Water, and, being then secure, turned and cannonaded the foe. At the pass of Duleek they rested for some time, and then marched towards the Nawl.

Now, for the first time since the battle commenced, the Chief of Moyriesk met Captain Forster's troop. They all appeared fatigued. Their clothes were covered with dust and stained with blood, their faces and hands besmeared with powder, and their horses were evidently quite jaded. The Chieftain embraced his relative, and said—

"Oh! how glad I am to find you have survived this terrible day. While we fought my heart rejoiced to hear your cheering voice encouraging your men, and to see our dragoons were not defeated. De Lauzun says that about 1,000 of our men have fallen, amongst whom are the Earl of Carlingford and Lord Dongan, the Marquis de Hoguencour, Viscount de Flacour, the Chevalier de Vaudry, and Sir Charles Tate; and the valiant O'Neill is mortally wounded. Our infantry, though newly raised, made, I am happy to say, the most of the bad muskets and spears with which they were supplied. The King has fled to Dublin, and taken Sarsfield's regiment of horse with him " (82).

He was here interrupted by the appearance of Donal Bran and his band, who bore every indication of having taken a desperate part in the battle. The Rapparee then informed him that during the fight himself and his men were engaged in defending the ditches near Oldbridge, that they had often fought on the front and flanks of several regiments, and that all through the battle his dismounted men were kept busy in catching the horses that had lost their riders. They also, he said, had borne a large number of the wounded to the rere, where they were carefully attended to.

After some time the army again renewed the retreat towards Dublin, and shortly after daylight on the morning of the 2nd, met the Chief of Cineal Aodh, who was escorted by a small, but well armed guard, amongst whom were Taggert and Clayton. Captain Forster commanded his troop to halt while he spoke to the Chieftain. O'Shaughnessy appeared in very indifferent health, and looked weak and melancholy.

"Why, what can have happened to you my dear, friend?" exclaimed the Captain in surprise; "has any misfortune befallen your family ?"

"I am much distressed for a few weeks past about William," replied the Chieftain, "and have only time to tell you that he has written home from France, and stated that he received some bad treatment there (83). Ever since I feel weak in spirit, but now more so than ever. We marched hard from Limerick to be in time for the battle; but, notwith

standing all our efforts, most unfortunately, we only arrive to meet our retreating and defeated army. My young friend, I feel scarcely able to move or speak. Oh! what will become of my dear children in these disturbed times, when they shall have no father to protect them ?"

"Your only course," said the Captain, "is to return at once to Gortinsiguara. We are to retreat to Limerick, Galway, and Athlone, where we must await succour from France. My troop proceeds to Limerick, and I hope soon to see you there."

"I fear we are destined never to meet again on this earth," said O'Shaughnessy, sorrowfully. "If I can reach my beloved Gortinsiguara alive, it is all I can or hope to expect. Farewell, my young friend. I need not say that I wish you every success in life, and hope our rightful cause will prosper, though I have a presentiment I will not live to see it."

The Captain now bade him an affectionate but hasty adieu, as the army was a long distance in advance, and proceeded on his way to Limerick; while the Chief of Cineal Aodh, accompanied by his party, made their way slowly towards Athlone. The increasing illness of the Chieftain compelled him to take some extra days on his journey before reaching Gortinsiguara. On the way he was overtaken by many of the Irish soldiers returning to Galway, who gave him a full account of the sanguinary battle. They related how their poor comrades, left wounded on the battle-field, were murdered in cold blood, and undressed by the ruthless Northerns in the army of the Prince of Orange, who left even the bodies of their own dead without an article of clothing to cover them, and whose thirst for blood was so insatiable that they murdered some of the neighbouring peasantry who had come to witness the battle. Also, that the garrison of Drogheda had surrendered on terms, but that the capitulation was shamefully violated by the conquerors. Others informed him that the King took shipping at Waterford for France, but that many persons expected he would soon return at the head of a large army to assert his rights.

The Chieftain endeavoured to bear his illness with fortitude, and was well attended by his faithful followers, who rode beside him until they reached Gortinsiguara-for, independently of his being their Chief, they were personally much attached to him. His spirits partially revived on beholding his native place, and his clansmen were rejoiced once more to behold their venerated Chieftain. Taggert and Clayton assisted him to dismount at the door of the Castle, and he was soon after placed in bed. The several physicians called in by the disconsolate Lady Helena considered his illness was of a fatal nature, and thought it their duty to

tell her Ladyship so, in order that she might be prepared for the worst, and the faithful Dermot Oge, who was never long absent from his bedside, wrote what he dictated as his will. The neighbouring priests who attended him prepared him for another and a better world, and he was perfectly resigned to die. His last thoughts reverted to his son, and on Friday, the 11th of July, Roger O'Shaughnessy, head of his sept and hereditary Chief of Cineal Aodh in Hy Fiachrach Aidhne, expired in the castle of his ancestors, amidst the heartrending grief and wailing of his clan (84). A multitude of relatives and friends attended his funeral, and he was interred in the ancient tomb of his family, in the old Abbey of Kilmacduach, which was founded in the seventh century by the patron of Cineal Aodh, St. Coluim, who was cousin of Guara the Hospitable, King of Connaught, from whom the deceased Chieftain was lineally descended.

Shortly after the death of her husband, Lady Helena, and her only daughter Helena, who were in profound grief, retired to Fidane Castle, which was settled on her Ladyship by her marriage settlement, and Dermot Oge continued to manage the remainder of the property for William, now Chief of Cineal Aodh, and henceforth to be styled O'Shaughnessy.

CHAPTER XIX.

ADVANCE OF THE INVADER.

THE Prince of Orange was not at all satisfied with the incompleteness of the victory he achieved at the Boyne. The conduct of the Irish officers, in that great and hotly-contested battle, was remarkable for the determined efforts which they made, over and over again, to encourage the exhausted soldiery to continue the fight. It was only such bravery as was displayed by the Irish troops during this memorable engagement that could have held out for a day against such overwhelming odds and such well-disciplined soldiers as were opposed to them, every one of whom were veterans trained in the great wars of the Continent. He did not succeed in capturing a single cannon of the only six which the Irish had, although his army poured an incessant fire from fifty pieces on the Irish breast-works and ditches; and, notwithstanding that the Irish had several standards, he could only boast of having captured two small

ones. Though his army, as already stated, was far superior in discipline and numbers to the Irish, a large portion of whom were newly raised and undisciplined, still, in proportion, he suffered nearly as great a loss in the number of his killed. He was so fearful of being attacked that he ordered his army to lie upon their arms at Duleek during the night, and to be ready at a moment's warning. Early next morning he sent a number of dragoons and foot, with eight pieces of cannon, under the command of La Mellionere, to demand the immediate surrender of Drogheda, the garrison of which town was commanded by Lord Iveagh, who was informed that if he did not at once surrender to the Prince of Orange, and acknowledge him as King, the inhabitants and garrison would be treated by William of Orange in the same way as the former inhabitants were by Oliver Cromwell. On receiving this message, Lord Iveagh, seeing the force that now surrounded the town consisted of 1,000 cavalry and 300 infantry, and that the garrison he had within the walls only numbered, at most, 1,300 low-spirited and disheartened men, having only seven pieces of iron cannon, of fourpound ball, and 700 smaller fire-arms, and that, after seeing their army defeated in sight of the town, they could not be prevailed upon by his Lordship to defend it, surrendered on condition of being allowed to march out with their arms, and of being conducted to Athlone, which was garrisoned for King James. The Royal standard of the King was then taken down from the towers of Drogheda, never to rise again, and those of the Prince of Orange raised instead! The town having been garrisoned for him, his army marched a mile or so to the south of Duleek, where they encamped for the night. On the morning of the 3rd, being informed by some of his scouts that the deposed King had fled to Waterford from Dublin, which latter city was deserted by the Irish, the Prince commanded the Duke of Ormonde to take immediate possession of the capital, which he did, having taken with him 1,000 horse for that purpose. The Prince of Orange, with his whole army, next marched to Ballybrighan, and on the 5th of the month encamped at Finglas, two miles north-west of the metropolis. On the 6th he entered Dublin, to the great satisfaction of all his adherents, but particularly Captain Farlo, the late governor, one of his most faithful followers, who had been imprisoned by the Irish garrison, but liberated after they evacuated the city. It being Sunday, the Prince of Orange attended prayers at St. Patrick's Cathedral. On the 8th, hearing of the defeat of the English and Dutch fleets, and fearing that the French might attempt an invasion of England, he determined to divide his large army, and, consesequently, despatched Lieutenant-General Douglas to besiege Athlone.

He encamped on the 9th at Cromlin, and then pushed forward to Castle Dermot, from whence he despatched Brigadier Abraham d'Eppinger, at the head of 1,000 cavalry, to reduce Wexford, who, on arriving there, found it deserted by the garrison, as they did not consider it prudent to await his arrival. On the 19th the Prince of Orange was in Kilkenny, and on the 21st proceeded to Carrick. On the morning of Tuesday, the 22nd, Major-General Kirke, in obedience to orders, proceeded to demand the surrender of the city of Waterford, which still recognised the authority of King James.

The citizens and corporation, having assembled, offered to surrender on condition of being allowed to retain their estates, and have liberty to enjoy the free and open exercise of the Catholic religion, and that the garrison, with their arms and ammunition, should be safely conducted to the nearest place garrisoned for the King. These reasonable terms being refused by the Prince of Orange, orders were given to bring up some heavy cannon and extra troops, and to make other necessary preparations for besieging the town. The garrison now asked if they would be permitted to march out with their arms, and get a safe convoy, which being granted, they were conducted, with their arms and baggage, to the town of Mallow. After the surrender of the city, on the 25th, the Prince of Orange visited it, and gave strict orders that the citizens should be treated with as much leniency as possible; after which he returned to his camp, and informed his officers of his intention of returning to England, which, he said, was necessary after the information he had received relative to the defeat of the English and Dutch fleets. Having appointed Henry, Count de Solmes, Commander-in-chief of his army in Ireland, he left the camp after prayers on Sunday, the 27th of June. When he reached Dublin, he was detained for some time in investigating several charges of plunder and murder preferred by Protestants against the men under the command of Lieutenant-General Douglas, who, since their departure to besiege Athlone, had treated the Protestants with great cruelty, notwithstanding the protections which they held from the Prince of Orange and his commanders. There were also many charges brought against Brigadier Trilawney's regiment, which the Prince ordered to be shipped for England at once, with De Schonberg's horse and Colonel Matthew's dragoons. On the 1st of August, the Prince of Orange issued a proclamation confirming a former one, and adding this clause, for the purpose of endeavouring to induce the French, Swiss, and other soldiers sent by Louis XIV. to assist the King, to desert:

:

"If any foreigners now in arms against their Majesties (William III. and Mary II.), in the Kingdom of Ireland, will submit, they shall have passes to go into their own countries, or whither else they please."