the Israelites through the Red Sea. They then emigrated and settled in Spain, whence, under the command of Milesius, a colony of them sailed from Brigantia in Galicia to Ireland, gained the ascendancy over the inhabitants, and gave laws and a race of monarchs to the island. The Milesian dynasty continued to govern Ireland, without interruption, till about the year 1168, when it ceased in the person of Roger O'Conner, and the sovereignty was assumed by our Henry II. Of this race of kings the first 110 were Pagan, the rest Christian. St. Patrick was sent from Rome about the year 431, to preach the Christian religion to the Irish in the reign of Loagaire, the first Christian monarch, who received baptism from the hands of St. Patrick."

Such are the opinions of Mr. Plowden, and he is so far entitled to attention. But we may be allowed to coincide with Dr. Johnson, who maintains that all the colouring of history is false, which we are the more inclined to do from the uncertainty of human testimony so often presented to us. Even while we have the benefit of intelligence through the press, we very rarely find two accounts of the same event to agree; it can therefore be no matter of surprise if we find the transactions of early ages, delivered traditionally from one generation to another, to vary greatly in the different accounts. This subject is happily illustrated by an anecdote of Sir Walter Raleigh. While that celebrated individual was confined in the tower of London, he devoted a great portion of his time to the compilation of his "History of the World." Upon one occasion, when he was deeply engaged in endeavouring to reconcile the contradictory accounts of different historians respecting some transaction that had occurred in the early ages, he was roused from his studies by a disturbance in the court-yard of the prison, immediately beneath the window of his room. He was not able to see what was the cause of the fray, but he enquired of the first person who entered his cell, and as this person had witnessed the whole, he received a particular account. Shortly after, another individual, who had also been present during the disturbance, dropped in, but his account of the transaction varied greatly from the preceding. A few minutes after a third person entered the apartment, who had likewise been a spectator of the fray.

and his version differed no less from the other two than they had differed from each other. Sir Walter was no sooner left alone than he exclaimed, “Good God! how is it possible I can pretend to arrive at certainty respecting events which happened 2000 years ago, when I cannot obtain a correct account of what happened under my own window not three hours ago?" He immediately threw his manuscript into the fire.

As our limits will not permit us to enter upon what may certainly be considered as the fabulous eras of Irish history, as well as all inquiry into the annals of the Milesian monarchs, we will here state the circumstances under which England first assumed any right over Ireland, and while we do so, we think the reader will consider it as no punishment; not that we would insinuate the want of respect for those authors who have made antiquarian research their study, but that the inquiries are not such as are necessary for a work such as this. We will therefore commence with the invasion of Ireland by Henry II. which we may consider the principal epoch of that country; as during a period of nearly 300 years, that is from the death of Turgesius in 868, to the landing of the English in 1169, there is nothing to be found in Irish history but a series of civil wars and commotions.

In the year 1162, however, we find Dermod Mac Moragh king of the province of Leinster, whose ferocious conduct soon drew upon him the enmity of all men, but especially that of Roderick O'Conner, the last king of Ireland. Somewhere about 1155, Tieghernan O'Rourke, king of Briefne, happened to marry a lady who by no means returned his love; but as this lady's passions did not tend towards a platonic intercourse, she hesitated not to satisfy her appetites at the expense of her conjugal fidelity. The name of this lady was Dearbhforguill, daughter of Mortough Mac Floinn, king of Meath, and the object upon whom she fixed to satisfy her desires was Dermod Mac Moragh. Unlike our modern ladies who may chance to get tired of their husbands, this queen Dearbhforguill sent a messenger with a very modest request that he would come and carry her off from Tieghernan O'Rourke, whose embraces she confessedly detested; but this lady not only sent the request, but with that cautious spirit of intrigue which a

woman possesses in a superior degree, she pointed out a favourable opportunity for the execution of her licentious scheme-her husband's pilgrimage to St. Patrick's purgatory; and as a zealous catholic she thought it not only her duty to keep him at St. Patrick's as long as she could, but at the same time cool his religious ardour by having ready for him another purgatory on his return home.

The message sent by this queen of the unpronouncable name to Dermod was received with joy, and he lost no time in putting the good lady's plan into execution. He waited for the good king of Briefne setting out on his pious pilgrimage, and then repaired to the place appointed by his amouress mistress, where he found her prepared for his reception. She flung herself into his arms, and was placed on horseback, and speedily conveyed into Leinster. But we must allow that this lady assumed a virtue she had not, and at the time she threw herself into the arms of Dermod, she lustily called out for that help she did not want, and made a noise about the situation she gloried to find herself in. Girealdus Cambrensis, a historian of the times, honestly says that she was ravished because she would be ravished. But we will perceive that this infamous woman was the origin of the subjugation of Ireland.

Her husband, was, as we have hinted, at the time of this elopement, upon a pilgrimage to St. Patrick's purgatory; but upon his return, and finding his spouse had set out upon a pilgrimage of a different kind, he meditated revenge; and applied to Roderick, king of Ireland, for assistance; and at the same time endeavoured to rouse the spirit of his neighbours to espouse his cause, and aid him in punishing the destroyer of his peace and honour, and from our knowledge of Irishmen we are persuaded the appeal would not be in vain. Roderick was ready to befriend the king of Briefne against Mac Moragh, for, throwing out of the question this adulterous outrage, his general oppression and tyranical conduct had rendered him obnoxious not only to his sovereign, but even to his retainers, who to a man deserted him in the hour of trial, taking that opportunity to revenge the wrongs they had suffered under his tyrranic sway.

Roderick and Tieghernan were successful, and Mac Moragh was compelled to seek refuge in England, where,

throwing himself at the feet of Henry II. he implored his assistance, and promised in return, fealty and allegiance to the English crown, Henry was not indisposed to take advantage of this, as it is well known by all historians that he had been long watching for an opportunity to obtain a footing in Ireland; and while he pretended to assist Mac Moragh, he only rendered his assistance subservient to his own views of conquest. The English monarch was at the time inclined to resent the conduct of the Irish, on account of the many depredations they had committed in Wales, in connection with the Danes; but unfortunately for him he was engaged in a war with France, which prevented him from entering into a treaty with Dermod; but to show his good will to the cause he published a proclamation, viz. "Henry, king of England, &c. unto all his subjects, sendeth greeting; whensoever these our letters shall come unto you, know ye that we have received Dermod, king of of Leinster, into our protection, grace, and favour; wherefore, whosoever within our jurisdiction will aid and help him, our trustie subject, for the recoverie of his land, let him be assured of our favour and licence in that behalfe."

A credentlal of this kind was what was wanted by Mac Moragh, and he no sooner received it than he hastened to Bristol, expecting there to obtain some information from his native country, knowing that a regular communication subsisted between that city and Ireland. After causing the edict of the king to be read, he offered a liberal reward, both in money and lands, to such as would assist him in the recovery of his rights. Few could be found to accept his liberal proposals, as Ireland was at time regarded as a barbarous country; but the ambition of Richard, the son of Gilbert de Claire, earl of Strigul and Chepstow, was attracted by the liberal promises held out, and he went to Dermod, promising to go over to Ireland, provided that Dermod should give him his only daughter, Eva, in marriage, and settle upon him the undisputed succession of all his inheritance in Ireland. Dermod being anxious once more to see his native land, agreed to these propositions ; and he repaired to St. David's, of which Cambrensis was bishop, who informs us that the king of Leinster "lan. guishing and lying for a passage, he comforted himself as well he might; sometimes drawing, and as it were breath

ing the air of his country, which he seemed to breathe and smell; sometimes viewing and beholding his country, which in a fair day a man may ken and descry."

Dermod in the meantime, while his allies in England were making their preparations, went over to Ireland in disguise, and secretly occupied the winter in the monastery of Ferns, concerting his plans for the reception of his English coadjutors, and was successful in winning over many friends. When Robert Fitzstephen landed, in the spring of 1170, near Wexford, he began to form plans upon the Irish monarchy, confident of success from the aid of his English allies; but his hopes and his ambition were defeated by death. Several of the Irish historians affirm that he died by a dreadful visitation of God as a punishment for his many crimes, his body suddenly becoming covered with fetid sores.

His death, however. did not interrupt the invasion of the English, who, under Richard, surnamed Strongbow, continued so successful as to excite the jealousy of the king of England. Henry ordered all intercourse with Ireland to be put a stop to, and likewise commanded all his subjects in that country to return home on pain of forfeiting their property, and of perpetual banishment. Strongbow, however, who had already married the daughter of Dermond, in order to avert the ruin that threatened him, as well as to forward his ambitious designs, dispatched the following letter to his sovereign, by Raymond le Gross :-" Most puissant Prince, and my dread Sovereign, I came into the land with your majesty's leave and favour, (as far as I remember,) to aid your servant Mac Moragh: what I won was with the sword; what was given me I give you; I am yours, life and living." To this epistle the king deigned no reply; but as the time allowed by the proclamation had elapsed. Strongbow and his adherents were proscribed in Britain. As they had rendered themselves detested in Ireland, by their avarice and cruelty, their situation was from being secure now become perilous; but Strongbow became desperate, and succeeded as men under such circumstances frequently do, by a steady perseverance in his course. Roderick, the king of Ireland, again appeared with his army before Dublin, and was defeated by Strongbow, who knew that he was fighting for life and liberty, and by