e Irish bards and chroniclers, from the earliest to
the latest period, were most careful as to the truth of their facts,
though they may have sometimes coloured them highly. Dr. O'Donovan has
devoted some pages in a note (Four Masters, vol. iii. p. 139) to the
tales in the Book of Howth which record the exploits of De Courcy. He
appears satisfied that they were "invented in the fifteenth or sixteenth
century." Mr. Gilbert has ascertained that they were placed on record as
early as 1360, in Pembridge's Annals. As they are merely accounts of
personal valour, we do not reproduce them here. He also gives an extract
from Hoveden's Annals, pars port, p. 823, which further supports the
Irish account. Rapin gives the narrative as history. Indeed, there
appears nothing very improbable about it. The Howth family were founded
by Sir Almaric St. Lawrence, who married De Courcy's sister.

CHAPTER XIX.

Quarrels of the English Barons--The Interdict--John crushes and starves
an Archdeacon to Death--King John's Visit to Ireland--He starves the
Wife and Son of Earl de Braose to Death--Henry de Londres--The Poet
O'Daly--Obituaries of Good Men--Henry III.--Regulations about the
Viceroy--The Scorch Villain--Scandalous Conduct of the Viceroys--Three
Claimants for Connaught--Death of Hugh Crovderg--Felim
O'Connor--Henry's Foreign Advisers--Plots against the Earl of
Pembroke--He is wounded treacherously--His Pious Death--Misfortunes of
the Early Settlers--De Marisco's Son is hanged for High Treason, and he
dies miserably in Exile.

[A.D. 1201-1244.]

King John was now obliged to interfere between his English barons in
Ireland, who appear to have been quite as much occupied with feuds among
themselves as the native princes. In 1201 Philip of Worcester and
William de Braose laid waste the greater part of Munster in their
quarrels. John had sold the lands of the former and of Theobald Walter
to the latter, for four thousand marks--Walter redeemed his property for
five hundred marks; Philip obtained his at the point of the sword. De
Braose had large property both in Normandy and in England. He had his
chancellor, chancery, and seal, recognizances of all pleas, not even
excepting those of the crown, with judgment of life and limb. His sons
and daughters had married into powerful families. His wife, Matilda, was
notable in domestic affairs, and a vigorous oppressor of the Welsh. A
bloody war was waged about the same time between De Lacy