deration of departing from England as soon as possible; and the flattering recompence that awaited him in Ireland. Having recruited 400 volunteers, of desperate fortune like himself, he landed with them in the month of May, 1169, on the coast of Wexford.

The king of Leinster, overjoyed at the news of their arrival, put himself at the head of 500 horse, and joined the invaders. In a council of war the first enterprise they resolved on was, the siege of Wexford, inhabited then by Danes;* in consequence of which their troops marched before the place, the inhabitants of which surrendered, made homage, and gave hostages with presents to the king of Leinster. He, to acquit his promise to Fitz-Stephen, gave him the town, with some adjoining territory, where he established his adventurers; to a paternal uncle of Fitz-Stephen, Hervey de Mountmorres, he gave an estate: by these and similar grants were those adventurers encouraged to the greatest enter

It is a vulgar mistake, that the Danes were all expelled Ireland in consequence of their defeat at Clontarf. None were expelled but those who invaded the country as allies of the king of Leinster. Such as dwelt in the seaport towns, as peaceable mechanics, merchants, or farmers, were not disturbed in their persons or properties, but allowed to live according to their own usages, on paying a moderate tribute to the prince of the territory. Accordingly, at the entrance of the English, all the seaport towns of Ireland were inhabited by Danes.

It is another mistake to suppose that the inhabitants and language of the barony of Forth are from England. The inhabitants and dialect of them and the Fingallians are from

prises. Meanwhile Maurice Prendergast arrived at Wexford with a reinforcement to the confederate army, which then amounted to 3000 men.

Dermod, animated by his first success, resolved to follow up his conquests, and with that view turned his arms against Donough Fitz Patrick, prince of Ossery, who became the first victim of his resentment. At the head of his victorious army, Dermod struck terror into Ossery, and forced this prince, after three days hard fighting, in a well chosen position, covered with an abbatis, to give hostages, and to pay an annual tribute to the crown of Leinster.

The fame of the progress made by the king of Leinster and his English allies having spread through the island, the princes and nobles addressed Roderic O'Connor, to concert the means of quelling this rebellion, so capable of creating confusion in the kingdom. It was ordained in the conference held for this purpose, that the provinces should furnish their contingent to the monarch, to enable him to suppress the revolt.

the Baltic; as the word Fingallian sufficiently proves. There were two descriptions of adventurers from the Baltic; those from the north side were called in Irish Finghal, and those from the south side Dubhghal. These fought a bloody battle at Clontarf for the possession of the country. The Finghallia having prevailed, retained possession of Dublin and the ma ritime district called Fingal, where the same dialect was spoken formerly as in the barony of Forth. The first En glish adventurers came over, not to turn farmers on the sea. coast, and remain there, but to fight their own and Dermod's battles, to satiate his vengeance, and gain estates for them. selves.

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The army of the monarch being reinforced by the allied troops, he marched to the county of Wexford. Dermod, unable to keep the field against an army so superior, took refuge in forests and inaccessible bogs near Ferns, where he held on the defensive.

If what some historians relate be true, that Roderic, at the head of his army, wanted to reason these greedy and needy adventurers, enriched by the donations of their patron, out of Ireland, instead of relying on the sword alone for their extirpation, it argues great weakness in the monarch of Ireland: it would be just as efficacious to argue the vulture or the wolf from their prey. The interposition of the clergy of Leinster with Roderic, in favour of peaceable measures, was much more effectual. The king, moved by their remonstrances, made a truce, and negociated with the confederates. A treaty of peace was concluded on the following conditions: first, Dermod should be put in possession of his kingdom of Leinster, with all the authority of his ancestors, and should be indemnified for the expences of the war: secondly, the king of Leinster should render homage to the monarch, and promise him fidelity: thirdly, that he would bind himself by oath not to send for any more English into his states; and that he would refuse to intruders his protection: fourthly, that Robert Fitz-Stephen should nevertheless remain in possession of Wexford. Dermod, for the ratification of this treaty, and to remove every suspicion of bad faith, gave his son Arthur hostage

to the monarch, who thereupon disbanded his army, and returned to Connaught.

It is not easy to find an instance of so shameful and dishonorable a treaty, between the monarch of a country and a revolted chief. It is such as might be dictated by a conqueror to a defeated prince, hopeless and resourceless. The rebellious prince was to be reinstated in the sovereignty he forfeited by his crimes, though he had been excommunicated by the clergy, and detested by the chieftains and clans as a tyrant. He was to be indemnified for the expences of the war; the confederates of his rebellion were to keep peaceable possession of the territories ravished from the lawful proprietors; and all this was submitted to without either fighting or losing a single battle, and that when the enemy, who dictated the treaty, is stated as hiding in bogs and morasses. Was Roderic influenced by the clergy, or by his fears? most probably by the former. However that be, they were miserably disappointed in their hopes of peace. The treaty was a stroke of perfidy and policy, to disentangle the confederates from an embarrassing situation, and to gain time for the arrival of succours from England.

The treaty was hardly concluded when Maurice Fitz-Gerald, step-brother to Fitz-Stephen, arrived at Wexford, with a considerable reinforcement of English, which greatly raised the spirits of the revolters.

On the first news of the arrival of Maurice Fitz-Gerald, Dermod hastened to Wexford,

where he held a council with Fitz-Stephen, FitzMaurice, Prendergast, Barry, Myler, FitzGerald, and other English leaders, whose interest accorded with his ambition and vengeance. They filled him with the extravagant notion of aspiring to the monarchy of the island, promising troops from England sufficient for the enterprise. The king of Leinster, finding himself supported by the English, and a considerable part of his subjects, led by fear or attachment, marched towards Dublin, whose environs he laid waste, especially Fingal. His chief design was to avenge on the Danes the insults that he and his father had received from them; and to levy a contribution to defray the expences of the war. He commenced the siege of the capital with Maurice Fitz-Gerald, who commanded under him. Asculph, son of Torcall, commandant of the place, alarmed by the danger which menaced the town, assembled the principal inhabitants, to deliberate on the measures they should adopt. It was concluded, that a prompt submission was necessary to avert the storm. In consequence of this they sent deputies to the king of Leinster, with considerable sums in gold and silver; Asculph did him homage in the name of the city, and sent him hostages, as guarantees of their obedience. Robert Fitz-Stephen was not with this expedition, being busied in building and fortifying the fort of Carrick, near Waterford.

Such was the state of the king of Leinster's affairs when earl Richard Strongbow landed in this island.