trim. He repaired to Dublin, and insisted upon a conference at Tara. This conference was held; but as English historians relate, O'Rourk endeavoured insidiously, to ensnare the unwary English general, who had nigh fallen a victim to his confidence in his honor. Here it may be permitted to observe, that the situation of O'Rourk, the Irish chieftain, rendered him more independent of the dishonourable artifices, with which he is charged, than that of the English viceroy De Lacy. That the cautions which

historians put into the mouths of De Lacy's friends not to trust to the honour of O'Rourk, were only more artful modes of concealing the stratagem, which was planned and executed by the English, and that an Irish chieftain from his rank, situation, and condition, would be less likely to put into practice the low or the mean artifices of cowardly policy, than those administrations whose diminished forces were now confined to a very small portion of Irish territory, and who would leave no experiment untried by which their objects could be obtained, or their enemy vanquished. O'Rourk fell a victim at this conference, and De Lacy was thus liberated from one of his most formidable opponents.

The Irish loudly proclaimed the treachery by which their favourite prince was sacrificed, and vowed the most dreadful vengeance on his destroyers. At this period the English monarch was engaged in endeavouring to suppress the formidable rebellion of his son Henry in Normandy. The latter was joined by the French and Scottish monarchs, and threatened his royal parent with the loss of his foreign dominions. Henry, with that promptitude which always distinguished his character, led a powerful army into France.

were each governed by their respective chiefs, viz. O'Rourk, O'Brady O'Corry, O'Sheridan, Mac Kurnam, and Mac Gauroll, most of whom were in possession of their estates at the beginning of the last century. Breffney is now called the county of Cavan, in the province of Ulster, though formerly it took in Leitrim, and was divided into east and west Breffney.

Strongbow flew from Ireland to the assistance of his master, and entrusted its government to Raymond le Gross. Strongbow's departure was no sooner made known to the Irish, than their chieftains disavowed their submissions, and boldly hurled defiance against those of the English adventurers who presumed to remain in Ireland. The English army became mutinous and discontented, and their commanders jealous, and envious of each other. Such differences would have been fatal to the English interests in Ireland, were they not put an end to by the appointment of Strongbow to the vice regency of Ireland. The latter, however useful an auxiliary to Henry, in his foreign wars, was again sent to Ireland, to pursue the conquests of the British monarch in that country. Raymond le Gross, being called on by the unanimous voice of the English army, was appointed their general. He marched into Offaly. He overran and ravaged the country, and proceeded to Lismore, where he committed similar depredations. Raymond having performed illustrious military services, flattered himself that he might, without presumption, seek the sister of the viceroy in marriage. Strongbow received the overture of Raymond with coldness, and the latter provoked and mortified, retired abruptly into Wales. The command of the English army was immediately conferred upon Harvey of Mountmauris. This general led his army against the insurgents in Meath, but not considering the force he commanded sufficiently strong, he prevailed on the viceroy to lend 400 men to join him. The latter, headed by Strongbow, proceeded on their march from Dublin, and were overtaken by O'Brien of Thomond, a valiant and intrepid Irish chieftain, who conceived the design of cutting off this reinforcement. He suffered them to encamp in careless security at Thurles, in the county of Tipperary, and falling suddenly upon them, he gave them a total overthrow. This memorable defeat was the signal for all the Irish chieftains once more to re-assert their indepen

dence. Strongbow retreated with precipitation to Waterford. His distresses obliged him to solicit the services of Raymond, who was then in Wales, and who, flattered by such an application and such an unequivocal acknowledgment of his military superiority, immediately embarked for Waterford, with thirty of his relatives, one hundred knights, and three hundred archers. The presence of this celebrated general prevented the massacre of the English who were in that city. Raymond proceeded to Wexford to meet his intended bride Basilica, the sister of the viceroy, to whom he was solemnly espoused with all the pomp and magnificence the country could afford. At the moment the nuptial rites were celebrating, the Irish monarch crossed the Shannon, entered the territory of Meath, expelled the English, and laid waste their settlements. Raymond le Gross, with Strongbow, arrived in time to check the progress of Roderic. He re-established the English settlements in Meath, and rebuilt those forts which the Irish monarch had destroyed. The spirit of disaffection was again extinguished throughout the English territories, and Strongbow turned his attention to the affairs of Munster. The prince of Thomond was then in possession of Limerick. Raymond attacked it, and plunging into the Shannon, with singular intrepidity, the soldiers followed him, and carried the city by the terror which such an achievement excited in the Irish army. He enriched his soldiers by plunder, and raised his military fame still higher than it was at any former period. A new scene now opens to the reader of Irish history, which at once excites the pity and contempt of every independent mind. It may conciliate the tender and mild feelings of humanity, but it must raise the indignation, and insult the pride of every independent Irishman. The Irish monarch, fatigued with the repeated efforts which he made to restore peace to his country, and depressed by the perfidy of his chieftains, determined at length to submit to Henry, under whom he might be able

to hold his sovereignty, and to preserve his people against the afflicting calamities of war. It is almost impossible to look back to the conduct of the Irish monarch, on this occasion, without partaking of that sensibility which seemed to animate his royal bosom. Full of ardent and parental affection for his subjects, he preferred even the mortification of being the royal vassal of Henry, to make an unprofitable effort for the assertion of his sovereignty. He therefore determined on treating with the English monarch himself, and not through the medium of his generals. He sent forward his ambassadors to England, Catholicus, archbishop of Tuam, the abbot of St. Brandon, and Laurence, chancellor to Roderic. The terms of accommodation were agreed upon between the two monarchs. Roderic bound himself by treaty to pay an annual tribute, namely, every tenth merchantable hide, and to acknowledge the king of England as his liege lord. The Irish monarch was, by the conditions of his treaty with Henry, to enjoy the uncontrolled administration of his kingdom; his royal rights were left inviolate; the English laws were to be confined, as we have said before, to the English pale. The submission of Roderic promised days of peace to Ireland; of strength and of glory to England. But the jealousies of Henry's generals, their ambition and their avarice were new sources of anxiety to their king, and of distraction to his. Irish subjects. Raymond le Gross (one of the most distinguished officers in the service of Henry) was impeach ed by Harvey of Mountmorris, and were it not that O'Brien of Thomond, the irreconcileable enemy of England, had laid siege to Limerick, Raymond would have been obliged to defend himself against the unjust and malicious charges of his enemies. He was solicited by his persecutors to lead the English army against the common enemy; he yielded, and immediately advanced against the prince of Thomond, whose army he defeated. O'Brien, exhausted by, an unsuccessful contest, submitted to become

the vassal of Henry; he presented his hostages, and took the oath of fealty in company with Roderic the Irish king, who also gave hostages as a security for his future allegiance. The destructive quarrels and animosities which frequently disgraced the first Irish families, again gave an opportunity to Raymond le Gross, to extend his conquests in Munster. Mac Carty, prince of Desmond, was deposed by his son Cormac, and fled for refuge and revenge to the English general, who instantly engaged in an enterprize which promised to extend his fame. He invaded the territories of Desmond, and plundered them without mercy; a great portion of that part of Desmond, called Kerry was conferred by Mac Carty on Raymond for this achievement. About this period (1176) the viceroy earl Strongbow died. The manner of his death is accurately described by the pen of superstitious vengeance, nor is it to be wondered by the impartial reader of the sad variety of suffering inflicted upon Ireland, by the arms of England, that the Irish annalist should have given credit to the rumours that devoted this celebrated English adventurer to a mysterious and miserable termination of his existence. The desolation and calamity with which this unhappy country was visited, the degradation with which it was threatened, and the sad and affecting story which history was doomed to record, must have naturally called up those honest feelings of resentment which fill the bosoms of fallen pride and insulted honor. No wonder the persecuted Irish should look up to Heaven for its vengeance on their oppressors, and that their tortured fancies should anticipate the mediation of that God whose altars were insulted, and whose temples were laid prostrate.

Raymond le Gross being informed of Strongbow's death, immediately repaired to Dublin. He entrusted to Donald O'Brien, prince of Thomond, the protection of Limerick. Raymond had no sooner departed, than O'Brien