G. A. Henty.



Chapter 1: A Shipwreck.


A few miles to the south of Bray Head, on the crest of a hill falling
sharply down to the sea, stood Castle Davenant, a conspicuous landmark to
mariners skirting the coast on their way from Cork or Waterford to Dublin
Bay. Castle Davenant it was called, although it had long since ceased to
be defensible; but when it was built by Sir Godfrey Davenant, who came
over with Strongbow, it was a place of strength. Strongbow's followers
did well for themselves. They had reckoned on hard fighting, but the
Irish were too much divided among themselves to oppose any serious
resistance to the invaders. Strongbow had married the daughter of Dermid,
Prince of Leinster, and at the death of that prince succeeded him, and
the greater portion of Leinster was soon divided among the knights and
men-at-arms who had followed his standard. Godfrey Davenant, who was a
favourite of the earl, had no reason to be dissatisfied with his share,
which consisted of a domain including many square miles of fertile land,
stretching back from the seacoast.

Here for many generations his descendants lived, for the most part taking
an active share in the wars and disturbances which, with scarcely an
interval of rest, agitated the country.

The castle had continued to deserve its name until forty years before the
time this story commences, when Cromwell's gunners had battered a breach
in it, and left it a heap of smoking ruins. Walter Davenant had died,