Catalogue description SIEGE of KINSALE.

"Journal of such Services as were done since the 13th of December, when Sir Oliver St. John left the camp."

"From the 13th until the 20th the weather fell out so extreme foul and stormy, and our intelligence concurring so fully of Tyrone's drawing near with all his forces, as we neither could nor thought it fit to attempt anything to any great purpose more than the removing of some pieces of artillery to a new platform we had made on the west side close to the town, which played upon the castles on that side." Only some slight sallies were made by them within.

20th, Sunday.--The ordnance brake down a good part of the wall. Another great trench was made beneath the platform, "though the night fell out stormy with great abundance of thunder and lightning." Intelligence that Tyrone would be the next night within a mile and half of us.

21st.--"Towards night Tyrone showed himself with the most part of his horse and foot on a hill between our camp and Corke, about a mile from us, and on the other side of the hill encamped that night, where he had a fastness of wood and water. Two regiments of our foot and some horse, being drawn out of our camp, made towards them, and when they saw our men resolved to go forwards they fell back towards the place where they encamped. This night the Spaniards sallied again."

22nd.--"Tyrone's horse and foot kept still in sight in the place where they showed themselves the day before, and many intelligences affirmed unto us that they had a purpose to force our camps. That night some of their horse and 500 of their foot were discovered searching out a good way to the town, which was not made known unto us until the next day. The Spaniards sallied this night hotly."

23rd.--Our artillery still played upon the town, but we had no meaning to make a breach until we might discover what Tyrone meant to do. We intercepted letters of Don John's, advising Tyrone to set upon our camps.

24th.--"Tyrone, accompanied with O'Donnell, O'Rourke, Maguire, MacMahound, Randoll McSourlie, Redmund Bourke, O'Connor Sligoe brothers, and Tirrell, with the choice force, and, in effect, all the rebels of Ireland being drawn into Munster and joined with Spaniards that landed at Castlehaven, who brought to Tyrone's camp six ensigns of Spaniards, and the greatest part of the Irishry of Munster, who, being revolted, were joined with them and entertained into the King's pay in several companies and under their own lords, resolved to relieve the town of Kinsale, and to that purpose sat down the 21st of December a mile and a half from the town, between the English camp and Corke, and on that side of the army kept from them all passages and means for forage, the other side over the river of Ownybuoy being wholly at their disposition by reason of the general revolt of those parts. It seemed they were drawn so far by the importunity of Don John de Aquila, as we perceived by some of his letters intercepted, wherein he did intimate his own necessity, their promise to succour him, and the facility of the enterprise, our army being weak in numbers and tired, as he termed us; with assurance from himself that whensoever he should advance to our quarter he would give the blow soundly from the town. During the abode of the rebels in that place we had continual intelligence of their purpose to give alarms from their party and sallies from the town, but to little other effect than to weary our men by keeping them continually in arms, the weather being extreme tempestuous, cold, and wet.

"On the 23rd of December, late in the night, Captain Taffe informed the Lord Deputy that one of the rebels, that had been sometimes belonging unto him, sent him word (and confirmed it by a solemn oath to the bearer) that the resolution of the rebels was, either that night or between that and the next, to enterprise their uttermost for the relief of the town, with some particulars in what sort they intended to give upon our camp. Whereupon the Lord Deputy gave order to strengthen the ordinary guards, to put the rest of the army in a readiness, but not into arms; that, about the falling of the moon, the regiment volant (commanded by Sir Henry Power, and appointed only to answer the first occasion, without doing any other duties) should draw out beyond the west part of the camp, and there to stand in arms not far from the main guard of horse.

"A little before the break of day, Sir Richard Greame, who had the guard of horse that night, sent word to the Lord Deputy that the scouts had discovered the rebels' matches in great numbers. Whereupon the Lord Deputy caused the army to draw presently into arms, sent a corporal of the field to cause the like to be done in the Earl of Thomond's quarter, and that from thence they should draw out 300 choice men between that quarter and the fort built upon the west hill, near a barracado made [a]cross a highway, to stop the enemy's sudden passage in the night; and himself, accompanied with the President and the [The words in italics are inserted by Carew.] Marshal, advanced forwards towards the scouts, and having given direction to Sir Henry Davers, who commanded the horse under the Marshal, for the ordering of those troops, sent the Marshal to take view of the enemy; who brought him word that horse and foot of theirs were advanced. Whereupon the Lord Deputy with Sir Oliver Lambert ridd to view a piece of ground between that and the town, which had on the back of it a trench drawn from the Earl of Thomond's quarter to the west fort, on the front a boggish glynn, and passable with horse only at one ford, which before he had entrenched.

"The ground whereupon the enemy must have drawn in gross to force that passage was flanked from the Earl's quarter by the cannon, and that which should have made good (sic) of great advantage for horse and foot both to be embattled and to fight. Upon view whereof the Lord Deputy sent the Marshal word that on that place he was resolved to give the enemy battle, and sent the Serjeant-Major, Sir John Barkely, to draw out Sir Henry Folliott's and Sir Oliver St. John's regiments to that place.

"O Campo, that commanded all the Spaniards that came last out of Spain, desired Tyrone that he might embattle his men and presently give on to join that way with Don John, for their purpose was at that time by that means to have put into the town all the Spaniards with Tirrell and 800 of their chief men, and the next night from the town and their army to have forced both our quarters; of the success whereof they were so confident that they reckoned us already theirs, and were in contention whose prisoner the Deputy should be and whose the President, and so of the rest.

"But Tyrone, discovering the Marshal and Sir Henry Davers to be advanced with all the horse, and Sir Henry Power's squadron of foot, retired beyond a ford at the foot of that hill, with purpose (as he feigned) till his whole army were drawn more close. Instantly the Marshal sent the Lord Deputy word by Sir Francis Rushe that the enemy retired in some disorder. Whereupon the Lord Deputy came up unto him, and gave order that all the foot should follow.

"When we were advanced to the ford, but our foot not wholly come to us, the enemy drew off in three great bodies of foot, and all their horse in the rear. The Lord Deputy asked of some that understood the country whether beyond that ford there were near any ground of strength for the enemy to make advantage of; but being answered that there was none, but a fair champion, he drew after the enemy, and then desired the Lord President to return from thence and secure the camp, and attend the sallies of Don John; which he did; with whom the Lord Deputy sent the Earl of Thomond's horse, Sir Anthony Cook's, and Sir Oliver Lambert's, and only took with him between 300 or 400 horse and under 1,200 foot. But being drawn out some mile further we might perceive the enemy to stand firm upon a ground of very good advantage for them, having a bog between us and a deep ford to pass, and in all appearance with a resolution to fight.

"The Marshal, being advanced with the horse near unto the ford, sent unto the Lord Deputy that he perceived the enemy in some disorder, and that, if he would give him leave to charge, he hoped to give a very good account of it. The Lord Deputy left it to his discretion to do as he should find present occasion out of the disposition of the enemy; whereupon the Earl of Clanricarde, that was with the Marshal, importuned him exceedingly to fight, and the Lord Deputy sent to draw up the foot (with all expedition) close together, who marched as fast as it was possible for them to keep their orders. The Marshal, as soon as a wing of the foot of the vanguard was come up unto him, and Sir Henry Power with his regiment drawn over the ford, advanced with some 100 horse, accompanied with the Earl of Clanricard, and gave occasion of skirmish upon the bog side with some 100 harquebusiers. The enemy thereupon put out some of their loose shot from their battle and entertained the fight, their three battalions standing firm on the other side of the bog.

"At the first our shot were put close to the horse, but with a second they beat the enemy's loose shot into their battle; and withal the Marshal with the Earl of Clanricard and Sir Richard Greame offered a charge on a battle of 1,000 foot, and, finding them to stand firm, wheeled a little about. By this time Sir William Godolphin with the Lord Deputy's horse and Captain Mynshall with the Lord President's horse (who were appointed to keep still in gross to answer all accidents) was come up, and Sir John Barkley with two of our three bodies of foot. Whereupon the Marshal with the Earl of Clanricard united themselves with Sir Henry Davers, Captain Taffe, and Captain Fleminge, charged again the horse and the rear of the same battle, who presently thereupon, both horse and foot, fell into disorder and brake.

"All this while the vanguard of the enemies, in which was Tirrell and all the Spaniards, stood firm upon a bog on the right hand, unto whom within caliver's shot the Lord Deputy had drawn up our rear upon a little hill, and willed them to stand firm till they received direction from him; but perceiving that gross drawing between our men that were following the execution and the other bodies of foot, he drew up that squadron (commanded by Captain Roe) to charge them in flank, whereupon they presently drew off in a great gross, marched to the top of the next hill, and there for a little time made a stand.

"The rear of the enemy being in the retreat, the van went off with few slain, but with the loss of many of their arms. Their battle, being the greatest body, was put all to the sword, and not above some 60 escaped. The vanguard, who went last off, were broken on the top of the hill. The Irish for the most part quit the Spaniards, who, making a stand, were broken by the Lord Deputy's troop and most of them killed; O Campo, the chief commander, taken prisoner by the cornet; two captains, seven allferoes, and 40 soldiers taken prisoners by such as followed the execution, which continued a mile and a half, and left there only tired with killing.

"There were of the Irish rebels 1,200 dead bodies left in the place, and, as we hear from themselves, about 800 hurt, whereof many of them died that night. They left about 2,000 arms, their powder, drums, and nine ensigns, which was more than ever they had together before. On our side only Sir Richard Greame's cornet was killed, Sir Henry Davers hurt with a sword slightly, Sir William Godolphin a little rast (sic) on the thigh with a holberd, Captain Crofts, the scout-master, with a shot in the back, and not above five or six common soldiers hurt; many of our horses killed, and more hurt.

"The Earl of Clanricard had many fair escapes, being shot through his garments, and no man did bloody his sword more than his Lordship that day, and would not suffer any man to take any of the Irish prisoners, but bid them kill the rebels. After the retreat was sounded the Lord Deputy did give the order of knighthood to the Earl of Clanricard in the field in the midst of the dead bodies, and returning back to the camp, drew out the whole army, and gave God thanks for this victory with their prayers.

"The enemy's army, as Alonso O Campo doth assure us, was 6,000 foot and 500 horse. There were some of the Irishry taken prisoners that offered great ransoms, but presently upon their bringing to the camp they were hanged."

Signed: Mountjoye.

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 201.