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
the Englishe Gentlemen in Vlster as the lacke of vvalled townes is also the principall occasion of the rudenesse and wildenesse in other partes of Ireland This Savage having prepared an army against the Irish allowed to every Souldiour before he buckled with the enemy a mighty draught of Aquavitae Wine or old Ale and killed in provision for their returne beeffes venison and foule great plenty which diverse of his Captains misliked considering the successe of warre to be uncertaine esteemed it better pollicy to poyson the cates or to doe them away then to cherish a sort of Catives with princely foode If ought should happen to themselves in this adventure of so few against so many Hereat smyled the Gentleman and said Tush yee are too full of envy this world is but an Inne whereunto you have no speciall interest but are onely tennants at the will of the Lord. If it please him to commaund us from it as it were from our lodging to set other good fellowes in our roomes what hurt shall it be for us to leave them some meate for their suppers let them hardly winne it and weare it If they enter our dwellings good manners would no lesse but to welcome them with such fare as the country breedeth and with all my heart much good may it doe them Notwithstanding I presume so farre upon your noble courage that verily my minde giveth me that wee shall returne at night and banquet our selves with our owne store and so they did having slaine 3000. Irishmen Morrice Fitz Thomas Earle of Desmond Lord Iustice during life whom followed Sir Thomas Rokesbye a knight sincere and upright of conscience who being controlled for suffering himselfe to be served in wooden Cuppes Answered these homely Cuppes and dishes pay truely for that they containe I had rather drinke out of wood and pay gold and silver then drinke out of gold and make wooden payment Almericus de Sancto Amando Iames Butler Earle of Ormond and Morrice Fitz Thomas Earle of Kildare Iustices of Ireland by turnes To this last the Kings letters appointed in yearely fee for his office 500. pounds with promise that the said governour should finde twenty great horse to the field and should bee the tvventieth man in going out against the enemy vvhich allovvance and conditions at these dayes I thinke vvere ordinary Leonell the third sonne of Edward the third Duke of Clarence and in the right of his wife Earle of Vlster Lord Lieutenant of Ireland He published an inhibition to all of Irish birth that none of them should approach his army nor be imployed in service of the warres Obrene he vanquished suddainely but no man wist how an hundred of his principall Souldiours in garrison were missed whose dispatch that seditious decree was thought to have procured wherefore hee advised himselfe and united the people shewing alike fatherly care towards them all and ever after prospered Knights he created these Gentlemen the worthiest then in Chivalry and at this day continuing in great worship Preston now the house of Gormanstowne Holywood Talbot Cusacke Delahide Patricke Robert and Iohn de Fraxinis The exchequer he removed to Catherlagh and bestowed in furnishing that towne 500. pounds Gerald Fitz Morice Earle of Desmond Lord Iustice untill the comming of VVilliam de VVindsore Lieutenant to the King then in the last yeare of Edward the third ruling the realme under the name of Lord Governour and keeper of Ireland ¶ At the yeare 1370. all the Notes written by Flatsbury doe end and from hence to this day nothing is extant orderly gathered the rest I have collected out of sundry monuments authorityes and pamphlets During the raigne of Richard the second Lieutenants and Iustices of Ireland are specially recorded the two Mortimers Edmund and Roger Earles of March Phillip Courtney the kings cousin Iames Earle of Ormond and Robert Vere Earle of Oxford Marquesse of Divelin and Lord Chamberlaine who was created Duke of Ireland by Parliament and was credited with the whole Dominion of the Realme by graunt for tearme of life nothing paying therefore passing all writs all offices as Chancellor Treasurer Chiefe Iustice Admirall his owne Lieutenant and other inferiour charges under his own Teste The meane while King Richard afflicted impatiently with the decease of Queene Anne his wife nor able without many teares to behold his pallaces and chambers of Estate which represented unto him the solace past and doubled his sorrow sought some occasion of businesse and visited Ireland where diverse Lords and Princes of Vlster renewed their homage and he placing Roger Mortimer his Lieutenant returned quietly but within foure yeares after informed of the trayterous death of Mortimer whom he loved entirely and being wonderfull eager in hastening the revenge thereof upon the Irish he journeyed thither the second time levied infinite subsidies of money by penall exactions and with his absence as also with those injuries fed the hatred and opportunity of conspiratours at home for Henry Duke of Lancaster intercepted the Kingdome whose sonne with the Duke of Glocesters sonne King Richard shut up in the Castle of Trim and then shipped course into England tooke land at Milford Haven found his defence so weake and unsure that to avoide further inconvenience and perill of himselfe and his friends he condiscended to resigne the Crowne CAP. VII The house of Lancaster Henry the fourth Henry the fift Henry the sixt ALexander Bishop of Meth Lieutenant of Ireland under Thomas Lancaster the Kings brother so was also the worshipfull Knight Sir Stephen Scroope whom for his violence and extortion before used in the same office under King Richard the common voyce and out-cry of poore people damned This report hearing the Lady his wife she would in no wise assent to live in his company there but if he sware a solemne oath on the Bible that wittingly he should wrong no Christian creature in the land that duely and truely he should see payment made for all expences and hereof she said she had made a vow to Christ so deliberately that unlesse it were on his part firmely promised she could not without perill of her soule goe with him her husband assented and accomplished her boone effectually recovered a good opinion schooled his Caters enriched the country continued a plentifull house remissions of great fines remedyes for persons endamaged to the Prince pardons of lands and lives he granted so charitably and discreetely that his name was never uttered among them without many blessings and prayers and so cheerefully they served him against the Irish that in one day he spoyled Arthur Mac Murrough brent his country restored O-Carrol to the towne of Callane with-held by VValter Burke slew a multitude of Kerneghes and quieted Leinster Not long before the Major of Divelin Iohn Drake with his band out of the Citty had slaine of the same Irish Outlawes 400. In this Kings raigne
King whom the said Peeres met at Rotcotebridge and slue Thomas Molleners and spoyled the rest neverthelesse the Duke of Ireland escaped But in the same yeere on the morrow after Candlemas day a Parliament beganne at London in which were adjudged the Archbishop of Yorke the Duke of Ireland the Earle of Suffolke c. Anno 1388. foure Lord Iustices of England were banished into Ireland by a decree of the Parliament and it was not lawfull for them either to make lawes or to give counsell upon paine of the sentence of death Anno 1390. Robert de Wikeford Archbishop of Dublin departed this life and the same yeere was Robert Waldebie translated unto the Archbishopricke of Dublin being an Augustine Fryer Anno 1394. and in the seaventeenth yeere of King Richard the second died Anne Queene of England and the same yeere about Michaelmas the King crossed the seas over into Ireland and landed at Waterford the second day of the moneth of October and went back about Shrovetide Anno 1397. Fryer Richard de Northalis of the order of the Carmelites was translated to the Archbishopricke of Dublin and died the same yeere Also the same yeere Thomas de Craulie was consecrated Archbishop of Dublin And Sir Thomas Burgh and Sir Walter Birningham slue sixe hundred Irish men with their Captaine Macdowne Moreover Edmund Earle of March Lord lievetenant of Ireland with the aide of the Earle of Ormond wasted Obren's country and at the winning of his chiefe house hee made seaven Knights to wit Sir Christopher Preston Sir Iohn Bedlow Sir Edmund Loundres Sir Iohn Loundres Sir William Nugent Walter de la Hide and Robert Cadell Anno 1398. and in the two and twentieth of King Richard the second on Ascention day the Tothillis slue forty English men Among whom these were accounted as principall Iohn Fitz Williams Thomas Talbot and Thomas Comyn The same yeere upon Saint Margarets day Edmund Earle of March the Kings lievetenant was slaine with divers other by Obren and other Irishmen of Leinster at Kenlis in Leinster Then was Roger Greye elected Lord Iustice of Ireland The same yeere on the feast day of Saint Marke the Pope and Confessor came to Dublin the Noble Duke of Surrey the Kings lievetenant in Ireland and with him came Thomas Crauly Archbishop of Dublin Anno 1399. and of King Richard the three and twentieth on Sunday being the morrow after Saint Petronilla the Virgins day the illustrious King Richard landed at Waterford with two hundred shippes and the Friday after at Ford in Kenlis in the Countie of Kildare there were slaine two hundred Irish men by Ienicho and other English men and the morrow after the Citizens of Dublin brake into Obrens country slue three and thirty of the Irish and tooke fourescore men women and children The same yeere King Richard came to Dublin upon the fourth Kalends of Iuly where hee was advertized of the comming of Henry Duke of Lancaster into England whereupon he also speedily went over into England and a little while after the same King was taken prisoner by the said Henry and brought to London and there a Parliament was holden the morrow after Michaelmas day in which King Richard was deposed from his kingdome and the said Henry Duke of Lancaster was crowned King of England on the feast day of Saint Edward the Confessor Anno 1400. and in the first yeere of the raigne of King Henry the fourth at Whitsontide the Constable of Dublin Castle and divers others at Stranford in Vlster fought at Sea with the Scots where many Englishmen were slaine and drowned The same yeere on the feast of the Assumption of the blessed Virgin Mary King Henry with a great army entred Scotland and there he was advertized that Owen Glendor with the Welsh men had taken armes against him for which cause he hastened his iourney into Wales Anno 1401. in the second yeere of King Henry the fourth Sir Iohn Stanley the kings Lievetenant in the moneth of May went over into England leaving in his roome Sir William Stanley The same yeere on Bartholomew Eeven arrived in Ireland Stephen Scroope Lievetenant unto the Lord Thomas of Lancaster the kings Lievetenant of Ireland The same yeere on Saint Brices day the Lord Thomas of Lancaster the kings Sonne and Lord Lievetenant of Ireland arrived at Dublin Anno 1402. on the fift Ides of Iuly was the dedication of the Church of the Fryers Preachers in Dublin by the Archbishop of Dublin And the same day the Maior of Dublin namely Iohn Drake with the citizens and townesmen neere to Bre slue of the Irish foure hundred ninety three being all men of warre The same yeere in September a Parliament was held at Dublin during the which in Vrgile Sir Bartholomew Verdon knight Iames White Stephen Gernond and their complies slue Iohn Dowdall Sheriffe of Lowth Anno 1403. in the fourth yeere of king Henry in the moneth of May Sir Walter Betterley Steward of Vlster a right valiant knight was slaine and to the number of thirty other with him The same yeere on Saint Maâ—dlins Eeven neere unto Shrewesbury a battell was fought betweene king Henry and Henry Percy and Thomas Percy then Earle of Worcester which Percyes were slaine and on both sides there were sixe thousand and more slaine in the battaile The same yeere about Martlemas the Lord Thomas of Lancaster the kings Sonne went over into England leaving Stephen Scroope his Deputy there who also in the beginning of Lent sayled over into England and then the Lords of the land chose the Earle of Ormond to be Lord Iustice of Ireland Anno 1404. in the fift yeere of king Henry Iohn Colton Archbishop of Armagh departed this life upon the fift of May unto whom Nicholas Flemming succeeded The same yeere on the day of Saint Vitall the Martyr the Parliament began at Dublin before the Earle of Ormond then Lord Iustice of Ireland where the Statutes of Kilkenny and Dublin were confirmed and likewise the Charter of Ireland The same yeere Patricke Savage was treacherously slaine in Vlster by Mac Kilmori and his brother Richard was given for a pledge who was murthered in the prison after hee had paid two thousand markes The same yeere upon Martilmas day deceased Nicholas Houth Lord of Houth a man of singular honesty Anno 1405. in the sixt yeere of King Henry in the moneth of May three Scottish Barkes were taken two at Greenecastle and one at Dalkay with Captaine Thomas Macgolagh The same yeere the Merchants of Droghedah entred Scotland and tooke pledges and preyes The same yeere on the Eeven of the feast day of the seaven brethren Oghgard was burnt by the Irish. The same yeere in the moneth of Iune Stephen Scroope crossed the seas over into England leaving the Earle of Ormond Lord Iustice of Ireland The same yeere in the moneth of Iune they of Dublin entred Scotland at Saint Ninian and valiantly behaved themselves and afterward they entred Wales and there did
and deadly blow I found a fragment of an Epistle wherein a vertuous Monke declareth that to him travailing in Vlster came a grave Gentleman about Easter desirous to be confessed and howseled who in all his life time had never yet received the blessed Sacrament When he had said his minde the Priest demaunded him whether he were faultlesse in the sinne of Homicide Hee answered that hee never wist the matter to bee haynous before but being instructed thereof hee confessed the murther of five the rest hee left wounded so as he knew not whether they lived or no. Then was he taught that both the one and the other were execrable and verie meekelie humbled himselfe to repentance Solinus writeth that they woonted because they would seeme Terrible and Martiall to embrue their faces in the bloude of their Enemyes slaine Strabo the famous Geographer who flourished under Augustus and Tiberius Caesar more then fifteene hundred yeares agoe telleth without asseveration that the Irish were great Gluttons eaters of mans flesh and counted it Honourable for Parents deceased to bee eaten up of their Children and that in open sight they medled with their Wiues Mothers and Daughters which is the lesse incredible considering what Saint Hierome avoucheth of the Scots their Of-spring and Allies and what all Histories doe witnesse of the Scithians their auncient founders See Strabo lib. 4. Geograph Although since the time of Saint Patricke Christianitie was never extinct in Ireland yet the governement being hayled into contrarie factions the Nobilitie lawlesse the multitude willfull it came to passe that Religion waxed with the temporall common sort cold and feeble untill the Conquest did settle it especiallie in cases of restrainte and Discipline The Honourable state of Marriage they much abused either in contracts unlawfull meetings the Leviticall and Canonicall degrees of prohibition or in divorcementes at pleasure or in ommitting Sacramentall solemnities or in retayning either Concubines or Harlots for Wiues Yea even at this day where the Cleargie is fainte they can bee content to Marrie for a yeare and a day of probation and at the yeares end to returne her home uppon any light quarrells if the Gentlewomans friendes bee weake and unable to avenge the injurie Never heard I of so many dispensations for Marriage as those men shewe I pray God graunt they bee all authentique and buylded uppon sufficient warrant Covenant and Indent with them never so warilie never so preciselie yet they have beene founde faithlesse and perjured Where they are joyned in colour of surest Amitie there they intended to kill This ceremonâ—e reporteth Cambrensis The parties to bee coupled in League meete at Church become God-septes or Alâ—ies beare each other on his backe certaine paces in a Ring kisse together holy reliquees take blessing of the Bishoppe offer each to other a droppe of his owne bloude and drinke it up betweene them Even in the doing hereof they practise mutuall destruction They have beene used in solemne controversies to protest and sweare by Saint Patrickes Staffe called Bachal esu which oath because upon breach thereof heavy plagues ensued them they feared more to breake then if they had sworne by the holy Evangelist In Vlâ—ter thus they used to Crowne their King a white cow was brought forth which the King must kill and seeth in water whole and bathe himselfe therein starke naked then sitting in the same Caldron his people about him together with them he must eat the flesh and drinke the broath wherein he sitteth without cuppe or dish or use of his hand So much of their old Customes Now a few words of their trade at this present Cleare men they are of Skinne and hue but of themselves carelesse and bestiall Their Women are well fauoured cleare coloured faire handed bigge and large suffered from their infancie to grow at will nothing curious of their feature and proportion of body Their infants of the meaner sort are neither swadled nor lapped in Linnen but foulded up starke naked into a Blankett till they can goe and then if they get a piece of rugge to cover them they are well sped Linnen shirts the rich doe weare for wantonnes and bravery with wide hanging sleeves playted thirtie yards are little enough for one of them They have now left their Saffron and learne to wash their shirts foure or five times in a yeare Proud they are of long crisped glibbes and doe nourish the same with all their cunning to crop the front thereof they take it for a notable peece of villany Shamrotes Water-cresses Rootes and other hearbes they feede upon Oatemale and Butter they cramme together They drinke Whey Milke and Beefe broth Flesh they devoure without bread corne such as they have they keepe for their horses In haste and hunger they squese out the blood of raw flesh and aske no more dressing thereto the rest boyleth in their stomackes with Aquavitae which they swill in after such a surfeite by quarts pottles Their kyne they let blood which growen to a jelly they bake and over-spread with Butter and so eate it in lumpes One office in the house of great men is a tale-teller who bringeth his Lord on sleepe with tales vaine and frivolous whereunto the number give sooth and credence So light they are in beleeving whatsoever is with any countenance of gravitie affirmed by their Superiours whom they esteeme and honour that a lewd Prelate within these few yeares needy of money was able to perswade his parish That S. Patricke in striving with S. Peter to let an Irish Galloglass into Heaven had his head broken with the keyes for whose releife he obtained a Collation Without either precepts or observation of congruity they speake Latine like a vulgar language learned in their common Schooles of Leach-craft and Law whereat they begin Children and hold on sixteene or twentie yeares conning by roate the Aphorismes of Hypocrates and the Civill Institutions and a few other parings of those two faculties I have seene them where they kept Schoole ten in some one Chamber groveling upon couches of straw their Bookes at their noses themselves lying flatte prostate and so to chaunte out their lessons by peece-meale being the most part lustie fellowes of twenty five yeares and upwards Other Lawyers they have liable to certaine families which after the custome of the country determine and judge causes These consider of wrongs offered and received among their neighbours be it murder or fellony or trespasse all is redeemed by composition except the grudge of parties seeke revenge and the time they have to spare from spoyling and proyning they lightly bestow in parling about such matters The Breighoon so they call this kind of Lawyer sitteth him downe on a banke the Lords and Gentlemen at variance round about him and then they proceede They honour devoute Fryars and Pilgrimes suffer them to passe quietly spare them and their mansions whatsoever outrage they shew to the country besides them To robbe and
besought God vvere it his good pleasure to give out some evident token of the maters they required finally by the special direction of God he found in the north edge of Vlster a desolate angle hemmed in round in the mids thereof a pit where he reared a Church closed the same with a wall bestowed therein Canons regular at the East end of this Church yarde a doore leadeth into a closet of stone which they call the Purgatory because devout people have resorted thither for pennance and reported at their returne strange visions of paine and blisse appearing to them They used to continue therein foure twenty houres which doing one while with ghostly meditations and another while a dreadfull conscience of their deserts they saw as they say a plaine resembling of their owne faults and vertues with the horror and comfort thereto belonging that one so terrible the other so joyous that they verily deeme themselves for the time to have sight of heaven and hell The revelations of men that went in Saint Patricke yet living are kept vvritten vvithin the saide Abbey When any person is disposed to enter for the doore is ever sparred he repaireth first for advice to the Archbishop vvho casteth all perils and dissvvadeth him because they say diverse never came backe againe but if the party be resolute he recommendeth him to the Pryor vvho in like manner favourably exhorteth him not to hazard such a danger if notvvithstanding he finde the party fully bent he conducteth him to this Church enjoyneth him to begin vvith prayer fast and vigill oâ— 15. dayes so long together as in discretion can be endured This time expired if he yet persevere in his former purpose the vvhole Convent accompanieth him vvith solemne procession and benediction to the mouth of the cave vvhere they let him in so barre up the doore till the morrovv then vvith like ceremonies they avvaite his returne reduce him to the Church If he be seene no more they fast pray 15. dayes after Touching the credit of those matters I see no cause but a Christian man assuring himself that there is both hel heaven may vvithout vanity upon sufficient information be persuaded that it might please God at somtime for considerations to his infinit vvisdome knovvn to reveale by miracles the vision of Ioyes paines eternal but that altogether in such sort so ordinarily to such persons and by such meanes as the common fame some records therof doe utter I neither believe nor wish to be regarded It appeares by Trevisa in his additions to Polichronicon that a superstitious opinion of this Purgatory was then conceived which he disproveth And a man of indifferent judgement may soone suspect that in the drift and strength of Imagination a contemplative person would happely suppose the sight of many strange things which he never saw Since writing hereof I met with a Priest who told mee that he had gone the same pilgrimage and affirmed the order of the premisses But that he for his owne part saw no sight in the world save onely fearefull dreames when he chanced to nod and those he saith were exceeding horrible further he added that the faste is rated more or lesse according to the quality of the penitent and that the place seemed to him scarcely able to receive sixe persons CAP. XIIII The Irish Saints THough my search thereof in this my haste out of the land be very cumbersome yet being loath to neglect the memory of Gods friends more glorious to a Realme then all the victories and triumphs of the world I thinke it good to furnish out this chapter with some extracts touching the Saints of Ireland namely those that are most notable mentioned by authors of good credit Cambrensis telleth that in S. Patricks time flourished S. Bride the virgin and S. Columbe in Doune where their bodies soone after the conquest and also S. Patrickes body were found Sir Iohn Courcye being then President of Vlster In vievving of the sepulture hee testifieth to have seene three principall jevvells vvhich vvere then translated as honourable monuments vvorthie to be preserved Of S. Columbe it is doubted whether he lived in that age Brigide was base Daughter of Dubtachus a Captaine in Leinster who perceiving the Mother with child sold her secretly fearing the jealousy of his wife to a Irish Poet reserving to himselfe the fruite of her wombe she was there delivered of this Brigide whom the Poet trained up in letters and so conveyed her home to her father The Damosell was schooled in the faith by S. Patricke preaching then in those parts she became so religious and so ripe in judgement that not onely the multitude but a whole synode of Bishoppes assembled by Dublin used her advice in weighty causes and highly esteemed her One fact of hers being yet a childe made her famous The King of Leinster had given to Dubtachus in token of singular affection for his good service a rich sword Now it befell that the maiden visiting her sicke neighbours diversly distressed for hunger her father being a sterne man his Lady a shrewe she saw none other helpe to releive these wretched people but to part the Iewels of that idle sword among them This matter was haynously taken and came to the Kings eares who comming shortly after to a Banquet in her fathers house demaunded the Girle not yet nine yeares old how she durst presume to deface the gift of a King shee answered that it was bestowed upon a better King then hee was whom quoth she finding in such extremity I would have given all my father hath and all that thou hast yea your selves and all were yee in my power to give rather then Christ should starve At convenient age she professed virginity and allured other noble Virgins to her fellowship with whom she lived in her owne Monastery untill the yeare of our Lord 500. and was buried at Downe in the Tombe of S. Patricke what Cambrensis reporteth of his own knowledge and sight I will be bold to adde hereunto Among her reliques was found a concordance of the 4. Evangelists seeming to bee written with no mortall hand beautified with mysticall pictures in the margent whose colours and workemanship at the first blush were darke and unpleasant but in the view wonderful liuely and artificiall Senanus first a Souldiour succeeded S. Patricke in the See of Ardmagh when he had beene certaine yeares a minor and doctour to the Campe. Brendan Abbot at the age of ten yeares was of such incomparable holinesse and thereto so wise and lettered that his parents thinking themselves to have wonne the most notable fruite that could ensue their marriage by mutuall consent professed continencie Hee flourished in the time of S. Bride lived familiarly with Ercus the Bishop and Finan the Abbot Madoc alias Edan of noble parentage taken prisoner with the King of Temore and
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
the inhabitants of the county towne of Corke being tyred with perpetuall oppressions of their Irish borderers complained themselves in a generall writing directed to the Lord of Rutheland and Corke the Kings Deputy and to the Councell of the Realme then assembled at Divelin which Letter because it openeth the decay of those partes and the state of the Realme in times past I have thought good to enter here as it was delivered me by Francis Agard Esquire one of her Majesties privy Councell in Ireland It may please your wisedomes to have pittie of us the Kings poore subjects within the county of Corke or else we be cast away for ever for where there was in this countie these Lords by name besides Knights Esquiers Gentlemen and Yeoman to a great number that might dispend yearelie 800. pounds 600. pounds 400. pounds 200. pounds 100. pounds 100. markes 20. pounds 20. markes 10. pounds some more some lesse to a great number besides these Lords following First the Lord Marquesse Caro his yearely revenues was besides Dorzey Hauen and other Creekes 2200. pounds sterling The Lord Barnevale of Bearehaven his yearely revenues was beside Bearehaven and other Creekes 1600. pounds sterling The Lord Vggan of the great Castle his yearely revenues was besides havens and creekes 1300. pounds sterling The Lord Balram of Emforte his yearely revenues was besides havens and creekes 1300. pounds sterling The Lord Courcy of Kilbretton his yearely revenues besides havens and creekes 1500. pounds sterling The Lord Mandevil of Barrenstelly his yearely revenues besides havens and creekes 1200. pounds sterling The Lord Arundell of the strand his yearely revenues besides havens and creekes 1500. pounds sterling The Lord Baron of the Guard his yearely revenues besides havens and creekes 1100. pounds sterling The Lord Sleynie of Baltimore his yearely revenue besides havens and creekes 800 pounds sterling The Lord Roche of Poole-castle his yearely revenue besides havens and creekes 1000. pounds sterling The Kings Majesty hath the Lands of the late young Barry by forfeiture the yearely revenue whereof besides two rivers and creekes and all other casualties is 1800. pounds sterling And at the end of this Parliament Your Lordship with the Kings most noble Councell may come to Corke and call before you all these Lords and other Irish men and binde them in paine of losse of life lands and goods that never any of them doe make warre upon another without licence or cōmandement of you my Lord Deputy the Kings Councell for the utter destruction of these parts is that onely cause and once all the Irish men and the Kings enemies were driven into a great valley called Glanehought betwixt two great mountaines called Maccorte or the leprous Iland and their they lived long and many yeares with their white meat till at the last these English Lords fell at variance among themselves and then the weakest part tooke certaine Irish men to take his part and so vanquished his enemy and thus fell the English Lords at variance among themselves till the Irish men were stronger then they and drave them away and now have the whole country under them but that the Lord Roche the Lord Courcy and the Lord Barry onely remaine with the least part of their auncestors possessions and young Barry is there upon the Kings portion paying his Grace never a penny Rent Wherefore we the Kings poore subjects of the Citty of Corke Kinsale and Yowghall desire your Lordship to send hither two good Iustices to see this matter ordered and some English Captaines with twenty English men that may be Captaines over us all and we will rise with them to redresse these enormities all at our owne costs And if you doe not we be all cast away and then farewell Mounster for ever And if you will not come nor send we will send over to our Liege Lord the King and complaine on you all Thus farre the letter And at this day the Citty of Corke is so encumbred with unquiet neighbours of great power that they are forced to watch their gates continually to keepe them shut at service times at meales from sunne set to sunne arising nor suffer any stranger to enter there with his weapon but to leave the same at a lodge appointed They walke out for recreation at seasons with strength of men furnished they match in wedlocke among themselves so that welnigh the whole citty is allyed together It is to be hoped that the late sent over Lord President of Mounster Sir Iohn Parrot who hath chosen the same place to abide in as having greatest neede of a Governour resident would ease the inhabitants of this feare and scourge the Irish Outlawes that annoy the whole region of Mounster Henry the 4. in the 10. yeare of his raigne gave the Sword to the Citty of Divelin which Citty was first governed as appeareth by their auncient seale called Signum propositurae by a Provost and in the 14. yeare of H. the 3. by a Major two Bayliffes which Bayliffes were changed into Sheriffes by Charter of Edward the 6. an 1547. This Majorality both for state and charge of that office and for the bountifull hospitality exceedeth any Citty in England except London While Henry the 5. reigned I finde lieutenants and deputyes of Ireland specially remembred Iohn Talbott of Hollamshire Lord of Furnyvall Thomas de Lancaster Senischa of England and Stephen le Scroope his Deputy Iohn Duke of Bedford then also Lord Keeper of England and the noble Earle of Ormond Sir Iames Butler whose grandsire was Iames surnamed the chast for that of all vices hee most abhorred the sinne of the flesh and in subduing of the same gave notable example In the red Moore of Athye the sun almost lodged in the West and miraculously standing still in his epicycle the space of three houres till the feat was accomplished and no pit in that bogge annoying either horse or man on his part he vanquished Omore and his terrible Army with a few of his owne and with the like number Arthur Mac Murrough at whose might and puissance all Leinster trembled To the imitation of this mans worthinesse the compiler of certaine precepts touching the rule of a Common-wealth exciteth his Lord the said Earle in diverse places of that Worke incidently eftsoones putting him in minde that the Irish beene false by kinde that it were expedient and a worke of Charity to execute upon them willfull and malicious transgressours the Kings Lawes somewhat sharpely That Odempsye being winked at a while abused that small time of sufferance to the injury of the Earle of Kildare intruding unjustly upon the Castle of Ley from whence the said Deputy had justly expelled him and put the Earle in possession thereof that notvvithstanding their oathes and pledges yet they are no longer true then they feele themselves the vveaker This Deputye tamed the Obriens the Burckes Mac-banons Ogaghnraghte Manus Mac
which cause the Earle of Desmond remained many yeares Deputy to George Duke of Clarence his god-brother but when he had spoken certaine disdainfull words against the late marryage of King Edward with the Lady Elizabeth Gray the said Lady being now Queene caused his trade of life after the Irish manner contrary to sundry old statutes enacted in that behalfe to be sifted examined by Iohn Earle of Worcester his successour Of which treasons he was attaint and condemned and for the same beheaded at Droghedah Iames the father of this Thomas of Desmond being suffered and not controuled during the government of Richard Duke of Yorke his godsip and of Thomas Earle of Kildare his kinsman put upon the Kings subjects within the Countyes of Waterford Corke Kerry and Limericke the Irish impositions of Coyne and Lyverie Cartings carriages loadings cosherings bonnaght and such like which customes are the very nurse and teat of all Irish enormities and extort from the poore tennants everlasting Sesse allowance of meate and money their bodies and goods in service so that their horses and their Galloglashes lye still upon the Farmers eate them out begger the Countrey foster a sort of idle vagabonds ready to rebell if their Lord commaund them ever nusseled in stealth and robberyes These evill presidents given by the Father the sonne did exercise being Lord Deputy to whome the reformation of that disorder especially belonged notwithstanding the same fault being winked at in others and with such rigour avenged in him it was manifestly taken for a quarrell sought and picked Two yeares after the said Earle of Worcester lost his head while Henry the 6. taken out of the towre was set up againe and King Edward proclaymed Vsurper and then was Kildare enlarged whom being likewise attainte they thought also to have ridde and shortly both the Earles of Kildare and Desmond were restored to their bloud by Parliament Sir Rowland Eustace Knight sometimes Treasurer and Lord Chauncellour and lastly Lord Deputye of Ireland founded Saint Frauncis Abbey besides Kilkullen bridge Edward a yeare before his death honoured his yonger son Richard the infant Duke of Yorke with the title of Lieutenant over this Land But his unnaturall Vnkle Richard the Third when hee had murdered the childe and the elder brother called Edward the 5. He then preferred to that Office his ovvne sonne Edward vvhose Deputy was Gerald Earle of Kildare and bare that office a vvhile in Henry the 7. his dayes To whom came the vvylie Priest Sir Richard Symonds presented a lad his scholler named Lambert vvhom he fained to be the son of George Duke of Clarence lately escaped the tovvre of Londō And the child could his pedegree so readily and had learned of the Priest such princely behaviour that he lightly moved the said Earle and many Nobles of Ireland tendering the Seed Royall of Richard Plantagenet and George his sonne as also maligning the advancement of the house of Lancaster in Henry the seventh either to thinke or make the world weene they thought verily this childe to bee Edward Earle of Warwicke the Duke of Clarences lawfull Sonne And although King Henry more then halfe marred their sport in shewing the right Earle through all the streetes of London yet the Lady Margaret Dutchesse of Burgoine sister to Edward the fourth Iohn de la Poole her Nephew the Lord Lovel Sir Thomas Broughton Knight and diverse other Captaines of this conspiracy devised to abuse the colour of this young Earles name for preferring their purpose which if it came to good they agreed to depose Lambert and to erect the very Earle indeed now prisoner in the towre for whose quarrell had they pretended to fight they deemed it likely hee should have beene made away Wherefore it was blazed in Ireland that the King to mocke his subjects had schooled a Boy to take upon him the Earle of Warwickes name and had shewed him about London to blinde the eyes of simple folkes and to defeate the lawfull Inheritour of the good Duke of Clarence their countryman and Protectour during his life to whose linage they also derived a title of the Crowne In all haste they assembled at Divelin and there in Christ-Church they Crowned this Idoll honouring him with titles imperiall feasting and triumphing rearing mighty shoutes and cryes carrying him from thence to the Kings Castle upon tall mens shoulders that he might be seene and noted as he was surely an honourable Boy to looke upon Thereupon ensued the Battle of Stoke wherein Lambert and his Master were taken but never executed the Earle of Lincolne the Lord Lovel Martine Swarte the Almaigne Captaine and Morice Fitz Thomas Captaine of the Irish were slaine and all their power discomfited Iasper Duke of Bedford and Earle of Penbroke Lieutenant and VValter Archbishop of Divelin his Deputy In this time befell another like illusion of Ireland procured from the Dutchesse aforesaid and certaine Nobles of England whereby was exalted as rightfull King of England and undoubted Earle of Vlster the counterfeit Richard Duke of Yorke preserved from King Richards cruelty as his adherents faced the matter downe and with this maygame lord named indeede Peter in scorne Perkin VVarbecke flattered themselves many yeares Then was Sir Edward Poynings Knight sent over Lord Deputy with commission to apprehend his principall partners in Ireland amongst whom was named Gerald Fitz Gerald Earle of Kildare whose purgation the King notwithstanding diverse avouching the contrary did accept After much adoe Perkin taken confessed under his owne hand-writing the course of all his proceedings whereof so much as concerneth Ireland I have heere borrowed out of Halles Chronicles I being borne in Flaunders in the towne of Turney put my selfe in service with a Britton called Pregent Meno the which brought me with him into Ireland and when wee were there arrived in the towne of Corke they of the towne because I was arrayed with some cloathes of silke of my said Masters threeped upon me that I should be the Duke of Clarences sonne that was before time at Divelin and forasmuch as I denyed it there was brought unto me the Holy Evangelists and the Crosse by the Major of the towne called Iohn Lewellin and there I tooke my oath that I was not the said Dukes sonne nor none of his blood After this came to me an English man whose name was Stephen Poytowe vvith one Iohn VValter and svvare to me that they knevv well that I vvas King Richards Bastard sonne to whom I answered vvith like oathes that I vvas not And then they advised me not to be affraide but that I should take it upon me boldly And if I vvould so doe they vvould assist me with all their povver against the King of England and not onely they but they vvere assured that the Earles of Desmond and Kildare should doe the same for they passed not vvhat part they tooke so they might be avenged
time of Augustus Caesar a little before the birth of our Saviour Fridelenus King of Denmarke puffed vp with pride through some fortunate successes arrived in Ireland laid siege to the Citie of Dublin and finding it not so easie a matter to atchieue fell to policie he caught certaine Swallowes that bred in the Citie tyed fire to their wings who flying to their nests fired the houses while the Citizens endevoured to quence the fire the Danes entred the Citie and wâ—nne it The King of Leinster after this gathered forces and gave the Danes battaile in which many fell on both sides Fredelnus seeing the enemy increase and his armie decrease fled the land and retired into his country His sonne Frotho the third of that name King of Danes so Albertus Krantzius and Saxo Grammaticus record wantonly assailed the Britaines lustrans magis insulam quam subigens rather taking a view of the Iland then subduing it afterward relinquishing that course put foot in Ireland The historiographers of that side report hardly of the land and the inhabitants thereof and in fine they write when Cepo the Irish King was overthrowne and put to flight his brother Kervill saith Saxo I take it to be O Carroll offered tribute wherewith the Danes being pacified returned to their Country This Frotho peopled the Orchades with Danes and appointed Revillus their commander Whilst this Frotho King of Danes was Monarch of Ireland the light of the world the comfort of all Christians IESVS CHRIST the sonne of GOD was borne in the flesh About the 44. yeere after the incarnation of our Lord Claudius the Emperour having appeased the troubles of Britaine by the aide of Arviragus as Mathew Westmonasteriensis saith subdued Orchades Hebrides Thule and all the Ocean Ilands among the which Ireland is reckoned the which Beda and Eutropius haue likewise remembred But Fabian Grafton Holinshed and Ponticus Virunius say further that he sent certaine legions of Knights into Ireland to subdue the same what successe they had is not recorded a legion consisting of 6666. as ancient Writers record no doubt they performed some great exploit Learned Camden writeth of the Brigantes the inhabitants of Yorkeshire Lancashire the Bishopricke of Durham Westmerland and Cumberland were so called how that in the time of Claudius as I take it many of them went to end their dayes in Ireland and of old were called the Brigantes of Ireland His words are these Quod verò Florianus Del Campo Hispanus nostros Brigantes c. Whereas Florianus Del-Campo the Spaniard hath somewhat arrogantly derived our Brigantes from Spaine into Ireland and thence into Britaine being aided by no other conjecture but that he found in his Country of Spaine the Citie Brigantia I feare mee hee hath fouly deceived himselfe For if the like cause have not given ours and the Brigantes of Ireland the same name I had rather be of opinion with my most learned friend Thomas Savill namely that certaine Brigantes and other nations of Britaine also even from the comming of the Romans into Britaine departed into Ireland some for quietnesse sake and to liue at ease some for that their eyes should not be infected with the sight of the Roman dominion and last of all others lest in their latter age they should willingly seeme to lose the libertie which from nature they had received in their youth And that Claudius the Emperour first of any Romane tooke the Brigantes in hand and subjected them to his Empire and command Seneca sheweth in these his verses ........ Ille Britannos Vltra noli littora ponti caeruleos Scuta Brigantes dare Romulaeis colla catenis Iussit ......... The Britaines farre from knowne seas and Brigantes Bucklers blue The Roman Claude to Roman becke did bring and rebels slue Claudius hauing effected all his affaires as formerly hath been delivered returned to Rome then saith Gualter Oxon. Omnia regna Arvirago tradidit he delivered all these kingdomes to Arviragus He committed them al to his charge saith Ponticus Virunius In Matthew Westmonsteriensis I reade regimen insulare Arvirago cessit the command of the Ilands fell to Arviragus Harding hath delivered it in verse Orchades Isles in the meane time he conquered In which he infeoffed the King and him preferred About this time Frotho the fourth of that name King of Danes some 30. yeeres after the former invasion saith mine Author sent great power of Giants out of Denmarke under the leading of bloudy Haco and the great challenger and huge monster Starcuterus to invade Ireland The occasion was as followeth Starcuterus before mentioned being borne farre in the East by reason of shipwracke having lost both his ship and fellowes was cast upon the coast of Denmarke and hearing of the fame of Frotho came to his Court This Giant was greatly admired for stature and strength of body Frotho commanded a great navie to be in a readinesse with all manner of necessary provision made him an arch-pirate and turned him to the Sea to seeke adventures They touched many lands and fought with many Giants at length saith mine Author that no Country though never so remote should bee freed from the smart of Danish forces they arived in Ireland Huglet King of Ireland gave them battaile in the which Huglet was slaine and all the Irish put to flight And yet mine Author though a Dane highly commendeth two Irish Lords Segathus and Suibdanus the one wounded Haco the other gave Starcuterus such a blow that he stood a great while amazed and had beene slaine had he not beene rescued The battaile being ended the Danes tooke Dufflinian Dublin ransacked it and found great store of treasure and some of them remained in the land the rest returned to Denmarke Starcuterus went into forraigne countries to combat with Giants In the time of Arviragus before mentioned I finde the greatest probability of the first comming of the Pictes out of Scythia first into Ireland secondly into Albania now called Scotland and lastly into the North of England And whereas before page 3. I made mention of the arivall of Scythians Nemedus and his foure sonnes and after them of five brethren of their posteritie and the third time of another fleete of Scythians that arived in Ireland and that also by many antiquities it appeareth that the Scots be Scythians and came out of those parts whence these Pictes brake forth I purpose now to make a more full discourse of that businesse Camden modestly confesseth he knoweth not when they came first into these parts neither doe I mislike with his conjecture that they should be old Britaines who painted themselves to shew more terrible against the Romanes yet we must confesse that there are many nations of severall names in Scythia and Polychronicon together with Rastall saith that the Gothes and Pictes be one nation The etymologie I finde in the storie of the Gothes Scythia in the Gothicke tongue
downe for dead King Engus lamented greatly the death of seven Nobles of Mounster that were pledges with him at Cassill and miscarried in this mortalitie Not long after Declanus ended the way of all flesh and lyeth buried at Ardmore Albaeus as his owne Legend delivereth the second Patrone of Mounster after Patricke the generall Patrone of Ireland was borne in Elyach now called Ely O Caroll His fathers name was Olâ—nais his mothers Sandith a maid servant in the house of King Cronanus the Lord of Eliach was then called a King Cronanus in his rage bid his servants hang the whoore and kill the childe the servants loath to dispatch an innocent tooke him out of his Pallace and laid him under the side of a rocke One Lochanus the sonne of Lugyr passing by pittied the childe tooke him to his horse and set him to nurse among certaine Britaines in the East part of Elyach Palladius saith the story passing from Rome toward Scotland and travelling through Ireland baptized him The Britaines sent him into France where hee was trayned up in Christian schooles and brought up under Bishop Hilarius who sent him to Rome where he was consecrated Bishop and remained one whole yeere and fiftie dayes preaching and expounding holy Scripture with great admiration And saith the Legend there came unto him out of Ireland fiftie grave and reverend men of which number there were 12 Colmans 12 Coenigeni and 12 Fintans the Bishop of Rome sent them backe into Ireland they came to Dolomoir where Sampson Bishop of that See gave them entertainement There he baptized saith the storie King Fintan After he had baptized and converted many unto the faith and builded many Churches and founded many Hospitals for lazers he came to Ymleach now called Emley a Bishopricke and in the Legend termed his owne Citie fell sicke and there left his bones He conversed with Biga whom learned Camden calleth Bega Bretach Nunnes and with Nessanus a great Antiquarie saith mine Author whose antiquities I never saw Kyaranus or Keran alias Piran another of the foure Bishops that lived in Ireland before Saint Patricke commeth next to be spoken of Of him Capgrave and the Martyrologe thus write that hee was a Bishop and Confessour and termed Sanctorum Hiberniae primogenitus And yet I finde in Molanus that one Saint Mansuetus Bishop of Tullum now called Tullense oppiduÌ„ a towne in Flanders was of Irish birth fellow Disciple with Saint Clement under Saint Peter the blessed Apostle not trayned up in Ireland in the Christian faith but in forraigne countries where he was both baptized instructed and made Bishop and where he now resteth But to returne to Keran he was borne in Ossorie having to his father Domnell saith another Lugnaeus whereby I gather there were two of that name to his mother Wingella famous for life learning and sanctitie in the dayes of Saint Patricke He lived in the I le of Cleere some 30 yeeres from thence he went to Rome where hee met Saint Patricke who came to Ireland 30. yeeres after Pyranus was of note in Rome hee continued 15. yeeres expounding holy Scripture with great admiration as another saith 20. yeeres there the Bishop of Rome consecrated him Bishop He came to Ireland and was the first Bishop of Ossorie having his See at Keran in Elie O Carroll Hee refreshed saith mine Author Saint Patricke and tenne Irish Kings for the space of three dayes he confirmed Rhodanus in the faith visited the Virgin Cota with her Priest Geranus whose cell was a rocke of the â—eas not farre from the Citie of Cluan in Mounster He was a man of an austere life never ware woollen garment but the fell of Wolves and wilde beasts As he came to his lodging in time of Lent and having inquired what provision they had answere being made that they had but a pestle of Porke he commanded it to be laid on the table one scornefully refused the dyet he misliking with him threatned him an ill end which accordingly came to passe When by the course of nature he saw his end approach he called his friends unto him and said My welbeloved children and friends God hath disposed that I should trauaile out of Ireland into Cornewall and there expect the end of my dayes I cannot withstand the will of God I doe admonish you brethren to uphold the place with good workes and examples of life for there shall come children of perdition and death among you ye shall have mortalitie and warres the Churches shall become waste and desolate and the truth shall be turned into iniquitie faith shall not shine with good workes the Pastors will looke to themselves more then to their flocke feeding themselves more then their sheepe last of all I beseech you brethren pray for me that my iourney may be prosperous and that after my decease I finde not my King and my God angry but gentle and appeased when I shall appeare before him He tooke leave came to Cornewall and resteth some fifteene miles from Petrok-stow 25. miles from Mousehole where he is remembred for their Patron Cambrâ—nsis writeth that in Caerdise in Wales there is a Chappell called Saint Perans Chappell where King Henry the second in his returne from Ireland repaired to heare divine service as he hath remembred it in his Booke intituled Itinerarium Cambriae And thus much of Saint Keran or Saint Peran Of Ybarus the fourth Bishop before Saint Patricke I finde some discourse in the Legend of Abbanus the Abbot how hee baptized him and brought him up in learning and how they went together to Rome and after their returne conversed in Ireland with Saint Patricke as formerly in part hath beene delivered in the life of Declanus This Abbanus is renowned in Ireland for building of Celles and religious houses besides three Monasteries in Connaght he built in Mounster Ceall Achard Conchun alias Kill Achard where Saint Finan whom he baptized after his death was Abbot In the borders of Muskerry he builded the Nunnery of Husneach and left it to Saint Gobnaid and her Virgins another Monasterie also by Kilcullen In Nandesi as I take it now called the Decies by the towne of Briogoban he founded Kill-na-Marban and at the foot of the mountaine Crotte in Muskerie the famous Monasterie called Cluain-Airdmobecoc where Saint Becanus was Abbot the which afterward because of Becanus his lamentation in devout sort as it is written for his sinnes was called Ceall Nander Cella lachrymarum the cell of teares He founded also Cluain Findglaise Cluain Conbrum and went into Ely where he baptized and converted unto the faith thousands as the Legend reporteth in a place afterward called Rath-Becain in Latine Atrium Becani where Abbanus is recounted Patron He builded a Monasterie upon the river Berba called Ross-Mac-Treoin where the Abbot Saint Emenus resteth also in Meath Ceall-Ailbe and committed the charge thereof to the holy
kept swine many yeeres When Patricks six yeeres were expired one of the swine turned up a clod under the which lay so much mony as paid his ransome When he came the second time he landed at Carlingford and inquired after Milcho whose captive hee had beene who would not giue eare to his doctrine but immediately after his death his two daughters of one name Emeria were baptized Laigerius in Iocelin Leogarius Monarch of Ireland the son of Neale harkning unto Magicians and Sooth-sayers gave commandement together with his brother Corbre unto the Country for the banishing of Saint Patrick but Dichu and Rius two brethren and great Commanders under him received the faith and Conil brother to Laigerius who also himselfe shortly after grew indifferent winking at them that did receive it so that his Queene and his yonger brother received the faith and his two daughters And of Laigerius he thus prophecied because thou hast alwaies withstood my doctrine and ceased not above measure to persecute me and hast above all disdained to beleeve in him that made all things thou art the childe of death And whereas of right thou with the rest yea before all thy confederates oughtest presently to enter into everlasting torments yet insomuch as thou meekely commest unto me craving pardon and like King Achab humblest thy selfe before my God the Lord will not forthwith bring upon thee the evill which thou hast deserved notwithstanding there shall none of thy seed after thee sit upon thy seat but shall serve thy yonger brother that beleeveth in my God and his seed after him for ever As this holy man travailed in preaching the Gospell he met with a young man whose name was Mochaa or Mocho keeping swine in whose physiognomie hee perceived towardnesse and sparkles of grace he taught him baptized him trayned him up in holy Scripture made him Deacon Priest and Bishop of Dune where he lyeth buried Clonsillan and Kellestowne some five miles west of Dublin have him for their Patron where under an high rocke runneth a Spring called S. Mochon his Well Next he baptized one Benignus called also Stephanus so Probus writeth with his father mother familie who proved so good a member in the Church of God that he succeeded S. Patricke in Armagh this Benignus saith Capgrave lyeth buried in Glastenburie Saint Patricke also received into the faith one Erchas the sonne of Dega saith Iocelin whom he also made a Bishop The Martyrologe of Sarum calleth him Herkus At that time one Pheg a Poet and saith Probus Duptachus an Irish rymer or Poet in Lastgerius his Court desired baptisme and afterward all the dayes of his life converted his vaine rymes into Chrihian Poems and did much good thereby among the common people Saint Patricke had brought with him into Ireland out of Italie one Mac Cartyn of Irish birth so I reade in the martyrologe of Sarum and three sisters of his owne which proved very fruitfull Lupita who lived a Virgin and lyeth buried at Armagh Trigridia and Darercha Tigridia had seventeene sonnes and five daughters the men became Priests Monkes and Bishops the daughters were made Nunnes the Bishops were called Brochadius Brochanus Mogenochus and Lumianus Darerca the yongest sister had two Bishops to her sonnes Melrioch and Munis the martyrologe of Sarum reckoneth her children thus Mele Melk Muncse Bishops Riok Finian and Bolke Abbots Where I thinke there is some errour that Melrioch in Iocelin is Mele and Ryok in the maytyrologe Of Lumianus I reade that he baptized a Lord of the country called Fedlemus and his sonne Forkernus whose mother was a Britain his dwelling was at Ahtrum There Lumianus by their meanes builded a Church some twenty five yeeres before the founding of Armagh the which he tooke for his Bishops See and ordered Forkernus to succeed him there The possessions saith mine Author which were first given to this Church afterward by the donations of other Princes fell to belong to Armagh The holy man Patricke laboured still in the vineyard of the Lord he baptized Conallus alias Conill Lord of Connaught brother to Laigerius and his familie who gave Patricke a country called Dompnac Patricke and builded for himselfe a dwelling place called Raith-Artair After seven yeeres this Conill sent him to his brother Logan Cogan saith the Booke of Houth King of Leinster whom hee baptized together with Amolgath whom I take to be the ancestour of the house of O Malaghlin a great Lord of a country and his seven sonnes Florilegus saith they were seven Kings After this this holy man comming out of Meth and having passed over the water at Finglas went up to a hill some mile from the village Athcled now called Dublin When he had viewed the place and soile adjoyning he blessed the same and is said to have prophecied thus This village is now but small it will be great it will be inlarged with wealth and worship neither will it leave increasing untill it bee advanced to the seate of the Kingdome In a while after he came to the village where the inhabitants hearing of the wonders which the Lord wrought by his hands went out to meete him with much ioy and beleeved by his preaching and were baptized My Author addeth that upon complaint made unto him how that they were annoyed with brackish waters which of necessitie they were driven to use he walked about the village turned up cloddes digged the earth and found a Spring which is now called Saint Patrickes Well From this village Athcled hee went to Castleknok where one Murguus dwelled and commanded those places who hearing of Patricks comming refused to give him entertainement but sent him word that he was asleepe in which sleepe as the storie saith he died of which accident the common saying ariseth Thou sleepest Murguus sleepe applyed to those that sleepe heavily or are given to overmuch sleepe From Castleknok he bent his course towards Mounster and came to King Engus alias Oengus Mac Nafroic who received him ioyfully and brought him to his Palace at Cassill saith Iocelin where also one Daris a great Lord in that country shewed him much kindenesse When he had baptized the King and many thousands with him he came to Vrmiunnan now called Ormond where in like sort they received the faith and the inhabitants in remembrance of him builded a Church and dedicated the same to his name From Mounster where he preached seaven yeeres hee tooke his iourney backe to Vlster and came to King Eochu whom he baptized his daughter Cumia whom he made a Nunne and committed her to the charge of the Nunne Cecubris in the Nunnery of Drumdukain whom Patricke first vailed of all the women in Ireland Also he baptized Olcanus who went into France to studie and upon his returne â—rected schooles in Ireland and had many schollers whereof a great number were afterwards Bishops he himselfe towards his end
of Leinster craved him to extend his Princely favour toward him Gillomer on the other side complained of the wrong done him by Vter-Pendragon and the Britaines namely how they had slaine his subiects wasted his country and carried away his rare monuments concluding that hee was willing of himselfe to be revenged of them much more finding this opportunitie Caxton saith he came with fifteene thousand Irish to aide Passent against the Britaines the Armie was great for with Passent came Germans Irish and Saxons and arrived at Menevia now called Saint Davids at which time Aurelius Ambrosius being sicke of poyson by the procurement of Passent of which he died Vter-Pendragon was appointed Generall of the field met with the invaders fought a bloudy battaile where many fell on both sides and in the end slue Passent and Gillomer and ouerthrew the Germans Irish and Saxons and was crowned King of England I doe finde in Antiquaries together with Florilegus Fabian Caxton Holinshed and Fleminge men of great iudgement that the Pictes and Scots in the dayes of King Arthur who succeeded his father Vter-Pendragon ioyned with the Saxons and drew to their aide Gillomer second of that name King of Ireland so that Arthur sent for Howell his sisters sonne King of little Britaine in France who came with fifteene thousand fighting men and ioyning forces with Arthur foyled the Pictes Scots and Saxons vanquished the Irish King and chaced him into Ireland and the yeere following viz. five hundred twenty and five in revenge of the former aide hee came into Ireland offered King Gillomer battaile hee then being Monarch of Ireland as Caxton and the book of Houth record assembled the Princes and Nobles of the land and it is said that King Anguish came to the field with five thousand horse but Arthur constrained them to yeeld and to acknowledge by doing their fealtie to hold the Realme of Ireland of him Whereof Harding saith The somner next Arthur went to Ireland With battaile sore forefoughten y conquered And of the King had homage of that land To hold of him so was he of him feared And also gate as Chronicles have us lered Denmarke Friseland Gâ—tland and Norwey Iseland Groenland the Isle of Man and Orkney The booke of Houth recordeth that anno Dom. 519. Arthur summoned to a speciall feast of solemnitie of the round Table Gillomer the Monarch of Ireland and King Anguish with the Princes and Nobles of the land where they continued during the whole time of the solemnitie In which triumph it is recorded that Garret King of Orkeney sonne to King Lotho and nephew to Arthur being one of King Arthurs Knights together with his two brethren performed most valiant exploits encountred with Anguish King of Ireland Goranus King of Scotland Cador Duke of Cornewall and with other Princes and wanne great honour This Anguish claimed tribute from Marke King of Cornewall that formerly was wonne by combate and sent Morogh whom Caxton calleth Marhaus the Queene of Leinsters brother who was also one of King Arthurs Knights to demand it he was a valiant Gentleman often tryed and ever quitted himselfe with honour The Frenchmen calleth him Le Morhoult d'Ireland and a Citizen of London thus blazoneth his Armes In silver shield on fesse of peeces five throughout the same He bare a Lyon Rampant red and arme greene whose name Might seeme to signifie in truth each mighty enterprise A prey most fit for his courage as is the Irish guise Marke King of Cornewall denieth the tribute offereth the combate and Sir Tristram undertaketh it for him Morogh for himselfe pleaded that he was to encounter with none unlesse he were a King or Queene a Prince or Princesse sonne the circumstances being considered and agreed upon the combatants meete and fiercly fight the battaile was a long time doubtfull in the end Sir Tristram gave Sir Morogh with his sword a sore blow that a piece of the edge stucke in his scull whereupon the combate ended Morogh returned into Ireland and shortly after died of the wound This doth Caxton and the booke of Houth deliver at large But I may not end thus with Sir Tristram he also was sore wounded with a Speare whose head was venomed and could not be cured untill that by counsaile he repaired to the country where the venome had beene confected Whereupon he came to Ireland and to King Anguish his Court and having great skill upon the Harpe he recreated himselfe delighted the house and fell in loue with La Bell Isod the Kings daughter and she with him In processe of time the Queene had learned that he had given her brother Morogh his deaths wound and comparing the piece of the swords edge which was taken out of the skull with his sword found them to agree and banished him the land Not long after upon conference had with Marke King of Cornewall of marriage and commending the beautie and vertues of La Bel Isod spoken of before hee commeth to Ireland to intreate of marriage betweene King Marke and her And having effected his purpose taketh her with him to Cornewall where Marke espoused her with great ioy and solemnity but the old secret love betweene Tristram and her had taken such impression in both and so inflamed their hearts that it could not easily be quenched so that in processe of time Marke espied it and in his furious jealousie slue him as he played upon the Harpe to recreate La Bel Isod and thus as his love began with the Harpe so it ended at the Harpe it is recorded that Isod came to his grave and swouned She was saith mine Author so faire a woman that hardly who so beheld her could not chuse but be enamoured with her In Dublin upon the wall of the Citie is a Castle called Isods towre and not farre from Dublin a Chappell with a Village named Chappell-Isod the originall cause of the name I doe not finde but it is coniectured that her father King Anguish that doted on her builded them in remembrance of her the one for her recreation and the other for the good of her soule About the time that King Arthur raigned lived many famous men of Irish birth renowned for their great learning and sanctitie and commended by divers Antiquaries both at home and abroad to the posteritie But before I come to speake of them I must first make mention of Congellus a Britaine by birth who builded the Monasterie of Bangor not farre from West-Chester which was called the Colledge of Christian Philosophers and became the first Abbot thereof himselfe in the dayes of King Arthur anno Dom. 530. I make mention of him because Bernard in the life of Malachias reporteth this Colledge or Abbey which he built to have beene the head or principall Abbey of all the Monasteries in Europe the seminarie or bee-hive of many thousands of Monkes after the Apostolike manner getting their living with the sweate of their
Queene you my Lord discover it not I. Gormo dyed for sorrow and Thira lamented in one day the departure of her Lord and husband the King the death of her sonne and her owne dolefull widdowhood Anno 939. so writeth Caradoc Abloic a most worthy Prince and Monarch of Ireland deceased Anno 940. after the death of Athelstane his brother Edmund raigned over Britaine He subdued the Danes that remained in Northumberland together with others that came out of Ireland to invade the land with Anlaffe their Captaine saith Fabian he slue some and banished the rest so writeth Cooper Anno 948. the Abbey of the blessed Virgin Mary by Dublin was founded by the Danes Molanus writeth of one Columbanus an Abbot of Irish birth that became a recluse or an anachorist Anno 957. in the Church yard of the Monasterie of Gandavum where he kept the space of two yeeres and there ended his dayes This yeere saith Caradoc Congelach King of Ireland was slaine but he sheweth not where nor how Anno 959. Edgar the sonne of Edmund beganne his raigne over England he reduced all into one Monarchie Camden found in a Charter where Edgar delivered of himselfe that it pleased God of his mercy to grant unto him together with the command of England to subdue all the Ilandish kingdomes of the Ocean together with their fierce and mighty Kings as farre as Norwey and the greatest part of Ireland with Dublin the most noble Citie thereof unto the kingdome of England Anno 966. Rodericke the sonne of Edwall Voell Prince of Wales was slaine by Irish men that landed there for a prey spoyled the country and destroyed Aberfraw Caradoc so complaineth of them Molanus writeth of one Forananus a Bishop which flourished Anno 980. he termeth him Bishop of Domenormor and Metropolitane of Ireland and Scotland where he mightily erred in the name of the place of the person and his stile For hee was Bishop of Dromore in Ireland and no Metropolitane at all but to his purpose hee findeth him among his Saints of Flanders and saith that he was warned in a vision to travaile so that he with a company of Irish Priests arrived in France and came to Rome in the time of Benedict 7. from thence he came backe to the Monasterie of Walciodorum where hee and his Priests became professed Monkes of the order of Saint Benedict for the space of twelve yeeres and there ended their dayes The Monkes there saith he were wont among other Saints at Easter yeerely to call upon him Sancte Foranane ora pro nobis untill that the reformers of Bursfeld wiped him out of the Catalogue of Saints for that he was not canonized by the Church of Rome Anno 988. as I finde in the British Chronicle Elwmaen the sonne of Abloic King of Ireland was slaine and a great number of people dyed with famine that is alwaies the end of civill warres and rebellion in Ireland Anno 1004. the Scots I know not the cause entred Ireland and after their manner as also the Danes did then in England preyed burned and destroyed they tooke Gulfath and Vbiad Irish Lords and put out their eyes they ransacked also the Citie of Dublin Anno 1012. Grace and Dowlinge the Irish Antiquaries doe concurre the English Writers are silent and deliver how that Bernaidus commonly called Brian Bowrow Monarch of Ireland and his sonne Murcath alias Murchardus Mac Brian with other Kings of the land subiect unto him gathered great power and met at Clantarfe nigh Dublin and gave a sore battaile unto Sutraic alias Sutric the sonne of Abloic King of Dublin and unto Moilmordha King of Leinster This Sutric to withstand the Monarch had hired to his aide all manner of strangers he could get by sea or by land as Danes Norwegians Scots Britaines Pirates and sea rovers The fight was desperate the field all bloud a horse they say was sometime to his belly in bloud There were slaine that day of the one side Brian the Monarch and his sonne Murchard of the other side Moilmordha King of Leinster Rodericke the Arch-Pirate and Captaine of the strangers with others of both sides innumerable Sutrick was sore wounded was brought to Dublin and shortly after died of his wound I pray thee gentle Reader who got by the bargaine As farre as ever I could learne a woman set them together by the eares The Booke of Houth after the Irish observation delivereth the story thus There was a Merchant in Dublin commonly called the white Merchant a Dane the fourth sonne of the King of Denmarke who had a faire wife of Irish birth and he being full of iealousie and ready to travaile for merchandize into farre countries desired of Brian Borow Monarch of Ireland that his wife untill his returne might waite upon his Lady soiourne in his house for the safeguard of her person credit and honestie the which was granted and the King undertooke it This Merchant made as speedy a returne as he could and being landed early in a morning with a privy key entred the chamber where his wife lay and found Morogh Mac Brian the Kings sonne in bed with his wife hee wheeled about devising what was best to be done at length resolving himselfe to depart for that time tooke Moroghs sword and put it into his owne scabbard and his into Moroghs scabbard Hee went to the King and complained of the abuse here spoken of the King answered He is my sonne give thou iudgement upon him saith the Merchant let him keepe the whore still I will be revenged upon him and his partakers in the field as soone as possibly may be and I doubt not but all Ireland shall rue the day of this villanie Immediately he went to Denmarke brought over to his aide thirty thousand Danes and Norwegians landed at Clantarfe whereof the field was called the field of Clantarfe hee summoned Morogh and his favourites to fight and thought at the first to have taken Dublin Brian Borow fearing this made more haste then good speed tarried not for the forces of the land that were comming with his sonne Donogh to his aide but rashly with his sonne Morogh the Author of all this mischiefe gave them battaile The which battaile all the forenoone being cruelly fought seemed all to leane on the Irish side but in the afternoone the Danes that were in the rere and yet fresh for any fight they had were directed to wheele about and to take the voward unknowne unto the Irish which fiercely fought and encountred with the wearie and wounded Irish and wonne the field Here was Brian Borow and his sonne Morogh and eleven thousand of the Irish slaine One thing further gentle reader note there was a Priests sonne accounted a tall man of armes who in the beginning of the battaile fled away fearing the hardinesse of the Danes and Norwegians and went to Donogh Mac Brian the brother of Morogh who was comming with forces to
the field and perswaded him to retraict saying further that there was no hope of good successe to bee obtained in this field This man being taken confessed the whole treason and for punishment was carried to the winde gates twelve miles from Dublin set alive standing in the ground with a great heape of stones about him as it pleased the Commanders to direct In Stanihurst I finde that the the chiefe Potentates of the Irish were Brian Borow Miagh Mac Brian whom formerly I termed Morogh Tady O Kelly Dolir Ahertegan and Gille Barramed and that they were buried at Kilmaniham over against the great Crosse. Anno 1031. as it is remembred by Caradoc in the British Chronicles there was great stirre and bloudshed in South-Wales by the meanes of Howell and Meredith the sonnes of Edwyn ap Evean ap Owen ap Howell Dha that made claime unto that country against Rytherch ap Iestyn Prince of South-Wales Howell and Meridith hired unto them a King of Ireland whose name is not set downe which brought with him a great armie of Irish-Scots the armies met the fight was cruell much bloud on both sides was shed in the end Rytherch the Prince was discomfited and slaine by which means they attained unto the governement of South-Wales the which they ioyntly ruled and bountifully rewarded the Irish King There is at Sauntrie some three miles from Dublin yeerely remembrance of Saint Pappan that was borne there Molanus calleth him Poppon He travailed into France builded there many Monasteries saith mine Author and preferred to governe them many men became an Abbot himselfe and departed this life Anno 1048. and lyeth buried at Stabuletum in France where hee governed Lastly mine Author noteth that he was a Saint but never canonized Conan the sonne of Iago Prince of North-Wales married Ranulph the daughter of Alfred King of Dublin who in the warres betweene Iago his father and Griffith the sonne of Lhewelyn ap Sitsylte sometimes King of Wales saith Caradoc was driven to flee into Ireland for safegard of his life This Conan Anno 1041. came with Alfred his father in law with great power out of Ireland to recover his country they shortly landed in Wales and by treason secretly tooke Griffith the King and carried him towards their ships but when it was knowne the country upon the sodaine rose armed themselves followed the Irish men made great slaughter of them rescued their Prince and drove Alfred and Conan with the rest of their forces to their shippes and so to Ireland Stow following Fabian writeth how that Anno 1049. certaine forces out of Ireland whom hee calleth Irish Pirates with 36. ships entred the mouth of Severne landed in a place called Westlapham and with the helpe of Griffith King of South-Wales spoyled along those coasts and did great mischiefe Afterwards Griffith and those Irish Pyrates ioyning their powers together passed over the river Wie and burnt Dumenham and slue man woman and childe leaving nothing behinde them but bloud and ashes Worcester Glocester and Herefordshire rose in Armes against them but many of them in cruell fight being slaine the rest put to flight the Irish returned home merrily loaden with spoyle Anno 1050. Conan gathered an armie of his friends in Ireland attempting the second time the recoverie of his inheritance he hoysed up saile towards Wales but on a sodaine there arose such a tempest upon the seas that scattered his Navie and drowned the most part of his ships so that he gave over the voyage for that time About this time wherein the English and British historiographers doe agree Robert Archbishop of Canterbury accused Earle Godwin and his five sonnes especially Swaine and Harold of treason and Queene Editha the daughter of Godwin of adulterie who being called before the King refused to appeare and therefore were banished the land and the Queene was put away from the King Godwin and Swaine fled to Flanders Harold and Leofwin Warwell saith Holinshead to Ireland and the Queene was sent with one Maid to the Monasterie of Wilton Immediately the King disposed of all their possessions It was not long after ere Godwin and Swaine got shippes men munition and all necessaries in Flanders the like did Harold and Leofwin in Ireland they all met upon the seas to wit the father the mother and the five sonnes they spoyled the I le of Wight Partland Peveneseny Romny-heath Folkeston Dover and Sandwich and entring the Thames destroyed Sheppey and burned the Kings houses at Mielton Then they met with the kings Fleet upon the seas and being ready to fight Bishop Stigand stept betweene them and reconciled both sides in such sort that the King restored them their lands and goods tooke home the Queene and banished Robert the Archbishop with all the French men which had put buzzes and suspitions into the Kings head Anno 1054. as Powell in his annotations upon Caradoc hath learnedly collected King Edward by evill counsell as it was thought banished Algar Earle of Chester which had treason laid to his charge whereupon Algar gate him into Ireland and there providing him eighteene shippes of warre well appointed and manned with stalworth men of Irish birth returned and joyned himselfe with Griffith King or Prince of Wales who both together invaded the country of Mercia about Hereford where Ranulph Earle of that country who was sonne to King Edwards sister named Goda by her first husband Walter de Manut came against them with a great armie and met them about two miles from Hereford where after a sore fight by the space of three houres Ranulph and his armie were discomfited and about 500. of them slaine and the rest put to flight whom Griffith and Algar pursued to Hereford and entring the towne set the Cathedrall Church on fire and slue the Bishop named Leogar with seven of the Canons and most lamentably as it falleth out in warres spoyled and burned the towne King Edward being advertised hereof gathered an armie and sent Harold the sonne of Earle Godwin against them who pursuing the enemies to North-Wales passed through Stradlewyde to Snowdon but Griffith and Algar being loath to meete Harold got them againe into South-Wales whereof Harold being advertised left one part of his armie in North-Wales to resist the enemy there and returning with the residue to Hereford caused a great trench to be cast round about the towne with a high rampire strongly fortifying the gates of the same After this by meanes of a parlee had with Griffith and Algar at a place called Biligellagh a peace was concluded whereupon Algar being pardoned by the King and restored againe to his Earledome returned home to Chester About two yeeres after Algar was accused againe of treason and the second time exiled the land fled into Ireland where he was most ioyously received of his old followers and offered more kindenesse then he requested for hee had most honourably dealt with the Merchants and owners of the former ships and most
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
But I may not so leave my Prelates they synodically decreed as followeth that all the English men within the land whatsoever they were should bee manumised a worshipfull piece of worke and no thanke to them all for the English sword was then ready to cut off the Irish heads this reformation was but a sweeping of a house with a Foxes tayle The prosperous successes of Earle Richard surnamed Strangbow were no sooner effected but fame flyed abroad and flatterers carried it to Henry the seconds eares and made him jealous as Kings commonly are that a subject as Richard was should not onely in the right of his wife content himselfe with Leinster but most presumptuously without licence as the King alledged attempt the conquest of a kingdome where he formerly by grant of Adrian was interessed Whereupon the King in his iealous rage indeavouring to stop the Springs and Water-courses proclaimed We Henry c. Forbid and inhibit that from henceforth no shippe from any place of our dominioâ— shall traffique or passe into Ireland and likewise charge that all our subjects upon their dutie of allegiance which are there commorant shall returne from thence into England before Easter next following upon paine of forfeiture of all their lands and the persons so disobeying to be banished our land and exiled for ever The Earle seeing himselfe in this distresse being in perill to lose his friends and to want his necessaries out of his native soile by entercourse of Merchants calleth a Councell where it was agreed and concluded that Sir Reimond Legrosse should bee sent over to pacifie the King who then was in Aquitaine with these letters Most puissant Prince and my dread Soveraigne I came into this land with your Majesties leave and savour as farre as I remember to aide your servant Dermot Mac Morogh what I have wonne was with the sword what is given me I give you I am yours life and living at your command Vpon the receit of these letters there fell of all sides three disasters the King was mightily incensed against Earle Richard and therefore delayed Sir Reimond Legrosse and gave him no answer secondly the death of Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury troubled him exceedingly and to helpe the readers memory with the time it was as the rime delivereth Annus millenus centenus septuagenus Primus erat primas quo ruit ense Thomas The third was that Dermot Mac Morogh a most bountifull Prince died and was buried at Fernes Anno 1171. Hastulpus late Governour of Dublin of whom I have formerly spoken returneth and entreth the haven of Dublin with threescore saile to his aide of Ilanders Norwegians and Esterlings they forthwith landed and unshipped themselves and had to their Captaine saith Cambrensis one Iohn Wood some call him mad Iohn for the prankes he playd for wood and mad beare one sense Stanihurst calleth him Pewood Douling Heywood They were all mighty men of warre and well appointed after the Danish manner being harnessed with good Brigandines jackes and shirts of maile their Shields Bucklers and Targets were round and coloured red and bound about with iron and as they seemed in armes so were they no lesse in mindes iron-strong and mighty they marched in battaile array towards the East gate of the Citie Miles Cogan the Governour with a faire company yet but a handfull to the number of the enemy sallied forth and gave them battaile where both sides lost many a tall man Miles Cogan seeing himselfe overlaid with the furious rage and multitude of his adversaries gave backe and retired into the towne by this time Richard Cogan his brother had secretly issued out with a good company at the South posterne gate compassed the Danes and being at the foot of the rereward made mighty cry and shout whereat the Danes were amazed and the two brethren had the killing of them before and behinde The Danes brake their array threw their Armes away fled towards their ships where many also for haste were drowned In this skirmish Iohn Wood was slaine and Hastulphus taken prisoner and put to his ransome The prodigalitie of this Hastulphus was such that he contented not himselfe with life but braved and bragged of his exploits in the hearing of Miles Cogan and therewithall delivered that that attempt was nothing but a taste or proofe of the Irish valour and shortly they should see another manner of forces assault them What saith Miles Cogan is it not enough for him to have his life but he must threaten us with further rebellion goe take him and cut off his head And thus the blabbe of his tongue turned to his confusion Shortly after the Irish and country birth lying aloofe wayting for all opportunities and understanding of some unkindenesse and displeasure conceived by King Henry the second against Earle Richard and in that quarrell generally against all the Britaines and invaders of Ireland they put their heads together they plot they draw their draughts and devices to lay siege to recover the Citie of Dublin and the chiefest instrument was Laurence O Toole Archbishop of Dublin who wrote unto Roderic King of Connaght unto Gotred alias Godfrey King of Man and to all the Princes of Ireland that it would please them some in regard of neighbourhood othersome in regard of naturall affection unto their native soile and distressed country men of Irish birth put to their helping hand ioyne their forces together lay siege to the Citie of Dublin by sea and by land relieve their brethren rid them from the Britaines hands and restore them to their former liberty The Bishop for the good opinion that was held of his learning gravitie and sanctitie prevailed insomuch that Gotred King of Man came into the harbour of Dublin with thirty saile Roderic the Monarch and forces of Ireland came by land and incamped within sight of the towne Within the towne were Earle Richard Strangbow Maurice Fitz Gerald Reimond Legrosse lately arrived from out of England Miles Cogan Richard Cogan with other worthy men and Citizens to the number of thirty thousand fighting men As they were prepared for battaile as commonly one mischiefe falleth in the necke of another Donald the base sonne of Dermot Mac Morogh came in post to the Earle and delivered how that Robert Fitz Stephens in his Fort of Carreck by Wexford was besieged with three thousand men of Wexford and Kinsele by the conduct of Donald Prince of Limeric sonne in law to Dermot Mac Morogh who before time in his extremity and in the warres betweene him and Roderic the Monarch for chiefery at the request of Dermot Mac Morogh was relieved by Robert Fitz Stephens and so aided that he foiled his enemy and thus good is recompenced with evill In this perplexitie and doubtfull danger Maurice Fitz Gerald full of courage turneth him to the Earle and the martiall men in these words you most valiant men wee came not into this land neither were we procured hither to be idle or to
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
at in other Countreyes but that is nothing now to our purpose but as for these garrisons which you have now so strongly planted throghout all Ireland and every place swarming with Souldiers shall there bee no end of them For now thus being me thinkes I doe see rather a Countrey of warre then of peace quiet which you earst pretended to worke in Ireland for if you bring all things to that quietnesse that you said what then needeth to maintaine so great forces as you have charged upon it Iren. I will unto you Eudox. in privitie discover the drift of my purpose I meane as I tolde you and doe well hope thereby both to settle an eternall peace in that Countrey and also to make it very profitable to her Majestie the which I see must bee brought in with a strong hand and so continued till it runne in a steadfast course of governement which in this sort will neither bee difficult nor dangerous for the Souldier being once brought in for the service into Vlster and having subdued it and Connaght I will not have him to lay downe his Armes any more till hee have effected that which I purpose that is first to have this generall composition for maintenance of these thoroughout all the Realme in regard of the troublous times and daylie danger which is threatned to this Realme by the King of Spaine And thereupon to bestow all my Souldiers in such sort as I have done that no part of all that Realme shall be able to dare to quinch Then will I eftsoones bring in my reformation and thereupon establish such a forme of government as I may thinke meetest for the good of that Realme which being once settled and all things put into a right way I doubt not but they will runne on fairely And though they would ever seeke to swerve aside yet shall they not bee able without forreine violence once to remoove as you your selfe shall soone I hope in your own reason readily conceive which if it shall ever appeare then may her Majestie at pleasure with-draw some of the garrisons and turne their pay into her Purse or if shee will never please so to doe which I would rather wish then shall shee have a number of brave olde Souldiers alwayes ready for any occasion that shee shee will imploy them unto supplying their garrisons with fresh ones in their steed The maintenance of whome shall bee no more charge to her Majestie then now that Realme is for all the revenue thereof and much more shee spendeth even in the most peaceable times that are there as things now stand And in time of warre which is now surely every seventh yeare shee spendeth infinite treasure besides to small purpose Eudox. I perceive your purpose but now that you have thus strongly made way unto your reformation and that I see the people so humbled and prepared that they will and must yeeld to any Ordinance that shall bee given them I doe much desire to understand the same for in the beginning you promised to shewe a meanes how to redresse all those inconveniences and abuses which you shewed to bee in that state of Government which now stands there as in the Lawes Customes and Religion wherein I would gladly know first whether in steed of those Lawes you would have new lawes made for now for ought that I see you may doe what you please Iren. I see Eudox. That you well remember our first purpose and doe rightly continue the course thereof First therefore to speake of lawes since wee first beganne with them I doe not thinke it now convenient though it bee in the power of the Prince to change all the lawes and make new for that should breede a great trouble and confusion aswell in the English there dwelling and to be planted as also in the Irish. For the English having beene alwayes trayned up in the English governement will hardly bee inured to any other and the Irish will better be drawne to the English then the English to the Irish governement Therefore sithence wee cannot now apply lawes fit to the people as in the first institutions of common-wealths it ought to bee wee will apply the people and fit them unto the Lawes as it most conveniently may bee The Lawes therefore wee resolve shall abide in the same sort that they doe both Common-law and Statutes onely such defects in the common-law and inconveniences in the Statutes as in the beginning wee noted and as men of deeper insight shall advise may be changed by some other new acts and ordinances to bee by a Parlament there confirmed As those for tryalls of pleas of the Crowne and private rights betweene parties colourable conveyances and accessaries Eudox. But how will those be redressed by Parlament when as the Irish which sway most in Parlament as you said shall oppose themselves against them Iren. That may well now bee avoyded For now that so many Free-holders of English shall bee established they together with Burgesses of Townes and such other loyall Irish-men as may bee preferred to bee Knights of the Shire and such like will bee able to beard and to counter-poise the rest who also being now more brought in awe will the more easily submit to any such ordinances as shall bee for the good of themselves and that Realme generally Eudox. You say well for by the increase of Free-holders for their numbers hereby will be greatly augmented but how shall it passe thorough the higher house which still must consiste all of Irish Iren. Marry that also may bee redressed by ensample of that which I have heard was done in the like case by King Edward the third as I remember who being greatly bearded and crossed by the Lords of the Cleargie they being there by reason of the Lords Abbots and others too many and too strong for him so as hee could not for their frowardnesse order and reforme things as hee desired was advised to direct out his Writts to certaine Gentle-men of the best ability and trust entituling them therein Barons to serve and sitt as Barons in the next Parlament By which meanes hee had so many Barons in his Parlament as were able to weigh downe the Cleargy and their friends The which Barons they say were not afterwardes Lords but onely Baronets as sundry of them doe yet retayne the name And by the like device her Maiestie may now likewise curbe and cut short those Irish and unruly Lords that hinder all good proceedings Eudox. It seemes no lesse then for reforming of all those inconvenient Statutes that you noted in the beginning and redressing of all those evill customes and lastly for settling of sound Religion amongst them me thinkes you shall not neede any more to over-goe those particulars againe which you mentioned nor any other which might besides be remembred but to leave all to the reformation of such a Parlament in which by the good care of the Lord Deputie Councell they may
person with such an unknowne marke Eudox. Surely these ordinances seeme very expedient but specially that of free townes of which I wonder there is so small store in Ireland and that in the first peopling and planting thereof they were neglected and omitted Iren. They were not omitted for there were through all places of the Country convenient many good townes seated which thorough that inundation of the Irish which I first told you of were utterly wasted and defaced of which the ruines are yet in many places to be seene and of some no signe at all remaining save onely their bare names but their seates are not to be found Eudox. But how then commeth it to passe that they have never since beene recovered nor their habitations reedified as of the rest which have beene no lesse spoyled and wasted Iren. The cause thereof was for that after their desolation they were begged by Gentlemen of the Kings under colour to repaire them and gather the poore reliques of the people againe together of whom having obtained them they were so farre from reedifying of them as that by all meanes they have endeavoured to keepe them waste least that being repaired their Charters might be renewed and their Burgesses restored to their lands which they had now in their possession much like as in those old monuments of Abbeyes and religious houses we see them likewise use to doe For which cause it is judged that King Henry the eight bestowed them upon them conceiving that thereby they should never bee able to rise againe And even so doe these Lords in these poore old corporate townes of which I could name divers but for kindling of displeasure Therefore as I wished many corporate townes to be erected so would I againe wish them to be free not depending upon the service nor under the commaund of any but the Governour And being so they will both strengthen all the Country round about them which by their meanes will be the better replenished and enriched and also be as continuall houldes for her Majesty if the people should revolt or breake out againe for without such it is easie to forrage and over-run the whole land Let be for ensample all those Free-boroughes in the Low-Countryes which are now all the strength thereof These and other like ordinances might be delivered for the good establishment of the Realme after it is once subdued and reformed in which it might afterwards be very easily kept and maintained with small caâ—e of the Governours and Councell there appointed so as it should in short space yeeld a plentifull revenue to the Crowne of England which now doth but sucke consume the treasure thereof through those unsound plots and changefull orders which are dayly devised for her good yet never effectually prosecuted or performed Eudox. But in all this your discourse I have not marked any thing by you spoken touching the appointment of the principall Officer to whom you wish the charge and performance of all this to be committed Onely I observed some fowle abuses by you noted in some of the late Governours the reformation whereof you left of for this present place Iren. I delight not to lay open the blames of great Magistrates to the rebuke of the world and therefore their reformation I will not meddle with but leave unto the wisedome of greater heads to be considered only thus much I will speake generally thereof to satisfie your desire that the government and cheife Magistracy I wish to continue as it doth to wit that it be ruled by a Lord Deputy or Iustice for that it is a very safe kinde of rule but there withall I wish that over him there were placed also a Lord Lieutenant of some of the greatest personages in England such a one I could name upon whom the eye of all England is fixed and our last hopes now rest who being intituled with that dignity and being here alwayes resident may backe and defend the good course of that government against all maligners which else will through their cunning working under hand deprave and pull backe what ever thing shall be begun or intended there as we commonly see by experience at this day to the utter ruine and desolation of that poore Realme and this Leiutenancie should be no discountenancing of the Lord Deputy but rather a strengthning of all his doings for now the cheife evill in that government is that no Governour is suffered to goe on with any one course but upon the least information here of this or that hee is either stopped and crossed or other courses appointed him from hence which he shall run which how inconvenient it is is at this houre too well felt And therefore this should be one principall in the appointing of the Lord Deputies authority that it should bee more ample and absolute then it is and that he should have uncontrouled power to doe any thing that he with the advisement of the Councell should thinke meete to be done For it is not possible for the Councell here to direct a Governour there who shall be forced oftentimes to follow the necessitie of present actions and to take the suddaine advantage of time which being once lost will not bee recovered whilst through expecting direction from hence the delayes whereof are oftentimes through other greater affaires most irkesome the oportunityes there in the meane time passe away and great danger often groweth which by such timely prevention might easily bee stopped And this I remember is worthily observed by Machiavel in his discourses upon Livie where he commendeth the manner of the Romans government in giving absolute power to all their Councellors and Governours which if they abused they should afterwards dearely answere And the contrary thereof he reprehendeth in the States of Venice of Florence and many other principalityes of Italy who use to limit their cheife Officers so strictly as that thereby they have oftentimes lost such happy occasions as they could never come unto againe The like whereof who so hath beene conversant in that government of Ireland hath too often seene to their great hinderance and hurt Therefore this I could wish to be redressed and yet not so but that in particular things he should be restrained though not in the generall government as namely in this that no offices should bee sould by the Lord Deputy for money nor no pardons nor no protections bought for reward nor no beoves taken for Captainries of Countryes nor no shares of Bishopricks for nominating of Bishops nor no forfeytures nor dispensations with poenall Statutes given to their servants or friends nor no selling of licences for transportation of prohibited wares and specially of corne and flesh with many the like which neede some manner of restrainte or else very great trust in the honorable disposition of the Lord Deputy Thus I have Eudoxus as briefly as I could and as my memorie would serve me run through the state of that whole Country both
Duvenaldus Prince of Limericke vvhom Dermot his father holpe in field foyled the enemy and then vvithdrevv his obedience from the Monarch Shamefull was Roderickes flight and Dermot insinuated into the favour of his people began to recount the confederates of his first misfortune and consulted with the two Captaines for the invasion of Connaght finding them prest he wrote over to the Earle Strongbow renewed their covenants prayed his helpe Richard Earle Strongbow whose auncestors came in vvith the Conquest but commonly of the King and his successors disfavoured having read the letters he passed to King Henry besought him either to answere him his rightfull heritage vvhich other men occupied or to licence him else vvhere in uncouth lands to seeke his fortune The King halfe in derision bad him on in the name of God even as farre as his feete could beare him The Earle dissembling to perceive the hollovvnes of the king furnished his Cousin Reymond le Grose Nephevv to the brethren aforesaid vvith ten Knights and 70. Bovvmen himselfe ensued vvith about 200. Knights and 1000. lusty Welchmen tryed Souldiours shortly they vvanne the Citty of Waterford and then immediately Mac Murrough accomplished his convention gave to the Earle in marriage his daughter Eve with the succession of his Kingdome When Waterford was gotten and Leinster pacified and the Princes of Ossory tamed and a chosen band ever in garrison Mac Murrough became so terrible that none durst encounter him The Cleargy assembled themselves at Ardmagh and with one accord did protest that for all their sinnes and especially for the Turkish kinde of Tyrany which they used in buying and selling and with vile slaveries oppressing the bodies of the English whom their pyrats tooke their land was like to be translated to that nation whose captives they handled so cruelly To appease in part the indignation of God they decreed that all English wheresoever in hold within the realme should forthwith be loosed Further if it pleased God to scourge them it should be meekely suffered as farre beneath the debt of their deserts King Henry though he was well apayed that the Earle should be from him yet he liked no deale his growing in Ireland to such power as percase in time to come with his faction in Wales then living under a Prince of their owne he might be able to face the Crowne of England An edict was therefore drawne whereby all subjects were charged upon their perill to reverte into England by a day and a caveat annexed that upon paine of death none should presume to passe over without a nevv warrant nor ship over any wares money munition or victuals into Ireland Thus had the Irish a breathing space and would perhaps have picked greater benefits thereby had not the Normans beene in their top immediately after Great force they laide to Divelin but vvere valiantly repelled and their Captaine Hasculphus taken prisoner who being calmely intreated began to overview himselfe and to imagine that the Citizens durst not use him extreamely once in open audience brake forth his unseasonable courage in these wordes Take this quoth he but for hansell the game is to come which heard they delayed him no longer but pusht him downe on a blocke and swapped off his head Strongbow perceiving the Kings jealously not yet allayed having wel-nigh spent his army in defence of diverse good townes impugned by Rodericke and the Irish left sufficient warde till his returne and met the King at Gloucester To whom he writeth declaring the envy that lurked in his preferment yeelded the tittle of all his winnings craved good countenance with his grace contented himselfe with any portion whatsoever his Majesty should relinquish a finall quietnesse was driven betweene them Dublin with th' appurtenances and all port townes of Leinster all fortresses reserved to the King The Earle should enjoy with good leave whatsoever he had gotten beside This yeare dyed Mac Murrow and the Abbey de Castro Dei was founded Soone after the King with five hundred Knights with archers and horsemen many more tooke shore at Waterford and was such a terrour to the Irish that incontinently all Mounster submitted themselves to his peace There the men of Wexford to feede the surmises of Henry conceived against the gentlemen betrayed their Lord Fitz Stephens and him delivered to the King The King to gratifie them for a while tremely chained and hampered the prisoner quarrelling with him notwithstanding the inhibition he had proceeded in atchieving the conquest of Ireland but shortly hee enlarged him and ratified the grants of Wexford above-mentioned These Princes of the South sware fidelity and tribute to Henry Dermot Carâ—ye King of Corke Donald Obrene king of Limericke Donald and Omalaghlien puissant Lords of Ossory and in briefe all the states of Mounster from thence hee journeyed to Dublin where in like manner all the Captaines of Leinster and Ororicke king of Meth and Rodericke Oconor king of Connaght and of all Ireland for himselfe and the whole Iland humbly recognized his soveraignety finally no man there was of name in the land except them of Vlster but they to him bowed and sware obeysance All which he feasted royally with a dinner of Cranes flesh a fowle till then utterly abhorred of the Irish. Merlin had prophesied that five should meete and the sixt should scourge them This sixt they now construed to be Henry in whom the five pettie Kingdomes were united Of the same conquest prophesied their foure notable Saints Patricke Brachon Colme and Moling The King not unmindfull of his charge enjoyned by the Popes Adrian and Alexander entred into a reformation of the Church and mooved the famous Bishop of Lismore Saint Christian their Legate to call a Synode at Cashell wherein they defined Eight Articles 1. First that their people should abandon unlawfull contracts of their cousins and allyes and observe the Canons of Matrimonie 2. That their Infants should be primestened of the Priests hand at the Church dore and then baptized in the font of their mother Church 3. That all faithfull duely pay their Tithes 4. That holy Church be for ever quit of those cursed exactions of diet and harborow whereunto they had beene accustomably strayned foure seasons in the yeare and else against right 5. That the fine levyed for manslaughter be not borne by the Clearkes and kinsmen to the malefactour but if he were accessary or faulty to the deed doing 6. That the sicke doe his Testament to be made or read in the presence of credible persons 7. That the funerals of the dead be devoutly and solemnly kept 8. That forasmuch as GOD hath universally delivered them into the government of the English they should in all points rights and ceremonies accord with the Church of England To these things Gelasius Primate of Ardmagh because he was old and impotent gave his consent at Divelin in the presence of the King he died two yeares after
so aged that his sustenance was the milke of a white Cow which he carried with him wheresoever he travelled This yeere the Abbey de fonte vivo was founded While all went well in Ireland newes came that Henry the sonne whom his father had for good purpose crowned King of England was misledde to intrude upon the actuall possession of the Crowne in his fathers life-time which stirre to appease the King left the custody of Ireland with Hugh de Lacy to whom he gave Meth in fee with Fitz Stephens Fitz Gerald and Philip de Bruise and diverse others and sayled into England In absence of King Henry Ororick King of Meth surnamed Monoculus required conference and parley with Hugh de Lacy in which communication the King had trayterously murdered Lacy had not Fitz Gerald rescued him Then stept out an ambushment of the Irish but Griffin a Gentleman of the bloud royall in Wales flighted the Kyrneghes and slevv Ororick The English perceived such practices daylie sought and attempted tooke from the Irish as farre as they durst all trust of government fenced themselves vvith garrisons made Captaines Keepers and Constables vvheresoever they vvanne the better But King Henry vvas so affrighted vvith his sonnes rebellion and grevv into such envye both at home and abroad for the death of Thomas late Archbishop of Canterbury that he had no vvill to mind his proceedings in Ireland Ever his jealousie increased tovvardes the Earle Strongbow vvhom he supposed easie to bee carryed avvay vvith any light occasion of tumult The Earle vvas a man of great birth but not of great port until this good marriage befell him knovving himselfe neither to be brooked in sight nor trusted out of sight kept still one certaine rate in all his doings bare but lovve saile fed no quarrells shunned all suspicious conference While they stood thus in a mammaring and Letters ctme daylie over hovv faintly the States and Princes of Ireland performed obedience for except in Leinster all other parts retayned still their auncient kinde of government and did onely acknovvledge Tribute It vvas thought expedient by Henryes Counsellours to discharge his minde of that care and seeing there vvas trouble on all sides and all could not bee intended one vvay they determined to venture the custody of Ireland to Strongbow being likely for his ovvne vvealth and assurance to procure all possible meanes of bridling and annoying the Irish. No sooner vvas the Earle landed with his Commission Lord Warden of Ireland but Donald King of Limericke met him at the vantage and coursed him within the walls of Waterford whereof hearing the residue their mates were animated so that up they start in every corner tagge and ragge to expell the English It went hardly then the Earle remembred himselfe of his cousin Lord Reymond left behinde him in Wales a suitor to Basil his sister whose marriage nothing stopped but the Earles consent Now therefore hee writeth lovingly to the Wooer and upon condition that hee came speedily to succour him hee yeelded the Lady and all else at pleasure Reymond in his first entry brake into Divelin marryed his Wife in compleate Armour and the very next daye sprang foorth whipped the Rebells quieted Leinster Also the Cleargy having lately perused the Popes Bull wherein hee entitleth Henry Lord of Ireland and under straight paynes commaundeth alleagiance unto him busily repressed the fury of their Countreymen And forsomuch as immediatly after Christianity planted there the whole Iland had with one consent given themselves not only into the spirituall but also into the temporall jurisdiction of the See of Rome which temporall right the two Bishops Adrian and Alexander had freely derived into King Henry as by their publique instruments read in their counsell at Cashell appeareth they denounced curse and excommunication to any that would maliciously gainsay or frustrate the same When these bâ—oyles were rocked asleepe and husht for a time the familiars of Strongbow greatly fore-thought them of the credit and rule committed to Reymond whom in conclusion they procured home againe vvhen he had served their turne at neede The meane vvhile dyed Strongbow as some say betrayed and vvounded he lyeth buryed in the Body of Christ Church in Divelin leaving behinde him one onely daughter Isabel marryed after 14. yeares to VVilliam Earle marshall Closely they concealed Strongbowes death untill they had compassed from the King another Governour after their owne tooth For ever they dreaded that Reymond being in the Princes eye and friended in the Court would catch his oportunity and wynde himselfe might he get an inkling in time of the Earles death into the succession of his office which even then waxed sweet and savoury Coodgellors of this drift stopped messengers intercepted letters hasted on their own course Basil the wife of Reymond more dutiful to her husband then naturall to her brother continued still in Ireland sicke but having privy knowledge of those newes ere the breath was quite out of the Earles body payned her selfe to disturbe this whole array And whereas shee knew well her letters should bee searched and her owne servants stayed shee let it be delivered at all a very venture to one of the maryners and therein draweth a long processe of her affayres and houshold but in the middle shuffles in a few lines of her meaning under these tearmes To all my afflictions is added now lately the tooth-ake so that except that one master-tooth had fallen which I send you for a token I weene I were better out of my life Now was the tooth tipped with golde and burnished feately like a present which Reymond wist well to bee none of hers and therefore quickly smelled the construction lingred not for Letters Pattents but stept over presently and made his packe and was elected by the Kings Agents there Lord Protectour of Ireland till the Kings pleasure were further knowne During his authority flourished the Geraldines but shortly after they quayled againe under the government of VVilliam Fitz Aldelin with him was joyned in commission the valiant Knight Iohn de Courcy conquerour and Earle of Vlster which hitherto the King had not obtained That yeare was founded the Abbey of Crockesden by Bertramus de Verdon To establish the conquest of Vlster and other victories of the parts of Ireland before enjoyed Alexander the third sent his Cardinall Vivianus vvho declareth the Title that Henry held of the Pope the reservation of the Peter-pence the indignation of GOD and holy Church against the rebells who beeing themselves contemners and breakers of Canons Ecclesiasticall yet for maintenance of their unruly stomackes had found the meanes to make Churches their barnes bestowing therein both corne and pulse that the victuallers and purveyors of the Princes campe should not dare to require the sale thereof for perill of sacriledge Therefore hee licenseth Officers in this behalfe soberly and discreetely to convent such persons as made the
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