Page:Irish minstrelsy, vol 2 - Hardiman.djvu/174

162 Lord Grey, landed in Ireland to take possession of the lieutenancy, before he received the sword and other insignia of his office, hearing that some rebels, under the command of FitzEustace and Phelim Mac Hugh, prince of the numerous family of the O'Birnes, were committing great outrages and had their retreat at Glandillough, 25 miles south of Dublin, to strike greater terror by a vigorous beginning, he commanded the leaders of the band, who came from every quarter to salute him on his arrival, to collect a body of troops, and go along with him against the rebels, who immediately retreated into Glandillough. Glandillough is a grassy valley, fit for feeding sheep, but a great part of it marshy, with many rocky precipices and surrounded with thick shrubby woods, so that the paths and passes are scarce known even to the inhabitants. When the army came to this place, Cosby, general of the light Irish foot, which are called Kernes, who was thoroughly acquainted with the place, apprised the rest of the leaders how very dangerous it would be to attack them in that valley, so fit for ambuscades; nevertheless he expected them with the most manly courage to dare the danger, and immediately, although he was above 70 years old, rushed forward with the rest of them. The instant they entered the valley they were overwhelmed with a shower of arrows like hail, from the rebels, who were hid in every side among the thickets, so that they could not even see them. The greater part fell, and the remainder struggling through the most difficult paths on the precipices, with difficulty escaped to the Lord-lieutenant, who waited for the event on the top of the hill, together with the Earl of Kildare, and Wingfield, engineer general, who, well knowing the danger, kept one of his nephews, George Carew with him, against his will, reserving him for still greater honors. There were lost in this attack, Peter Carew the younger, George Moore, Audley, and Cosby himself, a man flourishing in military glory."

Francis Cosby left three sons, Henry who died in England,