cities of Dublin, Limerick, and Waterford almost simultaneously elected bishops, but, instead of having them consecrated in Ireland or in connection with the Irish Church, they sent them to England, and thus established an Episcopacy in Ireland, not in connection with the Irish Church, and gave the see of Canterbury a pre-eminence over Armagh. Patrick, who was chosen Bishop of Dublin in 1074, went to England to be consecrated by Lanfranc, Archbishop of Canterbury, and made the following profession of obedience :

"Whoever presides over others ought not to scorn to be subject to others, but rather make it his study humbly to render in God's name to his superiors the obedience which he expects from those placed under him; on this account I, Patrick, elected prelate to govern Dublin, the metropolis of Ireland, do offer thee, reverend father Lanfranc, Primate of Britain and Archbishop of the Holy Church of Canterbury, this charter of my profession; and I promise to obey thee and thy successors in all things appertaining to the Christian religion."

The submission of even a portion of the people in Ireland to the rule of the Norman, tempted William I. to invade Ireland, but death prevented the fulfilment of his intentions and delayed that event.

The period of Danish irruptions was, however, like the seedtime, in which, amid apparent defeat, the ploughshare and the harrow tore the social system asunder and sowed seeds destined to affect the entire future. Nor were other influences wanting. The Irish Church held, on various points, dogmas more in accordance with the Greek than the Latin Church, and some historians assert that the authority of the Roman Pontiff was not as implicitly acknowledged as in other parts of Western Europe. In Northumberland and in France the Irish missionaries were denounced for holding views different from those of the Latin Church. The Irish archbishops did not go to Rome for the pallia. Indeed, Cardinal Barnabo goes so far as to declare that the Irish, at this period, were schismatics. Some of the Irish ecclesiastics, who derived their orders from Canterbury, were desirous of securing greater

apparent uniformity; and one eminent prelate died in Switzerland on his second visit to Rome to promote this object. These negotiations led to the visit of Cardinal Papire, or Papeson, who came to Ireland as Legate in 1148, and in 1151 summoned a council of 3,000 ecclesiastics, and four palls were solemnly received from the Pope by the Archbishops of Armagh, Dublin, Cashel, and Tuam. At the same time the celebration of Easter was adjusted according to the usage of the Latin Church. This was the natural outcome of the election of bishops by the Danes and their consecration by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Unfortunately, at this juncture, the pontifical tiara graced the brows of the only Englishman (Nicholas Brakespeare) who ever filled the highest office in that Church, and some historians assert that he went so far as to confer the sovereignty of Ireland upon the English monarch. I have seen what purports to be the Bull of Pope Adrian IV., in which he claims that all the islands upon which "Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, hath shone, belong, of right, to the see of St. Peter's," and proceeds to give Ireland to Henry II., on condition that he would "establish the rights of the Holy Roman Church and pay Peter's pence." Adrian IV. was elected Pope in the same year (1154) that Henry II. succeeded to the kingdom; the Papal Bull is dated 1155. Its authenticity is denied by some later Catholic writers, who say, even if it was issued, it became inoperative, according to canon law, as it was not acted upon within a year; but older authorities admit its authenticity and validity. Matthew of Westminster, an ancient writer, says :—

"About the same time, Henry, King of England, sending solemn ambassadors to Rome, requested Adrian (who had recently been made Pope, and whose favour he confidently hoped to obtain as being an Englishman) that he would license his entering Ireland in a hostile manner, and allow him to subdue that country and bring back its beastly inhabitants to holding the faith of Christ in a more seeming manner, and induce them to become more dutiful children of the Church of Rome, exterminating the monsters of iniquity that were to be found in the country, which request the Pope graciously

complied with, and sent the monarch the following letter, granting the sanction desired."

Then follows the letter.

Matthew of Westminster adds:

"King Henry, therefore, towards Michaelmas (of the same year, 1155), held a Parliament in Winchester, in which he treated with his nobles concerning the conquest of Ireland; but because the thing was opposed to the wishes of his mother the Empress (Matilda), that expedition was put off to another time."

Cardinal Pole, in a speech to Parliament in the reign of Queen Mary, 1554, said:

"That as Adrian was an Englishman, the tendency to add to the power and dominion of England made him willingly accede to the request made by Henry's ambassadors."

Henry was occupied with his continental dominions, and became embroiled in the feud with the Church which eventuated in the murder of St. Thomas-a-Becket (the Archbishop of Canterbury). These events delayed the projected invasion. The Irish kings and chiefs were aware of Henry's intentions, and this knowledge may have brought about the events which subsequently took place. No just pretence could be assigned for such an invasion as Henry contemplated. Ireland was entirely independent, and except upon religious grounds there was not a pretext for such an outrage upon her nationality, but events were hurrying forward which led to the ultimate subversion of her institutions and the destruction of her independence.

The Scandinavian invaders did not, as far as I can discover, make any alteration in the system of land-holding. They ravaged and destroyed, but did not attempt to build up, and, with the exception of some seaports and cities, they do not appear to have acquired permanent territorial rights. The Irish Septs, with their Chieftains and Tanists, continued to own the land, and the Brehon Code was the basis of their legal system.

PART III. THE NORMAN OR FEUDAL PERIOD.

IT happens not infrequently in political affairs that events of an apparently secondary character tend to promote primary objects unattainable by direct means. The opposition of the queen mother, the Empress Matilda, the indifference of the English nobles, and the feud with the Church, seemed to have put an end to Henry's design to add Ireland to his other dominions; but an event in no way connected with the main object brought about that which had seemed improbable and remote. Dermod MacMorrough, King of Leinster, whose tyrannical, profligate, and inhuman disposition made him an object of terror and hatred to almost every one who knew him, had provoked the vengeance of Roderick O'Connor, King of Ireland, who expelled him from his dominions, A.D. 1167, in consequence of his violent abduction of the wife of Tiernan O'Ruarc. This Irish version of the Iliad, led Dermod, whose immediate dependants had deserted him in the hour of his distress, to seek the aid of Henry. That monarch was in France, and Dermod followed him, claiming his aid, and promising that if he would restore him to his kingdom he would become Henry's vassal. Dermod was not king of Ireland, he was one of the subordinate kings, and having been guilty of crime, was lawfully expelled from his dominions. If he became vassal to Henry, that monarch would -supposing he legally stepped into Dermod's position-have been subordinate to the King of Ireland. But Henry, however desirous of reaching the object of his ambition, was personally unable to accompany Dermod to Ireland. Wishing to avail himself of the opportunity of gaining a footing for the English in Ireland, he gave Dermod the following letter:

"Henry, King of England, Duke of Normandy, Aquitane, Earl of Anjou, &c.

"Unto all his subjects, English, Normans, Welsh, and Scots, and to all nations and people being his subjects, greeting,

"Whereas Dermod, Prince of Leinster, most wrongfully (as he in

formeth) banished out of his own country craved our aid, therefore for so much as we have received him into our protection, grace, and favour, whosoever within our nation, subject unto our command, will aid and help him whom we have embraced as our trusty friend for the recovery of his lands, let him be assured of our favour and licence in that behalf."

This document proves that Dermod only claimed to be "Prince of Leinster," and the aid to be given him was "for the recovery of his land." Notwithstanding Henry's letters of license, Dermod did not for several months succeed in obtaining succour. At length he prevailed on Richard, Earl of Pembroke, generally called Strongbow, to espouse his cause, by promising him his daughter Effa or Eva in marriage, and with her the inheritance of the princedom. This bait was swallowed by Pembroke. According to Irish law, the princedom was an elective office, which Dermod could not bestow. Strongbow secured the aid of Robert Fitzstephen and Maurice Fitzgerald, Hervey of Mountmorris, and Maurice de Prendergast, on condition of ceding to them the town of Wexford with a large adjacent territory as soon as by their assistance he could be reinstated in his rights. The invasion of Ireland was, therefore, the act of private adventurers; and as Dermod could not legally give them more than he possessed himself, the gifts were liable to all Dermod's obligations in relation to the lands. Fitzstephen and Fitzgerald landed in 1170 with 390 men. Strongbow with Raymond le Gross followed, and landed in Waterford 23rd August, 1170. Leinster was overrun, Dublin was captured, and Dermod was restored to his princedom, which he did not long enjoy, his death taking place in May, 1171. It does not appear that he ever performed the act of vassalage, or that Henry, as his superior, bestowed the order of investiture, which was part of the feudal system. Strongbow assumed the principality of Leinster as the dower of his wife; this, though consonant with English feudal law, was contrary to the Brehon Code, and, had right prevailed, Strongbow's claims, and those of his followers, were