now, had not other occaſions in­terrupted me; and although I am now in far better condition to defend this place, then I have been at7 that time, yet am I upon the conſideration offered in your Summons, content to entertain a Treaty, and to receive from you thoſe Conditions that may be ſafe and honorable for me to accept of; which if you liſten to, I deſire that Pledges of both ſides may be ſent for performance of ſuch Articles as ſhall be agreed upon, and that all acts of Hoſtility may ceaſe of both ſides, and each Party keep within their diſtance. To this your immediate Reſolution is ex­pected by,

For the Governor in Roſs.

IF you like to march away with thoſe under your Command, with their Arms, Bag and Baggage, and with Drums and Colours, and ſhal deliver up the Town to me, I ſhall give caution to perform theſe Conditions, expecting the like from you; As to the Inhabitants, they ſhal be permitted to live peaceably, free from the injury and violence of the Soldier: If you like hereof, you can tell how to let me know your minde, notwithſtanding my refuſal of a Ceſſation; by theſe you will ſee the reality of my intentions to ſave blood, & to preſerve that place from ruine. I reſt,

For General Cromwel.

THere wants but little of what I would propoſe, which is, That ſuch Townſmen as have a deſire to part, may have liberty within a convenient time to carry away themſelves and goods, and Liberty of Conſcience to ſuch as ſhall ſtay, and that I may car­ry away ſuch Artillery and Ammunition as I have in my command; if you be inclined to this, I will ſend, upon your Honor or ſafe Conduct, an Officer to conclude with you: To which your immediate An­ſwer is expected by,

For the Governor in Roſs.

TO what I formerly offered, I ſhall make good; As for your carrying away any Artillery or Am­munition that you brought not in with you, or hath not come to you ſince you had the command of that place, I muſt deny you that, expecting you leave it as you found it: For that which you mention concerning liberty of conſcience, I meddle not with any mans con­ſcience; But if by liberty of conſcience, you mean a li­berty to exerciſe the Maſs, I judge it beſt to uſe plain dealing, and to let you know, Where the Parliament of England have power, that will not be allowed of: As for ſuch of the Townſmen who deſire to depart,9 and to carry away themſelves and goods (as you ex­preſs) I engage my ſelf they ſhall have three moneths time ſo to do: And in the mean time ſhall be pre­ſerved from violence in their perſons and goods, as others under the obedience of the Parliament: If you accept of this offer, I engage my Honor for a punctual performance hereof. I reſt,

For General Cromwel.

I Am content to yield up this Place upon the terms offered in your laſt and firſt Letter, and if you pleaſe to ſend your ſafe Conduct, to ſuch as I ſhall imploy to perfect thoſe Conditions, I ſhall on receipt thereof ſend them to you, in the interval to ceaſe from all acts of Hoſtility, and that all parties keep their own ground, until matters receive a full end; and ſo remains,

For the Governor in Roſs.

YOu have my Hand and Honor engaged to per­form what I offered in my firſt and laſt Letters, which I ſhall inviolable obſerve: I expect you ſend me immediately four perſons of ſuch quality as may be Hoſtages for your performance (for whom you have this ſafe Conduct encloſed, into which you may inſert their names) without which I ſhall not ceaſe acts of Hoſtility: If any thing happen by your delay to your prejudice, it will not be my fault; thoſe you ſend may ſee the Conditions perfected, whileſt I forbear acts of Hoſtility: I expect you forbear all actings within. I reſt,

Articles concluded and agreed upon, by and between the Right Honorable the Lord Lieutenant of Ire­land of the one part, and the Governor of Roſs of the other part, this 19 of October, 1649.

I. IT is concluded and agreed, That the Governor of Roſs, with all under his Command, may march unto Kilkenny or Loghlen Bridge, with their Arms, Bag and Baggage, Drums beating, Colours flying, Bullet in mouth, Bandeliers full of Powder, and Match lighted at both ends; provided they march thither in three days, and that no acts of Hoſtility be committed during the ſaid time.

11II. It is concluded and agreed, That ſuch Townſmen as deſire to depart, and to carry away themſelves and their goods, ſhall have three moneths time ſo to do; and in the mean time ſhall be preſerved from violence in their perſons and goods, as others under the obedience of the Parliament; and that a Convoy be ſent with them to ſecure them in their journeys.

III. It is concluded and agreed, That the Inhabitants ſhall be permitted to live peaceably, and enjoy their goods and eſtates free from the injury and violence of the Soldier.

IV. In conſideration whereof, The Governor of Roſs is to ſurrender into my hands the Town of Roſs, Artillery, Arms, Ammunition, and other Utenſils of War that are therein, by three of the clock this preſent day, except ſuch as were brought in by the ſaid Gover­nor, or ſuch as came in ſince he had the Command there­of; and by two of the clock, to permit the Lord Lieu­tenant to put Three hundred men into the Blockhouſe, Gate-houſe near the breach, and the White Tower near the ſame.

V. For the performance of the Articles on the ſaid Governors part, He is to deliver four ſuch Hoſtages as I ſhall approve of.

• James Craford.
• Thomas Geynau.
• Ma: Lynch.
• Matth. Dormer.