CHAP. II. and secret enemies recalled him from an employment so suitable to his great talents. Having embarked at Wexford on the festival of Easter, he landed in Pembrokeshire, and, to shew his piety and humility, walked on foot to the cathedral of St. David, to perform his devotions. Hence he hastened to Normandy, where he met the cardinals, whose demands were so exorbitant, that he threatened to leave them, and return to Ireland. This spirited reply caused them to propose terms more moderate, to which he agreed, and offered his submission, which they accepted, and pronounced his absolution, which was confirmed by the pope, as also the grant of Ireland made by Adrian. The holy father, however, took care to continue Peter's pence to himself, as a reward for reforming the barbarous natives, and reducing their disordered church to due regulation. State of the Henry being obliged to depart, without completing the country. useful work he had begun, did not leave behind him, as observed by Davies, one true subject more than he found on coming over. The Irish chieftains, who so easily made their submission, resolved to adhere to it no longer than necessity might oblige them. One of them, O'Dempsy of Offally, refused to pay Strongbow the stated tribute, which obliged him to march and levy it by force; but, on his return, his rear-guard was furiously attacked, and, among others, Rodert de Quiny, his son-in-law, and standardbearer, was killed. O'Ruarc of Breffney, who still enjoyed the eastern part of Meath, being displeased at some arrangements made by De Lacy in that province, of which he had a large portion, agreed that a conference should be held at Tarah to settle the dispute. Here a sanguinary scuffle took place (the blame of which is ascribed by each party to their opponents) where De Lacy, being twice rescued by Fitzgerald, with difficulty escaped, and O'Ruarc, with many of his adherents, was killed. These petty hostilities were followed by insurrections of almost all those chieftains who had lately sworn allegiance, when they understood that the English monarch was at that time involved in great difficulties.

Henry's

His own children, for whose interest he had been so protroubles. vident, made an ungrateful return to him for his paternal

care. Henry, his eldest son, who was married to the daugh- CHAP. 11. ter of Louis VII of France, being excited by that monarch to aim at the sovereign power, rose up in rebellion against his father. His party was joined by the rest of his sons, who laid claims to different portions of his dominions, and by many barons, both in England and France, who could not bear the restraint of a regular government. In his difficulty he was obliged to recall a great part of his troops from Ireland, and to send for Earl Strongbow to his aid, who hastened to Normandy with all speed.

chief go

The alacrity with which he came to his assistance, gain-Strongbow ed him so much the confidence of the king, that he appoint-vernor. ed him chief governor of Ireland, with discretionary powers to act in its present troubled state as he might think most expedient. On his return, he found the army so much 1174. dissatisfied with Hervey of Mountmorres, their leader, that he was obliged to transfer the command to Raymond le Gross, who had gained their favour. His forces, however, were much diminished, as the new chief governor had orders to send the garrisons of Waterford, and other towns, with Fitzstephen, Milo de Cogan, and many more of the first adventurers, to join the royal troops in France and England. Yet, with an army thus reduced, he was ready to act wherever the occasion required.

Strongbow' having improvidently dissipated the money Exploits of destined for the pay of his troops, found it necessary to Raymond. send them on some expedition to seek for plunder. Accordingly, he desired Raymond to march to Offally to chastise some petty lords there for their disobedience. He instantly obeyed; ravaged the country without resistance; then proceeded with his plunder to Lismore, where he committed similar depredations. Returning by the seaside, he had the spoil, in order to have it conveyed to Waterford, put aboard some vessels lying at anchor, which were assailed by thirty barks from Cork (then subject to M'Arthy of Desmond, as Henry had withdrawn his forces), but the barks were defeated, and eight of them were taken. Raymond, hastening to their aid during the conflict, was attacked by the prince of Desmond, who was also defeated.

CHAP. II. Sensible of his consequence, Raymond demanded of Strongbow his sister Basilea in marriage, but was refused, which caused him to return to Wales in disgust. The army, of course, was entrusted to Hervey, who, being desirous to distinguish himself, prevailed on Strongbow to accompany him on an expedition to Munster, to punish insurgents. They proceeded, and gave orders for a body of Ostmen from the garrison of Dublin to join them at Cashel, but these were unfortunately defeated on their march by O'Brien of Thomond, with the loss of four hundred killed, and their four principal commanders. This disaster obliged Strongbow to retreat with all haste to Waterford, and caused most of the Irish chieftains in Leinster, and even Donald Kevanagh himself, to rise up in arms against the English.

Strongbow immediately sent for Raymond to Wales, offering a compliance with all his demands. He hastened his preparations, and landed at Waterford with thirty knights, a hundred horsemen, and three hundred archers. Immediately he marched along with Strongbow to Wexford, leaving a garrison at Waterford, which was furiously attacked by the inhabitants, who had previously murdered all the unarmed English of every age and sex. The garrison, however, having retreated to the citadel, repulsed them with great spirit, and obliged them to make a submission.

In the mean while Raymond obtained Basilea in marriage at Wexford, and with her a large portion of lands, and the office of constable of Leinster. The very day after he was obliged to leave his bride, and march with his brother-in-law against Roderic, who had suddenly passed the Shannon, entered the territory of Meath, expelled the English colonists, and destroyed their forts. He retreated, however, on the arrival of his opponents, who slew a hundred and fifty in the pursuit.

Leinster being now brought to due subjection, and Donald Kevanagh killed in a skirmish, Strongbow sent Raymond with a chosen body of three hundred men to attack Limerick, of which the prince of Thomond Irad taken possession, and bade defiance to the English power. On their

arrival they found that the bridges of the Shannon had CHAP. II. been previously broken down, but discovering a place some

what fordable, they passed to the opposite side, with the loss of only three men, which so terrified the enemy, that they fled without resistance. A considerable number was killed in the flight.

nor, &c.

Roderic, convinced at length by experience of the in- Submission stability of his subordinate chieftains, sent three deputies of O'Conto make proposals of submission to Henry, who was now at Windsor, after having happily subdued all his enemies. There the treaty was concluded, by which Roderic was to 1175. hold the kingdom of Connaught and other sovereignties, paying to Henry, as his liege lord, a tribute of the tenth of all the merchantable hides on his lands, and was to give up all claim to the districts possessed by the English.

The successes of Raymond, which occasioned the submission of Roderic, and his popularity with the army, excited such envy in the breast of Hervey of Mountmorres, that he sent emissaries to Henry, informing him, that he made use of improper methods to gain the favour of the soldiers, and was forming schemes in opposition to his interests. Accordingly, the king, who harboured a mean jealousy of the adventurers, unworthy of his great mind, sent four commissioners to Dublin, with orders for two of them to conduct Raymond to him, and two to stay in order to watch the conduct of Strongbow and the other lords. Raymond, on their arrival, declared his willingness to obey; but, before he could set off, intelligence came, that O'Brien of Thomond had besieged Limerick, and reduced the garrison to great difficulties. Strongbow, though afflicted with indisposition, prepared to oppose them; but the soldiers refused to march, unless under the command of their favourite general, Raymond. The commissioners, course, were obliged to allow him to conduct them, and he proceeded, accompanied by some Irish confederates, under the command of the chieftains of Kinselagh, and Ossory, who professed a great aversion to O'Brien. This leader, however, when he heard of his approach, left Limerick, and lay in wait for him in a dangerous defile near Cashel, but his entrenchments were stormed by an

of

CHAP. II. inferior force with great slaughter, and he was obliged to make an humble submission to the English general. The Irish confederates stood spectators of the combat, being resolved to attack the vanquished. Raymond having received hostages from O'Brien, and also from Roderic, who had made an agreement to that effect with Henry, marched his forces into Desmond, being invited by M'Carthy, the prince, to protect him from his own son, who had thrown him into prison, and seized his principality. The English general restored the father to his dominions, who cast his son into that prison from which he himself was rescued, and soon after put him to death. His benefactor he rewarded with a large portion of land in the county of Kerry.

Death of

In the midst of these successes, Raymond received priStrongbow. vate intelligence of the death of earl Strongbow, which obliged him to quit Limerick with his garrison, and leave it to the protection of O'Brien, who entered into solemn engagements to keep it safe for the English monarch. But Raymond and his troops had scarcely passed over one end of the bridge, till O'Brien pulled down the other, and set the town on fire, declaring it should be no longer the nest of foreigners.

Character.

Fitzandelm, his successor.

Earl Strongbow, whose death was so much lamented by his friends, was a man of a tall stature, effeminate face, and insinuating manners; neither dejected by misfortune nor elated by success; diffident in forming military plans himself, but bold and vigorous in executing those of others; harsh and severe in supporting what he thought his rightful inheritance, and the interests of his master, especially when provoked at the perfidy and savage ferocity of those whose country he had invaded. The Irish clergy, who had a great aversion to him, tell us, in their imperfect records, that with remorse and horror he confessed at his death he was smitten by the saints of Ireland.

The council, with the concurrence of the commissioners, appointed Raymond his successor, until the king's will should be known; but, notwithstanding the favourable representations of these, urged by his usual jealousy, he removed him, and appointed William Fitzandelm governor,