A Scourge for Rebels Wherin are many notable seruices truly set out and thorowly discoursed of with euerie particular point touching the troubles of Ireland as farre as the painfull and dutiful seruice of the Earle of Ormound in sundrie sortes is manifestfestly knowen Written by Thomas Church-yard Gentleman Imprinted at London for Thomas Cadman 1584. Churchiards Armes To the Right honourable my verie good Lord the Lord Haward of Effingam Lorde Chamberlaine of the Queenes Maiesties houshold one of her Highnesse priuie Councell and Knight of the most noble order of the Garter Thomas Church-yard wisheth increase of honour and many happie newe yeeres AS all worldly giftes good tournes faithful friendship and true affection springs of good wil so my good Lord a certaine kind of seruiceable liking towards your Honour thrusteth me forwarde to this boldnesse in presenting your L. a little bare worke of mine being stirred thervnto First for the general fauour that the world beares you a loue not wonne without desert and next for the fauour your noble Parents shewed me I am encouraged not onely to proceede to present some matter meete for you to reade but likewise to shew my selfe thankefull for fauour receiued So in waying those causes as becomes me and knowing the good consideration your Lordship carries in sounde iudgement of friendes that time did plant trueth makes growe and triall doeth gather I bethought me of the Earle of Ormounde who honoured your Parentes and loueth your selfe in whiche conceite of mine I found that you hearing well of that woorthie friend by my meanes woulde beleeue I were zealous of your Honour and a fauourer of noble actions Wherefore and in respect a writer ought to be plaine I treate plainly in my booke of the Earle of Ormoundes seruices knowne to many and hid to a few naming him the scourge of Rebels as truely I proue Which presumption of mine in that regard and glorie of his in gayning good report I trust your Lordeship will peyze in ballaunce of equall weight iudging me to boldnes as I merite and his deseruings as they shal compell by proofe to credite So wishing great grace good happe to your L. I present this my first new yeeres gift in the latter time of mine age to your Honour and the worldes iudgement Your L. humblie at comment Thomas Church-yard To the louing Reader MY waking goodwil to the world first for the pleasuring of friends generally to please the multitude keepes my 〈◊〉 alwaies occupied in suche matter as the time bringeth forth whiche time is mother nurse aswel to bad causes as to good actioÌ„s And it is sufferable to a true Writer to treate of both the â—â—des as the maner and nature in thinges discoursed of giueth light vnto So finding plentie store of matter both to study on trauaile with I cannot but for easing my burden impart a peece of my study with thee of vertunous disposition good friendly Reader not that my wordes haue such effect to worke a common commodity leade thee to like my doinges voyde of cunning style eloquence but to winne thy fauour creeping as I may vnder thy sounde consideration I laye my selfe playne open to the iudgement and hastie opinions of many which sodainely condemne slowly allow the labour of willing writers The grounde whereof proceedes not of enuie but of further cause then I name Ignoraunce peraduenture a let for the true vnderstanding of matter well meant yet my hope is thy grauitie and goodnesse that beares with my ouerbolde presumption will accept my good meaning passe ouer the faults of my booke fantasies I had when I took in hand to write this Discourse The truth is in sleeping softly on the cushion or carpet of peace where age is contente to take a nappe the sounde of Drumme and Trumpet awakened my muse For a loude blast and brute of Irishe warres bade me looke about me and here what might be saide by good seruices for the scourging of Rebelles Then hearinge the fall or tragedie of Desmond the faithful seruices and noblenesse of Ormound with many more thinges then nowe I expresse I tooke pen and registred in memorie what was moste meete and fitte for thee to knowe in causes not yet published by anie true report or Writer doubting not though the matter be but little the trueth thereof shal greatly delight thee So commending all that followes to thy vpright iudgement I craue and earnestly desire thee wishingly to reade this small discourse called The Scourge for Rebels Promising out of hande to print another woorke called A rebuke to rebellion and a triumph to true Subiectes So farewell A Scourge for Rebels of matter touching duetifull seruices that merites immortall fame wherein rebels are scourged and discoursed of which seruices chiefly by the Earle of Ormound and noble Souldiers vnder his charge were manfully begunne worthily mainteined and happily ended WHereas men of good mindes studious to set out trueth Louers of vertue Haters of vice Fauourers of common weale haue framed themselues members of the state writers of good thinges woorthie memorie that craueth witnesse of the beste wittes haue taken paines in publishing manye volumes well penned and printing of bookes needefull for this time necessary for al ages to read behold in time to come and in manner written partly on reportes and partly on experience by viewe haue set downe not onely their owne opinions in matters treated of but also haue made rehearsall of many mens actions and last out the seruices of a very honourable and valiaunt Earle named the Earle of Ormounde whose noblenes both in nature and condition argues a great minde and commands a multitude to speake wel of For which cause the rather to encourage valiant hearts to continue in vertuous actions a thing looked for in eche degree and calling that may aduaunce the hardy and stoute parsonages I haue aduentured to put pen to paper in the behalfe especially of some heretofore long forgotten and others both presently to be praised and hereafter may be worthy of great renowne and credit And to be plaine writers are so small regarded worlde so enuious and people so greedy of their owne glorye that fewe goes about to blow the blast of good fame towardes any worthy mans aduancement Such is our weakenes of goodwill and shortnes of breath that we can spare no speeches wel spent and bestowed to the benefice of such as deserues wel whose doings claimes good liking and a generall good report of the world Yet commonly the best sort of companies being inclined to noble disposition are glad to heare the worthy commended with sweete wordes furthers the fame of any one that merits commendation The trueth of things is wel bestowed among such people nothing should be hid from their knowledge that so thankfully welcomes the wel doing of others And in effect no enterprise of value is taken in hand but in hope that labour and
paines shoulde reape commodity and praise a good worke may not scape vnrewarded and what better worke can there bee then to cut off sicke and rotten members from a sound and hole bodie I meane who can be better occupied then those that would weed out of a common weale a number of cankred mindes infected with corrupt manners that may sodainly wound harmlesse hearts and breake the common society of good men Is there any labour more laudable seruice more famous life more toilesome or exercises more noble then stil to be busied for the preseruation of a Prince and countrie And who I pray you liues in more hazard eates with lesse quietnes sleepes in more daunger or tasteth so many miseries as the Souldier that only seekes his countries glorie and his owne credite Deserues not that man an euerlasting renowme that refuseth no iourney shuns no seruice nor auoydes no action to doe his countrie good Ye shal reade how the Romaines rewarded the valiancy of men with a Crowne called the Crowne Ciuique which albeit it was but of speciall greene leaues yet was it as muche or more esteemed then some golden crownes that Emperors ded weare in triumph as diuers Authours thereof makes mention And where such Souldiers crowned in this manner repaired either in open pastimes priuace playes and Comedies or in any noble assembly where honour is to be receiued and looked for the sacred Senate and generally the whole Senators altogether would arise from their seates of maiestie shewe a certaine salutation towardes the honourable souldier at his comming to their presence and further to animate couragious mindes there was alwayes an honourable place prepared a part from common people for the souldier Wherby the world might see the souldiers worthines and learne to regard men worthely whose seruice deserued great reputation But looke now what great mighty matters were brought to passe in that age what victories were woonne what tryumphs were obtayned and what riches and treasure was gotten by the inuincible courage of meane and by meane of the honour that souldiers and citizens of Rome possessed Among the East Indians at this present day souldiers are so reuerenced and made of that the meane people muste not onely giue them way curtesie but also must labour for their maintenance yea their stipends and liuing are so greate by a publike prouision that they alwayes liue and feed on the common treasure and euery thing is allotted and appointed them as it came by inheritaunce and were possessed from their parentes Did not king Alexander the great in the beginning and middle of his conquests cause souldiers to be honoured made orders and lawes that no man should doe them iniurie since his dayes as wel as before his time when a souldier should be iudged by a free libertie graunted from kinges he might appeale to Cesar from the lawes of the land and so in euery sort his priuiledge was so great that al manner of men knew him to be honourable Though duty and good disposition halleth men forward to aduenture great attempts and seruices if same should be kept from them their warme good willes woulde waxe colde and wearines would quickly ouercome the willingest mind that euer followed marshall affaires For as the dumbe beast being cherished and comforted with his maysters sweete entertainement drawes as seemeth with a better delighte in labour and forsakes neyther foule waye nor harde aduenture for eache sensible manne feelinge some encouragemente in his traueile goes on Iustely to his businesse and thinkes the lesse of greate burdens because some hope leades him forewarde and helpes to ease his ouercharged Bodye and shoulders fayre woordes with some fruit and gentle behauiour I tel you towleth some forward that otherwise would dragge farre behind perswades great content to an aspiring mind that gapes after glory and is nourished with good hope Nowe since in our elders dayes of great antiquity souldidiers had countenance and credite that qualified their carefull turmoylinges and recompensed their labours with a blast of noble reporte this our tyme presente muste of compulsion by meane of their prerogatiue yeelde them praises condigne for their deseruinges and fit for personages of manly spirite and towardnes So if all nations times allow necessary fame to valiant mindes and reason graunts that good men should be honored especially in a naughty world because desire of fame breedes many woorthy actions wee may the better and with greater holdnesse enterprise to register them in the renowmed booke of commendation All this before by me written meante onely of souldiers that serue and haue serued agaynste forraine enemyes Then what Tytle what honour shall I giue them and what style shall I holde in the honouring of those that continuallie agaynste Rebelles haue shewed theyr vttermoste force and pollicye whiche seruices of theirs springes of maruellous trueth and affection and ought not to be forgotten of no posterity nor nation the consequent is so greate thereof and the constancie so muche in them that pursues Rebelles that no mannes penne is able sufficientlie to prayse them aright For they are suche profitable proppes and pillers of the publike pillers of the publike weale that they maye marche nexte vnto honourable Councellours whose wisedome trice out follies and whose grauity graciously gouernes And so to be short if conscience confesseeth that eche man dooynge well shall possesse immortall prayse I may not forgette and vtterlye leaue out the noble Actes and seruices of mine auncient Friende the woorthye Earle of Ormounde whose deedes when you heare thoughe you were mortall enemyes you shal maruel of and when you consider the the substaunce thereof throughlye you that haue power and abilitie shal imitate his steppes and bee followers after the light of so noble a lanterne that in the darkest times doubtefullest dayes and most obscure season hath shewed brightnesse and like a blasing starre hath stood stiffly in a fixed place and cast a cleere light so farre that al the beholders may be gladde thereof and wel therein First for that the Countrey of Irelande hath beene a long whyle subiecte to sundrye seditions and sorrowful calamities moste miserable for them selues and chargeable to the Prince the reformation whereof hath coste manye a woorthye mannes lyfe and the greater hath growen the griefes because diuers of that Nation neglecting their dueties haue hadde small care of the common tranquillitye and peace of poore people by which insolence rebellion hath beene bredde and shamelesse dissention set abroche And continuing in extremitye verye sore woundes and maymes the publique state hath sustayned til GOD of his goodnesse raysed vppe some suche members as sought nothing but redresse and quietnesse It happened in a number of seruices that one Noble manne was so fortunate because of his fideltye that manye of the reste didde feare him and therefore soughte his ouerthrow but he being armed with a iust quarrel and minding to scourge Rebels omitted no occasion to take the
enemies at aduantage but howsoeuer he chaunced to finde them he fortunately suppressed their pride and followed the faithful course and forme of a most noble captaine And because it shalbe seene to the worlde orderly what heedid herein shal bee set downe the matter place and time of a part of his honourable seruices to the intent it shall not dwell in forgetfulnesse and to encourage other noble personages in doing their countrey good to treade the steppes of the noble Earle of Ormound I remembring his forwardnes in the young king Edwards dayes with whom he was brought vp and the charge he had of some horsemen in Queene Maries raigne against Rebels in England haue called in like manner to minde the seruice hee did against the Omoores and the Oconnors in their rebellion of Ireland also the ouerthrowing of Dunloghe Oswilleuane Moores chiefest house is woorthie note for it was in time of Rebellion with other ordinary seruices that alwaies did testifie that this Earle was a sharpe scourge to Rebels And to proue that his daily desire thirsted after noble enterprises for the punishment of malefactors he serued chargeably and in no little daunger on his owne proper coste and expence with two hundred footemen and fiftie horsemen in Ulster the North parte of Irelande against Iohn Oneale who was in open action of rebellion manie and sundrie seasons In the like manner all on his own charge he serued against the scot called Iames Maconell in Ulster whose force he ouerthrewe to the number of two thousand men and in the ende droue the scot to flye away Then hauing charge of Thomounde by vertue of the Queenes highnes commission hee tooke all the Castles and hoâ—â—es thereof in spite of the Earle of Thomounde who was in rebellion slue diuers of his men and brought others of them to submission compelling the Earle himselfe for safegarde of his life to flie into Fraunce where hee remayned vntill her Maiestie on her meere clemencie pardoned his life and restored his landes The Earle of Thomoundes mother notwithstanding was Aunt to the Earle of Ormounde which shewes that neither respect of blood nor friendship could hinder any peece of dutiful seruice In another greate seruice the Earle of Ormound hearing that Desmound went about to annoy Syr Maurice fitz Gerralt late vicount of the Desies he raised a power and mette Desmounde in the fielde gaue him battaile at Athmanie slue fiue hundred of his men tooke himselfe captiue and sente him into England where he remayned till the Queenes highnesse vouchesafed to remit his offence and returned him home to his countrey Nowe in processe of time my Lord of Ormounde by the Queenes appointment became gouernor of Mounster in the beginning of Desmondes last reuolt when hee had of Rebels about him two thousand able men but he was folowed so fast and so hardly beset by suche as were appointed for that purpose that he was driuen to manie extremities partely by the ayde and aduice of the L. Iustice Syr William Pelham and partly by the policie and power of the Lord Gouernour who chiefly was general in the field that of two thousand men the Desmound was left but one bare hundred and as it seemed and may be prooued the Earle of Ormounde was cause of the weakening of the enemies force as hereafter you maye reade when it comes to that point But the L. Gouernour being remoued from that charge came into England from whence after some time spent there about necessarie causes he was sent againe to his former gouernement of Mounster with most noble authoritie and commission and being arriued in Irelande he made heade against the Desmound with whom was a thousand tall souldiers that were gathered together in the absence of the Earle of Ormound He comming to scourge these Rebels and finding the enemies force strong tooke order both by watch spial disciplyne of Warre and warlike deuises to supplante Desmoundes determination and marchinge in marshall manner towardes the enemyes his verye countenaunce daunted so muche Desmoundes companye that they fell to their woonted feare where they thoughte them in moste safetye but beeynge painefullye followed and pursued moste fiercelye as Rebelles shoulde bee they fell from flyinge and fightinge to yeeldinge and crauinge of mercye so euen as the matter fell out in the pursuite yee shall reade as followes the names of some fewe of the chiefest that were slayne beeyng Leaders of companies and menne of accounte amongest the traytours Henry fitz Gerralt base brother to Syr Iames fitz Gerralt of the Desies Kennedy mac Bryen mac Brien Ogonaghs sonne Gibbon Roe Lord of the great wood The Deane of Brohils sonnes the Earle of Desmoundes receiuer Connoghore O Multean Daniel Mantagh foster brother to Sir Iohn of Desmond Rowrie Moel mac Conoghane Mac Thomas thiefe of his name Mauryce Uale Iames Uale Brownes of the Earle of Desmoundes foster Brothers William Graueye sonne to mac Bryen Ogonagh with manye more too tedious to be recited besides two hundred fortie sixe of their menne and confederates that were put to the sworde and executed in such manner as diuers other Rebelles beeyng greatlye terrifled therewith were fayne to submit themselues to the Queenes Highnesse mercie And further the Lord Gouernour caused al the Cattle of the Countrie to bee brought out of Desmoundes reache into places of strength whereby Desmounde and suche of his companye as remained with him were brought to most miserable state driuen for want of other relief to feed vpon horse-fleshe and carrion in suche sort as with very harde shifte they saued them selues from being sterued And thus was the Earle of Desmound of al his force consumed and lefte accompanyed onelie with seuen menne and his Priest who from the tenthe of the laste Iulie hidde them in a glinne within Sleaueloghra hauing no other foode the space of seuen Weekes there but sixe Plowegarrans whereon they fedde without eyther breade drinke or other sustenaunce About the twentieth of September laste Desmounde beyng hardly followed by certaine Kearnes appoynted by the L. General to serue against that traytour his priest was taken from him with another of his men and brought to the Earle of Ormound Since whiche time the Earle of Desmounde was relieued by a Captaine of Galloglas called Gohorra mac Donnagha mac Sweenye whereof the Earle of Ormounde hauing aduertisement by suche as hee imployed to doe that seruice pursued hym into Olearies Countrie where hee tooke the moste parte of his goodes and lefte no reliefe for him nor Desmounde insomuche as the first of the laste Nouember the sayde Gohorra was enforced to repayre to Iniskiue mac Carthy Reoghs Countreye in the Countye of Corcke and there tooke thyrteene Cowes and eyght Garrans from one Donogho mac Teig of Iniskiue aforesaide Gentleman whiche Donnogho with tenne more in his companye made pursuite after the sayde Gohorra rescued his Cowes and garrans slewe the saide Rebell and sent his head to the Earle of Ormound The eleuenth of