~ Che

slecciiasaibnnliiich-<aneaia a

Xaminer,

AND SEMI-WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER.

New Series.

SRLREY TALR. {trom Blackwood’s Magazine for February.]

The Siege of Dunbeg ; or, the Stratagems of War.

(Coneluded.)

“ Address yourself to me, Master Teague,” he cried; “for I promise you your discourse will have no effect what- everonmy men. You may blow them about like straws ona windy day, sure enough,—ha, ha, ha!—but you'll find it no such easy matter to work upon their fears, by telling them how you mean to thrash them—ha, ha, ha! But what do you offer, sirrah? or why do you stand there grimacing on my glacis, like Punch upon a platform ?”

“Punch! you son ofa hog!—grimac- ingon your glacis! you grandfather of churla! Oh, by my head, and by my fa- ther’s head! (if [ had but one of the six- pounders here,) if it wasn’t that my heart is too soft entirely it is—it’s a short sum- mons you and yours should have at my hands! But I’m a merciful man, Sir Si- mon Brabazon, (small :ny thanks in troth,) and though my trade be war, I hate the sight of bloodshed. Ay, indeed, ’tis too fuil of humanity my heart is entirely; but for the sake of Lady Brabazon and your daughter, (oh, more glory to you, blessed Kieran, you’ve set me in the true scent at last !)—for their sakes I'l] consent, for all that has come and gone to give you an- other chance. You see these cannon; may I never see glory—(holy Virgin! perdon a lie for it is told ina good cause) —may I never stand in the sight of the sninte, if they arn’t every gun of them charged to the muzzle with powder and ball--ay, two balls itself in some of them —six-and-thirty pound weight of iron ready to go thwack against your old ric- ketty rampart at one touch of this blessed linstock: think of that! You see these men of mine: may [ never die (and God knows this is trae enough) if they arn’t every rnother’s son of them so set upon blood and spoil, murder, and what’s worse than murder”—On this the Kinel Demp- eey gave a loud shout of appprobation, and there appeared considerable indica- tions of confusion ia the garrison; female voices were heard loud in expostulation; and while Sir Simon turned round, appa- rently endeavouring to allay the storm, Captain Cormack also turned towards his friends, and gave a wink, as much as to say, “I’m doing it now.” “ Aye,” he continued, “so bent on violence and vio- Intion”—here there was another burst of female ontcries from within, “I'm doing it; P’m doing it!” cried Cormack, rubbing hie hands and cutting a caper, as the distracted governor turned again to quell the threatened insurrection in his garrison. “So eager for all manner of devilment,” continued Captain Cormaci.

“Silence, [ say!” cried the governor to those within. “I'll lose my life in your defence, Lady Brabazon: you know te well as I do that I’d die to defend you: but [ll be torn limb from limb before I turrender to this apostate villain!” This declaration was succeeded by another do- orous burst from the complaining fe- males,

_** You see the guns ready shotted to slow you into perdition,” continued the irgent captain. “ You see the men only restrained by my authority from perpetra- "Mg an indiscriminate massacre; and I mat it to you once for all, wil! you surren- der like a disereet man--and may T never tee the saints, if {don’t get you and yours the height of good treatment if you do; *r will you, like aatubborn old boccough “¥ you are. and be cursed, see your walls Pounded imto powder, your men made

“PHIS IS TRUE LIBERTY W

— tne ee eee yo ~0

ne

mincemeat of, and your people in general abandoned to the cruellest ill usage? Will you, once?—tut! Colonet don’t in- terfere—this is Brien Boru’s, summons that I was telling you of—will you, twice ? Oh then did you ever see or hear tell of so stubborn an old traitor? he’!l force me to crossness, he will, in spite of my natural turn for tender-heartedness and all man- ner of civility. Do you hear old man? I have asked you; will you, once?” No answer—a pause. “Ihave asked you, will you, twice?” No answer—a long pause, and Captain Cormack’s face be- coming fast bedewed with perspiration.— “On then, by the blessed Virgin! there’s no use in standing on ceremony with you any longer, so here goes for the third and last time; and, by all the crosses between this and Banagher! if you lose this chance, you may settle your scores with heaven, all and sundry, dig and little, men and women, maid and wife. Will you then, as I said before, will you twice ?— (oh blessed Kieran, is it deserting me you are ?)—will you twice, I say? (Holy Vir- gin turn his heart, or we'll be disgraced for ever!)—Well then, since what must be must, although upon my conscience, it goes against my grain, (for, blessed saints, what is to become of us!)—will you then, like a reasonable man, as [ said already, surrender on honorable terms, or will you, like an unnatural old traitor as I say again, see your castle demolished, yourself cut in four quarters, and your wife and dangh- ter-—for, by the king of the elements! it is in right good earnest I am--your wife and daughter !”-—

“ Monster!” exclaimed Lady Brabazon’s voice froin a window of the wall, just-over the spot at which the guns were pointed.

“ Madam, what does your honourable ladvship please to propose ?” cried Cor- mack, turning with an air of grateful ac- knowledgement at the timely overture.

“Lady Brabazon, don't presume to in- terfere !” exclaimed Sir Simon, from his stand on the tower top, from which he commanded a view of the window now occupied by his lady. “If you interfere between me and the king’s enemies, vou will be guilty of both high and petty trea- son! Remember, madam, that I am here the governor, and that by me alone terms can be accepted or refused.”

“Oh then! ’tis the fancy governor you are, all out!” cried Cormack; “’tis a pat- tern you are for discretion and consider- ateness to al] the wardens of Leinster, no doubt of it! Why, you stubbern, foolish old man, sure there’s more sense in her ladyship’s little finger than in your whole body! Ay, indeed, madam, it is not with- out reason I say it, for isn’t the whole country full of the report of your Iady- ship’s sense and beauty !—-sure enough ; and more’s the pity to see so much: discre- tion and loveliness thrown away upon this old boccough, whom, saving your lady- ship’s honourable presence, I take to be no better than a hog !”

“Wretch !” exclaimed the lady, “do not add insult to cruelty. Listen to my reso- lution. Tand my daughter have heard your abominable threats : we prefer death, a hundred thousand deaths, to the dishonor you are not ashamed to declare yourselves ready to perpetrate against defenceless women. But these atrocities you never shall execute. Before a stone of these walls crumbles before your cannon, we shall be beyond the reach of further indig- nity. Since misfortune has deprived us of other defence, your cannon-shot ehal! never come against the walls but through our bodies, Fire now, if you have the heart tu fire against women!’ To the indes- cribable amazement of all the spectators, but of none so much ag Sir Simon, the window overlooking the part of the wall threatened by Cormack’s battery wee flung open, and two figures in the wel}.

HEN FREE-BORN MEN—HAVING TO ADVISE THE PUBLIC-—MAY

known blue and amber robes of Lady and Lucy Brabazon, slung in arm-chairs, were lowered from the window till they hung right opposite the mouths of the cannon.

“Hilloa! hilloa! the woman’s mad!” screamed Sir Simon. “They’re mad both of them, as sure as God’s in heaven. Lady Brabazon, you old fool! I wasn’t in earnest, you know I wasn’t; Lucy, daugh- ter Lucy, you silly child--oh, gracious God! they'll be blown in pieces, ‘l'eague, Master Cormack, good O’Dempsey, for Jesus’ sake one moment; I demand a par- ley.”

No parley!” shouted in ferocious tones Sir Phelim O'Neill, who had ridden up impatient of the delay. “ Apply your match, villain; we hold our hands now for no flesh, of either man or woman.” But Cormack, to whom this command was addressed, flung his match to the grouné on the instant; and the be- wilderment which he had worn for the last few minutes, gave place at once to an ex- pression of decision and daring. At the same moment, O’ Dempsey himself, start- ing forward exclaimed—‘“ O'Neill, you shall not command the Kinel Dempsey to turn their hands to their own dishonour. Go back to your troop, and leave this work to me. By the brightness of hea- ven! no shot shall be firee at these walls, while those poor ladies hang there for our targets.”

And for the villain you call me,” cried Cormack, “villain in your teeth, you bloody chieftain! The sons of Dempsey are no unmanly butchers. Up with the ladders, boys! Forward with the picks and crowbars! ‘T'othe devil with the pump, and all belonging to it! We’ll carry the castle by the strong hand—hurrah !”

The kindred sprang forward with picks and axes to attack the gate, while others raised the scaling-ladders against the walls. Foremost among the latter were O’Dempsey and the faithful captain. Each planted his ladder opposite the figure he believed his destined portion of the spoil. Sir Simon took no notice of the battering going on at the planks under his feet, but called to his sergeant,—~ Now, Watkins, do you cover the warden, and I shall let this villain ofa lieutenant see whether he’s to carry ny wife, as well as my castle, by escalade.” They fired to- gether. Both leaders reeled on their lad- ders; but both clutched at the figures above them, grasped them, and the ropes by which they were suspended giving way, rolled together into the diteh. At the same moment, Lady Brabazon berself reappeared atthe window, “Run, you wretches, run!” she cried to the Kinel Dempsey ; “there's blood enough shed !— here comes the king’s army ; run, or you will be cut in pieces!” And, as she spoke, cries of * Butler aboo !— Saint George !— a Verdon!—a Verdon!” resounded from the woods. The Irish cavalry, under Sir Phelim O’Neill, wheeling to the right about face, and the assailants of the castle scrambling down from their various points of attack, disappeared as if by ma- gic. Among the latter, James of the Chisel, who had overthrawn two or three of the mock garrison, with a facility that caused him much astonishment, and had already intruded one-half of his person into an embrasure, was just in time to re- gain the means of escape. He descended with abundant celerity, and was on the point of joining the body of the assailants in their fight, when he pereeived O’ Demp- sey and captain Cormack stretched beside the female figures in the castle ditch. The chiefcarpenter turned, cast a glance at the immovable army ef the garrison over the parapet. ‘ By Saint Kieran of Clonma cnoise ! ] believe ininy conscience ‘twas against a garrison of men of straw that we brought up our wooden battery. Il! mot desert the chief, then, if there's

SPEAK FREE.”—Minton’s EURIPIDES. :

_OHARLOTTETOWN, JULY 91, 1050

Vol. 1 No.

ret the

52

breath in him, nor my poor Cormack neither,” he cried, hastening back to his fallen leaders. But both lay lifeless.° The chief captain turned over the lady figures. “May L never die, if they arn’t a couple of straw in petticoats!” he exchaimed.— “Oh, by haft shelve, this beats-all your military tactics of King Brian Boru, ny poor Cormack! ‘The real stratagems of war were never practised since the breack of Troy till now! Farewell to you, sons of my heart! Bad Inck to the hands that laid you low! I’m off for Kilkenny, if God and the Virgin give mean escape through mine enemies.” So saying, Shamus a ’siseal fled round the angle of the build- ing; while the gallant array of horse, headed by the Earl of Ormond, gatloped up on the castle green.

“How goes it, Sir Simon? cried the earl, reining up on the edge of the gate- way bridge. “Have you beaten -the knaves off? and how do my gossips, your

| wife and fair daughter?

“We are here to answér for ourselves,” cried Lady Brabazon; “¢ome forward, Lucy, the rogues are all ranaway. We are both very well, [ heartly thank your lordship, but the poor child is a little frightened: show yourself, Lucy.”

“My lord, we hope. we'll be forgiven the trick we played on my father: I beg your lordship will intercede for us. He thinks we have sacrificed our lives in defence of the castle.”

“ By . my good lord!” éried Sir Simon, “I know not whether my wife and daughter be talking to you from the win- dow, or lying in the arms of those wood- kerne in the ditch; but I shall see pre- sently! Throw open the gates, Watkins, and give the pursuit !” i aaa t

“The pursuit is already in good hands, Sir Simon,” said the earl. “ Young Ver- don has had the execution of the. rebele ever since they dispersed. A gallant young fellow, by my honour! Sir Simon, and has done such service to-day, and every day forthe past week, in the cause of king and country, as will make hima viscount of the realm, if I have any influ- ence at Whitehall.”

“And if you can only prevailon Sir Simon to give up anold stupid grudge he has againet Sir Theobald’s father,my lo#d,”’ cried Lady Brabazon, “ we shall be quite prepared to back your lordship’s efforts in his favour by providing him with a cctn- tess. Don't run away, Lucy—it is no sham siege this time.”

“Ha! sits the wind in that quartet?” cried the earl. “ By my word, | congra- tulate you, my old friend, ona most hofior- able alliance.”

“J amno match for these women, my lord,” replied the governor. “ Whether [ stand on my head or my hee!s, I know no longer; and by ——, as it seems to ine, these guns that they frightened us so damnably with are shams like all the test of it. By the honour ofa soldier, I am ashamed ofthe whole business, grudge and all. Only [hope the young gallant that you mean to make a viseount of is not to be a noble of straw, like the Sugaun Earl of Desmond.”

“Tfland in freland be worth rent after these disturbances,” replied the earl, ‘he inherits the best half barony in Meath by Luke Taaff’s death, who was killed yes- terday, poor fellow, by the rebles at the bridge of Trim, But here he comes to answer for himself, and his sword, by my faith! very handsomely spotted.”

As he spoke, Sir Theobald was seer riding up at the head of a body of horse, who had evidently been engaged in hot work. Let fall the drawbridge, Wat- kins,” cried the governor, “ond come down with me, Lady Brabazon, and bring the minx with you. I will hear what our gallant has got to say for himself in the

it Sol is POS i SR ee F

presence chamber.”

“8,

2 RE

ee

ig sale

wine gh SE ne RR ES

el RE ti

pe hs

Ei. Ts.

z . Sher

Sree ie on

age