Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/507

 SARSFIELD. 503 of Portugal,” folio, 1664, partly a translation, published in compliment to Catherine of Braganza, consort to Charles II.; “The Order and Ceremonies used at the Funeral of his Grace George Duke of Albemarle;” this is a thin folio, the whole represented in engraving ; “A Genealo gical History of the Kings of England,” folio, Savoy, 1677, dedicated to Charles II. by whose command the work was undertaken ; this is our author's best and most estimable performance; many of the engravings are by Hollar. Mr. Stebbing, the Somerset herald, reprinted it in 1707, continuing it until that year. “The Coronation of King James I I . and Queen Mary,” folio, Savoy, 1687; this i s a most superb work. All the above works o f Sandford are very scarce, and fine copies, when they are met with, bear a high price. -- GENERAL SARSFIELD. Of the early particulars o f this great warrior's life w e a r e wholly unacquainted. He greatly distinguished himself a t the siege o f Limerick, b y intercepting the battering artillery and ammunition destined t o support that siege. He one day left Limerick with a strong body o f troops, and having s o directed his march a s t o make King William think h e had n o design upon his artillery, h e suddenly crossed the Shannon, and coming u p i n the night with the convoy, h e cut t o pieces the detachment that guarded i t , and then charging the great guns with powder u p t o the muzzles, and burying them and the rest o f the ammunition i n the ground, he, b y means o f a train, set fire t o the buried powder, and the artillery and every thing else blew up with a dreadful explosion. This explosion was heard a t Limerick, and convinced King William that h e had lost his convoy. This bold and successful enterprise o f Sars field's, made William feel that he had then no other chance for taking Limerick but b y storm. He accordingly ordered one; but, even after his troops had entered the town, they were repulsed with such slaughter, that two