THE STORY OF IRELAND

New Zealand Tablet, 28 August 1919, Page 7

THE STORY OF IRELAND

(By A. M. Sullivan.)

CHAPTER XXXll.—Continued. .;•.."; "Alan and the Lord Chancellor Cromer, also an Archbishop and Primate of Armagh, rose together; the one complaining loudly of the wrong and insult done his order, the other beseeching that all present would remember they were Christians and subjects of the Crown of England ; but, in the midst of this confusion, Lord Thomas, taking the Sword of State out of the hands of its bearer, advanced up the hall to the counciltable, with a lofty determination in his bearing that at once arrested all eyes. It was plain he was about to announce his final purpose, and all within the hall awaited what he would say in sullen silence. His friends and followers now formed a dense semicircle at the foot of the hall; the lords of the council had involuntarily drawn round the throne and Lord Chancellor's chair; Thomas stood alone on the floor opposite the table, with the sword in his hands. Anxiety and pity were marked on the venerable features of Cromer as he bent forward to hear what he would say but Alan and the -treasurer, Lord James Butler, exchanged looks of malignant satisfaction. " 'My lord,' said Thomas, 'I come to tell you that my father has been basely put to death, for I know not what alleged treason, and that we have taken up arms to avenge his murder. Yet, although we be thus driven by the tyranny and cruelty of the King into open hostility, we would not have it said hereafter that we have conspired like villains and churls, but boldly declared our purpose as becomes warriors and gentlemen. This Sword of State, my lords, is yours, not mine. I received it with an oath, that I would use it for your benefit; I should stain my honor if I turned it to your hurt. My lords, I have now need of my own weapon, which I can trust;,but as for the common sword, it has flattered me not— painted scabbard, while its edge was yet red in the best blood of my house —aye, and is even now whetted anew for further destruction of the Geraldines. Therefore, my lords, save yourselves from us as from open enemies. I am no longer Henry Tudor's deputy—l am his foe. I have more mind to conquer than to governto meet him in the field than to' serve him in office. And now, my lords, if all the hearts in England and Ireland, that have cause thereto, do but join in this quarrel, as I look that they will, then shall the world shortly be made sensibly of the tyranny, cruelty, falsehood, and heresy, for which the age to come may well count this base King among the ancient traitors of most abominable and hateful memory.' " 'Groom aboo !'. cried Neale Roe O'Kennedy, Lord Thomas's bard, who had pressed into the body of the hall at the head of the Irish soldiery. He was conspicuous over all by his height and the splendor of bis native costume. His legs and arms were bare; the sleeves of his yellow cothone, parting above the elbow, fell in voluminous folds almost to the ground, whilst its skirts, girded. at the loins, covered him to the knee. Over this he wore a short jacket of crimson, the sleeves just covering the shoulders, richly wrought and embroidered, and drawn round the waist by a broad belt, set with precious stones, and fastened with a massive golden buckle. His laced and fringed mantle was thrown back, but kept from falling, by a silver brooch, as broad as a man's palm, which glittered on his breast. He stretched out his hand, the gold bracelets rattling as they slid back on the thickness of his arm, and exclaimed in Irish : —■ " 'Who is the vounir lion of the nlains of Liffev. that affrights the men of counsel, and the.ruler of the Saxon, with his noble voice? " 'Who is the quickened ember of Kildare, that would consume the enemies of his people, and the false churls of the cruel race of clan-London A ".'.. " 'lt is the soil of Geraldthe top branch of the oak of Offaly! .

' “ ‘lt is Thomas of the silken mantle—Ard-Righ Eireann !’ ■ ~ , ■“ jl “‘Righ Tomas go bragli! ’ shouted the soldieryj and many of the young lord’s Anglo-Irish friends responded‘Long live King Tomas!’ but the Chancellor, Archbishop Cromer, who had listened to his insane avowal with undisguised distress, and who had already been, seen to ’wring his hand, and even to shed tears as the misguided nobleman and his friends thus madly invoked their own destruction, came down from his seat, and earnestly grasping the young lord. by the hand, addressed him; “ ‘Good my lord,’ he cried, while his venerable figure and known attachment to the house of Kildare, attested as it was by such visible evidences of concern, commanded for a time the attention of all present. ‘Good my lord, suffer joe to use the privilege of an old man’s speech with'you, before you finally give up this ensign of your authority and pledge of your allegiance.’ ” The Archbishop reasoned and pleaded at much length and with deep emotion ; but he urged and prayed in vain. “ ‘My Lord Chancellor,’ replied Thomas, ‘I came not here to take advice, but to give you to understand what I purpose to do. As loyalty would have me know my prince, so duty compels me to reverence my father. I thank you heartily for your counsel: but it is now too late. As to my fortune, I will take it as God sends it, and rather choose to die with valor and liberty, than live under King Henry in bondage and villainy. Therefore, my lord, I thank you again for the concern you take in my welfare, and since you will not receive this sword out of my hand, I can but cast it from me, even as I here, cast off and renounce ail duty and aUeyiamce to your master.’ “So saying, he flung the sword of state upon the council table. The blade started a hand’s breadth out of its sheath, from the violence with which it was dashed .out of his hands. He then, in the midst of a tumult of acclamation from his followers, and cries of horror and pity from the lords and prelates around, tore off his robes of office and cast them at his feet. Stripped thus of his ensigns of dignity, Lord Thomas Fitzgerald stood up, amid the wreck of his fair fortune, an armed and avowed rebel, equipped in complete mail, before the representatives of England rand Ireland. The cheering from his adherents was loud and enthusiastic, and those without replied with cries of fierce exultation.” (To be continued.)