A Reading Book in Irish HistoryJoyce, P. W. (Patrick Weston)
History
A Reading Book in Irish History
Joyce, P. W. (Patrick Weston)
Ireland -- History
At this time the chief man of the Butlers was James, earl of Ormond: and
he and the Deputy were at enmity, each working with might and main to
put down the other. The earl of Ormond, who was a deep and far reaching
man, not being strong enough to oppose his adversary openly, devised a
plan to entrap him by means of submission and courtesy. Certain charges
had, it seems, been made against Ormond, and he now wrote to the deputy,
who was, of course, in authority over him, asking permission to come to
Dublin to disprove them; which the deputy granted. Accordingly, in the
year 1492, he marched to Dublin with a numerous army, and encamped near
the city.
Now Kildare's councillors, and the citizens in general, disliked the
presence of so great an army, suspecting some evil design: and besides,
the soldiers used the people ill, often beating and robbing them; so
that instead of peace, this visit of Ormond made all the greater
discord. Yet still, with an air of great respect and humility, he
persisted in asking to be heard, saying he would show that the evil
stories about him were all false. At length, Lord Deputy Kildare
agreed, and the meeting was held in St. Patrick's Church.
But this meeting was not a quiet or peaceful one; for the two earls,
instead of speaking gentle words of forgiveness, began to accuse each
other of all the damages inflicted on both sides. The citizens too, who
were in great crowds around the church, complained with loud voices of
all the ill usage they had suffered from the soldiers; whereupon they
and the soldiers fell to jars and quarrels, and the whole city was soon
in an uproar. At last, a body of Dublin archers, enraged that such a
disturbance should be raised by "this lawless rabble," rushed into the
church, shouting out that they would kill Ormond, as the leader of them,
and they shot at random hither and thither, leaving their arrows
sticking in the timbers and ornaments of the church, but doing no harm
otherwise. It is probable, indeed, that out of respect to the place,
notwithstanding their rage, they took care to shoot over the heads of
the crowd, so as to kill no one.
On this, the Earl of Ormond, fearing with good reason for his safety,
fled with a few of his followers to the chapter-house, and slamming the
door, bolted and barred it strongly. Kildare followed and called to him
to come out, promising upon his honour that he should receive no harm.
Ormond replied that he would come forth if the deputy gave him his hand
that his life should be safe; so "a cleft was pierced in a trice
through the chapter-house door," to the end that the earls might shake
hands and be reconciled. But Ormond, still suspecting treachery, refused
to put forth his hand, fearing it might be chopped off, till at last
Kildare stretched in his arm to him through the hole, and they shook
hands. Then the door was opened and the two earls embraced, and the
storm was appeased.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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