Nobly Won. A novel

Front matter

In October, 1888. MEMOIRS OF ERNEST II DUKE OF SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA. WRITTEN BY HIMSELF. PERIOD 1818-1850. Two Vols. Demy 8vo. Wrilh Portrait of Ernest 11 and of his brother, the late Prince Consort of England. 30s. The Standard said of the German Edition of this work — " Sheds new light on the history of the present Royal Family of England, and brings out fresh features in the private life, character, and opinions of the late Prince Consort and in a subordinate degree of her Majesty the Queen." REMINGTON & Co., Henrietta Street, Covent Garden. a i&obrt IN TWO VOLUMES BY B PULLEN-B U RR Y " May all love, His love, unseen but felt, o'ershadow thee, The love of all thy sons encompass thee, The love of all thy daughters cherish thee, The love of all thy people comfort thee, Till God's love set thee at his side again I " VOL II LONDON REMINGTON & CO PUBLISHERS HENRIETTA STREET COVENT GARDEN [AU Rights Reserved] CONTENTS.

Part II. Chap

PACE I. Arrival of the Hebrews at Tara — Their Reception bjthe Tuatha de Danan ... 1 11 Life Within the Halls of Tara — Baruch's Conversation with the Prophet 44 III Eoga's Midnight Attempt to Murder Jerusha — The Princess is Betrothed to the Prince of Dan ... ... ... 71 IV Slight Historical Sketch of " Wandering Israel" — Arrival of High Personages at Tara 103 V Eochaid Entertains the Princes of Ierne — The Distress of Miriam ... ... 132 VI Coronation of Eochaid as Heremon — A Royal Wolf -Hunt 160 VII Marriage of the Heremon with the Princess — Betrothal of Miriam to Baruch ■202 VIII The Family of the Heiemon — Ten Years Later — The Eastern Guest — Vision and Death of the Prophet

PART II. CHAPTER

I. Arrival of the Hebrews at Tara — Their Reception bt the Tuatha de Danan. " The harp that once through Tara's halls Tbe soul of music shed, Now hangs as mute on Tara's walls As if that soul were fled. So sleeps the pride of former days, So glory's thrill is o'er, And hearts that once beat high for praise, Now feel that pulse no more." MOOHE. The inhabitants of the fortress of Tara, situated in the island of Ierne,* betrayed unwonted activity * " It has been supposed from the mention made of lipvis in the Orphic Argonautics that Ireland was known to the Greeks VOL. II. B NOBLY WON. and excitement, as late one autumnal afternoon, when orange and rosy tints already spread their varying shades upon the surrounding densely wooded country, some individuals, who from their superior dress and manner appeared to be the owners of that residence of Hibernian Kings, stood at the entrance of those proud halls, apparently awaiting the arrival of an honoured guest.

Their curious looks and excited gestures evinced the interest they were taking in the im pending event; impatiently they scanned the sur rounding landscape to discover signs of the approach of the illustrious persons, who, coming from the East, had been welcomed by embassies sent across the dividing waters, to the rocky coasts of the Phœnician settlements in Albion. Thus at a very early age; it has also been concluded that they obtained their first knowledge of it from the Phœnicians. ... It is well known that the Irish claim a very ancient and diversified ancestry. Their inventions or traditions of colonies, led by C'esarea, the grandson of Noah, by Partholenus, three hundred years after the Deluge, etc., existed even in the twelfth century, and are commemorated by Giraldus Cambriensis." (" Ency clopædia Metropolitana.") assembled, to do honour to the Hebrews of whom strange rumours had reached the men of Dan, the inmates of the ancient fortress of Tara.

From the eminence on which stood the castle, a chief, and his principal officials, standing near, endeavoured to distinguish in the immense and panoramic view the moderate altitude of Tara* afforded, of the flat-lying and boggy lands, the advancing procession, for a detachment of horsemen had been despatched to the coasts to escort in fitting dignity, as became the daughter of David's line, the " Tea Tephi,"f with her friends * " The hill of Tara, though undistinguished either for altitude or picturesqueness of form, is not less remarkable for the pleasing and extensive prospects which it commands, than for the associations connected with it as the site of the residence of the Irish monarchs from the earliest times." (Petrie's " Tara.") " Prom it (Tara) was brought the famous stone upon which the Scottish sovereigns were crowned, and which is now trie chair of Edward the Confessor in Westminster. - The harp ' which hung in its ancient castle forms a subject for one of the Irish melodies of T. Moore."

(Beeton's Dictionary.) " At this place in Heath the Irish gained a great victory over the Danes, 973. The hill of Tara was in ancient times the chief seat of the Irish kings." (Townsend.) t " Tea Tephi means the Beautiful One from the East in Hebrew Irish." (Dr. Wild.) NOBLY WON. and attendants, to the stronghold of Eochaid, Prince of the " Tuatha de Danan." In stately guise from the settlements of the Cassiterides had been fetched in ships of Dan, across the separating channel, the Princess of Judah, in answer to the request of the prophet Jeremiah, received at the Court of Tara some weeks previously, spoken by the mouth of Abner. Profoundly interested in the expected arrival of the adventurers who claimed kinship with them selves, bare-headed, and dignified, stood the chief councillors of Eochaid around their gallant prince, nor was their young chieftain unworthy of the popularity he enjoyed ; he appeared, as regarded his exterior, a splendid specimen of his race, handsome in feature, though fair,* strong and large of limb, tall, and graceful in his movements, unlike his mother Eoga, who stood immediately * " In the west of Cavan may be found, I think, the breed to which Sir William Wilde referred as the inhabitants descended from the Tuatha de Danan.

They are fair, large-limbed, comely, smooth-featured, and appear to have broader heads than other Irishmen." (" Banner of Israel," Jan. 27th, 1886.) in his rear, and whose dark eyes, beautiful, but forbidding countenance, gave striking testimony of her Phœnician* birth. Close to the Royal lady stood men of fame in battle, adventurous, and undaunted in deeds of war which had placed the settlement of Dan in its present exalted position amongst the peoples of the island. Such were Fian and Finlogha, men of mature age and ripened experience. In times past, they had assisted both by counsel and the might of their arm the father of their present prince to extend his dominion, and to strengthen his kingdom against the inroads of the wild natives, but more especially * " Descended from a people who in former times had in habited Gaul and Spain, they bore the characteristics of a southern origin.

The Irish were distinguished from the northern races by their dark hair and complexion, their strong passions, either of love or hate, and their enthusiastic temper." (Cassell's "Illustrated Eng. His.") " Their colonies lined the shores of the Mediterranean to its western extremity. They are supposed to have traded to the Scilly Isles and the coasts of England for tin. It is stated that they circumnavigated Africa under the direction of Necho, King of Egypt." (Dr. Smith.) " The Syrian flag waved at the same time in Britain and the Indian Ocean." (Humboldt, " Kosmos," II., 132.) from their jealous neighbours of the south, from the Phœnicians who had colonized before them selves, in the fertile Ierne . They had advised the youthful prince to adhere to the traditions of the tribesmen of Dan, rather than to follow the per suasions of his Phœnician mother, and to receive as should befit the true descendants of the seed of Abraham, the Royal daughter of a fallen King of Judah, who had wandered through countless perils to their shores, in the hour of her adversity.

Eochaid, more swayed by their arguments, than influenced by the adverse opinion of his mother, had after some deliberation decided to proffer to the fugitives the shelter they had demanded in the name of the God of Israel. Eoga, a zealous worshipper of the old Canaani tish sun-god — to whom, indeed, in the more southerly parts of the island from whence the princess had been brought to espouse her late husband, on every high place Baal had altars raised to his honour — had not greeted with enthusiasm the news of the arrival upon the neighbouring shores of the princess from the East, and of the strange old man whom report said ac companied the daughter of Zedekiah. The fame of Baruch had as yet not reached the precincts of Tara. Although the mother's influence was not para mount over her fiery but generous son, yet had she dexterously succeeded in undermining that feeling of complete satisfaction, with which he had promised the assembled warriors to welcome to the asylum of his northern stronghold the weary travellers.

Eoga had not succeeded in uprooting altogether the ancient monotheistic feeling of the tribesmen amongst whom her married life had been spent ; for some generations now had a certain party of the colonists remained true to their old traditions, nor had they joined in that advancing tide of Baalism, which, from the Phœnicians of the south in whose track the Danites had sailed some two centuries before our story opens, had been originally introduced into Ierne. There were amongst the settlers some, who although not zealous for the worship of the God of their fathers, had remained separate from the abomi nations around them ; with wondering curiosity they now anticipated seeing those whose perilous journey from the same country whence their fore fathers had sailed in times past, had been for weeks the one theme of conversation amongst the high personages surrounding the court of Eochaid.

Even the bigoted, harsh-natured Eoga betrayed much eagerness to behold these famous " children of the East." " Why tarry thy guests, then, my son ? " she inquired, impatiently. " Methinks it were time we saw the horsemen amongst yonder trees," and she pointed to an open space amongst the trees of the forest, that lay between them and the silvery streak of sea, which was faintly discernible upon the eastern horizon. " Possibly the travellers are weary, my lady mother," replied the prince; " thou rememberest not that there be two maidens amongst the company, and that both the Princess of Judah and her friend have suffered grievously from the dangers of their voyage " (for Jerusha and Miriam had been ill some weeks following their experiences upon the rocks of Belerium). "Perchance the Royal maiden is wearied with the long journey hither, and desireth to repose her limbs awhile before she entereth the halls of Tara, and beholdeth the strength of the sons of Dan, whose fathers left their distant home to roam the seas, and to claim for their own possession, the goodly lands afar off."

And Eochaid surveyed with conscious pride the group of warriors who with himself awaited the renowned visitors. The report of the striking beauty of Jerusha had fired the young prince's imagination ; he was most eager to behold the courageous, high spirited maiden, who, bereft of the protection of a father, had undertaken and successfully accom plished the perilous voyage, in company with the aged seer who had guided her travels. It was this very alacrity that her son exhibited, this curiosity to behold the charms of the Jewish maiden, that aroused within the soul of Eoga feelings not only of anger, but of deep hatred against their innocent cause. What if her beloved, and her only son should be ensnared by the vain beauty and graceful form of the Hebrew King's daughter? Had she not from her very youth endeavoured to instil into his mind, that it must be to her own kindred in the south, that he should turn his thoughts and direct his steps when it should seem good to him to take a wife ?

Had she not even thereby drawn down upon herself the censure and opprobrium of those of the Danite settlers who denounced all unnecessary intercourse with their neighbours, the Phœnicians ? Was there not even now the child of her beloved sister, a maiden whom, possessed of every charm that man could desire in woman, she had for years destined to make the bride of her son ? And should this strange woman, this daughter of a conquered king, attract the wandering fancy of the young and gallant Eochaid, thereby render ing futile those schemes which she and her sister, mother of the Phœnician Elga, had together planned for the future marriage of their children, then indeed her anger would be terribly kindled; she, Eoga, mother of the Prince of Dan, would prevent the folly of her son, and cast out the un welcome intruder from the halls of Tara, nay, thrust the interloper from the kingdom ; but should that cause opposition amongst the tribes men, there was, she meditated, another way to rid herself of the girl, a surer and swifter means.

With such feelings working in her breast, still more sullen grew her face, until indeed its ex pression was one of concentrated malice and hate. It was not long after the gallant prince had expressed that the cause of the tardy arrival might probably be owing to the fatigue of the princess, that the procession first appeared in sight. Through the lovely autumnal-tinted trees of the forest where the boughs clustered together less thickly, could the white steeds ridden by the female members of the band, and led by men on foot, the shields and spears of the equestrians despatched that morning to the coast to receive the Eastern adventurers, be descried. " They come ! they come ! " exclaimed the Prince of Dan, in tones of unwonted interest, which cry, echoed by the warriors around, was borne into every corner of the castle of Tara, and soon a crowd of persons of lesser degree swelled the numbers already covering a mound of earth lately thrown up in front of the chief entrance as a measure of defence.

Grouping themselves in considerable numbers to the rear of their superiors, the tribe of Dan watched the advancing pro cession. Nearer and nearer it came, intense grew the excitement ; silence, however, was strictly main tained. Some wondrous sentiment of kinship stirred the intently gazing multitude, some hitherto unknown latent enthusiasm for the ancient name they bore as seed of Abraham, arose within them, as the tall slight figure of the princess and the majestic outlines of the prophet were dimly discernible. Slowly, at a foot's pace, rode the horsemen as they ascended the hill of Tara. In front of the Royal lady rode the detachment of Danite warriors, who had safely piloted the strangers through green woodland and round treacherous bogs to the residence of their chief. The daughter of Zedekiah, supported on the right by the prophet, rode slowly forward upon a white palfrey ; Abner and J udas, well-mounted and in complete armour, brought up the rear, following Baruch and Miriam.

" Bear thee as befits the daughter of David's Royal House, Princess of Judah ! nor let thine eye quail before a Prince of Dan," uttered the seer in an undertone to Jerusha, as they had almost attained the outer entrance of the castle. " My father, thinkest thou that there passeth an hour in the day when the thought of my father's house is not ever with me ? The daughter of Judah fears no son of Dan ! " replied the proud maiden, unloosening her veil as the assembled groups of the inhabitants of the fortress of the tribe burst fully upon her view. Proudly and fearlessly surveying the warriors of Abraham's seed standing about their prince — lit up by the oblique rays of an autumn sunset — whose formidable appearance would have abashed a less high-spirited woman than Jerusha, firmly the princess of the blood-royal of Judah advanced alone, and Jeremiah, retiring a few paces, fell back to the other side of Miriam.

The escort, with drawing to the right, disclosed suddenly to the inhabitants of Tara the daughter of Zedekiah, who, preserving a dignified pace, with erect figure and flowing veil, felt the eyes of the people of Dan fixed upon her. A spontaneous murmur of admiration escaped from the onlookers. The intrepid and calm demeanour she exhibited elicited their wonder, and appealed to the sympathy of the warriors. Such a spirit of lofty serenity as the bearing of this princess of David's House mani fested, went straight to the souls of the hardy tribesmen, for equal courage had characterized their forefathers when they had boldly wandered hitherwards over strange lands and unknown seas. Thus, in her stately progress, the Royal maiden, who had braved unknown perils, advanced frankly towards the central group where stood Eochaid, in whose countenance she already read admiration and esteem.

As an arrow pierces the air, so did Jerusha in a sentence flash to heaven above, an appeal for assistance from Jehovah in the ordeal before her. Drawing up her steed some paces before the steps, the prince of Dan was already descending with the intention of assisting her to alight. " Ruler of the tribe of Dan, of the seed of Abraham, noble Prince ! " she began, in firm, clear tones, but a shout of tremendous sound rent the air and interrupted her further speech. Eochaid himself, arrested his steps as surprised at the amazing enthusiasm of his people, he, well-pleased, smilingly met the earnest gaze of Jerusha. A prolonged welcome greeted the ears of the Hebrews, the genuineness of which, even to their unaccustomed ears, appeared unmistakable. Jere miah, gratified and thankful in heart to witness this reception of his Royal charge, relaxed the solemnity of his features, and a look of deep content overspread his venerable countenance.

When the sounds of "Welcome to Tara, beautiful princess from the East ! " had ceased, the daughter of Zedekiah, thus encouraged and acknowledging by graceful gestures their kindliness, commenced once again her speech, this time not to be interrupted. Breathless silence ensued ; every ear tried to catch the tones of her voice, as in the clearest accents, and with the most courteous manner, she repeated — " Noble Prince of Dan ! the daughter of Zede kiah, King of Judah, now captive in the land of Babylon, greeteth thee, for that thou hast of thy goodness unto herself and unto her friends " (here the princess with a motion of her hand indicated the three who had taken up their position immediately behind her) " accorded a welcome unto thy dominions which hath gladdened their fainting hearts. This man of God, my Lord Jeremiah, shall inform the Prince hereafter of the unhappy causes whereby we, in the hour of our affliction, came out from the midst of Egypt, for that the Lord God had given Pharaoh over into the hand of the spoiler of Babylon, and he will tell thee wherefore we directed our course eve a vol. 11. c unto this thy kingdom.

Through the parching desert the God of Jacob led us, from the spears of the mighty He delivered us, and in the deep sea and from the roaring of the waters the Mighty One of Israel protected His servants. Tea, by land and by sea, great Prince, hath the God of thy fathers and of my fathers, even of the kings of Judah " (here the princess, pointing solemnly upwards, with devout expression of countenance and thrilling voice, fascinated her hearers, appeal ing to every heart as she concluded), " led me, the least of the daughters of Zion, unto the far off possessions of Dan, that together we might worship in spirit the everlasting Jehovah, for He only is God. Of a truth do I perceive," she con tinued, in a lighter tone, " that the ' lion's whelp ' hath 'leapt from Bashan' unto a goodly land. Like the mighty eagle, king of all the birds of the air, hath Dan in his flight alighted upon pleasant meadows and dancing waters; like a serpent in the way, like an adder in the path, hath he fallen upon the horse heels of his enemy, so that backward fell their riders in the day of battle."

" Lovely princess of Judah ! " ecstatically ex claimed Eochaid, in undisguised admiration at her noble and graceful manner, as well as at her personal beauty, which he had taken occasion to observe keenly during the foregoing address to himself, " beautiful flower of the East ! I thank thee for thy gracious words. We rejoice exceed ingly that the kingdom of Dan hath seemed good in thine eyes. Daughter of great David's House, thou art thrice welcome to the land whither our fathers of old wandered, and which my father of blessed memory did defend and strengthen from the natives of these islands, before he was gathered into Abraham's bosom. Sweet damsel, we greet thee, and will protect thee against the foes of thy father's house, come they even here to snatch thee from the arms of thy kindred of Jacob.

Say I not rightly, men of Dan ? " cried their Prince with much energy as he faced the warriors. Shouts and the clashing of shields, as they were raised on high, testified to the ready acqui escence of the brave and gallant tribesmen to agree to the proposal of their leader, for far and wide Jerusha's words had been appreciated by the manly sons of Dan. "Truly, fair daughter of Zedekiah," resumed the prince, when universal silence again permitted him to raise his voice, " do I perceive that thou has filled the hearts of my people with joy ; again art thou and thy friends welcome to my halls, for in that thou hast gladdened the brave sons of my tribe by thy surpassing beauty, and by thy match less and noble-hearted speech, thou hast con ferred also upon me a high honour in visiting my dominions.

Enter, I pray thee, into the home of my fathers," he added, as he assisted the maiden to alight. Taking her hand he led her, followed by the prophet, Miriam, and Baruch, up the grassy slope to present her to his mother and to the high officials collected there. Eoga received the princess with studied cold ness. Jerusha, although noticing the constrained manner of the mother of Eochaid, was too high bred to make any difference in her own demeanour, as she advanced with outstretched hands in Oriental fashion. Instead of responding in like manner, Eoga stiffly inclined her body. Low and sweepingly Jerusha courtesied to the Phœnician princess. Eochaid, knitting angrily his brows, muttered half aloud — " She hath no eyes for the beauty of any maiden save that of the foolish damsel she desireth me so warmly to espouse."

Striking indeed was the procession which then formed itself, and proceeded up the long and narrow halls of Tara, led by Eochaid escorting the newly-arrived princess. The Oriental robe of Syrian purple, embroidered in golden thread with mystic emblems of Judah's sacred history, denoted NOBLY WON. the Royalty of Jerusha's descent. Her massive gold ornaments, and girdle wrought of the same precious metal beset with gems, aroused the admiration of those who scarcely ever previously had beheld the precious metal. The white veil which, thrown back from the face, fluttered over the trailing robe, lent to her features an aspect of rare loveliness, heightened by the delicacy of her appearance, for Jerusha and Miriam had but just recovered from an illness following upon the effects of the shipwreck.

Perhaps it was more the majestic bearing of the princess that attracted the admiration of the sons of Dan. Nor did Baruch in his handsome attire, or Miriam in her spotless white garments em broidered in gold, pass up that throng of Israelites, who made way on every side for the illustrious guests, without causing comment. Pos sibly next in interest to the princess was the figure of Jeremiah. His intensely venerable aspect, together with his simple robe of camel's hair, as staff in hand he followed the Royal couple, without lifting his eyes from the ground, appeared almost awe-inspiring to the rude inhabitants of Tara. Where were the prophetic thoughts at that moment it will not be fitting to inquire too closely, but assuredly they were not in Ierne, for far over the limpid waters of the Great Sea they hovered over the sanctuary of Zion, recalling the departed glories of his nation, the gorgeous ceremonies of the ancient ritual of the Hebrew religion.

The peculiar costumes, mostly of skins of animals, borne by these islanders of Dan elicited from the absent seer no scrutiny, although Baruch and the nobly-born Miriam could scarcely refrain from expressions of wonder at the magnifi cent profusion of silver ornaments with which the dark mantles and garments of wolves' skin were fastened and adorned, for there was no lack of that metal in Ierne. Seated at the Royal board, Jerusha between NOBLY WON. the Prince of Dan on the one side and Eoga on the other, the remainder of the guests according to their rank, the inferiors and attendants occupying the tables which stretched away down the limits of that long, narrow hall,* which modern excavation has laid bare to the traveller, Eochaid, turning to the seer, for whom all unconsciously felt deep respect, demanded of him a recital of their journeying and adventures, as well as a recapitulation of those troubles which had come upon that land of Judah, of which he, when quite a boy, had heard his father's father speak, f * " Its value as a military position even at present is apparent, and its situation and capacity for defence doabtless caused it to be selected from the earliest times as the residence of chieftains or kings who dominated the country by the sword.

It is covered with earthworks similar to those which are common all over the country, viz., circular raths or forts, and also a long and narrow excavation is pointed out as the Hall of Tara." (The Eev. Denis Hanan.) t "There seems evidence in Scripture to prove that the tribe of Dan must have left Palestine shortly before the captivity of Ephraim. 1. Commentators are very hardly driven to account for the omission of the tribe of Dan from the list of the tribes as given in Eev. vii., 4-8. 2. When the Book of Chronicles was compiled (which everyone allows to have been after the return of the Jews from Babylon) Dan is no less omitted. In 1 Chron. v.-viii., we find the genealogy of every tribe but this one. Dan Longing for an occasion to speak, when he might unburden his mind of that which he con sidered it was his divine commission to utter, the great prophet rose to his feet.

Grandly he traced the history of the two Kingdoms of Israel's posterity, drawing aud fixing the attention of his hearers by his powerful delineations, his sublime similies, vivid descriptions, and majestic gesticula tions. He thrust words of fire home to the hearts of the assembly by identifying his hearers with the wondrous history, the stirring triumphs of those glorious days of old. That which the vague and dim traditions of their fathers had impressed upon their minds, by the force which swept all before it of the prophet's impassioned and enrapseems, then, at that time to have been ostracized as an absentee who, having voluntarily deserted the nation, was no longer to be reckoned a part of it. How can this be accounted for in any more rational way than by supposing that it had emigrated and fled for safety elsewhere ?

This is the more probable, because the tribe of Dan once more does appear upon the page of prophecy in the account of the final ingathering of the tribes at the great restoration. Hidden, therefore, and unrecorded previously, we see that by some means he is preserved to the last." (Bishop Titcomb.) tured eloquence, was recalled. In all the glowing colours of his powerful and striking language did he put before his fascinated audience, the wonder ful forbearance of the God of Jacob, whose affron ted majesty had been so repeatedly offended by the insults His chosen people had offered Him in their preference of the gods of those nations around them. The Phœnician mother flushed red with suppressed wrath when not least among those affronts to Jehovah's dignity, the aged seer mentioned the favourite god of her nation, for Baal-worship was still the religion of her kindred in the south of Ierne, and vainly had she endeavoured to arouse amongst the sons of Dan, a more fervent spirit of reverence for the solar cult she so zealously strove to establish.

With one accord the hearts of those gathered together were kindled with the patriotic ardour which mingled with every sen tence of the prophet's speech ; never previously had the strains of such magnificent oratory been heard, such convincing argument, such fervid persuasion. Jeremiah, pausing in his harangue from sheer physical exhaustion, for the perils of the journey had told upon his venerable though muscular frame, the prince urged him in the most complimentary and pressing terms to proceed, which re quest was echoed fervently by every member of the company — " My father, we pray thee to speak on. Wise man * of the East ; thy wondrous speech stirreth * " To return to the traditions, it is recorded that at a point during the rise of the four Irish Kingdoms there arrived in Ire land a princess from the East in the charge of a prophet who was accompanied by one Simon Brug.