ON Saturday last the Dartmouth Frigate left the Lough before London-Derry , being sent by Major-General Kirk , and Yesterday Morning she came into Hylake , and confirm'd the happy News of the Relief of London-Derry , that Day she came away .

The Circumstances were , That Major-General Kirk having an Account sent him out , that the Town was in most miserable Distress , and by no means capable of holding out above one Week longer , and that they had for some considerable time before , fed upon Cats , Dogs , Raw-Hides , and the like ; and of that sort of Provision very scarce : And that there had already perished in the Town for want , and Sickness occasioned thereby , several hundreds of Souls : And that there was not in the Town then well , above three Thousand fighting Men . The Major-General resolved to hazard the loss of all for its Relief , sent three Ships with Provision , Ammunition , and four hundred Men to break the Boom , and on that side relieve it by Water , which God was pleased to bless with desired Success ; for one of them fitted for that purpose running upon the Boome , at one Streak made entrance for the rest to follow ; however not without annoyance from the Forts , who destroyed some of their Men . In the mean time the Major-General resolved to try his Fortune by Land , and in order thereunto , at low Water , in three distinct Battalions , marched all the Forces he had got together in the Isle of Inch , into the Isle of Enniskilling , wherein Derry stands ; which the Papists perceiving , did not think fit to try Kirk's Kindness , but forthwith set all they were possessed of ( which they could not carry with them ) on Fire , and run away by the light of it , over Claudiford , to the rest of their Party on the other side , and left Kirk way clear , without Resistance , to march into Derry . But those brave Soules , tho almost famished , perceiving their Intent and Motion , resolved to pay their way , to those Cowardly and Bloody Men , and upon their Retreate Issued out of the Town , and with that Force and Bravery fell upon them , that they Kil'd more then their own Number , and put them into such Consternation that many of their Enemies were drowned by their hast to get over the River .

While these were in this Flight , their other Party , on the otherside of the River , blew up the Fort , and as the others had done before , set all on fire and so marched thence with the loss of 20000 Men , ( as is believed ) since their first sitting down before that Invincible place ; which must needs be conceived purely to be preserved by Divine Providence only ; when in killing so many of their Enemy , they had not kill'd of the Town above 50 Persons ; but all the loss they have had , has been for want , and by Sickness : But the greatest Providence was , that when all Relief had failed them , and those poor Souls reduced to the brink of Extremity , that God was pleased to make , even their very Enemies most mischeivous Designs produce Food , out of their fiery Engines , to feed those poor Distressed and Starving Persons ; thus when they were even just ready to fall upon and Eat one another rather than fall into their Enemies Hands ; A Bomb , shot by the Enemy into the Town , fell into the house of a Papist , and , as if designed by Heaven , tore with that Violence that none before ever had done there , till it at length found out and made way into a larg Vault , long before fill'd , and made privately up , with Provision , by ( as it s thought ) their late Governour Lundee ; wherein they thus found ( before they got any other in their greatest Extremity ) Provision enough to enable them to hold out a Month longer , than through Mercy they found occasion for .

It is worthy Observation , that by the account they had in Dublin of the Raising the Siege of Derry 2 Days before it was done , which I before sent you that it was Intended , tho not then done , for fear of an Invasion from England . There hath been 5 or 6 other Acts past in Ireland , besides what I sent you last ; of which these are Part , 1st . To take away the benefit of the Clergy from Thieves and Robbers . 2d . To seize the effects of all Absentees . 3d . To take away St. Andrews Church in Dublin , as being built upon Absentees Land . So well doth King James keep his Word in preserving the Church of England .

The Papists that were prison'd in this Town , in the Castle , upon some new ploting found among them , are sent from thence to a other Prison in the City . And the Mayor of Liverpool with 3 or 4 others in that place are suspected , and some say Apprehended and taken into Custody , for some undue practices and Contrivances against the Government .

Food was so scarce at London-Derry , that a Dogs-head was sold for seven Shillings .