A true Relation of a great VICTORY OBTAINED By the Forces under the Command of the Lord Inchiquine in Munster in IRELAND, against the Rebels under the Command of the Lord Taaff, Novemb. 13. 1647.  
Sent in a LETTER from the Lord Inchiquine, to the Honourable William Lenthal Esq Speaker of the Honourable House of Commons.  
Together With An ORDER of the Commons assembled in Parliament, for public Thanks to be given for the same to Almighty God, in all Churches and Chapels in the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales.  
ORdered by the Commons assembled in Parliament, That this Letter be forthwith Printed and Published.  
H: Elsing, Cler. Parl. D. Com.  
London, Printed for Edward Husband, Printer to the Honourable House of Commons, Nou. 30. 1647.   

Die Lunae: 29 NOVEMB. 1647.  
ORdered by the Commons assembled in Parliament, That on the next Lord's day being the Fifth day of December, public Thanks be given to Almighty God by the respective Ministers within the Cities of London and Westminster, and Liberties and parts adjacent within the late Lines of Communication, For his great Blessings upon the Parliament Forces in Munster in Ireland under the Command of the Lord Inchiquine, against a Force of the Rebels under the Command of the Lord Taaff, obtained the Thirteenth of this present November, 1647. And that on the next Lord's day come fortnight the Nineteenth day of December, public Thanks be likewise given in all the Churches and Chapels of England and Dominion of Wales, by the respective Ministers thereof, for the same Blessing upon the said Forces: It is further Ordered That upon the said respective Lords days of the Fifth and Nineteenth of December there be a Collection in the said Churches and Chapels, for Relief of the poor English Protestants driven out of Ireland; and that the Moneys that shall now be collected, be added to the sum formerly collected upon a late Ordinance of Parliament, which directs a Collection for Relief of such poor English Protestants; and that the said Moneys now to be collected, by paid in the same manner to the same Treasurers appointed in that Ordinance, and be disposed by order of the same Committee. It is further Ordered, That the Lord Major do give timely notice of this Order for a Thanksgiving on the next Lord's day, to all the Ministers within the Cities of London and Westminster, and late Lines of Communication: And the respective Knights of the Shires, and Burgesses of the several Cities and places, are required to send Copies of this Order to the several Counties, Cities and places; and the Ministers in the several places are required to move and stir up the people to a cheerful contribution in acknowledgement of their Thankfulness for this great and seasonable Blessing.  
H: Elsing, Cler. Parl. D. Com.   

To the Honourable, W: Lenthal Esq Speaker of the Honourable House of Commons.  
Mr. SPEAKER,  
UPon the twelfth of this instant I marched from Moyallo to meet the Rebel's army, who that morning marched from Kintuirk towards me, with Twelve hundred horse and Seven thousand foot, but they gave themselves out to be Two thousand horse and Nine thousand foot; and both armies came in view one of another about one in the afternoon, ours being Twelve hundred horse and near Four thousand foot: Whereupon they instantly took a Hill of strength and advantage, and drew up, which being two miles distant from us, we had not daylight enough to attempt any thing upon them, and therefore lodged our men in a convenient place about a mile from them, from whence we might observe that we could not charge them where they were, but upon disadvantage; and being doubtful that they might stand a while the next morning upon that ground, in expectation that we would come up to them, I writ the enclosed Letter to the Lord Taaff, to invite him to fight upon a fair plain, that lay between both armies, and would be indifferent to both sides: To which he gave o other answer, but by word of mouth to my Trumpeter, That he was not so little a Soldier, as to forgo any advantage of ground he could gain: And I do now find that there is a prophecy that Mac Donogh should spill much English blood upon Knocknass, which heretofore hath been the name of that hill, and my Lord Taaff conceiving himself to be that Mac Donogh, in regard the estate of Mac Donogh in Conaught was made the reward of his Grandfather's service against the Rebels the last Wars (which is now his) he would not be drawn from the Hill, to which therefore we did advance; and finding (that, as they were drawn up, we should not only have lost the advantage of the wind and sun, but have been also forced to charge upon much disadvantage to our horse, if we had gone on directly on their front; we drew to the right hand of them and found a piece of ground within a convenient distance, to play with Ordnance upon their Right wing, where I caused two pieces to play, to the intent that I might discompose the form they were in; and in the mean time I directed the drawing of our men to the ditch at the foot of their Hill, that they might be ready to fall on, whilst they should be removing from their ground.  
But after two shot was made (one whereof slew a Trumpeter of theirs) they perceiving that the Ordnance would force them from that ground, presently came on down the hill to meet our men, and at the same instant that we broke their main Body, and left Wing, they broke a part of our left Wing of Horse, being the middle Division of three that were on that side; the other two routed those that charged them, and following the execution, discerned not the advantage gained by the Rebels upon those close by them, where Col: Purcel with his Horse, and Sir Alexander mac Donnel, whom they call Collae Kittagh, with his Red-shanks, slew Sir William Bridges; and Col: Grace then had the execution of our Forlorn-hope of Foot, under the command of Lieutenant Col: Crisp, who was taken prisoner, and Major Brown, who was slain with about Forty of their men that were drawn thither to secure the Ordnance which Sir Alexander mac Donnel possessed a while (as also our Baggage) until I happened to look back that way (and perceiving them chase our men) I commanded two Divisions of Horse, who were the Reserve of the right Wing, to charge them, which was exceedingly well performed, and Sir Alexander and his Lieut: Col: slain, with most of all his Red-shanks, of whom I believe there was not above a fourth part that escaped. This Fight began a little before two in the Afternoon; the dispute lasted not above half a quarter of an hour, but the execution ended not in that day: for though we were killing till night, as fast as we could, yet we found Two or three hundred the next day in the Woods, as we were viewing the bodies, but could not possibly get any exact account of the number slain; for after I had an account of more than 2000 that the pursuing parties slew in their several walks, I was informed of many hundreds that were slain in divers other places, so as our men believe there were not less than Five thousand slain; but I do not think it possible there should be above Three thousand, because the dispute lasted not at all; and that exeept the three Regiments of Foot that came on with Sir Alexander mac Donnel, the rest made the best use they could of their heels, to the Woods and Bogs toward Kintuirk, New market and Lyfcarrol: yet we cut off Two hundred of their Horse, and killed many of their Horsemen. We took four Wagons full of Ammunition, but have not yet taken up their arms, whereof I am most confident that they have left us near Six thousand in the field, which is so much the more considerable a loss, because scarcity of arms amongst them is very great, as appears by some of their Letters, which doth discover all the secrecy of that party and their designs. Wherefore I thought it my duty to present them to your Lordships, etc.  
I am told by a Gentleman we have taken, that if my Lord Taaff do not make an escape, That their Supreme Council will undoubtedly take away his life, having knowledge of his design against them, which they were first occasioned to grow jealous of by the information he gave them of my offering, and his rejecting a Cessation, which he laboured to possess them with, whilst he sought to gain one from me, to the end he might destroy them, and bring the sole Power into his own hand; which when they began to apprehend, they employed Bealing one of their Council to discourse with my Lord, about the reasons of his rejecting a Cessation, who discovered that there was no such thing: Whereupon the Supreme Council (seeming not to take notice of Taaffs designs) pretended a necessity to have Owen Rowe engage with Col: Monk and Col: Jones, and that all would be at stake, and that therefore Four hundred of Taaffs horse must instantly march to his assistance, which they sent him Orders for, but were not obeyed: On the other side, in stead of enjoining Owen Roe to fight, they expressly forbidden it him, and then resolved to let Col: Monk and Col: Jones take any place, or destroy any country, rather than they would engage his army, until they had established their own Power in the Assembly, by the countenance of it. Again, they sent for my Brother, to whom, by the advice of the Council of War, I gave liberty unto to go upon his word, to get off that Estate he had in their Quarters, being never to be released; and they earnestly pressed him to labour with me to treat with them about a Cessation, making demonstration of great advantages that I should have by it; but for no other purpose, then to discern whether I were at all inclinable to it, being afraid of nothing more, because Taaffs Army would then be at liberty to countenance their Faction in the Assembly; wherefore they send Letters upon Letters to him, to do some considerable Service upon us, upbraiding him with the vast expense and idleness of his Army, which they use means to have written unto him by divers private hands, insomuch that my Lord Taaff was fain, for the vindication of his Honour, to decline his Oracle, my Lord Digbies Advice, who forbade him to engage upon any terms against us, lest it should overthrow all his other Designs. Sir, thus it hath pleased the Lord to make our enemies grind themselves to powder, whilst both aim at the Power to destroy us; and now, whereas we were the other day ready to perish by our wants, we have now liberty to disperse ourselves in the Rebels quarters, and take what they afford, whither we have marched with hungry bellies, the Common Soldier having spent all his provision Twenty four hours before we sought, and neither Officer or Soldier having one bit of bread, or any other victual, but what Oatmeal and flesh we got in our marches: Wherefore I am now forced to invite the Country to come in under contribution, that I may prosecute this Victory, and at least keep the Rebels from recruiting their Army, if I do not reduce some of their chief Garrisons, which I design, in case I can get this Country to bring me in provision, whilst I lie before fore them: And thought this Design may be too difficult to effect this unseasonable time of the year, yet if I did not invite the Inhabitants to stay at their habitations, and make provision for us, I could not possibly get one days victual; so as I should be forced to return home, and leave the Country, neither made useless to them by destruction, nor useful to us by present Supportation, or future Contribution, which we hope to force from them by this means in some considerable measure, and yet protect them no longer, than the season of the year would of itself prove a sufficient Fortification against us: If I could discern any other that might better conduce to the advantage of your Service, I should thereunto apply the endeavours of, Sir,  
Gurtnectuberid, 18. Nou. 1647. Your humble Servant, Inchiquine.  

My LORD,  
Here is a very fair piece of ground betwixt your Lordship's Army and ours, on this side the Brook, whither, if you please to advance, we will do the like. We do not so much doubt the gallantry of your Resolution, as to think you will not come, but do give you this notice, to the end you may see we do stand upon no advantage of ground, and are willing to dispute our quarrel upon indifferent terms, being confident that the justness of our Cause will be this day made manifest by the Lord, and that your Lordship's judgement will be rectified, concerning  
Garriduff, 13 Nou. 1647. Your Lordship's humble Servant.  
FINIS.