Folios 138-141. Letter dated at Lisburn from the Duke of Schomberg to the King. Acknowledges...

Folios 138-141. Letter dated at Lisburn from the Duke of Schomberg to the King. Acknowledges the King's despatch of December 16/26 which intimates that the season is too far advanced to send Trelawny, with the troops, to Cork, and that lie would send the Danish infantry to fortify the quarters in Ireland. Sickness begins to diminish among the troops in Ireland. Wishes to see the Dutch method of payment of officers adopted. Lord Lisburn's regiment which is the weakest, is made to appear strong on its muster, by mixing Irish in it. I told him of your intention not to mix Irish with the English regiments, but to put the Irish into the Enniskillen and Londonderry regiments only. Lord Lisburn's behaviour is not good; he spends his life in playing and drinking and a little wine affects him; after this he talks too freely. You have given him leave to go to England and it would be better to keep him there and put his regiment into other hands. Your orders as to the regiments to be disbanded ('à reformer') shall be carried out. By the advice of Scravenmoer, Kirke, and Lanier, I have put Drogheda's regiment with Gower's, and given the former the command of it. The troops raised in Ireland may only be counted as 'so many Croats, in battle they will think only of plunder'. Harboard experienced this, for, happening to fall from his horse, five or six Enniskillen troopers began to strip and rob him, though he said who he was. His [Harboard's] departure, leaving us without money, is most serious. I am going to try and borrow money from your custom-houses whose revenue begins to be considerable. Remarks on his own regiment which he desires to augment by four companies, one to be of mounted fusileers of which the command would be given to St. Sauveur who has done well at Sligo, which would keep him here; he desires to quit the company of Melonniere's grenadiers, and to go and serve in the Valleys. Lanier's regiment, and those of others, contain nine companies; the increase in number proposed will not increase 'l'etat du payement d'Irlande.' Since I came here I have saved you 3,000l. upon the artillery and the same upon the contingent money. Repairs must be made in the fortifications of Carrickfergus, the most important place on the north coast, and a very commodious post for England and Scotland.