rived to capture a number of the
northern chieftains, who were negotiating peace with Mortimer at the
very time of his death. Owen O'Neill was ransomed, but the indignation
excited by this act served only to arouse angry feelings; and the
northerns united against their enemies, and soon recovered any territory
they had lost.

Donough MacMurrough was released from the Tower in 1428, after nine
years' captivity. It is said the Leinster men paid a heavy ransom for
him. The young prince's compulsory residence in England did not lessen
his disaffection, for he made war on the settlers as soon as he returned
to his paternal dominions. The great family feud between the houses of
York and Lancaster, had but little effect on the state of Ireland.
Different members of the two great factions had held the office of Lord
Justice in that country, but, with one exception, they did not obtain
any personal influence there. Indeed, the Viceroy of those days, whether
an honest man or a knave, was sure to be unpopular with some party.

The Yorkists and Lancastrians were descended directly from Edward III.
The first Duke of York was Edward's fifth son, Edmund Plantagenet; the
first Duke of Lancaster was John of Gaunt, the fourth son of the same
monarch. Richard II. succeeded his grandfather, Edward III., as the son
of Edward the Black Prince, so famed in English chivalry. His arrogance
and extravagance soon made him unpopular; and, during his absence in
Ireland, the Duke of Lancaster, whom he had banished, and treated most
unjustly, returned to England, and inaugurated the fatal quarrel. The
King was obliged to return immediately, and committed the government of
the country to his cousin, Roger de Mortimer, who was next in succession
to the English crown, in right of his mother, Philippa, the only child
of the Duke of Clarence, third son of Edward III. The death of this
nobleman opened the way for the intrusion of the Lancastrians, the Duke
of Lancaster having obtained the crown during the lifetime of Richard,
to the exclusion of the rightful heir-apparent, Edmund, Earl of March,
son to the late Viceroy.

The feuds of the Earl of Ormonde and the Talbots in Ireland, proved
nearly as great a calamity to that nation as the disputes about the
English succession. A Parliament was held in Dublin in 1441, in which
Richard Talbot, the English Archbishop of Dublin. proceeded to lay
various requests before the King, the great object of which was th