e the records of the evil deeds of
warriors or princes. Perhaps writers may have thought that such names
would be recorded in another Book with a similar precedence. The feats
of arms, the raids, and destructions occupy the largest space. Such
deeds come most prominently before the eyes of the world, and therefore
we are inclined to suppose that they were the most important. But though
the Annals may devote pages to the exploits of De Lacy or De Burgo, and
only say of Ainmie O'Coffey, Abbot of the Church of Derry-Columcille,
that he was "a noble ecclesiastic, distinguished for his piety,
meekness, charity, wisdom, and every other virtue;" or of MacGilluire,
Coarb of St. Patrick, and Primate of Ireland, that "he died at Rome,
after a well-spent life,"[328]--how much is enfolded in the brief
obituary! How many, of whom men never have heard in this world, were
influenced, advised, and counselled by the meek and noble ecclesiastic!

The influence of good men is like the circle we make when we cast a
little stone into a great stream, and which extends wider and wider
until it reaches the opposite bank. It is a noiseless influence, but not
the less effective. It is a hidden influence, but not the less
efficacious. The Coarb of St. Patrick, in his "well-spent life," may
have influenced for good as many hundreds, as the bad example of some
profligate adventurer influenced for evil; but we are quite sure to hear
a great deal about the exploits of the latter, and equally certain that
the good deeds of the former will not be so carefully chronicled.

Nor should we at all suppose that piety in this age was confined to
ecclesiastics. The Earls of Pembroke stand conspicuously amongst their
fellows as men of probity, and were none the less brave because they
were sincerely religious. At times, even in the midst of the fiercest
raids, men found time to pray, and to do deeds of mercy. On one Friday,
in the year of grace 1235, the English knights, in the very midst of
their success at Umallia, and after fearful devastations commanded "that
no people shall be slain on that day, in honour of the crucifixion of
Christ."[329] It is true they "plundered and devastated both by sea and
land the very next day;" but even one such public act of faith was
something that we might wish to see in our own times. After the same
raid, too, we find the "English of Ireland" and the Lord Justice sparing
and protecting Clarus, the Archdeacon of Elphin, and t