AND ITS SURROUNDINGS. 147 



able statesman died in France, about the year 1210, and was 

 succeeded by his only son, Miles, upon whom Henry III. 

 conferred the Barony of Kinsale,* in Ireland, as a compen- 

 sation for the Earldom of Ulster, which was retained by 

 Hugo de Lacie. 



For five centuries afterwards the honours descended 

 regularly. (But we pass on to) "Almericus, twenty-third 

 baron, outlawed in 1691 for his adhesion to the fortunes of 

 James II., but the outlawry was very soon removed, and his 

 lordship took his seat in the parliament of Ireland, in 1692. 

 This nobleman, in observance of the ancient privilege of his 

 house, appeared in the presence of King William, covered, 

 and explained to that monarch, when his majesty expressed 

 surprise at the circumstance, the reason thus : — ' Sire, my 

 name is Courcy. I am Lord of Kinsale, in your majesty's 

 kingdom of Ireland ; and the reason of my appearing covered 

 in your majesty's presence is to assert the ancient privilege 

 of my family, granted to Sir John de Courcy, Earl of Ulster, 

 and his heirs, by John, King of England.' The King 

 acknowledged the privilege, and giving the baron his hand 

 to kiss, his lordship paid his obeisance, and continued 

 covered." He died in 1719, and was buried in Westminster 

 Abbey, where his tomb may be seen. 



It is left on record that his successors, Gerald, twenty- 

 fourth baron ; John, twenty-sixth baron ; and John Con- 

 stantine, twenty-ninth baron; on different occasions "exer- 

 cised this ancient privilege of their ancestors." 



A fine specimen of the American Aloe flowered last year 

 (1873) in the grounds at Ringrone House. The continuance 

 of a colder atmosphere than is usually experienced here, just 



* We know not when the family of De Courcy first adopted the present 

 mode of spelling the name King sale : it was clearly not so at first. 



