An Irish colonel, of the name of Richard Grace, after serving Charles I till the surrender of Oxford, withdrew to Ireland, where he continued to maintain the cause of Charles II as long as any part of that island held out for him. When the royal cause became hopeless, Grace had still influence enough with the predominant party to obtain permission to carry along with him into the Spanish service, a regiment of his own countrymen, consisting of twelve hundred men. The colonel procured a very honourable and favourable engagement for himself and his men, from the Spanish government; but as soon as they arrived in Spain, the Spaniards forgot all their promises, and used them so ill, that before they reached Catalonia, they were reduced to one half of their original number. Notwithstanding this cruel treatment, Grace and his Irish followers served in the Spanish army with great reputation, till the end of the campaign of 1656; when they were left to garrison a castle on the frontiers, of considerable importance. Colonel Grace reflecting here on the ill usage which he had received, and was still likely to receive; and learning, at the same time, how differently several Irish regiments in the French service were treated, he felt strongly tempted to go and join them; but though the Spaniards had broken their engagements with him, he had too much regard to his own character, to quit them in any other but the fairest and most honourable manner. He sent a message to Marshal D’Hocquincourt, who, at that time, commanded the French army in Catalonia, to let him know, that on a certain day named, he would march off with his regiment, and join him on these conditions; that his regiment should be upon the same footing with the Irish regiments then in the French service; and that they should be permitted to go and serve their own king, whenever his affairs required their service. These conditions were readily assented to by the French Marshal, who added the most tempting offers to Colonel Grace, to induce him to deliver up the castle at the same time. Grace, however, would not on any account consent to such a breach of faith; and would only allow the marshal to have a party of horse in waiting near the castle, to cover his retreat. When the day appointed for the evacuation arrived, Colonel Grace sent to the commander of the nearest Spanish garrison, and gave him notice of his intention, in order that he might instantly despatch some of his men, to take possession of the castle as he marched out of it, warning him, at the same time, not to send more than two hundred, for in case he gave him any reason to suspect that he intended to betray him, he would give up the castle to the French. The Spaniards did not offer to infringe this condition; and as soon as their detachment of two hundred approached the place, Grace permitted them to enter at one gate, while he marched out at the other, and went off to the French, who were waiting for him.