his opinion, which was entirely against this line of action.  A sortie was agreed upon for a certain night; but a youth in the Irish camp, who had been in the President’s service formerly, warned him of the intended attack.  This was sufficient in itself to cause the disaster which ensued.  But there were other misfortunes.  O’Neill and O’Donnell lost their way; and when they reached the English camp at dawn, found the soldiers under arms, and prepared for an attack.  Their cavalry at once charged, and the new comers in vain struggled to maintain their ground, and a retreat which they attempted was turned into a total rout.

A thousand Irish were slain, and the prisoners were hanged without mercy.  The loss on the English side was but trifling.  It was a fatal blow to the Irish cause.  Heavy were the hearts and bitter the thoughts of the brave chieftains on that sad night.  O’Neill no longer hoped for the deliverance of his country; but the more sanguine O’Donnell proposed to proceed at once to Spain, to explain their position to King Philip.  He left Ireland in a Spanish vessel three days after the battle—­if battle it can be called; and O’Neill marched rapidly back to Ulster with Rory O’Donnell, to whom Hugh Roe had delegated the chieftaincy of Tir-Connell.

D’Aquila, whose haughty manners had rendered him very unpopular, now surrendered to Mountjoy, who received his submission with respect, and treated his army honorably.  According to one account, the Spaniard had touched some English gold, and had thus been induced to desert the Irish cause; according to other authorities, he challenged the Lord Deputy to single combat, and wished them to decide the question at issue.  In the meantime, O’Sullivan Beare contrived to get possession of his own Castle of Dunboy, by breaking into the wall at the dead of night, while the Spanish garrison were asleep, and then declaring that he held the fortress for the King of Spain, to whom he transferred his allegiance.  Don Juan offered to recover it for the English by force of arms; but the Deputy, whose only anxiety was to get him quietly out of the country, urged his immediate departure.  He left Ireland on the 20th of February; and the suspicions of his treachery must have had some foundation, for he was placed under arrest as soon as he arrived in Spain.

The siege of Dunboy is one of the most famous and interesting episodes in Irish history.  The castle was deemed almost impregnable from its situation; and every argument was used with Sir George Carew to induce him to desist from attacking it.  It was then, indeed—­

    “Dunboy, the proud, the strong,
    The Saxon’s hate and trouble long."[454]