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SCANDINAVIAN ANTIQUITIES OP DUBLIN. 229
Dublin against an enemy approaching from the sea, and APPENDIX.
derives a further local interest from the means which it
affords for contrasting the then state of the harbour of
Dublin with its present condition.
And first as to the causes prompting the design of
fortifying Dublin from an attack by sea at this particular
period.
The defenceless state of the chief ports of England and Alarm at the
I)u!^h raid in
Ireland had been forced upon the attention of Government the Thames,
shortly before, in consequence of the success of the Dutch A
fleet, which entered the Thames in 16G7 ; and after breaking
a chain drawn across the mouth of the Medway, took
Sheerness and Chatham, and having burned the English
ships of war stationed there, sailed out again with scarcely
any loss. This successful invasion spread alarm throughout
the kingdom, and the consternation was so great in London
that nine ships were sunk at Woolwich, and four at Black-
wall, to prevent the Dutch from sailing up to London-bridge
and destroying the city.
In these circumstances Sir Martin Beckman and Sir
of Merrion, second viscount, having
won the favour of Cromwell,
was ordered a restoration of his
estates though a devoted Catholic
and Royalist; and the Ringsend
fort being found, on 1 1th October,
1655, on a reference to Attorney-
General Basil (A. 8. 224), to be
built on part of his estate of
Merrion and Thorncastle, and not
necessary to be continued as a fort
(A. 9, 167), he had liberty on 19th
February, 1656, to demolish the
four bulwarks of the fort, under-
taking to bring into the stores all
the iron work belonging to the
drawbridge upon demolishing the
fort, and for his charges therein
the [other]
materials to be at his
disposal as was desired (A. 86, p.
143). Books of the Commissioners
of the Parliament of England for
Ireland ; Record Tower, Dublin
Castle. But such hindrances were
given to his getting Back his lands,
first by the Cromwelliams ^27th
October, 1658, A. 30, p. 328), and
after the King's Restoration by the
Forty-nine Officers (Protestants),
that it was not until the passing of
the Act of Explanation 23rd
December. 1655, containing a
special
enactment in his favour
(sec. 67), that he could have got a
secure possession; and thus had
no opportunity probably to demolish
the fort.]