XXX. СНАР. was called "a fecret intention," enjoining them to ftand ready armed to obey their orders; and as a friar had preached at Derry on the destruction of the Amalekites by Saul, emphatically depicting the iniquity of fparing those whom the divine ven- · geance had devoted to excifion, this and other letters of the like import, conveyed to gentlemen of Ulfter, whether they were the contrivance of artifice, or the effect of credulity, produced a great and furprising perturbation. In a moment the capital became a scene of uproar and distraction: the guards of the lord-deputy were ftruck with astonishment: the draw bridge of the caftle was raised, while a tumultuous crowd of both fexes and all ages rushed precipitately to the fhore imploring to be conveyed away from the daggers of the Irish. In vain were two lords difpatched by Tyrconnel to affure them of protection their remonftrances were drowned in fhrieks and clamour. An unusual number of veffels, which happened then to lie in the harbour, were filled with fugitives, who crowded on board in an ecstacy of terrour and impatience, leaving their lefs fuccefsful friends in a ftate of defpair and ftupefaction. A fimilar effect was produced elsewhere throughout Ireland, particularly in fome places where the intelligence was not received till the very day stated to be the appointed time of maffacre. Starting from their devotion, they fled in amazement, leaving all their property to the mercy XXX. mercy of the catholics. Some gained places of CHAP. ftrength, others the coaft, and an opportunity of escape by fea. In the northern counties they collected what arms they could, and refolved on defence. СНАР. CHA P. XXXI. XXXI. Defcription Defcription of Derry--Refiftance of this townProteftant affociations-Treachery of Hamilton and Tyrconnel-Proceedings of the protestants-Conduct of Lundy-Proceedings of James-George Walker -Proceedings at Derry- -Siege of Derry Appearance of Kirk-Character of Kirk-Atrocious cruelty of Rofen-Relief of Derry- -Operations of the Enniskilleners- -Defeat of lord Galmoy-His treachery-Three armies fent against Enniskillen— Defeat of Sarsfield-Retreat of Fitzjames-Defeat of Macarthy near Newtown-Butler. This CHAP. IN the perturbation and flight of the protestants, occafioned by the letters mentioned in the foregoing of Derry. chapter, the principal place of refuge in the northern province was the city of Derry, new named, in the time of James the firft, Londonderry. city ftands on a fingularly fituate hill, infulated and of an oval form, which rifes from the bottom of a valley, on the western fide of the river Foyle, whose waters wash its foot through more than half its extent, and form with the bafon, called logh Foyle, an excellent harbour. This beautiful town, confpicuous by its fituation and the lofty fpire of its church, XXXI. church, is hardly an English mile in circuit within CHAP. the wall, in which are four gates, whence run the four main streets, meeting near the fummit of the hill, in a square called the Diamond, where stands the exchange. The highest point of the ground is near Bishop's gate, where in latter times has been erected a triumphal arch with an equeftrian ftatue of king William the third, The wall was firm, and ftrengthened by baftions, but totally infufficient to refift the attacks of a regular army, particularly fince the town is commanded by hills. The communication of the city with the county of its name, formerly maintained by a ferry, has been rendered more commodious, in the latter part of the eighteenth century, by a wooden bridge, conftructed by Lemuel Coxe, an American artist, eleven hundred and fixty-eight feet long, forty broad, supported by upright piers fifty-eight feet in length, and furnished with a draw-bridge, twenty-five feet wide, for the paffage of veffels. 1688. On the first alarm of an invafion of England by Refiftance the prince of Orange, Tyrconnel had withdrawn the of Derry. garrifon of this town, a garrifon agreeable to the citizens, as confifting of a well difciplined regiment, moftly proteftant, commanded by lord Mountjoy, fon of primate Boyle, Soon fenfible of the overfight of leaving this poft in the hands of the townfmen, the lord-deputy had fent thither the earl of Antrim's regiment, compofed entirely of Romanifts, Irish and Scottish Highlanders, twelve hundred in number. At the moment when the citizens had received intelligence of the intended maffacre, and were deliberating CHAP. liberating on measures for their fafety, they were XXXI. alarmed to the highest pitch by a letter from Lima vady, a village twelve miles diftant, giving them an account of the arrival there of the deftined garrifon on its march, a body of men of a terrible appearance, tall, ferocious in afpect, turbulent in demeanour, and followed by a diforderly crowd of women and children. In the midft of tumult, perturbation, and difcordant counfels, when fubmiffion feemed to be the general defign, when two officers had entered the city to provide quarters, and an advanced party appeared within three hundred yards of the ferrygate, nine young men of the populace drew their fwords in a paroxyfm of ardour, fnatched the keys of the city, raised the draw-bridge, locked the ferrygate, were foon joined by numbers of their own rank, fecured the other gates, and seized the magazine. The enthufiafm of the nineyouths, communicated immediately to the populace, foon pervaded all ranks; and the citizens, reinforced by a conflux from the country, refolved on defenfe, choofing Philips for their governor, who had fent them the intelligence from Limavady. While Cairnes, the principal person among them, was commiffioned to represent their fituation in London, and to folicit fuccours from the prince of Orange, the magiftrates and graver citizens addreffed the lord-deputy, through the medium of Mountjoy, afcribing the exclufion of the king's troops to the ungovernable fury of the populace, frantic by the fears of maffacre; and declaring their refolution to confine. themselves to the defense of their lives against a lawless |