More of Sir Boyle Roche's Bulls.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3210, 21 May 1889, Page 3

More of Sir Boyle Roche's Bulls.

A correspondent of the Spectator writes Perhaps a few particulars about Sir Boyle Rocho, the high priest of Irish " bulls," might be interesting to your readers, Ho was of tho aniient family of the Do la llusse'B, ofFermoy, was member for Traleo from 1775, and wis created a baronet in 1782. He commenced ono of his speeches ;in the Irish House of Commons us followsMr Speaker, it is tho duty of oyery true lover of his country to (jive his last guinea to save the remainder of his fortunes," And another began:—"Sir, singlo misfortunes never como alone, and the greatest of all national calamities is i generally followed by one much greater." A letter of his is still preserved, supposed to have been written during the rebellion of '9B, though it is doubtful if he ever put bo many '• bulls V together on paper. It was is follows" Dear Sir, —Havins; now a little peace and quiet, I sit down to inform you of the bustle and confusion we are in from the bloodthirsty rebels, many of whom we know thank God I killed and dispersed. We aro in a pretty mess, can get nothing to eat, and no wine to drink except whiskey. When we sit down to dinner, we are obliged to keep both hands armed.. While I wiito this I have my sword in one hand and wy pistol in the other. I concluded from the beginning that this would be the end, and I am right, for it in not half over yet. At present there is such goings on that everything is at a standstill, I should have answered your letter a fortnight ago, hut I only received' it this morning. Indeed, hardly a mail arrives safe without bain? robbed. No longor ago than yesterday, tho mail coach from Dublin was robbed near this town; the bags | had been very judiciously left behind, and by great good luck there was .. nobody in the coach but two outside ( passengers who lm<l nothing for the ■. theives, to take; ■ Last Thursday an alarm was given that a gang of rebels in full retreat from Drogheda were advancing under the French standard; but tboy had no colors or any drums except bagpipes. Immediately every man in the place, includiug women and children, ran out to meet them. We soon,found our force a great deal too little, and far too near to think of retreating. Death was in every face, . and to it we went, By the time half our party were killed, wo hegnn to be all alive. Fortunately, the rebels had no guns except pistols, cutlasses, and pikes, and we had plenty of muskets and ammunition, Wo put them all to the sword j not a soul escaped except some of those who were drowned in an adjoining bog, In fact in a short timo nothing wjs heard but silence. Their uniforms were all different, chiefly green, After the action was over we went to rummage their camp. All wo found was a few pikes without heads, a parcel of empty filled with water, and a bundle Tof French blank commissions, filled up with Irish names. Troops are now round, which exactly squares Wwith ray ideas of Beourity. Adieu I ml have only to add that 1 am yours in I haste.—B.R. [ P.S,—lf you do not receive this, of > course itmust have miscarried; therefore I beg you to write and let me f know.