Monarch of Ireland Henry 2 King of England the sonne of Mathilda the Empresse subdued Scotland Ireland Orchades and the furthest Ocean Ilands he was Protector of France and was offered the kingdome of Ierusalem this Noble Henry was crowned King of England Anno 1154. he married Elenor daughter and heire of William Duke of Aquitaine the which Elenor had been formerly married to Lewis King of France and upon dislike divorced under pretence that they were within the fourth degree of consanguinity he was knighted by David King of Scots and after many broyles much bloudshed adopted by King Stephen for his sonne and consequently proclaimed heire apparant to the Crowne of England and thereupon after the discease of Stephen crowned with great ioy and applause of the people Anno 1154. the same yeere that Henry the second was crowned the Abbey of Kyrie-eleeson was founded Anno 1155. saith Mathew Paris and Fabian and the first or second of Henry 2. raigne though Stow referre it to the 7. and Anno 1160 the King cast in his minde to conquer Ireland hee saw that it was commodious for him and considered that they were but a rude and savage people for so the historiographers doe write whereupon in his ambitious minde he sent unto Adrian Bishop of Rome one Iohn Salsbury who by the said Bishop afterwards was made Bishop of Carnolum in France with others delivering his sute to that effect Adrian being a man of English birth heard his Ambassadors the more willingly considered the matter advisedly together with his colledge of Cardinals and granted him his request as followeth Adrian the Bishop the servant of the servants of God to his most deer sonne in Christ the Noble King of England sendeth greeting and Apostolike benediction your magnificence hath beene very carefull and studious how you might enlarge the Church of God here in earth and increase the number of his Saints and elect in heaven in that as a good Catholike King you have and doe by all meanes labour and travell to enlarge and increase Gods Church by teaching the ignorant people the true and Christian religion and in abolishing and rooting up the weedes of sinne and wickednesse And wherein you have and doe crave for your better furtherance the helpe of the Apostolike See wherein more speedily and discreetly you proceed the better successe we hope God will send for all they which of a fervent zeale and love in religion doe begin and enterprise any such thing shall no doubt in the end have a good and prosperous successe And as for Ireland and all other Ilands where Christ is knowne and the Christian religion received it is out of all doubt and your excellencie well knoweth they doe all appertaine and belong to the right of Saint Peter and of the Church of Rome and we are so much the more ready desirous and willing to sow the acceptable seede of Gods word because we know the same in the latter day will be most severely required at our hands you have our welbeloved sonne in Christ advertised and signified unto us that you will enter into the Land and Realme of Ireland to the end to bring them to obedience unto Law and under your subjection and to root out from among them their foule sinnes and wickednesse as also to yeeld and pay yeerely out of every house a yeerely pension of one penny to Saint Peter and besides also will defend and keepe the rites of those Churches whole and inviolate We therefore well allowing and favouring this your godly disposition and commendable affection doe accept ratifie and assent unto this your petition and doe grant that you for the dilating of Gods Church the punishment of sinne the reforming of manners planting of vertue and the increasing of Christian religion doe enter to possesse that land and thereto execute according to your wisedome whatsoever shall be for the honour of God and the safety of the Realme and further also we doe strictly charge and require that all the people of that land doe with all humblenesse dutifulnesse and honour receive and accept you as their Liege Lord and Soveraigne reseruing and accepting the right of holy Church to be inviolably preserved as also the yeerely pension of Peter pence out of every house which we require to be truely answered to Saint Peter and to the Church of Rome If therefore you doe minde to bring your godly purpose to effect indevour to travell to reforme the people to some better order and trade of life and that also by your selfe and by such others as you shall thinke meet true and honest in their life manners and conversation to the end the Church of God may be beautified the true Christian religion sowed and planted and all other things done that by any meanes shall or may be to Gods honour and salvation of mens soules whereby you may in the end receive of Gods hands the reward of everlasting life and also in the meane time and in this life carry a glorious same and an honourable report among all nations The King upon the receit hereof was very glad and let it lye dorment by him untill better opportunity was offered as hereafter shall appeare Anno 1166. Moragh Mac Cocholan King of Ireland called a great Councell at Dublin gave battaile to the King of Leinster and killed him and shortly after was himselfe slaine by Ororic which succeeded in the soveraignty the same yeere saith Guttyn Owen in his British Chronicle Henry 2. being at Chester hired many shippes out of Ireland for his ayde against North-Wales but hee discharged them immediately for his purpose tooke no good effect in as much as the present troubles of Normandy called him away In this pastime so the old English delivereth or rather the hurly-burly of the world amids the warres of France Flanders and England Ireland was all in armes the occasion was as followeth Dermot Mac Moragh King of Leinster was a long time enamoured with the wife of Ororike King of Meth some call him Morice some other Mordich she was the daughter of Omalarghlun whom nature had made faire the world a Queene and lust a Harlot the booke of Howth reporteth at large how Ororic was old his Queene young and wanton and that in derision when he came from hunting and being an hungred she gave Apples to eate which had beene in some undecent place of her body to be spoken of so that the scent of them was strong whereat she smiled her Lord and husband having secretly learned her lewd practise tooke with him the day following two of her foster brothers a hunting gelded them baked their stones brought the Pie hot to his Lady and her Gentlewomen when hee had commended the rarenesse of the meat the fond wantons and giglets fell to it when they had satisfied themselves saith Ororic how like you this Pye excellent good meat say they it is saith hee the meat which you love raw and rosted what
right to Leinster VValter Fitz Richard who came from Normandy with VVilliam Conquerour died Lord Strongbow of Strigule alias Chepstow without issue to whom succeeded his sisters sonne Gilbert who was created the first Earle of Pembroke had issue Richard the inheritour of Leinster by a covenant marriage of Eva the sole daughter of Mac Murrough King of Leinster This Richard conveyed to Henry the second all his title and held of him the Lordship of Leinster in foure counties Weixford Catherlagh Ossory and Kildare Richard left issue a daughter Isabel married to VVilliam Earle marshall of England now Earle of Pembroke Lord Strongbow and Lord of Leinster VVilliam had issue five sonnes who died without issue when every of them except the youngest had successively possessed their fathers lands and five daughters Maude â—oane Isabel Sibil and Eve among whom the patrimony was parted in an 31. H. 3. Of these daughters bestowed in marriage are descended many noble houses as the Mortimers Bruises Clares c. borne subjects to the Crowne of England paying ever to the King his dutyes reserved Hugh de Lacy Conquerour of Meth had issue VValter de Lacy who held the same of King Iohn paying a fine of foure thousand marks sterling and hence beganne all the severall claimes there at this day with allegiance sworne and done by their auncestours At the very first arrivall of Henry the second the Princes of Mounster came universally and did homage voluntarily and acknowledged to him and his heires duties and payes for ever Iohn de Courcy Conquerour and Earle of Vlster dyed without issue King Iohn Lord of Ireland gave the Earledome to Hugh de Lacy who had issue VValter and Hugh dead without issue and one daughter married to Reymond Burke Conquerour and Lord of Connaght Connaght descended to diverse heires owing service to the Prince but Vlster is returned by devolution to the speciall inheritance and revenues of the Crowne of England in this manner The said De Burgo had issue Richard who had issue Iohn who had issue VVilliam who was slaine without issue and a Daughter Elizabeth intytled to thirty thousand marks yearely by the Earledome of Vlster whom Edward the 3. gave in marriage to Leonel his second sonne Duke of Clarence who had issue a daughter Philippe marryed to Edmund Mortymer who had issue Edmund Anne Elinor Edmund and Elinor died without issue Anne was married to Richard Earle of Cambridge sonne to Edmund of Laugley Duke of Yorke fift sonne to Edward the third which said Richard had issue Richard Plantagenet father to Edward the fourth father to Elizabeth wife to Henry the seventh and mother to Henry the eight father to Mary Edward the sixt and Elizabeth Severall claimes to the Land of Ireland 1. First that the Irish for of the rest there is no question were subjects to the the Crowne of Brittaine before they set foote in Ireland Thus it appeareth They dwelt on that side of Spaine whereof Bayon was then cheife imperiall Citie and the same then in possession and obedience to Gurguntius 376. yeares ere Christ was borne as it was to his successours many a day after namely to Henry the which as I finde noted in certaine precepts of governement dedicated by Iames Young to Iames Butler Earle of Ormond then Lieutenant of Ireland an 1416. From this coast and Citty now part of Gascoigne came the fleete of those Iberians who in 60. ships met Gurguntius on the sea returning from the conquest of Denmarke to whom they yeelded oath and service sued for dwelling were by him conducted and planted in Ireland and became his leige people 2. Mac Gil-murrow King of Ireland with all his petty Princes Lordes and Captaines summoned to King Arthurs court held in Carlion an 519. did accordingly their homage and attended all the while his great feast and assembly lasted 3. The Monarch of Ireland and all other both reges and reguli for them and for theirs for ever betooke themselves to Henry the second in an Dom. 1172. namely those of the south whiles he lay at Waterford Dermot King of Corke which is the nation of Mac Cartyes at Cashell Donald King of Limricke which is the nation of the Obrenes Donald King of Ossory Mac Shaghlen King of Ophaly at Divelin did the like Okeruell King of Vriell Ororicke king of Meth Rodericke King of all Ireland and of Connaght This did they with consents and shoutes of their people and king Henry returned without any Battle given Onely Vlster remained which Iohn de Courcy soone after conquered and Oneale Captaine of all the Irish there came to Dublin to Richard the 2. in an 1399. And freely bound himselfe by oath and great summes of money to be true to the crowne of England 4. The same time Obrene of Thomond Oconor of Connaght Arthur Mac Murrow of Leinster and all the Irish Lords which had beene somewhat disordered renewed their obedience 5. When Ireland first received Christendome they gave themselves into the jurisdiction both spirituall temporall of the See of Rome The temporall Lordship Pope Adrian conferred upon Henry the second and hee gave the same to Iohn his younger sonne afterwards King of England and so it returned home to the Crowne 6. Alexander the 3. confirmed the gift of Adrian as in both their Charters is expressed at large 7. Vivian the legate on the Popes behalfe doth accurse and excommunicate all those that flitte from the obeysance of the Kings of England 8. The cleargy twice assembled once at Cashell secondly at Ardmagh plainely determined the conquest to be lawfull and threatned all people under paine of Gods and holy Churches indignation to accept the English kings for their Lords from time to time 9. It would aske a volume to recite the names of such Irish Princes who since the conquest have continually upon occasions revolts or petitions sworne truth and faith to the kings of England from time to time received honours wages fees pardons and petitions And thus I thinke no reasonable man will doubt of a right so old so continued so ratified so many wayes confessed CAP. III. Richard the first and King Iohn BY occasion of Lacyes mishap Iohn Courcye and Hugh de Lacye the younger with all their assistants did streight execution upon the Rebells and preventing every mischiefe ere it fell stayed the Realme from uproares Thus they continued lovingly and lived in wealth and honour all the dayes of Richard the first untill the first yeare of King Iohns raigne Henry the second had issue male VVilliam Henry Richard Ieffrey and Iohn VVilliam Henry and Richard dyed without issue Ieffrey Earle of Brittaine dyed before his father and left issue two daughters and an after-borne son called Arthur whose title to the Crowne as being the undoubted lyne of the elder brother Philip King of France and certaine Lords of England and Ireland stoutly justified Him had King Iohn taken prisoner in Normandy and
upon the King of England And so against my will they made me to learne English and taught me what I should doe and say and after this they called me Richard Duke of Yorke second sonne to Edward the fourth because King Richards Bastard sonne was in the hands of the King of England And upon this the said Iohn VValter and Stephen Poytowe Iohn Tyler Hubbert Burgh with many others as the foresaid Earles entred into this false quarrell and within short time after the French King sent ambassadours into Ireland whose names were Lyot Lucas and Stephen Frayn and thence I went into Fraunce and from thence into Flanders and from Flanders againe into Ireland and from Ireland into Scotland and so into England Thus was Perkins bragge twighted from a milpost to a pudding pricke and hanged was he the next yeare after Then in the yeare 1501. King Henry made Lieutenant of Ireland his second sonne Henry as then Duke of Yorke who afterwards raigned To him was appointed Deputy the aforesaid Gerald Earle of Kildare who accompanied with Iohn Blacke Major of Divelin warred upon VVilliam de Burgo O-Brien and Mac Nemarra Occarrol and the greatest power of Irish men that had beene seene together since the conquest under the hill of Knoctoe in English the hill of Axes sixe miles from Galway and two miles from Ballinclare de Burgoes mannor towne Mac VVilliam and his Complices were there taken his Souldiours that escaped the sword were pursued flying five miles great slaughter done and many Captaines gotten not one English man killed The Earle at his returne was created knight of the Noble Order and flourished all his life long of whom I shall bee occasioned to say somewhat in the next Chapter CAP. IX Henry the eight GErald Fitz Gerald Earle of Kildare a mighty made man full of honour and courage who had beene Lord Deputy and Lord Iustice of Ireland thirtie foure yeares deceased the third of September and lyeth buried in Christs Church in Divelin Betweene him and Iames Butler Earle of Ormond their owne jealousies fed with envy and ambition kindled with certaine lewd factions abbettors of either side ever since the ninth yeare of Henry the seventh when Iames of Ormond with a great army of Irish men camping in S. Thomas Court at Divelin seemed to face the countenance and power of the Deputy these occasions I say fostered a mallice betwixt them and their posterityes many yeares after incurable causes of much ruffle and unquietnes in the Realme untill the confusion of the one house and nonage of the other discontinued their quarrels which except their Inheritours have the grace to put up and to love unfainedly as Gerald and Thomas doe now may hap to turne their countryes to little good and themselves to lesse Ormond was nothing inferiour to the other in stomacke and in reach of pollicy farre beyond him Kildare was in governement a milde man to his enemies intractable to the Irish such a scourge that rather for despite of him then for favour of any part they relyed upon the Butlers came in under his protection served at his call performed by starts as their manner is the duty of good subjects Ormond was secret and drifty of much moderation in speech dangerous of every little wrinkle that touched his reputation Kildare was open and passionable in his moode desperate both of word and deede of the English welbeloved a good lusticier a warriour incomparable towards the Nobles that he favoured not somewhat headlong and unrulie being charged before Henry the seventh for burning the Church at Cashell and many witnesses prepared to avouch against him the truth of that article he suddainely confessed the fact to the great wondering and detestation of the Councell when it was looked how he would justifie the matter By Iesus quoth he I would never have done it had it not beene told me that the Archbishop was within And because the Archbishop was one of his busiest accusers there present merrily laught the King at the plainenesse of the man to see him alleadge that intent for excuse which most of all did aggravate his fault The last article against him they conceived in these tearmes finally all Ireland cannot rule this Earle No quoth the King then in good faith shall this Earle rule all Ireland Thus was the accusation turned to a jest the Earle returned Lord Deputy shortly after created Knight of the Garter and so died Marvell not if this successe were a corrosive to the adverse party which the longer it held aloofe and bit the bridle the more eagerly it followed his course having once the sway and roome at will as you may perceive hereafter Gerald Fitz Gerald sonne of the aforesaid Earle of Kildare and Lord Deputy who chased the nation of the Tooles battered Ocarrols Castles awed all the Irish of the land more more A Gentleman valiant and well spoken yet in his latter time overtaken with vehement suspition of sundry Treasons He of good meaning to unite the families matched his Sister Margaret Fitz Gerald with Pierce Butler Earle of Ossory whom he also holpe to recover the Earledome of Ormond whereinto after the decease of Iames a Bastard brother had intruded Seven yeares together Kildare kept in credit and authority notwithstanding the pushes given against him by secret heavers enviers of his fortune and nourishers of the old grudge who fett him up to the Court of England by commission and caused him there to be opposed with diverse interrogatories touching the Earle of Desmond his Cousin a notorious traytor as they said He left in his roome Morice Fitz Thomas Lord Iustice. After whom came over Lord Lieutenant Thomas Howard Earle of Surrey Grandfather to this Duke of Norfolke accompanied with 200. of the Kings guarde While he sate at Dinner in the Castle of Divelin hee heard newes that Oneale with a mighty army was even in the mouth of the borders ready to invade Immediately men were levyed by the Major and the next morrow joyning them to his band the Lieutenant marched as farre as the water of Slane where having intelligence of Oneales recoyle hee dismissed the footemen and pursued Omore with his horsemen which Omore was said to lurke within certaine miles That espied a Gunner of Omore and watching by a wood side discharged his peece at the very face of the Deputy strake the visard of his helmet and pierced no further as God would This did he in manner recklesse what became of himselfe so he might amaze them for a time breake the swiftnesse of their following and advantage the flight of his Captaine which thing he wanne with the price of his owne blood for the Souldiours would no further till they had searched all the corners of that wood verily suspecting some ambush thereabout and in severall knots ferretted out this Gunner whom Fitz VVilliams and Bedlowe of the Roche were faine to mangle and hewe in peeces because
brethren and the nephewes of the Apostles so he calleth them Towards his latter dayes hee sorrowed that Ireland had not the pall and as oft as he thought upon Innocentius 2. his promise he sighed who as formerly I have delivered had promised not performed when he heard that Eugenius his successor was come unto France he thought it a fit time to obtaine his purpose he tooke shipping for Scotland where King David received him as in times past and thence unto England where the jarre betweene the King of England and the Pope hindred his passage yet he got into France and straight to Clarevallis where hearing that Pope Eugenius was returned to Rome he rested himselfe fell sicke of an ague and there dyed being of the age of 54. yeeres Anno 1148. 4 Nonas Novembris so farre Bernard in substance yet Antonine saith hee dyed Anno 1140. In his time lived Conganus Abbot of Benchor who enformed Bernard of the whole life of Malachias and wrote at large thereof himselfe inserting many fabulous things and saith Nicholas Magwire he wrote not onely the life of Malachias but also the life of Bernard I finde him to be the Patron of Killaskin otherwise called Killeshin in Monte Margeo and the Barony of Marghagha in Leynster spoken of before In this time lived Tundalus Magus so surnamed because suspected for a Sorcerer borne and brought up in Mounster in Cashell saith Lepelo in the West of Ireland of Noble birth and by calling a Knight Antonius out of Vincentius reporteth that hee was fierce and cruell and in the end became a Carthusian Monke for that order beganne as we may reade in the life of Bruno the first founder thereof upon some great extremity whereof the Proverbe rose desperatio facit Monachum desperation maketh a Monke it seemeth that he had in his life time committed some hainous offences and was mightily tormented in conscience and fell into trances and extasies upon his recovery he delivered unto the world strange damnable untruths saith Bale of Heaven Hell Purgatory and I wot not what for a man distracted knoweth not what he saith Bale writeth talia ad terrorem fingebant scelestissimi Nebolones somewhat excusing him and extenuating his imbecillities and biddeth him farewell Clarint Stephano Rege in Anglia dominante satana apud Hybernos suas vires exercente hee flourished when Stephen raigned over England and the divell domineered over Ireland Hee wrote a booke of Revelations the which Melchior Canus Albertus Crantzius and Gobelenus have utterly condemned He wrote also the life of Vrsula and the 11000. Virgins printed at Cullen the which Zazarias Lepelo counteth for lyes and fables Anno 1142. the Abbey of Molyfont was founded by Donatus alias Donogh King of Louth alias Vriell some call him Donogh Ocarvell the first Abbot was Christianus who afterwards was Bishop of Lysmore and Legate of all Ireland Anno 1144. William Bishop of Winchester by authority of Pope Celestine 2. in a Councell held at London brought in the use of cursing with Bell Booke and Candle which liked the Irish Priests well to terrifie the Laytie for their Tithes Foxe Anno 1148. there fell great variance betweene Owen surnamed Gwyneth Prince of Northâ—Wales and Cadwallader his brother they were both the sonnes of Griffith ap Conan Prince of North Wales This Cadwallader fled into Ireland and hired to his aide Octer Mac Octer Curbell Mac Therulfe with a great number of Irish men and red shankes for 2000. markes and landed at Abermeany in Carnarvonshire against whom Prince Owen came with great power but before the Armies met there was a peace concluded betweene the brethren which when the Irish men understood they kept with them Cadwallader as prisoner for their pay formerly promised so that hee was faine to deliver 2000. heads of Cattell besides many prisoners and spoyles that were taken in the country but Prince Owen as soone as he knew his brother to be set at liberty set upon the Irish men his stomacke was full of revengement slue a great number of them and recovered all the Cattell with the prisoners and other spoyle so that in the end as many as escaped with life returned to Ireland with sorrow shame and losse and made no bost of their voyage so writeth Carodoc The same yeere Anno 1148. Iohn Papire a Priest Cardinall together with Christianus Bishop of Lismore the Popes Legate over the whole Land being sent by Eugenius came into Ireland And in Anno 1151. saith Mathew Paris but by the consent of most Writers Anno 1152. summoned a Councell where in the presence of the Bishops Abbots Kings Dukes the Antients of Ireland by the Apostolike authoritie Colledge of Cardinals consent of the Bishops Abbots others there present they ordained foure Archbishopricks in Ireland and gave them foure pales to wit Ardmach Dublin Cashell and Tuam In Ardmach then sate Gelasius in Dublin Gregory in Cashell Donatus in Tuam Edanus these were the first Archbishops of Ireland The records from that time to this day of the foure Provinces the foure Archbishoprickes with their Bishops and Suffragans in Latine and vulgar speech with their titles of Saints and Patrons together with the unions of them in processe of time following I finde thus Anno 1151. these Abbies were founded de Beatitudine de duillio de Magio de valle salutis and happily the Monasterie which Mathew Paris and Polychronicon spake of upon this occasion There was a Knight say they called Owin of Irish birth which had long served King Stephen in his warres got licence to repaire unto his native soile and to visit his friends when hee came to Ireland hearing the fame of the Purgatory of the second Patricke the Abbot and not the Bishop so I reade in Polychronicon it came in his minde to visit the same he being in the Cave and concavities under ground saw strange sights and making report thereof unto King Stephen obtained licence of him thenceforth to leade a religious and solitary life he obtained also of King Stephen so Mathew Paris writeth a parcell of ground in Ireland to build a Monasterie called Luden an Abbey of white Monkes where Gervasius became the first Abbot and where Gilbert a Monke trayned up Owen in the order thereof This Gilbert saith mine Author wrote as Owen told him all the reports that are now extant of that Purgatory so that it seemes to be no antient matter but a late device first found by this Owen in the late dayes of King Stephen Anno 1152. was the battaile of Monad more fought in Ireland betweene Leinster and Mounster men where saith Holinshed the flower and chiefest personages of Leinster and Mounster were slaine and saith Iohn Plunket Mounster lost the field Anno 1154. Terdielach King of Connaght dyed there succeeded him Rorie Oconochor Rowag commonly called Roderic who slue his owne brother that aspired to the kingdome of Connaght and in this successe attempted further and became
Robin Hood that he was an Earle and after outrages by him committed he kept the woods his company was of some hundred persons all chosen and picked Archers of singular strength to handle their weapons and such as durst encounter with 400. others they robbed none but the rich as Tanners and Grasiers and Vsurers and Bishops Priests and fat Abbots they shed no bloud they killed no man releeved themselves and the poore also with their spoyles Robin Hood after many theevish feats fell sicke went into a Nunnery in Scotland to be let bloud where he was betrayed and bled to death wherupon the company brake and the crue dispersed themselves every man to shift for himselfe little Iohn came to Ireland with many of his confederates and found in the woods enough to fit his humour and fell so much to his old occupation that he was faine to flye the land In the end he went to Scotland and there died There are memorable acts reported of him which I hold not for truth that he would shoot an arrow a mile off and a great deale more but them I leave among the lyes of the land Anno 1191. the Monasterie de iugo Dei was founded Anno 1193. King Richard after many most valiant exploits in the Holy Land the which I hold not so necessary for this place after the drowning of Fredericke the Emperour and after the sudden and envious departure of Philippe King of France hearing the conspiracy of the said Philippe and the treason of his brother Iohn aspiring to the Crowne of England made peace with the Saladine for three yeres and with a small company returning homewards was taken prisoner by Leopold Duke of Austria who brought him to Henry the Emperour and there kept him in prison a yeere and 5. months untill he had paid his ransome which was Anno 1194. Hee was received into England with the joy and applause of all true harts and having setled the affaires of the Realme in due sort he went into France where he had much a doe with the French King the which for brevities sake I doe omit and yet one memorable act of his I may not omit and thus it was There came unto him one Fulco a Priest who with great courage and boldnesse said Thou hast O Mighty King three daughters very vicious and of evill disposition take good heed of them and betimes provide them good husbands to whom the King in rage answered thâ—u errant lyar and shamelesse hypocrit thou knowest not where thou art nor what thou sayest I weene thou art not well in thy wits for I have never a daughter as the world will beare me witnesse get thee out of our presence To whom Fulco replyed If it like your Grace I lye not but say truth for you have three daughters which continually frequent your Court and more is the pitty wholly possesse your person I meane Pride Covetousnesse and Leachery The King thereat smiled and called his Lords and Barons unto him and related what Fulco had delivered unto him and thereupon gave his resolution Here before you all I doe presently bestow my three daughters First I give my daughter swelling Pride to the proud Templars my greedy daughter Avarice to the covetous Order of the Cistercian Monkes and my daughter Leachery to the wanton Prelats of the Church This noble King went to besiege a Town called Chalus Cheverell in Poitou in the confines of Britaine where unlooked for from the wall of the Towne he was wounded with a venomed arrow out of a Crosbow whereof shortly after hee died afore his death hee sent for him that was the cause of his death forgave him yea gave him money in his purse but after his death he was apprehended and cut off with cruell tortures Lastly King Richard tooke order for his buriall thus he bequeathed his body to Fount Ebrad there to lye at his fathers feet whom in his life time he had offended his heart to Roan that had alwayes been true unto him and his bowels to Chalus Cheverell where he tooke his death for that filth was fit for them that had beene unto him both false and rebellious Mathew Paris hath is Epitaph thus Ad Chalus cecidit Rex regni cardo Richardus His ferus his humilis his agnus his Leopardus Casus erat lucis Chalus Per secula nomen Non intellectum fuerat sed nominis omen Non patuit res clausa fuit sed luce cadente Prodiit in lucem pro casu lucis ademptae Againe of his legacie Pictavus exta ducis sepelit tellusque Chalutis Corpus dat claudi sub marmore fontis Ebrandi Neustria tuque tegis cor inexpugnabile Regis Sic loca per trina se sparsit tanta ruina Nec fuit hoc funus cui sufficeret locus unus Iohn the fift sonne of Henry the second Earle Morton alias Mortaigne and Lord of Ireland as formerly hath beene delivered by the gift of his brother King Richard the first Earle of Cornwall Dorset Sommerset Nottingham Darby Lancaster and in the right of his marriage Earle of Glocester was Crowned at Westminster King of England Anno 1199. Hee was first married to Isabell whom the Britaines called Hawise and the Cornish Avis daughter to Robert Earle of Glocester who for that they were found within the third degree were divorced so that King Iohn left both the Lady Isabell and the Earledome of Glocester whereupon by the advice of Philip King of France he matched in holy wedlocke with Isabell daughter to Amerie Earle of Angolesme This Isabell if not married had beene affianced to Hugh Brune Earle of March a Noble man of Aquitaine who gave battaile in that quarell to King Iohn and was discomfitted yet after the death of King Iohn hee had her to wife Immediatly upon the Coronation of Henry the third who succeeded him broyles beganne in England France and Ireland which had every way a tragicall end Bruse in England Arthure in France and Courcy in Ireland are testimonies thereof But orderly of these as the Nature of the Historie requires Arthure the sonne of Ieffry Plantagenet nephew to King Iohn lived when his uncle Iohn aspired to the Crowne being 16 yeeres of age he was affianced to a daughter of Philippe the French King the said Philippe Knighted him in the field he was Duke of Britain Earle of Anjou Poitiers Maine and Turrow of Normandy He did homage unto his uncle for some and to Philippe for the rest his uncle had him in Iealousie first lest that in processe of time he would make claime to the Crowne secondly for that he adhered too much to the French and the young Prince upon conference with bold spirit told him that he did him wrong and that hee was bound in honour to deliver unto him the Crowne of England with all that thereunto appertained Shortly after it fell out that King Iohn took this Arthure confederate against him with William de
hurt to the Welch men and brought away the shrine of Saint Cubius and placed it in the Church of the holy Trinitie in Dublin The same yeere on the Eeven of the feast of the blessed Virgin Iames Butler Earle of Ormond dyed at Raligauran whose death was much lamented whilest hee was Lord Iustice of Ireland unto whom succeeded Girald Earle of Kildare Anno 1406. in the seaventh yeere of King Henry on Corpus Christi day the citizens of Dublin with the country people about them manfully vanquished the Irish enemies and slue divers of them and tooke two Ensignes bringing with them to Dublin the heads of those whom they had slaine The same yeere the Prior of Conall in the Plaine of Kildare fought valiantly and vanquished two hundred of the Irish that were well armed slaying some of them and chasing others and the Pryor had not with him but twenty English men and thus God assisteth those that put their trust in him The same yeere after Michaelmas came into Ireland Scroope Deputie Iustice to the Lord Thomas of Lancaster the Kings Sonne Lord Lievetenant of Ireland The same yeere dyed Innocent the seaventh to whom succeeded Gregorie in the Popedome The same yeere a Parliament was holden at Dublin on the feast of Saint Hillary which in Lent after was ended at Trym and Meiler Birmingham slue Cathole O Conghir in the end of Frebruary and there dyed Sir Ieffery Vaulx a Noble Knight in the Countie of Carlogh Anno 1407. a certaine most false fellow an Irish man named Mac Adam Mac Gilmori that had caused forty Churches to be destroyed who was never baptized and therefore hee was called Corbi tooke prisoner Patricke Savage and received for his ransome two thousand markes and afterwards slue him together with his Brother Richard The same yeere in the feast of the exaltation of the holy Crosse Stephen Scroope Deputy to the Lord Thomas of Lancaster the Kings sonne Lord Lievtenant of Ireland with the Earles of Ormond and Desmond and the Prior of Kilmainan and divers other Captaines and men of warre of Meath set from Dublin and invaded the land of Mac Murch where the Irish had the better part of the field for the former part of the day but afterwards they were valiantly rescued by the said Captaines so that Onolad with his sonne and divers others were taken prisoners But then and there being advertised that the Burkens and Okeroll in the County of Kilkenny had for the space of two dayes together done much mischiefe they rode with all speed unto the Towne of Callan and there encountring with the adversasaries manfully put them to flight slue Okeroll and eight hundred others and it was averred by many that the Sunne stoodstill for a space that day till the Englishmen had ridden 6. miles which was much to be wondred at The same yeere Stephen Scrope went over into England and Iames Butler Earle of Ormond was elected by the Country L. I. of Ireland The same yeere in England neere unto Yorke was slaine Henry Percy Earle of Northumberland and the Lord Bardolf and the Bishop of Bangor were taken prisoners Anno 1408. The said Lord Iustice held a Parliament at Dublin in which the Statutes of Kilkenny and Dublin were established and the Charter granted under the grear Seale of England against Purveiors The same yeere the morrow after Lammas day the Lord Thomas of Lancaster the Kings sonne Lord Lievtenant of Ireland landed at Carlingford and in the weeke following he came unto Dublin and arrested the Earle of Kildare comming to him with three of his familie hee lost all his goods being spoiled and rifled by the Lord Lievtenant his servants and himselfe kept still in the Castle of Dublin till he had paid three hundred markes fine The same yeere on the day of Saint Marcell the Martyr the L. Stephen Scrope died at Tristledermot The same yeere the said L. Thomas of Lancaster at Kilmainan was wounded and hardly escaped death and after caused summons to be given by Proclamation that all such as ought by their tenures to serve the King should assemble at Rosse and after the Feast of Saint Hillary he held a Parliament at Kilkenny for a tallage to be granted and after the 13. of March he went over into England leaving the Prior of Kilmainan his Deputy in Ireland This yeere Hugh Mac Gilmore was slaine in Cragfergus within the Church of the Fryers Minors which Church hee had before destroyed and broken downe the Glasse-windowes to have the Iron barres through which his enemies the Savages entred upon him Anno 1409. Of King Henry the fourth in Iune Ianico de Artois with the Englishmen slue fourescore of the Irish in Vlster The same yeere on the day of Saint Iohn and Paul Alexander the fifth of the Order of Fryers Minors was consecrated Pope and Pope Gregory and Antipope Clemens were condēned for heretickes and by these meanes unity was made in the Church The same yeere a heretick or Lollard of London was burned because he did not beleeve in the sacrament of the altar Anno 1410. Pope Alexander died on the day of the Apostles Philippe and Iacob at Bononia to whom succeeded Iohn the XXIII Anno 1411. On Thursday before Septuagesima marriage was celebrated betwixt William Preston and the daughter of Edward Paris and on Saint Valentines even and day marriages were celebrated between Iohn Wogan and the daughter of Christopher Preston and Walter de la Hide and the second daughter of the same Christopher with a great deale of charges Anno 1412. About the feast of Tiburtius and Valerianus Oconthird did much mischiefe in Meath and tooke a hundred and three score Englishmen The same yeere Odoles a Knight and Thomas Fitz Maurice Sherife of Limerick slue each other The same yeere on the nineth Kalends of Iune there died Robert Mountaine Bishop of Meath to whom succeeded Edward Dandisey sometimes Archdeacon of Cornward The same yeere in Harvest the Lord Thomas of Lancester Duke of Clarence went over into France and with him went the Duke of Yorke the Earle of Ormond and Green-Cornwall with many others The same yeere on Saint Cutberts day King Henry the fourth departed this life To whom succeeded Henry the fifth his eldest sonne Anno 1413. On the fifth Ides of Aprill namely the first Sunday of the Passion of our Lord A. being the Dominicall letter Henry the fifth was crowned King of England at Westminster The same yeere on the first of October there landed in Ireland at Clontarf Iohn Stanley the Kings Lievtenant in Ireland he departed this life the 18. of Ianuary The same yeere after the death of Iohn Stanly Lievtenant Thomas Crawly Archbishop of Dublin was chosen Lord Iustice of Ireland on the 11. Kalends of February the morrow after Saint Mathias day a Parliament began at Dublin and continued for the space of 15. daies In which time the Irish burned all that stood in their way as their usuall custome was in times
vvho lightly leapt to horse and commaunding their forvvardnesse in so naturall a quarrell sayde Lordings and friendes this case neither admitteth delay nor asketh policie heart and haste is all in all vvhile the feate is young and strong that of our enemies some sleepe some sorrovv some curse some consult all dismayed let us anticipate their furye dismember their force cut off their flight occupie their places of refuge and succour It is no mastery to plucke their feathers but their neckes nor to chase them in but to rovvse them out to vveede them not to rake them nor to treade them dovvne but to digge them up This lesson the Tyrant himselfe hath taught mee I once demaunded him in a parable by vvhat good husbandry the Land might bee ridde of certaine Crovves that annoyed it hee advised to vvatche vvhere they bred and to fire the nestes about their eares Goe vvee then upon these Cormorants that shrovvde themselves in our possessions and let us destroy them so that neither nest nor roote nor seede nor stalke nor stubbe may remaine of this ungracious generation Scarce had he spoken the vvord but vvith great shovvtes and clamours they extolled the King as patron of their lives and families assured both courage and expedition joyned their confederates and vvith a running campe svvept every corner of the Land razed the castles to the ground chased the strangers before them slevv all that abode the battaile recovered each man his ovvne precinct and former state of government The Irish delivered of slavery fell to their old vomit in persecuting one another having lately defaced their fortified castles tovvns as coverts to the enemy al sides lay novv more open in harmes vvay This considered the Princes that in the late rule of Turgesius espied some towardnesse to wealth and ease began to discourse the madnesse of their fathers who could not see the use of that vvhich their enemies abused they began to loathe their unquietnesse to wish either lesse discord or more strength in every mans dominion to cast out the danger of naked Territoryes as ready to call in the enemy as the contrary was to shrowd them faine vvould they mend and they vvist not hovv The former subjection though it seemed intollerable yet they felt therein a grovving to peace fruits of merchandize rest surety for it fared diversly tvvixt those Easterlings these Irish they knevv hovv to thrive might they get some commodious soyle These had all the commodities of the soile reckoned them not While the Princes Potentates pavvsed in this good mood certain marchants out of Norvvay called Ostomanni Easterlings because they lay East in respect of us though they are indeede properly Normans partly Saxons obtained licence safely to land utter their vvares By exchanging of vvares money finding the Normans civill and tractable delighted also vvith gay conceipts vvhich they never esteemed needfull untill they savv them they entred into a desire of traffique vvith other nations to allure marchants they licensed the strangers aforesaid to build if they vvere disposed Haven-Tovvnes vvhich vvas done Amellanus founded Waterford Sitaricus Limericke Inorus Dublin more at leisure by others Then were repaired by helpe and counsell of these men castles forts steeples and Churches every-where Thus are the Irish blended also in the blood of the Normans who from thenceforth continually flocked hither did the Inhabitants great pleasure lived obediently till wealth made them wanton and rebellious But they could not possibly have held out had not the conquest ensuing determined both their contentions The meane while they waxed Lords of Havens and Bur-Townes housed their souldiours and oftentimes skirmished tooke their fortune crept no higher onely a memory is left of their field in Clantarfe where diverse noble Irish men were slayne that lye buryed before the Crosse of Kilmaynam And it is to be noted that these are the Danes which people then Pagans wasted England and after that France From whence they came againe into England with VVilliam the Conquerour So that Ostomani Normans Easterlings Danes and Norway-men are in effect the same and as it appeareth by conference of times and Chronicles much about one time or season vexed the French men subdued the English and multiplyed in Ireland But in the yeare of CHRIST 1095. perceiving great envy to lurke in the distinction of Easterlings and Irishe utterly west and because they were simply Northerne not Easterne and because they magnified themselves in the late conquest of their Countreymen who from Normandy flourished now in the Realme of England they would in any wise bee called and counted Normans Long before this time as ye have heard Ireland vvas bestowed into tvvo principall Kingdomes and sometime into more whereof one was ever elected Monarch whom they tearme in their Histories maximum regem or without addition regem Hiberniae The rest were written Reguli or Reges by limitation as the King of Leinster of Connaght of Vlster of Mounster of Meth. To the Monarch besides his allowance of ground and titles of Honours and other priviledges in Iurisdiction was graunted a negative in the nomination of Bishops at every vacation The Cleargy and Laity of the Diocesse recommended him to their King the King to their Monarch the Monarch to the Archbishop of Canterbury for that as yet the Metropolitanes of Ireland had not receaved their palles In this sort was nominated to the Bishopricke of Divelin then voide Anno 1074. at the petition of Godericus King of Leinster by sufferance of the cleargy people there with the consent of Terdilvachus the Monarch a learned prelate called Patricius whō the blessed archbishop Lanfrancus consecrated at S. Pauls Church in London swore him to the obedience after the maner of his antecessors Christian Bishop of Lismore Legate to Eugenius 3. summoned a Provinciall Councell in Ireland wherein were authorized foure Metropolitan See◠Ardmagh Dublin Cashell Tuam Bishops thereof being Gelasius Gregorius Donatus Edanus for hitherto though they yeelded a primacy to the Bishop of Ardmagh in reverence of Saint Patricke yet was it partly voluntary and ratified rather by custome then by sufficient decree neither did that Arch-Bishop take upon him to invest other Bishops but sent them to Canterbury as I said before which henceforth they did not Namely the next Bishop S. Laurence sometimes Abbot of S. Kevynes in Glandilagh was ordered and installed at home by Gelasius Primate of Ardmagh THE SECOND BOOKE OF CAMPION'S HISTORY OF IRELAND CAP. I. The conquest of Ireland by Henry the second King of England commonly called Henry Fitz Empresse DErmot Mac Murrough King of Leinster halt and leacherous vowed dishonestly to serve his lust on the beautifull Queene of Meath and in the absence of her husband allured the woman so farre that she condiscended to be stolne away This dishonourable wrong to avenge O-Rorick the King her husband besought
returne in the fall of the leafe now is the time intimate your defects in demaunds or what else soever may content you and see whether I will tender your common-wealth I meane not the pretended common-wealth seditiously promoted in Tom Loodles ryme but some good and substantiall matter worth the hearing which upright and equall men will indeede esteeme As for his complaint of Cesse and Imposition it savoureth either hatefull malice or childish folly malice if he would decay the garrison that preserveth the Realme folly if he thinke the Realme can be preserved vvithout a garrison vvherin I will shew you my fancie by the vvay perhaps out of all order but I pray beare vvith mee I take matters as they come next to hand I can not skill of vvritten tales Many a good-fellovv talkes of Robin Hoode that never drevv in his Bovv and many an idle head is full of Proclamations and conceiveth certaine farre fetches able in his vveening to vvield a Realme But let me see vvhich of them all can justifie that Ireland may spare the Army they kicke so much against Are your enemyes more tractable then they have beene Are they fevver Are you by your selves of force to match them If you bee then vvere England starke madde to disburse tvventie or thirtie thousand pounds a yeare for none other purpose but to vexe and grieve you that were like the husband who gelded himselfe to anger his wife You must not thinke wee love you so evill nay rather thinke truely wee tender your quietnesse and preservation as a nation derived from our auncestours ingraffed and incorporate into one body with us disturbed with a sort of barbarous people odious to God and man that lappe your bloud as greedily as ours The abuse of souldiours their horse boyes and harlots the Legerdemaine of Captaines chequerelles the purloyning of Cessors Constables the number of freedomes holding onely by concordatum the annoyance and hurt which the poore farmer endureth as I know them to be intollerable so I know them to be redressed with the first detection whose complaint hath not been heard whose enormity vvinked at what can you aske more would you have souldiours nothing insolent nothing sensuall nothing greedy no quarrellers so wish I but scarce hope for it vvould you hazard a misery certaine extreame and incurable to avoyde a trouble casuall transitory and remedilesse so vvould not I if you can prove a garrison needlesse I undertake to ease you thereof If you neede it they must bee fedde finde another vvay then this to provide for them victuall that carryeth asmuch readinesse to service and more contentation to your selves and I assure you mine assistance to set it forvvard But the Brokers of this libell are vvont to reason Why should not vvee live vvithout an Army as vvell as in England Why cannot our Noble-men of might in every border our tenants and servaunts vvithstand the Irish next them as vvell as the Northerne Lordes and Inhabitants of Riddesdale and Tiddesdale and those about the Scottish banke resist the Scotts facing and pilfering as fast as our enemyes Very good vvhat saye they then to Fraunce vvhich is no vvorser governed then England and hath an Armye Italy notvvithstanding as vvell ordered as Fraunce vvithout an Army Spaine asvvell as either of them both and continually keepes an Armye I tell you these are daungerous and hollovve kindes of Arguments which are deduced ab exemplo by example of other Realmes Many subtile diversities many varieties of circumstance many exceptions alter the case and make it utterly desperate Touching Scotland it is well knowne they were never the men whom England neede to feare They are but a corner cut out and easily tamed when they waxe outragious Your foes lie in the bosome of your Countryes more in number richer of ground desperate theeves ever at an inch unpossible to be severed from you without any fence beside your owne valiantnes and the helpe of our Souldiours England is quiet within it selfe thoroughly peopled on that side of Scotland which most requireth it guarded with an army otherwise the Lords and Gentlemen and lusty Yeoman that dwell on a row are ready to maister their private vagaries From all forraine invasions walled with the wide Ocean Were there such a Sea betwixt you and the Irish or were they shut up in an odde end of the land or had they no such opportunityes of bogges and woods as they have or were they Lords of the lesser part of Ireland or were they severed into handfuls not able to annoy whole towneships and Baronies as they doe the comparison were somewhat like but alacke it fareth not so with you you are beset round your townes be feeble the land empty the commons bare every county by it selfe cannot save it selfe Take away the terrour and feare of our Bande which increaseth your strength many an Irish Lord would be set agog that novv is full lovvly and holdeth in his hornes and the open enemy vvould scovvre your quarters that novv dares not venture lest he pay for his passage Consider me the effect of an Army vvrought in these fevv yeares for doubt vvhereof you are nothing so oft nor so lamentably pelted at as your auncestors vvere vvhich of them durst be stored vvith coyne knovving the rebells teeth vvatered thereat and himselfe not able to hold him out vvhich of them had leisure to build to lye soft and vvarme to take his ease in his ovvne home vvhich of them vvere plated or jevvelled or attyred themselves their vivves and children sumptuously after their calling as you doe now If your bagges bee full vvhere theirs were lancke if you dwell neatly where they dwelled homely if you sleep on featherbeds where they slept on couches if you be sumptuous where they vvere skant you have the more cause to honour that Scepter that so directeth you and to love the warrant that procureth you this quietnes the mother of all your wealth and prosperity Therefore to conclude where I began weigh well the sicke and wounded parts of your common wealth cure the roote regard the foundation the principall pillars the summer posts the stone walles as for the roofe and the tyles if yee repaire them onely and suffer the ground worke to perish a tempest of weather a flovve will shake your building Of some such good and substantiall reformation I would advise you friendly to consult and you shall finde me as willing to preferre the generall welfare of you all as I have beene desirous to benefit every singular person of you that hath in any lawfull suite attempted me ¶ These last words gave Sidney to the Realme as it were for a farewell and thenceforvvards looked for Sir VVilliam Fitz VVilliams his brother in law a politicke and stout gentleman now Lord Iustice and for Sir Iohn Perrot Lord president of Mounster to be settled there before his departure He was honored at the point of his going with such recourse pompe musicke shewes
after Bishop of Iuvaviens the name of which Bishopricke hee procured to bee changed and called it the Bishops See of Salisburgh where he builded a sumptuous Cathedrall Church and was the first founder thereof In his time one Boniface an English man and the Popes Legate in Germany tooke upon him to rebaptize contrary to the Canons of the Church such as had beene as hee thought formerly not rightly baptized Virgilius having had conference with Sydonius Archbishop of Bavaria opposed himselfe against him The matter came to hearing before Pope Zacharie who gave sentence that Virgilius was in the right and Boniface his Legate for all his great authority in the wrong opinion Hee prudently governed his Church some thirty yeeres and gave place to nature So farre Bale out of Gaspar Bruschius Learned Camden alledgeth out of Rhegino that in the time of Carolus magnus which must needs bee about the yeere 767. certaine Norwegians or Normans entred Ireland and were repulsed and further of them I have not read but in the British Chronicle of Caradoc Llancarvan I finde that Anno 799. the Danes came into England and destroyed a great part of Lindsey and Northumberland over-ranne the most part of Ireland and destroyed Rechreyn The accidents of the eight hundreth yeere after Christ now follow And first of all Functius offereth occasion to write how that Anno 820. Regnerus King of Denmarke invaded Britaine and how that his prosperous successes in Britaine Scotland and the Orchades puffed him up and emboldned him so much that he passed into Ireland slue the King of the land tooke the Citie of Dublin where hee remained an whole yeere and then returned to Denmarke Next commeth Turgesius his time to bee examined who was of Norwey and came with great power of Esterlings into Ireland vanquished King Edlumding or Edlimidus or in Irish Felim Mac Edmund and raigned thirty yeeres Here gentle reader observe certain errours or escapes whether of ignorance wilfulnesse or negligence I know not the which I finde betweene Cambrensis Polychronicon Fabian and others touching Gurmund and Turgesius First that Gurmund and Turgesius should be one man the end of them both by a generall consent of Writers reproveth that for Gurmund dyed in France and Turgesius was slaine in Ireland Secondly whereat Giraldus marvaileth how that the Antiquaries of England make mention of Gurmund but nothing of Turgesius and that the Writers of Ireland speake of Turgesius but little or nothing of Gurmund so that Turgesius by reason of his raigne and continuance was knowne unto them and Gurmund if he were here made small abode as I have formerly written and therefore became a man unknowne Thirdly that Turgesius should be Gurmunds deputie in Ireland or his brother as I reade in Fabian cannot possibly stand with the truth for on all sides it is agreed that Gurmund came to Britaine and ioyned with the Saxons against Careticus who began his raigne in Britaine anno 586. but as saith Cambrensis Turgesius Captaine of the Norwegians Danes or Esterlings came to Ireland in the daies of Fedlimidius which was 400. yeeres from the comming of the first Patricke into the land in the which time there had raigned thirty three Kings or Monarchs then this knot with facilitie may be untied for Patricke came to Ireland as I have formerly delivered An. 432. adde 400. to it then Turgesius came to Ireland Anno 832. But forward with the history When these Norwegians or Esterlings had got footing in the land to their content and planted themselves the space of thirty yeeres they builded Castles Fortes and Wardes they cast up Trenches Bankes and Ditches for safegard and refuge Toward the end of the terme before mentioned Turgesius was enamoured on a faire Gentlewoman the onely daughter of Omalaghlin King of Meth and desired her for his Concubine he practised with the father for obtaining of his purpose the father not willing to yeeld nor daring to displease resolved him thus Appoint the day the houre and the place and sequester your selfe from your Court and retinue and I will send my daughter unto you with twelve or sixteene Gentlewomen of the choice and beautifullest maidens of my country and take your choice of them if my daughter please you best she is at your command When the time appointed came and the Lecher longed to satisfie his filthy lust Omalaghlin attired his daughter in princely sort and sent her to King Turgesius with sixteene young men in womens attire which had long Skeines under their Mantles These young springals were faire beautifull effeminate and amiable to look upon they were brought to his chamber and presented before him he taketh the Gentlewoman by the middle and kisseth her the Striplings out with their Skeines and stabbed him having the Lady in his armes whereof he presently dyed whilst they fell upon a few loose and dissolute persons that were about him whom they killed every one Omalaghlin that lay in ambush all this while with certaine horsemen expecting the end of this exploit reioyced greatly when hee saw his daughter and her company make so speedy a returne and understanding that his practise was effected as he desired sent Scoutes and Cursitors Messengers and horses over the whole land declaring what had happened Immediately Meth and all Leinster are in Armes the Princes and Lords from euery place throughout Ireland repaired to Omalaghlin and being glad of liberty reioyced with him at the destruction of Turgesius and his Guard To make the story short for they made short worke with it they set upon the Norwegians and Danes killed them every mothers sonne that escaped not by flight seized upon all their possessions so as together with their lives they lost all their lands and goods and saith the Irish Chronicle tunc cepit conquestus Hibernicorum Then the Irish began to conquer This Omalaghlin King of Meath being in great trust credite and favour with Turgesius no man greater at that time demanded of him concealing the plot that lay hidden in his heart against the Norwegians by what meanes certaine ravenous and pestiferous fowle hee meant the Norwegians lately brought into the land which greatly annoyed the country might be destroyed Turgesius answered if they breed destroy their egges birds and nests which answer the Irish made good upon the Norwegians Not long after saith Cambrensis and Polychronicon after what They meane after the murthering of Turgesius and rooting out of all the Norwegians and Esterlings there came againe out of Norway and the Northerne Ilands as remnants of the former nation and whether they knew of themselves or by relation of their Parents and Ancestours the land to be fruitfull commodious thither they came not in warlike sort but in peaceable manner to use the trade of merchandise when they had entred certaine Ports and Havens of Ireland with the licence of the Princes of the land they builded therein divers Cities For the Irish nation they
not for Vicar generall in Ireland and Secretary to the State partly in favour of Sir Hugh Delacy who maligned and envied the honor and renowne and prosperous successes of Courcy lastly for feare of King Iohn into whose displeasure Courcy fell through the false accusation of Lacy and his faction yet the certainty of his exploits hath beene preserved and in Latine committed to Paper by a Fryer in the North the which booke Oneil brought to Aâ—magh and was translated into English by ..... Dowdall Primate there Anno 1551. He was by father a Norman by mother a Cambrian or Britaine and married the daughter of Gotred King of Man he was a Gentleman descended as it seemeth by his coate of an antient house of whom the Irish men hold that Merlin prophecied where he wrote A white Knight sitting on a white horse bearing birds in his shield shall be the first which with force of Armes shall enter and subdue Vlster He served King Henry the second in all his warres and in France he met with a worthy Knight Sir Amoricus Tristeram who married Courcy his sister and whether it was derived of the Ladies name or for that they were married on Saint Laurence day ever after hee and his posterity after him was called Sir Amoricus de Sancto Laurentio whence the Noble house of Howth is lineally discended wherof hereafter in another place more at large These two Knights became sworne brethren in the Church of our Lady at Roane where solemnely they vowed to serve together to live and dye together and equally to devide betweene them what they wanne by the sword or should be given them in regard of their service Thus they continued in France Anjou Normandy and England and when Sir Iohn de Courcy was joyned in commission with William Burgh Fitz Adelme and others Sir Amoricus de Sancte Laurentia accompanied him into Ireland where Courcy receaved a graunt of the King by Patent for him and his heires or assignes after him to enjoy in that Land all that he could Conquer with the sword reserving to the King homage and fealty they landed at Houth and there fought a cruell fight by the side of a Bridge where Sir Iohn de Courcy being sickly taried abord the shippe Sir Amoricus being Chiftaine and Generall of the field by land behaved himselfe most worthily many were slaine on both sides but Sir Amoricus got the victory with the lose of seven of his owne blood sonnes uncles and nephewes wherupon for his singular valour and good service there performed that Lordship was allotted unto him for his part of the conquest with other things which Sir Iohn de Courcy gave him Immediatly Sir Iohn de Courcy Sir Amoricus de Saint Laurence and Sir Roger Hoer so well appointed as then contented them directed their course towards the North the principall cause that moved them besides their valour was the hard government of William Fitz Adelme Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whose conditions Cambrensis who then lived and was conversant with him delivereth in this sort He was covetous proud malicious envious a favorite of wine and women and good to none but to his back and belly and by his backe he understood his kindred and by his belly he ment his children for he opposed himselfe most enviously against the Garraldins Fitz Stephens and Barries the first most valiant Conquerors of the Land and against their posterity c. While Courcy is on his way give me leave gentle Reader to eternise the Memoriall of Maurice Fitz Gerald As he was of birth and parentage nobly and worshiply discended so was he in condition and for martiall prowesse every way renowned Cambrensis his kinsman commendeth him greatly and no lesse then he deserved He left this world to the great griefe of all the true harts in Ireland and lieth buried in the Monastery of grey Friers without the wales of Wexford his ..... sonnes whom William Fitz Adelme maligned builded the Castle of Fernes In his time saith Cambrensis at Wirlo where Maurice Fitz Girald dwelled there was a Monster begotten by a wicked man of that nation upon a Cow a vice saith he at that time too common among that nation It had the body of a man but all the hinder parts of an oxe from the anckles of the legges and the wrists of the armes he had the hoofes of an oxe his head was all bald saving a few small and thinne haires his eyes great round and blacke like an Oxe nose he had none but two holes speake hee could not but onely bellow like a Cow this Monster did daily resort to the house of Maurice Fitz Girald about dinner time and such meat as was given him he tooke it in his hoofes and put it to his mouth and so fed himselfe Diviners in those daies construed this of the government of Fitz Adelme the which in their opinion was monstrous but there I leave and returne to Courcy Iohn de Courcy after foure dayes some miles come to Daud without resistance and unlooked for contrary to all mens expectation the which in a word hath beene spoken of before strange it is to see what a sudden feare will worke Dunlenus whom I take to be O Donell no base nor meane Commander of that place fled away left armes men and munition behinde happy was hee in his owne opinion that he had escaped the hands he wist not of what enemy the trumpets sounded the armour ratled the women clapt their hands the children cryed the townesmen to goe the leaders entred the souldiers ryfled the towne upon a sodaine was ransacked doores windowes cupboards chests flew open the army after long march and sore travaile being in great want and weakenesse had their housing firing dyet and fare of the best bedding cloathing gold silver plate and rich booties without checke or controulement of any and respite for certaine daies to breath rest and recreate themselves In the necke of this out of Scotland the winde blew one Vinianus a Cardinall spoken of before which tooke upon him to intreate a peace betweene the two nations but could not prevaile After eight dayes Roderic the Monarch and O Donnell King of Duune had mustred their men gathered forces gotten great ayde and prepared an hoast of tenne thousand fighting men and came to besiege the City Sir Iohn de Courcy having but seven hundred thought best not to bee cooped within nor caged like a Bird prepared to give them battaile abroad marched forth and ordered his army as followeth he divided his men into three companies the horsemen being seven score were set in a winge on the left hand under the leading of Sir Amoricus de Saint Laurantio every horseman having a bowman behinde him On the right hand Sir Roger Poer who had married Sir Amoricus Neece led the foot company close by a bogge side in the midst came Sir Iohn de Courcy with his company the way was narrow where they should encounter and the