XXXI.

CHAP. danger. The anxiety of the befieged was roufed to the highest pitch, while the befiegers rushed ardently to their batteries on the shore to prevent the paffage of the veffels, which confifted of two fhips loaded with provifions, and the Dartmouth frigate, their guardship. Where the lake narrowed into the harbour of the city, the shore was lined with artillery; and a boom, formed of strong timber, joined by iron chains, and ftrengthened with thick cables, extended across the channel between two oppofite Batteries. While the befiegers poured a tremendous fire of cannon and musketry on the ships, which was answered with all their might by the crews, the foremost of the victuallers ftruck with velocity against the boom, and broke it, but, rebounding with violence, ran aground. The befieged on the crowded walls wereftruck with dumb confternation, while the enemy, rending the air with fhouts, were preparing to board the victualler; but, by the recoil of her own guns, as fhe fired at the affailants, she was again fet afloat, and, paffing the boom, was followed by the other veffels, to the relief of the famifhed garrifon. The enemy retired in despair toward Strabane, having loft eight thousand men in the fiege; and the miferably emaciated defenders of the city fcarcely waited to taste food, till they exerted their small remain of ftrength to pursue them, and fome loft their lives in adventuring rafhly on the rear guard. Four thoufand three hundred of the garrison had survived the hardships of this memorable fiege of a hundred

and

and five days duration; but of these above a thou- CHA". fand were incapable of fervice.

XX I.

of the En

The flight of the befiegers was precipitated by the Operations news of a great victory gained by the proteftants killiners, collected at Enniskillen, who had from the first greatly embarraffed the adherents of James. This little town, fituate in the county of Fermanagh, on an iland in the narrow part of Logh Erne, or the connecting channel of the two lakes, was inhabited by fome refolute proteftants, who had refused admittance to two Romish companies of Tyrconnel's army, and afterwards afforded protection to the protestants of the north-western parts, who took refuge there. These proteftants, electing Guftavus Hamil, ton for their commander, proclaimed William and Mary; and, happily free from the embarraffment of any fuch treacherous or cowardly officer as Lundy, they acted with a fpirit formidable and deftructive to their adverfaries. Lord Galmoy marched to reduce them, and invested Crom Castle, their frontier fortrefs, fituate on Logh Erne: but, unable to bring his cannon to the fcene of action, he attempted to intimidate the garrifon into a furrendry by counterfeit great guns. Having employed eight horfes to draw two pieces formed of tin, and fo coloured as to refemble cannon, he threatened to open a battery immediately on the fort; but a defiance was returned; a man with a long fowling piece fhot one of the pretended engineers from the caftle; and the garrifon, reinforced from Enniskillen, fallied, drove the enemy from their trenches, and returned in triumph with much booty. The courage and

obftinacy

CHAP. obftinacy of the Enniskilleners were confirmed by XXXI. the treachery of Galmoy, who, having taken two

youths with commiffions from William, proposed to exchange them for one of his own officers. The latter was returned to him, in confidence of his honourable performance of his part of the bargain; but the former were executed in a most flagrant breach of faith. The excurfions of the Ennifkilleners were fo fierce and fuccefsful, that the terror of their name reached even to the capital; and, having procured arms and ammunition by a victory at Belturbet, and fupplies from Kirk, they became such an object, that three armies were employed to attack them at once from three different quarters, under three generals of reputation and ability.

From Belturbet Macarthy, from Connaught Sarffield, and from the north Fitzjames, duke of Berwick, advanced against Enniskillen. From the ignorance of their danger the protestants of this quarter found their fafety. Informed only of the approach of Sarsfield's army, they rushed against it with a rapidity unexpected and aftonishing, furprized the camp, and routed the whole body with great flaughter. To impede the progress of Berwick, whom they found advancing on the other fide, fome companies were sent to seize a poft; but thefe, carried by their ardour beyond the bounds prefcribed, were furprized and flaughtered; yet, on the approach of the main body, Berwick thought proper to avoid the fhock of these impetuous troops by a retreat. Macarthy with a victorious army, which had fuppreffed lord Inchiquin in Munfter, continued his

progrefs,

XXXI.

progrefs, and invefted the caftle of Crom, on the CHAP. thirtieth of July. An officer, named Berry, detached to its relief, retired from a fuperior body of the foe, was purfued, was attacked, and was victorious; and, on the arrival of the main bodies on both fides, a general engagement took place near Newtown Butler and Lifnaskea, from each of which places this battle has taken its name. The troops of Macarthy were defeated and pursued with dreadful flaughter by the Enniskilleners, commanded by Wolfey, an officer of Kirk. No quarter in general was given except to officers. Two thousand fell by the fword, five hundred were drowned in the lake, and as many were made prifoners, among whom was the general, desperately wounded, and, in the anguish of grief, expreffing a fear left his wounds might not prove mortal.

CHAP.

XXXII.

Parliament

1689.

CHAP. XXXII.

Irish parliament of James

Repeal of the acts of Settlement -Enormous act of attainder-Iniquitous plan of coinage- Attack on the univerfity Perfecution of the protestants-Delay of fuccour from England Progrefs of Schomberg- He encamps at Dundalk-Calamitous condition of his troops Military operations--Decampment of Schomberg Difcontents in England--Various operations-Victory of the Enniskilleners-Capture of James's veffels in the bay of Dublin-Surrendry of Charlemount-Landing of King William.

CHAP WHILE the jacobite forces were fo fiercely and fuccessfully refifted by the proteftants collected at of James. Derry and Enniskillen, James and the principal catholics were bufy in Dublin in the framing of laws, and a general arrangement of affairs. In the Irish parliament, convened by this monarch, on the feventh of May were only seven or eight proteftant members in the upper houfe, of whom three were bishops; and fix in the lower, of whom two were reprefentatives of the university. In his fpeech from the throne the king declared his abhorrence of invading the rights of either confcience or property; and his readiness to affent to wholefome laws in general, and to the

relieving