parts of the country were repeatedly annoyed by the Norwegian, Magnus. His prowess and audacity had possessed him of the Hebrides and the Isle of Man, and under the title of the Lord of the Isles he struck terror and dismay far and near. Emboldened by the senseless dissensions of the Irish, he sailed up the Liffey, ravaging and destroying, and at length possessed himself of Dublin, where, having fallen into an ambush, he lost his life.

CHAPTER III.

THE various wars in Ireland did not prevent the island from being still divided into the five chief kingdoms of which mention has already been made. The titular chief royalty passed now to Roderic O'Connor, King of Connaught. But all his energies were required to enable him to govern Connaught, and he was incapable of either composing the differences of the other kings, or of uniting them all under his own authority. In a word, Ireland was in the 13th century as divided as ever it had been; and only so far improved in wealth as to tempt aggression by exciting cupidity. Heathen Rome and Christian Rome alike had allowed the semi-barbarous people of the "sacred island" to fight and destroy at their own good pleasure. But the time at length came when Christian Rome, already enthroned as the arbitress of the temporal and spiritual princes of the earth, looked with a longing eye upon the fertile island on which prosperity had begun to dawn. Ireland's near and ambitious neighbour, Henry II. of England, it was who immediately drew the attention of the pontiff to her value and capabilities. Attracted by the fertility of Ireland and its contiguity to his own kingdom, he applied to the papal court for its sanction to his subduing Ireland.

A. D. 1116.-Pope Adrian III., who then filled the papal chair, was doubly glad to receive this request. An Englishman by birth, he was naturally anxious for the aggrandizement of his native country; and, as pope, he could not but be rejoiced at having from the king of England this emphatic acknowledgement of the temporal as well as spiritual supremacy of Rome. The pope having shown that Ireland ought to be conquered, and that Henry is appointed conqueror, "exhorts him to invade Ireland, in order to extirpate the vice and wickedness of the natives, and oblige them to pay yearly, from every house, a penny to the see of Rome; gives him entire right and authority over the island, com-' mands all the inhabitants to obey him as their sovereign, and invests him with the fullest power, all for the glory of God and the salvation of the souls of men." "

The state of Ireland soon after this bull was issued, was precisely such as its foreign foeman might have desired it to be; one of the intestine brawls breaking out just then with even more than usual virulence and fury. Dermot Macmorrogh, the king of Leinster, who was remarkable for his gross immorality, had greatly provoked the chief men of his kingdom. Unaware or contemptuous of the general feeling that existed against him, he wantonly added to it by abducting the wife of Ororic, prince of Breffney, during her husband's absence. Prince Ororic, on his return to the bog island in which he had, as he imagined, secured the safety of his wife, was roused to the utmost rage by the information that Macmorrogh had made a descent upon it and forcibly carried her away. Morality at that time was so low, that nearly any man but the king of Leinster might have abducted his neighbour's wife, without running serious risk of incurring enmity or censure beyond that of the injured husband and his immediate friends and followers. But Macmorrogh's

character was so generally detested, that the prince of Brenney met with warm and unusual sympathy. Among those who hastened to assist him was Roderic, king of Connaught; and so powerful a force was speedily led to the punishment of the ravisher, that he was fairly driven from the territory he had so scandalously misgoverned.

Chastised but impenitent, the exile went to France, where Henry II. of England then was, and solicited his aid. Delighted at having an additional excuse for his meditated invasion, Henry affected to give full credence to the version of the story which it suited Macmorrogh's purpose to tell; especially as he offered, if restored to his kingdom, to hold it as vassal of the English crown. Just at that moment, however, Henry was too busily engaged in Guienne in quelling the rebellious spirit of his French subjects, to be able to go personally to the aid of his Irish supplicant. Nevertheless he cordially promised him puissant support, and furnished him with letters-patent by which all subjects of the king of England were empowered and encouraged to aid the exile king of Leinster in his attempts to recover his dominion. With this important document Dermot Macmorrogh hastened to Bristol to raise a force. For a time, however, he found even the king's letters-patent insufficient to induce men to volunteer for Ireland, where, according to the general notion, hard blows were likely to constitute the principal booty. It is likely Macmorrogh would have been still longer without reaping any benefit from the king's letters-patent, had he not fortunately met with a ruined noble of the house of Clare, who by a furious course of pleasure and extravagance, had so reduced himself, that he would gladly have shared in even a less promising adventure.

Richard, surnamed Strongbow, earl of Strigul, was easily induced to enter into the cause of the king of Leinster, on being promised his daughter Eva as a wife, with a present portion and the reversion of the father's dominion. Having secured this potent ally-for Strongbow was a good and approved soldier-Macmorrogh left his new ally and proceeded to Wales, where by liberal promises he produced two other allies, Maurice Fitzgerald, and Robert Fitzstephen, constable of Abertivi. Having thus secured abundant aid, he made arrangements for future proceedings with the three leaders, and then clandestinely re-entered his kingdom of Leinster, and secreted himself in the monastery of Fernes, of which-so little had the founding of monasteries at that time to do with religious feelingthis tyrant and ravisher was the founder.

It is probable that Dermot Macmorrogh had only his own revenge in view when he sought the protection and aid of the English king. Yet when he thus proposed to introduce foreign troops into Ireland, and, like Count Julian of Spain, who introduced the fierce Arabs into his country, called the foreigners to look at once upon the fertility and the feeblness of the land, it seems scarcely possible he could have been wholly without a presentiment of the natural result. Robert Fitzstephen, with thirty knights, sixty esquires, and three hundred archers, was the first of the friends of Dermot to make his appearance in Ireland. The archers, besides being completely armed, were for the most part men who had seen service, and their compact and orderly march struck terror wherever they appeared. Ten knights, thirty esquires, and sixty archers having, under the leadership of Maurice de Prendergast, joined this force, an attack was was made upon the town of Wexford, which had been greatly improved and was chiefly inhabited by a party of Danes. The town was carried, and here the adventurers awaited the arrival of Maurice Fitzgerald. He joined them soon after with ten knights, thirty esquires, and a hundred archers; and the whole force of the adventurers was now fully equal to the task of defeating any force that Ireland could draw to one point. Roderic, king of Connaught, who had taken so signal a part in expelling

the guilty and detested Macmorrogh, made a gallant resistance, but was beaten at all points; and Macmorrogh now, looking beyond the mere restoration of the authority from which he had so deservedly been driven, began to project the dethroning and exile or death of Roderick, and his own elevation to the dignity of chief king of Ireland. ›

While these things were being enacted, Strongbow had made his way to Normandy, where, as we have before said, Henry II. at that time was. Though a gallant knight, Strongbow too well knew the waywardness of his royal master, not to feel anxious for a more direct and personal permission to act; lest he should by chance run counter to the king's private wishes while acting under his openly-expressed authority. Henry confirmed in person the permission given in the letters-patent, but did so with a coldness and ambiguity which showed him by no means over pleased with the success of the king of Leinster. Having first dispatched Raymond, with seventy archers, who made good their landing in spite of three thousand Irish by whom they were furiously attacked near Waterford, Strongbow himself soon afterward landed with two hundred horse and a body of archers. Having secured Waterford, Strongbow led the English force to Dublin, which place they carried by assault. Roderick, king of Connaught, enraged at the prowess of the English, put to death a natural son of Macmorrogh's, who was one of the seven hostages held by him. Both at Waterford and Dublin, the triumph of the English and their treacherous ally was also marked by circumstances of awful barbarity. Hasculf, the Danish governor, with his wife and children, were fortunate enough to escape from the sack of Dublin; but the slaughter among the common people was frightful. Strongbow now received, as had been stipulated, the hand of Eva, the natural daughter of Macmorrogh; and this latter personage dying shortly afterwards, Strongbow became possessed of the kingdom of Leinster, and prepared to extend his possession to the whole of Ireland.

Roderick, instead of hastening to the relief of Dublin, employed that critical time to arrest the progress of the English in a desultory expedition into Meath. He now became sensible of the error, and being joined by other Irish princes, advanced with thirty thousand men-an immense army for Ireland at that time-to besiege Dublin. But Strongbow was not a man to be pent within the walls of a beleaguered city. At the head of ninety knights, with a proportionate number of men-at-arms, he sallied out and inflicted such a sanguinary defeat upon this large but undisciplined host, as to impress all Ireland with an opinion that the English were absolutely irresistible. Just at this juncture the brave Fitzstephen, who had been closely hemmed in at Carrick, sent to entreat aid of Strongbow. The latter hastened at once to the support of his friend; but before he could arrive Fitzstephen had allowed himself to be tricked out of his liberty. A messenger sent by the people of Waterford, to whom he was especially obnoxious, informed him that Roderick had taken Dublin; that Strongbow, Fitzgerald, and other knights of name had perished, and that Roderick was now marching towards him with the avowed determination to spare neither sex nor age of the English. Fitzstephen, confident that a barbarous country like Ireland would be easily subdued, had brought over his wife and children with him, and was now, on their account, struck so with terror, that he readily gave credence to the intelligence. The messenger perceiving the impression his false tidings made upon Fitzstephen, persuaded him to allow him to guide him to a shelter, together with his family and immediate followers. In an evil hour his anxiety for the safety of his wife and children caused him to abandon the strong fort in which he could, at the. worst, have held out for some time, and place himself and family in the hands of his bitterest enemies. He discovered his error almost as soon as he had committed it. Many of his most

valued followers were put to death on the instant, while he and the rest were committed to prison and closely guarded. But how greatly was his chagrin increased when he heard of the splendid success of Strongbow at Dublin; and that he was hastening to Carrick for the express purpose of affording that aid which Fitzstephen's own precipitancy had now rendered useless. The people at Waterford, well knowing what fate they might expect should they fall into the hands of the terrible Strongbow, gathered up every portable part of their property, set fire to the town, and then, carrying their prisoners with them, took shelter in a little island near Waterford harbour. Thither Strongbow pursued them, with threats of taking the most signal and terrible vengeance; but just as he was about to attack the island, he was induced, to depart by solemn assurances that the landing of his first man should be the signal for striking off the head of every English prisoner.

Henry II., as soon as the state of affairs would admit of his doing so, was on his way to Ireland at the head of a numerous force. Strongbow hastened to England and met the king in Gloucester, where he had assembled a very powerful force. Henry at first refused to admit Strongbow to his presence; but on the earl urging that he could clearly show that, in all he had done, he had acted solely for the king's service, and that he would not even stir a step in the Irish expedition until he had received a particular permission from the king, he was admitted. And he boldly affirmed, on being admitted to the royal presence, that he aimed at Irish conquest only for the king's service, and that for himself, he should be content with whatever reward his royal master might deign to bestow upon him. Pacified dy a submission so complete, and seemingly so disinterested, the king accepted the surrender of Dublin and all other ports and fortresses conquered or to be conquered in Ireland; and granted to the earl and his heirs for ever, all his other Irish acquisitions to be held as fiefs of the English crown.

A. D. 1171.-The conciliatory policy of the shrewd earl having thus averted the storm of royal wrath in which he and his fortunes would otherwise have probably suffered shipwreck, Henry hastened his preparations, and, accompanied by Strongbow, landed at Waterford about the middle of October. The large force by which the king was accompanied, and the gallant appearance of the knights, armed cap-a-pie, procured him a degree of respect from the natives which they probably would have withheld from the name of king, which was too common among them to have much of that prestige which attached to it elsewhere. No opposition was made to his landing, and as he progressed through the country, kings and chiefs flocked to him to tender their homage. To each who thus came to surrender his possessions and authority, Henry instantly restored both on the easy condition of homage being done and vassalage confessed. Even Roderick O'Connor, the original opponent of Dermot, peaceably submitted, and without a single battle Henry II. of England became also king of Ireland. Having held a council at Cashel, in which special provisions were made for the support and protection of the clergy, upon whose exertions the king well knew that the peaceable maintenance of his authority would depend, and in which a variety of other laws for the regulation of marriage, wills, and succession of property were propounded, the king proceeded to celebrate the feast of Christmas at Dublin. The city possessed no apartment large enough to serve for the royal banqueting room on this occasion, but a temporary pavilion was erected, in which Henry feasted O'Connor and the other principal Irish princes in a style of profuse and costly hospitality such as they had never before witnessed. The king appointed a lord-high-constable, an earl-marshal, and a high steward; and distributed vast tracts of Irish territory among English nobles, but on the strictest feudal principle. Thus, for instance, by way of

preventing the great possessions of Strongbow from being predominant in Ireland, the king gave the whole of Meath, so long the seat of the chief Irish royalty, to Hugh de Lacy and his heirs forever, on the tenure of fifty knights' service. Having thus provided for the future government and security of Ireland as an integral part of his dominion, and made such minor arrangements as chanced to occur to his mind or to the minds of his advisers, Henry departed from the scene of his easy conquest-if conquest, indeed, that could be called in which he never had occasion to strike a blow-in April, 1172, having been in Ireland barely six months; and on landing in Wales, proceeded immediately to St. David's church to return thanks for a success of which he seems to have felt all the importance.

CHAPTER IV,

A. D. 1172.-The profuseness with which Henry had parcelled out Irish lands among English soldiers, and the jealous rigour with which each English pale or settlement repressed the slightest Irish disturbance, soon caused deep and fierce hatred. While the king and his formidable army remained, the Irish affected the most cordial feelings; nay, perhaps, while the king's presence acted as a check upon the haughty tyranny of the conquerors, the conquered actually did entertain the hope of being allowed to live in peace and good-fellowship. But the king had no sooner departed than the fiercest animosities began to display themselves. The natives, especially those who were in the immediate neighbourhood of the palatinates, and who therefore were especially subjected to the insolence and oppression of the English, looked with detestation upon these possessors of countless acres which they had forcibly wrested from the rightful inheritors. From murmurs they proceeded to actions; rebellions on the one hand and unsparing severity on the other, ensued; and again this luckless land seemed doomed to long centuries of petty but ruinous wars.

Strongbow was the principal man among the new comers, and was known to be the soul of their councils; so against him the animosity of the natives was especially directed. To render his situation still more perilous, his own followers, who, justly or not, had acquired so much through his daring and skill, began to show strong symptoms of insubordination. His appearance was hailed with less cordiality; his_orders obeyed with less promptitude. A chief cause of this among the English soldiers was the strictness of Fitzmaurice, who had the immediate conmand. He was a good soldier, and being desirous that the natives and the English should, for the sake of both parties, live in peace and the mutual performance of good offices, he strictly forbade all plundering and brawling, to which the English showed themselves only too prone. This strictness, which the licentious soldiery considered all the more unreasonable, inasmuch as they were most irregularly paid, at length led to an openly-expressed determination of the soldiers to abandon Ireland altogether, unless the command were taken from Fitzmaurice, and given to Raymond le Gros, an officer who was altogether popular among them. Raymond le Gros, perceiving how important his support was to Strongbow, ventured to ask the hand of that nobleman's sister Basilia, a very beautiful woman, of whom Raymond had long been enamoured, but whom his comparatively humble fortune would probably never have allowed him to seek in marriage, but for the adventitious importance into which he was lifted by the mutinous spirit of the soildery. Strongbow was far too acute not to be aware of the delicacy and even peril of his situation: but he was pround as he was brave, and without hesitation refused Raymond both the hand of the lady and constableship of Leinster, which he also demanded.