ties, he declined to
fulfil his solemn engagement, and refused permission to his son, John,
who threw himself at his father's feet, and implored leave to be his
substitute. Eraclius then poured forth his indignation upon Henry, with
all the energetic freedom of the age. He informed him that God would
punish his impieties--that he was worse than any Saracen; and hinted
that he might have inherited his wickedness from his grandmother, the
Countess of Anjou, who was reported to be a witch, and of whom it was
said that she had flown through the window during the most solemn part
of Mass, though four squires attempted to hold her.

John sailed from Milford Haven on the evening of Easter Wednesday, 1185.
He landed with his troops at Waterford, at noon, on the following day.
His retinue is described as of unusual splendour, and, no doubt, was
specially appointed to impress the "barbarous" Irish. Gerald Barry, the
famous Cambrensis, who had arrived in Ireland some little time before,
was appointed his tutor, in conjunction with Ranulf de Glanville. The
bitter prejudice of the former against Ireland and the Irish is a matter
of history, as well as the indefatigable zeal of the latter in pursuit
of his own interests at the expense of justice.

A retinue of profligate Normans completed the court, whom an English
authority describes as "great quaffers, lourdens, proud, belly swains,
fed with extortion and bribery." The Irish were looked upon by these
worthies as a savage race, only created to be plundered and scoffed at.
The Normans prided themselves on their style of dress, and, no doubt,
the Irish costume surprised them. Common prudence, however, might have
taught them, when the Leinster chieftains came to pay their respects to
the young Prince, that they should not add insult to injury; for, not
content with open ridicule, they proceeded to pull the beards of the
chieftains, and to gibe their method of wearing their hair.

De Lacy has the credit of having done his utmost to render the Prince's
visit a failure. But his efforts were not necessary. The insolence of
the courtiers, and the folly of the youth himself, were quite sufficient
to ruin more promising prospects. In addition to other outrages, the
Irish had seen their few remaining estates bestowed on the new comers;
and even the older Anglo-Norman and Welsh settlers were expelled to make
room for the Prince's favourites--an instalment of the fatal policy
which made them e