264 WILD SPORTS OF THE WEST. 



occasioned his anxiety. His lady wore a curious- 

 fashioned coif, which concealed her tresses as effectually 

 as if she never laid aside her night-cap ; and the cherished 

 hope of an heir to his ancient line now faded in the 

 heart of Cormac More. Dhu Castle became duller 

 and more gloomy — ^the fair Baroness was more and more 

 deserted — ^the chase and banquet were preferred by the 

 moody Knight to soft dalliance in his " lady's bower," — 

 and any pretext was gladly resorted to which offered 

 an excuse for being absent from his joyless home. 



Gentlewomen, in these perilous days, acquired and 

 possessed an astonishing portion of philosophy. No 

 baron's lady " in the Pale"* submitted to a frequent 

 separation from her lord with more laudable submission 

 than Rose Roche. The customary resource of " wives 

 bereaved " appeared anything but consolatory to the 

 dame. She determined to avoid crying, as being an 

 un-Christian waste of beauty — and, instead of useless 

 lamentations, she wisely substituted mirth and 

 minstrelsy. 



There was not a more accomplished bard in Ulster 

 than Connor O'Cahan, and for seventy years he had 

 resided with the Lords of Iveagh. No tale or tradition 

 connected with this puissant race was unknown to 

 this gifted minstrel : yet, by some strange infirmity of 

 taste, young Rose preferred the light romances of her 

 lord's English page to all the legendary lore of the 

 grey-haired harper ; and listened with more delight 



* The Pale was the line of demarcation drawn by the English 

 settlers between their acquired possessions and the remoter districts, 

 which were still permitted to remain with the ancient proprietors. 

 As this boundary was the " debatable land " of Ireland, it was the 

 scene of constant raid and skirmish ; and the locale of many a wild 

 tradition is placed beside this dangerous border. 



