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descried within half a mile of the town, advancing with great speed towards one of the gates, which (before the drums could beat and the garrison be drawn together to make opposition) was opened to him by a sergeant of captain Mac Adams's and the soldiers of the guard; so that he marched orderly through the place till he came to the opposite or south gate leading to Lisnegarvy; and then directed his men in several parties to possess themselves of the bulwarks, cannon, and guards. Colonel Chichester prevailed with the other colonels to repair to Monroe, and ask what he meant by surprising the town. He replied, that as colonel Chichester had published a proclamation against the covenant, by which such as had taken it conceived themselves to be declared traitors, discountenanced his officers and the townsmen who offered to take it, and had formerly refused to suffer some of the Scotch to garrison there, he did not think himself safe without having a garrison of his own in the place; and so ordered colonel Chichester's men to depart, except such as he would leave for a guard to his house. Thus was Belfast lost by the treachery of the scouts, who meeting Monroe, had been ordered by him to return and carry that false intelligence, of there being no forces to be seen in the country.

Monroe, as soon as he had secured Belfast, marched with colonel Hume's and three other regiments towards Lisnegarvy, whither sir Theophilus Jones had gone the night before (upon the first intelligence of the Scotch general's design) to take care of the place. The garrison was all under arms, and ready to receive the enemy, who demanded admittance into the town, but were refused. Monroe quartered his men all night in the villages about the place, and threatened to seize the cattle which were grazing near the walls: but after a conference with lieutenant colonel Jones, finding that he could not be ad

y K. 383, 390. See Collection of Letters, No. CCCIII.

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mitted without force, and that the soldiers were faithful to their officers, and both of them resolved to obey the marquis of Ormond's commands, (whose late relief out of his own purse and credit they considered as an extraordinary instance of his particular affection to them,) he at last drew off his men, wishing the English peaceable enjoyment, both of their out-garrison and the town, and marched back to Belfast. He allowed colonel Chichester's own company to remain in the castle, which the colonel quitted himself, though it was his own house, and went to England to complain of the injury done him. His regiment was expelled the place, and appointed quarters at Malone and in the neighbouring villages. Lieutenant colonel Matthews and major Chichester, under colour of leading them thither, marched out with the men; and the former went with a party to the Newry to strengthen the garrison, resolved to defend the place against all attempts of the Scots; which he was enabled to do by the seasonable supplies of money and provisions, which the marquis of Ormond raised by his private credit, and sent to that and the neighbouring forts of Carlingford, Grenecastle, Narrow-water, and Dundalk.

This action of Monroe was the more extraordinary, 495 because the officers of the English regiments, not knowing how to subsist without the help of his provisions, had already given him assurances, that whenever he marched out against the Irish they would be ready to join him. The surprise of Belfast destroyed all confidence between the English and Scotch forces; and it was necessary to restore it in some measure, to prevent those jealousies which else would put them into a state of war with one another; a situation that could not but be very prejudicial to the service. Hereupon a formal stipulation was drawn between them, and signed respectively by Monroe and the commanding officers of Hill's, Conway's, and

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Chichester's regiments. The instruments expressed, that provided the English were not forced in point of conscience to take any oath contrary to the fundamental laws of Ireland, till they had first made their addresses to the parliament, representing their reasons and scruples to the contrary; and that they should be furnished with provisions out of the magazine as the Scotch regiments, and have the same settlement of their quarters and privileges for carriage horses and other accommodations, they would join with the Scots in the vigorous prosecution of the war against the Irish rebels; in the justice of which they declared themselves to be fully satisfied in their consciences. The English added, by way of restriction to their resolution of joining in the war, that they should not be obliged thereby to the performance of any thing when his majesty's commands should contradict their further proceedings therein. This stipulation was signed four days after the taking of Belfast; yet it did not stop the Scots from endeavouring to debauch the English soldiers by offering money and clothes to tempt them to desert their own officers and to list in their regiments, and seizing the arms of single companies in their marches as opportunities offered.

Monroe, not long after, to make an experiment whether they would effectually join him, drew out his army into the field, and appointed a general rendezvous of the Laggan, the old Scotch and English forces, on June 30, at Armagh. This expedition was undertaken chiefly to content the state of Scotland, who expected that something should be done, after they had sent over a considerable quantity of provisions. The Irish were not in a condition to oppose them; their forces (since none of the great towns of their party, except Kilkenny, would admit

a K. 406, 407. and L. 81, 152. 274, and 276.

e L. 181, 190, 197, 237,

a garrison) being all dispersed in country villages at a distance from their commanders as well as one another, never exercised in their quarters, and scarce better than so many new raised men when summoned into the field. They set out however a body of six thousand foot and one thousand horse under the earl of Castlehaven, who was to be joined by Owen O'Neile with four thousand foot and four hundred horse; and this was thought a sufficient force to oppose the Scots. They did not expect that either the Old Scots or the English, who were subject to the orders of the lord lieutenant, would march against them in breach of the cessation; which d O'Neile had observed so religiously, that when some of the garrison of Eniskilling made him an offer of betraying the place, he would not embrace it, though great preys had been taken from the Irish in the excursions made by that garrison in their distress for want of provisions. But those forces joining Monroe, he made up the strongest army that had been seen in Ireland during the war; it amounting to at least ten thousand foot and one thousand horse. It was unfit however for any great undertaking, not being furnished with above three weeks' victual. Monroe advanced with it into the county of Cavan, from whence he sent parties into Westmeath and Longford, 496 which burnt the country, and put to the sword all the country people that they met. Lord Castlehaven posted himself at Portlester; and Monroe, not being able to drive him thence, thought fit to return with his forces. 103 In his way home he passed by Dundalk, and depending upon a party within the place, desired leave to march through it with his army, but was refused passage. The next day (July 12) he marched to the Newry, and drew up his forces on an hill little more than musket shot from the town, towards which he went himself, with lord Montgomery and some other officers. Lieutenant colonel

d See Collection of Letters, No. CCLXXIII.

e L. 258, 263.

Edmond Matthews, who commanded in the place, seeing him come, as he conceived, in a peaceable manner, ordered the gates to be opened. Monroe being admitted, met him on the parade, where the garrison was drawn up, and demanded passage for his troops through the town. The other replied, there was an high road full as convenient by the town side. Monroe in a rage demanded how he durst deny him a passage through his own garrison, as lying in the province of Ulster, attempting to lay his hand on his pistol, and riding up to the musketeers, with his cane commanded them off their duties. Matthews thereupon gave them orders to cock their matches and present; and captain Perkins being in the head of a party drew his sword, and gave order to fire. Monroe cooled in a moment, and very calmly desired leave to march with his artillery (of which he had eighteen pieces) through the place, because the waters were so high that they could not pass over. The colonel, having ordered his men to return their matches, said, that he had sufficient warning from the fate of Belfast, and would suffer neither the artillery nor any thing else to come within the gates as long as he was able to defend himself; yet, notwithstanding the affront which he had so indiscreetly offered him in his command, he would not be so rash as to imitate him, but would give him liberty to go out as freely as he had come into the town. Monroe, within an hour after he had joined his army, sent a drum with a message, wishing the governor and the rest of the officers to advise by the next morning whether they would allow his army passage, and threatening, in case it was denied, to force his way. They returned him a resolute denial, and immediately stuck up their colours on the top of the castle, the church, and the principal guards, and manned the walls as well as they could, both officers and soldiers being unanimous in the defence of the place. Lord Blaney and other English officers were sent in to per

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