From Life of St. Laurence O’Toole, Archbishop of Dublin (1128-1180), by M. L’Abbé Legris, English Translation, Dublin: Catholic Truth Society of Ireland, 1914; pp. 53-57.
Life of . . . .
St. Laurence O’Toole
Archbishop of Dublin (1128-1180)
by
M. L’Abbé Legris
English Translation
CHAPTER VII
HENRY II. IN DUBLIN — THE SYNOD OF CASHEL
(18TH OCTOBER, 1171-17TH APRIL, 1172)
There were several motives urging Henry to visit Ireland. He was in a hurry to take possession of the territory conquered by his subjects and to dispose of it as he willed. Threatened with excommunication, he seized the opportunity to absent himself for some time from his kingdom.
During December of the previous year an event had occurred of such gravity that all Europe rang with the news of it. A reconciliation had taken place between Henry and his former Chancellor, Thomas à Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. But the hatred of the King for his one-time friend was by no means extinguished; in the depths of his heart its fires still smouldered, and some of his courtiers, perceiving this, devoted themselves to fanning the flame. One day, in a fit of fury, he cried out: “Cowards! of all those who feed at my table, is there no one to avenge my outraged honour and rid me of this insolent priest?” Four knights, hearing these words, construed them into a command. They set out for Canterbury and forcing their way into the Cathedral murdered the Archbishop at the foot of the altar (29th December, 1170).
Throughout the length and breadth of Europe the news of this sacrilegious crime was received with horror. There was but one being on earth who could call the King of England to account for what had happened, and all turned to the Pope, in the expectation of hearing him pronounce against Henry sentence of excommunication. At sight of the punishment with which he was threatened, Henry fled. A sojourn in Ireland would, for a time, withdraw him from the observation of Christian Europe.
54Strongbow, having accepted the King’s hard conditions, was allowed to retain his place in the royal suite. But, notwithstanding, during the voyage Henry maintained towards him and his companions an attitude of sullen suspicion, and held aloof from them. No doubt, to be indebted to such humble subjects for the territory of which he was about to take possession was galling to the King’s pride. The reflection that he was going to make his appearance in Ireland at the head of a small army soothed this wounded pride. Before setting foot on the conquered territory, he would make himself master of the whole southern portion of the country and receive the submission of the chief cities, Cork, Limerick, and Cashel. He landed in Ireland on the 18th October, and on the Feast of St. Martin, November 11th, he made his entrance into Dublin, where he proposed to spend the winter.
A palace of polished wood, decorated according to Irish fashion, was built for him outside the city walls. Here he kept his court and celebrated the festival of Christmas with customary solemnity, displaying to the princes who came to swear fealty to him all the splendour of English royalty. To his court came the O’Phelans, the Macdalwis, from Leinster; the O’Tooles from the neighbourhood of Dublin; the Mac Gillamocholmog, the O’Caseys, and O’Rourkes from Meath. The Ard-Righ, Roderick O’Connor, was conspicuous by his absence. Henry sent to him two of his trusty knights, Hugh de Lacy and William FitzAldelin, charged to place before him the conditions of peace.
The Bishops of those parts of the country which had submitted also journeyed to Dublin. It was on their influence that the King relied to secure the recognition of his sovereignty. He overwhelmed them with attentions and discussed with them the evils afflicting the Church in Ireland which henceforth was to be on the 55 same footing as the Church in England. These evils were of too grave a nature, of too long standing, and the reforms attempted during the course of that century had met with too much obstinate resistance from the petty kings for the Bishops to hesitate in accepting the assistance of the King.
A Synod was convoked to be held early in the coming year at Cashel. To the Bishop of Lismore, who held the office of Papal Legate, was given the charge of laying before the Synod the list of abuses to be suppressed. At this Synod there was present a great number of the clergy. It consisted, together with the Archbishops of Cashel, Dublin, and Tuam, of the Bishops, their Suffragans, the Archdeacons, Deans, Abbots, and Priors. The King was represented by the Abbot of Buildewas, the Archdeacon of Llandaff, and his clergy.
The decrees of the Synod have been preserved to us. First of all, it was enacted that the ancient tribal arrangement which had contributed so much to enslave the Church and to hamper her action and which had destroyed all rights of ownership by converting private possessions into common property should be done away with. From that time forth every man, on his death-bed, in the presence of his confessor, should dictate his will, dividing his property in equal shares amongst his wife, his children, and his relatives.
The tithes paid by the people were to be spent in the maintenance of the clergy. By reason of their sacred character, in the event of any of their lay relatives being guilty of homicide, all priests were exempt from the law requiring compensation to be made to the murdered man’s family.
Church property was to be exempt from all exaction on the part of seculars. Neither kings nor princes were any longer to have the right to demand food and lodging for themselves and their families. And the 56 nobles were likewise deprived of the right which they arrogated to themselves, of being supplied four times a year with provisions from the neighbouring Church lands.
Children having first been catechised at the church door, were to be baptized at the fonts. Men who had married within the forbidden degree of kindred must put away their wives, and in all that regarded the marriage tie must carefully observe the laws of the Church. All who died in the friendship of God were entitled to the prayers and funeral rites of the Church.
In the recital of the Divine Office the dioceses of Ireland, similarly to those of England, would follow the usages of the Church in Rome.
His great age and infirmities prevented the Primate of Armagh from attending the Synod, but he repaired to Dublin, and publicly declared his complete concurrence in all that had been decreed.
We have seen that St. Laurence was present at the Synod of Cashel. It would be of interest to know what were his relations with the King of England during the latter’s sojourn in Dublin. From what we read of his intercourse afterwards with Henry, we are led to think that, from the time of their first meeting, the King always accorded him a favourable reception.
The Saint had abandoned all thought of resistance. For him Ireland’s independence was a dream of the past. No doubt, the petty kings would league together again in an effort to stay the onward march of the invaders, and then a kind of guerilla warfare might be carried on. But never would Ireland succeed in freeing herself from the yoke of the stranger. On his part, Henry, skilled diplomatist as he was, well understood the importance, for his authority so long contested, of having on his side a personage of such exalted virtue as Laurence.
Henry intended to spend the opening months of the 57 year 1172 in arranging for the permanence of his rule over the recently conquered territory. To guard against all danger of an eruption on the part of the Irish forces in the future, he considered that it would be necessary to construct a chain of fortresses. Circumstances prevented him carrying out his plan. The winter tempests had put a stop to all communication with England. Impatient of news, towards the middle of Lent, Henry went down to Wexford. Shortly afterwards ships from England and Aquitaine were seen approaching the land. For two reasons, the new-comers urged Henry to return to his kingdom. The Cardinals sent by the Pope to inquire into the murder of St. Thomas à Becket had reached Normandy, and were threatening to place all the countries which had submitted to the English King under an interdict. On Easter Sunday (April 17), Henry embarked for England.