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 IRELAND 
 
 AN OUTLINE MAP OF IRE LAND FOR ENGLISH READERS. 
 
 NORMAN A SON, LITH. 29, MAIOCN LANL. W C.
 
 IRELAND 
 
 AND THE 
 
 HOLY SEE IN THE MIDDLE AGES. 
 
 BY 
 WILLIS NEXLN-^ 
 
 AUTHOR OF 
 
 " A Popular Defence of the Jesuits," 
 'Julian's Arguments against the Christians," &c., &c. 
 
 WILLIAMS AND NORGATE, 
 
 14, HENRIETTA STREET. COVENT GARDEN, LONDON 
 and 20, SOUTH FREDERICK STREET. EDINBURGH. 
 
 HODGES, FOSTER AND FIGGIS, DUBLIN. 
 1879. 
 
 J > ' ■> J 
 
 
 It J > 3 
 ■ J > J
 
 
 DEDICATION. 
 
 To THE Memory of 
 PIM NEVINS, 
 
 Of Larchfield near (now part of) Leeds, 
 
 The first of the family who came to England, 
 
 Being younger brother of 
 
 Colonel Archibald Nevins, 
 
 Of Kilglas, Co. Kildare, 
 
 Who lost his life through hardships suffered 
 
 when taken Prisoner by the 
 
 Insurgents of 1798, 
 
 This Book showing the consistent and per- 
 sistent efforts of the Popes to strengthen the 
 union between Ireland and England is appro- 
 priately dedicated by his great-grandson, 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
 aiiSM5
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 This book was written by me in conse- 
 quence of my having published a pamphlet, 
 which however I speedily withdrew from 
 circulation. I thought Rome's never ending 
 efforts to frustrate all attempts at severance 
 of England from Ireland showed a supreme 
 contempt for Irish patriotism, especially the 
 donation of Pope Adrian to Henry II. 
 
 A deeper study has convinced me of what 
 perhaps I ought to have taken for granted, 
 namely, that Rome's policy with respect to Irish 
 subjection to England was not based on selfish 
 motives, but purely for the good of the Irish 
 themselves. It seems evident that the Celtic 
 race if left to themselves would never have 
 become Christian, or at least Christian only in
 
 II PREFACE. 
 
 name not in reality. The Popes in their sup- 
 port of the Norman conquest of England were 
 apparently guided by the thought that as the 
 Britons would not convert the Saxons, and 
 the Saxon mode of showing Christian feeling 
 towards the Danes was exemplified in the 
 massacre of St. Brice's day, which for ever 
 would have prevented them from being 
 regarded as Christian missionaries — so a 
 Norman conquest was necessary, the Nor- 
 mans being of the same kindred as the 
 Danes and thus able to amalgamate. As in 
 the case of England in the eleventh century so 
 in Ireland in the twelfth. The Danes and 
 Celts in Ireland would not coalesce, but the 
 Norman invasion in this case as in the other 
 proved that the Danes became absorbed in 
 the Norman element and so Christianity had a 
 fair field before it. 
 
 Furthermore, Ireland being outside the 
 Roman Empire and never conquered by the 
 Roman legions was a fact the Popes who 
 naturally in those days looked on the Roman
 
 PREFACE. Ill 
 
 Empire and Church as co-extensive could not 
 overlook. The Norman conquest of Ireland 
 brought her into the great European family 
 and rendered her more closely joined to the 
 See of Rome than she was before. The 
 tribal system in vogue in Ireland was very 
 detrimental to Christian progress. Tribal 
 strife was incessant and so long as the Celts 
 remained in an island outside the Roman 
 Empire so long would the country be a prey 
 to internal feuds. The usual objection urged, 
 that the Normans proved as quarrelsome as 
 the Celts is partially true, and is due to the 
 want of power on the part of the Kings of 
 England to restrain them. But no one 
 regretted this more than the Popes, and in 
 the translations from Theiner* it will clearly 
 be seen that although they were sternly 
 determined to condemn all attempts at throw- 
 ing off the Norman yoke, yet they severely 
 censured and strove to overcome the tyranny 
 
 * Here let me express my thanks to my friend Mr. J. C. 
 Earle for his kind assistance in many of these translations.
 
 IV PREFACE. 
 
 of the Barons. The letter of Pope John XXII 
 is a very good example of the thoroughly 
 paternal feeling of the Popes towards Ireland 
 coupled with a maintenance of the right of his 
 predecessor Pope Adrian's gift (which is also 
 taken for granted by Honorius III). In the 
 Appendix I have given some documents likely 
 to be of interest. The letter of the Pope 
 relative to the Archbishop of Cashel is a 
 splendid example of the calm judicial mind 
 which animated the Pontiffs. 
 
 One final remark I must make. This book 
 has been written purely from a historical 
 point of view ; Theology I have not in the 
 very least dealt with ; controversy also I have 
 as much as possible avoided. My desire has 
 been to show the dealings of Rome with 
 Ireland from the earliest times till the Norman 
 invasion was a well-established fact. This I 
 have tried impartially to carry out and have 
 used Theiner's valuable work freely in giving 
 Papal documents which I believe now for the 
 first time appear in an English dress. With
 
 PREFACE. V 
 
 two or three exceptions all the books used are 
 in my own library and quotations are conse- 
 quently perfectly reliable. Should success 
 attend this venture I purpose continuing at a 
 future time the subject from the Norman 
 period till the Victorian. 
 
 WILLIS NEVINS. 
 
 2, Savile Row, W.
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 Page 175, for " Cambrensis," read "Giraldus Cambrensis," 
 and so throughout.
 
 BOOKS CHIEFLY USED, WITH 
 EDITIONS. 
 
 Ordericus Vitalis' Ecclesiastical Hist, of England and Nor- 
 mandy. Bohn's edition. 
 
 Father Peter Walsh's History of Ireland, 1680. 
 
 Lappenberg's Hist, of England under Anglo-Saxon Kings, by 
 Thorpe. Murray, 1845. 
 
 Bryce's Holy Roman Empire, 4th edit. Macmillan. 
 
 Berington's Literary Hist, of Middle Ages. Bogue, 1846. 
 
 Hergenrother's Catholic Church and Christian State. Bums, 
 1876. 
 
 Bishop Moran's Essays on Early Irish Church. Duffy, 1864. 
 
 Historic Documents of Ireland, 1172 — 1320, published under 
 direction of the Master of the Rolls. Longmans, 1870. 
 
 Villanueva's Phoenician Ireland, by O'Brien, 2nd edit., 1837. 
 
 Water-worth's (S.J.) England and Rome. Burns, 1854. 
 
 Whittle's Catholicism and the Vatican. King, 1872. 
 
 Schlegel's Philosophy of History, Bohn's edit. 
 
 Todd's St. Patrick, Hodges, Smith & Co., 1864. 
 
 C. O'Conor's Ancient Hist, of Ireland, ist edit., 1753. 
 
 O'Flaherty's H-IAR Connaught, 1684. Hardiman edition, 
 printed for Irish Archaeological Society, 1846. 
 
 Theiner's Vetera Monumenta Hibernorum et Scotorum 
 Historiam Illustrantia, 1216 — 1547. Romae, Typis Vati- 
 canis, 1864. (This is in the London Library, and is 
 most valuable and apparently but little known).
 
 VIII BOOKS CHIEFLY USED. 
 
 Hanmer's Chronicle of Ireland, 1571. Dublin edit, of 1809. 
 Spencer's State of Ireland, 1596. Dublin edit, of 1809. 
 Campion's Historie of Ireland, 1571. Dublin edit, of 1809. 
 Ware's Antiquities and History of Ireland in one volume. 
 
 London : Churchill, 1705. 
 D'Alton's Memoirs of Archbishops of Dublin. Hodges, 
 
 Dublin, 1838. 
 Cusack's History of Ireland. Longmans, 1871. 
 Abbe MacGeoghegan's Hist, of Ireland, O'Kelly's edit. 
 
 O'Flanagan, Dublin, 1831. 
 O'Donovan's Annals of Ireland by the Four Masters to the 
 
 year 1616. 2nd edit. Hodges, Dublin, 1856. 
 Betham's Antiquarian Researches. Curry, Dublin, 1827. 
 Dr. Newman's Historical Sketches, 2nd edit. 
 De Maistre, " Le Pape." Pelagaud Fils, Lyon, 1873.
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 PRE-CHRISTIAN IRELAND. 
 
 While Ireland was in a spiritual sense 
 conquered by Rome, she was in another, 
 unvanquished. The Roman legions never trod 
 on the Irish shamrock ; but the Roman 
 Missionary, bent on winning souls to Christ, 
 was a conqueror whose success is apparent in 
 this nineteenth century in spite of incessant 
 persecution and opposition. What is the 
 origin of the inhabitants of the Isle of the 
 West, from whence come they that with such 
 dogged perseverance they have kept inviolate 
 their faith with Christian Rome, although never 
 conquered as was England by Pagan Rome ? 
 
 Of one fact there is an overwhelming amount 
 of evidence, so great indeed, that for me to 
 make use of it or refer to the authors who have 
 written on it would be mere pedantry and
 
 2 PRE-CHRISTIAN IRELAND. 
 
 justly lay me open to the charge of book- 
 making. The Irish are known and acknow- 
 ledged to have come from Spain. This is 
 certain ; but where, previous to Spain, was 
 their birthplace, is a controverted question. 
 A writer of great and deserved repute, Villa- 
 nueva, has ably endeavoured to prove that they 
 are of Phoenician origin, and his work has been 
 translated into English, and elaborately edited 
 with notes by Henry O'Brien. There is a good 
 deal to be said for the arguments of Villanueva, 
 and without giving them as by any means con- 
 clusive they yet will not be thrown away, as 
 every atom of historic and linguistic lore bearing 
 on the origin of our forefathers must be of 
 interest as a preparation for the question which 
 is to be considered, namely Ireland and Rome, 
 the people of Ireland and their bearing towards 
 Rome ; Rome and its attitude towards the 
 ever-subservient Celt. 
 
 There were some old records preserved 
 called the "Annals of Innisfallen ;" in these 
 Annals the plain of Fermoy was significantly
 
 PRE-CHRISTIAN IRELAND. 3 
 
 called " The plain of the Phoenicians." The 
 Phoenicians, according to Nennius an English 
 chronicler of the 7th century, thus gave their 
 territorial origin.* 
 
 " If any one would be anxious to learn how 
 long Ireland was uninhabited and deserted, he 
 shall hear it, as the most learned of the Scots 
 have related it to me. (Scots was the name 
 given to the Irish primarily, thence to the Irish 
 settled in what has been since called Scotland). 
 When the children of Israel came to the Red 
 Sea, the Egyptians pursued them and were 
 drowned as the Scripture records. In the 
 time of Moses there was a Scythian noble who 
 had been banished from his kingdom and dwelt 
 in Egypt with a large family. He was there 
 when the Egj'ptians were drowned, but he did 
 not join in the persecution of the Lord's people. 
 
 Those who survived laid plans to banish 
 
 him, lest he should assume the government, 
 
 because his brethren were drowned in the Red 
 
 * Quoted by M. F. Cusack in " History of Ireland," 5th edit. 
 p. 69. 
 
 I *
 
 4 PRE-CHRISTIAN IRELAND. 
 
 Sea ; so he was expelled. He wandered through 
 Africa for forty-two years, and passed by the 
 lake of Salince to the altars of the Philistines, 
 and between Rusicada and the mountains 
 Azure, and he came by the River Mulon, and 
 by sea to the Pillars of Hercules, and through 
 the Tuscan Sea, and he made for Spain, and 
 dwelt there many years and he increased and 
 multiplied, and his people were multiplied." 
 
 Similarity of name certainly implies some 
 connecting link or old association, and Villa- 
 nueva refers the reader to Ptolemy's ancient 
 map of Ireland, in which places are marked 
 which claim a Phoenician origin. A few 
 examples may be interesting. Ausoba, or 
 Ausona, is given by Ptolemy as in West 
 Connaught. Ausoba is certainly akin to the 
 Phoenician word "Auzob," which means a 
 narrow bay. Ausona, similarly from the 
 Phoenician Aus-on, a resounding river. Again, 
 in that part of Spain which the Romans called 
 Hespania Citerior, between Manresa and Ge- 
 runda, stood an ancient city called Ausona, or
 
 PRE-CHRISTIAN IRELAND. 5 
 
 Ausa, which gave its name to the people there, 
 Ausetari. It was destroyed by the Arabians, 
 and is now called Vich. In the Asturas is a 
 chain of mountains called Ausona. Another 
 instance is the word Laberiis, now called 
 Kildare. An equivalent Phoenician word is 
 " lahab era," which signifies a flame in a cave, 
 and is presumably a reference to the perpetual 
 fire of the priests. But one more example of 
 verbal similitude will suffice to show that the 
 champions of the Phoenician origin of Ireland's 
 inhabitants have something to say for their 
 theory. " Crom " is a word of constant occur- 
 rence in Ireland. For example, Crom-atin, 
 near Ardee ; Crom-castle, in Limerick ; Crom- 
 oge, Crom-chin, Crom-lin. Cromatin may be 
 from the Phoenician Crom-arithin, which means 
 a shrubbery dedicated to Fate ; Cromoge from 
 Crom-og, people burning victims in the shrub- 
 bery of Fate ; Crom-chin, from Crom-schin, 
 people applauding in the grove of Fate ; 
 Cromlin, from Cram-lun, people sojourning 
 in the grove of Fate,
 
 6 PRE-CHRISTIAN IRELAND. 
 
 Another question of interest may be casually- 
 mentioned here, and it is the connection 
 between the Phoenicians and the Hebrews, for 
 as Frederick von Schlegel has remarked,* 
 there were frequent intermarriages of the 
 Hebrews with the Phoenicians, severely pro- 
 hibited as such intermarriages were, and justly 
 so. Who does not remember that the species 
 of human sacrifice most widely diffused among 
 all the Phoenician nations was that in which 
 the idol Moloch, heated from below, grasped 
 in his glowing arms the infant victim. There 
 is beside the fact of these intermarriages a 
 close similarity between the ancient Hebrew 
 alphabet and the Phoenician.t The whole 
 alphabet possesses a striking similarity. The 
 Phoenician and Milesian are very similar. In 
 both the name of the letter is a substantive, 
 for example, Aleph, a guide; Beth, a house. 
 But in Milesian all represent different names 
 of trees, which one would suppose points to 
 
 * " Philosophy of History." 
 
 t Those interested should consult Kenrick's " Phoenicia."
 
 PRE-CHRISTIAN IRELAND. 7 
 
 Druidical worship and the groves where reH- 
 gious acts were performed. 
 
 The Abbe MacGeoghegan writes (Vol. I, 
 p. 5): — *'The Spanish origin which ancient 
 authors give to the Scoto-Milesians, and the 
 epoch of their passing from Spain into Ireland, 
 being compared with these circumstances are 
 a strong indication that letters were in very 
 early use among this people, and support firmly 
 the opinion of those who think that they had 
 received them rather from the Phoenicians than 
 from the Greeks." 
 
 Although very unpractical, yet it is certainly 
 allowable for antiquarian-loving Celts to claim 
 relationship with the tribes of Israel, yet, alas ! 
 the relationship is not one which most men 
 would be proud of, for the Phoenician Moloch- 
 worshipper had no right to the hand of friend- 
 ship from the God-worshipping Israelite. 
 
 To come to ages less near the Flood, we 
 read in the " Four Masters," which is the most 
 celebrated of all Irish records, and as im- 
 portant to Irish history as Monstrelet, Froissart
 
 8 PRE-CHRISTIAN IRELAND. 
 
 and De Comines are to English, that in " the 
 age of the world 3500, the fleet of the sons of 
 Milidh came to Ireland." The sons of Mile- 
 tus from Spain conquered Ireland, and hence 
 the reason why the Irish of the old Celtic races 
 are called Milesians. These Spanish ancestors 
 brought with them Druids and their worship. 
 From that time till the advent of St. Patrick 
 (a.d. 431), was about 2000 years, and it will be 
 interesting to gather from the "Annals of the 
 Four Masters " a few particulars as to the state 
 of the ancient Irish previous to St. Patrick's 
 arrival. First of all, however, a few words 
 must be said to show how, although dates 
 might get wrong, and facts distorted, yet the 
 main drift must be correctly stated in these old 
 Annals. 
 
 The Scoto-Milesians were obliged by their 
 laws to preserve genealogies of their families. 
 It was a regulation of the State in Milesian 
 Ireland that no one could ascend the throne or 
 assume any magisterial position unless a clear 
 proof was at hand that he was connected with
 
 PRE-CHRISTIAN IRELAND. g 
 
 the royal house. Not only were there autho- 
 rized officials to attend to these matters, but 
 they were under the eye of scrutinizing com- 
 missioners who exacted the heaviest penalties 
 against the slightest error. 
 
 Ollamb Fodha, who instituted the office, 
 enacted also that copies of all registries which, 
 upon such examination were found pure, should 
 be inserted in the " Psalter of Tara " ; and this 
 practice was continued until after Christian 
 times. 
 
 With this preliminary statement I proceed 
 to give some facts from the aforesaid " Annals 
 of the Four Masters." 
 
 Three days after the landing of Milidh a 
 battle was fought at Sliabh Mis, and one of 
 Milidh's daughters named Scota was slain (her 
 grave is still shown in the valley of Gleann- 
 Scoithin, in county Kerry). Shortly after this 
 the sons of Milidh fight three kings, who were 
 all killed, and also their queens, which seems 
 to our nineteenth century notions rather a bar- 
 barous mode of warfare. 
 
 The next year we learn that Ireland was
 
 10 PRE-CHRISTIAN IRELAND. 
 
 divided into two parts and ruled by Eremhon 
 and Emher. That same year they quarrelled 
 and a battle was fought in which Emher was 
 slain and Eremhon became sovereign. 
 
 The next year (3503 of the world) one of 
 Milidh's sons was slain by Eremhon in a battle 
 at Biletineadh {i.e., the ancient Tree of the 
 Fire). 
 
 In 3506 the two chieftains of Eremhon, 
 Fulman and Manton were killed by him in 
 battle. They had important positions assigned 
 to them only a few years before by Eremhon. 
 
 In 3510 he killed in battle Un, En and Edan, 
 although on looking back to the year 3502, I 
 see the province of Connaught was assigned by 
 him to Un and Edan. 
 
 In 3519, four sons of Emer were slain by 
 Irial Faidh, the son of Eremon. 
 
 In 3549 another son of Emer had his revenge 
 by killing Eithrial the son of Irial Faidh. 
 This son .of Emer, in 3550, became king 
 over Ireland, and he was the first king from 
 Munster.
 
 PRE-CHRISTIAN IRELAND. ii 
 
 In 3579 he was killed by Tighernmas, son of 
 Follach. He fought six notable battles. 
 
 In 3580, Tighernmas became king. Marvel- 
 lous to relate he was not killed, but died in 
 3657. He fought thirty-one battles ! 
 
 I might go on page after page giving lists 
 of king-murders and murderers, but it would 
 be practically useless. Suffice it to say that in 
 turning over the pages of " The Four Masters" I 
 jotted down in pencil the number of sovereigns 
 killed in Ireland in 500 years from the landing 
 of Milidh, and the total reaches the somewhat 
 large number of twenty-four. 
 
 The English reader must not, however, 
 suppose from the records of this tragic period 
 of Irish history that the Celts were more 
 bloodthirsty than their neighbours. One has 
 but to turn to the pages of history and the same 
 tale is told of Rome, Babylon, or the Persians. 
 And, indeed, to come to civilized, refined 
 times in Europe, we may quench our scorn 
 of Celtic feuds by calling to mind the Germanic 
 wars associated with the name of Rodolphus,^
 
 12 PRE-CHRISTIAN IRELAND. 
 
 Albert, Henry VII, Frederick III, Louis of 
 Bavaria, Charles nephew of Henry, who all 
 perished either by conspiracy or poison. The 
 Italian Peninsula can also reckon up an 
 equally long list of tragedies, thanks to the 
 Guelfs and Ghibelines. While, nearer home, 
 the Englishman must remember that during 
 the heptarchy, twenty-eight Saxon kings were 
 murdered, and in Northumberland alone four 
 kings were assassinated, and three deposed in 
 forty-one years. 
 
 A few interesting details which bear witness 
 to the state of civilization and progress previous 
 to the Christian era will not fail to be of in- 
 terest. I take them from the "Annals of the 
 Four Masters." 
 
 Under the year of the world 3657, or 1537 
 before the birth of Christ, the following is 
 recorded : — 
 
 " It was by Tighernmas also that gold was 
 first smelted in Ireland, in Foithre-Airthir-Liffe. 
 Uchadan, an artificer of the Feara-Cualann 
 that smelted it. It was by him that goblets and
 
 PRE-CHRISTIAN IRELAND. 13 
 
 brooches were first covered with gold and silver 
 in Ireland. It was by him that clothes were 
 dyed purple, blue, and green." 
 
 My Pagan ancestors were not naked painted 
 savages, although certainly their warlike ten- 
 dencies would, one might imagine, have pre- 
 vented them from attending to the fine arts. 
 But a few years later, under the year 3664 is a 
 record of the reign of Eochaidh Eadghadhach, 
 who was so called because " it was by him the 
 variety of colour was first put on clothes in 
 Ireland, to distinguish the honour of each by 
 his raiment, from the lowest to the highest. 
 Thus was the distinction made between them : 
 one colour in the clothes of slaves ; two in the 
 clothes of soldiers ; three in the clothes of 
 goodly heroes, or young lords of territories ; six 
 in the clothes of ollavs ; seven in the clothes 
 of kings and queens." 
 
 In the year 3817 Enna, the sovereign, had 
 silver shields made " at Airget-Ros ; so that he 
 gave them to the men of Ireland, together with 
 horses and chariots."
 
 14 PRE-CHRISTIAN IRELAND. 
 
 The meaning of Airget-Ros is the Silver 
 Wood, and is on the River Nore, in the parish 
 of Rathbeagh in Kilkenny. 
 
 Teetotalism could not have been in fashion, 
 if one may judge by the following (3867) : — 
 *' Every plain in Ireland abounded with flowers 
 and shamrocks in the time of Fiacha. These 
 flowers, moreover, were found full of wine, so 
 that the wine was squeezed into bright vessels." 
 
 Pomps and vanities rapidly follow suit. 
 Under the year 3872 is noted, " It was 
 Muineamhon that first caused chains of gold 
 to be worn on the necks of kings and chieftains 
 in Ireland." 
 
 MacGeoghegan's "Annals of Clonmacnoise " 
 on this reign add that "rings were to be put 
 on their fingers, which was then in great use." 
 
 The year 4540 is noticeable as the year of 
 the accession to the sovereignty of Ireland of a 
 woman, Macha. 
 
 Quaint and expressive is the old manner 
 of recording fruitful or bad seasons ; thus, 
 A.D. 14: "Evil was the state of Ireland
 
 PRE-CHRISTIAN IRELAND. 15 
 
 during his reign ; fruitless her corn, for there 
 used to be but one grain on the stalk ; fruitless 
 her rivers ; milkless her cattle ; plentiless her 
 fruit, for there used to be but one acorn on the 
 oak." Contrast this miserable prospect with 
 the record of a plentiful year. "The age of 
 Christ 15. The first year of Fear-adhach 
 Finnfeachtnach as king over Ireland; good 
 was Ireland during his time. The seasons 
 were right tranquil. The earth brought forth 
 its fruit ; fishful its river-mouths ; milkful the 
 kine ; heavy-headed the woods." 
 
 The year 266 a.d. is very noticeable as con- 
 taining an account of the gathering of chro- 
 niclers to Tara by order of the King, Cormac 
 son of Art. He ordered them to write the 
 Chronicles of Ireland in one book. This was 
 done and the book was called the " Psalter 
 of Teamhair." To quote from " The Four 
 Masters:" "In that book were entered the 
 coeval exploits and synchronisms of the kings 
 of Ireland with the kings and emperors of the 
 world, and of the kings of the provinces with
 
 i6 PRE-CHRISTIAN IRELAND. 
 
 the monarchs of Ireland. In it was also written 
 what the monarchs of Ireland were entitled to 
 receive from the provincial kings, and the rents 
 and dues of the provincial kings from their 
 subjects, from the noble to the subaltern. In 
 it also were described the boundaries and 
 meares of Ireland, from shore to shore, from 
 the province to the cantred, from the cantred 
 to the townland, and from the townland to 
 the traighidh of land." 
 
 Unfortunately this record is lost, although so 
 late as the eleventh century it was referred to 
 in a poem by Cuan O'Lochain. Still, although 
 now unavailable, yet doubtless it was known to 
 St. Patrick and the Christians of Ireland, and 
 probably by them expurgated of all which did 
 not meet their approbation. This vicious habit 
 accounts probably for the very slight notices of 
 the Pagan worship in Ireland previous to the 
 arrival of St. Patrick ; but this subject will be 
 treated later on. 
 
 Socially the ancient Irish were far in advance 
 of their British and Saxon neighbours. Cam-
 
 PRE-CHRISTIAN IRELAND. 17 
 
 brensis tells us that the men wore trousers 
 or braies, in Latin " braccse," whence Gaul 
 was called " Gallia Braccata." This question 
 of dress is also another proof of the eastern 
 origin of the Irish, for the Hebrews, Persians, 
 and Scythians all did the same. The tunic, 
 drawers, and leggings were all of one piece, 
 and tight-fitting. A cloak was also worn of 
 purple colour called " Falling," which reminds 
 us of the Pallium of the Greeks and the Toga 
 of Rome. The English call them mantles, 
 from *' mantelum," mentioned by Pliny and 
 Plautus. The hair was worn long, and a 
 moustache on the upper lip. (See Abbe 
 MacGeoghan.) The women had a small mantle 
 of cloth embroidered or trimmed with fringe, 
 according to the quality of the person, and 
 which hung down to the knees and covered 
 their other clothes. The head-dress was called 
 in Irish " Fileadh," and consisted of a piece of 
 fine linen with which they enveloped the head 
 in a spiral form. The unmarried women wore 
 long hair plaited, and interwoven with ribbons. 
 
 2
 
 i8 PRE-CHRISTIAN IRELAND. 
 
 If dress is a mark of civilization — and who 
 does not know the difference between the 
 clothes of a Moses or a Poole or Buckmaster ? 
 — then the Irish were entirely fit, comparatively 
 speakinj::;, to take a stroll down Regent Street. 
 We have however, other facts the knowledge 
 of which must increase our admiration for the 
 dwellers in the Emerald Isle. Music formed 
 part of the education of the Milesian young 
 gentleman. Every one was desirous to play or 
 sing. The office of music-master to the king 
 was among the number of posts created in the 
 third century, in the reign of Cormac-ul-fada 
 (see O'Flaherty's " Oxyg." p. 3, cap. 63). Be- 
 side a musician, the king had near him a gentle- 
 man-companion, a judge, doctor, poet, his- 
 torian, musician and three stewards. These 
 posts were filled up and maintained till the 
 eleventh century when Brian Boiroimhe, in 
 place of a Druid, had a Bishop, and this eccle- 
 siastic acted as his confessor. 
 
 The following account of funeral ceremonies 
 is interesting (Abbe MacGeoghegan) : —
 
 PRE-CHRISTIAN IRELAND. 19 
 
 " When any person of distinction, or a chief 
 of their ancient famihes died, they prepared 
 feasts and kept open house for all those who 
 assisted at the funeral. The wives of their 
 vassals, who were much attached to them, or 
 other women, who were professed mourners 
 of the dead, Hke the ' Praeficse ' came in 
 crowds, and entering one after the other, 
 with every appearance of despair, the hall 
 where the corpse was exposed, they uttered 
 loud cries and lamentations, reciting the genea- 
 logy and singing in verse, with a plaintive and 
 melancholy voice the virtues and exploits of 
 the deceased and those of his earliest ancestors. 
 This kind of elegy, or rhyming funeral oration 
 being ended, they were brought into another 
 hall, where all kinds of refreshments were pre- 
 pared ; these women who relieved each other 
 every hour, continued this ceremony as long as 
 the corpse remained exposed. The day being 
 appointed, and everything ready for the inter- 
 ment, the body was carried to the place of 
 burial, accompanied by the same women makin 
 
 2 * 
 
 or
 
 20 PRE-CHRISTIAN IRELAND. 
 
 the air resound with their cries. This custom, 
 however barbarous it may appear, not being in 
 unison with the present taste, was not without 
 a precedent. Among the Jews, those who 
 followed a funeral, bewailed with a loud voice, 
 as appears by the burial of Abner ; there were 
 women who made it a profession to cry on 
 those occasions and hymns were composed to 
 be used as funeral orations to illustrious 
 persons, such as David composed for Saul, and 
 that of the prophet Jeremiah for Joshua. The 
 ancient Romans also employed professed 
 mourners at funerals, which is proved by its 
 being prohibited in the laws of the Twelve 
 Tables." (Vol. I. p. 164.) 
 
 To sum up we may safely say, that apart from 
 the question of religion, morality, and peaceful- 
 ness, the early Irish were far in advance of all 
 neighbouring countries. They were cultured, 
 approved of the fine arts, as specimens from their 
 ancient devices on jewellery show. They wore 
 clothes, and those not badly made, and coloured. 
 They were in one word — polished barbarians.
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE EARLY CHRISTIANS IN IRELAND. 
 
 The records of Ireland contain very scanty 
 indications of Christianity previous to the 
 advent of Palladius and Patrick. The patriotic 
 nun of Kenmare (Miss Cusack) writes : " The 
 first Christian mission to Ireland for which 
 we have definite and reliable data was that of 
 St. Palladius." 
 
 That Palladius was the first of whom we 
 have anything like full particulars is perfectly 
 true ; but, nevertheless, we have mention of 
 pre-Patrician saints which in any history of 
 Ireland should not be altogether overlooked, 
 even if legendary. The historian is at once 
 prepared for some record of Christianity by the 
 fact that Prosper's "Chronicle" says; "Ad 
 Scotos in Christum credentes ordinatus a Papa
 
 22 THE EARLY CHRISTIANS 
 
 Celestino Palladius primus Episcopus mittitur." 
 (See " Annals of Ireland by the Four Masters," 
 O'Donovan, Vol. I. p. 129, foot-note.) This 
 implies a pre-existing Christian flock. 
 
 Tertullian relates that parts of the British 
 Islands not subjected or approached by the 
 Romans were influenced by Christianity, and 
 Baronius at once refers the passage to Ireland. 
 There is also a tradition that in the third 
 century Cormac, King of Ireland, lost his life 
 through the vehemence with which he argued 
 against the heathens and in favour of Christianity . 
 
 Rupert says that in A.D. 350 Elephius, son 
 of an Irish king, suffered martyrdom by Julian; 
 and Gennadius says that Celestius, when a 
 young man, wrote from his monastery to his 
 parents in Ireland * as if they were Christians. 
 He afterwards lapsed into the Pelagian heresy, 
 and was condemned at Carthage a.d. 4i2.t 
 
 * Gennadius, De Viris illus, c. 44. He lived and wrote at 
 the close of the fifth century. 
 
 t St. Jerome, in his usual style, which is certainly not 
 courteous, though it may be saintly, calls him an Alpine dog 
 " fattened on Scotic porridge."
 
 IN IRELAND. 23 
 
 Bede also affirms that Rome never sent 
 bishops to purely Pagan nations unless there 
 were some roots of Christianity there, and if 
 he is correct in his assertion, then it, coupled 
 with that of St. Prosper, at once decides the 
 point that there were Christians in Ireland 
 previous to the time of St. Palladius. 
 
 Usher, Ware, and Colgan affirm that (Colq. 
 Triad. Thaum. Append. 5, cap. 15) four 
 bishops existed in Ireland, who were also con- 
 sidered saints before the time of St. Patrick. 
 Their names were Declan, Ailbeus, Kieran, and 
 Ibar. Declan (according to Usher) was of 
 royal blood, the son of Ere, prince of Nandesi, 
 He was baptized by a holy priest called 
 Colman, and instructed in the Christian 
 religion by Dymma, who had returned to 
 Ireland from abroad. The young saint made 
 many converts, among whom were Mochelloc, 
 Bean, Colman, Lachnin, Mob, Findlague, and 
 Caminan. These men all built for themselves 
 cells in Mag-Scethih, or " Campus-Scuti," in the 
 land of Nandesi, county of Waterford. Not
 
 24 THE EARLY CHRISTIANS 
 
 satisfied, apparently, with the rudimentary- 
 faith learned in his own country, he went to 
 Rome, and was there graciously received by 
 Pope St. Cyricius, by whom he was ordained 
 bishop and sent back to his own country. 
 Usher relates (" Ind. Chronol." ad an 397, 
 quoted by MacGeoghegan) that while at Rome 
 he came across St. Ailbeus, who was a Leinster 
 man. In his young days he had been instructed 
 and made a Christian by a priest who was sent 
 by the Holy See as a missionary from Rome. 
 He, too, later on, was made a bishop by the 
 reigning Pope. St. Kieran (Usher, " Primor. 
 Eccl. Brit." c. 16, p. 788) was born in Ireland, 
 according to Usher, about 352. The name of 
 his parents will not be of general interest. 
 Suffice it to say he dedicated his life to God, 
 and for thirty years practised all kinds of 
 austerities, all the time being unbaptized. He 
 also went to Rome, and was ordained bishop 
 by Pope Anastasius, and sent back to Ireland 
 with five priests, who were by name Lugard, 
 Colomban, Mildan, Lugace, and Cassan ; circa
 
 IN IRELAND. 25 
 
 402. As St. Patrick was going to Rome he 
 met Kieran, who was not yet nominated apostle 
 of Ireland. Colgan, according to an old manu- 
 script of Kilkenny,* says that St. Patrick 
 addressed the following words to the Saint : 
 " Continue your journey to Ireland. In the 
 middle of that country you will discover a 
 fountain called Fuaran. You will there cause 
 a monastery to be built, and in thirty years I 
 will visit you there." After this the two saints 
 embraced each other and departed. 
 
 Without of course attempting to maintain the 
 accuracy of these details, still one fact is very 
 obvious, that they one and all looked to Rome 
 as the first See in Christendom and the one 
 from which they derived their orders and 
 jurisdiction. This to the non-controversialist 
 would seem but natural, for to what See could 
 
 * They are probably legendary or later productions in- 
 tended to fortify an old tradition. Dr. Todd, in his " Life of 
 St. Patrick," has some very]severe and apparently just remarks 
 on their want of probability. He, however, fully bears out 
 the fact that not only priests but altars and altar vessels were 
 in existence, and alludes to St. Patrick finding them (p. 224).
 
 26 THE EARLY CHRISTIANS 
 
 more importance be attached than to that of 
 Rome, Rome whose name at once brought the 
 idea of authority and the all-conquering legions 
 of the Caesars to the minds of men ? At that 
 age, even if the Popes themselves were 
 individually nobodies, still the reflected glory 
 of Pagan Rome would shine on them. The 
 Irish also, it must be remembered, were great 
 travellers even in those early ages,* and were 
 quite aware that Rome at any rate to the 
 Roman Empire was the Metropolis. The 
 Christians of Europe, with whom they would 
 come in contact in their travels, would one and 
 all point to Rome as the seat of the Christian 
 Father or Papa or Pope ; and when they, 
 as doubtless many did, reached the Eternal 
 City they would hear of the martyrdom of 
 Peter and Paul, of the heroic deaths of the 
 bishops of Rome, of their mighty efforts even 
 
 * Tacitus says that in the century before Christ the sea- 
 ports of Ireland were well known to commercial men- 
 " Aditus portusque per commercia et negocia tores cogniti." — 
 Agricola, c. 24.
 
 IN IRELAND. 27 
 
 in those early times to make the Christian 
 rehgion coextensive with the Roman Empire. 
 What more natural, bearing all this in mind, 
 than that the few scattered Christians in Pagan 
 Ireland should at once make their way to the 
 Father of the Faithful and there pour out 
 to him their hopes and fears, their love for 
 their country, their dread lest being outside 
 the Roman Empire they should not reap the 
 advantages which accrued to those whom 
 Rome had subdued ? 
 
 The little that history records, all favours the 
 fact that the early Irish Christians had their 
 bishops from Rome.* Controversialists may 
 make capital out of discrepancies with respect 
 to the records of those early times, but still 
 if details be unworthy of absolute credit, yet 
 the whole atmosphere breathed of Rome. 
 
 Roman legions were within forty miles of 
 
 * Bryan Borovey is said in a.d. 379 to have laid the crown 
 of Ireland at the feet of the Pope. (See C. O'Conor's " Hist, 
 Ireland," p, 84.)
 
 28 THE EARLY CHRISTIANS. 
 
 the shores of Ireland, and wherever those legions 
 went, there also might be found the Roman 
 Christian priest. Geography and History go 
 hand in hand together to propagate the faith of 
 Rome in Ireland.
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 ST. PATRICK. 
 
 One of the first of our living Irish Cathohc 
 poets writes : 
 
 " Healed was a Nation's wound : 
 All men believed who will'd not disbelief ; 
 And sat in that oppunancy steel-mailed, 
 They cried, ' Before thy priests our bards shall bow, 
 And all our clans put on thy great Clan Christ ! ' " 
 
 Aubrey de Vere has in these Hues on the 
 mission of St. Patrick to Ireland, either 
 wittingly or unwittingly told the whole cause 
 (humanly speaking) of his success. 
 
 Christianity when opposed by modern in- 
 fidelity finds it hard work to confute the 
 sceptic or reassure the waverer. Science 
 though not opposed to our Christian Faith 
 (for were it so, then either it would not be true 
 Science or Christianity would be false ; the
 
 30 ST. PATRICK. 
 
 God of Christianity is the God of the Natural 
 order as well as the Supernatural ; ) yet points 
 to many difficulties which Christian Apologists 
 toooften only vaguely deride instead of grappling 
 with and harmonizing. In our day another 
 difficulty at once arises from the divisions 
 of Christendom, which lead many men to give 
 up Christianity because of conflicting opinions 
 as to the doctrines really taught by Jesus 
 Christ ; for it is obvious that the often quoted 
 saying, " Believe in Christ," implies a great 
 deal more than is expressed; it implies a 
 belief in what He said, in what He taught, 
 in what He claimed to be. As the Law, 
 though written, requires a Judge, so Christianity 
 without an authorized or unerring expounder 
 is and must be more or less a failure, or at all 
 events reduces itself to a mere moral school of 
 Philosophy. But as the Poet says — all nien 
 believed who were not pugnaciously, instead of 
 intellectually, opposed to Christianity. 
 
 The few Christians before St. Patrick's arrival 
 had not made any mark on their country, they
 
 ST. PATRICK. 31 
 
 had not gained over large masses of the natives 
 to the Faith. Some may at first sight wonder at 
 the cause of St. Patrick's success — later on in 
 this chapter they will see his plan of action un- 
 folded, here it requires the reader simply to 
 refer to the last two lines quoted from De Vere, 
 
 " They cried, ' Before thy priests our bards shall bow, 
 And all our clans put on thy great Clan Christ ! '" 
 
 St. Patrick, in fact, was a Jesuit in his prin- 
 ciples, he knew that the true way to gain over 
 a people is to persuade the leaders of men. In 
 those days the chieftains were the leaders, and 
 if a chieftain became Christian, the clan fol- 
 lowed. The Jesuits used formerly to gain the 
 post of confessor to kings ; now that kings one 
 might suppose have no consciences, they win 
 the sympathy of the upper classes by their 
 superior education, teaching and suavity of 
 manner and address. 
 
 There is, and has been, a good deal of con- 
 troversy as regards the mission of St. Patrick. 
 As far as possible it is better in a history which 
 certainly is not intended to be controversial to
 
 32 ST. PATRICK. 
 
 avoid controversy ; but there are some ques- 
 tions which must be slightly touched on ; these 
 difficulties it will be my object plainly to lay 
 before my readers, and leave them to form 
 their own opinion, whereas when history is 
 plain there no such indecision will be needful 
 or appear. 
 
 The "Annals of Ireland by the Four Masters " 
 do not trouble their readers with a long account 
 of St. Patrick. His advent is briefly and 
 concisely recorded as follows : * 
 
 " The age of Christ, 431. The third year of 
 Laeghaire. St. Patrick was ordained bishop 
 by the holy Pope, Celestine the First, who 
 ordered him to go to Ireland, to preach and 
 teach faith and piety to the Gaeidhil, and also 
 to baptize them. 
 
 " The age of Christ, 432. The fourth year of 
 Laeghaire. Patrick came to Ireland this year, 
 and proceeded to baptize and bless the Irish, 
 men, women, sons, daughters, except a few 
 
 * " Annals of Ireland by the Four Masters," by O'Donovan, 
 second edition.
 
 ST. PATRICK. 33 
 
 who did not consent to receive faith or baptism, 
 from him, as his ' Life' relates." 
 
 This is all the information we have from 
 the "Annals of Ireland by the Fom- Masters" 
 of St. Patrick's authorization by Rome, and 
 arrival in Ireland. 
 
 A reference is given to his "Life," but we 
 are left in the dark as to which " Life " is 
 meant, for the number of " Lives," is legion. 
 O'Donovan says that seven "Lives" of St. 
 Patrick have been published by Colgan in his 
 " Trias Thaum," of which the seventh, which 
 is called " Vita Tripartita," and is ascribed to 
 St. Evin, is the most copious. Usher had 
 another " Life," divided into three parts, 
 which, from the several quotations he gives 
 from it, appears to be very different from the 
 " Tripartite Life " published by Colgan. Just 
 before the extract from the "Annals," which 
 I have given above, is another referring to the 
 previous mission of St. Palladius. As the con- 
 troversy connected with St. Patrick's Roman 
 mission hangs on an asserted mixture and confu- 
 
 3
 
 34 ST. PATRICK. 
 
 sion between the two Saints, it is necessary that 
 strict attention be given to the following passage. 
 
 " The Age of Christ, 430. The second year 
 of Laeghaire. In this year Pope Celestinus the 
 First sent Palladius to Ireland to propagate the 
 Faith among the Irish, and he landed in the 
 county of Leinster, with a company of twelve 
 men. Nathi, son of Garchu, refused to admit 
 him ; but, however, he baptized a few persons 
 in Ireland, and three wooden churches were 
 erected by him [namely] Cell-Fhine, Teach- 
 na-Romham, and Domhnach-Arta. At Cell- 
 Fhine he left his books, and a shrine with the 
 relics of Paul and Peter, and many martyrs 
 besides. He left these four in these churches: 
 Augustinus, Benedictus, Silvester, and Solinus 
 Palladius, on his returning back to Rome (as 
 he did not receive respect in Ireland), con- 
 tracted a disease in the country of the Cruith- 
 righ, and died thereof." 
 
 First of all, to make the above statement 
 more complete, the following quotation from 
 Prosper's " Chronicle," should come in here,
 
 ST. PATRICK. 
 
 35 
 
 " Ad Scotos in Christum credentes ordinatus a 
 Papa Celestino Palladius primus Episcopus 
 mittitur." 
 
 Thus these two records say that St. Palladius 
 was sent by Celestinus the First to Ireland 
 not so much to convert the native heathen 
 as to build up the faith of the already existing 
 Christians. Thus he was made a bishop, 
 whereas, had he been sent to convert the 
 heathen as his primary task he would not have 
 been made a bishop. 
 
 The theory of those who oppose the idea of 
 St. Patrick's direct mission from Rome is that 
 St. Palladius was the real St. Patrick, and did 
 nearly all the work, while St. Patrick was in 
 comparison a mere secondary character, who 
 was not sent by Rome. The controversial 
 value of this argument is worthless ; for if St. 
 Patrick was not sent by Rome, still St. Palladius 
 was, and thus the fact that Ireland was in- 
 debted to Rome for her Christianity would 
 remain. But the historical inquiry, apart from 
 controversial objects is a different affair alto- 
 
 3*
 
 36 ST. PATRICK. 
 
 gether, and must meet with careful considera- 
 tion from all historians. 
 
 By far the ablest writer on what must be 
 called the Protestant side is Dr. Todd, who 
 was Senior Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin, 
 and Regius Professor of Hebrew. He has 
 carefully gone into the question in a book called 
 *' St, Patrick : Apostle of Ireland." (Hodges, 
 Smith & Co., Publishers to the University. 
 Dublin, 1864.) From that book the argument 
 against St. Patrick will now be given as briefly 
 as is consistent with a perfect understanding 
 of the points at issue. Having given his side 
 of the question, the other will be given, and 
 my readers must then decide for themselves. 
 
 The Abbe MacGeoghegan writes : " The 
 Apostle of Ireland was called at his baptism 
 Succath, signifying warlike — fortis in bcUo. It 
 was Pope Celestine that gave him the name of 
 Patricius. Patrician was a title of honour 
 among the ancient Romans, and a dignity to 
 which high privileges were annexed. Accord- 
 ing to Dionysius of Halicarnassus, some of
 
 ST. PATRICK. n 
 
 the kings of France have not disdained to 
 bear the title of Roman Patrician. 
 
 But Todd says (p. 305) that Patricius was a 
 name in common use at that time, as also Patricia 
 for a female. We are not under the necessity 
 of supposing it to be a title indicating Patrician 
 rank. He quotes Gibbon ("Decline and Fall," 
 viii, p. 300, ed. Milman and Smith) who says : 
 *' The meanest subjects of the Roman Empire 
 [at the close of the fifth century] assumed the 
 illustrious name of Patricius, which, by the 
 conversion of Ireland, has been communicated 
 to a whole nation." 
 
 Thus, then, the name was a common one, 
 and St. Patrick was by no means especially 
 marked out by his name being peculiar. 
 
 Three very ancient documents are quoted by 
 Dr. Todd as having vital interest on the ques- 
 tion. First of all, in the "Book of Armagh," 
 is a Life of St. Patrick which was written not 
 later than a.d. 700. In it is the following : 
 *' Palladius was ordained and sent to convert 
 this island, lying under wintry cold, but God 
 
 maim
 
 38 ST. PATRICK. 
 
 hindered him, for no man can receive anything 
 from earth unless it be given him from heaven ; 
 for neither did those fierce and savage men 
 receive his doctrine readily, nor did he himself 
 wish to spend time in a land not his own ; but he 
 returned to him who sent him. On his return 
 hence, however, after his first passage of the 
 sea, having commenced a land-journey, he died 
 in the territories of the Britons. Therefore, 
 when the death of Palladius in the Britains 
 was heard of (for the disciples of Palladius, 
 viz., Augustinus and Benedictus and the rest, 
 on their return, brought the news of it to 
 Ebmoria), then Patrick and those who were 
 with him," &c. 
 
 The second is likewise from the " Book of 
 Armagh," and is called the " Annotations of 
 Tirechan," and on the Life of St. Patrick. It 
 is very noticeable, as will be seen : " Palladius, 
 the bishop, is first sent, who by another name 
 was called Patricius, who suffered martyrdom 
 among the Scots, as antient saints relate. Then 
 Patricius the Second is sent by the angel of
 
 ST. PATRICK. 39 
 
 God, named Victor, and by Pope Celestine, in 
 whom all Hibernia believed, and who baptized 
 almost the whole of it." 
 
 The third account is in the "Scholia on Fiacc's 
 Hymn," published by Colgan in his collection of 
 the Biographies of St. Patrick. The original 
 Irish is in the copy of the " Book of Hymns," in 
 the convent of St. Isidore, at Rome, a MS. 
 of the eleventh or twelfth century, but the 
 author probably was of an earlier period. After 
 recording the landing of Palladius, it relates: 
 " He founded there some churches, viz. : 
 Teachna- Roman, or the House of the Romans, 
 Killfine, and others. Nevertheless, he was not 
 well received by the people, but was forced to go 
 round the coast of Ireland towards the north, 
 until, driven by a great tempest, he reached 
 the extreme part of Modhaidh towards the 
 south, where he founded the Church of 
 Fordun, and Pledi is his name there." 
 
 A fourth " Life," in Colgan's collection, by 
 St. Aileran, says, " But, inasmuch as Almighty 
 God had not predestined the Hibernian people
 
 40 ST. PATRICK. 
 
 to be brought by him from the error of 
 heathenism to the faith of the Holy and Un- 
 divided Trinity, he remained there only a few 
 days." 
 
 The discrepancies in these accounts are 
 perfectly obvious. 
 
 He dies in Britain, then martyred in Ireland 
 (Scots). He founds churches, and yet only 
 remains a few days. The conclusion which 
 seems obvious is that the Irish biographers of 
 St. Patrick felt compelled to shorten the life of 
 St. Palladius in order to squeeze in the mission 
 of St. Patrick by Pope Celestine.* Palladius 
 could not have done all mentioned in the ex- 
 tracts given by Dr. Todd, and also mentioned 
 by the Four Masters, in a few days ; nor could 
 he have gone to the Picts and died there and 
 let his death be known at Rome within a year 
 from his consecration. To quote from Dr. Todd : 
 " There is reason to believe, therefore, that 
 national vanity and national prejudice have 
 
 * Father Morris, of the London Oratory, has some useful 
 reraarks on this subject in his "Life of St. Patrick." Burns, 1878.
 
 ST. PATRICK. 41 
 
 corrupted this part of the history. Facts 
 which were true of Palladius only, have been 
 transferred to St. Patrick, and the acts or 
 legends of both saints mingled together in utter 
 confusion. Palladius also was called Patrick, 
 and was in documents (Dr. Todd, p. 308) 
 known by the name of Patrick until about the 
 period of the English invasion. 
 
 Some of the most important works give no 
 mention of the mission of St. Patrick from 
 Rome. His " Confession " does not mention 
 it, nor in the records of his ecclesiastical 
 education on the Continent, nor does the Hymn 
 of St. Sechnall, or St. Fiacc, nor the Life of 
 St. Patrick in the " Book of Armagh." 
 
 I do not find that Catholic writers " get 
 over " the difficulty as regards the short time 
 intervening between the coming of St. Palladius 
 and that of St. Patrick, nor the large amount 
 of work done in Ireland in three or four days. 
 On the other hand. Bishop Moran, nephew of 
 the late Cardinal Cullen, in his most excellent 
 " Essays on the Origin, Doctrines, and Disci-
 
 42 ST. PATRICK. 
 
 pline of the Early Irish Church," written when 
 Vice-Rector of the Irish College in Rome, 
 says:* "This date (432) of our Apostle's 
 arrival is the one chief point on which all our 
 annalists and writers are found to agree. 
 It is expressly assigned by the " Chronicon 
 Scotorum," the "Annals of Ulster," of " Innis- 
 fallen," of the " Four Masters," of " Marianus," 
 &c. It is assigned by the most authentic of 
 our records in the " Book of Armagh ;" it is con- 
 firmed by all the writers of our Apostle's life, 
 who refer his mission to the last year of St. 
 Celestine, or to the first year of his successor 
 Sixtus; for Celestine died in 432, and Sixtus 
 was chosen his successor in the summer of the 
 same year. Indeed, so universal is the testi- 
 mony of our writers on this head, that Colgan, 
 when minutely discussing each particular of 
 St. Patrick's history, deemed it unnecessary to 
 cite any documents in proof of it : " Haec sen- 
 tentia videtur tam indubitata et tam recepta, 
 ut pro ea non judicaverim operae praetium esse 
 
 • Dublin, 1864, p. 64, 65.
 
 ST. PATRICK. 43 
 
 producere testimonia."* Usher repeats the 
 same : " There is no discrepancy amongst Irish 
 writers as to the year of St. Patrick's mission 
 into Ireland ";t and Dr. Laniganwas able, even 
 in his day, to conclude that " it would be a 
 waste of time to adduce proofs of this being 
 the true date.":}: 
 
 Dr. Todd's chief argument against St. 
 Patrick's having been at Rome and sent by 
 the Pope rests on the absence of proof or men- 
 tion in his " Confession," or in the hymn of 
 St. Sechnall, St. Fiacc, or the Life of St. 
 Patrick in the " Book of Armagh." This line of 
 objection is boldly tackled by Bishop Moran, 
 who replies § that it would be absurd in so 
 purely a devotional work as the " Confession" 
 to look for such particulars. The hymn of 
 St. Sechnall (in the Latin, Secundinus) is 
 merely a commemoration of virtues. St. 
 Fiacc's hymn only commemorates a few facts, 
 and all that St. Patrick had in common with 
 
 * " Tr. Thaumat." p, 254. | " Eccl. Hist." i. 209. 
 t "Primordia," p. 880. § P. 67-73.
 
 44 ST. PATRICK, 
 
 others is passed over in silence. Bishop Moran 
 pointedly asks, " We may, however, be per- 
 mitted to ask Dr. Todd why he deems the 
 silence of St. Fiacc of such importance re- 
 garding one fact, whilst he rejects, without 
 ceremony, another fact which is expressly 
 attested by the same writer. We have cited* 
 above the beautiful passage of this hymn which 
 records the connection of St. Patrick with 
 Germanus ; and we have also seen how St. 
 Fiacc assigns sixty years to the missionary 
 labours of our Apostle, who hence must have 
 come to our island in the year 432. All this 
 testimony, however, is declared to be valueless 
 by Dr. Todd, whilst the silence of St. Fiacc 
 regarding a fact which we nevertheless very 
 naturally might expect to find omitted by him, 
 is deemed of sufficient importance to reject 
 that fact as groundless. This, indeed, is a 
 novel theory in the philosophy of history." 
 
 One more forcible argument is used by 
 Bishop Moran which sufficiently balances or 
 
 * P. 13-
 
 ST. PATRICK. 45 
 
 overbalances in weight the attacks of Dr. 
 Todd. 
 
 " There is one case illustrative of this 
 matter, which we wish to recall to the mind 
 of Dr. Todd. A few years after the death 
 of St. Germanus, a lengthy and detailed life, 
 commemorating his virtues, and especially 
 his labours in rooting out Pelagianism from 
 Britain, was written by a monk called Con- 
 stantine : this life is justly regarded as one of 
 the most precious monuments of the Church of 
 France in the fifth century, and yet it makes 
 no mention of the commission given to that 
 saint by Pope Celestine. Eric of Auxerre 
 repeated in verse the life of the same Saint 
 Germanus, and he, too, is silent regarding that 
 fact. Bede, too, sketches minutely that por- 
 tion of Germanus's history, but makes no allu- 
 sion to his mission from Rome. Nevertheless, 
 other monuments commemorate it ; and Dr. 
 Todd, in his late work, devotes some pages to 
 prove, that the mere silence of these writers is 
 a matter of no consequence, when the fact
 
 46 ST. PATRICK. 
 
 which they omit is commemorated by other 
 authentic monuments." If pages more were 
 devoted to this matter it would only be of 
 interest to antiquarians, or fanatical Irishmen 
 to whom justice and fair play would be as 
 nothing compared to a controversial triumph. 
 Dr. Todd and Bishop Moran are good men 
 and use good arguments. To have omitted 
 altogether the subject would have been unwise, 
 to say more would be tedious ; so now we will 
 turn once again to St. Patrick as a saintly man 
 who was sent by the Pope to Ireland to con- 
 vert a Pagan race, previous Christian attempts 
 having been absolute failures. 
 
 It is not always wise to trust the account 
 which people give of themselves. Human 
 nature is strong, and poor mortals naturally 
 wish to gloss over their misdeeds and to show 
 themselves to the world in as favourable an 
 aspect as possible. Saints are supposed to err 
 in a contrary direction. They are apt to abuse 
 themselves, to call themselves the worst of 
 sinners, the most mean of men, unworthy of
 
 ST. PATRICK. 47 
 
 ever gaining entrance to the presence of that 
 God in whose service every day and hour of 
 their lives have been passed. 
 
 As we liberally discount the good impression 
 men wish to convey of themselves, and are 
 rather apt to despise the individual whose mouth 
 is always evolving pious sayings, so on the other 
 hand we must not believe the saints when they 
 lower themselves in their own estimation and 
 speak as if they were the very scum of mankind. 
 
 St. Patrick late on in life wrote his " Con- 
 fession," and so we have certain information 
 from his own pen of his parentage and life. 
 
 The following is his account of himself : * 
 
 " I, Patrick, a sinner, the rudest and least 
 of all the faithful, and the most despicable 
 amongst men, had for my father, Calphurnius, 
 a deacon, son of the late presbyter Potitus ; 
 he was of the town Bonavem Tabernias, and he 
 had a farm in the neighbourhood where I was 
 made captive, when I was nearly sixteen years 
 old. I knew not the true God, and I was 
 
 * Quoted by Monsignor Moran, " Essays," etc., p. 67.
 
 48 ST. PATRICK. 
 
 carried in captivity into Ireland with a 
 multitude of men, according to our deserts ; 
 for we had withdrawn ourselves from God, 
 and had not kept His commandments, and 
 were not obedient to our priests, who used 
 to admonish us for our salvation. And the 
 Lord brought upon us the wrath of His dis- 
 pleasure, and scattered us among many nations, 
 even unto this extremity of the world, where at 
 present my unworthiness is seen to abide amidst 
 strangers. And there the Lord opened the 
 sense of my unbelief, that even late I should 
 remember my sins and be converted with my 
 whole heart unto the Lord my God, who had 
 regard unto my lowliness, and had compassion 
 on my youth and ignorance, and preserved me 
 before I knew Him, and before I could distin- 
 guish between good and evil, and protected me, 
 and comforted me as a father would a son. . ." 
 He goes on to say that he was an unlearned 
 man, " Wherefore, I thought of writing long 
 ago, but hesitated until now for I was afraid of 
 incurring the censure of men ; because I have
 
 ST. PATRICK. 49 
 
 not read like others who have been well im- 
 bued with sacred learning, and have never 
 abandoned their studies from infancy, but have 
 ever added more and more to their perfection ; 
 but my speech and language have been ex- 
 changed for another tongue." 
 
 Various attempts have been made to settle 
 the question of St. Patrick's birthplace, and 
 plausible notions have been freely vented but 
 certainty can never be attained. There is no 
 probability that he was an Irishman ; indeed 
 the last sentence which I have quoted above 
 puts that question at rest, for his language had 
 to be exchanged for "another tongue," namely 
 the Irish. His father's name is Roman, and 
 Father Jocehn,* a Cistercian Monk of Furnes, 
 who lived in the 12th century, has no doubt 
 as to his parentage. " There was once a man 
 named Calphurnius, the son of Potitus a 
 Presbyter, by nation a Briton, living in the 
 village Taburnia (that is, the field of the Tents, 
 for that the Roman army had there pitched 
 
 * Rothes' Jocelin's " Life of St. Patrick," edited by E. L. 
 Swift. Dublin, 1809. 
 
 4
 
 50 ST. PATRICK. 
 
 their tents) near the town of Empthor, and 
 his habitation was nigh unto the Irish Sea. 
 This man married a French damsel named 
 Coneuessa, niece of the blessed Martin, Arch- 
 bishop of Tours." Whether his mother was 
 the niece of St. Martin* is problematical, but 
 the tradition of his friendship with the sainted 
 Bishop of Tours rests on a considerable amount 
 of evidence. 
 
 This book is not a history of Ireland, secular 
 or ecclesiastical, but of certain times and 
 actions bearing on certain things, and so it 
 is no part of my work to give a " Life of 
 St. Patrick," but only such details as shall 
 serve the object in view. 
 
 In A.D. 432 St. Patrick came to convert the 
 people with whom he had been a captive 
 slave.t Strange that in later years an assembly 
 of Irish bishops should attribute the conquest 
 of Ireland by Henry II, as a punishment for 
 
 * Lanigan says it is doubtful : " I have not been able to 
 find any sufficient authority for it." In the "Tripartite Life," 
 it is said that " Conchessa Ecbatii fiJia ex Francis oriunda 
 et S. Martini soror, seu cognata, ejus mater fuit." 
 
 f Mansi, An. 1171.
 
 ST. PATRICK. 51 
 
 their traffic in slaves ! He had not been in 
 the country more than six years before he 
 carried into effect such an expurgation of 
 ancient Irish Hterature as has most effectually 
 extinguished much of the pre-Christian details 
 of Irish Paganism and Pagan worship. 
 
 " The Age of Christ, 438.* The tenth year 
 of Laeghaire. The Seanchus and Feinechus 
 of Ireland were purified and written, the writ- 
 ings and old books of Ireland having been 
 collected [and brought] to one place, at the 
 request of St. Patrick. These were the nine 
 supporting props by whom this was done : — 
 Laeghaire, i.e., King of Ireland, Core, and 
 Daire, the three Kings ; Patrick, Benen, and 
 Cairneach, the three Saints ; Ross, Dubhthach, 
 and Fearghus, the three antiquarians, as this 
 quatrain testifies : " 
 
 ** Laeghaire, Core, Daire the stern, Patrick, Benen, Cairneach 
 
 the Just, 
 Ross, Dubhthach, Fearghus with goodness, the nine props 
 
 of the 
 Seanchus Mor." 
 
 * " Annals of Ireland." by the Four Masters, on year 43S, 
 
 4 *
 
 52 ST. PATRICK. 
 
 The Seanchus and Feinechus mean the 
 History and Law. 
 
 Alas ! that Christians as well as Mahometans 
 and Pagans have wrecked, in their zeal for 
 what they thought right, so many works of 
 priceless value and whose loss is irreparable. 
 If only the one great thought — that TRUTH 
 never need fear falsehood — could prevail, how 
 much better for the world, how gratifying to 
 antiquarians and students.* 
 
 St. Patrick, if we may judge from the 
 
 * I do not mean to say that an " Index Expurgatorius " is 
 not, when judiciously used, a most useful thing. For certainly 
 Catholics, if not Christian Protestants, surely require some 
 danger-signals hoisted when the Press is so unfettered as it is 
 now. A book being on the "Index" may only imply that 
 possibly one passage — possibly even a saying, is likely to do 
 harm to the " babes in Christ." But to destroy valuable 
 Pagan works, or to mutilate or insert clauses not in the 
 originals, is a deplorable mode of proceeding. Fancy if Dante 
 had been made to destroy his books, or Chaucer, because 
 some things therein were not judicious or true ! Galileo's 
 works were on the " Index." I can imagine that for a devout 
 Italian Catholic all of a sudden to find the whole system of 
 the Universe turned topsy-turvy, might harm his faith ; hence 
 the " Index," but not that his works being on the " Index " 
 should imply that his statements were false. This distinction
 
 ST. PATRICK. 53 
 
 " Annals," was not an Apostle after the manner 
 of the fishermen of Galilee, he was well looked 
 after by numerous attendants, and many a 
 Bishop in our time would have no objection to 
 possess such a retinue ; — 
 
 " The family of Patrick of the prayers, who had good Latin, 
 I remember ; no feeble court [were they] .their order, and their 
 names. 
 * Sechnall, his bishop without fault ; f Mochta after him his 
 priest ; 
 Bishop Ere J his sweet-spoken judge ; and Coemhan,§his 
 
 chamberlain ; 
 Sinell II his bell-ringer, and Aithcen ^ his true Cook ; 
 The Priest Mescan,** without evil, his friend and his brewer; 
 
 should be borne in mind by fair-minded Protestants, and also, 
 alas, by bigoted Catholics. 
 
 * " Sanctus enim Secundinus Episcopus, fuit ipsius Vicarius 
 in spiritualibus et suffraganeous." — Evinus, " Trias. Thaum." 
 p. 167, col. I. 
 
 f " Sanctus Mocteus fuit ejus Archi-praesbyter." — Evinus. 
 
 X " Sanctus Ercus, Episcopus, Cancellarius, et supremus 
 judex in spiritualibus " — Evinus. 
 
 § " Sanctus Coemanus de Kill-Choemain, Cubicularius." 
 Evinus. 
 
 II In the Book of Lecan he is called " Sinell of Killairis, his 
 Ostiarius." 
 
 IT This charming Cook is the patron-saint of the Church of 
 Badoney, m the valley of Gleann-Aichle, near Strabane, co. 
 Tyrone. 
 
 *♦ Evinus calls him Cerviciarius.
 
 54 ST. PATRICK. 
 
 The Priest Bescna, sweet his verses, the chaplain of the son 
 
 of Alprann. 
 His three smiths, expert at shaping, Macecht, Laebhean, and 
 
 Fortchern. 
 His three artificers, of great endowment. Aesbuite, Tairill 
 
 and Tasach. 
 His three embroiderers, not despicable, Lupaid, Erca, and 
 
 Cruimthiris. 
 Odhran, his charioteer, without blemish, Rodan, son of 
 
 Braga, his shepherd. 
 Ippis, * Tigris, and Erca, and Liamhain, with Eibeachta : 
 For them Patrick excelled in wonders, for them he was truly 
 
 miraculous, 
 Carniuch was the priest that baptized him; f German his 
 
 tutor, without blemish. 
 The priest Manach, of great endowment was his man for 
 
 supplying wood. 
 His sister's son was Banban of fame; Martin his mother's 
 
 brother. 
 Most sapient was the youth Mochonnoc, his hospitaller. 
 Cribri and Lasra.of mantles.beautiful daughters of Gleaghrawn, 
 Macraith the wise, and Ere, he prophesied in his three wills. 
 Brogan, the scribe of his school; the priest Logha, his 
 
 helmsman, — 
 It is not a thing unsung, — and Machui his true foster-son. 
 Good the man whose great family they were, to whom God 
 
 gave a crozier without sorrow ; 
 
 * Lanigan in his History says these five women were 
 spiritual not carnal sisters of St. Patrick. 
 
 t St. Germanus is in all the " Lives of St. Patrick " called 
 his Tutor.
 
 ST. PATRICK. 55 
 
 Chiefs with whom the bells are heard, a good family was 
 
 the family of Patrick. 
 May the Trinity, which is powerful over all, distribute to us 
 
 the boon of great love : 
 The King who, moved by soft Latin, redeemed by Patrick's 
 
 prayer." 
 
 I do not pretend to know if St. Patrick 
 really had around him the officials described, 
 or whether they were simply those bound to 
 him by love or partly by office. Certainly if 
 he made up his mind to convert the Pagan 
 chiefs of Ireland, it is probable that he would 
 seek to impress them with the dignity of his 
 office, as well as that of the Faith he came to 
 teach. 
 
 Father Morris makes a remark in his very 
 readable History of St. Patrick,* that " A great 
 part of the record of the Saint's apostolate 
 reads like an account of an ordinary bishop's 
 visitation of his diocese." I propose, there- 
 fore,t to give first of all the well-known (to 
 
 * Burns. 1878. 
 f He is said to have built 365 churches, consecrated nearly 
 as many bishops, and ordained 3000 priests. (See Abbe 
 MacGeoghegan, " Hist, of Ireland.")
 
 56 ST. PATRICK, 
 
 Irishmen) account of his meeting with King 
 Laeghaire at Tara, which was simply magnifi- 
 cent ; then a very touching account of the con- 
 version of some young maidens, which will be 
 an exact opposite of the Tara meeting ; then a 
 plain but distinct proof of the devotional belief 
 and teaching of St. Patrick ; and, lastly, some 
 important proofs of the subordination of all he 
 did to Rome. 
 
 There was a royal prohibition that on a 
 certain day no fire should be lit on hill or 
 hearth.* Of this prohibition it is possible 
 St. Patrick may not have known ; be that as it 
 may, on the evening in question, St. Patrick 
 lit his Paschal fire upon the Hill of Slane. As 
 De Vere t has charmingly described it : — 
 
 " Yet Patrick has lighted his Paschal fire 
 At Slane — it is holy Saturday — 
 And bless'd his font 'mid the chaunting choir ! 
 From hill to hill the flame makes way." 
 
 Laeghaire swore vengeance against the bold 
 
 * In connection with the Pagan fire-worship then in vogue in 
 Ireland. 
 
 f "Legends of St. Patrick," by Aubrey de Vere. Henry S, 
 King and Co., 1872 (p. 26).
 
 ST. PATRICK. 57 
 
 foreigner, and was backed up by the Druids, 
 who prophetically declared the conquering 
 mission of the Saint. Undaunted the Saint 
 goes forth : 
 
 " Then forth to Tara he fared full lowly : 
 The Staff of Jesus was in his hand : 
 
 Twelve priests paced after him, chaunting slowly. 
 Printing their steps on the dewy land. 
 
 It was the Resurrection morn ; 
 The lark sang loud o'er the springing corn ; 
 
 The dove was heard, and the hunter's horn. 
 ***** 
 They enter'd the circle ;* their hymn they ceased ; 
 
 The Druids their eyes bent earthward still : 
 On Patrick's brow the glory increased, 
 
 As a sunshine brightening some breathless hill. 
 The warriors sat silent: strange awe they felt: 
 
 The chief bard, Dubtach, rose and knelt ! 
 Then Patrick discoursed of the things to be 
 
 When time gives way to eternity. 
 Of kingdoms that fall, which are dreams not things, 
 
 And the Kingdom built by the King of kings. 
 Of Him he spake who reigns from the Cross ; 
 
 Of the death which is life, and the life which is loss ; 
 How all things were made by the Infant Lord, 
 
 And the small hand the Magian kings adored. 
 His voice sounded on like a throbbing flood 
 
 That swells all night from some far-off wood. 
 And when it was ended — that wondrous strain- 
 Invisible myriads breathed * Amen I' " 
 
 * The Druidical circle.
 
 58 ST. PATRICK. 
 
 The action of the visible on the invisible is 
 followed by the awe-struck animal and vegetable 
 world at the first great onslaught on Satan's 
 hitherto undisputed reign : — 
 
 "While he spake, men say that the refluent tide 
 
 On the shore by Colpa ceased to sink ; 
 They say the white deer by Mulla's side 
 
 O'er the green marge bending forbore to drink : 
 That the Brandon eagle forgat to soar ; 
 
 That no leaf stirr'd in the wood by Lee. 
 Such stupor hung the island o'er, 
 
 For none might guess what the end would be." 
 
 The King, what with the bold aspect of the 
 Saint, the silence of the world around him, the 
 feeling of the invisible working on him, is 
 cowed : — 
 
 "Then whisper'd the King to a chief close by, 
 
 ' It were better for me to believe than die !' 
 Yet the King believed not ; but ordinance gave 
 
 That whoso would might believe that word : 
 So the meek believed, and the wise, and brave, 
 
 And Mary's Son as their God adored. 
 And the Druids, because they could answer nought, 
 
 Bow'd down to the Faith the stranger brought." 
 
 The next victory of St. Patrick is taken from 
 the " Tripartite Life of St. Patrick." I am
 
 ST. PATRICK. 59 
 
 indebted to Father Morris's book for the 
 following translation* of it : — 
 
 ** Patrick went afterwards to the fountain — 
 i.e., Clibech — on the slopes of Cruachan at 
 Sunrise. Laeghaire M'Niell's two daughters, 
 Ethne the Fair, and Feidelm the Red, went 
 early to the Fountain to wash their hands, as 
 they were wont to do, when they found the 
 synod of clerics at the well, with white gar- 
 ments, and their books before them. They 
 wondered at the appearance of the clerics, and 
 imagined they were fir-sidhe, or phantoms. 
 They questioned Patrick, — * Whence are you, 
 and whither (sic) have you come ? Is it from 
 the sidhe ? Are you gods ?' 
 
 " Patrick said to them, * It would be better 
 for you to believe in God than to ask regarding 
 our race.' The elder daughter said, ' Who is 
 your God, and in what place is He — in heaven 
 or in earth ? Is it under the earth, or on the 
 earth, or in the seas, or in streams, or in hills, 
 
 * " Life of St. Patrick," by W. B. Morris, Priest of the 
 Oratory, 2nd edit. p. 104. London : Burns and Gates. 187S,
 
 6o ST. PATRICK. 
 
 or in valleys ? Has He sons or daughters ? 
 Has He gold and silver ? Is there a profusion 
 of every good in His kingdom ? Tell us plainly 
 how we shall see Him, and how He is to be 
 loved, and how He is to be found ? Is He 
 young or old, or is He ever-living? Is He 
 beautiful, or have many fostered His son, or is 
 His daughter handsome, and dear to men of 
 the world?' St. Patrick, full of the Holy 
 Spirit, responded : ' Our God is the God of 
 all ; the God of heaven and earth, the God of 
 seas and the rivers, the God of the sun and 
 moon, and of all the other planets ; the God 
 of the high hills and low valleys ; God over 
 heaven, in heaven, and under heaven ; and He 
 has a mansion, i.e., heaven — and the earth, 
 and the sea, and all that are in them. He 
 inspireth all things ; He quickeneth all things ; 
 He enkindleth all things ; He giveth light to 
 the sun and to the moon. He created fountains 
 in the dry land, and placed dry islands in the 
 sea, and stars to minister to the greater lights. 
 He hath a Son co-eternal and co-equal with
 
 ST. PATRICK. 6 1 
 
 Himself; and the Son is not younger than the 
 Father, nor is the Father older than the Son. 
 And the Holy Ghost breatheth in them ; and 
 the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost 
 are not divided. I desire, moreover, to unite 
 you to the Son of the heavenly King, for ye 
 are daughters of an earthly king.' And the 
 daughters said, as if with one mouth and heart, 
 * How shall we come to believe in that King ? 
 Teach us duly that we may see the Lord face 
 to face — teach us and we will do as you will 
 say to us.' And Patrick said, ' Do you believe 
 that through baptism the sin of your mother 
 and of your father shall be put away from 
 you ?' They answered, ' We believe.' ' Do 
 you believe in repentance after sin ?' ' Yes.' 
 And they were baptized, and Patrick blessed a 
 white veil upon their heads, and they desired 
 to see Christ face to face. And Patrick said to 
 them, * You cannot see Christ except that you 
 first taste death, and unless you receive the 
 body of Christ and His blood.' And the 
 daughters replied, saying, ' Give us the com-
 
 62 ST. PATRICK. 
 
 munion, that we may be able to see the Pro- 
 phesied One.' And they after this received 
 the communion, and fell asleep in death, and 
 Patrick placed them under one covering, and 
 in one bed [grave], and their friends made 
 great lamentation over them" — ("Tripartite 
 Life," p. 407). 
 
 Of course this account must be looked at 
 with the devotional, not critical eye. If the 
 anecdote was seriously put forward as true, 
 and an example to be copied, then one is at a 
 loss to know the difference between a true failh 
 and credulity. But the striking feature of the 
 story is that there was a blank to be filled up ; 
 that these young Irish maidens required a God 
 who was a man, who was perfect, who was 
 beautiful, who was Divine. The Druids had 
 none such to offer them. St. Patrick was the 
 first man whom they had come across who 
 could satisfy their craving for a God-Man. He 
 spoke with authority, " and not as the Scribes." 
 
 St. Patrick was not a Protestant, if the sup- 
 posed Protestantism of the year a.d. 432 is at
 
 ST. PATRICK. 63 
 
 all kindred to that of 1878. The following 
 
 " Lorica," as it was called, is a production of 
 
 the Saint, and is said to have been composed 
 
 by him when on the way to Tara to meet 
 
 Laeghaire. Parts of it are still used by the 
 
 Irish peasantry. 
 
 ST. Patrick's lorica.* 
 
 I bind to myself to-day 
 
 The strong virtue of the Invocation of the Trinity, 
 The Faith of the Trinity in unity. 
 The Creator of the elements. 
 
 I bind to myself to-day 
 
 The virtue of the Incarnation of Christ with His Baptism, 
 The virtue of His Crucifixion with His burial, 
 The virtue of His Resurrection with His Ascension, 
 The virtue of His coming to the sentence of judgment. 
 
 I bind to myself to-day 
 The virtue of the love of seraphim, 
 In the obedience of angels. 
 In the hope of resurrection into reward. 
 In prayers of Patriarchs, 
 In predictions of Prophets, 
 In preaching of Apostles, 
 In faith of Confessors, 
 In purity of holy Virgins, 
 In deeds of righteous men. 
 
 * Several translations have been made. I take this from 
 that quoted by the Nun of Kenmare in her "Life of 
 St. Patrick." Aubrey De Vere's is one of the best in his 
 "Legends of St. Patrick."
 
 64 ST. PATRICK. 
 
 I bind to myself to-day 
 The power of Heaven, 
 The hght of the sun, 
 The whiteness of snow. 
 The force of fire. 
 The flashing of lightning, 
 The swiftness of wind. 
 The depth of sea, 
 The stability of earth. 
 The hardness of rocks. 
 
 I bind to myself to-day 
 
 The power of God to guide me. 
 
 The might of God to uphold me. 
 
 The wisdom of God to teach me. 
 
 The eye of God to watch over me. 
 
 The ear of God to hear me. 
 
 The word of God to give me speech, 
 
 The hand of God to protect me, 
 
 The way of God to lie before me. 
 
 The shield of God to shelter me. 
 
 The host of God to defend me, 
 
 Against the snares of demons. 
 
 Against the temptations of vices, 
 
 Against the lusts of nature. 
 
 Against every man who meditates injury to me, 
 
 "Whether far or near. 
 
 Whether few or with many. 
 
 I have invoked all these virtues 
 Against every hostile savage power 
 Directed against my body and my soul. 
 Against the incantations of false prophets. 
 Against the black laws of heathenism.
 
 ST. PATRICK. 65 
 
 Against the false laws of heresy, 
 
 Against the deceits of idolatry, 
 
 Against the spells of women, and smiths and druids. 
 
 Against all knowledge which blinds the soul of man. 
 Christ protect me to-day 
 
 Against poison, against burning. 
 
 Against drowning, against wound, 
 
 That I may receive abundant reward. 
 Christ with me, Christ before me, 
 
 Christ behind me, Christ within me, 
 
 Christ beneath me, Christ above me, 
 
 Christ at my right, Christ at my left, 
 
 Christ in the fort, 
 
 Christ in the chariot seat, 
 
 Christ in the poop, 
 
 Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me. 
 
 Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks to me. 
 
 Christ in every eye that sees me, 
 
 Christ in every ear that hears me, 
 I bind to myself to-day 
 
 The strong virtue of an invocation of the Trinity, 
 
 The faith of the Trinity in Unity, 
 
 The Creator of elements. 
 
 Domini est salus 
 
 Domini est salus, 
 
 Christi est salus, 
 
 Salus tua Domine sit semper nobiscum. 
 
 A good deal of suspicion rests as to the 
 authorship of St. Patrick to many works 
 graced with his name, but when such a writer 
 as Todd asserts that certain documents re-
 
 66 ST. PATRICK. 
 
 ferred to him are any way of Pagan date then 
 there is good cause to beHeve that the tradition 
 is not so very far out. " Of the other works 
 attributed to St. Patrick," he says, "the most 
 celebrated are the Synods, or ecclesiastical 
 canons, published under his name, in the great 
 Collections of the Councils. It is scarcely 
 possible, however, to receive these Canons as 
 really his, although some of them were cer- 
 tainly written during the predominance of 
 Paganism in the country ; but others bear 
 internal evidence of a much later date. The 
 Synod said to have been held by Patrick, 
 Auxilius and Iserninus has better claims to 
 antiquity than the rest."* There is, however, 
 a concensus of Irish proof as to the Patrician 
 date of certain very important canons that 
 cannot be easily refuted or ignored. St. 
 Patrick's mission from Rome has been doubted ; 
 in mere consistency, therefore, some sceptics 
 desire to extend their criticism so as to em- 
 brace certain Canons which distinctly prove 
 
 * Todd's " St. Patrick," p. 485.
 
 ST. PATRICK. 67 
 
 the Saint's subjection to Rome and his incul- 
 cation of that subjection on the Irish priesthood 
 and Church. In the statute of St. Patrick 
 preserved in the most ancient " Book of 
 Armagh " is the following enactment :* 
 
 " Item qucecumque causa valde difficilis 
 exorta fuerit atque ignota cunctis Scotorum 
 gentium judicibus ad cathedram archiepiscopi 
 Hibernensium (id est Patricii) atque hujus 
 antistitis examinationem recte referenda. Si 
 vero in ilia cum suis sapientibus facile sanari 
 non poterit talis caussa prsedictae negotionis, 
 ad Sedem Apostolicam decrevimus esse mitten- 
 dum, id est ad Petri apostoli cathedram auc- 
 toritatem Romae urbis habentem. 
 
 " Hi sunt qui de hoc decreverunt id est, 
 Auxilius, Patricius, Secundinus, Benignus." 
 
 The famous Usher thus translates it :t 
 
 "Wherever any cause that is very difficult 
 
 * Curry's Lectures, p. 372 ; Petrie, " Essay on the History 
 and Antiquities of Tara Hill." Dublin, 1839, p. 81 ; and 
 quoted by Bishop Moran on p. 121 of his " Essays," etc. 
 
 f P. 84 of his " Dissertation on the Religion of the Ancient 
 Irish." 
 
 5 
 
 *
 
 68 ST. PATRICK. 
 
 and unknown unto all the judges of the Scottish 
 nations shall arise, it is rightly to be referred to 
 the see of the archbishop of the Irish (that is to 
 say, of Patrick), and to the examination of the 
 prelate thereof. But ii there, by him and his wise 
 men, a cause of this nature cannot easily be 
 made up, we have decreed it shall be sent to the 
 See Apostolic — that is to say, to the chair of the 
 apostle Peter, which hath the authority of the 
 city of Rome." 
 
 Usher's comments are as generous and wise 
 as they are striking when coming from such an 
 authority in the Protestant Church. "It is 
 most likely that St. Patrick had a special 
 regard for the Church of Rome, from whence 
 he was sent for the conversion of this island : 
 so as, if I myself had lived in his days, for the 
 resolution of a doubtful question, I should as 
 willingly have listened to the judgment of the 
 Church of Rome, as to the determination 
 of any church in the whole world : so reverent 
 an estimation have I of the integrity of that 
 Church as it stood in those days."* 
 
 * Bishop Moran's " Essays," p. 121.
 
 ST. PATRICK. 69 
 
 If in those early days when Rome was not 
 the only Apostolic See, Usher would have paid 
 her such respect and felt such admiration for 
 her judgment, how much more would he be 
 disposed to do so now that she is not only the 
 Apostolic See of the West, but the only Apos- 
 tolic See which has a direct unbroken succes- 
 sion from an Apostle of Jesus Christ ! Well 
 has Dr. Newman shown how Rome in the 
 natural apart from the supernatural order has 
 been the guiding See of Christendom. " It 
 w^as not his fault (the Pope's) that the Vandals 
 swept away the African Sees, and the Saracens 
 those of Syria and Asia Minor, or that Con- 
 stantinople and its dependencies became the 
 creatures of Imperialism, or that France, 
 England, and Germany should obey none but 
 the author of their own Christianity, or that 
 clergy and people at a distance were obstinate 
 in sheltering themselves under the majesty of 
 Rome against their own fierce kings and nobles 
 or imperious bishops, even to the imposing 
 forgeries on the world and on the Pope in
 
 70 ST. PATRICK. 
 
 justification of their proceedings. All this will 
 be fact, whether the Popes were ambitious or 
 not ; and still it will be fact that the issue of 
 that great change was a great benefit to the 
 whole of Europe. No one but a Master, who 
 was a thousand bishops in himself at once, 
 could have tamed and controlled, as the Pope 
 did, the great and little tyrants of the middle 
 age."* 
 
 But to return to St. Patrick. The ancient 
 MS. in which this decree is preserved was 
 transcribed in a.d. 807, and the original which 
 was copied was believed to be written by St. 
 Patrick. A Synod was held in a.d. 630, and at 
 this Synod, which was not so very far removed 
 from St. Patrick's lifetime, the above decree 
 was acted on. Furthermore, an Irish saint, 
 Cummian, who was there present, wrote four 
 years later a letter on the paschal question, 
 and in that letter says, " in accordance with 
 the canonical decree, that if questions of grave 
 moment arise, they shall be referred to the 
 
 * " Letter to the Duke of Norfolk." dickering, p. 30, 1875.
 
 ST. PATRICK. 71 
 
 head of cities, we sent such as we knew were 
 wise and humble men to Rome."* 
 
 Less than 100 years after this synod another 
 was held, in which a collection of canons was 
 made, and amongst the canonical exactments 
 which it registers is the identical decree of 
 St. Patrick. 
 
 " Patritius ait : si quae difficiles qusestiones 
 in hac insula oriantur ad Sedem Apostolicam 
 referantur." 
 
 " St, Patrick defines : should any grave con- 
 troversies arise in this island, they shall be 
 referred to the Apostolic See." 
 
 This sufficiently confirms the fact that St. 
 Patrick was, to use Titus Oates's phraseology, 
 a " Papal Emissary." Many more proofs are 
 given by Monsignor Moran which the curious 
 or doubting reader can refer to, but sufficient 
 has been said to satisfy all ordinary minds. 
 
 Although not connected with the subject 
 in view, it is curious to observe that the 
 6th Canon of St. Patrick recognizes the rela- 
 
 * Usher, " Syllog. Epp," No. 30, quoted by Mgr. Moran.
 
 72 ST. PATRICK. 
 
 tion of the " clericus et uxor ejus." Reeves 
 in his valuable notes to Adamnan's " Life of 
 St. Columba," says* " Marriage was not con- 
 fined to the inferior orders. When St. Patrick 
 required a bainna ri-epfuip (materies episcopi) 
 * a man fitted for the episcopal office,' to be 
 placed over the Lagenians, he asked for a 
 person who among other qualifications was 
 ' a man of one wife.' " (" Lib. Armac." 
 fol. i8, a. b.) 
 
 St. Patrick apparently was quite satisfied 
 with the religious state of Ireland in his 
 time, at least his explanation of a vision 
 of St. Brigid affirms as much. I will let 
 the old Monk of Furnes tell the tale him- 
 self.t "And the Blessed Brigida was at these 
 meetings (St. Patrick's sermons) ; and at one, 
 having reclined her head, she slept : and the 
 Holy Prelate forbade that any one should 
 arouse the beloved of God, until she herself 
 would awaken : so did it appear how evidently 
 
 * P- 344- 
 
 t Jocelin's "Life of St. Patrick." Dublin, iSog, p. 135. 
 Swift's trans.
 
 ST. PATRICK. 73 
 
 what is said in the Canticles agreed with 
 her: — I sleep, but mine heart waketh ; for 
 that his heavenly spouse revealed unto her 
 all his mysteries. And when the Holy Virgin 
 awaked, he enjoined her that she should tell 
 unto them all, what she had beheld in her 
 Vision. And she, obeying the command of 
 the Saint, said: 'I beheld an assembly of 
 persons clothed in white raiment ; and I be- 
 held ploughs, and oxen, and standing corn, 
 all white, and immediately they became all 
 spotted, and afterward they became all black ; 
 — and in the end I beheld sheep and swine, 
 dogs and wolves fighting all and contending 
 together.' Then St. Patrick expounded the 
 Vision, and said that the whiteness pertained 
 unto the state of the world, as it then was : 
 for all the Prelates and servants of the Church 
 were then fruitful and diligent in faith and 
 good works, even according to the Evangelic 
 and Apostolic doctrine. And the things which 
 were spotted, belonged, as he said, to the time 
 of the succeeding generation, which would be
 
 74 
 
 ST. PATRICK. 
 
 pure in faith, but stained with evil works. And 
 the blackness, he said, was the season of the 
 following generation, when the world would 
 be profaned, not only with evil works, but 
 with the renunciation of the Christian faith. 
 And the contest of the sheep and the swine, 
 of the dogs and the wolves, he pronounced to 
 be the controversy of the pure and impure Pre- 
 lates, of good and of bad men, which, after the 
 lapse of many years, would at length come to 
 pass. And having said, he departed ; now that 
 the Vision of the Virgin and the interpretation 
 of the Saint are proved by indisputable truths, 
 no one, I think, will doubt." 
 
 As Jocelin, Cistercian Monk of Fumes, 
 lived in the early part of the 12th century, 
 it is pretty evident that his view of things 
 was not very charming in the reign of 
 Henry II of England, although the said King 
 thought it compatible to reform the Irish 
 Church and to murder the Archbishop of 
 Canterbury! Even if as is probable the 
 Virgin's prophecy did refer to Ireland only,
 
 ST. PATRICK. 75 
 
 still a corrupt Ireland by no means necessarily 
 implies an immaculate England, any more than 
 in our time Englishmen can with any justice 
 sneer at landlord-shooting in Ireland when in 
 their own cities hardly a week passes but some 
 ruffianly villain jumps on his wife and gouges 
 out her eyes, she very probably being at that 
 time a mother. 
 
 St. Brigid had an awkward knack of saying 
 unpleasant things while in the prophetic vein. 
 Froude has chosen one such saying as a 
 heading for one of his chapters of what he 
 is pleased to call, History. 
 
 In the reign of Edward IV was a man who 
 wrote a book called " De Salute Populi," 
 who was called the Pander. Froude quotes 
 from the " State of Ireland and Plan for its 
 Reformation, 1515, State Papers," Vol. II, 
 p. II, the following :• — 
 
 "The Pander showeth in the first chapter 
 of his book, called ' Salus Populi,' that the 
 holy woman, Brigitta, used to inquire of her 
 good angel many questions of secrets divine ;
 
 76 ST. PATRICK. 
 
 and among all other she inquired, ' Of what 
 Christian land was most souls damned ? ' The 
 angel showed her a land in the west part of 
 the world. She inquired the cause why ? 
 The angel said, for there is most continual 
 war, root of hate and envy, and of vices 
 contrary to charity ; and without charity the 
 souls cannot be saved. And the angel did 
 show to her the lapse of the souls of Christian 
 folk of that land, how they fell down into hell 
 as thick as any hail showers. And pity thereof 
 moved the Pander to conceive his said book, 
 as in the said chapter plainly doth appear ; 
 for after his opinion, this (Ireland) is the land 
 that the angel understood ; for there is no land 
 in this world of so continued war within itself; 
 ne of so great shedding of Christian blood, ne 
 of so great robbing, spoiling, preying, and 
 burning ; ne of so great extortion continually, 
 as Ireland." 
 
 Leaving visions, it will be more satisfactory 
 perhaps if we refer once again to authorities 
 and see if the prophecy of St. Brigid as
 
 ST. PATRICK. 
 
 77 
 
 interpreted by St. Patrick be true, for the 
 mere fact that St. Patrick built 365 churches 
 and ordained 3000 priests need not imply 
 national improvement.* It is said by many 
 men that the inroad of the Danes was a 
 judgment of God on the Irish for their blood- 
 guiltiness. An indirect reply is made some- 
 what as follows : — Look at the state of Ireland 
 after it was Christianized by St. Patrick, at 
 the glorious Catena of Saints, at the numberless 
 churches, the countless monasteries dotted over 
 the land, at the swarms of students who came 
 not only from England, but from France and 
 Germany, to imbibe that learning of which 
 Ireland seemed to have the monopoly. Has not 
 
 * St. Patrick required so many priests for his missions that 
 after completing his Metropolitan City of Armagh he had in 
 A.D. 447 to get additional aid from Britain, and came back 
 with thirty ecclesiastics whom he made bishops. This 
 invasion of Ireland is not generally noticed by historians. 
 (See Usher, " Primord. Eccl. Brit.," c. 15, p. 642-3.) The 
 " Four Masters " give a.d. 457 as that in which Armagh 
 was founded, but the "Annals of Ulster" say 444, and 
 this latter date agrees with St. Patrick's quest for priests 
 in A.D. 447.
 
 78 ST, PATRICK. 
 
 Dr. Newman said, "The seventh and eighth 
 centuries are the glory of the Anglo-Saxon 
 Church, as are the sixth and seventh of the 
 Irish ? "* Has he not quoted Dollinger,t of 
 German reputation, as likewise bearing witness 
 to the state of Christian Ireland? Doubtless; 
 but St. Brigid shakes her head, and history if 
 looked at carefully, proves that the greatest 
 sanctity in individuals, the greatest learning 
 
 * "The Isles of the North," in Vol. I of "Historical Sketches." 
 •f" " During the sixth and seventh centuries the Church of 
 Ireland stood in the full beauty of its bloom. The spirit of 
 the Gospel operated amongst the people with a vigorous and 
 vivifying power ; troops of holy men, from the highest to the 
 lowest ranks of society, obeyed the counsel of Christ and 
 forsook all things, that they might follow Him. There was 
 not a country of the world, during this period, which could 
 boast of pious foundations or religious communities equal to 
 those that adorned this far distant island. Among the Irish, 
 the doctrines of the Christian Religion were preserved pure 
 and entire ; the names of heresy or of schism were not known 
 to them ; and in the Bishop of Rome they acknowledged and 
 venerated the Supreme Head of the Church on earth, and 
 continued with him, and through him with the whole 
 Church, in a never interrupted communion. The schools in 
 the Irish cloisters were at this time the most celebrated in all 
 the West, and in addition to those which have been already 
 mentioned, there flourished the schools of St. Finian of
 
 ST. PATRICK. 79 
 
 in Colleges is quite compatible with a 
 thoroughly rotten state of public opinion, of 
 public action, of national morals. 
 
 I now say adieu to St. Patrick and turn to a 
 consideration of the state of Christianity after 
 his mission and before the Danish invasions. 
 A time which many historians consider the 
 golden period of Irish History. 
 
 Clonard, founded in 530, and those of Cataldus, founded 
 in 640. Whilst almost the whole of Europe was desolated 
 by war, peaceful Ireland, free from the invasions of external 
 foes, opened to the lovers of learning and piety a welcome 
 asylum. The strangers who visited the island, not only 
 from the neighbouring shores of Britain, but also from 
 the most remote nations of the Continent, received from the 
 Irish people the most hospitable reception, a gratuitous 
 entertainment, free instruction, and even the books that were 
 necessary for their studies. Thus in the year 536, in the 
 time of St. Senanus, there arrived at Cork, from the Continent, 
 fifteen monks, who were led thither by their desire to perfect 
 themselves in the practices of an ascetic life under Irish 
 directors, and to study the Sacred Scriptures in the school 
 established near that city. At a later period, after the year 
 650, the Anglo-Saxons in particular passed over to Ireland in 
 great numbers for the same laudable purposes. On the other 
 hand, many holy and learned Irishmen left their own country 
 to proclaim the faith, to establish or to reform monasteries in 
 distant lands, and thus to become the benefactors of almost 
 every nation in Europe."
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 PRE-DANISH CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 The fearful slaughter of Irish kings one 
 after another in pre-Christian times was, in 
 a sense, excusable, for the race was Pagan, 
 but after the advent of St. Patrick and the 
 consecration of endless bishops and founding 
 of colleges and monasteries all over the 
 country, it would be supposed that murder 
 and bloodshed would cease. St. Brigid was, 
 alas ! a true prophet, for but little improvement 
 is visible. At the risk of tiring the patience 
 of my readers, I give concisely a list of the 
 Kings of Ireland from St. Patrick's time till 
 the advent of the Danes, with their fate. 
 It will impress them with the fact that the 
 ancient race required conquering and also 
 required a religious authority backed by a
 
 PRE -DANISH CHRISTIANITY. 8i 
 
 head who could command, to counteract the 
 bloodthirsty tendency of the old race of 
 Pagans, whose Christianity was certainly 
 more theoretical than practical. 
 
 Loegarius * reigned 35 years and was slain 
 in battle 463. 
 
 Ailil Molt, reigned 20 years, slain by his 
 successor in battle 483. 
 
 Lugdath killed by a thunderbolt 508. 
 
 Moriertac died from drink 534. 
 
 Thuathal killed 544. 
 
 Dermot killed 565. 
 
 Donald I killed 566. (Fergus co-reigned 
 with him.) 
 
 Amirach killed 569. 
 
 Beotan 
 
 killed 572. 
 
 Eochan 
 Edan killed 598. 
 Edan II killed 604. 
 Edan III died 612. 
 Melcob killed 615. 
 
 * "Ware's Antiquities," first English Edition, page ii. 
 London. 1705.
 
 82 PRE-DANISH CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 Suibne killed 628. 
 
 Donald II died peaceably in old age 642. 
 
 Celiac \ died \ 658. 
 
 Conall j killed j 654. 
 
 Dermot II 1 , 
 
 ^, , [ died of plajrue 66=^. 
 
 Blathmac i f t, j 
 
 Secnesac killed 671. 
 Coenselad killed 675. 
 Finsa (Finacta) killed 695. 
 Loingsecus killed 703, 
 Cong-all died suddenly 710. 
 Fergall killed 722. 
 Fogertach O Cernaig killed 724. 
 Cinaed killed 728. 
 Flachertac became a monk. 
 Edan IV killed 743. 
 Donald III died on a pilgrimage 763. 
 Neal Frassac died 778. 
 Donagli killed 787. 
 Edan V killed 819. 
 Flan died 916. 
 
 About this time the Danes were trouble- 
 some, and so violent deaths were to be
 
 PRE-DANISH CHRISTIANITY. 83 
 
 expected. The Abbe MacGeoghegan feels 
 that an apology is needed, but he is not 
 very successful.* 
 
 " When we consider the advantages which 
 the Scoto-Milesians enjoyed with respect to 
 religion and the sciences, in the first ages 
 of Christianity, could we suppose them not 
 to have possessed, likewise, cultivated minds 
 and polished manners ? The sciences which 
 enlighten and ornament the understanding, 
 flourished amongst them more than in any 
 other nation. That Christian morality which 
 regulates the motions of the heart, formed 
 men among them who were celebrated for the 
 sanctity of their morals. Notwithstanding 
 these advantages, an astonishing mixture of 
 vice and virtue was discoverable among them, 
 and as a certain author remarks, ' they were 
 ardent in everything, whether good or evil.' 
 ' In omnes affectus vehementissimi.' Whilst 
 one part of that people devoted themselves 
 to God, by renouncing all intercourse with the 
 
 * Vol. I, p. 519. Dublin. 1831. 
 
 6 *
 
 84 PRE-DANISH CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 world, and thereby served as a model to the 
 neighbouring nations : the spirit of discord 
 was still kept up, either by the tyranny of 
 their princes, the ambition of their nobles, 
 or the frequent revolts of their subjects. 
 Instead of preserving their conquests abroad, 
 and enforcing the tribute which their Pagan 
 ancestors had imposed on the Picts, the in- 
 habitants of the Orkneys, Hebrides, and the 
 Isle of Man, they were always in arms, one 
 against another, and the Gospel which they 
 had just received with so much respect, was 
 not able to remove that spirit of discord which 
 was the cause of such disorders." 
 
 Thus writes the Abbe who with warm Irish 
 blood in his veins could not blind himself to 
 the facts of history. He published his work 
 in 1758 under the authority of the King of 
 France, and dedicated it to the Irish Brigade. 
 Another priest, also an Irishman, and what 
 renders his testimony the more striking, a m.onk 
 of the Franciscan Order, has given a plain 
 unvarnished statement of the effect the study
 
 PRE -DANISH CHRISTIANITY. 85 
 
 of Irish History has had on him. I allude to 
 Father Peter Walsh's " History of Ireland," 
 A.D. 1680, 
 
 He writes thus of the Irish people before 
 they were converted:* "However, I must 
 confess that when I reflect on the most 
 authentick Monuments of that Nation, as 
 written by their own most select Antiquaries, 
 and believed by themselves : I am absorpt 
 in admiration, at the wonderful patience of 
 God with them in particular, above all other 
 People that I have read of, expecting their 
 amendment so long, that is, well nigh 3000 years 
 compleat, before he would quite destroy them. 
 A period so large, that within a far less extent 
 of time, his wrath subverted utterly the 
 Assyrian, Chaldean, Median, Persian, Mace- 
 donian, Roman Empires, and all the Re- 
 publicks of Europe and Affric, and all other 
 Kingdoms or Dominions, how great or how 
 little soever anywhere on earth ; whereof we 
 
 * P. 74. I preserve his spelling, and names of kings and 
 places.
 
 86 PRE-DANISH CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 have but the least competent knowledge out 
 of ancient History, or other authentick book. 
 And yet He continued still the Irish Nation 
 and Monarchy beyond that extent of time. 
 And yet 'tis no less apparent in their own 
 Chronicles, that according to the judgment 
 of man, they had as little deserved the 
 mercy of God as any of their Neighbours, 
 or other the destroy'd Nations. 
 
 " For to lay aside their Idolatry, and all 
 the appendants of it, which yet among them 
 in their time of Paganism, were as great and 
 horrible, and provoking of Heaven as any- 
 where else in the world : and to pass over 
 also those other Immoralities of theirs, how 
 enormous soever in the sight of God, which 
 were nevertheless but common to them with 
 other Nations, reputed the most civil among 
 men : certainly (if not among Cannibals, or 
 Lestrigons, or such other Monsters, unworthy 
 to be called men, or at least to be brought in 
 comparison with any People that make use 
 of reason, live in society and approve Govern-
 
 PRE-DANISH CHRISTIANITY. 87 
 
 ment) never has any other Nation upon 
 Earth anneer'd the Milesian race (inhabiting 
 Ireland) in the most unnatural, bloody, ever- 
 lasting destructive Feuds that have ever been 
 heard, or can well be imagin'd. Feuds so 
 prodigeously bloody, that as they were first 
 founded, so they still encreased and con- 
 tinued in blood, even along from the first 
 foundation of the Irish Monarchy in the 
 blood of Heber Shed in Battel by his 
 Brother Herimon, until the slaughter of 
 Muirchiortach mhac Neill (the last reputed 
 Monarch saving one) by the hands of Fearr- 
 nibh Fearrmhaighe, and O' Brian, or even 
 until the death of Diarmuid na Ngall (the 
 last King of Leinster) at his Town of Ferns. 
 And yet such Feuds as not only had for 
 necessary concomitants the greatest pride, 
 most hellish ambition, and cruellest desires 
 of revenge ; but also had for no less necessary 
 consequents, the most horrible Injustices, 
 Oppressions, Extortions, Rapins, Desolations 
 of the Countrey, Perfidiousnesses, Treasons,
 
 88 PRE-DANISH CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 Rebellions, Conspiracies, Treacheries, Murders; 
 and all this from time to time, for six and 
 twenty hundred years, only a very few lucid 
 '•iten'^als of the frenzy excepted. . . Never 
 have we heard of any other Countrey on 
 Earth, so frequently, so miserably, beyond 
 almost all belief afflicted, harassed, wasted, 
 turn'd into a wilderness, by the accursed 
 Pride of her Nobles, Tyranny of her Princes, 
 Rebellion of her subjects, Fury of her Men 
 at arms, and other Souldiers, Preying, Sack- 
 ing, Burning all that stood over ground in 
 the Provinces invaded by them. Never has 
 either book or man told us of any Region 
 besides Ireland, that beheld so many of her 
 beautiful Field's turn'd ruddy, all cover'd 
 with the bloody gore of above 600 Battels 
 fought on 'em so cruelly and unnaturally by 
 her own children of the same Language, 
 Lineage, Religious rites, tearing out the lives 
 of one another partly for dominion, and 
 often for meer revenge. Never has the Sun 
 bestowed his light on any other Land, to
 
 PRE-DANISH CHRISTIANITY. 89 
 
 behold a hundred and eighteen Monarchs 
 slaughter'd by the hands of their own disloyal 
 Native subjects ; four and twenty of them in 
 Battel, and the rest by downright Assassination 
 and Murder. And which is yet more hideous, 
 four score and six of them succeeded im- 
 mediately in their Regal Thrones by those 
 very men that so villanously had dispatch'd 
 them. Nay, and a Brother, and a Son also 
 to be in this number : besides a wicked 
 Sister too, that by the priviledge of her Sex 
 more finely indeed, but I am sure no less 
 impiously adding one more to the former 
 number of Royal Victims ; and this of purpose 
 to make way for her own Son to mount the 
 Throne, bereav'd of life the Monarch Criomb- 
 than mhac Fiodhuigh, her own Brother, with 
 a cup of Poyson ministred by her own hand 
 to him." 
 
 One is almost inclined to think after read- 
 ing the reverend Father's denunciations that 
 if some of those numerous Saints who born 
 in Ireland thought proper to leave it and give
 
 90 PRE -DANISH CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 their services to other parts of Europe had 
 turned their attention to the misdoings of 
 their own relations * it would have been more 
 useful, though perhaps less romantic. Possibly 
 Palladius saw with a keen eye the uselessness 
 of attempting single-handed to Christianize 
 such a blood-thirsty and blood-guilty race. 
 Anyhow we begin to see that so long as the 
 old inhabitants of Ireland remained in undis- 
 turbed possession, so long would religion be 
 confined to monasteries and nunneries and 
 colleges, while Pagan morals and customs 
 maintained undisturbed possession of the lay 
 element. It may very possibly be said by 
 some ardent maintainert of Old Ireland's 
 
 * Dr. Newman speaking of Irish Saints who left their 
 country, observes, "if these holy men were not, and could 
 not be, indifferent to their countrymen, was not the state 
 of the case really this, that their countrymen were indifferent 
 to them ? And St. Bernard seems to answer our question 
 in the affirmative." — P. 282, Vol. I, 2nd edit, of " Historical 
 Sketches." 
 
 -f Those who constitute themselves defenders not only of 
 Ireland's good points, but her bad, are frequently observed 
 to be descended from Normans or English settlers, and conse-
 
 PRE -DANISH CHRISTIANITY. 91 
 
 glories that after St. Patrick's time and till 
 the arrival of the Danes, Ireland was the land 
 of Saints. Granted, a land of Saints, but 
 also a land of most undeniable cut-throats, 
 and if the critic begs for an eulogium for his 
 Saints he may also expect the far more 
 ominous spectacle of a blood-bespattered 
 country to be shown for his admiration. 
 Our Franciscan Monk shall once again come 
 forward and tell us his opinion of Ireland 
 during the time of the superabundance of 
 Sainted Monks and Nuns, and before the 
 foot of Dane or Northman had polluted her 
 virgin soil. 
 
 " But* that which in this whole account 
 of their Battels fought, and Monarchs kill'd 
 by their own Natives, must be not only 
 strange, but astonishing is, that the fury 
 extended even to many Ages of Christianity, 
 
 quently are not the least called on to defend the OLD Irish. 
 The origin of my own name is pure Milesian and is found 
 constantly in the "Annals," but it is no proof of patriotism 
 to be ready to defend what is wrong. 
 
 * P. 83.
 
 92 PRE -DANISH CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 or rather indeed in a very great measure 
 to the whole extent or duration of their being 
 a free People. In the very first four hundred 
 years of Christian Religion flourishing in Ire- 
 land so conspicuously, as we have seen before, 
 with Myriads of holy Professors, yet their 
 Princes and Nobles, and other Martial men 
 were as furiously given to the destruction of 
 one another as their ancestors had been in 
 the time of Paganism," 
 
 He goes on to say that nearly all the 
 kings from St. Patrick's time to that of 
 Aodh Ordnigh were murdered or killed in 
 battle, and recounts the wretched state pro- 
 duced by this incessant civil war. " So* 
 that besides infinite depredations, wastings, 
 burnings of the Countrey, besides the end- 
 less harrassing of the poor Peasants; and 
 even sometime the violating of Sanctuaries, 
 and burning of Churches, and killing of 
 Clergymen, and Priests, and Bishops too 
 for company; besides lesser Fights and 
 
 * P. 85.
 
 PRE-DANISH CHRISTIANITY. 93 
 
 skirmishes without number : you may read 
 in Keting about 58 main Battels fought 
 between their Princes, Kings, and Monarchs, 
 within that period of time : a period that 
 wanted seven or eight years of 400." 
 
 What seems the more grievous is that 
 these bloody feuds so frequently arose from 
 the most trivial or even absurd trifles. 
 What, for example, can be thought of the 
 common sense of men who can act as Father 
 Walsh thus describes : * " An arbitration 
 between two religious Monks in a difference, 
 deciding against one of them, must engage 
 Families and Countrys in Arms, to fight out 
 in Battel, and cut one another in pieces. A 
 known Murtherer proscrib'd as unpardonable 
 by their most sacred Laws, and therefore 
 justly put to death by the Monarch, must 
 nevertheless, on pretence of his being seiz'd 
 upon after he had been received into the 
 protection of an Abbot, be a just cause of 
 rebelling and fighting that very Monarch, and 
 
 * Sect. iv. p. 125.
 
 94 PRE-DANISH CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 killing his whole Army to boot. Nay, one 
 single Beast, a Cow, at most but very little 
 worth, taken away I know not how from the 
 owner, was the only cause of a great Battel 
 fought between the same INIonarch and the 
 Provincial King of Connaught, and a Battel 
 wherein most of the Gentry of that Province, 
 and Mounster too were kill'd. As if neither 
 the Assailant nor Defendant, 'tho Christian 
 Kings both, could find any other way to 
 satisfie the poor Woman that was rob'd of 
 that Cow." 
 
 A still more ludicrous cause of quarrel in 
 times farther back was the incident which 
 happened to the Monarch Cormack Ulfada's 
 beard. An entertainment was given in Maig- 
 Breag by a King of Ulster (Giolla) and he 
 snuffing a candle, instead of throwing it aside, 
 threw it by chance or on purpose into Cor- 
 mack's long beard, which immediately fizzed 
 up. Will it be believed that the great grand- 
 child of this Cormack made it a pretence to 
 pour an army of 21,000 men into Ulster,
 
 PRE-DANISH CHRISTIANITY. 95 
 
 and conquer as much as he could for him- 
 self! 
 
 After thus describing the weak points of 
 Irish sinners, it is only just that the Saints 
 should come before the tribunal of Histor}-, 
 especially as we shall see that the walls of 
 the monastery did not materially change the 
 character of the inmates, at least not in all 
 cases. What better chance of seeing the 
 influence of an Irish Saint (in the old days 
 before Rome * canonized those considered 
 worthy) than by finding out what History 
 relates of one whom Scotland as well as Ire- 
 land is proud to acknowledge as one of their 
 patrons, St. Columba? Here was a notable 
 chief of the spiritual order, a carrier-out of 
 St. Patrick's programme, a Saint who lived in 
 the days when the theft of a cow caused rivers 
 of blood to flow — let us see how the old Saint 
 managed his wild Celts — what steps he took 
 
 * It is necessary that this be remembered, for I certainly 
 should not dream of comparing the acts of a duly canonized 
 Saint with one popularly in an uncritical age saluted as 
 such.
 
 96 PRE-DANISH CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 to spread far and near the sweet charity of 
 the Cross of Christ. 
 
 In the " Life of St. Columba,"* written by 
 Adamnan (who was ninth abbot of Hy which 
 was founded by Columba) and edited with 
 copious notes by one of the greatest of modern 
 antiquarians, Dr. Reeves, will be found 
 abundant matter connected with the Life of 
 the Saint. A few persons of more audacity 
 than wisdom have tried to evade the force of 
 authentic narratives recorded by contemporary 
 and near witnesses and edited by the best 
 scholars of the day ; such attempts deserve 
 the ridicule they will meet with by all 
 educated men. So much it is almost neces- 
 sary to say for the benefit and warning of 
 those who are offered unhistorical, spurious, 
 hot-house lives which are expurgated to suit 
 the palate of the devotional-minded Christian 
 
 * " Life of St. Columba." by Adamnan, with copious Notes 
 and Dissertations by Dr. Reeves. Dublin. Printed at the 
 University Press, for the Irish Archaeological and Celtic 
 Society. 1857.
 
 PRE-DANISH CHRISTIANITY. 97 
 
 in utter contempt of the duty which truth 
 imposes on those who undertake to produce 
 history or historic facts for the edification of 
 a too confiding because often ignorant pubhc, 
 
 St. Columba was, as is well known, obliged 
 to quit Ireland and seek in the territory 
 occupied by the Scots (Irish) and afterwards 
 called Scotland, a rest which his warlike 
 tendencies frustrated in Ireland. Keating the 
 historian thus gives vent to the popular 
 notion.* " Now this is the cause why Molaise 
 sentenced Columcille to go into Alba, because 
 it came of him to occasion three battles in 
 Erin, viz., the battle of Cul Dreimhne, the 
 battle of Rathan, and the battle of Ciiil 
 Feadha. The cause of the battle of Cuil 
 Feadha, according to the old book called 
 the Leabar Uidhre of Ciaran, Diarmuid, son 
 of Fergus Cerrbhoil, King of Ireland, made 
 the feast of Tara, and a noble man was 
 killed at that feast by Curnan, son of Aodh, 
 
 son of Eochuidh Tiorm-carna ; wherefore 
 
 * P. 248 of Adamnan's " Columba." 
 
 7
 
 98 PRE-DANISH CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 Diarmuid killed him in revenge for that, 
 because he committed murder at the feast of 
 Tara, against law and the sanctuary of the 
 feast ; and before Curnan was put to death 
 he fled to the protection of Columcille, and 
 notwithstanding the protection of Columcille, 
 he was killed by Diarmuid. And from that it 
 arose that Columcille mustered the Clanna 
 Neill of the North, because his own protection 
 and the protection of the sons of Earc was 
 violated : whereupon the battle of Cuilebs 
 Dreimhe was gained over Diarmuid and over 
 the Connaghtmen, so that they were defeated 
 through the prayer of Columcille." " The 
 Black Book of Molaga" assigns another cause 
 why the battle of Cul Drcimhne was fought, 
 viz., " in consequence of the false judgment 
 which Diarmuid gave against Columcille 
 when he wrote the Gospel* out of the 
 book of Finnian without his knowledge.t 
 Finnian said that it was to himself belonged 
 
 * Dr. Reeves shows it was the Psalms, not the Gospel. 
 I In other words, stole the book.
 
 PRE-DANISH CHRISTIANITY. 99 
 
 the son-book [copy] which was written from 
 his book, and they both selected Diarmuid 
 as judge between them. This is the decision 
 that Diarmuid made : that to every book 
 belongs its son-book [copy], as to every cow 
 belongs her calf. So that this is one of the 
 two causes why the battle of Cuile Dreimhne* 
 was fought. 
 
 " This was the cause which brought Colum- 
 cille to be induced to fight the battle of Cuil 
 Rathan against the Dal n-Ariadhe, and against 
 the Ultonians, viz., in consequence of the con- 
 troversy that took place between Colum and 
 Comgall, becausef they took part against 
 Colum in that controversy. 
 
 "This was the cause that occasioned the 
 fighting of the battle of Cuil Feadha against 
 Colman Mac Diarmada, viz., in revenge for his 
 having been outraged in the case of Baodan, 
 son of Ninneadh (King of Erin), who was 
 
 * In other words, the Saint would not accept the verdict 
 because it went against him. 
 
 I Shows a very impartial judicious mind. 
 
 7 *
 
 100 PRE-DANISH CIIRISriANITY. 
 
 killed by Cuimin, son of Colman, at Leim-an- 
 eich, in violation of the sanctuary of Colum ! " 
 That St. Columba was sorry for his offences 
 and publicly acknowledged them is of course 
 satisfactory, though considering that they did 
 not happen all at one time, it would have been 
 better if his regrets had come earlier. Dr. 
 Reeves remarks,* " Thus we find St. Columba 
 directly or indirectly concerned in three 
 battles, the earliest of which occurred the 
 year but one before his retirement to Britain, 
 and the others at later periods, one of them 
 after he had been twenty-four years in the 
 abbacy of Hy. The first his biographers and 
 panegyrists acknowledge to have been the 
 grand error of his life, for which he paid the 
 penalty of pilgrimage ; but to save his cha- 
 racter after he became the apostle of the 
 Northern Picts, and the religious exemplar of 
 the Albanian Scots, the device is resorted to 
 of antedating the other occurrences in which 
 the failing of his nature betrayed itself; and 
 
 * P. 254, in additional notes.
 
 PRE-DANISH CHRISTIANITY. loi 
 
 whereas his participation in these evils could 
 not be denied, it was thrust back into the irre- 
 sponsible part of his life, rather than allow it to 
 be numbered among the acts of his maturity." 
 
 This is a warning which students of history 
 will doubtless observe and make a note of for 
 future use. 
 
 In the argument of a hymn of which the 
 first line runs, "Altus Prosator" (preserved 
 in the Liber Hymnorum and the Leabhar 
 Breac), and said to be composed by the Saint, 
 is the following : 
 
 " Causa quare voluit Deum laudare, 
 
 — i.e., to beseech forgiveness for the three 
 battles which he had caused in Erin, viz., 
 the battle of Cul-Rathain, between him and 
 Comgall, contending for a Church, viz., Ross- 
 Torathair ; and the battle of Bealach-flieda 
 of the weir of Clonard ; and the battle of Cul- 
 Dremhne in Connacht : and it was against 
 Diarmait mac Cerball he fought them both." 
 
 Ecclesiastical censure followed him. " Post 
 hsec in Synodo sanctorum Hiberniae gravis
 
 102 PRE-DANISH CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 querela contra Sanctum Columbam, tanquani 
 authorem tarn multi sanj:^uinis eifusi, instituta 
 est. Undo communi decreto censuerunt ipsum 
 debere tot animas, a gentilitate conversas, 
 Christo lucrari, quot in isto prcelio in- 
 terierunt."* 
 
 I do not for one moment mean to suj^gest, 
 by giving these particulars, that all Irish saints 
 before the time when Rome's influence began 
 to be felt more, were accessory to sanguinary 
 strife, but as St. Patrick, St. Brigid, and 
 St. Columbat are the three Saints of note 
 and whose lives are inseparably yoked together, 
 it is quite as well one very great cause of the 
 
 * Colgan's " Acta SS." p. 645, quoted by Reeves. 
 
 f St. Columba and his monks were the great obstacle to 
 the correct keeping of the time of Easter. The Roman 
 missionaries to Britain (a.d. 597) were given authority to 
 exercise pastoral care over " the Scots who inhabited Ire- 
 land," and they tried to enforce the Roman or correct time. 
 Their efforts were supported by a remonstrance from the See 
 of Canterbury, then just founded. About a.d. 630 Pope 
 Honorius wrote to the Irish non-conformists, as one may call 
 them, to try and make them obey. Adamnan, ninth Abbot 
 of the Monks at Hy, tried to gain over his Columbian Monks, 
 but failed. They were finally gained over to the orthodox 
 side by Egbert in a.d. 716.
 
 PRE-DANISH CHRISTIANITY. 103 
 
 continuance of fraternal aud tribal strife should 
 not altogether be laid on the shoulders of the 
 laity. " Such as the Priest is such the people," 
 is very often a true saying, and the saintly 
 ecclesiastics of early Christian Ireland were 
 not so Christian as those trained and reared 
 in the arms of Rome. 
 
 For the benefit only of obstinate doubters 
 I appeal to the following as a specimen of 
 monkish life which in our days would be 
 followed by the severest measures from 
 Rome : 
 
 "a.d. 816. A battle was fought by Cathal, 
 son of Dunlang, and the fraternity of Tigh- 
 Munna [Taghmon] against the fraternity of 
 Ferns, in which 400 were slain. Maelduin, 
 son of Cennfaeladh, Abbot of Raphoe, of 
 the fraternity of Colum-cille, was slain. The 
 fraternity of Colum-cille went to Tara to 
 curse [King] Aedh."* 
 
 With which choice specimen of Ireland's 
 practical Christianity I close this chapter. 
 * P. 255, Reeves' " Columba."
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE DANES IN IRELAND. 
 
 Although Ireland escaped conquest by 
 the Romans, which was perhaps not in all 
 respects advantageous, yet it was not her lot 
 to preserve her shores from mere freebooters 
 such as the Danes. The Romans, if they had 
 thoroughly conquered the country, would very 
 probably have instilled the elements of order 
 into what may be called the Grecian mind of 
 the ancient Irish. There is much similarity 
 between the Greek and the Celt of Ireland, 
 a similarity which the " Annals of Ireland " 
 give us a reason to suppose was due not 
 entirely to innate peculiarity but breed. Under 
 the year of the world 2850 it remarks, 
 " Neimhidh came to Ireland ;" and in the 
 " Annals of Clonmacnoise," translated by
 
 THE DANES IN IRELAND. 105 
 
 Connell MacGeoghegan, is told the arrival of 
 " Nevie* with his fower sonnes into Ireland 
 out of Greece." O' Flaherty puts the date 
 A.M. 2029. 
 
 Dr. Newman has remarked the same thing :t 
 " Distinct, nay antagonistic, in character and 
 talent, the one nation and the other, Irish and 
 English, the one more resembling the Greek, 
 the other the Roman, open from the first 
 perhaps to jealousies as well as rivalries," &c. 
 
 The Easterlings are presumably well known 
 as to origin and race to most of my readers, 
 but perhaps a few remarks of Archbishop 
 Usher may not be unacceptable.! He says, 
 Livonia extending to the Eastern shore of the 
 Baltic Sea is divided into three parts, differing 
 in Place and Language, viz., Estia, Lettia, 
 Curlandia. The Province of Estiae or Estonia, 
 
 * The root of my own name and that of the MacNevin's 
 and Scotch Niven's. It is curious to see the same name as a 
 town in North Wales, Nevin ; and again in Ireland as 
 Glasneviti.—See "Joyce on Irish Names." 
 
 f " Historical Sketches," Vol. I, 128. 
 
 + In veterum Epist. Hibern. recensione.
 
 io6 THE DANES IN IRELAND. 
 
 was inhabited by those who by the ancient 
 Grecians were called Ostioei and Ostiones ; by 
 Tacitus in Germania, ^Estii ; by Eginhard in 
 the Life of Charles the Great, Aisti ; by 
 Saxo Grammaticus, Estones ; by Us, Ostmanni 
 or Easterlings. The Easterlings of Ireland were 
 also called by other names, Danes, Norwegians 
 and Normans, which was a name common to 
 all the people of Denmark, Norway, Livonia 
 and the rest of the northern nations. 
 
 It would be wearisome and not to the purpose 
 to give a history of Danish warfare in Ireland, 
 all that is necessary is to get an idea of the 
 state of Ireland that we may see how they in a 
 most remarkable manner paved the way not 
 only for the Norman Conquest under Henry, 
 but previously to that, rendered practically 
 necessary, as well as theoretically, the inter- 
 ference of a more active nature, of Rome and 
 her ever watchful Bishop. 
 
 It was about the year a.d. 795 they began to 
 trouble the Irish coasts. Incessant battles in 
 which the Northmen gradually gained more
 
 THE DANES IN IRELAND. 107 
 
 and more power went on till the advent of 
 a chief named Turgesius, circa a.d. 830. He 
 and his Danes began to build fortresses which, 
 simple as the fact will appear to us, was of 
 momentous consequence to the men of those 
 days. The Irish apparently were not an fait at 
 such modes of defence, and consequently of 
 course were nonplussed. The invaders built 
 fortresses all over the island, and they were 
 commonly called Danes Rathes ; or, by the 
 Irish, Mothes. Remains are still to be seen 
 of them ; they were built in a round form 
 about twenty feet high. Turgesius seemed 
 completely to have conquered the country. He 
 appointed a King to each province, and so on, 
 and imposed a tax of an ounce of gold on the 
 chief of every family (which, by-the-by, was a 
 proof of wealth), and, as a penalty, gave orders 
 that those who did not pay should have their 
 noses cut off. The story of his overthrow is 
 too good not to be told. He had built a castle 
 for himself near that of the Irishman, Malachi, 
 prince of Meath. ISIalachi — who was a kind of
 
 io8 THE DANES IN IRELAND. 
 
 J ■ . 
 
 Irish Judith, one would imagine — asked the 
 Dane one day in a casual manner* how he 
 would destroy a breed of birds which of late 
 had arrived in Ireland and had proved very 
 destructive to the crops. The Dane replied, 
 destroy their nests. Malachi, who had the 
 Danes in his mind's eye, pondered over this 
 reply. Shortly after, Turgesius fell in love, or 
 rather desired possession of a very beautiful 
 girl called Melcha, the daughter of Malachi. 
 The Celt appeared not to resist the wishes 
 of the Dane, but said his proposal was hard for 
 him to agree to ; however, if he must send his 
 daughter to him he must, but requested that 
 the whole affair should be kept secret, and said 
 he would send with her fifteen young ladies to 
 keep her company. Turgesius was nothing 
 loth, and so the matter was arranged. 
 Malachi forthwith brings together fifteen young 
 men, beardless, dresses them in women's 
 clothes, and arms each with a dagger. The 
 eventful day arrives. The Dane receives into 
 
 * " Girald. Cambren. Topo. Hiber." Bohn's edit: 3, cap, 42.
 
 . THE DANES IN IRELAND. 109 
 
 his castle the young lady and her fifteen 
 companions, who, once within the walls, seized 
 the tyrant, and with a species of grim irony, 
 tied him to his own bed-post, and then rushing 
 out, opened the castle-gates to Malachi and his 
 men, who poured in and slaughtered the whole 
 garrison but Turgesius. The Dane was kept 
 a few days to charm the eye of the vindictive 
 and victorious Malachi, and was then thrown 
 chained as he was into the lake, where, needless 
 to say, he perished. 
 
 The Danes may be said to be the founders 
 of the chief commercial seaports of Ireland, 
 for Dublin became virtually their own, Water- 
 ford was purely Danish and so were Limerick 
 and Cork, After incessant warfare against 
 the Irish, carried on with various ups and 
 downs, oftentimes aided by one set of Irish 
 chieftains against another, they gradually 
 became Christianized, and the question of 
 importance is the relationship and bearing of 
 the Danish Christian in Ireland to the native 
 Irish Christian.
 
 no THE DANES IN IRELAND. 
 
 In the year 1029 it is recorded that 
 "Sitricus, King of the Danes of DubUn, died 
 on the way in a pilgrimage which he undertook 
 to Rome." 
 
 Another Sitricus of whom mention is made 
 in the Black Book of Christ Church in 
 Dublin, and who died 1042, gave " to the 
 Blessed Trinity and Donagh, first bishop of 
 Dublin, a place to build a Church to the 
 Holy Trinity, where the vaults are," etc. 
 
 It is evident from these extracts that a fresh 
 page of history is before us. 
 
 The Danes are being converted and having 
 even Bishops of their own. Where and by 
 whom were these bishops consecrated ? 
 
 Would the Danes who looked with supreme 
 contempt on the Irish, even as a gross half- 
 bred mastiff might turn up his nose at a 
 thorough-bred fox-terrier, would these half- 
 civilized Christians submit to receive prelates 
 from the old Irish hierarchy founded by 
 St. Patrick, Armagh being the Primatial 
 See ? A few records culled from the pages
 
 THE DANES IN IRELAND. iii 
 
 of history are the best answer to the 
 question.* 
 
 " In 1074 died Donagh the first Danish 
 bishop of the See of Dubhn, and was (says 
 Ware, p. 65) buried in the Cathedral, near 
 the high altar ; and one, Patrick a Dane 
 likewise, was at the request of King Godred 
 chosen by the people of Dublin to succeed 
 him, and was sent into England to receive 
 consecration from Lanfranc, Archbishop of 
 Canterbury, with an Epistlet to be seen in the 
 
 * See Ware's " Antiquities of Ireland." 
 
 t The following is the Epistle in question (Ware, on the 
 Bishops of Dublin). " To the Reverend Metropolitan of the 
 Holy Church of Canterbury, Lanfranc. The Clergy and 
 People of Dublin tender their due Obedience. It is known to 
 you, O Father, that the Church of Dublin, which is the 
 Metropolis of the Isle of Ireland, is without a Pastor, and 
 destitute of a Governor ; wherefore we have chosen a 
 Presbyter named Patrick, whom we all know to be of noble 
 Birth and Education, well instructed in Apostolick and 
 Ecclesiastical Learning, of a Catholic Faith, wary in ex- 
 pounding the Scriptures, throughly knowing in the Tenets 
 of the Church : Him, we desire, may as soon as possible be 
 ordained our Bishop ; that under God he may rule over us 
 orderly, and instruct us : and that under his Government we 
 may fight securely ; forasmuch as the Uprightness of the Ruler 
 is the Health of the Subject, and where Safety is there is
 
 112 THE DANES IN IRELAND. 
 
 life of the said Patrick. Before the end of the 
 year, Patrick was consecrated by the said 
 Lanfranc in St. Paul's Church in London, 
 and made this following profession of obedi- 
 ence. ' Whoever is set in authority over 
 others ought not to disdain to be subject unto 
 others, but rather with all humility give that 
 obedience to his superiors, which he requires 
 from those that are subject to him. Where- 
 fore I Patrick Elect Bishop of Dublin, the 
 Metropolis of Ireland, offer this my profession 
 to you, Revd. Lanfranc, Primate of Britain, 
 and promise obedience* to you and to your 
 Successors, in all things relating to the 
 Christian Religion.'" 
 
 This with other Professions of the Danish 
 Bishops, was published among other Irish 
 Epistles, out of an ancient MS. of Cotton's 
 
 the Form of Doctrine." Ware says a copy in his time was to 
 be seen in an old Code of the Cotton Library under the Effigy 
 of Cleopatra, E. i, which formerly belonged to the Church of 
 Canterbury. 
 
 * Not simply an act of courtesy, being consecrated by the 
 Archbishop of Canterbury, be it observed, but a submission 
 to him as ecclesiastical superior.
 
 THE DANES IN IRELAND. 113 
 
 Library, by the most Learned James Usher, 
 Archbishop of Armagh, Anno 1632. 
 
 Again, " In 1085 Donatus, a Dane, born 
 in Dublin, but educated at Canterbury in 
 England, where he was made a Benedictine 
 Monk, with consent of King Tirdelvacus and 
 the clergy, after the usual profession of 
 Obedience, was consecrated Bishop of Dublin 
 by Lanfranc, Archbishop of Canterbury. And 
 at his return home carried with him certain 
 Books and Ecclesiastical ornaments which 
 Lanfranc bestowed upon the Church of the 
 Blessed Trinity in Dublin." 
 
 As with Dublin so with Waterford. " In 
 1096 the Episcopal See of Waterford was 
 instituted and the first bishop elected to it 
 was Malchus, born in Ireland, but bred a 
 Monk at Winchester in England. He was 
 consecrated at Canterbury by Anselm the 
 Archbishop, 5 Kal. Jan., Ralph, Bishop of 
 Chichester, and Gundolph, Bishop of Rochester, 
 assisting, and made this following profession : 
 ' I Malchus Elected Bishop of Waterford, 
 
 8
 
 114 T^tiE DANES IN IRELAND. 
 
 and now to be consecrated by you Reverend 
 Father Anselm, Archbishop of the Holy 
 Church of Canterbury, and Primate of All 
 Britain, Do promise in all things to give 
 Canonical Obedience to you and all your 
 Successors.' We have a copy of the Letters 
 v^rritten in his behalf in ' Eadmerus,' pub- 
 lished by the learned Selden in the year 
 
 1623." 
 
 To complete the matter we must look and 
 see how Limerick fares. 
 
 " In 1140 Gille or Gilbert, bishop of 
 Limerick dying, or at least resigning, one 
 Patrick, elected by the Danes of Limerick, 
 went into England, and was there consecrated 
 by Theobald, Archbishop of Canterbury, and 
 made this following profession : * I Patrick 
 elected to the Government of the Church of 
 Limerick, and now to be consecrated by you 
 Reverend Father Theobald, Archbishop of the 
 Holy Church of Canterbury, do promise due 
 subjection and Canonical Obedience to you 
 and all that shall Canonically succeed you.' "
 
 THE DANES IN IRELAND. 115 
 
 The fact is therefore evident that the Danes 
 would not accept Irish Bishops for Irish towns 
 in which they happened to predominate. Two 
 reasons, to give no more, may be stated to 
 account for this most remarkable state of 
 affairs ; and one, which we will first discuss is 
 the wretched state of discipline in Ireland at 
 that time. Malachy, a great pet of the illus- 
 trious St. Bernard, was bishop of Connor in 
 1 124, and yet what says St. Bernard in his 
 " Life of Malachy " of the state of affairs at 
 that time ?* " He (Malachy) was not sent to 
 men but to beasts. He had never before, not 
 even among the most barbarous anywhere, 
 observed the like. Nowhere the people so 
 stubborn as to manners, so bestial as to rites, 
 so impious as to Faith, so barbarous as to Laws, 
 so headstrong as to Discipline, so filthy as to 
 life. Christians by name, but in very deed 
 Pagans : not paying Tithes, nor offering first 
 fruits, nor joyning in lawful marriages, nor con- 
 
 * Quoted in Father Peter Walsh's " History of Ireland," 
 p. 267. 
 
 8 *
 
 ii6 THE DANES IN IRELAND. 
 
 fessing their sins. None among them found 
 either to receive or to enjoin penance. The 
 ministers of the Altar few : and yet no work 
 among the laity for those same few : no oppor- 
 tunity given them to make use of their Ministry 
 among a wicked generation of people: nor 
 they endeavouring it much, if not rather scarce 
 any way at all : for in their Churches the voice 
 neither of a Preacher nor singer was heard." 
 
 Yet again says St. Bernard,* in his " Life 
 of Malachy" (Malachias) cap. vii, " For what 
 has never been elsewhere, not even since the 
 very beginning of Christianity heard, was now in 
 Ireland to be seen. Bishops without ordina- 
 tion, without reason multiplied at the lust of 
 the Metropolitan. Insomuch that one Bishop- 
 rick was not content with one Bishop, but 
 almost every Church in it had a peculiar 
 Bishop. And indeed how was it likely to be 
 otherwise ? or that under so diseased, so 
 corrupt a head, the members could be 
 sound ? " 
 
 * Father Walsh, p. 263.
 
 THE DANES IN IRELAND. 117 
 
 So much for the state of religion in 
 Ireland, which was certainly not such as 
 would render a victorious colony well esta- 
 blished in the country anxious that their own 
 chief pastors should be taken from such a set 
 of men as described by St. Bernard, men 
 whom if we may trust the account given of the 
 labours of Laurence Archbishop, of Dublin, 
 A.D. 1 162, by Father Walsh the Franciscan,* 
 did not improve as time went on. " As a 
 Bishop and a Legat too," says the author of his 
 "Life," "he conniv'd at no disorder in the 
 clergy, no vice, no sin, and least of all at the 
 scandalous one of Incontinency, whether in 
 Priest, Deacon, or Subdeacon. Which fleshly 
 vice he did so much abominate, especially in 
 them, and found it so necessary to be pro- 
 ceeded against with vigour ; that even so great 
 a number as a hundred and forty priests 
 convict thereof he sent together at one time 
 for Penance and Absolution to Rome ; though 
 
 * "Hist, Irel.," p. 300.
 
 ii8 THE DANES IN IRELAND. 
 
 he might otherwise have given them both at 
 home by his own authority." 
 
 So far then we see that poor old Ireland did 
 not thrive under the civilizing garb of Chris- 
 tianity much better than in pre-Christian times. 
 The Danes who virtually may be looked on as 
 conquerors, for they could not be dispossessed 
 of the most important positions in any country, 
 viz., a hold on the chief rivers and commercial 
 towns, these Danes gradually became Chris- 
 tians, but yet, strange as it may appear, they 
 will not as Christians either coalesce with the 
 native Irish nor will they get their Bishops 
 from among her people and by consecration 
 from the ancient See of Armagh. This is the 
 fact which the Historian has to face, and in 
 order fully to take in the situation it is neces- 
 sary to turn briefly to English history and see 
 what the Danes were doing in England, if 
 similar results are found there, or anything 
 which may explain the phenomena which 
 attracts our attention. 
 As the fearfully bloodthirsty doings of the
 
 THE DANES IN IRELAND. iig 
 
 Irish have even by Irish saints been considered 
 the reason* why God's vengeance let loose over 
 her plains the wild Northmen of Norway and 
 Denmark ; so in England we see a very similar 
 act of Divine retribution. 
 
 The ancient English, if I may so say, were 
 the Britons (afterwards confined to Wales, 
 even as the native Irish were driven into Con- 
 naught), and they were at an early period 
 Christianized by Rome ; but one great act of 
 omission is attributed to them — they would not 
 aid or raise a little finger towards converting 
 the Saxons who occupied nearly all what is 
 now called, England. 
 
 Dr.Lappenbergt justly observes, " The strug- 
 gles between the Britons and the Anglo-Saxons 
 were carried on for centuries with so much 
 rancour, that it ought to excite no astonishment, 
 and still less call for blame, that the former did 
 not attempt the conversion of their barbarous 
 enemies and oppressors. Most worthy there- 
 fore of admiration appears Pope Gregory the 
 
 * St. Brigid for example. f Vol. I, p. 135.
 
 120 THE DANES IN IRELAND. 
 
 Great, who first conceived the idea of gaining 
 the Anglo-Saxon states for Christendom and 
 the Cathohc Church." 
 
 The punishment fell on them later, when as 
 Usher and the ** Ulster Annals " relate, some 
 nine years after St. Augustine's death, Ethel- 
 fred slaughtered thousands of the British, 
 among whom were 1200 of the monks of 
 Bangor. 
 
 Yet once again, " fate," " destiny," " the 
 survival of the fittest," as philosophers may 
 say, but "Providence," to use a Christian term, 
 punished those same Saxons for their want of 
 earnestness in the practice of that Christianity 
 which they had received fresh from the lap of 
 Rome. 
 
 The Danes had mastered the Saxons, the 
 Christian-Saxons ;* what is the expedient re- 
 
 * Saxon-Christianity was worse than that of the early Irish. 
 Lappenberg (Vol. I, p. 196) speaking of their monasteries, 
 says ; — "A vice peculiar to the time consisted in the facility 
 with which laymen of rank, ealdormen, and other officials of 
 the king were permitted to found monasteries for themselves 
 and wives. In these foundations, the layman assuming the
 
 THE DANES IN IRELAND. 121 
 
 sorted to by these followers of Jesus Christ ? 
 Men talk of the Massacre of St. Bartholomew, 
 a massacre for ever to be deplored, but yet 
 confessedly looked upon as much from a poli- 
 tical as religious aspect by the perpetrators, 
 what will Englishmen, who everlastingly 
 throw it in our teeth, say to the following 
 event in their own Saxon history ? On the 
 13th of November, 1002, secret orders were 
 despatched by (Ethelred to murder the Danes 
 throughout England. A general slaughter 
 took place, women and children being mur- 
 dered equally with the men. Among those 
 thus slaughtered was Gunhelda, the sister of 
 Sweyne. When on the point of death, she ex- 
 claimed, that the shedding of her blood would 
 be at the cost of all England. True were her 
 words, and well might the Saxons remember 
 
 abbot's staff, devoted to worldly indulgencies, free from all 
 burdens, surrounded by profligate monks, whose vices had 
 caused their expulsion from other monasteries, or by his own 
 former followers, shaven in the guise of monks, lived without 
 rule or discipline, to the detriment and scandal of the 
 country."
 
 123 THE DANES IN IRELAND. 
 
 them when Danish Kings sat on the Throne of 
 England. 
 
 But now comes good out of evil, now once 
 again the over-ruling Providence of God is 
 shown. These -Danes become the means of a 
 closer intercourse with Rome, of an in- 
 vigorated faith, of a more close connection 
 of England with the Holy Roman Empire 
 and the See of Rome. Canute as every 
 schoolboy knows, became possessor of the 
 English throne, Canute who may be and 
 who has been compared as a ruler to 
 Charles the Great. He found that heathenism 
 was still lurking among the Danish settlers, so 
 he strictly prohibited it. Ecclesiastics were 
 honoured by him, many churches rebuilt, 
 every monastery in England richly gifted, and 
 some also in foreign countries, such as St. 
 Omer's and Chartres. He also instituted the 
 anniversaries of the sainted King Edward and 
 of St. Dunstan.* In honour of St. Edmund 
 the King and Martyr, he refounded the Bene- 
 
 * Lappenberg.
 
 THE DANES IN IRELAND. 123 
 
 dictine monastery at Bedericsworth, now called 
 St. Edmundsbury, and also re-established St. 
 Peter's pence ; he furthermore established com- 
 plete good will between the See of Canterbury 
 and the Church of Hamburg, which was a 
 great step towards mutual good feeling between 
 Danish and Saxon ecclesiastics. These facts 
 evidently bear on the longing of the Irish Danes 
 to be in communion with the Danes of England 
 and with the See of Canterbury so honoured 
 by Canute. One more incident in the life of 
 Canute must be recorded. About 1030 (dates 
 differ slightly) he went to Rome and obtained 
 from the Pope numerous privileges for the 
 Saxons. His letter to the English sent by him 
 through the hands of the Abbot of Tavistock 
 is of great interest. I give it in full.* 
 
 "Canute, King of all England and Denmark, 
 and of part of Sweden, to Qithelnoth the 
 Metropolitan, and CElfric of York, and to all 
 bishops and primates, and to the whole nation 
 of the English, both noble and ignoble, wishes 
 
 * Lappenberg, Vol. II, p. 212.
 
 124 THE DANES IN IRELAND. 
 
 health. I make known to you that I have 
 lately been to Rome, to pray for the redemp- 
 tion of my sins, and for the prosperity of the 
 kingdoms and peoples subject to my rule. 
 This journey I had long ago vowed to God, 
 though, through affairs of state and other im- 
 pediments, had hitherto been unable to per- 
 form it : but I now humbly return thanks to 
 God Almighty for having in my life granted me 
 to yearn after the blessed apostles, Peter and 
 Paul, and every sacred place within and with- 
 out the City of Rome, which I could learn of, 
 and, according to my desire, personally to 
 venerate and adore. And this I have executed 
 chiefly because I had learned from wise men 
 that the holy apostle Peter had received from 
 the Lord the great power of binding and 
 loosing, and was Key-bearer of the celestial 
 kingdom ; and I, therefore, deemed it extremely 
 useful to desire his patronage before God. Be 
 it now known to you, that there was a great 
 assembly of nobles at the Easter celebration, 
 with the lord Pope John and Emperor
 
 THE DANES IN IRELAND. 125 
 
 Conrad, to wit, all the princes of the nations 
 from Mount Gargano to the nearest sea, 
 who all received me honourably, and honoured 
 me with magnificent presents. But I have 
 been chiefly honoured by the Emperor with 
 divers costly gifts, as well in golden and silver 
 vases as in mantles and vestments exceedingly 
 precious. I have therefore spoken with the 
 emperor, and the lord pope, and the princes 
 who were there, concerning the wants of all 
 my people, both English and Danes, that a 
 more equitable law and greater security might 
 be granted to them in their journey to Rome, 
 and that they might not be hindered by so many 
 barriers, nor harassed by unjust tolls : and the 
 emperor and king Rudolf, who has the greater 
 number of those barriers in his dominion, have 
 agreed to my demands : and all the princes 
 have engaged by their edict, that my men, 
 whether merchants or other travellers for 
 objects of devotion, should go and return in 
 security and peace, without any constraint of 
 barriers or tolls.
 
 126 THE DANES IN IRELAND. 
 
 " I then complained to the lord pope, and 
 said, that it greatly displeased me, that from 
 my archbishops such immense sums of money 
 were exacted, when, according to usage, they 
 visited the apostolic see to receive the pall ; 
 and it was decreed that such exactions should 
 not thenceforth be made. And all that I have 
 demanded for the benefit of my people from 
 the lord pope, from the emperor, from king 
 Rudolf and from the other princes, through 
 whose territories our way lies to Rome, they 
 have freely granted, and also confirmed their 
 cessions by oath, with the witness of four 
 archbishops and twenty bishops, and an in- 
 numerable multitude of dukes and nobles, 
 who were present ; I therefore render great 
 thanks to God Almighty that I have success- 
 fully accomplished all that I desired, as I had 
 proposed in my mind, and satisfied to the 
 utmost the wishes of my people. Now then, 
 be it known to you, that I have vowed, as a 
 suppliant, from henceforth to justify in all 
 things my whole life to God, and to rule the
 
 THE DANES IN IRELAND. 127 
 
 kingdoms and peoples subjected to me justly 
 and piously, to maintain equal justice among 
 all ; and if, through the intemperance of my 
 youth, or through negligence, I have done 
 aught hitherto contrary to what is just, I 
 intend with the aid of God to amend all. I 
 therefore conjure and enjoin my counsellors, 
 to whom I have intrusted the counsels of the 
 kingdom, that from henceforth they in no wise, 
 neither through fear of me nor favour to any 
 powerful person, consent to, or suifer to in- 
 crease any injustice in my whole kingdom : 
 I enjoin also all sherrifs and * gerefan ' of 
 my entire kingdom, as they would enjoy my 
 friendship or their own security, that they 
 use no unjust violence to any man, either 
 rich or poor, but that every one, both noble 
 and ignoble, enjoy just law, from which let 
 them in no way swerve, neither for equal 
 favour, nor for any powerful person, nor for 
 the sake of collecting money for me by iniqui- 
 tous exactions. 
 
 " I therefore wish it to be made known
 
 128 THE DANES IN IRELAND. 
 
 to you, that, returning by the same way that 
 I departed, I am going to Denmark, for the 
 purpose of settling, with all the counsel of 
 the Danes, firm and lasting peace with those 
 nations, which, had it been in their power, 
 would have deprived us of our life and king- 
 dom ; but were unable, God having deprived 
 them of strength, who in His loving kindness 
 preserves us in our kingdoms and honour, and 
 renders naught the power of our enemies. 
 Having made peace with the enemies around 
 us, and regulated and tranquillized all our 
 kingdom here in the East, so that on no side 
 we may have to fear war or enmities, I propose 
 this summer, as soon as I can have a number 
 of ships ready, to proceed to England ; but 
 I have sent this letter beforehand, that all the 
 people of my kingdom may rejoice at my 
 prosperity ; for, as you yourselves know, I 
 have never shrunk from labouring, nor will 
 I shrink therefrom, for the necessary benefit 
 of all my people. I therefore conjure all 
 my bishops and ealdormcn, by the fealty
 
 THE DANES IN IRELAND. 129 
 
 which they owe to me and to God, so to 
 order that, before I come to England, the 
 debts of all, which we owe according to the 
 old law, 'be paid ; to wit, plough-alms, and a 
 tithe of animals brought forth during the year, 
 and the pence which ye owe to St. Peter at 
 Rome, both from the cities and villages ; and 
 in the middle of August, a tithe of fruits, and 
 at the feast of St. Martin, the first-fruits of 
 things sown, to the church of the parish in 
 which each one dwells, which is in English 
 called ciric-sceat. If, when I come, these and 
 others are not paid, he who is in fault shall be 
 punished by the royal power severely and with- 
 out any remission. Farewell." 
 
 Thus then not only did England benefit 
 by reason of a Danish royal house, but Rome 
 was taught by Canute that the Northmen were, 
 to use nineteenth century language, a better 
 spiritual speculation, than Celt or Saxon. The 
 Saxons would not convert the Danes, but 
 massacred them and thus for ever destroyed 
 any influence for good which they might have 
 
 9
 
 130 THE DANES IN IRELAND. 
 
 exercised over them. Then providentially 
 Canute seeks to strengthen Christianity not 
 only among his kindred in England but among 
 the Saxons themselves. 
 
 In Ireland the battle of Clontarf in the 
 beginning of the eleventh century (a.d. 1014) 
 broke the power of the Danes, but did 
 not prevent their settling permanently on every 
 vantage post in Ireland. The Irish showed 
 them no very brilliant* example of Christian 
 
 * This assertion is amply borne out by history. To quote 
 Dr. Newman will suffice for English readers, "Brian, then, 
 was raised up to accomplish for his country great works of a 
 material kind. His arms broke the power of the Northmen ; 
 he rebuilt the fabrics of religion ; but, as to moral and social 
 matters, he left behind him the bad and the good which were 
 before him. He did not reverse the national degradation. 
 There had been literature among the Irish all along, and 
 civil war all along : he found both and he left both. Schools 
 had still endured when the Northmen were victorious ; 
 slaughter and sacrilege were still rife when they had been 
 chastised. So too was it with the ecclesiastics : the well- 
 known disorders in the Church of Armagh, which continued 
 up to the time of St. Malachi, are a clear evidence of it." — 
 Historical Sketches, Vol. I, 2nd edit., p. 286. 
 
 The Catholic, Lanigan, an Irishman, confirms it as follows : 
 " The Irish were during a great part of the eleventh century
 
 THE DANES IN IRELAND. 131 
 
 life, and when these Danes gradually became 
 Christian it was to England they naturally 
 turned their eyes. They knew that Canute 
 had been favoured by Rome and had been 
 the great Christian- Danish King, they heard 
 of the monasteries he had founded and the 
 works of benevolence he had carried out, and 
 in addition to these recent events, they saw 
 that the descendants of those Saxons who had 
 massacred them were now themselves under 
 the rule of a Monarch of their own race, 
 William the Norman, King of England, a 
 King furthermore who had invaded England 
 backed by the support of that same power 
 which had treated Canute and his Danes with 
 such justice and fraternity of feeling — the See 
 of Rome. 
 
 The Irish-Danes would have been more than 
 human if they had not longed to strengthen 
 their position by seeking consecration of their 
 
 engaged here and there in wars among themselves ; and we 
 find now and then one or other party of them assisted by the 
 Danes settled in Dublin or elsewhere." — Vol. Ill, p. 427.
 
 132 THE DANES IN IRELAND. 
 
 prelates from the See of Canterbury, a See in 
 an especial manner the symbol of Roman 
 power and consequently of toleration and 
 support of their own race. In addition to 
 these mundane notions there was the spiritual 
 allegiance they owed. Father Waterworth, an 
 English Jesuit of literary reputation, remarks 
 on the subject :* " Murtogh, King of Ireland, 
 and Dermeth his brother, in connection with 
 the Irish prelates, Domnald, Iduman of Meath, 
 Samuel of Dublin, and Ferdomnach of Lein- 
 ster, being anxious to raise Waterford to the 
 dignity of a bishoprick, humbly besought 
 Anselm, as their primate and legate of the 
 Holy See, to grant their request, and to conse- 
 crate the priest Malchus, whom they had 
 chosen for this dignity. And Anselm exer- 
 cised his authority as Archbishop. It appears 
 that one of the petitioners, Samuel, bishop of 
 Dublin, had assumed the privilege of having a 
 cross borne before him on the highways. 
 Anselm tells him that this has been reported to 
 
 * " England and Rome," by Rev. W. Waterworth, s.j., 
 p. 265. London: Burns and Lambert, 1854.
 
 THE DANES IN IRELAND. 133 
 
 him, and that, if it be true, this is not to occur 
 again, since those only are permitted to have 
 the cross borne before them who have re- 
 ceived the pall from Rome.* Englishmen and 
 Irishmen admitted the authority of Anselm, 
 because that authority had been received from 
 the Mother and Mistress of all Churches." 
 This authority of St. Anselm was not opposed 
 by the Irish prelates, as may be seen by the 
 letters (in Usserii " Sylloge Veterum Epist. 
 Hib.") of Tordelvac O'Brian, King of the 
 Southern moiety of Ireland, and of his son 
 and successor Murchertach, both called Kings 
 of Ireland, and of Ferdomnach, bishop of 
 Kildare and Metropolitan of Leinstert (before 
 Dublin was made so in 1152). 
 
 This intimate connection of Dublin, Water- 
 ford, Limerick and Cork with the English 
 Danes and the Normans of Duke William 
 necessarily had most vital importance in con- 
 
 * Apud Usser. "Vet. Epist. Hib. Syl." p. 69. 
 f O'Flaherty's " H-IAR Connaught," by Hardiman. 
 p. 442.
 
 134 THE DANES IN IRELAND. 
 
 nection with the gift of Ireland to a succes- 
 sor of WilHam, Henry II. Lanfranc was the 
 great promoter of WilHam's cause at Rome 
 previous to his invasion of England ; the illus- 
 trious Hildebrand, after Gregory VII, was 
 Archdeacon at Rome at the same time, and he 
 ' showed the greatest interest in the intended 
 conquest. Thus then does a continued course 
 of evolution at last lead up to a Norman con- 
 quest of Ireland, which was but a necessary 
 consequence of the same Norman conquest of 
 England ; both invasions being under the 
 sanction of the Popes of Rome, both being 
 subservient to the one great object apparently 
 intended by Providence, namely, to weld to- 
 gether the states of Europe and strengthen the 
 outposts of Christianity by bringing them into 
 nearer and closer union with Rome which is 
 the heart from which blood is supplied to the 
 Christian body at large.
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR AND POPE 
 GREGORY VII. 
 
 In order to understand the causes which 
 led the Popes to sanction the Norman con- 
 quest of Ireland one or two preliminary 
 inquiries must be made. It will be necessary 
 to see the ground on which William of Nor- 
 mandy first of all invaded England ; secondly, 
 the bearing of the Norman invasion of England 
 on the Irish invasion of the next century, and 
 inextricably interwoven with each of these 
 events — the action of the Holy See in favour- 
 ing the Normans at the expense of both Saxon 
 and Celt. 
 
 In an age when literature of all kinds was 
 almost entirely confined to the clergy it is not 
 to be wondered at, that apart from all questions 
 of an ecclesiastical or controversial nature
 
 136 WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR 
 
 they must have had infinitely more influence 
 than could have fallen to their lot if the 
 laity had been anything like as well educated 
 as they are in our own days. It will not 
 therefore surprise the thoughtful student of 
 history if he finds that the influence of this 
 or that priest was of more weight than a 
 battalion of troops or the wishes of a palace 
 full of courtiers. 
 
 Already we have seen that Canute in his 
 own person did lowly reverence to the head 
 priest of Christendom, the Pope ; and his 
 example would but increase the reverence felt 
 by Ignorance for Genius apart from all question 
 of right or wrong. But in addition to the 
 intellectual pre-eminence of the clergy, the 
 common folk as well as the lordly courtier 
 must naturally feel that when a Monarch 
 kneels to receive the blessing of a Priest, they 
 need not hesitate in drawing the conclusion 
 that the spiritual power thus manifested must 
 be of an order far greater than any they have 
 hitherto come across.
 
 AND POPE GREGORY VII. 137 
 
 The reverence manifested by the warrior- 
 king Canute was but carried out by his suc- 
 cessor King Edward of saintly reputation. 
 Indeed the noble Abbey of Westminster now 
 so internally disfigured by being practically 
 turned into a statue-gallery was reared by 
 him as a mark of respect and reverence to 
 the See of Rome. The occasion of its erec- 
 tion was as follows. Edward, while in exile, 
 made a vow the fulfilment of which would lead 
 him to Rome. When however he communi- 
 cated to his Council the intention he had formed, 
 they used all means to prevent his leaving the 
 kingdom, and the consequence was he sent 
 word to the Pope that owing to the troublous 
 state of the times he found it impossible 
 to carry out his vow, what therefore should he 
 do ? The Pope decided that he should give 
 alms to the poor of an amount equal to the 
 cost of his journey, and erect a monastery to 
 God dedicated to St. Peter. Edward did so, 
 and thus the English have Westminster Abbey 
 now so diverted from its original purpose.
 
 138 WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR 
 
 King Edward owed a debt of kindness to 
 the Normans and his love for them was shown 
 in many ways, and not least in the appoint- 
 ment to the See of Canterbury of Robert,* 
 a Norman. He received the pall from the 
 Pope, and thus was canonically and lawfully 
 Archbishop of Canterbury. But now comes 
 out once again the ill-feeling borne to the 
 Northmen as a genus, and to the species, 
 Norman. Stigand, who had been one of 
 Canute's chaplains, and made afterwards 
 Bishop of Selsey and Winchester, was the 
 favourite of what one may call the English 
 clique. The evils which internally brought 
 trouble on England were attributed to Robert, 
 and finally the English named Robert Arch- 
 bishop of Canterbury as one of those who 
 should be outlawed. Naturally the Archbishop 
 appealed to the Holy Sec, and as usual in- 
 justice and tyranny received condemnation. 
 
 * Robert Champart, Abbot of Jumieges in 1037, was 
 bishop of London in 1044 and Archbishop of Canterbury 
 in 1050.
 
 AND POPE GREGORY VII. 139 
 
 Leo IX maintained that those who sought 
 to raise Stigand to the See could not do so, 
 for Robert was rightly Archbishop and his 
 rights must be maintained. So long as this 
 state of things lasted Stigand might retain 
 possession of the See unlawfully, but he could 
 not obtain the pall and consequently his spiri- 
 tual jurisdiction was nil. An Anti-pope at this 
 time seized the Papal Chair and naturally the 
 usurping Pope supported the usurping Bishop ; 
 however Stigand's triumph was short-lived, for 
 this Anti-pope was shortly after deposed and his 
 rightful successor immediately suspended Sti- 
 gand from all Episcopal functions and thus re- 
 duced him to a far worse condition than before. 
 It will easily be seen that this strife con- 
 cerning the See of Canterbury had wide and 
 far-reaching results. The Popes who would 
 not easily forget the massacre of one race of 
 the Northmen, the Danes, on St. Brice's Day 
 by the Saxon English, now find the representa- 
 tive of the Saxons courting the pall from an 
 Anti-pope and striving unjustly to oust from
 
 140 WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR 
 
 the See of Canterbury, the very man who had 
 received from Rome the Pall and who was the 
 chosen friend of the Saintly King Edward 
 whose friends were more Norman than Saxon. 
 Rome never forgets ; can it therefore be a sub- 
 ject of wonderment if when Duke William 
 whose claims to the throne of England were 
 at least plausible, sought the blessing of the 
 Holy See on his undertaking, that the Pope 
 should have given it from the bottom of his 
 heart ? Did not the Pope well know that 
 William was a thorough Catholic, that he 
 always chose men of sanctity and learning for 
 his sees — did he not know that from the Abbey 
 of Bee had come forth the great vanquisher 
 of heresy,* Lanfranc,t who was the bosom 
 
 * The Berengarian, for example. 
 
 f " He was a native of Lombardy, deeply versed in the 
 knowledge of the liberal arts, gifted with benevolence, 
 generosity, and all the sacred virtues, and ceaselessly intent 
 on alms-giving and other good works. Indeed, from the 
 day already mentioned, when at Bonneville he was first 
 raised to rule in the church, for twenty-two years and nine 
 months he was nobly distinguished for the good to multi- 
 tudes of the faithful in the house of God." — Ordericus 
 Vitalis, B. III. ch. xii.
 
 AND POPE GREGORY VIL 141 
 
 friend of the Duke ? Did he not know that 
 the Northmen in Normandy were closely 
 bound to the See of Rome and rightly carried 
 out Canon Law while the Saxons had the 
 most vague and unsatisfactory ideas of the 
 sanctity of the matrimonial state and the 
 binding power of ecclesiastical law over their 
 clergy ? Did Rome not look with horror 
 on a race who instead of trying to Christianize 
 the Danes, massacred them in cold blood ? 
 Did she not still more detest the want of noble 
 feelings which showed itself in the iniquitous 
 sale of their own children to the Irish, a sale 
 which was the chief export trade of Bristol ? 
 Could Rome, whose chief aim is the salvation 
 of souls, throw cold water on the intended in- 
 vasion of a country to which the Duke had put 
 forward a legal claim, and which if successful 
 would immensely improve the social and reli- 
 gious state of the Saxon inhabitants ? 
 
 An objection will in many minds arise, and 
 express itself somewhat thus : " The Pope had 
 no business to do evil that good might come —
 
 142 WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR 
 
 to sanction an invasion because those invaded 
 were not such good Papists as the invaders — it 
 was a priestly interference which was essen- 
 tially unjust and unpardonable, and deserves the 
 condemnation of all freedom-loving citizens." 
 
 Such, or something of a similar kind is the 
 opinion of many men when reading of the 
 Papally-blessed expedition to England, and in 
 fact of many other acts of Popes in those 
 times. 
 
 An answer seems desirable, and it will partly 
 meet a similar objection to the Norman in- 
 vasion of Ireland under direct Papal approba- 
 tion and sanction. 
 
 It is in all inquiries such as those before us 
 grossly unjust to consider them from a nine- 
 teenth century point of view. 
 
 In the eleventh century Europe was not 
 either Christianized or Civilized as it is now, 
 and the Pope occupied a different position in 
 some ways to what he now does. Then 
 Europe was, in its Christian aspect, a way- 
 ward child — fretful, petulant, loving yet vacil-
 
 AND POPE GREGORY VII . 143 
 
 lating-. The Popes were looked up to as the 
 Chief Bishops of the Christian Church, and 
 the Monarch if a Christian, naturally sought 
 the Pope's blessing on his rule and kingdom. 
 Kings themselves — whether rightly or wrongly 
 is not here the question — accepted cordially the 
 idea that the Pope's blessing or the Pope's 
 curse was ratified by Almighty God, and that 
 if a Pope thought a King was acting tyran- 
 nically over his subjects, he, as the earthly 
 representative of the God of Justice, had 
 power to excommunicate or depose that King. 
 Whether at a time when Kings had so much 
 absolute power it was not very beneficial that 
 a power should exist which they feared, may 
 well be asked.* Whether if England had 
 
 * Voltaire was more just than many so-called Christian- 
 philosophers. He says, "The interest of the human 
 race requires a check which shall restrain sovereigns, 
 and protect the lives of the people ; the check of religion 
 might have been by a common agreement in the hands of the 
 Popes. The early pontiffs, by meddling with temporal 
 quarrels, only in order to appease them, by reminding Kings 
 and people of their duties, by condemning their crimes, by 
 reserving excommunications for great enormities, would
 
 144 WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR 
 
 been really Catholic, for example, in the latter 
 part of the reign of Henry VIII and under 
 Charles I, a Pope had checked the former 
 monarch's tyranny and the latter's excessive 
 use of the royal prerogative it would not have 
 been advantageous to England will not be 
 denied. Whether if Europe now were Catholic 
 a Pope's request that Germany should not 
 have exacted such immense retributive remu- 
 neration from France after 1870 might have had 
 a beneficial effect in lessening the chances of a 
 war of re-conquest may well be maintained. 
 
 But to return to the Middle Ages. Emperors 
 and Kings admitted the right of Popes to check 
 and control the actions of Kings if those 
 
 always have been looked upon as the images of God upon 
 the earth. But men are actually come to have nothing else 
 for their defence than the laws and manners of each country, — 
 laws that are often despised, and manners that are often 
 corrupt." — Volt. Essai, &c., Tom. II. ch. Ix, quoted by 
 De Maistre on " The Pope," Bk, II. chap. ix. 
 
 What Voltaire wrote then is even more true now when 
 Ministers drag Monarchy in the mire by cringing to agitation 
 —mob-law, and the will of the majority, be that majority 
 ignorant, communistic, or bestial, matters not.
 
 AND POPE GREGORY VII. 145 
 
 actions were detrimental either to Religion 
 or to Civil Liberty. For example, Robert of 
 France was excommunicated, but nevertheless 
 Voltaire remarks, "the Emperor Otho III 
 was himself present at the Council in which 
 the sentence of excommunication was pro- 
 nounced."* 
 
 So again in a crucial case, Philip Augustus 
 had transferred to him the Kingdom of Eng- 
 land by the Pope. He did not certainly pros- 
 iest that Popes had no right to give crowns ! t 
 In brief, it is perhaps only natural that a 
 King when excommunicated or deposed should 
 dislike such paternal exercise of authority, 
 nevertheless that same deposed King if rein- 
 stated would have no objection to receive 
 authority from the Pope to gain an advantage. 
 In this very case of King John and Philip it 
 must be remembered that Pope Innocent gave 
 John the title of King even after censure, and 
 the Protestant historian Ranke, adds, " as 
 soon as the Pope was acknowledged as lord 
 
 * Voltaire, " Essai," &c., Tom. II, ch. xxxix. 
 f De Maistre, " Le Pape." 
 
 10
 
 146 WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR. 
 
 superior, not only must all hostility cease, but 
 it became his duty to take the Kingdom under 
 his protection."* 
 
 Thus for a Pope to interfere where tyranny 
 was being exercised or when a disputed suc- 
 cession arose, was in fact, so to speak, to 
 bring the question before a higher court, and 
 thus the Kings, tyrants, or rebels, would have 
 the Vicar of Christ for their opponent did 
 they not submit. It will be readily granted 
 by every thoughtful and fair-minded reader 
 that such a Popedom must have been most 
 beneficial in those turbulent times, and for my 
 own part I feel inclined to add that I would 
 rather trust to the decision of a Leo than a 
 Bismarck even in our own days, on many a 
 question of temporal interests. 
 
 It is very noticeable that Duke William 
 who was so evidently befriended by Rome 
 was living contemporaneously with one whose 
 name is of evil omen to Protestants, the 
 notorious Gregory VII, better known as 
 
 * " Eng. Geschichte," I. p. 66.
 
 AND POPE GREGORY VII. 147 
 
 Hildebrand. Prince Bismarck in his recent 
 contest with the CathoHc Church in Germany 
 is reported to have remarked, " We will not 
 go to Canossa," alluding of course to the 
 public penance performed there by Henry* of 
 Germany for his disobedience to the repeated 
 prayers, requests, and finally denunciations 
 of the Holy See. The fact that Duke William 
 was on good terms with this grand Pope is 
 proof that he was not only a good ruler but 
 a good man, for no man has yet ventured to 
 say aught against the moral character of Pope 
 Gregory. It was, says De Maistre,t a splendid 
 moment, and one which would furnish the 
 subject of a very beautiful painting, that of 
 
 * " Through all Germany the Emperor's tyranny and 
 irregularities of life had sown the seeds of disaffection." — 
 Professor Bryce's Holy Roman Empire, 4th edit., p. 159. 
 
 " The conduct of the pontiff was not only in strict accord- 
 ance with the general opinion of the age as to the mischievous 
 rule of this secular potentate ; but was quite conformable to 
 the then prevailing doctrine of public law, which sanctioned the 
 responsibility and accountability of the temporal power." — 
 Schkgel's Philosophy of History, Bohn's 7th edit., p. 360. 
 
 t De Maistre, " Le Pape," Bk. II, chap. vii. 
 
 10 *
 
 148 WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR 
 
 the interview of Canossa, near Reggio, in 
 1077, when this Pope, holding the Eucharist 
 in his hands, turned towards the Emperor, 
 and summoned him to swear, in that presence, 
 that he had never acted except with perfect purity 
 of intention, for the glory of God and the happiness 
 of the people, whilst the Emperor, overwhelmed 
 with a guilty conscience, dared not repeat 
 such a formula, nor receive the Communion. 
 Gregory did both. Such then was the man 
 who intent above all things on the glory of 
 God and secondly the happiness of the people 
 thought fit to aid William Duke of Normandy 
 in his rule over Saxon England. In one* of 
 his letters he says, " The princes of the people 
 and the princes of the priests come out with 
 great multitudes against Christ the Son of the 
 Almighty God, and against His Apostle Peter, 
 to destroy the Christian religion and spread 
 the perversion of heresy. But, by the grace 
 of God, neither threats, nor persuasion, nor 
 
 * p. II, Ep. 64, p, 708. Mansi, xx, C28. Quoted by 
 Hergenroiher.
 
 AND POPE GREGORY VII. 149 
 
 promises of earthly honour will avail to with- 
 draw from Him to their impiety those who 
 trust in the Lord. They have entered into 
 a league against us, because we cannot be 
 silent when the Church is in danger, and 
 because we resist those who take no shame 
 in reducing the Bride of Christ to slavery. A 
 woman, however poor, may lawfully take a 
 husband according to the laws of her country 
 and her own wish ; but the will of wicked 
 men and their horrid devices would prevent 
 Holy Church who is the Bride of God and 
 our Mother, from adhering lawfully, according 
 to God's laws and her own desire, to her 
 Bridegroom on earth. We cannot suffer that 
 heretics, adulterers, and usurpers should stand 
 in the place of fathers to the sons of the 
 Church, and should brand them with the 
 dishonour of adultery." 
 
 The Pope's friendship and admiration for 
 William did not however blind him to his 
 defects, as the following extract from a letter 
 written by him to his legate Hugo will prove.
 
 150 WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR 
 
 " Although* the King of England shows 
 himself not so religious as we could desire, 
 still he is more deserving and better than 
 other kings, in that he neither ruins nor sells 
 the Church of God ; that he seeks to secure 
 peace and justice for his subjects, that he 
 has made no covenant with the enemies of the 
 Cross of Christ against the Church of God ; 
 that he obliges priests to leave their wives, 
 and enforces the payment of tithes upon the 
 laity." 
 
 He wrote personally to William once as 
 follows : t " For as for the beauty of this world, 
 that it may be at different seasons perceived by 
 fleshly eyes, God hath disposed the sun and the 
 moon, lights that outshine all others ; so lest 
 the creature whom His goodness hath formed 
 after His own image in this world should be 
 drawn astray into fatal dangers. He hath 
 provided in the apostolic and royal dignities 
 the means of ruling it through divers offices. 
 
 * Hergenrother. 
 
 -f Bryce, " Holy Roman Empire," 4th edit., p. 160.
 
 AND POPE GREGORY VII . 151 
 
 . . . If I, therefore, am to answer for thee 
 on the dreadful day of judgment before the 
 just Judge who cannot He, the Creator of 
 every creature, bethink thee whether I must 
 not very dihgently provide for thy salvation, 
 and whether, for thine own safety, thou 
 oughtest not without delay to obey me,* 
 that so thou mayest possess the land of the 
 living." 
 
 After thus getting an insight into the close 
 connection existing between the Roman Pontiff 
 and King William, also bearing in mind that 
 Lanfranc, Archbishop of Canterbury, was a 
 follower of the example set him by Rome and a 
 devoted adherent of the King, can we for one 
 moment wonder that Pope Gregory should 
 authorize Lanfranc to use all means in his power 
 to link together the interests of the Norman 
 Danes of Ireland with the Norman Court at 
 
 * De Maistre has made a remark which should be written 
 in these Communistic days in letters of gold. " The Popes 
 
 HAVE STRUGGLED SOMETIMES WITH SOVEREIGNS, NEVER WITH 
 SOVEREIGNTY."
 
 152 WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR. 
 
 "Westminster and the Norman-occupied and 
 Papal-directed See of Canterbury ? Ireland was 
 outside the Roman Empire, this was a great 
 loss in the eyes of Rome — what more likely than 
 that she should endeavour to obviate the draw- 
 backs owing to this geographical defect by 
 drawing tighter by Norman cords the Church 
 of Ireland to the See of Rome ? 
 
 With the light thus thrown on the situation, 
 I shall once again return to Ireland and 
 discuss the crowning feat of Rome in subject- 
 ing Ireland to the Normans in the person of 
 King Henry the Second. Tliis however I must 
 leave to the next chapter.
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 POPE ADRIAN'S GIFT OF IRELAND TO ENGLAND. 
 
 Not only was the nationality of the Danes a 
 great cause of the alliance in feeling between 
 the Normans in England and themselves, but 
 in another way which perhaps is not so often 
 remembered did their inroads and subsequent 
 settlement in Ireland pave the way for Henry's 
 conquest. 
 
 It must be remembered that the tyrannical 
 conduct of the Danish chief Turgesius natu- 
 rally led many of the Irish, who as I said 
 before were great travellers, to leave their 
 country for France; a large number for ex- 
 ample followed King Malachi there, and 
 subsequently gave their services to Charles 
 the Bold. This alliance between France and 
 Ireland has continued from that date until 
 the present day, and the following narrative
 
 154 POPE ADRIAN'S GIFT OF 
 
 of a recent event is the latest exemplification 
 of their friendship. 
 
 During the Franco-German war of 1870 
 Mgr. Dupanloup and the good priests of 
 Orleans were overwhelmed with the amount 
 of work thrown on their hands. The follow- 
 ing is the speech of the Bishop in the National 
 Assembly in which reference is made to the 
 receipt of help from Ireland :* 
 
 " Such an act will repair a long-standing 
 injustice (murmurs on the Left). Yes, gentle- 
 men, you are indebted to us for these chari- 
 table foundations, these hospitals, in a word, 
 the patrimony of the poor (applause from the 
 Right). The fact is undeniable. We have 
 covered Europe and all the other parts of 
 the world with homes of charity and asylums 
 for the poor. Before our time, before Chris- 
 tianity, there was not a single establishment 
 of beneficence, not one asylum for suffering 
 in the world. We are the creators of charity 
 upon earth (applause). Pagan moralists had 
 * Ex Weekly Register,
 
 IRELAND TO ENGLAND. 155 
 
 no concern for the poor — and they usually 
 called pity a vice of the heart, Misericordia animo 
 vitium est. Seneca affirms that in his treatise 
 ' De dementia.' What I assert is no insult 
 to my hearers. Another Pagan, no less than 
 Cicero {pro Murena), says, ' a man must be 
 either silly, or dull or wicked, if he yields his 
 heart to pity.' — In short, the whole theory is 
 summed up in these words — ' The sage knows 
 nothing of pity.' Once more I affirm it — we 
 have created the capital of charity — nay, 
 charity itself (applause and murmurs). We 
 have contrived to augment and consecrate 
 this capital. Who bestowed on you the Hotel 
 Dieu, the Incurables, the Foundling Hospital ? 
 — A saint, a priest, St. Vincent de Paul. We 
 have already established 120 new hospitals by 
 the hands of the Little Sisters of the Poor. 
 In them 20,000 old men are clothed, fed, 
 lodged, with the best of charity. In these 
 houses the clergy have, for ages, presided 
 over the distribution of alms, the patrimony 
 of the poor. In time, the laity came to
 
 156 POPE ADRIAN'S GIFT OF 
 
 associate with the clergy. More abundant 
 ahns will come in if we possess seats on the 
 Board. A legacy of 15,000 francs has just 
 been left to the ' Little Sisters of the Poor,' 
 and without waiting for my advice, they de- 
 clined it. ' If,' said they, ' we were to accept, 
 we should no longer be the Little Sisters of 
 the Poor. The sentiment of religion is the 
 great suggestor of charity. The fact is, that 
 people address us when they would engage in 
 a good work, because they have confidence in 
 us.' In Christianity charity is the most 
 essential quality of religion. A Christian 
 minister is not only the man of God, he is also 
 the man of the people (applause). In our 
 department, during the horrible ravages of war 
 there, we had at Orleans on our hands, for two 
 months together, 10,000 wounded. When this 
 flood of affliction came down upon us, we all 
 became as though we were but one soul and 
 one heart. Catholics, Protestants, private in- 
 dividuals, magistrates, priests, &c., we all met 
 in one common spirit of charity. Did any
 
 IRELAND TO ENGLAND. 157 
 
 difference occur on the score of religion ? Not 
 once ; our ambulances, like our hearts, were 
 open to all sufferers here to do honour to so 
 many that deserved it. We received assist- 
 ance from England, from Belgium, from every 
 other country : and above all, from poor but 
 admirable Ireland — from Dublin, Cork, 
 Limerick, and Kerry. How much ? No less 
 than 200,000 francs (applause). And why so 
 much ? Because, ten years ago when famine 
 was raging in Ireland, I had preached a sermon 
 for the benefit of its people. We then collected 
 for them 20,000 francs. You see they have repaid 
 us with large interest. And these money-orders 
 came with these simple words on them, 'A Sou- 
 venir from Ireland ' (enthusiastic applause)." 
 
 Thus in the 12th century began the friend- 
 ship which still endures ; but it was an ominous 
 alliance as viewed through English eyes and 
 consequently it will not occasion much wonder if 
 an historian thus chronicles the ill-feeling with 
 which it inspired Henry II.* " Post hsec 
 
 • Polidor. Virgil. " Hist. Angli." Lib. XIII, p. 55.
 
 158 POPE ADRIAN'S GIFT OF 
 
 Henricus destinavit animo domare Hiberniam, 
 turn quod Anglise propinqua est, turn quia 
 Gallis inde administrata saepius auxilia in- 
 telligebat." 
 
 So also relates Baker in his Chronicle on 
 the reign of Henry II. 
 
 " King Henry being then at rest from all 
 hostile arms both at home and abroad, takes 
 into his consideration the Kingdom of Ireland, 
 as a Kingdom which oftentimes afforded assist- 
 ance to the French." 
 
 Obviously Henry whatever he may have 
 thought fit to tell the Pope as his reason for 
 wishing to obtain Papal sanction for his 
 intended invasion was actuated purely by 
 political and not religious motives. His eccle- 
 siastical tendencies which culminated in the 
 murder of the Archbishop of Canterbury were 
 not of a nature to accord a first place to spiri- 
 tual improvements. 
 
 The coincidences which I noticed in the last 
 chapter are quite as noticeable in the reign of 
 Henry. As William was fortunate enough to
 
 IRELAND TO ENGLAND. 159 
 
 have friends at Rome when he invaded England 
 and one of those friends became Pope under 
 the name of Gregory VII shortly after his in- 
 vasion, so Henry had the equal good fortune 
 of living at the time when the only English- 
 man who ever ascended the Papal Throne was 
 Pope. Adrian IV, by name Nicholas Break- 
 spear, was the Pope who granted Ireland to 
 Henry. 
 
 Pope Adrian one would imagine was not one 
 who would refuse his sanction to any act 
 likely to redound to the credit of the Holy See. 
 One incident well known but perhaps worth 
 repeating here shows us at a glance that 
 Adrian was in one sense a worthy successor 
 of Gregory. The following description refers 
 to the entrance of the Emperor into Rome.* 
 " Great stress was laid on one part of the 
 procedure, — the holding by the Emperor of the 
 Pope's stirrup for him to mount, and the 
 leading of his palfrey for some distance. 
 Frederick Barbarossa's omission of this mark 
 * Bryce, p. 283.
 
 i6o POPE ADRIAN'S GIFT OF 
 
 of respect when Pope Hadrian IV met him 
 on his way to Rome, had nearly caused a 
 breach between the two potentates, Hadrian 
 absolutely refusing the kiss of peace until 
 Frederick should have gone through the form, 
 which he was at last forced to do in a some- 
 what ignominious way." 
 
 Such was the Pope who at the request of 
 King Henry granted his sanction to the sub- 
 jection of Ireland to England. 
 
 The following is the document in question :* 
 " Hadrian, the bishop — the servant of the 
 servants of God — sends health and apostolic 
 benediction to his most dear son in Christ, 
 the illustrious King of the Angli. Your 
 magnificence employs your thoughts very 
 meritoriously and happily in spreading a 
 glorious name over the earth, and laying up 
 a reward of eternal happiness in heaven. For 
 you, like a Catholic Prince, proceed to extend 
 the boundaries of the Church — to make kno^vn 
 
 * Rymer, Foedera " Constitutiones," ], p. 15. Quoted by 
 Whittle in " Catholicism and the Vatican."
 
 IRELAND TO ENGLAND. i6i 
 
 the truth of the Christian faith to ignorant 
 and savage tribes, to pluck up the seed-plants 
 of evil from the soil of the Lord ; and to 
 accomplish your purpose more properly you 
 seek the counsel and favour of the Apostolic 
 See. In this undertaking we are confident 
 that with the favour of the Lord you will 
 make more successful progress in proportion 
 as you proceed with higher purpose, and 
 greater discretion ; and our confidence is 
 grounded in this, that all designs which 
 have taken their beginning in ardour for the 
 faith and love of religion, generally attain 
 a happy result and termination. 
 
 " Truly it is no matter of doubt that Ireland 
 and all the islands upon which Christ, the sun 
 of justice, hath shone, and which have received 
 the evidence of that Christian faith, belong 
 to the dominion of St. Peter and the Holy 
 Roman Church, wherefore the more willingly 
 do we plant among them a faithful shoot and 
 seedling of the faith, inasmuch as we foresee 
 
 II
 
 1 62 POPE ADRIAN'S GIFT OF 
 
 that it must be watched over steadily by us 
 within that country. 
 
 ** You have signified, indeed, to us, most 
 dear son in Christ, that you wished to enter 
 the island of Ireland, in order to subdue that 
 people to the laws, and to pluck out the shoots 
 of evil, and that you wished to pay to St. Peter 
 for each house an annual tax of one penny, 
 and to maintain the rights of the churches of 
 that land unassailed and inviolate. We, there- 
 fore, attending your pious and laudable purpose 
 with suitable approval, and bestowing a benign 
 assent upon your request, declare it agreeable 
 to the end approved by us that you should 
 invade that island for the sake of extending 
 the boundaries of the Church, of restraining 
 the course of vice, of reforming morals and 
 implanting virtues, for the increase of the 
 Christian religion ; that you should carry out 
 what concerns the honour of God and his 
 salvation ; that the people of that island 
 should with honour and reverence receive
 
 IRELAND TO ENGLAND. 163 
 
 you as Lord, saving, nevertheless, in per- 
 petuity the inviolate and untouched rights 
 of the churches, and saving to St. Peter and 
 the Holy Roman See the annual payment of 
 one penny for every house. 
 
 " If, therefore, the design which you have 
 conceived you shall have determined to carry 
 out with corresponding results, take care to 
 train that nation in good morals, and endea- 
 vour that the Church there shall give honour 
 as well through you as through those whom 
 you shall have judged suited to this end from 
 their faith, language, and mode of life, that the 
 religion of the Christian faith should be intro- 
 duced there and spread, and that all which 
 relates to the honour of God and the salvation 
 of souls should be so arranged that you may be 
 able to obtain from God the crown of an 
 eternal reward, and to receive a glorious name 
 upon the earth " &c., &c. 
 
 Many Irishmen, ecclesiastics as well as 
 laymen, have been so opposed to the rescript 
 of Adrian that they have declared it to be a 
 
 II *
 
 i64 POPE ADRIAN'S GIFT OF 
 
 forgery. As however succeeding Popes have 
 not hesitated to refer to it and have never in 
 spite of urgent requests attempted to rescind 
 it, one marvels at men throwing thus heed- 
 lessly a slur on the good faith of the Popes. 
 That the letter was sent some years before 
 Henry made use of it is not of the slightest 
 avail in their attempts to lessen Papal authority 
 in order to uphold the independence of Ireland. 
 
 If Gregory the Seventh was a Pope whose 
 deeds were righteous, and what Priest could 
 say they were not ? then no Irish-man can with- 
 out danger deliberately discredit the action 
 not only of Adrian but of those succeeding 
 Popes who as my readers will see, acted on 
 the supposition that Adrian had done what 
 was perfectly within his power. 
 
 It will be objected that the rescript is 
 based on the supposed truth of the Donation 
 of Constantino,* which is now admitted to be 
 
 * The following extracts are given by Gratian in the 
 Corpus luris Canonici, Dist. xcvi, cc, 13, 14 (quoted by 
 Bryce, p. loi) : — " Et sicut nostram terrenam imperialem
 
 IRELAND TO ENGLAND. 165 
 
 a forgery. I do not see that this argument is 
 of any avail, for I would say with De Maistre, 
 " The moderns discover forgery where sim- 
 plicity itself was only relating what it thought. 
 
 potentiam, sic sacrosanctam Romanam ecclesiam decrevimus 
 veneranter honorari, et amplius quam nostrum imperium et 
 terrenum thronum sedem beati Petri gloriose exaltari, 
 tribuentes ei potestatem et glorias dignitatem atque vigorem 
 et honorificentiam imperialem. . . Beato Sylvestro patri 
 nostro summo pontifici et universali urbis Romas papas, et 
 omnibus eius successoribus pontificibus, qui usque in finem 
 mundi in sede beati Petri erunt sessuri, de prsesenti con- 
 tradimus palatium imperii nostri Lateranense, deinde 
 diadema, videlicet coronam capitis nostri, simulque 
 phrygium, necnon et superhumerale, verum etiam et chlamy- 
 dem purpuream et tunicam coccineam, et omnia imperialia 
 indumenta, sed et dignitatem imperialem praesidentium 
 equitum, conferentes etiam et imperialia sceptra, simulque 
 cuncta signa atque banda et diversa ornamenta imperialia et 
 omnem processionem imperialis culminis et gloriam potes- 
 tatis nostras. . . Et sicut imperialis militia ornatur ita et 
 clerum sanctse Romanas ecclesiae ornari decernemus. . . . 
 Unde ut pontificalis apex non vilescat sed magis quam 
 terreni imperii dignitas gloria et potentia decoretur, ecce tam 
 palatium nostrum quam Romanam urbem et omnes Italise 
 seu occidentalium regionum provincias loca et civitates 
 beatissimo papae Sylvestro universali papae contradimus atque 
 relinquimus. . . 
 
 " Ubi enim principatus sacerdotum et Christianas religionis 
 caput ab imperatore coelesti constitutum est, iustum non est 
 ut illic imperator terrenus habeat potestatem."
 
 1 66 POPE ADRIAN'S GIFT OF 
 
 There is nothing, therefore, so real as the 
 Donation of Constantine." 
 
 But a still more decisive answer to those who 
 in this matter wish to do away with Pope 
 Adrian's bequest is the action of the Irish 
 Episcopate at that time. Surely if any persons 
 had a right to resent unlawful intrusion into 
 Ireland it was the Bishops ; if those Bishops 
 sanction the Papal-authorized mission of Henry 
 then certainly from an ecclesiastical point of 
 view there is an end of all opposition. 
 
 In the year 1172 a Synod was held at 
 Cashel, being the first year of Henry's dominion 
 of Ireland. In that synod* Christian, Bishop 
 of Lismore and legate of the Holy See, was 
 present, also Donatus, Archbishop of Cashel, 
 Laurence, Archbishop of Dublin, Catholicus, 
 Archbishop of Tuam, with their suffragans and 
 fellow-bishops, together with the abbots, arch- 
 deacons, priors, and deans, and many other 
 Irish prelates assembled by the conqueror's 
 command at the city of Cashel, and there 
 * Giraldus Cambrensis, p. 233, Bohn's ed.
 
 IRELAND TO ENGLAND. 167 
 
 held a synod concerning the well-being of the 
 Church and the reformation thereof. At this 
 synod were present, on the King's behalf, the 
 venerable* Ralph, abbot of Buildewas, Ralph, 
 archdeacon of Llandaff, Nicholas the chaplain, 
 and other clerks, having the commission of our 
 lord the King. The decrees of the synod were 
 subscribed by the prelates, and confirmed by 
 the royal authority ; as follows : — 
 
 " First,— It is decreed that all the faithful 
 throughout Ireland shall eschew concubinage 
 with their cousins and kinsfolk, and contract 
 and adhere to lawful marriages. 
 
 "Second. — That children be catechised out- 
 side the church doors, and infants baptised 
 at the consecrated fonts in the baptisteries of 
 the churches. 
 
 " Third. — That all good Christians do pay 
 the tithes of beasts, corn, and other pro- 
 
 * With these names staring him in the face I am utterly at 
 a loss to understand how the Abbe MacGeoghegan (Vol. II, 
 p. 94) could write, " There is no mention made of any 
 English bishops or doctors having assisted at this council of 
 Cashel."
 
 i68 POPE ADRIAN'S GIFT OF 
 
 duce, to the church of the parish in which 
 they Hve. 
 
 " Fourth. — That all the lands and possessions 
 of the Church be entirely free from all exactions 
 of secular men ; and especially, that neither, 
 the petty kings {reguli), nor earls, or other 
 great men in Ireland, nor their sons, nor any 
 of their household, shall exact provisions and 
 lodgings on any ecclesiastical territories, as the 
 custom is, nor under any pretence presume to 
 extort them by violent means ; and that the 
 detestable practice of extorting a loaf four 
 times a year from the vills belonging to the 
 churches, by neighbouring lords, shall hence- 
 forth be utterly abolished. 
 
 '■''Fifth. — That in the case of a homicide com- 
 mitted by laics, when it is compounded for by 
 the adverse parties, none of the clergy, though 
 of kindred to the perpetrators of the crime, 
 shall contribute anything ; that, as they were 
 free from the guilt of the homicide, so they 
 shall be also exonerated from any payment in 
 satisfaction for it.
 
 IRELAND TO ENGLAND. 169 
 
 " Sixth. — That every good Christian, being 
 sick and weak, shall solemnly make his last will 
 and testament in the presence of his confessor 
 and neighbours, and that, if he have any wife 
 and children, all his moveable goods (his debts 
 and servants' wages being first paid) shall be 
 divided into three parts, one of which he shall 
 bequeath to his children, another to his law- 
 ful wife, and the third to such uses as he 
 shall declare. And if it shall happen that 
 there be no lawful child or children, then his 
 goods shall be equally divided between his 
 wife and legatees. And if his wife die before 
 him, then his goods shall be divided into two 
 parts, of which the children shall take one, and 
 his residuary legatees the other. 
 
 " Seventh. — That those who depart this life 
 after a good confession shall be buried with 
 masses and vigils and all due ceremonies. 
 
 '^Finally. — That divine offices shall be hence- 
 forth celebrated in every part of Ireland ac- 
 cording to the forms and usages of the Church 
 of England. For it is right and just that, as by
 
 170 POPE ADRIAN'S GIFT OF 
 
 divine Providence, Ireland has received her 
 lord and King from England, she should also 
 submit to a reformation from the same source. 
 Indeed both the realm and Church of Ireland 
 are indebted to this mighty King for what- 
 ever they enjoy of the blessings of peace and 
 the growth of religion ; as before his coming 
 to Ireland all sorts of wickedness had pre- 
 vailed among this people for a long series of 
 years, which now, by his authority and care of 
 the administration, are abolished." 
 
 I have given this in extenso from Cambrensis, 
 but it is to the final clause that attention 
 should first be drawn. Such a clause signed 
 by the Bishops of Ireland, who also had with 
 them the legate, entirely prevents ecclesiastics 
 from raising their voice against Adrian's Bull, 
 as the Episcopate of Ireland sanctions Henry's 
 advent, which was based on the Bull, and tacitly 
 acquiesces in local usages being abolished, and 
 all services, &c., harmonized with those in use 
 by the See of Canterbury. 
 
 Bromton, Abbot of Joveval, in his Chronicle
 
 IRELAND TO ENGLAND. 171 
 
 remarks that King Henry* received from every 
 Archbishop and Bishop, letters with their seals 
 pendent, in manner of charters, whereby they 
 confirmed the kingdom to him and his heirs. 
 Hovedent adds that the King sent a tran- 
 script of the Charters of the Archbishops and 
 Bishops of Ireland to Pope Alexander and that 
 he confirmed them. 
 
 Apart from the ecclesiastical surrender of 
 Ireland there is the no less important sub- 
 mission of the Irish King and other chieftains 
 to Henry. After leaving Waterford Henry 11 
 moved towards Dublin, and on his journey all 
 the chief men came and swore fealty to him. 
 Roderic himself met the King's messengers, 
 Hugh De Lacy and William Fitz-Aldelm, at 
 the Shannon and sued for peace, acknowledg- 
 
 * Ware's "Antiquities" (" Annals," a.d. 1172). 
 
 t " A copy of these instruments was forwarded to the 
 Pontiff, who by the Apostolic authority confirmed to Henry 
 and his heirs the kingdom of Ireland, according to the form of 
 the writings of the archbishops and bishops of Ireland." — 
 Hoveden, Annal., p. 302, quoted by Waterworth in " England 
 and Rome."
 
 172 POPE ADRIAN'S GIFT OF 
 
 ing Henry as his supreme lord, and became 
 tributary to him and bound himself by various 
 oaths.* Roger de Hovedenf remarks that 
 a treaty was made between Henry and 
 Roderic King of Connaught at Windsor| in 
 1 175, in which the King of England grants 
 to Roderic the Kingdom of Connaught on 
 payment of certain annual tribute, and reserves 
 to himself Meath, and Dublin, Waterford, and 
 other parts of Leinster. 
 
 Miss Cusack (the Nun of Kenmare) thus 
 explains what apparently she considers a 
 mistake on the part of the Irish. § " Mac 
 Carthy of Desmond was the first Irish prince 
 who paid homage to the English King. At 
 Cashel, Donnell O'Brien, King of Thomond, 
 swore fealty, and surrendered the city of 
 Limerick. Other princes followed their ex- 
 ample. The ' pomp and circumstance ' of the 
 
 • Cambrensis, p. 231. 
 t Vol. I, p. 402, " Antiq. Lib." 
 J Quoted in full in the Appendix. 
 
 § "History of Ireland," by M. F. Cusack, p. 271. Long- 
 mans, 1871.
 
 IRELAND TO ENGLAND, 173 
 
 royal court, attracted the admiration of a 
 people naturally deferential to authority." 
 
 Of course it is not to be supposed that the 
 Irish submitted placidly to Henry, but still 
 surely to swear allegiance to a King is not 
 generally supposed to be a mere form ? Any- 
 how we know that Rome did not look at 
 matters in that light, for in 1177 Courcy the 
 Norman had numerous battles with the natives 
 and this state of things led to Cardinal Vivianus 
 the Pope's Legate calling a Council of Bishops 
 and Abbots in Dublin wherein he set forth 
 Henry's title to Ireland and " he enjoyn'd 
 Obedience and Fidelity to all under pain of 
 Excommunication." * 
 
 Before closing this chapter a few remarks 
 must be made on the Bull of Adrian. First 
 of all, rightly or wrongly the Pope claimed 
 Ireland as especially being under the Holy 
 See (see Bull). That this claim may have 
 been based on a spurious document may be 
 true, but still it was an admitted claim in 
 * Ware's " Annals " on year 1177.
 
 174 POPE ADRIAN'S GIFT OF 
 
 those days and so had a certain amount of 
 moral force. Later on in 1344* Luis de la 
 Cerda caused the sovereignty of the newly- 
 discovered Canary and other islands to be 
 delivered over to him by Pope Clement VL 
 
 But there were far stronger grounds 
 mentioned in the Bull. Henry, be it always 
 remembered, was not given that Island uncon- 
 ditionally, but was authorized to invade it 
 " for the sake of extending the boundaries 
 of the Church, reforming morals and implant- 
 ing virtues." He was also to see that the 
 tribute of Peter's pence was duly paid and 
 the just rights of the Church preserved. Now 
 it has been queried whether the Pope was 
 not, to use plain English, swindled by Henry ; 
 was not led to imagine the morals of the in- 
 habitants far worse than they were. This 
 argument seems of no weight when it is 
 borne in mind that Romef had long before 
 
 * See Hergenrother, Vol. II, p. 155, 
 
 f Campion, the Jesuit, in his " Historic of Ireland." 
 A.D. 1571 (p. 80) says that Adrian when a youth made a 
 pilgrimage into Norway and converted the people and while
 
 IRELAND TO ENGLAND. 175 
 
 Henry's advent possessed through legates and 
 other ecclesiastics a full and perfect know- 
 ledge of what was going on. St. Malachi as 
 an Irishman gives St. Bernard such an ac- 
 count of Ireland that he exclaims " Nowhere 
 were the people so stubborn as to manners, 
 so bestial as to rites, so impious as to 
 Faith . . so filthy as to life."* Cambrensist 
 who in what he saw was reliable, and he 
 too was a Priest, remarks : " We come now 
 to the clerical order. The clergy, then, of 
 this country are commendable enough for 
 their piety ; and among many other virtues 
 in which they excel, are especially eminent 
 for that of continence. They also perform 
 with great regularity the services of the 
 psalms, hours, lessons, and prayers, and, 
 confining themselves to the precincts of the 
 churches, employ their whole time in the 
 
 there heard of the Irish the common report that the " multi- 
 tude eft soone, grew to a shamelesse kinde of liberty, making 
 no more of necessary points of Doctrine, than served their 
 loose humour." 
 
 * Fr. Walsh, p. 267. t Cambrensis, p. 141.
 
 176 POPE ADRIAN'S GIFT OF 
 
 offices to which they are appointed. They 
 also pay due attention to the rules of absti- 
 nence and a spare diet, the greatest part of 
 them fasting almost every day till dusk, when 
 by singing complines they have finished the 
 offices of the several hours for the day. Would 
 that, after these long fasts, they were as 
 sober as they are serious, as true as they are 
 severe, as pure as they are enduring, such 
 in reality as they are in appearance. But 
 among so many thousands you will scarcely 
 find one who, after his devotion to long fasting 
 and prayers, does not make up by night for 
 his privations during the day by the enormous 
 quantities of wine and other liquors in which 
 he indulges more than is becoming. 
 
 " Dividing the day of twenty-four hours into 
 two equal parts, they devote the hours of light 
 to spiritual offices, and those of night to the 
 flesh ; so that in the light they apply them- 
 selves to the works of the light, and in the 
 dark they turn to the works of darkness. 
 Hence it may be considered almost a miracle.
 
 IRELAND TO ENGLAND. 177 
 
 that where wine has the dominion lust does 
 not reign also. This appears to have been 
 thought difficult by St. Jerome ; still more so 
 by the apostles : one of whom forbids men to 
 be drunken with wine, wherein there is excess : 
 the other teaches that the belly, when it is 
 inflamed by drink, easily vents itself in lust. 
 
 " There are, however, some among the clergy 
 who are most excellent men, and have no 
 leaven of impurity. Indeed this people are 
 intemperate in all their actions, and most 
 vehement in all their feelings. Thus the bad 
 are bad indeed — there are nowhere worse ; and 
 than the good you cannot find better. But 
 there is not much wheat among the oats and 
 the tares. Many, you find, are called, but few 
 chosen : there is very little grain but much 
 chaff." 
 
 So writes Cambrensis, and although the 
 clergy of those days might have been much 
 worse, yet surely it is no want of charity* to 
 
 * Campion the Jesuit who suffered martyrdom for the 
 Faith in the reign of Elizabeth is not a witness whose 
 
 12
 
 178 POPE ADRIAN'S GIFT OF 
 
 assert that they might have been much better ? 
 Whether a drunken priesthood ever yet tended 
 to reform the morahty of the laity is I should 
 think a question which can only be answered 
 by a negative. 
 
 I would willingly omit some testimony as to 
 the need of reform, but be it remembered that 
 the Popes are said to have been deceived or 
 else to have urged false pretexts to gratify 
 
 evidence can lightly be aspersed. He writes, " it may ap- 
 peare how much Ireland is beholding to God for suffering 
 them to be conquered, whereby many of these enormities 
 were cured, and more might be, would themselves be plyable." 
 — Campion's Historic of Ireland, cap. vi, Bk. I, 1571. He 
 tells an amusing tale which as exemplifying the tone of society 
 in those days is worth preserving. " I found a fragment of 
 an Epistle, wherein a vertuous Monke declareth, that to him 
 (travailing in Vlster) came a grave Gentleman about Easter, 
 desirous to be confessed and howseled, who in all his life time 
 had never yet received the blessed Sacrament. When he had 
 said his minde, the Priest demaunded him, whether he were 
 faultlesse in the sinne of Homicide ? Hee answered, that 
 hee never wist the matter to bee haynous before, but being 
 instructed thereof, hee confessed the murther of five, the rest 
 hee left wounded, so as he knew not whether they lived or no. 
 Then was he taught that both the one, and the other were 
 execrable, and verie meekelie humbled himself to repentance."
 
 IRELAND TO ENGLAND. 179 
 
 ambition. Neither of these statements appear 
 just or truthful as far as Ireland is concerned. 
 
 Cambrensis thus speaks of the people ;* " The 
 faith having been planted in the island from 
 the time of St. Patrick, so many ages ago, 
 and propagated almost ever since, it is wonder- 
 ful that this nation should remain to this da}' 
 so very ignorant of the rudiments of Chris- 
 tianity. It is indeed a most filthy race, a race 
 sunk in vice, a race more ignorant than all 
 other nations of the first principles of the 
 faith. Hitherto they neither pay tithes nor 
 first fruits ; they do not contract marriages, 
 nor shun incestuous connections ; they fre- 
 quent not the Church of God with propei 
 reverence. Nay, what is most detestable, and 
 not only contrary to the Gospel, but to every- 
 thing that is right, in many parts of Ireland 
 brothers (I will not say marry) seduce and 
 debauch the wives of their brothers deceased, 
 and have incestuous intercourse with them." 
 
 It is not only Cambrensis or St. Bernard who 
 
 p. 134. 
 
 12 *
 
 i8o POPE ADRIAN'S GIFT OF 
 
 speak thus of the laxity then in vogue, but 
 Pope Alexander III who ascended the Papal 
 Throne in 1159 (succeeding Adrian IV) says,* 
 " Which (Irish race) having cast aside all fear 
 of divine punishment rush unbridled along the 
 dangerous paths of vice, discard the sacred 
 restraints of Christian faith and virtue, and 
 destroy one another with mutual slaughter. . . 
 They bring forth their step-mothers in public 
 and are not ashamed to beget children from 
 them ; brother abuses his sister-in-law during 
 his brother's life ; one man cohabits with two 
 sisters, making them his concubines ; and very 
 many of them leaving the mother introduce 
 their daughters," &c. 
 
 * Alex. Ill, Ep. 1002 (Migne, T. CC, p. 883) : " Quae (sens 
 Hibernica) divino timore post posito tanquam effrenis passim 
 per abrupta deviat vitiorum et Christianae fidei religionem 
 
 abjicit et virtutis, et se interimit mutua caede 
 
 Novercas suas publice introducunt et ex eis non erubescunt 
 filios procreare ; frater uxore fratris, eo vivente, abutitur ; 
 unus duabus se sororibus concubinis immiscet et plerique 
 illorum, matre relicta, filias introducunt," etc. This Latin is 
 given in Hergenrother (Vol. II, p. 157). I am loth to translate 
 it, but it is necessary that all my readers and not only a small 
 section should see the good reasons the Popes had for active 
 steps in reference to Ireland.
 
 IRELAND TO ENGLAND. i8i 
 
 I do not think any further justification is 
 needed for Pope Adrian's gift of Ireland to 
 England.* Surely the chief bishop of the 
 Christian Church must put the souls of the 
 people before political considerations. With 
 such a priesthood and such a people living 
 in an island and so cut off from the intercourse 
 which in the rest of Europe would enable the 
 Popes with greater ease to crush such a state 
 of things what else could he do ? He had 
 
 * Campion also, on the subject of pre-Norman religion in 
 Ireland says, " Although since the time of Saint Patricke 
 Christianitie was never extinct in Ireland, yet the governement 
 being hayled into contrarie factions, the Nobilitie lawlesse, 
 the multitude willful, it came to passe that Religion waxed 
 with the temporall common sort cold and feeble, until the 
 Conquest did settle it, especiallie in cases of restrainte and 
 Discipline. The Honourable state of Marriage they much 
 abused, either in contracts, unlawfuU meetings, the Leviticall 
 and Canonicall degrees of prohibition, or in divorcementes at 
 pleasure, or in ommitting Sacramentall solemnities, or in 
 retayning either Concubines or Harlots for Wives. Yea, even 
 at this day, where the Cleargie is fainte, they can bee content 
 to Marrie for a yeare and a day of probation, and at the 
 yeares end, to returne her home uppon any light quarrells, 
 if the Gentlewomans friendes bee weake and unable to avenge 
 the injurie " (cap. vi).
 
 i82 POPE ADRIAN'S GIFT. 
 
 found the advantage of a Norman conquest of 
 England* — was it a matter of great wonder 
 that he should look forward to a similar con- 
 quest of Ireland with gieat hopes of a moral 
 regeneration as a result ? Protestants as well 
 as Catholics must equally applaud the sagacious 
 step taken by Adrian IV. 
 
 * Joseph Berington a well known English Priest of the extinct 
 Gallican school and who did not uphold the Papal sovereignty 
 as much as he might have done, writes of the Norman con- 
 quest as follows : " Their arrival in this country gave a new 
 life to religion, which was nearly extinct. In all parts of the 
 country, in towns, villages, hamlets, churches and monasteries 
 in a new style of building, were seen to rise : the Kingdom, as 
 if regenerated, began to flourish, v/hile every man of wealth 
 seemed to think the day lost that some work of munificence 
 did not illustrate." — Literary History of the Middle Ages, p. 166, 
 Bogue's edit., 1846.
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 THE POPES DENOUNCE IRISH REBELLION. 
 
 Although ultimately the Popes proved 
 right in subjecting the intellectual and warm- 
 hearted but too impulsive and vindictive Celtic 
 race to the Norman yoke yet the immediate 
 results were not of a satisfactory nature. The 
 compact between King Henry of England and 
 the Pope was not kept and consequently the 
 Irish suffered. It must for ever be remem- 
 bered that Pope Adrian's gift of Ireland to the 
 Norman-English was not an unconditional gift 
 but was hampered with certain conditions* 
 which if carried out would materially benefit 
 the conquered race. But the fact was that 
 Henry could not govern with a sufficiently 
 
 * See previous chapter for contents of Bull.
 
 i84 THE POPES DENOUNCE 
 
 tight hand his Norman knights and hence the 
 great evils and abuses which were co-existent 
 with Norman-Enghsh rule. I have tried to 
 point out the coincidences between the Nor- 
 man conquest of England and that of Ire- 
 land, and certainly the former event will help 
 us in understanding clearly the want of kingly 
 control exercised over the barons, and the evil 
 also of the too domineering character of the 
 Norman Kings. 
 
 William I, though praised by the reigning 
 Pope, was declared not to be by any means, 
 perfect ; the King himself when on his death- 
 bed acknowledged that he had acted in an 
 arbitrary manner; " Whether nobles or 
 commons," he says, " I have cruelly oppressed 
 them ; many I unjustly disinherited ; innumer- 
 able multitudes, especially in the county of 
 York, perished through me by famine or 
 sword."* 
 
 On the other hand none better than the 
 Norman Duke knew the character of his own 
 
 * "Ordericus Vitalis." B. VII, ch. xv.
 
 IRISH REBELLION. 185 
 
 race, and he expresses his opinion thus:* 
 " The Normans, when under the rule of a kind 
 but firm master, are a most valiant people, 
 excelling all others in the invincible courage 
 with which they meet difficulties, and strive to 
 conquer every enemy. But under other cir- 
 cumstances they rend in pieces and ruin each 
 other. They are eager for rebellion, ripe for 
 tumults, and ready for every sort of crime. 
 They must therefore be restrained by the 
 strong hand of justice, and compelled to walk 
 in the right way by the reins of discipline. But 
 if they are allowed to take their own course 
 without any yoke, and like an untamed colt, 
 they and their princes will be overwhelmed with 
 poverty, shame, and confusion. I have learnt 
 this by much experience. My nearest friends, 
 my own kindred, who ought to have defended 
 me at all hazards against the whole world, 
 have formed conspiracies, and rebelling against 
 me, nearly stripped me of the inheritance of 
 my fathers." 
 
 * " Ordericus Vi talis," B. VII, ciu xv.
 
 i86 THE POPES DENOUNCE 
 
 Henry unfortunately did not stay long in Ire- 
 land himself, and those left by him were almost 
 independent of his authority and took advan- 
 tage of the many disturbing political questions 
 which distracted the attention of the King 
 and also rendered him unwilling to keep in 
 order his nobles with a too tight hand lest the 
 country should practically become the pro- 
 perty of the barons instead of his own posses- 
 sion. 
 
 In spite however of unjust and tyrannical 
 usage of the people by the barons there was 
 the one great fact to be remembered — that the 
 King and minor Kings of Ireland had sworn 
 allegiance to Henry, that the clergy collec- 
 tively had also followed their example, and last 
 but not least that Ireland which professed in 
 that day as in this to be pre-eminently Catholic 
 was bestowed by the head of the Catholic 
 Church on the English King. This being the 
 case, it certainly would seem that if the Irish 
 rose in rebellion against the English Sovereign 
 they were absolutely nothing but Rebels,
 
 IRISH REBELLION. 187 
 
 This I know has been denied not only by 
 Protestant Irish patriots, who of course deny 
 the Papal Sovereignty, but by Catholic writers 
 even, I once myself took a similar line,* but I 
 fail now to see the lawfulness of rebellion 
 against a King who had been acknowledged 
 Sovereign by the native Kings, princes, and 
 Catholic Episcopate ! 
 
 However, those who in our time, as in those 
 days, oppose English rule and justify rebellion 
 then and disaffection now, may try and get rid 
 if they can of the strong condemnation pro- 
 nounced by the then Sovereign Pontiff against 
 all attempts to throw off English rule. 
 
 * If one looks at the progress or prosperity or the apparent 
 object of National prosperity from the " platform " (to use 
 an American phrase) that God makes use of nations to further 
 His own ends, namely, the salvation of souls, then a new 
 light is cast on many questions ; then the wonderful world- 
 wide influence of England must have a good cause for its 
 enduring success. As a Catholic I can see only one reason 
 and that is that the more the English people emigrate, 
 colonize and rule, so in like proportion the Irish population 
 knit up with her destinies Catholicises the peoples over whom 
 she extends her sway. Ireland's mission is a Catholic 
 mission and apparently nothing else.
 
 i88 THE POPES DENOUNCE 
 
 It has been said by controversialists, and 
 also by politicians who have endeavoured to 
 utilize the once fashionable No-Popery cry, 
 and thus gain a social and political position 
 which otherwise they could never attain, that 
 the Papal influence in Ireland is now and 
 ever has been diametrically opposed to Eng- 
 lish interests. A greater perversion of fact has 
 never been stated : the Popes have systemati- 
 cally put down all attempts at severance of 
 Ireland from England ; and that not only 
 when both countries were Catholic, but all 
 honour to the Popes be it said, they were 
 never more determined in their condemnation 
 of rebellion than when the rebels were 
 Catholics and those whom they supported 
 bigoted English Protestants.* No grander 
 
 * Once only did the Popes support Irish insurrection, and 
 that was when they utilized the Irish to support the Spanish 
 cause against England. One swallow does not make a 
 summer ; and it is moreover doubtful if the Popes even then 
 intended to do more than make use of the Irish to help to 
 re-Catholicise England, and not by any means to free them 
 from the English yoke.
 
 IRISH REBELLION. 189 
 
 feature in the Popedom exists than the vision 
 of Cathohc Irishmen being condemned by the 
 Popes for striving to throw off the Protestant 
 House of Hanover ! 
 
 The Popes have always looked on English 
 Catholics with a favourable eye. Take for an 
 example (and many might be quoted) the 
 feeling of admiration expressed for England by 
 Pius Vn. Cardinal Wiseman has remarked,* 
 "The present Church at Moorfields, which 
 now serves as the pro-cathedral of the diocese 
 of Westminster, was finished in 1820. It was 
 considered then a spacious and handsome 
 building. A perspective drawing of its interior 
 was sent to Rome, and presented by the Rev. 
 Dr. Gradwell to the Pope. The good Pius 
 immediately said that he would send a token of 
 his affectionate interest in the work. The papal 
 treasury and sacristy were very empty ; but he 
 ordered the most valuable object in Church 
 plate which he possessed to be prepared for 
 a present. His attendants remarked that it 
 
 * " Recollections of the Last Four Popes," p. 91.
 
 igo THE POPES DENOUNCE 
 
 was the most costly thing he had : and his 
 reply was, ' There is nothing too good for me 
 to give the English Catholics.' " 
 
 I suppose there is something in the stolid 
 yet open and above-board character of the 
 English which has a peculiar fascination for 
 the Italian mind. Even Italians of an anti- 
 Catholic tendency have ever pointed to 
 England as a country whose example is worthy 
 of esteem and admiration ; and indeed why 
 deny it ? It is true that England is now 
 Protestant, but its Protestantism was forced 
 on it by the Tudor Kings who were unchecked 
 by an old nobility, that old nobility having 
 been almost annihilated in the wars of the 
 Roses ; hence the Regal power had no barons 
 to check its despotism and so the mushroom 
 nobility which was created by Henry VIII 
 and his successors was only too willing to 
 gain court favour by fawning on a King who 
 knew how to award honours and money 
 to those who furthered his arbitrary schemes. 
 Those Wars of the Roses were the real origin
 
 IRISH REBELLION. 191 
 
 of the Reformation in England, The fact 
 that the EngHsh people did not wish for the 
 Reformation is now, thanks to honest his- 
 torical inquiry, acknowledged on all sides. 
 If risings in the north, in the east, in the 
 west show the feelings of a nation then truly 
 it may be said that Protestantism was forced* 
 on a people whose instincts were then as 
 indeed they are now. Catholic. Ritualism 
 so far as it makes way with the people is but 
 the filling up a void which has been felt, — 
 the poetry of life, the refinement of feeling 
 which is everywhere the accompaniment of 
 Catholicism is taught and brought to light, 
 though in an imperfect manner by the Ritu- 
 alistic party; hence its popularity. Without 
 that longing for Catholicism, the imitation 
 offered for their acceptance would have met 
 with no success, but the latent Catholicism 
 in the English mind is through prejudice kept 
 
 * " Modern history is a history of Church spoliation. And 
 by whom ? Not by the people ; not by the democracy." — 
 Disraeli's Coningsby, Bk. VII, chap. ii.
 
 192 THE POPES DENOUNCE 
 
 from our Churches and hence the Church of 
 England being the Law-Church of the Land 
 is doing that for us which owing to the 
 calumnies heaped on us for three centuries we 
 are yet unable to do ourselves. As prejudice 
 vanishes, so, to use Lord Beaconsfield's notable 
 saying, " Mass in Masquerade " will cease to 
 fill the void — the longing for the Old Faith, 
 and once again Englishmen will return to the 
 bosom of that Church which they never left, 
 but which the tyranny of a race of Kings 
 unchecked by an old nobility, deprived them. 
 
 These side considerations are not unworthy 
 of thought, but I now leave them and return to 
 the immediate subject before us, the Papal 
 denunciation of Irish Rebellion. 
 
 As in England so in Ireland the barons 
 did not carry out the orders of their Sove- 
 reign and in Ireland the Sovereign had not 
 so much power as in England. Abuses 
 quickly sprang up — the victors tyrannized 
 over the unlucky Irish, and the King got 
 the credit for what they did. Less than
 
 IRISH REBELLION. 193 
 
 fifty years after Henry's advent we find the 
 Pope using his influence to suppress active 
 Irish disaffection to Norman rule. Pope 
 Honorius III ascended the Papal throne a.d. 
 1216, and so rife was disafi'ection that he sent 
 the following epistle to the Archbishop of 
 Dublin, ordering him to compel the Irish to 
 return to the obedience of the King of Eng- 
 land. I give the document in full in Latin 
 and English. 
 
 "Archiepiscopo Dublinensi, ut rebelles 
 Hibernos ad obedientiam regis Angliae redire 
 compellat. Reg. An. I, epist. 172.* 
 
 " Honorius, Episcopus, etc. Venerabili fratri 
 . . . Archiepiscopo Dublinensi, salutem, etc. 
 Non iam magis militia, quam malitia dici 
 potest vita hominum super terram, cum 
 frigescente caritate sic habundet iniquitas, 
 ut non solum deseviat par in parem, sed 
 etiam contra dominum subditus erigere se 
 presumat, sicut in regno Anglorum evenisse 
 
 * Epistolae Honorii P.P. Ill, Anno 1216 (ex "Vetera Monu- 
 menta Hibernorum et Scotorum, etc." — Augustinus Theiner. 
 Romae, Typis Vaticanis, 1864).
 
 194 THE POPES DENOUNCE 
 
 cernimus et dolemus, illis karissimum in 
 Christo filium nostrum H. Anglie Regem 
 illustrem naturalem dominum suum, vinculo 
 fidelitatis abrupto, nequiter impugnantibns, 
 qui pro eius honore tuendo usque ad mortem 
 deberent utique decertare : usque adeo autem 
 invaluit malitia perfidorum, ut nonnulli etiam 
 de regno Hybernie in consilium abierint 
 eorundem, et ponentes suam cum impiis et 
 infidelibus portionem, non solum dolos contra 
 Regem concinnare studeant memoratum, verum 
 etiam assertis eundem iniuriis lacescere non 
 formident. Quoniam igitur ad occurrendum 
 tribulationibus dicti Regis multiplex quidem 
 ratio nos inducit, quippe cum ecclesie Romane 
 vassallus, ac pupillus, ac crucesignatus existat, 
 et tam ipsum quam regnum eius custodie 
 nostre ac apostolice sedis commiserit clare 
 memorie pater eius positus in extremis : 
 fraternitati tue, de cuius fide ac prudentia 
 gerimus fiduciam specialem, per apostolica 
 scripta mandamus, quatenus illos, qui de 
 prefato regno Hibernie in iam dicti Regis
 
 IRISH REBELLION. 195 
 
 devotione persistunt, ad earn ferventius 
 animare studeas sollicite ac sollerter, et eos, 
 qui abalienati retrorsum conversi a dextera 
 in sinistram a fidelitate regia recesserunt, 
 ad eandem studeas, quibuscumque modis 
 expedire videris, revocare. Nos enim agendi 
 ea, que ad hoc esse cognoveris necessaria, 
 liberam tibi concedimus auctoritate presentium 
 potestatem, ratas habituri sententias, quas 
 rationabiliter tuleris in rebelles. Datum 
 Laterani XVI. Kalendas Februarii, Ponti- 
 ficatus nostri anno primo." 
 
 Translation. 
 
 " To the Archbishop of DubHn, that he 
 may compel the Irish in rebelHon to return 
 to the obedience of the King of England. 
 
 " Honorius, Bishop, &c. to our venerable 
 brother . . . the Archbishop of Dublin, 
 greeting &c. 
 
 " The life of men on earth may be called 
 not so nmch a warfare (militia) as malice 
 
 13 *
 
 196 THE POPES DENOUNCE 
 
 (malitia), since while charity is freezing ini- 
 quity abounds to such a degree that not 
 only like rages against like but even the 
 subject presumes to lift himself up against 
 his lord, as we perceive to have happened in 
 the kingdom of England. We grieve to see 
 that, having broken the bond of fealty, they 
 wickedly assail our most dear son in Christ, 
 Henry, the illustrious King of England, their 
 natural lord, for whom they ought to strive 
 even unto death in defending his honour. But 
 to such an extent has the malice of traitors 
 prevailed that some of them have even left 
 the kingdom of Ireland and, casting in their 
 lot with the impious and faithless, not only 
 contrive snares for the said King but do not 
 fear to provoke him with actual injuries. 
 Since, therefore, manifold reasons induce us 
 to support the said King in his tribulation, 
 inasmuch as he is a vassal, and a ward of 
 the Roman Church, signed with the sign of 
 the cross, and his father of happy memory, 
 when in his last extremity, entrusted him
 
 IRISH REBELLION. 197 
 
 and his kingdom to our custody and that of 
 the apostoHc see, we, by apostolic letters, 
 enjoin upon you, brother, in whose faith and 
 prudence we have special confidence, that 
 you should endeavour earnestly and wisely 
 to animate to higher devotion those of the 
 aforesaid Kingdom of Ireland who are already 
 devoted to the said King, and that you would 
 try, by all means that appear to you expedient, 
 to bring back to their allegiance those who 
 are alienated and turned from the right path 
 to the left. We grant you, by the authorisa- 
 tion of these letters, the free faculty of doing 
 those things which you know to be indispen- 
 sable for the purpose, and we shall ratify the 
 decisions that you will reasonably arrive at 
 with regard to the rebels. 
 
 " Given at the Lateran, the XVI before 
 the Kalends of February (Jan. 17), in the 
 first year of our Pontificate." 
 
 It is here necessary to observe that the Pope 
 does not hesitate to call those who were in 
 arms against the King, Rebels. The old
 
 198 THE POPES DENOUNCE 
 
 argument that Ireland was not conquered is 
 evidently considered utterly worthless by the 
 Popes, and indeed as I have more than once 
 remarked, the submission of the King of Ire- 
 land, of the minor Kings, of the clergy and 
 nobility constitute a conquest in fact, unless 
 words are never to have any meaning attached 
 to them. 
 
 This Papal communication to the Arch- 
 bishop of Dublin was sent a.d. 1216 and 
 was followed three years later by another 
 Epistle, but differing from the former one 
 inasmuch as it was written owing to the Irish 
 prelates being disloyal to their Sovereign. 
 This latter Epistle is addressed to his legate 
 and is as follows ; — 
 
 " Eidem, ut Hiberniae praelatos ad servitia 
 regi Angliae debita persolvenda compellat. 
 Reg. An. Ill, epist. 318.* 
 
 " Honorius, Episcopus, etc. Dilecto filio 
 P. Norwicensi Electo, camerario nostro, apos- 
 tolice sedis legato, salutem, etc. Suam ad 
 * Honorius, P.P. III. Aimo 1219.
 
 IRISH REBELLION. 199 
 
 nos karissimus in Christo filius noster H. Rex 
 Anglorum illustris querimoniam destinavit, 
 quod prelati ecclesiarum de Hibernia servitia, 
 in quibus ratione regalium et feudorum, que 
 habent ab ipso, nee non alia debita, in quibus 
 ex aliis causis tenentur eidem, tamdiu maxime 
 toto tempore guerre indebite subtraxerunt, nee 
 adhuc super hiis satisfecerunt eidem. Nolentes 
 igitur predicti Regis iustitiam deperire, quam 
 tenemur favorabiliter confovere, discretioni tue 
 per apostolica scripta mandamus, quatenus 
 predictos ecclesiarum prelates, ut super hiis 
 eidem Regi debitam satisfactionem impendant, 
 et de cetero ea sine difficultate persolvant, 
 moneas attentius et inducas, eos ad id, si 
 videris expedire, per censuram ecclesiasticam, 
 appellatione remota, compellens. Datum 
 Laterani IV. Kalend. Aprilis, Pontificatus 
 nostri anno tertio." 
 
 Translation. 
 " To the same, to the end that he may oblige
 
 200 THE POPES DENOUNCE 
 
 the Irish prelates to render the service due 
 to the King of England. 
 
 *' Honorius, Bishop, &c. To our beloved son, 
 P. bishop-elect of Norwich, our chamberlain, 
 legate of the Apostolic see, greeting &c. 
 
 *' Our dearest son in Christ, Henry, the illus- 
 trious King of England, has addressed a 
 complaint to us to the effect that the prelates 
 of the Church of Ireland have so long, and 
 especially in the whole time of the war, unduly 
 withheld the service to which they are bound 
 in respect of regal rights and feudal tenures, 
 as well as other debts which they owe to the 
 same sovereign from other causes, and have 
 not as yet made satisfaction for these to the 
 same. 
 
 " Therefore being unwilling that the justice 
 of the aforesaid King should go to ruin, which 
 justice it is our duty to favour and cherish, we 
 commend to your discretion by apostolic 
 writings that you admonish and induce the 
 above-named prelates of the churches to
 
 IRISH REBELLION. 201 
 
 render due satisfaction for these things to 
 the said King, and for the rest to pay the 
 things owing without raising any difficulty, 
 and that you would compel them to this, if 
 it seems to you expedient, by ecclesiastical 
 censure without appeal. 
 
 " Given at the Lateran, the 4th day before 
 the Kalends of April (March 29), in the third 
 year of our Pontificate." 
 
 The Irish Prelates are more directly dealt 
 with than the rebellious laity. The Pope 
 authorizes the legate to inflict ecclesiastical cen- 
 sure without appeal. 
 
 Once again it will occur to most readers, — 
 how could Ecclesiastics who acknowledged 
 the Pope to be Sovereign Pontiff and Vicar of 
 Christ on Earth refuse to return to obedience 
 if ordered by the Pope ? It is evident from 
 these two important documents that even less 
 than fifty years after the conquest of Ireland 
 the Popes considered Ireland to be entirely 
 subject to English rule. If at that early 
 period it was so, in what light could a Pope
 
 202 THE POPES DENOUNCE 
 
 in modern times look on the 'g8 rebellion or 
 the Fenian rising of our own times ? 
 
 The Popes are and always have been con- 
 sistent in their treatment of the relationship of 
 Ireland to England. If Ireland had been in 
 morals and religion perfectly spotless, then it 
 might seem hard that the Popes should 
 sanction Henry's conquest, but when the 
 evidence of moral decline which I have in 
 former chapters somewhat fully gone into be 
 remembered, then Catholics, to say nothing of 
 Protestants, must needs bow to the wisdom of 
 Papal authority. 
 
 If one thing more than another has struck 
 me in reading these Papal records from 
 Theiner's most valuable work, it is the even- 
 handed justice meeted out by the Popes to 
 both sides. The Irish when they rebel are 
 severely admonished, but on the other hand 
 when the English treat them unjustly none 
 more than the Popes denounce such doings 
 and censure the conduct of the English and 
 their King.
 
 IRISH REBELLION. 203 
 
 I shall in the next chapter give a few 
 important and generally unknown instances of 
 this Papal justice ; it should inspire men with 
 more charity towards that Power which in 
 the past did so much for European civilization, 
 and in our day would exercise power in an 
 equally beneficial manner were but one half 
 the trust bestowed in her now by the Monarchs 
 of Europe which in those days was given and 
 so worthily (in nearly all cases) repaid. 
 
 "^^
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 PAPAL CONDEMNATION OF ENGLISH TYRANNY. 
 
 Henry VHI when crossed in his desires by 
 the Pope made no scruple of flinging over the 
 creed of his ancestors. EngKshmen of the 
 upper classes when bribed with money and 
 land unjustly taken from the monasteries of 
 England did not hesitate also to embrace Pro- 
 testantism. 
 
 What a contrast is the by no means praise- 
 worthy lust of money and power, rather than 
 maintainence of truth, exhibited by the English 
 of the Tudor period, when compared with the 
 firm attachment to the See of Rome by Ireland, 
 even when the Popes felt it their duty to aid in 
 perpetuating the rule of the Norman, accom- 
 panied as it was by cruelty and fraud ! If the 
 cases had been reversed, it is impossible,
 
 PAPAL CONDEMNATION 205 
 
 considering Reformation doings in England, 
 to suppose that Englishmen would, after read- 
 ing such Papal documents as those I have 
 given in the last chapter, have submitted to 
 Rome, and borne the rule of those who cer- 
 tainly were little better than tyrants. Certainly 
 then no praise is too great to give Catholic 
 Celtic Irishmen of the 12th and 13th centuries 
 for their maintenance of the Catholic Faith at 
 the expense of what they justly might conceive 
 their freedom from an alien race. There is a 
 further consideration which will strike the 
 Catholic reader and very probably the non- 
 Catholic also, and that is the providential care 
 which seemed to guide the Roman Pontiff at 
 that time. He risked the renunciation of 
 Catholicism by large masses of the Celts, he 
 also ran the risk of being considered the friend 
 of the oppressor and abettor of tyranny, and 
 yet we in this nineteenth century see how an 
 apparent evil has turned into an almost un- 
 mitigated good. Perhaps it will not be con- 
 sidered profane if, I, pondering over these
 
 2o6 PAPAL CONDEMNATION 
 
 striking illustrations of a Providential guidance 
 of the Holy See in most difficult political 
 troubles, cannot forbear exclaiming — Sicut 
 erat in principio, et nimc, et semper, et in 
 saecula saeculorum ! It must not however for 
 one moment be supposed that Rome although 
 wishing at all risks to perpetuate the Norman 
 conquest of Ireland, as well as the previous one 
 of England, was therefore disposed to overlook 
 the gross injustice which the Norman free- 
 booters exercised. Pope Honorius a.d. 1220, 
 while he condemned all attempts of civilians 
 or clerics (see last chapter) to overthrow Nor- 
 man rule, denounced most strongly the attempt 
 to prevent Irishmen being admitted equally 
 with the Normans to ecclesiastical posts ; and 
 also their endeavours to oust Irishmen from 
 other posts to which they might justly claim 
 a right. The two following documents speak 
 for themselves.* 
 
 " Sedis apostolicae legato, ut iniquum An- 
 glorum statutum de non admittendis Hibernis 
 
 * Honor. P.P. Ill, 1220.
 
 OF ENGLISH TYRANNY. 207 
 
 quantumvis litteratis ad dignitates ecclesi- 
 asticas omnino irritum declaret et aboleat. 
 Reg. An. V. epist. 24. 
 
 " Honorius, Episcopus, etc. Dilecto filio Ma- 
 gistro lacobo Capellano et Penitentiario nostro, 
 apostolice sedis legato, salutem etc. Pervenit 
 ad audientiam nostram, quosdam Anglicos 
 inaudite temeritatis audacia statuisse, ut nullus 
 clericus de Ibernia, quantumcumque littera- 
 tus et honestus existat, ad aliquam dignitatem 
 ecclesiasticam assumatur. Nolentes igitur 
 tante temeritatis et iniquitatis abusum surdis 
 auribus pertransire, presentium tibi auctoritate 
 mandamus, quatinus statutum huiusmodi 
 publico denuntians irritum et inane, ac inhibens 
 ipsis Anglicis, ne vel inherere illi, vel simile 
 decetero attemptare presumant. Ibernienses 
 clericos, quibus vite ac scientie merita suffra- 
 gantur, denunties ad ecclesiasticas dignitates, 
 si electi canonice fuerint, libere admittendos. 
 Datum apud Urbemveterem viii Idus Augusti, 
 Pontificatus nostri anno quinto."
 
 2o8 PAPAL CONDEMNATION 
 
 Translation. 
 
 " To the Legate of the Apostolic See, that he 
 may pronounce utterly void and may abolish 
 the iniquitous decree of the English respecting 
 the non-admission of Irishmen however well- 
 educated to ecclesiastical dignities. 
 
 " Honorius, Bishop, &c. To our beloved son, 
 Chaplain and Penitentiary, Master James, 
 Legate of the Apostolic See, greeting. It has 
 come to our ears that certain Englishmen 
 have, with the audacity of unheard-of rashness, 
 decreed that no Irish clergyman, however well- 
 instructed and honest he may be, shall be ad- 
 mitted to any ecclesiastical dignity. Being, 
 therefore, unwilling to turn a deaf ear to an 
 abuse so full of rashness and injustice, we 
 authorize you by these letters to denounce a 
 statute of this sort publicly as void and vain, 
 forbidding the English themselves from pre- 
 suming to adhere to it or attempt the like in 
 future. You may nominate to ecclesiastical 
 dignities Irish clerks whose deserts as regards
 
 OF ENGLISH TYRANNY. 209 
 
 knowledge and mode of life are well attested, 
 and you may admit them freely if they have 
 been canonically elected. Given in the old 
 city the eighth day before the Ides of August 
 in the fifth year of our Pontificate." 
 
 XXXVIIL* 
 
 " Eidem legato, ut pravas quasdam Anglorum 
 contra Hibernos consuetudines omnino abo- 
 lendas curet, Anglosque censuris ecclesiasticis 
 compellat, ut Hibernos iisdem iuribus, quibus 
 ipsi fruuntur, gaudere sinant. Reg. An. V, 
 epist. 22. 
 
 " Honorius, Episcopus, etc. Dil.filio Magis- 
 tro Jacobo Capellano et Penitentiario nostro, 
 apostolice sedis legato, salutem etc. Vener- 
 abilis frater noster. . . . Archiepiscopus 
 Cassellensis exposuit coram nobis, quod in 
 provincia sua detestande consuetudinis vitium 
 per Anglorum insolentiam inolevit, quod vide- 
 licet si Anglicus aliquid de suis ammittat, et 
 iurat illud ab aliquo Iberniensi furtim sibi esse 
 surreptum, sex Anglicis iuramento firmantibus, 
 
 * Theiner. 
 
 14
 
 210 PAPAL CONDEMNATION 
 
 quod credunt eius verum existere iuramentum, 
 Ibernienses licet innocentes sint, et bone 
 opinionis ac vite, suamque super obiecto 
 crimine innocentiam per triginta testes vel 
 plures sint purgare parati, ad restitutionem 
 coguntur nichilominus tamquam fures. Si 
 vero aliquod Ibernienses ammittunt, et pro 
 certo sciunt, quod Anglicus surripuit illud 
 eis, idque suis velint astruere iuramentis, 
 Anglici eorum iuramenta recipere contradicunt, 
 et sic utroque casu conculcata iustitia, ecclesiis 
 ac eorum hominibus grave preiudicium gene- 
 ratur. Cum igitur pondus et pondus, mensura 
 et mensura utrumque sit abominabile apud 
 dominum, discretioni tue per apostolica scripta 
 mandamus, quatinus non obstante prefata con- 
 suetudine, vel potius corruptela, quam cen- 
 semus penitus abolendam, dictis Anglicis 
 expresse inhibeas, ne talia decetero attemptare 
 presumant, sed prorsus ab huiusmodi perver- 
 sitate cessantes, pusillum et magnum pari 
 permittant iudicio iudicari, et examinari divi- 
 tum causas et pauperum equa lance, cum in
 
 OF ENGLISH TYRANNY. 211 
 
 iudicio divinitus interdicta sit acceptio per- 
 sonarum. Quod si contra prohibitionem tuam 
 per abusionem huiusmodi aliquos presump- 
 serint molestare, tu presumptionem ipsorum 
 auctoritate nostra compescas. Datum apud 
 Urbemveteram vi Idus Augusti, Pontificatus 
 nostri anno quinto." 
 
 Translation. 
 
 *' To the same Legate, that he would take 
 care to have certain practices of the English 
 against Irishmen utterly abolished, and would 
 compel the English by means of ecclesiastical 
 censures to allow Irishmen to enjoy the same 
 rights which they themselves possess. 
 
 "Honorius, Bishop, &c. To our beloved son, 
 Master James, our Chaplain and Penitentiary, 
 Legate of the Apostolic See, greeting, &c. 
 
 "The Archbishop of Cashel* has related to 
 us how, in his province, an odious custom has 
 sprung up through the insolence of the English, 
 so that — to explain the matter — if an English- 
 man loses something that belongs to him, and 
 
 * See Appendix concerning the Pope and this Prelate. 
 
 14*
 
 212 PAPAL CONDEMNATION 
 
 swears that it was taken from him by stealth 
 by some Irishman, and six EngHsh affirm the 
 same on oath declaring that they believe their 
 countryman's oath to be true and valid, al- 
 though the Irish may be innocent and persons 
 of blameless life and reputation and ready to 
 prove their innocence of the crime laid to their 
 charge by thirty witnesses or more, they are 
 nevertheless compelled to make restitution as 
 thieves. But if the Irish lose something and 
 know for certain that an Englishman has 
 stolen it from them, and are willing to attest 
 that on oath, the English refuse to accept 
 their oaths ; and thus in both cases justice is 
 trampled under foot and grievous ill is en- 
 gendered to the churches and their members. 
 Since therefore false weights and false 
 measures are an abomination to the Lord, 
 we commit to your prudence by Apostolic 
 writings that, in spite of the aforesaid custom 
 or rather corruption, which we consider ought 
 to be utterly abolished, you expressly forbid 
 the said English to presume to attempt such
 
 OF ENGLISH TYRANNY. 213 
 
 things in future, and warn them that on the 
 contrary they cease altogether from this kind 
 of perversity and allow small and great to 
 be judged with fair and equal judgment and 
 the causes of rich and poor with equal balance, 
 since the acceptance of persons in courts of 
 justice is forbidden by divine law. But if, in 
 defiance of your prohibition, they presume to 
 molest any persons by an abuse of this sort, do 
 you restrain their presumption by our authority. 
 Given in the Old city on the 6th day before the 
 Ides of August, in the 5th year of our Ponti- 
 ficate." 
 
 It is much to be regretted that but slight 
 improvement followed these efforts of the Holy 
 See. It is well known how the Irish in the 
 reign of Edward II besought aid from Scot- 
 land later on against the Normans, and with 
 what success history bears witness. 
 
 At last a pitiful appeal* was made not by 
 one or two individuals but by a whole people 
 
 * Quoted in full by the Abbe MacGeoghegan, Vol. II, 279, 
 and taken by him from the " Scotic Chronicle" of John of 
 •Fordun, Vol. Ill, p. 908 et seq.
 
 214 PAPAL CONDEMNATION 
 
 to Rome. The following is the document in 
 question : — 
 
 "To our Most Holy Father John, by the 
 grace of God sovereign Pontiff, we, his faithful 
 children in Christ Jesus, Donald O'Neill, King 
 of Ulster and lawful heir to the throne of 
 Ireland ; the nobles and great men, with all 
 the people of this Kingdom, recommend and 
 humbly cast ourselves at his feet, &c. 
 
 " The calumnies and false representations 
 which have been heaped upon us by the 
 English, are too well known throughout the 
 world, not to have reached the ears of your 
 Holiness. We are persuaded, most Holy 
 Father, that your intentions are notwith- 
 standing, most pure and upright ; from not 
 knowing the Irish, however, except through 
 the misrepresentation of their enemies your 
 Holiness might be induced to look upon 
 as truths, those falsehoods which have been 
 circulated, and to form an opinion contrary 
 to what we merit, which would be to us a 
 great misfortune. It is, therefore, to save
 
 OF ENGLISH TYRANNY. 215 
 
 our country against such imputations, that we 
 have come to the resolution of giving to your 
 Holiness, in this letter, a faithful description 
 and a true and precise idea of the real state at 
 present of our monarchy, if this term can 
 be still applied to the sad remains of a King- 
 dom which has groaned so long beneath the 
 tyranny of the Kings of England, and that of 
 their ministers and barons, some of whom, 
 though born in our island, continue to exercise 
 over us the same extortions, the same rapine 
 and cruelties as their ancestors before them 
 have committed. We shall advance nothing 
 but what is true and correct, and we humbly 
 hope, that in hearkening to the voice of truth, 
 your Holiness will not delay to express and 
 manifest your disapprobation against the 
 authors of those crimes and outrages which 
 shall be revealed. 
 
 " The country in which we live was unin- 
 habited before the three sons of a Spanish 
 prince named Milesius, according to others 
 Micclius, landed in it with a fleet of thirty
 
 2i6 PAPAL CONDEMNATION 
 
 ships ; they had come from Cantabria, a city 
 on the Ebro, from which river they called 
 the country to which Providence guided them, 
 Ibernia, where they founded a monarchy that 
 embraced the entire of the island ; their 
 descendants, who never sullied the purity of 
 their blood by a foreign alliance, have given 
 one hundred and thirty kings, who during the 
 space of three thousand five hundred years and 
 upwards, have successively filled the throne of 
 Ireland till the time of King Legarius, from 
 whom he who has the honour of affirming 
 these facts is descended in a direct line. It 
 was under the reign of this prince, in the year 
 435, that our patron and chief apostle St. 
 Patrick, was sent to us by Pope Celestinus, one 
 of your predecessors ; and since the conversion 
 of the Kingdom through the preaching of that 
 great saint, we have had till 1170, an unin- 
 terrupted succession of sixty-one Kings, de- 
 scended from the purest blood of Milesius,who, 
 well instructed in the duties of their religion, 
 and faithful to their God, have proved them-
 
 OF ENGLISH TYRANNY. 217 
 
 selves fathers of their people, and have shown 
 by their conduct, that although they depended 
 in a spiritual light upon the holy apostolical 
 see of Rome, they never acknowledged any 
 temporal master upon earth. It is to those 
 Milesian princes, and not to the English or 
 any other foreigners, that the church of Ireland 
 is indebted for those lands, possessions, and 
 high privileges with which the pious liberality 
 of our monarchs had enriched it, and of which 
 it has been almost stripped, through the sacri- 
 legious cupidity of the English. During the 
 course of so many centuries, our sovereigns, 
 jealous of their independence, had preserved 
 it unimpaired. Attacked more than once by 
 foreign powers, they were never wanting in 
 either courage or strength to repel the in- 
 vaders, and secure their inheritance from insult. 
 But whatever might be effected against strength 
 and power, nothing could be accomplished in 
 opposition to the will of the pontiff. 
 
 " His Holiness Pope Adrian, to whose other 
 great qualities we bear testimony, was a native
 
 2i8 PAPAL CONDEMNATION 
 
 of England and particularly attached to his 
 country in heart and disposition. The national 
 prejudices he had imbibed early, blinded him 
 to such a degree, that on receiving a false and 
 unjust statement of our country, he determined 
 to transfer the sovereignty of it to Henry, King 
 of England, under whom, and perhaps by 
 whom, St. Thomas of Canterbury had been 
 murdered for his zeal in defending the interests 
 of the church : instead of punishing this prince 
 as his crime merited, and depriving him of his 
 own crown, the kind pontiif hath torn ours 
 from us to gratify his countryman, Henry H, 
 and without pretext or offence on our part, or 
 any apparent motive on his own, he hath 
 stripped us, by the most flagrant injustice, of 
 the rights of our crown, and left us a prey to 
 men, or rather to monsters, who are unpa- 
 ralleled in cruelty : more cunning than foxes, 
 and more ravenous than wolves, they sur- 
 prise and devour us ; and if sometimes we 
 escape their fury, it is only to drag on, in the 
 most disgraceful slavery, the wretched remains
 
 OF ENGLISH TYRANNY. 219 
 
 of a life more intolerable to us than death 
 itself. When, in virtue of the donations which 
 have been mentioned, the English appeared 
 for the first time in this country, they at 
 first exhibited every mark of zeal and piety ; 
 and whereas they excelled in every species 
 of hypocrisy, they neglected nothing to 
 supplant and undermine us imperceptibly. 
 Emboldened from their first successes, they 
 soon removed the mask ; and without any 
 right but that of the strongest, they obliged 
 us, by open force, to give up to them our 
 houses and our lands, and to seek shelter, like 
 wild beasts, upon the mountains, in woods, 
 marshes and caves ; and even there, we have 
 not been secure against their fury ; they even 
 envy us those dreary and terrible abodes ; 
 they are incessant and unremitting in their 
 pursuits after us, endeavouring to chase us 
 from among them ; they lay claim to every 
 place in which they can discover us, with 
 -unwarranted audacity and injustice : they 
 allege that the whole country belongs to them
 
 220 PAPAL CONDEMNATION 
 
 of right, and that an Irishman is no lonj^er 
 permitted to remain in his own country. 
 From thence arise the implacable hatred and 
 dreadful animosity between the English and 
 the Irish, one against the other ; this con- 
 tinued hostility, those bloody retaliations and 
 innumerable massacres, in which, since the 
 invasion of the English to the present time, 
 more than fifty thousand lives have been lost 
 on both sides, besides those who have fallen 
 victims to hunger, to despair, and the rigours 
 of their captivity. Lastly, they are and have 
 been the cause of all the pillaging, robbery, 
 treachery, treason, and every disorder which 
 it is impossible for us to allay in the present 
 state of anarchy under which we live ; an 
 anarchy fatal not only to the state, but like- 
 wise to the church of Ireland, whose members 
 are now, more than ever, exposed to the 
 danger of losing the blessings of eternity, 
 after being deprived of those of this world. 
 
 " Behold, most holy father, a brief descrip- 
 tion of all that has reference to our origin, and
 
 OF ENGLISH TYRANNY. 221 
 
 the miserable condition to which your prede- 
 cessor has brought us. We shall now inform 
 your holiness of the manner in which we 
 have been treated by the Kings of England. 
 The permission of entering this Kingdom, was 
 granted by the holy see to Henry II and his 
 successors, only on certain conditions, which 
 were clearly expressed in the bull which was 
 given them. According to the tenour of it, 
 Henry engaged to increase the church re- 
 venues in Ireland, to maintain it in all its 
 rights and privileges, to labour, by enacting 
 good laws, in reforming the morals of the 
 people, and in eradicating vice and encourag- 
 ing virtue. Lastly, to pay to the successors 
 of St. Peter an annual tribute of one penny 
 for each house. Such were the conditions of 
 the bull. But the Kings of England and 
 their perfidious ministers, so far from ob- 
 serving them, they have uniformly affected to 
 violate them in every way, and to act in direct 
 opposition to them. First, as to the church 
 lands, instead of extending their boundaries,
 
 222 PAPAL CONDEMNATION 
 
 they have contracted, curtailed and invaded 
 them so generally and to such a degree, that 
 some of our cathedrals have been deprived, by 
 open force, of more than one half of their 
 revenues. The persons of the clergy have 
 been as little respected as their property. 
 On every side we behold bishops and prelates 
 summoned, arrested, and imprisoned by the 
 commissioners of the King of England ; and 
 so great is the oppression exercised over them, 
 that they dare not give information of it to 
 your holiness. However, as they are so 
 dastardly as to conceal their misfortunes 
 and those of the church, they do not merit 
 that we should speak in their behalf. We 
 once had our laws and institutions ; the 
 Irish were remarkable for their candour and 
 simplicity ; but the English have undertaken 
 to reform us, and have been unfortunately but 
 too successful : instead of being, like our 
 ancestors, simple and candid, we have become, 
 through our intercourse with the English, and 
 the contagion of their example, artful and
 
 OF ENGLISH TYRANNY. 223 
 
 designing as themselves. Our laws were 
 written, and formed a body of right according 
 to which our country was governed. How- 
 ever, with the exception of one alone, which 
 they could not wrest from us, they have 
 deprived us of those salutary laws and given 
 us some of their own making. Oh, God ! what 
 kind of laws were these ? If inhumanity and 
 injustice were leagued together, none could 
 have been devised more deadly and fatal to 
 the Irish. The following will give your holi- 
 ness some idea of their new code — these are 
 the fundamental rules of English jurisdiction 
 established in this kingdom : — 
 
 " ' ist. Every man who is not Irish, may, 
 for any kind of crime, go to law with any 
 Irishman, whilst neither layman nor eccle- 
 siastic, who are Irish (prelates excepted), can, 
 under any cause or provocation, resort to 
 any legal measures against his English oppo- 
 nent. 
 
 " ' 2nd. If an Englishman kill an Irishman 
 in the act of treason which frequently occurs,
 
 224 PAPAL CONDEMNATION 
 
 of whatsoever rank or condition the Irishman 
 may be, noble or plebeian, innocent or guilty, 
 clergyman or layman, secular or regular, were 
 he even a bishop, the crime is not punish- 
 able before our English tribunal ; whereas on 
 the other hand, the more the sufferer has 
 been distinguished among his countrymen, 
 either for his virtue or his rank, the more the 
 assassin is extolled and rewarded by the 
 English and that not only by the vulgar, but 
 by the monks, bishops, and what is more in- 
 credible, by the magistrates themselves, whose 
 duty it is to punish and repress crime. 
 
 "'3rd. If any Irishwoman whosoever, 
 whether noble or plebeian, marry an English- 
 man, on the death of her husband she becomes 
 deprived, from her being Irish, of a third of 
 the property and possessions of her husband. 
 
 " ' 4th. If an Irishman fall beneath the blows 
 of an Englishman, the latter can prevent the 
 vanquished from making any testamentary 
 deposition, and may likewise take possession 
 of all his wealth. — What can be more strange
 
 OF ENGLISH TYRANNY. 225 
 
 than a law that deprives the church of its 
 rights, and reduces men, who had been free 
 from time immemorial, to the rank of slaves ? 
 
 " ' 5th. The same tribunal, with the co- 
 operation and connivance of some English 
 bishops, at which the Archbishop of Armagh 
 presided, a man who was but little esteemed 
 for his conduct, and still less for his learning, 
 made the following regulations at Kilkenny, 
 which are not less absurd in their import than 
 for their form. The court, say they, after 
 deliberating together, prohibits all religious 
 communities, in that part of Ireland of which 
 the English are in peaceful possession, to 
 admit any into them but a native of England, 
 under a penalty of being treated by the King 
 of England, for having contemned his orders, 
 and by the founders and administrators of the 
 said communities, as disobedient and refractory 
 to the present regulation. This regulation 
 was not needed ; whereas, from the time of its 
 enactment, the English Dominicans, Fran- 
 ciscans, Benedictines, regular canons, and all 
 
 15
 
 226 PAPAL CONDEMNATION 
 
 the other communities of their countrymen, 
 observed it but too faithfully. In the choice 
 of their inmates they have evinced a partiality 
 the more shameful, as the houses for Bene- 
 dictines and canons, where the Irish are now 
 denied admittance, were intended by their 
 founders to be an asylum open to people of 
 every nation indiscriminately. Vice was to be 
 eradicated from amongst us, and the seeds of 
 virtue sown. Our reformers have acted dia- 
 metrically the opposite character ; they have 
 deprived us of our virtues, and have implanted 
 their vices amongst us,' " &c., &c., &c. 
 
 This pitiful appeal met with a careful con- 
 sideration and although the Pope abstained 
 from confirming the remark of the petitioners 
 that Adrian's grant was given in consequence 
 of false pretences yet he denounced once again 
 as his predecessor had done before him the 
 wrongfulness of the tyranny complained of 
 and the danger even to which the English 
 monarchs would ultimately expose themselves 
 if such a course were persisted in.
 
 OF ENGLISH TYRANNY. 227 
 
 JOHANNES P.P. XXII, ANNO I318. 
 
 II 
 
 Regi Angliae, ut Hibernos amanter tractare 
 velit, nee a suis vexari sinat in damnum dona- 
 tionis Henrico regi de terra Hiberniae ab 
 Hadriano P.P. IV factae. Reg. An. Secret. 
 Tom. II, fol. 144." 
 
 " lohannes, Episcopus, etc. Carissimo in 
 Christo filio Eduardo Regi Anglie Illustri, 
 salutem, etc. Paternum morem ad tue celsi- 
 tudinis incrementa, fili carissime, gerimus, 
 dum te ad ea, que iusto placent iudici, tue 
 Regni, terrarum et subditorum tuorum sint 
 oportuna quieti, et fame tue pariter et honori 
 prospiciant, sollicitis exhortationibus invi- 
 tamus. Propter quod in hiis persuasiones 
 nostras devota debes mente suscipere, et ad 
 executionem illarum te pronum et flexibilem 
 exhibere. Ecce, fili, quasdam recipimus 
 litteras, directas pridem per Ybernicos Mag- 
 nates et populum dilectis filiis nostris Gaucelino 
 tituli sanctorum Marcellini et Petri ppesbitero, 
 
 15*
 
 228 PAPAL CONDEMNATION 
 
 et Luce sancte Marie in Vialata diacono Car- 
 dinalibus, apostolice sedis nunciis, et per quos 
 nobis suis interclusas litteris destinatas, in 
 quorum serie vidimus inter cetera contineri, 
 quod cum felicis recordationis Adrianus papa 
 predecessor noster sub certis mode et forma 
 distinctis, apertius in apostolicis litteris inde 
 factis, clare memorie Henrico Regi Anglie pro- 
 genitori tuo dominium Ybernie concessit, ipse 
 Rex ac successores ipsius Reges Anglie usque 
 ad hec tempora modum et formam huiusmodi 
 non servantes, quin immo eos transgredientes, 
 indebite diris afflictionibus, et gravaminibus 
 inauditis, importabilium servitutum oneribus, 
 et tyrannidibus inhumanis ipsos eo misera- 
 bilius et intolerabilius, quo diutius oppres- 
 serunt. Nee fuit hactenus, qui revocaret illata 
 gravamina, aut errata corrigeret, non fuit, 
 quem pia compassio super eorum contritione 
 moveret, quamvis super hiis ad te recursus 
 habitus fuit, et clamor validius oppressorum 
 aures tuas quoque pulsarit. Verum talia ferre 
 nequeuntes ulterius, coacti sunt se a dominio
 
 OF ENGLISH TYRANNY. 229 
 
 tuo subducere, et alium in suum regimen 
 advocare. Hec, dilectissime fili, si veritate 
 nitantur, tanto nimirum in festiora nostris 
 accedunt affectibus, quanto desiderimus in- 
 tentius, te, ut tibi prospera cuncta cedant, 
 circa ilia versari sedule, eaque promptis 
 affectibus exequi, que tuo sint placita creatori, 
 et ab omnibus abstinere sollicite, per que 
 contra te debeat provocari deus ipse, ac 
 dominus ultionum, qui gemitus afflictorum 
 iniuste minime despicit, et qui propter inius- 
 ticias peculiarem suum deiecisse describitur 
 populum, et transactionem fecisse Regnorum : 
 quanto etiam desiderabilius hiis presertim 
 impacatis temporibus cupimus, te illis li- 
 benter intendere, per que tuorum corda 
 fidelium ad tuam benivolentiam et obedi- 
 entiam debeant allici, et ilia pro se vitare, 
 quibus valeant a tue cultu devotionis avelli. 
 Quia itaque, fili, tua non modicum interest, 
 huius nove mutationis pensare dispendium 
 quamplurimum expedit, ut hec non negli- 
 gantur turbationis inicia, ne illis periculose
 
 230 PAPAL CONDEMNATION 
 
 crescentibus sero medicine remedia prepa- 
 rentur : Excellentiam Regiam Sollicitamus 
 attente presentibus, sano nichilominus con- 
 silio suadentes, quatenus hec prudenti medi- 
 tatione considerans, et cum tuo discrete 
 consilio conferens super illis, circa premissorum 
 gravaminum correctionem ac reformationem 
 debitam et festinam viis et modis decentibus 
 sic sufficienter provideri mandes et facias, sic 
 discriminosis principiis in hac parte obstare 
 procures, quod et illi, per quern regnas et 
 regis, placidum accedere valeat, et te in hiis 
 efficaciter implente, quod debes, cuiusvis ad- 
 versum te iuste querele materia conquiescat, 
 per quod iidcm Ybernici saniori ducti consilio 
 tibi in domino pareant, aut si, quod absit, 
 incepta rebellione manere voluerint, causam 
 suam in apertam iniusticiam, te apud deum 
 et homines excusato, convertant. Ut autem 
 de predictis gravaminibus et querelis, quibus 
 predicti innituntur Ybernici, tuis sensibus 
 innotescat ac plenum, prescriptas litteras 
 missas Cardinalibus antedictis cum anima
 
 OF ENGLISH TYRANNY, 231 
 
 (sic) formam litterarum, quas predictus 
 Adrianus, predecessor noster, eidem Henrico 
 Regi Anglie de terra Ybernie concessisse 
 dicitur, continente, tue magnitudini mittimus 
 presentibus interclusas. Datum Avinione III 
 Kal. lunii, Pontificatus nostri anno secundo." 
 
 Translation. 
 
 *' pope john xxii, a.d. i318. 
 
 *' To the King of England, that he would 
 treat the Irish lovingly, and not allow them to 
 be harassed by his subjects, to the detriment 
 of the gift of the land of Ireland to King 
 Henry made by Pope Adrian IV. 
 
 " John, Bishop, &c. To our dearest son in 
 Christ, Edward, the illustrious King of Eng- 
 land, greeting, &c. 
 
 *' We entertain, most dear son, a paternal 
 solicitude for the increase of your greatness, 
 while with earnest exhortation we invite 
 you to those measures which are pleasing to 
 the just Judge and conducive to the peace of
 
 232 PAPAL CONDEMNATION 
 
 your Kingdom, lands and subjects, no less than 
 to your fame and honour. You ought, there- 
 fore, in these matters to receive our admoni- 
 tions with a devout mind and to show^ yourself 
 ready and pliant in their execution. We are, 
 my son, in the receipt of certain letters 
 addressed some time ago by Irish magnates 
 and the Irish people to our beloved sons, 
 Gaucelinus, Cardinal priest of the title of 
 SS. Marcellinus and Peter, and Luke, Car- 
 dinal Deacon of St. Mary in Via Lata, nuncios 
 of the Apostolic See, by whom came the 
 letters designed for us enclosed in their own, 
 in the series of which letters we see contained, 
 among other matters, that, whereas Pope 
 Adrian our predecessor of happy memory 
 granted very explicitly, under distinct condi- 
 tions of form and mode, in apostolic letters 
 framed accordingly, the Kingdom of Ireland 
 to your progenitor, Henry, King of England 
 of illustrious memory, the King himself and 
 the Kings of England his successors up to 
 the present time, not observing such pre-
 
 OF ENGLISH TYRANNY. 233 
 
 scribed form and mode, but on the contrary 
 transgressing them, have unduly oppressed 
 the Irish with dire afflictions, unheard of 
 burdens, the weight of insupportable servitude 
 and inhuman tyranny, ever increasing in 
 pitiable and unbearable severity as time 
 goes on. 
 
 *' And although recourse has been had to 
 you in respect of these things, and the cry 
 of the oppressed has more loudly reached our 
 ears, there has not yet arisen any one to 
 revoke the burdens imposed and to correct the 
 errors fallen into, no one whom pious com- 
 passion for their misery could move. Unable 
 any longer to bear such oppression, they have 
 been driven to withdraw themselves from your 
 dominion, and to call in another to take the 
 rule. 
 
 " If these reports, most beloved son, are 
 based on truth, they certainly outrage our 
 feelings all the more in proportion as we 
 intensely desire that you should sedulously 
 attend to your affairs in order that the) may
 
 234 PAPAL CONDEMNATION 
 
 all prosper in your hands, and that you should 
 with prompt and affectionate earnestness 
 execute those things which may please your 
 Creator, and carefully abstain from all which 
 must of necessity provoke against you God 
 Himself, the Lord of Vengeance, Who dis- 
 regards by no manner of means unjustly the 
 groans of the afflicted, and Who is described 
 as having overthrown this peculiar people on 
 account of their unrighteous doings and having 
 transferred Kingdoms from the like cause. 
 These reports, we say, distress us just in pro- 
 portion as we desire more earnestly, especially 
 in these disturbed times, that you would 
 apply yourself to those things by which the 
 hearts of your faithful subjects must be drawn 
 towards good will and obedience in your 
 regard, and that you would on their account 
 avoid those things by which they may be torn 
 from their respect and devotion to you. Since, 
 therefore, my son, it concerns your interests in 
 no small degree, it is above all things expe- 
 dient that you think of the cost of this new
 
 OF ENGLISH TYRANNY. 235 
 
 change in the state of affairs, so as not to 
 neglect the commencement of disturbances, 
 lest through their perilous increase the reme- 
 dial medicine be provided too late. 
 
 "We earnestly exhort your Excellent Majesty 
 by these letters, persuading you, however, with 
 wholesome counsels, that, considering these 
 matters prudently and thoughtfully, and con- 
 ferring with your learned council on the 
 subject, you would command and cause that, 
 in respect of the aforesaid heavy burdens, due 
 and speedy correction and reformation be so 
 adequately provided in a becoming manner 
 and way, and that you would take care to put 
 a stop to perilous commencements and under- 
 takings in this behalf. We exhort you to this 
 that it may avail to please Him by Whom you 
 reign and rule, and that, while you fulfil these 
 requirements as you ought, the substance of 
 every just complaint against you may be set at 
 rest ; by which means these same Irish, led by 
 wiser counsels, may yield you obedience, or, 
 if (which may God avert) they are determined
 
 236 PAPAL CONDEMNATION 
 
 to continue in the rebellion they have com- 
 menced, they may convert their own cause 
 into such open injustice as will serve to excuse 
 you in sight of God and men. But in order 
 that you may have full perception and know- 
 ledge of the afore-mentioned grievances and 
 complaints on which the said Irish take their 
 stand, we send your Mightiness, inclosed in 
 the present, the letters previously spoken of 
 that were sent to the before-named Cardinals 
 containing the form together with the sense of 
 the letters which Pope Adrian, as we have 
 already said, our predecessor, is reported to 
 have granted to the same Henry, King of 
 England, respecting the land of Ireland. 
 
 " Given at Avignon, the third day before the 
 Calends of June (May 30) in the second year of 
 our Pontificate." 
 
 With this solemn denunciation by Pope 
 John XXII of English tyranny I close this 
 chapter. 
 
 I trust the inquiry made into the connection 
 of Ireland with the Holy Sec from the earliest
 
 OF ENGLISH TYRANNY. 237 
 
 times until the firm settlement made by the 
 Normans will be conducive to a true view 
 of the history of those times. It need hardly 
 be said that I hold no Brief for Rome but have 
 been led purely by a longing to get at the 
 bottom of a much controverted subject. I 
 began studying it with an utter distrust of 
 the wisdom or justice of the Roman support 
 of the Norman Conquest of Ireland, and 
 finish by seeing not only by nineteenth cen- 
 tury facts, the wisdom of the action of the 
 Popes in those days, but that the actual state 
 of Ireland then, rendered the advent of fresh 
 blood and a new race absolutely necessary.
 
 APPENDIX 
 
 The following documents will be of use to 
 the student. The Charter at Windsor speaks 
 for itself. The Irish Magna Charta shows that 
 the same freedom which Englishmen obtained 
 was cheerfully given to the Irish. The Papal 
 document relative to the Archbishop of Cashel 
 is instructive as showing very plainly what I 
 have so often insisted on, namely, the careful 
 manner in which the Popes endeavoured to 
 meet out strict justice not only to the conquer- 
 ing Norman but to the conquered Irish.
 
 240 APPENDIX. 
 
 The Charter of Agreement at Windsor in 
 1175 between the King of England 
 AND Roderick, King of Connaught. 
 
 (Referred to on page 172 J 
 
 Charier of Agreement at Windsor a.d. 1175 {or 
 iiyy), '' Hanuter's Chronicle^' i^yi, Dublin 
 edit, of 1809, p. 287, S-c. 
 
 " Hie est finis et eoneordia quae facta fuit 
 apud Windesore, in Octabis Saneti Miehaelis, 
 Anno gratise 1175. Inter Dominum Regem 
 Anglise Henricum secundum ; et Rodericum 
 Regem Conaciae, per Catholicum Tuamensem 
 Archepiscopum et Abbatem C. Saneti Bran- 
 dani, et Magistrum Laurentium Cancellarium 
 Regis Conacise. 
 
 " I. Scilicet quod Rex Angliae concedit pre- 
 dicto Roderico Ligio homini suo Regnum 
 Conacias quamdiu ei fideliter servret, ut sit
 
 APPENDIX. 241 
 
 Rex sub eo, paratus ad servitium suum, sicut 
 homo suus et ut teneat terram suam, ita bene 
 & in pace sicut tenuit antequam Dominus Rex 
 Anglise intraret Hiberniam ; reddendo ei tribu- 
 tum : et totam illam terram & habitatores terrae 
 habeat sub se, & justicias ut tributum Regi 
 Angliae integre per solvant, & per manum ejus 
 sua jura sibi conservert, & illi qui modo tenent, 
 teneant in pace, quam diu mansuerint in iide- 
 litate Regis Anglias, & fideliter & integre per- 
 solverint tributum & alia jura sua quae ei 
 debent, per manum Regis Conacias, salvo in 
 omnibus jure & honore Domini Regis Angliae 
 & suo. 
 
 *' 2. Et si qui ex eis Regi Angliae, & ei 
 rebelles fuerint, & tributum & alia jura Regis 
 Angliae, per manum ejus solvere noluerint, 
 & a fidelitate Regis Angliae recesserint, ipse 
 eos justitiet & amoveat, & si eos per se 
 justitiare non poterit ; Constabularius Regis 
 Angliae & familia sua de terra ilia juvabunt eum 
 ad hoc faciendum, quum ab ipso fuerint 
 requisiti, & ipsi viderint quod necesse fuerit, & 
 
 16
 
 242 APPENDIX. 
 
 propter hunc finem reddet predictus Rex 
 Conaciae Domino Regi Angliae tributum singulis 
 annis ; scilicet, de singulis decern animalibus, 
 unum corium placibile mercatoribus, turn de 
 tota terra sua quan de aliena. 
 
 *' 3. Excepto quod de terris illis quas Domi- 
 nus Rex Anglias retiniut in dominio suo, & in 
 dominio Baronum suorum nihil se intromittet : 
 Scilicet Duvelinacum pertinentiis suis, & Midia 
 cum omnibus pertinentiis suis, sicut unquam 
 Miirchart Wamai Leih Lachlin, eam meluis & 
 plenius tenuet, aut aliqui qui eam de eo tenu- 
 erint. Et excepta Wesefordia cum omnibus 
 pertinentiis suis, scilicet cum tota Lagenia, & 
 excepta Waterf. cum tota terra ilia quas est a 
 Waterf. usque ad Dungarvan ; ita ut Dun- 
 garvan sit cum omnibus pertinentiis suis, infra 
 terram illam. 
 
 "4. Et si Hibernenses illi qui aufugerint 
 redire voluerint ad terram Baronum Regis 
 Anglise, redeant in pace redden<lo tributum 
 predictum quod alii reddunt, vel faciendo 
 antiqua servitia quae facere solebant pro terris
 
 APPENDIX. 243 
 
 suis, et hoc sit in arbitrio Dominorum suorum, 
 et si aliqui corum redire noluerint, Domini 
 eorum et Rex Conacise accipiat obsides, ad 
 omnibus quos ei Comisit Dominus Rex Anglise 
 ad voluntatem Domini Regis et suam, et ipse 
 dabit obsides ad voluntatem Domini Regis 
 Angliae illos vel alios, et ipsi servient Domino 
 de Canibus et Avibus suis singulis annis de 
 presentis suis, et nullum omnino de quacunque 
 terra Regis sit, retinebunt contra voluntatem 
 Domini Regis. Hiis testibus Richardo Epis- 
 copo Wintonise, Gaufrido Episcopo Eliensi, 
 Laurentio Duveliensi Archepiscopo, Gaufrido, 
 Nicolao, et Rogero Capelanis Regis, Guilelmo 
 Comit. Essex, et aliis multis." 
 
 Translation. 
 
 This is the termination and agreement which 
 was come to at Windsor, in the Octave of 
 St. Michael, in the year of grace, 1175, 
 between the Lord King of England, Henry 
 the Second, and Roderick, King of Connaught, 
 through the Catholic Archbishop of Tuam and 
 
 16 *
 
 244 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 the Abbot C. of Saint Brandan and Master Lau- 
 rence, Chancellor of the King of Connaught. 
 
 I. Namely, that the King of England grants 
 to the aforesaid Roderick Ligius, his man, the 
 Kingdom of Connaught, so long as he serves 
 him faithfully, so that he may be King under 
 him, ready for his service as his man, and that 
 he may hold his land just as he held it well 
 and peacefully before the Lord King of Eng- 
 land entered Ireland ; rendering him tribute : 
 and that he may have all that land and the 
 inhabitants of the land under him, and that 
 they may render the tribute of justice entirely 
 to the King of England, and by his hand may 
 preserve to themselves their own laws and 
 rights, and those who now hold may hold in 
 peace as long as they shall remain in fidelity 
 to the King of England and faithfully and 
 entirely yield tribute and other rights which 
 they owe to him through the hands of the 
 King of Connaught, the right and honour of 
 the Lord King of England and his own right 
 and honour being maintained inviolate.
 
 APPENDIX. 245 
 
 2. But if any of them be rebels against the 
 King of England and against him and are un- 
 willing to pay the tribute and other rights of 
 the King of England by his hand, and with- 
 draw from their allegiance to the King of 
 England, let him judge them and set them 
 aside, and if he is not able to judge them by 
 himself the Constable of the King of England 
 and his own family from that country will 
 assist him in doing this when they shall be 
 required by him and they shall see themselves 
 what is necessary ; and for this end the afore- 
 said King of Connaught shall render tribute 
 to the King of England every year, that is to 
 say, for every ten beasts one hide acceptable 
 to merchants, as well from the whole of his 
 own land as from that of others. 
 
 3, None of those lands shall be excluded 
 from the operation of this agreement except- 
 ing what the King of England has retained 
 under his own dominion and in the dominion 
 of his Barons : that is to say Dublin with its 
 appurtenances, and Midia (Meath) with all
 
 246 APPENDIX. 
 
 its appurtenances, as Marchant Wamai Leth 
 Lachlin (Mac Loughlin ?) has ever held it 
 very well and very completely, or some other 
 persons have done so who held it of him : 
 Excepting also Wexford with all that belongs 
 to it, that is to say the whole of Lagenia, and 
 excepting Waterford with all that land which 
 lies between Waterford and Dungarvan, so 
 that Dungarvan with all its belongings be 
 included under that land. 
 
 4. But if those Irishmen who have fled 
 wish to return to the land of the Barons of the 
 King of England, let them return in peace, 
 on condition of rendering the aforesaid tribute 
 which others render, or of performing the 
 ancient service which they were in the habit 
 of performing for their lands ; and let this be 
 at the disposal of their lords ; and if any of 
 them are unwilling to return, let their lords 
 and the King of Connaught accept hostages 
 from all those whom the Lord King of Eng- 
 land has committed to him according to the 
 will and disposal of the Lord King and his
 
 APPENDIX. 247 
 
 own will ; and he himself shall give' as hos- 
 tages, according to the will of the Lord King 
 of England, those persons or others, and they 
 shall serve him their lord with their dogs and 
 their birds every year out of their present 
 holdings, and shall keep back nothing what- 
 ever, of whatsoever land of the King's it may 
 be, contrary to the will of the Lord King. 
 
 Whereof are witnesses, Richard, Bishop 
 of Winchester ; Godfrey, Bishop of Ely ; 
 Laurence, Archbishop of Dublin ; Godfrey, 
 Nicholas and Roger, Chaplains to the King, 
 William, Earl of Essex, and many others. 
 
 The Irish Magna Charta, granted by 
 HenryHII, 1216. 
 
 " Henry, by the grace of God, King of Eng- 
 land, Lord of Ireland,. Duke of Normandy, 
 Aquitaine and Earl of Anjou, to the arch- 
 bishops, bishops, abbots, earls, barons, jus- 
 ticiars of forests, vice-earls, prefects, ministers, 
 citizens, bailiffs and faithful subjects, greeting.
 
 248 APPENDIX. 
 
 " Be it known to you that we, out of respect 
 to God and for the welfare of our soul and 
 those of our predecessors and successors, to 
 the honour of God and for the exaltation of 
 holy church and the improvement of our 
 Kingdom, by the advice of our venerable 
 fathers, Guale, lord Cardinal-priest of the 
 title of St. Martin, legate of the Apostolic 
 See, P. Bishop of Winchester, L. Bishop of 
 Asaph, &c., &c., &c. (here follow the names 
 of the signitaries), and others 3'our faithful 
 subjects, have first of all conceded to God 
 and confirmed by this our present Charter, 
 for ourselves and for our heirs for ever, that 
 the Irish Church shall be free and have its 
 own rights intact and its liberties unimpaired. 
 
 *' We have granted also to all freemen of oiir 
 Kingdom for ourselves and our heirs for ever 
 all the liberties here inscribed to be had and 
 held by them and their heirs from us and our 
 heirs : If any one of our earls or barons, or 
 others holding of us in chief by military service 
 shall be dead and when he died his heir was
 
 APPENDIX. 249 
 
 of full age and owed a relief, he may have his 
 inheritance by paying the ancient relief: that 
 is to say the heir or heirs of an earl for the 
 entire barony of an earl a hundred pounds ; 
 the heir or heirs of a baron for the entire 
 barony of a baron a hundred pounds ; the 
 heir or heirs of a knight for the entire fief 
 of a knight a hundred shillings at the most ; 
 and he who shall owe less may give less 
 according to the ancient custom of fiefs. 
 
 " But if the heir of any one of such persons 
 shall be under age, his lord shall not have 
 custody of him or of his land before he has 
 taken his act of homage ; and after such an 
 heir shall have been in ward and shall have 
 come to full age, namely one and twenty years, 
 let him have his inheritance without relief or 
 term ; yet in such a manner that if he himself 
 whilst under age shall have been a knight the 
 land may nevertheless remain in the keeping 
 of his lord even to the aforesaid term, 
 
 " The guardian of this land and the heir under 
 age may not take from the land of the heir
 
 250 APPENDIX. 
 
 any but reasonable produce and reasonable 
 customs and reasonable services, and these 
 without destruction or devastation of men or 
 things ; and if we shall have entrusted the 
 keeping of any such land to a vice-earl or to 
 any one else who is bound to answer to us 
 for the fruits of that land, and he shall make 
 havoc or waste of the land in charge, we will 
 cause him to make amends and the land to 
 be entrusted to two legal and discreet men 
 of that fief who may be answerable to us for 
 the produce or to him to whom we may have 
 assigned them ; and if we shall have given or 
 sold the custody of any such land to any 
 person and he has then caused destruction 
 or devastation, let him lose that custody and 
 let it be delivered over to two legal and 
 discreet men of that fief who may thenceforth 
 answer to us in like manner as beforesaid. 
 
 " But let the guardian, so long as he may 
 have the keeping of land, preserve in good 
 condition the houses, parks, warrens, preserves, 
 fish-ponds, lakes, mills, &ic., belonging to that
 
 APPENDIX. 251 
 
 land for the produce of the same ; and let him 
 render to the heir when he shall have come to 
 full age the whole of his land put in good 
 condition in respect of carriages and all other 
 things, at least according as he has received 
 them. Let all these same things be observed 
 in respect of the guardianship of episcopates, 
 archiepiscopates, abbeys, priories, vacant 
 churches and dignities, except that custodies 
 of this kind ought not to be sold. Let heirs 
 marry without alliance with one of inferior 
 rank or condition. Let a widow after her 
 husband's death, have her marriage portion 
 and inheritance immediately, nor let her give 
 anything for her dowry or marriage settlement 
 or inheritance, which inheritance her husband 
 and herself have held up to the day of the 
 husband's death ; and let her remain a widow 
 in her husband's house for forty days after the 
 death of her husband ; during which days let 
 her dowry be assigned to her unless it has been 
 assigned to her before, or unless that house 
 was an encampment, and if she has withdrawn
 
 252 APPENDIX. 
 
 from the camp let a suitable house in which 
 she may dwell honourably be provided for her 
 as far as the dowry assigned to her may allow, 
 according to what was said before. 
 
 *' Let no widow be obliged to marry so long 
 as she wishes to live unmarried ; yet in such 
 wise that she give security that she will not 
 marry without our consent if she holds land of 
 us, or without the consent of her lord if she 
 holds it of another. 
 
 " We or our bailiffs will not seize any land 
 or revenue for any debt so long as the actual 
 cattle of a debtor suffice for paying the debt 
 and the debtor be ready to satisfy the claims : 
 nor let the recognizance of the debtor himself 
 be distrained so long as the chief debtor is 
 equal to the discharge of the debt ; and if the 
 chief debtor has failed in discharging it, not 
 having wherewith to pay, or is unwilling to 
 pay when he can, let the sureties answer for the 
 debt ; and if they will, let them have the lands 
 and revenues of the debtor until satisfaction is 
 made to them for the debt which before they
 
 APPENDIX. 253 
 
 paid for him ; unless the chief debtor has 
 shewn that he remains quiet in respect to the 
 said sureties. 
 
 " The City of Dublin may have all its ancient 
 liberties and free customs. We will and grant 
 moreover that all other cities, towns and 
 boroughs, and all harbours have all their 
 liberties and free customs. 
 
 " No one may be constrained to perform 
 more service for a Knight's fief or for any other 
 free tenement than is due from it. 
 
 " Let common synods not follow our royal 
 courts but be held in some fixed place. 
 
 " Let not recognitions for a fresh disseizing, 
 for the death of a predecessor, or for a final 
 presentation, be taken except in their proper 
 counties and in this manner. We, or if we are 
 out of the Kingdom, our chief justiciar, will 
 send two justiciar! through each county four 
 times a year, who with four knights of each 
 county elected by the county may hold the 
 previously announced assizes of the' county in 
 the county and on the day and place deter- 
 mined.
 
 254 APPENDIX. 
 
 " And if the county-assizes previously an- 
 nounced cannot be held on the proper day, let 
 so many knights and free tenants remain, out 
 of those who are present in the provincial 
 assembly on that day, as may suffice for deli- 
 vering judgment according to what the business 
 may be, small or great. 
 
 " Let not a free man be amerced for a slight 
 offence except in proportion to the offence, and 
 for a great crime according to the greatness of 
 the crime, without taking away his livelihood ; 
 and a merchant in like manner without des- 
 troying his merchandise ; and let a villein in 
 like manner be amerced, saving his carts and 
 ploughs if he have fallen to our merc}^ 
 
 "And let none of the aforesaid acts of mercy 
 take effect except by the oath of honest and 
 legal men of the neighbourhood. 
 
 " Let Earls and Barons be amerced only by 
 their peers and only according to the measure 
 of their crime. 
 
 " Let no clergyman be amerced except 
 according to the form of the aforesaid and not
 
 APPENDIX. 255 
 
 according to the size of their ecclesiastical 
 benefice. 
 
 " Let neither a village nor a person be 
 obliged to make bridges from bank to bank 
 except such as they are bound to build of old 
 time and by law. 
 
 " Let no vice-earl, constable, coroners or 
 others, bailiffs of ours, hold the synods apper- 
 taining to our crown. If any one dies holding 
 of us a lay fief and a vice-earl or bailiff of ours 
 shows our letters patent for demanding the 
 debt which the deceased owed to us, let it be 
 lawful for the vice-earl or our bailiff to tie up 
 and schedule the cattle found in a lay fief to 
 acquit that debt, by the supervision of legal 
 men, yet in such a way that nothing be 
 removed thence until the whole of the debt 
 that was clearly owing be paid to us, and let 
 the remainder be left to the executors for 
 carrying out the will of the deceased ; and if 
 nothing be due from the deceased himself let 
 them give up all the cattle except their reason- 
 able shares for his wife and children.
 
 256 APPENDIX. 
 
 " Let no constable or his bailiff take the 
 corn or cattle of anyone not of the village 
 where his camp is, unless he immediately pays 
 the money arising thence or may be able to 
 have regard in that particular to the will of the 
 seller ; but if he be of the village he should be 
 bound to pay the value within three weeks. 
 
 " Let no constable constrain any knight to 
 give money for the custody of the camp if he 
 himself wishes to perform it in his own person, 
 or by some other honest man, if he himself is 
 unable to do it from some reasonable cause ; 
 and if we have led him or sent him into the 
 army he shall rest from keeping guard accord- 
 ing to the length of time in which he shall 
 have been in the army for our service. 
 
 " No vice-earl or bailiff of ours or any other 
 person may take horses or carts of any one for 
 carting unless he pay the quittance decreed of 
 old : that is to say, for a cart with two horses ten 
 pence a day, and for a cart with three horses 
 fourteen pence a day. Neither we nor our 
 bailiffs will take another's wood to the camp or
 
 APPENDIX. 257 
 
 to any other labour of ours except by the will 
 of him to whom the wood belongs, 
 
 " We will not hold the lands of those who 
 have been convicted of felony except for a year 
 and a day and then let the lands be rendered 
 to the lords of the fiefs. And let all weirs be 
 removed in future along the whole of the Liffey 
 and throughout the whole of Ireland, except 
 the sea coast. 
 
 " Let a brief called a precipe not be made in 
 future for any one in respect of any tenement 
 whence a freeman may lose his court (curia). 
 
 " Let one measure of wine be throughout our 
 entire kingdom and one measure of beer, and 
 one measure of wheat that is a quarter of 
 Dublin; and one width of dyed cloths, russet 
 and haberjects, that is to say two ells within 
 the lists. 
 
 " Let there be the same rule with regard to 
 weights as to measures. 
 
 " Let nothing be given in future for a brief of 
 inquisition respecting life and limbs, but let it 
 be granted gratuitously and not denied. 
 
 17
 
 258 APPENDIX. 
 
 *' If any one holds of us by a farm of fief or 
 socage or burgage and if another holds land by 
 military service, we will neither have custody 
 of his heir nor of his land which is of another's 
 fief by reason of that farm of fief or socage or 
 burgage. Nor will we have custody of that 
 farm of fief or socage or burgage unless that 
 fief-farm owes military service. 
 
 " We will not have custody of an heir or of 
 any land which he holds of any one for military 
 service by occasion of any small serjeanty 
 which he holds of us through the service of 
 rendering us knives or arrows or things of 
 this kind. 
 
 " Let no bailiff bring any one in future to 
 the law by simply addressing words to him, 
 without faithful witnesses to this being ad- 
 duced. 
 
 ** Let no free man be taken or imprisoned 
 or disseised or outlawed or banished or ruined 
 in any other way. Nor will we go over him 
 nor send over him except by legal judgment 
 of his peers or by the law of the land.
 
 APPENDIX. 259 
 
 *' We will sell to no man, deny to no man, 
 or differ right or justice. 
 
 " Let all merchants, unless they have pre- 
 viously been prohibited, be safe and secure to 
 go out of Ireland and to enter into Ireland and 
 to remain and travel through Ireland, as well 
 by land as by water, to buy and to sell, without 
 all those evils removed by ancient and right 
 customs, except in time of war. And if they 
 are of the land at war with us, and if such are 
 found in our country in the beginning of the 
 war, let them be put under restraint without 
 injury of person or property until it be known 
 from us or from our chief justiciar how the 
 merchants of our country are treated who are 
 found at that time in the land that is at war 
 with us. And if ours are uninjured there, let 
 the others be safe in our country. 
 
 " If any one holds of some escheat as of 
 honour Wallingford, Nottingham, Bolonia, 
 Lancaster, or other escheats, which are in our 
 hands and are baronies, and he dies, let not 
 his heir give any relief nor do any other 
 
 17 *
 
 26o APPENDIX. 
 
 service to us than he would do to the baron if 
 that land were in the hand of the baron, and 
 we will hold it in the same manner as the 
 baron held it. 
 
 " Let the men who remain outside a forest 
 not come in future before our justiciars of 
 forests by common summonses, except they 
 are in the royal synod or sureties of some 
 person or persons who are attached for a 
 forest. 
 
 " Let all men who have founded abbeys 
 whence they have charters of the Kings of 
 England or ancient tenure, have charge of 
 them when they are vacant, as they ought to 
 have and as was before declared. 
 
 " Let all forests that were made forests in 
 the time of King John, our father, be imme- 
 diately disforested, and so let it be done with 
 regard to banks and coasts which were placed 
 in defence in the time of the same King John 
 and by him. 
 
 " Let no one be taken or imprisoned on 
 account of the appeal of a woman in respect
 
 APPENDIX. 261 
 
 to the death of any one except her own 
 husband, 
 
 " But let all in our kingdom, as well clergy 
 as laity, preserve, so far as concerns them in 
 regard to their own people, all those aforesaid 
 customs and liberties which we have granted 
 to be retained in our Kingdom so far as con- 
 cerns us towards our own people. 
 
 " But because in the former charter some 
 clauses were contained which appeared severe 
 and doubtful, namely, respecting scutage and 
 aid to be supplied, concerning the debts of 
 Jews and others, liberty of leaving our King- 
 dom and returning to our Kingdom, concern- 
 ing forests and forestiars, warrens and war- 
 reners, the customs of the public assemblies 
 of provinces, banks and coasts and their 
 custodians, it seemed good to the aforesaid 
 prelates and magnates that those things 
 should be under consideration until we shall 
 have a fuller council, and then we will do more 
 fully in respect to these and to other things 
 which require amendment that which pertains
 
 262 APPENDIX. 
 
 to the common utility of all and to the peace 
 and stability of ourselves and our Kin^^dom. 
 
 " But because we have not yet a seal we 
 have caused the present charter to be sealed 
 with the seals of the venerable father our 
 lord Guale, Cardinal priest of the title of 
 S. Martin, legate of the Apostolic See, and 
 William Mareschal, Earl of Pembroke, our 
 rector and rector of our Kingdom. 
 
 " In the presence of the aforenamed and 
 many others. 
 
 " Given by the hand of the aforesaid lord 
 legate and William Mareschal, at Bristol, the 
 I2th of November, in the first year of our 
 reign."* 
 
 N.B. — The word villa, translated '• village" on pp. 255, 256, 
 as used in Henry Ill's time is very indefinite. Sometimes 
 it meant a city, sometimes a town, village or hamlet, a mere 
 assemblage of houses, or a space including grounds applied to 
 
 * This is translated from the Latin document given on 
 page 65 of the " Historical and Municipal Documents, 
 Ireland," 1 172-1320. Published under the direction of the 
 Master of the Rolls. 1870.
 
 APPENDIX. 263 
 
 various uses. In short, there is scarcely any place not 
 sometimes included in " villa," as Du Cange says explicitly. 
 
 Many of the expressions in this translation appear bald 
 and uncouth because the customs to which they allude are 
 altogether obsolete. The great similarity between the Magna 
 Charta of King John and this one will at once strike the reader. 
 The prominent part assigned to Cardinal Quale is worthy of 
 notice. 
 
 Pope Honorius III on certain Grievances 
 OF THE Archbishop of Cashel.* 
 
 This somewhat lengthy document is of 
 interest and well worth reading as showing 
 how perfectly unbiassed the Popes were, and 
 the extreme justice with which they endea- 
 voured to weigh, deliberate and decide the 
 many difficult matters which came before 
 them. No English law court could have 
 dealt more calmly with the matter in dispute 
 than the Pope with the complex troubles 
 brought before his tribunal by the Archbishop 
 of Cashel. 
 
 * Translated fiom Theiner (XLVI, p. 18).
 
 264 APPENDIX. 
 
 Translation. 
 
 " To the Legate of the Apostolic See, that he 
 would examine and report concerning certain 
 customs in Ireland for the abolition of which 
 the Archbishop of Cashel had obtained apos- 
 tolic letters. 
 
 " Honorius, Bishop, &c. To our beloved 
 son, Master James, our Chaplain and Peniten- 
 tiary, Legate of the Apostolic See, greeting, &c. 
 The more ready assent we in our justice yield 
 to the prayers of petitioners, the more scrupu- 
 lously ought everyone to beware lest, under pre- 
 text of seeking justice at our hands, he falsely 
 obtain our confidence and provoke calumny 
 against us and injury of public law and right. 
 Our very dear son in Christ, Henry, the illus- 
 trious King of England, has intimated to us 
 by his ambassadors and letters that Our vener- 
 able brother, the Archbishop of Cashel, repre- 
 sented to us formerly that he was not able as 
 yet to get back the possessions of the Church 
 of Cashel unjustly retained by a number of
 
 APPENDIX. 265 
 
 persons and especially the new villa of Cashel 
 and other property of the same church of 
 which the noble G. de Marisco, justiciary of 
 Ireland, and his accomplices, had improperly 
 despoiled her. Although the King had been 
 particularly informed of this, he — the Arch- 
 bishop of Cashel — begged our letters to the 
 said sovereign, in order that he, causing the 
 aforesaid villa and other things, of which the 
 prelate had been iniquitously despoiled, to be 
 restored, would defend him in matters concern- 
 ing justice and liberty, and would support him 
 so that the King might himself deserve our 
 commendation, and so that you, to whom we 
 committed the conduct of the affair, might 
 not be distressed in any way. But it was 
 recently answered in our presence on the 
 King's part that he would willingly defend 
 the Archbishop and his Church, provided that 
 he did not incur any detriment in his own 
 rights. But although the same Archbishop 
 seems in this matter to make just pretensions, 
 he nevertheless contrives to inflict a seriotis
 
 266 APPENDIX. 
 
 injury on the said King. For since it is shown 
 to be a matter of old and approved custom, 
 yea, since it is the common law of the Kingdom 
 of England and Ireland, that no one under 
 lawful age instituted to those belongings which 
 his father possessed in peace at the time of 
 his death should be exposed to an action at law 
 until he has completed his one-and-twentieth 
 year, and it is evident that John his father of 
 illustrious memory was as it were in peaceful 
 possession of this right at the time of his 
 death and in possession of the things demanded 
 by the Archbishop, that ought not to be denied 
 to a King which is not denied to others in the 
 Kingdom, great or small. His Majesty defends 
 himself in this business by another right also, 
 for since things of this kind are feudal, he 
 ought not to be impleaded except before peers 
 of his court. It was also set forth on the 
 King's part in our presence that from the time 
 in which the English entered Ireland by the 
 command of the Holy Apostolic See and sub- 
 jected it to the obedience of the Roman
 
 APPENDIX. 267 
 
 Church, respect being had to the fierceness of 
 the Irish, lest it should break out any further, 
 necessity and usefulness being taken into 
 account, it was introduced as a custom, and 
 has hitherto been quietly observed, that if by 
 chance an Irishman has furtively purloined 
 anything from an Englishman, and the English- 
 man has sworn with six other Englishmen that 
 the thing was really robbed from him by the 
 Irishman, the latter should be obliged to 
 restore the object stolen. 
 
 " But the aforesaid Archbishop, maliciously 
 suppressing the reasons why this custom was 
 introduced and firmly established,^besought and 
 obtained letters to the same King, so that 
 notwithstanding the existence of a custom 
 or corruption, as it was called, of this kind, we 
 determined to prohibit the English from its 
 use as a thing rather to be abolished, and 
 restrained those who should in future attempt 
 to act upon it from presuming on the royal 
 authority. We were therefore immediately 
 requested on the King's part not to permit any
 
 268 APPENDIX. 
 
 change to be made in regard to the custom 
 in question, since that could not be done 
 without irreparable damage to both nations. 
 Besides this, the aforesaid Archbishop and 
 his suffragans, complaining that Barons and 
 other laymen settled in their dioceses retain 
 the possessions belonging to their churches 
 and occupy them for the most part unjustly, 
 and that few of them are now left, though 
 they do not hold these or any royal property 
 from the King, the prelates themselves and 
 their people are obliged to appear and answer 
 before a secular judge. We addressed our 
 papers to the same King, and forwarded them, 
 desiring that he would cause abuses of this 
 kind to be abolished, and the property taken 
 possession of by the said laymen to be restored, 
 giving, nevertheless, commission to you by 
 these letters, and prescribing that you, 
 having summoned such persons as should be 
 called to your assistance, would execute our 
 commission justly and obviate every impedi- 
 ment in the way of appeal. To which it was
 
 APPENDIX. 269 
 
 answered on the part of the said King that 
 since the possessions are lay property, and 
 tenure is held by ancient and approved custom, 
 yea, according to the law of both Kingdoms, if 
 a question is mooted concerning a matter of 
 this sort also between masters and vassals, 
 he causes justice to be administered in his 
 own court to every one making a complaint, 
 so that no one person can implead another 
 except before him. Those things only ex- 
 cepted which are bestowed purely as alms, 
 the King ought not in such matters to be 
 deprived of his jurisdiction, being ready to 
 administer full and complete justice to all 
 who seek it. To this the oft-mentioned Arch- 
 bishop replied complaining that the English 
 in fact, remaining in his province, occupy 
 unjustly the possessions of the clergy and 
 construct defences in the same, and, when 
 Englishmen go away, hold possessions of 
 churches and of clergymen of his province 
 under annual tribute which they cause to be 
 paid. Bailiffs of the King occupy these lands
 
 270 APPENDIX. 
 
 by violence, and collect the fruits of the same 
 until the heirs of the deceased attain their 
 majority, although the prelates of the churches 
 to whom the possessions belong ought to reap 
 the fruits. We addressed our letters to the 
 same monarch in order that, causing what had 
 been unjustly abstracted from the aforesaid 
 churches and clergymen to be restored, he 
 would, by the power entrusted to him, restrain 
 his bailiffs and others from exactions and 
 oppressions of this kind. Hereupon it was 
 stated in reply on the King's part that since 
 possessions in Ireland of clergymen, Barons 
 and others, were rendered uninhabitable for 
 the English by reason of their being unpro- 
 tected by any camps, while war was almost 
 constantly raging between the English and 
 Irish, it had been prudently determined, as 
 well by clergymen as by laymen, that unless 
 those who had possessions of this kind made 
 encampments within a given boundary, it 
 should be lawful for the King to raise defences 
 therein from that time forward: whereupon
 
 APPENDIX. 271 
 
 the Archbishop endeavoured craftily enough 
 to abolish a statute of this sort, to the 
 heavy cost and damage of the King himself; 
 and in another particular he had suppressed 
 such a truth as, if he had expressed it, he 
 would in no way whatever have been able to 
 obtain the letters. For since it is kept as an 
 inviolate custom by all prelates as well as 
 laymen established throughout England and 
 Ireland that if a vassal of any master depart 
 hence leaving as his heir a minor under 
 one and twenty years of age, the lord or 
 master, keeping the heir with all his goods 
 under his custody until the prescribed age, 
 disposes of all his movable goods and 
 revenues according to his good pleasure, the 
 King enjoys in this matter a special privilege 
 in that if such an heir hold a fee at the King's 
 hands, although he be vassal of any other 
 person, whether a bishop, or another clergy- 
 man or layman, the King will hold in custody 
 all the possessions of that man. Subsequently 
 also the same Archbishop complained to us
 
 272 APPENDIX. 
 
 that when our predecessor Pope Innocent of 
 happy memory, had by letter given command- 
 ment to the Abbot of Torbridge (Toriponte) 
 and his colleagues that they would endeavour 
 to bring back to the rights and property of 
 the same lawful church the possessions of 
 his church, which had been alienated from 
 his predecessors to the injury of the church 
 herself, the justiciaries of the King and certain 
 other English persons residing in the province 
 of Cashel would on no account permit them 
 to proceed in the business, strictly forbidding 
 that they should in any degree mix themselves 
 up in the affair of these possessions. In regard 
 to some lands also, of which they asserted that 
 they had been unduly despoiled by certain Irish 
 prelates, they brought these prelates into court 
 before a secular judge. Twelve Englishmen 
 in the presence of this judge confirmed on oath 
 that what the others asserted with respect 
 to the possessions was true, and hereupon a 
 sentence was delivered against the prelates 
 themselves, and thus by an abuse of this
 
 APPENDIX. 273 
 
 description the churches continually incurred 
 damage. We therefore wrote to the oft- 
 named King in order that he, by the power 
 entrusted to him, would restrain the justiciaries 
 themselves and others from the aforesaid 
 oppressions and would not allow the same 
 prelates and other ecclesiastical personages to 
 be spoliated under privilege of his tribunals, 
 nor judgment to be perverted by the said abuse 
 of oaths, which we considered ought to be 
 totally abolished as contrary to law and right. 
 But it was answered to all this on the part 
 of the King that when, in the Kingdom of 
 England no less that in the Kingdom of 
 Ireland, manifold dissensions and various 
 questions respecting a variety of spoliations 
 and detentions were continually arising, it was 
 decided, after deliberation and forethought, 
 by the common counsel and consent both of 
 the prelates of the churches and other mag- 
 nates, as well as others small and great, that, 
 for discovering the truth more easily and for 
 administering justice more fully, four good 
 
 18
 
 274 APPENDIX. 
 
 men shall be chosen who are to swear that 
 they will elect twelve others whom they 
 believe to be more faithful and more prudent 
 for the knowledge of the question that may 
 have arisen, and that the twelve thus elected 
 shall on their oath inquire into the truth 
 faithfully and make their report to the judge. 
 He pronounces sentence according to the 
 report and causes it to be strictly observed 
 unless it happens that, on the complaint of 
 the person against whom judgment has been 
 delivered, four-and-twenty other sworn jury- 
 men reprobate the seeking for proofs in support 
 of the accusation on the opposite side. Hence 
 a statute of this description appears the more 
 expedient to ecclesiastics in proportion as they 
 are bound to observe justice more strictly than 
 others. Lest therefore the often-named King 
 still under age should be on this account dis- 
 tressed, whom, as placed under the special 
 protection of the apostolic see, we are bound 
 to relieve from what is onerous, we commit 
 to your discretion by apostolic letters, that
 
 APPENDIX. 275 
 
 after having called together princes as well 
 ecclesiastical as secular of both Kingdoms, 
 you would very diligently inquire into the 
 truth touching all these matters, and if, as 
 is set forth on the part of the King, you find 
 these things to be true, you would on no 
 account proceed on the authority of our 
 letters, especially since the said King ought 
 not to be impleaded so long as he shall 
 continue a minor. 
 
 ** Given at the Lateran on the thirteenth 
 day before the Kalends of April (March 20) 
 in the fifth year of our Pontificate." 
 
 THE END.
 
 INDEX. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Annals of Innisfallen ----- 2 
 
 Armagh, Danes refuse bishops from - - - 11 
 
 Anselm exercises authority in Ireland - - 132 
 
 Adrian IV and Frederick Barbarossa - - 159 
 
 Adrian's Bull, a conditional grant - - - 183 
 
 Adrian IV, grant to Henry II - - - - 160 
 
 Alexander III on Irish vice - - - . 180 
 
 Bishops without ordination - - - - 115 
 
 in Ireland before St. Patrick - - 23 
 
 „ not sent to Pagan countries - - 23 
 
 Borovey, a.d. 379, reputed gift to the Pope of Ireland 27 
 
 Brigid, St., Visions - - - - - 73. 75 
 
 Bernard, St., on Irish Christians - - - 115 
 
 Brice's Day, St., Massacre of Danes on - - 139 
 
 Berington, on value of Norman invasion - - 182 
 
 Bull of Adrian in harmony with the age - - 173 
 
 Crom, origin of word ----- g 
 
 Celts, King-slaughtering tendency of - - - 11 
 
 Celestius ----- . 22 
 
 Celestinus, Pope ----- 34 
 
 Confession, St. Patrick's - - - - 47
 
 INDEX. 277 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Columba, St., compelled to leave Ireland - - 97 
 
 documents falsified to clear - - 100 
 
 the cause of three battles - - loi 
 
 censured by a Synod - - - 102 
 
 and the Easter controversies - - 102 
 
 Celtic and Grecian character - - - - 105 
 
 Cork, Danish - - - - - - 109 
 
 Canute, a pious King - - - - - 122 
 
 letter to the English from Rome - - 123 
 
 Clontarf ...... j^o 
 
 Canossa and Gregory VII - . _ . 147 
 
 Cashel, Synod of, a.d. 1172 . - - . i66 
 
 Church spoliation, Disraeli on - - - 191 
 
 Campion the Jesuit on Homicide in Ireland - - 178 
 
 ,, pre-Norman religion - - 181 
 
 Dress of the Celts - - - - -13,17 
 
 coloured . - _ . . 
 
 Danes Rathes ------ 
 
 Irish a bad example to . . - j^q 
 
 ,, possess Irish sea-ports . - - jog 
 
 „ massacred in England - - - 121 
 
 Danish, Bishops - - - - - no 
 
 Christians despise Irish - - - no 
 
 Dublin Bishops give obedience to Canterbury - in 
 
 Danish Bishops ,, „ „ - - 109 
 
 Dupanloup on the Irish - - - - ^57 
 
 Donation of Constantine - - - - 165 
 
 Disraeli on Church spoliation - - - 191 
 
 Decrees of Synod of Cashel, A.D. 1172 - - 167 
 
 Expurgation of ancient documents . - - 16,51 
 
 Easterlings .-...- 105 
 
 English massacre of Danes - - - - 121 
 
 13 
 
 107
 
 278 INDEX. 
 
 FACE 
 
 English Danes and Irish Danes - - - 123 
 
 England given by the Pope to Philip - - - 145 
 
 Providential work of - - - 187 
 
 Excommunications, Papal . - - . 143 
 
 Episcopate, Irish submit to Henry - - . 167 
 
 Fermoy, plain of - - - - - 2 
 
 Fodha Ollamb --.--- g 
 
 Funerals, ancient . ... - 19 
 
 Franco-Irish alliances ----- 153 
 
 Forgery, a proof of existing belief - - - 165 
 
 Grecian and Celtic characters - - - 104 
 
 Gregory VII and Canossa - - . - 147 
 
 „ on William I's character - - 150 
 
 Gratian's Donation of Constantine . - - 164 
 
 Household of St. Patrick " - - - 53 
 
 Henry and the homage of Irish Kings - - 171 
 
 ,, fear of Franco-Irish alliance - - - 158 
 
 Homicide, an anecdote on Irish - - - 178 
 
 Jocelin's Life of St. Patrick - - - - 49 
 
 Incontinency . . - - - - 117 
 
 Index Expurgatorius, necessary - - - 52 
 
 Irish Danes and English Danes . - - 123 
 
 bad example to Danes - - - - 130 
 
 buy English children - . - . 141 
 
 Prelates censured by Pope Honorius - - 200 
 
 submit to Henry . . . 167 
 
 Kings ., ,, - - - - 171 
 
 Priests, Giraldus Cambrensis on - - 175 
 
 Quarrels, Father Walsh on - - - 87 
 
 Vice, Alexander Pope, on - - - 180 
 
 Lappenberg on Conversion of Saxons - - 119 
 
 Laeghaire, King ----- ^2
 
 INDEX. 279 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Laeghaire, King, meets Patrick at Tara - - 57 
 
 Lorica, St, Patrick's ----- 63 
 
 Lanfranc, and Bishops of Dublin - - - iii 
 
 influence at Rome - - - - 140 
 
 Limerick, Bishops of, under Canterbury - - 114 
 
 Danish - - . . . 109 
 
 Miletus ------ 8 
 
 Moran, Bishop, on Patrick's Mission - - 42 
 
 Martin, St., relative of Patrick - - . ^o 
 
 Morris, Father, on Patrick " - - - 55 
 Malachi ------ 
 
 - - - - 107 
 
 Monasteries, Saxon - - - - - 120 
 
 Massacres of Bartholomew and Brice, SS. - - 121 
 
 Monkish quarrels ----- g^ 
 
 battles ----- 103 
 
 Nennius on Phoenicians - . - . ^ 
 
 Newman on Grecian character of Irish - - 105 
 
 ,, Irish Saints - - - - go 
 
 Norman race, William I, on - - - - 185 
 
 barons, lawless - - . . jg2 
 
 Ptolemy's Map of Ireland - - - - 4 
 
 Phoenician and Hebrew alphabet - - . 5 
 
 Psalter of Tara - - - . . g 
 
 Palladius - - - - - - 21 
 
 Patrick finds Altar-vessels - - - - 25 
 
 a Jesuit in his principles - - - 31 
 
 decrees appeals to Rome - - - 71 
 
 Prosper's Chronicle ----- 24 
 
 Pander the, " De Salute Populi " - - . y^ 
 
 Pope, a, gives England to France - - - 145 
 
 Popes oppose Sovereigns, not Sovereignty - - 151 
 
 Pope Honorius to Archbishop of Dublin - - 193
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY 
 Los Angeles 
 
 280 INDEX. 
 
 PAOE 
 
 Pope Honorius' plea for Irish Priests - - 207 
 
 censures Prelates ... 200 
 
 Papal grant of Ireland to England - - 160 
 
 Providential guidance of the Popes - - - 205 
 
 Pope John XXII and the Irish ... 214 
 
 replies to Irish grievances - - 227 
 
 Providential work of England - - - 187 
 
 Roman legions ..... i 
 
 Robert, Archbishop of Canterbury ... 138 
 
 Spain, Irish from ..... 2 
 
 Shields, of silver - - - ^ - 13 
 
 Seaports mentioned by Tacitus - - - 26 
 
 Scholia on Fiacc's Hymn - - - - 39 
 
 Statute of St. Patrick ----- 67 
 
 Stigand and the Holy See .... 13S 
 
 Saxons sell their children to the Irish - - 141 
 
 Synod at Cashel - - - - 166 
 
 Tara, chroniclers at - - - - - 15 
 
 Todd. Dr., on Patrick - - - - 37 
 
 Turgesius ...... 107 
 
 Usher, on Roman Mission of Patrick - - 68 
 
 Vere, Aubrey de, on Patrick - - - - 28 
 
 Voltaire on Papal Sovereignty ... 143 
 
 Waterford and Canterbury, Sees of - - - 113 
 
 Westminster Abbey - - - - - 137 
 
 Wars of the Roses and the Reformation - - 190 
 
 -i^^ 
 
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