Second Expedition of Richard II
Richard at once determined upon a second expedition to chastise the Irish, and again landed at Waterford (June 1399). With an army nearly as large as on his first visit, he proceeded to Kilkenny, and from that city he marched directly against Mac Murrough. Slowly retreating across the Barrow and the Slaney, Art kept up a continuous opposition to the English King’s advance.
Richard burned the villages on his way, and forced the peasantry to cut passages through the woods. But his army was harassed and tormented by Mac Murrough’s active warriors, who constantly hovered around it, obstructing its progress, cutting off supplies, and defeating scattered parties. To a conciliatory message from Richard, the defiant reply of Art was ” that he was rightful King of Leinster, and would never cease from war and the defence of his country until his death.”
The starving and disheartened English army laboriously toiled through the mountains, and at length reached the coast near Arklow. There ships came with provisions, and so famished were the soldiers that they rushed into the sea to seize the food.
Return and Fate oi Richard.—Richard then made his way to Dublin, Mac Murrough’s little army of 3,000 men, still intact, skirmishing on his flanks.
Then, to the ” great joy of the English camp,” Art sent in an ambassador and the Earl of Gloucester was sent to treat with him. The meeting took place in a mountain glen not far from the sea, supposed to be the ” Vale of Avoca.” But the Earl returned without profit, for Art would consent to no terms but unconditional peace and pardon, and Richard continued his march to Dublin.
From that city he dispatched his army in three divisions against Mac Murrough and offered a reward for his head. For six weeks he vainly waited in Dublin for some result. Suddenly came the news that his cousin Henry, Duke of Lancaster, had landed in England and claimed the throne.
Gathering in most of his forces, Richard sailed for England (September 1399), there to be captured, deposed, and murdered.
