his deputy, recommending the affairs of the king of Connaught to his attention, in the following

terms.

"The king to his beloved liege-man, Maurice Fitz-Gerald, justiciary of Ireland, greeting.

"Our beloved liege-man, Phelim, son of our dearest king of Connaught, signified to us that he purposed to come to England to see us, and to confer with us concerning our mutual affairs; and we sent him word in return, to assist you in the capture of the castle of Milock, which is in the hand of Richard de Burgo, and when that castle shall have been taken, and surrendered to you, and peace restored in Connaught, we are well pleased, and wish that he should come to England along with the messengers whom you shall send to us.

"These matters being thus settled, take care to give the said Phelim a safe conduct to come to us, in company with some discreet persons, able and willing to give us true information concerning the state of Ireland. Witness myself, May 28, the seventeenth year of our reign."

Thus, favoured by a revolution in the cabinet, which brought the Geraldines into power, who had no intersecting interests beyond the Shannon, and by the disgrace of the De Burgo family, the most dangerous enemies of the house of O'Connor, Phelim enjoyed the sovereignty for some time in peace. He was neither harassed by

a rival, nor oppressed by any depredations or claims of the English, being protected by the crown as an acknowledged liege-man.

The style of Matthew Paris, in relating this fact, being somewhat curious, it may perhaps gratify the reader to have a literal translation of it." A certain little king of that part of Ireland called Cunnoch, came to the king, at London; and made a grievous complaint before the king and council, of the injuries done him by John de Burgo, who did not cease to lay waste the country with fire and sword. For all which trespasses he demanded justice; and that these rash outrages should be bridled by the royal authority; and that he would not suffer his liege-man, who paid him 5000 marks a year for his kingdom, to be disinherited by ignoble, adventurers (as he said). The king, moved by the justice of his expostulations, commanded Maurice, in the presence of O'Connor, to extirpate the unfruitful wild fig-tree of iniquity's plantation, which Hubert had planted in those parts, and not to suffer it to ramify any further. He wrote also to the Irish chieftains, to assist his deputy in extirpating De Burgo from all the possessions of O'Connor."*

At first view this would appear an act of jus-. tice and humanity; if one did not know that courts and princes are seldom guided by any other motive than policy. What benefit he expected therefrom, may appear from a celebrated

Matt. Paris. Angl. Hist. Major. ad an. 1240, p. 365.

letter he sent to the Irish chieftains, requesting their aid against Scotland. Leland has published it from Rymer's Fœdera. It is in the following language: "The king, to Donald, king of Tirconnel, health. Whereas the king of Scotland has provoked us by injuries, and that we have prepared to rise against him in revenge for his many transgressions, unless he makes reparation, confiding in your love, that you will not deny us your help in this our expedition, we request you to come along with our justiciary of Ireland, and other liege-men of Ireland, who are soon to come to the parts of Scotland to distress our enemies there; and that you would be pleased to give us such and so powerful a succour, appearing personally at the head of your brave forces, that you may, in any distress, apply to us for succour with full confidence. And by granting to our prayers this your succour, whatever favour you ask, we most willingly shall acknowledge ourselves bound to grant, with a special act of thanksgiving. Witness the king, at Stanford, the 7th day of July."

Copies of this letter were sent to more than twenty Irish chieftains, whose names are preserved in that record, as independent princes in their respective districts, viz. Phelim O'Connor, king of Connaught; O'Reilly, king of Breifne, (Cavan); O Hanlon of Lower Oirgiel, Bryan O'Neill of Tyrone, O'Cathan of Derry, O'Hynery, Mac Donald, Mac Ginnis, Mac Cartane, O'Neill of Claneboy, O'Flinn of Antrim, Mac Mahon of Monaghan, Mac O'Calmery,

O'Brien of Thomond, Mac Carty of Desmond, O'Faolan of the Deisies, O'Condon of Fermoy, O'Caffray, O'Kelly of Wicklow, and Bryan Mac Murchadh of Ranelagh.

What might have been the effect of this requisition cannot be with certainty known at present, for a sudden accommodation with the king of Scotland made the march of the Irish forces unnecessary. Next year, however, the king reaped the benefit, whether of his policy or of his justice, by the decisive assistance of Phelim O'Connor, in his wars with Llewellyn, prince of Wales. David Llewellyn had defeated the royal army, which was reduced to extreme misery during the winter. In his necessities, Henry demanded aid of Maurice Fitz-Gerald, his justiciary, and Phelim O'Connor, king of Connaught. After some delay, which gave the king uneasiness, the justiciary appeared, in company with O'Connor and his forces, when joining the royal army, they obtained a complete victory over the Welsh, upon which he dismissed the Irish troops, and returned to England.

Leland gives O'Connor credit, for being the only chieftain, requested by the king, who attended at his summons; but the justiciary must have been the best judge of what force he deemed sufficient for the enterprise, and would not distress the treasury with a useless expence of sending more troops than was wanting.

Notwithstanding these fair appearances of royal favour, Ireland was still plagued by all the scourges of violence and anarchy. The in

vaders never ceasing to encroach on the invaded, the latter sometimes making reprisals. By erecting castles in strong situations, they soon found means, among a nation of warriors, to get troops to garrison them, and to share the plunder deposited. Secure from a surprise, they could plunder the neighbouring inhabitants, and compel them to pay tribute. Feasting, dancing, music, attracted recruits to the castle, and the bards sounded the praise of the noble and hospitable robber. The arm of beauty, descended from an Irish chieftain, graced his hand; and the advantage of hereditary property, by this union of alliance. and seduction, enabled the robber to appropriate to himself the property of the clan.

Fitzgerald, after his return from Wales, pursued these methods of colonial policy. He and his associates proceeded to encroach upon the noble family of Mac Carty of Desmond. The desolation of war was the natural consequence. At the same time he fomented a war between O'Connor of Connaught and O'Donnell of Tirconnell.

During the deputyship of the son of Geoffry Maurice, the government of the Pale was at constant war with the king of Tirconnel; nor could he be subdued without the auxiliary forces of other Irish chieftains. Neither did the west of Ireland long continue to enjoy the promised benefits of England's protection; for, as if the English made treaties only to break them, Walter de Burgo, on some pretence or other, found the means of driving Phelim from his territory.