Within four yards of our fore-front, before a shot was fired,
A sudden snuff they got that day, which little they desired;
For horse and man fell to the ground, and some hung in their saddles,
Others turn'd up their forked ends, which we call coup de ladle.

Prince Eugene's regiment was the next, on our right hand advanced,
Into a field of standing wheat, where Irish horses pranced-
But the brandy ran so in their heads, their senses all did scatter,
They little thought to leave their bones that day at the Boyne Water.

Both men and horse lay on the ground and many there lay bleeding, I saw no sickles there that day-but sure, there was sharp shearing.

*

Now, praise God, all true Protestants, and heaven's and earth's Creator,
For the deliverance that he sent our enemies to scatter.

The church's foes will pine away, like churlish-hearted Nabal,
For our deliverer came this day like the great Zorobabel.

So praise God, all true Protestants, and I will say no further,

But had the Papists gain'd the day, there would have been open murder.

Although King James and many more was ne'er that way inclined, It was not in their power to stop what the rabble they designed.

NOTE B, p. 198.

THE BRIDAL OF MALAHIDE.

The story of this ballad is historically true, and receives additional interest from the fact, that the armour in which the hero of the ballad was slain, is still shown in Malahide Castle, and the monument of the heroine in the neighbouring chapel. Speaking of the latter, Mr. D'Alton, says: "Of the monuments the most worthy of notice is an altar tomb surmounted with the effigy, in bold relief, of a female habited in the costume of the 14th century, and representing the Honourable Maud Plunket, wife of Sir Richard Talbot. She had been previously married to Mr. Hussey, son to the Baron of Galtrim, who was slain on the day of her nuptials, leaving her the singular celebrity of having been 'A maid, wife and widow on the same day." In a description of the castle, Mr. Petrie refers to the adventure "Among the most memorable circumstances of general interest

connected with the history of this castle and its possessors, should be mentioned what Mr. Brewer properly calls a lamentable instance of the ferocity with which quarrels of party rivalry were conducted in ages during which the internal polity of Ireland was injuriously neglected by the supreme head of government:-On Whitsun-eve, in the year 1329, as is recorded by Ware, John de Birmingham, Earl of Louth, Richard Talbot, styled Lord of Malahide, and many of their kindred, together with sixty of their English followers, were slain in a pitched battle at Balbriggan [Ballybragan] in this neighbourhood, by the Anglo-Norman faction of the De Verdons, De Gernons, and Savages: the cause of animosity being the election of the earl to the palatinate dignity of Louth, the county of the latter party."" Malahide Castle is one of the most interesting in Ireland, from its great antiquity and perfect preservation. It is within an hour's drive of Dublin, and with a rare and noble liberality is constantly opened to the public. We copy a portion of Mr. Petrie's description of it:-"An ancient baronial castle, in good preservation and still inhabited by the lineal descendant of its original founder, is a rare object to find in Ireland; and the causes which have led to this circumstance are too obvious to require an explanation. In Malahide Castle we have, however, a highly interesting example of this kind; for though in its present state it owes much of its imposing effect to modern restorations and improvements, it still retains a considerable portion of very ancient date, and most probably even some parts of the original castle erected in the reign of King Henry II. Considered in this way, Malahide Castle is without a rival in interest, not only in our metropolitan county, but also perhaps within the boundary of the old English Pale. The noble family of Talbot have been seated in their present locality for a period of nearly seven hundred years. There can be no question, therefore, of the noble origin of the Talbots de Malahide, nor can their title be considered as a mushroom one, though only conferred upon the mother of the present lord." The castle contains a fine collection of pictures, including some historical portraits of the highest interest. Portraits of Talbot, Duke of Tyrconnell, (James's Lord Lieutenant before and during the Revolution,) of Sir Neale O'Neill, and the finest head of Charles 1., by Vandyke, in existence, are among the number.

* See Lillibulero, p. 16.