Hence the Rev.
Mr.Kelly is constrained to say--'It is now generally admitted by Catholic writers that however great the efforts of the Irish clergy to reform their distracted country in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, the picture of anarchy drawn by Pope Adrian is hardly overcharged.' Indeed, some Catholic writers have confessed that the anarchy would never have been terminated except by foreign conquest establishing a strong central government.

This, however, was not accomplished till after a struggle of centuries, during which, except in brief intervals, when a strong prince was able to protect his people, the national demoralisation grew worse and worse.

An Oxford priest, who kept a school at Limerick, writing so late as 1566 of the Irish nobles, says--'Of late they spare neither churches nor hallowed places, but thence also they fill their hands with spoil--yea, and sometimes they set them on fire and kill the men that there lie hidden.' Mr.Froude, following the Irish MSS.

in the Rolls House, has presented graphic pictures of the disorders of the Irishry in the reign of Queen Mary.

'The English garrison,' he says, 'harassed and pillaged the farmers of Meath and Dublin; the chiefs made forays upon each other, killing, robbing, and burning.