Produced by Charles Bowen, from page scans provided by Google Books Transcriber's Notes: 1. Page scan source: http://books.google.com/books?id=qecBAAAAQAAJ 2. The diphthong oe is represented by [oe]. MY LORDS OF STROGUE. MY LORDS OF STROGUE. _A CHRONICLE OF IRELAND, FROM THE CONVENTION TO THE UNION_. BY HON. LEWIS WINGFIELD, AUTHOR OF 'LADY GRIZEL,' ETC. IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON: RICHARD BENTLEY AND SON, Publishers in Ordinary to Her Majesty the Queen. 1879. [_All Rights Reserved_.] 'God of Peace! before Thee Peaceful here we kneel, Humbly to implore Thee For a nation's weal. Calm her sons' dissensions, Bid their discord cease, End their mad contentions-- Hear us, God of Peace!' (_Spirit of the Nation_.) TO E. W. B. I inscribe this Book IN MEMORY OF A CLOSE FRIENDSHIP. CONTENTS OF VOL. I. CHAPTER I. MIRAGE. II. RETROSPECT. III. SHADOWS. IV. BANISHMENT. V. STROGUE ABBEY. VI. MY LADY'S PROJECT. VII. TRINITY. VIII. CAIN AND ABEL. IX. THE PRIORY. X. LOVES AND DOVES? XI. STORMY WEATHER. XII. A MOTHER'S WILES. MY LORDS OF STROGUE. CHAPTER I. MIRAGE. 'Hurrah! 'tis done--our freedom's won--hurrah for the Volunteers! By arms we've got the rights we sought through long and wretched years. Remember still through good and ill how vain were prayers and tears-- How vain were words till flashed the swords of the Irish Volunteers.' So sang all Dublin in a delirium of triumph on the 9th of November, 1783. From the dawn of day joy-bells had rung jocund peals; rich tapestries and silken folds of green and orange had swayed from every balcony; citizens in military garb, with green cockades, had silently clasped one another's hands as they met in the street. There was no need for speech. One thought engrossed every mind; one common sacrifice of thanksgiving rolled up to heaven. For Ireland had fought her bloodless fight, had shaken off the yoke of England, and was free--at last!