tains and lords of the said countries and baronies, and in lieu of the uncertain 'cess cuttings and spendings,' to compound after their best discretion, and to devise and lay down all things that shall tend to the real good and quiet of that country, which, after the passing of the same by indenture, is meant to be ratified by Act of Parliament." Therefore, in pursuance of the above, the following proposals were made by the Commissioners :-"The Chieftains of countries, gentlemen, and freeholders of the province of Connaught (Clare being included) to pass unto the Queen's Majesty, her heirs and successors, a grant of ten shillings English, or a mark Irish, upon every quarter of land containing one hundred and twenty acres, manured or to be manured, that bears either horn or corn, in lieu and consideration to be discharged from other cess taxation or challenge, except the rising out of horse and foot for the service of the Prince, and state such as should be particularly agreed on, and some certain days' labour for building and fortification for the safety of the people and kingdom." Sir Richard Bingham and the other Commissioners, having left Dublin for Connaught, in the first place proceeded to the Franciscan Monastery of Ennis, where they held a sessions. Amongst other things they enacted that ten shillings should be paid to the Queen out of every "quarter," or 120 acres of land, whether possessed by laymen or ecclesiastics. They took the barony of Inchiquin from the Earl of Thomond, and gave it to Murrough, Lord Baron of Inchiquin. They also ordered that the rents of the Manor Court of Corcomroe should be given to Torlough, son of Donal, the son of Conor O'Brien. They deprived every Chieftain of a "pobal," a district or clanship, and every lord of a "Triochad Cead," or barony, throughout the county, of the rents and titles which they enjoyed under the law of Tanistry (52). In 1601 Donough, fourth Earl of Thomond (who became Governor of Connaught after Sir Conyers Clifford was slain by Red Hugh O'Donnell), held a general jail delivery on the Feast of St. Bridget, which was the 2nd of February, in the Monastery of Ennis, it being necessary owing to the great increase in the number of prisoners. His court sat for fifteen days, and during that time sixteen persons were hanged in Ennis.

In 1602 at the request of the said Earl of Thomond, Queen Elizabeth re-united the county of Clare to the province of Munster, and it never afterwards formed part of the province of Connaught. Her Majesty's instructions to the Lord Deputy of Ireland on this memorable occasion were as follow:-" Forasmuch as our county of Clare was of ancient time within the government or precinct of our province of Munster, until of late annexed to our province of Connaught, which, we understand, was upon some untrue surmise made by our Commissioners for

Connaught, to the grievance and dislike of our subjects of that county, our pleasure is, that you, our deputy and council there, shall speedily consider of this information, and if you find it not evidently an hindrance to our service, that then you speedily give order that, by revocation of our former commission and letters patent for government of these several provinces, and by granting new commissions of like authority and effect, and by all other ways requisite in law, you cause our said county of Clare to be re-united and annexed to our province of Munster, and to be reduced under the order and government of our president and council of Munster, which we are persuaded will be for the advancement of our service and the good liking of our loving subjects in those parts.” On the 1st of June, 1621, the Franciscan Monastery of Ennis was granted to William Dongan, Esq.

After this digression it is now time to return to Dermot Oge, whose further progress will be detailed in the ensuing chapter.

CHAPTER IX.

LORD CLARE.

AFTER a short delay at Ennis, Dermot Oge and his attendant resumed their journey in the direction of the old convent of Kilowen dedicated to St. John the Baptist, which was founded in 1190 by Donal More O'Brien, King of Thomond, for nuns following the rules of St. Augustin, and of which Slaney, daughter of Donough Cairbreach O'Brien, King of Thomond, was Abbess. This lady, who died in 1260, is said to have excelled all the women of her time in Munster, for "learning, piety, alms-deeds, and hospitality." Her memory was long revered in the kingdom of Thomond, particularly by the people of Ennis, during the early Catholic times. Having passed this religious house, so renowned in olden time for the piety and industry of its inmates, the travellers soon arrived at the narrow road which, passing over the high-land, leads to Carrigahoult Castle, then the seat of the noble and popular Lord Clare. The journey being wearisome since they started from Ennis, and the weather extremely rough, they were obliged to put up by the wayside, on the approach of night, at a country house, which Dermot Oge naturally expected would afford them shelter until morning. A tall, middle-aged man, of respectable appearance, stood at the door, to whom Dermot Oge addressed an inquiry as to whether the house was an inn or not.

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"Yes, sir," replied the person spoken to," this place of mine affords refreshment and rest to all travellers, as far as my humble means permit. My name is Denis O'Dea, and I shall take every care of you, your servant, and your horses, if you dismount."

On hearing this Dermot Oge got off his horse, entered the house, and was soon seated before a cheerful fire.

Large flitches of bacon were suspended from the ceiling, and some pots were boiling over the fire. The apartment was large and neatly furnished, and from its appearance it struck Dermot Oge that the host was a man of taste, and had known better days.

"It is too late for me," said he, addressing O'Dea, "to travel as far as Kilrush to-night, so I must remain with you until morning."

"You are welcome, sir, and I hope you will find everything comfortable. But perhaps you may have journeyed far, and are hungry, while I am uselessly talking. Here, Margaret," continued O'Dea, addressing a tidily dressed young girl, "dish up the dinner immediately. This gentleman looks weary, and, I think, must have a good appetite after his ride."

In a short time the table was spread with a plentiful supply of boiled mutton, which was fed on the Burren mountains, fried bacon, eggs, and home-made bread.

Dermot Oge requested the host to dine with him, who complied, and when they had both partaken heartily of dinner, Margaret placed on the table a large bottle of usquebaugh and a jug of hot water.

"Come, O'Dea," said Dermot Oge, "fill your glass. I hope this is not the last time we are to meet. May I ask how long have your family been settled here, for the name does not belong to this locality?"

"My father," answered Denis O'Dea, "possessed a small property previous to the late civil war in this county, which he was banished from in 1651. In that year the barony of Inchiquin was completely ravaged by the inhuman Colonel Henry Ingoldsby's soldiers (53), who killed over a thousand men, women, and children, though they were all under protection in Inchiquin and Corcomroe. By timely flight my poor father saved himself and his family. When the times became more peaceable he settled here, renting this humble dwelling and some few acres of land up to the time of his death."

"I well remember the bloody massacre you allude to. Your father's claim, I suppose, was not heard by the Court in 1662."

"No, sir," replied O'Dea, "it was not; so he never recovered his property."

The host appearing to be much affected by these melancholy reminis

cences of his youth, Dermot Oge changed the conversation by asking if there was a good road leading to Carrigahoult.

"Pretty fair, sir," replied O'Dea. "You are going to see the good Lord Clare, I suppose; a kind, brave nobleman he is, and not above sitting down at this table whenever he passes the way. His Lordship is now very busy preparing for the war. Many of our young men have already joined his dragoons and the other regiments that are now being recruited. Come, sir, we will drink his health."

Dermot Oge complied, and, as five or six healthy young children had entered the room, the host remarked

"I hope you are not annoyed by those noisy little ones crowding about you. The fact is they are surprised to see a stranger. Here is a jug of punch for you," he continued, addressing the retainer who had accompanied Dermot Oge, and who was snugly seated in the huge chimney-corner.

Several of O'Dea's neighbours, from the adjacent hills, now came in, amongst whom was a learned professor, who, being a Catholic, was compelled to take out his degrees at a college in France. This personage was tall, thin, and of a sallow complexion. He wore a long, black threadbare coat, and his countenance was mild and intelligent, though furrowed from care and mental anxiety. Having been invited to do so, he took a seat at the table and filled his glass.

After the lapse of some time the conversation was resumed by Doctor O'Fynn, as O'Dea and his friends styled him, saying that he hoped all was now about to move with method, as the King had arrived from France. "For my part," continued the Doctor, who was evidently a man of deep research, "I am most anxious for his Majesty's success. A few years ago I was, as O'Dea knows, frequently hunted like a wild beast through mountain and glen; I was obliged to hide in bogs and caves, and even on one occasion had to fly into the distant wilds of IarConnaught, until the wicked tyrant who instigated such harsh and unchristian proceedings against me died. I was, however, despite his unmanly persecution, the means of diffusing a knowledge of both Euclid and Homer, Horace and Virgil, amongst the hospitable inhabitants of Connemara and Partry, and of instructing them in the history of their hitherto enslaved country; and that was a consolation to me during my sufferings, and reminded me of the Spanish proverb, Contra fortuna no vale arte ninguna. It was really too bad that I, a peaceable man, should be thus outlawed and hunted, with a price set upon my head, as if I was a common malefactor, for merely teaching the ignorant and instructing my fellow-countrymen."

Dermot Oge was deeply touched by this distressing story, and, placing a large bottle before the Doctor, told him not to be sparing of its contents.

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Certainly," resumed the Professor, "we are all much indebted to the worthy Master William Caxton, who, in the reign of King Edward IV., first introduced printing into England, for by this means we have been made acquainted with the discoveries and researches of the great and learned professors of old, and thereby will be enabled to transmit our ideas and opinions to posterity."

"It is, indeed, Doctor, wonderful," replied Dermot Oge, "that an invention which affected the social comforts of all previous ages should have remained for such a length of years unimproved. It was introduced, I understand, from the Netherlands."

"Yes," said Doctor O'Fynn, "and the enterprising Master Caxton, who was a mercer by trade, erected the first printing-press in the Sanctuary at Westminster Abbey, in the year 1473. The first work which was printed was of little use to literary men, but was highly prized by the merry King Edward, of gallant memory, and his fantastically-attired courtiers. It was entitled 'The Game and Playe of the Chesse,' and appeared in 1474. However, the first book printed in the English language was a translation by Caxton of 'The Recuyell of the Hystoryes of Troy,' executed at Bruges, in Flanders, in 1471. This valuable art was not introduced into Scotland until 1508, and into Ireland until 1551."

Here the conversation turned on different other subjects, and the Doctor, who was an ardent admirer of the ancients, delivered a long dissertation in praise of the philosophers of old; and, to illustrate their cleverness, he alluded to Julius Pollux, whose proper name was Polydeuces, a renowned grammarian and teacher of rhetoric, who was born at Naucratis, in Egypt, in or about the middle of the second century of the Christian era, and should not be mistaken for Julius Pollux who lived in the end of the tenth or the commencement of the eleventh century of the same era, and author of a "Chronicle," or "Universal History," from the foundation of the world to the time of Valens. Polydeuces wrote several works, the most important of which, in the Doctor's estimation, was "The Onomasticon," or Dictionary of Greek words, "which though not arranged," said he, "in alphabetical order, nevertheless was not compiled with irregularity, as the work is divided in accordance with the subjects it contains. This dictionary, which comprises ten books, and was dedicated to Commodus, during the life of Aurelius, is not, as one unacquainted with it might at first imagine, a