A True Declaration of the last affairs in Ireland, Showing the late overthrows given to the IRISH Rebels. Sent over in two Letters, the one from the Earl of Ormond, and the other from Sir john Temple, Red in the House of Parliament, and ordered to be Printed. May fourteen 1642. Ordered that these Letters forthwith be PRINTED. H. Elssing Cler. Parl. D. Com. London Printed, by R. B. for I. Frank, and are to be sold at his Shop, next door to the King's Head in Fleetstreet. 1642. My Lord, SInce the last Victory it pleased God to give His Majesty's Forces, under the Conduct of the Earl of Ormond against the Rebels. We have heard little of them hereabouts, Their main power is certainly broken, and the people so dispersed as they will not without great difficulty be drawn together again in any considerable body. Our men are now grown to terrible unto them as the quit for the most part their places of strength if they do but hear any part of our Army marching towards them; of which my Lord Lisle hath lately had the experience for his Lordship suddenly after his arrival here, desirous to put himself into action, undertook the relief of my Lady of Offaly, and some other Castles in those parts. He had the chief Commands, and being accompanied with Sir Charles Coote, some troops of Horse out of his own Regiment, and two troops of Dragons went on upon the most desperate piece of service that hath ●●t yet been undertaken; All his friends there were much against his Lordship's going apprehending much hazard to his Person in the Journey. For indeed the Rebels were in great numbers in those parts and the passages through the Bogs and Woods so difficult as it was verily believed they would have (as with great advantage they might have done) made great opposition against him; But it seems they durst not adventure to make good even those barricadoes and works which they had made to impeach his passage over Rivers, and other sleights which he passed without any encounter, until he came to Philip's Town a place of very difficultness, by reason of the Bogs on every side▪ when they came, there, they found the Town abandoned, but the Fort kept by the Rebels, they resolve to assault it and so part the Dragons on foot; The Rebels entertained them for 2. hours with their shot, and S. Charles Coote thinking he should do no good upon it, till the night came, when he intended to go on with all his men and make a general assault, our men seeing some of their fellows wounded, were impatient to attend any longer, some of got to the Spikeholes▪ out of which the Rebels shot and put in their Muskets to shoot at them: others having Crowed of Iron got to the Port in a little time, and so made the Rebels yield presently, without any condition, their Captains was taken and sent up hither, and many of them hanged. From thence having some two Miles to my Lady of Offaly, which was over a narrow Causey through a Bog, they caused their Dragon to make good the way till the Horses went and relieved the Lady of Offaly, whom they found in great distress, but so well provided her, as it seems her Ladyship intends still to abide in her Castle, So they returned burning and spoiling all the Towns belonging to the Rebels in their way back, and came to termine a town of great importance within 20. miles of this City, which was defended by the Lords of the Pale. But their Lordships as it seems were retired and they found some three or four hundred men in it, they presently be set the town about the Walls, and resolved to take it by assault, but one of the gates being not very strong, a troop of Horse found first entrance there which the Rebels perceiving ran presently out the other way and were pursued by them and many cut off; My Lord Lisle as it seems, likes the service and the Country so well, as he resolves there to abide by it, and hath sent some propositions to the Lords justices, to have a Regiment sent down to him wherewith they purpose to do great service by the blessing of God in those parts, as I hope they will, the Lords of the Pale lying in the Navan, (since the writing of this I hear the Lords of the Pale have quitted the Navan and burned it,) which after their manner they have fortified, it is within 7. Miles of Tryme, and there they are, as it is said, with 2000 men. This business received a great debate the last night at the Board▪ and though several of the lords were of opinion to recall them, yet at length it was carried by plurality of voices, to send down more forces to them, and it is resolved lieutenant Colonel Gibson shall march towards them to morrow with 1200. foot, and Captain Sidneyes Horse troop, and there remain under the command of my Lord Lesle, who● I am confident will give a very good account of himself in that place, for I assure your lordship, he hath carried himself very gallantly and very discreetly in this action. There came last night two letters unto the Lords Justices from the Lord Conway at the Newry, advertising their Lordships, that he and General Major Monroe were marched down thither with 3000. men, and had taken in that place, and intended to go find out the Rebels, who they heard were gathered in some numbers about the County of Armagh; Sir Henry Tichbourne hath likewise taken in Carlingford, and daily makes great destruction among the rogues in all those quarters. By letters which came lately from the Ea●le of Saint Albans, we understand that the town of Galway since their defection hath made some attempts upon his Majesty's Forts there, as likewise upon one of his Majesty's ships that came into that Harbour, in her passage towards Limberie, whether she was sent to relieve the fort there,, but without any success, his Lordship is come down with 1500. men within 4. miles of the town, and gives such interruption to their Supplies, which they expect out of the Country, as in his letter he speaks as if he hoped in a very short, time to draw in them upon submission. His Lordship carries himself very well there, and continueth to do very good service for his Majesty in those parts. My Lord Rannelagh hath likewise delivered Athove from the siege, and is at liberty to walk abroad, which he cannot do much, till the forces designed for Conaght arrive. Thus your Lordship sees how it pleaseth God to bless us in all our undertake here. We hope through your Lordship's care and great zeal for the prosperity of this service, we shall suddenly receive the long expected supplies of men, money, and munition and match, by want of which we are now in that condition here, as our men must lie still, as being altogether disabled to march out before the forces designed for this place do arrive, we have not been failing particularly to represent unto your lordship our most pressing necessities, and the advantages the state of England will have by a rigorous prosecution of the war here this Summer. If we let slip this opportunity, while the Rebbels want arms and Munition, remain so extremely dejected and disanimated by our late victories, and give them space to breath while winter she shall again put this whole Kingdom to a hazard, or at least treble the charge it would now cost for the recovery of it, and occasion the perrishing of multitudes of our own soldiers, the extremities they must then necessarily endure. But I shall add no more, but that I am really Dublin in May 5. 1642. Your Lordship's most humble and most faithful servant I. Temple. May 14. 1642. Ordered that this Letter be forthwith printed. H. Elsing. Cler. Parl. de Com. My most honoured Lord, IN my last I acquainted your Lordship with a design then undertaken by my Lord Lisle, for the relief of the Lady Ofaly, which his Lordship hath prosecuted with so much judgement and good success, that not only her Ladyship is put into a condition of subsistence, in despite of what the Rebbels were or are like to be able to do, but upon intelligence given him, he hath approved his first intentions, and taken in a Town called Trim, from whence his Lordship sent hither a party of Horse, desiring to be enabled to follow his good fortune, by the sending to him one troop of Horse more, and 1200. foot, which is condescended unto, and the troops will be sent home on Saturday next, no man can observe his gallant inclinations, attended with his suitable events, with greater delight than I do, Nor shall be more ready to serve him to Ward accomplishment of all his undertake. I am bold to send unto your Lordship a Copy of the Commission, by which I have been entrusted by your Lordship with the command of their Army; which as is most fit will determine upon your arrival; but I observe by the commission that not only my command over the army, but my place of Lieutenant General will then likewise be at an end whereof I thought fit to give your Lordship notice and to send unto you a drought of a new Commission varying nothing in substance from the former, saying that where the other was to be of force, no longer then during your Lordship's absence, this which I now desire (if it may stand with your good pleasure) hath no such limitation, but this I refer to your Lordship's better judgement, and to enlarge or qualify this draught as you shall think fittest, and most conduceing to the advancement of the King's service whereunto I shall always limit my desires, who am Dublin the 5. of May, 1642. Your Lordship's faithful and humble servant Ormond Ossory. May 14. 1642. Ordered that this Letter be forthwith printed. H. Elsing Cler. Parl. de Com.