ntended as an honorable exile. The Irish, with that natural veneration
for lawful authority which is so eminently characteristic of the Celtic
race, were ever ready to welcome a prince of the blood, each time hoping
against hope that something like ordinary justice should be meted out
from the fountain-head. For once, at least, they were not disappointed;
and "noble York" is represented, by an English writer of the sixteenth
century, as consoling himself "for every kinde of smart," with the
recollection of the faithful love and devotion of the Irish people.[368]

The royal Duke arrived in Ireland on the 6th of July, 1447. He was
accompanied by his wife, famous for her beauty, which had obtained her
the appellation of the "Rose of Raby," and famous also as the mother of
two English kings, Edward IV. and Richard III. This lady was the
daughter of Neville, Earl of Westmoreland, whose rather numerous family,
consisting of twenty-two children, had all married amongst the highest
families. The Duke was Earl of Ulster in right of Duke Lionel, from whom
he was descended; but instead of marching at once to claim his
possessions, he adopted such conciliatory measures as secured him the
services and affections of a large body of Irish chieftains, with whose
assistance he soon subdued any who still remained refractory. His
popularity increased daily. Presents were sent to him by the most
powerful and independent of the native chieftains. Nor was his "fair
ladye" forgotten, for Brian O'Byrne, in addition to an offering of four
hundred beeves to the Duke, sent "two hobbies"[369] for the special use
of the "Rose of Raby." Indeed, it was reported in England that "the
wildest Irishman in Ireland would before twelve months be sworn
English." Such were the fruits of a conciliatory policy, or rather of a
fair administration of justice.

The cities of Cork, Kinsale, and Youghal, now sent in petitions to the
Viceroy, complaining bitterly of the way in which the English noblemen
"fall at variance among themselves," so that the whole country was
desolated. The settlers of Waterford and Wexford made similar complaints
against an Irish chieftain, O'Driscoll, whom they describe as "an Irish
enemy to the King and to all his liege people of Ireland." The Duke
pacified all parties, and succeeded in attaching the majority of the
nation more and more to his person and his interests. His English
friends, who looked on his residence in Ireland as equiva