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 companions. 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.

INSTRUCTIONS

TO THE

COMMISSIONERS APPOINTED TO INQUIRE INTO FORFEITED LANDS.

1609.

FIRST. That a general care be taken that such orders, conditions, and articles as have been lately published in print, or are to be printed or transmitted, touching the plantation, be observed and put in execution, as well by the commissioners as by the undertakers.

Second. That the said commissioners be ready to begin their journey into our province of Ulster, for the execution of their commission, before the end of July next, or sooner if it may be. Third. The omissions and defects in the former survey of the escheated lands in Ulster, either for us or the church, are to be supplied and amended by new inquisitions, and the ecclesiastical lands to be distinguished from the lands belonging to the crown.

Fourth. The counties being divided into several proportions, every proportion is to be bounded out by the known metes and names, with the particular mention both of the number and name of every balliboe, tath, poll, quarter, or the like Irish precinct of land that is contained in every portion, and to give each portion a proper name to be known by; and in the proportion lying near to the highways choice is to be made of the most fit seat for undertakers to build upon, in such sort as may best serve for the safety and succour of passengers; and also to allot and set out by mears and bounds, unto every proportion, so much bog and wood over and above his number of acres, as the place where the proportion shall lay may conveniently afford, having respect to the adjacent proportions.

Fifth. Because the article of casting lots discourageth many that are sufficient, and would be glad to dwell together; that therefore every county be divided into greater precincts, every precinct containing eight, ten, or twelve thousand acres, according to the greatness of the county, and those precincts to contain several proportions lying together, to the end that so many consorts of undertakers may here be appointed as there are several precincts; which being done, then these consorts may cast lots for the pre

C

cincts, and afterwards divide every precinct amongst the particular undertakers of that consort, either by agreement or by lot; and this form not to be concluded but upon consideration taken thereof by the commissioners there, who having reported back their opinions, some such course may be resolved as to us shall be thought most convenient.

Sixth. To cause plots to be made of every county, and in the said plot to prick out the several precincts, and in the precincts the several proportions by their names.

Seventh. Such great woods as the commissioners shall make choice of to be preserved for our use are to be excepted out of the proportions; and to be reserved for the undertakers' buildings, and for such other purposes as to us shall be thought fit.

Eighth. That in the surveys, observation be made what proportions by name are fittest to be allotted to the Britons, what to the servitors, and what to the natives; wherein this respect is to be had, that the Britons be put in places of the best safety, the natives to be dispersed, and the servitors planted in those places which are of greatest importance to serve the rest.

Ninth. The commissioners are to limit and bound out the precincts of the several parishes, according to their discretion, notwithstanding the limitation of the precinct; wherein they may observe the ancient limits of the old parishes, so as the same breed not a greater inconvenience to the plantation; and to assign to the incumbent of each parish a glebe, after the rate of threescore acres for every thousand acres within the parishes, in the most convenient places, or nearest to the churches; and, for the more certainty, to give such glebe a certain name, whereby it may be known, and to take order that there be a proviso in the letters patent for passing the glebes, to restrain the alienations thereof, saving during incumbencies.

Tenth. It is fit that certain portions be allotted and laid out for towns in the places mentioned in the project, or in more convenient places, as shall seem best to the commissioners, having regard that the land be laid as near to the towns as may be.

Eleventh. The parcels of land which shall be allotted to the college in Dublin, and to the free schools in the several counties, are to be set out and distinguished by mears and bounds, to the end the same may be accordingly passed by several grants from us. The commissioners likewise are to set out the quantity of three great proportions, lying together in the county of Armagh, to be allotted to the said college of Dublin, and six thousand acres to be taken out of the lands omitted in the last survey (if so much shall be found); these to be only of our land, and not of the church land.

Twelfth. That there be set out and reserved twelve thousand acres, either out of the proportions, or otherwise out of the lands omitted in the survey, in such counties and places as to our deputy and commissioners shall be thought meet; the same to be disposed by us for the endowment of an hospital, to be erected for