March 18. A LETTER SENT FROM Sr. Simon Harcourt, To a worthy Member of the House of COMMONS.  
With a true Relation of the proceedings of the English Army, under his command, to this present March.  
Whereunto is added the many miraculous deliverances, in the Relieving and Defending the City of Tredagh, by the providence of God.  
Exactly Related, by the Minister of the same Town, who was an eye witness thereof, and is still resident there.  
LONDON, Printed for Joseph Hunscott. 1641.   

A Letter.  
SIR,  
I Hope by this time, you are fully satisfied by the receipt of my Letters, that I have made it my care to uphold myself in your good opinion, which I shall ever value at a high rate: therefore I will never prove so great an enemy unto myself, as to lose by the neglect and omission of the tender of my due respects, which shall on all oppertunities attend you in a most affectionate manner. And now give me leave to give you a brief account of a piece of service which hath lately been acted on the Rebels, at a place called Killshaughall, some seven or eight miles from Dublin, where lodged near upon 2000 as we had intelligence. The situation of the place as naturally strong as I have seen any Castle in Ireland, having moorish an● boggy ground on the one side, the other environed with thick Woods, quickset heages, high banks, and deep Ditches (inaccessible) but as we forced our way by pioneers (under the favour of our Musquetiers) in the middle of which Woods stood the Castle, which had but one Aveneu unto it; on that side we approached it, on which they had 〈…〉 a reverse or Barricadoe, which we beat them from. That done, I sent Capta●ne Congrave with 100 Musquetiers, to fall on them in the, churchyard in which they were 〈◊〉 and stood opposite unto the Castle gate, he found the● 〈…〉 all resc●t●ce; and then in great disorder fled, taking their way (〈…〉) unto the bog ground; Those which betook themselves unto the 〈…〉 Borlasles Troop in chase of them, who had the cutting of some 60 or 70; of 〈…〉 and about as many more were killed in the in the W●●● by the 〈◊〉. The Castle was maintained against us (some of their best men have 〈…〉 o●fer Sanctuary.) And we having no pieces of Battery, were forced to leave it. In this expedition was my Lord of Ormond, the Lord Lambert, in Charles Coote, and myself having with us 500 foot, and 300 Horse, 〈◊〉 lest one captain Rochford, who led the forlorn hope, being of Sir Charles Coote his Regiment, with some five or six of my Rigiment, and as many bu●. And this is all that for the present I can acquint you with, only that to morrow we make a visit unto the Lords and Gentry of the Pale with 3000. Foot, and between, 5. and 600 Horse, and this we are forced to do for the relief of our soldiers who have been kept this ten weeks upon a mean allowance of salt Beef, and Herring, which had caused great sickness and mortality amongst them; But I hope that your care of this poor Army here, will be such, that the may be speeddy supplied with M●ney Clothes and Victuals for them. I speak of their misery as briefly as I can, but the Lord justices better will more 〈◊〉 inform you. I am confident you will do all the friendly offices (in your power, 〈◊〉 soldiers here, whereby you shall ing●ge t●em and me, most faithfully and affectionately to remain,  
Dubl●n 6. Martii. 1641. Sir, your humble Servant, HARCOURT.   

An Abstract of news Since our relief January. 11. to the 20th of February.  
AFter much misery we were relieved by the Pinnace with some biscuit and Ammunition, extremity of want drawing on of both, that it was not unobserved, that where we had been solemnly praying for it. The rebels had sunk a bark in the channel, but two or three days before the wind and tide had driven her out to Sea, they had hoisted an iron chain, but that hindered not her passage over it 1000 shot were sent from either side the River, and had double returns from ours, yet not one of our men lost, with what joyful acclamations the pinnace and her Shallope were received within the Bay, what mutual salutations of shot were given and answered; how the Streets rang again with thanks and Prayers to God from all sorts, those who were eye and ear witnesses can never forget, at this relief the countenances of the townsmen told as much, upon second thoughts towards night, they seemed to be very glad, and for an expression were very kind to the soldiers, offering them drink upon every guard on free cost; the poor men not using to receive so liberally without their Officers knowledge, two parts of the Watch were drunk, about midnight, (most being asleep) a breach was made in the wall, in an our orchard betwixt St. James gate, and the water, in which, as was confessed by one hanged the next day, an Officer had a chief hand in; about 3 of the clock 500 entered and continued an hour or two undiscovered, till being marched upon the key they shouted, which was either for asureance of victory, or to invite the town to their promised assistance, some of them had adventured up to the Millmount, and killed the first sentinel, others had entered the Bridge. This shout being our first alarum, the governor ran out unarmed, and was the first that caused a Drum to beat, and in that haste, was compelled to take the main guard, who were his own company, and commanded men from by-guards, these were his present strength, first posted down some Pikes commanded by his ensign, to make good the Bridge, until the musqueteers could make ready; we met the enemy upon the first entry, and finding them resisted by a guard of ours charged home, and soon compelled them to retreat, the Governor immediately relieved his ensign with musqueteers, who met not far from the Bridge, another company of the rebels, but being in the dark, took them by their an swear to be friends, until he found the contrary by a shot made at him, which went throw the brims of another's hat next him. As soon as we gave fire it proved so effectual, that they instantly scattered & were chased through the strees, leaving their dead bodies as stumbling blocks in our way. And now my Lord Moor with what Horse he could make ready, came to his assistance, who chased the residue of them up the Hill, where they dropped apase, but where the breach was, could not yet be found, till they directed us by their flight, through which 100 escaped: and now each captain had got together Forces, and environed them in each quarter and with ease laid them on heaps in every corner, so that the slain within the walls and prisoners taken without, were 200. This deliverance the worst of men acknowledge to be the hand of God, for had they marched towards the next Port, and cut the guard off there, who were most sleeping: one thousand of their own men were there ready to enter, and we had been lost. 'Twas God's hand that their shouts gave us the first alarum to our safety and their destruction. In this hot skirmish we lost but few, the most being butchered by them at their first entrance unarmed to prevent their giving ●ice, only three were lost in fight. This was the only night (of any neglected) which the joy of the present relief occasioned, but for the future doubled our Watches, forty Horse in several Divislons still riding the Rounds, and by their often visits, a Sentinel hath scarce time to wink. My Lord Moor one night, and the Governor another (as supervisors of the whole) have not failed since, constantly to watch in their own persons. The enemy without, on the southside of the town, seemed to be about 3000 who in several bodies stayed one hour or two after day, believing the town to be taken, expecting the opening of a Port, which we perceiving, and having taken, a Piper of theirs, caused him to play very merrily on one of the platforms, and to call out in Irish, that the town was theirs. It was good sport to see them shorten the way by leaping ditches, and running themselves out of breath, who should be first taken, and so were brought in by tens. This extraordinary blessing, I conceive, deserved a special solemn thanksgiving, which we performed two days after. A fair wind inviting the Pinnace next day to return, past with as many prayers for safety by the Soldiers on the walls, as she had been received with praises. But a small fisher-boat, as a full judgement of God for the former night's work, by the unskilfulness of the Pilate, ran aground, and that nigh● was taken by the enemy, with fourteen Prisoners: also about three miles off, at Alermine town, the Pinnace fell into the like hazard, being most falsely left by the Shallopes, to the mercy of the enemy, who played upon her on both sides, 100 of the rebels, under the shelter of Carre-loads of Furs, desperately approached so near, that they got under the stern, and with crows and Pike-axes began to bulge her, neither Pike nor musket could offend them: in this straight captain Stutvile (who hath much deserved) in the adventure of relieving us twice, threw some Granadoes amongst them; they endured the breaking of six, but when the seventh was thrown, they ran away and never attempted their design after.  
The number of the slain is uncertain, but by the mighty stream of blood it is conjectured 60. Whilst we saw this danger we ceased not in public to pray for her safety, whose loss was likely to be our ruin: That night she was freed into the pool, and one the Monday with a fair wind bid us farewell; We had another friggat which asisting the Pinnace in burning some barks ran the same casuality and lay under the same advantage to the enemy. Who having made a breast work played on her all night, but returned with our any harm save the loss of one man.  
Many Drums were sent by the Rebels for exchange of Prisoners, till theirs here being spent, they were forced to send for more to Amagh, who have been cherished by the townsmen. as if they had been Martyrs. they giving them good Victuals Caddoes and caps, so that they make no suit to be realeased. In 14. days our former supplies were wasted and a great scarcity began to grow among us: The whole design of the Rebels we saw was to starve us, by burning all the corn and Hay within two Miles of us, they drew often nigh us, in the dark Nights, and in mockery asked our sentinel, if we had yet eaten up our cabbage stalks, and Horse hides, and indeed the Famine was such at length with the common soldiers that Horses, cats and Dogs were good meat. Some provisions by searching were found hid in Cellors this sufficed not but we were forced to sally out which was always blessed with some relief and without the loss of any soldiers February the 7th. we sallied out 40. musqueteers and 25. Horse to secure others, appointed to bring in provision, who were unexpectedly set upon by 400. newly come out of the North; we instantly charged them, killed 80. took two of their colours killed a Lieutenant, and on ensign and took another, and 9 Prisoners, one died as soon as he came to town, and being unbuttoned he was begirt with a Saint. Francis Girdle next his skin, not one of our men being hurt: Another time we marched out 100 Foot and a troop of Horse, we were set upon by 500 but we having notice by some of their own party, of their intention, we made a fair retreat through them and killed many of them, of ours not one hurt, one was shot through the doublet and Shirt and had his skin rased: At length our store failed us, so that from the heartiest nothing could be heard but intentions of desperate courses, our Friggatts and our Agents had been long in Dublin but heard nothing of their return, and by the continuance of contrary winds our hopes we saw were dashed from thence, also in this extremity (besides our ordinary meeting on Wednesday) we appointed the next Friday as a day extraordinary only to beg our bread of God for my Subject I took the 4th. Petition of the Lord's Prayer, That day we continued in the Church from morning till evening, which was blessed with much affection and tears, wherein some confident passages fell in assuring some present extraordinary answer, it might have seemed to have been without warrant, but see the event: That very night, the wind inclined, and the next morning suddenly changed to as fair a wind and weather as we could wish and so continued, that evening we received notice that our supply aproached on Sunday morning we met at church earlier than we used in the continuance of the same Subject, and Petition and at the couclusion of the Sermon, a messenger came into the Church with the glad tidings of our relief within the bar; it being so received in God's house we took it as from God himself: And so with thanks given to him from whom every good gift descendeth, we went and saw the salvation of God, I must not forget another deliverance the same Sunday morning, the Enemy about four a clock with their whole strength made a bold attempt with scaling Ladders to the walls, 2 or 3 were fixed in one place and some were gotten up the sentinel missing fire at one, knocked him down with the butt end of his Musket, and crying out to the Guard who was nigh my chamber window I was the first that heard him, and the clattering of the Ladders, we instantly gave them their fill of Shot, and they left their ladders with some of their blood, the number of the slain is uncertain they having drawn them away, but an English boy taking this opportunity escaped from them: said he saw 3 lying in one ditch, by which may be conjectured, what was slain of them, on our side not one hurt, so that in the word of Psalmist, psalms. 136. verse 24. We may praise God for that one day, who gives food to all flesh, and who delivers us from our enemies, for his mercy endureth for ever. And get a farther deliverance, we are now quitting the town of the Papists, who have been the cause of all this evil, some of the Aldermen are parting, some have offered to go to Church, but it is thought with the same affection as the Capernaites (for the loaves) An Inventory of all their goods are taken and such of men and women as have been suspected to side with the rebels, have their daily passes to them, some sober souls, and of good fashion have desired to be informed, in which work shall be glad to be employed all day, and eyery day. A prize was also taken by the Pinnace laden with herring, Bisquets, and other provisions, which hath added somewhat to our store, we have 4. companies more so that we have in all 2000 Foot and 200. Horse more I could have writ but the unexpected haste of your Pinnaces return, who is now ready to weigh Anchor causes me to break off.  
FINIS.