Letter from Philip Bysse to his brother
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fol. 7r
No. 3
Loveinge Brother
Haveinge noe other way of Comerce with you then by Epistles I may not omitt my parte thereof, and knowe that it is against yor will, that yors are not Reciprocall, but wee hope for store of goode Tideings, when it shall please god that the winde and weather serve; I owe yow an Account of things agitated there, since the Middest of Januarie, as I take it) yow have hearde of the honorable interment of Sir Lorenzo Carew, it was such as might give incouragement to a weake hearted man to die valorously; drogheda was victualed by Capten Bartlett and Capten Stutfielde, about the 12 of January that night or erely in the morneinge followeinge, about 3 there entred 500 of the Enemy into the Towne, on Meath side, by a small Hole in the wall at which a {man?} without puttinge foote and hede together could not ofer the deliuerance enter, the souldiers that night either beinge overJoyed and for that dranke freelie; or as is saide of most, the Hole was made in the inside, and the night appointed, when the Entry should bee, and the better to effecte this worke, the wives of the Towne by the { } gave the daye predicti there drinke freely, and for noethinge, (as is saide by the directions of the ffriers,) soe as at this time, they were vnfitt for defence, the Colonell Tuchburnes owne letter setts forth, that at that Time, the souldiers were dead with drinke and sleepe, whome scarsely there owne drums, nor there Enemies hideous Cry could awake, the Colonell himselfe faine to goe from one Court of Garde to another, and was longe before hee could gett a Handfull of men to oppose the Enemy, who were entringe the Bridge, before any opposition, but the worke beeinge once begun, was soone ended, the slaughter of some sett others to there flight through the same Hole they entred they departed, satisfieinge the disturbance with the losse of 140 men, besides, 40: more were taken prisoners, manie Ran into the Townesmens howses, and hidde themselves; and were a draweinge out a weeke after, soe many as deuied the Enemy hidden in there howses to bee there, if founde were appointed to bee pillaged, and none others, soe great an Advantage the Enemy obtained, but could not vse it otherwise, then with the permission of the goode god, Sir Henry Tuchburne writes that in all this longe siege, hee had Lost 12 men, but had slaine of the Enemy above a 1000: After the Reliefe of the Towne, Bartlett that Lay with his greater shipp in the Harbour mouth, haveinge many of his vessells come to him, made way for his Returne, Capten Stutfields ffriggott comeinge downe to the Towne Later, the Channell markes beinge removed, and the tide somewhat spent, and his Pilates beinge mistaken, sticke on grounde over against [ ] which when
fol. 7v
which when the Enemy about Banketowne, beinge Plunckett of Bewlie, and others, they gathered into Numbers, made towards the vessell; from the vessell they welcomed them with muskett shott, and the contention lasted longe shootinge, till at Last the Enemy observeinge they wanted bulwarks, some brought many Carres Loaden with ffirres, and in shelter of them drewe neere, but many of the horse slayen, the Carres stayed till and men drove them forwards, by meanes whereof great Numbers came, to the side of the shippe, vseinge the shelter of the ffirres forced. But Capten Stutfielde lent them a fewe Paters, amongst the multitudes, which some lossed with theire feete, wondringe till they burst, and destrojed many, frighted more; some were soe bould that they came vnder the sh vessell, and with Pickaxes were to teare her sides, the souldiers soun leapt out, and fought with them, and kild them, and returneinge to theire places with there musketts, and some shott of small ordinances, they made great execution; streames of bloode of horses and men were to helpe her a floate by these meanes, and gods good pleasure and mercy; shee escaped then, and came of the next tide, in her Returne shee and Barckly some spoyled Skerries, and tooke great pillage, and fired the Towne for derricke Hubetts death; some to Lambey; all made goode prize, but returned Stutfielde returned 3 or 4 daies after the other heare,: the 15 Jan: a partie about 40 horse, fired Clondallcan, the Enemy beinge about: 500: and durst not resist, that day Relie the Late soueraigne of kells hanged in Cornemarkett the 16. Jan: Donboyne fired by a partie of horse, noe Enemy then there, the 19 Jan: Rahenny fired, the 20 Kilgobbane, and dundrum, both by parties of Horse; at the Castle of Kilgobbane some in the Castle shott and kild twoe horse, who suspectinge none to bee in the Castle were bould to come to neere; one man there shott, died within 3 daies after; they say that luke Toole, and Hugh Birne, were there then, but escaped after the returne of those horse; The 28 Jan: about a 100: horse, and dragoneers went, and fired Sagarde, and Capten Armestronge with some horse and dragoneers, went to Racoole, to fire that, but there 2000: of the Enemy, (as is supposed) sett vpon them, and forced them to Retire out of the Towne into the open Higheway on this side Rathcoole; where the Enemy beeinge bould vpon them, and they haveinge libertie of grownd, the Capten charged them home; slewe some, trode downe some, Rowled all, there were then slayne about 50: and one Capten Lee who had formerly beene married to the Lady of Castle Carberies daughter, the victorie wee gott was moderate the Capten with soe fewe could not pursue to farre vpon them: The 31: Jan: the liftennant Generall Sir Cha: Coote and Sir Simon Harcourt, which were 3000: horse and foote marched to Newcastle, and there staied that night, burnt part of Newcastle, all Oughterarde, there examinant was Report that an Army of 4000: of the Enemy were
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228
of the Enemy were at Newcastle, and beinge come there, they learned that the Enemy was gone thence, but 2 houres eree they came thither; the inhabitants also remooved all there goods, it was saide the Enemy went to the Naas, and that the Naas was fortified, and intrenched, The next day they marched to the Naas, and founde noe fortification, nor Enemy, they entred the Towne without encounter, lodged there that night, verie many of the inhabitants of worth fledd, there was great store of fatt flesh, readie slaughtered bread and drinke goode store, for that the Enemy was there, or was to bee there verie soone, the Towne was not fired, some fewe onely pillaged Colonell Sutton of Tipper, had his howse at Tipper, and all his Corne burnt, and all there pillaged, that same night: the howse and Towne were founde emptie; The next morneinge Capten Yarner, and some of the Liftennants Troope, with some dragoneers were sent to fire Eustace of Castlemarten Towne, from Eustace his Castle some shott were discharged, fo but the dragoneers a lightinge by by=waies came towards, and shott against the howse and in att the windowes they forced the doore open, and entringe the Castle Hall, found 6 musketts chargd in one windowe, 5 in another; 3 in another, Armour for 6 men on the Table, but never a man to vse those weapons, Cloathes in the Hall, and appearance that men were there, but haveinge searched the howse there was noe man founde in the howse, it seems they fledd a Backe doore, which was founde open, the Colonell Eustace his howse was pillaged many Riche things founde, and after it and his Towne and Haggard fired kilcullen Bridge fired and some others they returned to the Naas these things thus a doeinge there, newes was sent by the state, that the Enemy from drogheda was come to Dublin, at least 4000: of them and soe it was, that the night before Candlemas day, Colonell Hugh Birne, and Colonell Lisagh moore, were in the Towne of Glasnevan, beinge about 1000: horse and foote, and were sent for by Colonell Luke Nettervill, who also mett them there, with more men and hee had given them notice that the Englishe Army was all gone to the Countie of Kildare, and the Towne beinge Emptie, at lease oxmanton might bee fired, and pillaged; nettervill and his men kept att dromcouragh, the others were at Glasnevan, and these marched neere the greene to Glasnekoynocke, but the day breakeinge they returned, noethinge beeing done, and they hardly discerned by the Towne, onely Capten Scowte, and his company that night watchinge about the Bridge of dromconragh, tooke a Centry of the Enemy, early in the morneinge, who tould him that hee would bringe them vpon 30: of Enemy close by: and for that they
fol. 8v
And for that, they favored the man, and were ledd by him, but in a verie shorte space they founde themselves, in the danger of at least 4 or 500: men, there prisoner escaped, and some left to make goode the Bridge, in Case they should drawe nere, others were sent to the Citty earlie to acquaint the Enemy was at hande, Butt nettervill noethinge done, marched to the Tertaine, where hee garrisond for a few daies, and Birne and Moore gar isone, went themselves to the warde, and kept there men thereabouts, for a while, and soone after remooved to kilsalchan where they reported they yett are, The newes of his Company sent to the liftennant generall, hee marched to newcastle backe on Candlemas day, and the next day on Thursday by noone came hither, much beaten with Cruell weather, winde and Rayne, at there Returne to Newcastle they were better accomodate then they were before, for the inhabitants returned thinkeing the Army would come backe another way, and then there stuffe was taken, the Castle of the Lions was taken, and great store of pillage of there owne, and the neighbours putt there, to bee kept taken, Mr Bretton an English papist that had married Aylmer of the lions, widdowe was taken prisoner, George Aylmer himselfe; there were taken at Naas one father Higgin, a prior there, and Thomas and Walter fishe, of that Towne, these all were brought to Dublin saveinge Bretton, who in the great storme was lost by his keepers, and fled, some 17 were hanged in the Naas 6 or 7 at Newcastle in this Journey, none durst shewe there face, none did drawe sworde against them they were riche in pillage, plate, and stuffe, much Cattle brought, but the pillage had been farre greater, had the weather beene temperate, there Cattle were blowne from them, and they could not keepe what they had: there were with the Townes before mentioned, Newcastle thoroughly burnt, Rathcoole thoroughly burnt, Rathcreddan and Johnston, and other Townes to the Number of 15 or thereabouts, And had not the newes brought them backe, much more had beene done, for they tooke provision with them for a longer stay: they brought backe there ordinance, and shott nott one shott with them in that Journey, the 8 of Febr: newes was brought, that netterville had taken gone from Terlaine, and that there were none there, vpon false intelligence Captain Nichols with 60 musketiers went to possesse the Castle there were in the Castle one Rowan, a priest & Capten with about 50 men, these suffered the souldiers to come to offer to breake when open the gate but suddenly stones fell downe, & drive them of and then with shott 3 were kild on the place, amonge which one Antient lewes
fol. 9r
Antient lewes was one, a man well reported of: the rest wer fayne to retire, and on the 10 day: some dragoneers were sent early in the morneinge, to keepe in those that were in the Castle, but and 500: foote, put in readynes to march thether, and 4 peece of ordinance sent towards the dromconragh with the Abbey greene, but newes came that the Castle was emptie, and that Capten Armestronge had possession of it, and soe the Armie marched backe, without comeinge nere the place: the there were onely 200: men sent to garrison that place, which are there yett, and send from thence on Carres dayly great store of Corne of Hollywoodes, the feare of that place, was, the woode into which if the Enemy had the place, might bee putt, men that might doe mischeif in annoyeance of all that Country, and as woodkerne againe fly to there Coverts, and many there rest invisible, to finde an advantage, some say that that woode must downe, and likely it will soe, to prevent farther mischeife, and serve for fuell comfortably; The 12th of ffebr 900 ffoote marched forth to Goodman of Loghanston, with 100 horse and founde there about 1500 men with 5 banners displayed, and sett vpon our force with one volly, from a winge, but on the discharge of some firelockes from the Horse, the Enemy soone fledde about 40: kild and 17 taken prisoners, with many Armes taken, whereof one walshes son nere wickloe of killin Carrigge son in law to Goodman a Captain was taken who said, that within a few daies Sir Morgan Cavenagh, would have come to them, with 4000 men, who Jojneinge with them, and 3000: more at Powerscourt, and other forces from other places, they intend to besiege Dublin: Colonell Hugh Birne and moore, wee heare are still about kilsalchan they vse yor Corne as there owne, and they and Colonell ffleminge what they devoure not there, with horses and men, which there they have, they carry it away to other places on Carres, onely the Ladie Bolton is free, and hath noe losse to complaine of, but of 4: Cowes taken to maintaine the souldiers, wee here shee hath some inclinations to Repentance, and feares afflicte her least the English Army hurt her, in case they march that way, as yett shee is well, shee hath the markett price for her Corne, and the Colonells and Captens often at her Table, and mighty merry, and much Corne vntouched as yett, but if shee escape, shee may praise god for her husband, and his good freinds, yow have a mother here that I take it will vndoe
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to vndoe her selfe, shee seemes soe much to approove of the Enemy, and is soe much for there defence, and withall is soe open in what shee saies, for pure zeale to there cause, manie vnsufferable things come from her, soe that all the Advise, that can been given her, can not inhibitt her, shee talkes as though shee will bee goeinge for England, and there if shee were, I thinke shee will not bee safe, soe longe as her disposition doth accompany her, Alderman Jans stands Comitted to the Castle from before the Journey to the Naas, and soone after the returne hence, it was reported, the howre wherein hee should have beene hanged; but it hath not happened soe, hee and Sir Nich: White, and Henry Sedgrave of the Cabragh, and younge Mich: White, stande still Comitted, and also Henry Ashe, what the Causes of there Comittalls are in generall euery man conjectures, none I can not learne the particulers of there charge; Att the Quarter Sessions I tould yow they founde Traytars by the score, guilty of this Rebellion, I meane the grande Jurie: but this Terme the kings Benche sate, and a Jury of the County of Dublin, enlarged the Inditements for the Number of there Rebells, a Jury of the Countie of Meath indited verie many of theres, a Jurie of Kildare verie many of theres, and a Jurie of Wickloe a great many of theres, the Jurers were men that fledd in this Calamitie, and were enough readie for this purpose, most of the lords of the Pale are found faulty, at least such as were at Duleeke meeteinge: All your neighbours about you ba dd except Barnewall of Dunbroe, and dillon of killeighe, men backewarde in this matter, my vncle Taylor is not mentioned, but John and Robin are, here is much goode Lande to gett, were there but force to take possession which wee expecte dayly from thence, and in gods good time wee shall have them, Barron Hilton alone hath sate in Exchequer all this Terme (the lo: cheife Baron beinge they report sicke,) the Chancelor sate 3 daies a weeke this Terme, and still doth, but fewe causes come to heereinge Die domini Regis viz Curat, vnlesse were in the Cittie, and there the souldiers priviledged, and the necessitie of the time, makeing Equitie, for euery man, though ever soe great a delinquent, but yett somewhat is done at least the fashion of the Gowne vphelde amonge vs, the Common pleas sate not at all a writt of Adjournement putt it of till the next Terme nowe some resorte is to the Counsell Boorde for debts, some things Sir Charles in the Towne
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in the Towne Orders in an a Cursarie way Mr Mayor does little in his Courte, or any other way, and the Honor of the Towne, I am sure the welfare of the people fajle, for noe Care is had of the markett and never greater neede, especiallie of the breade, but lett the Army for a while doe its pleasure, in time things with gods blessinge will settle, As yett there is noe Judge martiall here in the Army; and it were a goode place for any man to have, at least 20 s. a day , is the due they say of the place, it is reported that dr Rives went over to procure that place, for himselfe, wee heare that John Ware is kilde about his brothers white horse which hee stole away, and that horse is the first and the Last of his wickednes,
I sent yow over the Parliament letter concerneing the watsons above 3 weekes past, and directed it to my sister to bee sent to yow, if noe other vse can bee made of itt, yett I hope wee shall bee Layde vppe amonge the distressed in theire memorie there, that when distributions of Lande bee Here, wee may at length receave some compensations, the kinge wee here, will be advised by the Parliament in that matter, There are many here, that present the notes of there losses, to Commissioners for that matter appointed here, and some obtaine Certificats from them, and vse them in Englande, hitherto there hath beene none presented in your behalfe, partely because if it bee done yett it cannot bee done fully, because vnlesse it bee within this 10 daies all your Corne was not consumed, which must have beene omitted and I take it any man may come time enough, these: 4: monthes to come, to that matter; for any Redresse wee knowe given, but if yow haveing the advantage of the higher grounde there, can observe that any vse may bee made of the same, wee shall apply to that Course, And for this matter, and watsons, if you for putt them into trustie hands, that will bee carefull, yow may doe well to thinke of Returneinge hither, for yow suffer much in the opinion of most here by your absence; the Towne and the State expecte your presence, and I promised them yow should, Mr Sheriffe woodcocke, because yow departed and Sir James ware, hath for your share sessed. 6. souldiers on yor howse, some are also on Sir James, besides it is hee belieued that it will proove a prejudice to such as absent themselves, in some ffine, or losse of theire estates, or parte thereof, And the English Armie beinge nowe a Comeinge, is were good if yow came not before them, that you come with them, or soone after, none Cares for paieinge Rent in yor absence, to John Exham, for all which I would have yow to take into Consideration your owne Returne I thinck not
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I thinke not of your wives as yett, I knowe shee may not bee freed from her feares, And when yow doe happen to returne, if yow doe importe deade victuall, other then salt Beefe, if now (for here is enough of that) it may bee great Comforte, and on reasonable daies you may make payment as Butter, Meale, Cheese, Oyle, Rice and such like provision here is verie deare. the fresh meate is most deare Pigges: Rabbetts 4 s. a paire, and Hens 2 s. a peece. Eggs pence a peece milke 2 d. a Quarter and it is feared they will growe dearer: Here are verie many deade Lately, especially of the poorer sorte, and the Chidren die verie thicke of measells and Poxe, my Cozen Jeffrey Phillips wife died of the Poxe in Childe bedd, and now George kinge Grace Colmans husband hath the small Poxe, Mr Askewe is deade and the Bishop hath made Capten Jones his Seneschal, and hee hath appointe{d} Christo: Elliott his deputie, and to take all the Proffitt; besides by casualtie many kilde whereof on liftenant Thomas kild by his souldier standinge Centry, many woemen shott by chance died, ould Mrs Bale, wills, mother was shott in the Buttocke, by a Trooper dischargeinge his Petronell against the wall of the howse where shee was, as yett shee is very sore many are deade by like Casualtie in dischargeinge of watches and of the Loadeinge of there peeces at other times, The President of Connaght wee here, is besieg{ed} and that a good while in the Castle of Athlone by Sir James Dillon whether michael & his freinds, and my sisters bee there, wee knowe not, but if not, they are streightned in ther owne Castle, god strengthen and comforte them all, and in his time deliuer them, and grant us a merry meeteinge, a gatheringe together againe of the dispersed: I am nowe well nighe tired by writeinge, all the rest of the newes I sende you herewith inclosed in Print, and soe desire yor excuse for proceeding farther then this sheete of Paper, after the remembrance of my Love to all my freinds, and especiallie to my Cozen Loftus to Sir Tho: Tempest our Atturney when you see him; I will particulare noe more beinge vncertaine in what place you are, to discharge my Curtesis, the generall may serve which yow may doe well to distribute into parts as you meete my freinds, soe with my love to you foreuer
Your loveinge Brother
Phil: Bysse
Dublin this 16th of ffebruary 1641
yesterday more Relefe sent to drogheda with 500 souldiers and provision for 6 moneths I hope the winde serues soe well that by this Time they are there safe./
Thinke of the House which my lord Primate hath Lambert is departed thence, but the orchyard, Lambert, lett to Jo: Pery who hath 40 Cowes there they have made it a Bogge & with Rubbinge spojld the trees, the house daly the worse./