316 



with them most hberal presents.* A further evidence that the Irish 

 were acquainted with armorial bearings before the time of the EngUsh 

 invasion, might perhaps be deduced from the ancient prophecy con- 

 fidently stated as referring to De Courcy, that Ulster should be sub- 

 dued by a stranger mounted on a white horse, with a shield charged 

 with painted birds. 



Contributions for the maintenance of the government it would 

 appear continued to be paid in kine."!* 



As to the legislation of what may be properly called Ireland and 

 the Irish people, though Henry had offered the extension and parti- 

 cipation of the English laws, and the pale was divided into shires to 

 facilitate that design ; and though the acknowledgment of the Pope's 

 authority immediate from Rome,;]; must have introduced the canon 

 and civil laws, which, as Giraldus complains, had then stifled all other 

 knowledge in Europe, ("reliquas scientias omnes sufFocaverant,") yet, 

 from the time of the English invasion, to the fifth year of the reign 

 of James the First, (a period of above 400 years,) the Brehon law 

 prevailed in every part of Ireland not actually included in the pale. 

 Sufficient has been said concerning this code in the corresponding 

 sections of former periods, to which we shall only beg leave to add 

 Campion's sketch of the Brehon judges in his day. " Other lawyers 

 they have liable to certain families, which after the custom of the 



* <' Comites cruce signatos et Hierosolymam petUuros ad Lotharium regem Romanorum et 

 ingentia etiam munera misisse." — See further on the subject. Annals of Inisfallen ad ann. 

 1043, Annals of the Four Masters ad ann. 1169, and O'Conor's Rer. Hib. Script, vol. i. 

 Proleg. part ii. p. clii. Tasso in his " Jerusalem Delivered," numbers among the allies of 

 Godfred, 



" Questi dall' alte selve visuti manda 

 La divisa del mondo ultima Irlanda." 



t Trias Thaumat. p. 306. J See post, section 3 of this Period. 



