New-York tribune., 1909-03-22
PEER AND HIS TREE DIE TOGETHER

PEER AND HIS TREE DIE TOGETHER
n,5 Lord Hovth has not survived the wonderful
ia ,-Avr tree in the courtyard OF Howth castle
4,b which the fortunes Of his historic house have
Ase7 for centuries identified for both the yew and
,bs ,4er reached the end Of their lives fortnight
sr, practically on the same day, the tree being
---,,ouuced dead at Hov-th Castle, which IS sit
.,s..s sbo,1- nine miles from Dublin. on the day
.he, the es-l b-eathed his last in London Lord
Esov1hs ancient honors have become extinct
th-,pgb his demise. and Hovth Castle viii, I IN
se-s-s1d 20 10 his Granddaughter, Algernon St Law
renee Lee Guinness. heir TO the baronetcy. though
ro- - the peerage Of his chdless uncle. Lord
a-5asvr and son Of the late Benjamin Lee GUM
ness Of the Royal Horse Guards.
The late Lord Hozth. thirtIeth holder Of the
Hov-th barony, was at one time well known 10
rnxnv Americans having been for a number of
z-esrs Master Of The Hounds at Pau, France, IA
vo-ite resort of wealthy United States citizens, to
vhorn the numerous rornances the dramas and the
tragedies Of his family are source OF never fall
i7r interest Its founder was Sir Amory Tristram.
who received grant from King Henry II giving
him lille 70 all such lands he could wrest from
he native irish bv the sword An account Of his
landing and Of his subsequent exploits is found
n the Book Of Howth' which is preserved among
the manuscripts in the library OF Lambeth Palace.
the Inadon residence OF the Archbishop OF Canter-
bury II relates how Sir Arnory married the sister
Of his companion in arms. the Sieur de Courcy. on
St LA%rence's Day. and how he was aftervard
known Sir Anoricus TTistram de Sancto
Lsurentc Il is from this circumstance that Iris
tram s.. Lawrence became the patronymic Of the
lords of Eowth. who are linealIy descended from
that doughty knight 4 parsonage who has wan
dered out OF the Arthurian legends in which he
figures. into the more less sober pages OF
Burke's 'Peerage- Among the treasures preserved
n the castle is sword which belonged 10 him and
which discovered in the tomb OF one Of the
Lombard kings IN Northern Italy. Il bears the in
scription Gel est Tespee de Meser Tristant don't
& ocyst rAmor7t de Irlant''
The castle dates from the twelfth century. being
partly rebuilt by Christopher. the twentieth baron,
known as the blind lord the late earl having heen
the thirtieth holder of the barcny- Il is grand
Old place. typical haronial structure with battle
rsnted walls majestic halls. with oak Tainscot-
inK. black with age. ami filled with treasures of
art and historr. ar1cng the modern cuTosties be
tag the weighing machine used by the real Sir
Roger Tichborne when 4 guest A. the castle while
serving 3 subsltern with his regiment, the
Csrshneers. Dublin. near bv- This fact was
put in evidence AZ the trial OF the claimant when
the visitors book. containing Sir Rogers auto
graph. was also submitted to The jury Every DAY
fnr centuries past matter whether the owner
Il the castle has been IN residence Or not. the big
gates Of the castle. opening through the great
gstevsv tower have been solemnly shut, and then
Immediately opened at the dinner hour This u
in socordsnce with a pledge exacted from a six
teenth century Lord Howth by the celebrated
irish cheftsiness Grace BIalley. better known in
IRISH history C'raiue II Maille. According TO
the story the LADY. or her return from the
menora BE visit which she paid 10 Queen Elizabeth
II london. landed at Howth. and proceeded 10 the
castle obtain refreshments, but found the gates
eesed. owing 81 explained 20 her, to the
fact that II wss the hour Of dinner.
Indignant al such a want Of hospitality. she
seized the infant heir of LORD Hovth. whom she
Encountered with his nurse her way hack 70
her ships and carried him of To her castle N
Mayo. nor was the child restored until its father
aoune both himself and his successors by solemn
covenant that the gates Of the castle should
again be closed a. the dinner hour. This promise
has been relisiously observed ever since.
As 20 the origin Of the old yeW tree in the court
yard a number of stories are current. But the
truth Of one legend concerning it has received nu-
meroris illustrations even in modern times II
Sc II the effect that whenever branch is broken
from the trunk fheSdeath Of the head Of the Howth
family for the time being quickly follows. Two
or three years ago the tree, which was of immense
sge. indicated among other things by the care with
which its branches were propped up, began 70 rot
sf its base, and despite all The efforts 10 prolong
us LIE the decay sapped its vitals. and after an
existence ~ many centuries 81 finally died the other
GAY Its end nav haze hastened that of the old
ear "tos Ike all the people in the surrC uuding
olSuie'. was firmly convinced that his death knell
nao 9eea struck by the demise Of the tree. The
's'e Ahffa ho~th. whose honors comprised a bar
ny eHh'sa S eF Henry II and confirmed by King
SUH' oi magma Charts fame was q soldier bv
profession. veteran Of the l-r;r,a.r W. =
-itHl OF tne Order Of 81. Patrick and the founder
nc annual Dublin Horse Show which is known
4" sfHuhg men IN all parts Of the world
iohhEh LEASES ANCIENT MANOR