the Birth of Christ in the Year of the World 5199. as he does in his Reign of the Irish Monarch Criomthan Niadhnair whom he calls in Latin Criomthanius Niadhnarius Whereby 't is evident he follows the computation of Eusebius holding therein with the generality of the Irish Chronologers and consequently differing in so much from Keting as he does also differ from him and hold with the same generality as to the length of Reign or Life attributed to the two Monarchs Cobhthach Caolbhreag Siorna Saoghallach some others In other matters treated by him in his Cambrensis Eversus he seldom varies from Keting otherwise than by addition of more particulars So you have at last my whole Account and I hope a sufficient one of these two Authors whom I must acknowledg to have been my only chief Directors for what concerns those Irish Affairs treated of in the Former Part of this Prospect I say my only chief Directors c. For I am to inform you now a little farther That as to other matters and some Irish too whether purposely or occasionally discours'd I have not seldom in the same Former Part especially in the V. and VI. Section made use of my own reading and Collections out of other Authors some Ancient some Modern As for example out of Tacitus and the Augustan History Writers and Venerable Bede Cambrensis and Polychronicon I have borrow'd some things out of Roderic of Toledo and Polidore Virgil Harpsfield Bodin William Camden and Buchanan other out of S. Bernard the far greater part of my whole discourse of Malachias out of a French Anonimous Author in Messingham and Sir James Ware 's Book de Praesulibus Hiberniae what I write of Laurase O Tuathail otherwise called in Latin Laurentius Dubliniensis out of Rabanus Jonas Abbas Odericus Vitalis Angligena Notkerus and Spondanus those matters you find related by me of Columbanus Gallus and their Associats besides divers other things out of other Authors And these and those are commonly quoted where I make use of them although sometimes they are not because both Margins being so narrow and Pages so little as you see they are I thought it unfitting to croud them with quotations From the Learned Cambden I seldom recede tho almost as seldom made use of by me in the same Former Part. But the acknowledg'd either purity or elegancy of Buchanan's style makes me no admirer of his skill in the Antiquities of that Nation he writes of Much less can I esteem Hector Boethius in his writing at random of those matters what he had never had but from errant Impostors or certainly himself had forg'd And this without question even contrary to what he had found written by that Irish great Furtherer of his whose name was Cornelius Historicus and his Work entitled Chronicon multarum rerum I mean if this Cornelius was indeed no less by education in the Countrey knowledg in the Language than by birth an Irish man and withal so learned as D. Hanmer page 193. out of Bale and Stanihurst represents him to have been under Henry III. of England about the Year of Christ 1230. that is about 200 years before Boethius had written his History of Scotland Of Hanmer or Campion either though each of them entitles his own Work The History of Ireland nay each of 'em ventures on deducing his Narration from almost the very beginning of times after the Flood I scarce make mention but once or twice where the Subject or leads or forces me to oppose their great mistakes Which certainly are very numerous in both especially in Hanmers Work as this is by much the larger of the two Campion's being only a little extemporary Piece written by him in ten Weeks time as himself confesses in his Dedication thereof * 27 May 1571. To this year Camplon brought his History But Hanmer deduc'd his Chronicle for so he calls it no further than to the year 1286. I suppose he intended to bring it to his own time had he not been prevented by death which seiz'd him at Dublin where he died of the Plague Anno 1064. to Robert Earl of Leicester Nor must we much wonder it should be either so brief or so faulty seeing we have his own farther acknowledgment in his Preface to the Reader That he had never so much as seen any of those Irish Books that treat of matters that happen'd before the English Conquest much less could have any person to interpret them A greater cause of admiration Doctor Meredith Hanmer has given us by making his Chronicle of Ireland so large and yet giving every whit as little of the true Antiquities of Ireland for those times preceding the same English Conquest as Campion before him had e'en a few scraps out of Cambrensis but many more additional meer stories from himself where-ever he had ' em Among which stories however I do not rank his pious Relations of several Irish Saints which take up above 20 leaves of his Chronicle That is from p. 33. to p. 104. But for Edmund Spencer in his Dialogue be-between Irenaeus and Eudoxus bound up in the same Volume as it was at first publish'd in print together with the two former Books of Campion and Hanmer at Dublin an 1635. by Sir James Ware I had 〈◊〉 little occasion to quote him as I could have no other exception against him than what is common to Hanmer and Campion too Save only those two Particulars in his 33 46 Pag. whereof Keting has taken special notice before me viz. 1. The two Saxon Kings Egfrid the Northumbrian and Edgar of England to have had the Kingdom of Ireland in subjection 〈◊〉 That the large spread Irish Families or â—epts of the Birns Tools and Cauanaghs in the Province of Leinster were originally Brittish and those other of the Mac Swines Mac Mahoons and Mac Shehies in the Province of Mounster no less originally English In both Particulars how mightily Spencer is out and without any support either from History or Criticism Keting in his Preface has very sufficiently if not abundantly shewn And therefore I will say no more of Spencer than that although in writing his Faerie Queen he had the right of a Poet to fancy any thing nevertheless in the Historical part of his Dialogue written by him anno 1599. he should have follow'd other Rules I say Historical part c. For I am willing to acknowledg that where he pursued the Political main design of this Dialogue which was to prescribe the ways and means to reduce Ireland a design well becoming him as being Secretary to Arthur Lord Grey of Wilton and Deputy of Ireland under Q. Elizabeth none could surpass him no man could except against him save only those that would not be reduc'd But I digress again For my purpose here in mentioning Spencer should only have been to tell you that in all my Former Part I quote him but once Vnto which if I add in the last place
few That in the most famous place call'd Degsestan i. e. the stone of Degsa almost his whole Army was slain That nevertheless in the same Fight Theobaldus Brother to this Ethelfride with all the Force headed by him was in like manner kill'd And that from that time forward to this very day says Bede meaning the day when he writ this none of all the Scottish Kings had been so daring as to give Battel to the English Nation Which being the words of Bede truly rendred in English and the years of his Age being 59. when he ended all his Works and consequently this History as himself says and seeing also that he was born Anno Dom. 677. it follows That so long at least as 136 years after Degsestan Fight the Scots engag'd not against the English But whether after this term expir'd they attack'd them again before they had ruin'd the Pictish Kingdom and at the same time seiz'd so great a part of the Northumbrian I know not 54. What you might have perus'd already page 129 as derived either from Cambrensis or Cambden or both viz. of the original eruption of the great Vlster Lake call'd in Irish Loch Erne and cause thereof is abundantly refuted by Gratianus Lucius in his Book entitled Cambrensis Eversus page 132 and 133. Which having not seen before my own foresaid 127 page had been wrought off the Press makes me give now this other which as it is much fuller so I doubt not a much better and truer account in every respect of that matter The Relation of Cambrensis Topograp Hib. d. 2 c. 9. may be rendred thus in English There is in Vlster a Lake of vast extension thirty miles long and fifteen broad unto which as they say a wonderful chance gave beginning In that Countrey which is now the Lake there was in very ancient times a most vitious Nation but chiefly and incorrigibly above all other People of Ireland given over to that sin we call Bestiality And there was amongst them a Prophetical saying That so soon as a certain Well of that Countrey were at any time left uncovered for out of reverence to it proceeding from barbarous superstition it had both a covering and signature or lock it should presently overflow so prodigiously as to drown the whole Countrey thereabouts Which accordingly happen'd on this occasion One of the Countrey Women having open'd it to bring Water home it chanc'd that before she had throughly done she heard her Child a little distance off crying and going in haste to still him she forgot to cover the Well Whereupon it overflow'd on a sudden so strangely that not only the Woman her self and her Child with her but all the People universally and all the very Cattel too of the whole Countrey for very many miles were as by a particular and Provincial Deluge covered overwhelmed perished utterly in the Waters As if the Author of Nature had judg'd that Land unworthy of Inhabitants which had been conscious of such enormous turpitude against Nature And indeed that such had been the original of this Lake it is no improbable argument that the Fishermen upon it do manifestly in fair serene weather see under them in the Water Church Turrets which according to the fashion of those in that Land are not only narrow and high but round withal and that they often shew them to passengers wasted over this Lake who are strangely astonished at the sight and cause You are also to note That the River which abundantly flows out of the same Lake being one of the nine Principal Rivers of Ireland namely the Ban did even from the beginning that is ever since the time of Bartholanus though in a much smaller stream flow from the foresaid Well all along that Countrey other Waters falling into it still as it went farther off Hitherto Gerald of Wales But to this Relation of his it will not be amiss to add what Cambden says applying it and interpreting and making this nameless Pool to be the famous Loch Erne of so many miles in length and breadth and the People destroy'd to have been some Hebridians got thither Beyond Cavan says he Cambden's Ireland in Hollands Translation of it page 106. West North Fermanach presenteth it self where sometimes the Erdini dwelt a Countrey full of Woods and very boggish In the midst whereof is that famous and greatest Meere of all Ireland Loch Erne stretching out forty miles bordered about with shady Woods and passing full of inhabited Islands whereof some contain a hundred two hundred three hundred acres of ground having besides such store of Pikes Truots and Salmons that the Fishermen complain oftner of too great plenty of Fishes and of the breaking of their Nets than they do for want of draught This Lake spreadeth not from East to West as it is describ'd in the common Maps but as I have heard those say who have taken a long and good survey thereof first at Bel Tarbet which is a little Town farthest North of any in this County of Cavan it stretcheth from South to North fourteen miles in length and four in breadth Anon it draweth in narrow to the bigness of a good River for six miles in the Channel whereof standeth Iniskellin the principal Calste in this Tract which in the year 1593. was defended by the Rebels and by Dowdal a most valiant Captain won Then coming Westward it enlargeth it self most of all twenty miles long and ten broad as far as to Belek near unto which is a great downfal of Water and as they term it that most renowned Salmon's Leapue à common speech among the Inhabitants thereby is That this Lake was once firm ground passing well husbanded with Tillage and replenish'd with Inhabitants but suddenly for their abominable buggery committed with Beasts overflown with Waters and turn'd to a Lake Though Almighty God says Giraldus Creator of Nature judg'd this Land privy to so filthy Acts against Nature unworthy to hold not only the first Inhabitants but any other for the time to come Howbeit this wickedness the Irish Annals lay upon certain Islanders out of the Hebrides who being fled out of their own Countrey lurked there So he Against these Relations the one of Giraldus Cambrensis and the other of Cambden though the later as to the original of this Lake is wholly grounded on the former Gratianus Lucius opposes many Reasons 1. That all the Irish Annals and Histories who treat of Loch Ern attribute the original of it not to the overflowing of any Well or River but to a meer eruption of Waters out of the very entrails of the Earth without any kind of mention of Bestiality or other sin of the Inhabitants which might at all any way deserve it 2. That this Eruption happened in the Reign of Fiacha Lauranne * But Keting says it happen'd under the Reign of Tighermhais alias Tightermhuir forty six years before Fiacha Labhraina came to be King King of Ireland
of the three Collaes into Vlster to destroy it and conquer as much Land for themselves in it as they could That in pursuance of this Order they made so sharp War on Ferghus Fogha King of Eumhna there that in seven several Fights against him fought seven days consequently without the interposition of one free day they had the killing and taking of all the Vlster Forces having as they beat 'em still pursued them all along from Cearnagha to Gleann Ruigh That being Masters of the Field they returned back to Eumhna spoil'd it burn'd it and destroy'd it so that never after any King resided there Finally that by this expedition they conquer'd for themselves the large Territories of Modharnaigh Vibh Criomthaine and Vibh mhic Vaise which their Posterities after them did hold while the Milesian Kingdom stood in Ireland But I pass over these matters depending on Cormack's beard not because he and the rest mention'd in this story were Pagans for I shall have occasion yet to speak somewhat tho but little of as great Pagans as they but because peradventure the cause it self was not slight Tho however I must acknowledg the punishment was too severe and unjust as neither inflicted on the Criminals nor on any that ought in such a distance of time to suffer for them much less after legal summons or any respit given them to make reparation under peril of abiding the justice of Arms. But leaving this to the Readers judgment I return back to the Christian Princes where I was before animadverting the sport they made on the sligtest causes that well might be of the lives of so many thousands of other Christians their own faithful Friends and Subjects Yet what I am to consider now is another thing It is That all this while nor they nor their Successors after 'em for 300 years more seem'd any way sensible that the All-avenging God began already to warn them For so in truth he did and that not once nor twice but much oftner within that very term of time even while they were in their full career persecuting one another at home with the greatest violence of deadly Foes In which respect he dealt far otherwise that is much more kindly and mercifully with them than he had done with their Pagan Fore-fathers in that very Land upon whom about a hundred years after their conquering it without any such gracious Fatherly warnings given them for ought we find in History he laid on a sudden the whole weight of his heavy hand in a most prodigious manner at two several times For what could be more dreadfully prodigious than that which I have related before and you may remember here three parts of four of all the people of Ireland together with their Monarch Tighernmhuir who was the tenth from Heber slain in one only night upon Maigh-Sleacht by invisible Demons the Executioners of Gods fury enrag'd against them Or what next to that could be more prodigiously terrible than a rich Plain of forty miles long and fourteen fifteen sixteen miles broad in most places throughly planted and thick of Inhabitants in Vlster to be on a sudden over-flown cover'd over with a deluge of waters burst out of its own intrels and neither Man nor Woman nor Child nor Beast nor other goods of so large a tract of ground to be saved but all in one hour perish'd under this Flood of God's avenging irresistible wrath How-ever because their heinous Idolatry i. e. their universal adoration and prostration of themselves before their grand Idol Crom Chruoigh which by all circumstances was the sin that brought upon 'em the former of those two stupendious Judgments though it was national yet it was not peculiar to their Nation only and because the most beastly of sins whence it has its proper name of Bestiality which brought the latter of the same Judgments on those bestial Wretches that so astonishingly perish'd for it was peculiar only to that tract of ground or rather indeed to them who were Inhabitants of it and no way National or involving or affecting so much as any one other part of Ireland therefore I pass over these punishments as not inflicted either of them upon the Irish Nation for those enormities which I have said before were both National and peculiar to Cambden's Ireland in the County of Fermanagh pag. 106. them Besides Cambden himself declares in particular as to the latter of the said Judgments how the Irish Annals deny those bestial Inhabitants of the destroyed Valley to have been other than certain Islanders out of the Hebrides who being fled out of their own Country lurked there and consequently deny them to have been at all of the Irish Nation much more deny 'em to have been either of the Milesian or Gathelian Race Then Keting tho he tells us particularly Keting in the Reign of the foresaid Tighernmhuir of the breaking out of that Inundation of Water the great Lough Earn which it presently made and so continues ever since yet has not a word of the horrible sin of Bestiality as neither indeed of any other sin or cause whatsoever thereof on the part of the Inhabitants And lastly Cambrensis who is the Girald Cambr. Topog. Hib. dist 11. cap. 9. first Author of this relalation brings no other warrant for it but hear-say Yet be it or be the original of Lough Earn so famous ever since for Fishing what you please what I would be at to tell you here is That after that prodigious eruption of Water in the North and the no less if not far moreâ— prodigious slaughter on Maghsleacha we may call it in English the Field of Adoration in Letrim both which happen'd in the Reign of the self-same King and near the same time about 2900 years ago We do not find in the Irish Chronicles that God had once in any special or visible manner concern'd himself either in warning or punishing that People at least otherwise than by themselves until they became Christians but let them go on securely without controul from him in those National peculiar enormities of their own I mean their immortal Feuds and prodigal effusion of human blood even that of their own Country-men and Kinsmen on every little occasion That nevertheless he continued still their Victories and Dominions abroad unto them and gave them the spoils of Forein Kingdoms to enrich their own at home and all this for causes known to his unsearchable Wisdom but wholly unknown to us at least otherwise than by conjecture that he had peradventure so long contain'd hiâ— Wrath in his mercy for the sake of those vast numbers of holy Men and Women those great Saints who were in after Ages to issue from their Loyns and to carry his glorious Name far and near by Preaching the Gospel and converting so many incredulous Nations to him as they did That after they were become Christians and yet nevertheless pursued the bloody courses of their Pagan Ancestors and not
Beeves and twelve Hogs Add further yet as part of this heavy Leinster Fine says Lucius 30 either white or red Cows with their Calves of the same colour 30 brass Collars for those Cows to keep them quiet in their stabling and 30 other brazen ties for their feet also to keep them gentle at their milking Where nevertheless I must take notice that Lucius in this Account does much vary from Keting and that whatever may be thought of all other particulars of it surely the number of 15000 Cauldrons or Coppers as we call them now of that capacity seems to me somewhat incredible But leaving this to the Readers indifferency what is more proper here may be read in the same Author Lucius where he tells us next of this Monarchs port and magnificence in House-keeping which though very great indeed is however I think credible enough He had eleven hundred and fifty Waiters that serv'd him ordinarily at Table in his great Hall at Tarach And this Hall was by himself built of purpose to answer in its capacity the entertainment and attendance of a great King It was 300 Foot long 30 Cubits high and 50 Cubits broad with fourteen Doors opening into it And the daily service of Plate the Flagous and Cups of Gold Silver and precious stone at his Table there consisted of a hundred and fifty pieces in all What is besides delivered of this Monarch is That which among the truly wise must be more valuable than any worldly magnificence or secular glory whatsoever He was to all mankind very just and in his later days through the mercy of God very pious also religious towards him That so strangely powerful on a sudden were his inward illuminations That in plain terms he now refus'd his Druids any more to worship their Idol Gods That soon after he openly professed he would no more worship any but the only true God of the Universe the Immortal and Invisible King of Ages as the great Apostle calls him And finally that those Priests of the Devil by their Necromantical adjurations and ministery of damned Spirits raised from Hell God permitting it wrought his destruction by choaking him as I have said before For in such manner and for such a cause died this great and happy King of Ireland An. Christi 266. But whether he may or may not therefore be rank'd among the true Christian Martyrs I leave others to judge And the same question might peradventure be rationally put though not I confess with the same advantage of the circumstance of violence from an external cause concerning Connor the first Provincial King of Vlster made by the Monarch Eochuidh Feilioch himself the Author of the Pentarchy about 400 years before the Birth of Christ This Connor's Druyd or Magitian which you please to call him having it seems the spirit of Prophecy as you see in the Book of Judges that Baldam though otherwise a Heathen wicked Idolater had the like on a day speaking his Raptures to Connor and among other things delivering much of the Son of God that was to come down from Heaven to save mankind and was nevertheless to suffer the most cruel death of the Cross from his own beloved Countrymen the Jews whom he came to save before any others Connor says Keting on the hearing of all became so affected first with the stupendious mercy of God to Sinners and then presently so transported against the ungrateful Jews that being in a great Wood at the time of this Discourse he drew his Sword fell a slashing and cutting the Trees about him on every side with the greatest fury could be imagining he had before him still those cruel men that put our Saviour to death and continued so long in this passionate action of transport till by over-heating himself and the opening thereby of some old wounds he had in his shull he died What the Reader may answer to the foresaid Quere in relation to either of these two Kings I know not But think nevertheless what St. John Chrysostom would have answer'd it very consequently at least in reference to the former had the case been debated by him when he wrote his Three Books de Providentia Dei to Stargirius a holy Monk that notwithstanding his holiness was through the permission of God either possess'd or obsess'd or both by the power of the Devil It was also in the time of Ireland's Paganism that Niall the Great surnamed Naoighiollach in Latin Noui-obses in English Niall of the Nine Hostages because says Colgan in his Trias Taumatorge from Vlster Connaght Mounster Leinster the Britons Picts Dal-Rheudans and Morini a People of France in all nine Nations he had Hostages did reign the CXX or CXIX Monarch of the Irish Of whose great cruelty in his judgment given against Eochuidh King of Leinster because I have so particularly spoken before I will not conceal now what I have since observ'd in Gratianus Lucius of the extraordinary favour of God unto him For such we must undoubtedly acknowledg it to have been seeing it was no less than a heavenly illustration of his mind with the beams of Christianity to that degree as turn'd him wholly to a new man of perfect holiness Nor yet less than that above a hundred years after his death his Body on the opening of his Shrine or Tomb which I take to have been on Cruach Phadruig in Connaght whither the Army brought his Body from France was found entire without any corruption Nay nor a jot less than that a Christian Bishop namely St. Cernachus infected with the Leprosie was perfectly cured by visiting and lying down in that very Shrine of this Great Niall Naoighiallach So writeth Gratianus Lucius quoting for his Author Colgan And so I have done with those few of the Kings of Ireland in the time of Paganism that besides many more of that very time and their Catalogue have been for several great Excellencies other than those of warlike bravery or success renown'd in that Nation 34. But after Christianity had been among the people of Ireland universally preach'd and establish'd yea and all along from time to time in the succeeding Ages not even those very Ages following the horrible desolations by the Danish Wars excepted they had questionless notwithstanding all their intestin Feuds many more both Monarchs Provincial Kings and other lesser Kings too famous in their generation as well for other great Vertues especially those peculiar to Religion as for those of Martial fortitude and Valour Yet because I perceive this little Book to swell insensibly beyond my design I pass over much of that which otherwise I would have willingly mention'd in this place And therefore what I can briefly on the present Subject observe is First in general the wonderful Devotion Zeal Religious Liberality of the first Christian Monarchs Provincial Kings and other great Lords of Ireland who upon their first conversion not only parted so readily with the whole Tenths of their Estates real
108 Fearghus II. Dubhdheadach 109 Cormuc Ulfhada 210 Eochodh XI Gunnat 111 Cairbre II. Lithfiochair 112 Fothach I. Airgtheach and Fothach II. Cairb theach two Brothers 1â—3 Fiacha VII Sraibhtine 114 Colla Vais 115 Muireadhach Tireach 116 Calbhach 117 Eochodh XII Muighmheadhion 118 Criomthann III. mhac Eochuigh 119 Niall I. Naoighiallach 120 Fearadhach II. alias Dathi Hitherto the Pagan Kings For according to Gratianus Lucius all that follow were Christians 121 Laoghaire II. mhac Neill Naoighialluidh 122 Oillioll IV. Molt 123 Lughadh IV. mhac Laoghaire 124 Muirchiortach I. mhac Ercha 125 Tuathal II. Maolgharbh 126 Diarmuidh I. mhac Fearghussa Ceirbheoil 127 Fearghus the III. and Domhnall the I two Brothers 128 Eochodh XIII and Baothan I. the former being Nephew and the later Uncle 129 Ainmhire 130 Baothan II. mhac Ninnede 131 Aodh II. mhac Ainmhire 132 Aodh III. Slaine and Colman Rimhigh two Brothers 133 Aodh IV. Vairidhneach 134 Maolchoha 135 Suibhne I. Meann 136 Domhnall II. mhac Aodh 137 Conall III. Ceile and Ceallach two Brothers 138 Blaithmbae and Diarmuid II. Ruainnigh two Brothers 149 Seachnasach 140 Ceannfodlâ— 141 Fionneachta II. Fleadhach 142 Loinnsioch 143 Conghall IV. Kinnmhaghair 144 Fearghal I. mhac Mhaoilduin 145 Foghortach 146 Kinaoth 147 Flaithbhiortach 148 Aodh V. Ollan 149 Domhnall 3. mhac Murchaidh 150 Niall II. Frassach 151 Donnchadh I. mhac Domhnaill 152 Aodh VI. Oirnigh 153 Conchabhar II. mhac Donnchaidh 154 Niall III. Caille 155 Maolseachluinn I. mhac Mhaoilruanuidh 156 Aodh VII Finnliath 157 Flann mhac Sionna 158 Niall IV. Glundubh 159 Donnchadh II. mhac Floinn 160 Conghallach mhac Mhaoilmhidhe 161 Dombnall IV. mhac Muirchiortuidh 162 Maolseachluinn II. mhac Domhnaill 163 Brian Boraimh 164 Maolseachluinn II. restor'd 165 Donnchadh III. mhac Briain Bhora imh 166 Diarmuid III. Mhaoil-na-mbho 167 Toirrdhealbhach I. mhac Taidhg 168 Muirchiortach II. mhac Toirrdhealbhuidh and Domhnal V. mhac Ardghair 169 Toirrdhealbhach II. Mor O Conchabhair 170 Muirchiortach III. mhac Neill 171 Ruairidh II. O Conchabhair In the sixth year of this Monarch's Reign being the year of Christ 1172. Henry II. of England with a Fleet of 400 Sail invaded and landed in Ireland at Waterford Some Observations on and Inferences from this Catalogue TO understand this Catalogue which I have drawn with all the care and exactness I could out of Ketings History at large and Gratianus Lucius's VIII Chapter of his Cambrensis Eversus be pleas'd to observe 1. That the Surnames of such Kings as had any are given here in a different Character from that of their first and proper Names 2. That to all Kings of the same Proper Name who had no Surname I mean any other second Name derived from some peculiar quality of Mind or Body or Fortune as all their Surnames were I have likewise for distinction's sake in a different Character besides Figures signifying what place each of 'em held among the rest for Example whither the First or Second or so forth among those of the same Name I have I say added their Fathers Name also with the word Mac which im ports a Son before ' em 3. That the Marginal or First Figures in the head of the Lines rather signifie the order of Succession than the number of Kings because many of the Lines have two one of 'em three and an other four Kings ruling together in a joint Sovereignty at least for some time 4. That although both Keting and Lucius concur in telling us how the four Brothers of the Milesian Conquest numb 5. Ear Orba Fearon and Feargna sons to Eibhir Fionn we call him Heber had in the Third year of the former joint Sovereignty of the Three sons of Erimhon after the death of the First of these Three kill'd in Battel the two surviving Kings Luighne and Laighne yet Lucius only not Keting has rank'd 'em in the Catalogue of Kings who notwithstanding confesses their Reign was but Three months in all when their own Cosin German Iriall Faidh the fourth and youngest son of Erimhon gave them Battel at Cuile-Mertha vanquish'd and kill'd 'em all four in that Field 5. That neither Buchadh N. 62. tho told us by Keting to have been the Man that kil'd the Monarch Eoghun Mor is counted by him among the Kings as who had had the Sovereign Power only 36 hours or a day and a half in all But Lucius nevertheless inserts him as one of 'em adding however to his memory this Motto of the Poet Vnusque Titan vidit atque unus dies stantem cadentem 6. That in the same manner Diarmuid-Mhaoil na-mo N. 167. is laid aside by Keting tho not only Lancarnaruensis and Gemiticensis call him King of Ireland but Sir James Ware places him in his Catalogue as such And this very justly too a man would think as in the Prospect Form P. p. 180. you may see at large 7. That Domhnal mhac Ardghair N. 169. is likewise pass'd over by Keting yet not so by Lucius nor Colganus neither See the Prospect F. P. p. 178 c. 8. That Erimhon Conn-Begeaglach and Maolseachluinn II. are each of 'em twice inserted The first Num. 1 2. the second Num. 46 48. the last N. 193 195. whereof the reasons are these Erimhon had been first only join'd in the Sovereignty with his elder Brother Eibhir Fionn but after Eibhir had been kill'd by him in the Battel of Geassil he was absolute as ruling alone Conn Bâ—geaglach though when his Brother and Colleague in the Sovereign Power was kill'd he had been forc'd to â—ly leave the Kingdom to the Victor yet after some few years he recover'd it again by killing him And Maolseachluinn II. who had been depos'd to give place to Briain Boraimh came to be the second time King of Ireland after Clantarff Field 9. That the Irish Historians differ about giving the Title of King of Ireland to Maolseachluinn II's Successors some giving it to one and others to another and some sometimes to more than one but all of 'em generally calling those Kings that succeeded him Gafra Sabhrach as who had assum'd the said Title against the consent of some Provinces For so Lucius pag. 80. has observ'd And now that for your better and easier understanding of this Catalogue you have the necessary Observations I 'll only add one more which tho unnâ—cessary for that end may notwithstanding give you cause enough towonder by considering the general Fate of about Nine Parts of Ten of so many Sovereign Princes as you see in this whole Catalogue from Slainghe the First of the Fir-bholgian to Ruaridh the Last of the Milesian Conquest For I can assure you here that after the greatest diligence I could use to satisfie my self by taking Notes out of Keting and Lucius both I find That of so vast a number of Milesian Kings not above six and twenty in all had other then violent ends Which is three less than what I have elswhere insinuated the number of such of them
Hector Boethius makes him a Giant of 15 Cubits high and he was an Irish man both by birth and descent lineally come of his Mothers side in the fifth Generation from Nuatha Neacht King of Leinster and so upward all along from Herimon whatever is reported by D. Hanmer a Page 24. to the contrary in his History of Ireland Hanmer might as well have made the Cappadocian Knight a Saxon as Fionn the son of Cuual a Dane And so might Hector Boethius have as well turn'd Huon of Burdeaux or Amadis de Gaul or the Knight of the Sun or the Seven Champions of Christendom and such like Romances into the very truest Histories as the Fables written of Fionn mhac Cuual and the Captains under him called Fiona Erionn only to entertain leasurable hours and Fancy For the Irish had their Romances too for divertisement They had Bruoidhuin in Chaorhuinn and the Battel of Fionthraghadh or Fentra as Hanmer calls it and the story of Gilladeackuir's Jade and many other such and so among these some also of Fionn mhac Cuual and his Commanders Which yet every one of common sense among the Irish could distinguish from their Chronicles and other Monuments of real story In short these Gentlemen Fionn mhac Cuaal and Fiona Erionn were the stoutest and bravest fighting men of their time in Ireland And they were kept in constant pay by the Monarch Princes and people of that Kingdom to guard the Coasts from abroad and keep all at home quiet With power nevertheless that if the case required it either to suppress a Rebellion or withstand an Invasion or succour Dal Riadac in Scotland the said General Fionn mhac Cuual might make up the standing Forces to seven Battalions that is one and twenty thousand men in all And this is the naked truth concerning these Fiona Erionn so famous in their Generation On which truth many fabulous stories have been superstructed To them may be added those other brave Warriors whether of a later or earlier Generation but as to the reality of things for ought I know of as much bravery and Valour called Dal-Gheasse These were the standing Militia of those fortunate successful Kings of Mounster Ceallaghan and Brian Boraimhe in the second Danish War and the only Gens d'Armes about their persons and continued to be so to the succeeding Kings of Mounster and Leathe Mogh who were Monarchs of Ireland at least bore that Title three of them in succession after the death of that Maolseachluin who immediatly succeeded Brian Boraimhe What number these Valiant men Dal-Gheasse did make I cannot find But see them all along represented for incomparable Warriors till being over-power'd at last by the King of Connaght and Leathe Cuinn and presumed Monarch Torlagh More O Connor they were utterly destroyed a little before the English Conquest and with them the Kingdom of Mounster extinguish'd For this by that Monarch was divided in two and continued so till the English abolish'd them both 13. Of their Learning Historians make no mention till after their conversion to Christianity Which Conversion if we speak of it as to the generality of Ireland was begun by Saint Patrick their Apostle as we have seen before early in the fifth Century that is in the year 431. upon his second landing in that Countrey and compleated by him within threescore and one years more For so long he lived carrying on that holy Work though he had been full threescore and one aged upon this second landing of his when he began it About this time all the Western and Southern parts too of the Roman Empire being over-run by the Goths Vandals Huns Franks and oâ—her barbarous partly German partly Scythick Nations and consequently all kind of Learning for the matter destroyed by them where ever they set footing and the little remainders of the learned Contemplative men retiring still from the noise of Arms and finding themselves no where on the Continent and as little in Great Britain at rest or in safety many of them at last passed over to Ireland That is to a Countrey where as they were told for certain and so it was indeed the Romans never challeng'd any right and consequently neither could the Barbarians on account of such right pretend any quarrel to it and yet a Countrey to admiration religious and holy This of all likelihood was one of the causes or means whereby Ireland began suddenly to flourish above any Countrey of Europe at that time in Learning Besides and to speak without likelihood but by the authority of good Authors for matters of Fact their blessed Apostle St. Patrick himself at his coming thither to convert them in the aforesaid year brought with him besides other Clerks in his own Company thirty Bishops whom himself had in his Journey through foreign parts gathered together and before his shipping for Ireland and for that mission of purpose consecrated because he foresaw the Harvest would be very great and therefore he needed many Workmen So affirmeth an ancient French Author of good repute Henricus Altisiodorensis c Vitae S. Germani cap. 168. who flourish'd in the Emperour Carolus Calvus's Reign Moreover the Irish Chronicles tell us that he also brought along with him all those of Ciniodb Scuit or Scottish that is Irish Nation whom he met abroad any where that were Christians So here you may clearly see between these Bishops Clerks and other Christians the first Seminary of that great Learning in Ireland then when all the other Western Kingdoms and Provinces were grown illiterate barbarous rude However or whatever the causes or the Teachers of that Learning in Ireland were besides these Bishops and Clerks who no man will doubt but they were at least the Chief Instructors in holy Scripture and all matters of Divinity as were also next unto them those other Bishops consecrated by S. Patrick at home in Ireland during the time of his Apostleship even 355. in number says Nennius that is one for every two Churches founded by him in that Countrey and those 3000 Priests Jocelin says 5000 likewise that were not Bishops all of them every one consecrated by himself in this Kingdom it is confessed of all hands and venerable Bede a Histor Anglic l. 3. c. 4 5. 19. l. 4. c. 25. of old and Cambden b Britan. pag. 730. edit London in Fol. an 1607. of late are sufficient vouchers for it That in those dayes the Saxons flowed over into Ireland as to the Mart of good Literature And that when any was wanting here from home it came to be a Proverb He is gone to Ireland to be bred Pursuant hereunto is that Distich in the life of Sulgenus who flourish'd about 700 years since Exemplo patrum commotus amore legendi Ivit ad Hibernos sopbia mirabile claros Besides all the Irish Chronicles tell us of the four great Universities in Ireland Ardmagh Cashel Dun-da-Leathghlass and Lismore not to mention many other Colledges of
of the Danes I find but three only Aodh Slaine Colman Rimhigh and Swine Mean that were not in Arms against any at all Subjects or Foreigners who nevertheless were all three murdered by some wicked Irish men their own Subjects and besides them Blaithmhac and Diarmuid Ruannigh two Brothers in like manner joyntly enjoying the Soveraign Power and then Seachnasach immediatly succeeding in all three more that although they were in Arms at home it was not against any of their own People but the two former against the Saxons and Brittons invading them under the leading of their General Brit or Berthus and the third against the Picts Landing in Vlster whom the Forces of that Province overthrew presently and yet he also was murdered by his own People All the rest of the three and thirty Monarchs had their Swords drawn whether justly or injustly I dispute not here against their own Rebellious Subjects at home and these against them So that besides infinite depredations wastings burnings of the Countrey besides the endless harrassing of the poor Peasants and even sometime the violating of Sanctuaries and burning of Churches and killing of Clergy men and Priests and Bishops too for company besides lesser Fights and skirmishes without number you may read in Manuscript in the several Reigns of those Kings Keting above 58 main Battels fought between their Princes Kings and Monarchs within that period of time a period that wanted seven or eightyears of 400. 18. And that you may understand how bloody how destructive indeed those greater Battels might have generally been I will instance here in two of them First in that which they call the Battel of Allmbain wherein about the year of Christ 920. the Monarch Ferghall mhac Maolduin with an Army of one and twenty thousand men invading and fighting Murchoe mhac Bruin King of Leinster who had but nine thousand one hundred and sixty men to oppose him was himself kill'd and together with him seven thousand of his Army on the place besides 269 persons more of them so strangely frighted that they fell into that kind or heighth of frenzy which the Irish call in their Language Dubhghealtacht flying over ground like frighted Fowls from all People they met or saw This ill fortune of this Monarch Fearghall was thought to have happend him because a Party of his men in their march to this Field had spoild a Sanctuary call'd Cillin and the Anchoret there living had curs'd the Monarch and his whole Army Secondly in that which they call the Battel of Seanaigh and Vchaidh fought between the Monarch Aodh Ollan and Aodh Colgan King also of Leinster yea sought with that fury on both sides that besides this Monarch himself mortally wounded and a very great slaughter of his Army and besides Aodh Colgan kill'd together with Bran Beg the petty King of half Leinster nine thousand more of the Leinster men alone remained dead on the Field tho the said Monarch died not of his wounds received here but was kill'd sometimes after in the Battel of Seir. But what I cannot here but particularly take notice of as worthy of special remark are two things The one that this fury of pursuing one another with Battels and Slaughters and Murders even all along from their conversion to Christianity for the extent of 400 years had been so strangely violent that it gave them no leasure at all to think of preserving much less enlarging their former Conquests In their time of Paganism how bloodily soever the several Factions had been commonly bent to mutual destruction yet the prevailing Parties now and then had such generous publick resolutions as to give over at home and employ their Warlike spirits abroad to enlarge their Dominions We have formerly seen their brave exploits in subduing the Orcades Hebrides Isle of Man and then all Scotland and then making the rest of Great Britain tributary and last of all enterprizing on France it self in the decay of the Roman Empire till Niall the Great was no less treacherously than revengfully murder'd there amidst his Army camping on the River of Loyrc as has been said before I might also have added another adventure and enterprize of theirs on France with a resolute Army under the leading of their Monarch Dathi alias Fearadhach who as in the Sovereignty of Ireland so in his design on France succeeded immediatly to the foresaid Niall the Great tho having Landed there and march'd through till he came near the Alps he was here struck dead by a Thunderbolt from Heaven for so the Irish Chronicles deliver his death As they do also the cause of it according to the conjectures of men to have been that he suffered the Cell of a Christian holy Anchorite by name Parmenius to be ransack'd who thereupon cursing this Heathen Sacrilegious King and calling to Heaven for Vengeance that exemplary punishment shewed his prayer was heard by God But whatever the cause of it was the place where it happen'd shews how vigorously he pursued the brave adventures of so many other Pagan Kings and Princes of Ireland to enlarge their Dominions abroad 19. And because peradventure it may be worth the while take here in short a Catalogue of those Irish Monarchs Princes and other chief Nobles who by their first subduing and then planting of Albain as they call it gave it the name of Scotland 1. Aongus Ollbhuathach not the VII Monarch nor Monarch of any number at all but Son to Fiachae Labhruinne the XIV Monarch or King of Ireland for so you must correct what is said of him otherwise before pag. 17. I say this Aongus entred Albuin to recover of the Picts the chiefry due to the King of Ireland his Father Wherein finding them refractory he gave them and the Britains or Aborigines inhabiting at that time the Northern parts of Great Britain so many overthrows that he reduced them at last to his own conditions making them not only Tributarles but Subjects to the Kings of Ireland which happen'd about 250 years after the arrival of the Iberians there from Spain that is well nigh 2800 years since 2. Aongus surnamed Ollmhucuidh from his extraordinary great Hogs for Muc in their Language signifies a Hog in English the XVI King of Ireland of the Milesian Conquest fought the Picts and Firr Bholg inhabiting the Orcades and other Islands of Scotland and utterly subdued them in 50 Battels For it was he and not the foresaid Aongus surnamed Ollbhuathach or the Victorious that fought them and subdued all those Islanders And therefore by this observation also be pleased to correct what you find otherwise in the foresaid 16 page 3. Many centuries after the sixtieth Monarch of Ireland Reachta Righdhearg crossing the narrow Seas and Landing in Albain as the Irish call that Country still which we call Scotland once more established on the Picts what those other Princes did before him This Reachta Righdhearg was the first of three Irish Monarchs born in Mounster that
and that this Cuornâ—ne flying away presently to shelter himself under the wings of Domhnal and Ferghusse the Sons of Muirchiortach mhac Earcha two powerful men in their own Territory and they for his better assurance recommending him to Columb-Cille's protection the Monarch nevertheless lighting on him put him to death for his unpardonable crime at Taragh Which Columb-Cille resented so grievously that he persuaded such Families of the Neales as inhabited the North who by way of distinction from those other Neales living in the South of Ireland were called Clanna Neill in Tuaisgâ—â—art as the said other were Clanna Neill in Disgcâ—art to fight the Monarch while himself pray'd to God for their good success And it seems God was pleased to hear his prayer for humbling the Monarch For the issue of the Battel fought so by those Neales at Cuile Druimhne was that Diarmuid not only saw himself routed but almost his whole Army kill'd in that very Field The second on this occasion Dal-Narruidh and other Vltonians had in a difference twixt Columb-Cille and Comghall shewed themselves unjustly partial against Columb as he thought And therefore he had the Battel of Cuile Rathan fought against them Who this Comghall was I cannot certainly tell tho I think he might be the great Comghall alias Congellus Founder and Abbot of Beannchuir of whom so much has been said before I am sure he and Colum-Cille were contemporaries and of the same Province of Vlster But for being Author of the third Battel Columb-Cille had a much more specious cause it I may presume to interpose my simple judgment than either of the two former Baodhan mhac Niueadha who had been Monarch but one whole year being in some extraordinary danger from his Enemies Columb-Cille pass'd his word in the nature of a Sanctuary to him to keep him safe in that extremity Which Colmane mhac Colmain not regarding he had him set upon and murder'd by the two Cummins viz. Cummin mhac Colmain Bhig and Cummin in hac Libhrein at Carrig Leime in Eich or the Horse-leap in Jomairge And this was the cause that moved Columb-Cille to persuade and be Author of the Battel of Cuile Feadha fought against Colmane mhac Diarmuda It is true That whatever or how just soever the causes of each or all those three Battels had seem'd to Columb-Cille yet the holy Bishop Molaisse was so far from approving any of them that for engaging in them any way he not only most severely reproved Columb-Cille but enjoyn'd him the grievous pennance of departing presently out of Ireland and never more during life to see it It is also true that Columb-Cille with all humility and readiness obeying this injunction departed forthwith to Scotland where the power of God was with him so eminently in converting such vast numbers of Infidels to Christ as if God himself from all eternity had preordained those three Battels to be the occasion of saving the Picts And no less true it is That when the great Parliament of Ireland was summon'd by the Monarch Aodh mhac Ainmhirogh to assemble at Drom Ceatha as they did and sate there thirteen months without intermission or Prorogation debating principally those three things which he proposed to them 1. That of Banishing for ever all the Poets out of the Kingdom by reason of their being an excessive intolerable burden to the People Whereof you may see strange particulars in the following account This was the fourth time the Poets whom the Irish in their Language call Ollamhs were by a general Decree all of them condemn'd to Banishment into Dal-Riada in Scotland by reason of their insolency excessive number and burthen to the People For 1. They beg'd all what-ever seem'd to be most valued by the Noble-men who out of a foolish custom that prevail'd too long could deny them nothing And therefore they had the impudence to beg of this very Monarch Aodh mhac Ainmhiriogh the richest and most precious Jewel in all his Treasury and had it 2. Their number was near a third part of the People of Ireland So says Keting if my Copy of his work be right There was a thousand of them that kept Trains of Vnderlings waiting on them continually where-ever they went The chiefest of all had 30 men for his own particular train The next to him 15. and so forth descending every one of them had some number in his own proper retinue to the very last of 1000 leading Poets 3. They were all of 'em with all their numerous trains yearly cess'd on the other Inhabitants of the Kingdom from All-hallows-day till May-day even six entire months of the year And these I think were sufficient reasons to Banish them as I have said they were three several times before this Parliament of Drom-Ceatha had been chiefly called for the same end For you are to understand that after each of their former Banishments they were still harbour'd in the North until they procur'd licence to return to all the other Provinces The first time being a thousand in number at the intercession of Columb-Cille who went in behalf of Conchabhar King of Ulster to meet and invite them they were staid received and maintain'd by him and his Nobles of that Province till seven years were over The second time by Fiachna mhac Baodhaine King of Ulster but for one year only their number being seven hundred The third time by Maobchoba King of Ulster likewise one whole year when their number was full 1200. But this fourth time at the Parliament at Drom-Ceatha tho Colum-Cille had interposed for them all he could yet being convinc'd by the Monarch's reasons he acquiesed at last in what was decreed there not only for the suppression of their multitudes and reformation of their abuses and ease of the People but even for preservation of their own Language Laws Poetry History Genealogy and Chronology arts both useful and delightful to all ingenious Men and civil Nations As 1. That the Monarch Provincial and other lesser Kings and every Lord of a Cantred or Barony should each of them entertain a Poet of his own bestow on him and his Posterity for ever a competent Estate in Lands to live upon and that both his Person Lands and other Goods should be exempt from all publick duties 2. That for preserving the sciences they profess'd there should be some publick Free Schools both appointed and endowed with Lands by the Estates of the Kingdom in general And pursuant to this Decree those two in Breithfne the one at Rath-Ceanaidh the oother at Magh-Sleacht were establish'd 3. That the Monarch's Poet or Ollamh should be the Ard-Ollamh that is Arch-Poet and Arch-Professor of their knowledge and that he should have the appointment of and a superintendency too over the rest 4. And lastly none otherwise or above this number to be allow'd 2. That of deposing Scanlane Mor mhac Ceanfoaladh King of Ossory who was then his Prisoner and committed even by Authority of
still and remaining with the Dal-Gheass but a conditional defiance it was requiring Donochadh to send them Hostages for his acknowledging one of their own West-Mounster Tribe as rightful King of all Mounster by vertue of the ancient disposition made some 800 years before by Oillioll Ollum the first Provincial King of both Mounsters to his second Son Cormock Caisse and his Grandchild or his eldest Son Eoghun Mor's child by name Fiochae Muilleathan That Donogh relying on his valiant Dal-Gheass though but so few and a great many of them very grievously wounded gave the Messenger nothing to hope but return'd him with an answer of disdain and scorn bidding him tell those who had sent him that his Father came to the Sovereignty of that Kingdom not by vertue of any such or other ancient disposition but by his Sword and that he would endeavour to keep in the same manner what his descent from such a Father had entitled him to That pursuant to this answer preparing to fight when he had put into the Danish Rath which remains to this day on that Height of Maistion all his wounded men and appointed a third part of the rest to defend them not only those very wounded men understanding the cause and thereupon seeing their wounds to open and bleed afresh fill'd them with green Moss call'd for their Arms took 'em march'd forth and embodied with their Companions resolv'd to live or die with them in fighting but the Mutineers observing for they saw all their desperate resolutions thought better of it and whether out of compassion or cowardize or some other motive I know not march'd off presently their own way home to West Mounster leaving Donochadh with his few Dal-Gheass to fight theirs out in passing on towards Tomond through a greater Army of profess'd enemies that expected to receive them near Athy where they were to pass the River Barrow some four or five miles from Maistion That Donochadh mhac Brien Boraimh was no sooner come so far and encamped close by that River then Donochadh mhac Gilla-Phadruig King of Ossory that with an Army rais'd out of all parts of Leinster ten times the number of Dal-Gheass lay not far off on the other side of the same River at a place called Magh Cloinne Keallnigh sent him a Herald requiring him forthwith to deliver considerable Hostages or fight his way though Mac Gilla-Phadruig's quarrel was no other nor otherwise grounded than upon his Fathers imprisonment for twelve months by Brian Boraimh some time past That a much more scornful answer than the former being made to his Messenger and Donochadh mhac Brien Boraimh in the same manner he had so lately at Mastion preparing now the second time to fight his wounded men would not be excused but filling again their wounds with green Moss and taking to their Arms they prevail'd with the Prince to have great Piles or Posts of wood fastned deep in the ground where they were to stand with two of their unwounded friends one on each side of each of them and then themselves tied to those Piles at their backs to keep them from falling while their hands were at work against their Assailants That the sight for now the Enemy was so near that they had a full sight of this unusual preparation of men so strangely devoting themselves to death did so abate the courage of Mac Gille-Phadruig's Army that notwithstanding all his eagerness and all his anger and even his upbraiding them with the greatness of their number of one side and the paucity of Dal Gheass on the other which says he is such that if they were meat you are enough to devour 'em up in one meal yet he could not prevail with them to make the Onset or do other than stand still That Donogh O Brian seeing now at last there was no further hope of Battel broke up his little Camp and march'd on the best he could very slowly indeed for how could it be otherwise being forc'd to skirmish almost continually in the Rear and sometimes in the Front and sides too for several days and forty or fifty long miles until at length having lost in all a hundred and fifty of his wearied men he got clear of this hard hearted Foe and his cowardly Forces that pursued him so far and in such manner attacking him 28. Maolseachluin the II. that was formerly depos'd to give place to Brian Boraimh is now again immediately after the Battel of Clantarff the second time Monarch of Ireland In this second Reign of his after he had as you have seen before kill'd in Dublin the whole remainder of the Danes fled thither from the Battel of Clantarff then without delay he march'd with all his Forces against his own Countreymen And first against those of Cionsallach we call it now the County of Wexford where he turn'd all into ashes and slaughter'd a great many of the Inhabitants Nâ—xt in like Hostile manner against those of Vlster whence he return'd with a great number of Hostages About this time it was that Donochadh mhac Gille Phadruig in the head of his own Troops in the streets of Leith-Ghlinn alias Laghlin kill'd Donochan King of Leinster and Teadhg O Ryan King of Idrona with many more of their followers Nor was it long after that Maolseachluin himself the Monarch enter'd Ossory kill'd Dunchall mhac Donochadh then after his Fathers death King of that Countrey slaughter'd a great number of his adherents and for the future fidelity of the rest led away as many Hostages as he pleased Lastly in this second Reign of Maolseachluinn it was that Dunn Sleibhe mhac Mhaoilmhorda mhac Muirreigheine burn'd the King of Leinster Vghaire mhac Tuathail mhac Duinlingine mhac Vghaire mhac Oiliola mhac Duinling in his dwelling house at Dubh-Loch Easa-Chaille even that brave Vghaire that fought the very last Battel in Ireland against the Danes and defeated them so mightily that they never after could any where make head against the Irish And now both the second War of the the Danes and second reign of Maolseachluinn the II. ending here I also end the former part of my Instances In which if I be not much deceiv'd you may observe a wilful obstinate furious Nation maugre all their Christianity maugre the hand of God himself so heavy on 'em proceeding still from worse to worse For in the former Danish War notwithstanding they had most enormously transgressed at several times by turning the edg of their Swords against one another yet all that while none of them arriv'd to the impiety of leaguing or joyning with the common barbarous Heathen Foe against any Soul whatsoever or upon any terms at all But in the later we have seen a very great part of 'em do so and do it even all along from the very beginning to the end At least I am sure they did so full 55 years compleat from time to time before the Battel of Clantarff had broke all the hearts and