he
famished wolf. He had but time to bequeath his soul to heaven, and his
skull was cloven as he knelt; and, to make clean work, his chaplains,
his servants, all of English blood who were with him, were slaughtered
over his body.[337] Such was the pious offering to God and holy church
on which the sun looked down as it rose that fair summer's morning over
Dublin Bay; and such were the men whose cause the Mores and the Fishers,
the saintly monks of the Charterhouse and the holy martyrs of the
Catholic faith, believed to be the cause of the Almighty Father of the
world.

[Sidenote: Fitzgerald writes to the pope and the emperor to announce his
exploit.]

[Sidenote: Blockade of Dublin Bay.]

[Sidenote: The Prior of Kilmainham crosses with the news from
Waterford.]

The morning's work was still but half completed. To massacre a heretic
archbishop was a meritorious, or at least a venial act; but it was
desirable that an opinion in favour of it should be pronounced by
authority; or that the guilt, if guilt there was, should be washed off
without delay. The Archdeacon of Kells,[338] therefore, was despatched
to the pope and to the emperor, to press the latter to send assistance
on this happy success, and to bring back absolution from his
Holiness,[339] if the murder required it. The next object was to prevent
news from reaching England before the castle should be taken. The river
was watched, the timely assistance of an English pirate enabled
Fitzgerald to blockade the bay; and Dublin was effectively sealed. But
the report of the murder spread rapidly through Ireland. In three days
it was known at Waterford; and the Prior of Kilmainham,[340] who had
taken refuge there, crossed into Wales on the instant, intending to ride
post to London.[341] He was delayed at St. David's by an attack of
paralysis; but he sent forward a companion who had left Ireland with
him; and the death of the archbishop was made known to Henry in the
second week in August.

[Sidenote: August. Skeffington is unprepared.]

[Sidenote: Ormond invades Kildare.]

[Sidenote: Fitzgerald is forced to retire from Dublin.]

[Sidenote: He attacks Ormond.]

[Sidenote: The citizens of Dublin return to their allegiance.]

[Sidenote: Fitzgerald attempts to gain Ormond.]

If Skeffington could set out on the instant, the castle might be saved,
and Dublin recovered. Couriers were despatched to urge him to make
haste; and others were sent to Ireland to communica