THE

HISTORY OF IRELAND.

Henry III.

No event of importance took place in the first year of Henry III. (1216.) The acknowledged vigour and ability of William Marshall, earl of Pembroke, who was appointed protector during the minority of Henry, prevented the recurrence of those distractions in the English colony, which we have witnessed in the reign of John, and which were nigh undermining the English interests in Ireland. The celebrated Henry de Londres, who was branded with the name of "Burn-Bill," was appointed coadjutor to Geoffry de Maurisco, in the administration of Ireland. He was also made archbishop of Dublin; and in his ecclesiastical, as well as political character, was remarkable for his insolence and tyranny. He summoned the tenants of his see to produce the instruments by which they held their lands; which he no sooner received, under the pretence of examining them, than, in an affected passion, he cast them into the fire. Hence the ignominious title of BurnBill, which ever adhered to him.

"A striking example," says Mr. Leland, "of the contempt with which the rights of the subject in Ireland were treated in those times, by the more powerful of the neighbouring

kingdom."

On the death of the earl of Pembroke, who possessed most extensive estates in Ireland, and whose character seemed to awe into silence and submission, the vicious passions of the colonists, Hugh de Lacy immediately laid claim to some lands held by that distinguished English

man.

The son of the earl of Pembroke proceeded to Ireland, to defend his inheritance against de Lacy, and both, after wasting the territories of each other, and sacrificing the innocent inhabitants of Leinster and Meath, they terminated their idle and sanguinary efforts by mutual concessions, In the mean time new rebellions sprung up in the country of the Mac Cartys, against whom the viceroy was obliged to draw the sword. Donald O'Brien, of Thomond, to defend himself against the Irish, on one side, and the English colonists on the other, petitioned, and obtained from Henry, a grant of the kingdom of Thomond now called Clare, to be held of the English king, at a yearly rent of 100 pounds, and a fine of 1,000 marks.

This low and humble tribute seems to be rather the evidence of the homage which was to be rendered, than of the measure of value of the county conceded. Henry, at this period, also granted to Richard de Burgo, the reversion of the whole kingdom of Connaught, on the decease of Cathal, the bloody-handed. With so little attention to justice were the poor people of this country handed from one adventurer to another, to gratify* the avarice of a favourite, or appease the vengeance of an enemy.

Notwithstanding the distractions with which the Irish mind must have been oppressed during this melancholy predatory warfare, it is some consolation to find mention made of the great learning with which some of our countrymen were then distinguished. We meet in our annals many names eminent for the extent of their literature-among those was the celebrated Cornelius, called Historicus; of whom Bale and Stanihurst make honourable mention. He was the great source from which future historians collected the materials of their works. His Multarum rerum Chronicon, is referred to by the old authors, English and Scotch, with the most implicit reliance on the soundness and fidelity of his statements.

The death of the celebrated Cathal, gave Richard de Burgo an opportunity to plead the grant of his sovereign; but the Irish would not depart from their old customs, and proceeded to elect a successor.

The prince of Ulster interposed, and assisted Turlough, the brother of Cathal, in the assertion of his right to the crown of Connaught. The viceroy led an army into the latter kingdom; and by the triumphs of his arms, substituted the son of Cathal in the sovereignty of the west. The encroachments of the colonists on the territories of this prince, established by their interposition, were.so intolerable as to oblige him to take up arms, After a desolating struggle, he surrendered to the viceroy. Fedlim, or Phelim, the second son of Cathal, succeeded his brother, and repelled, with dreadful effect, the struggles of the English to subdue him. The Irish prince* had recourse to an expedient, which strongly establishes the truth of the complaint, that the people of this country were eternally the victims of calumny: of a party interested in concealing the grievances under which they la

So true is the remark of sir John Davis, "That the people of Ire land merited far different treatment from the crown of England: for," he continues," when they were admitted to the condition of subjects, they gave many signal proofs of their dutifulness and obedience; and would gladly continue in that condition, as long as they might be protected, and justly governed, without oppression on the one hand, or impunity on the other; there being, in his opinion, no nation under the sun that did love equal and indifferent justice better than the Irish, or that would rest better satisfied with the execution thereof, although it were against themselves; so as they might have the protection and benefit of the law, when upon a just cause they did desire it."" I dare affirm,” says the same liberal and enlightened Englishman, who was attorneygeneral to James I." that for the space of five years last past, there have not been found so many malefactors, worthy of death, in all the six circuits of this realm, (Ireland) which is now divided into thirty-six shires at large, as in one circuit of six shires, namely, the western circuit of England. For the truth is, that in times of peace, the Irish are more fearful to offend the law than the English, or any other nation whatever.” Is not this a good lecture to those legislators who recommend the fiery decisions of martial law, in preference to the sober and impartial inquiry of a constitutional tribunal, whenever a disturbance exists, or a grievance i to be remedied.

boured; or, in magnifying the reasonable resistance of violated right into wanton rebellion, and causeless insurrection. Phelim, of Connaught, addressed himself to the king of England, and represented in respectful and pathetic terms, the persecutions which his people had suffered from the representative of his majesty; that he was driven, by injury, to rebellion; that he was the victim of the avarice of his English subjects; and that he challenged his enemies to an inquiry into the truth of the charges which he brought against them before the common parent of the colonists and the native Irish. So sad and so affecting a story excited the astonishment of Henry, who had been listening to exaggerated accounts of Irish treason;`to whom Phelim had been represented as the head and cause of an unnatural rebellion, without provocation or injury, laying waste the territories of his majesty's subjects, and exciting the people of Ireland to universal resistance. In answer to Phelim's humble petition, praying an interview with the British sovereign, the latter writes a letter to the viceroy, desiring him to inquire into the statement made by Phelim; and to ascertain the real situation of Ireland. "To guard against deception," writes the English monarch, "be cautious of the channels through which you shall receive your informations; let them be as impartial as possible to either party." The result of this application by Phelim, was, the peaceful settlement of the kingdom of Connaught, and the satisfaction of its plundered inhabitants. So easy is it for a spirit of justice to tranquillize the people of any nation, that no instance can be found in the history of Ireland, nor in the history of any other country, where the honest anxiety of the monarch, or the ruling powers, to do justice to their subjects, does not excite corresponding sentiments of gratitude, loyalty, and allegiance.*

Notwithstanding the long continuance of tragic scenes, in a land violently torn by all the horrors of anarchy and oppression, it may be

The death of the son of the earl of Pembroke, which took place about this period, (1231) gave rise to a train of events which involved Ireland in new scenes of anarchy and confusion.

Richard, the second son of that illustrious nobleman, succeeded to the princely inheritance of his brother; and possessed that bold and independent spirit, which distinguished the life of his illustrious predecessor. Such qualities incurred the suspicion, and excited the fears of the king; and every artifice which the most malignant ingenuity could suggest to remove so formidable an enemy, was practised by the insidious prelate of Winchester, who was then the minister of England. Earl Richard remonstrated against the insolent and violent usurpations of this minister; and particularly expostulated with his sovereign on the alarming increase of foreigners in every part of the state; he absented himself from parliament; and at length flew to arms in defence of his country. This being an insurrection against an odious minister, rapidly acquired strength; and, at length, a treacherous and cowardly conspiracy was formed against the spirited and gallant Richard. By this stratagem the large estates of this English baron, in Ireland, were divided among the rapacious settlers in that country. A price was put on his head, and every inducement held out to encourage the infidelity of his followers. He fell a victim to the treason of his friends. The information of his fall, drew from the king tears of the most degrading hypocrisy; and the universal sympathy in favour of the betrayed and beloved baron, extorted even

some relief to the mind to reflect, that strong traces of erudition are to be discovered, Joannes de S. Bosco has been claimed for Ireland, by Ware, Harris, and Abbe Groghegan: he wrote a Treatise on the phere; on the Calculation of the Ecclesiastical Year; a Breviary of Law. He died at Paris, in 1256, where he was long a highly esteemed professor. Florence Mac Flin, chancellor of the church of Tuam, is another celebrated name in the Irish annals; he was remarkable for his knowledge of canon law.