Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 7.djvu/147

 1561.] SHAN &NEIL. 127 Weaker in numbers, for his whole force did not amount to more than six hundred men, O'Neil came up with them from behind. Wingfield instead of holding his ground galloped forward upon the men-at-arms, and as horses and men were struggling in confusion together, on came the Irish with their wild battle-cry ' Laundarg Abo ! ' 'The bloody hand ! '< Strike for O'BTeil.' The cavalry, between shame and fear, rode down their own men, and extricated themselves only to fly panic-stricken from the field to the crest of an adjoining hill, while Shan's troopers rode through the broken ranks ' cutting down the footmen on all sides/ Fitzwilliam, ignorant of what was passing behind him, was riding leisurely forwards, when a horseman was ob- served galloping wildly in the distance and waving his handkerchief for a signal. The yells and cries were heard through the misty morning air, and Fitzwilliam, followed by a gentleman named Parkinson and ten or twelve of his own servants, hurried back 'in a happy hour.' . Without a moment's delay he flung himself into the melee. Sir George Stanley was close behind him with the rest of the advanced horse ; ' and Shan, receiving- such a charge of those few men and seeing more coming after/ ran no further risk, blew a recall note and with- drew impursued. Fitzwilliam' s courage alone had pre- vented the army from being annihilated. Out of five hundred English, fifty lay dead, and fifty more were badly wounded ; the Irish contingent had disappeared ; and the survivors of the force fell back to Armagh so ' dismayed ' as to be unfit for further service.