FALSE DEARVORGIL[1]
Woe to the House of Breffni, and to Red O'Ruark woe!
Woe to us all in Erinn for the shame that laid us low!
And cursed be you, Dearvorgil, who severed north and south,
And ruin brought to Erinn with the smiling of your mouth.
••••••
The Prince of Breffni suspects that his wife Dearvorgil has a lover.It is the Prince of Breffni rides quick in the pale of suspects day,
Deep in his eyes a shadow, a frown on his forehead lay;
And spur and bit not sparing, he rests nor horse nor page,
But rides into his castle like a man who wins a wage.
And up the twisting staircase, into his lady's room.
He strides with frowning forehead, like a man to meet his doom,
But from his lady's chamber he comes with sobbing breath.
With a joy upon his white lips, like a man escaped from death.
- ↑ Dearvorgil was the daughter of the King of Meath and the wife of O'Ruark, Prince of Brefifni. She was beloved of Mac-murrah, King of Leinster, who is reported to have met her in secret and to have won her affections. Macmurrah carried her off, but in the subsequent war of revenge was defeated, and fled to England. His appeal to Henry II. of Anjou led to the invasion and conquest of Ireland by Strongbow and other Anglo-Norman adventurers.
60
