the same in the latter Day will be most severely required at our Hands You have our well-beloved Son in Christ advertis'd and signified unto us That you will enter into the Land and Realm of Ireland to the end to bring them to Obedience unto Law and under your Subjection and to root out from among them their foul Sins and Wickedness as also to yield and pay yearly out of every House a yearly Pension of one Penny to S. Peter and besides also will defend and keep the Rites of those Churches whole and inviolate We therefore well allowing and favouring this your godly Disposition and commendable Affection do accept ratifie and Assent unto this your Petition and do grant That you for the dilating of God's Church the Punishment of Sin the Reforming of Manners planting of Virtue and the increasing of Christian Religion do enter to possess that Land and there to execute according to your Wisdom whatsoever shall be for the Honour of God and the Safety of the Realm And further also we do strictly charge and require That all the People of that Land do with all Humbleness Dutifulness and Honour receive and accept you as their Liege Lord and Sovereign reserving and excepting the Right of Holy Church to be inviolably preserved as also the yearly Pension of Peter-Pence out of every House which we require to be truly answered to S. Peter and to the Church of Rome If therefore you do mind to bring your Godly Purpose to effect endeavour to travail to reform the People to some better Order and Trade of Life and that also by your self and by such others as you shall think 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 means shall or may be to God's Honour and Salvation of Men's Souls whereby you may in the end receive of God's Hands the Reward of Everlasting Life and also in the mean time and in this Life carry a Glorious Fame and an Honourable Report among all Nations Together with this Bull the Pope sent King Henry a Gold-Ring as a Token of Investiture and somtime after a succeeding Pope Alexander III confirmed the former Grant by the following Breve ALexander the Bishop Hanmer 141. the Servant of the Servants of God to his dearly beloved Son the Noble King of England greeting Grace and Apostolick Benediction Forasmuch as things given and granted upon good Reason by our Predecessors are to be well allowed of ratified and confirmed we well considering and pondering the Grant and Priviledge for and concerning the Dominion of the Land of Ireland to Vs appertaining and lately given by Adrian our Predecessor We following his Steps do in like manner Confirm Ratifie and Allow the same reserving and saving to S. Peter and to the Church of Rome the yearly Pension of one Peny out of every House as well in England as in Ireland provided also that the Barbarous People of Ireland by your means be Reformed and Recovered from that filthy Life and abominable Conversation that as in Name so in Life and Manners they may be Christians and that as that Rude and Disordered Church being by you reformed the whole Nation may also with the Profession of the Name be in Acts and Deeds Followers of the same But saith Rossus of Warwick and he was no Protestant The King of England is not bound to rely on the Pope's Grant for Ireland Speed 472. nor yet to pay that Tax because he had a Precedent Claim to that Kingdom by hereditary Right Others object against these Bulls in another manner and particularly Philip O Sullevan who says They are void for many Reasons First Because they were obtained on false Suggestions and the Infallible Popes were deceived in their Grants Secondly That Regal or Sovereign Power is not granted by them but only that the Kings of England should be Lieutenants or Deputies to the Pope and Collectors of his Peter-Pence Thirdly That they were on a twofold Condition of paying Tribute and converting the People which not being performed the Bulls are void But because it is scarce credible that any Subject should be so Malicious against his Prince you shall have it in his own Words Rex hoc Decretum impetravit falsa Narrans ut ex ipso Decreto ego colligo pag. 59. Non Dominum Hiberniae sed Praefectum causa colligendi Tributi Ecclesiastici pag. 59. b. And again pag. 60. Non ut Rex aut Dominus Hiberniae sed ut a Pontifice Praefectus sic ego accepi ut Exactor Collector Pecunâ—ae quae ad Sedem Apostolicam pertinebat pag. 61. Ac mihi quidem rem totam sollicita Mentis acie contemplanti nihil Juris esse penes Anglos videtur For besides says he their Title was founded in Adultery meaning Dermond Mac Morough's they have exercised Fraud and Cruelty against the Catholicks that entertained them kindly and the very Temples have not escaped them Hinc igitur nemo ignorabit Hiberniam non Jure sed Injuria Narratione minime vera Sullevan 61. fuisse ab Anglis primo obtenta pag. 61. b. Nor can any Body believe says he that the Pope ever design'd so great an Injustice as to deprive the Irish Kings of their Birth-right Ibid. 62. and give it to Strangers And then he tells us That Laurence O Toole Archbishop of Dublin did obtain of the Pope a Bull to deprive the English King of his Government in Ireland but he dyed in his Return in France and is since canonized But says he supposing the Popes Grant at first were good yet 't is forfeited by Breach of Condition since the English did neither propogate Religion nor pay the Peter-Pence Postea omni Jure plane exciderunt Conditiones a Papa dictas constitutasque transgressi Nam Pensionem Divi Petri de medio sustulerunt nullam certam Religionem nullam firmam Fidem habent pro Deo Ventrem Voluntatem Libidinem colunt By this and the Approbation this Scandalous and Lying Treatise met with in Spain and the Repetition of the same things by divers others in their bitter Libels on the English People and Government and particularly by the Author of Analecta Hiberniae it is manifest that there are some Enemies of the Crown of England so malicious and unjust that they would make use of the most frivolous Pretences in the World to wrest the Kingdom of Ireland from the Dominion of the English Kings But as God Almighty has hitherto even many times to a Miracle protected the British Interest in Ireland so I doubt not unless we are wanting to our own Preservation but that he will continue that Noble Island under the Jurisdiction of the Crown of England for ever In the mean time though we lay no stress on the Popes Bulls yet because they are Argumenta ad Hominem and
take any notice of Ireland and therefore we take no further notice of him than to give this brief Account of the Reason of our Silence in that Particular Hugh de Lacy was made Lord Justice of Ireland as aforesaid And as soon as he arrived he sent Imperious Letters to Courcy to discharge him of his Command and behaved himself so insolently that all was in Disorder Which the Irish perceiving and also that the King of England was preparing for a Voyage to the Holy Land they thought this an happy Opportunity to extirpate the English to which End they had a General Meeting and resolved unanimously to fall upon them Hanmer 169. and in order to it they entred into a League or Association and solemnly swore First To be true to one another and to the common Cause Secondly Never to yield any Obedience to the English again Ibid 162. And to begin the Business they fell upon Roger Poer Governour of Leighlin and barbarously murdered him and most of the Garrison Cormock O Connor Son of Rotherick King of Connaught commonly called Crove Darig because his Hand was red was the chief of the Conspirators he was an Active Valiant Gentleman and of so great Reputation that he was able to assemble twenty thousand Men of his own and the Confederates with which Army he designed first to clear Connaught then Vlster and afterwards the whole Kingdom In the mean Time Courcy Lord of Connaught and Earl of Vlster considering that he should have no Aid nor Help from the Lord Justice endeavoured to strengthen himself the best he could and to that End sent for his Brother S. Lawrence who made more Haste than good Speed for he came away with thirty Horse and two hundred Foot and at Knockmoy in the County of Galway fell into an Ambush the King of Connaught had laid for him and tho' they fought so valiantly that they killed one thousand Irish Men yet the Issue was That this small Army was totally destroyed not one escaping And tho' O Connor in Remembrance and Ostentation of this Victory did there build the Abbey de Colle Victoriae yet when he had well considered the prodigious Valour of that Handful of Men and his own Loss he thought himself necessitated to sue to Lacy for Peace which he soon obtained upon reasonable Conditions About this Time Robin Hood and Litle John were Famous Robbers in England but their Company being dispersed and Robin Hood taken Litle John fled to Dublin and shot an Arrow from Dublin-Bridge to the litle Hill in Oxman-Town thence called Litle John's Shot He was called Litle John Ironically for he was not less than fourteen Foot long believe it who will Hector Boetius affirms The Hole of his Huckle Bone was so big that he could thrust his Hand through it He fled from Dublin to Scotland where he dyed This Year Isabel 1189. only Daughter of Strongbow by Eva Prencess of Leinster was married to William Lord Maxfield Earl Marshal of England He was a great Favourite to King Richard and at his Coronation carried the Regal Scepter whereon was a Cross of Gold He was afterward by King John Hanmer 177. created Earl of Pembrook and had five Sons who were successively Earls and all died without Issue and he had five Daughters among whom his Estate was divided viz. to Joan the County of Waxford to Matilda the County of Caterlough to Isabel the County of Kilkenny to Sybilla the County of Kildare and to Eva the Mannor of Downmass in Leix now the Queen's County in all which they exercised Palatine Jurisdiction Of this Family Thomas Mills in his Catalogue of Honour gives this Account That Richard Earl of Chepstow was nick-named Strongbow because of his exceeding Strength so that he drew an traordinary Srong Bow his Arms were so long that he could stand upright and with the Palms of his Hands touch his Knees That his Daughter Isabel was fourteen Years a Ward to Henry II That her Husband William Earl Marshal was created Earl of Pembrook 27 May 1199 and that she dyed anno 1221 and was buried at Tintern Abbey and that he dyed 16 March 1219. They had five Sons and five Daughters William married Elianor Sister of Henry III and died the sixth of April 1231. Richard died the sixteenth of April 1234. Gilbert married Margaret Daughter of William King of Scotland 1235 and died by a fall from his Horse the twenty eighth of May 1242. Walter died 1245 in Wales and Anselm died the same Month viz the twenty first of December Maud successively married Hugh Earl of Norfolk William Earl of Warren and Walier Lord Dunstanvil Joan married Warren Lord Montchensy the richest Baron in England Isabel married Gilbert Earl of Glocester and afterwards Richard Earl of Cornwal King of the Romans Sybil married William Earl of Ferrers and Darby and Eve married William de Brees Lord of Brecknock and Partition was made between these Noble Coparceners at Woodstock Lib. G. May 3. 31 Hen. 3. About this Time 1190. viz. Anno 1190 the City of Dublin was burnt by Accident 1191. so that it was almost totally destroyed and the Kingdom was governed by William Petit Burlace 11. who held it a very short Time before William Earl of Pembrook and Earl Marshal of England came over Lord Justice or Governour of Ireland he was the third of the Temporal Assistants King Richard had left to the Bishop of Ely for the Government of England he was a Valiant Man and had a great Estate in Ireland 1191. and therefore was thought the fittest Governour for that Country in this Critical Time whilst King Richard was Prisoner in Austria and Earl John was engaged in Troublesome and Ambitious Designs in England In the Year 1194. the Reliques of S. Malachy Bishop of Clareval Cambden 151. were brought into Ireland and with great Reverence and Devotion deposited in the Abby of Mellifont and other the Monasteries of the Cistersian Order It seems the Reputation or Power of this Noble Governour was sufficient to keep Ireland quiet 1197. for we read of little or no Disturbance there during his Time which was about six Years And then he resign'd to Hanno de valois a Gentleman of Suffolk Lord Justice of Ireland who continued in that Government until the Death of King Richard which happened at Chalons in France on the sixth Day of April anno 1199. John Earl of Moreton and Lord of Ireland did on the Death of King Richard without Title ascend the Throne of England Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury was a great assistant to this Usurpation he told the People That John had the Crown by Election which the King did not then gain-say it being no fit Time to dispute the MANNER so he had the THING he aimed at but the Right was in his Nephew Arthur whom he afterwards got into his Hands and caused him him to be murdered as was at that Time generally reported
Flames but the Devout Citizens first made a Collection for the Repair of the Church and then set themselves to the re-edifying their own Houses And so we come to a Trial 1284. very unusual in Courts of Justice in Ireland tho' too frequent in the Field viz. that of Battle Ware presul 142. for Jeofry Saintleger Bishop of Ossory in a Writ of Right for the Mannor of Sirekeran in Ely O Carol recovered the same and the Trial was by Battle between the Bishops Champion and the Champion of his Adversary The Lords and Potentates of Ophaly were grown strong enough to take and burn the Castle of Ley 1285. and it seems Theobald Verdon going to revenge that Injury lost both his Men and his Horses which was followed with a greater Misfortune for the next Morning Girald Fitz-Maurice was betrayed by his Followers and taken Prisoner Nor had the English better Success at Rathdod for in an unfortunate Skirmish there Sir Gerard Doget Ralph Petit and many more were slain and the Lord Geofry Genevil had much ado to save himself by Flight Amidst these Disturbances Burlace 31. the Lord Justice obtained from the King a Pension of five hundred Pound per annum for his Expence and Charge in the Government to continue as long as his Justiceship but if any extraordinary Accident should require more Expence than the Writ prescribes That a Vice-Treasurer be appointed to receive and pay the Revenue as the Lord Justice and the Court of Exchequer shall think fit But the next Year was more favourable 1286. so that Philip Stanton in November burnt Norwagh and Ardscol and other Towns and the great Rebel Calwagh was taken at Kildare which superseded these Stirs for a Time Nevertheless this Year was fatal to many Noblemen viz. Maurice Fitz-Maurice who died at Rosse as Girald Fitz-Maurice Oge did at Rathmore and the Lord Thomas de Clare could not escape the Common Fate to which the Lord Justice himself was forced to submit So that John Sandford 1287. Archbishop of Dublin was chosen Lord Justice His Government was the more uneasie to him because Richard Burk 1288. Earl of Vlster and Walter Lacy Lord of Meath confederated against Theobald de Verdon and Besieged him in the Castle of Athloan and came with a great Army as far as Trim However this was in a great measure recompenced by the Plenty of the Year which was so great even in England that a Bushel of Wheat was sold for four Pence It was usual in this King's Reign To send the new English Statutes in some reasonable time after they were made to be proclaimed and observed in Ireland Thus in the thirteenth Year of his Reign he sent by Roger Bretun the Statutes of Westminster the first of Glocester of Merchants and of Westminster the second to the Lord Justice Fulborne to publish and notifie them to the People And this Year the like was done by the Statute called Ordinatio pro Statu Hiberniae which was enacted in England and sent to Ireland to be observed there and is to be seen in French in the second part of the Ancient Statutes printed at London 1532. And the Statutes of Lincoln and of York were also sent to Ireland Ex lib. Alb. Scac. Hib. to be enrolled in the Chancery and to be published and notified to the People 20 Novemb. 17 Edw. 1. And it is to be observed That after Parliaments were held in Ireland yet the English Statutes did extend to Ireland as the eleventh of Edward III Lib. M. Lamb. of Drapery and the twenty seventh of Edward III of the Staple and the fourth of Henry V cap. 6-touching the Promotion of Clerks of the Irish Nation and many more But it is time to return to the Lord Justice whose Service the King had occasion to make use of in England and in several Foreign Embassies in all which he behaved himself honourably He was succeeded in Ireland by William Vescy 15 Novemb. 1290. Lord Justice Whose Government was disturbed by O Hanlon in Vlster and O Mlaghlin in Meath who were again in Rebellion but Richard Earl of Vlster had the good Fortune to suppress O Hanlon with a few Blows and the Lord Justice did as much for O Mlaghlin and pursued him so close that at last he was taken and slain by Mac Coughlan who grew so proud upon that Service that he set up for himself and gave a great Defeat to William Burk at Delvin and to the English in Ophaly And tho' the King in the thirteenth Year of his Reign had a Grant from the Pope of the Tenth of all Ecclesiastical Revenues in Ireland for seven Years toward the Holy War which was followed with a Grant of a Fifteenth from the Temporality yet now upon the Expiration of that Grant he wrote to the Bishops and Clergy for a Dism of their Spiritualities to defray his Debts in redeeming his Nephew Charles But they unanimously answered Quod concessioni petitionis praefatae minime supercederent But Cambden assures us That the Temporality granted another Fifteenth To this Lord Justice Cambden 78. Baliol King of Scotland did Homage for some Lands he held in Ireland and about the same time it was ordered 4 Inst 356. That the Treasurer of Ireland should account yearly at the Exchequer of England 1293. And the same Year came over Gilbert de Clare Earl of Glocester whose Wife Joan of Acres was the King's Daughter But now there arose great Feuds between John Fitz-Thomas Fitz-Girald Lord of Ophaly and the Lord Justice whereupon the Lord Justice did underhand encourage the Irish to do all the Prejudice they could to Fitz-Girald and his Partisans hence arose mutual Complaints and reciprocal Impeachments so that both of them went or were fent for into England But it will not be unpleasant to the Reader to have the Particulars of this famous Controversie in the Words of Holingshead The Lord Justice hearing many Complaints of the Oppressions the Country daily received Holingshead 35 which he thought reflected on him and insinuated his male Administration therefore to disburthen and excuse himself he began in misty Speeches to lay the Fault on the Lord John Fitz-Giralds Shoulders saying in parable wise That he was a great occasion of these Disorders in that he bare himself in Private Quarrels as fierce as a Lyon but in these Publick Injuries as meek as a Lamb. The Baron of Ophaly spelling and putting these Syllables together spake after this Manner My Lord I Am heartily sorry that among all this Noble Asembly you make me your only Butt whereat you shoot your Bolt and truly were my Deserts so hainous as I suppose you would wish them to be you would not labour to cloud your Talk with such dark Riddles as at this present you have done but with plain and flat English your Lordship would not stick to impeach me of Felony or Treason for as mine Ancestors with
the King appointed no small Provision was made for so eager a Combat as that was presupposed to have been But when the prefixed Day approached near Vescie turning his great Boast to small Roast began to cry Creak and secretly sailed into France King Edward thereof advertised bestowed Vescies Lordships of Kildare and Rathingan on the Baron of Ophaly saying That albeit Vescie conveyed his Person into France yet he left his Lands behind him in Ireland Mr. Pryn makes an Observation on this Case Pryn 259. as if an Appeal between Vescie and Fitz-Girald in Ireland had been adjourned to England But to make the Remark useful it is necessary not only to consider what he says but also to consult the Records which he cites William Hay 1294. Lord Deputy to whom a Writ was sent to admit Thomas Saintleger Bishop of Meath to be of the Privy Council And not long after John Fitz-Thomas return'd to Ireland big with Glory and Success which transported him to a Contempt of all his Opposers he began with Richard Burk Cambdens Ann. Earl of Vlster whom together with William Burk he took Prisoners in Meath by the assistance of John Delamere and confined them to the Castle of Ley. But he had not so good luck in Kildare which was made the Seat of the War so that between the English and Irish it was entirely wasted the Castle of Kildare was also taken and the Records of that County burnt by Calwagh Brother to the King of Ophaly And these Misfortunes were accompanied with great Dearth and Pestilence William Dodingzel Lord Justice found Work enough to struggle with these Difficulties and the rather because John Fitz-Thomas appeared again with a great Army in Meath But the Parliament soon after met at Kilkenny 1294. and obliged him to release the Earl of Vlster taking his two Sons Hostages for him And it seems that this did not satisfie the Complainants but that they impeached him at the Parliament in England Lib. GGG 23 E. 1. for divers Offences and Felonies done in Ireland Lambeth He protested he could clear himself by Law but because he would not Prin 259. cum ipso Domino Rege placitare he submits himself wholly to the King's Favour 1295. into which he was received upon Pledges for his future demeanour and 't is probable he was also obliged to release his Claim to the Castle of Sligo and other his Lands in Connaught which was the Occasion of all this Stir About Easter the King built the Castle of Beaumorris in Wales 1295. for the better security of a Passage to and from Ireland And about the same time Bishop Vsher's life 34. the King required Aid to marry his Sister to the Emperour and such as did contribute thereunto are mentioned in the Pipe-Rolls of the Exchequer In the mean time on the third Day of April the Lord Justice died and during the Interval of Government the Irish made use of the Opportunity and wasted great part of Leinster burnt Newcastle and many other Towns But at length the Council chose Thomas Fitz-Maurice Fitz-Girald Lord Justice he was nicknamed Nappagh Simiacus or the Ape because when his Father and Grand-Father were murdered Frier Russel M. S. at Calan the Servants on the news of it run out of the House as if distracted and left this Thomas in the Cradle whereupon an Ape which was kept in the House took up the Child and carried him to the top of the Castle of Traly and brought him down Safe and laid him in the Cradle to the admiration of all the Beholders This Lord Justice was Father of the first Earl of Desmond and was so great a Man that he is often styled Prince and Ruler of Munster But it seems he supplyed the Place of Lord Justice but a very short time for John Wogan 1295. Lord Justice arrived from England on the eighteenth of October He made a Truce for two Years between the Burks and the Giraldines and received a Writ to take the Fealty of the Abbot of Owny in the County of Limerick and having called a Parliament which it seems setled Matters to his Mind he went with a smart Party to aid the King in Scotland His Majesty nobly feasted them at Roxborough Castle and they in requital did the King very good Service But that you may see what sort of Parliaments were in Ireland in those Days I will present the Reader with a List of this Parliament Richard de Burgo Earl ofVlster Geofry de Genevil John Fitz-Thomas afterwards Earl of Kildare Thomas Fitz-Maurice Nappagh Theobald le Butler Theobald de Verdun Peter de Brimingham of Athenry Peter de Brimingham of Thetmoy Eustace de Poer John de Poer Hugh de Purcel John de Cogan John de Barry William de Barry Walter de Lacy. Richard de Excester John Pipard Water L'enfant Jordan de Exon. Adam de Stanton Symon de Phipo William Cadel John en Val. Morris de Carew George de la Roch. Maurice de Rochfort Maurice Fitz-Thomas of Kerry William de Ross 1296. Prior of Kilmainham was left Lord Deputy to Wogan but either the Irish did not fear him being a Clergyman or they thought this a time of Advantage whilst the Lord Justice and many of the Nobility and best Soldiers were in Scotland and therefore to improve it as they were used to do they rose in Rebellion in several Places Those of Slewmargy burnt Leighlin and other Towns 1297. But O Hanlon and Mac Mahon met with more Opposition in Vrgile for they were both slain John Wogan 1298. Lord Justice returned again from Scotland in October and throughly reconciled the Burks and the Giraldines and kept every thing so quiet that we hear of no Trouble in a great while except some Disturbance the Irish gave to the Lord Theobald de Verdun in attacking his Castle of Roch. Pollard Mony was now decryed both in England and Ireland 1300. and the King did again enter Scotland and sent to Ireland for Aid and wrote not only to the Lord Justice but also sent particular Letters to every one of the Nobility to attend him Whereupon the Lord Justice accompanied by John Fitz-Thomas Peirce Brimingham and many others made a second Expedition into Scotland with good Success In the mean time part of the City of Dublin and particularly S. Warberg's Church was burnt on S. Colme's Eve and the Irish were again at their usual Pranks taking Advantage of the Lord Justices absence who I suppose did again depute William de Ross and in Winter assaulted and burnt Wicklow and Rathdan 1301. but they were well paid for their pains and in Lent had been ruin'd but for the Dissention and Discord of the English and in the Harvest before some of the Irish also had their share of Civil Discord for they fell out amongst themselves so that the O Phelims and O Tools slew three hundred of the Birns
them to new Disturbances And accordingly the Earl of Desmond the Archbishop of Cashel the Bishops of Cork and Waterford and many other of the principal Men of Munster were pardoned and the Liberties and Charters of Youghal were restored and confirmed and their Priviledges enlarged In the mean time dyed Rowland Fitz-Eustace Baron of Portlester who at several times had been Deputy Chancellor and Lord High Treasurer of Ireland which last Place held thirty eight Years And about the same time died Cnoghor mac Trelagh O Brian Chief of Thomond and was succeeded by his Brother Gil duff by Popular Election according to the Custom of Tanistry But it is time to return to Perkin Warbeck whom we left in the Arms of a fair Lady in Scotland that King had already made several Essays in favour of this supposititious Prince but now his Affairs pressed him to make a Peace with the English which King Henry would not hear of unless Perkin were delivered up It was therefore necessary for the Impostor to seek new Quarters 1497. And therefore being secretly supplied by the King of Scotland with Necessaries for his Voyage he embarqued with his Wife and Family and landed safely at Cork the twenty sixth of July he could not have pitcht upon a Place more prone to Rebellion at that time but curst Cows have short Horns and their Ability was not suitable to their Inclinations however he listed one hundred and twenty Soldiers and by the Aid or at least Countenance of the Earl of Desmond he got Conveniences for their Transportation And so finding the Earl of Kildare so firm and potent that no good was to be done in Ireland and receiving an Invitation from the Cornishmen he sailed directly to Cornwal in September and landed safely at Whitsand-bay The City of Waterford which for its loyalty to the Crown against Lambert Symnel had received great Favours and Priviledges from his Majesty was now altogether as vigorous against Perkin and by its discreet behaviour in this Affair well deserved the Motto Intacta manet Waterfordia That City manned out four Ships and sent them in pursuit of Perkin but Fortune did not favour that Generous and Loyal Design This Impostor being thus arrived in England took upon him the Name of Richard IV King of England and as such behaved himself and acted his Part so well that he would often lament the Destruction of his People and would frequently bemoan the Tyranny and Oppressions they lived under which sort of Deportment took with the common People exceedingly insomuch that some thousands of them came to him at Bodmin with them he besieged Excester and assaulted the City with great vigour and Resolution which the Couragious and Loyal Citizens by the help of some of their Country Neighbours as valiantly defended Hereupon Perkin raised the Siege and marched to Taunton and although the Cornishmen continued resolute to conquer or dye yet Perkin perceiving their Courage was greater than their Strength and finding that the King's Army did daily increase whilst his did decrease he privately withdrew to the Sanctuary of Beaulieu in Hampshire and afterwards surrendred himself and being imprisoned in the Tower he made his escape once and attempted it the second time and was therefore together with his Friend John Waters Mayor of Cork hanged at Tyburne where he confirmed the Confession he had formerly made which was to this effect I Being born in Flanders Campion 104. in the Town of Turney put my self in Service with a Britton called Pregent Meno the which brought me with him into Ireland and when we were there arrived in the Town of Cork they of the Town because I was arrayed with some Cloaths of Silk of my said Masters threeped upon me That I should be the Duke of Clarence's Son that was before time at Divelin and forasmuch as I denyed it there was brought unto me the Holy Evangelists and the Cross by the Mayor of the Town called Ino Lavallin and there I took my Oath That I was not the said Duke's Son nor none of his Blood After this came to me an Englishman whose Name was Stephen Poytow with one John Walter and sware to me That they knew well that I was King Richard's Bastard-Son to whom I answered with like Oaths That I was not and then they advised me not to be afraid but that I should take it upon me boldly And if I would so do they would assist me with all their Power against the King of England and not only they but they were assured That the Earls of Desmond and Kildare should do the same for they passed not what part they took so they might be avenged on the King of England and so against my Will they made me to learn English and taught me what I should do and say And after this they called me Richard Duke of York second Son to Edward IV because King Richard's Bastard-Son was in the Hands of the King of England And upon this they entred into this false Quarrel and within short time after the French King sent Embassadors into Ireland viz. Lyot Lucas and Stephen Frayn and so I went into France and thence into Flanders and thence into Ireland thence into Scotland and so into England again But let us return to the Affairs of Ireland 1498. which were briskly managed by the Lord Lieutenant He called a Parliament at Trim which met on the twenty sixth of August in the fourteenth Year of the King's Reign which must be anno 1498. and not 1499. as it is mistaken in the printed Statutes for the King began his Reign the twenty second Day of August 1485. There is but one Act of this Parliament extant and that is To make all the Statutes in England about the Officers of the Custom-house to be of force in Ireland after Proclamation at Dublin and Drogheda A very needless Law certainly since it could have but four Years retro-spect all former English-Statutes being ratified here by Poyning's Act of 10 Hen. 7. cap. 22. In the mean time Henry O Neal who had murdered his Brother Con was this Year served in the same kind by Tirlagh and Con Sons of the former Con And not long after the Lord Lieutenant invaded Vlster in favour of the aforesaid Tirlagh O Neal who was his Nephew by the Mother he was joyned by O Donel Macguire and all Tirlaghs Friends and effectually besieged Dungannon took the Castle and set at Liberty all the Prisoners that Neal mac Art O Neal kept there and forced Neal mac Art himself to submit and give Hostages The Vlster Expedition being over the Lord Deputy in October marched to Cork where he placed a Garrison and forced the Inhabitants of that City and of Kingsale to swear Allegiance and to bind themselves thereunto both by Indentures and Hostages which it seems he thought were stronger Obligations upon them than their Oaths After his return in the beginning of March Ware 's Annals he held
H. Lambeth to this effect That the Irish were not to be reduced but by Conquest and that if the Army undertook but one Province at once then two thousand five hundred Men would suffice but their Conâ—ederacies would make it necessary to attack them in several Places at once and then less than six thousand would not do the Business all which must be paid and victualled out of England That Ireland is five times as big as Wales and therefore the Conquest would not be perfected in ten Years And that when it is conquered it must be inhabited by a new Colony of English for the Irish will relapse do what you can In Munster there were great Fewds between James Earl of Desmond and Cormock Oge Lader Mac Carthy of Muskry Ware 's Annals 104 says Mac Carty Riagh but is mistaken the Archbishop of Dublin and other Commissioners went to Waterford to appease them but in vain for Desmond persisted to burn and prey Mac Carthy's Lands And Cormock Oge was not backward to revenge the Injury for being Confederate with Sir Thomas Desmond the Earl's Unkle and yet implacable Enemy they fought a Battle with the Earl in September killed one thousand of his Men put himself to Flight and took two of his Unkles John and Gerard Prisoners But the Lord Lieutenant January 1521 Lib. H. being weary of the Government or indisposed in his Health obtained the King's leave to return and left behind him a good Reputation and by the King's Orders his intimate Friend Pierce Earl of Ormond February Lord Deputy who fearing the Defection of the Irish because the Earl of Surry had carryed with him all the Forces he brought out of England whereby the Army was left exceeding weak And being also doubtful of an Invasion from the Scots he desired of the Cardinal That six of the King's Ships might be ordered to cruise between Ireland and Scotland I have seen a Patent of Denization to Charles Mac Carthy of Castlemore too long here to be recited though there are many things observable in it particularly the Proviso Quod idem Cormacus homagium ligeum nobis faciet ut est justum And I suppose the like Proviso was in all other Patents of that sort and imported that the should have the Benefit of the Law no longer than they persisted in their Allegiance But though the King's Army was not in Action 1522. yet O Neal's and O Donel's were for the last Years Injury manet alta mente repositum However they managed their Wars rather like Tories than Soldiers for after some light Skirmishes O Neal pretending a Retreat on a sudden rushed into Tyrconnel where he burnt and demolished all he could find and particularly O Donel's best Castle of Ballyshanon Which he in the mean time revenged by an incursion into Tyrone and thence returned loaden with Prey and Prisoners And thus these valiant Princes made War almost fatal to both sides without Blows or Battle But let us leave the Camp and a while turn to the Court Lib. H. where we shall find an Irishman sent by Mac Gilpatrick Chief of Vpper Ossory to the King to complain against the Deputy He met the King going to Chapel and delivered his Embassie in these Words Sta pedibus Domine Rex Dominus meus Gillapatricus me misit ad te jussit dicere Quod si non vis castigare Petrum Rufum ipse faciet bellum contra te This Year was fatal to Ireland no less by the Plague than the Sword it raged especially at and about Limrick the Mayor whereof died of that Distemper And about this time died the famous Poynings and at Christmas the City of Rhodes was forced by the Turk The Earl of Kildare who returned in January last got leave of the Deputy to invade the Country of Leix 1523. and being accompanid with Jons Fitz-Simons Mayor of Dublin and some Citizens he entred the Country and burnt a few Villages but he was intercepted by an Ambush and lost a great many of his Followers and with some Difficulty made his Retreat And now Jealousies and Discords began to arise between the Earls of Ormond and Kildare which were so maliciously fomented by evil Instruments that the Affinity between them was little considered nor did their Animosities determine otherwise than by the Ruine of one Family and the Infancy of the other Among all their Followers James Fitz Gerald had most Credit with Kildare and Robert Talbot of Belgard was the chief Favorite of Ormond This Talbot was going to keep his Christmas at Kilkenny with the Deputy but being met by James Fitz Gerald near Ballymore was by him slain or rather murdered which so exasperated the Earl of Ormond that he immediately sent to England an Impeachment against Kildare Hereupon a Commission issued to Sir Ralph Egerton 1524. Sir Anthony Fitz-Herbert and James Denton Dean of Litchfield to examine that Matter with Instructions That if the Earl of Kildare purged himself of the Crimes objected that then they should depose the Deputy and place Kildare in his room This Commission and Instructions were procured by the Marquess of Dorset Kildare's Father-in-Law and the Success was according to his Desire for after a slight Enquiry into this Affair the Commissioners made a formal Agreement between both Earls by an Indenture dated the twenty eighth of July and in a little time after deprived Ormond of the Government and placed in his stead Gerald Earl of Kildare Lord Deputy It seems that his Patent and other necessary Circumstances were prepared beforehand for the Indentures made between the King and this Earl bear date the fourth of August 16 Hen. 8. and import That he took the Government as from Midsummer before and that the Earl of Ormond should receive the Revenue till that time That the Earl shall support the Government of Ireland with the Revenue of the Country and shall not take Coyn and Livery Lib. H. but at Hostings and then his Soldiers shall be content with Flesh Bread and Ale on Flesh-Days or two Pence in lieu of it and Fish or Butter on Fish-Days or two Pence in lieu of it the Foot Soldiers shall be content with three half Pence a Day in lieu of the said Allowance and Boys shall be content with what they can get or a Penny in lieu of it and each Trooper shall take but twelve Sheaves of Oats a Night or two Pence in lieu thereof The Day this Lord Deputy was sworn Con O Neal carried the Sword before him to Thomas-Court where he entertained the Commissioners at a splendid Banquet And so these Commissioners having determined this great and some lesser Controversies returned into England and according to their Instructions carried with them the aforesaid James Fitz-Gerald as a Prisoner The Cardinal Wolsy the implacable Enemy of the Giraldines was glad of this occasion to affront that Noble Family and therefore caused this James Fitz-Gerald to be carried through the
their Solicitations and Attempts with an unshaken Steadiness It was pity so true a Nobleman should not fall into better Times and among a better People he might then have been as Eminent for doing of Good as now he appears Valuable in the resisting of Evil. And thus we are come to the End of a War which as it was rashly and cruelly begun so was it by the Confederates with such Cowardise and Folly carried on that excepting One Defeat given to the Scots they never had Advantage in any One Pitch'd Battel over the British And what could be more Tragical and Infamous to them at last than that they should from the Hands of those they always villified be compell'd to beg and glad to accept the worst of all Terms namely Transplantation to such as staid and of Banishment and Transportation to the rest But how surprising are the Revolutions of this World that from these Ashes and thus scatter'd to the Four Winds there should be a Foundation laid for that Fortune which the wandring Irish found by meeting in Foreign Parts the succeeding King and the Duke of York and by their Indulgence to be able not only to set up again but as at this day to expel their Conquerors and even to menace the Tranquillity of England The Links of this Mysterious Chain are so wonderful that I can hardly forbear a short Prospect of them in the Particulars following As first to observe How the Monarch of Three Kingdoms King Charles the First sat peaceably here at Home when Scotland began to Invade him How a great Number in England siding with the Scots put His Majesty into some Straits How the Irish taking advantage hereof fell to the murthering of His Protestant Subjects in that Kingdom How his Majesty sent presently His Authority and Commissions to suppress those Rebels while He at home was by others opprest