The Croppy: A Tale of 1798, Volume 2

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H. Colburn, 1828 - Ireland

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Page 30 - I do further declare that neither hopes, fears, rewards or punishments, shall ever induce me directly or indirectly, to inform on, or give evidence against any member or members of this or similar societies, for any act or expression of theirs, done or made collectively or individually, in or out of this society, in pursuance of the spirit of this obligation.
Page 30 - In the awful presence of God, I, AB , do voluntarily declare, that I will persevere in endeavouring to form a brotherhood of affection among Irishmen of every religious persuasion, and that I will also persevere in my endeavours to obtain an equal, full, and adequate representation of all the people of Ireland.
Page 143 - Saunders Smyly vigorously engaged in one of his tasks as disciplinarian to the Ballybrechoone cavalry. With much ostentation, his instrument of torture was flourished round his head ; and though at every lash the shrieks of the sufferer came loud, the lashes themselves were scarce less distinct. A second group challenged the eye. Shawn-a-Gow's house stood alone in the village. A short distance before its door was a lime-tree, with benches contrived all round the trunk, upon which in summer weather...
Page 38 - ... have not experienced on their privileged persons a touch of Despotism's most darling mode of coercion — bodily Torture. The lowliest subject of England would flout, with manly laughter, the notion that, for any breach of law or statute, his flesh was to quiver beneath the torturer's gripe. So safe, immediately at home, he most probably supposes, in favour of his fellow-subject of Ireland, similar exemption from a similar cruelty and infamy. It is therefore with some doubts of even the capability...
Page 140 - Avoch, Shawn! Light it up. light up, boys! is his word," answered Peter. " By the Eternal !" said Shawn, at last fully starting to his feet, " my house is a-fire, blazin' up to give the hell-hounds light !" " The Lord help you ! 'Tis blazin', sure enough," said Peter. The smith kept a brooding and gloomy silence. His almost savage yet steadfast glare fastened upon the element that, not more raging than his own bosom, devoured his dwelling. Fire had been set to the house in many places, within and...
Page 141 - ... devoured his dwelling. Fire had been set to the house in many places, within and without ; and though at first it crept slowly along the surface of the thatch, or only sent out bursting wreaths of vapour from the interior, or through the doorway, few minutes elapsed until the whole of the...
Page 141 - ... smoke. Sky and earth reddened into common ignition with the blaze. The houses around gleamed hotly ; the very stones and rocks on the hillside seemed portions of fire, and Shawna-Gow's bare head and herculean shoulders were covered with spreading showers of the ashes of his own roof. His distended eye, fixed too upon the figures of the actors in this scene, now reddened fiercely distinct, and their scabbards, their buttons, and their polished black helmets, flickering redly in the glow, as at...
Page 27 - Enniscorthy callin' us all gallows Papishes, an' swearin' oath upon oath that they'd cut us down like thistles.'21 The magic word 'oath' is taken up by Rattlin' Bill Nale, a mysterious fortune-teller whose own history is a source of much local gossip and rumour, and he reads a document purporting to be the oath taken by all members of the Yeomanry, pledging themselves to exterminate the Catholics of...
Page 143 - A loud, crackling crash echoed from his house ; a volume of flame, taller and more dense than any by which it was preceded, darted up to the heavens ; then almost former darkness fell on the hill-side ; a gloomy, red glow alone remained on the objects below , and nothing but thick smoke, dotted with sparks, continued to issue from his dwelling. After every thing that could interiorly supply food to the flame had been devoured, it was the roof of his old house that now fell in. ' " By the ashes o'...
Page 141 - The smith kept a brooding and gloomy silence, his almost savage yet steadfast glare fastened upon the element that, not more raging than his own bosom, devoured his dwelling. Fire had been set to the house in many places within and without, and though at first it crept slowly along the surface of the thatch, or only sent out bursting wreaths of vapor from the interior, or through the doorway, few minutes elapsed until the whole of the combustible roof was one mass of flame, shooting up into the serene...

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