t to maintain a
religion contrary to their conscience, and which is admitted by its own
members to be "clearly a political evil." See concluding remarks in Mr.
Goldwin Smith's interesting little volume.

[360] _Inferior_.--While these sheets were passing through the press, we
chanced to meet the following paragraph in an English paper. The article
was headed "International Courtesy," apropos of the affair at
Dinan:--"Prince John pulling the beards of the Irish chiefs is the
aggravated type of a race which alienated half a continent by treating
its people as colonial, and which gave India every benefit but civility,
till Bengal showed that it was strong, and Bombay that it could be
rich," And yet it would be quite as unjust to accuse a whole nation of
habitual insolence to foreigners and dependents, as to blame every
Englishman, in the reigns of John or Richard, for the insults offered to
the Irish nation.

[361]

_Cows_.--"Un cheval ot sans sele ne arcon, Qui lui avint conste, ce
disoit-on, Quatre cens vaches, tant estoil bel et bon."

CHAPTER XXIII.

Henry IV.--A Viceroy's Difficulties--The Houses of York and
Lancaster--The Colony almost Bankrupt--Literary Ladies in Ireland--A
Congress of Literati--The Duke of York is made Viceroy--Affection of the
Irish for him--Popularity of the Yorkists in Ireland--A Book given for a
Ransom--Desolating Effects of the Wars of the Roses--Accession of Henry
VII.--Insurrection of the Yorkists--Simnel is crowned in
Dublin--Warbeck's Insurrection--Poyning's Parliament--Poyning's Law and
its Effects--The Earl of Kildare accused of Treason--His Defence and
Pardon--His Quickwitted Speeches--He is acquitted honorably--His Letter
to the Gherardini--Ariosto.

[A.D. 1402-1509.]

A scion of royalty was again sent to administer law--we cannot say
truthfully to administer justice--in Ireland. On the accession of Henry
IV., his second son, Thomas, Duke of Lancaster, was made Viceroy, and
landed at Bullock, near Dalkey, on Sunday, November 13, 1402. As the
youth was but twelve years of age, a Council was appointed to assist
him. Soon after his arrival, the said Council despatched a piteous
document from "Le Naas," in which they represent themselves and their
youthful ruler as on the very verge of starvation, in consequence of not
having received remittances from England. In conclusion, they gently
allude to the possibility--of course carefully deprecated--of "peril and
disaster