354 



according to Holinshed, on the breaking up of Robin Hood's com- 

 pany, "little John was fain to flee the realm by sailing into Ireland, 

 where he sojourned for a few days at Dublin,"* and exhibited some 

 feats of his archery, " rather by posterity to be wondered, than possi- 

 ble by any man living to be cortnter scored."* We would not perhaps 

 note the circumstance, but that " the old Irish chronicles number 

 archery with the exercises of the militia commanded by Fion Mac- 

 Cumhal," (Fingal.)t 



Concerning naval architecture at this time, mention has been 

 already made.| of the restraints imposed upon the Irish by God red 

 the Dane, as to building ships. In 1022, however, the Annals of 

 Tigernach record a sea fight, in which the Danes were vanquished by 

 the people of Ulster. In the year 1054, says Hanmer, citing Powell, 

 " King Edward, by evil council as it was thought, banished Algar, 

 Earl of Chester, which had treason laid to his charge, whereupon 

 Algar got him into Ireland, and there providing him eighteen ships of 

 war well appointed and manned with stalworth men of Irish birth, 

 returned, and joined himself with Griffith, King or Prince of Wales. "§ 



* Description of Ireland, p. 24. + See Anthol. Hib. vol. ii. p. 275. 



X Ante, p. 302. § Hanmer's Chronicle, ad ann. 



