James. In the south Lord Inshiquin, and in Connaught Lord
Kingston, had each raised corps among the Protestant settlers for
William, and were the first to commence hostilities, and the latter,
marching north, made an attack on Carrickfergus.

Tyrconnell now issued commissions to several of the Catholic nobility and
gentry, to raise troops for the king's service, and as the people
responded to the call readily, some fifty regiments of foot and several
troops of horse were soon raised. But though men were forthcoming in
abundance, there was a great want of arms and all munitions of war. There
were, in the government stores, only twenty thousand arms, and most of
these were old weapons, that had been returned to store as unserviceable,
and only about a thousand muskets were found to be of any use. There was
no artillery or ammunition, and no money with which these necessaries
could be purchased abroad. The gentry would have willingly contributed,
but all had been well-nigh ruined by the confiscation of their property,
and could do little towards filling the treasury.

Never did a nation enter upon a war so badly provided with all
necessaries as did Ireland, when she resolved to adhere to the cause of
her king, and to resist the power of England and Scotland, aided by that
of Holland and the Protestant States of Germany.

Mr. Davenant had been one of the first to respond to the invitation of
Tyrconnell, and had set about raising a troop of horse. He had no
difficulty in getting the number of men in Bray and the surrounding
villages, and the difficulty in mounting them was overcome by the
patriotism of sundry gentlemen and citizens of Dublin, who willingly
contributed their spare horses to the king's service.

Their arms were various. Some had swords, some short pikes, while a few
only had pistols; but the smiths everywhere toiled hard converting
scythes and reaping hooks into swords and pikes, and before they were
ready to take the field, the whole troop were provided with swords.

Walter had eagerly begged his father to appoint him cornet of the troop,
and Mr. Davenant might have yielded, had it not been for his wife's
entreaties. Even old Mrs. Davenant, intensely loyal as she was to the
cause of James, sided with her daughter in law.

"Of course, Fergus, you will do your duty to the king. It would indeed be
a shame for a Davenant to hold back; but, at Walter's age there can be no
occasion for him, as yet, to take a c