Parliament The Parliament by the same name as it is in England and hath the same absolute Authority It consists of three States of the Lords Spiritual that is the Bishops Abbots and Priors of the Lords Temporal viz. Dukes Marquisses Earls Viscounts and Barons and the Commissioners for the Cities and Buroughs To whom were joyned not long since for every County also two * Delegati Commissioners It is called by the King at pleasure allowing a certain time for notice before it is to sit When they are convened and the causes of their meeting are declared by the King and the Chancellour the Lords Spiritual retire apart and choose eight of the Lords Temporal the Lords Temporal likewise as many out of the Lords Spiritual Then all these together nominate eight of the Knights of the Shires and as many of the Burgesses which all together make 32. and are called Lords of the Articles and with the Chancellor Treasurer Privy-Seal the King's Secretary c. admit or reject all matters that are propos'd to the States after they have been first communicated to the King After they are approved by the whole Assembly of the States they are throughly examined and such as pass by a majority of Votes are presented to the King who by touching them with his Scepter signifies the confirming or vacating of them But if the King dislikes any thing it is first razed out Next to the Parliament is the College of Justice The College of Justice or as they call it the Session which King James 5. instituted An. 1532. after the manner of the Parliament at Paris consisting of a President fourteen Senators seven of the Clergy and as many of the Laity to whom was afterwards added the Chancellor who takes place first and five other Senators three principal Clerks and as many Advocates as the Senators shall think convenient These are to administer justice not according to the rigour of the Law but with reason and equity every day except Sunday and Monday from the first of November to the fifteenth of March and from Trinity Sunday to the first of August All the space between as being the times of sowing and harvest is Vacation and intermission from Suits and matters of Law They give judgment according to Acts of Parliament and where they are defective according to the Civil Law There are besides in every County inferiour Civil Courts wherein the Sheriff or his deputy decides controversies amongst the inhabitants about ejections intrusions damages debts c. from whom upon suspicion of partiality or alliance they appeal sometimes to the Session These Sheriffs are all for the most part hereditary For the Kings of Scotland as well as of England to oblige the better sort of Gentlemen more closely to them by their favours in old time made these Sheriffs hereditary and perpetual But the English Kings soon perceiving the inconveniencies happening thereupon purposely changed them into annual There are Civil Courts held also in the Fiefs of the Crown by their respective Bailiffs to whom the King hath graciously granted Royal privileges as also in free Boroughs and Cities by their Magistrates There are likewise Courts called The Commissariat the highest of which is kept at Edenborough wherein before four Judges actions are pleaded concerning matters relating to Wills the right of Ecclesiastical Benefices Tythes Divorces c. and Ecclesiastical Causes of like nature But in almost all the other parts of the Kingdom there sits but one Judge on these Causes In criminal Causes the King 's Chief Justice holds his Courts generally at Edenborough which Office hath for some time been executed by the Earls of Argyle who depute two or three Counsellors to take cognizance of actions of life and death loss of limbs or of goods and chattels In this Court likewise the Defendant is permitted even in case of High Treason to retain an Advocate to plead for him Moreover in criminal matters Justices are sometimes appointed by the King's Commission for deciding this or that particular cause Also the Sheriffs in their territories and Magistrates in some Boroughs may sit in judgment of Manslaughter in case the Manslayer be apprehended in the space of 24 hours and having found him guilty by a Jury may put him to death But if that time be once overpast the cause is referred to the King's Justice or his Deputies The same privilege also some of the Nobility and Gentry enjoy against Thieves taken within their own Jurisdictions There are likewise who have such Royalties that in criminal causes they may exercise a jurisdiction within their own limits and in some cases recall those that dwell within their own liberties from the King's Justice provided they judge according to Law These matters as having had but a transient view of them I have lightly touched upon What manner of Country Scotland is and what men it breeds Pomponius Mela. as of old that excellent Geographer writ of Britain will in a little time more certainly and evidently be shown since the greatest of Princes hath opened a passage to it which was so long shut up In the Interim I will proceed to the Places which is a subject I am more immediately concern'd in GADENI or LADENI UPon the Ottadini or Northumberland bordered the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gadeni who by the turning of one letter upside down are called in some Copies of Ptolemy Ladeni seated in that Country lying between the mouth of the River Tweed and Edenborough-Frith Joh. Skene de Verborum significatione which is now cantoned into many petty Countries The principal of them are Teifidale Twedale Merch and Lothien in Latin Lodeneium under which general name the Writers of the middle age comprised them all a TEIFIDALE TEifidale that is to say the Valley or Dale by the River d This river divideth that part of the shire properly called Teviotdale into that which lyeth on the South and that which lyeth on the North. Tefy or Teviot lying next to England amongst cliffs of craggy hills and rocks is inhabited by a warlike people who by reason of so frequent encounters between the Scots and English in former ages are always very ready for service and sudden invasions The first place we meet with amongst these is Jedburg a Borough well frequented standing near the confluence of the Tefy and Jed from whence it takes its name and Mailros â—â—â—â—ross a very ancient Monastery wherein in the Church's infancy were Monks of that antient instituion that gave themselves to prayer and with the labour of their hands earn'd their living And more Eastward where the Twede and the Tefy joyn in one stream â—â—â—oâ—â—â—h e The Royalty of this place was transmitted to the town of Iedburgh the chief burgh-royal of the shire Rosburg called also Roxburgh and in antient times Marchidun from its being seated in the Marches where stands a Castle that by its natural situation and tow'red fortifications
first actions he determines likewise without more ado to make himself master of the Isle of Mona The Island Mona which as I have already said would have been conquer'd by Paulinus if a revolt of the whole Province had not prevented him But this design being not laid before they wanted ships for the expedition which notwithstanding were supplied by the contrivance and resolution of the General He commanded a choice body of auxiliaries who were well acquainted with those shallowes and by the custom of their native country able in swimming to govern themselves their horses and their arms at the same time to throw aside their luggage and march over suddenly Which was so effectually done that the enemy who expected a fleet and were thinking of the ships and the sea that must be first pass'd were surprised and daunted as supposing nothing could be hard or invincible to men that began a war with such resolution Thus a peace was sought the Island surrender'd and Agricola became great and famous as having upon his first entrance a time usually spent in ostentation and ceremony encounter'd so much toil and hazard with such success However Agricola not growing vain upon the success would not allow this to be a Victory or Expedition which was only to keep those in order who were formerly subdued he would not so much as suffer the news of it to be adorn'd with laurel But by this endeavour to conceal his glory he really made it the more eminent every one thinking what strong presumptions he must have of large performances hereafter that would diminish and lessen the greatness of this action Now knowing the disposition and temper of his Province and being taught by the sad experience of others that affairs would never be settled by fighting while wrongs and injuries were permitted he resolves in the next place to cut off the cause of war and to begin at himself first he made a reformation of his own family a thing no less difficult to some than to govern a Province He committed no publick business to the management of his servants or his freemen He would never advance his souldiers upon private and particular ends nor upon the recommendation and intercession of any Captain but would still raise the best taking it for granted that such would be most faithful He had an eye upon every thing but would not rigorously exact performance As for small faults he would pardon them but would severely correct those that were hainous However punishment was not always inflicted by him often the repentance of the offender was took for the offence chusing rather not to prefer such as were like to offend than to have them condemn'd for it He made the payment of corn and tribute which was imposed more easie and tolerable by laying it on equally and cutting off the exactions which were a greater grievance than the tribute it self For the people were compell'd before to wait the opening of the publick Granaries and both to buy and sell their own corn after the rate set to them The Purveyors also would command them to carry it about and into far distant places so that the Country should sometimes carry from the nearest Camps to those which were far off and out of the way till to the particular gain of these every place compounded for carrying where it might most conveniently By a redress of these grievances in the first year of his Lieutenancy he brought peace into some credit which by the neglect or connivance of his predecessors was little less odious than war it self Vespasian dy'd now abouts who upon these victories and his own personal valor under Claudius is thus address'd to by Valerius Flaccus Tuque ô Pelagi qui major aperti Fama Caledonius postquam tua carbasa vexit Oceanus Phrygios prius indignatus Iulos O you whose glorious reign Can boast new triumphs o're the conquer'd main Since your bold navy pass'd the British Sea That scorn'd the Caesars and the Roman sway Titus Emperor When Titus who was the love of the world succeeded his Father Agricola as soon as the Summer came on drew his Army together those who in their march behaved themselves modestly he commended but those who went loose and stragling were reprimanded by him He always chose the place of encampment himself and would still try the friths and thickets first in person and that his own territories might not be pillaged by the enemies he would never give them quiet or leisure by reason of his own excursions and then when he thought he had sufficiently alarm'd them he would give over that they might again tast the happiness of peace By these means many Cities which liv'd upon equal terms till that time gave hostages and submitted themselves receiving our garisons and permitting us to build castles among them which he performed with that care and prudence that these were the only new forts in Britain that were never attempted afterwards The following winter was spent in a wise project For whereas the Britains liv'd after a rude stragling manner and therefore ready to break out into open war upon every occasion that by pleasures he might induce them to rest and quietness he exhorted them privately and publickly assisted them to build Temples places of publick resort and fine houses those that were forward he commended but those who were slow and backward he reproved And thus the honor of being his favorite imposed a kind of necessity upon them Moreover he took care to have Noble mens sons brought up in the knowledge of 〈◊〉 liberal arts preferring the parts of the Britainâ— hâ—◠〈◊〉 â—se of the Gauls so that they who but lately despised the Roman language did now affect and study the graces of it From that time also our modes and dresses became in request among them and the * Toga Gown commonly wore Thus by degrees they came at last to those excitements to debauchery Portico's Baths and Banquets which went by the name of genteelness among the ignorant when they were indeed but badges of their yoke and bondage In the third year of his wars here he discovered new Countreys wasting all along as he marched to the very Taus for that is the aestuary's name Aestuarie of Tauâ— which so terrified the enemy that though our army was sadly harrassed with ill weather yet they durst not give us battle besides he had leisure to build forts and Castles where he pleased It has been observed by the skilful in these arts that no Captain whatsoever has chose out places more to advantage than he did no castle of his raising was ever taken by force surrender'd upon terms or quitted as uncapable of defence Their sallies were frequent and they were always prepar'd with a year's provision against long sieges Thus we winter'd there without fear each one being able to defend it self which disappointed the enemy and made them despair For as formerly they would regain in
safety as if no retrieve and cure could be bestowed upon the world by the mighty Physician of us all Nor was this the demeanor only of the Laity but the Clergy and Pastors too whose examples should be a guide to all others Yet many of them were notorious for their drunkenness having debauched themselves with wine to a perfect sottishness or else for being swoln with pride and wilfulness full of contention full of gall and envy and incompetent judges of good and evil So that as at this day Princes were plainly contemned and slighted and the people seduced by their own follies into boundless errors and so misguided In the mean time God intending to purge his family and reform it from such great corruptions by the bare apprehensions of imminent sufferings a former report is again broached and presently flies abroad with fair notice that now our old enemy's approaching with design to destroy us and inhabit the land as they did formerly from the one end to the other Notwithstanding all this they became not penitent but like mad horses refusing as we say the reins of reason run on upon the broad way of wickedness leaving the narrow paths which lead to happiness Wherefore as Solomon says when the obstinate servant is not reformed with chiding he is whipt for a fool and continues insensible A Plague For a contagious plague fell so outragiously among these foolish people and without the sword swept off such numbers of them that the living could scarce bury the dead But they were not yet mended by this correction that the saying of the Prophet Esay might be also fulfilled in them And God called them to sorrow and mourning to baldness and sackcloth but behold they fell to killing of calves to slaying of rams Loe they fell to eating and drinking and said withall let us eat and drink for to morrow we die For the time drew near wherein the measure of their sins like that of the Amâ—rites heretofore was filled up They took counsel together what was the most effectual and convenient course to withstand those barbarous and frequent inroads of the aforesaid nations and how the booties which they took should be divided Then the whole Council together with the proud Tyrant being blindly infatuated devise this security or rather destruction for their country that the fierce Saxons of ever execrable memory Saxons 〈◊〉 into the Island and detested by God and man should be admitted into the Island like so many wolves into the sheep-fold to defend them from the northern Nations A thing more destructive and pernicious than ever was done to this Kingdom O the mist and grossness of this sense and apprehension O the dull and blockishness of these Souls Those whom at a distance they dreaded more than death now these foolish Princes of Egypt as I may say voluntarily invite into their own houses giving as 't is said such mad counsel to Pharaoh Then that kennel of whelps issued out upon us from the den of the barbarous Lioness in three vessels called in their language Cyules but in ours long Galleys The 〈◊〉 man Câ—â—les which with full sail lucky omens and auguries pontended that they should hold the land whither they were then bound for three hundred years and that one hundred and fifty years or one half of the said time would be spent in frequent ravages Having first landed in the east part of the Island by the appointment of this unfortunate Tyrant they stuck fast there pretending to defend the country but rather oppress'd it The foresaid Lioness being advised that her first brood had succeeded pours in a larger herd of these devouring brutes which arriving here joyn themselves to the former spurious issue From henceforth the seeds of iniquity the root of bitterness those plagues justly due to our impieties shoot out and grow among us with great increase These Barbarians being received into the Island obtain an allowance of provisions pretending themselves falsly to be soldiers and willing to undergo any hardships for the sake of the kind Britains that entertained them These favours granted stopped as we may say the Curs mouth for some time Then they complain that their * * Epiâ—â—nia monthly pay was too little industriously seeking any colourable cause to quarrel declaring they would break their league and ravage the whole Island unless a more liberal maintenance was allowed them Without more ado they presently shew they were in earnest by their following actions for those causes which had pulled down vengeance on our former wickedness were still greater so that from sea to sea the country is set on fire by this prophane eastern crew who ceased not to consume all the Cities and country thereabouts till the whole surface of the Island as far as the western Ocean was burnt by these terrible flames In this devastation comparable to that of the Assyrians heretofore against Juda was also fulfilled in us according to the History that which the Prophet by way of lamention says They have burnt with fire thy sanctuary they have polluted the tabernacle of thy name in the land And again O God the Gentiles are come into thy heritage they have defiled thy holy temple c. So that all the Colonies were overturned with Engines and the inhabitants together with the Bishops Priests and all the People cut off by fire and sword together In which miserable prospect a man might likewise see in the streets the ruines of towers pulled down with their stately gates the fragments of high walls the sacred altars and limbs of dead bodies with clots and stains of blood hudled together in one mixt ruine like a wine-press for there was no other graves for the dead bodies than what the fall of houses or the bowels of beasts and fowls gave them In reading these things we ought not to be angry at honest Gildas for inveighing so keenly against the vices of his Countrymen the Britains the barbarous outrages of the Picts and Scots and the insatiable cruelty of our Saxon Ancestors But rather being now by engrafting or mixture for so many ages become all of us one people and civilized by religion and liberal arts let us reflect upon what they were and we ought to be lest God likewise for our sins transplant other nations hither that may root us quite out or at least enslave us to them Britains of ARMORICA â—â—ldas IN these miserable and most woful times some remains of the poor Britains being found in the mountains were there butchered in great numbers others pinched with famine surrendered themselves to the enemy as their slaves for ever provided they might not presently be put to death which was to be taken for a very great favor Some retired beyond sea singing under their spread sails after a howling manner instead of a parting song to this purpose Thou hast given us O Lord as sheep to be devoured and scattered us among the heathen
dark stars with her refulgent train There Earth and Ocean their embraces join Here Ganges Danube Thermadon and Rhine And fruitful Nile in costly sculpture shine Above the rest Great Britain sits in state With golden fleeces cloath'd and crown'd with wheat And Gallick spoils lye trampled at her feet c. Here awful Isis fills his liquid throne Isis whom British streams their monarch own His never-wearied hands a spatious urn Down on his azure bosom gravely turn And flaggs and reeds his unpoll'd locks adorn Each waving horn the subject stream supplies And grateful light darts from his shining eyes His grizzly beard all wet hangs dropping down And gushing veins in wat'ry chanels run The little fish in joyful numbers crowd And silver swans fly o'er the crystal flood And clap their snowy wings c. Now as to what relates to the Earls of Glocester Earls of Gâ—ocester some have obtruded upon us William Fitz-Eustace for the first Earl Who this was I have not yet met with in my reading and l believe there was never such an one extant kk but what I have found I will not conceal from the Reader 'T is said that about the Norman Invasion one Bithrick a Saxon was Lord of Glocester Hist Monast against whom Maud the wife of William the Norman was highly exasperated Tewkesbury for the contempt of her beauty for he refus'd to marry her and so maliciously contrived his ruin and when he was cast into prison his estate was granted by the Conquerour to Robert the son of Haimon of Curboyle in Normandy commonly call'd Fitz-Haimon Fitz. Haimon who receiving a blow on the head with a Pole Guil. Malm. lived a great while raving and distracted His daughter Mabel by others call'd Sybil was married to Robert natural son of King Henry 1. who was made first Earl of Glocester and by the common writers of that age is call'd Consul of Glocester a man above all others in those times of a great and undaunted spirit that was never dismay'd by misfortunes and performed heroick and difficult actions with mighty honour in the cause of his sister Maud against Stephen the usurper of the crown of England His son William succeeded in the honour 31 Who dejected with comfortless grief when death had deprived him of his only son and heir assured his estate with his eldest daughter to John son to K. Henry 2. with certaine proviso's for his other daughters whose 3 daughters conveyed the dignity to so many families †John when he had obtained the kingdom repudiated her upon pretences as well that she was barren as that they were within prohibited degrees of consanguinity and reserving the castle of Bristow to himself after some time passed over his repudiated wife with the honour of Glocester to Geoffrey Mandevile son of Geoffrey Fitz-Peter Earl of Essex for 20000 marks who thus over marrying himself was greatly impoverished and wounded in Tournament died soon after without issue she being re-married to Hubert of Burgh died immediately The eldest Isabella brought this title to John the son of K. Henry 2. but when he had possessed himself of the throne he procured a divorce from her and sold her for 20000 marks to Geoffry de Mandeville son of Geoffry son of Peter Earl of Essex Pat. 15. Joan. R. 4. and created him Earl of Glocester He being dead without issue Almaric †Ebroicensis son to the Earl of Eureux had this honour conferred upon him as being born of Mabil 32 The eldest the youngest daughter of Earl William aforesaid But Almaric dying also childless the honour descended to Amicia the second daughter who being married to Richard de Clare Earl of Hertford was mother to Gilbert de Clare Earl of Glocester 33 Who was stiled Earl of Glocester and Hertford and mightily enrich'd his house by marrying one of the heirs of William Marshall Earl of Pembroke His son and successor Richard in the beginning of the Barons Wars against K. Hen. 3. ended his life having Gilbert his son to succeed him who powerfully and prudently swayed much in the said wars as he inclined to them or the King He obnoxious to K. Edw. 1. surrendred his lands unto him and received them again by marrying Joan the King's daughter sirnamed of Acres in the Holy Land bâ—cause she was there born to his second wife who bore unto him Gilbert Clare last Earl of Glocester of this sirname slain in the flower of his youth in Scotland at the battel of Sterling in the sixth year of K. Edw. 2. Earls of Glocester and Hertford whose son Richard and his grandson Gilbert 2. and great grandson Gilbert 3. who fell in the battel at Sterling in Scotland successively inherited this title But in the minority of Gilbert 3. 34 Sir Ralph Ralph de Montehemer who did clandestinely espouse the widow of Gilbert 2. and * Call'd Jeanna D'Acres because born at Acon daughter of Edward 1. 35 For which he incurred the King's high displeasure and a short imprisonment but after reconciled was summoned to Parliaments by the name of Earl of Glocester and Hertford But when Gilbert was out of his minority he was summoned among the Barons by the name of Sir Ralph de Mont-hermer as long as he lived which I note more willingly for the rareness of the example for some time enjoy'd the title of Earl of Glocester But when Gilbert had arrived at the age of 21 years he claimed the title and was call'd to serve in Parliament amongst the Barons After Gilbert 3. who died childless 36 Sir Hugh Le de Spencer Hugh de Spencer or Spencer jun. is by writers stiled Earl of Glocester in right of his wife who was the eldest sister of Gilbert 3. But he being hang'd by the Queen and her Lords in despight to Edward 2. Tho. de la Marc in the life of Ed. 2. whose Favourite he was 37 Sir Hugh Audley Hugh de Audley who married the other sister by the favour of Edward 3. obtained the honour After whose death King Richard 2. erected this title into a Dukedom of which there were three Dukes with one Earl between and to them all it was unfortunate and fatal and brought them to their ruin Thomas of Woodstock Earl of Buckingham the youngest son of King Edward 3. Dukes of Glocester was the first that was dignify'd with the title of Duke but presently fell into the displeasure of King Richard 2. for being an ambitious man of an unquiet spirit he was surprised and sent to Calais and there smothered he with a Feather-bed having before made a confession under his hand as appears in the Parliament Rolls that by virtue of a Patent which he had extorted from the King he had arrogated to himself Regal Authority appear'd armed in the King's presence contumeliously revil'd him consulted with learned men how he might renounce his Allegiance and
in a winding chanel sometimes broad and sometimes narrow runs through many Counties as we have already observed The chief families are the O Rorcks O Murreies Mac Lochleims Mac Glanchies and Mac Granells all pure Irish John de Burgo the son of Richard Earl of Clan-Ricard who was made Baron Letrim Baron Letrim by Queen Elizabeth and soon after slain by some malicious rivals took his title as some say from another place and not from this Letrim and I have not certainly discovered the truth of that matter The County of ROSCOMAN BElow Letrim to the south lyes the County of Roscoman first made by Henry Sidney Lord Deputy of great length but very narrow bounded on the west by the river Suc on the east by the Shanon and on the north by the Curlew mountains Curlew-â—ountains This is for the most part a Champian country fertile well stock'd with cattle and ever plentiful in its corn-harvests if assisted with a little good husbandry and tillage Towards the north are the Curlew-mountains steep and unpassable till with much pains and difficulty a way was cut through them by George Bingham and famous for the slaughter of 35 Sir Coniers Clifford Coniers Clifford Governor of Conaught and other brave old soldiers cut off there not very long since by his negligence There are four Baronies in this County first the Barony of Boile Barony of Boile under the Curlew-mountains upon the Shanon where formerly stood a famous monastery founded in the year 1152 together with the Abbey of Beatitude * Mac-Dermot quasi rerum potitur Balin Tober This is the Seigniory of Mac Dermot Next the Barony of Balin Tobar upon the Suc where O Conor Dun has the chief power and interest neighbouring upon the Bishoprick of Elphin Lower down lyes Roscoman Roscoman the Barony of O Conor Roo that is Conor the red wherein stands the head town of this County fortified with a castle built by Robert Ufford Lord Chief Justice of Ireland the houses of the town are all thatch'd More southward lyes Athlone Athlone the Barony of the O-Kellies so called from the principal town in it which has a castle a garison and a fair stone bridge built within the memory of this age by Henry Sidney Lord Deputy at the command of Queen Elizabeth who designed to make this the seat of the Lord Deputy as most convenient to suppress insurrections The Lords of CONAGHT IT appears by the Irish Histories that Turlogh O Mor O Conor formerly reigned over this Country and divided it between his two sons Cahel and Brien But when the English invaded Ireland it was governed by Rotheric under the title of Monarch of Ireland who was so apprehensive of the English power that he submitted himself to King Henry the second without the hazard of a battle Soon after he revolted and thereupon Conaght was first invaded by Milo-Cogan an English man but without success However the King of Conaght was reduced to such straits that he was fain to acknowledge himself a liege-man of the King of England's Rog. Hove ac 1175. p. 312. Claus 7. Joâ—nnis so as to serve him faithfully as his man and pay him yearly for every ten head of cattle one hide vendible c. Yet by the grant of King John he was to have and to hold the third part of Conaght to him and his heirs for 100 marks However this County was first subdued and civilized by William Fitz-Adelme whose posterity is the De Burgo's in Latin or as the Irish call them the Burks and Bourks Robert Muscogros Gilbert Clare Earl of Glocester and William de Bermingham William de Burgo or Bourks and his posterity under the title of Lords of Conaght governed this and the County of Ulster for a long time in great peace and enjoyed considerable revenues from them But at last it went out of the family by the only daughter of William de Burgo sole heir to Conaght and Ulster who was married to Leonel Duke of Clarence son to King Edward the third He generally residing in England as well as his successors the Mortimers this estate in Ireland was neglected so that the Bourks The Bourks their relations and stewards here finding their Lords absent and England embroiled at that time confederated with the Irish by leagues and marriages seized upon almost all Conaght as their own and by little and little degenerated into the Irish barbarity Those of them descended from Richard de Burgo are called Clan Ricard others Mac William Oughter i.e. Higher others Mac William Eughter i.e. Lower So those of greatest interest in the County of Maio were simply called Mac William assumed as a title of much honour and authority as descended from William de Burgo already mentiond 36 Under countenance of which name they for a long time tyranniz'd over the poor Inhabitants with most grievous exactions ULSTER ALL that part of the Country beyond the mouth of the river Boyn the County of Meath and Longford and the mouth of the river Ravie on the North make up the fifth part of Ireland called in Latin Ultonia and Ulidia in English Ulster in Irish Cui Guilly i.e. Province of Guilly and in Welsh Ultw In Ptolemy's time it was wholly peopl'd by the Voluntii Darni Robogdii and the Erdini This is a large Province water'd with many considerable loughs shelter'd with huge woods fruitful in some places and barren in others yet very green and sightly in all parts and well stock'd with Cattle But as the soil for want of culture is rough and barren so the Inhabitants for want of education and discipline a This is to be understood of the Irish Inhabitants who are now so routed out and destroyed by their many Rebellions and by the accession of Scots who for the most part inhabit this Province that there are not supposed to be left 10000 Irish able and sit to bear Arms in all Ulster are very wild and barbarous Yet to keep them in subjection and order for neither the bonds of justice modesty nor other duty could restrain them this hither part was formerly divided into three Counties Louth Down and Antrimme and now the rest is divided into these seven Counties Cavon Fermanagh Monaghan Armagh Colran Tir Oen and Donegall or Tirconell by the provident care of 37 Sir John John Perott Lord Deputy Jo. Perot Lord Deputy 1585. a man truly great and famous and thoroughly acquanted with the temper of this Province For being sensible that nothing would more effectually appease the tumults of Ireland than a regulation and settlement of these parts of Ulster he went himself in person thither in that troublesome and dangerous time when the Spanish descent was so much expected there and in England and by his gravity and authority while he took care to punish injurious actions which are ever the great causes of dissention and War gain'd so much respect among
so he arose and after some few steps fell down upon his knees again Acknowledging his offences to God and his most gracious Princess and Soveraign Queen Elizabeth upon whose royal mercy and goodness he now wholly relied and to whose discretion he submitted both his life and fortune humbly beseeching that as he had felt her mercy heretofore and did her power now at this time so he might once more taste her clemency and be an example of it to future ages That neither his age was so great his body so weak nor his mind so much broken but he might expiate this rebellion by his loyalty and good service hereafter Beginning to tell them in extenuation of his â—â—â—me that by the malice and envy of some he had been â—â—rdly dealt with Here the Lord Deputy interrupted â—im saying with great majesty which is the most graceful eloquence in a soldier that he would suffer no excuse in a crime so hainous and so in few words ordered him to withdraw and the day following took him along with him to Dublin designing to carry him from thence into England to the Queen that she might take what course she thought fit with him But in the mean while this excellent Princess a little after she had received the news that this rebellion was extinguished which had troubled her so long and was the only thing wanting to compleat her glory left this life with great ease and piety for a better Thus the Irish war or rather the rebellion of the Earl of Tir-Oen which sprung from private resentments and ambition and was suffered to grow up by the neglectful and sparing Counsels in England spread over all Ireland under the pretence of restoring religion and liberty and continued by reason of the base emulation of the English the avarice of the veterans the artifice and feign'd submissions of the Earl the rugged situation of the Country and the nature of the people who depend less upon their arms than their heels as also by reason of the credulity of some ministers and the corruption of others the encouragement of one or two fortunate engagements and of those supplies of men and money sent them from Spain was now at last in the eighth year under the government of Queen Elizabeth of sacred memory extinguished by the conduct of 68 Sir Charles Charles Blunt Baron of Montjoy Lord Deputy who was upon that account made Earl of Devonshire by King James for his good service and an everlasting peace as we hope established in that Kingdom The Antient and Modern Customs of the IRISH. 'T IS here requisite I should say something of the Manners of the Irish As for their antient manners the account I give of them is borrowed from old writers but their later customs are recited from the accurate observations of a modern Author both learned and industrious The old Irish being rude and barbarous like all other nations in this part â—f the world are thus described by the Antients Strabo l. 4. I can say noting of Ireland upon good authority but that the people â—e more barbarous than the Britains They feed upon ma's flesh and 〈…〉 but 〈◊〉 Eâ—â—â—me 〈◊〉 â—pon 〈◊〉 and â—â—â—s eat to excess They look upon it as a credit â—o eat up the bodies of their dead Parents and not only to lye with strange women but with their own mothers and â—â—sters However I must caution the Reader that I pretenâ— not to warrant the truth of this relation Thus much is certainly reported that man's flesh was eat among the Sâ—thians nay and that in the extremities of a siege or sâ— the Gauls Spaniards and many others have frequently â—ne it Pomponius Mela lib. 3. Thâ—â—nhabitants are barbarous and have no sense either of Vâ—tue or Religion Solinus cap. 24. Those that câ—quer besmear their faces with the blood of the slain and know no distinction between right and wrong When a â—â—n-child is born the mother feeds it upon the point of 〈◊〉 husband's sword thinking this ominous and wishing afâ—â—r their heathenish way that its fortune may be to dye in â—he midst of war and arms Such as affect gaiety garnâ— the hilts of their swords with the teeth of Sea-monsters â—hich are as white as Ivory For here they value themselves chiefly upon the fineness and well keeping of their arms These are their antient customs As for their usages of the middle age we have them in Giraldus Cambrensis and in others from him But as for their later customs they are described by a certain modern Author whom I take to be J. Good a Priest educated at Oxford and School-master at Limerick in the year 1566. from whom I shall transcribe them Yet since I promised but just now some account of the administration of Justice among them I 'll first make bold to acquit my self of thaâ— under taking The great men O prefixt to the names of the Noblemen of Ireland by way of excellency who have the fourth vowel prefix'd to their names to denote their quality and eminence as O-Neal O-Rork O-Donell c. and others likewise who have Mac put before their names enjoy a large prerogative whereby they Lord it at a high rate and by the tributes taxes and other Impositions which they exact from their poor vassals for maintaining of their Soldiers Galloglasses Kernes and Horsemen they make them very miserable especially in a time of civil war for then they quite drein and impoverish them These Grandees have their own Lawyers whom they call Breahans Breahans as the Goths did theirs Bellagines an ignorant paultry sort of people who at certain set times try the causes of the neighbourhood upon the very top of some high hill The Plaintiff opens his cause before them with great complaint of the injuries he has suffer'd to which the Defendant pleads Not guilty If the Defendant is convicted of robbery they either fine him according to his demerits or award restitution These great men have likewise their particular Historians to chronicle the famous actions of their lives Physitians too and Poets whom they call Bards and Harpers who have all of them their several estates and possessions allowed them and in each territory there are certain particular families for nothing else but these employments for instance one for Breabans another for Historians and so of â—he rest who take care to instruct their children and relations in their own respective professions Professions hereditary and by that means leave always one or other of the same race to succeed them Among the Grandees the rules of succession and inheritance are little heeded whoever is descended of a good family and hâ—s the most power retinue and courage assumes the Sovereignty either by election or usurpation and excludes the sons and nearest relations of the person deceased being after their barbarous rate enthron'd in a stone seat plac'd in the open air upon a certain hillock At the same time a successor is