said jewels." The "party" was a Dane. He was discovered, and
hung in 1130. It is said that he entered several ships to leave the
country, but they could get no wind, while other vessels sailed off
freely.--Annals of the Four Masters, vol. ii. p. 1035.

[243] _Blinded_.--In 1165 Henry II. gratified his irritation against the
Welsh by laying hands upon the hostages of their noblest families, and
commanding that the eyes of the males should be rooted out, and the ears
and noses of the females cut off; and yet Henry is said to have been
liberal to the poor, and though passionately devoted to the chase, he
did not inflict either death or mutilation on the intruders in the royal
forests.

[244] _Moin Mor_.--Now Moanmore, county Tipperary.

CHAPTER XV.

Social life previous to the English Invasion--Domestic
Habitations--Forts--Granard and Staigue--Crannoges and
Log-houses--Interior of the Houses--The Hall--Food and Cooking
Utensils--Regulations about Food--The Kind of Food used--Animal
Food--Fish--Game--Drink and Drinking Vessels--Whisky--Heath
Beer--Mead--Animal Produce--Butter and Cheese--Fire--Candles--Occupations
and Amusements--Chess--Music--Dress--Silk--Linen--Ancient Woollen
Garments--Gold Ornaments--Trade--General Description of the Fauna and
Flora of the Country.

Customs which illustrate the social life of our ancestors, are scarcely
the least interesting or important elements of history. Before we enter
upon that portion of our annals which commences with the English
invasion, under the auspices of Henry II., we shall give a brief account
of the habitations, manners, customs, dress, food, and amusements of the
people of Ireland. Happily there is abundant and authentic information
on this subject, though we may be obliged to delve beneath the tertiary
deposits of historical strata in order to obtain all that is required.
English society and English social life were more or less influenced by
Ireland from the fifth to the twelfth century. The monks who had
emigrated to "Saxon land" were men of considerable intellectual culture,
and, as such, had a preponderating influence, creditable alike to
themselves and to those who bowed to its sway. From the twelfth to the
sixteenth century, English manners and customs were introduced in
Ireland within the Pale. The object of the present chapter is to show
the social state of the country before the English invasion--a condition
of society which continued for some c