So soon as he heard I was landed, he came to me, and with mutual joy
we discoursed those things that were proper to entertain us both; and
thus, for six months, we lived so much to our satisfaction, that we
began to think of making our abode there during the war, for the
country was fertile, and all provisions cheap, and the houses good,
and we were placed in Red Abbey, a house of Dean Boyle's in Cork, and
my Lord of Ormond had a very good army, and the country seemingly
quiet; and, to complete our content, all persons were very civil to
us, especially Dean Boyle, Lord Chancellor of Ireland, and Archbishop
of Dublin and his family, and the Lord Inchiquin, whose daughter
Elkenna I christened in 1650.

But what earthly comfort is exempt from change? for here I heard of
the death of my second son, Henry, and, within a few weeks, of the
landing of Cromwell, who so hotly marched over Ireland, that the fleet
with Prince Rupert was forced to set sail, and within a small time
after he lost all his riches, which was thought to be worth hundreds
of thousands of pounds, in one of his best ships, commanded by his
brother Maurice, who with many a brave man sunk and were all lost in a
storm at sea.

We remained some time behind in Ireland, until my husband could
receive his Majesty's commands how to dispose of himself. During this
time I had, by the fall of a stumbling horse, being with child, broke
my left wrist, which, because it was ill-set, put me to great and long
pain, and I was in my bed when Cork revolted. By chance that day my
husband was gone on business to Kinsale: it was in the beginning of
November 1650. [Footnote: These events happened in November 1649.] At
midnight I heard the great guns go off, and thereupon I called up my
family to rise, which I did as well as I could in that condition.