was intended to massacre the people.

"Why this should be I do not know, and I cannot but think that the alarm
was a false one. However, the regiment arrived on the river bank, and
some of its officers crossed and entered the city. When they were in
council with some of the leading citizens, a party of apprentices, with
some of the rabble, shut the gates. For some time there was great debate.
The older citizens were mostly in favour of admitting the earl's
regiment. Why, they asked, should Derry alone defy the power of
Tyrconnell and King James? If King William made his cause good, and came
over to Ireland to aid the Protestants, it would be time enough for the
men of Derry to join him, and to fight for their faith; but if they now
stood alone, they could do no good to the cause of King William, and
would bring destruction on themselves and their city.

"But these arguments were of no avail. The apprentices and all the young
men of the town, and the fugitives who had come in from the country
round, were all for fighting, and so the gates were kept shut; and Lord
Antrim, seeing that he could do nothing against such a strong place as
Derry, marched away with his regiment. This seems to me a fair account of
what has happened. What will come of it I know not; but, being a
Protestant, my feelings would incline me to the side of William. Yet it
seems to me that his friends here have acted hastily, in thus adventuring
themselves against all the forces of King James, and that sore trouble is
like to come upon the town. However, it is not for me to judge. I am as
warm as any of them in defence of our religion, and shall try to do my
best in case of need. I am sorry, dear Walter, that we have to take
different sides in this quarrel, but of course we are each of the opinion
of our elders, and must not blame each other for what is indeed not of
our own choosing.