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.
Who liv'd in Cow-Cross, near West-Smithfield; who, changing her apparel, entered herself on board in quality of a soldier, and sailed to Ireland, where she valiantly behaved herself, particularly at the siege of Cork, where she lost her toes, and received a mortal wound in her body, of which she since died in her return to London.
From Durfey's _Pills to Purge Melancholy_, v. 8.
Cork was taken September 27-29, 1690, by the Duke (then Earl) of Marlborough, with the coöperation of the Duke of Wirtemberg. The Duke of Grafton, then serving as a volunteer, was mortally wounded while advancing to the assault. Croker suggests that this lamentation for the heroine of Cow-Cross, "the Mary Ambree of her age," was one of the many indirect efforts made to bring the military skill of Marlborough into popular notice.
Let the females attend To the lines which are penn'd, For here I shall give a relation Of a young marry'd wife, Who did venture her life, 5 For a soldier, a soldier she went from the nation.
She her husband did leave, And did likewise receive Her arms, and on board she did enter, And right valiantly went, 10 With a resolution bent To the ocean, the ocean, her life there to venture.
Yet of all the ship's crew, Not a seaman that knew They then had a woman so near 'em; 15 On the ocean so deep She her council did keep, Ay, and therefore, and therefore she never did fear 'em.
She was valiant and bold, And would not be controul'd 20 By any that dare to offend her; If a quarrel arose, She would give him dry blows, And the captain, the captain did highly commend her.
For he took her to be 25 Then of no mean degree, A gentleman's son, or a squire; With a hand white and fair, There was none could compare, Which the captain, the captain did often admire.
On the Irish shore, 31 Where the cannons did roar, With many stout lads she was landed; There her life to expose, She lost two of her toes, 35 And in battle, in battle was daily commended.