14

HISTORY 03? ENGLAND.

CHAP.

XVI.

3 690 .

manly vigour and beauty, but now bent down by years andcrippled by gout, and, overtopping all, the stately head ofSarsfield.

The chiefs of the Irish army soon discovered that the personwho, surrounded by a splendid circle, was breakfasting on theopposite bank, was the Prince of Orange. They sent for artil-lery. Two field pieces, screened from view by a troop ofcavalry, were brought down almost to the brink of the river,and placed behind a hedge. William, who had just risen fromhis meal, and was again in the saddle, was the mark of bothguns. The first shot struck one of the holsters of Prince Georgeof Hesse, and brought his horse to the ground. “Ah!” criedthe King; “the poor Prince is killed.” As the words passed hislips, he was himself hit by a second ball, a sixpounder. Itmerely tore his coat, grazed his shoulder, and drew two orthree ounces of blood. Both armies saw that the shot hadtaken effect; for the King sank down for a moment on hishorse’s neck. A yell of exultation rose from the Irish camp.The English and their allies were in dismay. Solmes flung him-self prostrate on the earth, and burst into tears. But William’sdeportment soon reassured his friends. “There is no harmdone,” he said: “but the bullet came quite near enough.”Coningsby put his handkerchief to the wound: a surgeon wassent for: a plaster was applied; and the King, as soon as thedressing was finished, rode round all the posts of his armyamidst loud acclamations. Such was the energy of his spiritthat, in spite of his feeble health, in spite of his recent hurt, hewas that day nineteen hours on horseback.*

A cannonade was kept up on both sides till the evening.William observed with especial attention the effect produced

* London Gazette, July 7. 1690; Story’s Impartial History; History ofthe Wars in Ireland by an Officer of the Royal Army; Narcissus Luttrell’sDiary; Lord Marchmont's Memorandum; Burnet, ii. 50. and ThanksgivingSermon; Dumont MS.