THE TREATY-STONE AT LIMERICK.
The city of Limerick is very famous in history. Before it, in 1651, Ireton "sate down;" there he continued to "sit" for six months; and underneath its walls the fierce republican died of plague. Greater celebrity, and higher honour, were, however, obtained by Limerick in 1690. Early in August, William summoned it to surrender; the French general, Boileau, who commanded the garrison—"rather for the King of France than the King of England"—returned for answer, that "he was surprised at the summons, and thought the best way to gain the good opinion of the Prince of Orange was to defend the place for his master King James." The siege was at once commenced. The flower of the Irish army were within its walls, or in its immediate neighbourhood; the counties of Clare and Galway were open to them, from which to draw supplies; and a French fleet rode triumphantly in the Shannon. The garrison, however, were little disposed to act in concert: the jealousy of the commanders of the French and Irish had spread to their troops; and they cherished feelings of contempt or hatred towards each other, that argued ill for their success in opposing the steady and disciplined forces of William.
Yet the Irish succeeded; the siege was raised on the 30th of August. But, in the autumn of 1691, it endured a second, which occupied about six months; when the garrison, wearied of a struggle from which they could derive nothing but glory, on the 23rd of September, a cessation of hostilities took place; an amicable intercourse was opened between the two armies; and articles of capitulation were, after a few brief delays, agreed upon. The "violated treaty" was signed on the 3rd of October, 1691; it consisted of two parts, civil and military. It is said to have been signed by the several contracting parties on a large stone, near to Thomond Bridge, on the county of Clare side of the river. The stone remains in the position it occupied at the period, and is an object of curiosity to strangers, as well as of interest to the citizens of Limerick. We, therefore, thought it desirable to procure a drawing of the relic, which retains its name of "the Treaty Stone."
THE TEMPLARS' BANNER CALLED BEAUSEANT.
When Constantine the Great was on the eve of a battle with Maxentius, we are told that a luminous standard appeared to him in the sky with a cross upon it, and this inscription:—"In hoc signo vinces—By this sign you shall conquer;" and that this sign so encouraged Constantine and his soldiers that they gained the next day a great victory.
When Waldemar II. of Denmark was engaged in a great battle with the Livonians in the year 1219, it is said that a sacred banner fell from heaven into the midst of his army, and so revived the courage of his troops, that they gained a complete victory over the Livonians; and in memory of the event, Waldemar instituted an order of knighthood, called "St. Danebrog," or the strength of the Danes, and which is still the principal order of knighthood in Denmark. Now, taking these legends for as much as they are worth, and no more; what do they prove? Not that this miraculous standard and cross came to the assistance of Constantine; not that this miraculous banner came to the aid of Waldemar; but they prove that such was the paramount importance attached to the sacred banner among the forces, that wherever it was present, it was a great means of inspiriting the men with increased confidence and courage, and so contributed to the victory.
