And to make all sure, he hath taken to wife the daughter of the
former owner of the land a damsel fair to look upon."
"Jeph! But sure--the Irish are Papists."
"Not the whole of them. There are those that hold to Prelacy and
call themselves King's men, following the bloody and blinded Duke of
Ormond. Of them was this maid's father, whom we slew at the taking
of Clonmel, where I got this wound and left my good right leg. So is
the race not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but time and
chance happeneth to all. When I could hobble about once more on
crutches, I found that the call had come to divide and possess the
gate of the enemy, and that the meads of Ballyshea had fallen to
Serjeant Kenton. Moreover, in the castle hard by, dwelt the widow
and her daughter, who cried to General Lambert for their land, and
what doth he say to Jephthah, but 'Make it sure, Kenton. Take the
maid to wife, and so none will disturb you in the fair heritage.'
Yea, and mine old comrade would have me sojourn with him till I was
quite restored, so far as a man with one limb short may be.
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