The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-01-12
which afterwards became his capital

which afterwards became his capital,
the English garrison, i'll answer to his
summons to surrender. pleasantly told
him that he aud his followers would
make but half a meal for them. Bruce
was a man who loved Il subtle jest,
and an hour later when his soldiers
!. brust into Dundall they despatched
the Newry garrison to dine in better
world.
From Dundalk Bruce and Donald
O'Neill guided by the De Lacys,
marched through Meath. Near Ardee
the Red Earl came up with them, and
acting on the advice of O'Neill, the
Hiberno-Scottish army fell back to-
wards the Bann. O'Neill knew that
Felim O'Connor who marched with
the Earl, was no lover of the English,
and he relied on detaching him from
the enemy's cause. a trusty messen-
ger bore secretly to Felm letter
which filled him with shame. 1t re-
minded him of who and what he was,
chief of the clan Conner, descendant
and a slave Of the English. II conjure
you," wrote O'Ncill. for though Bruce
was the signer. the noble Prince Of
Ulster was the author of the letter,
81 conjure YOU to leave the standard
of the enemies of Ireland and your
people and join us in driving them
from the land" Arriving ut the Bann
Felim quilted the Earls company on
the preteXt-not wholly il false one
of quellng an Instruction in Con-
naught, and when he had disappeared,
Bruce, turning in his track, hurled
himself upon the Red Earl, destroying
his army and chasing him from Ulster.
Flushed with victory, the Irish march
ed back to Leinster, and Bruce, pitch
ing his camp ut Loughsweedy, cele-
brated the Christmastde surrounded
by Irish chieftains, Scottish lords, and
even Anglo Norman mobiles.
The leaders of the English interest
spent gloomy Christmas coopcd up
in Dublin. But they determined to
make strong effort to crush Bruce,
whose power had become truly form
liable. When Bruce had celebrated his
Christmastide, he marched into South
Leinster, stirring up the clan to action.
The Lord Deputy, his father-in-law,
y and Arnold De Ia Poer, flung them
selves across his path ut Athy with
10000 men, and he scattered them be-
fore him like chai1. Roger Mortimer
rallied half the fugitives and encount-
cred him in Ossory, where Bruce
smOte his army hip and thigh. Nor
timer rode back to Dublin in hot haste.
and smiling amiably at the eXultation
that neither Offally nor the Deputy
could prevent themselves feeling at
his defeat. took ship for England. The
excellent Mortimer knew well how to
turn defeat into victories for himself.
Meanwhile affairs were daily grow
ing more desperate for the English in
tcrest. All South Leinster had de-
clared for Bruce, and the MacNIur-
roughs, under their young chief, raw
aged the suburbs Of Dublin. and
waved their banner insolcntly beneath
the walls of the city. This insult the
citizens could not brook. They cap
tured the MacMurrough, ana bore him
to the Castle, immuring him in the
new Birmingham Tower. One morn
ing they found the tower empty, save
for rope. Adam Nangle supplied
the rope, and poor Adam was hanged
for his pains. Bruce, full of triumph,
marched back to Dundalk, where. on
May Day, 1916, n parliament of all
Ireland voted him to the crown.
and Donald O'Neill, by letters-patent,
resigned it to him and his heirs for
ever. On the following day on the
hill of Knocknemelan. Bruce was
solcmnly crowned as King Edward
the First of Ireland, amidst Il scene of
pomp and rejoicing such as Ireland
had not witnessed for generations.
Meanwhile, in Connaught, stirring
events were happening. Fclim, on his
return, found usurper on his throne,
Rory O'Connor, Il valiant man and n
great destroyer of foreigners. Rory
had denounced Felim as traitor to
Ireland, and proclaimed his adherence
to Bruce, whcrenpon he had been
elected to fill Felim's place. Felm on
his return rallied his friends. and. af-
ter great BATTLE in which the val
liant foreigner-hater Rory was slain,
regnined his princcdom. Then he
swept down upon Athlone and de-
stroyed it, Staying many Englishmen
of might and valOr. The Red Earl, in
amaze. demanded an explanation of
his conduct. whereupOn the restored
prince answered dciiantly that he bore
allegiance to King Edward of Ireland,
and with the help of God and the
blessed saints would not leave one
Englishman alive in all Connaught
DE Burgh sounded call to arms and
Felim sent round the fiery cross. To
the princes summons responded all
the chiefs of Connaught half the
chiefs of Munster, and the Prince of