19
last rites of the Church? Can we forget the scenes that were enacted at Reginald’s Tower?[1] How, with what face can Mr. Whiteside say that no opposition was offered to Henry? No resistance was offered to him personally, because the work was done by his subject adventurers. Molyneux—and I could wish Mr. Whiteside his love of country—may have said that Ireland was not conquered, in order to insist on the rights of a free nation. We all can say that it need not have been a conquest. MacMurrough, King of Leinster, need not have been a traitor and in the camp of the enemy. The Northerns need not and should not have given grounds for suspicion of their fidelity to Roderick, Monarch of Ireland, and so caused them to be sent away from his ranks. Roderick, thus deserted by the Northerns, might have staked the fate of the country on the issue of a battle. None of these things occurred that might have united the Irish and driven the invader into the sea, but we can’t help admitting that Ireland was conquered. If it could, it would have expelled the stranger. There was scarcely an interval of five years between the risings in the several parts of the country (not simultaneous, indeed) during four hundred years. As ill luck would have it, no one thought of combining with the neighbour till the danger or grievance came to his own door. As soon as the foe had trampled out any rising for independence in one part, they were prepared to face opposition in another. Need I speak of the partial, and therefore unsuccessful efforts in later ages? I know of only one occasion when there was made what might be called a general stand. I allude to the rising, in 1642, of the natives in union with the Pale. ‘The result was, that there was scarcely a fortress left the English during the few months of harmony between the old and new families. United, I repeat, they may have swept the stranger off the land
- ↑ Leland, book i.
