COMING OF DERMOT (1168-9).
Source.—Song of Dermot.
Dermot had an interview with Earl Richard.
His daughter he offered him to wife,
The thing in the world that he most loved:
That he would let him have her to wife
And would give Leinster to him,
On condition that he would aid him
So that he should be able to subdue it.
Earl Richard (Strongbow) in Ireland, 1170.
l. 1501.
Very soon afterwards Earl Richard
Landed at Waterford
Full fifteen hundred men he brought with him.
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On St. Bartholomew's day
Earl Richard, the prudent,
Took by assault and won
The City of Waterford.
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l. 1524.
King Dermot speedily
Came there, be sure, right royally.
The King in his company
Brought there many of his barons,
And his daughter he brought there;
To the noble earl he gave her.
The earl honourably
Wedded her in the presence of the people.
King Dermot then gave
To the earl, who was so renowned,
Leinster he gave him
With his daughter, whom he so much loved,
Provided only that he should have the lordship
Of Leinster during his life.
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Then they turned towards Dublin
The King and the renowned earl
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l. 1644.
Outside the walls of the city
Was the King encamped;
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Now Dermot, the noble King,
Despatched Morice Regan,
And by Morice proclaimed
To the citizens of the city
That without delay, without any respite,
They should surrender without gainsaying.
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And Miles the renowned baron
To the earl gave up the city.
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And the King returned
To Ferns in his own country.
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At Ferns then tarried
King Dermot during this winter.
The King, who was so noble,
Lies buried at Ferns.
King Dermot is dead. May God have mercy on his soul.
All the Irish of the country
Revolted against the earl.
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And the rich King of Connaught
Summoned to him
The Irish of all Ireland
In order to lay siege to Dublin.
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l. 1767.
The earl you must know, at this time
Was within the city, of a truth.
The son of Stephen promptly sent
Some of his men to the earl:
In order to aid and succour him
He sent men to him at this crisis,
When Robert had sent
About thirty-six of his men
To aid the earl Richard,
The traitors without any delay
Fell upon Robert,
In the town of Wexford
They wrongfully slew his men:
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Within a castle on the Slaney ...
The traitors took Robert
And put him in prison in Begerin.
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l. 2229.
Earl Richard at this time
At Pembroke found the rich king.
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The noble earl saluted him
In the name of the Son of the King of Majesty,
And the King graciously
Made answer to Earl Richard.
The King thereupon replied
"May God almighty bless you."
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l. 2495.
As soon as the King came to the sea
At Pembrokeshire, in order to cross over,
Lo! then at the harbour
Twelve traitors from Wexford
Came to land in a boat
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"Hold it not, lord, as folly,"
Thus spake the traitors unto him,
"If we shall say to you—be it known to you all—
Why we have come to you.
We have taken yon rebellious vassal,
Robert Fitzstephen is his name,
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In a strong prison we have placed him;
To thee we shall give him up, noble King,
Who art lord of the English,
And do you, noble renowned King,
Do your pleasure in this matter."
The King replied to them
"On this condition be ye welcome,
That ye hand over this man to me,
And then ye will see what I shall do with him."
Henry II.'s Invasion of Ireland, 1171-2.
l. 2579.
Hear, my lords, concerning King Henry,
Who was the son of the empress,
How he resolved to cross the sea
And to conquer Ireland
Entirely through the recommendation
Of the noble earl, according to the people.
King Henry then crossed over
To Ireland with his ships.
The King then brought with him
Four hundred armed knights.
King Henry when he took ship
Put to sea at the Cross:
At Pembrokeshire at this time
The rich King put to sea.
With him the noble earl crossed over,
According to the statement of the old people.
At Waterford the noble King
Landed with four thousand English,
On All Hallows' Day, of a truth,
If the geste does not deceive us;
Before the feast of St. Martin
The King at length came to Ireland.
With the King there crossed over
Vassals of good kindred.
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l. 2614.
The earl of his own free will
Surrendered the city to the King:
To the King he surrendered Waterford
Of his own free will and agreement.
Homage for Leinster
He did to the King of England.
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From Waterford King Henry
Set out with his marquises,
To Dublin with his men
He went without delay.
Richard, the noble and valiant earl,
Straightway surrendered the city to him.
Dublin King Henry gave
To the custody of Hugh de Lacy
And he afterwards guarded the city
By the command of the King.
And the King of England
Thence turned towards Munster,
To the City of Cashel
Went the King with his splendid following,
Where at that time was the seat
Of the archbishopric of Munster.
From Cashel the puissant King
Went on to Lismore.
King Henry Curt Mantel
At Lismore wished to fortify
A castle: so wished King Henry,
Who was the empress' son,
I know not why, but nevertheless
At this time, he put it off.
Towards Leinster the English King
Set out at this time:
Towards Leinster, the rich,
He went with his chivalry,
Eighteen weeks, nor more nor less,
According to what the old people say,
The duke of Normandy remained
In Ireland with his baronage.
Of Normandy at this time
The rich King was duke;
Of Gascony and of Brittany
Of Poitou, of Anjou, and of Maine,
Was King Henry called
Lord, according to the old people.
In Ireland was the King
About a fortnight and four months.
In the land up and down
Marched the noble King.
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While the renowned King
Was in the City of Dublin
Lo! a messenger in haste
... Came to announce to the King
That Henry his eldest son
Had in truth revolted against him,
And that he sought to deprive him wholly
Of the lordship of Normandy.
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l. 2763.
And the King towards Normandy
Went with his great nobles
In order to make war against a son of his
Who wished to despoil him.
War had the rich King
With the French in Normandy.
In Ireland remained
The noble earl with his friends.