A LETTER FROM The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, To the Honourable William Lenthal Esq Speaker of the Parliament of England: Giving an Account of the Proceed of the Army there under his Lordship's Command; and several Transactions between his Lordship and the Governor of Wexford. Together with a Relation of the Taking in of WEXFORD, With the Fort, Haven and Shipping there; and of several other Garrisons of the Enemy. As also the Propositions tendered for the Rendition of Wexford: And a Copy of a Censure, under the hand of Nicholas Bishop of Fernes, against Talbot who died a Protestant. ORdered by the Parliament, That these Letters and Transactions be forthwith printed and published. Hen: Scobell, Cleric. Parliamenti. London, Printed by John Field for Edward Husband, Printer to the Parliament of England. 1649. Die Martis, xxx. Octobr. 1649. ORdered by the Parliament, That it be referred to the Lord Major of the City of London, to take care to disperse the said Letters and Transactions to all the Ministers within London and the Liberties, who are required respectively to Read the same in their respective Congregations on Thursday next, and to take notice of this great and wonderful Mercy, in giving in the Fort and Town of Wexford, together with the Haven there, and the Shipping in it, as an addition unto the former Mercies, for which that day was set apart, and to return all humble Thanks to Almighty God for the same. Hen: Scobell, Cleric. Parliamenti. For the Honourable William Lenthal Esquire, Speaker of the Parliament of England. SIR, THe Army marched from Dublin about the 23 of September, into the County of Wicklo, where the enemy had a garrison about 14 miles from Dublin called Killingkerick, which they quitting, a Company of the Army was put therein. From thence the Army marched through almost a desolated Country, until it came to a passage over the River Doro, about a mile above the Castle of Arcklo, which was the first Seat and Honour of the Marquis of Ormonds' family, which he had strongly fortified, but was upon the approach of the Army quitted, wherein we left another company of foot. From thence the Army marched towards Wexford, where in the way was a strong and large Castle, at a Town called Limrick, the ancient Seat of the Esmonds, where the enemy had a strong garrison, which they burned and quitted the day before our coming thither. From thence we marched towards Ferns, an Episcopal Seat, where was a Castle, to which I sent Colonel Reynolds with a party to summon it, which accordingly he did, and it was surrendered to him; where we having put a company, advanced the Army to a passage over the River Slain, which runs down to Wexford, and that night marched into the fields of a Village called Eniscorfy, belonging to Master Robert Wallop, where was a strong Castle very well manned and provided for by the enemy, and close under it in a very fair house belonging to the same worthy Person, A Monastery of Franciscan Friars, the considerables in all Ireland, they run away the night before we came; we summoned the Castle, and they refused to yield at the first, but upon better consideration, they were willing to deliver the place to us, which accordingly they did, leaving their great Guns, Arms, Ammunition, and provisions behind them. Upon Monday the first of October, we came before Wexford, into which the enemy had put a garrison consisting of their Army, this Town having until then been so confident of their own strength, as that they would not at any time suffer a garrison to be imposed upon them; The commander that brought in those forces was Colonel David Synnot, who took upon him the command of the place, to whom I sent a summons, a Copy whereof is this enclosed, between whom and me there passed Answers and Replies; Copies whereof these also are. Whilst these Papers were passing between us, I sent the Lieut. General with a party of dragoons, horse and foot, to endeavour to reduce their Fort, which lay at the mouth of their Harbour, about ten miles distant from us, to which he sent a Troop of dragoons, but the enemy quit their Fort, leaving behind them about seven great Guns, betook themselves by the help of their boat to a frigate of 12 Guns, lying in the Harbour, within Canon-shot of the Fort: The dragoons possessed the Fort, and some Seamen belonging to your Fleet, coming happily in at the same time, they bent their Guns at the Frigate, and she immediately yielded to mercy, both herself, the soldiers that had been in the Fort, and the Seamen that manned her: And whilst our men were in her, the Town not knowing what had happened, sent another small Vessel to her, which our men also took: The Governor of the Town having obtained from me a safe conduct for the four persons mentioned in one of the Papers, to come and treat with me about the surrender of the Town, I expected they should have done so; but in stead thereof, the Earl of Castlehaven brought to their relief on the Northside of the River, about five hundred foot, which occasioned their refusal to send out any to treat, and caused me to revoke my safe conduct, not thinking it fit to leave it for them to make use of it when they pleased; our Canon being landed, and we having removed all our quarters to the Southeast end of the Town, next the Castle, it was generally agreed that we should bend the whole strength of our Artillery upon the Castle, being persuaded that if we got the Castle, the Town would easily follow. Upon Thursday the 11. instant (our Batteries being finished the night before) we began to play betimes in the morning, and having spent near a hundred shot, the Governor's stomach came down, and he sent to me to give leave for four persons entrusted by him, to come unto me and offer terms of surrender, which I condescending to, two field Officers, with an Alderman of the Town, and the Captain of the Castle, brought out the Propositions enclosed, which for their abominableness, manifesting also the impudence of the men, I thought fit to present to your view, together with my answer, which indeed had no effect; for whilst I was preparing of it, studying to preserve the Town from plunder, that it might be of the more use to you and your Army, The Captain who was one of the Commissioners being fairly treated, yielded up the Castle to us: upon the top of which our men no sooner appeared, but the enemy quitted the walls of the Town, which our men perceiving, ran violently upon the Town with their ladders and stormed it: And when they were come into the Market place, the enemy making a stiff resistance, our forces broke them, and then put all to the sword that came in their way: Two Boatfuls of the Enemy attempting to escape, being overpressed with numbers, sunk, whereby were drowned near Three hundred of them: I believe in all there was lost of the Enemy not many less than two thousand, and I believe not Twenty of yours killed, from first to last of the Siege. And indeed, it hath not without cause been deeply set upon our hearts, that we intending better to this place, than so great a ruin, hoping the Town might be of more use to you and your Army; yet God would not have it so, but by an unexpected Providence, in his Righteous Justice, brought a just Judgement upon them, causing them to become a prey to the Soldier, who in their Piracies had made preys of so many families, and made with their bloods to answer the cruelties which they had exercised upon the lives of divers poor Protestants; two of which I have been lately acquainted with: About seven or eight-score poor Protestants were by them put into an old Vessel, which being as some say bulged by them, the Vessel sunk, and they were all presently drowned in the Harbour: The other was thus, They put divers poor Protestants into a Chapel, which since they have used for a Mass house, and in which one or more of their Priests were now killed, where they were famished to death. The Soldier got a very good Booty in this place, and had they not had opportunity to carry their goods over the River, whilst we besieged it, it would have been much more. I could have wished for their own good, and the good of the Garrison, they had been more moderate. Some things which were not easily portable, we hope we shall make use of to your behoof: There are great quantities of Iron, Hides, Tallow, Salt, Pipe, and Barrel Staves, which are under Commissioners hands to be secured. We believe there are near a hundred Canon in the Fort, and elsewhere in and about the Town: Here is likewise some very good shipping; here are three Vessels, one of them of thirty four Guns, which a week's time would fit to Sea; there is another of about 20 Guns, very near ready likewise; and one other frigate of 20 Guns, upon the stocks, made for sailing, which is built up to the uppermost Deck, for her handsomeness sake I have appointed the workmen to finish her, here being materials to do it, if you or the Council of State shall approve thereof. The Friggot also taken by the Fort, is a most excellent Vessel for sailing, besides divers other Ships and Vessels in the Harbour. This Town is now so in your power, that the former Inhabitants I believe scarce one in twenty can challenge any propriety in their houses, most of them are run away, and many of them killed in this service; and it were to be wished, that an honest people would come and plant here, where are very good houses, and other Accommodations fitted to their hands, and may by your favour be made of encouragement to them; as also a seat of good trade, both inward and outward, and of marvellous great advantage in the point of the Herring and other fishing. The Town is pleasantly seated, and strong, having a Rampert of Earth within the Wall, near fifteen foot thick. Thus it hath pleased God to give into your hands this other Mercy, for which, as for all, we pray God may have all the glory: Indeed your instruments are poor, and weak, and can do nothing but through Believing, and that is the gift of God also. I humbly take leave, and rest, Your most humble Servant, O. CROMWELL. Wexford, Octob. 4. 1649. A day or two before our Battery was planted, Ormond, the Earl of Castlehaven, the Lord of Ardes and Clanneboys were on the other side of the water, with about One thousand eight hundred Horse, One thousand five hundred Foot, and offered to put in four or five hundred Foot more into the Town, which the Town refusing, he marched away in all haste: I sent the Lieutenant General after him, with about One thousand four hundred Horse, but the Enemy made from him. For the Commnnder in Chief within the Town of Wexford. SIR, HAving brought the Army belonging to the Parliament of England before this place, to reduce it to its due obedience, to the end effusion of blood may be prevented, and the Town and Counrty about it preserved from ruin, I thought fit to Summon you to deliver the same to me, to the use of the State of England: By this offer I hope it will clearly appear where the guilt will lie, if innocent persons should come to suffer with the nocent. I expect your speedy Answer, and rest, Sir, Your Servant, O. Cromwell. October 3. 1649. For the Lord General Cromwell. SIR, I Have received your Letters of Summons for the delivery up of this Town into your hands, which standeth not with my Honour to do of myself, neither will I take it upon me, without the advice of the rest of the Officers and Major of this Corporation, this Town being of so great consequence to all Ireland, whom I will call together and confer with, and return my resolution unto you to morrow by Twelve of the Clock; in the mean time, if you be so pleased, I am content to forbear all acts of Hostility, so you permit no approach to be made: Expecting your Answer in that particular, I remain, My Lord, Your Lordship's Servant, Da: Sinnot. For the Lord General Cromwell. SIR, I Have advised with the Major and Officers as I promised, and thereupon am content that four whom I shall employ, may have a Conference and Treaty with four of yours, to see if any Agreement and understanding may be begot between us: To this purpose, I desire you to send mine a safe conduct, as I do hereby promise to send unto yours, when you send me their names; and I pray that the meeting may be had to morrow at Eight of the clock in the forenoon, that they may have sufficient time to confer and debate together, and determine and compose the matter; and that the meeting and place may be agreed upon, and the safe conducts mutually sent for the said Meeting this afternoon: Expecting your Answer hereto, I rest, My Lord, Your Servant, Da: Sinnot. Wexford, 4 October. 1649. Send me the names of your Agents, their qualities and degrees. Those I fix upon are Major James Birn, Major Theobald Dillon, Alderman Nicholas Cheevers, Mr. William Stafford. To the Commander in Chief in Wexford. SIR, HAving summoned you to deliver the Town of Wexford into my hands, I might well expect the delivery thereof, and not a formal Treaty, which is seldom granted, but where the things stand upon a more equal foot; If therefore yourself or the Town have any desires to offer, upon which you will surrender the place to me, I shall be able to judge of the reasonableness of them, when they are made known to me: To which end, if you shall think fit to send the persons named in your last, entrusted by yourself and the Town, by whom I may understand your desires, I shall give you a speedy and fitting answer; And I do hereby engage myself, that they shall return in safety to you. I expect your answer hereunto within an hour, and rest, Your Servant, O. C. Octob. 4. 1649. For the Lord General Cromwell. SIR, I Have returned you a civil answer, to the best of my judgement, and thereby I find you undervalue me and this place so much, as you think to have it surrendered without capitulation or honourable terms, as appears by your hours limitation in your last. Sir, had I never a man in this Town, but the Townsmen and the Artillery here planted, I should conceive myself in a very befiting condition, to make Honourable Conditions; and having a considerable Party with them in the place, I am resolved to die honourably, or make such Conditions as may secure my Honour and Life in the eyes of my own Party; to which reasonable terms if you harken not, or give me time to send my Agents, till eight of the clock in the forenoon to morrow with my Propositions, with a further safe Conduct, I leave you to your better judgement, and myself to the assistance of the Almighty: And so conclude, Your Servant, Da. Sinnot. Wexford, 4. Octob. 1649. For the Lord General Cromwell. My Lord, Even as I was ready to send out my Agents unto you, the Lord General of the Horse came hither with a relief, unto whom I communicated the proceed between your Lordship and me, and delivered him the Propositions I intended to dispatch unto your Lordship, who hath desired a small time to consider of them, and to speed them unto me, which my Lord I could not deny, he having a Commanding power over me; pray my Lord believe that I do not do this to trifle out time, but for his present content; and if I find any long delay in his Lordship's returning them back unto me, I will proceed of myself according to my first intention, to which I beseech your Lordship give credit at the request, My Lord, of your Lordship's ready Servant, Da: Sinnot. Wexford, 5 Octob. 1649. To the Commander in Chief in Wexford. SIr, You might have spared your trouble in the account you give me of your Transaction with the Lord General of your Horse, and of your Resolution in case he answer not your expectation in point of time; These are your own concernments, and it behoves you to improve, and the relief you mention, to your best advantage; All that I have to say, is to desire you to take notice, that I do hereby revoke my safe Conduct from the persons mentioned therein; when you shall see cause to Treat, you may send for another. I rest, Sir, Your Servant, O. C. Octob. 6. 1649. For the Lord General Cromwell. SIr, my Propositions being now prepared, I am ready to send my Agents with them unto you, and for their safe return: I pray you to send a safe conduct by the bearer unto me, in hope an Honotable Agreement may thereupon arise between your Lordship and My Lord, Your Lordship's Servant, Da: Sinnot. Wexford, 5 Octob. 1649. For the Lord General Cromwell. SIr, In performance of my last, I desire your Lordship to send me a safe conduct for Major Theobald Dillon, Major James Birn, Alderman Nicholas Chevers, and Captain James Stafford, whom I will send to your Lordship, instructed with my desires; and so I rest, My Lord, Your Servant, Da: Sinnot. Wexford, 11 Octob. 1649. For the Lord General Cromwell .. SIr, the safe conduct being left you, and never coming to my hands, through the ignoranee of the Messenger: I pray you to send it me by the bearer, and I will send forth the persons on receipt thereof, who are ready for that purpose: So I rest, My Lord, Your Lordship's Servant, Da: Sinnot. Wexford 11 Octob. 1649. The Propositions of Col: David Sinnot, Governor of the Town and Castle of Wexford, for and on the behalf of the Officers and Soldiers, and Inhabitants in the said Town and Castle, unto General Cromwell. IMprimis, That all and every the Inhabitants of the said Town, from time to time, and at all times hereafter, shall have free and uninterrupted liberty, publicly to use, exercise and profess the Roman Catholic Religion, without restriction, mulct or penalty, Any Law or Statute to the contrary notwithstanding. II. That the regular and secular Roman Catholic Clergy, now possessed of the Churches, Churchliving, Monasteries, Religious Houses and Chapels in the said Town, and in the Suburbs and Franchises thereof, and their successors, shall have, hold and enjoy to them and their Successors for ever, the said Churches, Church Live, Monasteries, Religious Houses and Chapels, and shall teach and preach in them publicly, without any molestation, Any Law or Statute to the contrary notwithstanding. III. That Nicholas now Lord Bishop of Ferns, and his Successors, shall use and exercise such Jurisdiction over the Catholics of his Diocese, as since his consecration hitherto he used. iv That all the Officers and Soldiers, of what quality or degree soever in the said Town and Castle, and such of the Inhabitants as are so pleased, shall march with flying Colours, and be conveyed safe with their Lives, Artillery, Ordnance, Ammunition, Arms, Goods of all sorts, Horses, Moneys, and what else belongs to them, to the Town of Ross, and there be left safe, with their own party, allowing each Muskettier towards their march, a pound of powder, four yards of match, and twelve brace of Bullets, and a strong Convoy to be sent with the said Soldiers, within four and twenty hours after the yielding up of the said Town. V That such of the Inhabitants of the said Town, as will desire to leave the same at any time hereafter, shall have free liberty to carry away out of the said Town, all their Frigates, Artillery, Arms, Powder, Bullets, Match, Corn, Malt, and other provision, which they have for their defence and sustenance, and all their goods and Chattels, of what quality or condition soever, without any manner of disturbance whatsoever, and have Passes, and safe Conducts, and Convoys, for their lives and said goods to Ross, or where else they shall think fit. VI That the Major, Bailiffs, Freeburgesses and Commons of the said Town, may have, hold and enjoy the said Town and Suburbs, their Commons, their Franchises, and their Liberties and Immunities which hitherto they enjoyed; and that the Major, Bailiffs and Freeburgesses, may have the Government of the said Town, as hitherto they enjoyed the same from the Realm of England, and that they may have no other Government, they adhering to the State of England, and observing their Orders, and the Orders of their Governors in this Realm for the time being. VII. That all and every the Burgesses and Inhabitants, either Native or Stranger of the said Town, who shall continue their ahode therein, or come to live there within three Months, and their heirs, shall have, hold and enjoy, All and singular their several Castles, Messages, Houses, Lands, Tenements and Hereditaments within the Land of Ireland, and all their goods and Chattels, of what nature, quality or condition soever, to them and their heirs, to their own several uses for ever, without molestation. VIII. That such Burgess or Burgesses, or other Inhabitant of he said Town, as shall at any time hereafter he desirous to leave the said Town, shall have free leave to dispose of their Real and Personal Estates respectively, to their best advantage; and further, have full liberty and a safe Conduct respectively to go into England, or elsewhere, according to their several pleasures, who shall desire to departed the same. IX. That all and singular the Inhabitants of the said Town, either Native or Stranger from time to time, & at all times hereafter, shall have, reap and enjoy the full Liberty of Freeborn English Subjects, without the least incapacity or restriction therein; and that all the Freemen of the said Town, from time to time, shall be as Free in all the Seaports, Cities and Towns in England, as the Freemen of all and every the said Cities and Towns; and all and every the Freemen of the said Cities and Towns, to be as Free in the said Town of Wexford, as the Freemen there of, for their greater encouragement to Trade and Commerce together of all hands. X. That no memory remain of any Hostility or distance which was hitherto between the said Town and Castle of the one part, and the Parliament or State of England of the other part, but that all act and acts, transgressions, offences, depradations, and other Crimes of what nature or quality soever, be they ever so transcendent, attempted, or done, or supposed to be attempted or done, by the Inhabitants of the said Town, or any other heretofore or at present adhering to the said Town, either Native or Stranger, and every of them, shall pass in Oblivion, without chastisement, challenge, recompense, demand, or questioning, for them or any of them, now or at any time hereafter. THe Body of Francis Talbot, who died an obstinate Heretic, and finally therein impenitent, is to be Buried in Paenam Haereseos & finalis Impenitentiae nec non in terrorem aliorum, with only one Candle at the Grave, at nine of the clock by night, without a Bell in the Church or Street, without Priest, Cross, Book or Prayer; the place of his Burial is to be in the Ale of St. Mary's Churchyard, nearest to the Garden of the Parsonage: All which concerning the said Burial, we have ordered to be done with the advice of men learned in Divinity; and who shall exceed this manner of the said Francis his Burial, is to incur Church-Censures: No Wax, Taper, or Candle, or Torch is to be used. Nicholaus Episcopus Fernensis. Given at the Friar's Monastery, the last of December, 1646. FINIS.