Recent Antiquarian Explorations. 33 



The title is now extinct, the last of the line being interred in 

 this abbey. The origin of the title of White Knights goes 

 back to the early part of the reign of Edward III., when that 

 monarch was assisted against the Scots by a contingent of Irish 

 troops, led by three cousins, members of the Desmond family. 

 They were wounded, and greatly distinguished themselves at 

 the Battle of Hallidon Hill, in which the Scots were routed. 

 The three cousins were knighted on the field by Edward. One 

 of them was in white armour, and he was called by the King, 

 " Maurice, the White Knight." The other two wore green and 

 black armour, and were designated the Black Knight and the 

 Green Knight. The former was ancestor to the Knight of 

 Glin, and the Green Knight was ancestor to the Knight of 

 Kerry, the title of knighthood being in these instances per- 

 petuated for five centuries and a half. In the centre of the 

 choir in this abbey is the tomb of the White Knight. After 

 we examined the abbey, old church, and round tower, not 

 forgetting the police barrack attacked by the Fenians in 1866, 

 we returned to our hotel to await the arrival of the train that 

 was to convey us to Dublin on our return to the North. 



We made a passing call on our way to the North at Drogheda, 

 which is well worthy of a visit. We first examined St. Law- 

 rence's Gate, and a portion of the Old Wall that still remains, 

 and the ruins of the Abbey. We availed ourselves of an 

 introduction we had to the Rev. Mother of the Sienna 

 Convent, to see a curious relic that is preserved there. It is 

 the head of Dr. Oliver Plunkett, Archbishop of Armagh and 

 Primate of all Ireland, who was beheaded in 168 1. It is in a 

 wonderful state of preservation. It is enshrined in a little ebony 

 casket, at each of the four angles of which is a Corinthian pillar 

 of silver. There is a door in front in which is a silver plate 

 bearing the Primate's Arms, surmounted by a silver mitre. On 

 each angle of the roof is a silver flame, emblematic of martyrdom. 

 When the door is open the head can be seen most distinctly 

 through a glass plate. The Rev. Dr. Moran in his Memoir 

 of Oliver Plunkett says — " Plunkett was doomed not only to 



