16 NOVEMBER 1912, Page 30

HENRY TH.'S HISTORIC FORMULA. [To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."]

SIR,—It was of the Earl of Kildare and not of the Earl of Desmond that Henry VII. issued his famous dictum. One of his Council had complained, "All Ireland cannot govern this Earl." Henry replied, "Then let this Earl govern all Ireland." It was but the sequel, according to Fronde, of a brilliant, if insolent, display of wit on the part of the Earl, who had been accused to the Council by the Archbishop of Cashel of having burned his cathedral. The Earl of Kildare confessed he had, but retorted, "By Jesus, I would not have done it if I had not been told that ray Lord Archbishop was inside."—I am, Sir, Ravenscroft, Windermere. LUKE KENDALL.