found that he made no impression upon the castle, while the fire from the town killed his best gunner and his captain of artillery, and did much damage to his batteries. The Irish guns were better served and directed.

Douglas now made an effort to pass the river some miles above the town to the north, and sent a strong detachment of horse and mounted grenadiers to Lanesborough. But they found the pass occupied by an Irish detachment; they were beaten back, and forced to return to camp. It was next proposed to pass the river at a ford a short distance from the bridge, and drive the Irish from the field works which covered this pass. But after debating the proposition, it was ascertained that the works were strong and the ford dangerous, and that there were few disposed to lead the way in so hazardous an enterprise. It was given up in despair. To add to the embarrassment of the besiegers, news was brought that Sarsefield was marching at the head of fifteen thousand men to cut off their retreat from Athlone.

It does not appear that there was any foundation for this report. It was invented probably to serve as an excuse for abandoning the siege; or set afloat by the inhabitants of the country to get rid of their unwelcome visitors. The Protestant inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood had, previous to the arrival of Douglas,

lived in quiet and security upon the faith of Irish protections with which they had been furnished by Grace the governor. Immediately on the appearance of the British force they had renounced the benefit of those protections, and joined the besiegers, in full confidence that the town would be speedily taken. They were furnished with British protections in place of their Irish ones.

The condition of these poor people during the siege and afterwards was very deplorable. Their British protections proved to be mere waste paper. During the continuance of the siege they were plundered without mercy by their new friends; and when the siege was raised, they were forced to accompany this Protestant banditti, to which they were a prey, and from whom they could not now escape, having renounced all claim to their Irish protection, and given the enemy during the siege all the inform ation and assistance in their power towards the capture of the place.

Douglas now raised the siege, and commenced his retreat with a precipitation that soon became a flight. In his terror of being cut off he abandoned all his heavy baggage; and lest he should fall in with Sarsfield, he quitted the high road, and struggled to make his way through broken and unfrequented routes, which added to the

found that he made no impression upon the castle, while the fire from the town killed his best gunner and his captain of artillery, and did much damage to his batteries. The Irish guns were better served and directed.

Douglas now made an effort to pass the river some miles above the town to the north, and sent a strong detachment of horse and mounted grenadiers to Lanesborough. But they foundthe pass occupied by an Irish detachment; they were beaten back, and forced to return to camp. It was next proposed to pass the river at a ford a short distance from the bridge, and drive the Irish from the field works which co

vered this pass. But after debating the propo

sition, it was ascertained that the works were strong and the ford dangerous, and that there were few disposed to lead the way in so hazardous an enterprise. It was given up in despair. To add to the embarrassment of the besiegers, news was brought that Sarsefield was marching at the head of fifteen thousand men to cut off their retreat from Athlone.

It does not appear that there was any foundation for this report. It was invented probably to serve as an excuse for abandoning the siege; or set afloat by the inhabitants of the country to get rid of their unwelcome visitors. The Protestant inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood had, previous to the arrival of Douglas,

lived in quiet and security upon the faith of Irish protections with which they had been furnished by Grace the governor. Immediately on the appearance of the British force they had renounced the benefit of those protections, and joined the besiegers, in full confidence that the town would be speedily taken. They were furnished with British protections in place of their Irish ones.

The condition of these poor people during the siege and afterwards was very deplorable. Their British protections proved to be mere waste paper. During the continuance of the siege they were plundered without mercy by their new friends; and when the siege was raised, they were forced to accompany this Protestant banditti, to which they were a prey, and from whom they could not now escape, having renounced all claim to their Irish protection, and given the enemy during the siege all the inform ation and assistance in their power towards the capture of the place.

Douglas now raised the siege, and commenced his retreat with a precipitation that soon became a flight. In his terror of being cut off he abandoned all his heavy baggage; and lest he should fall in with Sarsfield, he quitted the high road, and struggled to make his way through broken and unfrequented routes, which added to the

length and hardships of the march. Thus terminated the first siege of Athlone.

Meantime the king had been hastening his arrangements in Dublin previous to his march towards Limerick. He suppressed King James's copper money by proclamation; but it does not appear that he considered himself bound, by his succeeding to the government, to discharge the debts incurred by James's administration.

James had promised to pay his copper tokens when presented at his Exchequer. But instead of doing so, he merely gave the bearer an acknowledgment, in the nature of a debenture, for the sum paid in. This debenture was signed by his Chancellor of the Exchequer, and was to bear interest; and several of them are still in existence.

Great efforts had been made since William's arrival in Ireland to revive the old game of forfeitures, and to inoculate the king with a taste for this stimulating enjoyment; and not, it appears, without some success. The phlegm of the Dutch prince was as little proof against the sweet seduction as Cromwell's piety or fanaticism had been. And, like this bold adventurer, he was compelled to give liberally to his dependents, in order to entitle himself to a large share. William was induced to issue a "commission of forfeited lands, and other forfeitures." commissioners were the Bishop of Meath, Lord

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