was that James should avoid decisive action, retiring if necessary to the Shannon, in the midst of a country wholly devoted to him.

It was, however, a good deal to ask, this abandonment of the capital after more than a year's occupancy, with all the consequent moral effect; it would have been much more to the purpose to stop William's landing.

James undertook to cover Dublin, taking up the line of the river Boyne, and there on the 11th of July the two armies met, with the result that James was wholly defeated.

The king himself fled to Kinsale, where he found ten of those frigates that had been meant to control St.George's Channel.

He embarked, and again took refuge in France, begging Louis to improve the victory at Beachy Head by landing him with another French army in England itself.