the church with intentions to put
her over the works to shift for herself; but a soldier perceiving his
intention, he ran his sword up her belly or fundament. Whereupon Mr. Wood,
seeing her gasping, took away her money, jewels, &c., and flung her down
over the works." (See the Life of Anthony a Wood, p. xx., in the edition by
Bliss, of 1813. Thomas was the brother of Anthony, the Oxford historian.)
"He told them also that 3,000 at least, besides some women and children,
were, after the assailants had _taken part, and afterwards all the towne_,
put to the sword on the 11th and 12th of September, 1649. He told them
that when they were to make their way up to the lofts and galleries of
the church, and up to the tower, where the enemy had fled, each of the
assailants would take up a child, and use as a buckler of defence,
when they ascended the steps, to keep themselves from being shot or
brained."--Wood, ibid. These anecdotes, from the mouth of one who was an
eyewitness of, probably a participator in, the horrors of that day, will
enable the reader to form an adequate notion of the thirst for blood which
stimulated the soldiery, and of the cruelties which they exercised on their
defenceless victims.

5. The terms of indignation, and abhorrence in which the sack of Drogheda
was described by the royalists of that period are well known. I shall add
here another testimony; not that it affords more important information,
but because I am not aware that it has ever met the eye of more recent
historians; the testimony of Bruodin, an Irish friar, of great eminence and
authority in the Franciscan order. "Quinque diebus continuis haec laniena
(qua, nullo habito locorum, sexus, religionis aut aetatis discrimine,
juvenes et virgines lactantes aeque ac senio confecti barbarorum gladiis
ubique trucidati sunt) duravit. Quatuor milia Catholicorum virorum (ut
de infinita multitudine religiosorum, foeminarum, puerorum, puellarum
et infantium nihil dicam) in civitate gladius impiorum rebellium illa
expugnatione devoravit."--Propugnaculum Cathol. Veritatis, lib. iv. c. 14,
p. 678.

6. Here another question occurs. How did Cromwell obtain possession of
Drogheda? for there appears in his despatches a studied evasion of the
particulars necessary to give a clear view of the transaction. The
narrative is so confused that it provokes a suspicion of cunning and
concealment on the part of the writer. The royalists affirmed that
the place was won thr