Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 36.djvu/168

Marisco commanded to resume the demesne lands that he had alienated without warrant (Documents, No. 949). Complaints were made against him to the king by the citizens of Dublin, and in July 1221 the king wrote to the council in Ireland, declaring that he had received no money from that country since he came to the throne, and that Geoffrey, who had while in England made a fine with him to satisfy defaults, had not obeyed his wishes. Henry therefore desired that he should give up his office (ib. No. 1001). Geoffrey resigned the justiciarship on 4 Oct., was thanked for his faithful services, quit-claimed of 1,080 marks, part of the fine made with the king, and received a letter of protection during the king's minority, and the wardship of the heir of John de Clahull (ib. Nos. 1015 sqq.)

During the absence of the justiciar, William, the earl-marshal, in 1224, Geoffrey had charge of the country, and carried on war with Aedh O'Neill. He was reappointed justiciar on 25 June 1226, and, being then in England, received on 4 July a grant of 580l. a year, to be paid out of the Irish exchequer as salary (ib. Nos. 1383, 1413; Fœdera, i. 182). This seems to be the first time that a salary was appointed for the viceroy of Ire- land. On his return to Ireland he wrote to the king informing him that Theobald FitzWalter, who had married Geoffrey's daughter, was refractory, and had garrisoned Dublin Castle against the king. He advised that Theobald should be deprived of the castle of Roscray, and promised that he would use every effort to punish the king's enemies (Royal Letters, i. 290 sqq.) He endeavoured to detain the person of Hugh, or Cathal, O'Conor, king of Connaught; but Hugh was delivered by the intervention of William, the earl-marshal. In revenge, his son Aedh surprised William, the justiciar's son, near Athlone, and made him prisoner; nor could his father obtain his release, except on terms that were highly advantageous to the Connaught people (Annals of the Four Masters, iii. 245). Geoffrey built the castle of Ballyleague, in the barony of South Ballintober, co. Roscommon, about this time. While Hugh O'Conor was at the justiciar's house, one of Geoffrey's men slew him, on account of a private quarrel, and Geoffrey hanged the murderer (ib. p. 247). He resigned the justiciarship at his own wish in February 1228 (Documents, No. 1572). He was reappointed justiciar in 1230, and in July inflicted, with the help of Walter de Lacy and Richard de Burgh [q. v.], a severe defeat on the Connaught men, under their king, Aedh, who was taken prisoner (, iv. 213). He resigned the justiciarship in 1232 (Royal Letters, i. 407).

In common with Maurice FitzGerald, then justiciar, and other lords, Geoffrey in 1234 received a letter written by the king's evil counsellors, and sealed by him, directing that should Richard, the earl-marshal, come to Ireland he should be taken alive or dead. Geoffrey accordingly joined the magnates of Ireland in their conspiracy against the marshal, who went to Ireland on hearing that his lands there had been ravaged. As soon as he landed Geoffrey joined him, and treacherously urged him to march against his enemies, promising him his aid. Acting by his advice, the earl, at a conference with the magnates at the Curragh, Kildare, refused to grant them the truce that they demanded. When they set the battle against him Geoffrey deserted the earl, who was wounded, taken prisoner, and soon afterwards died (Paris, iii. 273–9). Geoffrey fell into temporary disgrace with the king for his share in the business, but on 3 Aug. 1235 Henry restored him his lands (Documents, No. 2280). In this year his son William, it is said, slew, at London, a clerk named Henry Clement, a messenger from one of the Irish magnates, and was consequently outlawed (ib. No. 2386). A man who was accused of an intent to assassinate the king at Woodstock in 1238 was said to have been instigated by William de Marisco; his father, Geoffrey, was suspected of being privy to the scheme, and his lands in Ireland being distrained upon, he fled to Scotland, where he was, with the connivance of Alexander II, sheltered by Walter Comyn, no doubt his kinsman. Henry was indignant with the king of Scots for harbouring him, and made it a special ground of complaint. After the treaty of July 1244 Alexander sent Geoffrey out of his dominions. He fled to France, where he died friendless and poor in 1245, at an advanced age, for he is described as old in 1234.

Meanwhile his son had taken refuge on Lundy Island, which he fortified. There he was joined by a number of broken men, and adopted piracy as a means of sustaining life, specially plundering ships laden with wine and provisions. Strict watch was kept, in the hope of taking him, and in 1242 he was taken by craft, carried to London, and there drawn, handed, and quartered, sixteen of his companions being also hanged. In his dying confession he protested his innocence of the death of Clement, and of the attempt on the king's life (, iv. 196). He had married Matilda, niece of Henry, archbishop of Dublin, who gave her land on her marriage (Documents, Nos. 2528, 2853). William had