Numb. 2. A CONTINUATION OF THE DIURNAL PASSAGES IN IRELAND DECLARED IN TWO LETTERS. THE ONE Being sent from the Lord Antrim in Jreland, to the right honourable the Earl of Rutland, dated February 25. 1641. THE OTHER Was sent to Sir Robert King Knight, bearing date the 27 of February, 1641. LONDON, Printed for F. Coules and T. Banks, 1641. A Copy of a Letter from the Lord Antrim in Jreland, sent to the Right Honourable the Earl of Rutland, dated the 25. of February 1641. My Honourable Lord, HAving nothing of that weight and consequence, that befits me to accommodate your Honour withal, worthy of your Lordship's acceptation, I am enforced to present your Honour with what I can, as a small sign of the great observance in many respects I own to your Lordship, for the noble favour I have had, the honour formerly to receive from your Lordship, and the mutual correspondency that have been between your Honour and myself, which when opportunity may permit, I shall with humble thankfulness acknowledge. My Lord, It is a great sorrow to me, my name and Honour should be so much defamed and scandalised by false and scandalous reports; nay, permitted to be published in Print, that I have revolted from my King, and turned Rebel, the very name wounds me sore, which never had the left thought of Treason against my Sovereign, or disloyalty to my Country. I am so fare from such imagination, that I will rather perish at his Majesty's feet, and suffer any punishment whatever shall be thought requisite to bring a period to myself, my life and fortunes, then live stained with a horrid denomination as Traitor, and am so fare incensed against these reports, that I vow to God I will to the utmost of my power maintain the rightful power and prerogatives of his sacred Majesty, to whom I approve myself an obedient subject and servant, and his Government, as the undoubted and lawful King over his Majesty's Kingdoms of England, Scotland and Jreland: I desire not to be disobedient to any the Laws and Ordinances of his Majesty's Parliament, for the good government of his Kingdoms; that may not abridge or restrain the free exercise of the Roman Religion which I am devoted to, and am engaged to maintain in duty to God, and respect of my future happiness and salvation: Her Majesty my gracious Queen I will to my power endeavour to obey, and her rightful Reign in his Majesty's Dominions, under his government, endeavour to uphold and maintain to the utmost of my life and fortune: and such respect and honour I own to my Lady, whom my prayers are daily for, and to whom I recommend my dearest affections, that she may be confident I will intermeddle with any affairs that may I hope not prove destructive to myself or Family, or in defamation of mine or her honour, which I humbly desire your honour to certify Her, and to present his Majesty with my unchangeable and dutiful intentions. My LORD, Some passages of the affairs here in Jreland, I thought good to present you withal, which is necessary to be taken notice of. There was a great Battle fought before the City of Lemster, where there was slain 4000 English and Scots, and Sir Edward Denny one of our Captains, with his Forces of 400 Soldiers hath slain Thomas Bland Esquire, with 500 more of his Soldiers, and put all the rest, besides some Prisoners taken to flight, that is the greatest overthrow to the English that hath yet been. And Sir Edward Denny having the victory, on the next morning being by his Soldiers saluted in a most noble manner, for their encouragement, gave to every Soldier 5 li. and in vindication of his reputation made a royal Feast to entertain his Soldiers in a deriding and scoffing manner to the English. There was also another Skirmish on Saturday last which continued some 8 hours between the Forces under command of the Lord Osmond Netterfield and others, and the Forces under command of Sir Simond Harcourt, Sir William Cootes, Mr. Moor of the English, the Lord Douglas, Sir Charles Bland, Mr. Henry Steward, and oters of the Scots, where was slain 2000 Irish, and about 100 of the Scots and English, the rest of the Irish forced to retire, and great spoils were left by them as a prey for the English of Ammunition and provision of victuals, sufficient to maintain 500 men for 6 months, which was a great weakening to the Catholic party. And thus having no more news at this present, I will not be troublesome to your Honour, but humbly take my leave. Your Honour's in all due observance Antrime. joyful News from IRELAND, Or a true Relation of the great overthrow which the English gave the Rebels before Drogheda, etc. Noble Sir, IN my last to you I signified to you, the difficulties which were like to befall us by the relieving of Drogheda, but God by his infinite mercy hath freed us (I may say miraculously) from that hazard: for when our men there were driven to that extremity to eat Horseflesh, Sir Henry Tichbourne sallied out of the Town with only forty Musketeers, and forty Horse, and beat off four hundred of the Enemies, killed above threescore of them; recovered fourscore Cows and Oxen, and two hundred Sheep; burned four Towns, and brought home two of their Colours; Besides, I must relate unto you Gods abundant goodness unto us, in that the night before the relief and succours which we sent by Sea from Dublin to them, should have entered into the Harbour of Drogheda, (which was strongly fenced over with a Chair and several Boats) there happened a storm which broke their chainer, and gave our men so free a passage, as with little difficulty they came safely to the Town. The Rebels were gathered at Kilshalgham, within seven miles of Dublin, above two thousand men, where they were settled in a very strong wood. My Lord of Ormond carried out part of our Army, and beat them out of that great strength (for they would not come into the Champain) and killed above a hundred of them, without any considerable loss of our side, only Captain James Rochfort, a most gallant and courageous Gentleman. This was an act of great bravery, wherein Sir Charles Coote did, (as he doth always) beyond expectation, exposing his person to as much danger as any man living could; and in truth he is a gallant man, full of courage and good affections, and deserves great encouragement from that side. Our Soldiers are in great want of Money, which causes a general want of all other necessaries; yet notwithstanding God hath infused such courage into them (for undoubtedly it is his work) that they think there is no danger so great, but they may attempt it. Colonel Monk is arrived here with my Lord Lieutenant's Regiment of fifteen hundred foot, and Sir Richard Greevill, with near four hundred Horse, which puts much heart into us, and makes us look big upon our neighbours, yet we grieve we cannot be able to relieve our friends in other parts; but I hope when our full succours shall come; we shall not only defend this place, but add comfort to our poor distressed friends abroad. The enemy, though their numbers be very great, even beyond belief; yet their hearts begin to faint, and I believe they repent their furious madness. If my Brother be in London, I pray you impart this Letter to him, I would have written to him, but that I thought he was at Chester, or on his way thither. By the next he shall hear from me at large, and I shall likewise trouble you. I must now only tell you, that I thank you for your care of those things which concern me, and that I am, Sir, Feb. 27. 1641. your most affectionate Servant, ED. LOFTUS, Martii 7 more. 'Tis this day Ordered forthwith that this Letter be put in Print. H. Elsing Cler. P. D. Com. FINIS.