Page:A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire Chunk 1.djvu/730

 LET thus miraculously preserved, abounds in adventures that aud his tutor, Richard Simon, an Oxford priest, in Ireland, would form a fitting subject for romance. Be was at the lord-deputy, the chancellor (Thomas Fitegorald, the variance with William de Vesci, Lord of Kildare, a baron deputy’s brother), trooeut’or, and other nobles iu the York much esteemed by the reigning monarch, F,nwcnn I.; their intcreat, imnaodiately acknowledged the impostor, and had disputes arising from the contiguity sf their estates. Dc him proelainted in Dublin, by the style of Enwaers VI,; Vcsci, who was Lord Justice of Ireland, openly declared a,td thelos’d-depnty assiotedwith the others at his coronation that John FitaThomas was the eatmo of the existing disturbances, in Cht’isr’s Church, S May, 1467, whore the eerssoony was and that lie was “in private quarrels as fierce performed with groat solemnity, the chancellor, the archbishop as a lyon, but in puhlicke injuries aa mcekc as a lambs.” This having bren reported to Fitogarald, he, in lbs presence Ilorks, mayor of Dublin, and several other persons of rank, of the lords sf the council replied :—‘ ‘You would gladly attending. The crown woo borrowsd from the image of the charge me with trcason, that, by shedding my blood, and Virgin Mary; John Pain, bishop of Moath, preached the by catching my lend into your clouohcs, that hut so nccrc coronation sermon; and the pretender was subsequently upon your lands of Kyldare, you might make yonr semis a conveyed upon the shoulders of Darcy of Platen, a porsoa propergentloman.” “A gentleman!” ,1ooththe IsrdJnstics. of extraordinary height, to ths castle of Dublin, amidst the “Thou bold baron, I tell thcc the Vescia were gentlemen shotite of the populace. in the engagement which after- - before the Geraldines were barons of Olfely ; yea, and war’ls decided the fate of Simuel, near Stoke, the chancellor, before that Welsh bankrupt, thyne ancestaur, fetherod his nest in Leinator ;“ and then accnocd him of being “a snpporter fcrttsno to make Ins peace with the king. And well, both of thiovos, and upholder of traytours.” “As for nty by his iidellty cud his talents as a statooman and a soldier, ancosto-,” replied the baron, “whom you terms a bankrupt, did the great earl repay the king’s confidence. Perkin how riche or bow pooro ho was upon his rspayrc to Warbcck, on his landing at Cork in 1497, was successfully Irclau,l, I purpnos nnt at this ttms to debate; yet this opposed by the Earls of Kildare and Desmond, and mush I may boldly say, that he catuo hither as a bycr, not narrowly escaped being taken prisoner. For this good ssrvies, a beggar. Ho bought his oncnncs’ land by spending his blond: but yen lurking like a spider in his cobweb to esuntios of Was-wick and Gloucester. With a stronghand, toe, ents-apps flies, endeavour to beg subjecte’ liriogs wrongfully, the Earl eoutrolled the nns-nty native chieftains, and, if ho by dospoyling them of their lives, I, John FitoTh.’mao, could not entirely extinguish tho spirit of revolt, yet ho Ba-ron of Offaly, doe toll thee, William Vcsoi, that so well managed his affairs, that rchsllioti never dared to am noc traytour, nee felon ; bnt that thou art the only show ito Itead, but it was instantly lint dewn, and forced to battrsss by which the khtg’s enemies arc suppsrtsd.” save itself by suhmtssiou. So pleasing were his effects to Both parties being snmmonsd to the royal prosonce, Fitagerald Henry, that he was received by him with the highest - maintained the same held laugnagc, accusing the favour npcu his again visithog England to give an account justiciary of corruption, and saying that, while the nobility of his govcmmsnt, and returned stages cues tatters et nosis were excluded frnm his presence, ‘‘an Irials cow could at issob-ssclisnitus, taking with him his son Gerald, who all times have access to him. But,” continued Offaly, “en sitortly afterwards, was made high treasurer of ireland. muck as our mutual complaints stand upon, the ens his That unquiet spirit, to which we have just alluded, again yea, and the other his nay, and that you would be taken bricks wit and shooed itself in a formidable array against for a champion, and I am known to be uo coward, lot us, the khsg’s authority, amongst ntany of the moat powerful in God’s name, leave licing for varloto, hoarding for native chiefs under the Lord of Clanricards, who had ruHaus, faring for crakcrs, chatting for twattlere, scolding married Kildaro’s dattghter, but had an ucglectsd her as to for c’dlota, hooking for orrivenera, pleading for lawyers; excite much ill blood between the lady’s hnsband and her and let us try, with tbo dint of swords, as becomes martial father. Nover had Gerald’s pre-sminent skill and courage men to do, onr mutual quarrels. Tl,crcfore, to justify that been naere severely tasked. Wheti he cams in sight of the I am a true subject, and that thou, Vceri, art ala arch rebels they wore drown up in full force upon KneeL- Totophi, or traitor to God and to my king, here, in the presence of his the till sf oxen, now e:dlsd Knookdoe, about seven nsiles from highuoaa, and in the hearing of this honourablc assembly, Galway. Many of the lords of the pale began to be alarmed 1 challenge the combat.” Dc Thoei accepted the challenge, for the result, on seeing the overwhelming strength of the amidst the applauscs of the assembly; hot either ho suomy, who had collected the largest army over seen in the donbted the goeducss of his cause, or fsarcd to contend country sines the ittvasion of 1169. They would have per. with so formidable an adversary. Before tho appainicd suarlod the earl to offer terms of peace, but the stout old day he fled to Francs, whereupon the king declared Offiuly soldier refused to listen for a moment to such timid counsels. - inaocent; adding, “albeit Be Vesci conveyed his person Raving drawn up his mon in battls array, he bluntly told into Francs, yet ho left his lands behind hits in Ireland tlsem that their own safety, as well as the king’s honour, and ho gmntod them to the Ilaron of Offaly, who suboeqneutly, rested on their unflinchhsg valour in that day’s service. in many a hard-feught day, showed himself no The onset was made by the rebels, and in a gallant style, less true than valiant. For his good services the English but they were received with each a volley of arrows from soenatch (EnwARn II.) created him E.oot. ne RILnAR5, ohs Loinstor men that they fell back in confusion. The sari and assigned to him the town and castle of that name. then commanded his vanguard to advance, when his son Again we pass ever many illustrious chiefs of this hence, Gerald, in the inspationoe of youthful courage, charged to come to Tnnreas, the 7th earl, This nobleman was appointed, rosointo manner as no one could do better. “Far away in 1414 and 1.151, lord-deputy of Ireland; and was continued from the troops,” says the Irish chroutcier, ‘‘wore heard in the govemmctot of Ireland until 1159. In 1469, the violsnt onset of the martial chiefs, the vehement efforts he was appoiuled lord-chancellor of ireland, bnt being involved of the champions, the charge of the royal heroes, the noise with the Earl of Dosmonl, he was attainted with of the swords, the elamonr of the troops when endangered, that noblensau, (who snffsred death,) hut sobecqucntly the shouts cud cxultations of the youths, the sound mada pardoned, set at liberty, anti restored iu blood, by art of by the foiling of bravo men, and the triutoph of nobles ovsr parliament. Ills lorlship was aftenvarda lord-justice; and, pichetane.” It ovas a fierce battle, such as had not boon in 1471, doputy to George, Duke of Clarence, lIe’ d. Ii known in hatter tinocs. Of Clanriekarda’s nine divisions March, 1477, and was o. b.c his eldoot sou (l’y Johan, dan. which wore in solid array, there suivivod otdy one broken of James, 7th Earl of Dosmrnd), GERALn, S’h earl, called the groat, who was conotitoted, being computed at neso’ly nine thousand nien, and, though on his aeeessi”n to the peerage, l”rd-depuly to Richard, this may booxaggeration, there ran he no doubt that the battle Duke of York, an’i leeld a pat-liament at Naas, on Friday, after the feast of St. i’etronolle the Virgin, in 1490, he was oouthcm scpta. For this good service Kildare was erected re-appointed lord-deputy ; and again, upon the accession of by flenv aknight of the garter in 1504. The days of this llvtcav VII., deputy to Jaspor, Duke of Bedford, the lord- greet man were now drawing fast tea conclusion. In 1111, lieutenant. Upon the arrival, howcrc,-, of Lasnbort Simuel, he marched against Lcmyvonnon, or O’Carroll’s Castle, now Tnoosas, 7th Earl ef Kildat-e, is stalod, ott gcr’d aalhority, watering his horse in the river Greese, at Kilkea, he was Ia hose married, f”r tie let soiti’, 11 0 Isv, lao. of Aotlaosy shot by ons of the O’Morcs, of Leix, and after Itagering for I ‘More, Prince ef hem t and Is hair otsstcd Ins son by her, a fesv days, he died of his svound, acid was buried in his vie., Sm deny Firnorseon, ancestor if lIce Ftroereatno of own chapel, at Cismist Church, before the high altar. Rollnshed l’irreptan and Rottrenc, steer ropres’oltd hr j.sotee—t’ssstsros hea- rtxnaraAon Kcsaov, Esq,, 3,1’-, of Itileloghor, cc. honours and courage, who had bin lord dej’utie and lord (lalaray. 680 LET of Dublin, the Eat-I of Lincoln, Lord Lovol, Jonieo Fitogerald, fell; bnt the lord-deputy had the good King ileury confcn’ed on Kildars several manors in the withont orders at the head of his nen in such a bravo and battalion. The rebels wero completely rontcd, their slain of Knock Tuagh, broke the strength ef the wootemn and called “Lsap Castle,” in the Ring’s County; but as he wss descrihos hint as a ‘‘mightte man of statnrc, full of