СВАР.

on the other hand, declined his Majesty's gracious XXXII. offer, who propofed that themfelves fhould nominate commiffioners to take care of all preparations. for the service of Ireland. Though pleafed with the royal condefcenfion in this inftance, they renewed their addreffes; and the king, who, mortified and distracted by contending factions, had once entertained thoughts of relinquishing the Englifh crown, and retiring to Holland, formed at. length the more fortunate refolution of committing to his queen the reins of the English government, and of leading in perfon his forces in Ireland.

1690.

Various Reftored gradually to health by wholfome food ●perations, and warm quarters, the troops of Schomberg were infpirited by the news of their fovereign's intention, and by the fucceffes of the Enniskilleners. Thefe fierce irregulars, having feized and fortified Belturbet, early in the February of 1690, proceeded thence, in the number of a thousand, under the command of the victorious Wolfey, to furprize the town of Cavan; but were unexpectedly intercepted by four thousand Jacobites, led by the duke of Berwick, detached from the main army at Ardee. The northerns, undaunted by this vaft fuperiority, made a furious onfet, drove the enemy from the field, and burst into the town. But here their irregularity might have caufed their deftruction; for, while they were occupied in plundering, the enemy rallied at the fort, and were proceeding to fall upon them in their disorder; when, forced from their

booty

booty by an effort of their commander, who found CHAP. himself obliged for that purpose to fet the town in XXXII. flames, the champions of Enniskillen were again. collected, and completed their victory with confiderable flaughter. In the mean time, with provifions and other neceffaries, arrived reinforcements to the oppofite armies; to Schomberg feven thousand Danes under the prince of Wirtemberg; to James five thoufand French under the count Laufun. In exchange for thefe, five thoufand Irish were fent to France; and James, who feems now to have relinquished the idea of depending folely on his own subjects for the recovery of his dominions, had little reason to rejoice in the exchange, as thefe auxialars contemned his authority, and their commander paid little attention to his intereft, permitting his troops to live at free quarter.

While the main armies were preparing to face each other in the field, fome fecondary operations were performed, of which two in particular were adverse to the Jacobites. The only frigate remaining to James of the mighty fleet which had formerly obeyed his orders, was, with all the veffels under her convoy, laden with merchandize for France, which had been procured by the obtrusion of base coin, captured in the bay of Dublin by Sir Cloudefly Shovel, who had failed for this purpose from Belfast. The unfortunate monarch had the mortification of being a spectator on this occafion; for, imagining the cannonade, heard from fea, to be caufed by fome of his fubjects of England returning to their VOL. II. allegiance,

K

CHAP. allegiance, he had ridden haftily to the fhore at the XXII head of his guards. The fortrefs of Charlemount,

which had been confidered by Schomberg, in his progrefs toward the fouth, in the foregoing year, as too ftrong to be attempted, was in the following fpring attacked by Caillemote, a gallant French officer in the fervice of William, who, taking post on the river Blackwater, ftreightened the garrifon, which was afterwards invefted with a clofer fiege. A vigorous defense was made by Sir Taig O'Regan, the governor, a good officer, though of rude manners, who returned no other anfwer to the summons than these words," the old knave Schomberg fhall not have this castle." Five hundred men, bringing a finall supply of ammunition and provisions to the garrifon, gained an entrance to the fortrefs with little oppofition; but were, in their attempts to return, repeatedly driven back. Enraged at their want of fuccefs, and dreading a failure of provisions from fo many mouths, the governor fwore that they muft either force their way through the enemy, or remain expofed outfide of the caftle; and they were obliged to make their lodging on the counterfcarp and dry ditch within the palifadoes. Famine at length compelled a furrendry. O'Regan parleyed; and, by fhewing to the English envoy a number of cafks, apparently full of provifions, yet containing none, except a thin layer deceptiously placed at top, he impofed a belief of his being able to fuftain a much longer fiege, and was thereby permitted to march from the place with all the honours of war.

The

XXXII.

The army of Schomberg received fresh reinforce- CHAP. ments of English and Dutch troops, of Brandenburgers from Germany, and was at last rejoiced by the arrival of king William himself, who landed at Carrickfergus on the fourteenth of June in the year 1690.

СНАР. ХХХIII.

CHAP.

of William.

1690.

Progrefs of king William-Proceedings of king James -Reconnoitering at the Boyne-William woundedBattle of the Boyne-Flight of James-State of Dublin--Proceedings of William- -Foreign tranfactions-Proceedings of the catholicsProgress of William-Reduction of the south eastern towns-Repulfe of Douglas at Athlone-Defcription of Limerick--Attack of Limerick-Artillery deftroyed by Sarfefield-Storming of LimerickRepulfe-Return of William from Ireland--His

character.

HAVING received by Walker an address from XXXIII. the northern clergy, and published a proclamation Progrefs to fupprefs lawless violence, king William advanced without delay from Belfast, by Lisburne, to Hillsborough. Here a yearly penfion of twelve hundred pounds, which was afterwards inferted in the civil lift, and made payable from the exchequer, was granted, by his warrant, out of the customs of Belfast, to the diffenting clergy of Ulfter, of whom not a few had exerted a zeal and courage against the jacobites, and all had suffered by the calamity of

war.