had immortalized themselves by their heroic defence of Louvain.  Wherever they went they were faithful to the sovereign under whom they served; and French and Spanish generals marvelled how the English nation could be so infatuated as to drive their noblest and bravest officers and men into foreign service.  An important official document still exists in the State Paper Office, which was prepared by a Government spy, and which details the names, rank, and qualifications of many of these gentlemen.  They were serving in Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Poland, and the Low Countries.  Don Richard Burke—­strange that the first on the list of Irish exiles should be of Anglo-Norman descent—­was Governor of Leghorn, and had seen great service in Italy and in the West Indies; “Phellemy O’Neill, nephew to old Tyrone,” lived with great respect in Milan.  There were one hundred able to command companies, and twenty fit to be made colonels under the Archduchess alone.  The list of the names would fill several pages, and those, it should be remembered, were leading men.  There were, besides, to be considered, an immense number of Irish of the lower classes, who had accompanied their chiefs abroad, and served in their regiments.  The report says:  “They have long been providing of arms for any attempt against Ireland, and had in readiness five or six thousand arms laid up in Antwerp for that purpose, bought out of the deduction of their monthly pay, as will be proved; and it is thought now they have doubled that proportion by those means."[473]

The reason of the increased sacrifice they made for their country, was probably the report that the moment was at hand when it might be available.  The movement in Ireland was commenced by Roger O’More, a member of the ancient family of that name, who had been so unjustly expelled from their ancestral home in Leix; by Lord Maguire, who had been deprived of nearly all his ancient patrimony at Fermanagh, and his brother Roger; by Sir Phelim O’Neill of Kinnare, the elder branch of whose family had been expatriated; by Turlough O’Neill, his brother, and by several other gentlemen similarly situated.  O’More was the chief promoter of the projected insurrection.  He was eminently suited to become a popular leader for he was a man of great courage, fascinating address, and imbued with all the high honour of the old Celtic race.  In May, 1641, Nial O’Neill arrived in Ireland with a promise of assistance from Cardinal Richelieu; and the confederates arranged that the rising should take place a few days before or after All Hallows, according to circumstances.  In the meanwhile the exiled Earl of Tyrone was killed; but his successor, Colonel Owen Roe O’Neill, then serving in Flanders, entered warmly into all their plans.