ity, prowess, and renown;
the exalter of the clerical orders and men of science; a worthy materies
[_sic_] of a King of Ireland for his nobility, personal shape, heroism,
wisdom, clemency, and truth; died, after the victory of unction and
penance, in the monastery of the Dominican friars at Roscommon, which he
had himself granted to God and that Order."

He was succeeded by his son, Hugh, "who committed his regal depredation
in Offaly." It appears to have been considered a customary thing for a
new sovereign to signalize himself, as soon as possible, by some display
of this description. He succeeded so well in this same depredation, that
the Lord Justice was alarmed, and came to assist De Burgo. The latter
proposed a conference at Carrick-on-Shannon; but Hugh O'Connor suspected
treachery, and contrived to get the Earl's brother, William Oge, into
his hands before the conference commenced. The Earl "passed the night in
sadness and sorrow." At daybreak a fierce conflict ensued. Turlough
O'Brien, who was coming to assist the Connacians, was met on his way,
and slain in single combat by De Burgo. But his death was fearfully
avenged; great numbers of the English were slain, and immense spoils
were taken from them. De Burgo died the following year, in Galway
Castle, after a short illness, A.D. 1271.

[Illustration: CURTAIN CAVE, TIPPERARY.]

[Illustration: BERMINGHAM TOWER, DUBLIN CASTLE]

FOOTNOTES:

[328] _Life_.--Annals, vol. iii. p. 189.

[329] _Christ_.--Annals, vol. iii. p. 281.

[330] _Find_.--_Ib._ vol. iii. p. 275.

[331] _Usher's Island_.--This was once a fashionable resort. Moira House
stood here. It was ornamented so beautifully, that John Wesley observed,
when visiting Lady Moira, that one of the rooms was more elegant than
any he had seen in England. Here, in 1777, Charles Fox was introduced to
Grattan. Poor Pamela (Lady Edward FitzGerald) was at Moira House on the
evening of her husband's arrest; and here she heard the fatal news on
the following morning, her friends having concealed it from her until
then. In 1826 it was converted into a mendicity institution, and all its
ornamental portions removed.

[332] _Defeated_.--O'Neill's bard, MacNamee, wrote a lament for the
chieftains who fell in this engagement. He states that the head of
"O'Neill, King of Tara, was sent to London;" and attributes the defeat
of the Irish to the circumstance of their adversaries having fought in
coats-of-mail, while they