Under One Sceptre, or Mortimer's Mission: The Story of the Lord of the MarchesHolt, Emily Sarah
General
Under One Sceptre, or Mortimer's Mission: The Story of the Lord of the Marches
Holt, Emily Sarah
Historical fiction; Mortimer, Roger de, Earl of March, 1328-1360 -- Fiction
The appearance and tactics of King Richard restored order, and four
Kings of the "wild Irish" submitted themselves to him, rather "through
love and good-humour than by battle or force," and mainly through the
persuasions of the Earl of Ormonde. The four were, O’Neile, King of
Meath; Brian, King of Thomond; "Contruo, King of Chenour," which may
mean the O’Conor; and Arthur MacMorogh himself, King of Leinster, who
claimed to be the Ardriagh, or Lord Paramount over the whole island. At
Dublin, on the 25th of March, 1395, these four chieftains were knighted
by the King in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, after mass, having "watched" the
previous night in the church. It may be well to note in passing that
Froissart gravely informs us that St. John the Baptist was the founder
of the Cathedral. To instruct these four potentates in English customs
in general, and in the ceremonies of the forthcoming solemnity in
particular, the King appointed a tutor in the person of an English
squire of uncertain name, called in different MSS. of Froissart and by
other writers, Henry Castide, Cristeed, Cristall, and Cristelle. This
man had long been a captive among the "wild Irish," and had married an
Irish damsel. His first care was to improve the chieftains’ table
manners, which in his eyes were those of savages: the next, to induce
them to lay aside their Irish cloaks, and attire themselves in silken
robes trimmed with fur; the third, to make them use saddles and
stirrups, both which they were very unwilling to do. They appear,
however, on this occasion, to have been in a most amiable and
accommodating temper. What they least liked they submitted to
cheerfully, on being assured that it was the King’s wish that while they
were his guests they should conform to English customs. On one point,
however, they showed that they intended to listen to no instruction.
When the squire tried to investigate their religious faith, "they seemed
so displeased that he was forced to silence."
"We believe in God, Three in One," said the Irish Kings: "thus far there
is no difference between our creed and yours."
Their teacher would not quit the subject until he had ascertained one
point which was in his eyes of primary importance. To what Pope did
they profess obedience? Was their pontiff the successor of St. Peter
who reigned at Rome, or the wicked schismatic who had set himself up at
Avignon? In fear and trembling he put the question. He might have been
easy; for the fierce struggle between Pope and Anti-pope had not
penetrated the bogs of the Emerald Isle. The Irish Kings at once
answered that their Pope was at Rome.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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