[483] Trim For an illustration of this castle, see p. 560.

[484] Bibles.—­See The Cromwellian Settlement of Ireland, by John P. Prendergast, Esq.—­a most important work, and one which merits the careful consideration of all who wish to understand this period of Irish history, and one of the many causes of Irish disaffection.  The scythes and sickles were to the corn, that the Irish might be starved if they could not be conquered.

[485] Quarter.—­Cromwell says, in his letters, that quarter was not promised; Leland and Carte say that it was.

[486] Tale.—­Cromwell’s Letters and Speeches, vol. i. p. 456.  The simplicity with which Carlyle attempts to avert the just indignation of the Irish, by saying that the garrison “consisted mostly of Englishmen,” coupled with his complacent impression that eccentric phrases can excuse crime, would be almost amusing were it not that he admits himself to be as cruel as his hero.—­vol. i. p. 453.  A man who can write thus is past criticism.  If the garrison did consist mainly of Englishmen, what becomes of the plea, that this barbarity was a just vengeance upon the Irish for the “massacre.”

[487] Allowed of.—­Letters and Speeches, vol. i. p. 477.

[488] Protection.—­Dr. French, the Catholic Bishop of Ferns, has given an account of the storming of Wexford, in a letter to the Papal Nuncio, in which he states that the soldiers were not content with simply murdering their victims, but used “divers sorts of torture.”  As he was then in the immediate neighbourhood, he had every opportunity of being correctly informed.  Cromwell must have sanctioned this, if he did not encourage it.

[489] Bribe.—­40,000 golden crowns, and free leave to emigrate where he chose.—­Hib.  Dom. p. 448.

[490] Lamb..—­Cromwellian Settlement, p. 16.  See also Petty’s Political Anatomy of Ireland.

[491] Abroad.—­The Prince of Orange declared they were born soldiers.  Sir John Norris said that he “never beheld so few of any country as of Irish that were idiots or cowards,” Henry IV. of France said that Hugh O’Neill was the third soldier of the age; and declared that no nation had such resolute martial men.—­Cromwellian Settlement, p. 22.

[492] Sanction.—­See Cromwellian Settlement, p. 61, for a specimen of the “Bible stuff with which they crammed their heads and hardened their hearts.”

[493] Day.—­Cromwellian Settlement, p. 163.

[494] Murder.—­“Whenever any unwary person chanced to pass these limits he was knocked on the head by the first officer or soldier who met him.  Colonel Astell killed six women in this way.”—­Ibid. p. 164.