The Irish standard., 1908-02-15
THE IRIS. STANDARD. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1s 1908.

ana forgot the Child. In the midst OF
the confiagration the agonized retain
ers in the courtyard heard strange yells
from one of the towers. Then they
saw an ape, which had always been
chained, squeeze its way through one
of the window Sits, holding the infant
carefully in its arms. Through the
smoke and flame the ape made it's way.
now hanging on by it's tail, now by
paw. until it safely landed in the out
stretched hands below. The babe was
uninjured. but the ape died later from
its burns.
The earl, in gratitude, adopted
monkey for his crest 1t was this F'itz-
gerald, so miraculously saved, who be-
came the first Earl of Kildare. His
life abounded in adventure and ro-
nance.
Maurice Fitzgerald. fourth earl, was
knighted on the field at the siege of
Calais by Edward ILL.,. personally.
The seventh earl was charged with
high treason, but later pardoned and
became the first viceroy of ireland.
The eighth earl was three times
vtceroy, ruling Ireland for thirty three
years. He was known as "the great
earl" He had one son and six daugh-
ters by his first wife and seven sons by
his second. When Lambert Simnel
went to Ireland, the Fitzgeralds es-
poused his cause, and the earl of Kill
dare proclaimed him as King Edward
~. and assisted at his coronation.
In the battle which followed Kildare
was captured, but made his peace with
the king, and when Perkin Warbeck
landed in Ireland, all the Fitzgcralds
opposed the kingmaker.
Still later the Fitzgeralds defeated
Clanrfcarde and all the old Irish chief
tains in a great battle. While march,
ing against Carrolrs castle, now known
as Leap Castle" the great earl" was
assassinated by one of the O'Mores. He
was watering his horse in the river
Greese, near Kilkea.
There is a legend of the house Of
Fitzgerald in connection with this as
sassination. 1t Is said that "the great
earl" on his snow-white charger, shod
with silver every seven years gallops
silently across the field Of Kildare. In
his hand he has. a cup, and the silver
horseshoes ring merrly as he rides
The legend says that when the silver
shoes are worn out, and when the cup
has fallen from his hand, the race Of
the Fitzgeralds must perish from Ire
land. 20
The seventh year comes around this
year, the same eyear as the coming Of
age of the headsof Inc house-an odd
coincidence. ~. -. ....
The son of theg hero of this legend
incurred the enlnity of Cardinal VOL
sey and was twice imprisoned in the
tower, where he died of broken heart
on hearing of the murder by his son
Of Archbishop Allen.
This son, because of the treatment
of his father, threw off allegiance to
England and stirred up Ireland to re-
bellion. He becume so powerful as the
rebel chief that England had to spend
vast sums buying up his adherents FL
nally, when deserted by the last of his
allies, the earl was offered full par
don and invited to England Henry
VIII. treacherously seized him on his
arrival in London and put him and all
his retainers and five uncles in the
Tower Later they were all hanged,
drawn and quartered at Tyburn.
But the honors Of the Geraldines
were destined not to perish. The lalf-
brother Of the tenth earl escaped to
the continent and, though bounded by
the English king from one place to an
other, he managed to reach Rome. He
entered the service of friends Of his an
cestors. the Duke Of Florence. and on
Henry Wills death returned to Eng
land. Young Edward vi. gave him
back the Irish estates, but no other
possessions, and later Queen Mary re-
stored the hereditary honors. 1t was
his sister, Elizabeth, who was known
to fame as "the Fair Geraldine" She
married Queen Elizabeth's lord high
admiral. the Earl Of Lincoln, ancestor
Of the Duke Of Newcastle.
James, the twentieth earl, brought
more honors to the family by his lucky
marriage with the daughter of the
Duke of Richmond and Lennox. The
duke was one of the administrators of
the government during George IFS abb
sence from England, and SO was able
to ladle out honors Of all sorts. His
son-in-law was in turn created Wis
count Leinster of Taplow. England,
Marquis of Kildare and Duke of Lein-