I will now proceed to relate the principal occurrences which took place in the town of Wexford, from Wednefday the thirtieth day of May, when the rebels got poffeffion of it, till the twenty-firft day of June, when they were expelled from it. Some time after it was evacuated by the king’s troops, the rebels approached it, headed by Edward Roche, a farmer, who was permanent ferjeant in colonel Lehunte’s corps of yeomen cavalry, and having deferted from them on Whitfunday, became a rebel general. When they came to a place called the Spring,* within two hundred yards of the town, they knelt down, croffed themfelves, and prayed for fome time. A perfon in the van of their army, when advanced to the middle of the town, having by chance fired a fhot, the rear, who were outfide, fled M’ith precipitation, from motives of fear. As they paffed through the ftreets, they uttered the moft dreadful yells, and for three days after their arrival, they continued to plunder, every rebel gratifying his revenge againft thofe towards whom he bore any enmity. They appointed a commitee of feven, inveiled with fupreme command, in which Bagenal Harvey was appointed prefident, after having been depofed, and a fubordinate committee for the government of the town, which they divided into wards, in each of which they appointed and armed a company with officers of different degrees.

On entering the town, they by acclamation appointed general Keugh governor, or commandant of it, and bore him on their fhoulders to the court-houfe. This extraordinary man, who had been a private in his majefty’s fervice, rofe to the rank of captain-lieutenant in the 65th regiment, in which he ferved in America. He was about five feet nine inches high, and rather robuft. His countenance was comely, his features were large, and indicative of an active intelligent mind. Joined to a very happy and perfuafive manner of expreffing himfelf, he had an engaging addrefs, and great affability of manner. He married a widow, with whofe jointure and his own private fortune, he lived very comfortably in Wexford. Proud and ambitious, he thought that his own abilities, which he appreciated too highly, were not fufficiently rewarded; and envying thofe who were his fuperiors in rank and fortune, he hoped to rife iii that chaotic fcene which a revolution would elFed. In clubs and coffee-houfes, he conftantly cenfured the form of our conftitution, and faid it might be meliorated;

* See note VI. P.

but under the mafk of a reformift, he concealed the dark defigns of a rebel. His difaffection became at laft fo confpicuous, that the lord chaucellor deprived him of the commiffion of the peace in the year 1796,

The rebels chofe certain perfons to diftribute provifions, and for thai purpofe to give tickets to the inhabitants to entitle them to a rateable proportion of them, according to the number of inhabitants in each houfe. The habitations of all the proteftants who made their efcape were plundered, many of them were demolifhed, and but few of thofe who remained in the town were fpared.

All the proteftant men were immediately committed to prifon, except a few leaders who were really attached to their caufe, or who affected to be fo, to fave their lives, or thofe who concealed themfelves.
The day they entered the town, Mr. John Boyd, brother of Mr. B. member for the town, Thomas Sparrow, and one Hadden, a porter, were maffacred, Henry Box, a shoemaker, and a man of the name of Cook, contiguous to it.

Thofe who could obtain written protections from the popifh clergy, whofe influence was unbounded, or from the rebel leaders, were not moiefted.

The perfidious and cruel conduct of the rebel captains and failors to their proteftant paffengers, who paid them large fums of money to convey them to Wales, will ever remain a ftain on human nature. As foon as the rebels entered the town, a large green flag was hoifted on the barrack,* which is on an eminence; but thofe who had put to fea before it appeared, were fo fortunate as to efcape.

I give an extract from the letter of a proteftant clergyman, Mr. Handcock, (part of which I already quoted,) who retreated with his family from Ennifcorthy, to fhew the perilous and difaftrous ftate of the proteftant fugitives. “On the morning of the thirtieth of May, the day after our arrival at Wexford, in compliance with the earneft and irrefiftible adjuration of my wife, I determined on going to fea, carelefs whither; but fo traitorous were the boatmen, and fo refolved (as appeared in many inftances after) to deliver up the gentry to the rebels, that after bargaining with feveral of them for a boat to Waterford or Dublin, or a floop to Wales,

* See Plate VI. A. B.

and being in the moft ruffianly manner infulted by the boatmen, and pelted with ftones from the fhore, I could not prevail on one of them to put off, until with a piftol in each hand, and defperation in my heart, they faw me hefitating, whether to blow out their brains or my own.**

The treatment of a party of gentlemen and ladies, who embarked on board a large floop, belonging to the bloody Thomas Dixon, the thirtieth of May, will fhew the reader the ferocious cruelty of the rebel failors to their paffengers. After having exacted a very large fum from them, he refufed to put to fea, till the veffel was lightened, as he faid, fhe was heavily laden with coals; on which the gentlemen and their fervants affifted in throwing over board a large quantity of that article. As an excufe for further procraftination, Dixon faid, he muft go on fhore to know what fignal to hoift; as he had friends among the rebels, and no veffel but his would be fuffered to fail. Having repaired in his fmall boat to the county fide of the bridge, where the rebels were in great force, he returned in about an hour and a half, and informed them, that the united Irifhmen were in poffeffion of the town; and with the femblance of friendfhip, he advifed them to conceal their arms and their uniforms, as many of them were yeomen.

He went on fhore a fecond time, and returned with two boats full of men, well armed, and who immediately deprived the paffengers of their arms. Thofe with captain Dixon then proceeded to the barrack, from whence having made a fignal, the rebel failors in the floop informed the paffengers that they were prifoners, and that their captain had obtained the command of the barrack.

Thus this party of gentlemen and ladies, obnoxious for their loyalty, wete betrayed into the hands of the ferocious rebels, after having been defrauded of their money. They were landed, and lodged at the poftoffice, where they remained till the firft of June.
Mr. Crump, Mr. Bland, and Mr. Kellet, and their wives, who were of the party, repaired to the houfe of the former, but as it had been plundered of all its furniture, and materially injured by the rebels, they could not occupy it. They therefore repaired to Clonard, the houfe of Mr. Kellet, two miles from the town, which was not in the fmalleft degree injured, becaufe he was married to a lady of the popifh perfuafion; and for that reafon they remained there unmolefted, till Monday the fourth of June, except that they daily received three or four domiciliary

vifits from rebel parties, who faid they were fearching for orangemen.*

On Sunday the third of June, Mr. Cornelius Grogan, of Johnftown,† within three miles of Wexford, vifited them, and afked them what part they would take in the prefent civil war? They anfwered that they would continue neuter. He told them that they would not be fuffered to remain inactive, and affured them that they would be taken to the camp if they perfifted in doing fo, and put to death if they attempted to make their efcape. He faid, that the united Irifhmen had waited on him that morning, and compelled him to take their oath: That at firft he was averfe to it; but having confulted one O’Connor a fchoolmafter on the propriety of taking it, he removed his doubts, by affuringhim that the moft loyal of his majefty’s fubjects might fafely fwear it That he was determined to go through with the bufinefs, as it was the only means of preferving his property; for, that the people had rifen in great force in different parts of the kingdom, and had been victorious in different engagements. Being invefted with the office of commiffary to the republick, he took an inventory of all the provifions at Clonard, from Mr. Kellet’s fheward; and afterwards went out and examined whether it was correct. He evinced his authority by giving a protection to a woman whom Mr. Kellet was fending to Wexford for bread. This unfortunate gentleman was feized of an eftate of £8,000 a-year, in the county of Wexford, and lived at Johnftown, in a rude, but plentiful hofpitality; attended by a few parafites, who flattered his prejudices, and paid the moft obfequious deference to his opinions. From their daily exceffes at the table, Mr. Grogan was feldom free from the gout. On moft occafions he evinced the moft decided difapprobation of the meafures of the Irifh government, in which he was encouraged by his needy and dependent affociates, who hoped to acquire riches and confequence from general combuftion. In him it probably arofe from envy, becaufe, from the want of mental excellence, (for he had but mean talents) and of proper exertion in publick concerns, he did not enjoy that weight and refpect in fociety, which gentlemen of much fmaller fortunes poffeffed.

* From whatever poft the rebels occupied, they, as a matter of courfe, fent out bands of pikemen in queft of proteftants, under the denomination of orangemen.
† See Plate III. 7

It is fcarce to be doubted, but that he was not privy to the confpiracy which ended in a rebellion, though his conduct afforded ftrong ful’picions of it, as he was fond of the fociety of Keugh, Bagenal Harvey, and other difaffetled perfons; and his parafites were notorioufly difloyal.

It is much to be feared that this unfortunate gentleman fell a facrifice to his credulity, his avarice, and want of firmnefs. He retreated with the king’s troops from Wexford, about two miles, and then turned off to his own houfe, where he was circumvented by the rebels; who either compelled or feduced him to join them. Some are of opinion, that he repaired to his houfe, in hopes of preferving it from being plundered; others that he imagined he could not preferve his property but by embarking in the rebel caufe, which he was convinced would prevail, from the falfe and exaggerated accounts which he had received of their fucceffes and their numbers.

On Monday the fourth day of June, Meffrs. Bland, Crump and Kellet, were conveyed to the gaol of Wexford, by a ferjeant and twelve rebels, and were committed to a long narrow pastage, which was fo filthy and offenfive, (as numbers of proteftant prifoners were crowded into it) that Mr. Bland, who had been well acquainted with genetal Keugh, wrote him a note, reprefenting their deplorable fituation. On his arrival in the prifon Mr. Bland afked him, whether they could not be liberated on their parole? He replied, “By no means, as the wifhes of the people muft be indulged however he had them removed to an apartment at the other fide of the gaol-yard, where there was no furniture, but a wretched bed, without clothes. When they were going out, the rebel centinel who guarded the door, stopped them in a rude and peremptory manner; on which general Keugh faid, “Do you know whom you fpeak to? Who placed you there?” To which the centinel replied, in an angry tone, and with a ftern look, “It was the people that placed me here.” This incident affords an inftructive leffon to factious demagogues, who hope to rife on the deftruction of focial order; as it proves, even in the outfet of a rebellion, how precarious their power is over the giddy multitude, whom they hope to make the inftruments of their inordinate ambition.

On Wednefday the feventh of June, they were committed to a prifon-fhip,* with many other refpectable gentlemen. They were furrounded

* See Plate VI.

by a multitude of pikemen as they marched to the quay, where they embarked. They were confmed fixteen days in the hold of a fmall Hoop, covered with an iron grate, and had no other bed but a light covering of dirty ftraw, over the ballaft, which confifted of ftones. Six rebel guards were placed over them. Their breakfaft confifted of a fmall barley loaf, which was almoft black, and half a pint of milk: Their dinner of coarfe boiled beef, with fome potatoes, let down in the dirty bucket of the fhip, without a knife or fork; for they were deprived of their knives as foon as they were committed. Their drink was bad beer or whifkey. Two days in the week their only food was potatoes and rancid butter, let down in the fhip’s bucket. Such was the barbarous treatment which a number of refpectable gentlemen received, for no other reafon than becaufe they were known to be attached to the beft of kings, and to the only conftitution in Europe which affords any degree of rational liberty!

From the fufferings of the paffengers on board a large Hoop called the Lovely Kitty, (and many of them were ladies of rank and fortune,*) one may form fome idea of what the proteftant fugitives endured from the favage fpirit of the rebel failors. Having embarked at three o’clock, in the morning of the thirtieth of May, they failed as far as the fort of Rofslare,† where the failors caft anchor, under the pretext of taking in ballaft. In the evening they were furrounded by a number of boats, the crews of which, being well-armed, boarded them, and were fo brutal and ferocious, as to fill them with ferious apprehenfions for their lives. Mrs. Gill, one of the paffengers, imagining that they were on the point of murdering her hufband, threw herfelf overboard, and floated to fome diftance from the veffel; but was purfued and faved. Having been carried on deck, fhe appeared lifelefs for fome time, and on being recovered, fhe exclaimed, “Ah! why did you bring me back to fcenes of mifery?” Mr. Stringer, who had efcaped from Ennifcorthy, having been afked by a ruffian how he came to burn his town, replied, “It was done by the rebels on which the failors exclaimed, “Over with him!” and inflantly threw him overboard. After fwimming fome time, part of the crew, more humane than the reft, followed him with the long boat, and faved his life, but he continued infane; and his wife, a beautiful young woman, was fo much affected, as to be defpaired of. As the veffel from,

* Mrs. Ogle aad her fifter were among them.  † Plate III.

its fmallnefs, could afford accommodation for but few of the paffengers, moft of them remained all night on the deck, among the failors, who were brutally drunk, and were conftantly uttering treafon, blafphemy, and obfcenity.

Sometimes they held fwords or piftols to the breafts of the women, uttering the moft horrid threats. They often ordered them on deck, during the courfe of the night, faying, “That they had bufinefs below with the gentlemen and they defired them not to be alarmed at piftols going off. They heard them fire many fhots, and were informed afterwards, that they killed eight or ten men in the hold.

Some of the females, dreading that they would offer brutal violence to them, refolved on drowning themfelves, fhould fuch an attempt be made. The failors often declared that they would exterminate all orangemen, and that there fhould be but one religion.

On Thurfday morning, the thirty-firft of May, a party of the paffengers, twenty-fix in number, and all women, except fix boys and girls, were conveyed to Wexford as prifoners, and lodged in the houfe of one Heron, a chandler, and in a very fmall room, where they had but one fmall pallet-bed to repofe on, and where they fuffered much from fetid air, bad food, and the want of fleep.

Heron and his wife were very kind to them, though the rebels conftantly threatened that they would demolifh their houfe, if they entertained orangemen or orangewomen, and they often fearched the houfe for the latter.

Mrs. Pounden, of Ennifcorthy, who did not difembark till the firft party landed, affured me, that when fhe was going from the veffel into a fmall boat, one of the failors fhot Mr. Dowfe, a paffenger, clofe by her fide, for no other reafon than becaufe he was a member of captain Richards’s yeomen cavalry at Ennifcorthy, and was a proteftant of diftinguifhed loyalty. The firft object thefe ladies beheld on their landing, was the naked body of Mr. John Boyd, which lay bleeding on the quay, disfigured with many a ghaftly wound, and writhing with agony of pain. When he was affaffinated, a number of rebel women exclaimed with favage joy, “Well done, boys! ferve all the hereticks fo,” Mr. John Boyd was brother to Mr. James Boyd, member of the town of Wexford; and becaufe his family were noted for their loyalty, this unfortunate gentleman was murdered as foon as he landed on the quay. He continued dying for

above twenty hours, and often afked for a draught of water, to quench his infatiable thirft; but the rebel mob would not fuffer any perfon to relieve him. While in that deplorable fituation, a rebel lad of about fourteen years old fhot him with a piftol, which encreafed his pain, without putting a period to his exiftence.

On the fame day they murdered Mr. Sparrow, a yeoman, of Ennifcorthy, and dragged his naked body through the ftreets, and tied it to one of the piers of the bridge, where it remained buoyant, (a woeful fpectacle!) till the king’s troops arrived.

A gentleman of great refpectability, in the county of Wexford, affured me, that he was carried as a prifoner by a body of pikemen into a houfe, where he was confined for the night, that he found there fome gentlemen to whom father Corrin, a prieft, was granting protections; but he previoufly required that they fhould fwear that they had not taken the Orangeman’s oath; the printed form of which lay on the table. It was infamoufly fanguinary, containing an obligation to deftroy and extirpate Roman catholicks: This gentleman offered to take the oath, to entitle him to protection; but father Corrin refufed to adminifter the oath, having faid, “We know you too well to regard what you would fwear in that way”, alluding to his noted zeal and aclivity, as a magiftrate and a yeoman.

A very amiable and refpectable lady* and her children, who had embarked on board the floop of the fanguinary Thomas Dixon, was treacheroufly relanded by him; and having repaired to the houfe of Mr. Thomas Hatchel, fon-in-law of doctor Jacob, near the bridge, where, with the doctor, his family, and fome other proteftants, fhe was protected. While the town remained in poffeffion of the rebels, fhe wrote a very exaft diary of every material event during that period, which I fhall quote occafionally.

She tells us, “That Thomas Dixon went on fhore in his fmall boat, and at his return declared, that no woman or child fhould be killed; but that no man, except three, whom he named, fhould efcape. The favage failors intoxicated with victory and whifkey, arrived with boats to carry them on fhore, and a female heroine among them, fifter of Mrs. Dixon,

*Her name is concealed at her own defire.

and wife to a miller at Altramont, brandifhed a fword, and boafting of her exploits, faid, “That the paffengers of no boat would be faved, except thofe of Thomas Dixon, as he was brother-in-law to Roche the commander of the rebel army.” Another boat full of ruffians, more furious than the former, arrived, and fwore they would burn the boat, if they found one gun or a man concealed under deck. More ruffians arrived drunk, and boafting of their murders, would not drink unlefs Mrs. —— drank firft, left, as they faid, they fhould be poifoned.

“At dawn of day, on the thirty-firft of May, Dixon returned, faid many horrible things, boafted of various murders, and made her ftand on deck, and fee the dead body of Mr. James Boyd on fhore.

“When the landed, fhe found the ftreets crowded with rebels, who were conftantly firing fhots. The boatman afked her, if fhe knew ever a Roman catholick? and fhe faid, fhe was acquainted with Mrs. Talbot; he then led her the back way to her houfe; but fhe then reimbarked, having found it fhut. He afked her, if fhe knew doctor Jacob? and having faid fhe did, he recommended to her to go there, as it would be a fafe houfe.* They landed her oppofite to his door, and fhe was well received there. The hall was full of ruffians who brought faggots to fet the houfe on fire, but fome of them humanely prevented it.

She was then without food or fleep from Sunday night the twenty-feventh, except that fhe got a little tea from Mrs. Dixon. She was diftracted, and felt more the enthufiafm of defpair than infanity. She took her daughter by her hand, and went to Bagenal Harvey, who did not know her, being covered with coal-afhes, and convulfed with mifery. She reminded him of their acquaintance; he gave her a protection, but faid he had no real command, and that the rebels were a fet of favages exceeding all defcription. She afked him, when this was to end? He anfwered, probably not for fome time, as government would not fend a force into the country till they had collected a proper one. He faid, he muft get the people out of the town, and form a camp, for otherwife it would be deftroyed in a few hours. Shortly after, they confented to go to camp, and fhe faw many thoufands of them going there. They were

* She look this for doctor Jacob’s, but it was his fon-in-law’s Mr. Hatchel’s; and the rebels availing themfelves of the doctor’s furgical ftill to drefs their wounded men, they fhewed a regard for, and protected him, and fuch of his friends as fought an nfy him in Mr. Hatchel’s houfe.

led by many priefts. They often ftop ped, knelt down, kifted the ground, croffed themfelves; and then fet up the moft hideous yells, and followed their priefts. All that time fhots were conftantly fired. Small parties of them entered and fearched the houfe. The firft of June paffed in the fame manner.

“J. R. a Roman catholick of great humanity, came and told me with candour, how much the proteftants were fpoken againft but faid, he trufted that the women and children would be fpared.

“In the evening, doctor Caulfield, the Roman catholick bifhop, came, and was very kind to me, J. R. having told him who I was. The doctor faid, he was cautioned in the ftreet, to beware how he protected proteftants. He gave me a protection, but like B. Harvey faid, “He had no influence: That the people could not be defcribed: That in reality, the devil was roaming at large amongft them: That their power never could hold: That they were making it a religious war, which would ruin them: That government was too ftrong, and muft conquer: That this rebellion had been hatching four years.” I think he might have given government notice of it.*

“Second of June, the mob were conftantly talking in the ftreet of punifhing proteftants. Colonel Lehunte, and many others, went to the chapel, and renounced their religion, were chrifte’ned; and then marched in proceffion through the ftreets.

“Third of June, they made three proteftants fhoot a man in the Bullring. We received conftant domiciliary vifits from the rebels, who we thought would murder us ere they departed.* The rebels paraded twice a-day oppofite our door, having fifes, fiddles, and drums. It was a kind of regular tumult; every one was giving his opinion. My little boy liftening one day faid, “Mamma, are they all kings?”

On Trinity Sunday the third of June, a fermon was preached in the chapel, to a large congregation, confifting of a numerous body of pikemen, and fome proteftants, who affumed the femblance of fincere converts to fave their lives, and who went there to be christened for the fame purpofe. Father Roche, the preacher, and chaplain to the popifh bifhop, doctor Caulfield, inveighed from the altar againft the errors of

* This is her obfervation.

proteftants, whofe religion he reprefented as an abominably herefy. He then explained and enforced the doctrines of popery, particularly that of exclufive falvation. He defired them to perfevere with firmnefs, as they were fighting in the caufe of God againft hereticks. When the fermon was over, father Broe, a friar, proceeded to chriften the proteftants, in which ceremony he ufed much water, having almoft wafhed their faces.*

Some papifts who were connected with, or attached to proteftants, ftrenuoufly urged them to change their religion, and even taught them how to crofs themfelves, and to fay popifh prayers, from a thorough conviction that the prefervation of their lives depended on their converfion.

This happened to Mr. Gibfon, while in prifon, to whom fome papifts lent mafs books, and pointed out to him the prayers which he fhould learn by heart.

The rebels, in their domiciliary vifits in fearch of orangemen, arms or ammunition, in the houfes of proteftants, never failed to carry away with them any articles of wearing apparel, or remarkable furniture, that pleafed them. The women were much more active in plundering than the men, not only in Wexford, but in the country. They conftantly entered and plundered the houfes of their proteftant neighbours, without fhame or remorfe.

The wives of the country rebels often made a fantastick appearance, with the elegant apparel of proteftant ladies of Wexford, put over their own homely drefs. Some of them were feen mounted on horfeback, with handfome veils, having at the fame time pikes in their hands.

At firft there were ferious apprehenfions of a famine, as no provifions were carried to market, except butter and milk; and they were fold for one fourth of the ufual price, from the fcarcity of fpecie, the paucity of bidders, and the fears of the farmers that it would be feized by force for the ufe of the republick, if they were not fpeedily fold.

Officers to regulate the price of provifions were inftituted in every parifh in the county. They alfo appointed armed veffels to cruize in the channel, which were to intercept fuch as they found laden with coals, or any of the neceffaries of life.

For this reafon, a committee was formed, to fupply the town with provifions,

* Some time after the rebellion was fuppreffed, he demanded his hire from fome of thofe whom he had chriftened. See Appendix, No, XX. 27.

and they appointed commiffaries in every parifh, who plundered the adjacent country.
William Devereux of Taghmon, commiffary of his own parifh, was folicited by a rebel to give him a pair of fhoes; and he faid,

“Have. you killed a foldier?” and he anfwering in the negative, Devereux faid, “You fhall not have the fhoes till you have done fo.” This the rebel proved on Devereux’s trial at Wexford.

The governors of the newly-eftablifhed republick prohibited the circulation of bank notes, with a view of injuring the credit of government, which tended materially to diftrefs the inhabitants of Wexford.

A perfon of the utmoft veracity affured me, that in his prefence a rebel, who had been concerned in the plunder of Mr. D’Arcy’s houfe, pulled out of his pocket a large quantity of bank notes, in the ftreets of Wexford, and tore them; fwearing at the fame time, with much vehemence, that he would ruin all the banks in Ireland.

The narrow efcape of Mr. Milward, an officer in the Wexford militia, and Mr. Richard Newtown King, a magiftrate of the county, will shew the reader with what malignant zeal the rebels fearched for proteftants, whom they denominated orangemen.* Thefe gentlemen lay concealed at the houfe of Mr. Hatchel,† fon-in-law of Dr. Jacob.

One Herring, a rebel captain, in the courfe of making domiciliary vifits in queft of orangemen, entered Mr. Hatchel’s houfe with a drawn fword, at the head of an armed band of rebels. On finding Mr. Milward, he conveyed him to prifon; but firft informed Mr. Hatchel’s family, that he would burn the houfe, if they concealed any more orangemen. On this Mr. King, who happened to be in the only room which they did not fearch, declared that no perfon fhould fuffer on his account. He therefore retreated backwards to another houfe at fome diftance, and in doing fo, was obliged to fcale fome walls, and to wade through a fmall ftream, much fwollen with the tide. He lay concealed fome days in a wretched out-office, not better than a pig-fly, and was fupplied with food by Mrs. Jacob. His wife, though fhe lodged near him, would not venture to approach him, left the place of his retreat fhould be difcovered. At length, the rebels who were active and inceffant in their refearches, difcovered and committed him.

* See James Beaghan’s confeffion in Appendix, No, XIX. 8,  † See Plate VI.

Thefe two gentlemen were on the point of being maffacred the twentieth of June, on the bridge of Wexford, when Mr. Efmond Kyan, a rebel chieftain, faved their lives, by telling the rebel bloodhounds, that the king’s troops muft finally fucceed, and that they would gain ample vengeance of them for putting fo many proteftants to death in cold blood, and without any provocation whatever.

Efmond Kyan, who was wounded at the battle of Arklow, was coming to Wexford to get medical affiftance, and happened to be crofting the bridge when the maffacre was going forward.

Thofe who obtained a certain quantity of provifions from the committee who diftributed it, expected to have the exclufive enjoyment of it; yet the rebels would enter their houfes, and take it out of their pot und carry it ofl”, or fit down at their table and eat fhare of it; and while fitting at the tables of proteftants, they would often fay, “That they loved liberty and equality, and that they liked to fee mafters and fervints affociate together.”

“They led their wild defires to woods and caves,

And thought that all but favages were flaves.”

On Trinity Sunday the third of June, a man of the name of Murphy, of the popifh perfuafion, w-as fhot in a fmall place, formerly called the Bull-ring, now Fountain-fquare,† for having profecuted a prieft of the name of Dixon, for being an united Irifhmen. Mr. Middleton Robfon, a ganger, and Meftrs. Plgott and Julian, furveyors of excife, all proteftants, and prifoners In the gaol, were brought forth and compelled to fhoot him. By way of encreafing the ignominy of his death, they had him executed by hereticks. Previous to the execution the rebel pikemen, who acted as guards, croffed themfelves, knelt down and prayed fometime for his foul. As foon as the vidim fell, the bloody Thomas Dixon, firft coufin of the prieft, drew his fword, ran it through his body, and having held it up to publick view, reeking with blood, exclaimed, “Behold! the blood of a traitor†”, and then he ordered the furrounding pikemen to plunge their pikes into the body. Dixon the prieft, convicted on his evidence, was condemned to be tranfported. This execution took place foon after the celebration of mafs, at the publick chapel; and previous to it, father Gorrin, the parifh prieft, adminiftered the rites of

† Plate VI. K.

his church to him; and yet he, or any of the priefts in Wexford, could have faved the life of Murphy without any difficulty. Thefe facts were proved on the trial of Michael McDaniel, one of the affaffins, held at Wexford the eighteenth of June, 1799.

On Monday morning the fourth of June, another man of the name of Murphy, a papift, was fhot for having given information againft rebels. His executioners were three proteftant prifoners, Charles Jackfon, Jonas Gurley, and Kennet Matthewfon,§ Edward Fraine, a man of fome opulence, and who was fuppofed to gain £300 a year as a tanner, was officer of the guard. When the executioners were brought into the yard, Fraine addreffed Charles Jackfon, and had the following converfation with him: “Mr. Jackfon, I believe you know what we want of you.” He anfwered, “Yes; I fuppofe I am going to die He then fell upon his knees, and begged that he might be allowed to go to fee his wife and child. Fraine fwore he fhould not, and informed him, that a man was to die that evening at fix o’clock, and that he did not know any more proper perfons to execute him, than he and the two others. He added, that he fuppofed he could have no objection to the bufinefs, as the culprit was a Roman catholick. Jackfon replied, “Sir, fhpuld I have no objection to commit murder?” Fraine faid, “You need not talk about murder; if you make any objections, you fhall be put to death in ten minutes; but if you do your bufinefs properly, you may live two or three days longer; fo I expect you will be ready this evening at fix o’clock.” Another rebel captain infultingly addreffed him in the following manner:

“If you could get a few orange ribands to tie round your neck during the execution, it would, I think, have a pretty appearance.” The executioners were remanded to their cells, where they remained praying till fix o’clock in the evening, when they were brought again into the gaol yard, where they found the prifoner Murphy furrounded by about a thoufand armed rebels.

The proceffion to the place of execution, which was about a mile and a half off, at the other fide of the bridge, was in the following order: A large body of pikemen, who formed a hollow fquare; a black flag;

§ Thefe men were much efteemed in Wexford. Gurley and Matthews were afterwards murdered by the rebels oq the twentieth of June.

the drum and fifes; Murphy, the condemned man next, followed by Jackfon, with Gurley and Matthewfon behind him. When this arrangement took place, the dead march was fttuck up, and beat till they arrived at the fpot where the victim was to fall a facrifice to their fanatical vengeance. He was placed on his knees, clofe to the river, and with his back to it. Previous to the execution, the rebels knelt down and prayed for about five minutes; which ceremony was adopted as in the former inflance. The rebels were ordered to form a femi-circle, with an opening towards the water. Charles Jackfon afked permiffion to tie his cravat about the poor man’s eyes; but they defired him not to be nice about’ fuch’ matters, as it would be his own cafe in a few minutes. When the mufkets were called for, it was fuggefted, that if they gave three at once to the executioners, they might turn about and fire at them. It was therefore refolved, that they fhould fire one at a time. Matthewfon, the firft perfon appointed to fhoot, miffed fire three times. They gave him another mufket, with which he fhot Murphy in the arm. Jackfon was next called upon; and as they fufpected that he would turn and fire on them, two men advanced at each fide of him, with cocked piftols, and two men with cavalry fwords were placed behind him, who threatened him with inftant death if he miffed the mark. He fired, and the poor man inftantly fell dead; after which Gurley was obliged to fire at the body, while proftrate on the ground. It was then propofed that Jackfon fhould wafh his hands in his blood, but it was over-ruled, as fome of the rebels faid he had done his bufinefs well. A ring was then formed round the body, and a fong in honour of the Irifh republick was fung to the tune of, “God fave the king.”

This dreadful bufinefs took up about three hours, after which the executioners were marched back to prifon. Thefe circumftances relating to it are to be found in Charles Jackfon’s narrative, and they were confirmed by the evidence given on the trial of Matthew Greene of Wexford, who was tried, condemned, and executed there, for having acted as a rebel officer at this atrocious fcene.

Charles Jackfon informs us, and I have been affured by different perfons of veracity, that proteftants were frequently taken out of the Wexford prifons, and conveyed to the different camps, and in particular to Vinegar-hill, to be executed there. This was done whenever they were

at a lofs to fupply the facrifice of proteftant victims, which was daily made, as a regale to the rebels when on parade.

James Lett, chandler, Richard Leech, mafter fhoemaker, William Mooney, who kept the Fox-inn at Ennifcorthy, and John Hawkins, were taken from Wexford, by a rebel guard, who was to convey them to the grand flaughter-houfe. Vinegar-hill. Finding that they were to die near their own homes, they prevailed on a rebel, who was attached to them, to go before them with fpeed, and to prevail on their neighbours to come forward, and to ufe their friendly interceftion for preferving their lives. The rebel guard, dreading that they might poffibly efcape through the humane interference of their friends, difpatched them at a place called Lacken, threw them into one grave, and covered them lightly with fods. They were all, except Hawkins, half alive, when buried, and groaned and ftruggled a great deal while the rebels were interring them.

On the morning of the twentieth of June, four proteftants, of the names of Cavenagh, Willis, Furlong, and Prifcott, were conveyed from the gaol of Wexford to Vinegar-hill, and fhot there.

The defeat of the rebels at Rofs fublimated their vengeance againft proteftants in moft parts of the county, but particularly at Scullabogue, Vinegar-hill, and Wexford. Charles Jackfon tells us, that on the day it was announced, fifteen of the Wexford, and ten of the Ennifcorthy people were ordered out of the gaol, to revenge the lofs which the rebels had fuftained at Rofs. He fays, “When this notice was given, I ran into my cell, got upon my knees in a dark corner, and pulled fome ftraw over me; but a man of the name of Prendergaft* came in, and drew me out, uttering fhocking threats againft me. He dragged me into the yard, where I found my unhappy comrades on their knees. One of them who had been a proteftant, but had become a catholick, and who was now imprifoned on a charge of being an orangeman, requefted to have the prieft with him before he died. This was immediately granted; and a meffenger was fent to father Corrin, the Roman catholick prieft of Wexford. He prefently came; and to give effect to his admonition and interceffion, had dreffed himfelf in his cowl, and

* An opulent fhopkeeper and maltfter, who was hanged.

bore his crucifix in his hand: He held up the crucifix, and all prefent fell on their knees: He exhorted them in the moft earned manner: He conjured them, as they hoped for mercy, to fhew it He made every poffible exertion to fave all the prifoners; but it was in vain: He faid he could witnefs that the Wexford people had never fired upon them, or done them any injury; and that he could not fay mafs to them, if they perfifted in their cruel refolutions. At laft he influenced them fo far, as to prevail upon them to return into the gaol the fifteen Wexford men; but for thofe from Ennifcorthy, he could obtain no remiffion.” They were conveyed to Vinegar-hill, and executed there.

It will reflect eternal fhame and difhonour on the popifh priefts of the county of Wexford, of whom numbers were conftantly in the town, besides thofe who refided there, for having fuffered fuch atrocities to be committed by their fanguinary fleck, over whom they had unbounded influence, and by whom they were not only revered as men, but adored as Gods. The favage pikemen never met them in the ftreets, without bowing low to them with their hats off, and continued fo while they were in their fight; and they never met doctor Caulfield, the popifh bifhop, without falling on their knees, and receiving his benediction.
Now it will appear by the following protection, that doctor Caulfield, the popifh bifhop, could protect the Ennifcorthy as eafily as the Wexford people, however odious they were. Two perfons of the former were confined in the gaol of Wexford, and dreading that they might be maffacred, applied to two priefts of Ennifcorthy to protect them; and having obtained a recommendation from them to doctor Caulfield, he gave them a protection, in confequence of which they were liberated, and were never afterwards molefhed. I give the reader an exact copy of the recommendation and protection.

Reverend Doctor Caulfield, Wexford.
“My Lord!
“If poffible you’ll have the Meffrs. liberated, or removed to fome more comfortable lodging: They are well difpofed, and have never injured any one individual. Your compliance will oblige your affectionate friend,
Ennifcorthy, June 15th, 1798.	JOHN SUTTON, prieft.”*

* He conftantly vifited the camp at Vinegar-hill.

* See his affidavit containing this pafs, and the exhortation of father Murphy to extirpate hereticks, Appendix, No. XX. 7.

Mr. Meadows, who was a prifoner in the gaol, informed me of the following incident which occurred while he was there: A papift who had been committed in a miftake, fent for a prieft, and remonftrated to him on the injuftice of confining him: “For,” faid he, “you know as well as I do, that we are fighting for the mafs, the crofs, and the lamb. It was I that led on the Ballaghkeene men at the battle of Oulart.” On faying this, the prieft had him releafed.*

It was refolved at the rebel camp near Rofs, immediately after the victory obtained by the king’s troops, to put all the proteftants to death. Mr. Meadows was at that time in the prifon-fhip in the harbour of Wexford. A rebel, who had a warm regard for him, having made his efcape from the camp, repaired to Wexford, and told Mr. Meadows’s brother, who was not in confinement, that the prifon-ship would probably be funk that night; and he urged him to prevail on Mr. Corrin, the prieft, who, he faid, had -more influence than any other individual in the town, to have his brother releafed.

As the taking and captivity of lord Kingfborough, now the earl of Kingfton, by the rebels, is an important and interefting incident, I will give a circumflantial relation of it. The head quarters of the North Cork regiment, which he commanded, was at Wexford, and on the breaking out of the rebellion, he refolved to join them. From Dublin to ArkIow,† he travelled by land, but as the roads were infefted by a rebellious banditti, he took a boat there, manned by failors of approved fidelity, who had been recommended by the reverend Mr. Bayly of Lamberton. Having stopped at Courtown, on the coaft, to get fome refrefhment, it is believed that fome difaffected perfons there conveyed intelligence of his lordfhip’s intention to the rebels at Wexford. At Ballynalker, about three or four miles from the harbour’s mouth, they perceived a number of armed men on an eminence, from whence one of them having fired a mufquet, the

* A refpectable and loyal Roman catholick of Waterford, who was there while it was in poffeffion of the rebels, affured the late lord mayor, (now aldemian Thomas Fleming) and me, that the priefts could have prevented the effufion of bloodby a turn of their finger.
† Plate II. 1.

ball paffed over their heads. When they arrived at the entrance of the bay, they were met by a veffel failing faft before the wind, the pastengers in which they took for women; but when they clofed each other, fifty rebels varioufly armed†, ftarted up and threatened to fhoot them if they did not furrender. They at the fame time hoifted a green flag, with a harp, but without a crown. They wore white bands round their hats with Unity and Liberty infcribed on them. They made prifoners lord Kingfborough, captain O’Hea, lieutenant Bourke, of his own regiment, and the boat’s crew. Generals Keugh and Harvey were ready to receive them on the quay where they landed. For two days his lordfhip was lodged at the houfe of general Keugh; he was then removed to an inferior kind of inn, called the Cape of Good Hope, thence to the prifon-fhip, where he remained but eight hours, having been afterwards lodged in a private houfe, where a guard was placed over him. Keugh afked him, how he thought government would treat him and his party, if they had them in their power? Lord Kingfborough replied, That they would hang every one of them.” On which Keugh obferved, “We know that we fight with halters round our necks.” The day of his lordfhip’s arrival, Bagenal Harvey fet out for the camp at Carrickbyrne, where the rebel, army that attacked Rofs was ftationed. Keugh told lord Kingfborough, “That he would permit him to write to lord Caftlereagh, the lord lieutenant’s fecretary; but faid, “He expected he would inform him how well he and his fellow-prifoners were treated and he added, “That he expected his friends Meffrs. Sheares, Bond, Emmett, Jackfon, M’Cann, &c, would receive fimilar treatment.” He informed lord Kingfborough, that the members of the Irifh union had no confidence in the oppofition party in the Irifh parliament, becaufe they confidered them as infincere; and that they had propounded catholick emancipation, and reform of parli?.-. rnent, merely to promote their own ambitious defigns.
Mrs. Snowe, the wife of captain Snowe of the North Cork regiment,: informed me, that lord Kingfborough afked her foon after his capture, “Whether fhe thought the rebel chieftains would have put him to death?” She replied, “She was fure they would not, becaufe they regarded him as a very good hoflage, fhould they enter into any ftipulations for their, own fafety; and that by preferving his life, they might conciliate him, and obtain his influence and intereft to fecure their own and to fuch motives, I am forry to fay, we muft impute the fafety of lord Kingfborough.

This lady heard general Keugh upbraid his lordfhip for not having treated doctor Caulfield with fufficient refspect, when he waited on him; and to make an atonement for it, he, with the permiffion of lord Kingfborough, wrote a note to the doctor, to requeft he would call on him again; and he affured him of the neceffity of conciliating him, as his countenance and protection were abfolutely neceffary for the fafety of his perfon; and in compliance with Keugh’s request, doctor Caulfield waited again on lord Kingfborough. Keugh was folicitous of obtaining the doctor’s protection for his lordfhip, becaufe he was convinced of the perilous fituation in which he ftood, from the following event: “After Murphy had been fhot in the Bull-ring, on the third of June, Thomas Dixon who had prefided at the execution, proceeded to Keugh’s houfe, at the head of a band of favage pikemen, and clamoroufly infifted on having the bloody orangeman, lord Kingfborough, delivered up to him. Keugh fuccefsfully oppofed his atrocious defign, but not without confiderable difficulty. Keugh affured lord Kingfborough, that the attention which he fhewed his lordfhip, and the zeal which he difplayed for his prefervation, had leffened his authority fo much among the people, that he could no longer be accountable for his fafety if he remained in his houfe, for which reafon he left it. Keugh feverely rebuked lord Kingfborough for having received a vifit from the officers wives of his own regiment. Robert Carthy, a rebel of fome property and confiderable influence, happened to enter his lordfhip’s lodgings while the ladies were there; and declared, in oppofition to Keugh, that they fhould go there as often as they chofe, and that Keugh had no right to interfere. On which Keugh faid, “I am governor of the town.” Carthy. “Who appointed you?” Keugh. “The people.” Carthy. “No, they would not truft fuch a fellow; I am one of them, and I never gave my confent.” He then grappled at Keugh, but lord Kingfborough interfered, and put an end to the altercation; however Carthy, on retiring, challenged Keugh to fight. Some days before the king’s troops arrived at Wexford, he affured a lady of my acquaintance that his life was conftantly in imminent danger, as he had loft all his authority, and there was no fubordination among the rebel foldiers: That one day while he attended the committee,* the bloody Thomas Dixon, attended

* It was proved on the court-martial that tried him, that he was prefident of it; but that his engagements as governor prevented his regular attendance.

attended by two fufileers, went to the door of the committee-room, and fent in for Keugh, under the pretext of having fome bufinefs to tranfact with him; but very fortunately for him, he could not go to them, having an indifpenfable engagement; and having been afterwards affured, that they meant to affaffinate him, he accufed the fufileers of it, who declared that they bore him no ill-will, but that they were perfuaded to murder him by Thomas Dixon.

Dixon and his wife were two fanguinary monfters, who were inceffantly endeavouring to incite the people to acts of violence and bloodfhed. He kept an inferior kind of inn in the town of Wexford, which was very much reforted to by rebels, who held their clubs and confpiracies there. He was proprietor of two large floops, and was bred to the fea, which gave him very great influence among the failors, whom he frequently inftigated to commit carnage and plunder.

At one time the rebel foldiers threatened Keugh’s life in the ftreets; and to appeafe them, he gave them the moft folemn affurance, that he had been warmly attached to their caufe fix years, and their fworn friend more than three.* A few days before the king’s troops expelled the rebels from Wexford, Keugh found a party of them going to put a pitch-cap on lord Kingfborough, and afterwards to affaffinate him. He was fo fortunate as to prevent them from perpetrating their nefarious defign, but not without very great danger, as a ruffian prefented a mufket at him, and was with difficulty reftrained from firing it. I have heard from the concurrent teftimony of different perfons, who refided in Wexford at that time, that nothing but the humane and active interference of generals Keugh and Harvey, prevented that indifcriminate flaughter of proteftants there, which took place in many other parts of the county, particularly at Vinegar-hill; but when they loft their authority, the bloody work began. When that was completely loft, Keugh invented and told the rebels the following ftory, in order to check their thirft for blood; “That twenty-five thoufand northern prefbyterians were armed and embodied, under a Scots general, and would march to the fouth immediately, and take ample vengeance of them, if they maffacred any more proteftants.” At one time, the rebel foldiers infifted on bringing him to trial. Some days before the town was relieved by the king’s troops, he told a

* This was proved on his trial.

refpectable gentleman of my acquaintance, then refident at Wexford, thaf his life was in imminent danger; and that though he might efcape affaffination, the anxiety and agitation ot his mind would foon put a period to his exiftence.

Some of the gentlemen confined in the prifon-fhip, affured me, that the rebel guards frequently inveighed againft Keugh, and vowed vengeance againft him, becaufe he would not indulge the people, that is, becaufe he did his utmoft to reftrain their defire for carnage; to fuch a deplorable ftate was that unfortunate man reduced in a very few days, after he had attained the height of his ambition, and by that very rabble who had faluted him unanimoufly, and by acclamation, to be governor of the town!

Soon after he was arrefted by the king’s troops, on the twenty-firft of June, he told an officer of my acquaintance, that he was convinced, the period of his. life could not exceed forty-eight hours, even if his party had gained the afcendancy; and if the king’s troops fucceeded and entered the town, his fate would, be determined in twenty-four.

On the evening of the fourteenth of June, a party of the rebels rufhed into the committee or council-room, and nearly killed Keugh. The charge againft him was his being an orangeman. The rell of the members who were Roman catholicks, refcued him: but he, and al’ the proteftant leaders embraced that religion, and went regularly to mafs, at the head of the rebels: but they never could forget their having been protfeftants, and they treated them accordingly. She heard Tome of the rebels fay, all their policy and chriftianity fhall not fave them: and it was at laft avowed, that no proteftant fhould live, much lefs command them.”*

On Sunday the tenth of June, while the rebels were on parade, at the cuftom-houfe quay, governor Keugh informed them, that doctor Caulfield the popifh bifhop had ordered a fermon to be preached that morning from the altar, fuited to the times, and that they muft repair to the chapel to hear it. They accordingly marched thither, with fife, and drums playing. After mafs was celebrated, the reverend father Roche, chaplain to doctor Caulfield, pronounced the following difcourfe from the altar:

“I am very much difpleafed at feeing a practice among you of trying to convert the proteftants to our communion, becaufe their converfion cannot be fincere, and arifcs merely from a hope of faving their lives.

* Lady’s diary.

Let there be no more of it, as they never will become true catholicks.” After a difcourfe of fome length, to his own flock, he addreffed the proteftants who were in the gallery, in the following words: “You are come here under the impreffions of fear, to profefs yourfelves catholicks; you are not fo in your hearts: You do it to fave your lives. Now, I tell you, my good people, don’t deceive yourfelves; if you are not sincere in what you protefs, I tell you you will all be murdered. I tell you to a certainty you will all be murdered!” This was repeated feveral times, with long paufcs, and great emphafis. Then addreffing himfelf to the pikemen, he pointed out to them the grievances they and their anceftors had groaned under, for a hundred years paft, by the oppreffion and cruelty of the proteftants; and after having wrought them up to the higheft pitch of religious phrenzy, he faid, “Notwithftanding the variety of ill treatment you have received from the proteftants, and are ftill fuffering, avoid the fpilling of blood. I recommend to you, to be merciful to thefe poor people, as you hope yourfelves for mercy: For God’s fake, be merciful to them. You are contending for your holy religion and your rights. The glorious fuccefs which you have obtained shews, that you are under the protection of the Almighty, in whofe caufe you are fighting. Continue your fpirited exertions then. You have put your hands to the plough, and you muft not look back. Be affured that you will all be murdered unlefs you fucceed and get the upper hand.” This prieft was very active at the battle of Foulkes’s-mill, in exhorting and ftimulating the rebels to enter into the action; nay, he was feen horfe-whipping thofe who betook themfelves to flight.

On the fame day that this fermon was preached, a proclamation was read from the altar,* requiring all perfons to apprehend and convey to the gaol of Wexford the following gentlemen, becaufe they had been active magiftrate: and zealous loyalifts: James Boyd, reprefentative for Wexford, Hawtrey White, Archibald H. Jacob, and Hunter Gowan. Printed copies of it were difperfed in moft parts of the county.

George Taylor, a printer at Wexford, was compelled, though a proteftant and a loyal subject, to print all the proclamations, orders and edicts, of the republick, which commonly ended with thefe words, “God fave the people.” I am well informed that he was obliged to put up a label in his fhop, announcing him printer to the republick.

* See Appendix, No. XX. 17.

On Sunday the feventeenth day of June, notice was given from the altar, that the following Saturday was to be obferved as a fact, for the fuccefs of the war,

A gentleman of the utmoft veracity affured me, that father Murphy wrote on many doors in Wexford, a latin infcription, with his name, and the fign of the crofs annexed to it. This, it is fuppofed, was fome mark of religious diftinction.

A party of refpectable ladies, who lived together in a houfe, to which t.he rebels frequently paid domiciliary vifits, and under whofe windows ihey often affembled and converfed, heard them make the following obfervations: One faid, (while they were drinking whifkey in their parlour,) “This is a religious war;” another, “I fay it is not.” At laft, they grew warm, and gave the lie to each other; on which a third rebel interfered, and faid, “Sure we received orders not to fay it was a religious war, left we fhould bring down upon us the vengeance of the Northerns,” meaning the prefbyterians. They frequently boafted of their barbarities, and faid, “They would not fuffer any perfon to live who was not of their faith, as there was only one true religion.”

They often faid, when the fuccefs of the king’s troops began to make them, defpond, that the failure of their caufe arofe from having proteftants at the head of their armies, and that they could not have luck or grace while any of their fort were in their ranks.

The following circumftances occurred to a party of refpectable female proteftants, who refided in the fame houfe. They daily received three bt four domiciliary vifits from the pikemen, who treated them with brutal infolence. They frequently prefented piftols at them, and fometimes preffed the muzzle of them againft their breaft, or their fide, with fo much violence, as to give them exquifite pain; faying, at the fame time, with fanatical fury in their countenance, “You muft die!” and on being afked, why they treated them fo cruelly, they replied, “You are orangewomen, and bigots to your religion.” They would then afk them, “Were we ever known to wrong or offend any perfon? Have we not given to the poor as much as we can afford? and in the diftribution of alms have we ever made any difference between the members of your church and our own?” “That is all true; but you are orangewomen.

You have the drop* in you. For generations in your family, you cannot name on either fide, a fingle catholick. One branch of your family came to Ireland with Cromwell; the other with king William, and therefore you muft die.”

The 13th regiment, commanded by lieutenant-colonel Bradfhaw, was quartered for above a year at Wexford, where he and his lady were very much efteemed and refpected. They marched to Waterford a fhort time before the rebellion broke out, and left their firft-born child at nurfe with the wife of one Wreck, who lived within a mile of Wexford. The rebels often threatened to burn his houfe, unlefs he would put the young heretick to death; but he, with becoming fortitude, mingled with humanity, refifted their menaces; and he was confirmed in this generous refolution by the refpectable females whom I have now mentioned, and who often vifited the child.

The rebels frequently attempted to force the gaol, and to murder the prifoners; but the guards, I prefume, influenced by their officers, fuccefsfully oppofed them.

A number of proteftant prifoners were marched from Gorey, and committed to the gaol of Wexford, on the fourteenth day of June. As they marched through the town, the houfes were hung with green emblems, and the mob expreffed their favage joy by fhouting aloud. The rebels ftripped the prifoners almoft naked, and put pitched caps on their heads before they left Gorey,

The reverend Roger Owen, a proteftant clergyman and rector of Camolin, was among them, without fhoes, and having a little ragged jacket.†

A refpectable lady, who faw from a window the prifoners pasting through the ftreets, affured me, that the wife of Thomas Dixon, fo remarkable for the ferocity of her difpofition, headed the rebels who efcorted them; and faid, with much violence, mingled with contempt, and pointing to Mr. Owen, who was barefooted, “There’s a proteftant clergyman! behold the proteftant clergyman!”

The fufferings of Mr. Lehunte, a refpectable gentleman of large landed property, who lived at Artramont,|| near Wexford, merit a circumftantial

* This was a common expreffion among the rebels, meaning of proteftant blood.†See Appendix, No. XXI. 2, 3.
|| See Plate III. 5..

relation. He commanded the Shelmalier corps of yeomen cavalry, who amounted to fifty-two, of which twenty-four were papifts; and of that number twenty deferted to the enemy at Oulart; and two were difmifted, becaufe they gave ftrong indications of difaffection. It was remarkable that numbers of Roman catholicks fhewed great zeal to join that and other corps in the county of Wexford, a fhort time before the rebellion broke out; though they had previoufly fhewn a great repugnance to do fo. Mr. Lehunte, on the evacuation of Wexford, was too late to get on fhipboard, and therefore fell into the hands of the rebels. Being a gentleman of a mild and humane difpofition, he was allowed to remain in a private lodging at firft.

Thomas Dixon and his wife, whofe thirft for proteftant blood was infatiable, contrived the following device to incite the rabble to affaffinate him. They repaired to Artramont, about two miles from Wexford, and at their return, proclaimed in the ftreets that there was an apartment there furnifhed with orange colour, in which plots and confpiracies had been formed by oraijgemen, for the extirpation of the Roman catholicks. He alfo produced a fire-fkreen, which had been innocently decorated with orange ribands, and on which there were many curious devices, the work of female ingenuity. He difplayed it through the ftreets as a flag, and ftop ping now and then, he, with a loud voice, put the following malignant conftruction on the figures which it contained, to a numerous body of failors and pikemen: That Hope, refting on an anchor, was emblematick of a failor burning on it, as the orangemen would heat it for that purpofe: That Hebe and the Eagle indicated that they would give the children of Roman catholicks to birds of prey to be devoured: That the lance of Minerva was fuch an inftrument as they would ufe for their deftruction. By fuch tortuous and malignant fuggeftions he wound the populace to fuch a pitch of phrenfy [sic], that, headed by Dixon, they flew to Mr. Lehunte’s lodgings, forced him with violence into the ftreet, and dragged him to the gaol, where they committed him to a condemned cell; on which Dixon informed him, that he fhould have but fifteen minutes to live.* In his progrefs to the gaol they buffetted him very much, tore his hair, and gave him two flight wounds.

* See in Appendix, No. XX. 2. Taylor’s affidavit who was in gaol.

They would inftantly have put him to death, but that Bagenal Harvey, Cornelius Grogan, and Keugh, informed the populace who furrounded him, that the obfervations of Dixon were falfe and groundlefs; but their authority, being proteftants, did not continue long.

The artillery men, whom the rebels took when a detachment of the Meath regiment was defeated, on the thirtieth of May, were imprifoned in feparate cells in the gaol of Wexford, where they were almoft ftarved from the bad quality and the fcantinefs of their food;

Andrew Sheppard, a proteftant, and a corporal of that corps, was takeir into a fmall court, within the gaol, to be fhot. The executioner having burned priming four times at him, father Murphy, who had entered the gaol, cried out, “he has longer days to live; let the heathen go back to prifon;” having imputed his efcape to the Divine interference.

While thefe men were in prifon, many attempts were made by the rebel guards to force it, and put the prifoners to death, having faid, that they would not ftand guard over hereticks.†

General Roche, the layman, and Thomas Dixon, urged them to ferve in their army as artillery men, having promifed them commiffions, and in fome time eftates, if they would comply. As they had no other means of making their efcape, they confented, and were led firft to Gorey, and thence to the battle of Arklow, where they ferved as artillery men.

A Roman catholick of the utmoft veracity, who refided in Wexford affured me, that the rebel foldiers began to be envious of their fuperiors, and to exprefs the warmeft indignation againft the council and the committee, for living in great luxury and abundance, while they were wretchedly fed; and he was decidedly of opinion, that they would have maffacred them, if the republick had lafted a few days longer.

A fhort time before the king’s troops were victorious, and entered the town, the committee intended to have made a requifition of plate, and to have inftituted a mint.

To animate the rebels, reports were conftantly propagated by theiar leaders, that -Dublinwas in poffeffion of their friends; and when they were undeceived, they affured them that it was blockaded by five republican camps, and that it muft foon furrender, as the inhabitants were labouring under the preffure of famine.

† See Appendix, No, XX. i.

From the very great fcarcity of provifions which took place in confequence of the wafteful confumption of fo many favages, the embryo republick muft foon have fallen to the ground, if the king’s troops had not put an end to it.

So completely deluded and deceived were the rebels in Wexford, that it was univerfally faid, and believed there, that they were conftantly fuccefsful; and that the very days that they were beaten, they frequently huzzaed in the ftreets, to exprefs their joy on the taking of Rofs; and one man rode with fpeed into the town, waving a piftol, and crying out, “Rofs is taken!”

Mr. William Hughes, a refpectable inhabitant of Wexford, of the proteftant religion, and a rigid loyalift, generoufly entertained in his houfe fome of the wives of the officers of the North Cork regiment, after their hufbands had retreated. Governor Keugh frequently preffed him to join his party, but he peremptorily refufed. One day he faid to him, “Though your wife is nearly related to mine, and to Bagenal Harvey, and though you have protections, you cannot expect to efcape, unlefs you enrol yourfelf in one of our corps but he fternly refufed. Keugh faid, “I will give you two days to confider of it and he replied, “If you gave me feven years, I would give you the fame anfwer.” And this in the prefence of his wife and fix children. Mrs. Snowe, one of the officer’s wives, who was prefent, faid to Mr. Hughes, “Confider ferioufly what . you are about, for your life belongs to your wife and your fix children whofe prefence were fufficient to fhake his firm refolution, and infpire him with a love of life; but he continued fleady in his principles.

A prieft fometimes attended Mr. Hughes’s houfe, and urged the officers wives to embrace his religion, affuring them, that no perfon could be faved who was not within its pale, but he could not fucceed.

Before I defcribe the maffacre at Wexford, and the evacuation of it by the rebels, it will be neceffary to give the reader an account of the battle of Vinegar-hill, and the very judicious difpofition which general Lake made of the troops, who were to attack that ftrong poft, which was the citadel and the grand rendezvous of the rebels, as the victory obtained there preceded that dreadful event.

The movements of the different columns who were to attack it, will be beft explained by the inftructions iffued by general Lake, the fixteenth of June, 1798, to the general officers who commanded them.