neither our service nor our good meaning towards our Princes crowne availeth yet say not hereafter but in this open hostility which wee professe heere and proclaime we have shewed our selves no villaines nor churles but warriours and Gentlemen This Sword of estate is yours and not mine I received it with an oath and have used it to your benefit I should offend mine honour if I turned the same to your annoyance now have I neede of mine owne sword which I dare trust as for this common sword it flattereth me with a golden scabberd but hath in it a pestilent edge already bathed in the Geraldines blood and whetted it selfe in hope of a destruction save your selves from us as from your open enemies I am none of Henryes Deputy I am his foe I have more minde to conquere then to governe to meete him in the field then to serve him in office If all the hearts of England and Ireland that have cause thereto vvould joyne in this quarrell as I trust they will then should he be a by-word as I trust he shall for his heresie lechery and tyranny wherein the age to come may skore him among the auncient Princes of most abhominable and hatefull memorie With that he rendred up the sword and flang away like a Bedlam adding to his shamefull Oration many other slanderous and foule termes which for regard of the Kings posteritie I have no minde to utter They concluded first to murther all of the English birth in Ireland and sent an ambassador to Paulus the 3 called Mac Granell archdeacon of Kelles and rejected thence to Charles the fift whose Aunt Queene Katherine the King had lately cast off with much indignation of all the Spaniards him hee thought eith to be kindled and craved assistance to conquer the land which he promised to hold under him his heires for ever The meane while he forced an oath upon Gentlemen of every shire to ayde him camped within the pale reared a great army of English Irish and Scots invaded the Earle of Ossory and Iames his sonne Lord Butler who having intelligence thereof prevented his fury and kept those parts in order When the Butlers had stopped his rage in Mounster he fell to parlyes and treatyes with them sent them diverse messengers and letters whereby he covenanted to devide with them halfe the Kingdome would they assist his enterprise Iames Lord Treasurer in whom for their youth and acquaintance he most affied and often accumbred with such temptations finally returned his brokers with letters Taking pen in hand to write you my resolute answere I muse in the very first line by what name to call you my Lord or my Cousin seeing your notorious treason hath distayned your honour and your desperate lewdnes shamed your kindred your are so liberall in parting stakes with mee that a man would weene you had no right to the game so importunate in craving my company as if you would perswade me to hang with you for good fellowship And thinke you that Iames is so mad to gape for gudgens or so ungratious to sell his truth for a peece of Ireland were it so as it cannot be that the Chickens you reckon were both hatched and feathered yet be thou sure I had rather in this quarrell die thine enemy then live thy partner for the kindnes you proffer mee and good love in the end of your letter the best way I can I purpose to requite that is in advising you though you have fetched your feaze yet to looke well ere you leape over Ignorance and error and a certaine opinion of duty hath carried you unawares to this folly not yet so ranke but it may be cured The King is a vessell of bounty and mercy your words against his Majesty shall not bee counted malicious but rather balked out for heat and impotency except your selfe by heaping offences discover a mischievous and willfull meaning Farewell Nettled with this round answere forth he passed to increase his power offered violence to very few except that one despitous murther at Tartaine the twenty five of Iuly where in a morning earely he caused to be brought before him the honourable Prelate Doctour Allen Archbishop of Divelin and Lord Chancellor who being a reverent personage feeble for age and sicknesse kneeling at his feete in his shirte and mantle bequeathing his soule to God his body to the Traytors mercy the wretched young man commaunded there to be brained like an oxe The place is ever since hedged in overgrowne and unfrequented in detestation of the fact The people have observed that all the accessaries thereof being after pardoned for rebellion ended miserably Allen had beene in service with Cardinall VVolsey of deepe judgement in the Cannon law the onely match of Stephen Gardener another of VVolseyes Chaplaines for avoyding of which emulation he was preferred in Ireland rough and rigorous in Iustice hated of the Geraldines for his Masters sake his owne as he that crossed them diverse times and much troubled both the father and sonne in their governements nor unlike to have promoted their accusations All this while the Kings army was looked for and no succour came to the rebels which greatly quayled them being of themselves though stored with souldiours yet unfurnished with any sufficient munition to stand in a maine battell Moreover the number of wise Gentlemen did not greatly incline to his purpose And therefore when he besieged the City of Divelin the most part of those arrowes which were shot over the walles were unheaded and little or nothing affrayed them That espied the citizens and gathering the faintnes of his souldiours thereby blazed abroad upon the walles triumphant newes that the Kings Army was arryved and as it had beene so indeed suddenly rushed out of their gates uppon the Rebels who at the first sight of armed men weening no lesse but the truth was so otherwise assured that the Citty would never dare to incounter them gave ground forsooke their Captaines dispersed and scattered into diverse corners and never after met together A little before this time dyed the Earle of Kildare in the towre of London for thought and paine Sir VVilliam Skevington whom the Irish men call the gunner because hee was preferred from that office of the Kings Master-gunner to governe them and that they can full evill brooke to be ruled of any that is but meanely borne brought over an Army and with him Leonard Gray a younger sonne to the Marquesse Dorset Lord Marshall To whom Fitz Gerald yeelded and vvas sent into England vvhere hee vvith his Vncles and other principalls of the conspiracy vvere aftervvards dravvne hanged and quartered at Tiburne Soone after vvas the house of the Geraldines attaynted by Parliament and all of the name busily trayned out for feare of nevv commotions But Thomas Leurus late Bishop of Kildare schoole-master to a younger brother Gerald Fitz Gerald the Earle that novv liveth secretly stale avvay vvith
assistance of Rodericke Oconor King of Connaght at that season the generall Monarch of all Ireland The subjects of Leinster detesting the quarrell and long ere this time hating their Prince left him desolate in his greatest neede so as with much difficulty he caught his boate and fled over for succour to Henry the 2. King of England then warring upon the Frenchmen within his Dukedome of Aquitaine Somewhat before this season sate in the See of Rome Adrianus 4. an English man borne who having in his youth taken a painefull pilgrimage into Norway and reduced the whole Iland unto Christianity learned distinctly the state of Ireland and how their countrymen which dayly repaired thither being themselves the most part infidels meeting with a people there wilde and furious were like very shortly but if God found remedy to deface religion for though Christ were beleeved and taught yet the multitude eft soone grew to a shamelesse kinde of liberty making no more of necessary points of Doctrine then served their loose humour Besides these occasions Henry the 2. builded upon the Popes favour his borne subject had sent Ambassadours to Rome in the first yeare of his raigne asking leaue to attempt the conquest of Ireland Adrian trusting and requiring a diligent reformation of the premisses graunted his Bull which Alexander his Successour confirmed and ratified upon the same conditions Now when Dermot was come in the very necke of these consultations and put up his complaint wherein he preferred the interest of his Crowne and craved a restitution of some peece of his lands the matter did seeme not all untowardly broached Henry having his hands full with the French because Mac Murrough urged all possible haste could not personaly intend that offer but sent him honourably garded into England with letters patents bearing this Tenour HENRY the second King of England Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine Earle of Angiow To all our true subjects English Normans Welchmen Scotts and to all nations within our Dominions whatsoever Greeting Witt yee that the Bearer hereof Dermot Mac Murrough King of Leinster we have received into the soveraigne protection of our Grace and bounty wherefore who so of you all our loving subjects will extend towards him your ayde for his restoring as to our trusty and welbeloved know yee that he is thereto authorized by these presents and shall deserve at our hands high favour in so doing With these letters and many gay additions of his owne he arrived at Bristow where he fell at conference with Richard Strongbow Earle of Pembroke with whom he covenanted the delivery of his onely daughter and heire unto marriage and so the remainder of his Kingdome If the said Earle would recover him his home That day were planted in Wales two gentlemen Robert Fitz Stephens and Maurice Fitz Gerald brethren of a Mother allyed to Rice ap Griffin then Prince of Wales whose Grand-father was surnamed Rice the great Fitz Stephens had beene high Constable there under the King and for executing rigour upon the Princes servants was with him detained prisoner three yeares ne would in any wise pay ransome or accept the liberty promised him but if the conditions were loyall to the Crowne and to his person no dis-worship Lastly by the mediation of David Bishop of S. Davids the third brother and of Fitz Gerald and at the instance of Mac Murrough whom the Prince entertained in that distresse Fitz Stephens was conditionaly delivered that he and his brother Maurice should the next spring while Strongbow provided his army assist the Irish out-cast who in consideration thereof assured them an estate for ever in the towne of Weixford and two Cantreds adjoyning Thus much firmely concluded on all sides the King stale secretly home and wintered closely among the Cleargie of Fernes According to covenant came Fitz Stephens with 30. Knights of his blood 60. Squiers 300. footemen Archers to whom at his landing Dermot sent in aid his base sonne Duvelnaldus and five hundred speares The towne and suburbes of Weixford marched forth against him But when they saw Souldiours in array diversly dighted and weaponed furnished with artillery barbed horses and harnesse they retyred to their walles and strengthned them burning the villages thereabouts and all the provision they could not carry The assault lasted 3. dayes in the 4. certaine Bishops resciant there tooke up the variance pacified the Townesmen to their King and procured the rendring of the Towne Dermot having tryed the valiantnes of the Welchmen immeadiately kept his touch and gave possession of Weixford with the appurtenances aforesaid to Fitz Stephens and his brother After successe of these matters they leavyed to the number of 3000. Souldiours and devised to vexe the Lords of Vpper Ossory who had beene to the King of all other most cruell and injurious Them they compelled to deliver Trewage and sweare fealty Rodericke the monarch appalled at these newes reared up all the Kings in defence of the land verily supposing that all would to wrecke were it not prevented And first they directed courteous messages and gifts to Fitz Stephens moving him to depart the land quietly and not to molest them without cause To whom he answered that much he wondred at the folly of those Princes who to satisfie their choller had opened such a gappe to their owne prejudice as though the subjects whom they had schooled to breake allyance towards the King of Leinster would not be as ready by this example to learne to withstand the King of Connaght for his owne part though hee might with better reason invade strangers then they could expell their neighbours and their peere yet would they suffer the King to reenter his right they should not finde him stiffe nor untractable otherwise they should well feele that the Bryttons wanted neither abilitie nor truth to maintaine their word Rodericke perceived it was no boote to spurne and therefore bethought himselfe of composition upon agreement they resolved thus Inprimis that Mac Murrough swearing afresh his obedience to the Monarch should quietly repossesse the parts of Leinster which Rodericke with-held by suspensation Secondly that for ensurance thereof he should pledge his dearest base sonne Cnothurn to whom Rodericke promised his daughter if this peace were found effectuall Thirdly that being rested in his kingdome he should discharge the Welch army nor should henceforwards call them over in defence About this time Donatus the good King of Ergall founded the Abbey of Mellyfont which is the eldest that I finde recorded since the Danes arrivall except S. Mary Abbey besides Divelin erected in an 948. The meane while was landed at Weixford Maurice Fitz Gerald with his provision ten Knights thirty Squiers and an hundred Bowmen hereupon Dermot and the two Brethren set their force against Divelin which being the cheife Citty of his Realme refused to yeeld when Divelin and the country about it vvas recover'd there befell hostility between Rodericke and
Mahowne all the Captaines of Thomond and all this in three moneths The Cleargye of Divelin tvvice every vveeke in solemne procession praying for his good successe against these disordered persons vvhich novv in every quarter of Ireland had degenerated to their olde trade of life and repyned at the English Lieutenants to Henry the sixt over the Realme of Ireland were Edmund Earle of Marche and Iames Earle of Ormond his Deputy Iohn Sutton Knight Lord Dudley and Sir Thomas Strange his Deputy Sir Thomas Standley and Sir Christopher Plonket his Deputy Lyon Lord Welles and the Earle of Ormond his Deputy Iames Earle of Ormond the Kings Lieutenant by himselfe Iohn Earle of Shrewesbury and the Archbishop of Divelin Lord Iustice in his absence Richard Plantaginet Duke of Yorke father of Edward the fourth and Earle of Vlster had the office of Lieutenant by letters Patents during the space of ten yeares who deputed under him at severall times the Baron of Delvin Roland Fitz Eustace knight Iames Earle of Ormond and Thomas Fitz Morrice Earle of Kildare To this Richard then resciant in Divelin was borne within the castle there his second son George Duke of Clarence afterwards drowned in a butt of Malmsey his god fathers at the font were the Earles of Ormond and Desmond Whether the commotion of Iacke Cade an Irish-man borne naming himselfe Mortimer and so clayming cousinage to diverse noble houses proceeded from this crew it is uncertaine surely the Duke was thereof vehemently mistrusted immediatly began his tumults which because our English histories discourse at large I omit as impertinent Those broyles being couched for a time Richard held himselfe in Ireland being lately by Parliament ordained Protector of the Realme of England leaving his agent in the Court his brother the Earle of Salisbury Lord Chauncellour to whom he declared by letters the trouble then toward in Ireland which letter exemplified by Sir Henry Sidney Lord Deputy a great searcher and preserver of Antiquities as it came to my hands I thinke it convenient here to set downe To the right worshipfull and with all my heart entirely beloved brother the Earle of Shrewesbury RIght worshipfull and with all my heart entirely beloved Brother I commend mee unto you as heartily as I can And like it you to wit that sith I wrote last unto the King our soveraigne Lord his Highnes the Irish enemy that is to say Magoghigan and with him three or foure Irish Captaines associate with a great fellowship of English rebells notwithstanding that they were within the King our Soveraigne Lord his power of great malice and against all truth have maligned against their legiance and vengeably have brent a great towne of mine inheritance in Meth called Ramore and other villages thereabouts and murdered and brent both men women and children without mercy The which enemies be yet assembled in woods and forts wayting to doe the hurt and grievance to the Kings subjects that they can thinke or imagine for which cause I write at this time unto the Kings Highnes and beseech his good grace for to hasten my payment for this land according to his letters of vvarrant novv late directed unto the Treasurer of England to the intent I may vvage men in sufficient number for to resist the malice of the same enemyes and punish them in such vvyse that other vvhich vvould doe the same for lacke of resistance in time may take example for doubtlesse but if my payment bee had in all haste for to have men of vvarre in defence and safeguard of this Land my povver cannot stretch to keepe it in the Kings obeysance And very necessity vvill compell mee to come into England to live there upon my poore livelode for I had lever bee dead then any inconvenience should fall thereunto in my default for it shall never bee chronicled nor remaine in scripture by the grace of God that Ireland vvas lost by my negligence And therefore I beseech you right vvorshipfull brother that you will hold to your hands instantly that my payment may bee had at this time in eschuing all inconveniences for I have example in other places more pitty it is for to dread shame and for to acquite my truth unto the Kings Highnes as my dutie is And this I pray and exhort you good brother to shew unto his good grace and that you will be so good that this language may be enacted at this present Parliament for my excuse in time to come and that you will bee good to my servant Roger Roe the bearer hereof and to mine other servants in such things as they shall pursue unto the kings Highnes And to give full faith and credence unto the report of the said Roger touching the said maters Right worshipfull and with all my heart entirely beloved brother our blessed Lord God preserve and keepe you in all honour prosperous estate and felicity and graunt you right good life and long Written at Divelin the 15. of Iune Your faithfull true brother Richard Yorke Of such power was Magoghigan in those dayes who as he wan and kept it by the sword so now he liveth but a meane Captaine yeelding his winnings to the stronger This is the misery of lawlesse people resembling the wydenesse of the rude vvorld vvherein every man vvas richer or poorer then other as he vvas in might and violence more or lesse enabled Heere beganne factions of the nobility in Ireland favouring diverse sides that strived for the Crovvne of England for Richard in those tenne yeares of government exceedingly tyed unto him the hearts of the noblemen and gentlemen in this land vvhereof diverse vvere scattered and slaine vvith him at Waterford as the contrary part vvas also the next yeare by Edward Earle of Marche the Dukes brother at Mortimers crosse in Wales in vvhich meane time the Irish vvaxed hardye and usurped the English Countreyes insufficiently defended as they had done by like oportunity in the latter end of Richard the second These two seasons did set them so a-floate that henceforwards they could never be cast out from their forcible possessions holding by plaine wrong all Vlster and by certaine Irish Tenures no little portions of Mounster and Connaght left in Meth and Leinster where the civill subjects of English bloud did ever most prevaile CAP. VIII Edward the fourth and Edward his sonne Richard the third Henry the seventh THomas Fitz Morice Earle of Kildare Lord Iustice untill the third yeare of Edward the fourth since which time the Duke of Clarence aforesaid brother to the King had the office of Lieutenant while he lived and made his Deputies in sundry courses Thomas Earle of Desmond Iohn Tiptoft Earle of Worcester the Kings cozen Thomas Earle of Kildare Henry Lord Graye Great was the credit of the Geraldines ever when the house of Yorke prospered and likewise the Butlers thryved under the bloud of Lancaster for
Lievetenant with the allowance of twenty Gentlemen of his houshold and joyned with him in commission Iohn de Courcy with the allowance of tenne men to attend his person Robert Fitz Stephens and Miles Cogan who had nobly served him in his wars two yeers with the allowance of twenty men to attend their persons at which time saith Holinshed the Irish men paid the King a tribute of twelve pence yeerely for every house or else for every yoke of Oxen alias plow which they had of their owne Richard surnamed Strangbow had to his father Gilbert likewise surnamed Strangbow for his valour strength this Gilbert was E. of Ogye in Normandie Lord of Totenhā Alverdiston Wolaston in England so created by Henry 1. William the son of Osbert a Norman E. of Ogie in Normandie had issue Richard E. of Ogie this Richard had issue Walter Gilbert aforesaid father to Richard E. Strangbow William Fitz Osbert came into England in the ayde of William the Conquerour And as far as I can learn Walter was the first Earle of Penbroke the Britaines call it Penbraich More the head of an arme of the sea whence both the Countie and the most noble Earldome have their denominations Arnulph de monte Gomerik the yonger sonne of Roger de montegomerik that was by William the Conquerour created Earle of Arundell and Shrewsbury builded the Castle of Penbroke where Henry the seventh was borne William the Conquerour gave him Divet and Cardigan hee was Earle of Ogie and the second Earle of Penbroke and married the daughter by the mediation of Girald de Windsore Constable of his Castle of Morogh King of Leinster in Ireland Gilbert surnamed Strangbow was created by King Stephen the third Earle of Penbroke hee was Earle of Ogie in Normandie Lord of Totenham Alverdiston Wolaston and Cardigan and in England succeeded Arnulph Henry the first made him Earle of Strigule now called Chepstow and gave him Cardigan this Gilbert builded Castrogie alias Castrum Ogie in Gwent and the Castle of Stratmirike Richard surnamed Strangbow succeeded his father Gilbert his stile as I take it is thus Richard surnamed Strangbow Lord of Totenham Alverdiston Wolaston and Cardigan in England Earle of Penbroke Earle of Strigule alias Domonius de Chepstow in England Earle of Ogie in Normandie Earle of Leicester Earle Marshall of England Vicegerent of Normandie Lord Lievetenant of Ireland and Prince of Leinster in the right of Eva his wife sole heire of Dermot Mac Morogh King of Leinster This Richard had issue by his first wife a sonne a fine youth and a gallant stripling who following his father with some charge in battaile array as he passed by Idrone in Leinster to relieve Robert Fitz Stephens in Wexford upon the sight and cry of the Irish men when his father was in cruell fight gave backe with his company to the great discouragement of the host yet the Earle got the victory and commanded with the teares in his cheekes that his sonne should be cut in the middle with a sword for his cowardize in battaile he was buried in the Church of the blessed Trinitie in Dublin where now his father resteth by his side and caused the cause of his death for an Epitaph to be set over him Nate ingrate mihi pugnanti terga dedisti Non mihi sed genti regno quoque terga dedisti My sonne unkinde didst flye the field the father fighting hard Nor me nor English birth didst weigh nor kingdome didst regard How the sonne pleaded with his father for the place of service and how the father answered Stanihurst hath many circumstances hereof and delivered that his owne father in his fury and in the face of the enemy cut him off and marvaileth that Cambrensis would conceale it and in the end taketh it as a matter of truth both by the testimony of the Tombe in Christ Church as also by the industry of Sir Henry Sidney Knight a great favourer of Antiquities in preserving the same to the knowledge of the posterity Richard Earle Strangbow by his second wife Eva the daughter of Dermot Mac Morogh had issue one daughter Isabell whom Richard the first gave in marriage to William Maxfield Lord Maxfield Earle Marshall of England of whom God willing I shall have occasion to speake further when I come to his time The same yeere that Strangbow dyed viz. 1177. so Holinshed writeth Iohn de Courcy entred Vlster discomfited the Irish and wanne the Citie of Dune where the body of Saint Patricke Saint Colme and Saint Brigide the Virgin rests whom Courcy calleth tria jocalia Hiberniae the three jewels of Ireland At the winning of Dune Roderic King of Connaght and Monarch of Ireland at severall times before sworne to the King raised a mighty army against Courcy where Roderic was overthrowne and the Bishop of Dune taken prisoner among other rebels the which Bishop at the request of Cardinall Vinian then present was set at liberty This Cardinall saith mine Author intitled Sancti Stephani de monte Celio was sent from Alexander 3. and comming into England without licence was pardoned by Henry 2. and permitted to goe into Scotland and the north parts where his commission directed him when he had ended his businesse in Scotland he passed over into Man where he held his Christmas with Gotred King of Man and after the Epiphanie sailed from thence into Ireland and came thither saith Newbrigiensis the same time that the English men invaded the country and was entertained by Roderic and the Bishop of Dune and others with great reverence The Irish men aske councell of Vivian the Legate what in that case he thought best to be done whether they should fight or yeeld unto the English nation he gave counsell forgetting what Adrian 4. and Alexander 3. had formerly granted and said fight in defence of your country This Legate craftily preventing all mishaps took the Church of Dune for his sanctuary and had in readinesse the Popes commission and the King of Englands Passe unto the Captaines of Ireland for his safe conduct From thence he went to Dublin called the Prelates held a councell and filled his bagges with the sinnes of the people the English Captaines understanding of it gave him in charge either to depart the land or to goe to the warres and serve for pay with them and no longer to receive money for nought In the booke of Howth it is further alledged how that this Legate in his Synod at Dublin whether it were to curry favour with the English men and to colour his other pranckes it forceth not greatly shewed and published openly the King of Englands right to Ireland with the Popes grant and confirmation and accursed all those that gainesaid the same Now to the true history of Sir Iohn de Courcy as worthy a Knight for martiall prowesse as ever trode upon Irish ground whom Cambrensis lightly overskipped partly upon private grudge for that Sir Iohn de Courcy allowed him
Monastery of Grenard was founded by Richard Tute who shortly after miscarried at Athlone by the fall of a Turret and was buried in the same Monastery About the same time in the yeere 1209. the Monastery of Forte was founded by Walter Lacy Lord of Meth. Anno 1210. and the twelfth yeere of his raigne King Iohn came into Ireland and landed at Waterford with an huge army marvellous well appointed to pacifie that rebellious people that were universally revolted burning spoyling preying and massacring the English Fabian and Graffton alleage the cause that moved the Irishmen to this rebellion to have been for that the King endevord to lay grievous taxes upon them towards his aide in the warres against the French King which they could not brooke and therefore rose in armes against their Soveraigne When hee came to Dublin the whole Countrey fearing his puissance craved peace and flocked unto him along the sea cost the Champian Countries and remote places receiving an oath to bee true and faithfull unto him There were 20. Reguli of the chiefest rulers within Ireland which came to the King to Dublin and there did him homage and fealty as appertained Harding nameth them Lord O Neale and many more Walsingham remembreth Catelus King of Conaght it forceth it not though they misse the right names of place and person it is a fault in manner common to all foraigne writers After this hee marched forwards into the land and tooke into his hands divers Fortresses and strong Holds of his enemies that fled before him for feare to be apprehended as William le Bruse Mathilda his wife William their sonne with their traine of whom I spake before also Walter de Lacy Lord of Meath and Hugh de Lacy Earle of Vlster and Lord Iustice of Ireland fearing his presence fled into France their exaction oppression and tyranny was intolerable Likewise they doubted how to answer the death of Sir Iohn de Courcy Lord of Ratheny and Kilbarrock within 5. miles of Dublin whom they had murthered of especiall malice and deadly hatred First for that he was of the house of Sir Iohn de Courcy Earle of Vlster whom the Lacies alwaies maligned Secondly for that he had made grievous complaints of them in England to King Iohn the tryall whereof they could not abide Vpon the sight of the Lacies King Iohn made Iohn Gray Bishop of Norwich his deputy Of these Lacies it is further remembred in the Booke of Houth and other antiquities how that in France they obscured themselves in the Abbey of S. Taurin and gave themselves to manuall labour as digging delving gardening planting and greffing for daily wages the space of 2. or 3. yeares the Abbot was well pleased with their service and upon a day whether it were by reason of some inkling or secret intelligence given him or otherwise demaunded of them of what birth and parentage they were and what Country they came from when they had acquainted him with the whole hee bemoned their case and undertooke to become a suiter unto the King for them in a word hee obtained the Kings favour for them thus farre that they were put to their fyne and restored to their fromer possessions so that Walter de Lacy paid for the Lordship of Meath 2500. Markes and Hugh his brother for Vlster and Conaght a greater summe Hugh de Lacy in remembrance of this kindnesse which the Abbot shewed them tooke his nephew his brothers sonne with them into Ireland one Alured whom he Knighted and made Lord of the Dengle The Monkes also which out of that Monastery hee had brought with him into Ireland hee honoured greatly and gave them entertainment in Four the which Walter De Lacy had formerly builded King Iohn having pacified the land ordained that the English Lawes should bee used in Ireland appointed 12. English shires with Sheriffes and other Officers to rule the same according unto the English Ordinances hee reformed the Coine and made it uniforme some say it was Gray his Deputy of like weight and finenes and made it currant as well in England as in Ireland When hee had disposed of his affaires and ordred all things at his pleasure he tooke the sea againe with much triumph and landed in England the 30. day of August Anno 1213. When the French King by instigation of Innocentius 3. Bishop of Rome prepared to invade England King Iohn eftsoone understanding thereof made provision accordingly to answer his enterprise and among others the cause why the story is here inserted Holinshed writeth how that to his aid the Bishop of Norwich the Kings Deputy of Ireland levied an Army of 300. foot well appointed beside horsemen which arrived in England to the encouragement of the whole Campe. And as the French was frustrate of his purpose so they shortly returned with great joy to their native Country In the same yeere Viz. 1213. Iohn Comin Archbishop of Dublin departed this life and was buried in the Quire of Christ-Church whom Henry Loudres succeeded in the dayes of this King Iohn This Henry builded the Castle of Dublin and was made Lord Iustice of Ireland His tenants nic-named him Schorchbill or Schorcvillen upon this occasion Hee being peaceably stalled in his Bishopprike summoned all his tennants and farmers at a certain day appointed to make their personall appearance before him and to bring with them such evidences and writings as they enjoyed their holds by the tenants of the day appointed appeared shewed their evidences to their Landlord mistrusting nothing hee had no sooner received them but afore their faces upon a suddain cast them all into a fire secretly provided for the purpose this fact amazed some that they became silent moved others to a stirring choller and furious rage that they regarded neither place nor person but brake into irreverent speeches Thou an Archbishop nay thou art a Schorcvillen an other drew his weapon and said as good for me kill as be killed for when my evidences are burned and my living taken away from me I am killed The Bishop being thus tumult and the imminent danger whipt out at a backe doore His Chaplains Registers and Summoners were well knockt and some of them left for dead They threatned to fire the house over the Bishops head some meane was made for the present time to pacifie their outrage with faire promises that all hereafter should be to their owne content upon this they departed the intent of the promises I cannot learne othersome inveigh against it but in fine complaint thereof being made to Henry 3. the King thought so hardly of the course that he removed him from his Iusticeship and placed in his roome Maurice Fitz Girald of whom hereafter This Loudreds was buried in Christ Church In the same yeere also King Iohn being mightily distressed through the practises of hir Archbishops Bishops Abbots Monkes Priests of his dominions and the Barons of his Kingdome revolting and the inward hatred of the
March alias Maurish so Holinshed calleth him in Mathew Paris Galfridus de Marisco to have beene Lord Iustice of Ireland so it may be in the absence of Maurice Fitz Girald who made three journeys to King Henry the third one with great power out of Ireland to ayde him beyond the seas secondly to cleare himselfe of the death of Richard Marshall Earle of Pembrook lastly with Irish forces against the Welshmen Mat. Paris and Holinshed make report of his good service How that when an Irish petit King in Conaght understanding that both the King of England and the Earle Marshall and Maurice Fitz Gerald were gone over into France and so Ireland left without any great aide of men of warre on the English part raised a mighty Army and with the same entred into the Marches and borders of the English dominion spoiling and burning the Country before him And how that Ieffray de Maurisco then Lord Iustice being thereof advertized called to him Walter de Lacy Lord of Meth and Richard de Burgh assembling therewithall an hugh Army the which he divided into three parts appointing the said Walter de Lacy and Richard de Burgh with the two first parts to lye in ambush within certain Woods through the which he purposed to draw the enemies And marching forth with the third which he reserved to his owne government he profered battaile to the Irishmen the which when they saw but one battaile of the Englishmen boldly assaid the same The Englishmen according to the order appointed faining as though they had fled and so retired still backe till they had trained the Irish within danger of their other two battailes which comming forth upon them did set on them eagerly whilest the other which seemed before to fly returned back againe and set upon them in like manner by meanes whereof the Irish men being in the midst were beaten downe if they stood to it they were before and behind slaine if any offered to fly hee was overtaken thus in all parts they were utterly vanquished with the losse of 20000. Irish and the King of Conaght taken and committed to prison This Noble Ieffray de Marisco of whom Holinshed writeth a man some time in great honour and possessions in Ireland fell into the displeasure of the King was banished who after he had remained long in exile suffred great miserie ended the same by naturall death Thus the unstable Wheele goeth round about and yet I may not so leave it hee had a sonne called William de Maurisco who together with the father the Iustice of God requiring the same came to most shamefull ends Matthew the Munke of Westminster and Matthew Paris the Munke of Saint Albones doe write the Story While the King was beyond seas a certain noble man of Irish birth to wit Willielmus de Maurisco an exiled and banished man the sonne of Ieffray de Maurisco for some hainous offence laid to his charge kept himselfe in the Isle of Lundy not farre from Bristall preying robbing and stealing as a notorious Pirate at length being apprehended together with 17. of his confederacy and by the Kings commandement adjudged to cruell death he was drawne at London with his confederats at horse tailes to the Gibbet and there hanged and quartered His father one of the mightiest men of Ireland by name Galfridus de Maurisco hearing thereof fled into Scotland and scarce there could hee lye safe who pinnig away with grief and sorrow soone after ended a miserable life with wished death againe after in another place he writeth Galfridus de Maurisco reckened amongst the most Noble of Ireland an exile and a banished man died pitifully yet not to be pitied whom being banished Ireland expulsed out of Scotland and fled out of England France received for a begger where hee ended an unfortunate life after the most shamefull death of his sonne Willielmus de Maurisco These things therefore I deliver more at large unto the hearers that every man may wey with himselfe what end is alloted unto treason and especially being committed against the sacred person of a Prince His father against Richard Earle and Marshall in Ireland and his son William against the King unadvisedly and unfortunatly adventured to practice mischiefe Paris addeth the name of this William was very odious unto the King for so much it was reported that through the councell of Ieffray his father he had conspired the death of the King and that he had traitorously sent that varlet which came in the night season to Woodstock to slay the King and last of all that hee had killed at London in presence of the King one Clemens a Clerk messenger of some Noble man of Ireland that came to informe the King against him About this same time florished a Learned man of Irish birth one Cornelius Historicus so called because hee was an exquisit antiquary Bale and Stanihurst have briefly written his life and his commandations out of Hector Boetius who was greatly furthered by this Cornelius to the perfecting of the Scotish History hee wrote as they say Multarum rerum Cronicon lib. 1. About this time Viz. Anno 1230. there rose a doubt in Ireland so that they sent to England to be therein resolved the King by his learned Councell answered as followeth Henry by the grace of God c. King of England Lord of Ireland Duke of Normandy and Guian c. Trusty and welbeloved Gerald Fitz Maurice Iusticer of Ireland greeting VVhereas certien Knights of the parties of Ireland lately informed us that when any land doth discend unto sisters within our dominion of Ireland the Iustices errant in those parties are in doubt whether the younger sister ought to hold of the eldest sister and doe homage unto her or not And forasmuch as the said Knights have made instance to bee certified how it had beene used before within our Realme of England in like case at their instance we doe you wit that such a Law and Custome is in England in this case that if any holding of us in chief happen to die having daughters to his heires our ancestors and we after the death of the father have alway had and received homage of all the daughters and every of them in this case did hold of us in chiefe And if they happned to be within age we have alway had the ward and marriage of them and if hee bee tennant to another Lord the sisters being within age the Lord shall have the ward and manage of them all and the eldest onely shall doe homage for herselfe and all her sisters and when the other sisters come to full age they shall doe their service to the Lord of the fee by the hands of the eldest sister yet shall not the eldest by this occasion exact of her younger sisters homage ward or any other subjection for when they be all sisters and in manner as one heire to one inheritance if the eldest should have homage of the other
Liveries marriages fines of alienations and many other Commodities which now are kept and concealed from her Majesty to the value of 40000. pounds per annum I dare undertake in all Ireland by that which I know in one county Eudox. This Irenaeus would seeme a dangerous commission and ready to stirre up all the Irish in Rebellion who knowing that they have nothing to shew for all those lands which they hould but their Swords would rather drawe them then suffer the lands to bee thus drawne away from them Iren. Neither should their lands be taken away from them nor the utmost advantages inforced against them But this by discretion of the Commissioners should be made knowne unto them that it is not her Majesties meaning to use any such extreamity but onely to reduce things into order of English Law and make them hould their lands of her and to restore to her her due services which they detaine out of those lands which were aunciently held of her And that they should not onely not be thrust out but also have estates and grants of their lands new made to them from her Majesty so as they should thence-forth hould them rightfully which they now usurpe wrongfully and yet withall I would wish that in all those Irish countryes there were some land reserved to her Majesties free disposition for the better containing of the rest and intermingling them with English inhabitants and customes that knowledge might still be had of them and of all their doings so as no manner of practise or conspiracy should be had in hand amongst them but notice should bee given thereof by one meanes or another and their practises prevented Eudox. Truely neither can the Irish nor yet the English Lords thinke themselves wronged nor hardly dealt withall herein to have that which is indeede none of their owne at all but her Majesties absolutely given to them with such equall conditions as that both they may be assured thereof better then they are and also her Majesty not defrauded of her rightly utterly for it is a great grace in a Prince to take that with conditions which is absolutely her owne Thus shall the Irish be well satisfied and as for the great men which had such graunts made to them at first by the Kings of England it was in regard that they should keepe forth the Irish and defend the Kings right and his Subjects but now seeing that in stead of defending them they robbe and spoyle them and in stead of keeping out the Irish they doe not onely make the Irish their tennants in those lands and thrust out the English but also some of themselves become meere Irish with marrying with them with fostering with them and combyning with them against the Queene What reason is there but that those graunts and priviledges should bee either revoked or at least reduced to the first intention for which they were graunted for sure in mine opinion they are more sharpely to bee chastised and reformed then the rude Irish which being very wilde at the first are now become more civill when as these from civillity are growne to be wilde and meere Irish. Iren. Indeede as you say Eudoxus these doe neede a sharper reformation then the Irish for they are more stubborne and disobedient to law and governement then the Irish be Eudox. In truth Irenaeus this is more then ever I heard that any English there should bee worse then the Irish Lord how quickely doth that Countrey alter mens natures It is not for nothing I perceive which I have heard that the Councell of England thinke it no good policie to have that Realme reformed or planted with English least they should grow so undutifull as the Irish and become much more dangerous As appeareth by the ensamples of the Lacies in the time of Edward the Second which you spake of that shooke off their allegiance to their naturall Prince and turned to Edward le Bruce to make him King of Ireland Iren. No times have bene without bad men but as for that purpose of the Councell of England which you spake of that they should keepe that Realme from reformation I thinke they are most lewdly abused for their great carefulnesse and earnest endeavours doe witnesse the contrary Neither is it the nature of the Countrey to alter mens manners but the bad mindes of the men who having beene brought up at home under a straight rule of duty and obedience being alwayes restrayned by sharpe penalties from lewde behaviour so soone as they come thither where they see lawes more slackely tended and the hard restraint which they were used unto now slacked they grow more loose and carelesse of their duty and as it is the nature of all men to love liberty so they become flat libertines and fall to all licentiousnes more boldly daring to disobey the Law thorough the presumption of favour and friendship then any Irish dareth Eudox. Then if that be so me thinkes your late advisement was very evill whereby you wished the Irish to be sowed and sprinckled with English and in all the Irish Countryes to have English planted amongst them for to bring them to English fashions since the English sooner drawe to the Irish then the Irish to the English for as you said before if they must runne with the streame the greater number will carry away the lesse Therefore me thinkes by this reason it should bee better to part the Irish and English then to mingle them together Iren. Not so Eudoxus but where there is no good stay of Government and strong ordinances to hould them there indeede the fewer will follow the more but where there is due order of discipline and good rule there the better shall goe foremost and the worst shall follow And therefore now since Ireland is full of her owne nation that ought not to be rooted out and somewhat stored with English already and more to be I thinke it best by an union of manners and conformity of mindes to bring them to be one people and to put away the dislikefull conceipt both of the one and the other which will be by no meanes better then by this intermingling of them For neither all the Irish may dwell together nor all the English but by translating of them and scattering them amongst the English not onely to bring them by dayly conversation unto better liking of each other but also to make both of them lesse able to hurt And therefore when I come to the tything of them I will tithe them one with another for the most part will make an Irish man the tythingman whereby he shall take the lesse exception to partiality and yet be the more tyed thereby But when I come to the Head Borough which is the head of the Lathe him will I make an English man or an Irish man of speciall assurance As also when I come to appoint the Alderman that is the head of the Hundreth him will I surely