Mahon, exerted all the vigour of his mind, and all the unconquerable hardihood of his iron frame of body, to raise in the Ulster Catholic army, a spirit of enthusiastic ardour in favour of the Monarchy, and of Ormond, whom he every day more and more esteemed, in proportion as he discovered the baseness with which he had been calumniated.

Communicating to that army the ardour by which he was animated himself, and trusting to the abilities of Ormond in Leinster, to Inchiquin's in Munster, and to Clanrickard's in Connacht, he put himself at their head; he exhorted them with his usual eloquence, in the Irish language, to remember, that men who had confessed their sins penitentially, and had received the Sacrament, and were fighting for their wives, and children, and Religion, had nothing to fear; he exposed his health to every fatigue; his person to every danger; his character to every imputation; and if he failed in his attempt, he failed not from want of zeal, energy, or vigilance, or from dastardly timi

dity, but because Providence had never destined him to be a General; because the crimes of the Ultramontane intriguers, and perjurers, and violaters of our national faith, drew down upon us the curse of Cromwell; and because our Country, at that time polluted by crimes, deserved the vengeance of God!

Be it remembered that he joined the good cause, when that cause was almost desperate, when he had nothing to hope for himself, and when he had nothing to gain, but the consolation that, by such a course, he might expiate his former errors, and atone for his political sins. But Providence has not decreed that virtue should always triumph in this world. "Victrix Causa Diis placuit."

He fought the fatal battle of Letterkenny against the advice of his Officers; and by his impetuosity and rashness he lost the flower of Owen Roe's veterans, leaving 1500 dead on the field. Thanks were returned for this victory, by a solemn Act of Parliament; Coote's messenger was admitted into the body of the House, to relate his own account of

the action; all the members stood up uncovered to hear it; and other circumstances indicate that it was dearly bought.

In fact Mac Mahon rode in front of his men, encouraging them in the most dangerous encounters; and when he surrendered, the day after the battle, he had no recourse to a cowardly intrigue, as Primate Reily had, to save his life; he surrendered, sword in hand, at the head of the broken remains of his scattered forces; he surrendered only to superior numbers, and to fresh troops, who opposed him from Inniskilling; when he had done all that loyalty could expect, or valour accomplish; when he was exhausted by

• Orders of the House for public thanks, &c. Friday, July 26, 1650, in Ibbetson's Proceedings, p. 578-604, also in Griffin's Perfect Diurnal for 1650, p. 358. The Parliament forces in Ireland at this time were 40,000 horse and foot, ib. p. 361. At the battle of Letterkenny, Coot's army consisted of 3000 foot, 800 horse, and Mac Mahon's 4000 foot, 400 -horse. This is Cor's account. The others that I have seen in the Perfect Diurnal, in Ibbetson, and in all our Historians, differ so widely as to the numbers on both sides, that we cannot consider them conclusive. The passions of men disguise and corrupt whatever they touch.

hunger, wasted out by fatigue and loss of blood,

and covered with wounds.*

Perhaps the greatest the greatest proof that can be given of the splendour of his exit, the manliness of his courage, the honesty of his last moments is, that his memory is to this day dear to the most gallant, intrepid, honourable, and educated portion of one of the most gallant nations on the face of the Globe. That Officer may be a coward who says to his Soldiers "alles mes Enfans." But he cannot be a coward who says "allons."

Unfortunate Mac Mahon! Thy errors were not thy own-thy virtues were! Thou hast died, not indeed in that meek way which ought to distinguish a Christian Bishop-but thou hast fallen in a good cause; and though thy Country has raised to thee no monument

"He defended himself with notable courage, but after he "had received many wounds, he was forced to become prisoner,

upon promise first that he should have fair quarter. Con

trary to which Sir C. Coote, as soon as he knew he was a "prisoner, caused him to be hanged, with all the circum"stances of contumely, reproach, and cruelty he could "devise." Clarend. Irish Rebellion, London 1721, p. 186.

of marble, and though Irish literature has not entwined for thee one solitary wreath, and though thy grave remains to this moment undiscovered and unknown, may we not hope that thy spirit has rested in a better world, after the perturbations of this?-Yes-I see something like expiation in thy death.* I hope that thy last moments were moments of penitence; and though I am not quite reconciled to thee, I hail thy second birth in a world, where a merciful God will make allowances for ignorance, in favour of the generous and the brave. May thy rashness be forgiven! may thy death expiate thy sins! may thy spirit rest in peace!

Character of Curry's history.

51. But I am informed by a dabbler in every species of superficiality, who writes on Irish

In less than a year after he had persuaded Owen Roe to relieve Derry, and rescue Coote from the King's forces-he was made prisoner, as I have related, and perfidiously hanged, by that very Coote, whom he had so improvidently preserved! Such are the lessons which history holds out to Castabalas!