tion of the Mac-Arthys; and terrified the country by the feverity of his executions. Donald O Brien of Thomond, amidst these storms, was folicitous to fecure his own domain from the rapine of his countrymen, and the oppreffive violence of the English; and, as the most effectual method, petitioned and obtained a grant from king Henry, of the kingdom of Thomond, (as it is called) to be held of the king during his minority, by a yearly rent of one hundred pounds, and a fine of one thoufand marks. With lefs attention to the tranquility of the kingdom, Henry also granted to Richard de Burgo, representative of that lord who had proved fo dangerous in the reign of John, the whole kingdom of Connaught, after the death of Cathel the Bloody-handed, who ftill maintained his ftate in this province.

The death of Cathel foon gave Richard an opportunity to plead his grant. But the Irish, according to their own A.D.1223. cuftoms, proceeded to elect a fucceffor: and by the powerful interceffion of O Nial, Tirlaugh, brother of the late prince, was invested with the royal dignity of Connaught. A nomination procured by the open and inveterate oppofer of the English government, and fupported by his arms, was particularly offenfive to Geoffry de Maurifco. He led an army into Connaught, but without attempting directly to fupport de Burgo in his claims, contented himfelf with expelling Tirlaugh, and establishing Fedh, as fon of Cathal, in his room. The ufual fubject of contention in this difordered province was thus revived. The fucceffor grew infolent, was provoked at the demands made. upon his territory by the English, refifted them by force, was fupported by his countrymen, and proved fo fuccefsful, as to make prifoner a fon of Geoffry, who feems to have marched with a confiderable force to oppofe him. Being foon reduced to extremity, he was obliged to come in perfon to treat with the governor: when a diffention arifing between fome of his Trifh train, and the domeftics of Geoffry, Fedh was unhappily killed in the tumult. His uncle and rival resumed the fovereignty, but was foon depofed by Richard de Burgo, who fucceeded Maurifco in the government, and deemed it more confiftent with his views to invest another fon of Cathal's, called Fedlim, with the royal title. This chief had the fpirit to oppose the claims made on his territory by de Burgo, in a manner more peremptory, as he was now in the plenitude of his power. De Burgo, impatient of controul from his creature, denounced against him the terrors of his venD 2

geance,

A D.1228.

A D. 1233.

geance, commenced hoftilities, and even made him captive. But Fedlim had the good fortune to efcape; and collecting a confiderable body of his adherents, marched against his rival, now fupported by the English governor, defeated, flew him, and refumed his authority b.

On the removal of de Burgo from the administration, Maurice Fitz-Gerald was appointed his fucceffor; and this favourable opportunity Fedlim determined to improve. Senfible that he could not long fupport his dignity by any power of his own, he addreffed himself to the king of England; reprefenting in the most humble manner his own inviolable attachment as well as that of his father to the English government; and earnestly entreating permiffion to repair to England, to caft himself at the king's feet, that he might explain more particularly his own cruel injuries, as well as the malverfations of his enemy de Burgo. Henry, refolving to act with caution, did not immediately grant this requeft, but gave fuch an anfwer as proved fatisfactory to Fedlim, who continued to enjoy his petty fovereignty for a time, unmolefted by any Irish rivals, or English claims; while another and a more important object engaged the attention of the great barons in Ireland, and involved the kingdom in much diforder.

On the death of William Marifhal, fon to the protector, his eftates and honours devolved on his brother Richard, a young man actuated with all the bold and independent fpirit of an English baron. Both the king, and Hubert de Burgh, who was now in power, were acquainted with his difpofitions, and dreaded their effects, fo that when he came to demand poffeffion of his lands, it was at firft denied, on pretence that his brother's wife was pregnant. When this device proved ineffectual, it was, in the next place, alledged, that Richard had held at reasonable correfpondence with the king's enemies in France; and he was therefore commanded to depart the realm within fifteen. days, on pain of perpetual imprisonment. Without the leaft hesitation, he inftantly fet off for Ireland, where he was readily invefted with his lands and caftles, and received the homage of his vaffals. Collecting thence a confiderable force, he poffeffed himself of the castle of Pembroke, as if refolved to affert his patrimonial claims by arms; a conduct which wrought fo forcibly on the timidity of the king, that he confented to accept his homage and fealty, and to inveft him peaceably in all his rights.

Ibid. Irifh MSS.

It

It foon appeared, that Henry's apprehenfions of the dangerous fpirit of this lord were but too well founded. When the administration had been unhappily committed to the prelate of Winchester, earl Richard was the firft to remonftrate boldly against the violent and oppreffive measures of that minifter. He declared that he and others of his peers would no longer deign to attend the king's councils, while numbers of infolent foreigners were allowed to engross the royal favour. A fharp reply provoked him and his adherents to abfent themfelves from parliament. When fummoned, they affected to be apprehenfive for their perfonal fafety, and difobeyed the mandate. They were proclaimed traitors, and their lands affigned to fo reigners. Letters, under the king's feal, were directed to Maurice Fitz-Gerald the Irish vicegerent, Hugh and Walter de Lacey, Geoffry de Maurifco, Richard de Burgo, and fome other inferior lords, purporting, that Richard, late earl marifchal of England, had, for his manifeft treafon, by fentence of the king's court, been banished the realm, and his eftates forfeited, yet that he ftill perfevered in rebellion against his fovereign. It was therefore fignified to these the king's faithful fubjects, that if Richard fhould land in Ireland, they should endeavour to secure and fend him to the king alive or dead. In return for this fervice, they were promised all the lands which Richard had enjoyed in Ireland, to be divided among them.

The divifion of a vast district in a part of Ireland the best improved, was a strong allurement to thefe lords, whofe darling objects were riches and influence; and who were not always fcrupulous in regard to the means which they employed for the attainment of thefe objects. Care was taken in the first place, to convey intelligence to earl Richard, that the barons of Ireland had feized fome of his castles, and ravaged his lands in Leinster. As a fufpenfion of hoftilities in Wales had allowed him to attend to his Irish interefts, he embarked with fifteen attendants, relying on fupport from his vaffals and adherents in Ireland. Immediately on his arrival, he was attended by Geoffry de Maurifco, who, affuming the mafk of friendfhip, affected to commiferate his wrongs, and to applaud his generous refolution of fupporting, to the utmost, his rights, against the violence and injuftice of rapacious courtiers, by whom the king was unfortunately governed. He farther encouraged Richard in thofe fentiments, by in

finuating that he could not fail of fuccefs, and might even reduce all Ireland to his obedience, by a due exertion of that fpirit which had distinguished his illuftrious progeni tors. The earl was eafily prevailed upon to adopt a fcheme at once fo flattering to his interefts and ambition. Collecting, therefore, his forces, he immediately commenced hoftilities; took Limerick after a fiege of four days; and not only recovered his own caftles, but feized several of thofe belonging to the king and his barons. De Burgo, the Laceys, and other lords, who fhould have oppofed these violences, fled before him with an affected terror; while his fucceffes only ferved to drive him into the toils of his enemies. They now reprefented to him by their agents, that, as faithful fubjects to king Henry, they could not look on tamely, while he reduced the lands which had been entrusted to their cuftody. But to prevent the effufion of blood, they defired a truce; promifing that if fuccours were not speedily received from the king, they should confider him as relinquifhing his power and authority in the island, and on their parts fhould peaceably refign it to earl Richard; at the fame time defiring an interview with him on the plains of Kildare, in order to adjust the terms of the truce, and to effect a mutual agreement. Richard confented to appear at the place appointed, attended by a force nearly equal to that of his opponents; but by the infidious advice of Geoffry, haughtily refufed to grant a truce. The barons replied, that the fword fhould then inftantly decide the conteft. Both fides prepared to engage; when in the moment of onfet, Geoffry coldly told the earl, that his only measure was to yield to the de mands of the barons; for as Walter de Lacey was married to his fifter, he could by no means fight against so near a relation; and faying this, he inftantly marched away with fourfcore of the earls attendants, who had been bribed to the desertion. Richard was now left with only fifteen brave followers from Wales, to fupport the fhock of a hundred and forty opponents. The laws of romantic honour, however, requied, that he fhould not fly. He turned to his young brother, and, after entreating him, as being of too tender years for a defperate encounter, to confult his fafety by retiring into a neighbouring caftle, took of him an affecting farewel. The enemy's attack was chiefly directed against his perfon The barons themselves would not appear to take any part in this unequal conteft: their followers affailed the earl, and at length unhorfed him, though not without bloodfhed and difficulty; when one

of

of them, pointing a dagger at his back, where he was not defended by his armour, plunged it into his body. The unfortunate earl was conveyed to one of his caftles, which Fitz-Gerald had in the mean time reduced; and here he expired a few days after .

The news of the death of this popular nobleman excited in England the greateft confternation, and the most violent refentment against the prelate of Winchester, who had facrificed the earl to his revenge. The difcontented barons led the general clamour; affected the utmost indignation, and even terror, for the fafety of their own perfons. The king justly dreading the effects of the prefent temper of the people, with a mean diffimulation expressed the deepest forrow at the death of Richard, extolled his great merits, lamented his own misfortune in the loss of fo valuable a fubject, and ordered his chaplains to perform a folemn service for the repofe of his departed foul. Gilbert, brother and fucceffor of the late earl, was knighted, and invested with his lands, as well as with the office of earl marshal.

The great lords of Ireland, in the mean time, proceeded to divide the fpoil of earl Richard's lands with the most rapacious violence. Their outrages were continued with the greater boldness, as Gilbert, the prefent earl, had foon fallen under the difpleasure of Henry; having taken the fame measures with his late brother, on the relapfe of the king into his former oppreffions, and unjuft partiality to foreigners. His marriage with the daughter of Alexander king of Scotland ferved to fwell his pride; but less respected than his brother, he was treated by Henry with greater harfhnefs, and foon obliged to fue for a reconciliation; which being at laft effected, checked the depredations committed on his Irish eftates. Maurice Fitz-Gerald, dreading the confequences of his refentment, thought it expedient to repair to London, that by the mediation of the king he might be reconciled to fo powerful a nobleIn the prefence of Henry and his barons, he exculpated himself by oath from any part in the death of Richard; but for the fake of peace, and restoration of amity between their houfes, he propofed to found immediately a well-endowed monattery, furnished with a reverend conventual body, to offer up continual prayers for the foul of this unhappy earl.

man,

A formal reconciliation was thus effected, and Maurice was preparing to depart, when Fedlim, prince of Con