At the royal letters to be publicly read, and offered libe- 1168. ral rewards both in money and land to those who would assist him in the recovery of his territories. length Richard, son of Gilbert de Claire, earl of Strigul and Chepstow, came to Bristol, conversed with him on the subject, and acceding to his proposals, engaged to go over into Ireland the ensuing spring, upon condition, that Dermod should give him in marriage his only daughter Eva, and settle upon him the succession of his whole inheritance and property in Ireland. These preliminaries being settled to the satisfaction of each party, Dermod, anxious to behold again his native land, even at a distance, repaired to St. David's; where, according to the words of Giraldus, who was bishop of that see, "languishing and lying for a passage, he comforted himself as well as he might; some time drawing, and, as it were, breathing the air of his country, which he seemed to breathe and smell; sometimes viewing and beholding his country, which in a fair day a man may ken and descry." turns to Ire successfully The spirit of adventure, backed by the encourage- Dermod re ment of Henry (who intended to avail himself of the land and is successes of these adventurers to acquire a permanent supported. footing in Ireland), induced Strongbow and his co-adventurers to prepare a respectable force for supporting the efforts of Dermod to regain possession of that territory, out of which they were to reap so luxuriant a harvest. Dermod, in the meanwhile, went over in disguise, and spent the winter in the monastery at 1168. Ferns, which he had founded; there he busied himself in preparations for the intended invasion, and waited the return of the spring, when the promised succours were to be sent out from England. Personal at tractives Dermod. This prince, notwithstanding his tyranny and flagiand arts of tious conduct rendered him odious to the more respectable and thinking part of his subjects, yet being of a comely and robust stature, of athletic powers, and boisterous intrepidity, was much favored by the lower classes, by which such personal accomplishments are highly prized. Such persons he was anxiously careful to flatter, favor, and protect. His ambition also prompted him to secure the favor and countenance of the clergy, (under whose guidance he considered the lower order of the people constantly to move,) by bounties, largesses, and foundations, which he substituted for those acts of benevolence and virtue, which ought alone to have ingratiated him with this select order. These were the instruments upon which he rested his ambition; nor did they altogether fail him. Success of the English, of Dermod. In the spring of the year 1770, Robert Fitzsteand death phens landed in the Ban, near Wexford, and the successes of the English were so rapid, that Dermod began seriously to form plans upon the Irish monarchy, which he confided he should soon secure with the assistance of his English allies. Barbarous cruelties disgraced both partics. The English most inhumanly put to death many of the Irish prisoners; * Where, according to Cambrensis, he spent the winter partly incognito: dissimulatâ paulisper principis majestate, satis singulariter hyemavit, and Roderick, the monarch, cut off the head of Der- 1171. mod's son, whom he had received as a pledge for the observance of a former contract entered into between him and Dermod. Dermod Mac Morough died at Fernes, in the month of May, 1171 *. Strongbow, however, and his adventurous associates, continued so successful in Ireland, as to awaken the jealousies and suspicions of Henry, who was then in Aquitain, much grieved and soured at the unpleasant prospect of his own affairs, particularly at the threats of ex-communication from the pope, and the resentment of the king of France for the barbarous murder of Thomas a Becket. This atrocious act had excited. an universal indignation all over the Continent. He strictly inhibited any communication whatever with Ireland, and enjoined all his subjects commorant there, upon their allegiance, to return to England, on pain of forfeiture of all their lands and perpetual banishment. Strongbow thus disappointed in his views upon Ireland, for he had now married Dermod's daughter, upon consultation with his friends, dispatched Raymond Le Gross with the following letter to Henry his sovereign. "Most puissant Prince, and my dread Sovereign, Letter from Strongbow "I came into the land with your Majesty's leave to Henry. and favor, (as far as I remember,) to aid your ser * The Irish historians say, that he died by a dreadful visitation of God, as an exemplary punishment for his crimes, his body becoming suddenly covered with fetid sores, and labouring under the morbus pedicularis: he died in the greatest misery, without friends, pity, or spiritual comfort. 2 O'Hal, p. 354. 1172. Henry and Strongbow reconciled. Reconcilia- vant Mac Morough: What I won, was with the sword; what is given me, I give you. "I am yours, life and living." Henry received Raymond with every mark of indignation, who returned to Ireland without any answer. He appears to have extricated himself very artfully from his embarrassing situation with the pope. By a solemn disclaimer of having wished or occasioned the murder of the archbishop of Canterbury, and by pre-engaging to secure to his holiness all the advantages from Ireland, resulting from Adrian's donation, he so won upon Pope Alexander III. as to procure in the next year the confirmation of that bull. This politic prince did not vainly foresee, that the Irish would more likely be brought under his subjection by means of spiritual, than temporal power. The time allowed by Henry's proclamation had elapsed: Strongbow and his adherents were proscribed in Britain: their avarice and cruelty had rendered them detested in Ireland. Roderick once more appeared in arms at the head of a large army before Dublin. The desperate situation of Strongbow drove him to such resolution, that he gained a most unexpected advantage of his enemy, whom he discomfited and dispersed. Thus Strongbow having acquired a settlement in that country, forced Henry to renew an appearance of confidence in him, in order to forward his own designs. The kingdom from this unexpected turn of events, was once more broken into factions. The irresolute Roderick lost the confidence of his nation; and possessing all the haughtiness of an Irish monarch, he failed in that determined spirit, which was necessary to support it. Henry, whilst on the continent, heard with amazement the new change in Strongbow's affairs; he repaired to Britain, and made great preparations for invading Ireland. He sent over for Strongbow, received him graciously, restored him to his estates in England and Normandy, and declared him Steward of Ireland. Thus reciprocal interests with out love or sincerity brought about a coalition between Henry and Strongbow. By treaty, Henry was to be put in possession of Dublin, Waterford, and all the maritime towns, which Strongbow held, who was guaranteed in the peaceable tenure of the rest of his territories. to Whilst Henry was preparing for his Irish expedition, no attempts were made by Roderick oppose his landing, or to retake any of the cities, so necessary for the security of his fleet and army, except one unsuccessful attack made by O'Rourk on the city of Dublin. Not one vigorous measure was attempted by those, from whom the nation might have hoped for protection. All appeared to have betrayed its cause. The two Munsters, after having renounced the authority of Roderick, entered into treaty with Strongbow. Events seem to justify the presumption, that several of the native princes, from jealousy or dislike to Roderick, had privately encouraged the invasion of Henry, as Mac Carthey and O'Bryen were precipitate in rendering homage to him immediate! after his landing. |