268 WtLD Sf>ORTS OF THE WEST. 



have held out forever. Rose was severely pressed ; 

 for, finding themselves foiled by her ready wit and good 

 discretion, when they attacked her singly, her lovers, 

 from necessity, agreed to coalesce, and determined that 

 one should be accepted, and the remainder be pledged 

 to support the acquired rights of the fortunate candi- 

 date, as report said King Henry had resolved to gift 

 a favourite noble with the person and estates of the 

 beautiful widow. 



This agreement of her suitors was politely but decisively 

 intimated to Rose Roche, and the Prior declared, " by 

 the vestment," that to evade matrimony longer was 

 impossible. " She had," the holy man said, " an ample 

 list to choose from ; there were eleven suitors in the 

 neighbourhood, besides the Big Man oj the Westy*' 

 for so the Thane of Connaught was entitled . 



In this extremity, the lady resolved to exercise, at 

 least, the privilege of free choice. The Prior was 

 directed to engross a bond, by which the respective 

 candidates for her hand bound themselves to grant 

 an uncontrolled right of selection to the widow, and 

 covenanted, moreover, neither to molest, nor permit 

 her to be molested, when her choice was made. The 

 deed was duly executed — ^the day for her decision was 

 named — and a reasonable time allowed for " the Big 

 Man of the West " to attend and try his fortune. 



O'Connor was surprised when the determination of 

 the fair widow was communicated. He had only time 

 for a hurried preparation, as his rivals, from their vicinity 

 to the lady, had never taken the remoter situation of 

 " the Big Man " into their consideration, when they 

 named the day. O'Connor, however, was no sluggard ; 

 he collected his " following " with all haste, and every 



