Miss Norgate, both in her History and in her article, seems to have overlooked this latter important passage, doubtless from its occurring in another part of Gerald’s work. She has thus not only missed his sequence, but has failed to adduce his direct testimony to the despatch of documents to Rome after the Council of Cashel. Roger Hoveden is the only chronicler she quotes as an authority for the statement that “the bishops joined with Henry in sending to Rome a report of his proceedings and their own.[394] Now the ‘Gesta Henrici’ is a better authority to quote from here than Hoveden; and from it, therefore, I take the following statements”:
(1) The Irish kings “seipsos ei et ejus dominio dederunt et homines ejus devenerunt de omnibus tenementis suis, et fidelitates ei juraverunt” (i. 25).
(2) The prelates “eum in regem et dominum susceperunt et fidelitates eo juraverunt contra omnes homines. Et inde recepit ab unoquoque Archiepiscopo et episcopo litteras suas in modum cartæ, extra sigillum pendentes, et confirmantes ei et heredibus suis regnum Hyberniæ, et testimonium perhibentes ipsos eum et heredes suos sibi in reges et dominos constituisse imperpetuum” (i. 26).
(3) “Cum autem hoc factum fuisset predictus rex Angliæ misit nuncios suos ad Alexandrum summum pontificem cum litteris archiepiscoporum et episcoporum Hyberniæ ad confirmandum sibi et heredibus suis regnum Hyberniæ, sicque factum est. Nam summus pontifex, auctoritate apostolica, confirmavit ei et heredibus suis regnum illud, et eos imperpetuum reges constituit” (i. 28).
We have then the independent evidence of Gerald and of the ‘Gesta’—
(A) That Henry sent “nuncii” to Rome after going to Ireland.
(B) That these “nuncii” took with them documentary evidence, in the form, according to Gerald, of “letters” from the Legate and prelates at Cashel, but according to the ‘Gesta’ of sealed recognitions, by the several Irish prelates of Henry and his heirs as kings (of Ireland).
(C) That the Pope in reply, according to Gerald, sent a “privilegium” empowering Henry to rule the Irish, and reform their ecclesiastical condition,[395] but, according to the ‘Gesta,’ confirmed Henry in possession of the kingdom of Ireland, and appointed him and his heirs kings thereof for ever.
Here we have sufficient discrepancy to mark the independence of the writers, combined with a distinct agreement to the effect that Henry sent “nuncii” to Rome, that they took something with them to support the king’s petition, and that the Pope, in reply to it, sent something back.
What was it?