Monk, who

The report as to Owen Roe O'Neil is correct. had lately in Ulster entered upon some negotiation with O'Neil and his Old-Irish Party, who, as often happened, were in quarrel with the others, found himself deserted by his very soldiers, and obliged to go to England; where this policy of his, very useful as Monk had thought, is indignantly disavowed by the Authorities, who will not hear of such a connexion. Owen Roe O'Neil appears to have been a man of real ability: surely no able man, or son of Order, ever sank in a more dismal welter of confusions unconquerable by him! He did no more service or disservice henceforth; he died in some two months, of a disease in the foot, -poisoned, say some, by the gift of a 'pair of russet-leather boots' which some traitor had bestowed on him.2

6

Such was the Storm of Tredah. A thing which, if one wanted good assurance as to the essential meaning of it, might well 'work remorse and regret:' for indisputably the outer body of it is emphatic enough! Cromwell, not in a light or loose manner, but in a very solemn and deep one, takes charge for himself, at his own peril, That it is a Judgment of God: and that it did save much effusion of blood,' we and all spectators can very readily testify. The execrable policy of that Regicide,' says Jacobite Carte on the occasion, had the effect he proposed. It spread abroad the terror of his name; it cut'-In fact, it cut through the heart of the Irish War. Wexford Storm followed (not by forethought, it would seem, but by chance of war) in the same stern fashion; and there was no other storm or slaughter needed in that Country. Rose-water Surgeons might have tried it otherwise; but that was not Oliver's execrable policy, not the Rose-water one. And so we leave it, standing on such basis as it has.

Ormond had sent orders to 'burn' Dundalk and Trim before quitting them; but the Garrisons, looking at Tredah, were in too much haste to apply the coal. They marched away at doublequick time; the Lord Lieutenant got possession of both Towns unburnt. He has put Garrisons there, we see, which 'drink up' some of his forces. He has also despatched Colonel Venables, of

VOL. II.

1 10 August, 1649 (Commons Journals, vi. 277).

2 Carte, ii. 83.

F

whom we shall hear again, with a regiment or two, to reduce Carlingford, Newry,-to raise what Siege there may be at Derry, and assist in settling distracted Ulster of whose progress here

are news.

:

LETTER C.

For the Honourable William Lenthall, Esquire, Speaker of the Parliament of England: These.

MR. SPEAKER,

Dublin, 27th September, 1649.

I had not received any account from Colonel Venables,-whom I sent from Tredah to endeavour the reducing of Carlingford, and so to march Northward towards a conjunction with Sir Charles Coote, —until the last night.

After he came to Carlingford, having summoned the place, both the three Castles and the Fort commanding the Harbour were rendered to him. Wherein were about Forty Barrels of Powder, Seven Pieces of Cannon; about a Thousand Muskets, and Five-hundred Pikes wanting twenty. In the entrance into the Harbour, Captain Fern, aboard your man-of-war, had some danger; being much shot at from the Sea Fort, a bullet shooting through his main-mast. The Captain's entrance into that Harbour was a considerable adventure, and a good service ;- -as also was that of Captain Brandly,' who, with Forty seamen, stormed a very strong Tenalia at Tredah, and helped to take it; for which he deserves an owning by you.

Venables marched from Carlingford, with a party of Horse and Dragoons, to the Newry; leaving the Foot to come up after him. He summoned the place, and it was yielded before his Foot came up to him. Some other informations I have received from him, which promise well 1 Antea, p. 57.

towards your Northern Interest; which, if well prosecuted, will, I trust God, render you a good account of those parts. I have sent those things to be presented to the Council of State for their consideration. I pray God, as these mercies flow in upon you, He will give you an heart to improve them to His glory alone; because He alone is the author of them, and of all the goodness, patience, and longsuffering extended towards you.

Your Army has marched; and I believe, this night lieth at Arklow, in the County of Wicklow, by the Seaside, between thirty and forty miles from this place. I am this day, by God's blessing, going towards it.

I crave your pardon for this trouble; and rest
Your most humble servant,

OLIVER CROMwell.

P.S. I desire the Supplies moved for may be hastened. I am verily persuaded, though the burden be great, yet it is for your service. If the Garrisons we take swallow up your men, how shall we be able to keep the field? Who knows but the Lord may pity England's sufferings, and make a short work of this? It is in His hand to do it, and therein only your servants rejoice. I humbly present the condition of Captain George Jenkins's Widow. He died presently after Tredah Storm. His Widow is in great

want.

The following Officers and Soldiers were slain at the storming of Tredah:-Sir Arthur Ashton, Governor; Sir Edmund Varney, Lieutenant-Colonel to Ormond's Regiment; Colonel Fleming, Lieutenant-Colonel Finglass, Major Fitzgerald, with eight Captains, eight Lieutenants, and eight Cornets, all of Horse; Colonels Warren, Wall, and Byrne, of Foot, with their Lieutenants, Majors, &c.; the

Lord Taaff's Brother, an Augustine Friar; forty-four Captains, and all their Lieutenants, Ensigns, &c.; 220 Reformadoes and Troopers; 2,500 Foot-soldiers, besides Staff-Officers, Surgeons, &c.*

Venables went on, rapidly accomplishing his service in the North; without much hurt; though not without imminent peril, -by a camisado, or surprisal in the night-time, which is afterwards alluded to in these Letters. The Lord Lieutenant, we observe, still dates from Dublin, but is to quit it 'this day;' his Army has already marched :' Southward now, on a new series of operations.

LETTER CI.

For the Honourable William Lenthall, Esquire, Speaker of the Parliament of England: These.

SIR,

Wexford, 14th October, 1649.

The Army marched from Dublin, about the 23d of September, into the County of Wicklow, where the Enemy had a Garrison about fourteen miles from Dublin, called Killincarrick; 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,1 about a mile above the Castle of Arklow, which was the first seat and honour of the Marquis of Ormond's family. Which he

* King's Pamphlets, small 4to, no. 441, art. 7, Letters from Ireland, printed by Authority' (p. 13). Parliamentary History (xix. 207-9) has copied this Letter from the old Pamphlet (as usual, giving no reference); and after the concluding 'Surgeons, &c.,' has taken the liberty of adding these words, and many inhabitants,' of which there is no whisper in the old Pamphlets;-a very considerable liberty indeed!

1 River Darragh ;-a branch of what is now called the Avoca; well known to musical persons.

had strongly fortified: but it 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 Limbrick, the ancient seat of the Esmonds; where the Enemy had a strong Garrison; which they burnt 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 Slaney, which runs down to Wexford; and that night, we marched into the fields of a Village called Enniscorthy, belonging to Mr. Robert Wallop; where was a strong Castle very well manned and provided for by the Enemy; and, close under it, a very fair House belonging to the same worthy person,a Monastery of Franciscan Friars, the considerablest in all Ireland: they ran away the night before we 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.

came.

Upon Monday, the First of October, we came before Wexford. Into which the Enemy had put a Garrison, consisting of 'part of' their Army; this Town having,

1 Wallop is Member (' recruiter') for Andover; a King's-Judge; Member of the Council of State; now and afterwards a conspicuous rigorous, republican man. He has advanced money, long since, we suppose, for the Public Service in Ireland; and obtained in payment this 'fair House,' and Superiority of Enniscorthy; properties the value or no-value of which will much depend on the Lord Lieutenant's success at present.-Wallop's representative, a Peer of the Realm, is still owner here, as it has proved.