I Must now with a very sad heart, give you a sad relation of our most unhappy losse of Sir Simon Harcourt, whom it pleased God to suffer to perish by a Shot from the Castle of Carrick-maine sixe miles from this towne towards the mountaines. He went out on Saturday morning, only to view, but being as it seemes, extreamly provoked by the Rogues within, and finding it in his owne judgement, a matter of no great difficul­ty to take it in, he there sate downe with a troope of Horse he had with him, and sent for 1000. foot, and two pieces of Battery. There were many men in the Castle, but not above 12. Musquetiers, but such good markemen, as they scarce shot one shot in vaine. They wounded severall of our men, killed neare 20. and have very desperately hurt Sergeant Major Berry, who arrived here but few dayes be­fore with 400. Fire-lockes, yet we hope he will re­cover. Sir Simon Harcourt so placed his Musquetiers, that they played upon the windowes and leads so [Page 2] fast, as scarce any durst peep out to discharge upon them, and he himselfe lying behinde a little thatch­ed house to give direction, for the planting of the pieces of Battery, and hearing one say that one of the Rogues had laid a Musquet out of the window, stood up to call to his men to shoot at him; just as the word was out of his mouth, was himselfe shot in the right breast, and sinking a little downe, re­commended with his first words his soule to God, and in the next place called those Gentlemen that were by, to beare witnesse that he gave all he had to his wife, and left his children to be provided for at her discretion, and being carryed into a little Ca­bine hard by, he desired the other Commanders to leave him, and goe on to dispatch their businesse, which they did. But the Souldiers enraged with his hurt, and seeing the Ordnance did not make so spee­dy an entrance for them as they expected; impati­ent of further delay in taking revenge for their Co­lonels shot, tooke up hatchets, and being gallantly lead on by Captaine Woodhouse, When the Battery had played upon the walls some time, Sir Simon sent out to see what breaches were made thereby, and heare­ing of few, sent word that the best way then to effect their d [...]signe, was to storme the Gates, which they did accordingly. and Captain Congreave, went to the doore, and broke it downe, although it was with great obstinacy and violence defended by the Rebels within, As Master Hammond, Sir Simon Har­courts Ensigne relateth since his arrivall. who never gave over, but even after they had entered the Castle, killed some of our men out of the Garrets above, and from the Cellars below, but they were all quickly made a Sacrifice. And such [Page 3] was the fury of our men, that they spared neither man, woman, nor childe, but put them all to the sword, to the number of about 300. and blew up the Castle. They brought off Sir Simon Harcourt to Mirian; Captaine Congreave having gotten into the Castle called for the Master of the house, in whose s tead his Son appeared, of whom Captaine Congreave d [...]manded the fellow in greene that shewed himselfe so often upon the battlements; but was answered, I know not whom you meane. Yet being further threat­ned, he brought him out; and upon their ap­pearance Captaine Congreave having with him a Case of Pistols charged, discharged both upon them, so killing them with his owne hands. a Castle belonging to my Lord Fitz Willi­am his paine so much encreasing, as hee was not able to endure to come to this Towne. I went yesterday to visit him, but found his spi­rits so spent, as he was able to say little to me. Master Robert Hammond above menti­oned relateth this. I finde he hath caused his Will to the same effect to be set downe a little more at large, and had passed the night in most extreame paine, but full of comfort, sweet ejaculations, and words expressing the assurance he had of Gods favour. His friends in England must needs bee much afflicted with his losse, but we here, as we have most cause, must most lament it. His first arrivall here brought us much comfort, and all our undertakings have beene blessed with successe, since his comming over. I as­sure you we doe attribute very much thereof to his courage, zeale to the cause, and wise mannagement of our Martiall affaires, we all acknowledge to owe very much to his memory, and as an expression of it, when I came back from him to the Counsell Board, and the newes being presently brought of [Page 4] his departure, I moved the Lords, that by our re­commendation of him to the Parliament, we might endeavour to obtaine a large proportion of land to be setled upon his wife and children, as a recom­pence in part of the great service he hath done here, which motion tooke so well, that they all agreed to it, and have fixed upon that particular proportion of Land, whereon he lost his life. It belongs to one Welsh, and is very good Land, worth five hundred pounds per annum, which I conceived too narrow a recompence, and therefore moved our Letters might be of larger extent, which their Lordships presently condescended unto, and it is resolved we shall write unto the Parliament, and my Lord Lieutenant on their behalfe with all the earnestnesse that may be. This is all the service I can doe them for the pre­sent, you may assure my Lady, that if it shall lie in my power further to serve her here, she shall see how high a value I put upon her gallant husband now at rest, and delivered from the miseries we dai­ly taste of.

Yet I must tell you, it pleaseth God still to goe along with us, and we have other gallant instru­ments, that goe bravely on to take vengeance of these accursed villaines. I received yesterday a let­ter from Captaine Arrow, now at Dondalke, with Sir Henry Titchbourne, which he writes to me they have taken in, and that they have there, and at Ardee slaine great numbers of the Rebells, as I here above a 1000. since the raising of the siege of Tredagh: Captaine Marrow is very zealous and for­ward, and hath already done very good service, since he came over with his troop, who doe sharpe [Page 5] execution, and spare none. He had the Avant-guard when they entred Dondalke, which was defended 12. houres by the Rebells, and yet he lost but one man in his troope, and there were not 20. of ours lost in all.