Folios 100-107. Letter dated at Lisburn from the Duke of Schomberg to the King that...

Folios 100-107. Letter dated at Lisburn from the Duke of Schomberg to the King that the arrival of the Danish troops now will increase the difficulties of finding sufficient provisions to support the army; Sir John Lanier says there is no forage at Ballyshannon and the roads so bad that horses have difficulty in going along them; rather than keep the Danish cavalry laid by until the spring as proposed by the King, Schomberg suggests that two or three months would be gained by leaving them near Chester; he has kept the forage in County Antrim to be preserved for the Danish cavalry because that is the nearest and best place for their disembarkation; he agrees with the King's suggestion to send the Danish infantry to join Trelawny's which is to come over with Berkeley's squadron; that he sent the King a long letter by John Davids, but Davids died at Chester; nothing has happened since his last letter but an enemy attack on the the bridge at Newry by Major Boislott (Boisseleau) with 1,500 men which was repulsed with slight loss; has sent 150 men of Melonière's [Huguenot] regiment and 25 horse to Newry; King James has sent back a French lieutenant taken prisoner near Dundalk who was questioned very fully as to the state of the newly raised English regiments and who, on his return, has given information about King James's forces mentioning Dublin, Drogheda, Lord Dover, Count de Lauzun, the Queen's, Seaux, and Grandmont's [Gramont] regiments, Mr Rose and the Earl of Tyrconnel; as ordered has arrested Shales and Van Humery has arrived to replace him but does not carry the King's orders to have Harboard's money and is incapable of such a charge; if, as said, Robisson [Robinson] is to be sent; he will find plenty to do if he does not have help in attending to the transports, the artillery, the hospital, and the payment of the officers whose accounts are not yet settled; Harboard says he is going to England to obtain money and to give in his accounts. Schomberg says he shall find himself very much embarrassed by the troops who are accustomed to be paid a week in advance; that the regiments are very much diminished here on account of the little attention paid to them by the colonels; Roscommon is dead at Chester and his regiment in a very bad condition and Lord Lisburn's is yet worse; suggests these two regiments ought to be incorporated in a third and no further employment given to Lisburn; his is a dangerous tongue in the army; why neither he nor Harboard are in favour of 'My lords Irlandois' scheme to recruit from men of this country; arrangements for supplying the slight losses of men and horses in the cavalry; hopes the King will arrange for the payment of the officers, many of whom make excuses for returning to England; refers to his own health and his visit to London to take advice; hopes he may be able to return to Ireland before the following May. December 7. Schomberg's suggestions regarding the army's winter quarters; thereupon; notes that Monsieur de Scravenmoer ought not to be commanded by Mr Douglas [?Lieutenant-General James Douglas] whom Schomberg has not found very capable, but as he [?Douglas] is very proud perhaps he would not like to serve in this army where he is not popular with the English.