A relation of the paſſages in Lemyſter from September the ſixteenth, to the twenty ſeventh, 1648.

ON Satterday the 16. of September, 1648. Col. Jenas, our Commander in chiefe and Govern our of Dublin marched forth of Dublin〈◊〉about 2500 foot2 and 300. Horſe, one Demi-canon, two Culverings, and one Morter-peece, the reſt of our Forces from the-out Garriſons being to meet at the Randezvouz, that night we quartered at Raſcoole, ſix miles from Dublin.

Septemb. 17. we quartered neere Duddings-town in the County of Kildare, ſhort of the river of Liffy, whi­ther came Sir Thomas Arme-ſtrong with his Troop, Sir Patrick Wemis, Lievt. Col Yarner, and Captaine Fiſher with their Troops, and ſome Troops of Colonell Cootes Regiment.

Sept. the 18 we paſſed the Liffy, and ſate downe be­fore Balliſonan, whither the reſt of our Forces being come from Drogeda, Prim, Athboy Kildare, and other Garriſons, our Army was about 4000. Foot, and 1000 Horſe; of all the enemies Garriſons in Lemyſter this of Balliſonan lay moſt to the annoyance of our quarters, and ſtood as a maine ſtop to the proceedings of our Army, or any out-deſignes towards Satherlagh, Kilken­ny, and other the enemies principall holds, of all which this of Balliſonan was held for ſtrength moſt conſidera­ble, and was known by the name of the Maiden Gar­riſon, as having never been by our Forces attempted ſince the beginning of the Rebellion; whilſt our Ar­mies marched further off, and by it to Caſtledermot, Ca­therlogh, and Roſſy, this being ſtill paſſed over as impreg­nable; this place had been mainely fortified by Pierce Fitz Gerrard, (commonly knowne by the name of Mac Thomas) Lievt. Gen. of the Rebells Horſe in Lemy­ſter, and proprietor of the place.

It had a large out-line of good defence, & a ſtrong Ca­ſtle on the Weſt of it, as part of the work and firſt to be attempted, as commanding all approaches to the main worke; within this out-line was caſt up a great ditch running Eaſt and Weſt with a returne to the Church anſwering to the Caſtle, and the maine work where­unto that Line and the Church ſerved as a ſecond3 Out-work, and very defencible; within which ſecond Line was an high Mount over-looking all, having on the top a round Breſt-worke open to the houſe, and principall workes, whither was from the Mount a narrow way leading on either ſide pallizadoed.

Thence by a Draw bridge was entrance into that called the Fort of Balliſonan, compaſſed with an out Moat or Ditch, with water about twenty foot over, and very deepe, regularly flancked, where by ano­ther Draw-bridge was entrance into the innermoſt workes over another large Moat, with water more then twenty foot over, and of a very great depth; within was a ſtone wall well and ſtrongly flancked, and within that the houſe, a place of good ſtrength, double roofed, and having at the Weſt end of it a ſmall round Garret. Beſides, a Foot Company, the ordinary Terret of the place there had been (on the noiſe of our approaching) two other ſelect Compa­nies drawne thither with all neceſſaries, and the com­mand of all given to one Captaine St. Leiger. There was alſo in the place Miſtris Fitz Gerrald, Wife to Mac Thomas, a Gentlewoman of a maſculine ſpirit; as for Mac Thomas, he would not be ſhut up there, ha­ving thereby opportunity for ſolliciting Preſton and his confederates in Munſter and Connaught, as alſo Owen Roe with his Forces, for releeving a place to all of them of ſo generall concernment.

Untill the 19. we did but looke on (our blindes caſt behind us in our march, not coming up to us untill two of the Clock in the afternoone; the Governour had a little before ſummoned the place, and Sir Theo­philu••f…(who had been at B…ſ…an a Priſoner and there found civill reſpects) laboured by Letters to fa­cilitate the buſineſſe, by dealing with Miſtris Fitz-Gerr•rd for the ſurrendring the place, offering himſelfe (in way of gratitude) to mediate with the Gover­nour for bettering her conditions if then yeelding,4 unto all which there were returnes given full of reſo­lution for holding out to the laſt. That night was ſpent in ſetting up the blindes and preparing the bat­tery, with our three Guns againſt the Caſtle part of the out-worke.

September 20, our Ordinance began to play, after a while one of our Culverings was rendred unſervice­able, fayling in her carriage, ſo as the battery was maintained by the Demi canon and one Culvering only, our Morrer peece being there, and at that di­ſtance of no uſe; About ten of the Clocke, and after thirty ſix great ſhot one ſide of the Caſtle fell, in all which time the Defendants ſhot at us, holding out with an undaunted reſolution, untill our men entred the Breach; whereupon the enemy in the Caſtle re­tired to the Fort of Balliſonan, yet with ſome loſſe be­ing overtaken, and the Officer commanding in that Caſtle ſlaine in the going off.

Being ſo poſſeſſed of the Caſtle, the Out-workes with the Church became ours, whence the enemy had been beaten, and retired into the Fort not farre from them; then was the Mount gallantly ſtormed by our men, and reſolutely maintained for ſome time by the enemy, wherein we loſt three or foure (which was all that was loſt in that whole ſervice) ſome we had wounded, among whom Sir Theophilus Jones for­cing the Mount, he being ſhot in the neck, the Bullet at quarter Musket ſhot) entring into the collour, and by a ſtrange providence grayſing only on the fleſh.

The Mount thus gained that thereof open to the Houſe, and inner workes was by us ſuddainely made up, and it with the Caſtle and Church manned, out of all which our Muſqueteers played on the Enemy in the maine workes; ther•had beene five Shot made at the Houſe from the firſt battery, but being at that diſtance it did no hurt; The Gover­nour therefore commanded the Gunnes to be drawn5 without the out-line, and making uſe of the ſecond out-line for a blinde as preſent, th•re were thence made five Shot at the round Terret at the end of the Houſe, whereon had beene bung out a Flag of de­fiance, which at the firſt Shot was beate downe, with part of the Terret, the Morter-Piece planted alſo neere the Church began to play, and did great execution on the Houſe to the great terror of the defendants; this night were the blinds ſet up, and the battery ſetled as the Church againſt the Houſe and Inner workes.

September 21. Upon fight of our Gunnes ſo planted the Enemy beat a Parle, St. Leiger commanding in the place deſiring time untill three or foure of the clock in the afternoone, for reſolving on further anſwer to the ſummons ſent him, adding that he was limited to a time for holding out, and could not till then give any poſitive anſwer, whereby and by other advertiſements given; the Governour found this to be intended onely as delatory for hindering us in our worke, and for gaining time untill the Enemy might draw towards〈◊〉for relieving the place which was expected of the beſieged, and probably believed of us, the conſequence of the place conſidered with the near­neſſe of Preſton about twelve or thirteen miles from us, and Mac Thomas ſhewing himſelfe with ſome Horſe within leſſe then two miles of our Campe.

Wherefore our Governour i••eturne would but afford them one halfe houre•tim•onely to conſider of their courſe, which not…ed, our Battery be­gan to play at the workes and flan•ers••d our Morter-Piece at the Houſe, ſo continuing untill two in the afternoone, having in that time made ſixteen great Shot ▪ and ſix out of the Morter-Piece, the latter was of the gre•••ſt t•rror, and loſſe to the defendants, eſpecially to the women, of whom were about•00 in the place, by whoſe out〈◊〉and the not appearing6 of the expected and promiſed ſupplies, and by the re­ſolution of our men (more then men) the•nem•did againe come to a Pailey, and about foure of the clock was concluded that Captaine Sir Lerger Gover­nour of the place, with all the reſt of the Souldiers ſhould by twelve of the clock the next day, march our with their Armes, bag and baggage, and that in the mean time 200 of our men ſhould be admitted for poſ­ſeſsing the place for us, which was done accordingly.

September 22. According to the articles of ſurren­der, there marched away three Companies of the Re­bells, many of their wounded being left in the place to be ſent for

Colonell Fenwick was appointed to the guard of the place with 200 Foot, and two Proopes o Horſe; The gaming of the place in ſo ſhort a time was ſtrange to all, knowing the ſtrength of it, the Enemy believing it would hold us ſo many Moneths rather then dayes, occaſioning their not yet appearing to the reliefe of it, which otherwiſe they would doubtleſſe have attemp­ted, if any danger of carrying it had been but ſuſpect­ed; The place alſo being gained and better viewed by us, it ſeemed to us, yet more ſtrange to them parti­culary, who untill then little valued the worke, con­ceiving it to be more feaziable then it how appeared, which before conſidered of by our Governour, and that the ſtorming of that place might be the loſt of five hundred mens lives, and yet not carry it, that loſſe of time might be dangerous, there being ſo many and ſo great parties in the field, as Preſton with his Army, with in one mile of Caſterl•gh, Owen-Roe with his Ar­my in the Queenes County, and Inchiquin at Aghoboe, earneſtly ſollicited by Preſton, and Mac Thomas againſt us, who yet refuſed to joyne with them againſt the Engliſh, whereunto was added the falling ſhort of our proviſions, and particularly our Powder and Ammu­nition, whereof at the laſt Parley was found left but7 two Barrels, onely beſides the convenience of the place for a fixt Magazine on further undertakings, and for a preſent Garriſon, to our Quarters, of exceeding great concernment, the conveniently whereof had been loſt if the Battery had continued, the Houſe being already much defaced; in all which conſiderations, our Go­vernour conceived it neceſſary to lay hold on all oc­caſions, to entertaine any reaſonable propoſitions, whereby the place might be in our power without further diſpute; The ſtrong Caſtle of Blackball neere Bollyſon•n a piece of great conſequence lying on a paſſe, and a place of great ſtrength, nothing ſhort of the Caſtle of Iron-hill, the only Battered Caſtle in our laſt going out and Ra•••le in the County of Catherlagh, and G•any in the County of Wickloe (all following the for­tune of Ballyſonan) ſubmitted to us.

23 Order was given for making up the breaches at Ballyſonan, and for fortifying the Mount with a new worke, then a convay of 150 Horſe were ſent to ſe­cure our proviſions from Dublin to the Campe at Bal­liſ•nan, which for want of a convenient number of carriages brought us not proviſions for halfe a weeke, this ſhortnes of carriages being found the great ob­ſtruction to all our great undertakings, ſo that without them nothing of conſequence can be attempted, more then twenty miles from Dublin ▪ whence we are all to be ſupplyed.

Therefore our Governour was enforced to worke neerer home, and the•4 to march backe towards the Iſland of Alton, the next moſt conſider able place poſ­ſeſſed by the Enemy, to the great annoyance of our Quarters, this being within us a very receptacle and den of theeves whence were made daily incurſions e­ven to the very gates of Dublin; The Iſland of Allon being a neere and ſafe retreat for them, It is called an Iſland being encompaſſed with a Bogg to horſe8 in acceſsible and not to be paſſed by foot, but by blin•and dangerous wai•s, and eaſi•y defended by a fe•gainſt thouſands. This Iſland is about ſeven or eight miles compaſſe, having in it ſixteen Villages and ſome Caſtles, among others the principall and of grea•••ſtrength is that of Kil•ma•ge two miles within the I­ſland, poſſeſſed by M•rris Fitz Gerrara of All•n, it is••­ted well and d•eply, having a draw bridge,〈◊〉Iron Grate, and out workes very defenſible ▪ having alſo two companies for the guard of it, command••by Captaine B•r••…all. Into this Boggy Iſland was b•t one common paſſage called the••acka••ch, being a ca•ſey made through the Bogg ▪ almoſt a quarter of a mile in leng•h, this the Rebel•had caſt through in〈◊〉ſeverall places more then twenty Foot over and to caſt it up ridgeway almoſt throughout, that where it was not cut but for one Footman to ſtand upon, with­out Ordinance was not the Caſtle to be forced, and this way onely was Ordinance to be brought, the••…ting whereof would have been a worke very diff•rent (were there) thereunto no oppoſition given; but for hindering any ſuch deſigne, the Rebels had to­wards the further end of that cauſey, made a round Fort of Sod with a great Moat, and water twenty Foot over, and a picke length in depth, over which was a paſſage by plankes, onely drawne into the Fort in nature of a drawbridge and put forth as occaſion ac­quired; the paſſage into the firſt was ſo low that with­out ſtooping almoſt knee low there was no entrance the top of this worke was rounded with Muſquet Baſkets, artificially made and orderly placed with ad­vantage to the defendants, within were huts and roome for forty men, and the Fort it ſelfe ſo placed that our Ordnance could not command it at ſuch diſtance, the Guard whereof was committed to a Ser­jeant and twelve Musqueteers.

9For gaining this paſſage, and if it were poſsible the Fort alſo, our Governour ſent out five hundred com­manded Foot, with about one hundred Horſe. This night the Army paſsing by the Li…q•artered at a place called A…ris-T•wn, about one〈◊〉ſhort of the paſſe, that reſolute commanded Party of Foot had with much danger gained a paſſage through the bogg, ſideling of that broken Cawſey; and having ſur­rounded the Fort threatned the caſting in of Grana­does, which could not have been no other then Bug­beares had not God himſelfe in〈◊〉, as in all other things done his owne worke by〈◊〉taking from the Rebells their reſolutions, they after ſome little diſ­pute deſiring quarter, and that they might retire into the Caſtle of Kilm••g•in the Iſland, adding, that they ſaw all given to us ▪ and that there was no reſiſting us; there was a Guard of ours placed the reſt of that com­manded Party of Foot, went into the Iſland, and quartered that night-ſhort of the Caſtle of Kilmaoge.

September the 25. Orders were given for cutting downe Trees for making the way paſſable for Ord­nance, and many hands imployed in the worke, which was found a work•of time beyond what we firſt imagined, moſt of this day being ſpent on it with little advantage; our Governour having with ſome difficulty and hazard paſſed the Boggs into the Iſland, and appearing before the Caſtle with that ſmall Party before mentioned, and ſummoning the place the Defendants came to a Parley, and that night admitted of a Garriſon of fourſcore men into the Ca­ſtle, the Rebells being the next day to march out.

Septemb. 26. Captaine White, of Colonell Kinniſtons Regiment with one hundred men was appointed for the defence of the Caſtle and Fort of the enemy, ha­ving marched away according to agreement. This day upon intelligence given of Preſtons and Taa••es prepara­tions10 for attempting ſomething againſt Ball•ſon••,••­ders were given for drawing in thither ſome oth••Companie•if cauſe ſo required, as alſo for ſtreng••having the Garriſons of Kildare, Naray, and•ron〈◊〉This day the Army paſsing the Liffy marched hom•wards, quartered that night at Kill, two miles ne•••Dublin.

September 27. our Parties called from the out quar­ters for this ſervice, being ſent backe to their reſ•••­ctive homes, the Governour with the reſt of the〈◊〉my returned un••Dublin, having in this march very much enlarged and ſecured all, and almoſt lockt up our quarters from incurſions by the enemy whereu•to we were formerly laid open.