Reported 280 Years Ago (July 24 1739): Troops march from Belfast to Armagh for review

BELFAST.

Yesterday col. Wright’s troop of dragoons, came to town, and they march’d hence this morning for Armagh, where they are to be review’d, and then they are to march to Dawson’s-bridge.

[Long running tensions between Britain and Spain were on the verge of spilling over into war.

As a consequence, huge movements of troops across Ireland were recorded, as part of the mobilisation for conflict. It is not clear from this report whether this troop was part of those preparations, but it seems likely that it was, because the News Letters at the time were crammed with information about preparations for war]

DUBLIN, July 10.

Ten officers out of the three regiments now on duty here, being order’d to raise recruits in England, Sunday and yesterday several of them embark’d accordingly.

Last week died in the county of Limerick, the rev. Dr. Burgh, chanter of Emely, and minister of Fethard in the county of Tipperary.

Last week the right hon. the lady viscountess Limerick was brought to bed of a son to the great joy of that noble family.

SCOTLAND, Edinburgh, July 3.

Yesterday the regiment late Middleton’s marched hence for Berwick, and that of major general Barril came in from the West, but last from Linlithgow, where a round scuffle happened betwixt some of them and a few of the inhabitants on Sunday night, on which occasion ‘tis said there were strange doings.

And yesternight a centinel of said corps, having got fuddled in the grass-market, beat a servant of the right hon. the earl of Stairs, &c. for which he was committed to the city guard.

We hear that several transports, with some companies of col. Guise’s regiment, arrived in Clyde from Ireland last Sunday.

LONDON, July 3.

Last Thursday the printer and publisher of the Common Sense, were taken into custody by his majesty’s messengers, for printing and publishing a paper called Common Sense on Saturday last, reflecting on his majesty’s ministry and government. And, Yesterday Mr. Purser was at the secretary of state’s office, and admitted to bail, several other persons concerned in printing and publishing the said paper,are ordered to appear at the king’s bench on the last day of this term.

[Purser published Common Sense, a Jacobite- leaning journal]

TWO extraordinary good and convenient new built Houses in Portglenone in the County of Antrim, well slated and sash’d, with Office-Houses, fit for the Habitation of any Gentleman or Merchant, with Land convenient, are to be SET for 10 Years,at a reasonable Rent, by HENRY O’HARA, Esq; at Crebilly near Ballymena, or by Anthony Kinsly at Portglennone. [Sic — as is often the case in 1739,the spelling of a word or place can be different in the same paper]