ever distinguished, not only for their valor, but for their chivalry in field or court, the southern race fell daily lower in the estimation of their countrymen. Their disgrace was completed when two kings, who ruled Erin jointly, were treacherously slain by Conall Guthvin. For this crime the family were excluded from regal honors for several generations.

Home dissensions led to fatal appeals for foreign aid, and this frequently from the oppressing party. Thus, Congal Caech, who killed the reigning sovereign in 623, fled to Britain, and after remaining there nine years, returned with foreign troops, by whose assistance he hoped to attain the honors unlawfully coveted. The famous battle of Magh-Rath, in which the auxiliaries were utterly routed, and the false Congal slain, unfortunately did not deter his countrymen from again and again attempting the same suicidal course. In 656 the country was once more visited by the fatal Crom Chonaill, and again all classes were among its victims. Many orphans were of necessity thrown on the mercy of those to whom charity was their only claim. Nor was the call unheeded. Venerable Bede mentions this pestilence, and gives honorable testimony to the charity of the Irish, even to strangers. He says: "This pestilence did no less harm in the island of Ireland. Many of the nobility and of the lower ranks of the English nation were there at that time, who, in the days of Bishop Finan and Colman, forsaking their native land, retired thither, either for the sake of divine studies, or for a more continent life. The Scots willingly received them all, and took care to supply them with food, as also to furnish them with books to read and their teaching gratis."

In 673 Finnachta Fleadhach, or the Hospitable, began his reign. He yielded to the entreaties of St. Moling, and remitted the Boromean tribute, after he had forced it from the Leinster men in a bloody battle. In 687 he abdicated, and showed his respect for religion still further by embracing the monastic state himself. In 684 the Irish coasts were devastated, and even the churches pillaged, by the soldiers of Egfrid, the Saxon king of Northumbria. Venerable Bede attributes his subsequent defeat and death the following year when fighting against the Picts to the judgment of God, justly merited for this unwarranted invasion of Ireland. This was the first and only AngloSaxon invasion. St. Adamnan was sent to Northumbria, after the death of this prince, to obtain the release of the captives. His mission was successful, and they were returned to their native land to the number of sixty. The saint accompanied them, and procured a law from the assembly prohibiting women from going to war or engaging in any conflicts. Finnachta fell in battle in the twentieth year of his reign and is regarded as a saint in the Irish calendar. St. Moling survived him only three years and St. Adamnan ten. The ecclesiastics had great influence during this century, and seemed always to employ it in the behalf of the weak and to lessen the horrors of war.

IV.

IRISH KINGS IN THE EIGHTH AND NINTH CENTURIES.

(708-897)

N the beginning of this century there were two severe battles between the monarch and his disaffected prov inces. The generosity of Finnachta failed in settling the vexed question of tribute. Comgal, who died in 708 after a reign of seven years, ravaged Leinster as fiercely as his predecessors, and Fearghal, his successor, who reigned ten years, invaded it "five times in one year." Three wonderful showers are said to have fallen in the eighth year of his reign (A.D. 716 according to the Four Masters)-a shower of silver, a shower of honey, and a shower of blood. These were, of course, considered portents of the awful Danish invasions. Fearghal was killed at the battle of Almhain (Allen, near Kildare), in 718; and it is said that the intervention of a hermit, who reproached Fearghal with breaking the pacific promise of his predecessor, contributed to the defeat of the northern forces. Another battle took place 733, when Hugh Allan, king of Ireland, and Hugh, son of Colgan, king of Leinster, engaged in single combat. The latter was slain, and the Leinster men "were killed, slaughtered, cut off, and dreadfully exterminated." In fact, the Leinster men endured so many "dreadful exterminations," that one almost marvels how any of their brave fellows were left for future feats of arms. The "Northerns were joyous after this victory, for they had wreaked their vengeance and their animosity upon the Leinster men," nine thousand of whom were slain. St. Samhthann, a nun, who died in the following year, is said to have predicted the fate of Aedh, Comgal's son, if the two Aedhs (Hughs) met. Between Fearghal and Hugh V. there had been three kings, two of whom had been killed in battle and the third, Flaherty, who, after a vigorous reign of seven years, retired to the monastery at Armagh. Hugh V. was a poet as well as king, and his army returned from their victory over Hugh Roin bearing the head of that chieftain and chanting a song which the poet king had composed for them. Hugh Allan felt bound to avenge his father's death, for in all the ancient countries the kinsmen of a murdered man were counted both by law and custom the avengers of his blood. It was doubtless under a sense of duty that the contest with Leinster was undertaken. Four years after this Hugh died in an obscure battle. He had fostered literature, and his reign has furnished many a favorite theme for the bards and story-tellers.

The long reign of Donald III. began in 739 and continued until 759, and he is almost the only one of this line who commanded in no notable battle. An Irish poet, who died in 742, is said to have played a clever trick on the "foreigners" of Dublin. He composed a poem for them, and then requested payment for his literary labors. The Galls, who were probably Saxons, refused to meet his demand, but Rumrann said he would be content with two pinguins (pennies) from every good man, and one from each bad one. The result may

be anticipated. Rumrann, this poet, is described as "an adept in wisdom, chronology, and poetry;" we might perhaps add, and in knowledge of human nature. A considerable number of Saxons were now in the country; and it is said that a British king, named Constantine, who had become a monk, was at that time abbot of Rahen, in the King's county, and that at Cell-Belaigh there were seven streets of those foreigners. Gallen, in the King's county, was called Galin of the Britons, and Mayo was called Mayo of the Saxons, from the number of monasteries therein, founded by members of these nations. The records of the long reign of this king is filled with the obituaries of saints and the movements of literary men. There were many bright names of men who won great achievements in literature and the sciences. At this time Ireland was renowned for its progress in learning, and many men came from all parts of Europe to the Emerald Island to finish their education at the universities of that country during this and the succeeding centuries. After Donald III. came Nial II., who was surnamed "of the showers." The first year of this reign is distinguished by a shower of silver, a shower of wheat, and a shower of honey. The annals of Clonmacnois say that there was a most severe famine throughout the whole kingdom during the early part of his reign, so much that the king himself had very little to live upon. Then the king prayed very fervently to God, being in company with seven holy bishops; and he asked that he might die rather than see so many of his faithful subjects perishing, while he was helpless to relieve them. At the conclusion of his prayer, the "three showers" fell from heaven; and then the king and the seven bishops gave great thanks to the Lord. Whether these wonderful showers really came or not, attended with other achievements ascribed to this reign, it is certain that after seven years this monarch abdicated the throne and retired, as others had done before him, to the monastery at Iona, where he passed the eight remaining years of life in penance and meditation.

The reign of Donough I. followed this, and was the longest and last of the reigns of the eighth century, extending from 776 to 797. The monarchs had not only abandoned Tara, but, one by one, all the other royal houses in Meath as their ordinary residences. As one of the consequences of this the family of O'Melaghlin, a minor branch of the royal family, came to power in the local sovereignty. They were soon involved in quarrels in reference to boundaries. between the provinces of Leinster and Munster. Donough led an army into these provinces and exacted hostages in the persons of the sons of the princes. This was the usual method, and a bishop was brought in to administer an

In

oath of fealty on the relics of saints. These children were treated like members of the monarch's family, and brought up with them as long as peace was maintained. When war broke out the situation was often dangerous. some cases they were put to death; but this was considered a violation of all the laws of hospitality and courtesy. But this monarch seemed to like diplomacy rather than war, for he held a "kingly parlee" with an unruly prince, Fiachna, son of that Hugh Roin who had been killed by Hugh I. at the church door of Faaghard. But little good came of it. And the satirical poets asked what was the use of an island--the "kingly parlee" had been held on an island, afterward called " King's Island"-when one party " would not come upon the land nor the other upon the sea?"

During the reign of this monarch Ireland had been visited twice by most wonderful phenomena of nature. In 767 with a most fearful storm of thunder and lightning, with "terrible serpents coiling themselves among the stars," and fury bolts " from one end of heaven to the other" or darting straight down to the earth. Fairs were closed, business suspended, and the fields abandoned by men and women, terrified beyond description. Churches caught fire and whole towns were burned. The monuments of ancient masonry were thrown down and strewn in fragments over the earth. The second visitation was in 783, and terrified the Irish people even more than the first. When the Danish invasion came a few years later these storms were regarded as the prognosticators of this disastrous event in Irish history. The first invasion by these barbarous conquerors in 794 attracted little attention, but in the last year of Donough's reign they returned in superior force and swept rapidly along the coast of Meath.

Great attention had been paid to learning in Ireland during the period before the invasion of the Danes, and her educated men were admitted to every court in Europe. The fame of her schools spread over the world, and she led the van of the nations in all the wisdom of the age. The long, dark night of a thousand years that was settling over the southern and central portions of the continent had not yet extinguished the torch of science in Erin; but soon the darkness would fall upon her shores. The universities of Armagh, Bangor and Lismore had diffused the light of science and Christian teaching long after the superstitions of the middle ages had obliterated it upon the continent; but soon their torches would go out in intensest gloom.

THE INVASION OF THE DANES.

The kings of Ireland during the ninth century were Hugh VI., surnamed Ornie, from 797 to 819; Cornor II. to 833; Nial III., surnamed Nial of Callan (from the place of his death), to 845; Malachy I. to 860; Hugh VII. to 877; Flann (surnamed Flann of Shannon), who reigned far into the succeeding century. Here were six kings whose reigns averaged twenty years, and yet only one of them died a violent death. This was Nial III., who was drowned

in 845 while attempting to rescue a servant from the same fate. But this century was one of great disaster to Ireland, and her former kings had encountered no dangers equal to those which surrounded the kings of this period. The new enemies were of the brave and hardy Scandinavian race which had already overrun all Europe and had possession everywhere. They were far advanced in the arts of ship-building and navigation, and boldly pushing their adventures in every direction. They threatened the coasts of Ireland and Britain, in the latter part of the eighth century and the beginning of the ninth. As plunder was the sole object of these barbarians, they naturally sought it first where it could be obtained most easily and surely. The islands on the Irish coast were studded with monasteries. The shrines were adorned with jewels, the sacred vessels were costly, the gifts of generous hearts. The Danes commenced their work of plunder and devastation in the year 795. Three years after, A.D. 798, they ravaged Inis-patrick of Man and the Hebrides. In 802 they burned "Hi-Coluim-Cille." In 806 they attacked the island again, and killed sixty-eight of the laity and clergy. In 807 they became emboldened by, success, and for the first time marched inland; and after burning Inishmurray, they attacked Roscommon. During the years 812 and 813 they made raids in Connaught and Munster, but not without encountering stout resistance from the native forces. After this predatory and internecine warfare had continued for about thirty years, Turgesius, a Norwegian prince, established himself as sovereign of the Vikings, and made Armagh his headquarters, A.D. 830. The Danes made and broke alliances with the provincial kings at their own convenience, while these princes gladly availed themselves of even temporary assistance from their cruel foe, while engaged in domestic wars. Still the Northmen were more than once driven from the country by the bravery of the native commanders. Sometimes the Danish chiefs mustered all their forces, and left the island for a brief period, to ravage the shores of England or Scotland; but they soon returned to inflict new barbarities on the unfortunate Irish.

Burning churches or destroying monasteries was a favorite pastime of these pirates, wherever they could obtain a landing on Christian shores; and the number of religious houses in Ireland afforded them abundant means of gratifying their barbarous inclinations. But when they became so far måsters as to have obtained some permanent settlement, this mode of proceeding was considered either more troublesome or less profitable than that of appropriating to themselves the abbeys and churches. Turgesius, it is said, placed an abbot of his own in every monastery; and as he had already conferred ecclesiastical offices on himself and on his lady, we may presume he was not very particular in his selections. All education was strictly forbidden;" books and manuscripts were burned and drowned; and the poets, historians, and musicians imprisoned and driven to the woods and mountains. Martial sports were interdicted, from the lowest to the highest rank. Even nobles and princes were forbidden to wear their usual habiliments, the cast-off clothes of the Danes being considered sufficiently good for slaves. The clergy, who had