I R E L A N D. 
conTequences of which we he fo little dreaded at that time 
by the natives, that their hiftorians, though they dwell 
upon the principal w-ars and contefts in other parts of the 
ifland, fpeak of the fettlenient of the Welfhmen ir> Lein- 
fier with a carelefs indilference. But, though the fettle- 
ment of this colony feemed very little alarming to the 
generality, it could not efcape the obfervation of difcern- 
ing performs, that a man of Dermod’s charafter would not 
long keep his treaties; and that, on the firft emergency, 
he would have recourfe to his former allies, who thus 
would eftablifti themfelves more and more, till at laft they 
■would reduce the country entirely under their fubjeftion. 
Thefe refle&ions, if any fuch were then made, were in a 
ftiort time verified. The city of Dublin and its territory 
at this time formed a diftinft ftate under a chieftain who 
fometimes acknowledged and at others difclaimed a fort 
of allegiance to the prince of Leinfter. Derrnod, autho¬ 
rized by treaty to reduce the whole of-that divifion of the 
ifland, now refolved to revenge liimfelf on the citizens of 
Dublin, who had treacheroufly murdered his father, to 
whom they had pro mi fed fealty, and, by w-ay of indig¬ 
nity, interred his body with the carcafe of a dog. Leav¬ 
ing Filz-Stephen to ereft a fortrefs at Carrick near Wex¬ 
ford, Derrnod, with his own and the Britifh troops under 
Fifz-Gerald, laid wafte the territory of Dublin, whofe in¬ 
habitants made overtures of fubmifiion, which at the in- 
terceflion of the Biitifii leader were accepted. Elated with 
this fuccefs, Derrnod began to afpire at the fovereignty, 
and form fchemes for dethroning Roderic. He applied 
to Fitz-Stephen and Fitz-Gerald; by whom he was again 
directed to apply to Richard earl of Chepftow, more com¬ 
monly known by the name of Strongbow, on account of 
his feats of archery. Richard was very much inclined to 
accept of his invitation; but thought it incumbent upon 
him firft to obtain the confent of king Henry. The king, 
however, did not incline that his fubjefts fhould make 
conquefts for themfelves, and therefore difmifted Richard 
with an equivocal anfwer; but the latter, being willing 
to underftand his fovereign’s words in the molt favour¬ 
able fenfe, immediately fet about the neceflary prepara¬ 
tions for his expedition. In May 1171, Raymond le 
Gros, Richard’s domeftic friend, and the near relation of 
Fitz-Stephen and Fitz-Gerald, landed at a place called 
Dondonalf, near Waterford, with ten knights and feventy 
archers; and along with them came Harvey of Mount- 
morris, attended by a fmall train. The Englifti imme¬ 
diately intrenched themfelves, and erefted a temporary 
fort to protect them ; which proved a very neceflary pre¬ 
caution ; for the natives, juftly attributing this new de¬ 
barkation to the practices of Derrnod, inftantly formed a 
tumultuous army, and marched to expel the invaders. 
The Englifti prepared to meet them; but, when they per¬ 
ceived the great fuperiority of the enemy, they thought 
proper to retire to their fort. Here, however, they muft 
have been totally cut off, had they not luckily collected 
a numerous herd of cattle from the neighbouring country 
for their fubfiftence. Thefe they drove with fury among 
the Irifti, who were thus put into the utmoft confuflon. 
The invaders feized the favourable moment; and, falling 
•upon their difordered enemies, put them to flight, and 
drove great numbers of them into the fea, where they pe- 
ri(hed. Seventy prifoners were taken, all of them princi¬ 
pal citizens of Waterford ; who, though they offered 
large fums for their ranfom, and even that the city fliould 
be delivered up to the Englifti, were all barbaroufly put 
to death. Their legs being previoufly broken, they were 
precipitated from an eminence into the fea, either, accord¬ 
ing to Regan, to revenge the death of a friend of Ray¬ 
mond, killed in the battle, or, as Giraldus Cambrenlis 
afferts, at the mitigation of Hervey of Mountmorris, to 
itrike terror into the invaded people. A deed fo fangui- 
nary demonftrates that ferocity of manners did not at that 
time belong exclufively tothelrifh. This fuccefs and 
cruelty fo intimidated the latter, that they fuffered thefe 
VOL. XI. No. 753. 
*53 
mercilefs invaders to maintain their ftation unmolefted, 
and wait for the arrival of their afibciates. 
Strongbow, in the mean time, having affembled his 
vaflals, led them through Wales, where he was joined by 
great numbers of other adventurers ; but, When,juft on 
the point of embarking, was furprifed by a pofitivc com¬ 
mand from theEing, todefift from bis intended enterprifc, 
on pain of forfeiture of his lands and honours. He was 
now, however, too deeply interefted in his fchem.e to re¬ 
cede; and therefore pretended to difoelieve tiie authenti¬ 
city of the royal mandate. On the eve of the feaft of St. 
Bartholomew, he. landed at Waterford with 200 knights 
and 1200 infantry, all chofen and well-appointed foldiers. 
They were immediately joined by Raymond and his 
troop ; and the very next day it was refolved to make an 
attempt upon Waterford. Twice were the affailants re¬ 
pelled, but On the third attack the city was taken by 
It'orm, and a dreadful mafiacre enfued; to which the cruel 
Derrnod had the merit of putting an end. The marriage 
of Richard with Eva, the daughter of Derrnod, was fo- 
lemnized without delay, and a fcene of joy and feftivity 
fucceeded the calamities of war. 
A new expedition was now undertaken agaiuft Dublin; 
the inhabitants of which had either manifefted fome re¬ 
cent difaffeftion to Derrnod, or had never been thoroughly 
forgiven for their old defection. Roderic advanced againlt 
the allied army with a formidable body, conflfting, as is 
laid, of 30,000 men; but, fearing to come to a general en¬ 
gagement, he contented himfelf with fome flight fkir- 
miflies ; after which, great part of his vaflals forced him 
to difmifs them, and Dublin was left to its fate. The 
citizens thus abandoned, and hopeiefs of defending them¬ 
felves, in confequence of the accidental deftrufiion by 
fire of one of their principal gates, fent a folemn deputa¬ 
tion, headed by the archbiftiop, to offer terms of fubmif- 
fion. During the negociation fome of the more impetu¬ 
ous of the Britifh leaders entered the city, and commenced 
an indifcriminate flaughter of its unrefifting inhabitants. 
Hefculf the governor, with many of the principal people, 
had, however, the good fortune to gain fome veflels ly¬ 
ing in the harbour, and made their efcape to the northern 
iflands of Scotland. Earl Richard was now invefted with 
the lordfhip of Dublin ; and appointed Milo de Cogan, a 
brave Englifli knight, his deputy ; while he himfelf, in 
conjunftion with the forces of Derrnod, over-ran the 
country of Meath, committing every where the moft hor¬ 
rid cruelties. Roderic, in the mean time, unable to op- 
pofe them in the field, fent deputies to Derrnod, com¬ 
manding him to retire, and putting him in mind that his 
fon was in his hands, and muft anfwer with his life for 
the breach of thofe treaties which his father made fo lit¬ 
tle fcruple to violate. Natural affection, however, had 
very little place in the breaft of Derrnod. He expreffed 
the utmoft indifference about his fon ; and, with the 
greateft arrogance, claimed the fovereignty of all Ireland. 
Roderic, provoked at this anfwer, cut off the young 
prince’s head, according to fome writers, though others al- 
fert that he had too much humanity to execute his threat. 
Meanwhile Derrnod and his Englifti allies committed 
every where the greateft devaftations, and threatened to 
fubdue the whole ifland. The fucceffes of the Britons 
fpread univerfal alarm throughout Ireland. A general 
council of the principal clergy was convened at Armagh, 
to difcufs the meafures to be adopted for the public fafety. 
After a folemn confideration of the fubjefl, it was agreed 
that Providence had permitted this chaftifement on ac¬ 
count of the fins of the people, and becaufe many perfons 
of Englifti race had been purchafed for flaves by the Irifh 
from pirates and merchants. This abominable traffic, the 
Englifti in earlier times had carried to fuch a length as to 
fell any unfortunate creatures in their power, and even 
their own children ; but, as the traffic had declined fince 
the introduction of the doctrines of Chriftianity, it is pro¬ 
bable that the number of flaves of that nation was at this 
tf E time 
