Letter to Captain Smyth

fol. 152r

560
Sir
I haue sadly received your disconsolate letter which I pray god may neuer be <g> knowne by protestants to take effect, I recount not now the many miserys I haue susteined in defending this place for the protestant religion, nor how much it would [ ] surpasse all calamities to deliuere it now into the hands of the enemy. I pray you call to minde that when we were first envited to undertake a warre we were called from a cessation which could not haue bin much prejudiciall, if it had bin for [ ] continued till we had bin throughly enabled for for the Contrary according to many noble promises. we were then protestant and adhered afterward to the protestant religion, and so we continue. Shall we not endure one tryall <h> for our fayth? we haue not yet but bin putt to the extremety, though I see some dainger by the potency of the enemy and more through the neglect of promised and long expected ayde, yet I would rather runne the hazard of any policy to preserue a place of such consequence as this will so soone be made by the enemy (if he gett it) who will spare no charge to make it soone invincible though our penury haue so much despised it. my resolution desire is therefore since England and Munster fayle us, that you would leaue your men <i> till I putt another stratagem to tryall which is a parly with our adversaryes that I may try whether they be (as they pretend) so reall to his Maiesty as to admitte of such men into the ffort as his Lo: Lieutenant shall be pleased to recommend to us being protestants and then if that happy peace soe much prayd for and now hoped for be concluded in England betweene his Maiesty and his subiects this place will be as beneficiall and seruiceable for the one as the other against the common enemy. This is the last [ ] refuge I can invent and the safest with what effect it may take I know not but lett your [ ] [ ] <k> be assured that they shall neuer fare worse then the best of us, and if pollicy thus prevayle not doubtlesse god can will giue us such Courage as to withstand our enemyes for one encounter and then certainely [ ] more noble quarter may be expected then by a cowardly timidity to yeelde our selues basely to theire tyranny. God almighty direct us I am
your faythful seruant
Copia vera test. Ric: Vnderwood.
<Duncannon forte Mar: 12 1644>

fol. 152v

fol. 153r

fol. 153v

To Cap: Smyth: [ ] Mar:
12: 1644
This coppy delivered in
at the Board by Richard
Vnderwood at his examjnacion
xj Apr: 1645

showen to mr Thomas
Eustace on his examjnacion
15 Apr: 1645