cause the one was entailed, chose to consider the other as entailed also. It is not improbable that Murrogh himself, little suspecting the farther encroachments the English would make, if suffered to achieve this first step, was flattered with the idea of his principality being changed from an elective to an hereditary title.

His subjects, however, must have regarded the change with indignation; their preju dices must have been violently shocked at the idea of the old custom of election being violated, and their pride must have been sensibly wounded at the entire loss of influence which they would suffer when the throne was no longer filled by the man of their choice.

Upon the death of Murrogh, his son Connor, who probably had been chosen tanist during his father's life-time, succeeded.

The sept then proceeded to chuse a tanist or successor to him, and their choice fell upon his brother Daniel, in preference to his son.*

*The Irish, in order to avoid the disturbances arising from the election of a chief on the death of his predecessor, elected a successor during the life of the reigning

This was agreeable to an old Irish custom, which always preferred the brother to the nephew.

Upon this the English government, in Mary's reign, interfered, and insisted upon the son being chosen tanist. A war ensued, in which Connor lost his life, and the English succeeded in establishing his son by force of arms, to the exclusion of Daniel, who was the lawful successor,

In this instance we see the advantage which they reaped by setting up a rival to the legal chief. For the son feeling himself entirely dependant on the English government, consented to hold his lands as an English subject, and to renounce the title of the O'Brien. This was regarded by the sept, not as the conduct of a rebellious subject reclaimed to loyalty, but as a dereliction of every honourable, sacred, and legal prin

chief. This successor was called a tanist. Instead of taking the title of prince, the chieftain omitted his Christian name, and was called "the O'Neil," "the O'Donnel," &c. a circumstance which has lessened the interest their misfortunes would have excited; as they appear to rank no higher in history than private gentlemen or leaders of clans.

ciple. This is the description the Irish annalists of the time give of it. "He accepted," they say, "the title of earl, but gave up the dignity of Dalkais, to the astonishment and indignation of the descendants of Heber, Heremon, and Ith.

Here, the designs of the English government, in their anxiety to make the Irish sovereignties hereditary, were plainly betrayed. Their interference became generally suspected, and was always strenuously opposed.

We scarcely need insist, that the war which Daniel O'Brien waged during the reigns of Mary and Elizabeth, was to maintain his right, and not from attachment to his religion.

The insurrection of Shane O'Neil arose from similar motives,

We have seen that the English government, in a moment of power, had caused Matthew, the bastard of Con O'Neil, to be appointed his successor, and entailed the principality on the heirs male of Matthew.

But upon the death of Con O'Neil, his legitimate son, Shane O'Neil, was formally invested with the sovereignty, by the sept;

and supported his just rights by arms, against his bastard brother and the English government.

It is plain that the conduct of Con O'Neil, in allowing the succession to the principality to be regulated by the English, was extremely odious to the whole sept; as his son Shane appeared justified in throwing him into prison, and increased his own popularity by doing so.

A few years after the lord deputy, Sir Henry Sydney, paid the most abject court to Shane, by going to him, and standing God-father to his child (which was considered by the Irish as a stronger tie than affinity,) at the very time that Shane was in open arms. At this ceremony a conversation took place between the lord deputy and Shane, which proves clearly that we have stated correctly the feelings and opinions of the Irish chieftains.

Sir Henry Sydney expostulated with Shane, on account of his insurrection, and his opposition to Matthew's title. Attend to Shane's answer, which is pregnant with information:

He replied, "that in the first place,

Matthew was a bastard; that any how, he could not derive a title from their father Con O'Neil's surrender to Henry VIII. for that Con's surrender was void, because he had but an estate for life in his principality; nor could have more by the law of tanistry, nor could surrender but by consent of the lords of his country; and that even by the English laws, the letters patent were void, because there was no inquisition taken before they were past, nor could there be any inquisition till the country of Tyrone was made shire ground. That he was elected O'Neil by the nation, according to custom; that he was the legitimate son and heir of his father, and, lastly, that his title to all he claims is by prescription."

To a statement so reasonable, Sir Henry Sydney had nothing to reply, and during his government Shane O'Neil was unmolested.

So far religion had little influence on events in Ireland, and the reign of Mary closed, unstained by the crimes of any holy persecutor in Ireland. We must also do the Irish Protestants the justice to say, that they were free from all spirit of intolerance. That came from England.