appear before the King and Council.

The Earl at once collected his followers and adherents in Drogheda,
where they declared, in the presence of the King's messenger, as in duty
bound, that their lord had never been guilty of the treasons and
extortions with which he was charged, and that they were all thankful
for "his good and gracious government:" furthermore, they hint that he
had expended his means in defending the King's possessions. However, the
Earl was obliged to clear himself personally of these charges in London,
where he was acquitted with honour by his royal master.[364]

His enemy, Sir John Talbot, known better in English history as the Earl
of Shrewsbury, succeeded him, in 1446. This nobleman had been justly
famous for his valour in the wars with France, and it is said that even
mothers frightened their children with his name. His success in Ireland
was not at all commensurate with his fame in foreign warfare, for he
only succeeded so far with the native princes as to compel O'Connor Faly
to make peace with the English Government, to ransom his sons, and to
supply some beeves for the King's kitchen. Talbot held a Parliament at
Trim, in which, for the first time, an enactment was made about personal
appearance, which widened the fatal breach still more between England
and Ireland. This law declared that every man who did not shave[365] his
upper lip, should be treated as an "Irish enemy;" and the said shaving
was to be performed once, at least, in every two weeks.

In the year 1447 Ireland was desolated by a fearful plague, in which
seven hundred priests are said to have fallen victims, probably from
their devoted attendance on the sufferers. In the same year Felim
O'Reilly was taken prisoner treacherously by the Lord Deputy; and
Finola, the daughter of Calvagh O'Connor Faly, and wife of Hugh Boy
O'Neill, "the most beautiful and stately, the most renowned and
illustrious woman of all her time in Ireland, her own mother only
excepted, retired from this transitory world, to prepare for eternal
life, and assumed the yoke of piety and devotion in the Monastery of
Cill-Achaidh."

This lady's mother, Margaret O'Connor, was the daughter of O'Carroll,
King of Ely, and well deserved the commendation bestowed on her. She was
the great patroness of the _literati_ of Ireland, whom she entertained
at two memorable feasts. The first festival was held at Killeigh, in the
King's county, on the Feast-day of _Da Sinchell