Then stoutly we the Boyne did cross, To give our enemies battle; Our cannon, to our foes great cost, Like thundering claps did rattle, In majestic mien our prince rode o'er, 45 His men soon followed a'ter; With blows and shouts put our foes to the route, The day we crossed the water. The Protestants of Drogheda Have reasons to be thankful, 50 That they were not to bondage brought, They being but a handful. First to the Tholsel they were brought, And tied at Milmount a'ter,[L54] But brave King William set them free, 55 By venturing over the water. The cunning French, near to Duleek[L57] Had taken up their quarters, And fenced themselves on every side, Still waiting for new orders. 60 But in the dead time of the night, They set the field on fire; And long before the morning light, To Dublin they did retire. Then said King William to his men, 65 After the French departed, "I'm glad," said he, "that none of ye Seeméd to be faint-hearted. So sheath your swords, and rest awhile, In time we'll follow a'ter:" 70 These words he uttered with a smile, The day he crossed the water. Come, let us all, with heart and voice, Applaud our lives' defender, Who at the Boyne his valour shewed, 75 And made his foes surrender, To God above the praise we'll give, Both now and ever a'ter, And bless the glorious memory 79 Of King William that crossed the Boyne water. 1. The Dutch guards first entered the river Boyne at a ford opposite to the little village of Oldbridge.--CROKER. 54. "After the battle of the Boyne, the Popish garrison of Drogheda took the Protestants out of prison, into which they had thrown them, and carried them to the Mount; where they expected the cannon would play, if King William's forces besieged the town. _They tied them together_, and set them to receive the shot; but their hearts failed them who were to defend the place, and so it pleased God to preserve the poor Protestants."--_Memoirs of Ireland, &c._, cited by Croker. 57. "When, in the course of the day, the battle approached James's position on the hill of Donore, the warlike prince retired to a more secure distance at Duleek, where he soon put himself at the head of his French allies, and led the retreat; the King and the French coming off without a scar."--O'Driscol, cited by Croker. THE WOMAN WARRIOR,