of these noble fellows bleached white in the sands of the sea-beach below the headland on which the old castle stood. And thus perished, by a dastardly and inhuman massacre, the last of Sir Alaster MacColl's heroic Irishmen (the Montrose Irish Brigade) in less than two years after leaving their native shores. His own short but brilliant career was now also approaching its end. To escape escape the vengeance of Argyle, he fled to Ireland about the same time that Montrose became an exile in obedience to Charles's commands. In less than a year and a-half after his return to Ireland he was killed at the battle of Knock-na-noss ("the Hill of Fawns"), near Kanturk, in the County Cork, on the 13th of November, 1647.

The narrative I have just given of Sir Alaster's proceedings in the end of 1645 and beginning of 1646 conclusively disposes of the last charge preferred against him—viz., that he at this time betrayed Montrose, and refused to rejoin him in his present distress. MacColl could not by possibility have rendered him more valuable and efficient support than by occupying Argyle's forces in the West Highlands, and drawing away Leslie to Cantyre, the extreme west, while Montrose was zealously but vainly endeavouring to raise an army among the Gordons and other Royalists of Aberdeenshire and the neighbouring eastern counties.

The following account of Sir Alaster's death is quoted from the lamented and accomplished Miss

Annie Hutton's admirable translation of the confidential correspondence of Rinuccini with the Court of Rome, during his residence in Ireland as Papal Nuncio :

"The two hostile armies approached each other on the 13th November, 1647. The Catholic army consisted of 6,000 infantry and 1,200 horse, and the English of 5,000 foot and 1,300 horse, under the command of Baron Inchiquin, while our forces were led by Viscount Taaffe, with General Alexander Macdonnell of Ulster as his lieutenant. The Catholics were drawn up in the following manner. In front of the right wing was MacDonnell with 3,000 infantry, composed of Ulster and Connaught men, and the Irish Islanders [viz., Highlanders], supported by Colonel Purcell, with two regiments of cavalry. On the left wing was Lord Taaffe, with nine Munster legions, to the number of 4,000 infantry and two regiments of horse. In this order the battle was begun. Inchiquin [the leader of the Parliamentarian army] had placed the best part of his troops opposite to Macdonnell, whom he greatly feared, and not without reason, as his soldiers, after firing one or two volleys, threw away the musket, and, seizing the sword, rushed upon the enemy with such fury that they pursued for three miles, killing them as they fled to the number of 2,000, without losing more than five men, after which they took cannon, carts, and baggage, of 'which they retained possession for a whole hour. Meantime, on the other wing the one regiment commanded by Lord Castleconnel fired but one volley, and then, with all the Munster troops, fled in the most disgraceful manner, throwing away their arms in their flight; and, though the General cut down some of the cowards with his own hand, he was unable to keep them back! Hence the cavalry also of the right wing, which, under Purcell, had made their way bravely, on hearing and seeing the flight of the infantry, abandoned their

colonel, and fled. Their flight was so ignominious and so rapid that Lord Inchiquin, after pursuing them a short way and killing many, returned, and, with the rest of his army, charged the victorious Catholic party, who, believing that the victory was on their side, and were standing carelessly around the enemy's cannon, when suddenly attacked could only defend themselves in a disorderly manner, and fell to the number of 700. After a great slaughter of the enemy 3,000 escaped, but with the loss of the cannon they had just captured. General Alexander Macdonnell, who had separated himself a little from his troops to see after a messenger whom he had sent with an account of his proceedings to the other wing, met, on his return, fourteen of the enemy's horse; refusing quarter, he killed four of them, and, while parleying with their captain, was treacherously stabbed from behind by a soldier, and at once fell dead."

He is still remembered in the south of Ireland by a very singular piece of music composed in his honour, and remarkably expressive of "all the currents of a heady fight." It was published by Mr. Bunting in his last collection of Irish Melodies, under the title of "McDonnell's March." His fame still lives in the Highlands of Scotland also:

"The memory of this great warrior is still revered in the land of the Gael, where the peasants still sing, 'Oran do dh' Alasdhair MacColla,' a song which was composed in his honour by a female harper, Dorothea of Luing, when she saw his galley, with the broad banner of Macdonald displayed, sailing through the sound of Luing towards Ireland, the land of his exile."*

* Grant, p. 333

V.

Up to June, 1642, the aid contributed by England and Scotland to the distressed Protestants of Ulster consisted of 1,500 men sent by Charles in November, 1641, and 2,500 under Monroe, in April, 1642, an instalment of the 10,000 promised by Scotland; and between them the service they had performed consisted in the recovery of Newry and the raising of the siege of Coleraine; and yet, unaided, the Ulster Protestants in arms had now reduced the rebels to despair.

"Monroe," says the Rev. Dr. Leland (History of Ireland, book 5, chap. 5, p. 176-7), " with an appearance of amity and respect, visited the Earl [Lord Antrim] at his castle of Dunluce; was hospitably received; but at the conclusion of an entertainment, gave the signal to his followers. The Earl was made prisoner, his castle seized, and all his houses committed to the custody of the Scottish forces."

This is Carte's disputed narrative :

"Two months wasted in total inaction or the most frivolous enterprises, revived the spirit of the rebels, recalled them from their retreats, and enabled them once more to collect their forces. The charge of opposing them now devolved on the English forces of Ulster [that is, the English and Scotch settlers], for the Scots [viz., Monroe's soldiers] were totally employed in ravaging the adjacent districts, and exporting vast herds of cattle into Scotland. Sir Phelim O'Nial appeared once more at the head of an army, but was bravely encountered by Sir Robert and Sir William Stewart, two

English commanders.

After a sharper action than had hitherto been fought in Ulster, the rebels were driven to flight with the loss of 500 slain, many wounded, and a number of prisoners. [This was the battle of Glenmaquin, already mentioned.] It was proposed to prosecute this advantage, but the English were distressed and necessitous, and Monroe refused his assistance."

Dr. Leland continues :

"This apparent horror of putting too speedy a conclusion to the war must immediately have been attended with the most pernicious consequences, had not the rebels been dispirited by ill success, and in want of every necessary for the prosecution of their enterprise. Such was their dejection, that when Monroe, in the month of July, at length showed some disposition to proceed more vigorously, the Irish Chieftains held their council, and resolved to abandon a cause rendered utterly hopeless by repeated defeats and disappointments, and to fly to foreign countries from the rage of their victorious enemy."

I desire to call especial attention to this perfectly true account of the state of the struggle between the Catholics and Protestants in Ulster in less than eight months from the commencement of the civil war. In less than six months after it the Irish were disgracefully foiled at the siege of Drogheda; and Dundalk, Carlingford, Newry, and Armagh, which had been taken by them, were recovered from them; and in almost every encounter with the Protestants in Ulster they had been defeated with such extreme disproportion of loss of life on their part as would have been not only disgraceful, but unintelligible, if they had been