They held all the great fortresses of the kingdom, and it would be easy to provide for the defence of these, and to occupy William's army in small affairs, till the winter, when the climate would do execution upon the invaders, while the Irish would suffer little.

Then would be the time to fight.
In the meantime, it was urged, the intrigues the French were actively carrying out in Britain would have produced some effect.

The French fleet was, every day, expected on the coast of England, and William would soon be compelled to return to that country, if not to recall the greater part of his army.

In Scotland, too, the French were busy; and there were materials in that country for creating a powerful diversion.

To fight now would be to forego every advantage, and to meet the views of William, whose obvious interest it was to bring the contest to an immediate decision, now, while every circumstance was in his favour.
But James, who had hitherto shown nothing but timidity and hesitation, was now seized with an impulse of valour.