Page:Memoirs of a Huguenot Family.djvu/236

 230 No one was more active in my behalf than Captain Cox, the son of Chancellor Cox, whom I have named before as accompanying the Duke of Ormond to the south of Ireland. It happened that I had made him a present of a handsome watch only three days before the privateer attacked us. The watch was a good time-piece, but it attracted his notice from having a miniature of the late Queen, wife of James II., at the back of it. He appeared to admire it so exceedingly that I gave it to him, and I was really glad of the opportunity of making him an acceptable present. I had received it in barter for some of my manufactured goods when I was living in Taunton. As soon as he heard of my losses, he proposed to return it to me, but I would not consent; for, if I had not given it to him, the pirates would certainly have carried it off.

The grand jury examined witnesses, and being fully satisfied that Irishmen had been concerned in the attack and robbery, they awarded me the sum of £800, to be paid by the county of Cork, in conformity with the provisions of an act of Parliament.

I gave my son James a power of attorney, authorizing him to receive the money, pay off all debts, and close my accounts at Bear Haven, and I returned to Dublin. My wife had been subject to some annoyance in my absence. I have said that the house I had taken was supposed to be haunted, and had remained unoccupied from superstitious fears. It appeared that it had been taken possession of by a party of vagrants, who were in the habit of alarming persons who attempted to occupy it, and thus arose the evil reputation of the house. When my wife went to it. these people told her they had been permitted to live in the house while it was