A LETTER FROM A GENTLEMAN of worth FROM DUBLIN IN IRELAND, To a Friend in LONDON.  
Wherein Is declared a famous Victory obtained against the Rebels in Ireland, very lately by Colonel Muncke.  
With other good Service done by others in other places; Also near about Dublin, and in the PALE.  
London, Printed for R. B. Jan. 7. 1642.   

A LETTER Written From a Gentleman of good worth in DUBLIN, to a Friend in LONDON.  
SIR,  
I Wrote to you in my Letters the last Week, and the Week before, of Colonel Munck's going abroad with 600 Musketeers, and 300 Horse; but as I hear now, there were but 500 Musketeers, and 200 Horse, without any Pike-men: The last Saturday at night, the Horse came home, and the last Sunday the Foot; They went into the Queens-County, and into the County of Catherlough, and have relieved the Castles of Athy, Marriburrow, Catherlough, Munster-Even, and Ballinekill. The Rebels at Kilkenny having notice of their coming abroad (for there is nothing resolved on, or done here, but they have speedy intelligence of it) Colonel Preston, who is my Lord Viscount Gormanstons' Uncle, and made General of Leinster, chose out 700 of his best Musketeers, 500 Pike-men and about 300 Horse, all very completely armed: and as our men came from Ballinekill towards Athy, they followed them, Preston himself being present with them; and Colonel Cullen, and Colonel Plunket, chief Commanders too in the Rebel's Army, came also along with Preston as Volunteers, being resolved to cut off all our men, without sparing so much as one of them: When our Soldiers espied them, following them, they still marched forwards towards Athy as fast as they could, seeking out in their way a fit place wherein to fight with the enemy; but the Rebels followed so fast after them, that when our men were a little beyond Tymahoe, towards Athy, a Castle wherein the Rebels had a Garrison, our men could go no further, but made a stand: The Rebels shot abundantly at them, but it happened to be out of Musket shot; for the Bullets were after found lying very thick, and in abundance upon the ground, But when they came within shot, our men did so well behave themselves, and gave fire so thick upon them, that many of them fell, and the rest presently betook themselves to their heels; the most of them fled into the Castle of Tymahoe, into which Preston himself made as much haste as the rest: but our men could not then pursue them, by reason they must then have gone close by that Castle; and near to it on the other side was a Bog, so that they must have gone half a mile about; which was the way they came, to shun that Castle: and having so far to march after as to Athy, which was five or six miles distant, there being no other place to lodge in, they contented themselves with the Victory, and beating them out of the Field, and so marched away. This Castle of Ballinekill is but a little Garrison, and yet lying within seven or eight miles of Kilkenny, the chief place of their Rendezvous, doth vex the Rebels extremely that they cannot take it in. There was not one of our men killed in this Fight, and but one lost in all the Journey; some two or three wounded and slightly hurt: There were about 100 of the Enemy slain, and very many of them were wounded and hurt. Our men took up two or three hundred of their Pikes which they threw away in the Fight, but few Muskets, for those they took care to gather up, and carry away. Our men took in that Fight one Captain Crispe, an English Papist, who dwelled about Rilkenny, and was of great esteem amongst them; he was very forward in the Fight, and beat and cudgeled his men to go on, but it did not serve his turn; he is now in the Castle of Dublin. This Fight was most performed by our Foot, the Horse on either side not coming together to charge, the place where they fought consisting much of Enclosures, where Horse could not well come to serve. This business hath gladded us much, and hath discomforted them, That such a handful of men should be able to go almost 50 miles up into the Land, to and fro, from Garrison to Garrison, in despite of the enemy, and so close to the Body of their Army: And this was the first exploit of Prestons, since he was made their General; I hope God will never give him better success. This is the truest Relation I can hear of this Business, which I have been diligent to inquire of from those who were in the action, and present in the whole Journey: God make us truly thankful. Sir Richard Grenvill out of Trim, last Friday at night, sallied out upon the Rebels at Kilcock, and upon Saturday morning came upon them there, where they kept a very plentiful Market, and took all their Corn and Victuals that was there, some say, two hundred Cows, some more, and by the way took Owgan of Racoffy his wife and children; his wife is sister to the Lord Viscount Gormanston. Our men burnt five thousand pounds worth of Corn in their Journey to Athy, of the enemies. Sir Arthur Lostus went lately towards Wickloe, and of that side Dublin, and burned a great many Towns some miles together, and killed some Rebels, and brought home much Booty: And Captain Charles Bolton, my Lord Chancellor's son, with 120 Musketeers, went towards Field-Towne, where the enemy lay, whom they durst not to encounter with, but fled: he burned 〈◊〉 a Town, and seven miles about, Corn and all, and came home. Captain Phernstie, in his passage from the Garrison of Trim, burned the enemy, as is said, 18 Towns more; so that the Lords of the Pale have no shelter now about us. If we had but some Provisions and Succours sent us now in the Spring, we would hope to do very much in the Cause: I pray put to your helping hand, to solicit the Parliament for us.  
DUBLIN, 21 Decemb. 1642. Your loving friend, J. B.  
FINIS.