Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/606

586 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [en. 62. could, from his first calamity, and being reassured by a victory of Malby's over the Burkes and the unexpected quiet of the rest of Ireland, gathered all the soldiers that he could raise, and set off, with a small, but, from its composition, unusually interesting force, to attack the in- vaders by land. Ireland had become to young English- men of spirit a land of hope and adventure, where they might win glory and perhaps fortune ; and among the names of the officers who accompanied Grey are found those of Burghley's kinsman, ' young Mr Cheke/ of Edmund Spenser, and of Walter Raleigh. They reached Dingle by the end of October. Bing- "kam came on shore to meet them, and, after a survey of the fort, it became clear to every one that nothing could be done till the arrival of the rest of the fleet ; the troops having come away ill provided and depending on Winter for their supplies. For eight days therefore they lay encamped between Dingle and Smerwick, in 'penury of victuals,' and amidst the howling of the Atlantic gales. On the qth of November a few November. droves of cattle, for which they had sent back to Castlemaine, were seen approaching, to relieve them of the fear of actual and immediate famine. Almost at the same moment, the yet more welcome news came in that the fleet was in Yentry harbour, and if the wind held would be at Smerwick the following morning. Winter was old and cautious, and forgetful of every- thing but the safety of his ships, had felt his way from harbour to harbour in the intervals of moderate weather, arrived at last however, and past troubles were