A LETTER FROM Monsieur Tyrconnel FROM LIMERICK in IRELAND TO The Late QUEEN, AT St. Germane in France.  
Licenced Sept. 2. 1690.  
Most Transcendent Madam,  
WHen, with a Veneration due to your Greatness, I presume to consider the Happiness of those Blessed Climates that are under the Benignity of your Aspect and Influence; when I contemplate the smiling Posture of all Things and Persons, under the Cherishing and Reviving Rays of your All- Enlivening Eyes: Pardon me Madam, if I say, it in some measure fills me with Emulation in the midst of all my Triumphs, that the Acquests of my Sword must be vanquished, and Out-shone by the Conquests of your more powerful Beauty.  
It was this, Mighty Princess, that first set the Courts of Italy agogg, when the Attraction of your Early Charms made them pay Homage to the Growing Glory of the House of Modena: This made the most Wise Monarch of France recommend your Highness, as the fittest Person in the World to take the upper Hand of the Duchess of Portsmouth, and fill the Envied Throne of that Kingdom, with such an Awful and Viraginous Majesty, as no Female besides could pretend to: And the Power of the same Magnetic hath compelled him to court your Royal Presence, which alone brings with it an Excellence and Perfection, surmounting all the other Glories of his Palace. Nor can it be thought, that your Majesty is one Ace behind that great Monarch in point of Compliment, when it shall be considered, you have preferred the felicity of an Entertainment at St. Germane above the Throne of England, and three Kingdoms to pay you Homage.  
The Romancers of your Italy make their Knights and Champions in the heat of their Encounters, Catching a Glance, a Smile, or Innuendo from the fair Eyes of their Saints or Mistresses, which hath Elevated their Courage to such a degree, that Woe be to him that is the Assailant! for presently you hear of Armour chopped to pieces, a Combatant Chined at one Blow, or a Horse beheaded, or some very dead-doing Exploit. Who then can doubt of that happy Reverse of Fortune that must attend my great Master, when he shall return with fresh Vigour to pursue his Conquests here? When he shall come with a Zeal Inflamed, Valour Exalted, Indignation Whetted, Courage Pointed, and so All-over-influenced with your Powerful Aspect; That if all the Heretics had but one Head, and that were entering the Gates of Limerick, his derived Force would be sufficient to dispatch him at one Blow. You see, Madam, how the Hearts of your humble Votaries are supported, to what a pitch of Expectation they are lifted, and their Hopes raised with the assurance of your Virtue: For if you do not condescend to Pity, and Redress our Woes, all our Hopes must give up and Expire. 'Tis therefore to your Shrine, who are our living Saint, that we bring our humble Devotions; for, as for our dead Guardians, and Tutelar Friends, nay, even St. Patrick himself, we have called upon them till our Throats are sore, and our Hearts ache again, and cannot make them hear a word; whether the Enemy's Cannon have deafened them, or whether they are afraid it is the same Army that was last before these Walls, I know not; but they are all as mute as Fishes: So that we are not only obliged to supplicate your Personal Assistance, but that your Majesty will use your powerful Intercession with the Saints of your Country; and endeavour to prevail with your old Friend and Patroness Our Lady of L●re●to, and your great Benefactress St. Winefryd to put their helping Hands, for be Shaint Patrick, Madam, there will be a great deal of very much need of every bodies help indeed.  
All the last Winter, the Duke of Schomberg, and those neverto be-forgiven Furies of Ineskillin kept us, out of the N●●●●, and as soon as their King came, we ●…ntly Retreated over the Boyne, not without leaving of Harrows, and Crows Feet in the River, to have tamed their Horfe-heets that they might not pursue us too fast; but notwithstanding the Depth of the Water, the Opposition on our side, the Difficulty of Landing, and the Danger of the Bottom, their Troops came over as sound as Roaches, or as if they had participated of the Nature of those Amphibious Creatures to whom the Land and Water are alike.  
Dublin we Abandoned, because it was not Tenable if we had not wanted Bravery, but our Valour is so near kin to that of Lovis the Great, that it thinks itself not safe unless it be Walled in: But no sooner had we quitted Dublin, but the Heretics took Heart, seized upon all their own Arms which they found in the hands of our Friends, took the Castle and declared for their King William, and Queen Mary. Waterford, and other places did the like: 〈◊〉 that it was high time for my Sacred ●aster to think of taking Sanctuary under ●he same propitious Roof with your Royal ●elf, and the Illustrious Offspring of Lo●tto's Favour. It was time, to betake himself to Your Majesty for new Courage, ●nd the Potent Lovis for fresh Forces.  
What incessant, and indefatigable ●ains were afterwards taken by Monsieur ●auzun, Monsieur Sarfield, and myself to ●●e● Our Tattered Troops together, and to make those last Efforts of despair, which were put in most Catholic Execution when We fell upon the Gunners Wives ●nd Children, and a small party that Guarded the Train, with a detacht Body of Our Army? These, Madam, Phope, without ●anity, I may presume to call Undeniable proof of Our Fidelity to your Royal Cause, and inestimable Persons; and I must further take leave to add, that in ●hese Enterprises the Young Duke of Ber●●ick hath behaved himself with a Gallantry becoming the Son of his Father, and the half Brother of the Excellent Prince of Wales.  
But what doth the most accomplished Resolution, and the greatest French-Assurance imaginable signify; when they shall meet with a Magnanimity that Triumphs over Difficulties, and Glories in attacking the Greatest Opposition? When Heaven itself shall, like St. Peter's Successor, take ●●art with Heretics, and the Flood of Shunnon, which is rarely known to be fordable, shall, like the Red-Sea, make way for the People to pass thorough; There needs no less than an Obduracy like that of Pharaoh, to be Impenetrable unden such severe Dispensations.  
That you have heard of Our Inimitable Valour, and that from the Fireworks, Statues, and Medals of the Mighty Lovis all Europe hath been Advertised of Our Celebrated Prowess, is apparent, Mighty Princess, from the Invidious Remarks the English, and Dutch Gazettes, and Pamphlets have made thereon. But, whatever impertinent Reflections they have made, There is no doubt but Posterity will pay a just Acknowledgement to our Courage in Ireland, as well as to the Vnpresidented Conduct of Our Great and August Patron of Versailes, Since it is impossible that the Glory of his Undertake can be mentioned, without Reflections on the Affairs of Ireland: Nor is it reasonable to despair of a proportionable Success of that Unbounded Monarch's Erterprises in England, and the other parts of Europe, Since His Majesty's unaccountable Undertake are founded not only on the Direction of his Absolute Power, but on Ancient, and undeniable Prediction; It having been long since entered in the Book of Fate, That  

He that will Old-England win  
Mu first with Ireland begin.   
So that it is plain, howsoever Providence may be inclined, Fate is plain and directly for Us: And there is no fear of Our coming off with Victory in Our other Attempts since We have so Prosperously begun Our Acquirements here.  
Madam, I have not only sent you what Treasure it was possible for me to Rap from this Country to support the Grandeur of your Figure at the Court of France, but have also sent the most Inestimable of my Own Treasures, my Countess, to bear up Your Majesty's Train, and to pay her best Devoires to your Growing Prince. But I earnestly implore Your Majesty, that to prevent heats betwixt her and the Marchioness of Powess, Your Majesty will command them to Cast a●ce for Precedence.  
Whilst I am writing this the Enemy's Cannon are Thundering down the Walls of this City, and their Bombs have almost Ruined all the Streets; and yet such is the intrepid Heedlessness of your poor Vassal and my Irish Troops, that I esteem Limerick too mean a Sacrifice to Your Majesty's Interest, to whom Three Kingdoms are but a small Oblation. It was but in the Year, 1641. 200000 Heretics fell Victims to the Holy Cause, in this Island; and were I Master of as many Islands, They should all be Offered up a Tribute to Your Majesty's Shrine; such is the profound Zeal and Veneration I have for Your Majesty's Interest, and Resolutions.  
I have read, amongst the Legends of Our Saints, That when the Famous Patron of Our Nation St. Patrick had reaped Immortal Glory by the Exploits of his Sword, and rendered himself the most accomplished Champion of his Age; Big with Fame, and loaden with the Renown of his past Actions, He walled himself in between Four Walls, from the Society and Disturbance of the rest of Mankind; and because nothing should Interrupt his Devotions, he left access for neither Visitants, nor Victuals; and so after the Fatigue of a Life full of Turmoils, he separated himself from Men first, and soon after from Life, Expiring in a lonely Calmness, and Privacy, which he chose rather than to be knocked on the head, or burned alive. I must confess that Our being Immured here within the Walls of Limerick looks very 〈◊〉 after the manner of a Sepulchre, and as if we were to make Our Exits like that Champion, and Confessor: Only in this 〈◊〉 differ? that Our Immurement is not so ●…luntary, and Our Enclosure is every 〈◊〉 battering, and burning down about 〈◊〉 Ears. However if Your Majesty please Consult the Archbishop of Paris whether be not the same thing in the Origin● and as useful to the Purposes of H●● Church, If we are burnt or starved to Dea●● and whether We may not have the honour to be Matriculated amongst the Sai●● of this dear Country; this will be of gre●● Confirmation and Satisfaction in these Extremities.  
I am only to Crave Your Majesties Pardon for the Presumption of this lo●● Letter, tho' a Volume would not conta●● what I have to say, on this Dismal Occ●sion: And to pray your Clemency, Th●● what Succours can be spared be immediately dispatched to Us, otherwise not only n●● Great Masters must lose all footing in th●● Kingdom, but that Unhappy Rhyme whi●● was at the Compiling a Thanksgiving f●● the Conception of a Prince of Wales; say that Unhappy Ballad is in danger 〈◊〉 become a Prophecy. (Viz.)  

When her comes out a double Clout  
May cover his whole Dominion.   
This, as it would be the Dread, a●● Confusion of all good Catholics, and the Faithful Adherents, shall be Zealous● Constantly, and Bigot-like opposed wi●● the last drop of Blood of Your Majesty's  
Limerick, Septemb. the 1st. 1690.  
Devoted Talbot, TYRCONNEL   

London, Printed for A. Turner, 1690.