KINCORA A DRAMA IN THREE ACTS Br LADY GREGORY NEW YORK Published by JOHN QUINN 1905 FIFTY COPIES OF THIS EDITION HAVE BEEN PRINTED, OF WHICH THIS IS NO. 3 5^ KINCORA A DRAMA IN THREE ACTS Br LADY GREGORY NEW YORK Published by JOHN QUINN 1905 copyright, 1905* By Lady Gregory. All rights reserved. KINCORA KINCORA Persons Brian, King of Munster. Malachi, High King of Ireland. Maelmora, King of Leinster. GoRMLEiTH, wife to the High King, sister of Alaelmora, mother of Sitric. MuRROUGH, Brian's son. SiTRic, leader of the Danes. Brennain, i „ c servants to Brian. Derrick, ) RuRY, servant to Malachi. Phelan, servant to Maelmora. Maire, daughter to Brennain. Brodar. A Dane. AoiBHELL, a spirit. PROLOGUE PROLOGUE Scene — A zvood. Brian seen lying asleep on the ground. En- ter two men zmth swords, their cloaks zvrapped round their heads. First Man.— Are you here, Brian? Here he is sleeping. We should waken him now, but he has the look of being very tired. Second Man. — Tired and worn out, and no wonder — a young lad that was used to lie on the pillars of a king's house, to be laying his head on the hard knotty roots of trees. First Man.— Fighting with the Danes through the daytime and resting on the ground by night; or fighting through the night time when he failed to harm them in the day. And not one of his own with him to give him a hand. It is a lonesome life he has. Second Man. — He will be more lonesome again after a while, when the whole of us are killed. What way can a score of men drive a whole army out of Ireland? First Man. — If anyone can do it he will do it. Leave him there; we need not waken him till the rising of the sun. He will be tired enough before the day is over. (They go out. Aoibhcll appears.) AoiBHELL. — Awake, young Brian ! Brian, son of Cennedigh, awake ! Brian. — Who is calling me? Are the enemy coming? Is it time for the fight? AoiBHELL. — I do not call you to battle, but to peace. Brian. — Who are you? Where do you come from? AoiBHELL. — I am Aoibhell of the Grey Rock, the helper of your race. I am come to bid you give up the sweetheart you have chosen, that hard sweetheart, Ireland. Come to me in place of her and I will bring you into the hidden houses of the hills. I will give you love ; age will never fall on you as it has fallen upon me. Brian. — I will not go with you ; I will not give up Ireland. For it is a habit of my race to fight and to d(ie, but it never was their habit to see shame or oppression put on their coun- try by any man on earth. AoiBHELL. — Those that serve Ireland take for their lot lasting battles, lasting quarrels. They are building and ever building, and ever and always ruin conies upon them before the house is built. Those that should be most their friends turn to he most their enemies, till the heart grows dry with bitterness, dry as the heads of the mountains under the summer heat. Come to me and leave her, Brian, young Brian. Brian. — Go from me, Aoibhell ! Go back to your hidden house ! I will never break my faith with the sweetheart T have chosen nor turn from her service till she can lift up her head in the sight of the whole world ! Curtain ACT I KINCORA BEFORE GLENMAMA ACT I Scene — A hall in Brian's house at Kincora. Malachi and Maelmora at a table; their servants standing behind their chairs. Brian's servants behind his empty chair. Brian at the zvindow, looking out, with back to audience. Murrough looking on. Maire working at an embroidery frame. Maelmora (giving a paper to Malachi). — See, I have written it all here, High King. (Reads) Submission made by Sitric, head of the Danes, for himself and the whole of his army — Malachi. — I know, I know; let him read it himself when he comes. It is time for him to be here to put his name to it. Maelmora. — He will be here before the fall of day. Malachl — This is a great work we have done this day; and though I am High King, it is the man in the window that has done it. ' The Danes binding themselves to quit the country, and Brian and myself and yourself, Maelmora, at peace with one another. Maelmora. — It was time, indeed, for peace. The whole of my own province of Leinster is wracked and destroyed with the war. Malachi. — The rest of Ireland is no better. Fighting against the Gall from morning to night, and from night to morning making attacks on one another. Brian (coming to the table and laying his hand ( i it). I do 13 KINCORA not see Sitric coming. I am impatient for this submission to be signed. Malachi. — He cannot be far off now, Brian. Brian. — I cannot be sure, until he has put his name to it, that peace has come at last. Malachi. — No one would think that so good a fighter as you, Brian, had his mind so much set on peace. Brian. — My fathers were fighters, and I have followed their trade ; Lugaidh, son of Aengus ; Cathal, son of Aedh ; Core, son of Anluan; Lorcan, son of Luchta; Cennedigh, son of Lorcan; they lived and died fighting in defence of their own home and of Munster. It is time now for the race of Lugaidh to turn from war to peace. Malachi. — You can do as you will. No man that ever saw you in battle will say you turned from war through any fear or slackness, for fear is a thing that never came into the one house with you. Brian — I fought for Ireland when young boys of my age were at the hurling. I have done for her all that war can do. It is peace she is in want of now, to see her young men at the sickle in place of girls, and her strong men breaking the wild ground for seed. Fighting, fighting from Samhain to harvest — no time, no time for any other thing. I would have time now to forgive my enemies, and to make my peace with God. Malachl — There was a good saint spoiled in you, Brian, when you took to the sword instead of the crozier. Murrough. — It might have been better for yourself, Malachi, if my father had never meddled with a sword. Malachi. — Listen to the crowing of the young cock ! We are done with all that now, Murrough. Springtime is come ; and the daws are mated to-day that were pecking at one another yesterday. Brian (turning tozvards the window). My mind will not be at rest till Sitric comes. Maelmora. — I have answered for my nephew Sitric. He gives in altogether. 14 KINCORA Malachi. — He was forced to give in when you took away the help of Leinster from him. Maelmora. — I will go out by the Hill of the Grey Rock to meet him if he is coming by that road. I promised him a good welcome from 3^ou, Brian. Brian. — You were right in that. Go, Murrough, with Mael- mora. I myself will go towards the weir; he may be coming from the south. Malachi. — I will go with you, Brian. We can be looking at the colts in the river-meadows as we go. Brian (to servants). — Make the table ready, Brennain. When Sitric comes, we have but to sign the peace and to sit down to supper. (Brian and Murrough go out. Malachi is follozving them, zvhen Maelmora stops him.) Maelmora. — Where is my sister Gormleith? Malachi. — She is far enough away, at home. Maelmora. — Did you ask her to come with you? Malachi. — Did I ask a swarm of bees to come into the house to help to make the peace? Maelmora, — She might like this peace for her son Sitric's sake. Malachi. — Believe me, we are best without her. Maelmora. — That may be. She has a wild heart yet. (He and Malachi go out. Servants come foiivard. Maire goes to the window and stands looking after the kings.) Derrick. — Malachi the High King, king of the whole North ! Brian, king of the whole South ! Meddling with one another no more than the white and the yolk of an egg ! Peace as sound and as round as the eggshell itself! Peace forever in Ireland and in Kincora! Brennain. — If you were not a poet, Derrick, I would say you were a fool. Phelan. — Why would you call Derrick a fool? Brennain. — For thinking, Phelan, that w^ords can stop an 15 eggshell from being cracked or a peace from being broken. If truces and agreements are eggs, it is my belief tliere is some clucking hen, some mother of mischief, always at roost over- head in Ireland that will pitch on them and hatch them till they are pecked to pieces by their own young ones from within. Here, Maire, give me the plates. (She gives them and he begins putting them on the table.) Peaces and treaties! I would make no treaty with the Gall, but to strike their head off! Derrick (taking parchment, ink, etc., from table). — You are always ready to put ridicule on what I saj^ Brennain. But I know well, whatever may have happened at other times, this peace will never be broken. Who is there to break it? RuRY. — The Danes will not break it, anyway, and they as they are, not daring to let a squeak out of them. Keeping their heads under water they are, like a hunted otter in a stream. Phelan. — Whoever breaks the peace it will not be my own master, Maelmora. Now the Danes are beaten, he has no mind to be beaten along with them, and in my opinion he is right. RuRY. — Whoever may break it, it will not be my master, Mala- chi. He has fought through the whole of his life. He should have time now to train his three-year-olds, and to mind Gorm- leith, his wife. Derrick. — Whoever starts a new war, it will not be Brian, RuRY. — I suppose not. It is time for him to make his soul, after fighting like Malachi through the whole of his lifetime. Derrick. — The whole country will shine out now, the path of white angels to the western world! (Sings) Golden bridles, silver bridles. Coming up along the strand; Keening's not used or treachery In the tilled familiar land ! Maire (from the zvindozv). — Quiet, Derrick; leave off singing. There is a boat come to the shore — there is some queen-woman stepping out of it. i6 Brennain. — What sort is she? Maire. — She is tall, and has rich clothing, and there is some shining thing on her head. RuRY (going to window). — The Lord be between us and harm! It is Queen Gormleith ! Derrick (coming to window). — The High King's wife! Brennain. — What does she want coming into Munster? Maire (shivering). — I hope she will bring no harm on our king I Phelan. — Malachi thought she would stop at home, keeping her maids to their needles. It is time for him to have got bet- ter sense. Brennain. — What did he want marrying her? I would never like to meddle with a woman that had been married to a Dane. (Gormleith comes in and looks round. All the servants come foiivard and how obsequiously.) Derrick (pulling forward a chair). — Welcome to Kincora, Queen Gormleith ! Gormleith (sitting down). — I thank you. I thought to find all the kings here. Is the business finished that brought them together? Is not that Phelan, my brother's servant? And there is Rury, my husband's servant. Have the High King and the King of Leinster put their names to this peace? Rury. — The peace is made. Queen, but the names are not put to it yet. Malachi and Brian are kings of the North and of the South. But Malachi has the High Kingship yet. Gormleith. — That is a fine peace ! What has delayed the signing of it? Phelan. — They are waiting for Sitric. They are gone out to meet him. Maelmora brought his submission ; he is coming to put his name to the treaty. If he does not come soon, the supper will be spoiled. Gormleith. — So my son Sitric has submitted ! He never told me. He would not tell it to me. Sitric under Brian and 17 under Malachi ! (Brcnnain goes to the door.) You are going to call in the kings? Brennain. — I am, Queen. I will bring them in to welcome you. GoRMLEiTH. — Do uot hurry them for my sake. I am well con- tent to rest for a while in this beautiful Kincora, that is folded between the river and the hills. Brennain. — It is fair enough, fair enough. We have not the hill of Tara or of Almhuin. GoRMLEiTH. — Brian has the great river to carry his orders. He has bound it to his service as far as the wide sea. And you have what is better than hills or rivers ; you have the most plentiful house in all Ireland, your king is the best served, his people have the greatest name for bravery. Derrick. — That is true. ^lacLiagh, the king's poet, has made a song about that. GoRMLEiTH. — The best songs in all Ireland are made in Kin- cora. Rury. — Derrick himself is a good songmaker. Derrick. — Just middling. But I will make a song about your coming. Queen, will be remembered to the end of life and time. It will have in it the stir of a battle, the fighting of the sun against the cold, and of the stars against the dark. GoRMLEiTH. — It will be a good poem. The High King has no one at his court able to make a poem like that. Phelan. — We have poets at the court of the King of Lein- ster — and feasts. GoRMLEiTH. — That court is like my own, being my brother's. You would not have me praise my own cradle. But I have often praised my brother's faithful servant. (Gives him her hainJ. He kisses it.) Brennain (to Maire, aside). — Go, Maire, and see are the kings coming. This queen has too much of bee's honey in her mouth. (Maire goes out.) i8 GoRMLEiTH. — I have stopped yonr work. Go on making the table ready. Brennain. — All is ready, Queen. We have but to put the seats and to bring in the dishes. GoRMLEiTH. — You are standing idle, Rury. Is there no work for you to do? Rury. — I can be putting the chair ready for the High King. (Pulls a chair forward.) GoRMLEiTH. — Do not put that for him. That is King Brian's chair. Rury. — It is the custom to give the best chair to the High King of Ireland. Gormleith. — It was the custom. But remember the High King is not above King Brian now. He is but his equal. They are the kings of the North and South. Rury. — I would never give in to putting Malachi below any other man. Phelan. — Where should I put the King of Leinster's chair? Brian. — Put it there — to King Brian's left hand. That is it. A little farther down. Gormleith. — You were putting it too close, Phelan. King Brian is such a great man now, there must be the length of a sword left between him and any other king of a province. Phelan. — My master is good enough to sit close up to any of the kings of the world. Gormleith (to Brennain). — You must make these forgetful men remember that their masters have a master themselves now in King Brian. Brennain. — So they have, so they have! Kincora will be the capital of Ireland. Maire (coming in). — I see Sitric and the King of Leinster coming over the hill. Brennain. — It is best for us to be putting the food on the table. Go, Maire, for the dishes. (She goes out.) Sitric will sign his name with the less delay if he sees the fat of the mut- ton hardening. 19 GoRMLEiTii (who ha^ gone to window, turning from it). — They are a long way off. You have time. Be sure that the best dish is set before the greatest of the kings! (She turns again to window.) Maire (coming in). — Here is the king's dish, the round of the beef. Brennain.— I will put it here before King Brian. RuRY.— It is before Malachi it should be put. The best dish should be put before the High King. Brennain. — You heard what Queen Gormleith herself said, that Brian is as good now as IVlalachi. (Gormleith turns and leans against side of zvindow, listening with enjoyment.) RuRY. — He is not as good as the King of Tara ; and he never will be as good. Put the beef here. Maire. — Here is as good a dish — a roasted quarter of a boar. RuRY. — We have plenty of pigs in the North. A pig is no great dish for a king. The beef is the more honorable dish. Brennain. — If it is, it is to the most honorable man it is going. Rury. — How do you make that out? The High King is the most honorable man! Brennain. — The High King! Where would he be but for Brian ! Rury. — What are you talking about? Brennain. — I tell you, if it was not for Brian taking the Danes in hand the way he did, it is hares of the wilderness Malachi might be milking to-day in place of cows ! Rury. — Brian! Where was Brian the day Malachi took the golden collar from the big Dane? Answer me that! Brennain. — That Malachi may be choked with that same collar before the size of my nail of this beef will go down his throat until he has asked it of Brian first ! (Gormleith claps her hands.) Rury. — Asked it of Brian ! Brennain. — Asked it and begged it, the way a queen's lapdog begs at the table. 20 Derrick. — Put the beef before Queen Gormleith's chair, and everyone will be satisfied. Phelan. — It is not I will be satisfied till I know what share of the meat the King of Leinster is to get ! It is another round of the beef should be put before him ! Brennain. — The next time the King of Leinster comes here he will find his fill of beef before him — his own cattle that wilU be coming from now till then as tribute from the traitors of Leinster. Phelan. — Holy Saint Bridgit! Listen what they are saying of your own province ! RuRY. — Brennain is right. Tripe and cowheels and pigs' crubeens are good enough for that troop, and too good ! Phelan. — O let me out of this ! Tripe and crubeens and all this plenty in the house ! I will call to all the poets of Leinster to put a curse upon Kincora ! Derrick. — My grief that I have not time to sharpen this knife I (Seises one.) No matter! It is on your own bones I will sharpen it! (All seise knives and threaten each other. Gorm- leith laughs and claps her hands.) Maire. — Quiet, quiet. Here is the King of Leinster. Here are Murrough and Sitric! (They enter. . Gormleith comes dozvn and puts an arm round Sitric and Maelmora.) Murrough. — What is this kennel of fighting hounds? Bren- r.ain, what is the meaning of this uproar? Brennain. — It is these others made an attack on me. I am for quiet and for getting ready the table ! Phelan. — Taking the best beef he was ! Leaving my master to the last! Derrick. — Rury wanted the best of the chairs for Malachi ! RuRY. — Keep your chair ! Malachi is master wherever he sits ! Murrough. — Malachi master here ! That is news, indeed ! Gormleith (to Maelmora). — Some say he is uppermost, and some say Brian ; but the King of Leinster is put in the lowest place of all ! 21 KINCORA Maelmora {to Murrough). — Do you think me so much below Brian because I have consented to make peace with him? Murrough. — You have consented to send tribute. It is not the one who is uppermost that sends tribute. Maelmora. — If Brian had spoken Hke that I would not have consented to send it. I have a mind to keep it back even now. Murrough. — As you will, King. If we send our men to look for it, you yourself will have forced it on us. Maelmora. — I can hold my province against the men of Kin- cora ! Let them fish and shiver like cranes in frost before they will see one head of cattle coming from Leinster. SiTRic (to Maelmora). — I thought it was to make a peace you brought me here. It seems now you are making yourself ready for a battle. GoRMLEiTH. — That should be good news. You are young to give in to peace like a monk or a bishop. SiTRic. — They have deceived me, calling this a treaty. It is a bad day that brought me to Kincora without my hand on the sword. Murrough. — If you had come with your hand on the sword it is likely you would have got a welcome that would have kept you in Kincora to the day of judgment! SiTRic. — It is a pity we did not smoke out this den long ago ! Murrough. — It is you yourself are smoked out of your den to-day and out of the hole where you were hiding! Gormleith (to Maelmora). — It was you who brought Sitric here. Maelmora. — Keep a quiet tongue, Murrough. Sitric will not take from you what he might take from Brian. Sitric. — I will take no high words from Brian or any other man, whatever you yourself may be in the habit of taking from him. Maelmora. — I will take nothing from him and he will get nothing from me. I swear I will send no tribute to Brian! I would sooner die. (Draws sword.) 22 MuRROUGH.— Many a man has died who set himself up against King Brian! (Draws sword.) Brennain. — That is good talk ! Brian has a long hand ! Derrick. — Murrough and Brian are the two hawks of battle of the Gael! Phelan. — We will turn you into jackdaws! We will change your note for you ! Rury. — Malachi and the Hill of Tara ! Derrick. — Munster and the Dalcassians ! Phelan. — No tribute ! Hold the cattle ! Rury. — Tara for victory! ^ Derrick. — Brian and Murrough! , ^,, , x PHELAN.-Down with Kincora! \ (^" together.) Brennain. — Drive out the traitors ! j (Brian and Malachi come in.) Maire. — The King! (Servants fall back.) Brian (sternly). — Swords out in this house! (To Sitric and Maelmora) I ask your pardon. My son is young and hot. He should be back in the schools. Murrough (sullenly, putting sword in sheath). — It was their fault. They roused me with their words. They said they were above you. They said — I forget now what they said. Brian. — Shut your ears, Murrough, when sharp words are spoken within your own walls. It is best not to hear what you must not answer. (Gormleith comes forward.) Malachi. — Queen Gormleith ! Gormleith. — It is a surprise to you to see me? Malachi. — No great surprise. I have not often known a bat- tle, Queen, where you were not looking on from some perch or another. Brian. — Is this Queen Gormleith? (Takes her hand and kisses it.) Malachi. — It is herself. Queen Gormleith that I brought back 23 KINCORA from the Danes, thinking to make a good Irishwoman of her again. Brian. — You did well for Ireland doing that. I am sorry, in- deed, Queen, you have had so rough a welcome in my house. GoRMLEiTH. — I have had the best of welcomes. This is no sleepy place. I have found the stir and the high hearts I looked for in a king's house. Malacki. — I would not wonder, Queen, if it was your breath helped me to blow this wisp alight. You will do some day, with your lightness and laughter, what will bring great trouble into the houses of kings. Brian. — There could be no unkind thought beneath such high beauty. GoRMLEiTH. — I thank you. King. Brian. — My people are rough. There has been no queen in this house since my own young Connacht wife, Murrough's mother, died from me. A house without a queen grows to be like a windy hillside after the hunting, where orders are loud- voiced, and service is rough, and hounds are unloosed and snatching. GoRMLEiTH. — I think that rough service well befits a king's house. Brian. — A queen's voice would turn it all to gentleness. It is seldom we hear a woman's voice in this hall, unless it may be in the keening, when the men of our race are brought back cold and dumb from their victories. GoRi^fLEiTH. — I think you have indeed the right house for a king. Malachi. — Let us waste no more time. Here now is Sitric. Let him put his name to the peace, and the supper will turn the whole company to better humour. Good meat and good drink are the best peacemakers. Brian. — My welcome to you, Sitric. Here is the parchment. Maelmora, your uncle wrote down the terms of submission you 24 had agreed to. You have but to put your name. The hostages can be sent to-morrow. (Sitric is silent.) Brian. — Will you read it? Or will you be content with what Maelmora has written? Malachi. — He put in the writing that you and your army would agree to quit Ireland, or to live in it without arms, under tribute to myself and to Brian. Sitric. — I will not sign it. Brian. — Not sign it ! Why is this ? Malachi. — It was you yourself sent in your submission. Why should you draw back now? Sitric. — Hot words have been said to me that I am not used to put up with. Brian. — This is Murrough's folly. I ask your pardon for it, and he will ask your pardon. Sitric. — He need not do that. I have made up my mind. I will agree to no submission. 'Malachi. — What is it you have against it? Sitric. — I will not give in to Brian. I will not leave the coun- try at Brian's bidding. I will not bid my men to give up their arms. I will bid them to go on fighting to the last. Brian. — This is folly, Sitric. You could not stand against us alone through the length of a winter day. Maelmora. — He will not be alone. I give up my share in the peace. I would sooner be with the Danes than with Brian of the Tributes! Malachi (in a tone of vexation). — How hot you are for fight- ing, young men ! Hot blood, hot blood, and all our trouble gone to loss ! If Brian was of my mind, he would have let the hot blood out of you when he saw you weakening; and he might have got some ease and comfort for himself and for me. (To Brian) Let us offer something — let them do what they like with Leinster if they do not meddle with us. A war would be a 25 heavy business. You were saying a while ago what a great thing peace would be for Ireland. Brian. — Entire peace is a great thing, but a half peace is no better worth winning than the half of the living child the Jew- ish mothers were fighting for. Malachi. — It is my opinion you will not see entire peace and the end of war in Ireland, till the worms have been made an end of by the thrushes, or the clouds by the wind, or the nights by the long days. Brian. — I tell you I will make no settlement that leaves any one of the provinces a nest and a. breeding ground for the enemies and the ill-wishers of the rest of Ireland. It is certain that Ire- land must be as free as God made her before she can be as happy as He saw her in the making. Sitric must sign this {holds out parchment) or make himself ready to fight. SiTiRic (takes parchment, looks at it a moment, then cuts it in two with his sword, and throws down the pieces violently). — There is an end of your peace ! Brian (drawing his szvord). — Come out then, old comrade! I thought to let you sleep for a while, but the day's work is not over yet. (Unbuckles sheath,) But this is what I will never make use of again so long as there is so much as a threat of trouble or treachery in any one of the provinces of Ireland. (Throws away sheath.) Sitric (Flinging down sheath). — There is mine, till I come to look for it again ! Maelmora. — And mine! (Flings down sheath. He and Sitric go to the door.) GoRMLEiTH. — The sword in the hand and the sheath on the floor! That is a good sight in a king's house! (To Brian) War is best! War is best! When the swords of kings grow rusty in the sheath, the height of the noontide will be over for the world ! Curtain 26 ACT II KINCORA ACT II AFTER GLEN MAMA Scene — The same hall at Kincora. Heap of spoils on the floor, Brennain has just come in with Phelan, who is bound. Derrick and Maire at zvindow, zvaving branches. Derrick. — A welcome to the army of the Dalcassians ! A wel- come to the army that put down tlie Danes ! A welcome to Brian! The branch to King Brian! {Throws it. Turns to Maire.) Come to the door. The King is coming. {He and Maire step down and see Brennain.) Brennain. — The branch to myself. What do you say to me, taking this prisoner in the battle? I drove him before me all the way from Glenmama. It's the Leinster men that can run well ! Maire. — The King of Leinster's servant ! Brennain {pushing Phelan). — Come on here. Jackdaws are we? You'll change our note for us? Give me a wisp of lighted straw till I make him shout for King Brian! Derrick. — That's right ! That's right ! That's the way we're bringing back traitors to Kincora that went boasting out of it. Phelan. — If I did boast, you needn't put the blame on me. When the dog smells a bone, the dog's tail must wag. I do but wag as my master pleases. Brennain. — It is we ourselves are gnawing the bone now. Look at these spoils. Coming in since morning they are; the whole of the court is full of them. Did ever anyone see such KINCORA riches? Robbed by the Danes they were from every dun in Ire- land, and from the hidden houses of the Sidhe. (Enter Brian with shield; he wears a helmet.) Maire. — My hundred welcomes to you, Brian of the victories ! Brian. — I thank you, Maire. Derrick. — My thousand welcomes to yourself and your whole army. I am making a song for you, King, about the great vic- tory of Glenmama. A song with as many verses in it as my fingers and toes, and a great deed in every verse. Brian. — Let it be a good one, Derrick ; for if I have my way, it will be the last battle song ever made in my lifetime. Derrick. — Good is it? The words will come as fast as the running of the Danes before you — galloping, gander-winged, grasshopping. Making for the sea they were, the same as gulls. I will put the screaming of gulls in my poem — sky-sailing, sad- sounding, sea-searching. Brian. — That is enough. I have had my fill of battles. (He sits down and takes off helmet.) Maire. — Let me put away your sword, King. Brian (takes arm-ring from the heap of spoils). — Take that ring from the spoils, Maire. This war is over; but all Ireland is not at peace. I must not put away my sword till a girl like you can travel through the whole country wearing a ring like that, and no one lay a hand on her or on it. Maire. — It is too much for me. King. Brennain. — Murrough sent to ask when you would judge the prisoners. Brian. — Not yet. I will wait for Malachi. He is on his way. Brennain. — What will I do with the spoils? Brian. — Make three shares of them. A share for the High King, and a share for the men of learning, and a share for Kin- cora. Brennain. — I will; I will keep the best for ourselves. Brian. — The best must go to the High King. 29 Brennain.— It is yourself should be High King, Brian, after this great victory. All Ireland is saying it. Brian. — The whole world may say it before it will make me break my peace with Malachi. Brennain. — Malachi is all for ease. It is not Malachi that will master the five provinces, tearing and spitting at one another the way they are. Derrick. — Take the High Kingship, Brian, and they will be like the five fingers of the one hand, the five features of the King's face, the five white leaves of an apple blossom ! Brennain. — It is what they are now, five wild cats struggling in a bag, and four times five claws on every one of them. (A clattering of horses is heard.) Brennain. — That is the sound of the High King's horses. Brian. — He is come to judge the prisoners of Glenmama. Let them be "brought here now. (Exeunt sei'vants. Enter Malachi.) Malachi. — I was delayed in coming. Your Munster roads are good innkeepers. They were not willing to let the wheels of my chariot go from them. Brian. — You are in time, High King. I have given no judg- ment yet. I have sent for the prisoners. Malachi. — We will show the Danes their leader will get the same reward from us as common men. (Enter Brennain and Derrick.) Brennain. — Here are the prisoners, King. (Enter Murrough with Sitric and Maelmora in bonds.) Malachi. — Is Maelmora taken? That is good news. They said he could not be found. I thought he had escaped from the battle. Brennain. — It was Murrough took him, High King! Hiding he was in a yew tree. Murrough dragged him out of it the same as a wren's nest. Brian. — Enough. We do not boast in time of victory. Derrick (to Brennain). — Mind yourself. It is not mannerly 30 for yon to be talking about that yew tree before the King oi Leinster. MuRROUGH. — The men of my army are waiting outside to bring these n]en to their punishment. Brian. — What punishment would you give them? MuRROUGH. — How did the Danes treat their prisoners? How did the King of Leinster treat his rebels? Brian. — Have they any excuse to make for themselves ? MuRROUGH. — They have made none to me. Malachi. — They have none to make. Brian. — What have you to say in your own defence? MuRROUGH. — You hear, Maelmora and Sitric, what the King is asking? SiTRic. — I will say nothing. I fought, and I have lost. Maelmora. — I will say nothing. Nothing I could say would change your mind. Brian. — What do you say, Brennain? You have seen many prisoners brought into Kincora. Brennain. — I say a dead wolf vv^ill worry no sheep, and a dead fox will kill no lambs. Malachi. — That is so. Take them to their death. They can make no complaint. Brian. — Wait. These are not all. Murrough, bring- in the last prisoner that was taken. Malachi. — What other is there high enough to be judged with kings? (Brian lifts his hand for silence. Murrough brings in Gorm- leith, bound. Brian stands up.) Brian. — Put a chair for Queen Gormleith. (Chair placed. Gormleith stands, taking no notice.) Malachi. — Have you been brought down, Crow of Battle? Murrough. — The queen was taken in the fight among Sitric's men. This broken spear was the last of her weapons. Malachl — Whatever punishment and whatever judgment may fall on Sitric and on Maelmora, a heavier judgment must surely 31 fall on this woman, who left a woman's work, and was the very seed and root of the war. GoRMLEiTH. — Is it Malachi, and not Brian, that gives judgment in this hall of Kincora? Brian. — It is not for me, Queen, to judge the High King's wife. GoRMLEiTH. — Am I the High King's wife? Is not that story at an end, and that treaty broken? Malachi. — It is broken, surely. When I knew you had gone out of my house to take the side of my enemies, my gates were shut against you. You were shut out of my house and my kingdom. GoRMLEiTH. — I made no secret war. Did you think I would creep back to ask for shelter? Malachi. — My men had orders not to spare you. No one in Ireland would have dared give you shelter if you had escaped from the battle. But you have not escaped. You have come to your death, and you have brought your son and your brother to their death. MuRROUGH. — I have other witnesses that saw her fighting in the battle. GoRMLEiTH. — You need not bring them. I was there. I fought beside my son against Malachi and the men of Meath. Brian {to Midachi). — What was it turned the Queen to be your enemy? Malachi. — I know of no cause, unless she had some lover. GoRMLEiTH. — Some lover ! The Danes could tell you I would rather lay my lips to a blue breast-plate than to the whitest skin in the world. Malachi. — That may be so. It is hard to know with such a woman when there is a kiss behind her schemes, or a scheme behind her kisses. I am done with you now and forever. Gormleith. — I had no lover, Brian. I never came yet to the man I could give my love to — the man that could bind me to peace. 32 Malachi. — I think, indeed, that man is still unborn. . GoRMLEiTH. — There may be such a man. A man that has sent his name out like the shout of a great army ; that could quiet my hands with his strong hand ; that could quiet my heart, filling it with pride of him, and my mouth, filling it with praise of him. Brian. — The High King of Ireland should be such a man. GoRMLEiTH. — His time is over. He is for ease; I would have no time for rest. He is for the jesters; I am for the proud songs of heroes. He is for the fatness of the barley in the ear; I am for the redness and the ferment of the ale. Brian. — That need not have driven a wife to battle. GoRMLEiTH. — Would you have me sit at home, and use false words, and wish for his death? That is not the lesson I learned from the Danes. Malachi. — I will send her to her death. There will be no peace or ease in the country till then. GoRMLEiTH. — You are my judge, King Brian ! I am sister of a king. I was a queen among the Danes. Brian. — You have lost the rights of a queen, taking arms like any fighting man. Gormleith. — There were high-hearted kings, and high-hearted queens in the old days, that went side by side into the battle. It is from such kings and such queens that you and I are come. Brian. — The old days are gone by. The sign of the Cross is upon us. We must bring the world to peace. Gormleith. — What is this peace you talk of? Is it so great a thing? There are some beyond the world that know better. In peace the little men grow many, and the great men lessen, and the high heart beats slowly, and the trader holds the sway. When the world is changed like that it will be no place for high-hearted men, no place for yourself, Brian. Malachi. — Have done listening to words, Brian, and give your judgment, or I myself will give it. Brian. — Have you anything to ask, Queen, or to plead? Gormleith. — I will ask for no mercy for myself, or my son, 33 or my brother. We fought and we are beaten. The men of our race know how to die — yet — it was my doing — Sitric is young — if it were Murrough Maelmora. — We are not children. We can answer for our- selves. We ask no mercy. Sitric— I will not shelter behind a woman. Keep silence, Queen. Malachi. — Brian will give a right judgment. He has never spared the enemies of Ireland. Brian (standing up). — That is a true word. I have never spared them. Malachi. — Ireland can have no worse enemies than these. Brian. — You hear, Queen, what the High King says. Ireland has had no worse enemies than these. My people have called them wolves and foxes; and they have earned that name, for they have torn and reddened the white fleece of Ireland. It was my heart's desire to mend that torn fleece; to gather up that ragged wool; to weave it into a border fit for the cloak of the King of Heaven. I made a peace. I thought to fill Ireland with joy; to make of her a brimming cup at the feast of the angels. That cup was overturned ; that heavenly cloak was torn ; that peace was broken. It was broken by you. The keening and the treachery were brought back again. Murrough. — I will bring in my men to take them away. Let them be buried in the place of traitors where the sun will not shine on their grave. Brian. — Stop ! I have given no judgment yet. Maelmora, King of Leinster, is guilty of treachery to me, and to the High King, and to Ireland. Sitric the Gall is guilty of the great robbery and oppression he and his people have done upon Ireland. Queen Gormleith claims her share in the war — and yet — I will leave them their life and their freedom. Murrough. — You will let them go? ^ ^i ! Malachi. — If Brian had not said that, I would say a fool had said it. 34 Brian. — I will take hostages; but I will let them go. I have shed blood all through my life; I will shed no more of it. - Malachi. — If you let these men go, there will be shedding of blood again. Brian. — They have learned their lesson. They know their mas- ter. I am not willing to put a sod on the mouth or a clod in the hand of any man that may be on my side yet against the enemies of Ireland. MuRROUGH. — Sitric is no Irishman. Brian. — His mother is of the blood of the kings of Leinster. MuRROUGH. — His mother! This is her work. If yon let them go, the army of the Dalcassians will not let them go. Brian. — Do you think to force me, my boy, with this threat of an army? Malachi. — It is you yourself that are forcing a peace. Brian. — If I force a peace now, I have the right to do it, for I forced on war often enough. It was I myself avenged my brother Mahon. My fathers avenged themselves on their en- emies; and the sons of those enemies avenged themselves on the men of our race, death answering to death from side to side like words sung by the clerks at the Mass. But I will put an end to that. I have never been strong enough to spare life until now. I have only been strong enough to take life. I have had only the strength of my sword. Now I have the strength of my great name and my will. I will make an end of quarrels. I will cut these bonds. (Takes szvord from table and cuts rope that hinds Gormleith.) Malachi {starting up). — I will not have them loosed. Brian. — The Queen is free. Murrough, cut those other bonds. Leave them to me. Malachi (seising Murrough, ivho is reluctantly drawing sword). — Leave them to me; leave them to me. It is not for you to free them. Gormleith (taking Brian's sword from the table and quickly 35 cutting their bonds). — You left the judgment to Brian! We took the first King of the world for our judge! Malachi. — I have all Ireland in my care. I will not let these traitors go. (Moves towards them.) Brian. — Stay, King! 1 will not give them up! They are in my house. I have given them my word. There are no saplings in a walled garden safer than these two men. There is no blos- som on the highest branch of the woods safer from rough hands than this Queen. Malachi. — The right to free them is with those that took them. The heads of armies who fought as well as you, have the right over prisoners taken in battle. These are not Kings now, but shamed and beaten men. Brian. — I say they are Kings. Maelmora, I give you back your own Kingdom of Leinster. Sitric, I give you back your own town of Ath Cliath to keep in stewardship for me and for Ireland. Murrough, give them back their arms. (Murrough gives them their swords and shields.) Malachi. — Then I use my right that is higher than yours — my right as High King of all Ireland to take these men, Kings though they may be, and this Queen, into my own hands, and to send them for judgment to the council of Tara. Murrough. — King Brian's is the greater right. All Ireland knows he has the power, if he would use it, to put you out of Tara to-day. It is only by his will and his kindness you are wearing the High King's crown. Malachi. — Do j^ou yourself say that, Brian, son of Cennedigh, or is it only this hot boy that says it? Brian. — I do say it. I say the time has come when there can be but one master in Ireland. Malachi. — That is true. Whoever has Tara is master. Brian. — Where the greatest strength is, the Hill of Tara is. My strength has dragged Tara westward. Malachi. — This is war then, and the breaking of peace. Brian. — It is rather the beginning of peace. 36 KINCORA Malachi. — I will raise Connacht against yon, I will call to my kinsmen in the North. GoRMLEiTH. — Send to Connacht, and the men of Connacht will say they would rather have Brian over them than yourself! Send to the North, and your kinsmen in the North will say as they said before that if Tara was their own they would defend it; but as it is yours you may defend it for yourself, and that is a thing you know you cannot do. You will get no help from the North or any other place against Brian ! Malachi. — That will be known soon enough. Brian. — If you think you can keep the High Kingship by force, I will give you a truce of a week or a month or a quarter to bring your men together. Malachi. — A month will be enough. I will lose no minute. The North and the West will be against you. (Goes out.) Brian. — War again ! Well, I am ready. GoRMLEiTH. — He will get no help. No one will come against you. His own poet has said it in a song. He went East and West, North and South, and he got the same story everywhere. There was no man in all Ireland would raise a hand against King Brian. Brian. — His own poet has said that? Then the sap of power has turned from him to me. The Son of Mary is giving Ireland into my charge. His right hand is stretched over the North, His left hand southward towards the sun, His face is towards the West. His angels have set their ladder upon Usna, Victor angel of Patrick, Axel angel of Columcille, Michael leader of armies. It is a great thing they are doing for me, giving me the help of their sword. Ireland — Ireland, I see you free and prospering; wheat in every tilled field; beautiful vessels in the houses of kings; beautiful children, well nourished in every house. No meddling of strangers within our borders ! No outcry of Gael against Gael! (Stops a moment.) It is not so. Malachi will get help. Why am I taking the words of a woman, of a song? I have not done with war. 37 KINCORA {Enter Malachi.) Brian. — If you have come to ask more time, I will give you a truce of a year. Malachi. — A year would be the same to me as a month. Brian. — Do you ask a longer time yet? Malachi. — I have a hard thing to say. I will not bring de- struction on my people. I take back my boasting words. My luck has turned against me. I have no help to get. Queen Gormleith has spoken the truth. Brian. — You will not fight against me? Malachi. — I will keep my sword edge sharp, but it will be against the Gall. Brian. — You would give up the crown? Malachi. — I would not, but I must. {Lays crown on table.) Brian. — God has given me the power. I am answerable to God. It is for the peace of Ireland I take it. Maire {softly). — It is Brian that will bring the great peace! Malachi. — That is enough of words. {Pushes over crown.) Take it and the weight of it. Yet it was in the prophecy that I should be King after you in Tara! Brian {takes crozvn). — I take it in my hand that is stronger than your hand. I have been chosen to do the work of God. I will bring all Ireland under the one strong rule. Gormleith {kisses his hand). — Long live Brian, High King of Ireland ! All {raising their hands). — Long live the High King! Malachi. — I have another word to say. I have another gift for you. The Queen of Tara must not lose the crown of Tara. She must go with it. Take her, Brian. She is cast out of my house. I have no more to do with her. You boast of forcing peace. Can you force a peace on her? Quiet her and I will believe you can master all the wild blood of Ireland. Gormleith. — You offer me in the market. Give me your help, Brian. Is he to say words of insult to me? I was not treated like this among the Danes. 38 KIN CORA Brian. — I will have no word of insult said to a Queen within these walls. Malachi. — She is no Queen now. Let her go out and let her find her place among the witches of the air. {He draws his sword and takes a step towards her.) Brian {lifting crozvn over her) — I give her the shelter of this crown. I give her the shelter of this roof. I take her as I take Ireland, under the power of my name. Brennain, you need not divide these spoils. I offer them all as my first bride-gift to Queen Gormleith. Gormleith. — I thank you, great King. Brian. — See here, Queen, it is no bride gift of a clown I offer you — the great cauldron made by smiths of Murias ; the sword of Tethra ; the crown of Buan from the well of Cruachan ; the brooch of the King of Britain's daughter and her little silver harp; the shining candlestick of Ethne of the Sidhe. {All turn to look at spoils except Malachi.) Rury {coming to Malachi). — The chariot is at the door yet, King. Have you a mind to come away from this, or to stop for the wedding feast? Malachi. — I will go; I have been long enough in this little place. RuRY.^ — Come out then. High King. The horses are rested. Malachi {turn^s towards door). — A little place, a little place. We have been in it long enough. It is too small a place for so much buying and selling. Great gains ! Great losses ! The crown for Brian! The High Kingship for Brian! The spoils of Glenmama for Gormleith! {Turns from door.) Who has the worst of it? Brian has that Crow of Battle. {Exit.) Curtain 39 ACT m KINCORA ACT III Scene I. — The same hall at Kincora. Gormlcith and Sitric sitting at table; Maelmora standing. Maelmora {holding out his cloak). — Have you a clasp, Gorm- leith, to sew on this cloak? The old one is gone from it. GoRMLEiTH. — I will do that. How was the old one lost? Maelmora. — It was on the journey this morning. My people and the people of the Desi were bringing our tribute of ilr-trees ; and a dispute arose who should take the lead; and I was not willing there should be any delay, and I put my own shoulder under one of the trees. GoRMLEiTH. — You, my brother, carried a load? Maelmora. — There was no dispute after that who was to take the lead. But a branch of the tree caught in the clasp, and dragged it off, and it was lost. GoRMLEiTH. — You Carried King Brian's loan into Kincora! I will sew no clasp upon the cloak. Maelmora. — I saw no shame in doing that for Brian. He gave me my life, and my kingdom. Gormleith. — I see great shame in it ! I see you all bowing down to Brian's law. There is not a hound of yours dares so much as follow a hare beyond the mearing, without leave from judges or priests. It is not the man that strikes a brave blow that is honored now, but the man that shows obedience; that brings tribute 41 Maelmora. — Quiet yourself, Gormleith. My mind is not set like yours, on swords and armies. You were wild and restless long ago, dragging me after you from the teachers and the nurses. You have had the tormenting of three husbands since then; leave your brother alone. I am going to the chess-players. Take the cloak, and have the clasp on it when I come again. {He gives her the cloak and goes out.) Gormleith. — I will sew on no clasp! (Flings it away.) The fire is the right place for this livery of a hired man! SiTRic. — I told you this was no place for you; it is with the Danes you should be. The salmon that is used, to the salt sea grows sick out there in the still river. You are tangled in the weeds of the river. Break away from them Gormleith. — I told you I would not give you my help. I have done with the Danes. SiTRic. — They are coming; they will soon be landing; their plans are made. I have all ready for them at Clontarf ; I trusted to you to help. If Maelmora has no power, what power have I?. Am I, your son, and Olaf's son, to be a steward and caretaker to the day of my death ? Am I to quarry stones for the churches, and shut myself in the schools to read books? I will break from it all. I am no traitor; I was born under the raven. Gormleith. — Go your own way; fight for your own hand. What do you want of me ? I am but one woman ; there is noth- ing I can do SiTRic (taking out letters). — This is what you can do. Look at that letter from Sigurd, Earl of Orkney, and that from Brodar, of the Isle of Man. See what they ask — they will not come with- out a call from you, without a promise Gormleith. — I know what they ask. I will not give a promise to either of them. SiTRic. — I was sure you would help me — you are nearer to me, your son, than to any other. Gormleith. — That is true. Brian is ageing; his strength is going; he is giving up the sword for the mass-book 42 SiTRic. — Brodar and Sigurd sent us messengers — they will send for help for us from Alban Brennain (coming in). — King Brian is wanting you, Queen, in the inner court, to give a welcome to King Malachi, that is after coming back at last in friendship to Kincora. (Goes out.) GoRMLEiTH. — Malachi! Is he here again? I have no great mind to see him. But I must go; he will treat me w^ith honor now; he dare not say a word against King Brian's wife. SiTRic. — I told Brodar I would send him your promise. Give it to me now. GoRMLEiTH. — I will givc uo promisc, child ; I will not go against you, but I will give you no help against Brian. I am glad if I was a traitor to Malachi ; I wdll never betray Brian. Go to the chess-players. I will go to the Kings, (She goes towards door.) SiTRic (putting his hand on her arm). — Stay — listen GoRMLEiTH. — Leave me; I will not listen. I have taken my own way. I belong to Brian; I will be faithful; I am bound to Kincora. (They go out.) (Enter Brennain, Derrick, Rury and Phelan.) Brennain. — Put the chairs here, for the Kings to rest for a while. (They set chairs.) They will be going out then to see the army do its feats, where it is gathered on the green to do honor to King Malachi. RuRY. — What way is Queen Gormleith? Does Brian curb her better than Malachi? Brennain. — What way would he curb her, having, as he has, his head in the skies, and his hand in every good work? No matter; no matter; we have more than the bitting of mares to attend to here. Tribute coming from every side, from the Gael and from the Gall ! Wine, and cattle, and riches ! Fainted books and golden vessels from the King of Alban, and the King of Lochlann, and all the kings of the western world ! We will have to widen our walls to store the whole of it. RuRY. — You will ; and if you have your way, Brennain, you 43 will have to widen Ireland to hold Kincora; and to widen the whole world to hold Ireland. Age makes you as full of pride as a tree is of branches. Derrick. — Golden birds among the branches And another in the hand; Keenings not used, or treachery In the tilled familiar land. Phelan. — Whatever wits poor Derrick ever had they are gone from him in his age. Derrick. — The King praised that song a while ago. He said it had worked itself into his dreams. He had a dream last night • RuRY. — I wonder a man that has done such great deeds as Brian would give any heed to dreams. Derrick. — Don't you know that every noticeable thing a man does is but the certain sign of the going and coming of dreams? Wrack thrown upon the rocks by the high tide — leaves heaped together in a hollow by the wind. Rury. — It is a wisp of withered leaves your own thoughts are, Derrick; and if you have any noticeable thing to do, you had best make no delay, or it is your ghost that will be doing it in the churchyard, knocking a start out of men and beasts. Brennain. — I hear some voices outside, and shouting. It should be more tribute coming. Phelan. — More likely it is your own daughter Maire. I passed her upon the road a while ago, and a crowd following her and talking with her. Brennain (starting up). — My daughter Maire! Phelan. — Your daughter Maire. What great wonder is there in that? I did not say it was the King of Greece I saw, or St. Martin of France in a cloud of heaven. Rury (to Phelan). — Did you never hear his daughter Maire has been lost to him this long time? (Maire appears in the doorway.) Maire. — I am come back to you, father. Brennain (hobbling across to meet her). — Keep back there! 44 I will not let you into the King's hall till I know where you spent the time! Maire. — It was well spent. I went a long way Brennain. — How do I know are you fit to come into the King's house at all? Wearing all your jewels that would buy half the cows in Kerry — dressed out like the rag-bush of a blessed well ! Maire. — You will give me a good welcome if you will but listen — ^— Brennain. — I am thinking it is stuck in the mud of the river you were, or drifting out with the tide, and the beasts of the sea picking at you Maire.— Listen, till I tell you Brennain. — Leaving me without one to will my little riches to ! I have a mind to turn you out in earnest. Maire. — You will be proud. Did you hear the people shout- ing to make much of me? Brennain.— The people! What do I care for the shouting of that troop? They would shout to see a river-rat crossing the highway! It is what the king thinks, and what I myself think, that matters. Maire.— Let m