P.S. Colonel Horton is lately dead of the Country-disease, leaving a Son behind him. He was a person of great integrity and courage. His former services, especially that of the last summer, I hope will be had in remembrance.* Poor Horton; he beat the Welsh at St. Fagan's, and did good service 'last summer;' and now he is dead of the Country-disease,’- -a pestilence raging in the rear of Famine and the Spoil of War. Famine has long reigned. When the War ended, Ludlow tells us, it was found necessary to issue a Proclamation that 'no lambs or calves should be killed for one year,' the stock of cattle being exhausted. Such waste had there been, continues he, in burning the possessions of the English, many of the Natives themselves were driven to starvation; and I have been informed by persons deserving credit, 'that the same calamity fell upon them even in the first year ' of the Rebellion, through the depredations of the Irish; and 'that they roasted men, and ate them, to supply their ne'cessities.'3 Such a War is worth ending at some cost!-In the Lord Lieutenant's Army, we learn elsewhere, there was an abundant supply, the country crowding in as to a good market, where sure prices were given, and fair dealing enforced; all manner of depredators being, according to the paper Proclamation, hanged in very authentic hemp. Much better supplied than any of the Irish Armies had ever been.'4 LETTERS CXIII.-CXVIII. THE stroke that fell on Tredah, repeated at Wexford, at Ross not needing to be repeated, has, as we say, broken the brain of the Irish War; the body of which, over Ireland generally, here over the South-west more especially, everywhere staggers falling, or already lies fallen, writhing in paralytic convulsions, making haste to die. Of its final spasms, widespread confused death-agonies, and general swift death, over Newspapers (in Parl. History, xix. 224-6). 3 I udlow, i. 338-9. 4 Carte, ii. 90. this Munster region, through the winter months, and of the Lord Lieutenant's demeanour therein, these Six Letters give us indication such as may suffice. LETTER CXIII. HERE is a small glimpse of domesticity again, due to the Pusey Seventeen; very welcome to us in these wild scenes. Mayor has endorsed it at Hursley, Received 12th December 1649.' 'Cousin Barton,' I suppose, is the Barton who boggled at some things in the Marriage-Contracts; a respectable man, though he has his crotchets now and then. For my beloved Brother Richard Mayor, Esquire, at Hursley: DEAR BROTHER, These. Ross, 13th November 1649. I am not often at leisure, nor now, to salute my friends; yet unwilling to lose this opportunity. I take it, only to let you know that you and your Family are often in my prayers. As for Dick, I do not much expect it from him, knowing his idleness; but I am angry with my Daughter as a promise-breaker. Pray tell her so;—but I hope she will redeem herself. It has pleased the Lord to give us (since the taking of Wexford and Ross) a good interest in Munster, by the accession1 of Cork and Youghal, which are both submitted; their Commanders are now with me. Divers other lesser Garrisons are come in also. The Lord is wonderful in these things; it's His hand alone does them: oh that all the praise might be ascribed to Him! I have been crazy in my health; but the Lord is pleased to sustain me. I beg your prayers. I desire you to call upon my Son to mind the things of God more and more: alas, what profit is there in the things of this world !-except l'access' in orig they be enjoyed in Christ, they are snares. I wish he may enjoy his Wife so, and she him; I wish I may enjoy them both so. My service to my dear Sister' and' Cousin Ann; my blessing to my Children, and love to my Cousin Barton and the rest. Sir, I am, your affectionate brother and servant, OLIVER CROMWELL.* LETTER CXIV. THE opportune Victory at Rathmines produced the revival of an old Vote, produced also a new special Vote, in favour of Lieutenant-General Jones ;2 which new Vote ought not to fall asleep again, as the old one had done. Thomas Scott, of the Council of State, whom we have already seen; 'peppery Thomas,' is not yet to vanish from this History. Of Broghil, Munster Business,' and the rest, there will be farther notice in next Letter, which is of the same date with this. 'For the Hon. Thomas Scott, of the Council of State: These.' SIR, Ross, 14th November 1649. I hope you will excuse this trouble. I understand the House did vote Lieutenant-General Jones Fivehundred pounds per annum of lands of inheritance from Irish Lands, upon the news of the Defeat given to the Enemy before Dublin, immediately before my coming over. I think it will be a very acceptable work, and very well taken at your hands, to move the House for an immediate settlement thereof: it will be very convenient at this time. Another thing is this. The Lord Broghil is now in Munster; where he, I hope, will do very good offices: all his suit is for Two-hundred pounds to bring his Wife over: such a sum would not be cast away. He hath a great interest in * Harris, p. 511; one of the Pusey set, preserved by Dunch, as intimated above. ? Antea, p. 135. the men that come from Inchiquin.3 I have made him and Sir William Fenton, Colonel Blake, and Colonel Deane,— who I believe, at least' one of them, will be frequently in Cork Harbour; making that a victualling place for the Irish Fleet, instead of Milford Haven, I have made them' and Colonel Phayr, Commissioners for a temporary management of affairs there. This Business of Munster will empty your Treasury: therefore you have need to hasten our money allotted us; lest you put us to stand with our fingers in our mouths !—I rest, Sir, your servant, OLIVER CROMWELL.* LETTER CXV. THE General Blake' of this Letter, Colonel Blake' of the last, is Admiral Blake; he, with Ayscough, Deane and vigilant Sea-officers, coöperating with Oliver on land, now dominates these waters. Prince Rupert, with the residue of the Revolted Ships, is lying close, for shelter from him, under the guns of Kinsale ;—verging, poor Prince, to a fugitive roaming sea-life, very like Piracy in some of its features. He abandoned it as desperate, before long. Poor Prince Maurice, sea-roving in like fashion, went to the bottom; sank, in the West Indies, mouse and man; and ended, none knows exactly where, when, or how. Rupert invented, or helped to invent, 'pinchbeck' in subsequent years, and did no other service to the public that I know of. The defection of Cork and Youghal, full of English influences and complex distractions, followed naturally on Cromwell's successes. In Lady Fanshawe's Memoirs is a vivid account of the universal hurlyburly that took place at Cork, on the verge of this occurrence there: tremulous instant decision what you will do, which side you will join; swift packing in the dead o. night; swift riding off, in any carriage, cart or asscart you can bargain with for love or money! Poor Lady Fanshawe got to Galway, there to try it yet a little longer. 3 That desert to us from Lord Inchiquin, the Ormond Chief in Munster. For the Honourable William Lenthall, Esquire, Speaker of the Parliament of England: These. SIR, Ross, 14th November 1649. About a fortnight since, I had some good assurance that Cork was returned to its obedience; and had refused Inchiquin, who did strongly endeavour to redinte grate himself there, but without success. I did hear also that Colonel Townsend was coming to me with their submission and desires, but was interrupted by a Fort at the mouth of Cork Harbour. But having sufficient grounds upon the former information, and other confirmation out of the Enemy's camp that it was true, I desired General Blake, who was here with me, that he would repair thither in Captain Mildmay's Frigate, called the Nonsuch. Who, when they came thither, received such entertainment as these enclosed will let you see. In the mean time the Garland, one of your third-rate Ships, coming happily into Waterford Bay, I ordered her, and a great Prize lately taken in that Bay, to transport Colonel Phayr to Cork; whitherward he went, having along with him near Five-hundred foot, which I spared him out of this poor Army, and 1,500l. in money; giving him such instructions as were proper for the promoting of your interest there. As they went with an intention for Cork, it pleased God the wind coming cross, they were forced to ride off from Dungarvan. Where they met Captain Mildmay returning with the Nonsuch Frigate, with Colonel Townsend aboard, coming to me; who advertised them that Youghal had also declared for the Parliament of England. Whereupon they steered their course thither; and sent for Colonel Gifford, Colonel Warden, Major Purden (who with Colonel Townsend have been very active instruments for the return 4 See Carte, ii. 91. 5 He of the King's Death-Warrant, |