The Irish standard., 1914-02-21


Stephen and then with Dermot; en-
deavoring to induce the former to
abandon the King of Leinster, and to
return to his own country, or to detach
the latter from his foreign allies, and
bring him to an humble admission of
his allegiance. Such attempts showed
the feebleness of his councils, and
only excited the contempt of both
FitzStephen and Dermot. Roderic's
overtures were therefore rejected with
disdain, and preparations were made
on both sides for battle. We cannot
now judge how far the strength of the
position occupied by the enemy justi-
fled the reluctance of the Irish mon
arch to attack; but we find him again
endeavoring to avert the necessity of
fighting by further treating with the
perfidious Dermot, so that it was Rod
eric, and not the besieged, who ap-
peared to supplicate for peace. At
length terms were agreed on, Rod
eric consenting to give the full sover-
eighty of Leinster to Dermot, and to
his heirs, on his own supremacy being
acknowledged; and Dermot, on the
other part, giving his favorite son,
Conor, as hostage to the monarch,
and binding himself solemnly by a
treaty to bring over no more for
eign auxiliaries, and to dismiss those
now in his service, so soon as circum-
stances would permit him to do so.
About this time Maurice de Prender-
CAST withdrew from Dermot, with his
followers, to the number of 200; and,
finding that his departure from Ire
land was prevented, he offered his
services to the King of Ossory. This
detection alarmed Dermot, and en-
abled his enemy, Mac Gilla Patrick, to
make some reprisals; but Maurice
soon abandoned the latter also, and
returned for short time to Wales
Dermot, who only desired to gain
time, soon betrayed the insincerity of
his concessions to Roderic; for Maur-
ice FitzGerald having in a few days
after arrived with a small party of
knights and archers at Wexford, he
fastened to meet his new ally regard
less of his treaty, and, with this addi-
tion to his force, marched to attack
Dublin, which had thrown off it's alleg.
lance to him, and was then governed
by Hasculf Mac Turkill, a Prince of
Danish descent. The territory around
the city was soon laid waste in so
merciless a way that the inhabitants
were obliged to Asue for peace; and
the King of Leinster having glutted
his revenge, accepted their submis-
sion, for the purpose of being free to
lend assistance to Donnell O'Brien,
Prince of Thomond, who had mar
ried daughter of Dermot's, and half
sister of Eva, and had just then re-
belled against the monarch, Roderic.
This opportunity of weakening the
power of the latter was, to the vim
dictive King Of Leinster, too graf
flying to be neglected; and Dermot
felt so elated by repeated successes
that he was no longer content with
his position as provincial Prince,
but set up a claim to the sovereignty
of Ireland, which he grounded on the
right of an ancestor. In this am
hi nj, ho INV !, &c
English auxiliaries; and in a consulta-
tion with FitzStephen and FITZGERALD,
it was resolved that message should
be sent Immediately to Strongbow,
pressing him to fulfil his engagements.
and to come to their aid with as little
delay as possible.-From Haverty's
History of Ireland