e it the first moment it was his interest to do so. Dermod's object
was simply to gain time, and in this he succeeded.

Maurice FitzGerald arrived at Wexford a few days after, and the recreant
king at once proceeded to meet him; and with this addition to his army,
marched to attack Dublin. The Dano-Celts, who inhabited this city, had
been so cruelly treated by him, that they dreaded a repetition of his
former tyrannies. They had elected a governor for themselves; but
resistance was useless. After a brief struggle, they were obliged to sue
for peace--a favour which probably would not have been granted without
further massacres and burnings, had not Dermod wished to bring his arms
to bear in another quarter.

Donnell O'Brien, Prince of Thomond, who had married a daughter of
Dermod, had just rebelled against Roderic, and the former was but too
willing to assist him in his attempt. Thus encouraged where he should
have been treated with contempt, and hunted down with ignominy, his
ambition became boundless. He played out the favourite game of traitors;
and no doubt hoped, when he had consolidated his own power, that he
could easily expel his foreign allies. Strongbow had not yet arrived,
though the winds had been long enough "at east and easterly."[279] His
appearance was still delayed. The fact was, that the Earl was in a
critical position. Henry and his barons were never on the most amiable
terms; and there were some very special reasons why Strongbow should
prove no exception to the rule.

The first member of the Earl's family who had settled in England, was
Richard, son of the Norman Earl Brien, a direct descendant of Robert
"the Devil," Duke of Normandy, father of William the Conqueror. In
return for services at the battle of Hastings, and general assistance in
conquering the Saxon, this family obtained a large grant of land in
England, and took the title of Earl of Clare from one of their
ninety-five lordships in Suffolk.[280] The Strongbow family appears to
have inherited a passion for making raids on neighbouring lands, from
their Viking ancestors. Strongbow's father had obtained his title of
Earl of Pembroke, and his property in the present county of that name,
from his successful marauding expedition in Wales, in 1138. But as he
revolted against Stephen, his lands were seized by that king; and after
his death, in 1148, his son succeeded to his very numerous titles,
without any property commensurate thereto. Richa