So praise God, all true Protestants, and I will say no further,
But had the Papists gain'd the day, there would have been open murther.
Although King James and many more was ne'er that way inclined,
It was not in their power to stop what the rabble they designed.

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With the Battle of the Boyne the strife was virtually ended. Thenceforward it remained but to subdue in detail the towns or cities which continued to acknowledge James as their true sovereign. That is, either to conquer them in fair fight, or (as at the Treaty of Limerick) to cheat and delude them with false promises, and drive their bravest men into banishment or exile. As to the sea, the winds favoured the already winning side; so that, despite divided councils, and perhaps some treasonable mal-practices on the part of commanders, a few years of success confirmed the possession of the English throne to the adventurer.

Although no evidence meets us that there was any national mourning for the death of Schomberg, no question can be raised as to his high merits. At eighty-two years of age his ripe judgment had won for him the honour of Parliament almost beseeching him to assume the command, as the only hope of subduing Ireland in her loyalty to James. The dukedom, and what must be regarded as, for the time, an enormous bribe of money, were given to Schomberg to secure his energies being exerted. Intrepid and fearless though he were, personally, his was an over-cautious policy in regard to the troops committed to his direction. He seems to have acted wisely, on the whole, but almost with an excess of prudence, considering the country in which he was called to act. For the forces opposed to him, although deficient in discipline, were practised in skirmishing raids, and their sudden onslaughts had an almost irresistible power. If well trained and well commanded, those Irish Rapparees might soon have turned the scale, when it quivered in the balance. But, like Prince Rupert's reckless Cavaliers at Naseby fight, they, by folly and improvidence, lost the victory already within their grasp, and the chance once let slip was gone for ever.

When, in October, 1688, William prepared to quit Holland for England, he had selected his lieutenant, the wise and experienced Frederick, Count Schomberg; he being in many ways best qualified to conduct such military operations as might be found necessary. The character of Schomberg is surpassingly noble. No stain remains on him, and he offers a contrast to almost every one of the men who in those days were intriguing for wealth and power. Certainly his descendants loved money too well; but he himself showed that no worldly honours and advantages could tempt him to be false to his high principles of honour. While in the service of King Lewis, from whom he received a marshal's baton, he

withstood many persecutions from the Jesuits and other Catholics, because he resolutely held by his own creed. At length, finding that there was no middle course between apostatizing or else yielding up all his advantages of position, he unmurmuringly relinquished his command, and quitted France, which had long been his adopted country. In his knowledge of England and our language he surpassed his countrymen. Age had not weakened his powers, even at eighty years, although, perhaps, it had somewhat intensified his caution. At no time was such calm wisdom more needed. The Hague was little better than a Cave of Adullam; wherein all the discontented adventurers, who had fled from England during the various troubles of recent years, were now gathered and clamouring discordantly.

Another opportunity offers hereafter for mentioning the landing of William and Schomberg at Torbay on the 5th of November. (See Bagford Coll., ii. 100.)

Eight months later, Schomberg had secured more esteem than all the other foreign commanders, and been honoured with a Dukedom, the Garter, and the grant of a hundred thousand pounds from the Commons, as well as a personal reception when he desired to thank them for their unwonted liberality. This was in July, 1689. Soon afterwards Schomberg landed in Ulster, besieged and took Carrickfergus, with difficulty saving the disarmed garrison from being massacred by the vindictive Irish Protestants. He advanced to Lisburn, Newry, and towards Dublin. But the two armies seemed to cool in enthusiasm, shrinking from a decisive engagement. Schomberg's French troops, avowedly Huguenots (many of them being truly such), gave him trouble, and sickness thinned the ranks. Six thousand thus died. We are told that "in the midst of difficulties and disasters hourly multiplying, the great qualities of Schomberg appeared more and more conspicuous. Not in the full tide of success, not on the field of Montes Claros, not under the walls of Maestricht, had he so well deserved the admiration of mankind. His resolution never gave way. His prudence never slept. His temper, in spite of manifold vexations and provocations, was always cheerful and serene." 1 When the camp broke up, he retired to Lisburn, in Ulster. He opened the campaign next year

At the same time, we cannot but feel that his idea of generalship, the avoiding a conflict and allowing his men to waste away with inactivity, was an utterly mistaken one, considering the time and place and people. It is boasted for him that at the end of this first campaign he had not lost a gun or a man in battle. But what gain was this, seeing that, after all, more deaths occurred among his own troops, than equalled the later slaughter of the Boyne Water four times told? Schomberg's portrait is in Smollett, viii. 382.

by taking Charlemont. Early in June, near Belfast, he met William, who on the 14th had landed at Carrickfergus.

There was a difference of opinion between the two as to the policy of at once engaging with the enemy; Schomberg attempting to dissuade, from habitual caution, and not being well pleased when his counsels were disregarded. This was beside the Boyne, and on the first day of July. On the details of the battle we need not linger. Success secured the crown to William. Schomberg gave the word to advance. Soon afterwards he met his death. The French refugee Protestants were disheartened by the fall of their leader, Caillemot. Schomberg exhorted them to resist their countrymen of James's army. "Come on," he cried to them, in their own language, Allons, Messieurs, voilà vos persécuteurs!" At that moment he was surrounded, and fell. It is said that he was shot by one of the French Huguenots, perhaps by mistake; some attribute his death to an onslaught of the Irish: others to the dastardly revenge of a deserter from his own troops. Almost at the same instant Walker of Londonderry was shot dead, his soldierly passion for battle having outweighed all priestly duties. It is idle to speak of him being in his right place, as Chaplain: the "Bishop of Derry" was urging on his men to slaughter when struck down.

Schomberg was buried in St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin; where no monument was erected to his memory (although his family had inherited much wealth from his employment in the service of William,) until 1731. Even then, it was only through Dean Swift and the Chapter that a little was done. An unseemly squabble followed, full of meanness and bitterness on the part of the Schomberg_descendants, if we are to accept the statements published. It seems like an unconscious, but a prophetical mockery, that the Bagford ballad gives, as a heading to the second part, an illustration which rudely represents a funeral memorial, for him whose own unworthy family begrudged due honours, whilst revelling amid wealth and titles they ill deserved.

"And a mighty creditable thing it was, surely, to that same King William, as you call him, and something to boast of,' observed an Irishman, commenting on this victory [of the Boyne Water] a mighty creditable thing, indeed, to turn out against a man's father-in-law, and to beat him."" (Percy Society, Hist. Sgs. of Ireland, p. 59.) But when a King's own daughters prove themselves heartless towards their father, and also to one another, like Mary and Anne, we need scarcely wonder that their husbands also showed no family affection.

[Bagford Collection, II. 98.]

The

Valiant Souldier's Misfortune ;

Or,

His Grace the Duke of Schomberg's last Farewell.

TO THE TUNE OF The Souldier's Departure.
Licensed according to Order.

L

Et all noble stout Commanders,

likewise Souldiers, Foot and Horse;

Both in England, Holland, Flanders,

now lament this heavy Loss

Of a right Renowned Leader,

who did many Fights maintain;

The Duke Schomberg, gentle Reader,
He in Ireland was slain.

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