•WILLIAM AND MALY.

15

by the Irish shots on the English regiments which had never chap.been in action, and declared himself satisfied with the result. —“All is right,” he said; “they stand fire well.” Long aftersunset he made a final inspection of his forces by torchlight,and gave orders that every thing should be ready for forcing apassage across the river on the morrow. Every soldier was toput a green bough in his hat. The baggage and greatcoats were to be left under a guard. The word was West-minster.

The King’s resolution to attack the Irish was not approvedby all his lieutenants. Schomberg, in particular, pronouncedthe experiment too hazardous, and, when his opinion was over-ruled, retired to his tent in no very good humour. When theorder of battle was delivered to him, he muttered that he hadbeen more used to give such orders than to receive them. Forthis little fit of sullenness, very pardonable in a general whohad won great victories when his master was still a child,the brave veteran made, on the following morning, a nobleatonement.

The first of July dawned, a day which has never since re- Battle ofturned without exciting strong emotions of very different kinds tbeBoynein the two populations which divide Ireland. The sun rosebright and cloudless. Soon after four both armies were inmotion. William ordered his right wing, under the commandofMeinhart Schomberg, one of the Duke’s sons, to march tothe bridge of Siane, some miles up the river, to cross there,and to turn the left flank of the Irish army. Meinhart Schom-berg was assisted by Portland and Douglas. James, antici-pating some such design, had already sent to the bridge aregiment of dragoons, commanded by Sir Neil O’Neil. O’Neilbehaved himself like a brave gentleman; but he soon receiveda mortal wound: his men fled; and the English right wingpassed the river.