After this mishapp His Honor seeing no possible means to accomplish his desier except he had been able to have had another convenient army to have landed at Loghfoyle, and soe to have sett uppon Therle Traytor on all sydes, victualled the Fort [of the Blackwater] placinge therein as Counstable a valyant gentillman named Captain Williams, with som CCC soldiers, and after brake up campe and retourned to the Newry, where making but small aboade, drewe towards the Cavan in Owreylies country, and there placed Sir Christopher St. Lawrence commander of certaine companies there laide in garrison, and then repayred to Dublin: and there not contynuinge long, for that he considered the proportion of victualls left with Captain Williams at the Forte was neerehand consumed, drew thetherwards again with as much expedicon as might be; and even the same day he cam to Aramagh Tiroane's forces had beleagered the forte, and in the ende the most valyantest men in his retynewe undertooke to wynne the same; for that they had perfect intelligence that the warde was not onely sick and unserviceable for the moste parte, but all their victualls consumed; and so advauncinge themselves upp upon their scaling ladders gave a most wonderfull and bould assault; contynuinge the same very long with greate resolucion, as well in their fighte, as contynuallye supplyinge of fresh men in the places of the slayne, hurte, and wyckened; and with great lyklehoode they had wonne the same at that instant if they had met with a cravynne, as they buckled with a man of worthe; for the worthie constable Captain Williams, when he saw the enemy first approaching to him with so great a resolucion, and assured of their intente, comforted his soldiers in the best manner he might, and tould them that now it was the tyme to shew themselves as beseemed men of their places fighting in the right of their Prince and country, which if it were their fortunes to withstande the enemies first assaulte, their natures and cowardyse was suche that either they would recule or fight in greater feare, to his and theire advantadge; not doubting of the victory, by the help of God, wherefore hee wished them in generall, as well the whoole yt was verry few, as the sick personnes that could stand up and but advaunce their weapons, and to do theire duties in that measure, as was fittinge for soldiers in theire case, the sight of which woulde be a terror to the enemy; and remembrynge lykewyse what reputacion they should get either lyvinge or dyinge like men: where on the contrary parte, no more was to be expected at thenemies hands, if they should prevaile against them, and shame and infamy for ever if either they shoulde yeld their bodies as prisoners, or by force to be taken by them lyke a sheepe going to the shambles, and therefore, said he, pull up your harts, for this hand of myne havinge a linstock therein, shall give fyer to this traigne, and bothe blowe youe and myself up into the skyes rather then those miscreants shall enioy this chardge of myne! Upon which every man that was able to stand and hould a weapon beinge anymated to doe their best, uppon those former speeches cryed out, We will dy with honor to the last man.
Then the Enemy being advaunced to the top of the wall as aforesaid, and covetinge by all means to enter, were in that manner receaved by the soldiers that the ditches were filled with their dead corpses; yet stood they to it right manfully, untill they sawe that the soldiers, contrary to their expectacions, purposed to fight it out to the last man, and for to make their payment sterlinge, the two feild peeces planted in very necessarie places within the forte, and charged with muscet shot paid them their hyer bothe cornynge, stayinge, and retournynge; and glad they were (although it is a custome among them to carrye away as many dead corpses and maymed men as they may), yet for all their cunninge they left xxxiiii behind them in the ditches, with all their ladders, and some furniture, for a witness they had come there; but I ensuer you there was a nomber slaigne and hurte that were conveyed away, and very few of the warde either slaigne or hurte. Upon the next day the Lord Deputy drewe towards the forte, and at his arryvail made an oracion to the constable and soldiers greatlie commendynge boath him and them for their good service; and after he had victualled the forte; and supplyed the same with fresh and able soldiers, he stayed there not long.22
And now to drawe an ende of this my raw intelligence,' writes Francis Cosbie, 'Captain Williams, before rehearsed, lying longe in that unhappye forte without any reliefe but suche garrons and horses as he by pollicy could attayne unto for the suffycinge of himselfe and hungry ward, acquainted the estate with this their woeful misery; who, havinge as well regarde of theire distresses, as the saffety of that great bulwarke, sent for the Lord Lieftennant-General to Dublin; where, after debating what course was best to be held, in the ende concluded that Sir Henry Bagnall should have the general command of this expedicion.