Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
A Treatise of Ireland (Author: John Dymmok)
section 9
A Brief Relation of the Defeat in the Corleus the 15. of August 1599
Sr. Conyers Clifford,110 governor of Connaght, going to the releefe of Connor Sligo with 1900 men vnder 25 ensignes and about 200 English and Irish horse, came to the entrance of the Corleus the moste dangerous passage in Connaght the 15 of August, about 4 a clocke in the afternoone, being then highe tyme to lodge his men after a paynefull jorney, where understanding that the rebells had not possessed that passage, he resolved to march thorow the same night; whereupon putting his troops in order, the vanguard was conducted by Sr. Alexander Ratclif; the Lord of Dunkellin sonne to the erle of Clanricchard followed with the battell, and Sr. Arthure Savadg brought up the reare guarde. The horse (where also the baggage was left,) had directions to stand betweene the abbey
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of Boyle, and the entrance into the passage, under the commaund of Sr. Griffin Markham, until the same should be freed by the foote about a quarter of a myle from the mowth of the passage, had the rebells traversed the same with a barri[ca]do with doble flancks, in which and in other places of advantage thereabouts were lodged about 400 of them, contrary to that which was advertised to the governor. They which possessed the barricadoes, at the approach of our vantguard, delivered a small volly of shott upon them, abandoninge the same allmoste without any force, which the governor possessing made yt passible by openyng the midst, and placed guardes upon the same, appoyntinge to the angle of the sinister flancke Rogers, lieutenant to Sr. Hen. Carye, to the angle of ye Dexter flancke, Rafe Constable (a gentleman deservedly esteemed of the governor for his vertu) and not much distant from him upon the same flancke, Capt. Water Fludd and Capt. Windsore gevinge to them 40 men a piece, with comaundement that they should not abandon their places untill they heard further from himself. Thinges being thus ordered, the vantguard, followed by the batle and rearguard, advanced in short tyme by a narrow waye betwixt 2 large boggs to the syde of a woode halfe a myle broade, through which lyeth a highe waye so broade as yt geveth liberty for 12 men to march in front, the same rysinge equally and gently untill yt have passed the woode where yt is caryed upon the syde of a high hill, which yt leaveth on the left hand and ye hill and grownde adjoyninge being a mayne bogg, vpon the right hand lyeth a thicke woode not more than muskett shott from the same, in either of which places, although the rebell from their contynuall practiz, have exceeding advantage of our men, yet have they more advantage upon the bogge, which they well knowinge made at this tyme choice thereof, and even thither were followed by Sr. Alex. Ratcliff,111 who although he were in the beginninge of the skirmish shott in the face, yet he ever contynewed to spend all his powder upon them; and no supply coming unto him, prepared to charge them with a small number of such choice pikes as would either voluntarylie follow him or were by him called forth by name from of the body of the vantguard; but before he could come to joyne with them, he had the use of a legg taken from him with the stroake of a bullet, by which ill fortune he was forced to retyre, susteyned upon the armes of 2 gentlemen, one of which receivinge the lyke hurte, died in the place, as did also himselfe, soone after, being shott throughe the boddy with a bullet.
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There was with Sir Alex: Ratcliff in the head of the vantguard Capt. Henry Cozbye, whome at his goinge to chardge he invited to accompany him; and perceivynge him slacke, ‘well, Cozsby,’ said he, ‘I see I must leave thee to thy basenes, but I must tell the before my departure, that yt were much better for the to dye in my company by the hands of thy countrymen, then at my returne to perish by my sworde;’ but Cosby, which is the generall disposition of all tru cowards, yeelding to have the terme of his lyfe a while deferred upon any condition, stood fyrme with at least a third parte of the vantguard untill he see the adversyty of this noble knight, when by example of his turninge heade the vanguarde fled in such route, that yt discomfited the batle with ye sight of which (not abiding any impression,) was broken the rearguard, the whole forces being almost without any enemyes force in a moment put all in confusion, which disorder the governor endeavouringe (but in vaine) to reforme, whilest he had any strength left in him, was after much fruitless travell, susteyned breathless upon the armes of Sr. John Mac Swine and Capt. Olyver Burkes lieutenant, who perceivinge the disordered flight of the whole army (disparing to save their lyves by other meanes) perswaded him to retyre himselfe with them; when he reproovinge the basenes of his men replyed Romane lyke, that he would not overlyve that daies ignomynye. But that affection which mooved Sr. John Me. Swyne to vse intreatyes, perswaded him now to practiz force, by which they caryed him from the pursewing rebells some few paces, where enraged with a consideration of the vildenes of his men which he often repeated, brake from them in a fury, and turning head alone, alone made head to the whole troopes of pursewers in the midst of whome after he was stroake through the body with a pyke, he dyed fighting, consecrating by an admyrable resolucion the memory of his name to imortallitye, and leaving the example of his vertu to be intytuled by all honorable posterities. There died lykewyse Godred Tirwhit, brother to Mr. Robert Tyrwhit of Ketleby in Lincolnshire, fighting by the syde of Sr. Alex. Ratcliff, of whome cannot be sayde lesse, then that he hath left behinde him an eternall testemony of the noblenes of spiritt, which he had deryved from an honorable famylye. But these went not alone, for they were accompanied to the gates of death by dyvers worthy, both lieutenants and ensignes, who were followed, (for that they were not followed by them to fight) by 200 base and cowardlye raskalls. The rest which els had all perished were
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saved by the vertu of Sr. Griffin Markham,112 who chardginge the pursewers in the head of my Lo: Southamptons troope gave securitie to this ignominious flight, having in his chardge the smaller bone of his right arme broken with the stroake of a bullett, and that which addeth moste to the commendation of his chardge is, that it was presented upon the narrow waye between the two boggs before mencioned, and forced with the losse of some both men and horses into the bogg vpon the right hand, where the rebells followed eagerly the execution of our men, untill the feare they apprehended vpon the sight of our horses, caused them to stay their pursuite and to thinke upon their owne safetye.
This defeat was geven by O'Rvrke113 and mac Dermon O'Donell being there but came not to fight, to whome the governors head was sent that night for a present; his bodye was conveyed to a monastery not far from thence, as appeareth by mac Dermons letter to the constable of Boyle, which is censured by Sr. John Harrington (from whom I received a coppy of yt) to be barbarous for the Latyn but cyvill for the sence. For confirmacion of whose judgment the letter yt selfe is contented by my hand for justyfication of his barbarisme to appeare before as many as will vouchsafe to read yt.
Conestabulario de Boyle salutem:
Scias quod ego traduxi corpus gubernatoris ad monasterium Sancte Trinitatis propter ejus dilectionem, et alia de causa, si velitis mihi redire meos captiuos ex predicto corpore, quod paratus sum ad conferendum vobis ipsum; alias, sepultus erit honeste in predicto monasterio et sic vale, scriptum apud Gaywash 15 Aug. 1599: interim pone bonum linteamen ad predictum corpus, et si velitis sepelire omnes alios nobiles, non impediam vos erga eos.
By this lettre is too truly interpreted a troublesome dreame of the governors, which he had about a yeare before this defeat, when being wakened by his wife out of an unquiet sleepe, he recounted unto her, that he thought himselfe to have beene taken prisoner by O'Donell, and that certen religious men (of compassion) conveied him into their monastery where they concealed him, and so indeed as he dreamed or rather prophesied the monastery hath his boddye, the worlde his fame, and his frends the want of his vertu.
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