convulsed by domestic dissensions. Sir Robert
D'Ufford, the Justiciary, was accused of fomenting the discord; but he
appears to have considered that he only did his duty to his royal
master. When sent for into England, to account for his conduct, he
"satisfied the King that all was not true that he was charged withal;
and for further contentment yielded this reason, that in policy he
thought it expedient to wink at one knave cutting off another, and that
would save the King's coffers, and purchase peace to the land. Whereat
the King smiled, and bid him return to Ireland." The saving was
questionable; for to prevent an insurrection by timely concessions, is
incomparably less expensive than to suppress it when it has arisen. The
"purchase of peace" was equally visionary; for the Irish never appear to
have been able to sit down quietly under unjust oppression, however
hopeless resistance might be.

The Viceroys were allowed a handsome income; therefore they were
naturally anxious to keep their post. The first mention of salary is
that granted to Geoffrey de Marisco. By letters-patent, dated at
Westminster, July 4th, 1226, he was allowed an annual stipend of L580.
This was a considerable sum for times when wheat was only 2s. a quarter,
fat hogs 2s. each, and French wine 2s. a gallon.

Hugh O'Connor renewed hostilities in 1272, by destroying the English
Castle of Roscommon. He died soon after, and his successor had but brief
enjoyment of his dignity. In 1277 a horrible act of treachery took
place, which the unfortunate Irish specially mention in their
remonstrance to Pope John XXII., as a striking instance of the
double-dealing of the English and the descendants of the Anglo-Normans
then in Ireland, Thomas de Clare obtained a grant of Thomond from Edward
I. It had already been secured to its rightful owners, the O'Briens, who
probably paid, as was usual, an immense fine for liberty to keep their
own property. The English Earl knew he could only obtain possession by
treachery; he therefore leagued with Roe O'Brien, "so that they entered
into gossipred with each other, and took vows by bells and relics to
retain mutual friendship;" or, as the Annals of Clonmacnois have it,
"they swore to each other all the oaths in Munster, as bells, relics of
saints, and bachalls, to be true to each other for ever."

The unfortunate Irish prince little suspected all the false oaths his
friend had taken, or all the villany he premeditated. T