265 



Kells, Downpatrick, Ardbraccan, and many other churches, taking 

 several captives, and much spoil of cattle, horses, gold and silver,* 

 This might have occurred in the expedition, where Eiric's sons are re- 

 presented as continuing the system of their father, as mentioned ante, 

 p. 261, (" per aestatem autem mare occidentale piratical infestum red- 

 didere, praedas agentes circa littora Scotise atque Hiberniae.")'!" In 

 957 they burned the bell-house at Slane, ("campanile Slanense,") 

 when the best bell (Archdall erroneously says clock,) in Ireland 

 was consumed. In the autumn of 956, a Danish prince, Triggisinus, 

 plundered the coasts. J In 959 the sons of Abloic, Danish king of 

 Irjeland, ventured to land in Anglesea, and having burned Holyhead, 

 wasted the country of Lhyn.§ And in 960 a party of these foreign- 

 ers plundered and destroyed Rathmuighell and Cork.** 



About A. D. 964 the great majority of the Danes of Ireland em- 

 braced Christianity, and an old charter of Edgar, the Saxon king, 

 bearing upon this event, is preserved in Usher's Sylloge, (p. 90.)-t"|' It 

 was long, however, before their wolfish nature could be reclaimed. 

 In 966, according to Caradoc of Lhancarvan, " the Irish," (meaning 

 the Danes from Ireland,) animated by their late expedition, landed 

 again in Anglesea, and having slain Roderic, the son of Edwal-Foel, 



* " Ubi capta sunt tria millia hominum vel plus, cum maxima praeda bourn, equorum, 

 auri, argentique." — Annal. Ulton, ad ann. 



t Ant. Celt. Scand. p. 67. 



X "Ab expeditione piratica in man occidentali reversus est Tryggisinus rex. Circa littora 

 Hiberniae et Scotiae bello atque rapinis antea fuerat grassatus." — Ant. Celt. Scand. p. 67. 



§ Caradoc of Lhancarvan. || Acta Sanctorum, p. 378. 



** Trias Thaum. p. 633. 



■ft This document is not less remarkable as setting up a claim by Edgar himself in right of 

 conquest to the greatest part of Ireland, and especially to its very noble city. " Mihi autem 

 concessit propitia divinitas, «***•• maximam partem Hiberniae cum sua nobi- 

 lissimd civitate Anglorum regno subjugare." 



VOL. XVI. . : • MM " ^x ,/■;. .,> 



