Lives of Irish Martyrs and Confessors . and labored with such zeal,where before they had been suffering from a dearth of pas-tors, that the Catholics in all the baronies of Clare wereprovided with spiritual food. Dermid had thus laboredfor many years in the vineyard of the Lord, when theenemy of human salvation sought, by means of the satel-lites of Elizabeth, to put a stop to his zealous efforts. Di-vers man-hunters were therefore employed throughoutClare to catch in their nets the zealous preacher, whosezeal, indeed, for martyrdom would long before havebrought him into their hands had he not
Lives of Irish Martyrs and Confessors . and labored with such zeal,where before they had been suffering from a dearth of pas-tors, that the Catholics in all the baronies of Clare wereprovided with spiritual food. Dermid had thus laboredfor many years in the vineyard of the Lord, when theenemy of human salvation sought, by means of the satel-lites of Elizabeth, to put a stop to his zealous efforts. Di-vers man-hunters were therefore employed throughoutClare to catch in their nets the zealous preacher, whosezeal, indeed, for martyrdom would long before havebrought him into their hands had he not been preventedby his superiors. While the search was most eager Dermid was employ-ed preaching and catechising not far from Limerick, in aplace, however, which was mountainous, and generally safefrom the excursions of the heretics. However, his pre- • It is to be remembered that lie dwelt in Clare, a remote Jistrct, inhabited exclusively bvCatholics, and whither the queens soldiers rarely penetrated. X m CO X > > DO O< m mo. In the Reign of James I. 221 sence here came to the knowledge of the commander ofthe garrison in Limerick, who sent some musketeers toarrest him, and they seized him in the act of preachingfrom the top of a mound. He received many blows fromthe fists and sticks of the soldiers, and, with his hands tiedbehind him, was driven to Limerick, in the year , who had been weakened by his voluntary fasts,was thrown into prison, where for four months he enduredmuch, for it was forbidden under a heavy penalty for anyCatholic to speak to him or give him any assistance. At the end of this time he was brought before thekings judges, and being asked many idle questions, Der-mid boldly answered that his dress showed he was aCatholic and a Franciscan ; that as to his name, profession,labors, and friends, they were abundantly known to thosewho had taken him when preaching ; that therefore therewas nothing to be done but either to set him free, or bytor
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