, composed a force which nothing in Ireland was able to
withstand. Roderic, the chief monarch of the island, was foiled in
different actions: the prince of Ossory was obliged to submit, and give
hostages for his peaceable behavior; and Dermot, not content with
being restored to his kingdom of Leinster, projected the dethroning of
Roderic, and aspired to the sole dominion over the Irish.

In prosecution of these views, he sent over a messenger to the earl of
Strigul, challenging the performance of his promise, and displaying
the mighty advantages which might now be reaped by a reenforcement of
warlike troops from England. Richard, not satisfied with the general
allowance given by Henry to all his subjects, went to that prince,
then in Normandy, and having obtained a cold or ambiguous permission,
prepared himself for the execution of his designs. He first sent over
Raymond, one of his retinue, with ten knights and seventy archers, who,
landing near Waterford, defeated a body of three thousand Irish that
had ventured to attack him, and as Richard himself, who brought over
two hundred horse and a body of archers, joined, a few days after,
the victorious English, they made themselves masters of Waterford, and
proceeded to Dublin, which was taken by assault. Roderic, in revenge,
cut off the head of Dermot's natural son, who had been left as a hostage
in his hands; and Richard, marrying Eva, became soon after, by the death
of Dermot, master of the kingdom of Leinster, and prepared to extend his
authority over all Ireland. Roderic, and the other Irish princes, were
alarmed at the danger; and combining together, besieged Dublin with an
army of thirty thousand men; but Earl Richard, making a sudden sally at
the head of ninety knights with their followers, put this numerous
army to rout, chased them off the field, and pursued them with great
slaughter. None in Ireland now dared to oppose themselves to the
English.

Henry, jealous of the progress made by his own subjects, sent orders to
recall all the English, and he made preparations to attack Ireland in
person; but Richard and the other adventurers found means to appease
him, by making him the most humble submissions, and offering to hold
all their acquisitions in vassalage to his crown. That monarch landed in
Ireland at the head of five hundred knights, besides other soldiers;
he found the Irish so dispirited by their late misfortunes, that, in a
progress which he made through