ABSTRACT
The original edition of this pamphlet which appeared in print in 1676 deals with the period in which William O’Brien, Second Earl of Inchiquin (1675–1680) served as governor of Tangier. It was reprinted, not incidentally, in 1680 when the affairs of the colony drew wide and intense public interest in England. Inchiquin, who arrived in Tangier in June 1675 to take up his post, comes off well in this account despite the disastrous incident which occurred during the first months of his term. Hoping to procure some cattle for the famished garrison, he had given orders for a party to raid the territory in the vicinity of Tangier. A detachment of the raiding party was attacked by Moroccan cavalry resulting in the death of 134 men. 1 It may strike one as ironic that, notwithstanding this debacle, Inchiquin receives generous words of praise from the author who is none other than his secretary, George Philips. 2 Nevertheless, it has to be remembered that Philips’ account was originally a private letter addressed to the Lord Chancellor of Ireland, Michael Boyle, Inchiquin’s own uncle-in-law. 3
