Montgomery manuscripts

The Montgomery Manuscripts.
191
and O. C. landing," had taken Drogheda, 54 and the K.'s forces (like the wained moon in the middle
of her last quarter) diminished to the last degree in Ireland, Ormond (deserted by many of the
Irish) retiring to his defensive strengths, with his Protestant party, w h he kept in a body (as the
rest of the Irish did to Limerick and other garrisons.) 55
Our third Vise' with his few loyal followers and adherents, and the Earle of Clanbrasil, with
his men (all that were preaching proof); 56 their Lo p '" kept their forces together, and being
personally present (as they were afterwards with Ormond) and by ther example encouraging their
soldiers, were routed at Lisnestrain (as it was s d by S r Geo. Munro's mismanagement near Lisne-
garvey afores d ) by S r Cha 8 Coote and a party of O. C. army; 57 Clanbrasil shifting with some flying
courage, and fidelity, as his actions better speak than any
pen. What England lost hereby is above me to speak."
In Cromwell's letter to the speaker, dated Dublin, Sept.
17, 1649, he says: — ■" Since this great mercy (the storming
of Drogheda) vouchsafed to us, I sent a party of horse
and dragoons to Dundalk, which the enemy quitted, and
we are possessed of: as also, another castle they deserted
between Trim and Drogheda, upon the Boyne. I sent a
party of dragoons to a house within five miles of Trim
(Trubly) ; there being then in Trim some Scots companies,
which the Lord of Ards brought to assist the Lord of
Ormond ; but, upon the news of Drogheda having fallen
into our hands, they ran away, leaving their great guns
behind them, which we also have possessed." See Dean
Butler's Notices of the Castle and of the Ecclesiastical
Buildings of Trim, p. 139; see Original Letters in Ap-
pendix L.
53 O. C. landing. — This hapless country, Ireland, was
then so attractive as a field for enterprise, that both sir
Hardress Waller and general Lambert aspired to the office
of lord deputy. But when Cromwell was known to wish
for it, he was unanimously appointed by the Parliament,
in preference to all other claimants. On the evening of
the 10th of July, 1649, Cromwell, after prayers for the
success of his expedition by three ministers, and an ex-
position of the Scriptures by himself, Goff, and Harrison,
in the presence of a large assemblage at Whitehall, set out
on his journey to Ireland, by way of Windsor and Bristol.
He had previously adopted certain sublunary means of suc-
cess, having despatched before him into Ireland acontingent
of 4000 horse and foot under Reynolds and Venables, to
the assistance of Jones, who held Dublin for him. This
reinforcement enabled Jones, on the 2nd August, 1649, to
rout the marquis of Ormond at Baggotsrath, near Dublin,
with a loss of 1000 slain, and double that number prisoners.
On the 15th of August, Cromwell reached the harbour of
Dublin, " where he landed a force of 8000 foot, half that
number of horse, with all the sinews of war, including a
formidable train of artillery, and a sum of twenty thousand
pounds in money." — Journal of the Kilkenny and South-
East of Ireland A rchaological Society, vol. iii.,pp. 120, 121.
M Taken Drogheda. — On the 2nd of September,
Cromwell invested Drogheda, which Ormond had garri-
soned with his choicest troops. In about a week the
town was taken by storm, the garrison put to the sword,
and large numbers of the defenceless Roman Catholic
inhabitants massacred. The promiscuous slaughter of
royalists and Roman Catholics was gratifying news to
the godly dwellers in the north. In referring to the fate
of the brave defenders of Drogheda, Adair only remarks,
p. 174, that they "consisted of profane Protestants and
Irish Papists, who, in the righteous judgment of God,
met with a scourge from unjust hands."
55 Other garrisons. — After the fall and fate of Drogheda
opposition at several points to the parliamentary forces
came quickly to an end, Cromwell himself looking after
the southern garrisons, and sending Venables to the north.
Carlingford was soon reduced, Newry surrendered,
Lisburn fell, Belfast capitulated four days after his ap-
proach, and Coleraine was betrayed. Carrickfergus held
out longest, but was, also, surrendered by the royalist
commander, Dallyel, on the 2nd of November, 1649. In
McSkimin's History of Carrickfergus, pp. 59, 60, the
reader may see a copy of the "Articles agreed upon
between the Right Hon. Sir Charles Coote, knight and
baronet, lord President of Connaught, and Colonel Robert
Venables on the one part, and Colonel Thomas Dallyel,
the governor of the town and castle of Carrickfergus, on
the other part, for the surrender of the said town and
castle."
56 All that were preaching proof. — In other words, all
that were not presbyterians bent upon the ways of the
covenant. Very lew of Clanbrassil's men, probably,
were " preaching proof. "
57 Party of 0. C. army. — Venables had formed a junc-
tion with Coote, who came from Derry, by Coleraine, and
met him at Belfast. After the reduction of the several
garrisons in Ulster, these commanders routed the last
royalist force in this district, commanded by viscount
Montgomery, the earl of Clanbrassil, and sir George
Monro, at a place called Lisnastrain, in the parish of
Drumbeg, county of Down. Ormond had sent reinforce-
ments to the Ulster royalists, under the command of
Daniel O'Neill and Mark Trevor, but this force (which
would probably have been very important, being led by
such distinguished officers), came too late. Nearly all that
is known of this decisive battle at Lisnastrain, near Lisburn,
is contained in a tract printed in London soon after its oc-
currence, and entitled, Two Letters from William Basil, Esq. ,
Attorney-General of Ireland ; the one to the Right Honour-
able John Bradshaw, Lord President of the Council of
State : the other to the Right Honourable William Lenthal,
Esq., Speaker of the Parliament of England, of a great
victory obtained by the parliament forces in the North of
Ireland, on the plains of Lisnegarvy, against the enemy
there, wherin ivere 1,400 slain, Colonel John Hamilton
taken prisoner, and seventeen more of quality. With a
relation of the taking of Drumcrce ; and of the surrender