wore that Murtagh had cheated
them, and insisted on having their property restored to them. Murtagh,
without a word of reply, went to the door, and shouting into the passage
something in Irish, the room was instantly filled with bogtrotters, each
at least six feet high, with a stout shillealah in his hand. Murtagh,
then turning to his guests, asked them what they meant by insulting an
anointed priest; telling them that it was not for the likes of them to
avenge the wrongs of Ireland. 'I have been clane mistaken in the whole
of ye,' said he; 'I supposed ye Irish, but have found to my sorrow that
ye are nothing of the kind; purty fellows to pretend to be Irish, when
there is not a word of Irish on the tongue of any of ye, divil a
ha'porth; the illigant young gentleman to whom I taught Irish in
Dungarvon times of old, though not born in Ireland, has more Irish in him
than any ten of ye. He is the boy to avenge the wrongs of Ireland, if
ever foreigner is to do it.' Then, saying something to the bogtrotters,
they instantly cleared the room of the young Irelanders, who retired
sadly disconcerted; nevertheless, being very silly young fellows, they
hoisted the standard of rebellion; few, however, joining them, partly
because they had no money, and partly because the priests abused them
with might and main, their rebellion ended in a lamentable manner,
themselves being seized and tried, and though convicted, not deemed of
sufficient importance to be sent to the scaffold, where they might have
had the satisfaction of saying--

'Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori.'

My visitor, after saying that of the money won Murtagh retained a
considerable portion, that a part went to the hierarchy for what were
called church purposes, and that the --- took the remainder, which it
employed in establishing a newspaper, in which the private characters of
the worthiest and most loyal Protestants in Ireland were traduced and
vilified, concluded his account by observing that it was the common
belief that Murtagh, having by his services, ecclesiastical and
political, acquired the confidence of the priesthood and favour of the
Government, would, on the first vacancy, be appointed to the high office
of Popish Primate of Ireland.

CHAPTER XLVII

DEPARTURE FROM HORNCASTLE--RECRUITING SERGEANT--KAULOES AND LOLLOES.

Leaving Horncastle I bent my steps in the direction of the east. {311a}
I walked at a brisk rate, and late in the ev