IRELAND. 319 



John, after his accession, made amends for his former behaviour to- 

 wards the Irish. He enlarged his father's plan of introducing into 

 Ireland English laws and officers, and he erected that part of the 

 provinces of Leinster and Munster, which was within the English 

 pale, into twelve counties. We find, however, that the descendants 

 of the ancient princes in other places, paid him no more than a no- 

 minal subjection. They governed by their old Brehon laws, and ex- 

 ercised all acts of sovereignty within their own states ; and indeed 

 this was pretty much the case so late as the reign of James I. The 

 unsettled reign of Henry III, his wars and captivity, gave the Irish 

 a very mean opinion of the English government during his reign ; 

 but they seem to have continued quiet under his son Edward I. Ga- 

 veston, the famous favourite of Edward II, acquired great credit 

 while he acted as lieutenant of Ireland ; but the successes of the 

 Scotch king, Robert Bruce, had almost proved fatal to the English 

 interest in Ireland, and suggested to the Irish the idea of transferring 

 their allegiance from the kings of England to Edward Bruce, king- 

 Robert's brother. That prince accordingly invaded Ireland, where he 

 gave repeated defeats to the English governors and armies ; and be-? 

 ing supported by his brother in person, he was actually crowned king at 

 Dunkalk, and narrowly missed being master of Dublin. The younger 

 Bruce seems to have been violent in the exercise of his sovereignty s 

 and he was at last defeated and killed by Bermingham, the English 

 general. After this, Edward II ruled Ireland with great moderation, 

 and passed several excellent acts with regard to that country. 



But during the minority of Edward HI, commotions were again, 

 renewed in Ireland, and not suppressed without great loss and dis- 

 grace on the side of the English. In 1333 a rebellion broke out, in 

 which the English inhabitants had no inconsiderable share. A suc- 

 cession of vigorous, brave governors at last quieted the insurgents ; 

 and about the year 1361, prince Lionel, son to Edward III, having 

 married the heiress of Ulster, was sent over to govern Ireland, and, 

 if possible, to reduce its inhabitants to an entire conformity with the 

 laws of England. In this he made a great progress, but did not en- 

 tirely accomplish it. It appears, at this time, that the Irish were in a 

 very flourishing condition, and that one of the greatest grievances 

 they complained of was, that the English sent over men of mean 

 birth to govern them. In 1394, Richard II, finding that the execution, 

 of his despotic schemes in England must be abortive without further 

 support, passed over to Ireland with an army of 34,000 men, well 

 armed and appointed. As he made no use of force, the Irish looked 

 upon his presence to be a high compliment to their nation, and ad- 

 mired the magnificence of his court. Richard, on the other hand, 

 courted them by all the arts he could employ, and bestowed the ho- 

 nour of knighthood on their chiefs. In short, he behaved so as to 



I entirely win their affections. Butin 1399, after having acted in a ve- 

 ry despotic manner in England, he undertook a fresh expedition to 

 Ireland, to revenge the death of his lord-lieutenant, the earl of 

 March, who had been killed by the wild Irish. His army again struck 

 the natives with consternation, and they threw themselves upon his 

 mercy. It was during this expedition that the duke of Lancaster 

 landed in England ; and Richard, upon his return, finding himself 

 deserted by his English subjects on account of his tyranny, and 



g|hat he could not depend upon the Irish, surrendered his crown to his 



