, seizing
such arms as they could find, and reducing the young town to a heap
of ashes, Sir Cahir led his followers to the palace of Montgomery the
bishop, who fortunately for himself was then absent in Dublin. Not
finding him, they captured his wife, and sent her, under escort, to
Burt Castle, whither Lady O'Dogherty, her sister-in-law and infant
daughter, had gone without warders for their protection. It was on
this occasion that Phelim M'Davitt got into Montgomery's library and
set fire to it, thus destroying hundreds of valuable volumes, printed
and manuscript, a feat for which he is not censured--we are sorry to
have to acknowledge it--by Philip O'Sullivan in his account of
the fact. Elated by this successful raid, Sir Cahir called off his
followers and proceeded to beleaguer Lifford, where there was a small
garrison of English who could not be induced to surrender, although
suffering severely from want of provisions. Finding all his attempts
to reduce the place ineffectual, he sent for the small force he had
left in Culmore to join the main body of his partisans, and then
marched into M'Swyne Doe's country.'

Meantime news of these atrocities reached Dublin, and the lord deputy
immediately sent a force of 3,000 men, commanded by Sir Richard
Wingfield, Sir Thomas Roper, and Sir Toby Caulfield, with instructions
to pursue the revolted Irish into their fastnesses and deal with them
summarily. He himself set out to act with the troops, and on reaching
Dundalk published a proclamation, in which he offered pardon to
all who laid down their arms, or would use them in killing their
associates. He took care, however, to except Phelim M'Davitt from all
hope of mercy, consigning him to be dealt with by a military tribunal.
The English force in the interval had made their way into O'Dogherty's
country, and coming before Culmore, found it abandoned by the Irish,
who, unable to carry off the heavy guns, took the precaution of
burying them in the sea. Burt Castle surrendered without a blow.
Wingfield immediately liberated the inmates, and sent Bishop
Montgomery's wife to her husband, and Lady O'Dogherty, her infant
daughter and sister-in-law, to Dublin Castle. As for Sir Cahir,
instead of going to Castle Doe, he resolved to cross the path of the
English on their march to that place, and coming up with them in the
vicinity of Kilmacrenan, he was shot dead by a soldier. The death of
the young chieftain spread panic among his foll