The Archbishop was now sent to Rome by the King to plead his cause there, and to counteract, as best he might, the serious complaints made against him by all his subjects—­A.D. 1215.  In 1213 Walter de Lacy obtained the restoration of his father’s property in Wales and England.  Two years later he recovered his Irish lands; but the King retained his son, Gislebert, as hostage, and his Castle of Droicead-Atha (Drogheda).

The Irish chieftains made some stand for their rights at the close of this reign.  Cormac O’Melaghlin wrested Delvin, in Meath, from the English.  O’Neill and O’Donnell composed their difference pro tem., and joined in attacking the invaders.  In the south there was a war between Dermod and Connor Carthy, in which the Anglo-Normans joined, and, as usual, got the lion’s share, obtaining such an increase of territory as enabled them to erect twenty new castles in Cork and Kerry.

The Four Masters give a curious story under the year 1213.  O’Donnell More sent his steward to Connaught to collect his tribute.  On his way he visited the poet Murray O’Daly, and began to wrangle with him, “although his lord had given him no instructions to do so.”  The poet’s ire was excited.  He killed him on the spot with a sharp axe—­an unpleasant exhibition of literary justice—­and then fled into Clanrickarde for safety.  O’Donnell determined to revenge the insult, until Mac William (William de Burgo) submitted to him.  But the poet had been sent to seek refuge in Thomond.  The chief pursued him there also, and laid siege to Limerick.[319] The inhabitants at once expelled the murderer, who eventually fled to Dublin.  After receiving tribute from the men of Connaught, O’Donnell marched to Dublin, and compelled the people to banish Murray to Scotland.  Here he remained until he had composed three poems in praise of O’Donnell, imploring peace and forgiveness.  He was then pardoned, and so far received into favour as to obtain a grant of land and other possessions.

The Irish bishops were, as usual, in constant intercourse with Rome.  Several prelates attended the fourth General Council of Lateran, in 1215.  The Annals give the obituaries of some saintly men, whose lives redeemed the age from the character for barbarity, which its secular literature would seem to justify.  Amongst these we find the obituary of Catholicus O’Duffy, in 1201; of Uaireirghe, “one of the noble sages of Clonmacnois, a man full of the love of God and of every virtue;” of Con O’Melly, Bishop of Annaghdown, “a transparently bright gem of the Church;” of Donnell O’Brollaghan, “a prior, a noble senior, a sage, illustrious for his intelligence;” and of many others.  A great number of monasteries were also founded, especially by the Anglo-Normans, who appear to have had periodical fits of piety, after periodical temptations to replenish their coffers out of their neighbours’ property.  We may not quite judge their reparations as altogether insincere; for surely some atonement for evil deeds is better than an utter recklessness of future punishment.