Catalogue description SIEGE of KINSALE

"Journal into Munster upon intelligence that the army of Spaniards were landed at Kinsale."

1601, September 27th.--"The Lord Deputy (Mountjoy) came this night to Corcke accompanied with the Lord President (Carew), Sir Robert Gardener, and Sir Nicholas Walshe, councillors.

29th.--The Lord Deputy and the councillors went to view Kinsale. [The particulars given in the previous journal, and repeated in this, are here omitted.]

October 11th, Sunday.--Some horse and foot sent forth to keep the Spaniards from victuals.

12th.--"Two Frenchmen were voluntarily taken that ran away from the Spaniards; who confessed their numbers to be 3,500, besides those that were not yet come in."

18th.--The enemy attempted to disturb the camp at night, but were soon repelled.

19th.--Some slight skirmishes in viewing the town. Sir John Barkely this night gave an alarm to the town.

20th.--"This night 1,000 of the Spaniards (or, as some that came from them say, 1,500) were come to the top of the hill near the camp, to cut off some of the scouts or guards, or to attempt somewhat upon that quarter; but being discovered by a party of ours not much exceeding 200, that were of purpose sent out to lie between the town and our camp, commanded by Sir John Barkely, who had with him Captain Morris, they set upon them, killed four dead in the place, divers hurt, took some arms and other good spoil, and beat them back to the town, without loss of any one of our men, and not above three hurt.

21st.--Cormock McDermonde, chief lord of a country called Muskry, coming with his country "rising out" to show them to the Lord Deputy, was in his return directed to march hard by the Spaniards' trenches, which they had made upon the hill without the town for their guards, that the Spaniards might see the Irish serve on our side. "The Irish at first went on well and beat the Spainards from their ground to the townward, but, according to their custom, soon fell off, by which means a horseman called Coursye [This name is inserted in Carew's hand.] of the Lord President's, who had charged one or two Spaniards upon some advantage, was engaged and unhorsed before he espied himself in danger;" but he was rescued by Sir William Godolphin and Captain Henry Barckely.

22nd.--Captain Button arrived. He was sent away to bring his ship into the harbour of Kinsale, and with Captain Ward's ship (which had been guarding the victual and munition in Oyster Haven) to annoy the castle of Rincurrane.

24th.--"That day was spent in despatching into England and making all things fit for to remove. This night Captain Blany and Captain Flower were sent out with 500 foot, upon discovery that the Spaniards were drawn out of the town; and so lay ready for them if they had come towards our quarter. But they came not on."

25th, Sunday.--"Four natural Spaniards came this day from the enemy, choosing rather to put themselves upon the mercy of the State than to live under the tyranny of their own commanders; who the next day were sent to Corcke. This night Sir John Barkely went out with some 300 foot, having with him Captain Flower, Captain Morris, and Captain Bostocke. Out of these were chosen 60 pikes and targets to be the better undiscovered, who fell into their trenches, beat them to the town, and fell into the gate with them. They killed and hurt above 20 of the Spaniards between the inner and the outer gate, and returned having but three hurt."

26th.--"The army dislodged early and encamped on a hill on the north side before Kinsale called the Spittle, somewhat more than musket shot from the town, and there entrenched strongly." The Spaniards had gotten a prey of 200 or 300 cows and many sheep, but Captain Taffe by hot skirmish recovered the prey, "save only some 200 cows that the Spaniards had killed," although they were under the guard of a castle called Castle-ny-Parke.

29th.--All things put in readiness to batter the castle of Rincurran. The Spaniards essayed to relieve the castle by boats, and were valiantly repelled by Captain Button's ship.

30th.--The two culverins began to play, but soon became unserviceable. "The same day they (the enemy) gave an alarm to our camp, drawing artillery out of the town, and with it played into our camp, killed two near the Lord Deputy's tent with a demi-cannon shot, and, through the next tent to it, brake two hogsheads of the Lord Deputy's beer, and every shot that was made fell still in the Lord Deputy's quarter near his own tent. Don John de l'Aguila, perceiving the castle would be distressed, attempted to relieve it by boats, but Sir Richard Piercie beat them back, who had the command of the Lord President's regiment, that this night was appointed to guard."

31st.--One of the culverins and the demi-culverin were mounted, and a cannon planted; they played without intermission. 500 of their principal men drew out of Kinsale, with show to go to relieve Rincurran by land. Sir Oliver St. John sent Captain Roe, his lieutenant-colonel, and Sir Arthur Savage's lieutenant with 100 men, and took 30 shot of his own company. He found Captain Roe and Carbrie, lieutenant to Captain Thomas Butler, skirmishing. The Lord Audley also came up. The enemy were forced to retreat. "Notwithstanding, they played upon them with their small shot out of every house in that quarter of the town, being full of towers and castles." Sir Oliver, Lord Audley, and Sir Garrett Harvie were wounded. Captain Butler's lieutenant was slain with four others, and 30 wounded. "The enemy left 10 or 11 dead; .. and, as one reporteth (that came the next day from Kinsale, and had been in the guest house amongst them), 70 were brought thither hurt, whereof eight died that night. In this skirmish was taken prisoner Juan Hortenssio de Contreres, that had been serjeant-major of the forces in Brittany, and divers very good arms and rapiers gotten from the Spaniards. All this while the three pieces played upon the castle until six of the clock at night, at which time they in the castle sounded the drum, and prayed admission of parley; which the Lord President (whom the Lord Deputy had left there, himself returning to take care of the camp) accepted. There came with their drum an Irishman born in Corcke, who prayed, in the name of the rest, that they might be licensed to depart to Kinsale with their arms, bag and baggage. This being denied by the Lord President, who would not conclude with any but the commander of the place, he returned the messenger, willing him to tell the commander that no other but himself should be heard, and that he had no commission to grant them any other composition than to yield unto her Majesty's mercy. Then immediately they sent the drum again, and with him a serjeant, whom the Lord President refused to speak withal; upon whose return, the commander himself, called Bartholomew de Clarijo, an Alfeero, came unto the Lord President. But not agreeing upon the conditions, for he still insisted to depart with their arms to Kinsale, (being put safe into the castle,) the battery began afresh, and the defendants bestowed thicker volleys of shot than at any time before. At length, about 2 of the clock, when they found the weak estate the castle was grown into by fury of the battery, they sounded again their drum for another parley, which not being accepted of, many of them endeavoured to escape under the rock close to the water-side; which being spied by us, our men ran presently close to the castle walls, and, if the Lord President had not forbidden them, (although the breach was not sufficiently assaultable,) they would have entered the house. Of those which attempted to escape there were 23 Spaniards taken, and of this country birth a great multitude of churles, women, and children. There was likewise slain of the Spaniards towards 30. All this while the enemy shot not a shot, but, as men amazed, lay still. Of the Irish there was not a man taken that bare weapon. All of them, being good guides, escaped; only one Dermod McCarty (by them called Don Dermuchio) was taken, who was then [These words "was then" are substituted by Carew for "is now."] a pensioner to the King of Spain, and heretofore a servant to Florence McCartie.

"Towards the morning the Lord President went to the Lord Deputy to make relation of that night's proceeding; and upon deliberation it was thought convenient, if the Spaniards would quit their arms and render the place, with promise of life only to be sent into Spain, that they should be received to mercy. The consideration whereof grew upon these reasons: the one, because, in forcing a breach, it was likely many good men should be lost; and also to entice others that are in Kinsale to leave the place (wherein they felt misery) by the example of this merciful dealing with those of Rincurran; but especially because expedition in the taking of this castle had many important consequences."

November 1st.--"About one hour after day the commander sent word to the Lord President that he would render the place and quit all their arms, so as they might be sent to Kinsale; which being refuced, he entreated only that himself might hold his arms and be sent to Kinsale; which also being denied, he then resolutely determined to bury himself in the castle, and not to yield. His company, seeing his obstinacy, did threaten him to cast him out of the breach, so as they might be received to mercy. In the end it was concluded that all his people should be disarmed in the house, which was done by Captain Roger Harvie, captain of the guards that night, and himself to wear his sword until he came to the Lord President, and then render it unto him; which being performed upon his knee, [These words "upon his knee" are inserted by Carew.] they were brought prisoners into the camp, and from thence immediately sent unto Corcke."

Copy.

Calendar of the Carew Manuscripts preserved in the Archiepiscopal Library at Lambeth, ed. J. S. Brewer & W. Bullen (6 vols., 1867-73), vol. IV, document 199.