rule all Ireland.' Thus was the accusation turned to a jest; the earl returned Lord Deputy, shortly after created knight of the garter, and so died."*

This is a picture of the Countess of Ossory, who undertakes to civilise the Irish:

"He bare out the charge of his government very worthily through the singular wisdome of his countesse, a lady of such part, that all estates of the realme couched to her; so politique, that nothing was thought substantially debuted without her advice; manlike and tall of stature, very rich and bountifull, a bitter enemy, the only meane of those dayes whereby her husband's countrey was reclaymed from the sluttish and uncleane Irish custome to the English habite, bedding, housekeeping, and civilitie."+

The efficacy of the Irish water in cases of worms, or snakes, may not be generally known.

"It happened also in my time," saith Giraldus Cambrensis, "that in the North of England a knot of yonkers took a nap in the fields. As one of them laie snorting with his

*

Campion's "History of Ireland," p. 148. † Ibid. p. 163.

mouth agape, as though he would have caught flies, it happened that a snake, or adder, slipped into his mouth, and glided downe into his bellie, where harboring itself, it began to roame up and downe, and to feede upon the yoong man his entrals. The patient being sore distracted and above measure tormented with the biting pangs of this greedie ghest, incessantlie praied to God that, if it stood with his gratious will, either wholie to bereave him of his life, or else of his unspeakeable mercie to ease him of his paine. The worme would never cease from gnawing the patient his carcasse; but when he had taken his repast, and his meate was no sooner digested, than it would give a fresh onset in boring his guts. Divers remedies were sought pilgrimages to saints..... but he was at length schooled. . . . . to make his speedie repair to Ireland. He did no sooner drink of the water of that iland . . . . . but forthwith he killed the snake..... and so being lustie and livelie, returned into England."*

The hospitality of Dublin, in old times thus spoken of:

"And not onlie their officers so farre excell in hospitalitie, but also the greater part of the ciuitie is generally addicted to such ordinarie and standing houses, as it would make a man muse which waie they are able to bear it

CHAPTER III.

FOOD OF ANCIENT IRISH-DRINK-SHANE O'Neill- -HIS MUDBATH AND RUSHLIGHT-HARPER-ANCIENT CADS -COSHERING-ACT TO PUT DOWN GAMBLING CARD PARTY IN STRAW-VANITY-HOAXING-MERLIN TAKEN IN-PLOUGHING BY THE TAIL-ACT TO PREVENT PLUCKING SHEEP —Cow's COMPULSION BILL BURNING CORN INSTEAD OF THRESHING - ALL OWING TO SAXON MISRULE.

Of the Irish diet, this is the account in Holinshed:

"Water cresses, which they terme shamrocks, roots and other herbes, they feed upon; oatmeale and butter they cram together; they drinke wheie, milke, and beefe broth. Flesh they devour without bread, and that halfe raw, the rest boileth in their stomach with aqua vite, which they swill in after such a surfet by quarts and pottels. They let their cows blood, which growne to a gellie, they bake and over

spread with butter, and so eate it in lumps. No meate they fancie so much as porke, and the fatter the better.'

They sat down to table in this way:—

"When the Irish met together at their ordinary entertainments, they sat down in a ring on rushes or beds of grass, instead of benches or couches. When they were placed, threelegged wooden tables were set before them covered with victuals . . Such as bread baked on a gridiron or under the ashes, milk, meats, flesh and fish, both broiled and boiled. The waiters in the meantime serving drink about in cups made of wood or horn, and sometimes of brass."+

Speed, quoting St. Hierome, makes the Irish of early times cannibals, "who used to feed on the buttocks of boies and women's paps, as their most dainty and delicate dish." +

Their taste for rumpsteaks shewed itself in the 17th century:—

"They roasted Master Watson alive, after they had cut a collop from either buttock." §