twenty-feventh, against the counterfcarp and two towers on each fide the breach. Five hundred grenadiers, leaping from the fartheft angle of the trenches, ran toward the counterfcarp, and, diflodging the enemy in the midst of a tremendous fire, purfued even to the breach, and many of them ac tually entered the town, while the Irish fled in confufion from the walls. But thofe, who had been thus too impetuously carried forward by their ardour within the city, were overwhelmed by the rallying foe, fo that few could effect their retreat unwounded, while the regiments, destined to support them, had, according to orders, halted at the counterfcarp. The Irish rufhed with fury to the breach and elsewhere to the walls; the women mingling with the men and throwing ftones at the affailants. A regiment of Brandenburghers drove the befieged from a battery, but were unfortunate in their fuccess, for most of them were flain by an accidental explosion. After an inceffant fire of great and small arms for three hours, when five hundred of William's men were killed, and above a thoufand defperately wounded, he ordered a retreat. On the following day, demanding a truce for the interment of the dead, he was haughtily refused by the governor. The English were ardent for another affault; but the king, fearing farther lofs and delay in an advanced season, in a country where the roads might foon be rendered impaffable to artillery by rain, ordered the fiege to be raised; and his troops retired flowly without moleftation. Here too as at Athlone,

CHAP.

XXXIII.

the

CHAP. the army was attended by a mournful train of proXXXIII. teftants, abandoning their dwellings, deftitute of

CharaЯer

William.

fhelter for themfelves and children, and expofed to the indifcriminate ravages of the foldiery, but a foldiery reftrained to rules of better conduct by the prefence of their king, who was feverely attentive to falutary difcipline.

Some catholic writers, in their zeal against herefy, have moft fhamefully traduced the conduct of William, by charging him with deeds of cruelty in his retreat from Limerick, as contrary to his wellknown character as to facts the best authenticated. While his army lay at Clonmel, he proceeded to Waterford, and embarked for England at Duncannon, leaving the command of his forces to count Solmes and Ginckle, and the care of his civil government to two lords juftices, lord Sidney and Thomas Coningsby, with a blank in their commiffion to be filled up by a third name. Thus ended in Ireland the perfonal command of this great prince, the main object of whofe ambition was the independence of Europe, and who, as the friend of mankind, is known by indubitable records to have been favoured privately with the alliance of even the Pope against James, whofe narrowness of foul would, in the indulgence of his bigotry, for Roman forms of religion, have permitted France to enflave all the neighbouring nations. The character of William, which is justly revered by the proteftants of Ireland, and ought to be reverenced even by fuch catholics as are fenfible of the value of political free

dom,

dom, is thus truly given by Somerville in his Politi- CHAP. cal Tranfactions. "In the character of William we XXXIII. turn our eyes to sterling merit, naked and unadorned; to stern integrity, incorruptible patriotism, undaunted magnanimity, unfhaken fidelity; but no Iplendid dress or gaudy trapping to arreft the attention of the fuperficial obferver. A deliberate effort of the understanding is neceffary to perceive and eftimate its deferts."

CHAP.

CHAP. XXXIV.

СНАР.

Marlbe

Reduction of Cork and Kinfale by the earl of Marlborough--Departure of the French--Rapparees -Civil regulations-Battle of the moat of Grenoge -State of affairs of the Irish-Military operations -Attack of Athlone-Defperate paffage of the ford Flight of Saint-Ruth-Proceedings of GinckleBattle of Aghrim-Death of Saint-Ruth-Defeat of the Irish-Siege of Galway-Affairs of the IrishDeath of Tyrconnel--Siege of Limerick--False report concerning Luttrel-Capitulation-Condition of prifoners-Articles of Limerick -EmigrationEnnoblement of Ginckle and Rouvigny.

CHAIV. BEFORE William had relinquished his enterprise against Limerick, a propofal made by John Churchil, rough's ex- earl of Marlborough, afterwards fo renowned, unpedition. 1690. der the title of duke, in the reign of queen Anne, for the reduction of Cork and Kinfale, was accepted, by which the French would be excluded from intercourse with the Irish ports in the fouth, and the West-Indian traffic of England rendered more fecure. The earl, failing from Portsmouth with a body of five thousand men, effected his landing near Cork with little oppofition, on the twenty-firft of Septem

ber,

1

XXXIV.

ber, and was foon joined by nine hundred cavalry CHAP. under Sgravenmore, and afterwards by four thoufand foot under the prince of Wirtemberg, detached to his affiftance by Ginckle, on whom had devolved the chief command by the departure of count Solmes. Cork ftands at the bottom of an extensive hollow, or wide valley, on the river Lee, built on a cluster of low marfhy ilands in the river and on the floping banks on both fides, ten miles from the ocean, near the inner end of a gulf, in great part occupied by ilands, which forms one of the finest harbours in the world. At the time of this attack the city was far lefs in extent than at present, furrounded by marshes and branches of the Lee. The earl had made fuccefsful approaches before the arrival of Wirtemberg, who, by infifting on the chief command in virtue of his title, while the earl reminded him that he was only a leader of auxiliaries, raised a dispute which threatened to defeat the enterprise, till, by the mediation of La Mellionere, a prudent French officer, the two leaders agreed to hold alternately the chief place. By the politenefs of the earl, who, commanding on the first day, gave "Wirtemberg" for the word, the prince was in fome degree conciliated, who in his turn gave "Marlborough."

When, on the effecting of a breach, and preparations made for an affault, the governor parleyed, the earl infifted on the furrendry of the garrifon as prifoners of war, the prince on the granting of more favourable terms. The dispute continued until the marsh,

through