Catalogue description SIEGE of KINSALE.

"A Note of Services done since the last despatch into England."

The former journal was sent with our letters of 7th November, on which day the President left this camp to make head against the Northern rebels.

10th.--Account of an unsuccessful sally by the Spaniards. "We heard by divers that Don John committed the serjeant-major who commanded them in chief presently after the fight, and threatened to take off his head, commended highly the valour of our men, and cried shame upon the cowardice of his own, who, he said, had been the terror of all nations, but now had lost that reputation. And he gave straight commandment upon pain of death, which he caused to be set up on the town gates, that from thenceforth no man should come off from any service until he should be fetched off by his officer, though his powder were spent or his piece broken, but make good his place with his sword. Captain Soto, one of their best commanders, was that day slain, for whom they made very great moan, and some 20 more." Mr. Hopton, a gentleman of the Lord Deputy's band, was sore hurt, and has since died.

16th.--Some of the Queen's ships began to play upon Castle-ny-Parke, and brake off some part of the top. That day and the two next were so stormy that the ordnance could not be landed.

"The 17th being the most happy day of her Majesty's coronation, which we meant to have solemnized with some extraordinary adventure, if the weather would have suffered us to look abroad, we sent at night, when the storm was somewhat appeased, the Serjeant-Major and Captain Bodly with some 400 foot to discover the ground of Castle-ny-Parke, and to see whether it might be carried with the pike; which was accordingly attempted, but the engine we had gotten to defend our men while they were to work being not so strong as it should have been, they within the castle, having store of very great stones on the top, tumbled them down so fast as broke it; so as they returned with the loss of two men, and proceeded no further in that course."

19th.--A demi-cannon, being unshipped, played upon the castle. In the night they of the town attempted to relieve the castle by boat, but were repelled by Captain Tolkern and Captain Warde, who lay with their pinnaces between the island and the town.

20th.--The demi-cannon, and a cannon with some ordnance out of the ships, played on the castle. Captain Yorke and Captain Smith were sent to view if the breach were assaultable. The Spaniards hung out a sign for parley, and surrendered, being in number 17. The Spaniards in the town made divers shot at Captain Tolkerne's pinnace with a piece of ordnance which they mounted a day or two before, close to the gate of the town. A platform was made upon a ground of advantage, and a demi-cannon mounted upon it, with which some shot was made at the town. "A sentinel, taken anon after, affirmed that the first piece shot off went through the house that Don John was in."

21st.--Another cannon planted by the demi-cannon. The Lord Deputy went over into the island to view how from thence the town might be best annoyed and invested.

22nd, Sunday.--Four other pieces planted. One shot killed four men in the market-place, and struck off a captain's leg, called Don John de St. John, who is since dead.

23rd.--The six pieces did great hurt to the town. While the Lord Deputy, the Marshal, and the Serjeant-Major were viewing the ground where the approaches were intended, a private soldier of Sir Francis Barkelie's attempted "to steal (as he had divers times before) a Spanish sentinel, who was seconded with four that he saw not," and fought with them all five, whereof one was the serjeant-major, whom he wounded. The Lord Deputy this night began to make his approaches nearer to the town, and for that purpose caused some 1,000 foot to be drawn out by Sir John Barkeley, Sir Benjamin Berry, and Captain Bodly. His Lordship sent direction to Sir Richard Leveson to land three culverins and to plant them in the island about Castle-ny-Parke. Sir Richard drew in the Admiral and Vice-Admiral between the town and the island, from whence he did great hurt in the town the next day.

25th.--"All the artillery still played, but, because the shot from the ships did little hurt (save only upon the base town), the Lord Deputy gave direction to make very few shot, except it were at the high town." The Lord President, the Earls of Thomonde and Clanricarde, Sir Thomas Bourke, and others returned to the camp. This night direction was given to have a platform made for the artillery upon the trench. Somewhat after midnight the Spaniards made a sudden sally to force that trench, but were repelled by Sir Francis Barkely.

26th.--The companies that went with the Lord President returned, and with them two other regiments of the Earl of Clanricard's and Sir Christopher St. Lawrence's. They were quartered upon the west side of Kinsale, to keep the Spaniards and O'Donnell from joining. The Spaniards played with a demi-cannon upon the Admiral and the Vice-Admiral; "and, shot being made from those ships, they dismounted the Spaniards' piece within, and hurt their chief gunner, so as it played no more."

27th.--Three pieces, planted on the point of the hill near the water, played upon the town, doing great hurt.

28th.--"In the morning a trumpet was sent to summon Kinsale, who was not suffered to enter into the town but received his answer at the gate, viz., that they held the town first for Christ, and next for the King of Spain, and so would defend it contra tutti inimici. Upon his return with this answer, the Lord Deputy gave direction to begin the battery with all the artillery; who continued in shooting upon the gate till towards night, and brake a great part thereof. During the time the ordnance played, Sir Christopher St. Lawrence drew out from the other camp some [ ] foot, and gave upon the Spaniards' trenches."

29th, Sunday.--Most part of the gate broken down.

30th.--The Marshal (Wingfield) went to the wall of the town to view which was the best place to make a breach, and found the wall close to the gate on the right hand to be the fittest. The artillery beat upon that place, and brake down a very great part of the wall, which the enemy attempted to make up in the night, but were beaten from it by our guards. A Spaniard who ran away reported that our artillery had killed divers captains.

December 1st.--2,000 foot under Sir John Barkeley and Captain Blany drew near the walls of the town, and skirmished with the Spaniards in a trench close to the breach. They found the breach was not assaultable. Captain Guest's horse killed under him. "This night the Marshal, Sir John Barkely, Captain Blany, and Captain Bodlye (the Lord Deputy, leaving the President in the camp, [The words in italics are interlined in Carew's hand.] being almost all night present) drew out 25 of every company, and entrenched themselves on a hill on the west side of the town," and cast up a small fort. The Spaniards about midnight began to play upon our men from the walls, and from a trench close to the west gate.

2nd.--Our men continued still in that work, though the Spaniards from their high castles sought to annoy them. A serjeant of Captain Blany's, with seven or eight shot, killed nine or ten Spaniards in a trench. "The enemy sallied about eight of the clock in the night (being extreme dark and rainy) with about 2,000 men, and first gave slightly towards the new trenches upon the west side, and presently after, with a great gross, upon the trench of the cannon, continuing their resolution to force it with exceeding fury, having brought with them tools of divers sorts to pull down the gabions and trenches, and spikes to cloy the artillery." Succours were sent from the camp, and repulsed the enemy, who at one time obtained possession of the trenches. They left behind them above six score dead bodies, besides such as were killed near the town; and we took nine prisoners. We have since heard that they lost above 200 of their best men, two captains, two alfeeroes, the serjeant-major (second commander to Don John), and Don Carloes Carty (McCarty); and above 200 hurt. "Of our part were hurt, Captain Flower, Captain Skipwith (slightly in the face), the Earl of Clanricard's lieutenant, Captain Dillon killed, Captain Spencer, Captain Flower's lieutenant, and some 25 private soldiers." [The following captains, besides those above, are mentioned in connexion with this affair:--James Blunt, Sir Thomas Bourk, Sir Benjamin Berry, Rotheram, Hobby, Nuse, Roger Harvy, Sir Arthur Savage, Sir John Dowdall, Masterson, Sir William Warren, the Earl of Thomond, Sir John Barkely, Sir William Fortescue, Sir Francis Rushe, Roe, Sir Oliver St. John, the Marshal, Sir William Godolphin, Clare, Boise, and Thomas Bourke.]

3rd.--Intelligence that six Spanish ships were put into Castle Haven, and that six more were sent with them from the Groine. In these were said to be 200 Spaniards, with great store of ordnance and munition, and that 20,000 more were coming presently after.

4th.--A confirmation of the Spaniards being at Castle Haven, and that they were landed. "A drum was sent to Don John to offer him to bury his dead bodies, which he took thankfully."

5th.--Sir Richard Leveson went with part of the fleet to seek the Spanish fleet at Castle Haven.

6th, Sunday.--"A Scottishman that had some 80 of those Spaniards aboard put into Kinsale harbour in the morning, and, getting a boat, acquainted Sir Amyas Preston, the Vice-Admiral, therewith, and put them into his hands; whereupon the said Scottishman and four of the chief Spaniards (being officers) were brought to the Lord Deputy, and examined before his Lordship and the Lord President and divers other of the Council. Their examinations were sent into England. The ships were heard to be in fight that day. This day our ordnance was drawn from the old platforms into our camp, the better to intend the service of the field, and to place them more commodiously towards the west side of the town if we should see cause. News came this evening that O'Donnell was joined with the Spaniards landed at Castlehaven, and that Tyrone with his force was very near us."

7th.--"The other camp strengthened their trenches; and a resolution to make two small forts beyond the camp westward wholly to invest the town."

8th.--"The artillery was planted in the several places of the camp for the best defence thereof, and a fort almost made near the town. A slight skirmish towards night, wherein Sir Francis Barkely's ancient and some other were hurt. In the evening the rebels' horse were descried about two miles off, and after supper all the army drawn into arms, upon notice (given us by the scout) that the rebels were discovered."

9th.--"This night, late, Sir Richard Leveson returned into the harbour of Kinsale, and the next day came to the Lord Deputy; unto whom he imparted that the 6th day, with The Warspite, The Defiance, The Swiftsure, The Marlyn, one merchant, and a carvill, he arrived at Castlehaven about 10 .. in the forenoon. Before 4 .. the same day one ship of the enemy was sunk; the Spanish Admiral, with nine foot water in hold, drove to the shore upon the rocks; the Vice-Admiral with two others drove likewise aground; most of the Spaniards quitting their ships."

"Since, we are informed by the Lord Coursie that they are all sunk but one ship, and great harm done both to their provisions and men."

Signed: Mountjoye; George Carew; R. Wingfielde; Ro. Gardener.

Copy, corrected by Carew.

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 200.