Kildare suffered a temporary eclipse. This was due in some measure to his hereditary rivals, the Butlers. Henry had restored their possessions to the Earls of Ormonde, who, however, continued to reside in England, and two rival members of the Butlers contested the leadership of the family in Ireland. One, Piers Butler (Piaras ” Ruadh “), was married to a daughter of Kildare, and the Deputy supported him; the other, Sir James Butler of Ormonde, had, however, the favour of the King.
fierce struggle took place between the rivals, stories were conveyed to England, and Kildare and the Geraldine officials were dismissed, Sir James Butler being appointed Treasurer (1492). (Sir James— who is also sometimes called Sir James Ormonde—was soon afterwards killed by Piers Ruadh, who figures prominently in later events as Earl of Ossory and Earl of Ormonde.)

It is evident that Henry had at length resolved to test the strength of the Geraldines, and if possible to curb their power. Kildare was the most powerful subject of the King, and his influence was even greater than that of a mere subject.
The absence of the Earl of Ormonde, and the dissensions of the Butlers, together with the absorption of the Earl of Desmond at the time in his own remote territories, had left him, without question, the most prominent of all the Irish of Norman descent.

He was steadily cultivating the friendship of the great chiefs, and his sister was married to an O’Neill (as his relative, the Earl of Desmond, was married to an O’Brien) in breach of the ” Statute of Kilkenny.” His great estates lay within easy distance of Dublin, and formed a barrier against the clans of the midlands. He, and not the Crown, was the protector of Dublin and the Pale.

A little Parliament held Sessions in Dublin, or in some other part of the Pale, or in one of the southern cities. There was a Commons’ House, in which sat representatives of the counties and boroughs of the Pale, and occasionally some representative of places more remote.

Also there were two clerical proctors from each diocese under the English influence. The House of Lords was poorly attended ; sometimes scarcely a dozen temporal peers were present at a session.All, of course, were nobles of English blood.

The bishops and abbots, the “lords spiritual,” too, came from the dioceses within or near the Pale and from Anglo-Irish monasteries.

Above : Another Picture Of King Henry V