Page:A Compendium of Irish Biography.djvu/136

CRO by some Ulster foot and a party of the enemy's horse, which upon summons, I having taken the captain of the horse prisoner before, was rendered to me. These places, being thus possessed, gave us much command, together with some other holds we have of the White Knight's and Roche's Country, and of all the land from Mallow to the Suir side, especially by help of another castle called Old Castletown, which since my march was taken by my Lord Broghill, which I had sent to his lordship to endeavour, as also a castle of Sir Edward FitzHarris, over the mountains in the County of Limerick… I marched from Roghill Castle over the Suir, with very much difficulty, and from thence to Fethard, almost in the heart of the County of Tipperary, where was a garrison of the enemy… After almost a whole night spent in treaty, the town was delivered to me the next morning, upon terms which we usually call honourable, which I was the willinger to give, because I had little above 200 foot, and neither ladders nor guns, nor anything else to force them that night… From thence I marched towards Callan, hearing that Colonel Reynolds was there with the party before mentioned. When I came thither, I found he had fallen upon the enemy's horse, and routed them, being about a hundred, with his forlorn; he took my Lord of Ossory's captain-lieutenant, and another lieutenant of horse, prisoners; and one of those who betrayed our garrison of Enniscorthy, whom we hanged. The enemy had possessed three castles in the town, one of them, belonging to one Butler, very considerable; the other two had about 100 or 120 men in them, which latter he attempted; and they refusing conditions seasonably offered, were all put to the sword. Indeed some of your soldiers did attempt very notably in this service. I do not hear there were six men of ours lost. Butler's castle was delivered upon conditions for all to march away leaving their arms behind them. Wherein I have placed a company of foot and a troop of horse, under the command of my Lord Colvil, the place being six miles from Kilkenny. From hence Colonel Reynolds was sent with his regiment to remove a garrison of the enemy's from Knocktopher, being the way of our communication to Ross, which accordingly he did. We marched back with the rest of the body to Fethard and Cashel, where we are now quartered, having good plenty both of horse meat and man's meat for a time, and being indeed, we may say, even almost in the heart and bowels of the enemy, ready to attempt what God shall next direct… I had almost forgot one business. The Major-General [Ireton] was very desirous to gain a pass over the Suir, where indeed we had none but by boat, or when the weather served. Wherefore, on Saturday, in the evening, he marched with a party of horse and foot to Ardfinan, where was a bridge, and at the foot of it a strong castle, which he, about four o'clock the next morning, attempted; killed about thirteen of the enemy's outguard, lost but two men, and eight or ten wounded. The enemy yielded the place to him, and we are possessed of it, being a very considerable pass, and the nearest to our pass at Cappoquin over the Blackwater, whither we can bring guns, ammunition, or other things from Youghal by water, and then over this pass to the army. The County of Tipperary have submitted to £1,500 a month contribution, although they have six or seven of the enemy's garrisons yet upon them." Writing from Cashel on the 5th March, Cromwell informs the President of the Council that he had taken not only Cahir, but Kiltinan belonging to Lord Dunboyne, Golden Bridge, and Dundrum. Garrisons were placed at Ballynakill, on the edge of the King's and Queen's Counties, and in other places in the County of Limerick, "and by these we take away the enemy's substance, and diminish their contributions. By which in time I hope they will sink." The various corps now closed round Kilkenny, while Cromwell and Ireton met at Thomastown, and remained there some days, to allow the large guns to be brought from Fethard, to attack Granny Castle, near Waterford. The rendezvous was at Gowran, which Cromwell says was a "populous town, where the enemy had a very strong castle under the command of Colonel Hammond, a Kentish man… I sent him a civil invitation to deliver up the castle to me, to which he returned a very resolute answer and full of height. We planted our artillery, and before we had made a breach considerable unto, the enemy beat a parley for a treaty, which I having so fairly offered to him, refused. But I sent him in positive conditions—that the soldiers should have their lives, and the commissioned officers to be disposed of as should be thought fit, which in the end was submitted to. The next day the colonel, the major, and the rest of the commission officers were shot to death; all but one, who, being a very earnest instrument to have the castle delivered, was pardoned. In the same castle also we took a Popish priest, who was chaplain 112