256 



maticus makes mention ;* and Krantz, in his history, repeats."^ — In 

 the time of this prince, indeed, the Danes were so given to piracy, that 

 there were more of them at sea than on land, and, according to an 

 ancient historian, J the whole people wore nothing but the habits 

 of sailors, that they might be always ready to embark on the first 

 signal. § 



In the following year (815) occurred the great invasion under 

 Turgesius, the most fatal in its effects of any that ever desolated Ire- 

 land. 1| His name was a talisman, and while crowds of adventurers 

 followed in the wake of his vessel, all the Danes of hitherto individual 

 interests, that were scattered over the island, flocked to his welcome 

 banner, and leagued in one unholy partnership for the destruction of 

 a devoted country, in which the dissensions of the native princes ena- 

 bled them to make too speedy and permanent settlements. In 816 

 they plundered Mayo** and Iniscattery, putting the monks of the 

 latter place to the sword, and defacing the monument of its patron 

 saint. -f-f- In 820, Smith:|:J mentions the destruction of Cork by the 

 Danes, while the Ulster Annals record a general devastation of the 

 island, and an especial abduction of females, (" praeda magna muli- 

 erum raptarum.") In 822, Armagh suffered from lightning,|§ and 

 Bangor, (in the County Down,) from the Danes. 1111 In 823, they 



• " Exitio in opem filiis Hiberniam petit, occisoque ejus rege Melbrico Duflinam, barbaris 

 opibus refer tissimam, obsedit — oppugnavit — accepit: ibique anno stativis habitis, &c."— 

 Lib. 9. p. 176. 



f Lib. 4. p. 139. + Arnold. Lubeck. Chron. 



§ See Mallet's Northern Antiquities, p. 254. 



II "Circa annum 815, Turgesius, Norwegus, Hiberniam primum invasit." — Ant. Celt. 

 Scand. p. 73. 



** Usher. +t Archdall. Mon. Hib. 



It Vol. 2. p. 11. §§ Annal. Ulton. 



nil Tr. Thaum. Index. 



