A RELATION OF THE BATTLE Fought by the Forces of the KING and PARLIAMENT, The Marquis of Ormond being GENERAL, and the Lord Viscount LISLE Lievenant General of the Horse, Against the bloody Rebels in Ireland near Old Rosse, and not far from Doncannon in the Year 1642.  
WRITTEN BY Sir FRANCIS WILLOUGHBY Knight, Major General of the Army, and one of the most Honourable Privy Counsel in Ireland.  
LONDON: Printed by Fr: Neile for Samuel Gellibrand, and are to be sold at his Shop at the Brazen Serpent in Paul's Churchyard. 1648.   

I Having heard several discourses and opinions since my being in England concerning the Battle fought near unto old Rosse in Ireland, between our Army commanded by the now Lord Marquis of Ormond as General, my Lord Lisle Lieutenant General of the Horse, myself being Major General; by which discourses, and variety of opinions, I find that many are mistaken in the truth thereof. So as I having by me some collections, as also the manner and form of the Battle, I have thought fit according to my best knowledge to set down the passages of that service as near as I can: which is as followeth.  
Our present wants being so great at Dublin at that time, as the then Lords Justices, viz: Sir William Parsons, and Sir John Borlerie Knights, could find no means to support the great charge of our Army: no supplies coming out of England for our relief at that time, and the Soldiers in great want. The Lord Lisle Lieutenant General of the Horse, was pleased to propound a journey in hope to gain a livelihood abroad in the Enemy's quarters, for the better subsistence of the Army, which after mature deliberation had at the Counsel Table it was resolved on; and that accordingly the Lord Lisle should go. And for the better enabling of our Army to march, and for furthering that design, most of the Counsel did lend good sums of money (and some melted their Plate) or gave it in to be melted for that service: which moneys so lent was accordingly received, and issued unto the Officers, upon my own knowledge, I being appointed both to receive it, and to pay it out by order of the Counsel Table: all things being in a readiness for the journey, but whither intended unknown to me. The now Lord Marquis of Ormond, our then General, was pleased to signify unto the Lords Justices and Counsel that if the Army went forth his Lordship would go along with it himself, and did so, taking order that a Ship should be sent about unto Duncannon Fort, with a supply of Biscuit and provision if need should be; giving unto Sir Philip Persevall Commissary General of the victuals, forty pounds for the hire of the Ship so employed: and when our Army came near unto Carloe Castle, it was drawn into battalia, and a Counsel of War called, and thee resolved on, that we should march unto Rosse to besiege, and to take it in. And coming before the Town we quartered there, and the second day we planted our Ordnance for batery, which were two Demy Culverins; the next day the Enemy put over into the Town two thousand men, there being but two Companies in before: which supply putting in, it was not possible for us to hinder, they being on the contrary side the River to us. But notwithstanding that supply so put in, we proceeded with our battery and made a breach, which we assaulted with certain of our Forces chosen out for that purpose: Sir Fowlk Hunks, and Major Morris having the command and full management of that service; Major Morris being there dangerously hurt in the Assault, and brought off, and by reason of the multitude of the defenders, who had stopped the breach with wooll-packs, and featherbeds, and other provisions, so as we could do no good in it. I had order from the Lord General to draw them off, which I accordingly did, in which service we lost some few men; the weather being extreme ill was a great hindrance to our proceed. For during the time we were before the Town of Rosse, we had scarce a fair day in fourteen, which was the time, according to my best remembrance, that we stayed.  
During which time, we lived in daily hopes of the coming of our Ship with provisions, which failed by contrary winds, and never came unto us; insomuch as our store being exhausted, and spent, my Lord General employed Sir Thomas Armstrong to the Lord Esmond, governor of Duncannon Fort, to see with what provisions his Lordship could furnish us with: who sent unto the relief of our A●my ten thousand weight of Biscuit, being all he could spare us as he alleged; and withal commanded two Barks or Vessels to fall down to Rosse, that then lay by the Fort, which Vessels shot many shot into the Town, much annoying the Enemy. But the Enemy drew a piece of Ordnance to the other side of the water, with which they so battered the ships lying at ancher, that the Mariners were forced to forsake their ships, and to bore holes in them to sink them, by reason they could not get off their ships again, the wind being contrary, and ill weather: and that being done, the Seamen came into our quarter, and stayed with our Army where they did very good service.  
We had not lain long before Rosse before we were informed of the approach of the Army of the Enemy, under the command of General Preston, and Colonel Cullin their Lieutenant General; who at last came and quartered within a league of us, which hindered our Horse from foraging abroad, they being, as we were informed, near upon seven thousand strong Horse and Foot, with the Forces that were in Rosse, which presently joined with them after our remove from the Town. Which remove of ours was caused through want of provisions for our Army, not having above three day's bread for the Soldiers, and being above threescore miles from Dublin, having a powerful Army attending on us. We raising over siege, the Army of the Enemy withdrew further off to a wood and a bog, where the Forces in Rosse came to them. That night we retired from Rosse, we quartered about six miles from Rosse, and within two miles of old Rosse upon an Heath, from whence we might and did discover where the Enemy quartered. The next morning we marched towards the Enemy, who relying upon his strength, being two thousand more by report then our Army was, he forsook the woods and bogs, and met us in the plain field, having a bog behind him. We coming near unto them, my Lord General of our Army gave me direction to draw into battalia, which accordingly I did, and caused our Ordnance to be planted: that being done, the Lord Lisle appointed some Horse to go to discover the Army of the Enemy, and how they lay. Against which the Enemy sent out a greater number of their Horse, so as our Horse retired back to us again in good order; the Enemy following them, and at a far distance fired upon their arrear, but did no hurt, and so returned again into their quarters; a small rising ground being between their Army and ours, my Lord General called me to him, saying, If we could get to that high piece of ground and possess it, it might much advantage us in that day's service, for we should have the Sun and the wind with us, and also plainly see the Enemy's motions, and how they stood in battalia. Whereupon I caused the Army to march in full battalia and possessed that ground, the whole Army of the Enemy standing before us in a plain not a Musket shot from us; their Horse being in a great lane or highway, ready to have issued out upon us. Whereupon I disposed of our forlorn hope of Musketeers commanded that day by Captain Atkins, along a ditch side that was betwixt our Army and the Enemies, with direction to the Captain to ply his Musketeers in continual playing upon the battalions of the Enemy, which lay within Musket shot of us. In the mean time I caused the Ordnance to be planted in the most advantageous places, and planted the two Demy Culverins in the mouth of the Lane where the Enemy's horse stood; where with the two first shot that were made amongst them, our Ordnance slew at least threescore horse and men, insomuch as the Enemy's horse would not endure the second charge, nor stay the discharging any more in that place, but hastened into the field on their left hand, where rainging their men anew.  
I saw the Lord Lisle Lieutenant General of the Horse, and Sir Thomas Lucas Commissary General of our Horse, preparing all our Horse ready to charge the Enemy's Horse, our Ordnance continually beating upon the Enemy's Forces, the Enemy having no Ordnance in the field that day, which was no small happiness to us as I conceived. Our horse being ready with their swords drawn and in their bridle hands, their Pistols in the other hand. I saw the Lord Lisle with the horse pass over a ditch into the plain where the Enemy's horse were; and I saw our horse and the Enemy's horse charge each other; and I saw Pistols go off and discharged at each other: and while I was otherwise employed that day in the Army of the Foot, the Enemy's horse and ours passed by on the right hand of our battery, hewing and flashing each other; and being so passed by the right hand of our Army, a sudden stand was made by them for a little while, but were still in action exchanging blows with each other; which stand so made, as I was after informed, was caused by a shot the Lord Lisle his horse had in his knee, and the fall of Sir Thomas Lucas his horse with him, who vas dangerously hurt in his head, before he could be recovered; and being recovered, I see all the horse pursuing each other toward the place where our wagons and carriages stood. And as I was after informed, our Horse had there a strong encounter with the Horse of the Rebels; in which conflict divers prisoners of the Enemy were taken, and amongst them Colonel Cullin their Lieutenant General, unto whom quarter was given, and after, by order of the Lord General, committed unto my charge and safe keeping; of whom I took charge, and kept him safe until I brought him to the Castle of Dublin (my then government) where I delivered the said Colonel Cullin into the hands of the then Lords Justices, viz: Sir William Parsons, and Sir John Borlacie, and in regard of my other employments that day amongst the Foot, I was no eyewitness of what was further done betwixt them: only I heard that our Horse had the better of the Enemy's horse, and hat the Enemies fled and were routed; and certain I am, that the Horse of the Enemy never returned to the Army of their Foot that day any more, so long as we were in fight with them, the day of the battle.  
Over which Army of the Rebel's Foot, although much stronger than ours in number, it pleased God (in the absence of both ours and the Enemy's Horse) to give us an happy victory, our Ordnance doing us very good service that day. In which service and victory the Enemy lost many of their prime gentlemen of their Country that day; the rest that scaped fled over the bog, and rallied again on a hill on the other side of a bog, and hard by a wood side where part of our Army following of them, they instantly ran into the wood, leaving all their ammunition and baggage behind them which we took; and the Enemy never left marching till they got over the Barrow a River, where being over, they broke down the Bridge, fearing our Army should pursue them, which as I conceived was a second happy victory, in regard our Army with our Ordnance and many Carriages was to pass through many great straits, woods, and stony and rocky passages, which having no hindrances but the illness of the ways, we had enough to do to make our passage through them; and had the Rebels intercepted us upon those passages, certain I am he would have endangered our Army, we having not above two day's bread or scarce so much; and by being hindered or retarded in our journey, we should through want have been in danger to be lost. All our Horse as soon as the victory was gained over the Foot of the Enemy (or in a little time after) the Enemy's Horse being fled, came to us, and quartered by us; my Lord General and my Lord Lisle after viewing the dead bodies, and giving order to the Pioners to bury them, quartered in the place or field where the Enemy was overthrown. The next day to my best knowledge our Army marched homewards toward Dublin without seeing any Enemy more in all our journey, but what we saw marching on the other side of the River the Barrow toward Kilkennie; and in our way homeward we burned and spoilt the Enemy's Country. And this being as near as my observation taken, and my best memory can inform me, I shall conclude, that I hope this may satisfy the unsatisfied.  

Sir Francis Willoughby having imparted unto us this above-written Discourse, we do testify that it doth agree to our best remembrance with such Relations as were brought unto us at the Council Board from several Officers and others, of the actions of that Army after they parted from us at Dublin, until they returned thither again.  


William Parsons.  
john Temple.  
Adam Loftus.  
R. Meredith.     
FINIS: