The laſt newes from IRELAND, 7 March, 1641.

THe 10. of February our men went to Artain, againſt a caſtle ſo called, which had be­fore done ſome miſchiefe, to ſome of our men, the enemy being in it, But the ene­my fled before our ſecond comming, and left the Caſtle; and a garriſon was left in it by us.

Upon the 11th. wee had newes, that the enemy was intrenching at a place called Soughing Towne, ſome 6. Miles ſouth of our City, and ſome 2000. Foot, and 200. Horſe went out againſt them; The Lord Lambart commanding in chiefe; A ſmall battell they had, but the Enemy ſtood not, on the Enemies ſide ſome 70 or more was killed, and but one hurt on our ſide, and ſo came home that night, and brought home one of the Rebells Captaines and two more of the enemies Cap­taines ſlaine, many Letters of treaſon were found a­bout him that was taken.

On the 13. a man was brought to our City being taken by ſome of our ſcattering men ſcouting about our City, who confeſt without conſtraint, that he had killed an Engliſhwoman at a place called Leſlipeſom, 6. Miles Weſt of our City, and waſhed his hands in her bloud, being ſet on by the popiſh Prieſts ſo to doe, hee was preſently hanged, but dyed with much repen­tance and a proteſtant, which few do.

Upon the 19. and 20. Arrived heere from you 2000 Foot and 300 horſe but little or no money, which made us poore of the City fare harder then before; which was to hard.

Upon the 21. Wee had knowledge that our Ships ſent with vittaile to relieve Tredath had got ſafely in, and in ſpight of the enemy, who had chayned up the harbour, but our men brake the Chaine, and got in, notwithſtanding. And publike thankes was with us for that happineſſe, for in ſuch a great ſtrait was that City, as to eat Horſe fleſh, as letters from my friends from the City to mee teſtified; Alſo Captaine Bartlet who was the Sea Captaine, in his comming home met with ſome fore ſmall Boats or Barkes of the Wexford men, going toward the enemy in the North to carry Lenten proviſion, but hee ſpoyled their deſigne in ſinking moſt or all of them, About the ſame time we had alſo Letters out of Munſter, that all that part of the Countrey was roſe in Rebellion being carried out by the Lord Muſcry, and Lord Roch, who had profeſ­ſed much fidellity, and many deceitfull promiſes had paſt to the preſident of that Province, till they ſaw their owne advantage, And it is reported they are not leſſe then 20000 ſtrong, beſt appointed of all the Rebels, for indeed this Lord Muſcry is the moſt mo­nied man, of all the Iriſh Lords, So that now not one place in Ireland, but is in Rebellion, for the Lord of Clanrickard, ſtands as ſome thinke Neuter, does no­thing at all, or cannot do any thing, or will not, But wee heare that our Preſident of Munſter was forced to betake himſelfe to the ſtrong hold of Corke, and the Lord of Corke betooke himſelfe to Yoyhall, which are reported both to be beſiged by the enemy.

Upon the 23. of this moneth, newes was that at a place neere Feleſton ſix miles from us, a great multi­tude of the enemies had ſtrongly fortifide themſelves, and it is well fortifide by nature, having alſo a ſtrong Caſtle in it; Some 3000 of our men went againſt it, horſe and foote, Our Lord generall the Earle of Or­mond himſelfe went, as did Sir Charles Coot, Sir Symond Ha•court, and many more, Iohn Moore being one of the Soldiers, and upon the forelorne hope. had both his left and right hand man killed, he told me that our generall himſelfe, led up the forlorne hope, with ma­ny words of Comfort to them, able to make any man fight to ſee ſuch a man as he goe in ſuch danger: For the enemy had a great wood to ſhelter them beſide tren­ches, but our men after 2 houres Battell, beat them from their Trench, and from the wood, killing ſome 80 of them, For all that advantage but 7 of our men was killed, but that we loſt one Captaine Rochford, a man of ſuch note, that never more was any man be­wayled; For all the good and valliant parts of a Soldi­er was in him, in this bout Sir Symond Harcourts Regi­ment, behaved themſelves valliantly but for the Caſtle our men were forced to returne home without taking it, having nothing but field peeces with them, the way being to rotten to beare greater as yet; many more of the enemies had bin ſlaine but that the wood defended them, ſo that the Trees tooke off all that was ſent to them in this Caſtle is thought to be much wealth beſides all that have bin great men of the Re­bels. But our men will not ſo leave it, but will againe try their forces againſt it ſhortly.

As yeſterday our men came home, yet tis to be feard that a famine is like to be in our City, in that ſtill men come to us and proviſion is ſhort, and none of yours that come to us bring any vittailes, great taxes are upon us, more then can be borne, He that had Butter, and Cheeſe, and Cloath at between 6 and 14 Shillings a yard here ſent by any out of London,, might make a good trade of it; Cheſhire cheeſe is ſould here for ſix pence a pound already; Some of your Londoners are come hither (acquaintance of mine) that will ſend for ſuch things, for great profit may be made by them, and quicke returne.