An Exact JOURNAL OF THE Siege of Lymerick, From the 8th to the 15th of September, 1691.  
From an Officer in the Camp, to his Friend in London.  
ON the Ninth, about Two in the Afternoon the Enemy came out, and appeared as if they intended a Sally, but designed only to secure a Ditch that lay betwixt them and our Batteries, which was no sooner known, but our Men marched down upon them, and beat them back into the Town, killing about 30, with the loss only of one Granadeer: All this day our Guns and Mortars played furiously on the Town, and so continued all Night without intermission; On the 12th, in the Morning early came over to us one Captain Dobbins, who says, That yesterday in beating the Enemy into the Town we killed two of their Majors, and one of our Bombs killed Monsieur La Four, who was Brother to the Governor, and that the Governor and Officers, to keep up the Hearts of the Town and Garrison, assure them, that the French Fleet have totally beat the English and Dutch, and forced those English Vessels with Captain Cole into the Shannon, but that day, or within 48 hours a Squadron of French would come into the River to their Relief, and wholly destroy the English, etc.  
That the Garrison Consisted of about 15000, of which but 7 or 8000 were well armed, and had no Horse, nor did any Horse come there in the Night to Guard. All this day we continued Firing, and about Six and Night the Town appeared on Fire, in many places; to prevent its spreading, the Enemy blew up Divers Houses and Buildings, notwithstanding which, some very Considerable Place continued burning with great violence until Two the next Morning.  
The 11th in the Morning came to the General, some Officers of Cunningham's Regiment Col. Echlin, of the loss of their Coll. and to pray the General's Favour to have the Regiment: The said Coll, Sir Albert Cunningham's Regiment being detached from the Camp to join the Forces for the reducing of Sligo, and he staying after them, did follow with Ten Men only as a Guard. In their March, upon the Hills near boil, they unhappily mistook their way in a Fog, and fell into the Hands of 2 or 300 Rapparees, to whom they sold their Lives at the utmost Rate, killing about 25, but were at last over-poured, and cut in pieces, whose Blood was soon revenged by Balderick O Donnel, who was in hearing of the Guns, but came too late to save the Brave Coll. however he killed many of them, and Routed the rest: We continued to batter and Bomb the Town all this day and all night.  
The 12th, Last night and this day we continued firing into the Town without Intermission. This Morning came to us Ten Dragoons and an Officer, Deserters, who say, That in the great Fire that was in the Town on the Tenth at night, the Bombs set Fire to Three Magazines; one of Powder, which in blowing up, set Fire unto, and burned great part of the English Town, and much other Mischiefs, the other two of Beef, Biscuit, Oats, Brandy and Wine, which was all destroyed, and would be soon wanted amongst them.  
The Wether hitherto continues very good; the Breach in the Wall is very wide, and is every moment wider: Our Guns continually firing thereat, which gives us hopes of being Masters thereof in a very few days, above half the Town being already ruined with our Ball, Bombs, Carcases, etc. Our Men are Impatient to Storm, but when it will be we know not, all things being kept secret until put in Action.  
The 13th. the General sent an Express to the Queen, and we continued all day to Batter the Town.  
The 14th the General sent two Regiments towards clonmel and Waterford to reinforce the Militia, there being many Prisoners at the latter, and the Irish in those parts become Insolent. His Excellency hath also sent Miners and Guards to support them, with Orders to blow up and demolish Castle connel and the other Castles we have taken near Lymerick on the Shannon, and elsewhere, to prevent their being any more Nests of Rebels, Raparees, etc.  
The 15th we continued to Bomb and Batter the Town, and made the Breaches so wide that we plainly see into the Town, which looks ruinous. The Enemy have made much Sod-works, and a very deep Trench or Ditch with Pallisadoes and Stoccadoes, yet the Men continue impatient to storm, they hoping to have had Orders to have made this night a general Assault, but as yet hear nothing thereof, though some think the Camp are ready for the work in all points.  
Dublin the 17th. This night was Published a Proclamation of the Lords Justices for a full and free Pardon to all Raparees and others in Arms against the Government, provided they come in and lay down their Arms in 20 days, otherwise to be excluded from Mercy, and not only leave given for any Person to kill them, but a reward of 40 s. for each Head brought in, Which shall immediately be paid by the next Justice of Peace, and the public Revenue to reimburse it, which its thought will be an effectual way to clear the whole Kingdom, and prove more advantageous than droves of  to the Raparee Hunters.   

Licenced,  
September the 24th, 1691. J.F.  
LONDON: Printed for Abraham Mason near Temple-Bar, 1691