The Lord President ys come to this Province the 24th of this instant to whom I have delyvered the charge, which was committed unto me. And for that I maye the better yeald your Lordships accompt thereof, &c. &c. How Tyrone came into the country and of his attemptes I have formerly advertised your Lordships, as also of Florence Mc Cartyes coming to him, and having setled the State, makinge Florence cheefe, in regard he was of ye race of ye meere Irishe: With much more hast than he came into the province he departed, and the first night marchinge to the broad-water, although by reason, of the hight thereof, it was not passable, yet he attempted yt, notwithstanding so doing he lost many of his men. There Florence McCarty parted from him, and went into his own country &c. &c. The doubt which I then conceaved of Florence caused me to lay a plott upon a castle which he possessed called ye Old Head, standing very offensive to the harbors of this Towne, and Kinsale which tooke effecte; and I assure your Lordships there is no place in this province of greater import than yt, &c. &c.
I sent a 1,000 men into Carbury (Florence his cheifest place to maynetayne his hierlinges in, and to offend most out), with derection, eyther to wast yt, or to take assuraunce of ye freeholders at their first entrye they tooke a great pray, and kild divers of ye Mahoans, ye principall men of yt part; and afterwardes passed ye Leape, wasting, burning, and killing ye cattle of all yt country; and so retourned to Rosse, to effect yt charge which was comitted to them; wheer they lay 14 dayes taking in of pledges. Florence in the mean tyme gathering together of his followers and hierlings 1,800 men, came and lay by them. Upon the news of ye Earle of Ormond, I sent for them to draw hether: at their rysing ye rebells made profer to fight, but came not on, although they lost their forlornn hoope, consisting of 40 of their best men, which was defeated by ye horse, and ye reare of Florence's own battle broken, and 10 of them kild; and so they came to Kinsale without losse; whear leauinge the guarysonns of that townn behind them, they came towardes Corke with 100 horse and 600 foott. In their way, Florence with all of his force was layd in an ambushe, and did it so secreatly yt they weere ready to ioin before they weare discouered. Yt ground not serving our men to fight on, they retrayted towardes a playne, and in ye way layd aboue 100 shott in ambushe; which retrayte bread a boldnes in the rebells, and moved them to follow them; in which doing they fell into the ambuscade of shott, and receaved the vollye, in which their weere many of the rebells commaunders, and gentlemen slayne: The resydew neglected their attempt, and our horse charged, and put them all to flight; their were slayne six captaines, 10 gentlemen, and 140 that carryed armes, of ye rebells; of ours theer weere onely eight slayne, and Captain Flower and some others lightly hurt: The rebells begann to make heade againe, but my coming in with 40 freshe horse, which I had gathered, altered their determination; and so I brought them to Corke to entertayne ye Lord Presydent, to whom I layve the province, in fair better termes then I found yt, for wheereas before thear was no passage in any part of ye country, now two men may passe between this and Waterford, which ys 50 myles, and in like manner to Kilmalock; neyther has theer beein any man intercepted sence Tyrone's departure; theise partes being now very quiett, and populous. I doubt not but that I should have rendred your Lordships a larger accoumpt of theise warrs, yf I had had 200 horse; but I never saw aboue thirty sence my coming, which were of companyes, for although Sir Anthony Cookes, Captain Whytes, and Captain Taffe's horse weere sett down for this province yet my Lord of Ormond sent captain Taffe's horse into Meath, and kept Sir Anthony Cookes, till they weere so spent with travell yt they could not endure any longer. I am now going to Dublyn to receave yt charge, which your Lordships in yor Honourable care towardes me, have assigned for me; from whence, how your Lordships Order shall take effect, I wilbe carefull to acquaynt your Lordships; as also, contynually of my proceedinges, and thus with my most humble duty to your Lordships, humbly submitting myselfe to your Lordships most honourable censures, I take my leaue.
Your Lordships most bounden,
Cork