shall we her fair Spring restore As pure and limpid as it was before Unless we hollow the polluted Flood And purge out Heretick-Stains with Hereticks Blood Prim. The very thought does my chill Age renew And almost make Armagh a Souldier too O Portendown that happy Day is past Grief stays too long and Pleasure runs too fast I saw and 't was a wisht a welcome sight As e'er was shewn By Heavens bright burning Light I saw the wandring Flood new-blacken'd o'er And shoals of Bodies washed down the shore Whilst fresh Supplies still o'er the Breach were thrown 'Till there at last was hardly room to drown Macar And thinks your Grace this was a sight so proper For one whose Character shou'd be Compassion Pity and Love all like our mighty Maker I though long steel'd in Camps and drench'd in War To Execution us'd and Blood and Carnage Fatal Effects of necessary Cruelty I rather shou'd have wish'd to have given the Lives To all those Wretches though at the expence Even of my own Prim. Are you a Catholick Maccar Yes and will die one But cou'd I believe That my Religion taught the same that you do I rather wou'd turn Heretick Turk or Pagan Than be so one hour longer Prim. Scarce can the stupid Ignorance excuse you A Heretick himself could say no more Hath not the sacred Lateran Council made it An Article as needful to Salvation As any of the Creed That this curst Fry Rebels to Holy Church shou'd be destroy'd By Fire and Sword or any other way Where-e'er they 'r found like other Beasts of Prey While that of Constance makes this other easie And bids us keep no Faith with those that have none A pious necessary useful comfortable Doctrine You are a Souldier 'T is a Stratagem Those still in War are lawful And I 'll tell you Once more If this you know not Sir you 'r guilty Of Ignorance inexcusable Why 't is The very Cement of the CAVSE the Blood the Life Of Holy Mother Yet you are to learn Your Catechise 'T is what her eldest Son Has practised many Years See how he 's blest How all succeeds and he speaks Fate in Europe If this you know as how can you be ignorant Of what each Catholick especially Each IRISH-Man sucks with his first-drawn Milk Whoever here of all your Country-men Besides that false Apostate Wretch Clanrickard Was guilty known of such an easie Meanness Repent or else expect the Church's CURSE The heavy Doom that waits for by her Laws Your ipso facto Excommunicate Tyrcon My Lord 't is not a time for these Discourses Though his weak Conscience cannot yet digest Such manly Food we know he 's firm to th' Cause Brave and wou'd freely lose a Life i' th' Quarrel Rather let 's think and with united Councels Consider what we 've done and where we are Nug. Think What have we to think of First let 's act 'T is time enough to think when that is done 'T is a plain Imposition on our Natives To fall on such unnecessary Work We have an Hundred Thousand Men in Arms None but the wretched Relies of Rebellion That dare withstand us here Let 's o'er to England That golden Land where Palms and Laurels wait us Delicious Murthers and sweet Massacres Hang Drown Stab Burn Bâ—oil Eat Damn our proud Conquerors Neag That will do well 't is excellently motion'd What brave Milesan wou'd not stake his Soul On the Design But first let 's clear our own Ere we attempt on others Lands Those Relies You talk of are like Vipers Spawn if not Crusht speedily in time they 'll grow too sturdy And send their Venome hissing o'er the Island First send fair Words good Terms sweet-honied Proffers Which we know how to keep clear once the North Derry and Inniskilling all 's our own Give 'em what Articles they please themselves Promises cost not much they may believe The English all are kind-believing FOOLS Or now had been our Masters If this takes We have our Men and vain Expence of Blood For better Purposes 1. Irish Lord. Wou'd that were over I 'd be content cou'd we secure our own Nor ever much ambition'd Foreign Conquests The English sooner Cheated are than Beaten We must expect a formidable Army Shortly in our Bowels Though their Hands Are raising long they generally fall heavy 2. Lord. My Lord I must entirely join with you We owe our Safety to their Easiness Had they not kindly thought we wou'd come over And yield the Sword entreating they 'd accept That and our Lives we scarec had now been talking How we shou'd conquer them And to say truth That was a Master-piece of Irish Cunning To drill 'em on with Promises and Oaths Of free submission when they 'd please to take it Till we were able to laugh at 'em and Despise their Threatnings I own 't was justly managed And very pleasantly was that fine Fool Entrapt who promis'd England such Success Such Mountains of Foreign Hopes from Secret Treaties The end too crown'd the Work When he perceiv'd We were not quite so good to keep our Words The Generous Fool dispatch'd himself for Shame To be out-witted by an Irish Man And heartily I wish as any here The Frolick would go round till we possess'd Their Vacant Hives without the toyl of Firing The Drones away tho' then we lost the Pleasure Of Killing and the Lechery of Murder But Since they won't go on in a good Work We must take Care to keep secure by force What we by Art have won First clear those Garrisons Talk'd of perhaps more easily then done Secure the Country next from Rapparees Who else will soon destroy the breed of Cattle And bring a Famine spite of all our plenty That done a Magazeen of Arms sufficient Provision too against what casually May happen and that certain Desolation Armies and War bring with 'em then we may Think on the other Projects Prim. A Curse on this Luke-warmness in the Cause It ruines all Was 't not these Noble Lords These Valiant Heroes who in Council pressed To have the Prince Proclaim'd 1st L. Yes and we judged We then had Reason had not first the King Both quitted England and obliged his Subjects Armies Commanders Officers and Garrisons To yield to Orange Did not a sure Friend As some we still have there send us a Pacquet Advising this and his departure following We knew not where Shou'd all have been exposed To a Head-strong Wild Ungovernable Rabble Tyrc No more my Lords the Case is alter'd since And we have Arms from France whose generous Prince Delight of all Mankind with pious Care Our Royal Refuge has welcom'd there Strong Succours thence we wait nor shall we fail The Catholick Cause with them must needs prevail The while my Lords we all must rest content The Fate of War there 's nothing can prevent Disorders make the Souldiers brave and bold You break him if too close the Reins you hold Besides our Troops
Conquests After their vain their fruitless kind Rebellions By which their Title they so justly lost To what remain'd whom we so oft have broke And trod their stubborn necks so oft in dust At vast expence of English Coin and Blood Infinitely more than e're the Island 's worth Yet still our fatal Goodness ruin'd all Forgiving faster than they could offend 'Till now we feel our Kindness and their Gratitude Almost too late 1 Coll. And yet 't is not so strange for Brutes to act As Nature prompts 'em bite and snarl and struggle And gnaw their Chain but that a humane Creature A Man should Brutifie so much To learn their Manners eat and drink like they And yell and rove and sport nay couple with 'em Till they descend and creep in the same manner 'T is strange indeed Yet thus and worse do those Who have so long bin conversant among 'em 'Till what by Meetings Intermarriages And Gossippings they grow as errand Irish Stark bruitish mad wild things as ever howl'd O're a dead Carkass For the Wolves and they With the same Order self-same Ceremony And Note and Tune over the Dead lament Governour What Death what Punishment is equal to This Sin this Crime this worse than bestiality But 't is too soon or late for such a Question This one effort they make and have pusht home To clear the land of their not wish'd Instructors And be as barbarous as they were before If this they gain not they are lost for ever If this we gain henceforth 't is ours for ever 'T is true there 's little left but that 's worth keeping England is still our own and that brave Prince Who holds the Crown with strong and rightful hand Will not forsake our Interest and his own Then happy they who bravely stem the Wave 'Till he holds out his Hand our sinking Bark to save 2. Coll. We shall have Storms the Sea works hard and loud The gathering Floods look big and scowl along Rolling far off from all hands we 've advice Macarty with the Flower of all their Forces Approaches hither and has vow'd to lay His Bones here or subdue us Governour That may be For he has Honour and 't is not unlikely He will do one or t'other which o' th two Lies yet in Fates dark womb Do Heaven its pleasure Let 's act like Men and either live or dye so 2. Coll. They say indeed that Gentleman you named Is a meer Prodigy of an Irish man A stranger thing than Toad or Serpent were That he 's both brave and honest in despite Of his curst Country and as curst Religion And his good natural temper has workt out The Venom of 'em both In brief he wants Only a better Cause and better Master Grant him but that and better Souldiers too I 'd not desire a braver Enemy Captain What e're he is you 'll have him quickly here As o're the Neighbouring Hills I scowr'd this Morn We saw some Troops which sure cou'd be no other Than advanc'd Guards to his Army Governour When he please We wou'd not willingly be unprepared Of kind reception for so great a Stranger Go draw your Forces up under the Walls We 'll meet not wait 'em Captain be 't your care With a smart flying Party to discover Once more what Face they bear and of what number Thô that 's the least we 'll fight 'em thô a Million Beware of Ambushes the Graves o' th' English Which there have bury'd ten times more than e're They in fair Battle lost Each Man to his Charge Exeunt Omnes ACT II. SCENE II. MACARTY's Camp Enter Macarty Officers Souldiers Exercising Macarty ARe these the Men design'd to conquer Kingdoms The miserable Props of bleeding Ireland Simplicity and Cowardice mixt in Such just proportion none knows which surpasses Why must I blame my Countrey-men yet why Do they deserve ' t Were any Cause besides My King 's concern'd I 'd never trust my self At the Head of 'em These the best cull'd Men Sure they ne're handled Musquet Pike or Sword Before this Expedition Let 's however See what we must expect Serjeant draw out A File or two and exercise 'em here The Officer draws 'em out and after the other usual words of Command bids 'em Face to the Right They all fall into Confusion some facing one way some t'other Macarty O stupid worse than Beasts I 'll teach my Horse What is too high for them Officer sets 'em in order agen and then Commands To the left They fall into the same Confusion they were in before Macarty I never knew 'em constant but in Mischief And there they never fail Once more they are reduced and the Word given To the left about They all throw down their Arms and run quite away Macarty There only did they not at all deceive My Expectations Shall I rave or pity ' em Are these fit men to face well-order'd Troops Flesht with Success and a long Train of Victories Well Gentlemen We must be Sacrific'd And that 's the worst We die for a good Master For such we ever ought to think our King But yet I can't without regret resign A Life which might with yours have done some Service If not Encumber'd with a useless Rabble Miscall'd an Army 1. Officer T was perhaps chance Those Raw Rude-Fellows lately were drawn out The others sure are better 'T is impossible They shou'd be all so Macarty One and all I fear However order forth another Party And see what they 'll do The Officer draws out others Gives the words They do all well enough till he bids 'em Fire one half never does it at all the other one after another and most of them wink and shoot just in one anothers Faces at which concluding themselves kill'd one part drops down and t'other runs away Macarty The very Emblem of a Battle this And this I expect they n'ere shall cheat me more 2. Officer Tho' they are somewhat inexpert my Lord They may be brave and faithfull when they meet The Enemy whom yet they never saw There stands a little Castle not far off Man'd by some fifty Foot 't is Old and Weak They 've little Ammunition If on this We flesht 'em t'wou'd do well they 'd rowze their Courage Which yet has drowsie lain for want of Action Macarty Tho' but too easily I guess th' Event I 'll not forebode and seeing fight we must As good begin Detach 500 Foot A Company of Granadeers may joyn 'em Sure those will carry 't or the Army won't Mean time the rest to Council to resolve How we must manage this unlucky business And where to most advantage aly our Bones Exeunt Omnes ACT II. SCENE III. Enter 3 or 4 Souldiers Mac-Shane O Donnel Teigue c. Teigue BY my Shoul now if ever poor Teigue saw the like in my Life Why my Gossip ty'd a Red Ribon about my left hand that I might be sure to know it from my right and the
Ugly-Dog Rogue of an English Serjeant bid me turn to the Right and put me quite out Mac-Shane But was n't mine Stranger than that too may they maak haung upon my Mothers Son if I did did not turn the same way both times and yet the Churl said I was right the first and wrong the second time O Donnel And when he bid us Face about I thought t 'had bin to charge the Enemy so daring not be out of my Ranks at such a dangerous time ran back agen to the main Body whence I was drawn Teigue Upon my Shaulvaashion but so did we too but had the Rebels bin coming in earnest wee 'd have cut the pittiful Rascals all to pieces So so Teigue wou'd have ript up the Guts of the Hereticks Puls out his Sword and Fences in the Air. So he would have out his Head off and just so Clubs his Musquet Just so when he cry for mercy No English Dog you I 'll knock out your Brains While they are Vaporing and Laughing Enter the Detachment that went to Storm the Castle beat in by the English who Sally'd upon ' em Officer They Fought like Devils and Ours not like men Like Women nay a Child an English Boy Might kill 'em had he but the strength for they Make no resistance once more if you 're men Stand and save all do but look back and see Your Enemy The English Enter The Officer and several Souldiers fall O Donnel tumbles among the Slain and pretends himself Dead Mac Shane creeps into a Bush and Teigue being the nimblest Footman runs away the English following the Chase and Re-enters breathless at the Generals Tent. Enter Macarty Officers Teigue looking fearfully over his Shoulder Teigue O Sir my Lord we 're lost St. Patrick save us The Army oh the English Army Macarty VVhat of them Coward are they more than men Teigue Than men Sir O yes Sir They have every one of 'em Eyes as big as Sawcers and spit Fire like Dragons twenty thousand O they 're here just at the Door and I 'm Dead Macarty VVhat are they come Incognito VVe must have seen or heard some News what ever ' t is Captain Go bid my Regiment advance Captain They 're here and even just there 's the Enemy Enter the English beating in the Irish Macarty Is this the dreadful Army one poor Company VVell-Charge 'em See if they are all immortal They Charge the English who still Fighting retreat in good Order till they regain their Fort. Macarty Farewell Temper 'T is beyond the Patience Not only of a Souldier but a Saint Patrick himself of whom our holy Fryers Tell us such holy Lies wou'd swear to see it This half a-handfull to outbrave our Army Come on go off beat kill do what they please O Fate thou 'st cheated me sure I was mouldie To lead such men as those who Conquer mine Yes rather had I head one single Troop Of such as they than all this Soulless rout This Pageant of a War this Pastbord Army Scarce those in musty Arras wove look worse Or stand more patient to be cut in pieces No there I wrong'd 'em first they will not stand So fast they run that Death can scarce o'retake 'em Almost outstrip a Bullet in his March With Fate and Vengeance wing'd and red Destruction VVhy must I bear so many thousand Deaths Before the last kind true one gives me Ease And sends this rage and shame a passage hence Quite crusted round my heart I 'll stay no longer If there 's a Purgatory sure 't is here Quick quick I 'll thro' it all and reach my Heaven To the Officers Go bid the Army March if they 'll obey you Mistake not wilfully and run away I 'll be for Inniskilling or my Tomb Here call a Drummer Speed him quickly thither Carry this Summons to the Governour Were not my Soveraigns Honour in 't concern'd Shame wou'd not let me make a proposition To such as those to yield to such as ours This will unless I much mistake his temper Quickly bring him and Victory or Death Either of which wou'd be so welcome now I scarce know which to chuse As the Drummer is going out Enter one from the Out-Guards Souldier My Lord we saw the Enemy advancing On yonder Hill and move so fast they must Be very soon upon us Macarty Labour saved I see there 's men of Honour and Civility We 've yet as much advantage as we 'd wish for There 's not a better spot of Ground in Europe To cool their Courage On this little rise We 'll place our Canon and our last Reserve Speaks to an Officer You Colonel Take the Horse and keep the Causway Between the Bogs And you the Foot dispose Speaks to another On either Wing Thus planted if they will But hold their Swords before 'em 't is impossible To lose at least And when their Troops are tired We may at pleasure fall upon and break 'em And once bid fair for Fame Exeunt Officers Tho' yet I hope not Not hope it Yes the man who bravely dies In the discharge of whatsoever Post He 's fix'd at Fames his everlasting portion What e're he lose then le ts be all Macarty My Soul my thinks expands its self and greatens With prospect of near Immortality Look down you Holy Forms who reign above Where no Contentions dwell but those of Love You Saints you Heroes all of whom we 're told You flourish'd here And might perhaps of old If ' ere Macarty did an act was base Dart all your Thunders in his perjur'd Face But if he Vertue and fair Fame pursu'd And Ill n'ere chose unless i th' shape of Good If ne're unless deceiv'd his Sword was known To own a Cause which you wou'd blush to own Then either aid him with success to day Or take at once his Shame and Life away His Soul a Stranger there a place provide Among those shining few who bravely dy'd Open the Gates and your kind arms prepare They come they come you soon will find him there Exit to the Battle ACT II. SCENE IV. Both Armies the Irish as before the English advancing up to the Causway the Canons play Trumpets Drums Fifes sounding Governour THere 's the Enemy Collonel Enough there needs no Word The English fall on desperately at the Causway the Irish receive 'em and a warm dispute follows Macarty from the Hill They stand they stand Nor yet nay then I 'll hope And if they run not now e'ne beg their Pardon And give my self the Lye There is no way for Foot Those Boggs are inaccessible Let 's bring The Canon once to bear the Day 's our own Governour to his Soldiers How Gentlemen not Conquer These are Irish All errand Irish whom as oft yo 've baffled As seen I know you 'll beat but what 's the Reason You stay so long Charge home with the Pikes Now Now or Never The Foot receive all the Enemy's Fire and pass the