At this period, the clergy of Ireland held a grand and general meeting at Armagh, to take into consideration the arrival of the English. At this meeting it was unanimous ly agreed, that " their sins, and particularly their custom of buying English subjects from pirates, and keeping them as slaves, had exposed them to the divine wrath :" and it was therefore resolved," that the English should be released flom slavery, and henceforth that the practice of purchasing than should be abandoned." As Henry was still unable, or disinclined, to invade Ire land himself, and as he was jealous, if not afraid, of the suc cess of his subjects in that country, he issued a proclama tion, prohibiting any vessel laden with supplies from enter ing the ports of Ireland, and commanding all his subjects to return home, within a specified time, under the penalty of the forfeiture of their estates, and banishment. For some time the king refused to recall this proclamation, and, dur ing this period, the affairs of the English in Ireland were in a precarious state. In 1171 Dermod dial; and, in the same year, the Danes attempted to regain Dublin, but without success. Obliged to be on his guard against the invasions of the Danes, and the intrigues and open wars of the Irish, Strongbow had continued and ample occasion for all his activity and presence of mind. As soon as the I ish princes were convinced that he had in vain applied to Hen ry to revoke his proclamation, they formed a confederacy against him, which was headed by Roderic 0 Connor, and assisted by the king of the Isle of Man. This powerful body at the same time besieged Earl Strongbow and his troops, in the city of Dublin, and Fitzstephen and his troops, in a lots which he had built at Carrcg. After much deliberation, it was resolved by Stionghow to sally forth from the city, and to direct their efforts against Roderic. This plan was executed with so much promptitude and si lence, that the Irish were surprised and defeated, and Ro deric himself escaped with difficulty. The city of Dublin and the province of 'Allister being thus rendered secure, Strongbow marched to Wexford, near which the fort of Carreg was situated ; but, before his arrival, Fitzstephen, alarmed the report that Dublin was taken, had been in duced to surrender himself to the enemy. Strongbow, however. marched forward. On his approach the Irish set fire to the city, and threatened to murder Fitzstephen and the rest of the prisoners, if he advanced fat Um-.
Under these circumstances, and having received informa tion that if he went to Henry himself, he might probably induce him to assist in the conquest of Ireland, he embark ed for England. An agreement was at length settled be tween the king and him, the terms of which were, that the Earl should swear allegiance to the king, and give up to him the city of Dublin, with all the other cities and forts on the seacoast; and, on the other hand, that the Earl should hold under the king the rest of his acquisitions in It eland.
On the 18th of October, 1172, Henry landed at Water ford ; his army consisted of 500 knights, and about 4000 troops ; which were conveyed in 440 large ships. Soon after his landing, Fitzstephen was given up to him; and the kings of Cork and Limeric, as well as the princes of Ossory and the Decies, voluntarily took the oaths of allegi ance, and agreed to pay tribute. On his march to Dublin,
other Irish princes followed his example ; but Roderic O'Connor refused to come and offer his obedience to the English monarch ; he, however, took the oath of allegiance before two of Henry's courtiers, who were sent into Con naught for that purpose.
Thus the whole of Ireland was nominally subject to Hen ry, but he was soon obliged to return to England, for the purpose of doing penance on account of the murder of Becket. Before his departure, he committed the custody of the principal cities and castles to the most trusty of his subjects. and took such other measures as he thought would at once serve to keep the Irish in awe and obedi ence, and would check the ascendancy of Stronghow. But though these two objects seem to have been tolerably well secured, yet Henry could not guard against dissensions among his knights; two parties were formed, at the head of one was Raymond, already distinguished by his courage, enterprize, and success ; at the head of the other was Har vey. The former was so popular, as well as a man of such sound judgment, that it was deemed prudent to appoint him the general of the army, in order to appease their dis content, and to render them capable of resisting the Irish. In both these points he succeeded ; but, being obliged to return into Wales, on the death of his father, the com mand devolved on Harvey, and a reverse or fortune speedi ly took place. The English were defeated in the neigh bourhood of Cashel, by the prince of Limeric ; and Roderic 0-Connor, crossing the Shannon, invaded Meath, and ad vanced to the very walls of Dublin. To add to their mis fortunes, St•ongbow was at this time besieged in Water ford. Raymond was again summoned ; he obeyed the summons, relieved 'Waterford, and received Strongbow's sister in marriage. The next enterprize of Raymond was the relief of Leinster, which had been invaded by Roderic ; but no sooner did the Irish prince hear of his approach, than he returned into Connaught.
Scarcely was this object accomplished, when the Prince of Limeric threw off his allegiance, and took up arms : ymond marched against him ; at first he found some dif ficulty in persuading his troops to cross the Shannon ; but this being effected, the Irish were put to flight, and the city of Limeric occupied. These successes of Raymoncl, and his iofluence with the troops, were so velar( seated to Henry by his rival Harvey, that he was ordered to return to •Wales ; and two councillors were sent by the king for that purpose ; hut they, as well as Stronghow, wet e so firmly cone inced of the necessity of Ray mono's continur.nce in Ireland, that his departure was put off, and he reassum ed the command of the army. His authority and talents were at this period of great service ; for Limetic iras in vaded by its prince, who was assisted by a powerful chieftain of Kinsale. Against these Raymond marched, and having forced the pass of Cashel, the Irish princes were intimidated, and agreed to renew their oaths of al legiance.
From this part of Ireland the victmions general was re cal ed by the death of Stiongbow ; this event, and the ne cessity aifhis own departure for England, rendered it pi u (lent to abandon the city of Limeric, as being at too gi eat a distance front the principal scat of the English power. The troops were also withdrawn from the towns and forts of Leinster.