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BALK BY ALL BOOKSglXBBS. -■■ t '*i « ■ .f / r^ ■ • ■>. ■\ • /■ '.■^ V v-s /- 4 BEn HAND or ULSTEB. , ance Of that noble hou«c. to the oppressive rule of England; and for ages alter the invaders had cstahlishcd themselves^ m the other provinces, the green hills of Ulster were to tWm' forbidden ground, and Us fron-^ tier a threshold which they might not pass Yes! well may the true chiUl of Erin look back with melancholy pride to the days when the banner of O'Neill, with its MDjftiaHT hand, floated ove^ the castle-keeps of Tyr-owen ; for the ihal subjugation of our land ^n only bo dated from the day when that snowy.flag was re-placed by the blood-stained banner of England- The Catholic, too, may refer With mournful tenderness to that time; for the chieftains of Tyr-oWen were as vahant defencl^ ■ er, as the church hfxs known ; tmd while their Bed Hand ruled iti Ulster, that fair province • was a sealed book to the Beformers, offering ever a safe and secure asylum to AeP«;««- cuted chUdren of the church. ^But the B*d Hand of Ulster hath, indeed, withered^ and fellen forever is ^he stately tree which heU t alofttothewfld's view. Yet this -^ -lUcl. moteiful a|it is-invests with a staU ■I RED HAND OF ULSTER. iprcssivo fter tho s in tho ►f Ulster its frou- : not pass, look back ivhen the It HAND, A )wen; for n only bo y.flag was banner of refer with • for the mt defend^ wrhile their r province rs, offering the perse- at the Bed lered; and which held 3t this very with a still i s ■ 1 1 deeper interest the scanty records .which wo have*of theP'Neills, and makes us think of their old banner" with a mixture of sorrow and of pride. Even withiu tho last three centuries, (to, go no faithcr back,) sve find matter enough to excuse the pride and justify the sorrow. It was the banner that waved over Shane, the Proud, .when hq, drove the English like sheep befort him, froni off the soil of Ulster ; it fluttercd\on high above the ell-trained bands of the gi-eat Hugh, when y conquered on many a bloody field; and ligain, it was borne before nim, who, latest of his name and race, led on the bands of Erin-— the pious, the sage, theWaliant Owen;, Roe. -No wonder, then, it is, |that the ban- ner of the O'Neills is identified ha. our minds with that Ulster which they so royally riiled, ^nd so;^:allantly defended. As the eye glances over the records of this illustripus house, it naturally rests- oi. the Achievements of him, who of all the cflief- . tains of Tyr--owen, most forcibly attracted, and longest retained the world's admiration. I speak, of course, of that Hugh O'Neill, 6 BED HAND OP ULSTER. known to the English as Eurl of Tyrone, who, for a period of tiftcon yeara, kept at bay the power of Elizabeth, and whose genius first conceived or attempted to carry out the idea of a national confederacy.* Him, then, do I place before the greal^ and good Owen , Koe, and immeasurably before the fierce and haughty, though valiant Shane, or any other of their line of whom history tells, ^ndprc- seiit him at once to the reivder, as the.greatesfe of airthe O'Neills. Together * we wjll full , ' over some of those scenes w|Rch* mark the progress of his eventful life, passing briefly from one to the othdr, as though they were represented on the magic glass of the great Florentine of old. We will exiiltfof a while in the glories of Clontibret, the Blackwatdr, and the yellow Ford, and, following the great earl into his life's decline, we will look ■ "■ . • . ■ .' ■ ■ ■"''■'..''''■■■"■"■ * .- , »' . ' " . - '..■'., ♦'"Never/* saya a French writer on Ireland, "lias Ire- land produced a man more joapabto of freeing her. from tbo yoke of England, than was Hugh O'Neill. Pliant, insin^ uating, prudent as well aa brave, a skilful diplomatist, and a good general; im him wore united quaiities of the most opposite nature, and apparently incompatible with each other." ~ ~~^ . " - — ■y: \ ' Tyrone, kept at \e genius r out the m, then, 5(1 Owen . erce and ny other ^nd pro- / 5 greatest' will futi , mark the ig briefly hey were the great )f a while ickwatdr, wring the will look I, "las Ire- g Uor from >tiant, insin^ aatiflt, and a of the most I with each KED HANI) OP tnOTBR. ' / '- - ■ ' ■■'••""*■ 1'/ V • With melancholy Jntcreat on^he sadly humil- ^'^lating scene enacted within *^ walls of /Melifont, when the ipurtain may be. said to ^ have ifallen on Ireland's hopes of indcpcnd- eace, leaviiig her, at lca#t,.ta .c under the appearance of candor, which deceived even the piercing eye of Elizabeth Tudor, who looked upon the young O'Neill as her willing agent "in all she hoped to do," — ^in fact her servant to command. At stated times. Baron Hugh RED HAND 0^ VLStER. rered by } anxious celled in 3n most rt. His ;ss treas- te seems, f to the is branch i warmly aming of was one bur and ngannon ^ingper- i ^tongue list, and a equalled:' ver, the jpearance piercing :ed upon gent "in ervant to »n ,Hugh visited Ireland, but vain was the lioJ?e on every visit renewed, that he would pick a V qua^l with Tirlogh Lynnoch, the chief of • Tyr-owen. On the contrary, while he stayed at his /castle of Bungannon, he occasionally ' p^d his respects in person to the old chief- ^ tain, and mauifested none of that jealousy; which might have served as, th0 basis of English hope. We are surelylwarranted m beheving, that; young as Ji0 was. Baron ^ugh penetrated the motived ofi^the queen in protecting him, and took a seotet pleasure in thus slily baffling her viewai Of this, a stronger proof soon came to liapt, for, while the queen cast her eyes around the noble dames of her court and kingdom, hoping to secure him by an English wife, O'Neill had quietly gone over to Ireland, and wedded the daughter of the O'Donnell, a lady who appears to have been in rio. way distinguished by either personal or mental attractions, and hence we may safely c^include, that the poli- fT tic young lor^, in forcing this alliance, had ^ i^ two-fold ol^ect, that is to say, that while ■^ lie effecMally frustrated any matrimonial f <■•. ■*- / i ■:m -r 10 RED HAND OF XIXSTlEK. :]i plans which the queen, in her selfish "wisdom and foresight, might form for his guidance, he at the same time laid the foundatioh of his power in Ulster, by marrying a daughter of that princely house, anly second to the O'Neills in poiiv^er and extent of territory. Moreover, there had been in times past a protracted^ enmity between these two great families, and, when he succeeded in obtain- ing the hand of the lady, Judith O'Donnell, he had done much, as he well knew, to promote a lasting peace, and to heal one gaping wound of the many which festered in the heait of IJlster. Shortly after his' marriage he hastened to London, so as to be himself, if possible, the bearer of the news to the queen, and, with much difficulty, obtained her pardon. True, this marriage was a severe blow, since it tended to unite those whom Elizabeth aiid her cold-hearted advisers would have sedulouslykept asunder, but-then it would not have mended the mat- ter had she punished the offending baron by banishment from court, or even by impris- onment ; so she swallowed he r anger as bes t ^ 1 • RED HAND Oip TJLSTEtl. u she could, deeming a sho\V of forgiveness her yery best course. Bat ihe determined to exact the price of this clemWcy, even to the uttermost farthing, and so she soon after pro- posed to O'Neill to go honie and raise, onr- his own paternal domains, sWe troops for her army. The suggestionV was speedily acted upon ; for it corresponded with some of the baron's ulterior speculations ; and, ina very short time, he wrote to th^ queen, si^ » nifying that he had six companieVo^^^^^^ ^ ready drilled and duly prepared\for4whatsoT f ever service her highness^ ™¥l P^^^'^*^! command. This prompt c^pManc^ Jt^ highly pleasing to ElizabetJaT, who\ ays^^ered the baron's letter by a coii^eous rdoUesi tha^^^^ ■ he would meet the Earlelf Ormonff in thi^- lin as soon as might be,>nd prepart to coop- erate with that genera^ in parrying on 4e -Geraldine war. Whether hi^ destination was really a matter of indifference to O'Neill, or whether, at that tim^, he did actjially lend himself, in the heedlessness of youth, to Eliz- abeth's anti-Irish schemes, historjr pretends not to determine, but there is reaW to snp- posethat, liad this proposal been made to ^-^ ' - — - i - 12 , RED HA,ND OF XJLSTEK. hijn a few years later, (that is to say, after he had conceived the project of freeing Ireland, by concentrating her own divided strength,) he would have rejected it> if not with scorn, • at least decidedly, and in all probability his soldiers would have fought for rather than against the grei^t. southern earl. Every admirer of Hugh CNeill's character and genius must deplore this grand mistake, which may well be regarded as thef^tal error of his life. Had the princely, the kingly Geraldine, succeeded in keeping the English at bay> and been subsequently joined by the great northern chiefs^ there can be little doubt that Ireland would have triumphantly burst her chains, and become to Elizabeth what Calais was to Ker sister Mary. " But so it was not written in tfie took;'* Geral- dine fell— the protedtor of the ancient faith-— the noblest and inost persevering, aye, and the most powerful upholder bf Erin's cause that had then arisen for centuries— and we grieve to say that Hugh O'Neill, with his north men, had no smkU share in Desmond's final overtlirow. — . • ' , ' . .; .;-.-■■ ■ ,.- . .■•; But though O'Neill fell in so far with the BED HAND JOT? ULSTER. . ,'•■4 '. . queen's designs, he forgot not to prosecute his own V and his maiden sword Vas fleshed with Saxon rather than Milesian hldod. Just about the time that he received her majesty!8^ commands to join Ormdnd, consternation was spread throughout tlj^Twhole of Ulster by the news that an arm/of adventurers from England, led on bjg/no less a person than Walter Devereux, Earl of Essex,t'aided and assisted by many other noble personages,) : had actually landed on the coast of Down, with a view to take possession of all that country. Tliis territory, now menaced by the English, belonged to Brian MacArt O'Neill, who had, some years before, repelled with his own clansmen only, another, but much smaller force of these would-be colon- ^ izers of Ulster, led on by a certain individ- ual named Smith. This worthy, with the greatest part of his followers, had fallen tIc- tims to the wdll-grounded wrath of the stout kerns of Clai*^hugh-buidhe, but now the mat- ter wore a niore serious aspect, and the gal^ lant chief of the district was fain to call upon the other chieftains of his name for aid. The I:. ....J-L.. '.:■ I . u KED HAND OF ULStEB. '4;- call was quickly responded to by all, without one exception, and, ere the English had yet obtained any footing on the soil, Tirloch Lynnoch himself was on the ground with his large force, and Hugh of Dungannon swept up afcthe head of his cavalry, proud that an oppAunity offered to strike his first blow iot Ireland and Ulster. Thither, too, flocked m^y a smaller band, each led ^ by some chief (^ the O'Neills^ until Brian MacArt, as he rode forward to Welcome the last whom he had a right to expect, cried— ** Enough, enough, my gallant kinsmen ! Methinks even half our number were able to cope with yonder pirates, and surely, since the O'Neill himself is here, "with our royal standard, we have nought to fear/ The Ked Right Hand is now, it as hath been, the terror of the enen^y ! " And he pointed to the snowy banker, with its huge red ^^id^^hich waved as though in conscious pri^e above the head <)f the chieftain. Uncov6ring his own head, -Brian 0'NeilJ:«h"pted, in a voice that echoed from hill to hill, the fierce war-cry of the J- l^ t( Lfiav a&oo/" An electric v^ bj£d hand op ulster. 15 ithout ad yet ?irloch ith bis swept that an ow far docked y; some Art, as whom nough, ethinks pe with O'Neill ard, we Lt Hand of the snowy a waved he head ^n head, t echoed jL of the fire seemed to shoot from heart to heart, and the thrilling Wy was raised in thunder tones by the wh(|e Irish army ; for every man there was eit^r ap O'Neill, or the trib- ^ litary'of one. Ere Vet the wild excitement of the moment had\ entirely subsided, they were called upon to meet the invader. After a fierce but not verV pgrotracted struggle, they so harassed and H|eset> the English that the nobles, one by one,\gave up the cause as lost, and returned to England, taking with them what remained of meix followers, until Essei was at length compelled to sue for peace, and finally the remfaiant of the army 5vas withdrawn, and Essex, me arch-contriver of the invasion, returned tpVEngland a dis- fippointed and a brokeU'Spirired man, for he had embarked the greater portion of his fortune in this precious enterprise. Hugh O'Neill was necessarily delayied W *^^ affair, and, on his return to Dungannom r^eived a harsh reprimand from the queen im the con- spicuous part he had taken in repulsing her faithfiil Essex, commanding him ti^ set oul; ' instantly for Munstet, under pdnXof her electric ■■•!■• I 16 KED HaW OF ULSTER. heaviest dUpbasure, and «.)^? f ^J;, aration he could now make for !'"':«<=«"* 4;sdemeanor. So the baron despatched a deprecatory answer to the angry queen luring her that only his kinsman's earnes suppli^ions had induced ^m to joxn t^ Irish, "Which 1 the rather did," said he, ^ making use of an apt evasion, "^}-^ not that these adventurers hadyour^ajesty^* • sanction, nor dc, I yet beUeve that A.yM Well knowing, then, that your highncs|?s solely offended by my untowar J delay^; m executing your royal behest, I w.11 speedily make amends by joining my Lord Ormond at once, and I hope to convince your majesty, ere long, that your favor hath not been thrown away. \ . Again was Elizabeth Constrained to accept E wUy chief s apologyland the baron kqp^ his promise so woU, thi as I haveVready said^at^g^dos^ofthat aldine war, Ws services long protracted Ger- were fully acknowl- edged ', to ^e grievous detriment of Munsteryj -i and Ireland. t^^^^i. .WhileyetHughO'NeiUwashelpmgtosub. ■■""tT ■■>- 7 only rep- his recent spatched a ry queen, .n's earnest ;o join the ," saidh^, < as I knew irjiiajesty^a it they haj^ highnesf'^9 rd delay in rill speedily L Ormond at our majesty, ;h not been aed to accept le baron kept have already otracted Ger- ally acknowl*^ itof Munster KBD HAND OF t/LSTEH. It due the brave clans of the Desmond country, the very po^er (Jl^ the O'Neills was threat- ened in the north by the gradual encroach- ments pf a subject sept, the McDonnells of Antrim, or the Glynns. These were orig- inally a horde of adventurers from the Scot- tish t/sles, who, having obtained a footing on the northern coast, had spread themselyes all along that rocky region around the Giant's Causeway, where they maintained themselves '■ so long and so resolutely, that,'iili Course of^ [ time, they came to be considere^^^s an Irish Ulan, and their right to the sqil on which I' they dwelt was tacitly ackno7«rledged ^ven j by the liege lords of Ulster— the O'Neills, whose tributaries they became. The bold and enterprising spirit of their race dwelt ever in these sturdy Islesmen, and their coun- try being little ^vorable to agriculture, they devoted themselves entirely lo those warlike pursuits which best suited their fancy. They [Vere a fearless and ^fc^dy race, and weye in the habit of hiring out their services to the neighboring chieftains in their unhappy intes- -. -l •'■I ' . t ^^^ tin^ broils, so that there was scarcely a clan tielpingtosub- ^f . / 18 itED HAND OF ULSTER. ■v'* ■'■■ n • t ■*■■ t.iH ■« f.- ■ I. ■ within the bounds of the pro^nlisfe for, whom the McDonneHs had not in turn fought. Many a string castle they built to fortify themselves in their possessions j and of those ruins which now add so much mournful beauty to that^ondrous coast, by far the , greatest njimber wwe the work of these Isles- men. Of these, the strongest a^d most im- portant was Dunluce Castle, which, however, .in supposied to owe its origin to a time prior to their invasion, having been probably taken by them frona; the natjjfe chief in whose pos- session they found it. Be that as it may, Duniuee was the principal stronghold of the tribe, and the usual residence of their chief. These Scots, then, had, in course of time, particularly within the last years, waxed hau^tier and more presuming, and, finding that Tirldgh Lynnoch was a weak and irres- olute old man, they took advantage of Hugh's absence to declare themselves independent, Jind eyen boasted that they were the equals, or rather rivals, of the O'Neills. Hugh heard all this, and, amid the bustle and w ild excitement of the southern war, be |)ondered ■4 RED HAND OP ULSTER. 19 ;, ■ n; over the means of reducing these rebellious Islesracn to obedience. His resolution was speedily taken, and forthwith he wrote to the queen a highly colored account of their insur- reetion, as he called it, proposing to her majest^that, as the Geraldines were noMf, he might say, subdued, both he and Ormond should proceed to quell tliis new rebellion against her royal authority. He, of course, had Ormond make a similar suggestion, and the consequence was, that the queen gave , them full power to act against the northern rebels, specially thanking 0*Neill for his dutiful regard to her interest, and the establ- ishment of jher lawful 4iuthority in Ireland. So the Pesmond war Was no sooner at an end, than G*Neill, with his English allies, marched northward, and, dividing into two columns, they proceeded on either side of Lough Neagh, towards the disaffected region. Ormond, with his forces, passed on into the Glynns, was met by the McDonnells, whom he entirely defeated, and, after taking Dun- luce, and s ome other of their castles, com* pelled their chief to submit, and acknowledge hinaself the tribiitai^ of Tirlogh Lyxinoch. ^ I [ /' ■ ■■1^ 20 \ RED HAND OF^JIJ O'Neill, with some e)*hcr8 of the EftgHsh general^ proceeded ttflharry and overrun the territory \of the chiefs who had made" alliance with the\McDonnell8, of wliom the pnnci- pal was Oy^ahan, lord of A^achty O'Cahan, ^w called Londonderry. Here they con- •#^uered all before them, and from O'Cahan alone the English generirl drove away two hundred head of cattle. Thus were the Scots and their allies forced back into obedience, and though the queen's authority was nom- inally established, it was in reality the chief* t^n of Tyr-ow A j j hy ecovered« his y pretn- - 1%. True itjdpipf'manjliif tJiese con- quered chiefs ^Brsummoned and went soon after to Newry to make 'their submission ^to. thequeen's deputies ; true it is, that Sir Johir^ Perroti fancying the independence of tJIsteii at ah end, lost no timq.in dividing the coun- try west of the Bann 'into seven hew coun- ties^ and gave them English names,* appoiht- ■ ing them slieriils, coroners, peace offiqer^i^ and all such appendages of British law ; but still the queen h a d as little to do with • Armagh, J^fonagha^, Tyrone, Coloraiile, (since London- derry,) Donegal, Fei^managh, and Cavan. ■ ^ w RET) HAND OF UI.STER. ^ Ulster as before, and thougli Hugh O'Neill appeared to agree with all thes« arrangements, being, in fact, a party to dietil, he solemnly swore within himsclf*tliat these things should not be while he lived, or had power to pro- vent them. '♦Elizabeth Tudm," said he within himself, " may imagine the spirit of Ulster extinct, and commission her agents to send hither the bloodhounds of their law, but she shall find that O'Neill i» still mas- ter here, and that the children oC Heremon are not to be drilled, and tried, an4 stripped of their inheritajice at her pleasui* ! " But still he smiled and. bowed when Ms opin- ion was asked, and replied to Perrot— " O, by all means ; why should not this Ulster be civilized as well as the sister promrinces 1 Pity It is that so fair a country hath Been so long suffered tp remain under the barbarous control of the native chiefs," ' • But, with ail this show of loyalty, a great and marked change was slowly taking place in O'Neill's mind. Daily he became more convincied that England, or any other foreign rtde^ was not for Ireland^ and^ his eyes once ^ iiwrrt^jyifyiii&iMttjtf »2 REl) HAND OP tJLSl*ER. Opened to the fact, he went on and on to ' new conclusions. " Vainly," he thought, " shall I i|bor to keep Ulster clear of them, while their power is paramount all around ite borders; nay, have they not a stronghold • within the heart of the province, while Bag- nal rules it here in Newry ? " Then came the question, ^How is all this evil to be remedied?" And from the depth of his own ?oul came back the>n8ji^er, " The land, if it be possible, must^.c^^t off this unhat- piral incumbrance. Neter will prosperity Or ^eace smile again- on Erin, while she is the dave of British power." But how was this deliverance to be effected while the ch%fs^ and people were broken up by old hered- itary quarrels into little isolated bands, only g:ood for slaughtering each other ? The thing was morally impossible, and, recognil- ing in all its f^ce the principle that "unions is str^gth," .6*Neill for the $rst time saw, ^ with a bitterness of sorrow never known before, that he had fatally erred in lending - himself to tho defeat and ruin of Desmond. ■i ' (( as," he internally exclaimed, /'ho w can il\i... BED HAKD OP ULSTER. m at " unioni'- Ireland hope for freedom while an O'^Neill aids the common foe against a Geraldine— , yea, the noblest of the race 1 O, that I ] could but recall the past, and how different would be my coursQ ! Ay, truly would J^ barter my fondest hopes of earthly happiness to see the banners of Geraldine again float- ing from the towers of Adair and Itillmal- - lock^^ then it were a glorious sight for Innirfail to see the red hand of the O'Neills waving beside them; but, alas, alas, the banner of Desmond is trampled and torn, and that lordly line, the strength of Ireland and the church, is broken and crushed, no more to rise! Th.e stately head of Earl Gerald, that head which had grown grey in struggling for the nation's rights, is now bleaching on a pole— na sjpectacle for the brutal mob of London." Smking again^ into bitter reflection, he considered over what wp best to be doiie, and very soon "he had formed a plan whicK if fully realized, would have indubitably freed Ireland from the thiill of the stranger. With a slow but }ifisiired step the young Won proceeded to u ■■■'.'. I RED HAND OF UtSTEB, 1 il t." th^ chapel adjoining the castle, and there, before the altar, in the stillness of the twi- light, he solemnly vowed to d^teall the energies of his soul to the fbrn^j|i of such a confederacy amongst the i&|i^ t;hief»^ would ensure a prospect ofsl^cess to the national cause. As he knelt, before the small Gothic altar^ with the faint light of declining day casting its softening tinge around, nothing could be more noble tha^ the contour and expression-of his upturned face—his long hair falling back from the smooth, passionless forehead, and the ^alm depth of his hazel eyes lit up with the lofty purpose which then, for the first timertook root m his soul. Long he knelt with his arms folded on his breast, and his head bowed ^wn in meditation, and when he ai-ose, the night ha^ gathered around, but he heeded it not, for his thoughts were fixed on the greatness of the task before him. ^ Early on the following morning he set about making the^ first trid of: his project, aiid, without acqu^nting any one of his intend tion, he proceeded alone to Dung iven Cattle, ..■! '^ 3 BED HAND OF ULSTEB. M an4, not finding the O'Cahan there, he rode \ along the banks of the Bioe to Liraavady, ^ another stronghold of that powerful sept, and, once face to face with the chieftain of Arachty, he not only obtained his forgive- ness, but enlisted all his sympathy on the side of nationality. Not that he succeeded without difficulty, for in reality he was obliged to put in requisition all his power of persuasion. It was not strange that O'Cahan regarded his first advances with suspicidn, and that he was slow to entertain any schemes for Irish independence, coming from one who so lately appeared in the guise of a British officer, harrying and hunting his countrymen on their own soil. But when O'Neill candidly acknowledged his error, and,described the chain of reasoning which iiad brought him to see its full extent— when he spoke with resistless eloquence of the hopes that might reasonably be enter- tailed if. the native chiefs would only unite their strength, then O'Gahan, who was of all men the most unsuspicious, began first to believe that the baron of Dungiven was. 26 RED HAND OF UL8TEB. '":\ after all, worthy of trust, and, liis prejudices thus overcome, there was of course no diffi- culty in bringing him to adopt the patriotic \ hopes and views of O'Neill, /Tti|3 point once gained, the latter made a .still/ bolder step, and journeyed on, still alone^ through the rocky region between Limavady and the Castle of Dunluce. Even O'Cahan had attempted to persuade him from venturing atone into the Wild fortalice of the McBon- nell, and finally proposed to bear him com- pany ; but to this O'Neill would not conient, well knowing that a show of confidence would be of all things the most likely to smooth down the fierce chieftain of the Glynns. Alone then he set out, (leaving his horse at a cabin within a mile or two of Dunluce,) and alone he stood before the heavy portcullis of the castle. Seizing the horn which hung there> he blew a loud, clear blast, and ere yet its echoes had died away, a deep voice spoke fi:9m behind, demanding ^is name and the purpose for which he sought admission. Turning quickly, O'Neill beheld the McDonnell himself, whose features were ■iiiiVi r—Tii iW) HAKB OF TJLBTER. rt not unfamijiar to ius eye. Alexander, or, fts he was generally called, Sorley Buidlie, (or the yellow-haired,) McDonnell, was a man of large and strong frame, with a face on which stormy passion had impressed its fierce char- acters; and yet the features, if their expres- sion were less fierce, mighty be considered handsome, for, though large, their outline was noble and commanding, and the whole singularly regular. But then the dark eye had an almost painful intensity in its glaring light, and gleamed out wildly from under a pair; of shaggy eyebrows of the saine light color from which he derived his surname. The chieftain was attired in ^ hunting cos- tume, and from his close cap floated a "small heron's plume, doubtless to denote his Scot- tish descent,— that being the well-known appendage of the Scottish chiefs, whether of the mainland or the isles. No sooner did his eye fall on the well-known face of 0*Neill, than, even before the latter had time to speak, an angry scowl gathered on his brow. His hand involuntarily, as it were, ires wereJ J gQ^igiit tije skeaa which hung in a ^eath •f *▼ «S'-5]*!p*-' r •■ ^8 HED HAND OP TJLSTEIl. '^, •^ Y^^ from his leathern girdle, as "he Treated, in higher and more excited tone,-*-" I hav< asked a question— answer it quickly^-^what. dost thou here ? " He spoke in Irish, and^ O'Neill replied in the same language. "I have come to make a friendly alliance with the McDonnell, and to pledge him to pur friture friendship, in that rich and genial usquehaugh of which 1 ; have heard so much." X "Man ! thou dost but mock me ! "cried McDonnell, with rising fury, " a^rid I warn thee to practice no jokes on Alexander_^ McDonnell, or thou mayest fare, and that instantly, as did thy kinsman Shane. It behooves an O'Neill to keep a civil tougue while witlnn arm's length of a McDonnell." "And yet," returned O'Neill, no whit disconcerted, " and yet I have come hither withoTit even a moment's fear ; here are now no Pierces to excite a McDonnell to dis-, honor or tareachery. * I have come, then, ,*■■•■ .■.'■"'"'. "■".'■■.'■' .. . * * The tjreftoheroos murdor of Shane O'Neill, by the McDon- nells, waa said to htt v e beeu m8tigated by an Knglfahm a n named Piorpe. ;^v/.-: BED HAND OP ULSTER* 29 iJone to visit thee^ and my purpose is as I have stated it/* " Nay," said the chieftain, in a somewhat calmer tone, " thou wilt not make me believe that thou art without escort or attendants. This ii^but a trick of thine English cunning, and it will not go down with me. Eve now thy crew may be advancing behii/d these very rocks." "Now, by the great St. Columba! " said O'Neill, with some warmth, " but this is somewhat hard— and yet I blame thee not when I come to remember.-^What proof can I give that what I say is true?" " Ah' thou art sincere," exclaimed Alex- ander again, "thou wilt enter these gates alone with me, and suffer that they be secured behind thee. Then will I know that thou hast no base design." "Opeuy then, in God*s name," replied O'Neill quickly, "no pause have I to fear-^ and if I had before entei-tained any doubt of thine honor, would I, thinkest thou, have come hitfeef to seek admission within these Strong walls?" ^^"^^^'^ 0\ IK' % ■ fj V 30 RED HAND OF ULSTER. .-!■• Theretipon the Scot blew a peculiar blast on the horn, and instantly the huge port- cullis was raised, giving to -view the gloomy front of the castle, the narrow ledge of rock which connected it with the mainland, and the interior of the court-yard* Dn either hand was seen boiling below amongst the rocks the foaming surge of the ocean. McDonnell motioned in silence for O'Neill to go first, which he did with" a step as firm as though he trod his own hall-floor. When he reached the opposite side, he turned and awaited McDonnell, saying with a smile as -he approached,— *'Thou hast meet caii^e tq be proud of this fortress, McDonnell— the lord of Dun- luce is a lofty title.'* "Not so lofty surely as that of baron of Diingannon," returned tne other with •aft ironical grin. ** The stamp of Elizabeth's favor is not on title of mine.; how, therefore, could it be of honor ?^' "And he t looked hard at O'Neill, but the latter only laughed. /*It is all fair, Alexander— shoot away, as thou wilt, at my English honors, so thoiT ■in al.! '..It .1 ,'^'-^"^' BBD HAND OF ULSTER. 31 sparest the name of which I am proud. Call me O'NeiU— Aodh O'Neill^while I remain here, for we have matters to treat of, which would ill come from a Saxon lord. One day thoti mayest perchance have a hand in obtaining for me that title, which alone an O'Neill can covet," / Astonished by this language, ' McDonnell silently led the way to thjb hall, and when ' there, he reached out his |iand to O'Neill— - " Whatsoever may be /thy purpose," he cried, "I can no longer suspect thee of treachery, for one who /felt hiijfiself guilty would not thus thrust hifnselfi^' the way of speedy revenge. Without knowing thy reed object in this visit, I do bid thee wel- come, freely confessing that thy air and bearing, still njore than thy words, have conquered mine enmity." Thus did O'Neill work his way into the good graces of all whom he sought to win over. Few men of his day had s6 deep a [knoMedge of human nature, and none could ^ excel him iiithe art of making that ImprftR- sion which suited his purpose. During a 'A -—r '■A ,^^. >;r- \ BD RAND OF ULSTER. S2 long converBation yiwi McDonnell, ho revealed as much of l^'iplans as he deemed necessary — dwelling -|)nrticularly on the advantages of union amongst the chiefs of Ireland, and enticing the Scot to join the confederacy, by a promise of lending ^im, at any time, sotJpof his best troops. " For," said he, *' the work of conciliation and band- ing together the chieftains must necessarily spread itself over a long time, and while it is in progress, we may have heed of each other*s assistance— if so, thou mayest reckon Aodh O'Neill as thy sura friend." This voluntary promise was directly addressed to McDon- nell's darling passion, and did much, as O'Neill knew it would, tp win his cordial consent. Above all things, he took care to warn his new friend, that policy required him to keep still in favor with Elizabeth, at least, until such times as he was i|trong enough to make his works manifest to the world. " And be not surprised," he went on with a smile^ "if, at my next visit to London, I come b ack w ith a f resh l o ad of English honors," McDonnell laughed^ "If so," C ^SW^ "titTj f-«l=* '•:?f^*^"T^ H'^ RED HAND OF ULSTER. ds he said, " I would advise thee to keep clear of my people, for no symptoms of good will on the part of their chief can make them look kindly on a Saxon name-bearer. Even now they could find in their hearts to^^d the English baron and general headlong into the chasm below, but an* thou goest any higher in rank, they could not resist the temptation, having an idea that these things ' would not be given without continued ' services from theet--so beware, I tell thee.'* The evening was now drawing on, and after draining a plentiful draught of the far- . famed usquebaugh of Scotland, O'Neill set out on his returh to O'Cahan's Castle, hav- ing declined the pressing invitation of Mc- Donnell to stay over night. The chieftain 1 accompanied him some miles pn his way, [and (Turing the ride O'Neill continued to ■ liijgratiate himself still farther with the Jerce but generous McDonnell. When at length [they parted/ on a wooden bridge thrown over X la mountain stream, he seized O'Neill's hand, and, while he pressed it warmly between - both his own, he cried, "By StColumb of ,-,■•1, • r '} V. r^ 34 RED HAND OP ULSTER. Tonal ami thou heldest the wand of power in Tyr-owcn, Sorley Jkidhc McDonnell .would never raise a lance against thee, nor refuse thy tribute. I tell thee what, Hugh ! we must send this poor old woman, who sits in the O'Xcill chair, to 8pi,n the distaff at Strabane ; it is shame for the clans of Ulster to own so pitiful a lord, and as I am a true man we will have thee chaired at Tulloghoge." A slight flush mounted to CNeill's clear cheek, he smiled, and his smjle was one of triumph, but he only said : ** For shame, Alexander ! what would Tirlogh say to this ? " ." Little care I what he would say," returned the chief, ' haughtily — "and mind my words, that another summer's sun shall not shine his last on these grey locks ere the Kinel-Eoghan willtJake unto itself its fitting ruler. Farewell!" Turning his horse's head with a jerk of the rein, he rode off at a round pace, leaying O'Neill to ponder on his partihg words, which he did even in despite of his wilL The tall shadows of the cliffs f lung., their length ac r oss the un e ven pathway, as the baron journeyed on^ aiid the 1 Ifl - 1 1 .ilS >^ hIh tl '. . . :^^r:;. . ■ ■ ■■■■.. ■ . ' • _ ■: ' "<':' - -. *■' •^•kH 5fc i» ■ \s RED HAND OF UI^BTRB, ^ •ound of distant lowing gave indication that the kine were homjr driven from their pas- tures to thii neighborhood of feiwus and caj- ties, to be delivered of their frap^raiit burthenl Flocks of sheep Merc here and there sceii whitenihg the green pasture-land, and far in. the distance might be traced the windings of the silvery Hoe ; when descending from the hilly ground, northward, it runs along through the pleasant holmes' and meadow^- laiids qf what was then Arachty O'Cahan, no\i( the coloni«i ■ ■t 't ■ ! Unfortiinatelv, the character of the rulinir chief afforded little hope, for he was pre- cisely such another as old Tirlogh of Tyr- owen, but still it was worth making the trial, for his joining the cause would be in itself a rational- ground for hope, his power being paramount oyer many. of the most warlike tribes of Ulster. So the baron and baroness set out for Donegal with a numerous retinue. They were cordially received, and a week passed pleasantly away, for the young brothers of Judith were noble and gallant boys,' and the red deer were ple'nty in the forests of TyrconnelL But, alas, after many conversa- lions with Manus, O'Neill gave up his hopes ■ with a heavy sigh, for, though he ventured not to make any definite proposal, yet he Gould not but see that the slightest allusion to a struggle with the English was sufficient to make O'DQnneirs heart sink, and , his color come and go like a very girl. "He is the ^veritable father of my worthy helpmate," said O'Neill to himself, " and, as such, cannot be roused to either feeling or energy." There was then no hope in Tyrconnell, for *VL- h '^ KED HAND OF ULSTER, 89 le rulintr was pre- of Tvr- the trial, 1 itself a er being warlike baroness 3 retinue. a week •brothers )oys/ and arests of ionversa- lis hopes- ventured L, yet be allusion sufficient his color [e is the Ipmate,*' h, cannot energy." m the sons of the chief were little more than children; Hugh, the eldest, being barely turned of fourteen. So with a heavy heart the baron turned his back again on Donegal Castle, internally cursing the pusillanimity^ of its chief, so little worthy of that proud title. ~ But, leaving O* Neill and his phlegiJcmtio spouse on ^their homeward journey, let us l-eturn to see how it fared with the bullet- makers during their lord's absence. As the nigh£ was the time when they had least chance of being disturbed, they worked but little during the day, and when the evening was closing in, they regularly repaired one by one to their secret forge in the forest. Then it was, that, by the light of bog-pine torches, they went^^ merrily on with their work, having their store of metal in the farther end of the cavern, where, too, they stowed away the bullets as they grev^ cold, Nigjit after night they whiled away the time with^ong and story, taking care to roll up to the moutfh of the cave a stone which com- pletely closed it up, so that even sound mell, for -f 40 R?l) HAND OF ULSTER. . could not escape ifany were abroad to hear it. . As Teague and Phelim had both ibllo^d their chief through his campaigns in the south, they had: many a wondrous tale to tell of the Geraldine country, and that 'long war in which they had borne a part, most repugnant to their inclinations, for it required all their affbcdon for O'Neill to make the clansmen of Tyi-oWen range themselves under the English banners. / " Well, God sees it Was little honor for an CKeHl to help up the English red-coats, ; and they butchering and slaughtering the heartVblopd of true Irishmen I^I/d go as . iar as any man for one of the nam^, but then it was agaifist nature to do that,^h' I 'don't know that I'd do it even for him— ay/if he- was^he O^eilliiimself l'" * This wis said " % Brian O^agan, who, though a brother ♦JtiwiU bo romembertd thai tbcre^as iio broken English spokeiPaUfaatday, as tlielVi8h/43xcef)t whW Bpeak^^^ TTtbknew not tMr language, had lay too great a hatred of the Saxon to use hia tongue, oren if they oouid speak it. As they spoke their o*rn Mnguage with tolerable propriety, there will be found hero,, eyen i n the mouths of Q*NeiU*3 ,!*•• '.■ n followers, npne of what are caUed Irishifims. * / •. I-, hI BED HAND OF ULSTER. 41 1-^. II of Teague, had "^ever seen service of -any kind..- '■■ . ■'. " /■ : ' .■•.■■:/ raging ~ like wild "beasts. Qch, theni Teague dear, wasn't that the > great -^ * * ,- ^ !/;■ ■ #.■ ■■ ,_ ■ '^ ■ 42 —unr- »?BD HXnp of ulster. . rejoicing for, US dll when we got the blood- .hounds off the scent of the poor old friar?" •'Ay; him that stole back into the abbey ^ and it on fire to. bring away the crucifix that they forgot when they were forced to leave the i^lace. Ay, Phelim, we were ' the , lights :. est-hearted fellows irwn sea to sea after we got l^im safe off! '* J " Arrah, what is ' it ^ all - about, boys ? '* demanded ^rian and his uutravejled comrade in a breath, "sure ye might tell us the whole story if ye had a niind t6i be civil." \ " Why, it is n't a long one, after all," said Teague.* Wiping the perspiration from his heated bro^, he resigned his pkce at tihe eauidron to Phelim, aiid threw himself at full . length on a ledge of the rock which formed a sort of natural bench al6ng xme side of the ckvern. «A party of Ormond's troopers had set fire to a ^ne "abbey,, heathens as they werey ^nd sure Ithey turned put the poor ■ monks without %ing them . take oiie thing or^Mothelr with them-Jonlyon^. of them - inanaged;to^lit>into;th^ chapely pobr mairl y ani^arj^ away the 'biassed sacrament, .chal- / 1^ -^.^ kU "V- r- n-r ■Nn ^ ^ ■•■^r HAND OF ULSTER. 48 ice and' all, arid a miracle it was that he escaped out into the wo6ds with it, and the cursed red-coats on the watch at everj^ door, v Well! it was afterwards we heard this, for^ the baron had b|en all J*3^:^ay stationed with his people at a ford wh«re it was expected some of the Geraldines were to attempt crossing, and when we were released ahd came up'with the -Samm deargs; sUre * enough we found them shouting and yelK ing round the abbey, and ye may be s-ure it went'to our hearts when we saw the fine old ancient huilding in flames. Well, sure the haron himself was just as ^much grieved as any of us, for he got as white as al sheet and then red again, and any one could see that he could hardly keep in his anger, but what could he do? so he just turned his back on the pitiable sight and said not a word 1 ^ suppose the poor monjcs .were on the watch in the neighboring forest, for the Hire was Ver^^neai^akin^ into the cha^l, when what shoiildcliee (and fifty <)f but people as-well at^f ) hut a^small door open at one feide ofitfiie altar— ve see ihb outside doprsi l^^ere all wide ■ •. ft'*' ■ \ ^. -i ' '(■•■■/ "D % .'•■<,■ ■.% u 'i\ RED HAND OF UtiSTER. ,^^ open, and we happened to be over against' the ehapel. Then a hand and arm came out and reached to a -black crucifix that was hanging over the-^altan Sure enough we all . began to tremble, for we knew it must be one of the monks that was trying to get the eross, and we were in hopes that the^a^^wm :^e«r^* didn't see the thing at all', but, ochone! before ye could say *God bless us!' there was^ a shout of ' Catch him-^^ch himi ? *To the flame^ with himself and his idol! 'was echoed frdm others, and a^ good as twenty of the bloodthirsty Sassenachs^ made ^ rush to the open . door, though' the fire was just breaJcing into the c^liapel at the time froni anothei' direction. rXhe poor inonk, when he heard the shojif^ slapped, to the door, (but/not till h^ had made sure of the crucifix,) and he must 'have go( it barred too, for when the dtevils tried to push it ii;, - .faith, ;they foi|nd a mistake, for they xjrusheii ' and crushed, but it >ti!^ no use. Well! they were fairly at -a loss what to do, and sure ourselves set up a la ugh at t hem, and that made them mad altogether, for oflf they '■H \ ^ i. 'A' •Si.* BEP HAND bF ULSTIiR. 45 ran, and snatchied up rfiree' or ^ur burning pieces o£ wpod, and pile^ them up against the door. And in the twinkling of an eye, y?d say, tfi^e was a great i^ke, and then the dopr began to crackle, and^at last it broke out into a blaze right up the middle. Well ! when ^6 saw this,, our. laughing ^as soon over,/and we all turned to ask leave from the^aron to save the poor monk, but behold , y^ le was n't to be seen, and.we were just 'on the step t6 gd after the Sassenachs, when there came" the sound! of a horn from the back of the. wood, an^ then aloud cry of ^The Geraldine tO; the rescue! '---och I while ye'd clap your hands /Chere was n't a red-cokt about the abbey tut what rushed out— them ^at were after the monk amongst the lest-^ the Saxon captain cried out to the men^ to fall into their places, and sure we Were doing 1^6 same without saying anything abo^^ Hugh's belAg* away, but before we were^ll in our ranks, didn't we see him walking over to the English officer, jiist as if he hadn't been off the ground at all? Phel im and myself were close together, and we rf>- .^i' 46 ReS^hand of ulster. ur^^"^' »^ -^"6 another, but said nothing. We had our own notions, for all that; and we weren'X much surprised, when after cool- ing our heels for an hour at least, the devil .a soul troubled us. Then for fear of an - ambush w^ had to wait there till clear day- light in the morning,, when we marched away to join the maih body under Ormond, but the face of an Irish enemy, (as the Sas- senachs called them,), was n't to be seen." " /^ -'Well! but who was it that gave the false alarm?" cried Brian, who, with his tJompanioh, Art, had listened in open-mouthed attentibn— ." did ya ever find that o|t?" "Arrah," said TeagUe, somewhat con- temptuously, "don't ye see as plaiti as my hand that it was t^e baron himsdf; God's blessing light on him? We iievef put tlie question to him, but eveiyon'e of us l^new it as well as co^d be, and Ure it would make you laugh till your sid^acried ^ain, ^ W him tibndoling with fthe feassenach ' captain, about the trick that h^d b^en played us . And the b e st of it all i^as blamed it on the monks. Who Ld that they, they said. V BED IIAKD or t«>STER. 47 an tmclerground passage from the back of the wood into the abbey. But that wasn't the first, nor the last time that Bitron Hugh saved priests from death. Ay, and inany a A)ble lady Jie contrived to steal «way from the very clutches almost' of the soldiers." "But, Teague," said Art, '*^^i8 it true tjiat the spirits of the mijirdered priests are «till seen by night in the old walls of their chttrches ?-r-8ure we heard here that somerof yourselves saw something that wa:y, up-in Munster, there I " ./ ; * *' Well, sure enough," said Teague, and he laughed aloud, as did Pvhelim, too, *^8ure enough we did see a priest one nigl|(t sayilil mass in a tuihed «hu<:ch; ay, and we all- of us waited till we heard the mass, too, fbi^ God help us^ it wasn't often we had the chance, ^^^d glad enough^ we ^ere, and the baron himself went and kneerd beside [the broken altar, .anc^ when mass was over, le had a long tal|^ with the priest." '^ , "^ Here both Bliett and Art crossed them- jelve^ devoutly, while an •exclamation, of Lorrbr^urst from the lips of each^ and tbeir ,»';••' W^|R» F fJ.^ -T^- ?^ 48 RBI) HAND OF UL8TBB. very teeth chattered with the cold chill of liortal terror, ** The Lojrd^ save us, and iy a ghost all the time ? " . / "No more a ghost than yourself, BriAn," ^ried Teague, while Phelim and he laughed till the tears ran down their cheeks, v*' the poor priest was alive and well, but as he could n't say mass in daytime for fear of the Sassenachs, so he came in the dea4 of the night, (at least it was about one or two '. o'clock in the morning, and as dark as pitch,) to the old altar where he used to offer up the mass, and we just came up at the time. It was good luck for him that theire were no English with us, for we had been sent round over night by a short cut to meet them at a place by daylight, where they were to attack a great castle belonging to Desmopd. To tell ye the truth, boys, we were at first nearly M much frightened as ye were a -minute ago, when we saw the light burning^ in such a lonesome plaice at that hour of the -nigM, but the baron told us to wait a little until he went and peeped in, and he came back in a minute or two to tell us what it sr. RBO HAND or ULSTER. 49 chill of and lift »» Brian, laughed- «8, .*' the At as he ai; of the 4 oi the ^ot two ' as pitch,) Per up th« time, ft were no ent round hem at a to attack o^d. To B at first e were a t burning >ur of the lit a little I he came IS what it meant ; for ye know he can read every thing that he sees like i book, and, as I said, we wer'e glad enough, and heard mass with more devotion, I think, than any of us ever did before. The priest was a little surprised when he saw the baron kneeling beside the altar, but, of course, he went on with the ntasjl, ^nd when it was over, Baron Hugh soon banished his fears, and many a mass ye both heard the same priiil say." /« Why, iiow is that, Teague?** ** Sure, because. Father Fitzgerald is the Very man, for the baron dressed him up like I /one of us, and sent him home with letters to the baroness, and kept him ever since at the castle; And that other old friar that ven- tured back for the crucifix, as I told you,— • well he 's over there in the Abbey of Donegal, for he 's of the same order ; and when the )aron happened tb find him out one day in imerick, he sat /down jutid wrote with him 10 th^ young chi^f, his brother-in-law, that 8, Mugh B^e, the^son of the O'Donnell, and jnt one of our men with him to Donegial, ■ 4 ■' ^ ■ I I 11.11 I . u- n il I t 'I • ; " 'V- ■^^ .-^.-If- 60 RBD HAND OF XJLSTERI^ givmg them directions how they were to go to avoid the English." ^ "Well, sure enough," Said Brian, ** he s not the man I took him for," ani he drew a long breath as though relieved from some pressure, yet, if the truth were known, honest Brian, ay, and Art too, were no little disappointed to^^ find, that the: ghost was no ghost after alL' Soon . after, the conversation turned on^a wonderftil fortune-teller or wise-woman, as ahe was called in the Irish tongue, who had established herself in the neighborhood some weeks before. The mystery which shrouded this personage tended nO litUe to increase the awe with which she was regarded by the simple clansmen of Tyr-owen, as well as by. Wr wiVes and daugliters. No one could tell whence or how she came into the country, nor yet the particular place of her abode. In fact, she appeared to have no fixed residence, but moved from one focality ' to another with a celerity that surprised and alarmed the people. Many were the wonder- RED HAND OF ULSTER. 51 ful stories told pf her sUperHuman knowl- edge, and ^ instances not a few were brought forward in support of her supposed power of diving into the future. Now it had often been a. subject of debate, amongst the work- men in the c^ve, for what purpose their lord could be preparing such a (quantity of bullets* "For, surely," said one to ahbther, "if he was jgoing out again with tlie English, he 'd have no gjed to make any preparations of the kind. -^ And, as it never entered their mind that he, of all men, contemplated war against the queen's government, so they were sorely puzzled to know what it eould mean, and why the business was carried on with such secrecy. • On the night following ^the conversation above related, .Art proposed that they should some of them Apply |o the wise-woman, who, of course, could enifghten them on the subject, as nothing was unHnown to ^er. Ta this proposal the others 'all agreed with the ^ exception of Phelim, by whom it was vehemently opposed. "For,"*^ said he, with as much reasbn as right feeling, "what is it to us what Baron Hugh wants * _t£ ♦•■. ■,1_ ^J ■ !;* ■ 5^ RED HAN» OF ULSTER. the bullets for ?— it is our duty to work away at them without troubling ourselves about what th^ are for, since he didn't think it •right t^ell us. What would he think^of us^ie knew that we inarched off to a wise- „^an to ask her any thing about it ? Wbat could he think, but that we were prying into his business and into what didn't conc^n^ us ? So, boys, let ns hear no mJte oi such folly, or we may live to be all sorry." - ^ "Well, well, Phelim, agra, say no more about it," cried teague, "for since it might displease^the baron if he heard it, wc '11 give up the notion." ' ^ ^ . But, notwithstanding this assurance, they did not give up the notion ; and, during the day, the three were wont to meet and talk over the fecheme. It is true, they would not od any account have revealed the secret wil- fully, but, bei«jg of opinion that the wise; woman was ajieady as well acquainted with thfe matter as was the baron himself, they concluded that applying to her for informal tion could Hn no way ^^^ ^''^-^^^. ^ violating the trust reposed in 'them. "Th^jj/ • rm t , \l BED HAND OF ULSTER. 5^ ork away es about think it thinks of ;o a wise- ? What •ying into : concQin' 3 of such r. »> no more ; it might ve '11 give i,. "^ ance, they luring the : and talk would not secret wil- the wise; linted with nself, they )X informa- Lsidered as . em. "Tln^y were in this frame of mind, wishing, yet fearing, to .meet the spae- woman, when,- as Brian and T^ague were going togetlier ;h the Wood in the direction of the relieve the other two, who should they spy, sitting on the trunk of a fallen beech, but the identical personage of whom they had been speaking! Neither of them had ever seen her before, but her appearance was familiar to them by description, an^ even if it were not so, they could not possi- bly Inistake her identity. Yes ;. there she sat, b^nt almost two double, with her small, withered face, and long, sharp nose, and a pai^- of black, twinkling eyes, that looked as though they could pierce a stone wall. Then there was her short, red cloak thrown over her humped shoulders, and, for head-gear, a kerchief of the same color tied loosely under the chin, scarcely keeping' back her gray, coarse hair, which obstinately protruded i elf-locks' around her face. She looked up as the men approached, and, seeing that they stopped suddenly, as though fearing to come up, she made a sigit with her crutch for them -J-i-V- •-x • 'V- /BD HAND 6f tJLBT]^. r ,*!"•" If ■ . s ^4 to draw near.^ A low, cackling laugh dis- temled Her toothless jaws as th^y obeyed, and slie said, with an attem]i*t at ciYiUty which sat badly^ upon he^ ^^ A vfair good evening to ye ^oth,.Brian-^ Teague O'Ha. ^n; methinks y^ have tarried over^oifg, for ^ . the sun is even now sunk behind the hills, and ' your comi:a(fes> -^t ^d Phelim; must "be -- 'tired waiting." .^he spoke in good, pure Irish ; and every word sank into the hearty of the awe-stricken listeners, '* The Lord be good Unto us, Teague," said Brian, in alo^, iearful voice, /to his brother, " thou seest it is all true ; she/ knows , mir names, and; all about our _ workl" (^Before Teague could answer, the harsh laugh, or rather chuckle, was heard again, aid the croaking accents of the witch made both the Ihen silBnt iiiNan instant. . "And what wonder is- that, Brian O'^Ha- gan? What is there on earth or in air hid- den from the wise-woman of the woods ? Ha, ha ! It doth'^make me laugh to see the cau- tion with which thy master locks u^ his secret ; but iCe cannot lock it up from me 1 " .^''". w ^RED HAND OF ULSTER. ' M^ v"^e know that, dame ; we know tkat," -r , said Teaguq, soothingly, and to show thee^^. r that we do, we have.been rtiin}cing, for some ^ ^ days, of going to ask ' your* J;!%shipP>qvesr^-^^^ tion or two/' He stopped : ^n^ hesitated;^ - but Brian nudged him with his: jelbow'tp ^go .' -. I dtiy rihd Teague proc^ded-*-" we want to I know what the baroii- intends to db with-agt ..; the bullets that he ha^.p.s rUak^itg ?i' ';; ( > ' - AiHtOuderand ipore isfcoriifjil itiiigh burst *> from the/\^itch4 ^vAii^ia it: no^^yeask.: • that question, poor, fopilish creatures thatj 5'^ ■ r^atte? What, think: 'ye,xCOttld he make the bullets'" for (so gecitetly/too,) but to shoot the Eiiglish enfemy !---ha'l hal ha !' find he ii gone to Ty'reonnell, toW, to look ftjr help,frO^ O'Donneil. ' Ye knew not thkt, ehher,,/!^ H warrant me. \Be:ofFwitli>ye, poor.ipQls. I i^ do but waste my" woixlsV oil suGh.as^ye! "land, ^ • ■ seizing her crutch, she arose, as though in a passior^ shaking her 'hand meit€icingly\at' the meni who, on their parts^ needed lio, second bidding; ibr their tetroi^ liad risen to* such ^ v ^a pitch that they were^-alrea«%: liJis^ening with a ll their ^fteed^ It s urely did 4 i ot ' ; V^l aw a y V* r / 5^ ■>.;■.• »BD HAND OF t^tSTER. ksseii their fears "wheii the: Wood ratig with the loud, derisiVe laugh of the witch. As they took good care to keep their own secrets, Vo they-never^ve the slightjsst hint to their companions of their having encountered the. Wise-woman. - 4 That very day, the baron Tceached home a disappointed inan, as has already been shown, and a week only had elapsed. when he was ^summoned to appear before th6' deputy, to ' answer various charges, 9:ne ofvthem beiilg ^at he was* secretly i>reparing w^r stores. O'Neill was astounded by this acfeu^^tion, and hastened vat once to the cave, to ascertain whether the sedret could have leaked out there. All, of course, protested that they had never breathed a word of it t6 any one, and that they had neglected none of the pre- cautions enjoined them. With this a^surT ance, tjie baron was, of necessity, obliged tp jest satisfied, never dreaming that any^ of the men, hitherto so trustwoi^thy, were now pre- varicating: Whether the O'Magans had any misgivings or not as to the result of their */i conference with th e spae - womanj they kept H 1 - \ -IS? "A HED! HANB OF tILSTEE/ 57 - ■ > / ■. .A a total^ilettcfe on that subject, justly^ fearing that their' loM would not view the matter «8 they did. ^.';..' ■V-':-\' ■'' '^ "■■ ~:'--"/\.- ^ , i^Qn his ^ rriy^yjn ; Dublin, aNeill fbuiid the deputy SSr^gfxi^i^H®^^^^^ suspic- " iori th,at he could scarcely heai* him with patience, whereupon he made up his mind to proceed to liOndon; and see the queen herself. /^is reception -at coi^rt was at first anything i>ut gracious; for malice had spared no pains to prejudice the- royal mind > against hiin. But, a^ Elizabeth, made^ no . direct charges^ so the baroua^^fted not to notice her coldness, and till her hinta of dis- , loyalty aixd disafiection w^r^e adroitly mot and answered by details of th^Geraldine, war and " llie iibrtherii insurreetio^. ^Plizahieth tajked jof smooth-faced;.traitors, ^nd O'Neill/even J outdid her majesty in the severity oyris con-, ' demhation, .carefully "keeping his ren?arks ■ ! confined tO generalities,^ though, he never dreamed of suchtufepicions having reference to himself The qUeen inveighed agajinst- the base ingratitude of certain Mh lords, w hereupon Q'Neill declared that h e r maj - 7,--.-.- r>4.. . 5S BED. HAND OF ULSTER. esty could have no iclca of what it was, but, wemshe amongst them as he, was, then she m{g\ft know something of its extent. KVer, as the conversation prpgressed,' the> queen wonld open her eyes in astonishment, and fix them en jJlie baron's face, as though seek- ing to pierce the veil which covered his real ^sentimerits, but as often did slie make a gest- ure of impatiencCj and break out anew into vehement invdctives against deceit, and ^- . simukition and treachery, and' what not ; for, on the features of G'Neill, tliDse,.calm, pa&- ^^ionlessfeatui'ies,^ there was not a trace X)f confusion, even beneath the keenest scrutiny of he^ piercing eye.. At l^ast -she took up a golden staff which rented against her arm- chair, an^ striking it violently against the ■ floor, she cHed, in her shrill, sharp voice: ' <* By th6 soul of tlie eighth Henry, our royal father ! but we give the matter up. ^!My lord of > Dungannen, thou art- either.* an injured and calumniated man, oi* the greatest knave fro ni here to Tyburn!"^ • *^As I would fain believe," returned O'Neilt with a tranquil smile, "that your/ -4. * -I / y,~> { RED HAND OF ULSTER. , 59 majesty could never be brought' to couple" the latter epithet >vUh my »anie, so do I. venture to hope that my gracious so^fcrcign loojcs pon me jj^^ iV)rmer Irght.^ I have h^iird^ indeed; fbnithiO iiord peputy, that certain absurd accusations had been 'lodged agist m^ but the, tidir^s gave me, neither { surprise nor alarm, because I liave bec*7tp^^^|; iilghly favored by your majesty to escape^^h^ / shafts of envy, \vliile, on the other h^d|. In did li^ke boldto imagiue that yow' hfj^hne^s hud^; many substantial reas(ms for r^ecting; the foul calumnies ! *' A^ f y ^ : .T| "Ay!" said Elizabeth, lafc^ptly^ **% thqught.w^ had established some claimson thy gratitude as well as fealty, but we m\^: been inlixrmed, that- of late days, thou ^ost eschew these /claims, and despise the ho^ipra which are ours to bestow. TJiou canstj not cleny that, baron .of Dungannon ! ' ' <^ I, could nBver havietiie' hardihood to say your majesty was in error, but„ methinks, /when I have acquainted your highness with ■the tylyect of my ^vistt — ^that is, over and above the yendering^pf my p^rgoaal homag e ^ RlD IIXND OP ULSTER, it will go far to sh^tv whether this, accusa- tion is true or liilse." r; - ; • "And of what nature may it be, we pray lathee?'* demanded Elizabeth, jvith some^ ■ ■curiosity.'/,,.'-; -■,'■'.,■"■■■./ - K ■'.*',■'■'■ . ^" As 1 am not igjiorant of your majesty's .princelyliberality in rewarding the services of yourloyal followers, so I had ventured to hope that thou wouldst : haviff graciously deigned to fconfer on my humble sfelf that eai'l- dom of TyronV bestowed by your highness V late royal father, of happy memory, on my grandsire, Coij. 'O'Neill. The title, ds your majesty well knows, has lain dormant since his deaths haje I dared to ask too mucht'!^- ^M Iw k^t his Icnee before her, arid bowed his stately head with so much apparent, respect, that Elizabeth could not choose- bftt ^ believe him really covetous of the titl^, and, with a welKpleased countenance, she extended her hand,'^ laid it playfully on his shoul- der.^ >• Then arise, my lord ; and be hence- forward known as Earl of tyrone^ood faith ! it were pity to let so fair a title sleep > idly in the told's office, and so accent \'':M ■Wm -V ^. Bfcl) HAND ()P UI.8TE11. 61 plished a courtier, tne grandson of its last possessor, having but the poor name of Baron of Duhgannott* Arise 1 My lord earl, we shall see that the appendages of thy new grade are duly given thee, and land ^nough to sup|)ort thy rank ! ** ; O'Neill, of course, Was profuse in his acknowledgments, but kept himself on his guard frfr what he well knew was to follow.^ Elizabeth, having, as she considered, bribed the chkfiain anew, failed ^ot to propose new conditions to be fulfilled by him. Thus, when she gave him a grant of a large portu of the district of Tyr-owen, it was that he might have yet a greater interest in opposing oldTirlo^h, (with whom, nevertheless, she hypocritically charged him to live on good terms,) and one of her express conditions , was, that he should keep an eye to the north- ern chieftains, and be ready to coalesce with her generals to put down the first appearance of disaffection-. He \vas also to keep a sharp lookoufe-lor popish priests, and on no account to encourage their religion. To all these >:■,•., things O'Neill gave evasive aaswers, wlxich. RED II AMU OF UI^TEH. 6^ though they did not quite fiatisfy Klizahcth, tv€rc the best she couM obtain. And m t^hc cUsmiascd the wify chicftuia, aft£r haying Icept him a week undW <^ pii^^^ or '^»-,-;fc' -v-^4- aiiother : h« went homo a bcJted earl,but the queen was just where she was -before ; Wish- ing, yet hardly daring to believe him devoted ■ ;, to her intetest;,. - i ■ *\ ■.■; •^' ■''■■..';: ■ He w-as only a few days returned to Dun- gannon, when he sent liis eldest son to be fostered by O'Cahan, praying that chieftain to make him a man after his own heart, and he could desire no more. This was the most flattering token of friendship that he could bestow, and O'Cahan, valuing it as it de^erVed,' ^ecame thenceforward th^ unalterableilfiiend /of O'Neill, and the confidant of all his patri- l!?^? projects. He, in turn, brought over his :friblcls arid allies, to join the, confederacy, whife the warlike McDonnell, Jin his mou^ tain territory, neglected no opportunity of forwardingthe national cause. To bind him fetill more strongly, the earl" s^nt his brother, Cormac O'Keill, to teach/th/clansmen of the -r, as known to his Glynns the science of '* . :^* HAND OF ULSTER. iM # own people ; a service which was gratcfull acknowledged by Sorley Bpdhe^ fully sfiiai- ble, as he was, of the advantage it wogild pve him in any future trial of strength or skill. Day by day, the league extended itjjelf under the powerful agency of O'Neill, until it embraced within its circle by ilir , the greater number of the chiefs of XJlster. /ITet still there was wanting one mighty link to Aake 'it 8itr(|)ng and binding, J^^MtjLbat was the chief of Tyrconnell. AuothlP|freat obstacle existed in the passive character of him who then ruled Tyr-o>ven ; anu though the popu- lar voice would have joyfuUykkaiicd the earl of Tyrone as chief, still he shrank from deposing the .poor old man who nominally exercised the supreme power. But when, in the course of some rtionths, he was urged by the chfef tributaries of the sept, "and by the publicly expressed wish of the clanWen, to assume the name of the O'Neill, he.no longer refused, (provided Tirlogh Lynrtorcli' would consent to the change,) well knowing how much more efficaciously he could then work for the national cause. A deputatipn 'V- 7' / • if 1/ ■nil j< ^««ili J^U^'UJ »'■ .»h:• \- k- r.i l 64 RED HAND OF ULSTER. of the chiefs having waited on Tirlogh, he ^ was induced to give his consent, and resign V his office to Hugh O'Neill, Avho Was there- up6n solemnly inaugurated as the O'Neill. It was a joyous day for the principality of Tyr-owen, when, amid its proudest and most honored-^-araid its warriors, and priests, laid bards, sat Hugh O'Neill on the chair of stonS, oh the rath of Tulloghoge, with the banner of his house— the snow-white banner, with its blood-red hand, waving above him, and I he walked three times around and arbund, according to the immemorial custom of his predecessors, and then he was saluted as the , O'Neill, a title' which he would not have exchangi^d for that of king ; for itself included the royal title of Prince of Ulster, compared to which all other names were, in his ;eyes, and that of thousands there, as nothing. No\a\ it w|LS that O'Neill applied himself energetlcall)^ to prosecute the work of redemp- tion. He had nqw within his own domains a large available force 'j bttt, with^the excep- tlon o of the six companieg kept up for the queen's service (!) the clansmen of Tyr- i -I .'^A, RED HAND OF ULSTfc. 65 oweh, though " good men and true," ^ere singularly untutored in the modern art of war, and consequently little able . to cdj)e with the soldiers of England To^ any other * than O'Neill, this woiiltl have been a mighty . obstacle, for, as it still behooved him to keep on terms with the government, how Was he to set about drilling and exercising his peo- ple in the face of certain discovery ? " Bi| t no obstacle was too great for the earl's all inventive mind ; so he boldly commenced and carried on the- work after this manner. Tender _ pretence of obeying the queen's instructions, by holding himself in readiness for the first emergency, he daily exercised - his men— that is tjp say, the queen's six com- panies—but always contriving to substitute new, as soon as their predecessors were per- fectly well trained. Tl^us, while ostensibly keeping the queen's soldiers in readiness, he was really clrilling gind trainibg the whole male population of Tyr-owen, and/ in \;he course of a few mopths, had the satisfaction of seeing them as>Vpert in the use of their — r~5 ^ — ^ — ~ -^ .r* •>• / ,1 :0 ■■' act, any part in the great drama going on around. 1- ' i M' < .. BED IMND OF ULSTER. 67 Yet she was a carefulj if not a clever or judic- ious mother ; and, as. a wife j ith a husband of a less elevated mind an^character, she \ might have ^ade a tolerably good one ; for Judith* was submissive as submissive could be, and had so high a reverence for her lordly husband that she scarcely ever ven- tured to raise her eyes to his lace. In short, she was just a good, quiet woman, without any distinctive mark, and, as such, the very wife, of all others, tKeleiist suited to the courtly, and aspiring, and lofty-minded O'Neill. Such being the case, it was hot at all 5Utp|^sing that, though he ever treated her witly the respect and consideration due to his wife, and the mother of his children, yet she had never called forth, in hislheart, that love, of which Jiis warm, genial nature was susceptible. Often, when weighed down with the many cares of the precarious and 4ifficubpathhe had phosen, an involuntary * sigh would jesca|e him as he JJiought of Judith's all but imbecility, and then his yearning heart would long for the communion of some kindred^ind as the first of earthly \ 68- >RpI> HAND OF n^TER, m k^i,-- .'^- blessipgs. Yet, from a principle of 4uty , lie ever repressed these ping regrets, as so^n as. he became conscious pfl their tendency, and the less attraction he founA^wtthin big family circle, the more eagerly^aid he throw himself into the grand project whose noble- ness captivated his mind. Latterly, he had found an enlightened friend in his chaplain, who had studiM in various Gontifiental colleges j and had seen I the world, both in courts and cities. He was 1^ «l^ of singular piety, yet none the less attached to his country, for which, indeed,' he'feherished an affection commensurate with^ its sufferings. The pompanionshlp of such a man was a truly invaluable acquisitioft to the earl, deprived, as he was, of congenial society, and though fee thought it^ti^neces- sary to ope%to the good priest all his plans and, their extent, "yet he found pleasure in ^ discoursing with iiim on the condition of thei country,' and the state of public feeling, as ' fer as that was or could he known* Now Fa thftr McNamara had a habit of making short tours through' the country" for the pur- :-J 1 - Z ^ * _L_..J , _. .'v.' ■-^^r .,\ V V : BED HAND OF ULSTBK. 69. posewpf atlministeritt^ the sacraments, and affording spirittial t cbii|olation to such laa iiight require his aid, in the absence of their own pastors.;- In generali he confined him- 6elf to, the territory o| Tyrone, and that by th^,advice of the earl. ^Sometimes, however, his zeal Would cany him into the adjoining districts^ and, on one of these occasions, when he had ventured eveii within a few miles of Newry, he was seized by some of Bagnal's soldiers, out on a' foraging party, and dragged into the presence of the marshal, w^koJiad him cast int6 iHfiJEisori, and heavily iSped, ajeaiting a more formal trial. ii A less devoted ^Christian might have . escaped; for he wore^tto^peculiard^bit^ and -might easjiy have framed ^some'ifilkusible ex^cuse, but no such idea crossed the upright and simple mind of the 'good father, who, when questioned ^ as to his. calling, frankly c(Aifessed it; ; Even the object of his leaving home he did not attempt to conceaJ, and thus, of course, committed himself^; 'fhe illtaly thing he refused to reyeal w^s the place of his abode, fearing to implicate his noble i r\ «* 4 '^Vas ^thrown into pi'ison^Cbs already W^§, '• . mentionecLg^d Jjboked forM^ardl^ an early "''^ ' \ and perhal^'iiMieV death.' Priestte were sel- < dom visited i|:«;those days '.witlj^ lenient^ jpun- , ishrhent, >iid their execution was almost V < i} 5 ^variably |)refceded by. iingerii^W tormeiits. CHAPTER Ii;. •♦Ho'er had a'ifaiad or a Qpacei- A finer foi^m or loveUerfuce." ' SOOTT'8 iiADt . iMj^^ ^ tierfect woman nobly The mock trial Was o expected. Father Mc emned to death, but, a<|a s ercy, he was to be .hun^ '^y, the neck '^ /u ntil dead,"%ithout any prelimind lr y torture^ As it W^^ then late, tll||| ^execution wa^ d, . dnish curiosity Jl6nty,*^saidtii?sweej;voic^» ' ', *«„i».>. i deny me jSt jirh^ m^^be ^ to see this so-mutai^a|j|jBa'-of';j|(L ive to examin e t h ese animals m »> i \\ ,1 n RED HAND OF ITLSTEll. - ' - ' , ■ ." Admit him, sirrah ! " said Bagnil ; and whdh the soldier had left the room, he spoke in allusion to the lady's last words,--" Aye, but this O'Neill is none of your.wild Irish- men,— would he were, for then would* he be far less dangerous, t^^o, lio, Arabella ; he re is a fellow, who, to all the natural cunning*! of hisjrace, and their courage, too; adds th^* knowledge Avhich majc be gained^n courfe alone— curse him !— and so greft are his powers of persuasion, that a doisen words from him Will wheedle Elizabeth out of her fiercest anger." > "Well, truly," s^d Arabella, with a laugh, ^ "thou hast much increased my\ curiosity, though I am inclined to believe^ that thy; fears do overrate his talents and ^omplish- iilents." As she spoke, she moyetb^r seat a little so as to have a better yi^w^f the expected visitor. ;F 1 At that tnomeht, the earl entered* and though \Bagnal stood up to recj^ive him, he "chose not to return th^ courteous salutation of O'Neill. The latter, however, took no notice of the insult, but went^ on to state the purpose of his visit, \ ' "^H^H ! 'fSBM ^,- . \" '■■(.'^ "BfXD HAND OF ULSTER. 78 "There was a Roman 6atholic priest tried , and condemnecl this day, in Newry ; is it not Bagnallreplied curtly in the aMrtnative. I *« And his crime, of course, is that ^ of havinff exercised the functions of his ' ministry ?" ' . .. ** A grievous crime in thci eyes of" th^d* - law," said Bagnal, snappishly. V "HumpV* said the earl, "that may be, » but here in Ulster such a thing has never been attempted before ; somehow the law of ; I' England has not found its way in here, and thiB priest, pelchance, thought ! that, as.^he violated none of the laws by; which theh , people of this province are goye|:ned, he ran ' jiorisk/'^ ':"-■;;. ■ '■/''a:--' ■:/'-■' ^^^^^K-^^^ " We Mtftach him the law and the gos-j pel, too, fhat is all," returned Bagnal, abruptly.'".- '■;;■■' '"■^v..; ■:■/•,- '■■, •' ■:■■■■•■■. •- :•'■ .^ ; "' "Enofc: Sir Henry Bagnal who this - priest is ?^ demanded Q'NeiUt* »> * ** Ho, nor does he care. ;** H^ls my chaplain," said- moreover, mVjralued friend. m U RED HAND OF tJLBTBR. i-;te J- X w ** So much the more reason ibr his being got rid of; his death will leave a viper the -less." : , ■_..:/_■■:-'_:_.■■■.•_..: .^-:.:_: ^ "I thank thee. Sir Henry Bagnal," said 'fee earl, with an ironical Bmile,'Jwit still ^^preserving his composure. ** Thy courtesy ^tceeds my poor deserts,^ Bethink thee, /^nevertheless, who I am^-and then, mark me w^Ui sir '"nw%al, refuse ipy Request «ir i^ot, v»^en I £^|c thee to spar^Jthe life of this jii^t man^^ Pw mysiif I wluld not sue, were miPfirfe hanging on thy word, but for him do I i^tss all sd^sh feelfigs,.And implore th^,td ibr^ve Tiul^^ l^gnjQ, I give thee thui|Jn op^r^ity to nifitke Tyrone thy friend foflk.^ , Bagnal's d^ face grew darker stilli and his heavy eyebrows were drawn closely together, yet a smile curled , his thin, pale lip ; it 'was a smile of satanic exultation. f* The law must have its course j aye>eyen were it the mighty earl of Tj^ne, and not this wretched priest, who was to suffer the penalty." ^ " « i ■; . Arabella Bagnal arose from her seal, and w- i \ .h^Tf'^'-t : '/»' Ip »BD HAND OF ULSTER. 75 "^ :&' his being viper the Qal," said •JJMit still " fcourtesy ink thee, ^ mark me st"«lr i^ot, f this jii^t sue, were t for him d implore BJignal, I £e Tyrone r still> and n closely thin, pale ation. ; aye,eyen B, and not suffer the came slowly forward. Fii|ln the moment of Q^Neiirs entrance, her eyes had never been wimdrawn from his face, and, by a strange species of attraction, she felt herself drawn to [mpathize in his feelings. She had marked crimsc^ spot which her brother's harsh [am4£,^^^^"!f ^®^^^^^ ^^^ called to his cheek, anirtfc said within herself, — ^* I shame to go forw£a|J-a8 the sister of that nlan^; — of him who can tnus wantonly outrage a heart so noble. Yet it must be done." And, throw- ing back the rich drapery of the window, she stept 6i4t, and, moving softly up to her brotheiy^e laid her hand Opon his arm; saying, with a winning smile, as he turned towards^her,-—" Henry, this must not be. I knew no^; before of this matter, but, from what hath now passed, I have gathered its whole meaning. My brother, this man, this Ipriest, is guiltless before God, and wouldst " Itljlju have his innocent blood on thy soul?. [Forbid it, earth and heaven, that so foul a Istain should tarnish the soul 6f Henry Jagnal ! " — — ^~ — — — — ■ ■ .■ ■■ ■. ' / . seal, and H There w^s something so elevated, so spir- /.'.' »- BED HAND OP ULSTER. n immovable in his resolution. Would that this might lessen, in sbme degree, the dis-' appointm6nt which your lordship must o f necessity feel. The earl bowed low to the beautiful speaker, and said, with all that winning : grace which characterised him, — " Lady, I speak not now of disappointment. I have done for mine honored friend more — a thou- sand times-^than'I would do for myself. I must, therefore, bear this heavy stroke as best I can ; but what shall I say to thee, or how thank thee for thy generous mediation ^ Assure thyself, however, that its being unsuc- cessful in no respect lessens my gratitude. Lady, farewell; and may Heaven requite thee ! " And, without vouchsafing even to look at Bagnal, he was quitting the room when the marshal said aloud, with bitter ■irony: -■ ■■^■/■''/- , ■ ■•■•■:■/■.■;■. ; \/ ■■■■■^''r- *« What a pass things have come to wheti a double dignitary— an Irish chi^f and an English earl, cannot obtain so small a boon as the life of a misbrable popish priest . " 0*Neill turned quickly on his heel, and •» -^ t " , ■ o • /" .''■ '• (1 * - L ' ..; '"■ ' , • w ■I '■>^as to b^ public, and then, by a; des- perate charge, ^aitt possession of the prisoqer, and fight his Way out with hieVtrodp^ the door of Father MoJ^ama^a's cell^w^^jp^ni^ softly, -and Arabella Bagnal ei|i it oarefMly behind her, ^The ||« was sdt^ ting, on .a stonfe "bench, with his-"^^ fbMedi^S on his^^ bosom, and looking as calm &s tholig^ • »■ »'• , > J * ' , -' ■f.-f >' i i4- BBD HA:ifD OF /ULSTSkl' 79 . in perfect ease and security.. Not a glimpse' . of light found adn^issiori to the cell, but Arabella carried a small dark, lantern, which she set on the floor, with jtts light failing on ' the prisoner. . " ' . ' . ** My good father," said the lady^ in a ^ respectful tone, "1 am come to set thee^pe ; . go hence, in God's n'ame," an^say to the E^l of Tyrone, that an English mamen haf h sav^d ' \ thy life." . / * - ^ : " But, lady, or ai^gei, or whatsoever , thou ' art," said the priest, in amasjement, ** how is this lo be done I How - am I to J)ass my jailors ?" • ' • - . " The thin^ is easy enough," replied Am- " , bella, as she deposited-a bundle jat his feet, , , " there is but one sentry, and him I hjtve had^ my servant ply with wine, i\\l he is fast asleep. . In that bundle thou wilt find thf^ uniform g^ an English solc^ier, so that, .if any of our peo- ple be astij-, at this hour, diey maj^ not sus^^ pect thee. Here, too, is. the key of a small • ' I postern, which,. at the bpttom b{ thjs' street, leads to the x)pen country^ and, once there, ' thou canst,-ere day d^wns, be far Jbeyond the •tmti^iifm'if mt ' t >.!«*|« 80 BED HAND OF tTLSTER. '% reach of danger. I shall now reftre, till thou, hast donned that suit, when thou canst joiii me at the outer door." And she hastened away, without waiting for an answer. In a ; few minutes the priest stood beyond^ ^e , prison wall/ in his strange disguise, and neait ^ mni the mtiilled figure of his delivereiv" m f^^ ** Lady I " he said, in a low^ cautious whisper, "I ask not who thou art, but pe. God to whose seryice I am consecrated, knoweth, and will^reward thee. To Ms keeping I commit thee, and no day shall pis duidng the remnant- of my life, without niy prayers being offered up for thy spiritual and temporal happiness!" y 'i'D'o as thou sayest," said Arabella, in the ■ same low tone, "and for niy- name, the G'Neill> win tell thee who %6 pray fpr. Farewell ; the liioon is about to rise, and thou . hast need to set forth quickly." She was ;, ^vihg away, >hon the priest requested her ' toy^tay ^ yet a . moment while he J^^^ onp ^qu^stion. ^jr . ,- / ^ : ■ * "Speak, is^her^ what wouldst iliott know ? " i:ji^^« Thou hast twice madei i^ention of ii ^f.yj #/■ ^ KKD HAND OF VIMTZU, 81 lA' "*/:: mm^ which, more than most names, I honor t Isi^ows he of my captivity ?*% : f* Yes, yes, but he will tell thee alf him^elfc go noyv.** ^ . "Another word, kdy, dost thoi^ then "Before this evening I would tap?e^ # aBsweredNo; nowmethinks I do, and moire; • WX know him for what he is ! " "Then, lady, receive niy assurMicI, that Ireland doth not contain one nob^- — oae more lofty-minded than he ! " t "I believe it, fajther, I believe it, ' «aid Arabella, with som^ ei|i6tibn, ** but mx thin* own sake, I will not taVy a second '^longer. Farewell ; remember thy p/omise." - , ;■ " pil deatl}, lady, so GodJ)e thy |uide." The xords w»r0 scarcely uttered wl^m !Ar** bella'dai'te4 away down an adjacent alley, apd was losi to view iti the thick darkness. _ O'Neill had^kept his men undfer /slrms fof ^ the best part of |;he night, fat -§ public host* i mry, ani the dawn^ fed not yet appeared when the troop st(|od rfady for march. The earl had not yet given the order to set fsrth/ / -.4 %■ ■PUMMwa /^ %% RfiD HAND OF ULSTER; ■ .:■ . *■ ^4^ when 8k mounted express came from Bagnal, requesting, in terms more like command, that t|^ Earl of Tyrone would await the mar- ^^ shal's coming, as something of importance "^ was to be treated of between them. Jiittle aaO ^eilt felt disposed to hold farther con j^nce with a man who gloried in shewing his; animosity toward^ him, yet he thought it best to Qomply, as the matter referred to might possibly concern the priest. In the course of ^n hour, Bagnal rode up, aqcompar iiied by an officer pnl^, and imperiously called for the Earl of Tyrone. The latter was not slow {% making his appejarance, and^ when he stood before the marshd, the^ latter surveyed him for wit earnest 8oletidmty> **^'I- will not attempt to -,<* .•v.H ipe of re thee • 1 14 ti: . -J- 84 RED' HAND OP tJL^T|>«L. . conceal that^ I. am rejbiced at the this holy man, bttt I do solemnly 9^ that I know nelihei^ act nor J|)art of how it w^ e^^ May VQ^d ifequit^ whoever , Jw^ a Hand init/^h believe it/ or not as H^eemeth good to^thee^ I can t^ say that /^^ it was neither by contrivance iior deed bi ■ • Baghai wowld have once mop broken out ^ into a torrent of abuse, but hfe compai^n, .wis^r ki^t'^niore sagacious than; he, judi- ciously intr I -u /t ' ■ { ■:H, ■ M ■<• ■ )■ 86 RED HAND OF tJLBTER. .■ • ■,••■,; ■.■,.■; • V. ■;■:■ . ,,: „.^.!v. i. ,-:-■■■■■■■. , ■' .-r the troopers, and- so, pocketirig hi^ paper, he bowed civilly to the earl, witih a sort of half- apology. The 6arl bowed politelj^ in return, merely sayiijg:: '''^'■■■'.. '' '': v-fr':/-- ;• !■:' ' '^Crreet Sir Heni^ Bagna^/well from me, mndv^say^ that imiay one da5| have it in my power to thank hirii for all his courtesy . On, men, on!" And, turiii»g his back oii the English troop, he rode away, followed by his flien at a brisk trot, i ^ m^ Oh the follpwing day^^^O had the Satisfaction of wMcoming bsick His chaplain. '^^ A thoijsand Welcomes,'* he paitl, "my deajc and revered fiiehd"; tr^uly thine rescapefs filparcely less miTaoulous than was that of the y^ng prophet fl-om the lion's den, or the three children iVo^ the flaming furnace. But, I prajr thee; tell ine hoiv it happened ; for, thougfe^ (1 was more than suspected of h^ing had a hand in thy liberation, I need hardly tell thee that I was not so fortunate." la rej)ly,' Father McNamara related the mannisr of his escape,^nding with the mes- sage of the lady, V whose name," said he, " I know-BOt^ but I iay t]^ul^call her the angel - — ^ — ^ — La IIP -«fit :i f iflED HAND OF ULSTER. 3t J>f my ^eliveranceV and, of a truth, her coun- tenanee, s^en by tKe dim light of her lan- tli6rn,wa8 fau^ enough to have belonged to^ in angel, l^y* thou dost «mile, my lord ; :anct thinkest peradventure thatan old priest -ttlio great judge of these matters, especially when his eyes were daz^d bjr his gratitude i fbr^ the damsel's gen Wis and timely aid; But I tellthee, earl, that this lady a|y bene, factress, is: ■■ •/;■:;;.-■ ' ■:; v ; ' «* I know what thou sayest is true^ my good father, and!" ^id but' smile at the lady's refer- ring thee to me, who bsl^ Hor Wt once. • That bnc€f, ■ however, gave me enough of insight into her character to lessen the sur- prise W/hich I might feelon hearing fctis story t)fthi^e. That lady, then, who hath such claim^ on thy good offices, is none other tiian the sister of the tyrannical n^ipers^ciiting Bagnal^— the lady Arabella " • On hearing this announceinefHimiie priest could not sufficiently eixnifes^^ ration; and the outpourings otTife^pitude wer^ only cut short by the earl, ^ho -saia. ■■ • - ■ ■ ' « ' A • : ■. -P- w j S 8fir HAND OP tLSTER. rather shortly;— ^* Thia is nil very well, father, and, in God's name, do all thou canst for Her, pray, an' thou wilt, that she may receive the divine gift of faith; biit, I pray thecj, keep the ma^er to thyself for the time ' And he quickly changed the con- m, with an air as though he would noe^piave the thenie brought on again. Although the priest was somewhat surprised by a rebuff so uncharacteristic of thp courtly earl, he hadt far too much respect for his judgment, liot. to acquiesce at once; and with cheerful ease ^ glided into the subject brought forward, as though himself had chosen it. ^ v Next day, Father MpNamara went, at the ^rl's request, to Dungiven Cdstle, to see the young Con. O'Neill, and, erefne returned, a stranger arrived at Ijungannon^^ who, on being introduced ,to the presence of d*$I^ill,' proved to be the identical servant of Arabella, who :. ■ ■ ■ ■'ST*- '."■'.■ -had be|n employed to lull the jailer to for- getfulness by his friendly draught. ^ He was the bearer of a letter to Tyrone, in which Arabella informed the „eatl that^ on the jail ^» ; , \ BED HAND OP ULSTER. er^i Story being heard, Ne^^^ry was no longer a sftfe residence for her faithful Henderson, whom she therefore begged to recommend to his service. The fair writer merely expressed a hope that the good father had reached Dungannon in safety, but never- made^ the slightest allusion to her own share in his escape. Jn conclusion, she gave the earl a certain caution touching his own affairs, charging him, as he valued his dearest hopes, to attend to the warning. In all else, the letter was so cold and reserved in its tone,^ that it seemed hard to reconcile it with the idea previously formed of Arabella's charac- t(Br. Whatever might have been O^NeiU's opinion of the ^ady, her request was scrupu- lously complied with, and Henderson was appointed at^nce to an oilice of trust in the earl's hoiijsehold. S Whe^^he priest returned, Tyrone placed thele^ in his hand, and merely saying, "Tho)i seest she will not siiffer herself to be ifo^otten, since here is a fr^ proof of her ^c^drwill. 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USA (716) 482 ^.0300 -Phone *f T (716) 288 -5989 -Fox 7 j / r ■t-r 90' BED ]»AND OF ULS|fiR/ til trouble, as thou wilt speedily »ee. But ' bet- ter late than never ! ' " So he walked awav, *■ ' , ■ -' leaving the priest to decipher, at his leisure, -the small, fair characters so lately penned by his benefactress., .^^^ : ^ It was riot long till the English servant of Tyrone became a general*- favorite in the household. EVer ready to obey the orders of'his lt)rd,ai^d lady, arid even to anticipate their wishes, he deservedly stood high in their favor,^ while with his fellow servants he was sol obliging, so good-natured, and, above all, so good a listener to their tales of ghost, and witch, and fairy, (that is, when, they could tell them in English,) that he was declared by all an irivaluable acquisition in the family. He had not been many weeks in the castle of Dungannon when he obtained a^ halff confession from Teague OUrlagan, touching the wise woman ; for Teague h^d been woridrously annoyed by Hendersori^s incredulity on the subject of the. mysterious woman's power, and intimate acquaintance with things past, present, arid to come. So, in order to convince his new friend, honest KBD HAND OF ULSTEE* 91 league gave so many strong Tiints regarding that affair," that, coupling one thing witji; another, namely, some fiicts already in his •own possession with this partial revelation of O'Hagan. Henderson quickly saw to the bottom of the whole, and laid by his acquired knowledge for ise. One nighty when they |ll, to the number of a score, were seated in 1 wide circle around the huge earth, Hender- ison horrified them all by a profane wish that he might be permitted to lay eyes on an Irish ghost, or fkiry. A mumur of horror ran round the assembly, those who ^ not . understand Ins English eagerly askitfg mfor- ' mation from their fellows, whereupon there was heard on every side exclamations of "Christ, save us !"" Lofd, bless usl"— <*^What ivis to be a heretic !"" Gh then, listen to that, all of ye !" and such like. But HenUerson only related his remark, requesting any amongst them who might have a supernatural visit, if possible, to introduce him to the visitor. All drew their s^ats closer together, and each looked shud- deringly over his or her shoulder^ but none. •1 M ■M- 92 B.ij) HAND OX ■N- ■ tJMTER. y. ■i' ventured to -reply. At liist, Henderson was summoned to attend hisvlord, and, whi near the door, he turned om his heel, saying with a laugh, ** Now mind, every one of yi what I have said ! " " Theii by the gravi| of St. Patrick," cried Brian U'Ha'gan,.aftei him, "but thou mayest be, after all, jiist^^a^ ^ much afraid as another, and t pray Heavei this night that somethings JB^ catch thee erel thou hast gone a dozeji^fSceai bevond the! For about a Wj^ek all went oW quietly in the castle, and "^still , Henderspn had no opportunity to test his courage on the brings of air. It chanced, however, tl at the earl- •invited several of the cpnfederate chiefs to a banquet j and just when the laugh a-nd song were loudest, and the harps .rang- joyously and triumphantly beneath the niagic touch, of the bards, then there was suddenly heard over all a wild, unearthly w^il uhat echoed from hall to hall, and instantly t lie voice of gladness and of mirth was hushed. A. dead silence fell on the assembled compianyj for •*'the bravest and the gayest there was cmlled. RED HAN \W ULSTER. J" 93 ^^ and, as ifc were, spell-bound, by that fearful, voice. But it went on--around and around the house it seemed to go, as -though floating 9n the still night air. Even' the earl him- ielf was, for a moment, struck dumb with amazement, if not with fear, and before he had spokeiL a word, a whole tropp of the , servants rushed in, pale wi^h terror, and soarcely one amongst them able to articulate ■a-word.-. ', - n * .; "What is all this?" said the earl, at length, "why* break ye in after this uncouth iashioh?" r- « Oh, my lord ! '* cried Phelini; speaking with difficulty, "don*t ye all hear it as well' as us ?-^K)ch, sure it ■ s the JBansheie— God be good to ^^1". Mil and there 's death over the house of O'Neill ai sure as my name 's '^Pheliml" .■■■.■ -.^"^ :■ '•>» r-.^:^^^:. '^' KED HAND OF utSTER. •'•v- ■ -.f. m just at the ioot of tjie hall whiLh stood^half open. It was in«tantly followed by a louder shout of exultation in a different Toice, then a torrent pf wigry words intermingled with horrible impreeations,— every . one present started up and all eyes were turned in the direction of the door. The earl vainly tried to shake off the convulsive grasp of his wife sister, and sat down again in complianfce wit^heir half-frenzied entreaties, when, lo ! the d^r was thrown violently open, and Hendersbn was seen dragging aloiig, by the back of thesneck, a kicking, str^uggling female of dirainutivexheight, from whose mouth was poured forth that torrent of abuse which had ' reached this ears \f the company. Hender- son was not scathle&s, for various parts of his garments were rent Xnd torn, and his face was literdly covered %ith blood from the scratches inflicted by the nails bf'^the fierce • creature. ■ •. ; ;:.:■;: . '•• ' A^*^;. . .-'.■■■■ .' " Why, in God'? name, xljenderson ! *' ;. cried the earl, "who or what hast thou ■ -therei"- '^ ■■-:.;/- ■ ■■-^;:-H; ■.^■■'■y, '■ ; A^ ^ \^: Th e Bansh ee , my lord," retur^d lien'.' %■ 'Hmm 9SH 4 1 96 RED HAND OF ULSTEB. dersion, though he could scarcely utter^ word^ from the violent exertions he was obli|^ed to make^Q retain his l^ld-^" Any of thib noble company4hat wants to see a spirit cm have a look for nothing^ Look at her/^y good lord, what a beauty she is! " and jdbt then, having reached where the earl sat, hef forcibly , popped her down on the marble flfoor, in a sitting posture, holding her two amis Behind. "Why, truth to tell," said O'Neill, "the 'creature is attired after the fashion of Ban- shees, as everywhere described, but, for mercy^ tell us, Henderson, how thou didst catch her." ^ « Ha, ha, my lord," laughed Henderson, ^whiie old and young crowded around to "look at the miserable being, who had left off her horrible yelling, but still struggled to free herself, « ha, ha, iaith, I might have hunted her till doomsday, around the house, but running that game was n't the thing for her purpose, the she-devil ! and so she ventured up too near the door, so as to get a go9d p^p: at the noble company, and as soon as she thrust her ugly visage inside the great door. ' ^^ TIED HAND OF ULSTER; 97 I ju8t nabhed her by the nape of the neclc, for your lordship must know that J expected what she 'd do, and so planted myself inside the door. But, hallo there, all of ye trem* bling creatures in the cprner — come over here and take a look at "your great fortune- teller. Come here, Teague G'Hagan, and Brian, and all the rest, and mayhap she '11 tell your fortunes cheap." But the persons thus addressed, s^^g the 4um matters had taken^ were already esf aping from the hall, and, «8o far from obeving the summons, they scampered off as fcist/ as their limbs would carry them. " And now, most noblel earl," feid Hen^ derson, **an' your lordship will mease to have her tied and locked vm, it will be doing thine own self a good service." ^. " How ! " said the earl, in utter aston- ishmentj and starting /as a strange idea crossed his mind, f ' how, I^endersoii ? Is she, tfen. ?" "A strangeTr found / prowling around^ Under a suspicious appearance," returned i>i Henderson j pointedly. • / ■ ■■•/■ m 'bed hand of ULSTER. .♦f"--V " Ha ! is it even so ? it is well, Henclerson ; I thank thee ; she shall be attended to as the case requires." ~- ** Doubtless, thou dost thank him, an' the great devil thank him, say I, for a foul- mouthed knave, as hq is." The voice in which the wretched hag uttered this impre- cation made the very stoutest heart to quake, but Tyrone sternly commanded her to be silent, and ordered her to be instantly conveyed to pnson. " An' thou wilt, thou double-faced traitor, cried the beldame, in defiance of the injunc- tion, *^but, remember, that the law has a long arm, and it will reach both thee and this treacherous rascal, who has disgraS^dhis Eng- lish blood, by taking service under a vile Irish churl, like thee.". ; ] "Seize her, men, se^e her at once ["said the earl, to the men,^ho stood ready, " and see that ^e keep her Under watch and ward, for ye shall answer tome for her forthcoming. We will teach her to play the spy more successfully, hereafter." ^ The ungainly features of the hag, such as HED HAND OF ULSTER. 91 •they have been described in a formei^chapterL were literally conyulsed with rage, hVr eyei glaring like those of a tiger, and, as th^ mei kid hold of, and fbrced^eac away, "she waj actually frothing at the mouth, Awhile, in he| efforts to shake them off,' she put forth strength, which, they said, must come froi the devil, sint'e it could not be natural to hei deformed frame. ^ Her removal gave a sensible relief to all present, and n0w, that her real character wasl explained, |fi|0ther with the object of her disguise, the affair served but as a good joke, id increase the mirth of the compaixyr2«»d loud and long, was the laugh at the capture ' of Bagnal's respectable agent. It need hardly be said that this timely discovery' of the witch's dangerous imposture was the!*^ result of Arabella's friendly warnings to* b^ on the lookout for all stispieious strangpr$i KnowiH^ and disdaining her brother's base machinations, she had takeih this method of putting O'Neill on his guard. The earl, as before, lost no time in informing Father MuNamara of this last instance . of the lady 100 BID IIANP OF ULSTER. Arabella's greatness of mind, but, as on the former occabion, he cut short all further cein- vcrse on the subject, by abruptly dismisbing it. On the following day, when the guesti^ were all gone, and O'Neill alone with his family, he ordered tKe witch to be brought before him, and tried by everV .means in his power to induce her to confess the purpose for which she had been sent into Tyr-owen, and by whom sent. When/ all failed, he gave her to understand, in few words, that the whole disgraceful plot, and its author, ■were known to him. " But t|eU me, once for all, unhappy ^ woman," he added, "what could induce thee to pass thyself for a spirit. Were there not other more practicable meth- ods open to thee whereby to carry out 4hy purpose?" " Ha ! ha 1 " croaked the hag, in a tone of .diabolical malice^ "my voice lied ^t when it foretold death in thy house, and ll have long ago seen the death-spot where it was not visible to other eye than mine. Now all may see it ; look] there, Hugh O'Neill, and see if death be bot liovering at^ye; there rests his 11 i the ^^^ \ con- ^H \ uestr ^1 I hir nH ught ^^1 1 his ^1 rpose ^1 WCB, H i, he fl « that H thor, H -■-. .e for '^^ ^^1 what ^^1 \ pirit. ^1 neth- ^ H t^hf ■ le of ^^^^^^1 len it ^M I- BED HAND OF UI.8'j:ER. lo; ■H,.« ~ am shadow ! " and she pointed with a gfjn ^ the face of the countess. O'Neill turned ahnost involuntarily, and — for the first time he became aware that the chegk of Judith had of late lost much, nay, all of its roundhess, while a dark circle around cither eye gave note of inward dis- ^ea8e. Whether it was that the words of the wi^ch brought a deathlier paleness to flfer cheek and lip, or that she really was far ' gone m, some wasting sickness, (perhaps even to herself unknown,) Judith loolced at the .^ C moment as though her days were nufttered, and the earl cried out, in pitying accents, "Why, Judith! can the wretched hag speak trjKh ? — art thou, indeed, suffering from disease?*' » ' ' ' ■ 4' 1st know not, Hugh," said the countess, "writh a languid smile, ." latterly, I have, at times, felt as though something unusual were going on within me, but I h^ve never thought myself in any danger." "^V X ^ **But the Banshee knew better, my dainty madam," sneered the beldame; "and in return for her warning thou canst not do less t I 102 RED ^LAND OP ULSTER, '■&-■ thaivengage thy \ii8band to set her free. It Vere a pity to keep so useful .a spirit in thraldom^ Ha,>a, h^l'!^ >*My lord knoweth best what it behooYeth . him to do," answered Judith, meekly, and^ the earl, catching up the word, went on : '^And, therefore, woman, I will send thee under an escort to the very^ajfallf of Newryl It would profit me nothingj^i^ain one like thee in bondage, and so I ^ill let thee go for this time. But bear this in mind, that, if ever thou art laid hold of again on any part, h<4rever distant, o£ the territory of Tyr-owen, ' it will fare hardly with thee. Silence, I command thee ; '- for she/was about to speak" in her usual malicious/manner. He then ordered some half-dozen of his men to con^ Vey her to the gates of Newry, and had her instantly removed. It was evident that ^ ' this generous forbearance excited no grat^ ; tude in her callous heart, and he would not give her an opportunity for farther vitupera- tion. "But tell thy employer," said he, as a last charge, *i that, for the future, my people w ill be on th e lookout for his agent s ^ an d B£D HAITD OF ULSTEB. 103 tiiey shall have orders to hang, without judge or jttfy> any spy whom they can lay hold ■'«n»»--' ■■■■/->■■ ■■ ■:^^ ■■■•■• ■•' ■■■■ ■■'■■-.':■■■■ .'■' v." The heldamie tHrcw hack over her shoulder ^ look of contemptuous defiance, but, never- theless, the hint to<^efiect; for, from that day forward, no spy of Bagnal's was ever dis- covered ih Tyr-oWen. And well it wa^ for O'Neiirs plans, for each day his sph^ ^f? ^ operajtions became more enlarged, aijd: his^ mfluence more wide% felt throughout plstet. Even Tyrcoiinell seemed at length/ to be awaking from its trance, under the influence and example of the chief's eldest sdn, who, though barely fifteenZgave already Jthe mo^t unequivocal proofs ^at he, at least, would never weal; a foreigji thrall wjth tame sub^^ mission. Already had he, boy as he was^ led some of the clansmen of his house against the English parties around his borders on the side of Gonnaught, and already did he wield over the people a more powerful influ- " ence thsin his father had ever obtained* Gladly did Tyrone watch the development of his baBther-in-law's chaficter, and noted -ri 1- T-Bdirj-i 104 RED HAND OF ULSTER* with pleasure the martial bent of his mind. Hope was already dawning brightly on his path, and her beams shot over from the wild north-west, when news was brought him that the gallant young chieftain was the tenant of a dungeon in Dublin Castle. It would seem that these precocious bursts of patriot- ism, which revealec^ the fiery energy of young Q'DonneU's character, while they kindled bright hopes in the far-seeing mind of O'Neill, had not; failed to attract 4he notice of the officials who held sway in Dublin. They had long regarded with complacency the supine indifference of theiO'Donnell, and built thereon many a fair visidn of estates to be^ained when the queen would catch hold of Tyrconnell, no difficult task, either, they concluded, as the old man wak but a silly dotard. And were all these gojlden expecta- tions to vanish before a stripling, a hair- brained boy?— no, forbid it, prudence and worldly wisdom ! So^a vessel was seiit .off from Dublin expressly to "^carrty off young Hugh, and, having anchored in the upper part of Donegal Bay, the captain caused the \ I RED HA,ND OF TTLSTER. 105 news to be spread on shore that he had a cargo of ihe richest and ratest Spanish wines to dispose, of. He had learned that th^ young chief was then hunting in the wild district pf Farard, contiguous to the ^ shore, and thereupon based his hopes. So Hugh Boe> with sonie of his young companions, went on board to visit the captain, who, they were told, received all comers with ready hospitality, and were so well received that they remained during the evening. But when the light of morning fell on the waters of tbr ( bay, the vessel was nowhere to^be :' seen around the shore and the faithful clans- men of Tyrconnell became sensible, all too late, of her real character, and that their idolized young chief had been basely entrap- ped from amongst them. Soon it was gene- rally known that Hugh Roe 0*Donnell was a prisoner in the Castle of Dublin, and with him two cousins of the Earl of Tyrone, that is, Henry and Art, sons of Shane O'Neill, - and a young northern lord, a son of the McSweeiSey. This outrage, as might well be ima gined, gave rise to a storm of indigna- .'/ .• 106 BBEt^HANB OF TJLBTEE. f\ tion,wliich gave a new and vigorous impulse to the alction of the cfonfederate chiefs, and in some measure made lip to the cause the loss sustained in Q'PwmelL^^^v :* ' ■N CHAPTER IV, A FEW weeks after the capture of Hugh Boe, Tyrone was again summoned to Lon- don, and he at once prepared to set out ; for the farther his secret operations were adyanced^ the more urgent became the necessity for avoiding an op^ declaration of. hostility against the English. But how tru6 is the saying that "man proposes, but God disposes " ! for, on the very day that he had fixed for his departure, his wife was seized with her death-sickness, and for three days he was stationary by her bed j for b'Neilly with all his elevation of mind and soaring reach of thought, was ever strict in the fulfilment of even those smaller duties which make, after alii the sum of our life's obligations. On the fourth dgy^ having KBD HANn OF ULSTER. 107 received the Viaticum! from Father MacNa- mara, Judith took allong farewell of her three children, (her A)n had beeia brought home for the melancholy occasion,) and then, having expressed her trateful sense of her husband's unwavering fkindness, she calmly closed her eyes on th^ world. Hqjp death was quiet and serene, ajs had been her tem- perament through life, and O'Neill, if he felt no very .poignant sorrow for her loss, was, nevertheless, stroiigly affected by her early death, and mouried for the bereave- ment of his children. He had little doubt that the shock bf her brother's being kid- nappe^ away, and the kr owledge of her aged fether's affliction, had accelerated the work of diseasfe, for, though Judith was never' remarkable for any extraoi dinary depth of feel- ing, he had observed th»t this late disaster seemed sensibly to affec;her already weak- ened mind. So the malicious prediction of the witch was fulfilled, and death had claimed his own before Tyrone had set but for England on his diplomatic mission. ■1 ■ AV" ■» r<-.-' 108 RED tlAND OF UI^ER. O'Neill, as mistress of his household, and sent Con. back again to his home amongst the hills of Dungiven, he hastened to Dub- liii, and, without having even waited on the Deputy, crossed over to London, being anx- ious to account for his delay in answering the queen's summons, '^f - It required all Tyrone's strength of mind to bear up against the furious torrent of wrath which his appearance drew from Elizabeth, and any one less acquainted than he was with the intricacies and peculiarities of her character would have despaired, not only of obtaining pardon, but even a hear- ing. Not so O'Neill ; for, putting on a coun- tenance of earnest attention, he stood patiently Before the queen till the storm of her anger had exhausted its violence, and it was truly ludicrous to see the sudden calm which fbllowM. " But hast thou nought to say in thy/afesfenoe ? " she then asked, flowering her foicepW at least an octave. " Much, niy liege-|-much have I to say ; but it would ill becpme a dutiful subject to i^ -"v. '-""^ •^•' '-"t BED HAND OF UI^EB. 109 One tKougiit alone kept possession of my mind, while I listened to your majesty's repetition of the charges laid in against me since my last visit. I see, as plainly as we do the sun at noon, that these concealed enemies, of whom 1 have erewhile spoken to your highness, are resolved, if tfiey can, ,1to break the bonds of my allegiance ; they- think, by blackening me in your majesty's sight, to draw down upoii me some punish- ment which would rouse me to- resistance. But they shall not succeed; much will I bear rather than gratify their malice, even were my gratitude utterly extinct." Nothing could well be better managed than this reply, for, by putting the question on that footing, he contrived to awaken the queen's former fears of his being moved to rebel against her authority, while, by his ai^* of injured innocence, he turned the shaft of her anger from himself to them, whom he thus set down* as endeavoring to make her their dupe Again, few things could be^ more gratifying to Elizabeth than the well- feigned resolution with which he declared i 110 BED HAND OF ULSTER. 7 that they should notXsucceed in driving him to rebellion, 80 that, on the whole, he had scarcely concluded when Elizabeth's age- dimmed eye twinkled Vith pleasure, and the wrinkles around her shrunken mouth were puckered into a smile. »« God's death, earl! but thou art none so far wrong after all their lying clack ; for, by our halidomei the proof against thee is never forthcoming. But, to tdl thee a truth, we were oursdves displeased by thy taking upon thee ^hat rascally name of the O'Neill— how didst thou so far forget thy- self and the lofty title we had so lately given thee, at thine own asking I " "And was it not the very best thing that I could have done, an' it please your majesty ? " said the earl, with a plausible show of sincerity and candor. « The people were determined to change their chief; as Tirlogh Lynnoch was too old, and moreover anything biitsound^in^his. mind ; so they pitched upon me aTBeittg near 6f kin, and by yxinr^igbness's favor, of prosperous for- tunes, whereupon I was fain to accept the ■*-JK^lf?*^^. \:-Sii;'^--.^r"'-^- ; ;'- f- RBD HAND OP ULSTER. Ill offered post, to the end that it might not be filled by one hostile to your majesty's inter# ests, as such are not wanting in the north. Heuce I did bend my head to receite their honors ; and, purely to maintain your high^* ness's authority, I suffered them to style me after their primitive fashion." "So every story hath two sides,*' said/^ Elizabeth, *' and, by our crown and sceptre, wp are right glad to hear so loyal an inter- pretation put by thyself on this untowa^i^ matter. Now wilt thou do one thing f<^ ; us, to prove the lie in the face of some J black-hearted knaves we wot of ? " O'Neill mdi-ely bowed low, and laid his hand on his heart. " Then permit my people to build a fort- ress on the Blackwater- — a river which runs, we know, right through thy domains. This will convince thine enemies of their foul ihjustice, when they see an English garrispix in the very heart of Tyr-oweij^ < ** It 6hall be done, most royaliady I and I deem myself but too happy in being permit- ted to give y our majesty even so stnall ft 4l« BED HAND OF ULST«B. proof Of my true allegiance.*' Eagerly did^ the queen catch at this consent ; and some of Jher^ trusty adviseri^ . being called, they unfoWed a map of Ulster, and proceeded to deliberate on the best spot for their purpose. O'Neill was all smileswh^H &« queen had occasion to ask hisTavice, and gracefully beesed to coincide with the opinion alre4dy riven by her majesty. So the place was appointed, and orders almost instantly tent off to have the building commenced (forthwith. ^ »• , . Before O'Neill tookhis leave of the queen, ke took occasion to relate how his wife's chaplfdn (as he chose to call Mm) had been treated by Bagnal, and dwelt particularly on tfie fact that his respect for ier majesty s pffidalhad alon* prevented him from taking away this friend by force; A cloud dark-, ened once more on Elizabeth's bjfFagilR some of the reigning beauties of the court. Ihe whole appearance of the man, from his closely »ctit hair downwards, was so utterly unlike Uhatof an Irfeh cavalier of;]the time,— it was ^o' smart, (to use a moderiiVpHrase,) and so • finical, that O'Neill was somewhat surprised, notwithstanding his experience of men and manners, when tife queen called out, on ^ee- inghim,— "Thou comest in a good time, my lord of Tyrone I For her e is another ■^i^Ki BID BAND OF ULSTJUU 115 Turn thee, Miles, And make the ac^uaiutanct! of our good friend of Tyrone.'* 9 Upon this, the young man startei to his teat, and, turning quickly, met the inquiring eye of O'Neill, as it rested upon him with% no very encouragirtg expression. Yat' the • cavalier regarded him with eyklent'mdniira^ tion, aVid said, in a half-whisper to the queen, — "Of a truth, he doth well become his hon^ pr» J he is a noble, even of nature's makii|Bf." ** Whom have I the honor, of seeing for the irst time ? " asked O'Neill, with a somewkat stiff bow. . ^ «* My name is O'Reilly^ my lord earl-— , Miles O'Reilly, at your lordship's service/* said the young man with a respectful bow. ^ "How? One of the O'Reilly's off ©reffhi?'* ' " The same, my lord ; a son of Sir John O'Reilly.** "^ ' ; ; "|ia! *' said O'Neill, after a short |lau8e, during which tfe appeared to be reoalling ' some half-forgotten memory—" O, Sir John O'Reilly, ay, I do femember, and a nej>hew — of the O'Reilly ; ai^ I right ? " ar'^^^sssr^ 1^9 KEi) HAND OF ULSTER. . ' ■?■ /'^ffriily yes. Then "said the eari^ shak- kg^, by ah efibrt, his coldness of manner, W shaking O'ReiUy by the hand-«then I hJe pleasure in recognizing thee as a coun- tx^man, and cannot but hope that we shall be letter acquainted.'' He then turned to the 4ueen with aiv ainple apology for having /spoken so long to any one in her^oyalTi^sr / ence, but Elizabeth graciously answered that I he could not please, her better thaiv^y show- ing civUity to her young soldier: There were none present In the room, but some three orfour of the queen's ladies ; and, turnmg short round, she said to thena,-^ « Betake yourselves, damsels, to yonder wm- aow, where Ist^ds an embroidery frame. ; We love hot to see young maidens idle ; bestir your ^ngers, while we here t^k ^ ^ matters which concern us much. Ott went th^ ladies to their allotted employment, and the qaeen again addressed O'Neill, r ^.^>.^r^ow that we have got rid of so many prying eyes, and> sent some four pairs of ears o.,t nf heari ng, we would- tell thee, our good friend, that we have a double interest m ■1^ RED HAND OF uiSTER. 117 making thyself and O'Reilly known to each other. Over and above our hope that ye will aid each other in establishing law and order in that wild Ulster, we have something presently in view*" O'Neill could merely bow in silence, when the queen turned to :■; O'Reilly,--'' ■.■■'/■■■.■.. ■■■':'/■/:--■'■■■'■■ ■■^■^ "Since jthou wouldst fain jfenter oi^r ^er- ^S^ice in a.,pore direct form, W^ would have" thee male thine apprentioteship, and pre- paratory studies under the^ eye of a 'skilful commander, like his lordship of Tyrone: . He holds a perpetual commanjd in our army, and, we are told, Isceepeth Ms men in such admir^le discipline an/d good order, that they are ever ready for the field. |f my lord of Tyrone will* matke room for thee in JisJiouse of Dungann(m^and undertake ttf ffive thee the benefit o^ an occasional/ lessoix ^in the art of war, we will take it as a good serviGe. "VVjJiat sayest thoii, my lord earl ? , There wai^ a certain sly twinkle in Elizr ■ abeth's eye that was not lost upon Tyrone, ' ^who well Understood the hidden meaning of this manoeuvre, but he had nothing for it A .Ml V !| H './>- ismr- iiF BED HAND OF TJlStEIU but compliance, and to do it with bis best grace was the object. Nor was the task dif- ficult for him ; for to his wondrous pc|g; of disguising his feelings, no appeaM^as hard to make. There was not a rilSI|,fliere- ' ibre, on his polished brow, nor a shade of- ^ discontent inhis clear, calm eye as he^eclared himself highly honored by her majesty's .:^oice of a preceptor iov her young proteg6. Of course, he was perfectly willing to give any instructions in his power to so prom- ising a young nobleman. And he bowed courteously to O'Reilly, who, on his side, expressed himself doubly honored by the queen's gracious consideration of his interest, and the earl of Tyrone's polite condescension. It ^as then settled, that O'Reilly should defer his departure till the next day, in order to be with Tyrone. So together they com- menced their journoy, and in due time they arrived together at the Castle of Dungannon. Here, then, was O'NeiU pkced at once under •the most irksotne restraint, for, though a toarked change had taken place in O'Reilly's manners/and even in his s ty le of dr e ss, s ince ■■J- BBD HAND OF ULSTER. 119 he found himself again in Ireland, yet still it would have been madness to trust him. And yet there were moments when O'Neill laneied that O'Reilly, too, was but acting A part, for, on various occasions, when the out- rages, perpetrated on the Irish people, were casually alluded to, in his presence, in a gen- eral way, he \^as seen to start, and change color, as though the subject affected him more deeply than he dared to show, for he , never sirffered a word of sympathy with their wrongs to escape him. Nor could all O'NeiU's address draw from him the slightest explanation of his real sentiments. After all, this was easily accounted for, as lie naturally looked on Tyrone, with Ms Saxon title of Earl, as the firm friend of the queen. It chanced, just at this time, that the English rulers of Ireland made themselves guilty of still another, and a fbuler crime, one, indeed, which, if anything could, would have roused the Ipd from Gape Clear to Fair Head. It is matter of history, how the McMahon, of Monaghan, then called, tJriel, being a man of an easy and peace - loving disposit i on, ha d t' !| I' f f . > f 1 120 BBD HAND OP tJLSTEA. 80 far given way to the encroaching English as to receiVe their laws, and the official appendageMhereof; includihg sheriflfe, bail- iffs, etc Now, one ofliis tributaries, viz,, Brian McMahon, of Bartrey, having become refractory, and refused to pay his lawful tribute, the chief was obliged to levy it after the usual fashion, that is to say, by force of arms.. This having ^come to the deputy's ears. He marched down to Uriel, and finding that the McMahon did not attempt to deny, ^ nor yet to palliate what he had done, the worthy representative of majesty became (or affected to become) highly indignant,— declared the offence treasonable, and impan- neled a jury to try the culprit. It may well be imagined how the feve men of Uriel regarded this impudent proceeding, -beeing that their chief had done nottog but talce his own where it was unjustly detain^, :— lori did they acknowledge any %ht on the^part of any foreign autl|ority to% him. But, rifevertheless, the good^^eputy went, on, got twelve of his own soldiers to act as jury- men, and. the chieftain of Monaghan was , BBD HAND OF XJtStEB, 121 :■.■■■■■■ f ■".■■.'■,■ found guUty of levying wto-against^the queen, though his crime was just as we have rtated it. Conviction was speedily followed ^ by execution, and the noble McMahon was hkg before his own haU-door,-^he fir^ victim of that English law which he had been fool enough to admit into his territories, . The deputy thought, of course, that all w^ right, and drew off his men from the soil of Ulster as fast as might be, having perchance some misgivings as to how the country round might look upon the deed. ihe atrocious murder thus wantonly committed, gave him no qualm of conscience, for it was a good deed to make away with a native chief, and then, above -all, Ws whole vast domains foil, as a matter of course, to the crown, and in virtue of conquest, a strong garrison was thrown into Monaghan Castle. So what wonder, with such advantages as these, that McMahon's execution was rather a jnetitorious action in English eyes. But so did not think the clansmen of Uriel, for no sooner had the deputy turned his back than they el e cted that i dentical Brian of ■-:..■■■■■ ^ - ■ ;..■,-£ ■• ■ /■ . . ' -m.- :■■■■■ ii'. 1^2 BED HAND OF ULSTER. Dartrey in room of the mufdered cbiefj well knowing that he was just the man to «tand tip for. his and their rights. To be sure the whole territory of Monaghan had been divided by Fitzwilliam aihongst some of his officers, (the largest share having fallen to CNeilFs enemy, Bagnal,) but little cared the Mc- Mahons for these grants ; and Brian of Dar- trey drove the English from his country, and held it, too, for many a long day after. When these tidings reached Dungannon, O'Neill and O'Eeilly were just ^returned from a .visit to the fortress of Portmore, which, in obedience to the queen's commands, was then in course of erection. O'Reilly had been speaking of his uncle, the chief of Breffni O'Reilly, and O'Neill had managed to draw from him the fact that his adherence ^to the English cause was anything but ples^ng to that nobleman.^r-~^^^ "But it ma/tters not," said he gaily 5 « Elizabeth Tiidor is a powerful friend, audi a rich re warder." .- . • 4 <« True," /remarked O'Neill, '' ^ ^ exceeding g;enerou8-, especially to her Irish ' ■' - . ' ■ ' ' ■ J '" ■ %■.■■."■.. -.;:_■ -._ _ ' ■ ; ■■ ■ ■".,.-•■- ■ . '*\"iy :" BED HAND OF tLSTER. 1^8 fevorite8."0'Remy thought he recognized something altogether new in the tone of these word8, and he looked hard at O NetU,_ but the latter only smiled, and the smUe- went for nothing, so Miles began to hum a tune, and walked to a window, looking all the time *8 though he would give ajrifle^ have his doubts solved. Just/ at this moment, Cormac O'NeUl, the ear)^ brother, entered the room, and witlm4t noticmg O'Reilly where he stood, hunted up to the spot where his brother saty^In a few hasty words he related the stoi^ of McMahon s wrongs, and was proceediiig to make such a comment as might b/expected, when the earl laid his finger oi/ his lip, and pointed to O'Beilly. At the skme time he took Cormac by the arm, and Jed him to th^ upper end of the room. /But O'K^iUy was there as soon as theUelves, and his fine face was burning wijih a crimson glow. "O'Neill I "he said, in a voice of deep demotion/" have I heard aright? Hath Fitz- -^Uli^^ared to hang . Hugh . McMahcm fe vei/as though he were a dog ? V IH RED HAND OF ULSTBIU jU^ ttarry, hatji he, Miles I " returned Tyrone, with a desperate effort to preserve an appearance of composure. "But^w found guilty by a jury of twelve." Miles O'Beilly turned from the unreada- He countenance of Tyrone to that of liis ^ younger brother, and. he saw its every fea- ture working ivith pity and indignation strangely commingled. And he remem- bered the words which he had overheard from Cormac ere his brother stopped him. *^This will make us sure of Brian and all TJiiel" The words were written in fiery characters on >is mind, «nd he thought that now.or never he ^ould Rave the truth. "My lord earl I " he said, laying his hand on O'Neiirs arm, and looking keenly into his face- *' I know and feel that in thy heart thou dost feel as I do-deceiSfe me no longe^ but tell me^ adjure thee in the naineof the Most High^does not thy blood hoA even as does mine own, arid thine whole soul rise up in horror at this unmatched out- .7 Se^ , T have caA off 4:he veil— I have ^age committed myselfewhat hast thou longer "■*; :»■ :■■■ ■< jun) haSb of rtsTEii. 125 to fear? Speak, prince of Ulster ! shall this foul wrong go "nf8**''8*'l • " ..Miles O'BeiUyl" said O'Neill, solemnly, ..I have- read thy soul in that speaking face of thine. Nay, more, this is not the first time for me to do so-and that, do I trust even apart from thy words. If thou provest « deceiver, never will I again trust the evi- dence of an honest countenance. I will then tell thee that I feel (as an Irishmrfi, ought,) this wanton insult and outrage, and were the power mine at this moment, I wvU con- fess that FitzwiUiam should he made to rue the day when he set foot on the territory of UrieL" ' • . , ; ..It is well," said O'Reilly, "but what Meant those words of thy brother, that th> urnldbring over Brian oM I/neZ? lowhat will it bring them over I " V , "Nay," and the earl threw a warning glance on his brother, as ttlough fear,ng his Lhness of speech, "nay. Miles, thou goest too fest-it is clear that thou hast caught up my brother's words in a wrong sense.^ ^^ J)'Edlly shook his head dottbaugly, an^ I U ill J ■ .%» ^^-4«ft ^. AED HAND OF ULSTER. merely saying,— •" This . li^hat comes of wearing short hair, and b(Rt|i called a royal favorite ; '* he took Cormac's^rm, and drew him away, laughing as he went, though his laugh was anything but natural. ' Left alone, wi^^his own thoughts, O'Neill speedilx " forgot Ki; speculations conceri|iing O'Reilly iri the overpowering feelings arising from the iiitelligence just -received. How- ever great- w^a his indignation at the foul crime, it is certain, that, as a politician and statesman, he saXy that it would do m^uch to urge on the tardj^ preparations of the chiefs, and rouse them to a sense of their own individual danger from the insidious and ever-watchful policy of the English. Nor aid the result belie his hopes, for no sooner was the tragical story niacje known than a tempest of fiery wrath swept through men's souls all the land over, and fierce and deadly were the vows orvengeance breathed against ihe deputy and the ruthless government that 80 relentlessly persecuted the Celtic race. About this time all eyes were turned, some in hope and some in fear, on the vast prep- BED HANP OF ULSTER. 12*/ arations going on along the Spanish coast for a grand invasion of England. Phihp the Second, who then filled the throne of Spain, ^ /had never concealed the strong sympathy with which he regarded the sufferings ^ Catholic Ireland, and now that he was aboiii making a fhial descent on England, it was hoped that he had these unmerited sufferings inview. O'Neill, who was well acquainted with European politics in general, shared deeply in these expectations, and even looked forward to receiving efficient aid from His Most Catholic Majesty in the great struggle which must soon come on. Just at the moment when his hopes were at the highest, came the direful news that the great Spanish Armada^the most magnificent armament that modern, or, perhaps, ancient times had seen-was a total failure, and that the winds of heaven had scattered that noble fleet like chaff, leaving Httle or nothing for Elizabeth s admiral? to do. He was mounting his horse toset out with O'Reilly on a visit to the old castie of Benburb, when twoxouriers arrive d almost in the same instant from two of the i ! ^ 1^^ -3^ , 123 KBD HANP OF UL8TEE, chieftains whose territories lay on the coast, announcing that some of the Spanish vessels had been driven in on their jrespective bor-^ ders. Tyrone heard the news with a sinking heart, yet was he gratified to hear that the shipwrecked Spaniards had been hospitably received. Fain woiitd he hi^e sent a mes- sage to each, expressive of hi^ gratitude and warm approbat^n, but the presence of P'Reilly.rendered such a step hazardous.. \ It is probable that O'Reilly partially understood the dilemma in which his com- panion was placed, for l^e said, with a sly smile, "Then our visit "is postponed, is it not, my lord?" ; » ; *' Certainly not. Miles,'* returned O'Neill,- quickly, and then turning to his brother, who came up at the moment, he said, " Take these menln charge, Cormac, and see that they be well cared for. Let them not depart before the morrow, as their steeds require rest." A^d his loolt tdld Cormac ^siccustomed as he was to read his countea^Uce,) fnlly as much as his word s. 4€ And now for the old homestead of my w RED HAND OF ULSTER. in family!" said the earl, with assumed cheer- fulness, as he rode away by the side of ^*ReiUy. * V \ . .When O'Reilly had taken ^ full view of rtie old storied castle, he could not but admire its commanding position, so admiri- bly calculated for a protracted defence, with its rough dry stone wall rising from a preci- pice of one hundred and twenty feet, while below rolls the subject BlackWater. On two other sides this rock retains its precip- itous character, 80 thattl^ fortress is impreg- nable on three sides, ps immense heigh|^ gives it, too, an extcnsivi view over the sur- rounding country, so tfiHthe whole prov- ince of Ulster does not .furnish ^"better site, ; or one more easily defended than this old dwelling-place of the O'Neills. As the earV and O'Reilly stood together, looking down on the deep, quiet river, did it ev«r cross the mindof either how that stream would become associated with historic memories, and that, so long as it rolls onward through the green valleys of Tyrone and Armagh, it ^hall bcM: 1 i l^li ^ rii-i^.f-:.' % #■ I { / I .■■■ '\ I t w^ ISO RED HANi) OF TJISTER. ft*,V- ished glory ?W6; little dreJmed even te, the great ma^cian who conjlired up (alas," ^hat it should be to fade again!) those dreams of glory and triumph for his* country, —little dreamed even he of the Blackw^er^s glori- ous day/when h^ looked down from that embattled, height, on the d^y in question, and thought only of the feceiA ^lure of at least one bright expectation. -k^ €0n his return from Benburb, th© fearl left O'Eeilly and Cormac together while he went to give his message to the cpuriers from the north. He had biirely done so, when who should arrive but 0'Cahan> of Arachty. He immediately spoil* of the late disaster, and was proceeding to express his satirfaetion at the generous hospll^lity with which the Span- iards had" been received on the Irish coast. "It were well," said he, "if they, had aU been so fbrtun^e as to fair into the hands of our people.'* ' ^ .^ ^ ■ >fl know not that," observed O'Cah tfrily '" Philipof Spain might have but little ' cause to thank us were his manners^ cast exclusi v ely on c e rt a in of our coasts*" REP HAND OF XJLSltER. 181 *fHow ip that?'^ asked O'Neill, witk pewly-awalcened interest. " There is som^j- thing to follow that saying of thine, or I am ^aistaken.*' • « Thau h£t not then lieard of the recep- tion given by O'Donnell to the"' Spaniards?" «* Surely, no ! " replied Tyrone. " But> though I expect to hear little good of Manui, I cannot fear that he treated them badly, _oi;| with small courtesy." . . "Nay, he gave thgih, as far as that goes, just ' the same treaCmient one would give an mvading foe. -A^ctin^ on the advice of pertain Englishmen ^hom he chobses t0r4iar- bor, he set upon the unfortunate and half- drowned strangers, ks they craiA?led ashore, and sle^ a great number of them ; (at leas| his^ people did fof him ;) others h6 kept alive until he s^nt them to Dublin chained . together as a right « welcome gift to Fitzwil^ liam, and I know not but he shewed greater mercy to those whom his battle-axes deprived of life. Now, O'Neill, what thinkest thou of such hospitality as thatr " ,- ^> Tyrone made no immediate reply ; for *••■■;?;■.. J^/ nx 132 bB> hasb o' "i^**- tod^atW. BOt ^mningled with shame % ,once aeprived him of the power of speed*. Every trace of color -left his cheek, and he -closed his eyes ^r a «<'>»«»*^ *°f\!^ k«t out so foul a spectacle. When he d.d • speak, his voice was husky with strong emo- tL. and, stopping full in frout of _^0 Cahan ffor he had been talking to and fro.) W exclaimed, in a higher tone than he general y was heard to use. " O'Cahan,.! do saylo ,hee, as a man acd an Irishman, that this O'Donnellis more odious in my eyes than the greedy and grasping^ tyrant. FitzwilUam. Pitiable it is. that so base a creature shoojd rule in Tyrconnell ; and shame on thynen * who executed his will. But, alas, tW^P^it ■■ of the kinel-conalisimmured inth^^ngeoiB of Dublin ; O, would to Heavei./that Hugh Boe could bave been thej/ but for oae hour"" • ■ '■■■■■-■■/ » Ay,- so said I. whesrthis shameful stpry Vas told me 1 " said Otahan ; " for then had not this foul stain faden on the national char- acter. But wW of this young jackanape whom EUzabe^ hath stationed here ? ■/. BiED HAND OP ULSTER. AM O'Neill replied that, notwithstanding the "lightness and volatility of his character, and' his early-formed connection with English interests, he was not altogether without hopes of making something of him, *' which," said T he, " I the rather desire ; forasmuch as I know him to be capable qf better than he hath yet produced. Nature hath done much for him." the conversation was here interrupted by the ^trance b£ O'Reilly himself" who was in a iew minutes conversing as familiarly "with the stately chieftain of Arachty, as though they had been for years acquainted. That same evening O'Neill was suriMrised by the appearance of a numerous company of Spaniards, who, having^heard of him as the great chieftain of Ulster, and as a man of noble and generous disposition, had come to crave his hospitality, and the means of returning to their own country. There was but one drawback on the pleasure which Tyrone felt in receiving these Spaniards, and that was the presence of O'Reilly* Yet his^elcome was a kincland cordial one, and highly flaHering to th e st ran gers, amongst -.1 '■■ ■ ' l ■ ■ . ■ " ■ * '■' '■- ■ 1 1 ...■ i 184 EBD liAND OF TJLSTBB. ^ whom were some officers of high rank. Bavihg consigned the. common sailors and soldiers to the special charge of his brother, tc^ see that the domestics did not neglect them, he himself conducted the officers ta the apartment where O'Cahan was suU hst- ening with attention to O'Reilly's animat|af. sketches of English life. Great was the s^- prise of both when Tyrone introduced ihp Spanish officers, and Miles CB^ilfy startei irom his seat, his cheek glowmg with*^ crim^ flush. Finding that' none ^ of the Spaniards could speak eithfer English or Irish, O'Neill was obliged to interpret betw^n them and O^Cahan, who spoke nei- ther French nor Spanish^ But though 6'Keilly could (if he chose to do it) ha^e conversed with them ih French, he now affected to be in, the same predicament as O'Gahan, and taking up a volume <^old^ English poetry which lay on * Uble liard by,l» b6Wed^politely but coldly to the Bipm iardsi and left the rooml CyNeill took the first opportunity of speakings with hmi apa^-t, — — — — -^"^ *-^* *-_:. . — . . • m.M • ^ rv>P^;il« T Vtn v t and said, ** 3)hou seest, Miles O'Beaiy^hpy; BED HAND OF TJlJsTBiU 185 » •■■■■■'.'■■,' .■.•■■" ■ ■ ' ■ ■ .• it-is *itli me; blame me not, therefore, Bince thou well knowest that under such cir- eumstsuces no Irish, no Milesiau prince, could either refuse hospitality or. grant it in : ichurhshiuanner/'^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ : r ;^^ «% lord 1 "cried O'Reilly with sudden «i;ation,.and he took the earl's hand a^he .poke-" my lord, I '^'^^'^f^]^ , tered as I am, yet. were the halls of Brefifni s , cWeflato 'mine, and they to apply to me^ : «,eyhave to *-• *^^J^ ^^if ^ ^^^ I • tothe best of my poor ability. This do 1 • „y in all sincerity, but suffer me now to add •tl^. as lam in no way caUed wontodo the honors here, and as I still caU myself the quefcn-s soltor. I would as soon be abseij^ ■ during the stay of these foreigners. I wrll. meanwhile, take a survey of the neighboring districts; that is. if thou wilt furnish me with t letter to ^he cluefg whose terntones I woul4^e3fPlore." ; , , .„ ,• "It shall b^€one, Miles ; and I will send one or twt)^f my trusty gi^low-glasses.to^act as guides. But why this; sudden notion.— - trhly because of the;arrival of. these- I fl It Bpaniards?*' ■-■^ 186 BBP' HAND OF tfLSTEB. .. ■ V J.- • ■ • .1 «' Ay, marry, is it, my Lord ; but more than all, because I love not to be regarded as a spy, or place others under restraint by rty presence. When they are gone, I ^tiH return hither, to perfect niyself in the duties oi my profession." And waving his hand with a sportive air'to O'Neill, he bounded ^ frbm the room. Inafewliours after, he left Dungannon, attended by. two of O^NeiU's men. The earl failed riot to repeat this con- versation to O'C^han, and both arrived at the conclusion, that either O'Reilly was one of the gi-eatest knaves above ground, or a young man who deserved all that warmth of interest which he. could not fail to inspire in ■all who knew hW. "The^ truth is," said 1 O'Neill to his friend, « O'Rpilly is at heart good and iioble, but he«hath been spoiled by coi^rt^or, and the admiration everywhere awarded 'to liis rare personal attractions. God grant ^at, we may not liave cause to XKie his visit^hat IS jdl I shaOl tuiw say." . Dtiring the two wieks that the iSpaniards i ^d O'Neill's: guests, he ^gathered from r6mam( JPM|«»f ii ^;aSi,tbe earl glanced over the solitary line, a deeper color mounted to his cheek, !aud handing the noje to -the priest, he simply said," Those beauti- ful characters are not unknown to dther of ~ us ; inaf I not look ,;|ipcm the writer as my guardiaii angel in mortd form ? '* He aro^e" :and walked away, butTBiot before the chaplain noticed a sort of trepidation iSi Jiis manner very unusual iAbim. What prayer was it that ascended 'from the heart of that pious priest, when his lips moved, and bis eyes timied iipw ar d wi t^ a supp licatory glanc e?. ■ *>.?'W ' ..{' ~ Kb HASP ef "S^ told'him that *ose_^-^ rhich no good subject was -» l>berty^to dxs c;^. "So'ra^ertellussomepassag^pf a merry liature, that may set - f ''-»''"8^8^; .Hugh na Gaveloch grinned from ear to ;^:fi^he seldom l^g^^^'^; "^'^^']^';. WchucUed out. "mjTBOble cousm.- I ■•r ^ -i m 140 ^ED HAND OF ULSTSR. jpleased^o make merry at my expense, but, surely, all his guests are not called upon to make .food for merriment — methinks they are at times entertained with graver mattec/*^ "But men's moods will vary, Hugh," said tke earl jocularly, " and mine is now for mirthi Pri'thee, , slide into the same humor, and it will benefit thee ndt a little." "Truly, yes, cousin/* chimed in Cormac, who was also present, "a good laugh would go far to take from thee that gloomy cast of countenance, and I. warrant thee, it would shorten thy face by half an ell," "This is all passing well, cousins mine," retorted the dark-browed na Gaveloch, with a bitter sneer — " but I came not hither to be^ inade a laughing-stock, even for the great earl of Tyrone— the mighty leader that is to be I • Dost thou hear anything, Cormac Mac ,Bafon?"*.' ■■■■.;.■■ ■':■■■ i:^^\;^-yy;\:... :*' That M t, thou black-hearted knave ! " ^eried Cormac, starting to his feet, *' and if liiy' brother only gives the word, I will take * The sop of the baron; •»/ y '■'■ ■ S»'^ KBD HAND OF ULSTER* Ul thee by the neck and souse thee within an ; inch of thy life's end, in the duck-pond I" He was; actually springing towards na Gave- - JiKjh when the earl caught him by the arm." ** Nay, brother, it must not be '• so— the lian 1^^^^^^^ Then,iurning to na .^aveloch, with ineffable dignity, he said : , M Go hence, Hugh na Gaveloch (mind, I, call thee not O'Neill!)— go hence untouched -^unharmed, and I pray thee make n^more Tisits here while I am master of this house, See that this man depart fbrthwith! " ^ he ssdd to Phelim and Henderson #rho just then entered. \ ^ ^ ' ^-' Na Gaveloch arose,^ and walked m silence to the door, hisNwhole frame ti6mbll% with anger, and hiS fece of a gha^y white; but when he had reached the threshold he turned, feck, and shaking his clenched^st at T^ne, whettTh^ sat, apparently unmoved, he said, in a voice hoarse with passion, *^Thou art cunning as a fox, Hugh O'NeiU,' but even the fox m^y be taught! " The earl only laughed y^ kept a fas ter hold on his brother, who struggled to escape. So Hugh lia ■-\% r ■r i. ■3 ■■■J '■'*■"*'■ uie KSDl HAND OF ULSTBR Gaveloch made his exit, having gained little infonnation by his visit. ,> CHAPTER V. -" T have hMird mitnjr my I«ot« ll?M on hope ; they knew not what they Wdd i ^ Hope U tove'i h»p|>in«M but not its iifr' i— UowDUoyheftrte hsTe nourinh«d a rain flame In altenoe ano In iecret, though they knew ,' > Thry fad the worchlng fljre that would/oonsuma them I ^* . . , ■ ^iF . ,\'. ■■'•'-^. L. B. ^Dow. ■ ;.^ Ott the following day the eajl, taking! advantage of pQ'Reilly's protracted absence, aet out to visit certain chiefs who had not yet joined the confederacy. Of this number was the Magetinis, lord of Iveagh, (now the county of Dowa,) ^h6, being a powerful chieftain, and j moreover, a mj^n of strong, sound mind, his adhesion ,wdu)ld have beejl of vast importance to the cajise. 0*Neifl then paid him a visit, and wa^ attended in; a manner suitable to his rank, being desirous to show Magennis that the reports every- where spread of the number and high tnttn- ing of iifl troops was nothing exaggerated. » ■ i. ' RED HAND OP ULSTER, ui His reception was in the highest degree flattering to his hopes ; for the chieftain of ^feigh^ WW kind even to cor^ality, and respedtful almost to reverence, and on having the mattt^r fully explained as'^yrone only . could explain it, he at once eipreased his*^ willingness to join in sa noble an enterprise, and promiaed to lose no time in making his prepamtions. Whilst they were 'engaged in thit almubing topic, the door was thrown ofiD and a sweet, laughing face peeped in, while a clear, merry voice called out, "Father, my mother praj^ thee to bring the O'Neill to our evening rft^eal — of a truth, ye must have been strangely occupied, for it hath been announced at least halfan hour since. Am I to go back alone?'* - V "Nay, daughter," said the chieftain, "I would tb0tt wert not so wild in thy speech and beating ; btit we com6 ;" then, turning to his noble guest, he asked, ^* M^ I not say so, most noble O'Neill ?•/ ^7T^^^^^ ^ Surely, yes," said the earl, arising from Jiis seat, but his eyes followed the fairy form which was even then llittmg; .acrosai the wide 4 i» ?>;f-«t ' 11 I /I ■■' ^ Jr.-. 144 ItED HAND («P tJlST^R. hall before them— " but w\^o is that graceful creature, Magennis ? Is she thy daughter ? '' ^* Even so," replied Magennis, with a grat- ified smile, as he looked after the beautiful girl, **4t is my daughter Catharina, one of thb wildest and ^lerriest lasses in all leister. I pray thee take "iio4ieed of her misdoings, or of her lack of gravity ; for she is but young, .only sixteen." t ;. \,..-^-. ___:;j;:,:'. ._:::::•'- V:-, " Nay, my^ good friend," returned the earlj in all sincerity, " he were indeed a merciless/ judge who would condemn word or apt of sc/ fair a creature." During the few hours that Tyrone spent at the castle of Magennis, he discovered, in the^ beautiful Gatharina, the germ of many excellwit qualities, and, when the time of his departure was come, jhe, in ^^ taking leave of the chieftain, congratulated- him on this rich domestic treasure. Eight glad was Magennis to hear these praises of his child from one whose judgment carried nauch weight, and doubly so as he had a design in view which O'lS^eill's undisguised admiration of his daughter seemed to favor. Having made his proposed visits, and gained BED HAMD or tJLSTBE. 145 tvo^ or tliree influential noWemen to the cause, Q'NeiU returned home, whiter he l>ad scarcely arrived when he received a fet- ter from Magennis, to the effect that nothing would ^ve him more pleasure than an alii- ifluie with the O'NeiU. " If my daughter be as pleasing in thy sjght," he wrote, " as thou diast give me to understand, thou mayest have het^ in welcome, and a dowry at whic^ even a prince may not sneer. The truth is," hevadded, with more candor than delicacy or -prudence, « the truth is, that thy fine speejchea hap turned the girFs head, and she ^iW iJeitthat there never was another lit|e to .'thee."'-.- ■■■ f^-:- ■••■ This wis a mostpainful embarrassment)! fo^ O'Neill, who, with all his admiration of \the feir daughter of Magennis, had never, fdr a moment, thought of her as a wife, True, ^ had been for the ^moment fasein^ed by li^r fairy loveliness, and the/Bylph-like grace pf her motions, and not less by the playful sal- lies of her wit ; and then the alliance 6^ Magennis was in itself niiich to be eovetedj particularly now, when it behoove^ him tuhli^ . he wiljl not^ repair at tids present time, .as V matters of imppnsmc^Te^ Us presence at' hom€t--^iid/4ifor the threateued punishment, . in case of .defeult, he hath a back to bfear it* Giveu at Pungat^uQiS, under my hand aiid * :'8eal.'^^^■.:^-■.■-^■■''■- ^:;;;^r::- -:;;.. 'l^;:.■ ■■;•':.:■ Wiiati storm of CQnffic;tihg pasM^ this iiiilooked-for answer call forth in •Dublin l-sdme wem filled i^th;r^r(M these was Fitzwilliam hinyelf;). while others ; $Uly exulted^iia^i^ the wily ^rl had, at ; length, committed himselfl In, the midst of ail this tumult, na Gafeloch ^t out for the north, acting on Eit^wi^iam's8Uggestiou,,or: rather command^ and, being arrivcld .at his OTO rmdence; sent tals^rm the e^ that he •■■ ■ .^ well knowing th^t many who now. hung back^ . wo!*ld rush forward At the first clash of arms 'to ratige thelnselvei? under his standard. , ; Being desirous |o confer in^erson ^ with the heads of the confederacy^ sent to invite them all to assemble at his^^use, on a t^- tain day of the foUowSg week. That same evening, as he sat, lost in thbught, while his sister, in her girlish glee, romped around tltie wide chamber, with the two children. Father ^ McNamara made his appear^c^, ahdiaftei: chatting over some trifling matters, he ^ beckoned the eart to the further, end X)f the j ' xoom/ where a door opened into a imall cabi- net. A /^-Jl silver lamp l)urned on the polished/oaken table, (which, with one high- backei^ chairi' formed the fujniitore ai the <:-^ /*■■■ 154 HAND Of VtSTEIU place,)' and, bf its pale light, the earl saw that something of importance weighed on the priest's mincU^^-^ — • ' ' -■• '■••'.,"., -^ ■;■'.■ ; ' ** In God's na:me," he said, earnestly,, "tell me, father, whut hath happened?" "Nay, nothing of evil import> my son,'^ returned the priest with a smile, ^^ it would seem that Gpd, in his mercy^ hath deigned to hear our prayers, for this day I have received, through that faithful Hett^erson, a message from the lady Araholla Bagfnal, requesting me to meet her at a place which she hdth named, without the walls of Newry, on a matter which concerneth her soul'g welfare. To-morrow I set out, with GodV help, as the day following is the One appointed by the lady for thte meeting/* ^ "it is well," replied the earl, after a brief pause, "but the intelligence doth give me no surprise, seeing that 1 have had from the first an inward assiirance that a being' so noble, so elevated above all prejudice, having, besides, the advantage of thy prayers, could not but arrive at the truth.*' And, to the great surprise of the good priest, he suddenly BSD HAND OF XTtSTER. iw put an end to the Conference, by leading tha way into th6 room which they had left. When there, he afforded not a moment for any private conversation, occupying himself almost entirely with the children. Never^ . ! theless, he earnestly requested that Father McNamara would give them his ^company for a few hours, *' for," said he, with- a cheer- ful smile, ** we have much of interest to talk over at this particular juncture." The priest signified his consent by a silent bow, for he was turning over and over in his mind the. almost impenetrable (iijaracter of his noble ^^ patron. ■ ^ ... ■■ ■'■■ ■• '-;.■■ •.\- ,. Next morning, the j^riest set forth alone, « without a single word of greeting from the , earl to the lady Arabella, and in his heart he t" felt grieved and disappointed, for he had v been pluming himself on producing a far V different effect by his late communication. <« But even so it eiret is .with hopes based on ,^ mortals," murmured- the good chaplain to ^j^ , , himself; as he journeyed on; "they are, as it were, written on the sand of the sea -shore, — to be washed away by the first swell of the .a &■ m- / .Ht #^r/ * K. 156 KKP HAND OF tJLSTER. waves. Alasl alas! " and on he went with a desponding heart, notwithstanding his hopes of the lady*8 conversion. •".':.■; ■■' '^' ' On reaching the phkGc of meeting, Father McNamara found that the lady wil not yet arrived, and be entered into conversation with the good people of the house. He ascertained that the woman was a good and pious English Catholic, who, having «been long in the service of the lady Arabella, was, under God, one great means of prepossess- ing her in favor of the religion she professed, and not only professed, but illustrated by her rare virtues. Her husband was an Irishman, of O'Hanlon's clan, who, having been some time employed about Bagnal's house, sayr and loved the pretty Dorothy. They had been but a few months married, and, l>y Arabella's liberality, were enabled to erect a neat cottage some two or three miles from Newry, on a waste moor, which stretched along by the side of a venerable forest. Though Murtough O'Btanlon was, 6n the whole, a good young man, yet his prudent wife feared to t rust a secret of so \ ' . much ir therefor » . . ■ on that town. It wc tap was opened, nied b ^ duced t norWi exceed! versati( but Ai ■ inform] her coi she nc pie, ai tion^ ■ drew \ ^ orderxl either briefly BED HAND OF UL8TBR. 157* . ^A' much importance to his discretion, anfl had, therefore, contrived to have him lea^ hpn* onlSit^clay to transact some business in fpr— 'town.., ■■•..:(,... .\r ■::■■■ ■■■m:T^:m/^^^ It was still early in the day when'^a low ,<* tap was heard at the door, and, on iu being opened, Arabella Bagnal entered,- accompai: nied by an elderly lady, whom she intro- duced to the priest as her cousin, Mrs. Elea^ nor Wilmot. Father McNamara waj at first exceedingly reserved in his manner and con- versation, owing to the A |nce of this lady ; but Arabella speedily dSSpated his fears by informing him, with^a smile, that, though her cousin was a stanch Protestant, yet had she no^ hatred fOr popery or popish peo* pie, ilk was fully cognizant of her inten- tion. Nevertheless, the kind old lady with- drew with Dorothy to an. inner chamber, in orderxto leave the conference unrestrained on either side. Arabella then told the priest as briefly as possible, that, having been induced, by some secret inspiration, to examine the old religion at length, she had contrived to pro- "cuxe some works purely e;^te^ts?y of Ca^o- s c ,. ;iMi« t. 168 I^ED HA^ND OF ULSTER. \^ VV-: ?i.. ■.Wil- lie iocttine; and had thence learned to view it as ii really was, not as prejudice and error ]jiade it appear. The consequence was> that iihe was ready to ei^brace its doctrines at every risk, and begged Father McNamara to taket the necessary steps for her admission into the, church. On hearing this siinple, iinvarni^ed stateuient, tvhich Arabiella ,pul|| forth with a touching earnestness^ and mod-? -^ est candor which belonged peculiarly to her- self, the good priest felt his heart glow with gratitude to that Almighty Fathery who ha<^ 'so visibly moved this pure sdul to. seek the truth, and the tears rolled unheeded from his eyes^ as he raised them to heaven in hufhble Si|>ration. Father. McNamara knew well what a fearful risk^ he rdn by being instrumental in; receiving iconvert^; ye^he shrank not fiom it, dnd carefully concealed the fact from Arabella, who seemed, to he unaware that any ^greatier; danger accrued to' him from baptizing her, than from- any other function ■ pf . his ministry. As this * part of their conversatipn^di'ew to a close, Arabella had opened the door to; look out upon the 4*- #'" ' '\: BSD HAND OF ULSTER. 160 ■■'wl| ■ moor,, and proposed to the priest that tjiey should adjourn .to the open air, a^ MM^oCSta. tage, being small, was exceedingly close, while the atmosphere without was charged J with balmy odors, and fresh witK.the' breath of spring ; beside?, there ^as no more daflger of being discovered than if they .remained in the house. • The good priest made no object -- tion, and together they walked to and fro, ju|t at the end "of the cottage> where^ it was shaded from view by ai^ advancing group of old oak treesi the far|thest projection of the . forest. Insensibly, perhaps, to both, the cpnversatioti glided from religious to more worldly matters, and the priest, in his pater- nal manner, noticed a certain air of melan- choly visible on the features of Arabell*. " How is it, nly daughter," he said, « that I fiiid thee bearing ^ so dejected an aspect?* Surely thou art not appalled by the danger attending thy proposed change of religion ? **\i **^Nayi father, not so I'* returned Ara- Jbella quickly, while a soft blush 4nounted to her face,—-** thou needst not fear my resblu--' Uon ; for, by jGrpd's grace, it is strong enougli i!»'l 1 ■I' 'k:'y- !#■:„ ■■%' 160 c ^ ' KBD HAND OF XJLSTBB. to bear toe t^Tough all ; but we worldlings" -^and sW sighed as she spoke— " we world- lings are, like Martha of old, troubled about many things, alas ! many things, tha^^oncern not our salvation/V ' " *« I would, then," said the venerable priest; and he, too, sighed, ^^ that it were mine to administeif consolation to one whose generous interference saved^B(^fe. But I dare not; even uiquire into thi^cret sorrow, whatever it may be, lest, pert;hance, mine inquiry might not be pleasing to my benefoctress." - r "And yet thou mightest have freely put the question, my r^erend father," said Ara- V bella again, "*^I will t^ll thee even with- out asking. My brother liath entered into a treaty of marriage for me which I have no mind to ratify, andhe waieth wroth at my repeated refusal/* ■ '•/■■ ^/'\-.''.:-'-'--'^"-'-,''^ " And is the husband whom he woiild give theeso very objectionable^?" demanded the priest,; '■■-■■■'■'. '-■- '•''"■/\'';' ♦•Nay, I know not what is his true character, though hehathbeen my brother*8 guest some RED HAND OP ULSTER. 161 need wi^, and hatE, to all appN^arancev been familiar with the great." "And his reiigion,— ^ is, of cdurse, an orthodox Protestant?" ^ ^ _ «Now that,"returnedArabeIla, is just the grand point in which he baffles all my pen- etration. He is a regular church-goer, and, when with my brother, talks of little else but the abominations of popery, and the light, forsooth, which the. Keformation hath cast upon the World. To hear him, then, surely one would think that he believed Master ■■'.-^' ■ ' • " ■ ' "Cranmer and his colleagues the greatest ben- efactors that ever mankind had." But, nev- er^eless, I have heard him, at sundry times, whjjp he though^ himself out of my brother's hearings treat th^se very men, and that, great event, as scourges sent upon th^ earth for man's punishn^ent. Ay, and truly he talked then with singular bitterness. On the whole, I love not, nor respect the man!" / **It is somewhat strange," said the priest, musingly. TCjan there, then, be two such characters?" .!» 1/ II .«' . mmmmmi *■ • 162 KBD HAND OP ULSTER, — wTiat? Knowest ttou any tiling of himr^ • "Nay, daughteir I say not that Ido;^ but the description thou hast givQia>doth bearT^ a singular likeness to that ojf^certain Anglo- Irishman who dwelt some time in the castle ■ of the O'NeiH."'- ■'■■^- Z-^:'^ ^ '■:'- . ■ ■^- '.^'c . : V Ha ! I have heard him speak to my brother," cried Arabella, *' of a .person who had been placedas a spy on the eaj-l's actions. "^ I pray <3rbd that nothing bad may have come ^fit; fbrrit hath been rumored here of late ' ?^^hat my Idrd of Tyrone hath lost the qneen's , ^; favorj and is regarded as a suspicious plotter. Tell me, father, for thou canst, if this ^e all true ? She spoke with eager haste, and, when-the priest glanced at her face, he saw •it suffused with a bright blush. Her ver^ lips, too, were trembling with^Te^otion, and* . in her eagerness to have the question ansT^ered, ' she advancect a step nearer to thef priest. ^ - «< My daughter^" said he at length, with- out Seeming to notice liet emotion, "what thou hast li t ard is but too true ; treacheiy hath been busy at Dungannon ; and, hai it BSD HAND OF ULSTER. 1P^ ■s* . not been for a certain' kind, thougli unknown friend, who twrice warned him of the impend- ing danger,- fliy noble friend ihight have fallen, into the trip, notwithstariding all his prudence and penetration.** Arabella cla$ped her hands, and glanced upwards with a beaming look of gratitude. «* My Godl I thank thfee !*' she murmured i^ a low«^tone, and yet it was overheard by ^^^epriest;' V>;'-';." ■■■:.■ ■ '-'r"- ' '-■ :i- *^ " Why, daughter,'' he almost involuntarily ' isaid, *' how doth this matter concern thee?*' " O, much; much doth it concern me! '* she exclaimed, as thbugh uncon^pus of her ^rds ; mii suddenly recollecting herself, she blushed to^the very temples, and, turn- . ing away her H^d, would haVe returned into the cottage ; but the plP^t, in his an3| "etyror her peace and happiness, was dete mined to sift the miatter fsirther. /^ '•^Daughter 1 " he saidj-with an earnest- ness that pj^duced a isolemn effect, "daughi-'v^ ter ! as thou hopest for^peace and rest, con- fide to me the secret which )[ see ^oppresses thy heart — ^thy soul I Remember that thou 1-1.' m V ■ I ^thee, tfiel,!i|^y^#Bh to iril tlua Ipjaiiise of sorrow i|d uneasiness, li^^lla }iad turn"^ ^^^ ^ at the &6und of Wr p^l^Jbwt^sl^ now liidfer iace with both her :;,lhf«yds, and leaned agl^^ a tree as though ^^^''^uiiJpB to :8tand. . v '%;' ; / V -. ^ *%| dare not, father I 'Was her murmured y I ^i^ ^Thou woi^Wst.^ok upon me with_ ^? llSas i^^ thing, iand ^t God iiath 'r witn^fed? tiow I Have MruggM against this .! Ifatdip&n. This, t#s| it; i8,-^hi8 overpow- ■ ermg 'setise of guilt; ;^^ * dowi; and^ot m}^ brtMfV persecu^fbr f: fGod," ste sjud, soml^kt prou^^ giyenniea soi;d to brave iiijustice and oppres-^ .: sioiL But this drea*^ingo%hameapd tffren>orge,-U),»ishy^ (Shiver ran throug]yl jBltiembers. ; VP « Iii -the nain^«|p God Jirhose WW ^w speaks withij^^^?ad the priesPRl^ emnly,' ■ t/ 1 once riPWfett^^^ thee^niai^> to tell me what |M^«H|nem^ I i(^U helj^ thgeto tea r open tfaelpg ^ festerfag wou nd, . 80 t^ we may apply th©^ remedy. ^^ :W'a^ li f*^ \. ' ■■' ■ • ;; '■ ■ - u ■ ..- ■'■■■ V , - , •■, . ■■. • then, " »!. 'V 'didst Ag . • . ■ " suffas •"Alas hadst ■■■■■ •' *^ power after a isno t worth •acknb' sough , agitati with a %■ then, mistaken when I fancied that thoUy didst love the earl of Tyrone? » ^ ■ Again did Arabella hide her face, now suffased With the butnin&F blush of shame. '"Alas! no, my father. Would that thou hadst been in error!" - * •? • '^hen, wherefore, my child, this over-, powering sense of guilt for that which is, alber all; hut a natural feeling ? Surely, there no such fearful guilt in lovihgf one who is PWofthy of ail love. /I can understand the Ungs with which a modest maiden doth •acknbir|e4ge her love for one who hath nbt sought her ; but thy feelings,— this wondrous agitation, I ^qanhot reconcile with its simple cans m i.fc;, ^cbv^ed her fiEice,\and looked withSi^|iiMeht*at thepriest. >*^But think, ^ iSlhlsr, o|ihe g|j|ri§s*wW61?^ ^esip^ated -#-thou sttfety'^ans^; iW feg^t'the impassa- ? ^ ble bariier whick IJes reWew jwvnot reira^d ^er,as ^Itlesis yrUp\ hath^ CQiii|ess6d li^r Ime *%^ >|^: the husband ct.aiipther^i3^iii>/inT Iftot so;, say not ctt taa l M%»i nolltet this Si! r^< FOUS Sin W0 -% ,^*.'?t V of 1 4^6 not enter 4\r'-,->^ . 'V- j^: T:, I ■ 166 life ittAOT) OF ULSTBll. beauty of holiness. No, no;ltlM)u canst ijc^ mean to extenuate my fault ? * -7 cr . y. .j^r^-^ *' Assuredly not," said the. father, with a benignant smile "; '' for, wert thou gui^y of : - so foul a crime, I could no^ dare, as a,min- , ister of God, to pronounce it a trifling mat- ter ; but thouart wrong, my dearest d^'^^ter, Nosuqh barrier doth nowr^xi^t ; many a month has past, since the coj^ntess of Tyrone was laid in the grave. MS^ her soul restin ^^ peace.;- ■ ■ ■ " ' ■ • -'v ' -:^:;-^^ 'i.-- -J '"■' ■■' "Now, then, my most miercifulfkther, do ^ . I thank thee ^lice again 1 " and Arabella fell ^^ on her kne^, jn apparent fbrgetfubiess of all but God ;-r-«tiow hast thol shown thy great mercy in taking from my \8oul this fearful weight of sin and sorrow/': ,V>: /^ j The priest was about to^^|6 herirom the cold, damp earth whereon Jfefe^continui^t^^r kneel, but he was fores^ledby{ another, who, springing from behftid the identical ■ tree against which Arabella ImdsQ lately' - - - - ' "--* and leaned; snatched het from the ground^ pressed her to his Heart. The intruder Wjg, :;tf'. RED HAND OF /ULSTER. 167 cslosely muffled up in a large cloak; (then . seldom worn by the Irish) but even before he had spoken a word— before even Ara- bella had recpvered frbm her fright so as to^ be able tp speak-^th^ priest called out in a joyful tone, " My lord the earl l-r-now God; .•be-praisedf" ,\, ■/'-•-.■'■•'.'""". '"^ ■v.^- " Arabella/* said tl!e earl softly, as ' 1t]^^ .shrinking girl hid her face on his shouldjP^- ** wilt thou fbrgiv0 me for haying stolen % ^ unawares on thy privacy, and thus become an unsuspected sharer ? irf thy conMence ? Nay, raise thine head,/sweet one, nor fear " thatsl shall be a severe' censor.' And y^t ' tlift crime, as confessed, , doth a^ut'edMitt^t > a grievous punishiinent : say, father. What .; shall itbe?^!- ^C -.A-;.-- :"':^--^''-- 1-> - .■:-.--:■'"■•.■" • •' **Nay, my lord,'* said Arabella, as sho tncated herself from the earl's embrace, I do. not! take this conduct kindly,---it is surely unMforthy of thee!" > ' ' ^Thettillpt me, too, have my punishment" decreed by our revered father .v I'^ill sub-:, almost wild with ilMghtijAsurpiifie. #•' n l\o I'J' 168 BailKD OF ULSTER. "y. /#■• 'Whatever was the. penalty awarded the! ofTenders, they quickly , entered the house -^ with Ihd^' priest, and scarcely half an hour ^^ had passed when Arabella, with her compan- ' ion, set out in one direction to retujrn to Newry, while the earl 8umm|||^d some tir twelve of his men whd were concealed ii ly the wood, and havin^-mounted the priest 'on "'j. a horse which they had brought for the pur- . pose,^^t^ned his face once m6l:e towards Dun^nnd&f. At jpdrting, he had merely ^^UnresWd the%and which Arabella held out to i;P him ; but he said, in a low, impassioned tone, 4^fth calledi||ieelo(|ttentl blood to her beau- ^■\- wtiful cKeeki "^jBi^ w^ek*!*ften|fe, tlien, my e meet^ with. God^f help, to part beloved no mo: ee.", ik lytelB HI then,^ may angels guard I As they rode home side by side. Father McNamara could not refrain from express- ing his surprise, at the close disguise tmder which the earl had kept both his sentiments with regard to Arabella, a^< his intention of taking such a step as he h^d that day done. ' the degenerate O'Donnells, were tnerie to shew that Tyrconnell was not altogether paralyzed by the slavish spirit of its toparch. And O^Neill moved amongst them, his fine face radiant with smiles, and his approach every wheri greeted with respect ; the actuating spirit wii he of all that noble assembly. He was scrupulously attired in the Celtic costume, with his nut-brown hair falling almost to his shoulders, as though in studied defiance of ||^t legal enact ment of KED HAND OF ULSTER. 171 Henry the Eighth's time, which forbade the Irish to wear the coolunt *or lottg l^^ir. lilready had he explained to iHeassemhle^ ' chiefs the actual position of the confederacy, and was still depicting, in his clear and force- ful way, the evils under which the country labored, and the ihcred obligation under which her children lay of using their best endeavors to root out the baneful source of her sufferings, wheA suddenly a door opened near him, and Miles O'Reilly entered. No immediate notice being taken of his appear- <: ance, the young man drew back behind the earl, and stood with folded arms during the remainder of the address. When Tyrone had concluded his address, amid an enthnsi- astic burst of applause, he turned to O'Reilly^ and shook him by the hand, with as much Apparent warmth as though his presence aflbrded no cause for apprehension. ' . "I perceive," said O'Reilly, ** that I have come at a. time when, of all pthers,/ 1 am least welcome — ^but t pray thee take mtTHeed? ' i ■, ^1 ' for S will but speak to my good uncle, whom I see yonder, and then withdraw," j__ ^ - '. - ' \ ■ A i 172 RED HAND OF ULSTEB. f--,: He then crossed over to wlxere the O'Reilly sat, and the old man, contrary- to his expec- tations, arose, to greet him. It was clear that he understood his appearance as indicat- ing a change in his political sentiinents, and, '. holding out Jiis, hand, he sai4» kindly : , "Bless thee, son of my Wother, bless thee. I' had little expeeted to s'fee thee here> r+ , an4. -the .sight hath gladdened mine aged: eyes, for it was a sore, soire trial for me to^ believe thee on the side of the Sasserilach. "But why wearest thou that English doublet^" MablmQtdha ? Take it off, my boy^take it off, for it becomes not thee>.;ibnd<^still--Jess this assembly of Erin's true sons I ^' '^ "It shall be done, my unoleJ ^! returned, "his nephfe^y; with kindling'enthusiasm, " I ^ know, and have long known, that it is the livery, of slavery— aye, and before this noble ' company do I vofW that- hencefortjrard ■ it shall be my. pride to act as an O'lteUly shp^^^^ Before a^ reply could^^; made h^ quitted the hall, and^; 5 dent so "visible in JJ|b^ aifitdmsh. ,ce^!^|(£i vented itself ih words^ he rea^Mredoh th%^ ':^tM^^, RED RAND OF T7LSTER^ m Costume. Takitig 1118 place tben beside his ^^mde, he bowed, with graceful ease, to the • assetnbled nobles, and craved permission to say a few words. All seeming to listen with^ attention, he drew a rapid sketch, (nsing the Irish language, as a iriatter of course,) of his earlier youth, and of the wiles which had Jjeen used to draw him fi^m Ms natural con-^^ nexions. He showed ' liow ■ his youthful mind had been gnidually,indoctrinated^with ' English thoughts, and feelings, and opinions^ and how hflf'had been s6nt to Ireland, as h6 well.kneV, as a spy. on' O'Neiirs actions. He then told how. various^ events, (such as * the atrocious execution of McMahon, and _ the capture of young O'Donnell,) had \ wrought a remarkable [■- great;ent^rise of youts."' ;; . i -J O^K^ll had listened Vith su:rprise '^0^ ' pleasure to this most welcome explanation, andj when O'Reilly coas^d to speak, he ^as & \ ,¥ ^-A. * ") 5V I ■.♦ ; 'i !* 'i -lit ||.'!h i,«i ■' 174 • ^ , BfeD HAND OF tJLSTER. ^ .v^: t'. •• tjie^ first to go forward and offer Kim "lus hand, expressing, at t\A same time, his %*eiy great satisfaction. " For," added he, ** tru&\ and sincerity are so legibly imprinted on thy brow at this moment; that I, for Oi^j^^O- oonfess alj doubt ^t an end, and Heartily^^id- ' thee welcome to dtir asscjmbly! Heil||CTir- *: ira£rd 1 trust we shall labor togetheA iofe^ur^' '..^ •< cohntry and our faith,— both sVcrtlelly'ni^n-' icled by th^ relentless tyrants who hold us ■/'in thrdl/*'-\'^'.- ■•,,,; ^ ■ :'^r: ■':}-'■ :^^^^ r His «exaw^ple was quickly followed by all J)resent ; and even the sinewy hand of McDonnellv grasped the delicate fingers of O'Reilly, thotigh confessing, as he did so,'* that but a few minutes before he felt strongly disposed to. throw him from the window or lose a fall for it, ** when I saw thee^' said he, ^* i||v \ thaiyjjonkey-uniform,. haying the hardihood to appear in such an assembly as this.^* ^ * r _ O'Reilly answered only wi|h k j^jd ^ Jiuinored smile, taking the words of the Scdt as kindly.as they were meant. The busii/oils of the meeting was then . proceeded withj" and though Miles O^Reilly, with becoming * •; .1 "^^■•"^■ ■n « . i .» mi l » ii m i I BED HAND OF, tJLSTER. 175 modesty, refrained from taking &%Mi|^i part; yet it was easy to see that "mt 4Si present was more interested than he. ^ The meeting was followed up by n han- j^^uet, and it was not till the following d«f that any of the confederates left the mff^s It was long past noon when the last took hi dejparture, leaving Mile« 0'B#tMy alone witir his host. The young majn had been pressed by his uncle to go home irithhim to Breffoi ; but he had excused himsel:| for* the present, on the plea that by stayii% at Dunganno'n he might be employed by^he /arlin some >f useful service j "for, thog" kniwest, uncle^ he'said, with a smile, %hat T^ who have eonie in bia at 'the eleventh hour, |iav# much misspent time to r^eem." Sp Philip O'Reilly set out alone, nothing loth to leave his nephew on soTlair a:|)^enGe. / ' in the course of the e\4ning, the eonf er- sation between O'Neill and his guiest was exclusively on the m^vem^nt in progression, ancf Tyrone was more and more satisfied with the views ajih intentions of his younar friend. Jt chan^ea t|^t Father McNaniara Was absent 1^ ■'V^-^r- ■■^Jt 'fc m I* r M\l i-rt' '■ I . ■■» ( ' ■ .! h -.■ \ ■:t,-' '■■ft ^ 176 EBD HAND OF ULSTE*. ..v:- o it the time, so that'they were left altogether urttestmned, and the earl availed himself of the opportunity to obtain as deep an insight as he possibly cottld into O'Reilly -s character. There was one thing struck him more than any other at that particular -^ time, — he bfaerve d that Miles indulged in a species. 6f wild gaiety which could not be real, even allowing for the natural "buoyancy of his temper. In the midst of the most serious discourse, too, he would break off into spme - fanciful flight, while, all the time, there, burned on his cheek a deep red spot which ,; much resembled the sieal set by fever, on its vi^uns, To the penetrating eye bf O'Neill it was sufficiently obvious that some eorrodn^ ing care lay de^ep in the young man's mind, 'which h6 would fain have tsoncealed under this ostentatiows gaiety. But when he hinted his suspicions to that effect, O'Reilly replied, 4ith a forced' laugh, « Truly, thou wert ^ never mpre inistaten, mine honored lotd ; no man in all this northern province is ^eer. from Care than I ; come, let 's throw it ^o ihe\ winds ; let 's enjoy life while we n^ay.'f i ■■: ♦ / / ''s- M- '■\'% . BED HANP OF ULSTER. m The earl shook his head, being far from iteitidiied' with thi§, answer, but he could not press his inquiries' farther, and, though per- fectly convinced that some^eat change had %een. effected on O'Reilly^ .mind,— probably his heart,— during his^bsence', he was com- , pelled to keep his tljkkightS^Ha himself, fear- ' ing to wound whete he Ti^ould have wished .to heal. What tended stilMnore to confirm his suspicions, wag the impenetrable silence ^ preserved by O'Eeilly on\ all that had J. occurred^ during his absence. Kext (iay, he (abru^ly told his host that he onust again leave him, saying, with a peculiar lile, ** The attendants whom thou wert so glaod as to give me, I have «^ left at Shane's -Cafetle, Wbere I have^ been tp visit thy cousin, an4 there I will find them as I pass that way. , on my journey.* . . \ " But why this abrupt departure, O'Reilly, and whither art 'thc^u bound, if a^irjend may be permitted to ask? " \ / ^ . • * "NaV, , my good lord,, the business oh which^lVb m^J^ not be. sptfkeh, of till its jissue is (decided^^nough to tel\ thee f^ow- \' i "i i „">\ !> <^ i J.^ i.l : .1 ■A. \} U4 I ■/ ■\-J- \ \ '•-i: :^^. m -1,' SBD" lEilNI) OF ULSTER. that the Happiiiess ^i^^j i^hole life iar at •take* and if my hopes are blighted, I shall bury/ the fatal secret in my «prt ; if, on the conttsiry, 1 am succ^sfur then shalt thou ]mve,in afeV ^aysj^a full explanj^ion. In » either case> farewell for the present We , :^all .mee)t again, one of us eithet ■ the most mUeroble ojrmen, or blest a$ man seldom ^hath be^.*f And,,WMgingt% hand which the earl >iiently held out to^ he flung Jtiraaelf oh his waiting steed, and was in a ] lew minutes oijt of sight. The earl, as' he slowly reentered the eastle, endeavored, but v^nly/to find a ciue* to ithis mystery ,^ until - wearied with fruitless conjecture he dismissed the' s^bj^ct from his mind^ committing it to^ ^ s(H-disclosing hand oftime. I ' CHAPTER Vt. r V. / " •_ \ \ t S« atafely hit foim, so beauteonii her fte«, That never a ball such gaUiftrd did grace, « , « ^ * * * .<» One tonoh.to her band, one word to ber ear, Soon they reached the hall door where a charger Biood near/ , So light in* the e^nnp the lady he swung, So light in the raddle before her be sprang.' , y^^ ^ She is won— we are gme-^verbr^ak, broDi, andiierlar ; They '11 need fleet steeds to follow," qooib^jwiDg LochlnTar: Scon* "v .■\' ■■/ /■■•*/■, '^'' v;' RED ^AlVD OF TJlSTBR, O'Neill took an earlj^/oppott ^ oppoi^tunity of; imparting to Father McNamaf^ the change • Tyhich had taken jriace in O'ReiliWs v4eWs, giving him^a full account of the paA he had 5 : takeii at the late assembly.; The prW was ^ at first startled by the une^^ected Welli-^ gence, and hesitated Jiot to express his^ fears that O'Reilly was still doing the wor^ of England by intruding him^l^ thus into\the Very heart of the confederady. But O'Neill, in whose judgment he had eonfiderice, ve^y soon reasoned hint W of this fear, and wh^ ( he wound up his arguments by exclaiming With the energy of conviction that he w6uld\ stake his Ufe,on Q'EeilJy's Sincerity, the ' pnest could say no more. Ti^e earl next t^lated the singular contersatioA which ha4 / ^.preceded O'Reilly V departure, ank %xpi^ss^^ himself wholly at si lo# to unters^nd it, v^' unless," said lie, with a smile, "that miscMevous urchin, Gupid, be at the bot- tom of it,^his conducMtJs^^ incomprehensible.'* v • .^' Left he the men behind f^inten^ulted ' %chaplain, as thpugk ^o^ jjacoiiscious earl's conci •% ■^:i \( i ■ J ■\ 180 KED HAND OF rLSTERV > ,"< r^ "So he 1^ia>me,'* returned Tyrone^ '* and that, too, is as strange as any.- Say, father, what are we to think of all this? There i? something in this that I cannot fathom, though I am inclined to think that some fair damsel hath played foul wUh his senses:" ^ "Your lordship hath condescended to ask > my opinion," said the priest, " but suffer me for this one time to borrotr a little of your own caution. I would rather hot say whal; I think of this matter 4r a few bove-board, that -thou art iff error. Old priest as^I am,' t %e dived farther into this batter than thou Mifth all thy foresight ; nay, in part> T have /information from the lady herself; and I 1 solemnly w^n Uiqe that tomorrow's sunrise ihould see thee setting out for Newry, ay, /tod with. si|b^ a fcrce as thou hast, never gone before! *• % ^ j^, /'Father P' said jlie ^ after a momeht- ; aiy silence,. "I have evS found thee a wise and judicious counsellor, and I will not now go against- thy bidding. - I will do as thou shyest in the name of Gqd.*' / > "It is well, my ion I and while thou art absent, I shall pray our Heavenly Fatlier that there ^rise no necessity to Ijnll human blood, : for,^las! I see onthy iieriious way much wrath and jealousy which th§u perchance V^iwest/not."//;' ;::.''^v:'*' ■ ''"'"^ ■• v .... v-^- ■ On the dgly whic tioii, Arabella was heir' brother's fortress- |itfed up for her esfe ; ed this con versa- an apartment of, which he had in a 5, .and J ' .''^ }i n: >.1 t! •\v- ;, f } ; ; .'■1 18S RED HAND OP ULSTER. Itylenotonly of elegance l?ut of luxury.' It was furnished something in the fashion of our moderp^drawingirooms, allowing for the difference of the various articles of furniture. The room wa,8 not l^ge ; and the light, which should hft^e entei^id by two large ^vtndows, as 8hlde^"i«t|/ a soft twilight ^"heavy;-^ Jraperies of rich crimson velvet. With the • same costly material were cushioned two curiously-wrought couches of dark, shining oak, and some two or three of those tall, narrow chairs, in which we see represented on canvass so many fair forms of that day. OnstandSin the niches around th^ room, stood vases of rare beauty, filled with the flowers of the season^-" the sweetest and the last," for it was then autumn. Over one of these fragrant treasures, :Arabella was bending, inhaling its refreshing perfume-^ herself the ^loveliest flower of all. Her exquisibvfeatures wore still that look oi dej^ction—no, not now dejection, but care^ ibd her mild eye was turned from time tc^ tirne towards the door, with.^hat might be icailed a fe look. After-a little while, 1^. )i V"' .'M m, Mm MAI 183 ■],> if*^. she opened the door oflRmall closet near, and said to her cousin who sat there at work *-— ** Ho may not come to-day, after all, for it is now late — an hour past noon.** • The old l^dy shook her head douht- ingly>-^" tet not thy hopes carry thee so - far, my sweet cousin. He will come, if lifir (^ be spared him.*' "^ . . ** Hush ! here he is I Here they are I " and Arabella had ba|rely time to close the door, and resume her stand near the vase of flowers, when, with a loud, coajrse laugh, her brother threw open the principal door and ' enteredj foUovt^ed by a young man dressed in i' the very extreme of fashion — of English fash- ion ; in short, the very counterpart, both in person and equipment, of what Miles O'Reilly was on the day when that personage met, for the first time, the eyes of Hugh O'Neill; and no wonder that the likeness was coq[iplete ; for this was no other than O'jfeeilly himself. The smirking, and somewhat conceited smile with which Miles had been listening to . Bag- nd, a£! they came along the outer hall, instantly vanished from his &ce as his eye 1 J ■r, ■ iii P MiCROCOfY RESOLUTION TfST CHART r (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) ' : . r ^".- .^•■■v- ■'■■ ■':■:".-•■: • ■ ■ ■' • ' .' -J ■ " ■ ■ " ■ ' "" " '^''■' ■ > 1 w Iii|2j8 |2i |io ■^" . ^■■.,' ■ 'Vuu ... ■ II L8 '-. ■ > ■ 1 1 '•* .".■■■; ■*•" --. ■" ' '. . . ■.*' ■-'■•. K25 1.4 1.6 r -'«?'■• i<*"- / ■:,<- ^ ylF^PLlED IMHGE I nc 1653 East Main Street Rochester, New York 14609 <716) 482 - 0300 - F»hone (716) 288 - 598d -^ Fax USA .J84 .V RED HAND OP ULSTER. * « met the grave, cold look of Arabella wJje« she returned his deferential salute. She was habited in a close fitting garment of black v^\^, fastened firom throat to waist with pearl-stttdded clasps of gold, and her rich dark hair was^g^ered high on the back of her head into a rouhdM;wist, giving to her small head, and beautifully^ehiselled featuriesi the air of a Grecian statue. Not^iksmile was seen to light her face, even when her brother affected a gaiety— a boisterous gaiety— that was any thing but natural to his ^dark disposition. / . "So> so, Bella,'* he exclaimed, with a laugh, " c6y as thou dost chopse to appejar, thou hast been preparing flowers for the wed- ding, eh ? Is it not so, my pretty sister t " ** Flowers are n" cried Bagnal, as he" stretched his length on a coueh, and motioi^ed his companion to an adjacent chair^ — '^ Ay^ REB HAND OF ULSTER* 185 many ! th^ quick penetration hath not erred, for we come to learn thy decision, or rather receive thy consent to wed my friend "Indeed ! " exclaimed Arabella, ^nd she turned a searching look on each in tufe, while a strange expression of irony took posv sessioa of her features. "And methought I had settled this question ere nov. I dreamed not that the nobte gentleman here present could stoop to sue after being so repeatedly refused^*' ^/^-V-^y^^'.':' ' . "* '' V ■■. ; ^'::' "Btit knowes^ou ncA, my dainty sister^ cfiedthe msfrshal, with rising anger, "that no sHcn>a^swer will pass -Current with me ? O'Reilly haveSLchosen "fpf thy husband, and thankful shouldst^lhoi^be for such an offer." " JTfe^ful I may be^for his preference, but marry him I never t^^ill 1 '^^^eturned Ara- bella> with a firmness that showed the^strength of her resolution. " In vain have ye p^i)G< tised on me in various ways ; vainly have^ ye deceived me on one. great point ; ye cannot, dare not, coeree my will ; and again I say I will never be his wife I '* I i\ M .....■^.■^ 186 BED HAND OF ULSTER. Bagnal was spseecbless with fury ; but O'ReiUy, who was^ever subdued into respect- ful silence^y the majesty of Arabella's pres- , ence, now came forward, and, kneeling pn-t^^ one knee before her, he looked up into her face with a glance qf even piteous supplica- tion, while his chest heaved,^nd the color ' on his cheek came and went, so violent were his emotio|||||g^ fear, and hope, and love, and sorrow/"^^ •'■'■ z^: '■': ^ :-.:,::'■; :■-♦,. *^ Ladjr, is there no hope— none ? CW nothing move thy heart? Or is it possible tfiat one so angelic in form and mien can have so passing little of woman's softness? Think, (but thou canst not, for thou knowest it notii how I have loved and do still love thee ; ay, with all thine obduracy ! " I pray thee rise, gentle sir! " said Ara- bella; "for thou humblest thyself in vain. I cannot, may not, love thee, even if I : would!"/ •■,,■* '■':■:■•■■-■ ■.■;,■•:■,/■■:■-::.■■- On hearing this, Bagnal sprang forward, with a menacing gesture, but, ere he could reach Arabella, O'Reilly started to his feet, and, catching hold of ; Ahe angr y m aiBhal, led ^ / RBB HAND OP UI^ER. 187 him Back to his seat, whispering some words which seemed to calm him down amazingly. Going back, then, to Arabella, he seized'her hand, and drew her to a%indow'atth^terther end of the apartment. When there, he said to her in a low tone: " Wbuld'st thou know how far this over* mastering passion hath subdued me, reason, soul, and all ?" / s "N^," said Arabella, .with her cold, sar- castic smile, *^ I would rather dissuade thee from making any farther confession, since all must be so unavailing.*' .. "But thou shalt know it," said 0*Reilly, speaking through his shut teeth, and laying his hand on her arm at the same time, as though to detain her. " For thee have I acted a part which my soul abhorred ; fqr, thy sake have I reviled and calumniated the faith in which I was nurtured ;. ay ! and knelt in the conventicles of heresy, while in spirit and in truth a Catholic Ay ! smile as thou wilt, since ?|iy^ hopes are ^ow blasted. , TJiill play the hypocrite no longer ; but, methinks, utter all, that this last and f n i- i 188 KBD HAKD OP ULSTER. v*v .«\^ greatest proof pi my all-absorbing passion should move thee, at least to compassion." "Thouart mistaken, then," returned Ara- , bella coldly ; "it rather moves me to con- tempt. I suspected this long ago, and I tell thee, that one suspicion did much to turn my mind against thee. He that prevari- cates in the great affair of religion, for any humaii motive, is unworthy of being loved! " So saying, she thjrew off his grasp, and walked back towar4s her former plafce, while O'Reilly followed with j^ countenance so desponding, so blank, ^s it were, that Bag- >?nal saw at a glance how this last trial had ended. Darting forward then, he confronted his sister in her stately march across the room. ** How now, mistress," he tauntiiigly v cried j "whither wouldst thou go ? " ; "I would quit this room, brother, with thy permission, a)5 my! presence here is no longer required." "But it is required 1 *' her^dthfer exclaimed, stamping on the ground in a burs^ of passion ; " for thou shalt not go henfee tillV thou hast consented to marry O'Reilly ! " BED HANP O? ULSTER. 18a t' Then I will stay hetfe wliile life is left me," returned Arabella, with surprising calmness, ** for, were ye to tear me asunder, I wilinot consent,— I could not ! " _ LI ** And why, my saucy sister ? Is it, for- sooth, because thou art resolved to have thine own\«^ I " ** It is, Hehry Bagnal, for the best of all reasons,— that I ^ already a wife ; and, were I not, still wouldN^ riot; consent to marry km!" ■ ■ \. ,X,,. . / " Thou k wife ! " cried botli .her hearers, standing aghast at the announcement ; for both knew Arabella too well to suspect her of either fabricating a falsehood, or using a prevarication. ** Iti the name of all the devils," shouted Bagnal , " w;hen, lib^w, or where, didst thou become a wife*? or v^^^ho hath dared to wed thee without mi consent?" J '* The when, how, or where, is of little ♦moment," said Ar?il?ella proudly, "and for him vrhohaih. dared to receive my vows, he maHsoon answer for himself." in I If Bagnal now turned to O'Reilly, who> pale ■M- ■V- *; IV 190 R^D HAl^P OP ULSTER. L- 1 ■ , . ■ ■ - . , .1. ■ as death, liad tKrown Jiimself on a seat, and asked, "What is now to be done? Methinks it were well to put this obstinate wench under lockand key. Confinement and low allowance may bring her to confess the name of her partner in guilt ! ** *' In guilt I " retorted Arabella, with a scornful accent ; " have a care what thou say-^ est, Henry Bagnal 1 He whom I have chosen from^U mankind^ stands as. far ele- ';^ated above the crowd, by his nobleness of mind and rare virtues, as by his rank." .^ '^Then tell- ns who he is, lady ! " said O'Reilly, coming forward, " and we may perchance adopt thy views of this paragon ! " There was a biting sarcasm in His tone that moved Arabella more than all she had yet heard^ ^< I recognize no right which thou hast to question me, and will thank thee not to interfere!" ^ Upon this, Bagnal lost all cohtK)! of his passion, and seizing Arabella^ he shook her violently by the shoulder, Q-Reilly, under the influence of his own anger; standing by • V ;■,.,■ ;.■.■■ .' ;■■ v ■■'^''r BED HAND OF ULSTER. 191 J without oflRering to prevent tliis unmanly violence. At this moment, two doors of the apartment opened;; from one rushed in Mrs. Wilmoti alarnle'd by the loud Voices she heard, while by the other entered Hugh O'Neill. ** Oh my lord ! " cried cousin Eleanor, "at what a moment dost thou come I "— ^while Arabella, breaking away from^ her brother's relaxing grasp, threw herself into the arms of Tyrone, and sobbing out, ** Thank God thouJKt here 1 '* ehe clung to him as a timid child fe its mother's bosom. * «Vainly would I attempt to describe the ►scene which followedj-^the stormy anger,-^ the rage even of Bagnal, and the mingled pain and jealous resentment of O'Reilly, on discovering whp* was his successful rival. Grieved he was io find that the man whom of "all others he 1^ admired, and even loved, was the same who had carried off the prize himself had so eagerly, so wildly sought, while his envy was increased from anger to a species of fury bjr the sight of that tender a&d 'trustful love which Arabella took no pai^ to conceal. Mrs. Wilmot, good soul! m '"'■jf. ■■>S7 X*^ ■^>f MV' I i^^- 192 lUED BAND OF ULSTl W&8 dissolved .in tears, and O'Neiir alone If as calm and collected, like 8ome\rock of the sea, which rears its head proudly over the dashing waves, and calmly confronts the wildest outbreak of the storm. With a smile of cool contempt he listened to the alternate jreproaches and menaces of O'Reilly, and to the more vindictive reviling of Bagnal ; bu^, availing himself of a moment when neither was able to continue the attack without taking breath, he drew . Arabella's arm quietly within his own, say- ing, as ht did so, " Let us go, my Arabella ; we have many a mile to cross ere we reach our home." Arabella whispered some directions to her cousin, who instantly quit- ted the room* HereB^nal stepped between O'Neill and the dqor, and called aloud for some of his people. But no one came, and the earl latiglied for the first time since his i ■ '-■■'■■■.' ■'■.■ entrance, « Thinkest thou, then, that I came hither on such an errand without being prepared to carry o.ut my purpose ? Sir Henry Bagnal, the gates of N^wry are guarded by the stout ,.:a-_ ■f. "5 ■-» ■ M^' 198 -■it > VKBD HAND OV hlLWmtC cUnsmeii of Tyr-owen/ A force, such as thou canst not resist, awnits me without these doors, so that thy sentries are useless. EVen^^^ in the hall, beyond that door, itand soinft^ twenty or thirty of my gallow-glasses, al^d it were worse than madness in thee to resist. Thy troops, having no orders from thee, ana. seeing me and mine so often admitted on peaceful terms, have suffered us to enter unmolested ; and now, that my men have, unawares, take© .j^oS^^sion of the g5|0s, we xandef^ all opposition. Move from niy way, then/ that I may pass, with my wife! '^ The news which l^e had just heard might well blanch the cheek of BagiXal ; yet still he moved not from his position, and said, in a Jiaughty tone, 1 * "^^ y- >i ** 1 must first knotv whether this marriage be legal; 1 would know who it was that performed thei ceremony." /"^I have no obiection that thou shouldst know," retui-ned Tyirone, with the utmost composure, "it was my chaplain, the saTne who 'some time since escaped from thy friendly-grasp, much against thy will ! " ^ h': ~K 194 .y. ,< RBlf HAND OF VtBTttti 'It Ha I •* cried Bagnal and P'Rejlly, simul- tancoufily, and both laughed exultingty ; •f then the marriage is null and void* which th6ti canst not deny ; for How could a popish ^ priest marry two parties qfiii? of whon^^was a ^Protestant ? " < ■. -.■■ , . ; f X'-' > This latter question canie from Bagnal. "Nay, ask Arabella if Ht be so," said the earl calmly, whereupon JtKe lady, without heeding the question, replied, "I atn, and have been, for some tjme past; a Cathojj^c ; thou seest," she added^iirning to Q'Reilly, with a significant look, ** so mudh' for what thou didst confide to me a little while ago." " My God ^" cried th^ unhappy young man, and an ashy paleness overspread his fine features, **my^God, how justly d<»*^ merit this galling woundl " - Seeing these symptotos of relenting soft- ness, O'Neill approached and offered his hand to O'Reilly, saying, in a low voice, «jWhy should we not still be friends, O'^illy ? Arabella had blessed me with her J Qve, aa she can tell thee, ere she had ever T t. RED HAND OP ULSTER. 195 ^ reveal to me, on quitting DunganftQp^ thy purpose, nor even the pli||^ of thy tiestrao^r tii^. How am 1, then, to hlame?" But 096 glance at Arabella, (who was now- putting dn a travelling cloak, brought her by Mistress Eleanor,) "Wixa sufficient to harden O'Eeilly's heart against the generous attempts of the earl to effect a reconciliation, and, while withholding his hand, he said, with sullen and dogged resolution : ** Never! never shall our hands meet again in friendship ; rivals we hate been, although unknown to each other ; foes we must h^efcrward be I " ' * JBagnat,^i^hQ had watched "Jhis little epi** sode ii%h suspijBi»T^s eyesj^hoV called out, ^'ital^is eveji the great earl susceptible 6£/ fear ? U thoii^ast any secret of his, O'^illy^ which h^ would fain have concealed, we can bravely repay him for this day*s wofk. So , let him go hence, in the name of all that 's ■ •-badJ.'VV. ..;>: ;^v;..;;.. o',,;^ ;,,,;,.-■•;....,;... :^ 7'Nay, :Bagnal,*' s^ O'Reilly, hastily, ' /'I didnot say, t did not e ven faint, that I ha^, any secret of^is in my keeping ; 1 said '■sSf^"-' ■K: .^., in a low, hissing toile, " An' thou loVest that man, thou hast cause to tremble;-for, greatas he thinketh himself, he is at O'Reilly's mercy.*' * V "Not so much as hte may suppose,** said O'Neill, in the same"^ S#^ne ; for he had" dverheard the threat. *• And yet, O'Reilly, I defy thee not ; for it doth grieve my soul to think of thee but as a friend. Mistress Eleanor," he said aloud to the old lady who stood near Arabellary muffled' as for a journey, " Mistress Eleanor, the halls of Dungannon have room for thee, if, as I well believe, thou wouldst fain accompany' thy kins- woman;" The offer was gratefully accepted by th^ worthy duenna, and Bagnal called ptit, with a forced laugh f "Ay, let her go-^p the devil, if she lists such a journey ; for, I trow, those same halls of Dungacnnon are a portion of his imperial dweiling. . Take her an' welcome ; good my lord! and may the treachery of the garrison *^... •„-<■- *^ [ >)*>,» 11 ilj||llij>»ji;lM^ ' •' / BBP HAND OF ULSTER. m go with her, and my precious sister, (t beg her ladyship's pardon,) the countess g{ Tyrone." The keen irony of tone, and his W^ how of mock respect, more insulting still, was only answered by a contemptuous lo^k from the earl, and a mild "farewell ^ from Arabella, and they passed through the doors, followed closely by the hooded and cloaked form of Eleanoti .But^f though the hall was indeed filled with^Omill's people, he was not suffered to pJisis out uiimolested, albeit that Bagnal, * himself, wh^n he peered through the door, was fain to restrain his tongue. The earl and hi8^)ride had nearly reached the door when they espied, seated on the first step of the spiral staircase, the ungainly form of the witch, Elspeth; '« See here, O'Neill,*' she cried, as he approached, "thou hast taught thy boors to despise my power— nay, thef laugh at me, but," and she swore a horrible oath, " I will make thyself tremble at iny name. How now!" she shouted again, starting from her seat with the alacrity of youth, for just then she caught a glimps e of > Arabd la ' s f a ce, as '■T m BED HAND OV ULSTER. she walked on the farther side of the earl; "how now, who hast thou there?" She would have approached close to v Arabella^ _ 1 J>ut O'Neill kept her back with his hand. "Ha, ha f" she shouted, ^nd qlapped her hands wildly together, " then my dream was not for nothing ; the Irish wolf-dog bear- ^eth away the fairest hind of the herd. .jO, ^woe the day ! woe the day! Bagnal! Sir Henry ! knoweist thou of this ? " She screamed at the top of her cracked and dissonant^ voice, keeping all the irhile right in front of Arabella. "That do I, EJspeth ! my worthy woinan ! " answered the marshal from within the still- open door. "It is his day now ; purs is to ■ ."xome ! !'* ■ " Is it so ? " shouted Elspeth again, *' then' \9Xt thou a very craven ; that do I tell thee to thy face, Harry B^nal ; else wouldst thou not bear this fpiQ ,wrong so tamely. But,_ by the wa,nd of the mighty Egyptian, it shall not end so ! " And, before any one dreamed of her purpose, the infuriate hag, drawing a BBD BAND OF T7LSTER; 199 aimed a bW at the earl as he passed her, which would inevitable have been fatal had iiot her arm been struck down on the instant , by a stalwart hand from behind. At the same moment; her arms were pinioned at her back by the sinewy grasp of on^ 4f O'NeiU's followers, being none other tiban our old acquaintance, Teague G'Hagan^ who had an old grudge towards ElspetK, " Now," he said with a laugh, which was echoed froin his comrades around, " Now let us see how your witchship can wrestle. O, then, faith, there never was witch or banshee that cduld kick and plunge as then dost. Look here, now,4>6y8; my name's notTeague O'Hagaiji but she can use her old feet and hands jiist as if she was real flesh and blood. That 's it ; another like that j but would your lord- ' ship and the kdy," addressing O'Neilli/." b# pleased to pass on; for I'll just tie the bansh^ to the post here." ^* But I pray thee, do not harm? her, JGriend," said Arabella, a request which the/ earl enforced by ^ positive command. ^'No. not the devil a harm I 'U do toy *': sm !BJSJ> HAND OF XJLSTBB. my lord ; I 'd scorn to hurt a woman, let her be ever so bad. 0, never fear, my lady ! *^ The earl, with his t^vo companions, hurried away, and honest Teague failed not to secure the jbeldamie, though her own wild screams ..... ./ * and desperate efforts to get loose were backed by the remonstrance of the sentry, at the door,* who had now summoned a 'sergeant's guard to his post. " Haye patience, now," said Teague, in English, "and don't bother your heads about her ; sure she 's a wise Woman, and can loosen the hardest knot I '11 tie, with a word of her mouth. There, now -^-stay— just another knot— musha, she has no patience at all, boys! but may*be she wants Henderson to do the business ; we all know he's an old friend of her's ! *' This drew forth another volley of curses from Elspeth j and a fresh burst of laughter from the soldiers of O'Neill, amid which admix- ture of sounds the latter q;uitted the hall^ holiest Teague making a low bow to Elspeth, as he went, and saying, ** Which of us is the jgreatest fool now — thou or I ? " So saying. ■\ ilBD HAND OF TJLSTBB. 201 ihinutes the whofe long line of cavalry was in motion, and^t>a8^d the gates without oppo- iition, the earl, who>a8 one of the last, tak- ^g * courteous leave ^ some efficers, who stood near, in a group, m:^velUng nmch, no doubt, at the gallant show made by these wUd ^: Irish clansmen. And thus did O'Ufeill bear off in triumph the fewest lady iirUlster, as it was fitting he shbild. As they journeyed ' along on their homeward track, Arabella gave her husband a full detail of the rise and prog- ^. ress of O'Reilly's unsuccessful weoing, and remarked that her brother must have had some suspicions from the first touching her sentiments of him whom he ever considered as his enemy. "For," said she, "I can now understand that considerable pains must have been taken to keep me ignorant of the lady Judith's death."^ In this opinion, good Mistress Eleanor coincided, having, as she said, been present on various occasions when Sir Henry had spoken of the earl's vnfe as still living, though he must have been weU aware of her death. ; ^■'■■•X\i4- ^fim BED HAm^t)? ULSTER. **v v^One thought alone thr^w a gloom over '^Arabella's mind, and that was the remem- brance of O'Beilly's menace. In vain did the earl combat this apprehension ; for, as the little she did know of Miles was any thing but creditable to his character, so she could not be persuaded but he would put his threat 'inta execution. Yet, ere halif the joijm^ to Pungannon was made, she had so fer sup- pressed all visible signs of Uneasiness that none of the party seemed gayer than she. For many days ther^ was a joyous festival in and around the baronial dwelling of the O'Neill. The halls were thrown open and a cheerful welcome given to all comers,— to the poor and the rich, the' humble clansman no less than his stately lord. The harpers of Tyr-owen made the clairseach vocal with the sounds of joy, and the heart of the Eng- lish bride was moved to a brighter, more sparkling sense of happiness, while, leaning on th(5 arm of her noble husband^ she drank in the glad, triunjphant melody. And when, changing their measure and their theme, the bards launched out into the praises of the A. ■;"•■■ -• iij '^ ■' «'F^3'^"\ » UBD HAND Ot UtSTltB. «08 princely line of O'Neill, and sang the ancient Klories of the race, she felt as though she, too, should have been bom of the house of Niall ; and then c^e home to her throbbing heart the'fuU extent of the dignity to which she hadbeen so lately raided. "I have been wont," said she, in an undertone, to the e^rl, "to look back with pride to the chival- xous feats of my knightly ancestor^ j^but what is the noblest of them all to this Niall of the Nine Hostages, and that other Con of the Hundred Battles, of whom these inspired minstrels sing so gloriously ? " -. « Nay, my Arabella," returned Tyrone, in the same suppressed tones, /'I will not * have thee view the matter thus; thy fore- fathers, thcwigh neither kings nor princes, toay have bfeen good men^and true,— loyal gen. tlemen and good Ghrisaan8,^and, as such, in no way less honorable to their descendants ; than those to whom fortune gave crowns and golden collars" . t. "And yet," observed the countess with a smile, (it was a melancholy smile tdo,) *' and yet how little cause hast thou above all W^ ■',;•; S^ ^S^ft 1 , 1p *.X! ;^ 204 RED HAND OP ULSTER. to judge favorably of our race, since its pres- ent representative hatK ever acte^ towards thee so base a part." Just as she spoke a young man of singu- larly engaging aspect, separating himself from a group of chiefs who stood around an aged harper, advanced towards the earl and countess where they stood, and Tyrone, in reply to his wife's remark, said in a playful ; tone: ' ■ ■■ ^ ■ "No more strictures, an' thou lovest me, on men of Norman blood, for here comes, as though to shame thee, one of the truest- hearted and most patriotic of Ireland's sons, although of unmixed Norman lineage." And well might Tyrone say so, for it was Richard Tyrrell who now approached^-the same who upheld the national 'standard when even the bravest and noblest of the native chiefs shrank despairingly from far- ther resistance ; and who, on many a bloody field, in after times, displayed a heroic devot- edness rarely^surpassed. Oh! could O'Neill have looked forwarii BiD HAND OF tTLBTBB. 205 { ■ ■ ■ - . ' ■ - . ■ ihe briUiant victory of Tyrreire Pass, and the unconquerable love of freedom which nerved the arm of the youthful hero, how doubly kind would have been the greet- ing with which he met that young Normal of tKe Pale. There was. as I have . said, something uncommonly prepossessing in Tyrrell's countenance, yet it was not that the features taken individually could be called handsome, but rather because of the high and even noble expression stamped on all, coUectively. His ey^ were of the dark- est blue, but, when animated by any very strong emotion, they sparkled: as black eye^ only do, so that their hue might be said to vary with the transitions of the mind. His black hair was divided in the middle of the head, and hung down on either side, after the manner of the native Irish, and, indeed, the whole air and bearing, not less than the dress of the young mkn/ was that of a Celtic chief; proud^f His country and hneage. Like the Geratdines of the old time, Bichaxd Ty rreU liras "more t han Irish 'V in thought, ill ieeUng, and in sympathy, albeit, that Ms %r*^ i'V'^^'v " ■" ' -W,; m BED HAND OF tTLSTER. ■■HP, face was stamped with the strong, bold lines of his Norman ancestry. "In faith, sweet lady,*' he said, on com- ing near, "I should crave thy pardon, as the fair embodiment of En^^ish blood, for I have been listening to the old-world strains of yptfdfflr barll, till I had well* nigh forgot- ten that I, at least, had no pjirt in the glories of which he sings." "Nay, good master Tyrrell," returned Arabella, with a gracious smile, " I cannot censure 4he fault, if it be one, for I have just confessed to niy lord here, that I, too, have been well nigh charmed by these thril- ling sounds, into a thoroughly Irish state of fieeling." The conversation now turned on, O'Reilly, and Tyrrell, to whom all shifting and pre- varication was unknown, could only see in his conduct the struggles of a naturally noble nature, with the preju|dices and artifi- cial feelings derived from his foreign train- ing. Arabella shook her head, but said n6thing, for, having, as she believed, suffi- jdent cause to suspect O'Reilly, sh6 Would not :■■■■■. ■...:. .-j^r.-; EED HAltD OF tn.8TtTt. «07 exprefts her opinion. But Tyrone could not for a moment believe him capable of acturf perfidy, and freely gave it as his conviction that though Miles might stand aloof from the national party, when the grand struggle / came, still he would never stoop to turn/ ■informer— ♦* No— no," said he^"tolatile and somewhat inconstant, he m^y be— ajjr, and passionate in loVe or hate, but a traitor —a voluntary, wilful traitor— -oh no ! I /can never believe it.'r ^ ^ . ; / A new subjects was then started on the approach of did Tirlogh Lynnoch O'Neill, who had come from his lar-off home to honor the nuptials of his cousin, gepero^sly forgetting on so joyous an occasioi^ that he had sup^rsede^ him in his high ofl^e. The 'fact was, that Tyrone, in prosecufion of hid grand design, had spared n6 pa^ins to con- ciliate the chieffeains far and ne^r ; and Tir- logh Lynnoch was not hard to propitiate, " being of an exceedihgly placaliAe disposition. Indeed this virtue he carried to excess, as — was after w ards seen by th e i yi fluence acquired aver him by some Englishmen whom he Was persuaded, like O'Donnell, to receive. /•■ ■/ /. • '■^^^ '*, r SOS The wedding fjfstrvifKa wei-e^all aX an end, fuid the numemus guests had departed, with the single exception of Tyrrell, when one day the earl entered with an open letter 4u his hand, saying aloud as he crossed th^' threshold: , ' • "Here now, Arabella, Tyrrell and all irho were disposed to fear that O'Reilly linight turn informer, — ^listen whilst I read ! " e was instantly surrounded by a group of ager auditors, even Father McNanjara, who chanced to he present) coming forward « O* jMBii&ald j^ leliir, <' thou art neithe4HlDnliaer this epistle as a mark of forgiveness, nor yet the outpouring of wrath, llhrough thee have I lost what alone !w^ould hive made life a blessing, and that life shall devoted to oppose thy views; I oi^ li^: though my conduct be condemned, by th/ palrty ; with them I have never leagued save foil one hour, and the bond then formed was qu^cffly cancelled, Thoii hasfr won Arabella Bagnalr-keep her, but so shall I keep my faith iP^ith Elizabeth of England, to whom ^inyj^lifst vows of allegiance were giy6n. . €■ ' ;■■■ ^^' '•■■.; :.■," « fnii, %4k ' i"^. ;Wi •r ■ US. RBD HAND tJlW VUmU Ireland and her people are now liitle nought to me — England! and the English for their strength will shortly be arrayed against thee and thine— Kxgai net thee whom I H have learned to hate ; and thy foes must be my friends. Yet think not, Tear jiot, that Milea O'Reilly will ever betray his knowl- edge of thy persevering efforts to orfanize the people ; to avail himself of that knowl- edge were treachery, foul, mfean treachery, which must never be linked with his ancient name. Say, then, to her who is now thy wife, that my words at parting were but an idle threat, spoken in Ite excruciating anguish of the moment, bat never to be ftpted upon. I would not that she shpdid lodk ilpoj^me as a traitor, despised and rejected though I be.** Thie was the sum and substance of the letter, and it caused an entire revulsion in the feelings-pf all present witKthe exception of the earl, who, akhough :both pained and gratified by its contents, still read thai|i without surprise, for this ^as what h e l iad expecte d from Ihigi ^x act^ knowledge of 0'Reilly*s character. JL. 14^ > I .,^f---. \ : £10 I'Wfi BED HAND OF ULSTER. ..^, f'So ^e are Still to have him foif a foe," was TyrreU's exclamation ; while Arabella said, with a musing air, "Who ever heaid of so strange, so inconsistent a character, and yet he is far from heing so bad as 1, in my ■unchantableness, had believed him." f^Nor is his character so inconsistent, my SWee^ wife,'* said Tyrone, with ♦a smile, "it is only that his passions are too strong for either his reason or his patriotism to with- stand ; and thou, above all, should never speak hardly of his desertion, since we are to attribute it, as he himself doth, to his loss of the dainty morsel on which his heart was set"'; ■■■ /x.-;:;^;.-' -■;;^-;V::^':;- .^ It Inight have been some six or eight weeks after this, thsit a stranger, of noble bearing, arrived, in the dusk of evening, at the castle of Dungannon, and asked to see the Prince of Ulster. The title, though O^NeiU's hereditary distinction, was seldom applied to him by the neighboring chief);ains, and never by the English. It was, therefore, with some curiosity that he advanced to meet his visitor. honor of s e eing hi s highnes s ^pti — ■" r- y &1^ HAND OF ULSTER. m ■■(■ die Prince of Ulster t " inquired the stranger, speaking English with contiiderable difficulty. The earrs rteply was in the Spainish tongue, for the thought at once struck him that the noble-looking stranger was of that nation. He was, aud the beaiGr of ia special convmufii- " cation from King Philip to the Earl'^of Tyrone, writteii with his own roy^l hi^d, urging him to spe6d onward in his operations, audi assuring him of speedy succor, such as a king might send. " We have long watched with interest," wrote ^^ monarch, " the struggles of thy nation, to preserve our com- mon faith, but we have hoped in vain^ for a leader to appear amongst ye, having those powers and abilities which might ensure suc- cess, ?ind give a certain and fixed character to the national movement>-^but noy we are rejoiced to recognise in the pruw^lf O'N'eiU many, very many of those xiualities which' mark out the agent of a ^reat design ; in thee, noble prince, whom we willingly hail as the offspring of a kindred line ; itt_ thee, then, do we acknowledge the true and rightful captain of the \mh nation, and we 'h Jtw^i, r.f' " '"> £12 BED HAND OF pI^EB. pray God that thoi^ mayest be a second Moses^ destined to lead that faithful and long- enduring people fromgdie iron bondage of the heretic. In ptod^PJour intention to aid thee, both with J|iip|%nd money, we do, hereby, empower our trusty servant, Don Antonio Marisco^ to ^ive thee a full statement of the fdrce now in preparation for the Irish service. ■ ■■;:,', ' Given at Madrid^ IJnder the royal signet of SpMn." It may be well supposed that this embassy gave to O'Neill renewed hope and spirit, especially when he learned from Don Antonio the amount of succor which he might reasonably expect. As the Spaniard had travelled, unattended, from the nearest sea- port, fearing to excite observation, so Tyrone Was enabled to, keep him at Dungannon, unnoticed, for some weeks, during which time they had ample opportunity to treat of the all important question which formed th^ business of the Spaniard's mission. At his departure, he was escorted by a troop of cavalry to Derry, and was charged widrir RBD HAI^D OF ULSTER. 218 letter of acknowledgment from O'Neill to his Most Catholic Majesty, in which he assuTfid ^im that he would take no decisivp step till the promised reinforcement should arnye. CHAPTER VII. <• Tctt not reTenge nor hatred fired his breast. But patriot zeal, and flrmest sepse of right, tg^ And pity for bis people, long oppressed." # * * ■ ♦ • .- * . ■* *■'■.' "Awake! arise! what, ho! 'tis DeSinond calls ;^ Sound the loud trumpet down the echoing Vale! > ' Bee, fluttering from high, Shanid's towering walls— Our ancient banner meets the wflBtem gale." That well known cry, prolonged firom dale to dale, Boused answering Wood,'«nd shore, and peopled hill ; *' Desmond is come again." The rapturous tale Woke in'eaoh listener's heart the welcome thrill Of ecstacy returned, and old devoted seal. Gekau) Gbiffin'b " Sharid Cabm." Bijot this specious promise of Spanish aid was soon after followed by intelligence of a different kind>— intelligence which made O'NeilFs heart; bound with joyous expecta- tion. It was late one winter's evening when a messenger arrived from Feach MacHugh O'Byme, of Wicklo^, announcing that the ■#■ ]-- „tt 1814 RWl HAND Ot UtBTiH, young lord of Tyrconnell had at length suc- ceeded in effecting his escape from prison, and was then his gucSt, together with one of his oompahions in captivity, the other two having perisfied at different times, when escape had been unsuccessfully attempted. Now this Wi<;klow chieftain had long been in secret communication with Tyrone, and, being privy to his longing desire for O'Don- neU's release, he sent to him the intelligence rather than to Donegal. This was, indeed joy for O'Neill, who speedily despatched a trusty follower of his Own, who was well acquainted with the country, to conduct the noble youths to Dungannon. It was indeed none other than our friend Teagiie O'Hagan, who had the honor to be chosen for this mis- sion of so great a trust ; and when ht^, said farewell to his comtades, Hendersoir "*took occasion to whisper in his ear^ "Bet^e of meeting witches or banshees on the Way, worthy Teague, or, I trow, it may go hard With thee! no telling of fortunes, good friend! " To which friendly warning honest Teague replied by a significant " nod and -■■■ -■ ■ ■ ■ ■■■ ■■ "■ --...--^._^:-:r,.. '^W^^fWX ^"^l € BKP HA.XD OF ULSTER. ^15 'V. ,,^, and wrearii^ ^ their kind, ynd expressive of that toodern cantphrase/a'muptotrap.^' -^^^^^ ^^ ; So, beinfe weU provided with griddle c^e^ and sundry other provisions against rtie attack of hunger, Teague set forth on his journey, crossing himself devoutly as he passed the threshhold, for such wa^ the uni- tom practice in O'NeUl's country, where the cross-despising doctrines of the B^forma- tioh had obtained as yet no footing. And Teague spedweU on his errand, for in i wondrou^ly short period he appeared again at Ws cV^eftain's door, a proud and a happy man, for he had with him the long-lost son of G'bonnell ; and when he marched into the presence of his lord, he said, with a triumph- - aflt air^ pointing to the young chieftain, who, crippled in all his UmiS, slowly advanced up th6 haUi "There now, my lord, there he is, and/if thav'ntth^ other young chief with me it's because he staid behind on a visit." « So here I am, 0*NeiU! " saidO'DonneU, .^itha forced sftiUe, affer\,he had returned the cordial embrace of the earl^ "but I must e'eii sit down, for the iron chain of the S^ T A ) m BED HAND OP ULSTER. ■enach hath sunk deep into my flesh, and the *• frost hath finished the work, so I come back to the north a cripple, a boccach, Hugh!" ^and he laughed a fierce, wild laugh* O'Neill could scarcely articulate a wqrd and his eyes filled with tears as he ran over the strangely-altered lineaments of his young friend, and read in his pale> haggard counte- ^nance the sufferings of so many years, ^nd then to see his young limbs-— erst so lithe and supple, now maimed and cramped by the heavy chain which had weighed so long on every membier-—oh, it was too much, and he could only press his outstretched hand, in silence. '* Well, there will come a day of retribution!" cried O'Donnell, with all the energy of his disposition unsubdued, it would appear, but rather increased, by his weary captivity. « Time rolled over my head, even in their clammy dungeon, and the boy hath grown to be a man, Ay, a man," he repeated, emphatically, "ready to do and dare any-; thing and everything, in justice, that may tend to break this h a t e d yoke und e r which the land' and the people groan! " "Ever the same, Hugh!" cried Cormac r,,^wr- - BED HAITD OP ULSTIK. 21T O'Neill, who, having heard of G'Dontieirs arrival entered at; the moment. " The four years pafised in prison have not, then, chilled that ardent enthusiasm which gave so fair a promise in thy boyish days? " " Nay, Gormac," said Hugh, when he had received and acknowledged CNeill's con- gratulatioii, " nay, Cormac, it were strange if they had. Hatred of the Saxon and his odious tyranny was the passion of my boy- hood, how then could the feeling be lessened or damped by what hath since occured ? N0| by the blessed saints *f sWear," and he* raised his enfeebled arm on high, while a hectic fire, the glow of intense feeling, burned on his thin, hollow cheek, "that the years which God may have appointed for my existence, shall be devoted, wholly, solely devoted, to the liberation of this down-trod- den land, and the expulsion of the usurping •and persecuting English. Hugh O'Neill,-^ Cormac, I know not what may be your view of these matters, but for me, I proclaim without fear or reserve, that this shall be the «id RED HAND OF UlST^K. ,1; The earl grasped his hand as he concluded, while a smile of unmixed triumph gilded his nobje features. ** This is what I expected, - HuglLP*Donnell j the hopes which I have staked on thy return, are more than realized, and Tyrconnell will, at length, shake off the lethargy which hath so long benumbed its powers of action. This night will I initiate thee, my gallant young friend, into the projects which I have been for years endeav- oring to mature, and in whick th9tt ar^, I feel it, determined to bear so prominent a part. Now I would fain m»^e thee acquainted with my "Vifife. O'Byrne, hais, I suppose, informed thee of poor Judith's death, and my recent marriage with the lady Arabella Bagnal?" ■■''■■. ::-;.vv, O'Donneil relied ii the affirm§rtive> and expressed his d^re t^ be introduced to the countess, of whose rare perfections he had heard so much. ^ As thfey went, the earl supporting him by the arni, while CortaaC walked on the opposite «ide, O'Donneil breathed a pious prayer for the soul of his departed sister, adding, immediately, ** Judith .^. Ititk HAND OF tJLSTBK. / ^19 had lier virtues, biit slie was too tntich of my poor father's disposition and cast elf mind to awaken or mjiintain in a heart like thine that love which brightens the married life." Just theii they entered the room where Ara- bella was seated^ between her two step-chil- dren, conversing with Father MoNamara, and all painful remembrances were speedily drownied in the general gush of joy which followed. Arabella was well acquainted with the history of O'Donnell's capture, nei- ther was she altogether ignorant of the importatice her lord attached ta this young man's liberation, and hers were just the heart and mind to take a deep interest iti sug^ wrougs as his, no matter by whom inflicted— nothing could, then, exceed the friendly warmth of her reception. The priest, too, was rejoiced to see the noble youth again at liberty, of whose early prom- ise he had heard so much, "For," isaid he to O'Donneliy '' heresy hath begun to raise its head in the dominions of thy house^-*the Eeformation (as it is called) hath wrought, its-way into Tyrconttell> and the learned ■%. t 220 BED HAND OF •ULSTER. X Monks of ihat^gM^at Abbey which thy pious ancestors foundj^jJKnd richly endowed, have bew driven forth. ,by armed soldiery, who now hold their place.' Well know I that these things would not be, wert thou^ still therd; -and my heart doth whisper that thy auspid^feB .i?^turn will set all right again.*' . ' *" Ay, father," said the young chiieftain, speaking through, his shut teeth, while his eyes shot forth the indignation of his soul-^ "Ay, trust ine, their Reformation is at an end in Don%»l^-they shall go head fore- most out of (he Abbey- ere many days are pfist, or mj^ name is not O'DonnielL Hal l^t mle have' but a whisper with the ro^n of Tyijconnell — let me have but a hundred of the^, and, though these sacrilegious Saxons numbered six times as many^ 111 teach them to meddle with the consecfated homes of piety— that will I ! " and in the bujming desire which he j felt to wipe out the foul stain inflicted in jhk absence on his ancestral domains, he so faj: /forgot his crippled condi- tion as to walk sekeral paces across the room. But very soon the remembrance was forced 'M^ ■'f^ VMD HAND or TTtiClHi. Ml ^>-.<" ■*"'-'' ipdn Mm, imd wnking on a seat he shook his head with a mournful smile, as though he had sai%f^*^© time is not yet come/ While he remained at Dungannon, await- ing a perfect recovery of thfiLJise of his limbs, he received liom the earl a detailed account of all thdse public events which had marked , the period ol his absence. Of these, the fate of th^ Monaghan chief most deeply affected the listener, and he could scarcely hear it told with patience, vowing that he could never have stood tamely by while so foul a deed was perpetrated. But when O'Neill, in the course of lus narrative, alluded, sdthough casuulljlr^^ to the ereetioii of the neighboring folWess, by the EnglSh, 0*Donnell started to , his', feet, and glared fiercely on the jparll *« An,4 didst thou' permit them, thou, ifugh P'Neil}^ to plant their English cannon on the Blackwater? By all my hopes, but thou wilt be well served when they are turned against thyself, and mow down, in scores, thy chosen warriors i It was tolerated, I sup- pose, w ith good intent ; but I und e rstand not this matter of policy, and would sooner cut .:■■ % ri J , t»2 Rto HAND OF UL8TVR. off my right arm than consent to tqch an encroachment 1 " So chafed was his fiery spirit, by what he looked on as O'Neill V fatal error of judgment, that the latter had extreme difficulty in convincing him that, at the time, it would have been in the high- est degree unsafe to oppose the design of Elizabeth.^ '* >A.nd," said he, by way of deprecating this storm of anger, *« there will be no very great difficulty in taking it from them, which, with God's help, I pro- pose to do, as the^rst step towards freedom ! '* This assurance was the very best apology O'Neill could offer, and it quickly brought 0*Donnell back to good humor. ^ Ere yet the young chieftain bade adieu to Pungannon, he strenuously urged his host to make an immediate attack on Portmore. "I know," said he, " that such a step would break the ice, and call forth the torrent of Elizabeth's wrath ; but let her do her worst ; before her troops can reach heipe in force* from any point, thou shalt have the men of Tyrconnell here ;h numbers, that in sucJ together we can sweep the province. Put it \ :!••.. tap BAND OF tLBTnU ttB off no longer, Hugh, for the sooner it comet the better!" I , V\ ■'. In ordgr td Wcuse himsel f from kiting what he (Sonsidered so rasll a step, O'Neill mentioned his hopes from Spain, and rested particularly on the promise he had volunta- rily made to Philip, of resting on his oars while awaiting the promised aid. Even this scarcely satisfied the impetuous 0*Do»nell, who was of opinion that" foreign succor would never be given till so^e success had, been actually obtained ; hjt»^ ^the promise must not be lightly broken, #o he .was forced to ac<]^uie8ce in the policy-of G'NeiJl, in/a day or two after, he^^set ouVfor Done- gal, being now simost entirely recruited in health and strength. He was escorted by a troop of the cavalry of Tyr-owen ; but being desirous to pay a passing'visit to Maguire of Fermanagh, (an old frierid' of his family) tihat chieftain sent back the escort with a courteous intimation, *^ that he would send 0'Donnell home with an attendance becom ing liis rank. And so he did ; for h e * manned a handsome boat with a gaily attired HH RED HAND OF ULSTER. crew, and thus conveyed his honored guest ovet the broad bosom of Lough Erne, ana down the rapid Shannon, till he landed him', at Bally shannon, one of the principal towns of Tyrconnell, v But few days had passed after thedepart- ,ure of Hugh Roe, when O'Neill received the surprising intelligence that he had already driveii the English, some hundred strong, from the Abbey of Donegal^; com- pelled them to leave l^hind the treasures of which they had possessed themselves, and j*einstated the inonks in their ancient dwel- ling. This news Ytos, speedily confirmed from under his own hand, for he wrote to O'Neill- a few hasty lines, descriptive of his reception in Tyrconnell, and above all, of the expulsion of the Sassenach, "Tell Father McNamara," said he, "that I have redeemed my promise ; and even now doth the sacred hymn float again over the waters r of the bay, from the stately walls of its abbey, where so lately the ribald song, and the blasphemous oath vras only heard. We have hunted the sacrilegious intruders like~ '•: •..(1 EBD HAND 01? TTLSTBR. 225 a baiid of W6lves,-^ay, many, but n6t like wolves did they resist; for no sooner did I appear before the abbey, (with a few hun- dreds of men hastily gathered together) arid send them a c^iL. message that I gave them twenty-four hours to clear off riot only from the abbey, but from Tyrconnell itself, than they very submissively obeyed. Nor did they take a single article of value belonging to the abbey ; for I had sent ithem word to Jeave all as they found it, if they did not wish to have their ears cropped, or some such ceremony performed, and they chose, to take the hint. Now, when I, a young and inexperienced ftian, can effect such a thin^ at once, what, I ask, could not the O'NeiU do ? In God's name, then, hoist thy stand- ards—call together the men of Tyr-owen, and let them see the might that abides in the EBD EIGHT HAND. W^t no more for aid which may never come, but follow my exam- ple, and pounce at onc^ on that black-look- ing Portmore, whose very name I cannot endure. Do so, and God will bless the ■■■ ■ 'wi- sm BSD HAITD OF TTLStEB. /'•I In an additional line (which we would now call a postscript) he said that his friend Magnire was preparing with all speed to attack the English of Gonnaught, who, scat- tered as they were, in parties here and there, were cdntinually crossing his frontier line, and committing all sorts of depredations, to the great 'detriment of his people. ** So/' thought O'Neill, "events are thickening, whether it be for good or evil. The arrival of O'Donnell hath set fire to the train, so long and carefully laid." It was. natural to expect that Tyrone would at once have thrown his powerful influence into the scale, and that to '^ho had so long looked for the rising of tyrconnell, woi^d now be ready to coopei^te with its . energetic young chief. Sucjb, at least, were O'Donnell's ' expectatioiis/^and it is not easy toimagine bis astonishment, his indignation, ^when O'Neill, on being commanded to assist Bagnal against Maguire, moved forward with a body of cavalry, and formed a June- < tiom with the English forces^on the north- eastern side of Maguire's territory. The ;^.« .' ~^'- Bra. HAIO) OF UL8TKEU 221 Englishahd Irish amies met^ and the latter would have \>eeu. victorious, had not 0*NeiU himself^ being taunted by Bagnal, led his. troop across the intervening stream, and^ charged the Fermanagh infantry with so much force, that they were driven into dis- order, and Maguire- was forced to retreat. In this encounter, the earl was severely wounded in the thigh, and for many days was obliged to keep his bed from the weak- * ness attending his great loss of blood. Yet this wound was welcomed by him, for it gave him apretiext to remain at home, which at that juncture he would not otherwise have 'done. Oh the night following the defeat of Maguire's troops, (with whom were a small number of the clansmen of Tyrcon- nell) O'Neill, hearing that Hugh O'Dbnnell had arrived in the Irish camp, sent his fos- ter-brother Fhelim across the river, with a letter to the young chieftain, in which '"he entreated his pardon, and that of Maguire^ f alas, O-Ponnell was 8C2|rcely gone %hen M%uire leanied thi^ % BED' HA19D OF tTLBTEB. Ul rapidly advancing on Eniaiskillen, and liis brtive heart Mink within him as he contem- plated the necessity of giving up the siege. "VVTiat chance had he with only a few thousand ^ half disciplined troops,: |o meet and resist the aftack of two numeroSas aripies of tried and well-trained soldiers, coming on him from different quarters, and led . on by two com^ manders of known ability, ^^other day passed away in this fearful qtate of suspense,. Maguire looking anxioXisly northward for the ^appearance of O'Donnell and the Scots, and r unwilling to raise the siege while even a chimce remained.' But vain his expectations ; nor flpear, ' nor banner, was seen on the northern hbrizon, and, with a heavy sigh, he was turning into his tent, to give orders for raising the seige, when, hark! in^hat martial , music burst u|)pn his ear, it V3, it surely is, the ancient ihairch of the O'Neills, indimoii jfirom thjB &r norUi-east came a gallant show jrf cavalry^ i^yed'in^,^^^^ Irisk .costume* -*f;They are, t^ey must bei from Dungah- nbni** cried Magydre. addfjessing somig of /I • /■■■ v.. ( M.' ^ ■ 232 RED HAND OP UI*STB6» that they come otherwise than, as foes? Good God! if it be so, how are we to act, with the English ai'my, perhaps, within a few-miles distance?" And, in his grievous uncertainty, he Walked out alone lo meet the approaching column, determined to know' the worst at once. Great, then, was his surprise, and greater still his exultation, > when he was accosted, in cordial accents^ by Cormac O'Neill, who, guessing at the tenor of hisrtjioughts, hastened to inform hiih that he was «ent by his brother witt this bodyspf cavulry,^ (consisting 6f four hund:^ed of the •loosen men of Tyr-bwen,)' to the assistance of Ithe besieging army. A proud and a happy inan was Cuconnacht Mdguire that day, when he conducted O'Neill and the other officers from Tyrone to his tent ; imd a Ifeafening cheer rent the air when the sol- diers of O'Neill mingled with the Clan-con^ nal and the men oTlP^rm^a^hT^MlSthrenT iii'armsw. -y ■ ■■ ■■ .f-'-'-y''-,. '■..: ^:-\ .■■.., °■•■'"- Th«re was, however, but little tidie W^ gratulations or idle compliments, for the ^English were known to be almost^ in sight ; ■.';*'.■ BXt> HAND OF ULSTER. 23S ,and Mftguure, -having taken counsel of O'Neill, tesolved to move from his present position and advance to meet them, when he might choosy his ground, and still keep between them^and Enniskillen. The Irish army, therefore, took up its station on the banks of .the river, at a ford not for from the town, and had scarcely time to form in good order .when the united English force appeared on the opposite side. Steering right onward for Enniskillen, the English general]^ would hw forced a passage, but this they found impracjticable, owing to the determined and imflinciiing stand made by the Irish. During all th^long hours of the summer ' day was this fierce warfare kept up— the English, with desperate .resolution, charging and ifecharging, one battallion relieving the 'other; while the Irish, with courage that never wavered, maintained tlieir ground, and to the charge, and instantly the Irish, cross- •ing the .river^ fell upon them with- such i beat back, time after time, the adviancing columns of the enemy. At length, the troops were seen Ji Waver.in coming ' I. ^ ....jc,*-^- ■■ • • ^»s^;«' %i RBD HAND OF X7I<8TER. ■ ■ ,. i: ■ ■'■•]■ ■ i - overwhelming fury that they fled in every direction, leaving behind, at the close of day, baggage, ammunition and aU. Amongst the rest they were compelled to abandon the plenteous supplies intended for the lelief of the garrison ; and, from. the prodi^ous quantity .of biscuits found in the spoils, the scene of battle was called henceforward the Ford of Biscuits. \, ^ /: When O'Donnell arrived, next day, with his Scottish allies, and found how matters had gone, his gratitude to O'Neill knew no bounds, seeing that but for his timely aid Enniskillen would have been, perhaps, irre- trievably lost, and a powerful English army, J^ushed with victory, careering over the province. \^i^..^''''-Lx-y--) ' -W^--'^^ ■;>■;■■'.■';'■ •., ** I knew we might depend on his wisdom,!' said Hugh to Maguire and Cormac O'Neill, *i and now I will answer for his truth ; so, Oormac, greet the- earl from me, and say that I will go myself, to tell him so, in a da^ or two it farthest" ^ing unavoidably detained for some d4ys, at the G^tle of Dpiieg^> 1>7 Uie duty fif/bos- \ mXD SAND OF ULSTES. 285 •5> pitality towards the Scottish chiefs, tjie, /oung p'Donnell was surprised by the arrival; 1Sf^¥ "government courier; from the new Deputy, Russell; andi as this embassy was attended with alhformality, being escorted by * at least a score of horsemen, there was i:ealBon to belieVe it of importance. Hugh Roe was, at the moment, engage^ in exhibiting some venerable armorial remams, to the two Scots, in that identical room, or rather h^l,^f his ancient castle, whichi even in our day, is ,. femous for its magnifi^nt proportions, as well as the rich and curious ma:njel-piece which adorns its lofty fire^ace. . V< A messenger (worn '*I)ublinl'* said he. *' VKh/, bring him in, then, in God's name, ' till we hear what he hath got tp say." J^ V instantly the ambassador made his appear- ance, ^d Wfia found to ftb a subaltern dra- goon officer. On being introduced alone, this, l.pei^sonage ventured to say, in a hesitating ^tone, *' Might not those who' came with me /^ be also admitted, at least to the faall?*^" «Sir Englishman I" said O'DonneU, inhis imperfect j^lish, and he Bpoke .wUh stem I /I SS6 -T \ t BSD HAND OF UISTSR. emphasis, " Sir Englishman ! I am O'Don- nell ; these fears are, then, an insult. Speak the purpose of thy visit — we listen.** ' *« Noble p'Dounell I " said the young officer, awed by the haughty impetuosity of the chieftain's manner, "I came, first of all, to inform thee that the late Deputy Fitzwil- liam hath been recalled, and hath been replaced by Sir "William Russell'- *'^nd> holy St. Patrick! what is all this to me?" cried O'Donnell, angrily, "whal have I to do with one English Deputy more than another ; is this meant as a mockery \ if so, I will spoil the sport ere it be long ! '* "Nay, most noble chief," put in the Eng- lishman, more and more disconcerted, " have been sent hither by the lord Deputy, the queen's special request, to offer th^e a free pardon for all the past, on conditioVthat thou wilt give up all future correspondence with the Earl of Tyrone, who is considered n most dangerous and designing^^ man — '* He was g oing on , when O^Donn^l cut him short, by turning abruptly to/ McLeod, of Ara, who (rt»od at a U^ distance. " Hear^ -,>/.■ ^^' a: BSD HAND 01^ tTtBTEK, . y ' tm eit tjiou that, Dugald McLeod ? " he i;ried> in a toik) of strong excitement, '* is not that a moddst proposal ?" The Scot only answered by a\ smile, guessing in part what wa« to ibiiowiN' ■■;-■■ ■■" {■ \::-^'-"^.,:"'-v^.k'.,'^ "Come hither, Feargus McSweeney,",-s^d G'DoniMll, opening a sid^oor, *' a^jd^^ingf |t/y;^ ^itj^thee a score .Or sp.of'^od pduited spearmen. Now," he exclaimed, tii|yiing^ at length, tp the wondering messenger^ "now, friend^, as thou seemest to be a good, quiet sort of man, I will give thee a friendly warning, never come to Bd^gal with such ji message again, or, by the oak of Kildare, it shall go hard with theOi For this time I forgive thee; but, markiny wprds,— and let. the man thou callest the deputy mark them, toOj — ^I will crop off the ears of the first who bringeth hither another offer of pardon^ O'Donnell neither sues for their pardon nor their friendship; thie offer of either he deema an insult Off^ and iremember what t said." rye ii « • •■ ■ ■ All ready I " cried Feargus, at the door. Then mount your horses quickly, and "hi/ * i % ! ssa BSD HAI9B OF ULSTSK. ir^' leave these Sassenaclis at tlie frontier; tdke not ^our eyes off them till they jxe on tiie . soil of Gonnaught. The earth nere . hath begun to loathe such burdens^ and will none of them." The Englishman slunk out of the room, glad to escape on any terms. In ttro hours after, Hugh Roe was on his way to Dungannon, accompanied by McLeod and McDonald, whom he wished to introduce to P'Neill, On reaching the door, the impetuous, youth threw himself off his cha^g^, and was in an instant grasping the earl's hand with all the wannth of his character, **"What dost think I have to tell thee, Hugh ? " he laughingly said, when Tyrone had kindly welcomed the Scots. " Wilt thoii believe that the deputy, (it; seems there is a new one,) hath sent to offer me a pardon? " "A pwdon 1 " cried Tyrone, in real amaze- ment— -"is it to thee they haye proposed a pjurdon ?*'■■-■:■■■ /.■ "■.;/■:■■-:>■ ■'.^' ■'■■■■ ...::. -M . :**' Ay, marry !'* returned O'Donnell, with a fierce smile, "they would seem^ to forget how great wrongs I have individually suf- # JUtD HAN1> or ULSTER. %t» iered at their hands, and impudently set me down as a guilty man. By r the hcdy wandl it is to(^uch ; but, forsooth, they even set a price ofi^ their forgive;^8S ; I was to have forsworn all future communication with a certain chieftain, who hath, it se^ems, griev- ^ously disappointed'thetn in their speculations, and is, therefore, as they say, a dangerous ■person.":;;.; V .^ ■..•.:•:; ':-, /■;•■.•■ ^ ■■^'^ " And thou needst not tell me who that is, friend Hugh," replied O'Neill, "for it is but this morning I have received a summons from this new Deputy, Eussell, to repair to Dublin, to answer, /it would seem, some recent charges. X have also had a fiiendly warning from my old companion-in-anns, Ormond, intimating that jRussell hath come over with positi^ instructions to proceed against * that traitor, O^NeilL' To-morrow I purpose, ^h the div^le permiission, to set out for Dublin.'* ^ '^ „V i " Nay, surely, O'Neill," s^ O'Doniiell, earnestly, *' thou will not thrust thyself into their power, now that their suspicions are ■ % too deeply fixed to be "Removed. r £40 RBD RAND OF ULSTER* Hugh, thou canst not hare forgotten the recorded fate of the Southern Earl who was 80 imprudent as to go to London to. justify himself ; and then think of poor Brian 0-Rourke, who hath/ in our own day^been executed in that accursed city. N&y, there, I implore thee ; cast all fear of tl the winds ; unfurl th^ banner to the breezes of the north, and let us commit our cause to the last great ordeal/' ^ * . "And that we must speedily do, my gal- lant friend," returned O'Neill, with grave solemnity^*' seest thou not that they have now a chain of forts right across the island, over-looking the north— at least their chain would have been completed had we suffered theni to retain Enniskillen. And, that is true, while I think of it, let me ask— hath Magtiire taken possession of the fortress ? " "Even so, iie hath. Thanks to thy iiirell- timed ^^uccor, Enniskillen -~ the key of I^ugh Erae— ^s again oftr own.*!^ ^ - 1 " It is 'well ; now let me proceed, if I go, now, to Dublin (for I mean not to ven- ture £uiher) it is to gain even a few days. fe ■ t BK) HAND OF VLSTEB. Ul fori have had^ Still 9iiotIier dispatch firoqi Madrid^ announcii^g that a portion of the protoised reinforcements 'will be here in a week w Iw^o at ^ f^^ visit will probably end in a total break with the gor-r emment, so |;hat preparations must speed on here in the north with lightning rapidity," ^yben turning to the Scottish chiefs, he said, in a cheerful tone, and with that insinuating gnuce whioh none could so well command— ^* Long hath this warfare been carried on between the Celts and Saxons, and the Gael of the Islands and Highlands are our bom allies in the contest, x My young friend, 0*Donnell, hsith been fortunate in so early enlisting on our side auxiliaries so valuable, and I well hope that the God who overrul- eth the battle as well as the peaceful hour, will give victfq>ry to our arms ; for, assuredly, we fight for our holy faith, still more than for our o^ressed country.*' ^ ^^ -^ On the following morning,, after having heard mass in the castle-clapel, the chie^ set out in opposit^e directions, i the one on his perilous visit to Dublin, while the other^ ^h -^O- '■%. •;>■ im ■yam i^j^d w V^^"^ •'with' his friendB^ returned to Donegal. la taking this^ step, O'Neill acted in ^Jrect opposition to the mshes of all who love^ faittL most, J!b:8A)elb and Fatl^ included, but, having set it down in bis owti imii^d as tf6tuiEJly necessaiy, he would not be dissuaded £rom the . journey. Jiislittendants, though not niinaerouis, were richly. equipped, Ml Vore, like himself, the liationail dress. - For himself, though scrupulously attired, iSifter the £uihion cf an Irish chief, h^ took, jgood care to wear, beneath his. clpse-'fitting jacket and short cloak, a light, bu^ ^hn ooat . •of hjighly-tertipered steel, and on Ms head wtMia small steel morion, fi^om which floats •a plume of white feathers tinted with jpeen, • On arrinng in Ddblin, Ee learned tMt the leouncil Was then sitting, and to the council- •ohamber h^ at once repaired, being^ desirous to l6dTe Dublin as^soon as might be. The yraj was not imknown to him '; for, in other days, when Ferrot held the reins of govern-i^ ment, he had^often taken his place at the council-board, an honored member as any >^ ^1^ -sat there. So, miMly paiidiig lit |he .r ...^:'$L- BID HASH) OF ilLSTBR. V ' HS 4oor» to hate Ms nune annbtinced, he walked •lone into the room, tioB. stopped till he Kad t reached the l^ttom of t^long table^-at one, 0iid ofwMck the:4eput^ wjw seated, on an el6vj^^ ilplding his steel c^'in his hand, O'N^ >dw^.^r8t Ito the deputy, and thtsa to thie council boUeeti^ely. Sevend, of the 'most iinfluentiid ih^nibers returned his •4ute,%hile Ormond, a&4 a few others, came-, ^forti^d tod shoofc hii^ -The ^ ae|M4y l(Mkii^d rdn his sharp fea- 1|3C|>re88iye qnly of imqualified aurpnoe finy-6f^^ nohles^pfeseiit ^^ • «lch |iy^ m hii heai^t ' .lie' qobwdered^ O'Neill W ; ;tp order mud: ^taet were restowedj^und the memhers again in their seats, he addres^ the earl, ,without,,4ibweyer, requestinfi: him #^?^ lorcl xtf Tyroiie, thpa hast done well to answer the iUn^mons, as otherwise we should haye been ^^^Aiid now, that I am he r e," said j-yrohe^ ^nfy» ,^U wou^know from, your Ibrddiip why / *■ I Ui n^ JUED PSAND OF tJLBTXE. tmd wberefQre my presence was so peremp* torily . demanded. Certain vag^e charges liave been broug^ ai^nst jmt0j mID^^^ toW* I bave come tbiis iar to hear them from |he fbuntain-head-1",; A ■ -/.v";;-. .;;%.■■■■■■■ ■•'A;, .■;;■; * "Nay/* said the deputy, involiintarily impressed by the grave dignity of O'Neill's - bearing, atid th^' nobleness of his /aspecf. *? Nay, my lord ! these charges lure more seri- ous than thou wouldst see?pito think." Then, from a paper, whi9h he^^d taken from a portfolio before him, he went oii teading— « Thou, Hugh Q'l%ill, Eari of Tyrone, Btandest charged before thld honorable body, f^d thfe;.)>^' ***^^ch Catho- liev and. if. the ^queeji^oth expect me to join in ihe hue and cry f^junst the prjests of my own chui^ch, the ministers of tny own wor* %tp« I can only say, thiat her majesty mupt be grievously deceived by interestied persons. The first charge doth appear to me the most . <-■ .^^ll^. B^ill klLNBl OT lILBTlKit ne^Bot all, and with ycmr lordihip's good leave, I Will take some hpura to conwder my antwel^ as it bchoveth me to pat it in a satis- factory form, so as to carry conyiction to the mind of the gracious^ queen, Elizabeth. Should my presence be again required, ye alii tnow where I live." And, bowing around to the councillors, he made a formal salutejto the deputy,'and left the room, being accom- panied to the door bj^V^rmond. Buseell wjould fidn have ordered him ^d^r an imtoef dute arrest, but this the majority of the^ counr^ oil opposed ;axMl the fact was, that Ih^ finally refused to have the earl arraigned, « which ^refusal shows, beyond all doubt, the mingled fear and. love with which Ol^eiU was even then regarded^ CHAPTBE vin. -Y: For on^ toy of fr«o§^ Sa xon q ueenj,^^ agi MD BAND OF U mg, like a n«ir Aurora, upon the awakened ^uldren. of Hi|r^pon.** > :> • ^~N^r WMT that warlike hanner unfurled iiir^ fain, for when once roused to action* and oonTtnced that the time for proorasdnation • and temporizing had pawed away, no man wai more prompt, more rapid in his move* mmitM than Hugh O'NeilL Before the EngHah, then, were aware of his intentioliik he appeared hefore that fortress of thdin . n^hich had so long commanded the Black- water, and with a force which defied all opposition— droye the garrison from their hold almost without resistance, and swept the country before him towards the south, clearing it of all the scattered posts which die English had either by stealth or openly establifihed there. T^e ni^ great point was tofiree McMahonV country of that eyesore which had beep for years corroding its fair soil. The English had stUl possession of Monaghan Castle, which, being a fortress of g^eat jBtrength, gave them a firm hold on the surro/inding district Haying been joined, by timim'^^^^* of M onag h^p? iin4 V lum KAKD or uurrsB* Fcniintg^^ O'Neill tat ^o|rn before thi- gloomy ttroiighold, determined to take it, at ^^"^hateter cost it might require. Jpfererthtf- lest, from the exceeding streJ^t^ ^^i}^ place, and the desperate re|olutioii o#the garrison, the task proved tedious in the extreme, and ere yet there was much appear- ance of success, O'Neill was summoned to ;PundaIk to meet certaan commissioners, * diarged with negotiations for him and the "^^-ilhfr^ chiefs — ^his allies. Kussell had, it appeared, been ^^ken by surprise, notwitlv? standing that ^|||ill, after the taking of Portmore, had written a satirical letter, remin4ing hiii that he had promised tolaen^ i hit answef" to the charge of holding jecret intercourse with the northern chiefs, and ^^ (le^ng to know whether this first s^ep after his return to the north, was a satisfactory reply. So the deputy, bitterly reproaching i/l Mmself for letting the *' araih-traitor " ^lip . through hig fingers, and not being prepai^ed to put down at once so formidable a rebel- UaB, would hm have recourse to diplomacy ; *i-. ■\:-- :^ .•¥-■ ^% BXP HAND pF VLSTBB.' But 0!Neill had no ihind just then for any- nipre^hdr-breadth 'scapes/', and, therefore, positively declared against setting foot in any of the towns of the Pale. ^^ I will not be siiiiimoned," said he, ** after this fashion • — ^I owe no allegiance to -your queen or laws, and in any further parleying I must be treated^^ an independent chief. For your earlsHips — 4ceep them for tlose who yalue them, and address me for the future as the O'Neill^-— the only title I will acknowl- edge i^ too" long have I lent myself to such idle mummery— it is now at an end." ^ So the commissioners were fain to come forth from the *' walled town," and then the principal chiefs of the north met them on the open plsdn^ i|i;^ presence^ of the^two armies^ In this meedng, O'Neill spoke rather as a con^uefbr than as pne asking or seeking pardon. In the first place, he<« stipulated that no further attempts shotcld be made to introduce the. Beformation into Ulster; " For,!' said he, with a scornfi^l smile, "we Uistermen will none of your new-fangled religions^ so keep yom: preachers out p£ our ;' *■•.. :.l- 'B,W> SAND OF ULSTER. %&Z ^rritories, aii^ ye^alue their lives ; Papidtfi wMlre, and Papists w« j;^J^@ And, as fe your daily and' hourly incroachments on our domain|> all this must cease ; no more English garrisons are to be kept up in Ulster j but, for ^e present, we will fcOxcept Newry^, imd Carrickfergu3. But, as we w:e (^resolved to keep out your homerroade religion, so, with God*s help, we will have none of your laws; neither judged, sheriffs, nojrjbdliffs are to set foot within t^e ^iinits of the province, save and except the g^rispns afore- said, where ye may * jiang, draw^ and^uarter * each other, an' ye are so minded. Having the fate <)f the McMahon before bur eyes, we have a wholesome hatred of judge and jury, such a» ye make them. Mpreover, J have further to dem&nd that the llarstokV Sir Henry !pagnal,be not suffered to intrude himself on the domains of any one chief of this provi*ice, seeing that hie doth impudently lay claim to a large portion of the district of Uriel." Furthermore, let said Marshal Bag- Bal be obliged to pay me a thousand pounds \-< W ■ {'■ ■r -m- BSD nAHr> or UL8TBIU and pilawfully retained by him. I have dbne^ and on oio other terms than these will 1 consent to, make peace. My fiiend, ^'Donnell, will now make his proposals.** O'Donnell then stepped forward, and, with contemptuous bi^evity, put forth pre- cisely the samO'Conditions regarding tieligioii and the evacuation of Ulster by the English, (he scarcelr^lerated 0*Neiirs reservation in £akvor of !lipri:y and Carrickfergus,) also, .that no further countenance of aid should be afforded by the English to a usurper, who, under the style and title of '< the Queen's O'Donnell,*' b^ latterly given him consider- able aifira^nce. "I will make short work of him, if I catch him," added he, fiercely^ ^' and his Saxon abettors shall fare no better, I warn -.ye.**.'' : ■ '; : : ■ : y ■; . '. ' Though the commissioners affected to con- sider some of these conditions as ^' not unreasonable,** yet they proposed such others in return that the chiefs put a Sudden stop to the negotiations and Returned to the camp. O'Donnell set out with kis troops for Gon- 4iaught, where he swept the land from sea .\ ^^ k' • . ;. \; .: ■ BED HAUD OF TJL8TKR. 866 ,tt\8eti, driTing the English to take refuge ^ within tneir strongholds. O'Neill returned to Monaghon^j^d was grieved to find that, short as hif ii|ii6nce had heen> it had given an advantage to the en^my, for Bagnal had suddenly appeared before the castle, with a large force, and, having relieved the garrison, succeeded in repulsing the besiegers. On reaching home, he received the information that himself, with the other leading chiefs, were being formally tried in DuWui, a jury having been empanelled for that purpose. « And thank God, Arabella," he said^j^^j^^ a cheerful smile, in answer to his wife's 0^pss- sion of anxiety^ ''and thank God it is not here they have their jury; so long as ^eir courts and trials are carried . on in Di||)lin they may try us an' welcome, for all we care." Soon after, it was fom£»lly announced that the gilbat chiefikains of the north, that is to ^ li^ "O'Neill, O'Donnell, Maguire, and McMahon, together with O'Rourke, of Bieffni O'Rourke," (now liCitrim,) had all been solemnly convicted as traitors. But # £S6 u> ^4 h1n]> 07 UliflBB. #.»• 4'- '#^-' how nation ; they neither acknowledged jthe English law, nor feared its power,, and th^ whole waft Idoke^'onM their^ people as r^Jood f But the brunt of^Jfc:-^5truggle il^ coming on^ and it b3iOYed the earl to prepare ^for its approach. ' The English army, com- manded by Russell himself, and GenersA Norri8> (one of the ablest comtoanders of the day, on the side of England,) was known i to. be on its march northw^ds ; and, notwith >^ standing a brave stand niade by a body of - Iiish troops, at the Moyry pass, the English generals succeeded in reaching Armagh. \ ^s O^Neill had, by no means, a sufii<4ent force to n meet this formidable army in an open fi^M, so he adopted the plan of destroying all ihe surrounding villages within several miles of Dungannpn, nay, even his own dwe}ling he - gave up to the flames,^l&e the people of Moscow, at a later period^) lest it might afiford. a shelter to the English. Ijla wife and family he sent off to Dungiven Castle> as a place of safety^ and then r etired with hia -■ .:^.'^ •'■•v -^-n "v :- :>>->■ IT ^a ■K. ^- 1 1^^^ draw the ettemy into the bogs and morasses^ witli which the country was then so thickly studded. Thence he harassed theih.in^very directioiymaintaining a kind of guerilla War- V iare, "^hur^ting out on them when least expected^ and jnaking use of every manoeu- " vre to draw them after him into the woody * ^co^nt^ But >Norris was too wily to feU into the snare ; and the entire command soon devolved on him, as Russell found it neces-: sary ix> re^m to Dublin, where affairs ^ r^uired his presence. He had, however, ao arranged/before his departure^ that a strong garrison/was left in ii^bgh, which city he !: ^Itly/considered Jas o^great importance, V |j Left/pliis own responsibilityvNorris turned" ' - |1 his^yqgl^wards Monaghan, whicjfi had becii rp^taken, some tiSfc Jbefbre, bisgifi'NeiU's " ■ brother, and was now in the hands TBrits la\i^ /* fill chiefi MacMahon. ' As that st^ong^^* v tie formed the next link in the chain ^^!^- tares^s through the hearf of Ulster^ (4jinagb -^ - once secured,}*so Norrirf^aa determined to 4 make a vigorous effort for its poss e ssion. — : Gathering together, then, all his available :v;-v 1V,VJ i; ;6rce,"lle ;bii the wayj. ' iniglit iSiii ^-^gilance. ]» , blithe pr 0m Inarch tdwardsv^ -'^ing Qf O'Neill %a8 In s^ong hopes that W in eluding i^that chieftain's and oipi he -marched, then, • bweir of his army, all flushed icV of an easy ico^quest, and had rea(iih^ ^^h:five miles of the town of Jkfonagan,- i^li^fc on the opposite side ' of a narrow 'StitaiJ<^thei;e running northward, through a sen^s of spaall hills, he beheld, tirith no 'agreeable sur*pnse, the Irish army, draym Mp iii gti^d ordei^ xommanded^^ t^^ "^ Earl'of^yr<^f^ person. 'IJie stream, as 1 . hkve said, isf t^ere very*^foW, proceeding solely j&rbm it spring up an^ugst Uie hillsj^^ ' wlu(^, sending^ its watears across the ' gi^^; its naigpto thg flace, ;cjjj[ed^ (tho Ja^n of &^j|p&ig,) into XJlontibret, by 'whiidr ^ now known, ^iffhe g^tt^ ini the hills on*elfner sife Cluain-TU since cd latter m slopes g( out somewJ iffhichwas )re abrupftyon tl^e-leBt baj^ ^<>sett l)y y'Neill, witl usual' gooct judgment As the Irish -"■t- ■ ■>¥- llED HAND OP ULSTBR. ?5% ■ •■■,■■■':: . . ,■ ' ■ •.. •'. :.■■■ ■;. ".■."':.. • ■■ '\. .:, '■},. ■'' *'"V- planted right in tis path, sa Norris, on jcoming up, at once decided\ on forcing hia wajTj especially as he feU himself strong^ enough to make the attempt, with an almost , certdinty of success. But this was easier said than done, for, however resolved was the English general to gain Monaghan, O'Neill was Just as determined that he should not, "Unless," said he, when addressing •his army, " unless he walks over our dead bodies, Monagh-an must not, ftUl again* into the& hands!" t This was greeted by a wild cheer from V every rank of the army, the very horses of ^ ^ the cavalry prancing and neighing, as thou^Ji sharing in the impatience of their riders. ,.then,,^me the English infantry, and in ,ffifV®fyl® .^^-^^y came across the narrow Poole, ^n^^'sougjit to l^reak their way %ou^ut tl^ Jb^ 'rariksl but firm. as rtocfis fitood tljp ^en of Ulster/^nd bravely did,j4iey re^.charge klter^charg^. Yet the English^ught/ with all but superhuman c ourage^n t laot^o g Llylbeirj^nergfl j^-^ at his^ brot^^r, ..Sir^f|bff& Norris, was badly % \ -^ .» ,'..' £60 EBP HAND OF ULSTEB. wounded in these useless attempts to. break ., the lines of the Irftl^ infantry. The cavalry :j)njboth aides . had ihitherto stood inactiye, but now, wien Norris's infantry were fairly exhausted with their vain efforts, his cavalry dashed" out in aV body, and made a furious rush on the mounted gallow-glassef of O'Neill, who, under his own command, had be#n awaiting the decisive nfovement. The leader of the Epglish horse 'was anfAnglo'! Saxon ^f the Pale,. nainedSeagraye', who, as. though resolved on ddciding the/matter by single combat, at once singled otit the noble ; form of the Irish commander, , and spurjifed tight against him. (^*Neill, on his side, per- ceivmg his objecfc, met him half-way, and a desperate conflictV commenced, while hot armies, as is gener^ll}^ the case onj^ch occa- sions, suspended hostilities for tT moment, awaiting in breathl^s^uspense, the result the contest. If ^er English M|^ed every thing from this rMcontre, they werp, to all - appearance, perfectly justified ; w^ile tHW Irish, on the other hand, might well have feared, for this Seagrave was, a mka of C • M ■■"■ ./«'.• ■ .0 , • f l^ED HAND of ULSTER. mi V alnaost gigantic proportions, and- noted throughout the anhy for his ponderous 7 strength. O'Neill, as we have earlier said, / was only of moderate height, /ind His form, though singularly well l>uilt, and of rather square coiiformation, was no apparent nifttch for the bulky Saxon. But i%>earance8 are often SecditfuT, and those who ia||hP'N'eill test, fearfully arixiou^^ they w^^-on his account, had still but little fear for his event- ual success, for they knew that his personal strength far exceeded jirhat might Be expected from his appearance, while his syil was scarcety to be equalle d,^ At th6 first - , jbnset the lances of the two'^PP^ions were shivered to atoms on the breastplate of the other, and l^oth recoiled for a moment. But? the Saxon almost instantly -returned to' the charge; and, relying altogether on his vast strength, threw himself with all his force • ag^ain^ O'NeilL The latter being somewhat shakeA by* the force of the shock, grasped his pow;|](;fur '^ adversary inv his arriiSj and ' ^odled hih]^ii;|i Ijiin to the ground. Then , ■/H /^4t was ti i^lttiP^ either siide\ M % '.,..,. , , " . . :-\:'. ,;•:■ .-.■ ": ■■■' ■■■ • ., ^f^^tff^^- J«%.. >.■ • ^'' ■ ■■.'■-■. MS * . BED HAND O^ ULSTER. ;■•■•-.:> .'*'■■. ,i,<; . ' ■■■ ^%' ' . .1 . tlieir breatK xh dread suspense ; over and over rolled the combatants; now one, now ^the other, being uppermost; but suddenly a groan was heard, it was the death-groan of Seagrave ; for, in a moment* Q'Neill was seen drawing out his 8h(^ sword, wli^ he had |>lunged through tb^ Englishm^^ groin| and extricating hirtiself, with difficinbr. from • the huge, weight of his cumbrous and^pnist, he started to his teeti%rhereupon a cry^^ jingled' rage and dismay burst from tlf Etlglish ranks, answered 6^ the instant by a loudy fierce yell of exultation from the opp6- 8itii|Bidd. ^pakin^ advaiit^ge of the grievous •1P« disaa|(ihtnvBnt,«r ever!) and their lon^ lances poised, iii eastern fashion, above their ^Jbeads, down swept the chivalry of Tyrniwen '■-i-- \ %. • t -I BBD HAND OF VISTER. £68 .apon the astonished ranks of the Saxon. Th4|))anner of St. George wavered and went down before that furious charge. The Eng* lish turned their bridle reins, and ^ed head- long over the stream, leaving the field cov- ifred with their dead ; and, worse than all^.. leiaving with the Irish that proud red cross banner, the first of its disgraces in those Uliiter wars/' So ended the famous battle of Clontibret, famous as being the first pitched battle which O'Neill had dared to stand, (fearing, ever before, that his army, in its heterogeneous state, could but ill com^^Fith the English, uniform and disciplin^p^fi they ^ere,) and its effects were two-fold. .In the first place. If orris was so. disheartened by this unex^ ^cted defeat, that he^xetjeated southwards with all speed, leaving Honaghan (the real bone of contention ) • in the hands of the Irish A sjtill more important* advantage was, that th^^^^news of this brilliant victory infused a ||iew spirit into the minds of nten from one , tuA of Ulster to the other, calling forth the most unbounded confidence in O'Neill, and ^ '// Vt^ 'W], ">? fM^ RED HAND OP UL8TBR. * " r ■. ■ encouraging the timid and the sluggish to come forth and aid in a struggle which promised such glorious results. / .. The earl had barely time to pay a passing visit to his family at Dungiven, (wjjence he took with him his son Con., who, under the careful eye of 0*Cahan, had grown up into a fine, bold-spirited lad of some sixteen or seventeen,) when he was iigain summoned to meet the English negotiators at Dundalk. "Ha ! ha ! " he said, to O'Cahan, witlv a sig- nificant smile, ** Clontihret hath renewed their fears; and, having presently no spare forces to recruit Norris, they would engage me in a parley which they know will end in smoke, merely to gain time. Well, Brian, mine old friend, we will e'en humor them, for I, too, will profit considerably by some few weeks, or even days of delay." ^ . *• Meanwl|le, what am I to do ? " inquired __0'Cahan, eaget to be made useful. ^^; t* Take good care of my treasures, Brian, W \ said O'yeill, more seriously^ pointing as he spoke to the beloved group, where they itood looking on dejectedly, " and above all. I BCD HAKB OF tJLSTEIl. 265 ' « ^'* ■ .'■■ ■ 'f*" I ■■■/•■: < f mtke ready the stout men of Arachty, fot Boon we shall have a grand muster of all our force ; Clontibret will not long stand aloneT^ my friend, for these English are at heart thii'sting for revenge." . Again, then, O'Neill hiet Sir Henry Wallop and his brother commissioner, in the neighborhood of Dundalk, taking good care, however, to keep a considerable streamlet between himself and them during the confer- ence. Here it was proposed to him to lay down his arms, and throw himself on the queen's gracious clemency, to which very reasonable request the politic earl listened with the utmost attention, as though it merited the most mature consideratiotti '*Well," said he, when he had heard all, <'I am quite willing to give up the alliance of .all the chieftains yif|have named, and to •live henceforward Sn He best terms with your government, if ye will only seQure to me that my people shall not be i^ubjectfed to any incroachments on th^jr-jig^ts^ as they now stand. Only assure me, on good, authority, that we, in this northern province, • r. ■ . , t •• « . }■* "• ^66 s .. BED HAITI) VOF ULSTEE. shall be left undisturbed in our omi rigbtful possessions^and siiflfered^ to God in the venerable and reyer^d faith of Our fathers ; keep your English laws and your English notions of religion to yourselves, within your proper jurisdiction, and I promise, in the name o^^U the northern chiefs and toparchs, •V that you shall have no ^sturbance from tis! Eor my part, I will be again the queen^s liege-^man and her very good subject,, provided these things are accorded us." " .The Englis|i negotiators seemed highly pleased with -the good dispositjons^as they thought them) of the earl, and became quit^ friendly in their €l^h^or,^hereupon O'Neill took occasion to play off a good jest at their^^pense, well knowing how Ipecious and deceptive was , their apparent, good^will towards him: Assuming, therefore> an . . exceeding openness >xid' sincerity^ together ^ith k most confideQtiai look, he advanced iJi ; step nearer, and^aid^i^ a low^ed voicfe ^-^ -;^I would that a|^:y^ e^udljr well-diggy^ ^^: ftlasVftey, are liiPdSw, \jike id that wild ^i^* , w "'f^. f(t A BED KAND OF ULSTER. i26T CDonneil, to rjt, and noftimg Wm- tame him down to the quiet performant^ of \ his duty as a subject of the queen. /I am credibly informed (nay, draw somewhat nigher,) that he still holds treasonable com- . munication with Spain ; ay, and hark ye, p. Spanish ship hath just now arrived in one of his ports, ^o let the deputy look to this J I have done." Aild so he took a courteoill leave>)f the two envoys^ who returned t9. . Publin, hugging to their hearts the flattering^ notion that they had room to liop6 % A favorable change in the earl'is taiifcs.^ Alas ! their hopes ^^ould have, vanished 4ike fli6 morning dew,had they heard tjie merry laugh ; which echoed -through the vaulted halls ofe ! Donegal Gastle, when, in a d^ or two after, ' .Tyrone paid a visit to his friend and confed- - -erate, and told him; how he tad descrflsed ' him to like EtigKehmeri. ^ « Unluckily,'! said O'Donn^U, " the part appertaming tQ; the arrival of the ship, is the oply/f art of. the charge which Is not true ; <^|0egotiations in. that quarter have hitherto brought but little > in the W o^ hejp. But^o on, Hugh, tell \ {'► ^ ■i-. 268 »Kb HAND OP ULSTER. ./ that half a do^n foreign yemh have been landmg men and arms in TyrCoinell, so as the ^newr will be Kkely ta.henefit thy »iegotaation8.'V , p.-^:^^^ .^ ^ ^«goic^ V tHe encou^inl^rt of iia agents, Russell .nstrpcted t^t to «itte .peace with O'NeiU, c.^^^ crush the otMrcyeftains. and be^rwards at liberty to deal with himself as their owtt " "^^T^ B"t"oV>e of tVse schemes ^^dden from the all.piercfng penetrai tion,pf O'Nedl; and so when the commis-^ toners came again to r)undalk;aiid iayited lumto^eet them there at an early day. to eonolude a j,eace.. he tetunied no anwer.' ' Ihe - day came, and anxiously did the tWo , plenipotentiaries await his coming, but they ^ ^^^C'¥ •■"^°»' -"o^ till-d^ eve _ did the day pass away, buj ,o O'NeilJ .: wasforthcommg. So tbej^Vrofe Sgaifi, ^7^ jng hip most earnestly.-to come forw«d and ' f ^ himself of the powers y^ed in-their i '^*' ""* eagerly awaited the * result-it ' ' --M BKD KAND or TJLB1?]ftE, je69 *i • 'im Rename as before, ^^i^^ followmg dajr, however, just as th^^BPpiparing ta setj out for Dublin, cafW# a imm from %, Tyrone, apologizing for his absenr;e, ^ declaring that as he liad ni# iwmd to make peace on any t^rms, likely to be pr^fosed by them, there was no manner ul use Mi gfl^ tracting the n©foti«tions. '' Ftii^rni^©," ¥*■ said he^ "^ib term truce^Si^e «i|| been kept by your peopfe. That incorrigible Bagnal hath been ^gain marauding in the environs of his fortress, and doth still refuse/ to give up flitftain/cattle, and other spoils, which he hath4ak|k. So here, let this idle ,parleying eilij for War alone can settle the difference between us." VThe truth^was, that all ttjs time O^eill had been preparing a forice to attack Armagh, whidh city wjg^ ocpupied by a strong English |arrison. Mt the garrison was not the sole ©bstacle ; for without thpoity, at the distanc^ . U $ very few miles, lay General Norri^, '^dth the main part: of hi« ai?«Siy, havi«i| 'formed an encampment in and aroui6i4 m0 pld church of K illoughter. Here^ then, waJ ,.i*r. ■ • ■ ' ■... ^ f" . '. : ' . ,-::;,■>...,.■'•,,.. ;,:. ^ '■-% m HBD HAND OF TJLSTBB. ' / t\>- work fo^ inventive genius, for it behoved him to get Norris's army dislodged, .ere he could hope tp gain Armagh. Theife ^s, however, no time to be lost ; so maklnk up his mind at once for a vigorous push, he fell upon the English when least expected with a fury that baffled ^11 resistance, and^ not . only expelled them from KiUodghter, but -^-made the country aipun^so hot for Nonis, that the latter was glad^to|allJback on Dun- ' dalft, having first succeeded in vimting Armagh, whose garrison he strengthened by ^ye hundred, or so of his own mdir s But ' BOW the strong walls of Armagh were before ON^ll, and Within the city, a brave and \ determined force; his people, too, were but little accustomed to the storming 6f • stoi^ walls, and Jar too impatient, . tb ari^ait with eahnness, the result>bf a protract^ siege. Ahey better loved a rushing chargk in the " open field, or the guerilla wariar^ W the woods.and mountains, and soon tired W sit- ting idly before battlements :of 8t6ne."A But ' (yNeiUwas never at a.los's for a- stratagem, ' and now, h^ hit upon one .which J ca^tiot ■a * ^ • . ,' *■ •■•:'.^;'; ,M: dra^ .'••:.:;ft:^"-v^-thei " i ' p 1 ^ 8^F of i X ■: ■'^com A- '■y'^.'-'^ \ .;;: v^escc circ \ :- V '^^ ' ;bej \ trar \ mei * Aligt ■ :\Y>\to % , '"""[ sm\ • ruii ."of'^1 to,, ^ ' thai , ^ / An "^i . * a St i r. * BID HANI) (JIF VtSTER, «ll *\5 r' foifbear relating, altli<]^iijg^1i iny limits toe dmwing to a narrow cb^mpa^s. It seems, the^, that Norris, knowing the scarcity of prbYisions in the garrison^ had sent a fresh supply, under the convoy of three companies - of foot, and "a troop of horse ; hut O'Neill, coming upoi^^h^ by surprise, had captured the pr ovisions, aud made .prisoners of the ^escort NoMi^it opcurred to him> that this: circumstance might be turned to- good account, so he caused the English soldiers to be stripped of their uniform. Which }$e then transferred to ^ equal number of his own men, and these he sent off by the earliest light qf /day, as though they were marching to relieve Arijciagh. "Then," says the Jbiograpner of O'Neill, " having stationed an ipnbuscade before morning, in the walls 43f a ' ruined monastery, lying on the .eastern side "of the tjity, he sent another body of troops to; meet the r^d-cpated gallow-glasses ; so that "waen day dawned, - the * defenders of , Armagh! beheld, what they inaagihed toTbe, * a strong \ body of their countiymen,. in fu^l /"^ na^ch tojrelieye tJi^ni with supplies of pro- A ■".■.'5i- % ' *i". . ^i,. ">• ' 'y^.' ^n ■W-:: ■■\ BBD HAND. OF ULSTER* Visions; then t%>aw 0»NeiIl's troops ruaB to attack theg#ndla furWs contest seemea to be ^rriea on, ]^ apparently the 'E^. vlish were overipate^ r^^ of them fell, ; and^the Inshjrere^pres^n^ forward, pour- ftingrm^ their pffit, and brandfehing their bat- ^ ^tle-axes, withUU the tumult olf a heavy figa^^ -.-il^-^^^"*^ garrison could not endure thir m^ 4. strong sallying party issued from the (iity, and rushed to ^pport their fnends- .but when they came to tjie field o^ battle, all the combatants -^on both sides, tdrned their jreappns against them alone. T^ English , ^w the snare that had been laid for them ^d made for the waUs again ; but now^ ' Con. O^NeillandV his party issued from the monastery, and cut off thefe retreat. ^ They i,-^efended themselves ^Jlaiitly, but were all ^^t to pieces, and the Irish entered the city > -m triumph. Stafford and f he remnant ^v^ his^g^ott, Tvere allowed to retire ;to JDto. - d^ky and OmiU, who wanted no st^ng^^ places, .dismantled the forti^cations/ and then absjiidoned the*town»." ! -^^t ^agii was. by fb' too important a ■■1 ^-s^ ^. BBD BAND OF ULSTER. ^ S'/f pV^ carrjr Ion the no^hem war, and with implicit instructions to be on his guard against -C the deceptive polujy; of O'NeUL Yet, not-: withstanding^ his determination toifuMltfeesr instructions to the lett%, De Burgh fomnd it : ' absolutely necessary to make a monthfs truce ' - - — ^ vf ^^V ^" ^^^fsr to hurry U his . Tha^nonth was turt^ed to gcipd account by ^ O'Neill, who pent messengers iu^ll directions^ ' ^ to stir up t% confederatfe^-^ast, west, north, and south. All w^%stleind preparation within his own immediate district ; itien were drilled and q;s:ercJsed j. weapon^j bumishef and whetted, attd ammunition prepared. Not aday,'no^ajiourwas lost during all that month; .^d^yet, at its close, the news xame somewhat ^ii^denly that two gr^at divisions .^' .^' :_:ii i._^ '«! \ ^^ .>^ ■,/ ■■■■■■ ■■'^■•/ •^■^■•'' -■■■•■• ■~i.-' ,. .. .. .. .,. .1 JIBD HANI) OF ULSTER. ] ftj[(f of the English army were, marching upon himr--one with the warlike De Burgh, in '.person, and some Anglo-Irish lords 6f the Pale, bommg direct by wiijt of kewry and ' Armagh, while the other, commanded by Sir Conyers Clifford, was making a circuit frbm GoBLiiaught by the western shole of Lough ^me. Now, then or never was the time for *fip^^:» ft simultaneous resistance ; and, as though, to stir up all the Irish, it soon became known that^ a^^^Sf ^ smaller corps of the Eng- lish ^rmy waaiheh assembling at Mullingar, to march northward immediately on being completed. On hearing this last annlounce- ment, O'Neill si^mmoned his officers together; (they wer^, m^y of them, chiefs of clans,) >^d laying before them the necessity of pre- :enting the juij|^on of all these^ divisions, askeij who would ' tindeiftC^e to meet vand engage (with s^ck.M force ^s he could al^ae spare^ j|iis dkachn^t from Miullmgar. ^^ ^^JHr^P ^^^^^^^^^ spokeu when Kichard l^HuLsfcarted forth from amid the^' throng — hi^iq^s^^ allv triavel-staitte^, for he had but folIoweK tched the, camp -Vx * ' m V ■'■*!%■■ I'"- fli ^,. !/. ■■:■■/-' ' ■! ■ me RK) rAnb op ulster. "That will r, % lord I " he gaily cried ; " only give me. two or three hundred of those' well-trained Tyrone men, and" as this young Bamewell has but a thousand men, they say, I will undertake to keep him back, so help me God and our blessed Lady i " ^"Nay, Richard," said O'Neill, Wlirmly - i)ressing the young man's hiind, and regard- inghim with a paternal smile of warmest approval; ** nay, my brave young friend, thou shalt have four hundred, and if, with these, thou canst keep a check on this West- ' meath force, I will call thee the bravest lad on Irish ground!" IP "And I would venture much farther than I now do," returned the generous Tyrrell, ^* to be so styled by thee, whose good opin- > ion I covet more than any other earthlv ■:thing." ■ ■■; -•■■-::■:■;■■.-■.■- - In an hour after the gallant Tyrrell' was on his jaarch, with his four hundred men, and ■ having reached a certain part of the country, which he knew it would nof be safe to let Barneweil pass, he quietly awaited tlie Eng- lish. In due time these latter marched forth 'from Mullingar, but r ^S (716) 288 -6989 -Fox ' ■^ 278 ^ RED HAND OP tJLSTEE. this pass he stationed a party in ambush, under the c^mand of his lieuteni^nt, while he, himself, continued his flight with the main body, so as to draw the foe still farther into the defile. On flew the lightly-mounted \gallow-glasse*s, as though in a fearful panic, and after them, rushed the Anglo-SaxQns^ headed by their chief/ No sooner had the last of them entered the gorge than O'Connor, Tyrreirs lieutenant, blew a stirring blast on the bugle, and fell on them furiously in the rear, while Tyff ell, with his band, turning short round, attacked them facie to flice ; from ttembling fugitives,. (as they seemed to be,) becoming, on the instant, fierce assailaints. The enemy, thus surrounded, resisted to the last, but resistance was only certain destnic- tion, and so entirely\ere they cut off',~that, ^(according to MacGeoghegan,) only one man escaped alive, and that by wading through the bogs, to Mullingar, besides Barnewell, who was reserved a? a prisoner for O'Neill, Tyrrell being anxious to give this proof how Veil his task had been performed. In memory of that bloody battle, that ^. BB) H*N1» <*' ULSTER. 279 defile receitred the ftamro? Tyrrell's Pas^. from the Voung chieftain who planned and achieved ^ victory. .But now he collected his men ,without loss of time and set out for the Iri^'h camp, for ij was generally knoT^p that lie Burgh had reached Armagh and was^eparing for a grand descent on O NeiU s ooutftry. One consolation was, that the deiAty found himself thrown altogether on hilown resources ; for, of the two divisions hich had actually set out to support the main branch of the^y unfer his command. / the one was, . as :^ie have seen," cut off by Tyrrell, while the other, which was to have come from Gonnaught, .had. unluckily, to pass thr'ough the wount^n fastness, then ^der the guardian care of Hugh O'Donnell. "So, when Glifflbrd was marching on, little dreaming of opposiSos: in fee wild regions, what should start forward, right in hjs pass, at a little distance in front, but tjo thousand of the fierce Clan-connal. H^te wa8_.^n unwelcome rencontre, and, as Clifford's foree > numbered no more than seven hundred men, so he wiwly walked back as h? came, having ( ■■' ■ac 2S0 RED HAI^TD OF ULSTER. ./ -no yery great desire to fall into the hands of the <* red-hot chief of Tyrconnell." So much, then, for De Burgh's auxiliaries that were to have been ; but he, himself, moved fearlessly onward, expecting a brilliant vic- tory, for his fimy was still both numerous imd well-appointed. He went forward, but it was to mee^us fate, and that of his army, on the BlaedBn ■»!*; ?^: CHAPTER IX* *' Th«r6 '8 ft iQur-fiuned Blaokwatur^ that nufl to Loagh NMgh. '-■♦.'•:* * ■ •, . # • • , from the banks of that rirer Benburb's towen arise. * ♦ ♦ # « #^j « The shrines of Atuiagh gleam far orer yon lea, Nw afiur is Dttngannon that nnrsed liberty, . And yonder Red liugh ■' Marshal Bagnal o'erthrew,"^ On Beal-an-attia-Baidhe." Datis. It will be borne in mind that the first step of O'NeiU's' conquering career was the taking %f that castle at Portmore, which> built on his own grounds^ had for years thrown its hateful shade ojj.the fertile banks of the Blackwater. But this place was too . ,< BSD .* IJLSTEB. 281 important to be entirely given up by the Englisb ; and now, when Lord De Burgb^' found himself qn the borders of Tyr-owen, his Irst object was to regain possession of that deserted fortress. But this, his design, was anticipated by the earl, and when the deputy would have passed on to the castle, he found that the woods in the neighborhood were occupied by a strong force of the Insh. B\lt O'Neill was not there in person ; and so, whenDe Burgh attacked the defenders of 'the pass with overpowering numbers, he succeeded in driving them back, ^nd planted ^me of his pwn men jn their place. Before C^NeiU couW get his people brought up again to the contest, the English had crossed the river, seized the castle, and fiUed it with some of their best and most experienced soldiers. Loud were the exultations ot the Saxons, aid merrily did they • celebrate their easy victory ;. for the enemy was no Where to be seen; and it was natui^ to suppose that O'NeiU had faUen b^k disconcerted by this opening defeat But just while the shout of triumph was =fti 2S2 REP HAKD OF ULSTER. 1 j»o^* , RW) HAND OF ULSTER. %Sb m O'Neill turned tit attention to the recoveiT of the fortress whose possession had cost the enemy so dear. For the present he allowed his army to rest, but in a few days he Ksnt a large party to atUck the fortress. It chanced, however, that the commander of the Harrison was a veteran officer of skill and courage, and so well did ho conduct the defence, that day after day passed away and found the Irish still. bBpg I'cfore tl'e castlfe. Never was siege m J|-fiercely carried on ; \but,never, on the other hand, was defence W kept up, and at length qNexll was Obliged to leave matters as they stood, hoping soonxto return with fresh vigor and better flucceskto the: charge. , ,. / .NewsXsoon after reached the north, that Lord De%rgh, and also Kildare,^had died of their woVds— received at the battle of Bettburb, aiJthataLord Lieutenant had W appointed, being none other than the Eafl of Ormond. w^ gave O'Neill no llttl? ■satisfaction. One^ of the first fh«t| of Ormond'B friendly \influence, was the otter of an eight weeks' t\uce, which Tyrone did , -H V ■ \ m . I. . ., ' ,1) • -* • I BSD HAXIDI OF UL8TBR. not choose to declinet Tho two earls met at the old rendezvous, Dundalk, and O'Neill being asked what his^^ct^mands were^ replied nearly in the same terms as before : ** What I artd my brother chiefs require, „your lord- ship cannot but know ; we seek liberty of conscience, and that the persecution where- with our faith hath been so long pursued, shall henceforward cease, not only in Ulster, but throughout the Catholic land of Ireland. Ourselves, and our territories, and our pet^r pie, are in no way to be meddled with. These are our terms ; also, th^t full repara- ^tion be made us for the spoils carried away from our lands, at various times, by the garrisons of the different English posts!" >Ormond, whose ancient friendship for O'Neill, *time had in no degree lessened, made it a point to transmit these proposals tp the queen, in th^ most favdl-abl^ light ; and yet; when at |;h<^^end of the truce the royal answer arrived, it was found such as to puA an end to ike negotiations. ^ A pardon was, indeed, offered to the Earl of Tyrone, but dn such conditions that it was rather looked EKD HAND or UWr^B. «§7 •' - ■■^- ,-.< upon, by him, as an aggravated insult. Amongst the conditions of this pardon, were these: " That he should, forthwith, break up the grca^ Northern League,' diiiband his forces, and send away all foreigneri*from his country; that he should repair tlie , Blackwater fort and bridge; renounce the title of O'Neill, and all jurisdiction belong- ing to that chieftaincy; admit a sheriff .into Tyr-owen; pay a fine ; deliver up all ^aitofs ; (that itf^*«^>ay, all who should pre- f^me to ~ profess the Catholic religion, or bear arms against the English ;) that he should discover his negotiations with Spain ; and give his eldest son as a hostage for the due performance of these conditions." Others tHere weie&, too, but these were the ' ji>rincipal. » ' ' ;« By ihine honor," said O'Neill, turning to Tyrrell, who accompanied him, "by my. knightly honor, but these are strange pro- poses, considering that they are made to a ' victor. :0f what avail would be our recent triumph were all or any of these modest conditions to bd fulfilled? Nay, my lord •4 ms RBD HAND 'OF UL8TMB. Ormond," ho said, again addrcBsing^ that . nobleman, " it is but waste of time making iuch idl« proposals as these. Twice already have I rejected them— -even when unsustaincd by recent sijcccss ; and yet they were never so audacious as these now arc. Mcthinks it is a strange anomaly that my success dpth but make the enemy bolder. No, mine ancient fricdTd, to not one of these conditions ' will I agree. The chieftains-of the north are up in theif mightV vicitory hath descended on* our armriiwe will keep them in our hands, so help me the just and righteous God4 until we have obtained freedom for our faith, liberty for ourselves, and a total f^sessation of Eng:lish nieddling in our con- cerns. This is my fintd answer, and so thou mayest say to the 4uee|i." "Then thou art redolved to hold out?" iaid Ormond, anxioualy. "How can I do otierwise?. I put it to thine ^wn sincere judgment." Ormond did not reply; for if he had, he must have acknowledged that O'Neill was r^ht ; but, with a quivering lip and moistened • \ W- .^^u: T'^j.—T f 7 jjij^jiMi ':^.: •'■ ' RW) « AJTf> OF tri^STER. 889 eye, ho grafpcd the outstretched hjnid,— "Then, farewell, my fricncl,^ur lots, It appears, are widely different — mine to sustain the English power — thine is, what?'* ** To battle against oppression and injus- tice, while God givcth me power ! '* returned O'Neill, OS he warmly shook the carl's hand. <'An - "So far as the promise concometh me, I answer, from my soul, yes ! ** Upon whil^h the two old friends — the great Norman Bi^ler of the Pale, and the still greater MilesW chief — separated with mutual good will, i^nd set out, the one for Dublin, and the otheJr to prosecute, the war, already so well begun. Yet O^ond's friendship could not r^st there; so he mkde use of all his credit at coilrt to obtain an unconditional pardon for O'Neill. Having succeeded, he wrote to inform Tyrone of his success, urging him tdVinalk:e peace. "For," "% J: JS ify £90 BED HAND OF UI5TER, said he^ ''thou* hast no longer an excuse ; the^een is willing to leave all the country nortlTof Bundalk, that is to say, all Ulster, in the hands of the native Irish— n^r sheriff, nor preacher shall be sent to trouble tliee.** But all would -not do ; the eight Veeks of the truce were expired, and the letter found O'Neill reviewing two divisions of his army destined to besiege Armagh and Portmore. *' It cannot be,'* was his brief answer. *' My word jpf honor is plighted to the confederate chiefs, IJt was who induced them to take up arms for God and our country, I cannot, and will not ask them to lay them down; having no sort of confidence in these specious professions, the dictates of English policy. I thank thee, Ormond, but I cannot do as thou wouldst have me." So he marched on at the head of his troops, and had well nigh reached Armagh, when a second messenger from Ormond was shown into his presence, and forthwith offered him, on bended knee, a huge sealed ^cket. *' Why, what have we here ? V said ^ earl, with surprise! then, having examined th^ '^i '■' BID HANl^ OF UtStSR. ftn se^l, he speedily recognised the royal arms. * *rOhl oh I the pardon^ as I am a living man y| he gaily exclaimed, to those oiHcers who 'gathered around him ; '^let us make merry 9Ver our good luck ; " and he laughed right inerrily, "But what shall I say to my lord of. Ormond ; will your lordship favor jgie with some letter or message ?"» ii^uired the ciourier with a low bow. " "Say to the lord liieutenant,'' retumed O'Neill, "that the Earl of Tyrone haftno time to pen an answer, being on his way to attack Armaghy This is sufficient answer, friend ; so go thy way.'* Thus haughtily did he slight the " special - pardon-," which he well knew meant nothing in reality, and he went on as though it had nej^ been accorded, treating with^pidn and arousing his countrymen to a more martial spirit./- ^- /;■■•■ -^;^ Up to this time, O'Neill had been buoying himself with the hopes of Spanish succor, but now he became sadly convinced that the malice and treachery of the English m^ BED HAND OF ULSTER. goyemment w^ at work even there, where |t might be expected to have least influ^ncej for he received positive information that the paid agents of Elizabeth and her ministers^ were going about in secret through the Catholic countries of Europe, (Spain more especially,) representing the cause of the Irish Catholics as without even the slightest prospect of success, and even inventing accounts of defeats which they had never sustained. Deeming it useless, then, to lie back waiting for aid which might never come, he set vigorously about the fohnatipn of a national army, which, as yet, he had not called tbgether. To this step he was the? more imperatively urged, as he had found out that a powerful army had bee^ placed under the command of his did adversary, Bagna!, who was now making final prepara- tions for a grand attack. To do them justice, the chieftains of Ulster came forward on this occasion, at the call of their reader> in a manner the most creditable to their courage and patriotism ; and it may ponsibly interest the reader to know what jihare they respec- 4:- J ,J .^i^- RED HAND OF ULSTER. «93 tively had in ma!!:ing up the Northern .armyj. ■ ' ;■' *' Of the O'Neills, we find that Neal Brian Fertough, in Upper Claneboy, f urnish^^ eighty foot, and thirty horse j Shane McBrian, of Lower Glaiieboy, sent eighty foot and fifty horse ; McBory, of Kilwarlin, gave sixty foot and ten horse ; Shane iMcByran, Carogh> from the Bann side, fifty foot and ten horse ; Art. O'Neill, three hun-^ dred foot and sixty horsey Henry Oge O'Neill, two hundred foot and forty horse ; Turlough McHenr^ O'Neill, of the_ Fews, had three hundred foot and sixty horse ; Corinac McBawn, (Hugh's brother,) three hundred foot and sixty horse 5 while the earl himself, of his own househqld taroops, had seven hundred foot and two hundred horse. Then White's country, (Dufferin in the county Down,) "sent twenty footmen; MacArtane, Sliaght O'Neill, also of Down, one hundred foot and twenty horse ; McGen- nis, of Iveagh, brought two hundred foot and forty horse ; MacMurtough, from the Maine water, sent forty footmen ; -O'Hagan, im KBD HAND OF ULSTER. ^•■V of TullDghoge, seat otie hundred foot an4^ thirty horse ; Mc T^onnell, of the Glynns of Antrim> led four hundred foot and one hun- dred horse ; Maguire, of Fermanagh, six hutidred foot and one hundred horse ; the MacMahons, of Monaghan, contributed five hundred foot with one hundred and sixty horse ; O'Eeilly, of Breffhi O'Beilly, eight hundred foot and one hundred horse; while O'Qahan, from the banks of the Bann and Roe, led on five hundred foot and two hun- dred horse. All these chiefbdnd were tributaries of O'Neill. "From Tyrconnellj Hugh Roe O'Donnellfj and his brother Rory, brought three hundred and fifty foot and one hundred and ten horse ; O'Dogherty, of Innishowen, led three hun- dred foot and forty horse ; MacSweeney, five hundred foot and thirty horse ; O'Boyle, one hundred foot and twenty horse ; and O'Gal- lagher^ of Ballyshannon, two hundred foot and forty horse. These last were all tribu- tary to O'Donnell. These ions were led on by Hugh C two great Divis- 'NeiU and Hugh O'DonaelV who seem to haye been of equal ^t^'Tf^V'^ ' BED HAND OP ULSTER. ^m rank and autWrity> and to have acted inde- pendently of each other, but always in har- mony ; their only contest being which should pierce deepest into the columns of the Saxon."'*, . /.-■ " ■■ ■ ■'- ■ Availing himself df this welj-organized force, O'Neill made a stienuous effort totake Portmore. Again did he place a strong force before it, and, finding the garrison still determined to hold out, he also came to a resolution that they must yield,' if even months were required to bring about that end. Healso laid close siege to Annagh, and then encampedj with the remainder of his army, at a place called Mullagh-bane. Here he was attacked by Bagnal, who had beaten in all the outposts, and being vastly inferior in numbers, sustained a signal defeat, the first he had yet encountered. But, as thi« catastrophe was entirely owing lo the small number of his army, detatched and scattered as its main strength was, so he was but little disheartened, and liaving hastily sent off messengers to O'DonnWl, and another • MitdbeU'f life of Hagh 0*NeiU, pk 136, 137. BSD HAND QF TJL8TSB. '■*■< powerful ally, McWilliam, a Connaught chief, he calmly applied himself to reorgan- ize the force under his command, awaiting the arrival of his allies. Gradually he moved iaround, so as to get between Armagh and Portiiiore,. having information that Bagnal meant to relieve the garrison at the latter place. Finding that the English were actu- M^ly in motion, O'Neill looked eagerly out for his friends, as without them he could not ^vaofferedor accepted battle. Great was his joy, then, when his scouts brought word that they were within a mile or two, and' soon after his satisfaction was complete, for O'Donnell himself, (a hbst in 'his own per- son,) dashed ^p at the head of his chosen troops, having also with him the Connaught auxiliaries. "Now, then, fiw: Bagnal; were he twice as strong, I fear j him hot!" said O'Neill, exultingly, as he Wibraced his feith- iul ally. The Irish army then took up its position about a mile in advance of Portmore, on the Way to Armagh, wjiere the plain was narrowed to a pass, enclosed on one side by a thick wood, and on tlie other by a bog. To BED HAND OF ULSTER. arrive at that plain from Armagh, the entmy would have to penetrate through wooded hills, divided by winding and marshy hol- lows, in which flowed a sluggish and ois- colored stream from tlije bogs : and hence the pass was called Deal*-anrathabuidhe, * thi mouth of the yellow ford.'* The place was a wild, one, but it was admirably chosei , as O'Neiirs battle-grounds , ever were, and doubly so, as this very spot had been foretold, in anciejit prophecies, as the scene of a j jreat battle^ in which the Irish, the Catholics, were to be victorious iover the heretic strapger. This was, in 'itself, the greatest Jto^ble advantage to O'Neill. j I Brightly rose the morning sun, oA the tenth of August, over the dark greenwoods of Tyr-owen, and its rays were mirrored like 1 mimic fires in the transparent waters Jt)f the quiet \river. Eyen the marshy soil m the 1 vicinity of the Yellow Ford, was lit up ii^to la cheerful hue by the roseate beams frpm tjie eastern sky. But brighter than all were t^e gleaming spears, and the polished corslets of the English soldiery, ^ they niarched aloD^g %9S »BD HAND OP UL8TKR. the road from Armagh, flushed with the all but certainty of success. Proudly floated the red-cross banner of England at the head of each division ; and the air was filled with the triumphant sound of their martial music. Bagnal himself had never looked so gay, for even his dark countenance was lit up with the fire.of expectation. "To-day," he thought, « will this hated O'Neill receive such a blow that he can never ^recover himself. Such a force as this of mine he cannot resis^; and who knows," and a fiendish smile glared over his sallow fea- tures, "who knows but yonder sun, at its setting, may look upon his bloody corpse ; that plodding brain may be at rest for ever, and my most dreaded enemy removed from my path." And his step grew lighter, and his mien still more haughty, a^ these thoughts passed through his mind.^ \ Meanwhile the Irish army was lying quietly in wait--morej[i^etiy-than was their wont. Mass had been said at the dawn of d4y by Father McNamara, m the presence of the whole army, and the example of their chiefs -Ir^fe^'. ■ /■ BED HAND OF ULSTER* W9 had aided the exhortation of the good priest, in impressing a serious feeling on the mind | of eath. They were made tp Understand that the cause for which they fought was that of religion, not less than patriotism ; and that the long-suffering church of Irelat^ looked to them, that day, as her champions and defenders. It was an affecting sightto sfee even the fiery soul of O'Donnell suhdued to voman's meekness, as he knelt befor^ that rustic altar, in lowly adoratidh;. Near\him was O'Neill— his fine face no% interseked by the lines of care and deep thought. Vet impressed, for the time, with the softcniVg influence of the hallowed scene, into a lo of rapt devotion. And there, too, kne McDonnell, the proud, fierce leader of th Antrim Scots, with many another chieftain, femed in Irish story. When mass was ended, and the priest had pronounced his blessing, O^Neill proceeded dispose of his troops as his good jndgme^kud military skill dictated. He stationed at the woods, on either side of the Armagh road, a force of five hundred light-armed Iceamsy tod then fell back with V .. 3(H> RXD HAND OP tJlSTER. •>> the main body, to a little distance. ^ Silent as death they awaited the approach of the Eng- lish, who marched on, never dreaming of their danger, till, on either side, was poured into their ranks a death-dealing volley, that, for a little whUe,UiiyM^ tjbem into surprise. But I the coiifusidn was not of long dufation, for it was Bagnal's own division, heaied by the marshal in per^^H; and very soon he sue- ceeded not only^ in restoring order, but, hav- ing attacked th6 Irish, on either side, his men 'fought with »t) greali>,fury and desperation that they dislodged O'Neill's marksmen, and finally drove them back from their position m the defile, to the main army, on the plain beyond. Then it was that B^i^al moved forward in good earnest, seeing that the Irish kept their ground, and made no preparations for charging. On, then, he urged his legions ; but just as the foremost came within V short ^stance of ^he troops of Tyrone, dow^ went a^ey-^orses ^d men, into pits which had^ been hollowed out, and carefully covered over % O'NeiD's dr^s. But the confusion wa^ only moment^, for Bagnal etiU mged on RED HAND OF UISTRR. 801 his cavalry, who, making a ^liort circuit, io as to avoid trampling over their comrades, made a rushing charge on the Irish lines, where they stood behind their entrenchments. So^e of these latter were speedily carried, ahjk^e English swept on, shouting *' Saint George for merry England ! " But just then a jtnotion Was visible in the Irish centre, and instantly arose, as though from ten thousand vbices, the wild, fierce cries of *' Lhav dhearg aboo ! " " O^Donnell aboo ! " and the clans, whose battle-cries these were, rushed forth against the advancing English, led on by their respective chiefs. Terrible was the meeting. Down went the waving plumes of Bagnal, to rise no more, and over his body rushed on the infuriate avengers. The fall of their general was a grievous blow to the English, and in a few minutes that 4ivisi6», which he had so bravely l/ed to the charge, was driven back in irretrievable confusion. Just as O'Neill was sweeping forward, at the head of his triumphant clansmen, who should he meet, face to face, clad in an English uni^ form, and brandishing an English weapon. I >■ • v. • » I ■ 900 RID HAND Offudfii^ but Miles O'Reilly. "1la I " cried tiiX latter, •' we have, then, metlt length, as open foes ; defend thyself! " and aiming a deadly blow at the chieftain, who instantly paused before him, he seemed under the demoniac spijit of jprenge, to forget that the tide of battle was "liiirrying past. O'Neill warded off the blow, biit instead of returning it, he would have ■poken words of deprecation, and turned away to seek some other, adversary ; but the unhappy young man seemed determined to make him fight, and calling out : " Ay, then, gou wouldst sMjjt^ow, thotf, whii^e suc- Rssful ^^^<^^i7flBWP)B me*lLit I am — traitor to my iffih and to my country by my suffedngs of six long years I but thou shalffight!" and again he would have struck him, with still more ferocious deter- mination, when some of O'Neill's clansmen, rushing between them, would have hewed down the assailant of their chief with their tremendous battle-axes, but his voice rose louder even than the din of battle, command- ing them, in stem and authoritative tones, to desist ; and ere yet they had decided to obey" -^^^ •;* »• '■•■ '-' ■ ■ ■■■■ .■• ■ ' f ■ ■ ' '■ BSD SAVb 07 XTLSmM, even him in such a conjunedon, another more rapid charge was madb by OT)onnelIp and his fierce gallow-glaases^ commanded hf McSweeny, and with them rolled on the cavalry of Tyr-owen, carrying thefar chiefs with them, not against his will either, fat\ the natural goodness of his heart made hioi ■eek toAun a mortal contest mXh. 0*Beillf •„ " Bataillah-aboo ! ** shouted the fiery troopers of McSweeny, as they burst like lightning on the foe ; and their terrible war- ei:y was death to the English, lor, as that impetuous torrent broke on tibough the opposing legions, down went in succession the vetcjran bands of England. " By this time,'* says Mitchel, /*the cannon were all taken; the cries of 'Saint Geoif;e!' had failed, or turned into death-shriiks ; and once more England's royal standard sunk before the Red Hand" of Ty^-owen«?' G'NeHl and O'Reilly met no more— •purred on by his evil passi^s, the latter had performed strange feats of valw: ; more than once, in the course of that bloody day, did he find himself directly in front of the <^ I **%' *.^:^fs^4. ^ ,->y ,^" ^/ ',' ' 1' S04 BED HAND OP ULSTER. =di.- 4 ^^ elansmen of Brefini, arid as often had tl^ wretched young man slunk away from before the venei^ble form of his uncle/ where he fought at the head of his olan ; all his hardi- hood could not nerve him to turn his arm ag;^8t his own kinsfolk, and the men ofhis ^tive hills, hut not the less resolute^ did he seek to support the Ming spirits of tHeEng- lish, and twice did he succeed in lallying^ them for yet another stand. O'Neill V^tchedf him with pitying interest, as his tall, corii- maridmg form flitted from rank to rank of the English, a|»pearing as their very genius, (for ; most of their higher officers had sunk dead or wounded, on the field,) and he could not help regretting that so m^ch courage, such chivalrous valor, was so wjrongfully applied. But, at last, he missed himr— his plume of crimson hue was no longer to be seen; and the earl was just looking around, over all the wide desolation of the scene, when he came suddenly upon an English cavalier, who lay . ^ead before him, rightin his path. English! ^ no, riot English, although in Saxon costume, for the cold, pale features of the deact w ere .'^i,, BED HAND OF I7L8TEE. m m those of Miles O'Reilly. A ball had pierced his temple, gone right through the brain, and stilled forever the impetuous passions which had so wildly and so banefully governed hiin. It was with no pleasurable feelings that the earl drew in his horse, and gazed down upon the inanimate face, where beauty was still imprinted, as on the chiselled features of some ^quisite statue. Nay, a tear fell from the chieftain's eye, as he muttered, ''Deacfdead ! is it then so? alas ! and is this the untimely end of so many rare, ev^ noble qualities ; so many gifts of mind a^d person?^ 0! pas-, sion, thou terrible enemy of the Mman race; this is thy workl " He had not/yet left the spot when he was told of Bagnal4 death, and his generous heart, though full /of gratitude for the triumph of his country's cause^ could still afford to pity the fate of tnose two men, who had, for yea^s long, purs^ed him with unrelenting animosity. Soon after the fall of O'Reilly the English were coinpletely routed ; all that escaped fled in the direction of ^ Armagh, but behind were the avengers— the avengers of '^ ages of bondage and slaughter," ~" 20 itljp HAND OF ULSTEE. of wrong, and insult, and persecution ; and by the time they reached the city they were only fifteen hundred. The9e MMjp admitted withiii the walls, and, for tK|[>^wnent, were secure. ■._:.".• _^._:-: .,.■;■ fll^ •:" ■-■^^ While yet the first shout of triumph was sweeping over the Jand, O'Neill, with his con-^ quering army, sat down before Armagh, and so disheartened wi^re its defenders that their resistance l^ted but a very few days, when theyj^^ u^ the place. Many of the Irish chieftains were of opinion that an example ^^ should be made' of (at least) the officers; but O'Neill, who was ever opposed to unnecessaiy bloodshed, easily convinced them that iit would serve no good purpose to slaughter unresist- ing men; and the whole garrison were sent in safety Over the bordiers of the Pale, minus only their arms. The Castle of Portmore was now given up without a struggle, and its garrison was sent off at the same time with that of Armagh. "Thus," says Camden, " Tyr-owen tjiumphed accordiiig to his heart's content, over: all his adversaries.'* To which testimony of the English chronicler. :'^.'s»n,i.,^- "u- «S »ED HAND OF ULSTER, 307 _L.._i:^:._ Mitchell, adds, *< All Saxon soldiery vanished ^speedily from the fields of Ulster, and the Bloody Hand once more waved over the • tow6rs of Newry and Armagh." From this time forward O'Neill was feveipy where, throughout the island, regarded as the^ national leader ; his genius and his prowess were the pride and hope of all, and his deeds were the theme of a thousand bards. Jor long after the decisive battle of Beal-an-atha- buidhe all went well with the great cause; all Ulster was freed from foreign thrall ; and the victorious career of Red Hugh O'Don- nell had well nigh liberated Connaught. Munster, too, and, in fact, the greater part of Ireland, had risen on behalf of freedom. The queen, in alarm, had sent over her favorite, Essex, with a powerful army, hoping to quell the rebellion, which had now attained so formidable a height | but the history of hei? favorite's luckless career in Ireland needs not to be told. In fact that gallant and accom- plished, but most unfortunate nobleman, w:as no match for the keen, sharp wit of O'Neill, and his consum mate skill in d fninmnpv .............. ,y^ RED HAND OP ULSTER. 808 After wasting months and months in idle and objeetless marchings to and fro, and skir- mishes with the various petty chieftains who bordered his way, Essex, at length, (having received imperative orders to march, at once, against the " arch-traitor, O'Neill,") led his forces to Bundalk, where, oh the appearancci of the Irish army, he manifested but little desire to meet, them in battle, and wil- lifagly consented to a parley, which O'Neill demanded. The truth was, that the wily chief thoroughly understood the shallow mind and superficial character of Essex, and well knew that he could easily overmatch him in negotiation, at a much cheaper ratje than trying a battle. This meeting, (which fully justified O'.Neiirs calculations,) has been much celebrated, as in it the courtly bearing and superior ability of the great Irish leader shone out to peculiar advantage. It took place at a certain ford, named Balla^ clinch ; and the two earls riding to tM oppo- site banks, O'Neill, ^ho was ever exact in the observance of all courtesy, spurred his hor s e into the middle of the str e am, and th e nc e jzr: ''iemm^i' iS RED HAKD OP ULSTEiR. 809 discoursed Essex, who remained on tSe bank. This, when coupled with the unchanging suavity of his manners, and the sympathy with which he spoke of Devereaux's own prospects at court, so won upon the young courtier, that he laid open to O'Neill the whole budget of English policy, (in so far as he knew it,) jumbling up these state secrets j^with his own private affairs. Some officers of distinction were theu called forward, on either side, and a regular parley was opened. O'Neill's demands were still the same as On all former occasions ; nor did Essex consider them unreasonable of unjust, promising to intercede with the queen, that they might be taken into consideration. A truce of six weeks was then agreed lipon, and the nego- tiating earls took a kind and courteous leave of each other. So far from approviifg of Devereaux's negotiations, the queen was enraged beyond measure at his presuming to hold a parley with O'Neill ; rfnd the result of his campaign- ing was doubly grievous to her, ^ Sir Conyers / Clifford, a general of tried ability and great ' 310 KED HAND OP, ULSTER. experience, had been slain, and his army > entirely routed in the rcJcent battle of the Curlew mountains, by Hugh O'Donnell and Im Gonnaught auxiliaries. In this emer- gency, when there appeared the most immi- nent danger of "the Emerald gem " being torn from her crown, Elizabeth cast about for some man whose abilities equalled his courage and devotion to her cause, on whom she might rely in a strait so hazardous. At length she pitched upon .Charles Blount, (Lord Mouny oy,) as! being ' alone likely to compete successfully with the all-conquering O'Neill. And surely it was the evil genius of O'Neill that suggested to her this choice, for Mountjoy was. but a short time in Ireland when it becaime evident to O'Neill that he had now a dangerous opponent. From that day his star was on the wane, and not all the efforts of his .powerful mind • not all his. consummate skill and prudence ; hot all his chivalrous and unfailing courage, could avert the doom that fell upon the cause. What, though Philip of Spain sen t, at le ngthy that sttccorthatyears before he should have sent— -%■' i'W. RED HAND OF UI^TER. $11 h*-^ r ./• coming now all too late ; convinced that with even moderate assistance from abroad the Irish Catholics, under their great leader, might have cast off the yoke that weighed them down. Alas ! their coming did nought tb serve the northern chieftains, for their leader acted imprudently, some say, treacher- ously, and suffered himself to be shut up, with his men, in Kinsale. After a long and toilsome ri^arch O'Neill, and O'Bonnell, with \ . ■ ■ ■ ■ some otheiK^ chiefs, succeeded in reaching Kinsale, but it was only to encounter a decisive defeai; and there might be said to end the long-protracted struggles of O'Neill. Nay, even theVsanguine and ever-hopeful spirit of O'Donnell was broken by that • crowning disasteri; and leaving the now shattered troops of Tyrconnell under the command of his brdther, Roderick, he took a hasty but aiFectionaie leave of O'^S eUl, and crossed over to Spain, determined to make a vigorous effort to obtiiia efficient aid. - It were sad to tell how O'Neill led his broken and dispirited army back toUYi e north in the most inclement season of the y;ear^ . .-^'y /^' zn HED HAND OF ULSTER. (the Spaniards, having capitulated, were suffered to return to their own country;) how, one-bjf-ene^is allies were subdued, or gave up the contest in despair, until there remaj|Led, out of Ulster, but the ever-faithful Tyrrell and O'Sullivan Beare, who still ventured to hold out. Tyrrell, indeed^ still held the greater part of Meath ; and it is even said that he kept Mountjoy a whole winter engaged. But O'Sullivati haijvonly -- Jiiis own strong fortress of Dun-buidhe/i|Fhich> for its position on Bantry Bay, was considered of great importance. This castle was taken after a long and determined siege, and Tyrrell * alone was in the , field for Ireland and G'Neill. ; In Ulster, the chieftain himself did all that man could do to avert the threatened ruin to the cause. Yet was he* now beginnijig to sink under the weight of care, and sorrow, and disappointment. Age, too, was advancing with rapid iJtrides> its approach accelerated by the sorrows of the last years. Even in his private life the hand of afflictkn had pressed heavily upon him, for he had seen that beloved one. with --■': V ■BXD HAND OP XJLSTEB. 81S difficulty won, but ever faitliful and fondly qherished— he had seen his Arabella |aid in an untimely grave, and several of hir chil- dren had in succession followed. Withm the last few years he had married the daugh- ter of Magennis-^that same Catherina who in the summer of her youth, he had so much admired. She had remained for many long years unmarried, retaininglever a too vmd Iremembrance of him to give her hand or heart to another ; and when time had some- what blunted his poignant grief for Arabella^ loss, he was not sorryto secure the alliance of the chieftaifi of Iveagh, (it was now her brother, for the father had been some i dead,) to the still lovely though faded Qathe- rina, an offer which was by>er acceptod with, melancholy pleasure. She was mau^ years younger than the earl, but her loVe being founded, from an early period, on the great qualities for which he was so remarkable, - had in it but Uttle of the leaven of passion, and she Was well prepared to smooth the pillow of his de c l inin g years, and nunister to ■"'•,;'his. comfort. .".;.•. ;;.. ■,■/■;•:'■■- ?14 RED HAND OF »l|tBTER, Dark was the doom thaf^ fell upon Tyr- owen and all Ulster when**b*-Neiirs wand of power was broken — for utterly broken it waS/when English bribery and treachery had 'rent asunder t^^, mighty confederacy, *the creation of his gfeinjs, which, at one time, gave Ul but a c^tainty of final success. Defeat after defeat came upon him ; the war was carried into the very heart „of his countiy, that not alone by the English, but by more than one traitorous Irishman. All ^iround his borders there were raised up enemies in those who should have been steadfast friends. Thus he had on one side a Queen*s Maguire, ^n another a Queen's O'Reilly, on another a Queen's O'Dohnell, — all of these shameless traitors being raised up bjr English policy to oppose at once their own Hghtful chieftains, and the dreaded power of Tyrone. English armies poured in on every 4de, and broke in revengeful fury over the territories of O'Neill, and all who still re?riained faithful to him, until the fair fields of Tyr-owen, and, in fact, the greater part of Ulster, so lately: teemin|^ with fertility, and covered «P!»s^#i^^^5t, », 75"^*"f "^ ■' ■y- RED HAND O^ ULSTER. 815 with numerous flocTcs, were made, (as the vallica of Desmond had before been,) "a /iou^/in^ wildernesjir Famine stalked over tho land, folkwed by her grim hand^iden, Jb^stilence, and soon the haughty spinV of tke brave* clansmen was crushed beneath these accumulated horrors. The picture? drawn for us by Irish historians, (and even some English,) of the dreadful sufferings of the northern clans, during the days that preceded O'Neiirs submission, is too painful, too gloomy in its coloring to be transfeired to mv pages even did space permit. I shall, thLefbre, pass it over with the brief notice- already made. But who can ^f^;^^; imagine, the anguish with which- QNeill looked upon those scenes; How must he have felt, on witnessing the deplorable con- edition of those, whose only crime ^asjtheir ; fidelity to him, their country, and theu God ( Bowed down at once by the weight of their misery and his own sorrows; he came to the resolution of purchasing peace for them, (since it was all he could now do,V by submitting to that power, against which he i/ 816 B£I> HAND OF UL8TEB. ■ I. had 80 long atruggled. Having acquainted the deputy, by letter, with his intention, the proposal was eagerly, not to say willingly, accepted, and Drogheda was appointed for •the place of meeting. This resolution had only been taken, when^ the news reached O'Neill that his most faithful ally, and the truest son of Ireland, Hugh O'Donnell, had died in Spain, of a fever, brought on by grief and disappointment on finding that there was no hopeif obfaun- ing aid. « He is dead then,'* said D'Nbill, with a sigh that convulsed his very heart ; "even his high, hopeful heart was at length crushed and broken. Thus have perished many, many of those who struggled the most manfully for our common right* ; many Others have given up our cause in despair ; while others, still, have sold it for vile lucre^; what have I then to do, old and broken-spirited as I am, but to procure ^ modicum of peace for my poor people as I best can?^' And forth he went on hii humiliating errand. ■ '■ '■. - :; /. ^ ''I RID HAND OF ULSTER. an ^ CHAPTER X. ■• v'. My heart to la wo»,,;. And my muI »• bntooWi ] For the mighty aro low, And ttboaed are the nOble. > ! v»: ih««oii»ofUi«a^i Worn, w»»»J "** !*'•• A> ipenl pllnriroi nsfurolnl. _, " _ ' fiiB place of meeting had been finally -fixed on as Millifont Abbey, about four miles from Drogheda. This noble monastic . institution, one of the most magmffient in the British Wands, was then in all its . original splendor, at least ^ outward appear- ance ; but. alas ! it was no longer the abode of religious peace and calm contemplation, having been, at the suppression .of monas- teries, bestowed on the Moore fitmily. (ancestors of the Marquis of Dtogheda.) and at the time of O'Neill's memorable yisit it was a favorite residence of theirs. Dese- crated and defiled, the sacred walls and the lo Tely gl'^T. w ere now made to echo only the noisy glee of revelry ; for its proprietor, being f il i ,1/ / I %-% ^ 318 R?D 'HANP OF UliSTEB. 6 himself a soldier, made it (^ point to gather araun^ him a crowd of military guests. The .beautiful Ghapel of St. Bernard was con- verted into ;a banqueting-ropm; and the statues of the twejve Apostles, which had ^rewhile graced the walls, were brought to SJr Edward's hall, and clothed in derision as British soldierSi each with a musket oyer his lulder, ■''■' ."> ' ;. ../ ; ; \ '■■ inch being the condition of the monasteiy, what must have been the feelings of O'Neill as, followed by a few of his' faithful clans- men, he wound his way through that lovely vale to the abbey, on a wild day 6f March? What must he have felt ; he who had so long struggled for the rights of the church ; he who had so carefully protected the asy- lums of religion from the ruthless grasp of the defikr ? But i^pies were all around him, and he dared not even breathe a word of his feelings to^ those who were with him. Dashing away, then, the unbidden tear, he quickened his footsteps, and presented him- iself before the deputy, whom he foimd awaiting him at the gate of the abbey. .\ *•*»-" BED HAND OF ULSTBB. aiu ItowiBvei? humbled and depressed O'Neill felt himself, yet his power had not so entirely •departed' but that the government deemed it . stili necessary to treat him with respect, _: viewing him rather,_p5(B ^ay suppose, as a lion cbuchant,yrho might easily be aroused into dangerous action. Sixty years had left their furrow on O'Neill's brow and silvered his dark, locks. Sorrows, many and complicated, had dimmed the lustre of his eye, and made his cheek pale and hollow, yet his form was still erect ; and when he stood before the concLuer- ing deputy, in the Abbey of Mellifont, he demeaned himself with as much dignity as though misfortune had never chilled his heart. VThat piercing glance, for which he had b^en^; remarkable, was still his; and thoughW heart and soul he felt himself humblei— humbled for himself and for his country, yet he sedulously concealed the feeling, and returned the salutation of Mountjoyas though he were still a-victor. Yet his costume was void of all military pretensions, he being' simply. clad in the 'W'-. ni(y RED HAKI> OF ULSTER. of th dress worn by Irish »oWemen of tjdat day, in ^ times of p^ace. ; Mountjoy was a tall, stately man, in the prime of life, yet he bowed to the grey-haired chieftain with an air of respect, while advancing a step beyond the door to meet him, he said, " Qft have we met in hostile guise. I trust, my lord earl, that we meet now as friends ? " "Oh, assuredly!" replied O'Neill, with that courtesy which never; forsook him, yet in a tone wherein a keen observer might recognize more thali a little bitterness. "The queen's deputy is, of right, the friend of O'NeiU. But the air of these halls," and he looked around with a kind of shudder that spoke his inward emotion, " the air here is cold and damp, and it doth chill the marrow in these aged bones. Let us, an* it please your^ lordship, proceed at once with our business.'* " Nay, my good lord," said Mountjoy^ "I meant not to detain thee in such a spot as this, nor requires our affairs. so much ha^te ; let us enter ; here is the host, Sir Edward RED HAND OP ULSTER. sn Moore." That gentleman bowed profoundly. *^ He will be happy and proud to entertain so distinguished a guest.'* sir Edward declared that he would con- sider himself highly honored by having the Earl of Tyrone abide even for a shbrt time under his roof, but O'Neill shook his head. " Thihiks for your courteous invitation,'* he said, "but I came hitherto perfortn an act which requires so great an effort as to unfit me for social converse. My lord Mountjoy, I came hither to acknowledge myself the queen's dutiful subject ; but why equivocate ? I came to tender py submission to her -majesty ; art thou prepared to receive it, as her representative ?'* Slountjoy bowed a silent affirmative ; and Sir Edward having thrown open a side door, the whole companj^ entered a large apartment pn the ground il66r.>c • "I opine,!* said th^ earl, "that it will flftffice for me to offer my submission before .this goodly company. That is all that is necessary— ^at least I think so." Mountjoy, as though unwilling to answer i ,1 i '•■ . n. B22 RED HAN1> OF ULSTEI^ the question, took from a page a letter " of instruction, lately received on this subject, ip which the queen herself prescribed the conditions and details of this important cere^ ipbny. The deputy proceeded to read aloud what was there laid dowii. In the first place, the chieftain was- to make a formal submission on his knees (!) in presence of ii certain number of witnesses, and to give in his consent, to receive English law and civilization into his territories. ' Tyrone was henceforward to be " shireground " as a quiet, respectable county. Its proprietor was at ouce and for ever to giv6 up his hereditary title of the 0*Neitl^ and to eschew in toto the barbai'ous "customs of " Irishry.*' •; A ghastly paleness overspread O'NeiU's face as he listened, and a deep sigh escaped him,' albeit that he kept his lips firmly com- pressed together, so as to smother all undue emotion.. " Antl what ' am I to receiye-^or rather my people— -in return fca: all this? " he asked in a. subdued tone. " l ^, ;'' "» "In returft,'* went on Mountjoy, "thou, Hugh ©Weill, are to retain the title of Earl of ft'] i BED HAND OF ULSTER. 8^a of BCt, the 5re- )ud ■• -V irst nal in ind WSLS a !tor his Lew U's f 3ed >m-' -f lue ' ," * ■fOX i ?"> -^ ^ 3U, 1 to|. « , ^ . ■ • ■ «, ." Tyrone, togiether with all the lands erewhile " bestowed upon thee by .the royal bounty. Thou art to have a free and full pardon ibr/' past offences, and permission to live in any of thy castleSi wheresoever thou dost thinly ^}r''' ■':''■':■-'■■■' '■'i'-'': ''v,,". ':.'-•%': f* Yes, yes,'*, said the earl, with an impa^ tience that could scarce be repressed, ." but , what of .my people ; the fate' of an old man like me is not of much mbriieiit ; but what guerdon are they to have? is our religion to be free or tramelled with bonds ? for, if the latter, I will never consent." "Thou and thy people— -the whole pro- vince-^will be left to pray as ye list, and practice whatsoever mummeries yls may," rejoined Mountjoy, snappishly, for it pleased him not that so much had been accorded to. ■O'Neill.; ■.■:-:V--:>-^ T/'^:\- 1 '■■';'■■' "'■■■" ' "ThM I submit," said Tyrone at once. "If we are to ,have our cherished faith in freedom^ we canuot be utterly miserable ; it ' will console us ; atid as that freedpwwa'^ one of the greatest objects . of my-— of our ambir 11 8U BBP HAND. OF DfLSTEB, :V' • \y ' . ■ ' ■■■ •■ ■ " ■ ■ But it required, strength from above to enable him— the victor of so many fields^ the dictator of a .wbole nation— to kneel before » fellow-man, having no other author-' ity th>n that deputed him by the queen of .England. Turning away, the.n, he walked to a wmdow, whece he regained a few minutes, with head bent down in evident supplication. We a dead silence reigned in the room. When the. earl once more approached Mountjoy, his face was composed, though pale as death, and .he:was heard to murmur,- "My God, accept this sacrifice! it is for ' my people- " and wWiOut raising his eyes fronttheground,he6ent one knee before the deputy, at the same time presenting to ^ him the hilt of his swcrrd, un'bu'cfcled tfor the Purpose, He yould have repeated the words of submission, lut this Mountjoy had the -^grace to spare him, and extending his hand, he said J ■ . £::?^"'«;'™y l°*-d of ^yrMie! itls eWbuih " ,V«Eno«gh," 'itepeated, the eari; slowlv^ We many^deep sob was heard from W afflicted followers. «Ay; it is enough j methmks even the queen ^an aak bo mora. '•iA ■)■■ « RED IIAND OF ULSTER. And now,. my lofd, qrave perrnission tp i^ as this matter is endedl t withdraw." ' ' ^ On lea\ing^eaUfont, the^arl returned tb his home, where he hoped t# be left in peace, now that he had forsworn war. But such was liot the purpose of the higher powers, for very soon after, he was sum- moned. t6 accpmpahy Lord Moun'tjoy to Ldndon/ as was also Roderick' O'Donnell, the.pre6efit head of his sept. The i^ueen, it appea/ed, wo^d not be satisfied. that these two^reat lords had ^indeed submitted to her authority, unless she ■heard the con fession £r6m their own lips. So O'Neill and O'Don- lell were carried in a sort of triumph to -.ondoii, attached, * as it were, to the tri- uriiphal car of Mountjoy j and so' delighted "Was the queeni to receive their homage, that even in. the palmiestidays of his court^favor. she Juad never lavishedtnore abuntlant kind- ness on O'Neill, whilef on O'Dorniell* she fetowed the pompous title o^ Earl yf T^W cqnnell. . (How contemptuously Woiild his -brother Hugh have rejected^ such a title !) :Jn thia yi^ the; prolans on both sidep ■"■•«•■ S2e BED ftAND OF Ut'STER. ■\ ." ^ere Ratified, and the two earl^ returned to Ireland, as the acknowledged vassals, it is true, of Elizabetji- Tudor, ^bu^ in the ht^pe that they had at least securfed religious liberty for themselves, and those T»^ho looked . up to them for protection. ^ ^v ' . .But alas! the princely possesions of O NeUl and O'Ponnell could not possibly be left m the hands of "Popish traitors," aiM though there is not the^shadow of proof that either one or the other^ntertained the sljght^ '; est idea of having recourse again to arms, yet It suite4 the rapacious government to lay siich designs to their charge, and a plot was speedily concocted, after the f^shjon of the Meal-Tub plot,-^the Titus Gates of this o^e i>ei% a certain St. Xaw5:ehce, of accteed memoiy. The plot was a s^ec^oiis one, and well devised ; and beingr laid to the especial " , tshargebf Tyroneand^l^^ • men were summoned before the councifc ' It was feared, however, by those who coveted - l^eir domains, that in the event of a trial : «i0ir innocence might be established j sothoy ■'^ both 1^^ letters. """^^ ^^■ ■i: oA\.' RED tIANP OF ULSTER. 827 V froiKL pretended fri^tids, not to appear before the counQil; and _ l^oKih having a wholesome fear of British justice^^ (as administered to JVIcMahon,) before their eyes, they came to the resolution of effecting their escape from that hapless 4and; where spies and traitors haunted their every step, and where thei patrimonial' inl^eritance laid them evhr open, to the wiles of cupidity and avarice. >There was i^othing for them but flight; and hkstily gathering together their nearest and most beloved relativef , they hastefted on boara a foreign ship, then anchored in Lough Swill sought a^^refuge on the continent Maguire, of Fermanagh, (with some of hii connections,) was also of the party; he, too,^ being an object of suspicion ; Ive, should iJith^ say that the noble country, ^' along Xqugh Ertie shore," (ajs the old song has it,) was i(n object of desire to the greedy adyenturers, who thirsted for estates in tlie fair province which h^id been to them for so many years a land of promise. Alas ! Wluit a sigh t w as that for the faithful clansmen. thus of necessity deserted by their chieftains ; U/ 828 V «B1) HAND OP PtSTJ Wdwell m-Tght Ireland. throuKhU all \, extent, bewail that fatal' hour Ti " ^ ^" Bay the Four Mastera. in their aIm -^ the -T:" ""' ""^ **" »««•> not tne and the wind hath not wafted, in modln , ' A numlur »^ ''" """"Ota times, » number of persons more eminent \;ii .' ou«>ornoWe in noint J '"""f"'. '"ustn- deeds, valor tIT f ^"°'''^°^ heroic , vaior, teats of arms, andl bravA •eh,evements. than they. Won d tU G„H M but pennitted them to rem! tl? -^tnmonia, inheritance, untinr^^^fc -houldarnveattheage of manhood I ' ^!! fcuwr, lives, b€^ able to return m fk^- ,~^n„%•• RED HAND Olr ULSTER. S29 ■/''■' had found so full of misery for many a W year past. No, O'Neiirs* love for Ireland was to end only with his life ;>nd we find him, for the few years that^ he yet spent on earth, wandering about from court to court, . beseeching and imploring the Catholic princes of Europe to do something for his suffering , country. Alas ! he was 6 very whera received with the respect, nay, veneration, due to ,his illustrious birth and high reputation, but nowhexe could he obtain any efficjipnt aid--all fearing to risk so large a force as the li^er- taking would reqirir^ in a cause sa precarious. Now It M^as before the Majest^ of %in that the old in^\bowed;i)utBtill with that dignity, that princely mien, which was his^o vthe last, pleading the cause of Ireland— the ' <»uw^ a kindred na^n long suff^niig and nev^ entirely subdued. Then it was at the footstool of the tapil throne, beseeching the -^olyFatherto have pity on his persecuted rchildren^^^ him, with ' glowing fervor, of their unchanging devotion, their unalterable adherence to the chair 6^ • Peter, wid describing, with an ^mestness ^^?r^^r ;. \ •/•. S30 Bjro RAND OP BLSTBR; that .hbwed the inteijsity of his feeling., the cruel tormento inflifcted by the English reformers on the faithful children of the ^^hurch m that unhappT^ountryTr^na^ ^ iTl T"^ "'* " ^"^^•'""K % """l eyes the Insh Catholics with an affection corres- P<>«>dmgto«heirdeyotedness; and his paternal heart yearned oyer their unmerited and lon». protracted .ufferings. Pain would he have done as hi. wishes dictated, but from his small territories he could not possibly spare a number of men sufficient to render any signal «ryi6e.« Only let PhiHp „f gpain •end ««ne ten thousand men," he said, "and *e will, with God's assistance, and with' *earty good will, contribute our full quota. - But thou knowest, our dear son, that what we could afford to giye from our poor states wou^d be of no manner of use against the migh^ power of the Philistines, who hold f^ deyotedishmd in thraU. They would te at once captured, or perchance cut to fto^, which would grieye our j ^-tm^ nam, and give iu cause to reproach ourwlve*. , -^ BED HAND OF ULSTER. 831 >. \- May God stir up the heart of our royal son, Philip, that he may stretch out his haod^^^ bver that poof ,^ Buffering land,/ with .^ millions of foithful believers." * ^ But Philip, though professing, (and pf r» haps feeling,) all manner of interest in the cond thoujrh fc«fore men, my mission hath failed and tS object of my life be sfJlI "'™; «"d the *l»o«, whocaLt'Lr!u " ""'^'amed, yet WHO canst read the secret s of all hear t s BED BAND OF ULSTBE* 333 — 4hou who seest tke entire devotediiess of mine, to the work which thou gavest me to do--.|hou, I trust, wilt not hold Jts failure . against me, lyitwilrMye^^^^m^^ my poor soul." %^ Though the king of Spain would not con- sent tp send an expedition to Ireland, yet he proved that he really commiserated the suf. feringrs of her princes and her people, for he settled an annual pension, amply sufficient ^suppw-t their rank, on the exiled chiefs. Poor Maguire died some time after, at Geneva, being on his way to Spain; and in the course of a httle time, all the sorrowing survivors of that melancholy band, took up their final residence in the Eternal Gity, being desirous of terminating their mortal f career, at the centime of Catholic feith and unity!, Xhey all dropp^ o^ one by one, jirithin a Jew years i?.f each other,;mntil ^'Neill was nearly aloiie. Gathbar G'Don- neli, the young brother of Hugh" l^e, sur- vived his brother Roderick but a short time; and before O^Neill was himself summoned -r-ir from>hi» terrestrial scene, he saw the grave * 9 y tH ^ KBD HAND OP UL8TBB. dose o« his feithful Catherina. the deroted vious to his death Tf i, j i , ' ^ Cm fl.«„ tT -T ■ ^^ P'^^ed heaven (as though with a. view to sanctify his soul ^-ery variety of suflering) to diplS of h.s Sight J and for months before S release, the eyes of his body were cCd oL h«^outer world. HowbuUust m^O^^^^ ^-•^.n retracing ever. th. endless clmnges of h,s long career. The glories of his meridian years were before him, but thev SS"^^*°^-'>r^>e'o:JbS inspmt, to the ensanguined fields of Clott- tibret. Benburb. and the Yellow Ford^A ;;terscenes,^here his. arms had b^;S. torious though in a lesser degree; theywZ all bright with the sunny reflection from S^ past, but they excited only a mournful fed! Sntii^;itrbyrf-^r -id^^ehishet:^^^':^^- lui emphasis^* «' Avf *i, '"^t**"- —• ^ ' -^y ' ^^^^ wer e glimpses of . 1 . , , » RED HAND OP UlifitBB. ■ ■^■■r: ssa what Ireland might become, were her chiefs and. people actuated by.jone comiiioii spirit of patriotism, and boun^4:dgether by hatred of oppression j^but-alasf what are they now ? what traces We they left ? those fields of ^ght, so glorious in their day, ire not my poor faithW people still in bondage ? Mar- athon and Thermopylae were not greater tri- umphs to the- Greeks of old, than were Clon- , tihretMd Beal-an-atha-buidhe tojh0 Irish, yet how different the results ? Xh f truly these victories of ours are now but saddening recollections, and so will ^ey. remain until the day of freedoi5.,^wns on my hapless country^^^^So^ng as leme is content b remdp.^ bond-slave of tiie tyrant, so long will these be thought upon with anything but triumph," i *' And yet," said one to whom he spojie thus,^ HAND OF rMTBR. ▼lew these tnumphs of >tff dav ».• i: '^'^ ' pomting auf the W ^^ ^ ^°"'' :«^vethehXoftl.BiSST over fields of conau^f W ^"'' ""y '^ave ' more permanenf > V L °^' """y ^^^ ^^ -, *^J^ was to find rest: when th.*. i, heart so l^Vv, • >^^ ^nen that noble variously-gffted „.W^ t "^'^ °' *''" at least L fa/:. "^ *''®"" '^ ^^ase, " Mf notion fes to ike in ippily leons^ Then ^ ever [ the^ rout > land* end- >wei' the 'ave - )ear ied . . the ble nd ne at I,—— h ♦•'. ■^'•Wi WSD HAlTD OF XnsottL. - ;^«%wgi> piMce,tie great ehtefli^^o^^ .Tyr-owen-t-the star of the Hy-NUU iaoe •was AtiU himsdf, a^>died m a GathbUc - I)rmc8 should: .■/^: dwlhibed-lri*- not lonely, for it was sunfwinded- by cardinals and the^ consecrated mffiiWen, of religion! • <>lmly he died, and:,« peace with all mah- ^dr one of Bis lastf^iclaniations b^j ,„ bumble thanksgiving; that ii thfcJiys ol his ^power and of hi^ irfumph, Ke had ii^ver out- laged^he fMth^or VWeh he foaght, by ahy act o{ wanton cruelty ; merey had' wer bben tfiehi^dmaid 6f,lus,«ctorjes, aid^^ on • his bed of death she rejoiced that such had been the case... Even the" Supreme Pontiff himself rejpaired in person to honor tha death-bed of the illustrious ehampioff of Ireland and QathoUcity; and the last sound, that fell uponits closing ear; were ihe voices Of the princes of the chureii;ai they offered up, m concert, the prayeft for the,dyfng. Ihe last words tliat hovered ok ithe lips of the dying chieflaift :^ei^, ..^ q^^ ^^ mercy on wy sonl^ a nd ih i ^ine'awn good time refease'my boiintry from bondage I » - ' A/^ , J ^, _ -— t- " " . - i4 • ■% H ■. '\ V .*••■* ywas ».': ' » bed - ■ . - «■ ^m grreat ^ 1 IF' ■■ v ■ leto 1 had 1 ^.•■' ' had 1 KBD HAND OP ULSTEK. ^Qa • ;>^How melancholy i, the reflection sonata- wily suggesting itself to the mind that let £ us go where we wiU or may, through'the popnlous Uuntries of the old world, or the nsmg states of the new, we.can find no sjfet ^where *eme « Exile of Erin " hath tfot fonnd / .•restuig. place. For centuries pasf, th/ Jf.blestand bestof Ireland's children h^e b^ driven forth/ from their native soil, on ohe ftecount or the othei^ by the ^pitUes, masters, who rule their "old land. Ever* ' where theyhave attained &me and distinc- ^i and in the brilliarit subcess <,f many ai^ongst them, they have 'tetsed, up an - endurmg^reproach .to. the English , name. And yet,^ (how retributive, is the justice of CodI). they have, on many a fi^ld/wi:eaked rengeance on- the Moloch who MtH for so many ages trampled pn their i>^try. On .every battle-field, whether of Eui^ope or- Amerjc^ the pride of Britain has been humbled, fcovidence has so prdained it! that Inshmen, and the sons of Irishmen. ' have been- a rray e d against th<;m, either ^ illnstnous individuals or in imposing rant. / / ■ / . AV ^ ^g . L ■ — Bo. «, ' > MO ■\- to HAim OF tnLBTSB, :"'*^-' ; Thtw. in the itolewnce of her K«rf„ . . : f e grasping «elfi«h,e,. of 1^ Sj "^ >»^t forth from the land L r ^'. " M it. O'Neills „dO>n ^''^"'^d »o ,«uu xyuions; but their descendant*, ,v ,^ van of mighty armies, have r^S'iu; *^^g. ay. an hundred fold as p„\!l "•d many an American field tni^l^ -ho «m tell but that, when^thehSroftr &>a^ doom is come, the ari^of ^Z^^ hurl against he, the deadliest bw1°'""^. .tmnscribeatSl;^"''^*^^ brated Ode or Pll' ^^ °^ *«' <*J«- Uw!! • *" -^'"Sy* »» *e death of these ■ i^V-^f 'M, and addressed to the «^ Tiywg Mster of those „oWe-T,rothe«Z been translated into EnglisTtT' • Sr".Ma.ga„.i„,,^;tfiuLg^ bigb reputation as a t«nslator. It'^l t 1 -JS^tlgthe^koflSl^S 2^i w«h seve^l membe«. of their respective families, were buried in the san,« «P.^ ofe art h - b o ing aU . i t hi, , l^^ e«A Pther-on a Peter's Hill. *** *^ fe 'k'^ ';' B£D HAND OF UL8TBB.' ■,: '■• i. ;'i 'v :■•;■■■ ' ;. • ■:> . " " wqmMi of ih« plMToing w»ll^ Who moomefit &'«r yon moand of elajr- With dgh and groaa, Woal(dl Ood thourw«rt amoog iho OmI! Tlwa wouldflt liok then, from, day V> ^J^j '"■:"■ -^r?""- W^p thu« idon*. TwoM lop^iMiforiB, ftround a graTO In cpreen Tyrconnell, one eould find ThlploneUn«M; N«ar lirhera Beann-Boircbe*« bannon wato, « I Such giiif aa tsbioo ^Id ne'er hare pined ^ . Oompi^nlua. ^ •. ■ ■ ! ■ ' y .'■ ■ '■ . .: ■■ -•'■ ■■;■■■■'■ v ' ■■ '.■ , Beside the wiiTe, in Donegal, In ^trim's glenB, or fidr DromoN, - OrKimiee, .; Or wher^ the eunny waten CaU| At Ataroe, Dfur firne'i ahor*,. * This could not be. On Derry'B pl^na, in rich pruimolieff, Throughout Anriagh. the gr ejt, re flowned In oldon years, ^^^^ No day could paw but womon'lB grief, '■■■ Would rain upon the burial-ground, Freeh floods of teanll Ml i« V Oi, no! firom Sbaninoni Boyne, and Salr|i> From higl^ Dunluee's eaette-walla, FromUniadiU, Would flock alike, both rich and poor; One mil 5r6uld rise from Oruaoluui'i baUi • ToT»ra'8hiU; ' Ahd some would come from Barrow'ii ilde, Aiid many a uuUd wouldieaTe her homey On Leitrim'e phdhs. And by melodious Banna's tide, And by the Mourne, and BmOj to ' iu^d swell thy etrainst .....mof'-t'-ims^^^&^f'- BflT HAND OF .ULSTBK. " » T^o prine«tf oftha lliw ofClonn, . ' 8lMp in %li«ir e«lli of oUy, bMldf O'DoDimll Bo«; Urn royal jroothi, alaa! ars gona, Who liTed for Krin'a waal, but <11«| ' /^ ■' For Erin'i woa!' \ \ iib! eonld th« mettoflraland n«4 The names them no^iBleu burial-«tOQCi|f j' • ' SiapUj to ▼tew, , . / their wovnded heart aflrmh would bleed, ' Thehr tears gush forth again, their groahi - Besottnd anew! The youths whose relics moulder here, * T ' f Were sprung fmax Hugh, high prince and lotd " \. ' OfAileach'sUhdji; . ' Hiy noble brothers, Justly dear, Thy nephew, long to be deplored, ;' By Ulster's bandt. " ■'. ' ThelraW^ not souls wheifvlh dull time . Oonld domicile decay, or house Decrepitude! They passed from earth, ere manhood's ptimt^ Ite years had power to dhn their brows, Or chill their blood. ,' 0, had theae tiWft, and he, the third, ^ The-Lord of Mourne^ O'NUtPs son, ; Their mate in death; %^ ▲ prince in look, in deed, aud word, ; Bad these three heroes yielded on , The fleld, their breath; 0, had they &llen on (MOan's plain, r; , i _ There would not beatowhorchmWv ' i. -i 'Promflhoretosea, ; . ' ^'r '■'■''?:■'.: y-r-. ■■'\' But would, with shrieks, bewail the slalh, . Or ciiant aloud th' exulting ronn* .» Of jubilee! * Sung or strain. •M. BED HAND OF .'V ULSTER. #•'■■:'.■■■.■•' Wb«n high th* ihont of Mttle rOM, On Itoldi where ftpeedom'« torch iUU bMtt'd, Thro' Erlq'i gloom, |^ if oiM, If bawlj on« of thoM . - Wew iWn, all Dl«ter would hafB.nMtam'i^ ^ The hero's doopi! If At Attiboj, where hoete of br»T« , ' Ulii/ v Thw ihock of spean. ^\ • •rbe^Hugh O'Neill had (touod ft gtmTe, IJbng muat the north h»Te wept his deathi With heart-wrung tev»i 84S Wdat^do I aayt— ah! woe la bmI , Ahready do we wall in Tain \ f Their btal fall! And Erin, once the g)«at and flwe, ■ovr tainly moumB her breakleM ohalOf " And iron thrall! •'Then, daughter of O'Donnell, dry Thine werflowing eyes, and turn '' * . ", Thy heart aside, For Avon's race la bom to die, And/sternly the sepulchral ntn Mocks human pride! lAoK not, nor righ ft*r earthly throne, Nor place thy trust In arm of clay ; But on thy knpes Uplift thy soul to God alAne; or all things go their destined way Ashe decrees. _ jkbrace the fiathftal oruelflzi Ad seek the path of pidn and prayor, Tliy Sarior trod; * or lei thy spirit intermix ( With earthly hope and worldly care, ItB groans to God! •■'It' 'S. U4 HAND OF VLamn. And Uwo, oh mightr iflwl, whoi* iy. Am ^ abovw our fc«bi« tBiadi • To ntidcnitMid, ;jr-^' iwtain tu in thM« dotofbl daja, pAad MKWr Hght, tti* ebato ttwt (bar ' OurflUUn bnd! I4»k down upon oar dnnry atat*, And thro' thu afM, that tamy ■tUI /^ Roll ittdlj on, Wsteh thou o'or hapleM Erin't fliti^ \ And shield, at l«Mt, from darkor m^\ Tha blood of Conn." \ l'\ * THE END, .y ■h . ♦ . ; ■,,. «V./: .'•.'■■... '*■ '•■ ■■■""i'':^'^*' 'V-' '.'■ ■ ' » • . • * • t F *j .;<--V-^ :,,■■■ .■ W-^ •> ' ' 1 /. ■■^■^ ^ / ¥■- .iSSI N, h. \ 5 >.v IV' KKi ..,■¥. r ....^. >-^*^^^ ■ P mm HHi ^r^^ " ■ .- o . ■■ •'..'. ,i "*• V- .■ ^ ^^^^^1 ^^"' ■ \'--^ , ■'•'■.;■ .■' • .1 V ^ "V • ,.-«%':■' .■ '■'■,^:v' / ^ ■ ■ . ^ ■.,'»' V ,..■' • ,' '■ ' '.'■;. -^ ,■ ^ , ^^H -.■■■" ■> ^ -■■ .^B . ' -., ■« ^ ;■ ■■-■■.•■■., ■. -■■'■-. ^n^V ■"■--■ •-/ • ■•* '■■•'".■■ ■ ^ ■■■ * ^^^^^^^^^^^^^H k:-:;;: .;:.v.:.':^^ "^ ■''' ■*-■■■ .9^: ^ , .^"^'^ij ■ , *" ■ . ■■ *^"^" "1 ■ ■■ ' - * ■ i ^ L^ - ■ " ■■ . '.*■-■ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ • t ■ ' \ ■* ■' ■ ■' ■ .■ ■' ■■■'^ ^^^ " ' . ■■' ■ *-* " " . " .» • ^^^^HT ' "'■■". • ■• ■ .;-:'; ^^^' "■'■'■; ■■V::" * ;.:/■/ ' ■ . ■■ ,' ;■■■■ ... «v. ■ / ...».' ■■>■" -\i::2-' ■ , , ■: ^-;.s«-