On their sun-browned faces and helmets bright
Showing beneath the woodland glooms
Their swords, and jacks, and waving plumes;
As there they sat, those comrades free,
Within the Wood of Barnalee,
Under the spreading oaken tree,
And told their tales to you and me.
ROBERT DWYER JOYCE, M.D.
XLII.
CAHAL O'CONOR OF THE RED HAND: KING OF CONNAUGHT.
Roderick O'Connor, the last native king of Ireland retired from the
throne towards the end of the twelfth century, to end his days in the
monastery of Cong.[181-1] After his time, as we have said, there was no
longer a king over the whole country. But for hundreds of years
afterwards, kings continued to reign over the five provinces. Roderick
had been king of Connaught before he became king of all Ireland; and
after his retirement there were several claimants for the Connaught
throne, who contended with one another, so that the province was for a
long time disturbed with wars and battles.
[181-1] Cong in Mayo, between Lough Corrib and Lough Mask; the
remains of an abbey are there still.
Roderick had a young brother named Cahal, who was called Cahal of the
Red Hand, from a great blood-red mark on his right hand. He would
naturally have a claim to the Connaught throne when old enough; and as
he was, even when a boy, a noble young fellow, and showed great ability,
the queen of Connaught, jealous of him, feared that when he grew up he
would give trouble, and she sought him out, determined to kill him: so
that Cahal and his mother had to flee from one hiding place to another.
Finding at last that he could no longer remain in the province with
safety, he and his mother crossed the Shannon into Leinster, where no
one knew him, and there for several years they remained, while he made a
poor living for both, by working in the fields as a common labourer. And
as the fame of the brave young Cahal with the red mark on his hand, had
gone abroad, he always wore a loose mitten on his right hand for fear of
discovery; for he knew well that the queen had spies everywhere
searching for him.
At this time the people had no newspapers: but there were news-carriers
who made it their business to travel continually about the country,
picking up information wherever they could, and relating all that
occurred whenever they came to a village, or to any group of people who
desired to hear the news. They generally received some small payment;
and in this manner they made their living.
One day while Cahal was employed with several others, reaping in a field
of rye, they saw one of these men approaching; and they stopped their
work for a few moments to hear what he had to say. After relating
several unimportant matters, he came at last to the principal
news:--that the king of Connaught was dead, and that the leading people
of the province, having met in counsel to choose a king declared that
they would have no one but young Cahal of the Red Hand. "And now,"
continued the newsman, "I and many others have been searching for him
for several weeks. He is easily known, for his right hand is blood-red
from the wrist out: but up to this we have been unsuccessful. We fear
indeed that he is living in poverty in some remote place where he will
never be found: or it may be that he is dead."
When Cahal heard this, his heart gave a great bound, and he stood musing
for a few moments. Then flinging his sickle on the ridge, he
exclaimed:--"Farewell reaping-hook: now for the sword!" And pulling off
the mitten, he showed his red hand, and made himself known. The newsman,
instantly recognising him, threw himself prostrate before him to
acknowledge him as his king. And ever since that time, "Cahal's farewell
to the rye," has been a proverb in Connaught, to denote a farewell for
ever. He returned immediately with his mother to Connaught, where he was
joyfully received, and was proclaimed king in 1190.
At this time the Anglo-Norman barons who had come over at the time of
Henry II.'s Invasion, nearly twenty years before, had settled down in
various parts of Ireland: and they were constantly encroaching on the
lands of the Irish and erecting strong castles everywhere; while the
Irish chiefs as we have already said, resisted as far as they were
able, so that there was much disturbance all over the country. Cahal was
a brave and active king, and took a leading part in fighting against the
barons.
After he had reigned over Connaught in peace for eight or nine years,
trouble came again. There was at this time, settled in Limerick, a
powerful Anglo-Norman baron, William de Burgo, to whom a large part of
Connaught had been granted by King Henry II. This man stirred up another
of the O'Conors to lay claim to the throne in opposition to Cahal,
promising to help him: and now Connaught was again all ablaze with civil
war. Cahal was defeated in battle, and fled to Ulster to Hugh O'Neill,
prince of Tyrone, who took up his cause. Marching south with his own and
O'Neill's men, he attacked his rival, but was defeated, and again fled
north. He soon made a second attempt, aided this time by Sir John de
Courcy (for whom see page 190): but he and De Courcy were caught in an
ambush in Galway by the rival king, who routed their army. In this fight
De Courcy very nearly lost his life, being felled senseless from his
horse by a stone. Recovering in good time however, he and Cahal escaped
from the battlefield, and fled northwards.
Cahal of the Red Hand, in no way cowed by these terrible reverses, again
took the field, after some time, aided now by De Burgo, who had changed
sides. A battle was fought near Roscommon, in which the rival king was
slain; and Cahal once more took possession of the throne. From this
period forward he ruled without a native rival; though a few years
later, he was forced to surrender a large part of his kingdom to King
John, in order that he might secure possession of the remainder.
But he was as vigilant as ever in repelling all attempts of the barons
to encroach on his diminished territory. Thus when in 1220 the De Lacys
of Meath, a most powerful Anglo-Norman family, went to Athleague on the
Shannon at the head of Lough Ree, where there was a ford, and began to
build a castle at the eastern or Leinster side, in order that they might
have a garrison in it always ready to attack Connaught, Cahal promptly
crossed the river into Longford, and so frightened them that they were
glad to conclude a truce with him. And he broke down the castle, which
they had almost finished.
Cahal of the Red Hand was an upright and powerful king, and governed
with firmness and justice. The Irish Annals tell us that he relieved the
poor as long as he lived, and that he destroyed more robbers and rebels
and evil-doers of every kind than any other king of his time. In early
life he had founded the abbey of Knockmoy,[185-1] into which he retired
in the last year of his life: and in this retreat he died in 1224.
[185-1] Knockmoy in Galway, six miles from Tuam: the ruins of the
abbey still remain.
XLIII.
"CAHAL-MORE OF THE WINE-RED HAND."
The ancient Irish people--like those of several other
countries--believed that when a just and good king reigned, the country
was blessed with fine weather and abundant crops, the trees bended with
fruit, the rivers teemed with fish, and the whole kingdom prospered.
This was the state of Connaught while Cahal of the Red Hand reigned in
peace. And it is recorded that when he died, fearful portents appeared,
and there was gloom and terror everywhere. James Clarence Mangan, a
Dublin poet, who died in 1849, pictures all this in the following fine
poem. He supposes himself to be living on the river Maine, in Germany,
and he is brought to Connaught in a vision, where he witnesses the
prosperity that attended Cahal's reign. This he sets forth in the first
part of the poem: but a sudden mysterious change for the worse comes,
which he describes in the last two verses. The whole poem forms a wild,
misty sort of picture, such as one might see in a dream.[186-1]
A VISION OF CONNAUGHT IN THE THIRTEENTH CENTURY.
I walked entranced
Through a land of Morn;
The sun, with wondrous excess of light,
Shone down and glanced
Over seas of corn
And lustrous gardens aleft and right.
Even in the clime
Of resplendent Spain,
Beams no such sun upon such a land;
But it was the time,
'Twas in the reign,
Of Cahal More of the Wine-red Hand.
Anon stood nigh
By my side a man
Of princely aspect and port sublime.
Him queried I,
"O, my Lord and Khan,[187-1]
What clime is this, and what golden time?"
When he--"The clime
Is a clime to praise,
The clime is Erin's, the green and bland;
And it is the time,
These be the days,
Of Cahal More of the Wine-red Hand!"
Then saw I thrones,
And circling fires,
And a dome rose near me, as by a spell,
Whence flowed the tones
Of silver lyres,
And many voices in wreathèd swell;
And their thrilling chime
Fell on mine ears
As the heavenly hymn of an angel-band--
"It is now the time,
These be the years,
Of Cahal More of the Wine-red Hand!"
I sought the hall,
And, behold!... a change
From light to darkness, from joy to woe!
King, nobles, all,
Looked aghast and strange;
The minstrel-group sate in dumbest show!
Had some great crime
Wrought this dread amaze,
This terror? None seemed to understand!
'Twas then the time,
We were in the days,
Of Cahal More of the Wine-red Hand.
I again walked forth;
But lo! the sky
Showed fleckt with blood, and an alien sun
Glared from the north,
And there stood on high,
Amid his shorn beams, A SKELETON
It was by the stream
Of the castled Maine,
One Autumn eve, in the Teuton's land,
That I dreamed this dream
Of the time and reign
Of Cahal More of the Wine-red Hand!
[186-1] Mangan wrote many poetical translations from the Irish, as
well as from the German and other languages. The "Vision
of Connaught" is, however, an original poem, not a
translation.
[187-1] Irish, _Ceann_ [can], meaning 'head,' one of the Gaelic
titles for a chief.
[Illustration: St. Finghin's Church, Quin, Co. Clare: originally built
by the Irish: re-built by Thomas de Clare, the Anglo-Norman lord who
erected Bunratty Castle (see p. 177).
The Irish began to build large churches and castles a little before the
arrival of the Anglo-Normans. The Irish churches of a previous time were
generally small. After the Invasion, the Anglo-Norman barons and the
Irish kings and chiefs vied with each other in erecting churches,
abbeys, and castles.]
XLIV.
SIR JOHN DE COURCY.
Among the many Anglo-Norman lords and knights who came to settle in
Ireland in the time of Henry II., one of the most renowned was John de
Courcy. The Welsh writer, Gerald Barry, already mentioned (p. 113), who
lived at that time and knew him personally, thus describes him:--
"He was of huge size, tall and powerfully built, with bony and muscular
limbs, wonderfully active and daring, full of courage, and a bold and
venturous soldier from his youth. He was so eager for fighting that,
though commanding as general, he always mingled with the foremost ranks
in charging the enemy, which might have lost the battle; for if he
chanced to be killed or badly wounded, there was no general able to take
his place. But though so fierce in war, he was gentle and modest in time
of peace and very exact in attending to his religious devotions; and
when he had gained a victory he gave all the glory to God, and took none
to himself."
When King Henry II. divided the country among his lords in 1172, he gave
Ulster to De Courcy. But it was one thing to be granted the province,
and another thing to take possession of it; for the Ulster chiefs and
people were warlike and strong; and for five years De Courcy remained
in Dublin without making any attempt to conquer it.
At length he made up his mind to try his fortune; and gathering his
followers to the number of about a thousand, every man well armed and
trained to battle, he set out for the north. Through rugged and
difficult ways the party rode on, and early in the morning of the fourth
day--the 2nd February, 1177--they arrived at Downpatrick, then the
capital of that part of the country. The Irish of those times never
surrounded their towns with walls; and the astonished Downpatrick
people, who knew nothing of the expedition, were startled from their
beds at daybreak by a mighty uproar in the streets--shouts, and the
clatter of horses' hoofs, and the martial notes of bugles. Whatever
little stock of provisions the party had brought with them was gone soon
after they left Dublin; and by the time they arrived at Downpatrick they
were half-starved. They scattered themselves everywhere, and, breaking
away for the time from the control of their leader, they fell ravenously
on all the food they could lay their hands on: they smashed in doors and
set fire to houses, and ate and drank and slew as if they were mad, till
the town was half destroyed. And the people were taken so completely by
surprise that there was hardly any resistance.
When this terrible onslaught at last came to an end, De Courcy, having
succeeded in bringing his men together, made an encampment, which he
carefully fortified; and there the little army rested from their toils.
At the end of a week the chief of the district came with a great army to
expel the invaders; while De Courcy arranged his men in ranks with great
skill, to withstand the attack. The Ulstermen who were without armour,
wearing a loose saffron-coloured tunic over the ordinary dress,
according to the Irish fashion, rushed on with fearless bravery; but by
no effort could they break the solid ranks of the armour-clad
Anglo-Normans, who, after a long struggle put them to flight, and
pursued them for miles along the seashore.
After this victory De Courcy settled in Downpatrick with his followers,
and built a strong castle there for his better security. Nevertheless
the Ulstermen, in no way discouraged, continued their fierce attacks:
and though he was victorious in several battles, he was defeated in
others, so that for a long time he had quite enough to do to hold his
ground.
But through all his difficulties the valiant De Courcy kept up his heart
and battled bravely on, continually enlarging his territory, founding
churches and building strong castles all over the province. King Henry
was so pleased with his bravery, and with his success in extending the
English dominions, that he made him earl of Ulster and lord of
Connaught; and in 1185 he appointed him Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.
This obliged him to live in Dublin; but he left captains and governors
in Ulster to hold his castles and protect his territory, till he should
return, which he did in 1189.
XLV.
HOW SIR JOHN DE COURCY WAS CAPTURED AND THROWN INTO PRISON.
By the death of Henry II. in 1189, Sir John de Courcy lost his best
friend: and things began to go ill with him when King John came to the
throne in 1199. For another Anglo-Norman lord, Hugh de Lacy, grew
jealous of his great deeds, and hated him with his whole heart, so that
he took every means to poison the king's mind against him. In a very old
volume, written by some Anglo-Irish writer, there are several
entertaining stories of all that befel De Courcy after his return to
Ulster from Dublin in 1189. Two of these, somewhat shortened and
re-arranged, are given here, and much of the fine old language in which
they are told is retained, as it is easily understood.
The first story relates that whereas Sir Hugh de Lacy, who was now
appointed general ruler of Ireland by the king, did much disdain and
envy Sir John de Courcy, and being marvellous grieved at the worthy
service he did, he sought all means that he could possible to damage and
hinder him and to bring him to confusion, and promised much rewards in
secret to those who would invent any matter against him; for which De
Lacy had no cause but that Sir John's actions and commendations were
held in greater account than his own. He feigned also false charges
against him, and wrote them over to the king, and sore complained of
him.
Amongst other his grievous complaints, he said De Courcy refused to do
homage to King John, and he charged him also with saying to many that
the king had somewhat to do with the death of Prince Arthur, lawful heir
to the crown of England[194-1]; and many other such like things. All
these were nothing but matters feigned by De Lacy, to bring to a better
end his purpose of utterly ruining De Courcy. On this De Courcy
challenged him, after the custom of those times, to try the matter by
single combat: but De Lacy, fearing to meet him, made excuses and
refused.
[194-1] Prince Arthur, the rightful heir to the English throne, was
cast into prison by John: he was soon after murdered,
which, it was believed, was done by John's orders.
By reason of such evil and envious tales, though untrue they were, Sir
Hugh de Lacy was at last commanded by King John to do what he might to
apprehend and take Sir John de Courcy. Whereupon he devised and
conferred with certain of Sir John's own men how this might be done;
and they said it was not possible to do so the while he was in his
battle-harness. But they told him that it might be done on Good Friday;
for on that day it was his accustomed usage to wear no shield, harness,
or weapon, but that he would be found kneeling at his prayers, after he
had gone about the church five times barefooted. And having so devised,
they lay in wait for him in his church at Downpatrick; and when they saw
him barefooted and unarmed they rushed on him suddenly. But he,
snatching up a heavy wooden cross that stood nigh the church, defended
him till it was broken, and slew thirteen of them before he was taken.
And so he was sent to England, and was put into the Tower of London, to
remain there in perpetual, and there miserably was kept a long time,
without as much meat or apparel as any account could be made of.
Now these men had agreed to betray their master to Sir Hugh de Lacy for
a certain reward of gold and silver: and when they came to Sir Hugh for
their reward, he gave them the gold and silver as he had promised. They
then craved of him a passport into England to tell all about the good
service they had done; which he gave them, with the following words
written in it:--
"This writing witnesseth that those whose names are herein subscribed,
that did betray so good a master for reward, will be false to me and to
all the earth besides. And inasmuch as I put no trust in them, I do
banish them out of this land of Ireland for ever; and I do let
Englishmen know that none of them may enjoy any part of this our king's
land, or be employed as servitors from this forward for ever."
[Illustration: Ennis Abbey as it appeared in 1780: now carefully
preserved by the Board of Works. Built by Donogh O'Brien, king of
Thomond, in 1242. See the note under Illustration, p. 189.]
And so he wrote all their names, and put them in a ship with victuals
and furniture, but without mariners or seamen, and put them to sea, and
gave them strict charge never to return to Ireland on pain of death. And
after this they were not heard of for a long time; but by chance of
weather and lack of skilful men, they arrived at Cork, and being taken,
were brought to Sir Hugh de Lacy; and first taking all their treasure
from them, he hung them in chains, and so left them till their bodies
wasted away.
This deed, that Sir Hugh de Lacy did, was for an ensample that none
should use himself the like, and not for love of Sir John de Courcy:
since it appeareth from certain ancient authors that he would have it so
as that De Courcy's name should not be so much as mentioned, and that no
report or commendation of him should ever be made.
XLVI.
SIR JOHN DE COURCY ACCEPTS A CHALLENGE.
And now Sir John de Courcy, being in the Tower in evil plight, cried
often to God why He suffered him to be thus so miserably used, who did
build so many good abbeys, and did so many good deeds to God: and thus
often lamenting with himself, he asked God his latter end to finish.
It fortuned after this that much variance and debate did grow between
King John of England and King Philip of France,[197-1] about a certain
castle which the king of France won from King John. And when King Philip
had often been asked to restore it he refused, saying it was his by
right. But at last he offered to try the matter by battle. For he had a
champion, a mighty man, who had never been beaten; and he challenged the
king of England to find, on his side, a champion to fight him, and let
the title to the castle depend on the issue thereof; to which King John,
more hasty than well advised, did agree.
[197-1] At this time the kings of England had a large territory in
France so that quarrels often arose between them and the
French kings.
And when the day of battle was appointed, the king of England called
together his Council to find out where a champion might be found that
would take upon him this honour and weighty enterprise. Many places they
sought and inquired of, but no one was found that was willing to engage
in so perilous a matter. And the king was in a great agony, fearing more
the dishonour of the thing than the loss of the castle.
At length a member of the Council came to the king and told him that
there was a man in the Tower of London, one De Courcy, that in all the
earth was not his peer, if he would only fight. The king was much
rejoiced thereat, and sent unto him to require and command him to take
the matter in hand: but Sir John refused. The king sent again and
offered him great gifts; but again he refused, saying he would never
serve the king in field any more; for he thought himself evil rewarded
for such service as he did him before. The king sent to him a third
time, and bade him ask whatever he would, for himself and for his
friends, and all should be granted to him: and he said furthermore that
upon his stalworth and knightly doings the honour of the realm of
England did rest and depend.
He answered that for himself, the thing he would wish to ask for, King
John was not able to give, namely, the lightness and freedom of heart
that he once had, but which the king's unkind dealing had taken from
him. As for his friends, he said that, saving a few, they were all slain
in the king's service; "and for these reasons," said he, "I mean never
to serve the king more. But"--he went on to say--"the honour of the
realm of England, that is another matter: and I would defend it so far
as lies in my power, provided I might have such things as I shall ask
for."
This was promised to him, and the king sent messengers to set him at
liberty; who, when they had entered into his prison, found him in great
misery. His hair was all matted, and overgrew his shoulders to his
waist; he had scarce any apparel, and the little he had fell in rags
over his great body; and his face was hollow from close confinement and
for lack of food.
After all things that he required had been granted to him, he asked for
one thing more, namely, that his sword should be sent for all the way to
Downpatrick in Ireland, where it would be found within the altar of the
church; for with that weapon he said he would fight and with no other.
After much delay it was brought to him; and when they saw it and felt
its weight, they marvelled that any man could wield it. And good food
was given to him, and seemly raiment, and he had due exercise, and in
all things he was cherished and made much of; so that his strength of
body and stoutness of heart returned to him.
XLVII.
SIR JOHN DE COURCY AND THE FRENCH CHAMPION.
The lists were enclosed and all things were prepared against the day of
battle. The two kings were there, outside the lists, with most of their
nobility, and thousands of great people to look on, all sitting on seats
placed high up for good view. Within the lists were two tents for the
champions, where they might rest till the time appointed. And men were
chosen to see that all things were carried on fairly and in good order.
When the time drew nigh, the French champion came forth on the field,
and did his duty of obeisance, and bowed with reverence and courtesy to
all around, and went back to his tent, where he waited for half an hour.
The king of England sent for Sir John to come forth, for that the French
champion rested a long time awaiting his coming; to which he answered
roughly that he would come forth when he thought it was time. And when
he still delayed, the king sent one of his Council to desire him to make
haste, to which he made answer:--"If thou or those kings were invited to
such a banquet, you would make no great haste coming forth to partake of
it."