Common· wealth· 1'649· \...r"""' WhitJ.p. 434· ne HIs T 0 R y of the PuRITANS. VoL. II. ly befieged by the duke of Ormond with twenty thoufand men, but the garrifon being recruited with three regiments from England, the governor colonel 'james, furprized the befiegers, and after a vigorous fally il:ormed their camp, and routed the whole army, which difperfed itfelf into Drog. beda, and other fortified places. CRoMWELL upon his arrival, was re– €eived with the acclamations of a vafl: concourfe of people, to whom he addreiTed himfelf from a riling ground, with hat in hand, in a foldier -like manner, telling them " he was come to cut down and deil:roy the bar- . "· barous and blood-thiril:y iri/h, with all their adherents ; but that all " who were for the protefiant religion, and the liberties of their country, '' lhould find fuitable encouragement from the parliament ofEngland and ''- himfelf, in proportion to their merits. Having refref11ed · his forces he marched diretl:ly to Drogbeda, which was garrifoned with 2 soo foot and 300 hor.fe, and was therefore thought capable of holding out a month.; but the general negleCting. the common forms of approach, battered the walls with his cannons, and having made two accefiible breaches, like an impetuous conqueror, entered the town in perfon at the head of colonel Ewer's regiment of foot, and put all the garrifon to the fword. From thence he marched to We:iford, which he took likewife by il:orm, and af– ter the example of Drogheda, put the garrifon to the fword ; the g.eneral declaring, that he would Jacrifice all the iriili papifis to the ghofts of the engliili proteftants ~vhom they had m'!/facred in cold blood. The conqueft of thefe places firuck fuch a terror .into the reil:, that they furrendered upon the firfl: fummons; the name of Cromwell carrying viCl:ory on its wings before himfelf appeared, the whole country was reduced by the middle of May, except Limerick, Galloway, and one or two other places, which Jreton took the following fummer. Lord lnchequin deferted the remains of the royal army, and Ormond fled into France. . Lieutenant-general Cromwell being called home to march againfl: the Jcots, arrived at London about the middle of May, and was received by the parliament and city with difiinguifhed refpeCt and honour, as a foldier who had gained more laurels, and done more wonders in nine months, than any age or hiJtory could parallel. 'Tis a remarkable account the lieutenant-general gives in one of his letters, of the behaviDur of the army after their arrival in Ireland; " their " diligence courage and behaviour is fuch (fays he), through the provi. " dence of God, and firiCt care of the chief officers, that never men did " obey orders more chearfully, nor go upon duty more couragioully. " Never did greater harmony and refolution appear to profecute this caufe "of God, than in this army. Such a confent ofheart·and hands; fuch " a fympathy of affeCtions, not only incarnal but in fp,iritual bonds, whi~h z " ues
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