WILLIAM AR T D MARY.

141

The Protestants, elated by this easy victory, proceeded to ciiap.make arrangements for the government and defence of Enniskil—len and of the surrounding country. Gustavus Hamilton, agentleman who had served in the army, but who had recentlybeen deprived of his commission by Tyrconnel, and had sincebeen living on an estate inPermanagh, was appointed Governor,and took up his residence in the castle. Trusty men were en-listed and armed with great expedition. As there was a scarcityof swords and pikes, smiths were employed to make weaponsby fastening scythes on poles. All the country houses roundLough Erne were turned into garrisons. No Papist was sufferedto be at large in the town; and the friar who was accused ofexerting his eloquence against the Englishry was thrown intoprison.*

The other great fastness of Protestantism was aplace of more Lonaon-importance. Eighty years before, during the troubles caused derry 'by the last struggle of the houses of O’Neil and O’Donnelagainst the authority of James the First, the ancient city ofDerry had been surprised by one of the native chiefs: the in-habitants had been slaughtered, and the houses reduced toashes. The insurgents were speedily put down and punished:the government resolved to restore the ruined town: the LordMayor, Aldermen, and Common Council of London were in-vited to assist in the work; and King James the First made overto them in then - corporate capacity the ground covered by theruins of the old Derry, and about six thousand English acres inthe neighbourhood.**

Hamilton, Rector of Kilskcrrie, and one of the Prebends of the Diocese ofClogher, an Eyewitness thereof and Actor therein, licensed Jan. 35. ;

A Further Impartial Account of the Actions of the Inniskilling men, byCaptain William Mac Cormick, one of the first that took up Arms, 1691.

* Hamilton’s True Relation; Mac Cormick’s Further Impartial Ac-count.

** Concise View of the Irish Society, 1822; Mr. Heath’s interesting Ac-count of the Worshipful Company of Grocers, Appendix 17.