elections. No sooner had James been deposed in England, than the people rose against their persecutors, “rabbled” the Episcopalian ministers, and drove them from their churches with every conceivable kind of insult and ill-usage. The Scottish Parliament then declared that James had "forefaulted" (forfeited) his right to the throne, and proceeded to draw up a statement of the people's rights, called the "Claim of Right." They then offered the crown to William and Mary, who accepted it on the terms proposed. 2. Rising of Dundee and Battle of Killiecrankie, 1689. Meanwhile John Graham of Claverhouse, Viscount Dundee, had gathered round him a few clans, who still recognized James as their lawful king. He was an able man, and had for ten years held command of the royal forces in Scotland. General Mackay was sent from Edinburgh against him, and having led his army up the long, narrow, and precipitous pass of Killiecrankie with the intention of capturing the Castle of Blair Athol, came upon Dundee's forces drawn up on a small plain at the head of the pass. After the royal troops had fired their first volley, the Highlanders dashed upon them with such terrible force, that Mackay's army was completely broken to pieces, and fled in a disgraceful rout down the steep ravine to Dunkeld. Whatever advantage had been gained by this victory was neutralized by the death of the Jacobite leader. He fell mortally wounded, as he stood erect in his stirrups, boldly encouraging his men to follow him to the charge. NOTE. This remarkable victory of undisciplined troops over trained soldiers is to be accounted for by the difference of the weapons used. Mackay's troops had been supplied with bayonets, which were so clumsily constructed, that when fixed they filled up the muzzle of the barrel. They had fired their first volley, and were trying to get their bayonets into their proper place, when the Highlanders with flashing broadswords dashed upon them and cut them to pieces. The war lingered for two years more, but was terminated by the total rout of the Highland force at Cromdale, under Cannon, who had succeeded Dundee as the Jacobite leader. After this William and Mary were recognized as king and queen. 3. The Massacre of Glencoe, 1692. As many of the clans still held aloof from the Government, William tried to win them over by distributing £15,000 among the chiefs, at the same time promising that there should be an amnesty for all who should swear allegiance to him before January 1, 1692. By degrees all assented; but MacIan, the chief of the Macdonalds of Glencoe, priding himself on being the last to submit, did not put in an appearance at Fort William until December 31. Unfortunately, there was no officer at Fort William, who was qualified to receive the oath, and he had to travel to Inverary, where he was duly sworn, although he had arrived six days too late. Sir John Dalrymple, one of the worst men in Scotland, in whose hands the management of affairs had been placed by William, thought that a good opportunity had presented itself of striking terror into the hearts of the Highlanders, and of showing them that the English Government could punish as well as reward. As soon as he had reported MacIan's default in London, William signed a warrant, giving his Scottish Minister full power" to extirpate that sect of thieves," the men of Glencoe. Dalrymple proceeded to carry out the order in the most treacherous manner possible. He sent a body of soldiers belonging to the clan of the Campbells (the deadly foes of the Macdonalds), with instructions that “the work should be secret and sudden, as the Government did not wish to be troubled with prisoners." Accordingly the soldiers entered the valley of Glencoe, and after professing the most friendly intentions, were hospitably entertained by the Macdonalds for twelve days. Meanwhile all the outlets of the glen were secured. One morning before daybreak, the Campbells fell upon their unsuspecting hosts, dragged them from their beds, and murdered thirty-eight of them. The rest of the clan fled to the mountains, where they miserably perished of hunger and cold amidst the rocks and snow. NOTE. Two years afterwards the Scottish Parliament brought to light the horrible tragedy; but political expediency weighed down justice, and William deemed it prudent to leave unpunished all those who had taken part in the massacre. He merely dismissed Dalrymple from his service. REVOLUTION. SECTION III.—IRELAND AND THE 1. Opposition to William in Ireland. The opposition which William met with in Ireland, was more bitter and prolonged than it had been in Scotland. The reasons of this were(1) The old quarrel between the native Irish and the English and Scotch settlers was renewed, but now took the form of loyalty to James or William. The natives hoped that an opportunity had come for driving out the English settlers from the lands they had acquired, and in the end for destroying the English supremacy in Ireland altogether. Now or never" was the motto on the flag raised over Dublin Castle in 1689. (2) The Protestants declared for William, while the native Irish, who were Roman Catholics, supported James II., because of his Roman Catholic tendencies. Thus the struggle became one of "creed" as well as of "race." NOTE. The Lord-Deputy of Ireland at this time was Talbot, Earl of Tyrconnel. Seeing that a conflict between the two parties was inevitable, he had raised an army of 50,000 Roman Catholics to support the cause of James, and now he attempted to secure all the towns which could afford protection to the Protestants. He even issued an injunction, ordering all Protestants to give up their arms. 2. James II. in Dublin. Meanwhile James had landed in Kinsale, bringing with him a body of French officers and 10,000 men-at-arms. On arriving in Dublin he summoned a Parliament, consisting almost entirely of native Irish, who passed a series of the most cruel laws against the English settlers, the Protestants, and the adherents of William. These laws were (1) All the lands confiscated by Elizabeth, James I., and Cromwell were to be restored to their, Irish owners, or to their heirs. (2) The established religion of the land was to be Roman Catholic. (3) All Protestants were forbidden under pain of death to assemble in churches or elsewhere. The stipends of Protestant ministers were to be stopped, and their churches handed over to Roman Catholic priests. (4) A cruel Act of Attainder was passed against 2500 persons, who were known to be adherents of William, confiscating their lands and condemning them to death as traitors. (5) A new brass coinage was issued, which by proclamation was ordered to pass for a hundred times its nominal value. NOTE. This wild legislation was followed by the expulsion of all English and Scotch settlers from their lands, and the most ruthless destruction of their property, to the value it is said of several millions. The French envoy told Louis, that the havoc done in a few weeks it would take years to repair. In the south and west the terror-stricken Protestants fled across the seas; in the north 30,000 of them sought shelter behind the walls of Londonderry and Enniskillen. 3. Siege of Londonderry, 1689. It remained only to capture the towns of Londonderry and Enniskillen, so as to complete the extermination of the Irish Protestants. William had appointed Colonel Lundy as governor of the former town, but the Protestant refugees suspected him of treachery, and, having deprived him of his command, made George Walker, an eloquent preacher, and Major Baker, joint-governors. The defences of the city were weak, the guns badly mounted, and the provisions were scanty, "but the whole world could not have furnished 7000 men better qualified to meet a terrible emergency with clear judgment, dauntless valour, and stubborn patience." The siege (which lasted 105 days) was entrusted by James to Maumont, a French general, and Richard Hamilton, assisted by an army of 25,000 men. At first the besiegers tried to batter down the walls with cannon, but, finding their efforts ineffectual, they attempted to take the town by storm. The men of Derry, however, repulsed the assailants with heavy loss, and Hamilton determined to starve the city into submission. He ordered the town to be strictly blockaded by land, and a strong boom to be thrown across the river Foyle, on which Londonderry stood, so as to prevent the city from being relieved by sea. Week after week the heroic inhabitants held out, though they were reduced to the most terrible extremities of hunger, devouring dogs, rats, tallow, and even salted hides. Hundreds died of sheer starvation; the men of the garrison were so enfeebled by hunger, that they could hardly stand at their guns. For three and a half months this fearful struggle went on, and still the cry was No surrender." Such heroic conduct is without a parallel in the world's history. Meanwhile William had sent three ships under Colonel Kirke to relieve the town, and for six weeks the famished inhabitants could see these ships laden with provisions riding idly at anchor in the Foyle, and yet unable to reach the city. At last Kirke received a peremptory order to make the attempt at all hazards, and on July 30 the three ships dashed through the boom, and on the evening of the same day anchored at the quay, and thus Londonderry was saved. Disheartened by failure, the Irish army broke up its camp and marched away. 4. Battle of Newtown Butler, 1689. On the very same day on which the siege of Londonderry was raised, the news reached the retreating army, that the Protestants of Enniskillen under Colonel Wolseley had inflicted a crushing defeat on a Roman Catholic army of 6000 men at Newtown Butler, and that 2000 of them had either been killed, or drowned in the waters of Lough Erne. 5. Schomberg is sent to Ireland. It was clear that if James was allowed to establish himself in Ireland, he would next attempt with the aid of Louis to regain his position in England. Moreover the men of Ulster had sent frequent appeals to England for aid, and in 1689 William despatched Marshal Schomberg to Ireland, with an army of 16,000 men. Schomberg entrenched himself in the neighbourhood of Dundalk, but for twelve months he remained inactive. Most of his troops consisted of raw recruits, the position he had chosen for a camp was low and unhealthy, the weather was very bad and the commissariat worse, and so a contagious malady broke out among his soldiers and carried off thousands. 6. William lands in Ireland and wins the Battle of the Boyne, 1690. It was not till the spring of 1690, that William himself landed at Carrickfergus, and soon found himself at the head of an efficient army of 30,000 men. Meanwhile, James had retreated, and taken up a strong position on the south side of the river Boyne, about ten miles above Drogheda, so as to cover Dublin. Sending a detachment higher up the river to threaten the enemy's rear, William forded the river in the face of a well-directed fire, and charged up the opposite bank. The Irish horse and French auxiliaries fought well, but the undisciplined infantry fled on the first charge. The brave Schomberg fell while rallying his troops, and calling out, “Come on, gentlemen, these are your persecutors." James turned early from the fight, and fled to Dublin, where, forgetful of his own cowardice, he informed Lady Tyrconnel that the Irish had run away. If they have," retorted her ladyship with some warmth, "your Majesty seems to have won the race." Three days after, James embarked from Kinsale for France, and left his Irish adherents to their fate. 66 NOTE. The Battle of the Boyne secured for William the city of |