Kilkenny Archœological Journal for 1873. The portrait, according to Mr. Graves, "does not represent what would now be called a beautiful woman. She had reddish hair and high cheek bones, and the chin was longer and more pointed than the strict rules of beauty allow; but her eyes were fine, the mouth had a sweet expression, the forehead expansive and intelligent, and brows well arched; altogether we can well imagine that the features . . combined with the delicate complexion which usually accompanies auburn hair, made her a very lovely girl when first she met Surrey's eyes." '° <'^73) 198
FitzGerald, Thomas, 10th Earl of Kildare, son of the 9th Earl, commonly known as "Silken Thomas," was born in England in 1513. In 1534, then bearing the title of Lord Offaly, he was appointed Vice-Deputy by his father. He was brave, open, and generous, but wanting in discretion. One day he kept the council at Drogheda waiting for some hours, when John Allen. Archbishop of Dublin, exclaimed: "My Lords, is it not a prettie matter that all we should stay this long for a boy." This the Deputy, coming up the stairs, heard; and he rejoined, on entering the room, much to the Archbishop's confusion, "My Lordes, I am heartily sorry that you stayed this long for a boy." In the beginning of June 1534 a rumour was spread that his father, then in the Tower, was to be beheaded, and that the same fate was prepared for himself and his uncles. Thereupon he took council with O'Neill, O'Conor, and his other friends. To avenge his father's reported death, and save himself, his only course appeared to be to throw off his allegiance. The occasion was favourable, for as Vice-Deputy he had under his control most of the Pale fortresses, and large government stores. The Earl of Desmond and many of his father's oldest and best fiends reasoned with him; but he was not to be turned from his purpose, and on 11th June 1534 he rode to the council at St. Mary's Abbey, attended by 140 gallow-glasses with coats of mail and silken fringes to their helmets. This display of finery caused him to be thenceforward known as "Silken Thomas." When he had seated himself at the head of the council board, his followers rushed in and filled the hall. In a stirring speech he renounced his allegiance, and declared his intention of striving for the mastery with Henry VIII. — "I am none of Henrie his Deputie; I am his fo. I have more mind to conquer than to governe — to meet him in the field than to serve him in office." The Chancellor, Allen, with tears in his eyes, besought him not to commit himself to such a rash proceeding; but the young Lord's harper, understanding only Irish, and seeing signs of wavering in his bearing, commenced to recite a poem in praise of the deeds of his ancestors, telling him at the same time that he lingered there over long. Roused by this he exclaimed: "I will take the market as it ryseth, and will choose rather to die with valiantnesse and libertie, than to live under King Henrie in bondage and villanie." Throwing down the sword of state, he rushed from the hall, followed by his adherents. The council sent an order for his immediate arrest to the Lord Mayor, who, however, had not sufficient force at his disposal. Now, nearly four centuries after the invasion, the English power in Ireland had sunk almost to the point at which it stood when FitzStephen and his little band fortified themselves at Bagenbun. The Castle of Dublin alone held out for the King of England: almost all Ireland had to be reconquered. Lord Offaly immediately called the lords of the Pale to the siege of the Castle: such as refused to swear fidelity to him he sent prisoners to his castle of Maynooth. Goods and chattels belonging to the King's subjects he declared forfeited, and he announced his intention of exiling or putting to death all born in England. He sent messengers to his cousin and friend Lord Butler, son of the Earl of Ormond, offering to divide the kingdom with him if he would join his cause, but this Butler indignantly refused. Several children of the citizens of Dublin in different parts of the Pale were seized as hostages for the good affection of the city. Archbishop Allen, in an attempt to escape by sea, was wrecked near Clontarf, and on the 28th July barbarously murdered in the presence of Lord Offaly and his uncles. Lord Offaly sent his chaplain to Pope Paul III. craving absolution for this sacrilege; and an envoy with a present of "twelve great hawkes, and fourteen fair hobbies" to the Emperor Charles V., to ask for aid in the task of securing Ireland. Meanwhile the citizens of Dublin, having secretly sent provisions by night into the Castle, were obliged to admit Lord Offaly's troops within the city walls. He himself marched south to bring the Butlers under subjection, but was glad to make a truce and return, on receiving news that Dublin had closed its gates, and thus entrapped the assailants of the Castle. After burning the vessels in the harbour, and endeavouring to stop the water supply of the city, he assaulted the Castle from the east—cutting through the partitions between the houses in the
