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doctor to the army of Albert and Isabella, joint sovereigns of 

 the Low Countries. There he became chief of the medical 

 faculty in the Royal Hospital of Malines, where he worked 

 until 1620. In that year he returned to Ireland and settled in 

 Dublin. After some years he earned the sobriquet of the 

 " Eagle of Doctors." Later at the siege of Duncannon he was 

 surgeon in chief of the Leinster Forces under Preston. Here 

 he had ample field for his resources of leech craft. 



In the autumn of 1646, having lost confidence in the trea- 

 cherous Preston, he thenceforth devoted his skill to the service 

 of the troops commanded by Owen Roe. Before 1 quitting the 

 camp of his former chief O'Shiel sent him the following letter, 

 which proves that he did not cease to take an interest in 

 Preston's bodily health : — 



" My Right Honorable Lord, 



" Having known the condition of your body this long 

 while, and calling to memory also how some years since 

 I have given directions in the Low Countries whereby 

 your honour should abstain from all sorts of wine, only 

 ' Vin de pays ' and ' Rhenish wine,' excess in which 

 direction was altogether excluded then ; and now also, 

 my Lord, according to my obligations I do once again 

 forbid the same. 



" Assuring your honour that no other end can be ex- 

 pected than to shorten your own days, whereby you will 

 be an executioner of yourself if you follow the contrary. 

 This much to discharge myself and my duty towards you 

 I thought fit to certify, and so do rest and will ever remain 

 " Your true servant, 



" Owen O'Sheil." 



O'Sheil died under the O'Neill banner, and was found 

 amongst the slain between Letterkenny and Schearsaullis, 

 leaving many men and women bemoaning his loss. 



Richard Arthur, M.D., was a distinguished contemporary 

 and rival of O'Sheil ; his " fee book " is published in Kil- 

 kenny Archaeological Journal. 



John Baptist van Helmont, born 1577, died 1644, writes in 

 his Confessio Authoris :— " For I remember that the Chieftains 

 of Ireland used each to give a piece of land to a healer who 



