From A Contemporary History Of Affairs In Ireland, 1640 to 1652 by Gilbert. The text has been rendered from archaic to modern English by the transcriber.
May it please your Excellency,
By the invincible power and force of the Scots in the north I was driven with the few creaghts and inhabitants of Ulster to repair hither into the county of Louth, waiting daily for an army out of the west to go upon his Majesty’s service against the Scots, who have joined in a late Covenant against his Crown; and although we could have provided ourselves of graze elsewhere, yet we have thought fit that this place during our being in these parts waiting for our opportunity of his Majesty’s service, would be secure enough for us from all that did adhere to his Majesty’s party and having at our coming hither compounded and agreed for three weeks grazing with the Lord Moore, giving me the assurance of his word and promise that no hurt or prejudice should be done unto any of our party by himself, or any of his garrisons during our abode or continuance here. But may it please your Excellency (notwithstanding our agreement) that Lord Moore himself in person have gathered all his tenants, farmers and boors, and the number of 40 or 50 horse and dragoons, and in a hostile manner sailed out by the break of day this morning and conveyed with him into the garrison of Slane hard upon two hundred cows, horses and mares, and killed one of our men, for what cause or pretence, in truth, my Lord, I know not, nor of any distaste given him, or any of his by any of our party; in so much as we can conceive it not otherwise then to be a vile breach of Cessation grounding only upon his ill mind, daily seducing others to violate the Cessation; he hath twice yet preyed some of our men, though I never acquainted your Excellency or the State therewith. Now, my Excellent Lord, my request is that your Excellency may be pleased if the Lord Moore do not speedily comply to your orders in making restitution of that late prey, not to be offended with us in taking of our remedy against his Lordship, in so just a cause. Thus leaving the premises unto your Excellency’s most noble consideration and so rest,
Your Excellency’s most humble and ready servant,
Owen O’Neill
Atherdee (Ardee), 17 of June, 1644.
My Lord Lieutenant
Endorsed: Colonel Owen O’Neill. Dated 17th of June, 1644.