Derry and Enniskillen in 1689

WILLIAM AND MARY PROCLAIMED.--March 11th, 1689.

Early in March the news arrived that the Committee of Estates in England had voted King James's desertion of the kingdom as an abdication, and had acknowledged William and Mary as joint sovereigns. Upon the receipt of this news, the town took immediate action. On the 11th of March, William and Mary were proclaimed at Enniskillen with all joy and solemnity, and the inhabitants pledged their allegiance to the new King and Queen.

Colonel Lundy was then regarded as Commander-in-chief of the Williamite forces in the North-west of Ulster; and, not long after the proclamation, a letter from him was received at Enniskillen, enclosing a copy of Osborne's letter of the 9th of March, addressed to Lord Mount-Alexander, which was in the same terms substantially as that of the same date addressed to Sir Arthur Rawdon and already given.[19] Accompanying this was a copy of the following letter from the Gentlemen of the North-east, addressed to Lundy, and dated at Loughbrickland, March 9th, 1688/9:--

"SIR,--Since our last to you, dated the 6th, we have this day received the enclosed; and Mr. Osborne was here himself and confirms the contents with several circumstances, which persuades us of the truth of it, and therefore we most earnestly entreat you to march up towards Newry, with all possible diligence, with what men you can, and with as much provisions and necessaries as can be carried; and let us know by express of their march and their numbers. --We remain, your humble Servants,

"MOUNT-ALEXANDER.
JAMES HAMILTON.
WILLIAM CUNNINGHAM.
RICHARD JOHNSTON.
MAR. MIDLETON.

"Sir, you are desired to give notice to all friends.

"To the Hon. Colonel Lundy, in Derry."[20]

Accompanying these enclosures was a letter from Lundy himself, addressed to the Gentlemen of the County Fermanagh.

[19] See p. 62. In the letter to Mount-Alexander, the greater part of the last paragraph is omitted.--Further Account, p. 27.

[20] Further Account, p. 26.