A famous Battel Fought BY The Lord Moore, the Earle of Cork, and the Earle of Ormond, againſt the Rebels,December the 23. 1641.
VPon the 23. of Decemb. the rebels prepared themſelves for battell, and their intent was to beat downe the famous city of Dublin: but firſt they came to Kilmanum and burnt downe all the houſes there, uſing unheard of torments to the poore proteſtants, but then about the ſpace of two dayes after Tyrone was to bring an Atmy of ten thouſand men to aſſault the aforeſaid city of Dublin, & to march by Kilmanam, but the Lord Moore having intelligence of it, he cauſed the drums to beat vp, to call his ſouldiers together, and then related to them what the rebels intent was: wherefore he made a propoſition to them, which they very willingly agreed to it, that was, to undermind the ground by the way that they in ended to come, and to lay 20 barrels of Gun-powder in the ſame vault, the one end of it came to Kilmanum, and there by the policy that he uſed, the fire caught hold on the powder juſt as they were marching over the ſaid place, and there at that inſtant were ſlaine and wounded of the rebels about the number of 2000, which put them in a great perplexity, and cauſed them to retreat backe upon the ſudden. Then the Earle o•Cork and the Earle of Ormond purſued them, which the rebels ſeeing, reſolu•ely withſthod them, and there a bloudy ourtell did inſue, the rebels being in number 1•000. the Earle of Tyrone were their Generall: the Lord Moore and the Earle of Ormonds force were 6000.
The Earle of Ormond bringing up his men ſo couragiouſly, that it was his hard fortune to receive a wound in the thigh with a bullet: but God be praiſed, he hath recovered it againe. Tyrone had a great wound in the arme, but the good Lord Moore received no harme at all.
In this great and victiorious battell were ſlain on the rebels ſide 4000. and of the proteſtants ſide nine hundred.
Upon the 24 day of Decemb. the rebels renued their forces, intending to aſſault the City of Dublin, but they were beaten back by that true, valorous, and experienced Souldier Captaine Field, who hath bin in the King of Swedlands wars theſe 16 yeeres laſt paſt.
Then the rebels ſeeing that they could not gaine the aforeſaid city, by reaſon they were ſo often reſiſtted, and beaten backe therefore Tyrone deviſed another way to gaine it by policle, as may appeare by this inſuing ſtory.
Vpon the 19 day of December, the rebels ſent a great company of men with great ſtore of moneyes about them to the city of Dublin, under pretence of being proteſtants, & that they were faine to flye from the County of Co•noham for ſafeguard of their lives, and to leave all their goods behind them, ſave onely ſome moneyes which they brought with them.
Therefore they deſired, and intreated, that they might have Lodging, and they would pay for all things which they called for.
Whereupon they were let in, and ſome Lodged in one place and ſome in another, where they behaved themſelves well in an outward ſhew, but trechery and cruelty lodged in their breſts; for they had taken an Oath before they came from the rebels to be true to them, and not to diſcover any of their ſccrets or intents, but to kill all the proteſtants they poſſible could, after their time was expired.
For they had ſo plotted together that when they were entred the City, after the ſpace of fourc dayes they ſhould kill all the proteſtants they poſſible could, the houre was ſet downe which they ſhould begin at, they having great ſtore of piſtols and bullets about them.
Vpon the 4. day towards evening, the rebels intended to approach neere the city, & to enter into it by trecheny; for upon the third day three or foure of them were talking together, ſaying, tomorrow night about twelve of the clocke, we ſhall be abou•our bleſſed deſigne of killing the hereticks: but there was a poore man in the next roome overhearing of them, who preſently went to the Lord Chiefe Jvſtice, and told them hovv it vvas.
Whereupon there was a generall ſearch made throughout the whole city, and took and impriſoned all ſtrangers which they found in every houſe & being examined before the Lord chiefe Juſtices, they confeſſed how it was, that when they were about this bloudy maſſacre, he rebels were to come againſt the city, and to batter it downe.
The Major of London-derry having ſome intelligence that the rebels were ſhortly reſolved to aſſault it, did give ſtr•ct command, that the city ſhould be ſtrongly guarded, and have a great fo•trfication ſet about it to defend it.
At the publication of which warrant, each man prepared Arms to the ſame intent, & about the evening as many of the reb•ls came ſuppoſing to have taken it ▪ they very ſtrongly defended themſelves and the city and repel•ed the rebels, driving them back•wi••great ſtrength and courage, ſlaying many of•hem,〈◊〉••k•ng〈◊〉other flye.
The Red-ſhanke•likewiſe hearin•how bloudily and inhuman•••they did proſecute the proteſtants, came on the backe ſide of Ireland, and ſlew many of them, not ſparing either man, woman, or child, vvhom they ſuſpeded to be rebels, but killing them all with couragious puiſſance.
The City and Caſtle of Dublin is now is very ſtrong•y fortified, and they doe worke with home worke, ſo that they now defend themſelves from the rebels Tyranny very valiantly.
For by the helpe of the Scots, that are on the back ſide, and other Engliſh men lately gone over on the front they doe now maſſacre the Rebels notably, and have ſufficiently kept and defended the Caſtle of Dublin from their bloudy and inhumane deſignes.
Thus we ſee that miſery and calamity may ſometimes continue, for a night, but joy & comfort commeth in the morning.
For Almighty God will not ſuffer his people to periſh altogether, but at length hee riſeth himſelfe, and confounds all their enemies.