conditions, infirm, old, young, women, infants, goaded on by soldiers whose ears were tortured with their shrieks, and who executed their hideous orders with tears. The afflicting spectacle transported the garrison to fury. Numbers of the wretched sufferers thus driven to perish beneath their walls, conjured them with bended knees, and lifted hands, by no means to consider their distress, but to defend their lives bravely against an enemy who sought to involve them all in one common slaughter. A gallows was now erected in view of the besiegers; they were assured, that all the prisoners taken by the garrison should be instantly executed, unless their friends were allowed to depart. Confessors were even admitted to prepare them for death; but Rosen was still unmoved. Happily the intelligence of his barbarous intentions flew to Dublin. The Protestant Bishop of Meath remonstrated to James; he answered, that he had already ordered these captives to be released, observing, that such severities were usual in foreign service, however shocking to his subjects. Those, who survived a confinement of almost three days without sustenance or shelter, were thus permitted to return to their habitations, where the ravages of the soldiery had left them no means of comfort. Some of their ablest men were stolen into the town, and five hundred useless people crowded among them, and passed undiscovered, notwithstanding the vigilance of the enemy.

The garrison, with a confirmed horror of the besiegers, continued their obstinate defence, and even made desperate and successful sallies when they were too much weakened by hunger to pursue their advantage. The flesh of horses, dogs and vermin, hides, tallow and other nauseous substances, were purchased at extravagant prices, and eagerly devoured. Even such miserable resources began to fail, and no means of sustenance could be found for more than two days. Still the languid and ghastly crowds listened to the exhortations of Walker; still he assured them from the pulpit that the Almighty would grant them a deliverance. While their minds were yet warm with his harangue, delivered with all the eagerness of a man inspired, they discovered three ships in the lake making way to the town. Kirk, who had abandoned them from the 13th day of June to the 30th of July, at length thought fit, in their extreme distress, to make an hazardous attempt to relieve them; an attempt which he might have made with less danger at the moment of his arrival, and which possibly might still have been deferred, had he not received some intimations of a treaty for surrendering. Two ships laden with provisions, and convoyed by the Dartmouth frigate, advanced in view both of the garrison and the besiegers. On this interesting object they fixed their eyes in all the earnestness of suspense and expectation. The enemy, from their batteries, from their musketry, thundered furiously on the ships, which returned their fire with spirit. The foremost of the victuallers struck rapidly against the boom and broke it, but, rebounding with violence, ran aground. The enemy burst instantly into shouts of joy, and prepared to board her; on the crowded walls the garrison stood stupified by despair. The vessel fired her guns, was extricated by the shock, and floated. She passed the boom, and was followed by her compa nions. The town was relieved, and the enemy retired.

Of seven thousand five hundred men regimented in Derry, four thousand three hundred only remained to be witnesses of this deliverance; and of these more than one thousand were incapable of service. The wretched spectres had scarcely tasted food, when they had the hardiness to march in quest of the enemy; and some few men were lost by adventuring too boldly on their rear-guard. They retired in vexation to Strabane, having lost eight thousand men by the sword and by various disorders, in a siege of one hundred and five days.

TRANSLATION

OF

THE CHARTER

OF

KING CHARLES THE SECOND

ΤΟ

THE HONOURABLE THE IRISH SOCIETY, AND
THE CITIZENS OF LONDONDERRY.

Charles the

Second.

James's

CHARLES THE SECOND, by the grace of God of England, Letters paScotland, France and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, &c. tent of To all to whom these our present letters shall come, greeting. (We have inspected the inrolment of our letters patent bearing date at Westminster the 10th day of April in the fourteenth year of our reign, inrolled before us in our Court of Chancery, and in the rolls of the same court remaining of record in these words: Charles the 2d, by the grace of God of England, Scotland, King France and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, &c. To all to Charter rewhom these our present letters shall come, greeting.) Whereas cited. our illustrious grandfather James late King of England (of blessed memory), by his letters patent under his great seal of England, bearing date at Westminster the nine-and twentieth day of March in the eleventh year of his reign over England, France and Ireland, and over Scotland the six-and-fortieth, for the considerations therein expressed, of his especial grace, certain knowledge and mere motion, for him, his heirs and successors, did ordain, constitute and declare, that the city or town of Derry in the province of Ulster in our realm of Ireland, and all and singular castles, lordships, manors, towns, villages, hamlets, lands, tenements and hereditaments in the said letters patent mentioned, should be united and consolidated, and for ever thereafter be one entire and distinct county of itself, and be called by the name of The County of Londonderry, and that all lands situate within three miles compass of the town of Coleraine should be within the liberties of the said town of Coleraine, and the said city or town of Derry did incorporate by the name of the mayor and commonalty and citizens of the city of Londonderry, and also by the said letters patent did ordain and con

stitute a certain number of citizens of our city of London to be one body corporate and politic, who should be called by the name of the society of The governor and assistants London of the new plantation in Ulster, within the realm of Ireland, and did give and grant unto the said society, and their successors, the city, fort, and town of Derry, and the whole island of Derry, town of Coleraine, and divers other towns, villages, hamlets, baronies, lordships, manors, territories, castles, messuages, lands, tenements, and hereditaments, royalties, franchises, privileges and immunities, in such manner and form, and with such exceptions, and for and under such several rents, services, tenures, reservations, covenants, conditions and other articles, clauses and agreements, as in the said letters patent are mentioned and comprised, as by the same letters patent more fully appeareth.

Grants by And whereas the said society of the Governor and assistants the Society of London of the new plantation in Ulster within the realm of recited, Ireland, by virtue of a certain license from our said illustrious grandfather under the great seal of England, bearing date at Westminster the thirtieth day of September in the thirteenth year of his reign over England, France and Ireland, and over Scotland the nine-and-fortieth, did grant unto the twelve chief companies of our city of London (which had taken upon themselves the greater part of the burthen of the said plantation) divers great quantities, parcels and proportions of the said lands, tenements and hereditaments, according to their several disbursements, and did retain in his own hands such part of the tenements and hereditaments as were not properly devisable for defraying of the charge of the general operation of the said plantation.

Repeal of the said

charter re

cited.

King
Charles

the First's

promise of

recited.

And whereas the said letters patent were afterwards annulled, repealed, and cancelled in the Court of Chancery, by reason whereof the said society of the new plantation, and the said companies of our city of London, and their respective assigns and undertenants of all and singular the lands, tenements, and hereditaments, royalties, privileges, franchises and immunities, in the said letters patent mentioned, were wholly deprived, and the said corporation of Londonderry, with the society of the said new plantation, became wholly annulled and invalidated.

And whereas afterwards our dearest father Charles King of England (of blessed memory), in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and forty-one, of his royal goodness to the restitution mayor and commonalty, and citizens of our city of London, declared his royal will for restoring to the said society of the new plantation, and the said other companies, all and singular the lands, royalties, and privileges in the said letters patent mentioned; and gave his royal command and directions for the execution thereof; but (the wars and troubles in our said kingdom of Ireland breaking out soon after) his royal intention did not take effect.

Reasons of

And for that it doth manifestly appear to us that the said sothe present ciety of the new plantation, and other companies of our city of

grant.

London, have expended very great sums of money in building and planting of the said county of Londonderry and Coleraine. To the intent thereof, that the said society of the new plantation or some other such society, by these our letters patent, to be created and made. And the said companies of our city of London, and their respective assigns and undertenants may, according to their former several rights and interests therein, be restored to all and singular the said county, cities, towns, castles, territories, lands, tenements, royalties, franchises, privileges and immunities whatsoever, with their and every of their appurtenances so vested in them by force and virtue of the said letters patent, and the said several grants by the said society of the new plantation, and other companies respectively, thentofore made as fully and beneficially to all intents and purposes as they might have had and enjoyed the same if no repeal of the said letters patent had ever been had or made. And to the intent that there may be a new society made of the new plantation in Ulster aforesaid, consisting of the like number of honest and discreet citizens of our city of London, as the other and former society heretofore consisted of; and that a new incorporation of the said city or town of Derry be constituted, and for the further and better settling and planting of the said county, towns, and places with trade and inhabitants.

premises

We of our especial grace, certain knowledge and mere motion, The city for us, our heirs and successors, Do will, constitute, ordain, con- of Derry firm and declare, That the city or town of Derry, in the province and other of Ulster, in our realm of Ireland, and also all and singular granted castles, lordships, manors, towns, villages, hamlets, lands, tene- to be the ments, waters, streams, ports, sea-ports, and other territories County of and hereditaments whatsoever hereunder in or by these presents Londongiven or granted, and all and singular other castles, lordships, Derry. manors, towns, villages, lands, tenements, waters, and watercourses, streams, ports, and other territories situate, lying or being within the precinct, compass or circuit of the said castles, lordships, manors, towns, villages, and other the premises in or by these presents given and granted, be, and hereafter shall be united, consolidated, and henceforth for ever one entire county of itself, distinct and separate from all our counties whatsoever within our realm of Ireland, to all intents and purposes, and in as ample manner and form as any other county whatsoever within our kingdoms of England or Ireland; and for ever hereafter shall be named and called The county of Londonderry, and them all into one entire free and distinct county of itself we do erect, constitute, ordain, confirm and create by these presents.

And further of our especial grace, certain knowledge and mere The city to motion, for us, our heirs and successors, We will, ordain, consti- be called tute, confirm and declare, That the said city or town of Derry for Londonever hereafter be, and shall be named and called the city of Lon- derry. donderry, and that all and singular houses, edifices, lands, tene- the liberties ments, water and water-courses, and the ground and soil situate, thereof. lying and being within the said city of Derry, and within and by

Extent of