1 attempt. Accordingly he contented himfelf with A. C. 1689. about twelve hundred British fubjects and a good number of French officers, who were embarked in the fleet at Breft, confifting of fourteen fhips of the line, feven frigates, three fire-fhips, with a good number of tranfports. The French king 66 alfo fupplied him with a confiderable quantity of arms for the ufe of his adherents in Ireland; accommodated him with a large fum of money, fuperb equipages, ftore of plate, and neceffaries of all kinds for the camp and the houfhold. At parting, he presented him with his own cuirafs, and embracing him affectionately, "The best thing I "can wifh you (faid he) is that I may never fee you again." On the feventh day of March. James embarked at Breft, together with the count D'Avaux, who accompanied him in quality of ambaffador, and his principal officers. He was detained in the harbour by contrary winds till the feventeenth day of the month, when he fet fail, and on the twenty-fecond landed at Kinfale in Ireland. By this time, king William perceiving himself amused by Tyrconnel, had published a declaration, requiring the Irifh to lay down their arms, and fubmit to the new government. On the twentyfecond day of February, thirty fhips of war had been put in commiffion, and the command of them conferred upon admiral Herbert; but, the arma *James in this expedition was attended by the duke of Berwick and Mr. Fizjames grand prior, the duke of Powis, the earls of Dover, Melfort, Abercorn, and Scaforth; the lords Henry and Thomas Howard, the lords Drummond, Dungan, Trendraught, Buchan, Hunsdon, and Brittas; the bishops of Chester and Galway, the late lord chief-jufice Herbert; the marquis d'Eftrades, Mr. de Rozen marechal de camp; Mamoo, Pufignan, and Lori, lieutenant-generals, Prontee engineer-general; the marquis de Al beville, Sir John Sparrow, Sir Roger ment A. C. 1689. ment was retarded in fuch a manner by the disputes of the council, and the king's attention to the affairs of the continent, that the admiral was not in a condition to fail till the beginning of April, and then with part of his fleet only. James was received with open arms at Kinsale, and the whole country feemed to be at his devotion; for, although the proteftants in the North had declared for the new government, their ftrength and number was deemed inconfiderable when compared with the power of Tyrconnel, who had difarmed all the other proteftant fubjects in one day, and affembled an army of thirty thoufand foot, and eight thoufand cavalry for the fervice of his master. Iffues five proclama tions at Dublin. In the latter end of March, James made his public entry into Dublin, amidst the acclamations of the inhabitants. He was met at the caftle-gate by a proceffion of popish bishops and priests in their pontificals, bearing the hoft, which he publicly adored. He difmiffed from the council-board, the lord Granard, judge Keating, and other proteftants, who had exhorted the lord-lieutenant to an accommodation with the new government. In their room he admitted the French ambaffador, the bishop of Chester, colonel Dorrington, and, by degrees, the principal noblemen who accompanied him in the expedition. On the second day after his arrival in Dublin, he iffued five proclamations: the firft recalling all the fubjects of Ireland who had abandoned the kingdom, by a certain time, on pain of outlawry and confifcation; and requiring all perfons to join him against the prince of Orange. The fecond contained expreffions of acknowledgement to his catholic fubjects for their vigilance and fidelity; and an injunction to fuch as were not actually in his fervice, to retain and lay up their arms until it fhould be found neceffary to use them for his advantage. By the third he invited the fubjects pro jects to fupply his army with provifions; and hibited the foldiers to take any thing without payment. By the fourth he raised the value of the current coin. And in the fifth he fummoned a parliament to meet on the feventh day of May at Dublin. Finally, he created Tyrconnel a duke, in confideration of his eminent fervices. A. C. 1689. derry. The adherents of James in England preffed him Siege of to fettle the affairs of Ireland immediately, and Londonbring over his army either to the north of England," or the weft of Scotland, where it might be joined by his party, and act without delay against the ufurper; but his council diffuaded him from complying with their folicitations, until Ireland fhould be totally reduced to obedience. On the first alarm of an intended maffacre, the proteftants of Londonderry had fhut their gates against the regiment commanded by the earl of Antrim, and refolved to defend themselves against the lord-lieutenant. They tranfmitted this refolution to the government of England, together with an account of the danger they incurred by fuch a vigorous measure; and implored immediate affiftance. They were accordingly fupplied with fome arms and ammunition; but, did not receive any confiderable reinforcement till the middle of April, when two regiments arrived in Loughfoy), under the command of Cunningham and Richards. By this time king James had taken Coleraine, invefted Killmore, and was almoft in fight of Londonderry. George Walker, rector of Donaghmore, who had raised a regiment for the defence of the proteftants, conveyed this intelligence to Lundy the governor. This officer directed him to join colonel Grafton, and take pɔst at the Long-caufey, which he maintained a whole night against the advanced guard of the enemy, until being over-powered by numbers, he retreated to Londonderry, and exhorted the governor to take the A, C. 1689. the field, as the army of king James was not yet completely formed. Lundy affembling a council of war, at which Cunningham and Richards affifted, they agreed, that as the place was not tenable, it would be imprudent to land the two regiments; and that the principal officers fhould withdraw themfelves from Londonderry, the inhabitants of which would obtain the more favourable capitulation in confequence of their retreat. An officer was immediately dispatched to king James, with propofals of a negotiation; and lieutentant-general Hamilton agreed, that the army fhould halt at the diftance of four miles from the town. Notwith ftanding this preliminary, James advanced at the head of his troops; but met with fuch a warm reception from the befieged, that he was fain to retire to St. John's town in fome diforder. The inhabitants and foldiers in garrifon at Londonderry were fo incenfed at the members of the council of war, who had refolved to abandon the place, that they threatened immediate vengeance. Cunningham and Richards retired to their fhips; and Lundy locked himself in his chamber. In vain did Walker and major Baker exhort him to maintain his government. Such was his cowardice or treachery, that he abfolutely refused to be concerned in the defence of the place; and he was fuffered to efcape in difguife, with a load of match upon his back: but, he was afterwards apprehended in Scotland, from whence he was fent to London, to anfwer for his perfidy or misconduct. After his retreat, the townfmen chofe Mr. Walker and major Baker for their governors, with joint authority; but this office they would not undertake, until it had been offered to colonel Cunningham as the officer next in command to Lundy. He rejected the propofal, and with Richards returned to England, where they were tants defend verance. immediately cashiered. The two new governors, A. C. 1689. thus abandoned to their fate, began to prepare for The inhabia vigorous defence; and indeed their courage feems themfelves to have tranfcended the bounds of difcretion; for with furprifing courage the place was very ill fortified; their cannon, which and perfedid not exceed twenty pieces, were wretchedly mounted; they had not one engineer to direct their operations; they had a very small number of horse; the garrifon confifted of people unacquainted with military discipline; they were deftitute of provifions; they were befieged by a king in perfon, at the head of a formidable army, directed by good officers, and fupplied with all the neceffary implements for a fiege or battle. This town was invefted on the twentieth day of April; the batteries were foon opened; and feveral attacks were made with great impetuofity: but, the befiegers were always repulfed with confiderable lofs. The townsmen gained divers advantages in repeated fallies; and would have held their enemies in the utmost contempt, had not they been afflicted with a contagious diftemper, and reduced to extremity for want of provifion. They were even tantalized in their diftrefs; for, they had the mortification to see some ships which had arrived with fupplies from Eng land, prevented from failing up the river by the batteries the enemy had raised on both fides, and a boom with which they had blocked up the channel. At length, a reinforcement arrived in the Lough, under the command of general Kirke, who had deferted his mafter and been employed in the fervice of king William. He found means to convey intelligence to Walker, that he had troops and provifions on board for their relief; but found it impracticable to fail up the river: he promised, however, that he would land a body of forces at the Inch, and endeavour to make a diverfion in their favour, when joined by the troops at Inniskillen, |