Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 1.djvu/126

 BRIEN BOIRUMHE. 115 garded the glory of Brien was hereditary, and the know ledge of this probably induced O'Felan to form a powerful confederacy against the King of Munster. Near Water- ford the armies engaged4 Brien, with his usual fortune, obtained a complete victory; and the attempts of his enemies to ruin his power, terminated in the reduction of the whole of southern Ireland under his power, by which he became King of Leath Mogha. onse So signal a success irritated the envious Malachie; and in 982, he invaded Munster, and carried off considerable pluuder. The next year, having taken into his pay a numerous body of Danes, he made a fresh incursion into Leinster. This repeated insult roused the indignation of Brien; he prepared to wreak a signal vengeance on the head of Malachie, who, terrified at the prospect of so speedy and severe a retribution, offered him peace, in which he engaged to make restitution for all the damages he had committed. Continually in arms against the plundering and op- pressive Danes, he reduced them from a state of indepen- dency to absolute subjectión; and so benefited the country at large, that a convention of the states of Connaught and Munster, contrasting his power, magnanimity and justice with the passive temporising spirit of Malachie, agreed to request Brien to assume the monarchy, and engaged to support him to their utmost. Deputies were dispatehed to Malachie to inform him of their intention, and to desire him to resign a throne he was so ill qualified to fill. He received the proposal with surprise and indignation, declaring, as he lived, be would die-Monarch of Ireland. Brien was prepared for such an answer: at the head of a large army of veterans he marched to Tara; but Ma- lachie representing that he had not had time to collect his troops, and requesting a month for that purpose, Brien granted him his wish, on the condition, that, if, at the end of that time, he were not able to defend the crown, he should resign it into his hands. All the exertions,