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Rh porary evidence (, Sylloge), and it was confirmed by a subsequent bull of Alexander III in 1172, and consistently acted on by the papal authorities. Cardinal Vivian at the synod of Dublin in 1177 ‘set forth Henry's right by virtue of the pope's authority.’ Its authenticity has always been maintained by the best authorities, as Ussher, Bellarmine, Lanigan, Bossuet, Fleury, and recently by Döllinger. Henry, unable to afford direct help to Dermod, gave him letters patent authorising any of his subjects who might be willing to render him assistance. Armed with this document Dermod, after much negotiation, prevailed on Richard de Clare, called Strongbow, to undertake the enterprise, promising him his daughter Eva in marriage, and the succession to the kingdom of Leinster [see, (d. 1176)]. With the assistance of David [q. v.], bishop of St. Davids, he induced several others to join him. Returning to Ireland in the following year (1167) with a few of his new allies, to whom thenceforth the ‘Four Masters’ apply the term Galls, formerly used of the Danes, he remained in the monastery of Ferns during the winter. In 1168 he sent Morice Regan, his faithful adherent, to hasten the promised expedition. Meantime he was hard pressed by King Turlough O'Connor and O'Ruark, and compelled to give seven hostages to the former for permission to retain ten cantreds of his native territory. He had also to pay one hundred ounces of gold as einech, or compensation, to O'Ruark for the wrong formerly done him. Dermod's object was to gain time, but it was not until May 1169 that Robert Fitzstephen [q. v.] entered the bay of Bannow (Cuan an bainb), in the county of Wexford, with a force of about 390 men, and landed at Bagganbun, a name which represents the Beannán bo[i]nn of Keating's ‘History.’ On the following day Maurice de Prendergast arrived from Milford with another force, chiefly consisting, it appears, of Flemings. Dermod having joined the allies, Wexford was assaulted and soon after surrendered by the advice of the bishops. A great expedition was now (1169, Annals of the Four Masters) organised by King Roderick to attack Dermod at Ferns, where he was strongly entrenched, but after much delay the king entered into a treaty with him, ‘yielding to the weak counsels of some of the principal ecclesiastics’. Dermod gave his son and grandson as hostages, and entered into a secret agreement not to bring any more foreigners into Ireland and to send away those who were already with him as soon as Leinster was subdued. Dermod then marched to attack Dublin, but the citizens, terrified at his approach, returned to their allegiance. Emboldened by his success he now aimed at the sovereignty of Ireland, and messengers were sent to Earl Richard urging him to hasten to his aid. The earl first despatched Raymond, who landed at Dundonnell, co. Waterford, in May 1170, and immediately fortified himself. In the following August Richard himself landed in the same neighbourhood with two hundred knights and twelve hundred infantry. The men of Waterford had attempted to overpower Raymond before Earl Richard's arrival, but were defeated with great slaughter and seventy prisoners taken. These, according to Regan, were beheaded, a woman being employed as executioner, and their bodies then thrown over the cliff. Earl Richard now joined his forces to those of Raymond Fitzgerald [q. v.], the city was quickly taken, and immediately afterwards the marriage of Eva to Earl Richard took place as previously arranged. Dermod, before the close of the year, having now a considerable force at his command, set out again to attack Dublin, the citizens of which had incurred his mortal hatred by their brutal treatment of his father. Unable to withstand the force brought against them, they engaged St. Laurence O'Toole, archbishop of Dublin, to treat with Strongbow on their behalf, but while negotiations were going on Raymond and Miles de Cogan, with their followers, scaled the walls and captured the city. Hasculf, the Danish king, and the greater number of the inhabitants escaped with their valuables and took refuge on board their ships. Miles de Cogan was appointed governor of the city, and Dermod proceeded with Strongbow to overrun Meath, a territory to which he had no claim. On this Roderick sent him word that as long as he confined himself to the recovery of his own territories he had not opposed him, but as he was now making aggressions on others he must interfere, and he reminded him that his son was in his power as a hostage. Dermod returned an insolent reply, declared that he claimed not Leinster but all Ireland, and expressed himself utterly indifferent to the fate of his son. Roderick immediately put the unhappy youth to death, an act which the chroniclers greatly lament.

The successes of the Normans having excited the jealousy of Henry II, he issued early in 1171 an edict forbidding any one to aid them, and commanding all of every degree to return to England on pain of being regarded as traitors. It was at this crisis that Dermod's death took place, and they were left without an ally. The event is thus described by the ‘Four Masters’ under the year 1171: ‘Diar-