betweene the King of Mounster and his Brother wherein the King was overmatched and fled into England visited Malchus in his Abbey and would at no hand be said nay but so long as it should please God to afflict him he would live there under his governement and ensue his conversation he contented himselfe with a poore Cell used dayly a cold bathe to represse the wantonnesse of his flesh dieted himselfe with none other fare then bread water and salt passed dayes and nights in sobbing and remorse of sinne At length the Kings and Nobles of Ireland began to stomacke the usurper vanquished him called home the good King to his right who with many perswasions of Malchus and Malachias could scarcely be gotten to forsake ghostly company trade of life CAP. XV. The most noble events in Ireland betweene the time of Saint Patricke and the conquest under Henry the 2. IN the yeare of Christ 586. the people of Norway were Lordes and victours of the Ilandes in the West Ocean called Orchades and great scowrers of the seas A nation desperate in attempting the conquest of other Realmes as being sure to finde warmer dwelling any where then at their owne home These fellowes lighted into Ireland by this meanes Careticus King of Brittaine odious to his subjects fell with them at civill warre Ioyfull was the newes hereof to the Saxons who then in the six severall kingdomes possessed the Iland sundry wayes so they laide together their force associated to them Gurmondus a Rover out of Norway who having a navy still in a readinesse and an army thereafter furnished holpe the Saxons to hunt the Brittaines into the marches of Wales builded the towne of Gormond-chester and then having holpen the Saxons made a voyage into Ireland where he sped but meanely and therefore the Irish account not this for any of their conquests as some of their antiquities have informed me The same Gurmondus finding hard successe did but build a few slight castles and trenches in the frontiers and then leaving the land got him home into France where he was finally slaine him our Chonicles name King of Ireland But the Irish affirme that before Turgesius no Easterlings obtained a Kingdome Here Cambrensis to salve the contradiction thinketh Gurmundus to have conquered the land by Turgesius his Deputy sent thither at his provision which answere breedeth a contrariety more incurable for himself numbreth betweene Laigirius King of Ireland in an 430. and â—edlemidius whom Turgesius vanquished Monarches 33. and yeares 400. so that Turgesius lived in an 830. and could not possibly deale with Gurmondus who joyned with the Saxons against Careticu in Anno 586. This knot might be untwyned with more facility Gurmondus made much of that little he caught and wrote himselfe King which Title our Histories doe allow him because he opened a gappe enjoyed it for a while and brake a way for his Countreymen Turgesius brought this attempt to perfection and in these respects each of them may be called first King and Conqueror Secondly therefore Turgesius with his Normans assaulted Ireland sustained losse and many overthrowes but in the end fastening his power to the sea coasts and receiving in his friends at will he subdued the land through and through ever as he went building up Castles and fortresses vvherevvith the Irish had not beene yet acquainted for hitherto they knevv no fence but vvoods or bogges or strokes Turgesius bridled the Kings and avved them so that vvithout interruption he raigned thirty yeares cryed havocke spoile vvhere any vvealth vvas heaped spared neither Lay nor Clergy nor Church nor Chappell but very insolently abused his victory O-malaghlien king of Meth vvas in some trust vvith the Tyrant his onely Daughter Turgesius craved for his concubine The father having a present vvitt and vvatching some subtle oportunities Saving your fancie my Lord quoth hee there are diverse Ladies of my bloud svveeter bed-fellovves for a king then that brovvne girle and then he began to count neeces and cousins a number forsooth endovved vvith angell-like beauties painted so lively vvith his Tale that the Tyrant doted already upon them ere hee savv them But ever he doubted lest O-malaghlien extolled them to exempt his ovvne and the vvise father cloaked his drift vvith modestie in ansvveres and lingering his graunt to enflame the leachers folly as hee that vvould any thing to bee suspected rather then his thought indeed And at the last vvhen the other tooke his delay somevvhat unkindely and bade his Queene speake to him If I said quoth hee that vvith my very goodvvill my sole daughter should bee sent to you to bee deflovvred your high vvisedome would guesse I did but faine and flatter and yet if ten daughters were deerer unto me then your good pleasure and contentation by whose bounty both she I and we all are supported I were unworthie the secret friendship wherein it lyeth in you to use mee As for the wench it will in part seeme honourable to bee asked to the bed of such a Prince seeing Queenes have not sticked to come from farre and prostrate their bodies to noble Conquerours in hope of issue by them and howsoever it bee taken time will redeeme it But such a friend as you are to mee and mine neither I nor mine shall live to see and I purpose not to offend your amity with saving a greater mater then twenty maiden-heads seeing fathers have not sticked to yeeld their owne wives to quench the loves and lustes of their sonnes Therefore I am thus agreed name you the day and place sever your selfe from the open eye of your Court conferre with those that have a curious insight and skill in beauties I will send you my daughter and with her the choice of twelve or sixteene gentlewomen the meanest whereof may bee an Empresse in comparison when all are before you make your game at will and then if my childe shall please your fancie shee is not too good to be at your commandement Onely my request is that if any other presume upon your leavings your Majestie will remember whose fathers childe shee is This liberall proffer was accepted of him whose desire was insatiable with many faire promises and thankes To bee short the same day O-malaghlien attired Prince-like his owne Daughter and with her sixteene beautifull striplings which presented to the King in his privy Chamber accompanied onely with certaine wantons of the Nobility drew foorth from under their woman-like garments their skeanes and valiantly bestirred themselves stabbing first the Tyrant next the youth present that prepared but small resistance surely sitt mates to supply the office they tooke in hand of Paris not of Hector Out flew the fame thereof into all quarters of Ireland and the Princes nothing dull to catche holde of such advantage vvith one assent rose ready to pursue their liberty All Meth and Leinster vvere soone gathered to O-malaghlien the father of this practise
other contained thirty and two or else for that it lieth in the midst of the land These encrochments Slanius annexed to his inheritance and Monarchy which Monarchy continued thus the space of thirty yeeres and then Slanius departed this life and was buried in a mountaine of Meth that beareth hitherto the name after him After his decease the Princes that before were subiect unto him began to gather heart stomached the matter and denied their obedience to his successour whereupon ensued continuall warre amongst them and especially about the land of Meth which strife of long time could not bee appeased yet in the space of thirty yeeres aforesaid of these brethren and their successors there were nine Kings In the neck of all these mischiefes and hurly burlies say the Irish antiquities there came a fleet of Scythians upon the coast landed their men in Ireland made claime to the land by a title of right which they pretended from their forefather Nemedus of whom mention is made before so that by partaking with the one side and the other all was in an uproare havock was made on each side with fire and sword in most miserable manner They spent themselves in pursuing one another with such outrage that they cared not what nation or what souldier they received to their aid to hold up or beat downe a side Both the one and the other sent for aid into the Ilands now called England and Scotland Orchades Hebrides c. and acquainted forrainers with their state so farre that they could never after be rid of them to wit the Britaines till in the end they yeelded unto them the upper hand as by conquests in processe of the history shall appeare Note gentle reader how that hitherto that is the yeere of the world 2828 and before the birth of Christ 1142 these North parts of the world as England Scotland Ireland with other Iles were possessed commanded and inhabited by the posterity of Iaphet and Cham the sonnes of Noah without any speciall name given to the lands or to the Commanders of them otherwise then Samothei Celtae Oceanes Neptunists and Albions although I have hitherto used the names now in ure for the plainer delivery of the history as if they had beene knowne before neither were any called Scots as Hector Boëtius would have it After the times of the former troubles which happened in Ireland upon the landing of the Scythians I finde nothing of Ireland till the dayes of Gurguntius the sonne of Belinus who began his raine according to the ordinary account anno mundi 3580 and reigned 19 yeeres over Britaine This King after his victory atchieved in Denmark for his tribute which they there had refused to pay him returning back toward Britaine met by the Iles of Orkeney with a navy of thirthy ships Stanyhurst saith 60 with men and women whose Generall was called Bartholin or Partholin in Ponticus Virunius Partolom in Flores Historiarum Partholaim in Gualter Oxoniensis Bartholome in Fabian Harding Grafton and Caxton Irlamal of whom they thinke the country to be called Ireland Gurguntius demanded of them what they were and the occasion of their travell their answer was they were Spaniards and had long beene on the seas seeking to finde some favourable Prince to assigne them a place of habitation for that their country was so populous that it could not containe them others write that for some disordered parts they were banished their country and where they found favour they would become subiects and hold of him as their soveraigne Lord. In this fleet with the Governor of Baion their Generall before named there were foure brethren of noble birth the sonnes of Milesius others say Miletus and others Milo the two chiefe of which were called Hiberus and Hermon And beside the former differences in the parents name Dowling writeth in his Irish collections that they were the sonnes of Iubal Hector Boëtius avoucheth they were the sonnes of Gathelus and Scota Stanihurst affirmeth that Scota was great or old grand-dame to Hiber and Hermon others write they were of the posteritie of Gathelus and Scota whereas Gathelus if there were any such was a Grecian and Scota an Egyptian Hiber and Hermon Spaniards see gentle Reader how these reports hang together Gurguntius being aduised by his Councell pittying their necessitie and wandring estate granted them the Iland now called Ireland to inhabite and that they should become tributaries to him and his successors the Kings of Britaine for ever For hee called to minde that the inhabitants were an unruly people and thought by this meanes to subdue them and quietly to enioy his tribute for it seemeth that the Britaine 's made claime to Ireland to which effect I reade in the Booke of Houth that Gurguntius came into Ireland and that the land many a yeare paid him truage and to other Kings of Britaine after him but as oft as they put foote in the land they got more knocks then pence saith an Irish Chronicler The King of Britaine hastening homeward gave them Pilots and safe conductors for their arivall and possession of the land Hiberus and Hermon after their arivall by the assent of all their associates divided the land betweene them the North to Hiber and the South to Hermon But ambition the mother of mischiefe would not long suffer them to enioy peace but rent their hearts with fierie dissention inflamed their mindes to desire one Soueraigne and absolute commander over the whole land they gather forces they muster their men they put on Armes and to battaile they goe in which field Hiberus was slaine though Hector Boetius write that he went into Spaine to succeed his father and Hermon became Monarch of all Ireland Hermon being thus sole ruler and governour to avoid the murmure of his people and the euill opinion in a manner of all men conceiued against him and peaceably to governe the land fell to purge himselfe and caused the occasion of the warres to be proclaimed that he bore armes against his naturall brother not of malice or desire of soveraigntie but in defence of his owne person and safety of his people and for proofe that his heart was farre from desire to rule alone he appointed certaine Captaines as Kings to command under him certaine Countries reserving unto himselfe one fourth part and the Country of Meth annexed to the Monarchie for the better maintenance of his princely estate By this meanes this Realme of Ireland in processe of time grew to five kingdomes the first Leinster on the East side or quarter called in Latine Lagenia and in Irish Cuige-Laghen The second Conaght on the west side of the kingdome called in Latine Connacia and in Irish Cuige-Chonoght The third Vlster which is the North part of Ireland named in Latine Vltonia and in Irish Cuigh-Vlladh The fourth Mounster South and south-South-west in Latine Momonia and in the country speech Cuige Mughan The fift and
By which occasion the Brittaines also put in a foot who discovering the state of the land to their Princes opened a gappe for Brennus the brother of Belinus to direct his course thither vvith the same Navy vvhich he had furnished to serve Signimius then King of Lyons amid the Galles in France But Brennus took small effect Before him also divers Kings of Brittaine had scope in Ireland Insomuch that Gurguntius the sonne of Beline reputed the same by lineall descent among his ovvne Dominions Notvvithstanding they never injoyed it longer then they could keepe possession perforce and often vvere they repelled and vvearyed vvith seeking after it as vvherein they found small fruite and blovves enough Lastly came the Spaniards from Biscaye conducted by foure Captaines of vvhose arryvall before I speake I must repeate their originall somevvhat farther and so give a light to the assoyling of a controversie that is vvhether the Irish came from Aegypt or from Spaine It shall appeare they came from both CAP. IX The arrivall of the Spaniards then called Iberians into Ireland IN the yeare of the World 2436. after the universall floud 780. while the children of Israell served in Aegypt Gathelus the sonne of Neale a great Lord in Greece was upon disfavour exiled the Country with a number of his faction adherents and friends The young Greeke being very wise valiant and well spoken got honourable entertainement with Pharao surnamed Amaenophis king of Aegypt and in short space reached to such a credit that he espoused the Kings base Daughter Scota whereof the Scotts are thought to be named This match bred to the King some tumult and to the young Gentle-man much envy wherefore assoone as the foresaid Amaenophis was drowned in the Red Sea the Princes of Aegypt so vexed Gathelus and his wife that they were faine to buske them withall their traine into Europe and came first to Lusitania where diverse of his people tyred with travaile would needs abide he builded there the city of Brigantia called afterwards Novium now Compostella The remnant passed with him into Ireland where the Barbarians highly honoured him for his cunning in all languages who also greatly perfected and beautified the Irish tongue taught them letters sought up their antiquities practised their youth in martiall feates after his Greeke and Aegyptian manner Finally so well he pleased them that to gratifie such a Benefactour they were content to name the Iland after him Gathelia and after his wife Scotia Truely that Scotia is the auncient appellation of Ireland all Chroniclers agree as it shal be more plaine when wee touch the Scottish pedigree A brute there is in Ireland but uncertainelie fathered that in remembrance of Pharao their good lord the Kerne pitching his Dart cryeth of courage faro faro but the learned thinke that to bee taken from the Spaniard who in his Ioco dicano exclaymeth fabo fabo The people left in the coast of Spaine founded the city of Bayon now part of Gascoigne and replenished all the shore towards Africk and the edges of Portugall Castile Galaecia towardes the sea Cantabricum well nigh 200. yeares after which time some of them began to minde another travaile because they were pestered with Inhabitants and whether they ever sped to Ireland it is unknowne at the leastwise in the raigne of Gurguntius the Brittaine then chiefe Lord of Bayon foure brethren Spaniards whereof two are noted Hiberus and Hirimon not the sonnes of Gathelus as writeth Boethius but his off-spring understanding that divers Western Ilands were empty desirous to live in ease and elbovv-room sayled Westvvard vvith a great retinue of men vvomen and babes hovering long about the Ilands Orchades in 60. great ships untill by good hap they met vvith Gurguntius then returning from the conquest of Denmarke vvho had refused to pay him the tribute vvhich Belinus his father vvan him they besought considering their vvant of victuals unable any longer to dvvell in their ships accumbred vvith carriage of vvomen children to direct further them to some place of habitation proffering to become his liege people to hold the same of him his heires for ever The King advising himselfe remembred vvith vvhat difficultie he kept the Irish in subjection conceived hope that these strangers vvould endeavor either to stub out that unruly generation or to nurture them so taking their oathes and hostages he mann'd their ships stored thē vvith victuall munition seated thē in Ireland Thus had the Brittaines an elder right to the Realme of Ireland then by the conquest of Henry the 2. vvhich title they never surceased to claime somtimes prevailed as in the dayes of King Arthur to vvhom the Irish Princes agnized their tribute and apparance made at his Parliament in urbe Legionū vvhich I take to be Westchester called of old Carleon as divers other citties vvere vvherein the Romanes placed the legions Again the Kings of Britain vvere thē Lords of the place vvhence this people came so as their vvinnings must have beene the Kings Dominion To all this when their owne free assent the dedition of other Princes lawfull conquest and prescription is adjoyned it forceth an invincible title But to prosecute our purpose Those Iberians being substantially ayded of Gurguntius enjoyed the Lands bestowed themselves foure brethren into foure parts thereof untill their pride and ambition armed two against other two Hiberus and his brother against Hirimon and his In this conflict Hirimon slew Hiberus and raigned quietly At this time the countrey was first named Ibernia as I have declared in the third Chapter The King to avoyde obloquie and slaunder purged himselfe to his subjects that neither maliciously nor contentiously but for his necessary defence and safeguard he had borne armes against his brother And to witnesse how farre he was from desire to rule alone he nominated speciall Captaines to be Kings under him of their severall Countryes reserving to himselfe but one fourth part and the portion of Meth allotted to the Monarchie for the better maintenance of his part These afterward clambered into five Kingdomes incompatible Leinster Connaght Vlster Mounster in two portions and sometimes to more by usurpations and compositions but ever one was elected the Monarch over all An hundred and thirtie chiefe Kings are reckoned of this Nation from Hirimon to Laigirus the sonne of Nealus magnus in whose time the blessed Bishop Patricius converted them to Christianity CAP. X. The comming of the Picts into Ireland NOW lived the Irish in tollerable order under their sundry Kings and applyed themselves to peace and gathering of wealth when suddainely Rodericke a Red-shank of Scythia fled thither with a small company of Galleyes and winde-driven in compassing round about the British coast were happely blowne ashore into Ireland These are the Picts a people from their cradle dissentious land-leapers mercilesse sowre and hardy being presented to the
certaine of the Nobilitie of the Scotts resciant next them had with some difficultie received out of Greece a Molossian Hound which breede both in swiftnesse of foote and in svveetnesse of opening vvas reputed peerelesse This Hound a willfull Gentleman a Pict stole home and therewith gratified his Prince glad of the novelty and little thoughtfull of the displeasure Contrarywise the Irish wood for anger at this dishonour and injury assembled in poste haste under Eugenius their King and after brawling fell to spoyle and so to blowes whereof parts and stomackes being even the fortune was variable In this division they scambled out a few yeares untill the malice of Carassus a Brittaine forced a quietnesse betweene them to abuse their helpe against th' Empire But hee was shortly slaine by Alectus the Romane Captaine and hereupon the old sore waxed rawe To heape the mischiefe a Brittish Lord named Maximus aspiring to the kingdome sent an ambassadge to Ethodius king of Picts pleading with him a league of friendship utterly to expulse the Irish Scot conditioning withall their assistance to chase the Romanes out of Brittaine which was concluded and by this confederacie after many lamentable skirmishes the Irish were betrayed Eugenius the King Ethai his brother and Ericus his nephew and also the residue such as could escape the enemies sword fled thence some into Norway some into Ireland their first home Maximus watching his time despairing of the Brittish Kingdome and espying the Picts tyred vvith continuall vvarres turned his povver upon them and brought them to such an exigent that they had no readier shift then to crave helpe from Ireland and so by degrees vvhen some private persons nourishers of the quarrell vvere out-vvorne the matter of malice vvas qualified and the remnant of the Irish Scots vvith their friends and off-spring called home to their dvvelling after their first banishment 43. yeares expired From this time forvvard the amity vvaxed steddy and the Irish under Fergusius the second their King vvan such credit that finally the nation of Picts vvere afflicted by the Brittaines then the Scots incroched into the heart of the Realme and became the mightier and more populous of vvhom the Countrey vvas ever since under one Generall name called Scotland Thus you see the Scotts a lively stirring ancient victorious people are mixed first of Brittaines though the Chronicles dissemble it whom Brutus planted there with Albanactus Secondly of Picts Thirdly and chiefly of the Irish which after this time left the name of Scott for those in Brittaine and delighted rather to be called Irish. Then came up the distinction of Scotia major for Ireland and Scotia minor for the Scotts in Brittaine But most effectually as saith Cambrensis the Scotts prevayled under the guiding of six valiant Gentlemen Sonnes to Muridus King of Vlster who in the time that Neale the great enjoyed the monarchy of Ireland going to succour their countrymen there at last also tooke up for themselves no little portions of ground which their posterity kept in Cambrensis time the yeare of Christ 1200. who treateth their exploits more largely in his Topography of Ireland Ever since then they were utterly named and esteemed Scotts The nation of the Picts driven into corners albeit the most parts the out Isles retaine at this day a people mungrell betwixt both called Redshanks The Scotts write that their King Gregorius in an Dom. 875. invaded Ireland as his lawfull inheritance and the same conquered who lieth buried in one of their out-Iles called Iona beautified with the Sepultures of Scottish Kings where the Irish tongue is their native language therefore they call the submission of the Irish to Henry the 2. a defection from Scotland which neverthelesse they recke ne regard not but willfully did forgoe it as reaping lesse then they expended and unable to defray the growing charge which cost considered little better then nothing say they the King of England winneth by keeping of Ireland Yet in the late governement of S. Henry Sidney Vlster being conveyed by discent act of Parliament to the Crowne which Earledome was in the time of Edward the third reckoned at thirty one thousand markes yearely the same being but one fift part of Ireland It seemeth that if this right be well prosecuted that Ireland might pay it selfe of necessaries and yeeld sufficient benefit to the Princes Coffers CAP. XII The conversion of the Irish to Christianity ABout this time Holy Church being stayed in peace enriched with possessions supported with authority many noble Clearkes flourishing in diverse Realmes the Holy Doctor Augustine yet in life Theodosius the second suppressing Idols in all the Empyre Celestinus 1. Bishop of Rome conferred with his cleargy touching the instruction specially of the vvestern parts wherin the faith of Christ was hitherto either not planted or by persecution extinct or by corruption of Hereticks defaced of them all no country was more lamented then Ireland which partly for distance from the heart of Christendome partly for their infinite rudenesse had yet received no fruit of true Religion In that assembly was Palladius Arch-Deacon of Rome a good Priest and well learned who profered his charitable travaile towards the conversion of any those lands whither he should be by them directed and appointed The Pope knowing the sufficiency of the man did consecrate Palladius a Bishop authorized his journey furnished his wants associated to him diverse religious persons delivered him the Holy Bible with great solemnities and certaine monuments of Peter and Paul whereat diverse miracles had beene shewed He arryved in the North of Ireland whence he escaped hardly with his life into the Ilands adjoyning there preaching and converting many erecting monasteries and ensueing his vocation so painefully that the onely report of his holynesse and cunning excited the Scotts late christened but abiding in scisme and committing the function of Bishoppes to single Preists to call him thither whereunto he assented upon the Popes answere and leaving his Disciples in the Isle became the speciall apostle of Scotland where he spent the residue of his time with more fruite then among the Irish. Hereunto Celestinus condiscended the easier for that in the very point of Palladius his departure Patricius attended at Rome to bee sent with leave and benediction into Ireland In which attempt hee found such joyfull successe so farre different from their accustomed frowardnesse that a man would weene the Realme had beene reserved for him And because it pleased God to worke to the Land such an universall benefite by the meanes of this holy Patriarch I take it convenient to set downe briefly here his course of life after the most approoved Chronicles that I could finde Patricius was borne in the marches of England and Scotland in a sea towne called then Taburnia whose father Calphrune as writeth Ioseline was a Deacon and a Priests sonne his mother Conches was sister
forced pledges and Trowages of Oneale to keepe the Kings peace and diverse other exploytes did hee during his time of government which in particular rehearseth Flatsbury in his notes collected for Gerald Fitz Gerald Earle of Kildare Anno 1517. To him succeeded in office Sir Iohn Fitz Geffrey knight Geffrey Allan de la Zowche whom Earle Warren slevv to Zowch Stephen de longa spata who slevv Oneale in the streets of Down and there dyed Him followed William Den in whose time Mac Cartye played the devill in Desmond and to Den Richard Capell who envyed the Geraldines and was of them taken prisoner together with Theobald le Butler and Miles Cogan The king tooke up the variance and discharged Den preferring David Barrye to his roome who tamed the insolencie of Morrice Fitz Morrice cousin germane to Fitz Gâ—rald upon Barrye came Vfford upon Vfford Iames Audeley who dyed of a fall from his horse in Thomond and then for the time Fitz Morrice governed till the king sent over Sir Ieffrey de Genevill newly returned in pilgrimage from the Holy Sepulture Him called home againe Edward the first in the fourth yeare of his raigne and sent in his stead Robert Vfford the second time who made his Vice-gerent Fryar Fulborne Bishop of Waterford and resumed his charge at his next arryvall into Ireland At this time the citty of Divelin was miserably wasted with fire and the Bell-house of Christs Church utterly defaced which the citizens before they repayred their private harmes jointly came to succor collections made to redresse the ruines of that ancient building first begun by the Danes as I finde in a monument of that foundation continued by Sitricus Prince of Divelin at the motion of Donate then Bishop dedicated to the Blessed Trinity finished by Richard Earle Strangbow Fitz Stephens and S. Laurence the Archbishop and his foure successors Iohn of Evesham Henry Scorchbill Lord Iustice Lucas and lastly by Iohn de S. Paul which worke at the decay by fire and since many devout citizens of Divelin have beautified The same Strongbowes Tombe spoyled by fall of the roofe Sir Henry Sidney Lord Deputy restoreth at this present who hath also given a sightly countenance to the Quire by doing cost upon the Earle of Kildares Chappell over against the which he hath left a monument of Captain Randolfe late Colonell of Vlster Valiantly dead in that service Iohn Samford Archbishop of Divelin Lord Iustice VVilliam Vescy Lord Iustice who pursued Omalaghliâ—n king of Meth that soone after was slaine The Souldan of Babylon determined to vexe the Christians cities of the East Tripolis Tyrus Berinthus Sidon Ptolemais now parts of Turky vvhom to redeeme vvith their helpes to get againe the Holy Land Edward the first had foure yeeres past obtained by licence of Marâ—in the fourth and by confirmation oâ— Honorius his successor the vvhole tenth of all ecclesiastical revenues in Ireland for 7. yeares vvhereafter follovved a fifteene of the Temporalty And the same yeere Iohn Baliol Earle of Galvvay founded Baliol Colledge in Oxford made his homage to King Edward for his Kingdome of Scotland and to the Lord Iustice for his Earledome of Ireland Vescey vvas a sterne man and full of courage but rashe and impudent of his tongue he convented before him Iohn Earle of Kildare charged him vvith riots vagaryes unseasonable for that he ranged vvith his men abroad preyed upon privat enemies inordinatly for malice grudge not for advancement of the publique vveale vvhom the Earle as impatient as the other ansvvered thus By your honour and mine my Lord by king Edwards hand you vvould if you durst appeach me in plaine tearmes of â—elony for vvhereas I have the title and you the fleece of Kildare I wot well how great an eye sore I am in your sight who if I could bee hansomely trussed up for a fellon then might my young Master your sonne become a Gentleman Iustice Gentleman quoth he thou proud Earle the Vescyes were gentlemen before Kildare was an Earledome and before the Welch bankrupt thy Cousin feathered his Nest in Leinster But seeing thou darest me I will surely breake thy heart and with that word he called the Earle a notorious theefe murderer Then followed clattering of swords by Souldiours on both parties untill either side appeased his owne and the Lord Iustice leaving his Lieutenant VVilliam Hay sped over to the King whom immediately followed the Earle as fast as Vescey charged Kildare with fellony no lesse did Kildare appeach the Iustice of high treason and in tryall thereof he asked the Combate But when the listes royall were provided Vescey was slipt away into France and so disherited of all his lands in the county of Kildare which were bestowed upon the Earle of Kildare and his heires for ever The Earle waxed insolent upon this successe and squared with diverse Nobles English and Irish of the Land hee took prisoner Richard Earle of Vlster and him detained untill the Parliament then assembled at Kilkenny commanded his delivery and for that unrulinesse disseised the Geraldines of the Castle of Sligagh and of all his lands in Connaght VVilliam Doddingâ—ale Lord Iustice. This yere for the defence of Wales and commodity of Passengers to and from Ireland the King did coast upon the Isle of Anglisey called the mother of Wales and builded there the castle de bello marisco or Bewmarishe Thomas Fitz Morice Lord Iustice. Iohn VVogan Lord Iustice pacified the former strife betweene Vlster and Kildare and all the Geraldines with their associats together with Theobald Lord Butler gathered strength of men and met the kings army before Edinburgh wan the Citty slew 25. thousand Scots hampred Iohn Baliol king of the Scots in such sort that glad and faine was he to renew his homage CAP. V. Edward the second THomas Fitz Morice Lord Iustice. I will begin this Chapter with the modestie of a good Clerke Richard Havering who five yeares by dispensation had received the fruites and revenues of the Bishopricke of Divelin and long might have done had he beene so disposed But now feeling in sleep a waight upon his stomacke heavyer to his weening then any masse of mettall whereof to be released he vowed in his dreame all that ever he could make in this world Suddainely the next morne resigned the custodium of the Bishopricke and contented himselfe with other ecclesiasticall cures incident to his vocation The same yeare was the bane of the Templers in Ireland to whom succeeded the Knights of the Rhodes This profession began at Ierusalem by certaine Gentlemen that kept their abode next to the Temple there who till the Councell of Creetz increased not above the number of nine But thenceforth in little more then fiftie yeares being enriched by contribution of all Christian Realmes every where their houses were erected and endowed bountifully
signifieth a skilfull archer And these Pictes brought with them the use of darts which the Irish retaine to this day But I come to Beda who goeth plaine to worke When the Britaines saith hee had possessed the greatest part of the Isle beginning at the South it happened that a nation of Pictes out of Scythia with long shippes yet not many entred the Ocean the winde driving them about beyond all the coast of Brittaine they came into Ireland and arived in the North and finding there the nation of Scots desired of them to grant them a dwelling place amongst them but they could not obtaine it c. The Scots made answere that the Iland could not hold them both but wee can give you said they good counsaile what you may doe We know another Island not farre from ours reaching to the East the which we are wont oft to discerne in cleare dayes if you will goe thither you may make it your dwelling place or if any withstand you take vs for your aide And so the Pictes sayling into Britaine began to inhabite the North parts of the Iland for the Britaine 's held the South And when the Pictes had no wives and sought them of the Scots they were granted them onely upon this condition that when the title of Soveraigntie became doubtfull they should choose them a King rather of the Feminine bloud royall then of the Masculine the which unto this day is observed amongst the Pictes And in processe of time Britaine after the Britaines and Picts received that third nation of the Scots upon that part where the Pictes had their habitation who issuing out of Ireland with their Captaine Reuda either by loue or by the sword have wonne peculiarly unto themselves those seats which they hold unto this day and of this their captaine they are called Dalreudin for in their language Dal signifieth apart And here I cannot but meruaile at Hector Boetius and Buchanan what confusion they bring into the historie without regard of the truth they name Beda they call Reuda Reuther and say that he was the sixt King of Albania and that the Britaine 's made him flee into Ireland and that in the end he was restored to his kingdome againe which can no way agree with the words of reverend Beda whose credit we may not impeach for he saith they were Scythians and wanted a dwelling place and beganne to inhabit the North parts of the Iland If Reuda were King of Albania no thanke to the Irish men to direct him thither But let us goe on with the Pictes I finde in Lanquet that the Pictes were rebellious an 9 of Arviragus Anno. Domini 53. And Polycronicon affircteth as Beda wrote before that they came to the North of Ireland in Vespasians time Stow saith it was in Anno 73. Matthew the Monke of Westminster in Anno 75. and 76. Leslaeus and Bozius write that Reuda came about the yeere 360. which is very doubtfull and that then the Pictes wanting wives desired of the Britaines that they might march with their nation their suit being denied they went to the Irish who granted them wives upon the condition in Beda before rehearsed And farther Giraldus Cambrensis Polycronicon and Grafton concurring doe say that Scotland was first called Albania of Albanactus secondly Pictlandia of the Pictes thirdly Hibernia Ireland because of the alliance or affinitie in marriage betweene the Pictes and Irish last of all Scotland or Scythians land And hereof it commeth to passe that Ireland is called Scotland and Scotland Ireland the Irish Scots and the Scots Irish as one hath largely collected and the distinction of Scotia Major and Scotia Minor Harding hath an historie out of Mewinus a Brittish Chronicler Harding lived in the time of Henry the fift and sixt and in the daies of Edward the fourth which if it be true all that is formerly spoken of Gathelus and Scota his wife by the Scottish and Irish Chroniclers is of small credit namely how that Gathelus and Scota came into these North parts together with the Pictes Anno Domini 75. his words are these speaking of the King of Britaine Then to the Peights left alive he gave Catenesse To dwell upon and have in heritage Which wedded were with Irish as I gesse Of which after Scots came on that linage For Scots be to say their language A collection of many into one Of which the Scots were called so anone But Mewinus the Bryton Chronicler Saith in his Chronicle otherwise That Gadelus and Scota in the yeere Of Christ seventie and five by assise At Stone inhabite as might suffice And of her name the country round about Scotland she cald that time without doubt This Scota was as Mewin saith the sage Daughter and bastard of King Pharao that day Whom Gadele wedded and in his old age Vnto a land he went where he inhabited ay Which yet of his name is called Gadelway And with the Peights he came into Albanie The yeere of Christ aforesaid openlie c. Polycronicon and Cambrensis accord with Harding in this point that the King gave the Pictes a place to dwell in which is now called Galleway And saith Ponticus Virunius it was desert and waste where none dwelled in many dayes before The credit of Harding is great and he that list to know farther of him let him reade Bale Bishop of Ossorie who wrote his life I will now neither confirme nor confute but acquainte the reader with such antiquities as I finde and in a word to adde something unto that which went before of the time of the Pictes comming into these North and North-west parts Florilegus writeth it was Anno Domini 77. Functius and Polydore Anno Dom. 87. To reconcile the dissonance what every one saith may stand for truth for they came in severall companies and at severall times some into Ireland some into Albania and some into England I will from henceforward leave writing the kingdome of Albania and write the kingdome of Scotland Anno Dom. 73. began Marius the sonne of Arviragus to raigne in Britaine Humfrey Lloide calleth him Meurig who after his troublesome warres for nine yeeres space against the Picts and Scots ended with the helpe of Iulius Agricola is said to have aspired towards Ireland and to have placed garrisons on the coast and to the end he might performe some exploite there entertained an Irish Prince that was driven out of his country by civill dissention for his conductor I finde no issue recorded of this businesse In the 15. yeeres civill warres which ensued vpon the death of Lucius the sonne of Coile King of Britaine it is reported that Fulgenius called the Ilanders Albanians Pictes and Irish men to his aide against whom Severus the Emperour comming from Rome gave them battaile neere unto Yorke where Severus and a Prince of Ireland were slaine and Fulgenius deadly wounded the Emperour Severus
called Baragh-llys in Vlster he was a man in his prosperitie of great command in Ireland so that the Danes and Norweyans had through him great dealing and entercourse with Ireland and Ireland with them But yet as it sometime falleth out among the deerest friends many jarres and broiles and factions fell betweene them and especially betweene the sept of Klan ne Morne and Klan ne Boisken both which sides still relieved themselves out of Denmarke The King of Denmarke at last hearing of the same of Fin Mac Coile sent for him and tooke such a liking to him that he concluded to marry him unto his daughter Fin went thither with three thousand souldiers the King one day as they conversed together asked after the manner of the death of his three sonnes Comen Law-ne-Meyd and Feagh who formerly went into Ireland to maintaine one of the factions Dermot O Doyne one of Fins company answered trouble not thy selfe O King this is the hand that killed thy sonne Comen one Osker said this is the hand that killed thy sonne Law-ne-Meyd Keyn Mac Fin also said this is the hand that killed thy sonne Feagh Herewith the King was wroth and said Fin Mac Coile thou and thy men are my prisoners forthwith they drew their Skeynes the Kings guard for feare fled they tooke him prisoner carried him aboord their shippes hoised up saile and brought him to Ireland so as the marriage was dasht and the King driven to pay a ransome for his libertie before he could get from them This Fin Mac Coile also fought with a Gyant that landed at Houth and came to challenge combats for tribute and by policie not by strength overcame him his policie was this he caused him in the night for the space of three nights to be kept waking and in the day time to be fought withall and thereby weakened his strength and foiled the Gyant Toward his end one Gorre an old man after these former warres and troubles came to his house before spoken of and boasted unto the Gentlewomen then present of his feates in warre and the combats he had fought whereat they laughed he being offended with them sware in his anger that hee would burne them all got old timber and straw put it in the house fired it made fast the doores and compassed about the house with men that none might escape They cryed unto him out of their windowes to save their lives but he was inexorable and could not bee drawne to any compassion and when the house was readie to fall he fled into Mounster and there hid himselfe in a Cave Fin Mac Coile came home from hunting and beheld this wofull desolation how his Wife his Maides his old Souldiers his Horses his Greyhounds his Plate and houshold stuffe his Shields Iackes and Shirts of maile and his instruments of Musicke were consumed to ashes made after Gorre into Mounster where he found him and after some skirmish of both sides tooke him and brought him to the place where he had committed this villany Gorre when hee beheld the bones of them that were burned laughed and being asked why his answer was that hee laughed at them that formerly laughed at him This wilâ—e Gorre being kept that night from execution in the dead of the night stole away and was found in a Cave where by commandment of Fin Mac Coill Hugh Gorre his owne sonne killed his father and after became madde himselfe And the end of Fin Mac Coill was that he dyed a beggar and in great miserie So farre out of the booke of Houth Now to continue the storie It is written of Maximus who beganne his raigne in Britaine Anno Dom. 387 that he tooke great displeasure against the Scots and Irish for partaking with Conan and upholding the faction betweene him and Carodoch thus it is written Maximus drave the Scots out of Britaine and compelled them to get habitation in Ireland the out Iles and the North part of the maine and finally divided their region betweene the Britaines and the Pictes He denounced warre also against the Irish men for receiving them into their land but they craving peace yeelded to subscribe that from thenceforth they would not receive any Scot into their dominions Hector Boetius penneth this matter at large that all the Scots were banished and despersed themselves into the Hebrydes Orchades Norwey Denmarke and some into France and Italie And where Maximus somewhat tendred their utter ruine and overthrow and referred them to the Pictes for favour the Pictes most cruelly gave sentence that the Scots which fled not should eate the Pictes sword c And of Ireland he writeth Vpon the first comming of this newes all Ireland mourned and made great lamentation and when they had deliberately examined the exiles and understood all the accidents that befell them in Albion they appointed certaine dayes for a parley summoned from East to West all the Princes of the land to meete their Monarch at the certaine day and place prefixed to consult how and by what meanes the Roman forces might be resisted and the kingdome of Albion restored to their allies and cousins the Scots When they could devise no remedie for they feared the power of the Romanes they thought good to put up all iniuries and to intreate for peace To this purpose they sent Ambassadors to Maximus the Romane Captaine who at the first sharpely rebuked them for that they had sent aide into Albion against the Romanes their confederates and favourites and in especiall seeing that unto that day Ireland of all the kingdomes of the world felt little smart of the Romane sword In the end he received them into favour and granted them peace upon these conditions That they should thenceforth receive no enemies of the Romanes into the Realme of Ireland neither any that gave aide against the Romanes and that no rebell of the Irish under pretence of marchandize should thenceforth set foot in Albion These conditions of peace being concluded the Irish were quiet and trode not upon Scottish soile So farre Boetius Not long after this according to Ponticus Virunius Guanius King of Hunnes and Melga King of Pictes having long hulled here and there and roved upon the seas were by Gratianus after their invading of Britaine and Scotland in the absence of Maximus overthrowne and driven out of the kingdome and forced to flee for refuge into Ireland soule weather followed these two Kings and Ireland gave them hard entertainement at the first Notwithstanding I finde that this Guanius and Melga after the death of this Gratianus who usurped the kingdome of Britaine for the space of foure yeeres upon the death of Maximus who had slaine Gratianus the Emperour prepared againe for Britaine and brought with them the exiled Scots with Irish and Ilanders for their aide But to proceed Thomas Cooper who afterwards was Bishop of Winchester speaking of the returne of the Scots from exile in
his continuing of the Chronicle of Lanquet maketh the same to be Anno Dom. 423. and withall delivereth his conceit that the Scots about this time came first out of Ireland into that country which of them was called Scotland If he had referred it to a further yeere namely when the sixe sonnes of Muredus King of Vlster came to Scotland haply it would have carried some probabilitie but to say that it was the first comming of the Scots into Scotland I doe no more like of it then George Buchanan doth neither doth it concurre with the antiquities precedent or subsequent Cambrensis and Stanihurst doe direct me in this course Here I am to note saith Cambrensis that in the time of Neall Monarch of Ireland the sixe sonnes of Muredus King of Vlster with no small navie possessed the North parts of Britaine whence the nation issuing out of them and by speciall name called Scottish to this day inhabite that northerne angle but upon what occasion they came hither how and by what great treasons rather then voyages they banished the Pictes from those parts a stout nation farre passing them for armes and courage I referre to our Topographie of Britaine Stanihurst addeth this inrode into Albania was a little before the comming of Patricke So that these Noble men of Ireland came into Scotland in the time of Neale and Patricke came into Ireland in the time of Leigerius the sonne of Neale as hereafter more at large shall appeare In the meane time we reade how that Anno 430. according to Functius Celestinus Bishop of Rome sent Palladius into Scotland who was the first that gave them Bishops for unto that time the Churches without Bishops were governed by Monkes with lesse pride and outward pompe but with greater sanctitie and meekenesse of spirit c. I make mention of him for that as our Irish Anonymus and Iocelin doe write he landed in the North parts of Ireland where he hardly escaped with life as it is reported thence he went to the Ilands where he did much good lastly he came to Scotland preached the Gospell rooted out the Pelagian heresie and consecrated them Bishops c. At this time as it is written in the life of Declanus Christian religion first beganne and tooke roote in Ireland not as some have dreamed by Saint Iames the Apostle neither by Saint Patricke whom they terme the Apostle of Ireland The truth of the historie is as followeth There was one Colmannus in Mounster a reverend Priest and the first Christian which I finde upon record in Ireland that baptized one Declanus and delivered him to be brought up unto one Dymna a Christian schoolemaster under whom he profited so much that his fame was spread farre and nigh so that upon good advice and counsaile he travailed to Rome where Celestinus the Pope consecrated him Bishop where also he met with Albaeus a Bishop of Irish birth In his returne from Rome he mette with Patricke in Italie conversed a while with him and being inioyned by Celestinus hastened to Ireland and left Patricke that was bound for Rome Declanus after his arrivall in Ireland came among his owne sept whom mine Author calleth Nandesi and I take to be the ancient house of the Decies not farre from Lismore and there preached the Gospell and converted many to the Christian faith Thither came unto him saith the Legend seven holy men Mocellog Beanus Colmanus Lachuyn Moby Fyndlug and Caminanus they builded them celles conversed together and planted the Christian faith over all Mounster He went to Engus the sonne Nafrygh King of Mounster whose Pallace was in Cassill who gave him leave to preach yet received not the faith the reason of this favour as I finde it was for that Engus had married his mother and had issue by her Colman and Eochard Colman was by Saint Albaeus the Bishop baptized and then received the Ecclesiasticall habite Eochard raigned after his father King of Mounster Saint Declanus took a second iourney to Rome and was reverently entertained by David Bishop of Menevia after the effecting of his businesse he returned into Ireland and arrived in a place called Ard-naciored in Latine Altitudo ovium now called Ardmore the which soile the Lord of Nandesi gave him where goodly buildings have beene and as the record runneth Civitas sancti Declani quae in eo loco posita est vocatur Ardmore id est Altitudo magna Farther in the same Legend I finde Quatuor sanctissimi Episcopi cum suis discipulis fuerunt in Hibernia ante Patricium praedicantes in ea Christū scilicet Albaeus Declanus Ybarus Kyaranus alias Keran hi plures ad Christum rete evangelico traxerunt sed tamen sanctus Patricius Majores Hiberniae potentiores ad fidem convertit In their time Patricke sent from Celestine Bishop of Rome came to Ireland whom these foure Bishops with their followers saluted and seeing Patricke after the humour of humorous people more graced then themselves jarred with him they would not forsooth have any of forraigne nation to patronize the land In the originall it is recorded Ybarus nulla ratione consentire Sancto Patricio nunquam ei subditus esse voluit nolebat enim Patronum Hiberniae de alia gente habere conflictus magnos inter se ipsos Ybarus Patricius fecerunt But afterward by much adoe they were reconciled See gentle reader the infirmitie of men and emulation following the same At Cassill they were reconciled by Engus King of Mounster whom Patricke baptized who after his baptisme founded there the Cathedrall Church in the honour of Saint Patricke made it the Metropolitane See of Mounster and assigned Albaeus the first Bishop there This King held there a Parliament of spirituall and temporall persons of his kingdome ratifying the premisses pacifying all quarrels and yeelding contentment to all sides The Legend reporteth in quo decretum est ut Albaeus secundus Patricius Patronus Mumeniae esset Declanus secundus Patricius Patronus esset Nandeisi Nandeisi sua Diocesis usque ad finem seculi esset Postea sancti Episcopi salutantes benedicentes regem Engusum ad sua in osculo pacis cum spirituali gaudio ad opus Domini seminandum regressi sunt Wherein it was decreed that Albaeus should be a second Patricke and Patron of Mounster and that Declanus should be a second Patricke and Patrone of Nandeisi and that Nandeisi should be his Diocesse to the end of the world After all these holy Bishops saluted and blessed King Engus and in the kisse of peace with spirituall ioy returned every one to his charge to sow the worke of the Lord. Immediately there insued a grievous plague over all Mounster and especially at Cassill which was the death of thousands the manner of it was this first they had the yellow jaundies then they fell
or threed Girdle for a token which tooke away a swelling and crampe that troubled her and that he was shrouded in the winding sheete which the Nunne Verca had sent him Anno 875. Ardulphus Bishop of Lindisfarne fearing the incursion of the Danes who destroyed Churches and defaced Tombes tooke the corps of Cuthbert and attempted the transporting of it into Ireland but the winde was against them and compelled them to land in England then they brought it to Cuncacester some sixe miles from Durham where it rested some yeeres Anno 925. though Stow referre it to the yeere 995. Aldunus who was the first Bishop of Durham preventing as formerly Ardulphus did the invasion of barbarcus people removed it to a place full of bushes and thornes now called Durham and with the aide of Earle Vthred builded a Church over it where now at length it resteth Edmund the second Bishop of Durham enlarged the Church and beautified the place of his buriall and long after were brought thither the bodies of Balther and Bilfride that had beene Anchors Acca and Alkmundus that had beene Bishops Ebba the Nunne and familiar of Cuthbert Boisilus the Abbot his master King Oswine and the bones of Beda that rested at Girwin so writeth Capgrave He that will see farther of Cuthbert and his patrimonie so called in the Bishopricke of Durham of the endowments and grants given by Christian Princes and of the reverend opinion held of the place because of the sanctitie of Irish Cuthbert let him repaire to learned Camdens Brigantes the which for that they concerne the antiquities of England more then Ireland I omit Now to come to the 700. yeere of Christ. I will beginne with Adamannus who flourished Anno 701. as Florilegus writeth in the time of Alfred King of Northumbers whom Beda highly commendeth and as it may be gathered and borrowed out of his workes many things to furnish his historie of England I finde of divers reported that he was in Ireland and did much good I take it he was of Irish birth for I cannot finde the contrary Bale summarily out of Beda and others writeth in his life as followeth Adamannus Coludius by profession a Monke not vowed but of the Apostolike order and governour of that famous Monasterie which of old Columbanus the disciple of Congellus had founded in the I le Hu made himselfe a patterne of vertue to be followed of many hee was a man studious and singularly well seene in holy Scripture as Tritemius witnesseth neither ignorant of prophane literature wise and faire spoken hee was for his life and conversation renowned and for opinion of sanctitie recounted the father of many Monkes so that hee travailed in a manner all the North regions of Britaine he was a notable Preacher instructing with heavenly admonitions Irish Scots Pictes and Anglosaxons Hee willingly gave eare to all such as made report of any memorable acts of Palestina by their travaile and of other places of the holy Land with the site thereof trusting thereby to attaine unto a better sight in the holy Scripture Then it fell out say the Chronographers that one Arnulphus a Bishop of France comming from Ierusalem and being winde-driven to that place arrived there and throughly enformed Adamannus the which he shortly after committed to writing and dedicated unto Alfred King of Northumbers with these titles De locis terrae sanctae lib. 1. De situ Ierusalem lib. 1. De paschate legitimo lib. 1. With certaine Epistles So farre Bale I have seene beside these a Manuscript worke of his of the life of Saint Columba in three bookes About the yeere 740. saith Lippeloo Gualafer Bishop of Dublin was famous who by his prayers obtained that Cecilia wife to David King of Scots and daughter to the King of Sicilia being barren did conceive beare a sonne called Rumoldus who after the decease of Gualafer was made Bishop of that See and consecrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury and two other Prelates He went into England afterwards to France and came to Rome Anno 752. in the time of Stephen 2. he resigned his Bishopricke from thence hee went into Brabant and by his prayers saith mine Author got one Eliza wife to Earle Ado of the age of 66. yeeres to conceive In the end he went to repaire an old Church agreed with workemen wrangled with them so that they for one quarrell and other and especially for that they held him to be rich hoping to get some part of his wealth knockt him in the head with a hatchet and there lay Saint Rumolde Molanus in discreet sort examineth this historie and delivereth that this Rumoldus tooke with him beyond the seas one Saint Himelin now Patron of Fenacum the place in Dutch is Sijnte Himelijns Vissenaken some said he was of his bloud others some that he was of his bloud and bone His words are these Some suppose that Saint Rumold was the sonne of Erfinus King of Scots after whom succeeded in the kingdome the third and fourth sonne Fergusius and Achaius but the names of the first and second sonne are not extant They adde happely unto the rest that because he was the King of Scots his sonne it stood him upon to forsake the Bishopricke of Dublin when Solvathius that raigned betweene Fergusius and Achaius warred against the Irish and upon this occasion he tooke his iourney to Rome and at his returne preached the Gospell at Mechlin All which by conferring the times would have some great probabilitie unlesse the antient Monuments and Records of Mechlin had avouched him to have beene the sonne of one David a King and to have beene brought forth into the world by the intercession and devout prayers of Gualafer Bishop of Dublin and of him baptized whereby I gather that he was the sonne of some King of Ireland Neither is it any mervaile though we reade not of this David when as Saint Bernard witnesseth that Ireland was not governed by one King but by many the orderly succession of which Kings I suppose for the most part is now perished If you urge that hee came of the Scottish bloud royall I admit it for it is so sung every where throughout the Diocesse of Mechlin but that of old the Irish men were understood and comprehended under the name of Scots by the life of Saint Patricke and elsewhere is very manifest To this purpose is that which Beda affirmeth that Ireland is properly the country of the Scots and Ionas also writeth in the entrance to Columbanus his life how that the Scottish nation inhabit the Iland of the Irish. This Rumoldus died Anno 775. and is honoured in Mechlin for their Patron Virgilius Solivagus borne in Ireland and descended of noble Parentage in his yeeres of discretion forsooke his native soile and together with certaine companions of the same countrey birth went into Germanie where Anno 754. hee was made Abbot of Salisburge by Odilo Duke of Bavaria and shortly
encounter with them the Irish fearing the worse got them with their pillage aboard their shippes and hoised up sailes for Ireland Gregory prepareth his navy and shortly after arriveth in Ireland The King at that time saith Buchanan was but a childe whose name was Duncanus or Donatus or rather Dunachus the Protectors or chiefe commanders of the land about the King were Brian and Cornelius who had drawne the land into two factions The Irish hering of the comming of Gregory fortified themselves upon the river of the Band but there the Scots overthrew them Brian was slaine and Cornelius put to flight The Scots left them not so but pursued them preyed the country without resistance constrained the townes before them to yeeld and hearing by the way that Cornelius gathered all the forces of Ireland against them made ready to ioyn battaile in the which Cornelius and all his forces were foiled so that for a safeguard of his life hee fled to Dublin and his armie dispersed themselves abroad Gregory followed him laid siege to Dublin and by reason there were so many received within that fled from the field they could not long indure the strength of the puissant King of Scots without wherefore by generall consent of the Citizens Cormacke Bishop of Dublin opened the gates received the King of Scots without losse of any man of either side or damage of goods Immediately Gregory the King of Scots went to his cousin Duncan the young King saluted him and delivered unto him that he came not for his kingdome ne for gold nor silver ne for commodities of his country but onely to be revenged of them that had formerly injured his subiects And as for you said he cousin Duncan I beare you no malice without bloud I came into the Citie of Dublin without bloud I will depart recompence of the Citizens of Dublin I seeke none the inhabitants betweene this and the Band have satisfied me and my people let the Citizens pay it them againe and make no more such rash attempts into Scotland With this they lovingly departed and continued friends to the great honour of the King of Scots After this Anno 897. poore Ireland had another scourge for saith Caradoc Llancarvan in his British Chronicle and likewise Polichronicon this country was destroyed with strange wormes having two teeth so that there was neither corne nor grasse nor food for man or beast for all was consumed that was greene in the land at the season of the yeere The nine hundreth yeere followeth The Saxons that divided Britaine as formerly hath been declared into many kingdomes began now to grow weake in their estate and the Danes that troubled in a manner all Christendome were falling to naught yet Anno 905. saith the British Chronicle the Danes entred Ireland preyed spoyled and fired the country slue in the field Garmot so he calleth him alias Cormac Monarch of Ireland and the sonne of Cukeman a man both godly and religious and also Kyrvalt sonne of Morgan King of Leinster Then they roved round about England hulling upon the seas and landing where they espied advantage destroyed with fire and sword as much as lay in them Anno 911. they came againe into Ireland saith Cooper holding on in their former outrages Anno 913. saith Carodoc the men of Dublin with great forces came to Anglesey preyed and destroyed the Iland and returned to Ireland the cause I finde not but that sea and land was bent to mischiefe the fire upon the land and piracie upon the sea Anno 925. the second yeere of the raigne of Adelstane the base sonne of Edward the first called Edward Senior King of West-Saxons was a great armie gathered by the said Adelstane against Hawlaffe King of Ireland the sonne of Suthricus and a Painym saith Polychronicon who came with the whole power of the Scots and Danes against him and gave him battaile at Brimesturie where Adelstane had the victory and slue the said King Hawlaffe and the King of Scots and five Kings of the Danes and Normans and twelve Earles so that he brought all the land of England and Scotland into subjection which none of his Predecessours had ever attempted So farre out of Caradoc in the British Chronicle Polychronicon writeth of Hawlaffe that he was the sonne of Sitricus and had married the daughter of Constantine King of Scots and by his aide entred the mouth of the river of Humber with a strong navy and when both armies had encamped themselves Hawlaffe used this policie He tooke a Harpe and in Harpers attire went to Adelstanes Tent where he harped and viewed their diâ—t disposition and behaviour tooke money for his musicke which in heart he disdayned he secretly as he thought hid the money in the ground and went away A souldier that sometime served Hawlaffe espied it and told Adelstane the whole why saith Adelstane diddest not thou acquaint me sooner he answered O King the faith I owe thee now sometime I ought to Hawlaffe if I had beene false to him thou wouldst have suspected me afterwards but now remove thy Tent for he will suddenly come upon thee For all the haste that Adelstane made Hawlaffe came in the night slue a certaine Bishop and his company that were fleeing and many others hee hasted to Adelstanes Tent but he was provided and in armes and at the breake of the day set upon his enemies and foiled them as formerly is delivered Anno 926. Saxo Grammaticus Albertus Krantz and others are mine Authors Knutus and Herald sonnes to Gormo King of Denmarke following the steps of their fathers gave themselves to Piracie roved crossed and hulled upon the seas all was fish that came to their nets they arrived in Ireland and laid siege to Dublin The King of Leinster sent especially and laid an ambush within a mile of Dublin and whilst the Danes scaled the wals without the Citizens manfully defended themselves within and others were carelesse of themselves abroad one of the espials levelled an arrow at Knutus and gave him such a wound that he shortly dyed thereof The Danes prevailed but their ioy upon his death was turned into sorrow Gormo the father so intirely loved this Knutus his sonne that he vowed whosoever brought him newes of the death of his sonne Knutus for recompence should die the death Thira daughter to Edward the Martyr saith Functius the mother being a Christian though Gormo were a bloudy Infidell having certaine intelligence of the death of Knutus durst not reveale it but used this policie shee caused instead of her husbands princely robes wherewith he was on a morning to make himselfe ready mourning cloathes to bee laid before him and such funerall exequies as were used to be prepared for the witnessing of the sorrow and griefe conceived for the departure of some deare friend woe is me saith Gormo now my sonne Knutus is dead this I gather by these circumstances Then answered Thira the
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
kindely intreated and bounteously rewarded the Irish souldiers the which then in his second extremity was not forgotten With shippes men and munition out of Ireland he bent his course to Wales repaired to his old friend Griffith Prince of Wales where he was most welcome and shortly restored againe to his Earldome by the meanes and intreaty of certaine strangers which had lately there arrived out of Norway Camden writeth how that Anno 1066. Godred surnamed Cronan the sonne of Hiraldniger of Island invaded the I le of Man thence came into Ireland did the like unto Dublin and a great part of Leynster made great spoyle and went backe againe The British Chronicle reporteth of Dermot a King in Ireland that in Anno 1068. he was murthered but the manner hee sheweth not the commendation he giveth of him is this He was the worthiest and noblest Prince that ever ruled in Ireland Polychronicon reporteth how that Anno 1072. at Winsore before William the Conquerour and the Cleargie the controversie between the Archbishops of Canterbury and Yorke was heard at large and decided and that Bedaes historie was shewed where it appeared that from Austen the Monkes time till Bedaes death about 140. yeeres the Archbishop of Canterburie had primacie over all Great Britaine Ireland that he had held Councels by Yorke summoned Bishops of Yorke consecrated Bishops and punished Bishops of Yorke for their offences and iudicially removed them Philip Flatesburie a great Antiquarie whom Stanihurst followeth and Iames Grace of Kilkenny with Dowlinge his ioynt Collectour doe write how that Anno 1074. Patricke Bishop of Dublin was consecrated in Pauls Church in London by Lanfranke Archbishop of Canterburie upon commendatorie Letters of Teridionatus alias Terdilnacus Monarch of Ireland and Godericke King of Leinster and with teste of the Clergie and Laytie of that Diocesse of his lawfull and orderly election Further I finde recorded that it was the manner to consecrate Bishops in this sort and that the Monarch of Ireland in regard of his royall principalitie and title of honour with other priviledges belonging to his Monarchie had negative voyce in the nomination of Bishops throughout his Realme Secondly how the Archbishop of Canterbury took of him that was so consecrated a corporall oath of Canonicall obedience as his predecessours formerly used to him and his successors and lastly gave him letters testimoniall thereof to the Monarch and King of Leynster Cambrensis sheweth the reason of this consecration namely how that in Ireland as then there was no Archbishop but one Bishop consecrated another untill that Anno 1148. Iohannes Papiron a Priest Cardinall sent from Eugenius 3. together with Christian Bishop of Lismore Legate of all Ireland came to the land and brought with them foures Paales But of this more in another place The same Flattesburie writeth further how that the said Lanfranke in like sort consecrated Donatus Bishop of Dublin Anno 1085. About this time Godwin and Edmund sonnes to King Harold my Author is Thomas Walsingham Monke of Saint Albans which formerly had fled into Ireland for succour unto Dermotte Mac O Nell King of Ireland returned with 66. saile landed in Sommersetshire saith Stow where Brian the sonne of Eudo Duke of Brabant met them and gave them battaile wherein saith Stow the brethren gate the victory and the Irish men with many great preyes out of Cornewall and Devonshire returned into Ireland But Walsingham which seemeth more true writeth that it was a bloudie battaile wherein 1070. of the English and Normans with certaine of the Nobilitie of the land were slaine and the enemies with aide of their ships fled and brought heavy newes home to their deerest friends in Ireland It is very like that William the Conquerour immediately upon this sent great forces into Ireland to bee revenged of them for relieving or assisting his enemies for Stow writeth out of William of Malmsbury thus Lanfranck Archbishop of Canterbury being in such favour with King William that the said William thought not good to deny any thing that hee requested procured by his industrie that the said King left his ill custome of selling his prisoners which hee tooke in Ireland which was a thing hardly granted unto him and to Wolstan Bishop of Worcester the gaine that the King had by the sale of those Irish men was such The British Chronicle reporteth how that Anno 1087. and the last yeere of William Conquerour the sonnes of Blethlyn ap Convyn sometime King of Wales gathered their strength together against Rees ap â—yder who not being able to meete with them fled to Ireland and there he purchased to himselfe great friends and got an armie of Irish men and Scots to whom hee promised great rewards when he should obtaine his kingdome so landed in South-Wales with these strangers and when his friends heard thereof they drew unto him and the other came in all haste to vanquish him before hee had made a head and gathered forces together to bee short at Wechryd they gave battaile where they were discomfited and two of the brethren slaine to wit Madoc and Kirid and the other fled and forsooke the country As soone as Rees was in quiet possession of his country he sent away the Irish men with great rewards All the Lords of the Ilands sent messengers unto Murchard alias Moragh O Brien King of Ireland that it would please him to send them some worthy man of royall bloud to be their King during the nonage of Olanus the sonne sonne of Godred King of Man Whereupon he sent unto them one Dopnald Mac Tady whom hee deepely charged to governe that kingdome which of right appertained not to him with all kindenesse love and modesty but hee was no sooner warm in the kingdome but he forgot his instructions and the charge his Lord had given him he poled he pilled and practised all kinde of tyranny for the space of three yeers Then all the Lords of the Ilands rose in armes against him and banished him out of those parts so he fled into Ireland of whom they never heard any further newes Stanihurst findeth that Anno 1095. there came certaine Esterlings to the North side of Dublin adjoyning to the Liffie and seated themselves there so that of them to this day the place is called Ostomontowne and corruptly Oxmonton and the Parish Saint Michans of one Michanus a Dane and a Bishop which founded the Church unto whom Murchard or Moragh King of Leynster gave that parcell of land to that use The faire greene or Commune now called Ostmontowne-greene was all wood and hee that diggeth at this day to any depth shall finde the ground full of great rootes From thence Anno 1098. King William Rufus by licence of Murchard had that frame which made up the roofe of Westminster Hall where no English Spider webbeth or breedeth to this day Cambrensis in his Itinerarie of Cambria reporteth how that King William standing upon some high rocke in the
Cadogan after hee had done great mischiefe and spoile upon the English Normans Flemings and Welsh men fled into Ireland to King Morogh who joyfully received him for he had beene there before returned to Wales and fled thither the second time and in like sort the third time Anno 1113. or thereabout Griffith the sonne of Rees ap Twyder Prince of South-Wales who for feare of the King had beene of a childe brought up in Ireland came to Gerald Steward of Pembroke his brother in law and others of his friends to recover his country whom the King by secret policies and practises pursued so that hee was forced to flee againe In the time of King Henry the first I finde that there was great stirre betweene Murchard or Morogh King of Leynster and the Citizens of Dublin for it seemeth that hee used grievous exactions and tyrannies over them so that the Dublinians in revenge of him sent for Godred King of Man and the Ilands so writeth Camden and made him their King Morogh mustereth his country gathereth forces procureth aide marcheth against his enemies pitcheth his campe at the towne of Coridelis sent his brother by the mother side Osibell with three thousand horse well appointed to Dublin where hee was slaine by Godred and by the men of Dublin and the rest discomfited and put to flight Godred found himselfe well satisfied with spoiles and returned to Man they of Dublin likewise thought themselves in some sort reasonably well revenged of their King quitted themselves for a while and by mediation and intercession after many Presents and Gifts were reconciled There was great banquetting and feasting and ioy outward of all sides but inward lay venome and treason like sparkles of fire covered with ashes which broke forth not long after as I am readie to deliver Stanihurst Grace and Dowlinge doe write that the Councell of the Citie determining to establish and decree many good lawes and orders for the publike weale of the towne and commons of the same appointed a solemne day of meeting sent for Morogh their King humbly craving with all loyall circumstances his presence counsaile and assistance among them at the day appointed the which hee granted when the day came and that they had debated many matters the King as he sate merrily in his chaire sporting himselfe and reporting some pleasant historie one suddenly stept unto him and tooke away his weapon the rest came upon him and stabbed him to the death they were not content with this but they cast him into a base grave and in further contempt and dispute of his person they threw a dogge upon him and earth upon them both the which Dermotte his sonne revenged afterwards as shall appeare in processe of the historie About the yeere 1134. after Functius his computation one Harold borne in Ireland so writeth Saxo gathered forces and became the terrour of Norway affirming withall that he was the sonne of Magnus the Dane that invaded Ireland and for truth thereof he would declare it by fire When the time and place was appointed with his bare feet he trode upon a fierie plate and felt no hurt the Norwegians admired and would make him their King which was the roote of many mischiefes in Norway He was a man faire spoken strong hardy and swift of foot and it seemeth after the manner of Ireland that he went much bare so that the soles of his feet were as hard as horne and could not easily take harme by fire by which meanes he deceived the Norwegians Nicholaus King of Denmarke corrupted Magnus of Norway by secret meanes to cut him off Magnus practised with Ericus a Danish Captaine to dispatch him immediately after his Coronation To bee short Ericus came with great forces to Scypetors a Village where Herald was in the night time laid siege to his Pallace and by the breake of day pulled him and his sonnes forth by the head and shoulders and put them to death In the time of Henry 1. King of England flourished Celsus Bishop of Armagh and ended his dayes with the entrance of King Stephen to the Crowne He descended of Noble Parentage in Ireland whom Saint Bernard with others for divers rare and singular gifts highly commendeth he had beene brought up in the Vniversitie of Oxenford where in the liberall sciences and profound literature he excelled others of his time when he perceived by the infirmities of his body that age hastened to an end and that his naturall course was in short time to be finished he desired of them that were present their favours and prayed them to use meanes unto others that were absent and especially unto the two Kings of Mounster so Bernard writeth that Malachias might succeed him in the Bishopricke of Armagh He was a married man and died of great age and lyeth buried with his wife and children in the said Church Malachias in the time of King Stephen succeeded Celsus in the Bishopricke of Armagh whose life Saint Bernard Abbot of Clarevallis Capgrave and Conganus an Abbot of Ireland have written at large He was borne in Ireland amongst barbarous people saith Bernard yet in his birth and native soile hee sucked of them no more barbarousnesse then the Sea fish take of the salt water His Parents for wealth and might were in great account in those dayes he was brought up at Armagh under Imarius the Anachorite where Celsus made him both Deacon and Priest at the age of 25. yeeres from thence with licence of Imarius and of Celsus he went to Malchus Bishop of Lismore in Mounster a man of Irish birth that had beene a Monke sometimes in the Abbey of Winchester in England and from thence advanced to the Bishopricke of Lismore And to make the historie plaine there was at that time great warres betweene Cormacke King of Mounster and his brother for the Soveraignty the brother prevaileth Cormacke fleeth to the Bishop of Lismore and in his distressed estate tooke a Monkes Cell and led a private life Malachias was appointed his Tutor where Cormacke continued untill that a King there adjoyning pittying his miserie gathered forces and restored him to his kingdome Immediately after this Letters came for Malachias in most earnest sort that he should come to Armagh where not farre off an Vncle of his a man of great command a Lord of a country rich and potent that held in his hands all the wasted Monasterie of Benchâ—r alias Bengor dwelled of which Monasterie I have spoken before in the raigne of King Arthure Malachias upon his comming restored these possessions and reedifieth the old Monasterie and appointed one Malchus brother to Christianus Abbot of Melâ—efont governour of the place when Malachius was thirty yeeres of age he was made Bishop of Conor Conorets saith Bernard where hee met by his owne report more then I am willing to lay downe in writing so rude and barbarous a people as worse could not be found upon the face of the earth yet
brethren and the nephewes of the Apostles so he calleth them Towards his latter dayes hee sorrowed that Ireland had not the pall and as oft as he thought upon Innocentius 2. his promise he sighed who as formerly I have delivered had promised not performed when he heard that Eugenius his successor was come unto France he thought it a fit time to obtaine his purpose he tooke shipping for Scotland where King David received him as in times past and thence unto England where the jarre betweene the King of England and the Pope hindred his passage yet he got into France and straight to Clarevallis where hearing that Pope Eugenius was returned to Rome he rested himselfe fell sicke of an ague and there dyed being of the age of 54. yeeres Anno 1148. 4 Nonas Novembris so farre Bernard in substance yet Antonine saith hee dyed Anno 1140. In his time lived Conganus Abbot of Benchor who enformed Bernard of the whole life of Malachias and wrote at large thereof himselfe inserting many fabulous things and saith Nicholas Magwire he wrote not onely the life of Malachias but also the life of Bernard I finde him to be the Patron of Killaskin otherwise called Killeshin in Monte Margeo and the Barony of Marghagha in Leynster spoken of before In this time lived Tundalus Magus so surnamed because suspected for a Sorcerer borne and brought up in Mounster in Cashell saith Lepelo in the West of Ireland of Noble birth and by calling a Knight Antonius out of Vincentius reporteth that hee was fierce and cruell and in the end became a Carthusian Monke for that order beganne as we may reade in the life of Bruno the first founder thereof upon some great extremity whereof the Proverbe rose desperatio facit Monachum desperation maketh a Monke it seemeth that he had in his life time committed some hainous offences and was mightily tormented in conscience and fell into trances and extasies upon his recovery he delivered unto the world strange damnable untruths saith Bale of Heaven Hell Purgatory and I wot not what for a man distracted knoweth not what he saith Bale writeth talia ad terrorem fingebant scelestissimi Nebolones somewhat excusing him and extenuating his imbecillities and biddeth him farewell Clarint Stephano Rege in Anglia dominante satana apud Hybernos suas vires exercente hee flourished when Stephen raigned over England and the divell domineered over Ireland Hee wrote a booke of Revelations the which Melchior Canus Albertus Crantzius and Gobelenus have utterly condemned He wrote also the life of Vrsula and the 11000. Virgins printed at Cullen the which Zazarias Lepelo counteth for lyes and fables Anno 1142. the Abbey of Molyfont was founded by Donatus alias Donogh King of Louth alias Vriell some call him Donogh Ocarvell the first Abbot was Christianus who afterwards was Bishop of Lysmore and Legate of all Ireland Anno 1144. William Bishop of Winchester by authority of Pope Celestine 2. in a Councell held at London brought in the use of cursing with Bell Booke and Candle which liked the Irish Priests well to terrifie the Laytie for their Tithes Foxe Anno 1148. there fell great variance betweene Owen surnamed Gwyneth Prince of Northâ—Wales and Cadwallader his brother they were both the sonnes of Griffith ap Conan Prince of North Wales This Cadwallader fled into Ireland and hired to his aide Octer Mac Octer Curbell Mac Therulfe with a great number of Irish men and red shankes for 2000. markes and landed at Abermeany in Carnarvonshire against whom Prince Owen came with great power but before the Armies met there was a peace concluded betweene the brethren which when the Irish men understood they kept with them Cadwallader as prisoner for their pay formerly promised so that hee was faine to deliver 2000. heads of Cattell besides many prisoners and spoyles that were taken in the country but Prince Owen as soone as he knew his brother to be set at liberty set upon the Irish men his stomacke was full of revengement slue a great number of them and recovered all the Cattell with the prisoners and other spoyle so that in the end as many as escaped with life returned to Ireland with sorrow shame and losse and made no bost of their voyage so writeth Carodoc The same yeere Anno 1148. Iohn Papire a Priest Cardinall together with Christianus Bishop of Lismore the Popes Legate over the whole Land being sent by Eugenius came into Ireland And in Anno 1151. saith Mathew Paris but by the consent of most Writers Anno 1152. summoned a Councell where in the presence of the Bishops Abbots Kings Dukes the Antients of Ireland by the Apostolike authoritie Colledge of Cardinals consent of the Bishops Abbots others there present they ordained foure Archbishopricks in Ireland and gave them foure pales to wit Ardmach Dublin Cashell and Tuam In Ardmach then sate Gelasius in Dublin Gregory in Cashell Donatus in Tuam Edanus these were the first Archbishops of Ireland The records from that time to this day of the foure Provinces the foure Archbishoprickes with their Bishops and Suffragans in Latine and vulgar speech with their titles of Saints and Patrons together with the unions of them in processe of time following I finde thus Anno 1151. these Abbies were founded de Beatitudine de duillio de Magio de valle salutis and happily the Monasterie which Mathew Paris and Polychronicon spake of upon this occasion There was a Knight say they called Owin of Irish birth which had long served King Stephen in his warres got licence to repaire unto his native soile and to visit his friends when hee came to Ireland hearing the fame of the Purgatory of the second Patricke the Abbot and not the Bishop so I reade in Polychronicon it came in his minde to visit the same he being in the Cave and concavities under ground saw strange sights and making report thereof unto King Stephen obtained licence of him thenceforth to leade a religious and solitary life he obtained also of King Stephen so Mathew Paris writeth a parcell of ground in Ireland to build a Monasterie called Luden an Abbey of white Monkes where Gervasius became the first Abbot and where Gilbert a Monke trayned up Owen in the order thereof This Gilbert saith mine Author wrote as Owen told him all the reports that are now extant of that Purgatory so that it seemes to be no antient matter but a late device first found by this Owen in the late dayes of King Stephen Anno 1152. was the battaile of Monad more fought in Ireland betweene Leinster and Mounster men where saith Holinshed the flower and chiefest personages of Leinster and Mounster were slaine and saith Iohn Plunket Mounster lost the field Anno 1154. Terdielach King of Connaght dyed there succeeded him Rorie Oconochor Rowag commonly called Roderic who slue his owne brother that aspired to the kingdome of Connaght and in this successe attempted further and became
Monarch of Ireland Henry 2 King of England the sonne of Mathilda the Empresse subdued Scotland Ireland Orchades and the furthest Ocean Ilands he was Protector of France and was offered the kingdome of Ierusalem this Noble Henry was crowned King of England Anno 1154. he married Elenor daughter and heire of William Duke of Aquitaine the which Elenor had been formerly married to Lewis King of France and upon dislike divorced under pretence that they were within the fourth degree of consanguinity he was knighted by David King of Scots and after many broyles much bloudshed adopted by King Stephen for his sonne and consequently proclaimed heire apparant to the Crowne of England and thereupon after the discease of Stephen crowned with great ioy and applause of the people Anno 1154. the same yeere that Henry the second was crowned the Abbey of Kyrie-eleeson was founded Anno 1155. saith Mathew Paris and Fabian and the first or second of Henry 2. raigne though Stow referre it to the 7. and Anno 1160 the King cast in his minde to conquer Ireland hee saw that it was commodious for him and considered that they were but a rude and savage people for so the historiographers doe write whereupon in his ambitious minde he sent unto Adrian Bishop of Rome one Iohn Salsbury who by the said Bishop afterwards was made Bishop of Carnolum in France with others delivering his sute to that effect Adrian being a man of English birth heard his Ambassadors the more willingly considered the matter advisedly together with his colledge of Cardinals and granted him his request as followeth Adrian the Bishop the servant of the servants of God to his most deer sonne in Christ the Noble King of England sendeth greeting and Apostolike benediction your magnificence hath beene very carefull and studious how you might enlarge the Church of God here in earth and increase the number of his Saints and elect in heaven in that as a good Catholike King you have and doe by all meanes labour and travell to enlarge and increase Gods Church by teaching the ignorant people the true and Christian religion and in abolishing and rooting up the weedes of sinne and wickednesse And wherein you have and doe crave for your better furtherance the helpe of the Apostolike See wherein more speedily and discreetly you proceed the better successe we hope God will send for all they which of a fervent zeale and love in religion doe begin and enterprise any such thing shall no doubt in the end have a good and prosperous successe And as for Ireland and all other Ilands where Christ is knowne and the Christian religion received it is out of all doubt and your excellencie well knoweth they doe all appertaine and belong to the right of Saint Peter and of the Church of Rome and we are so much the more ready desirous and willing to sow the acceptable seede of Gods word because we know the same in the latter day will be most severely required at our hands you have our welbeloved sonne in Christ advertised and signified unto us that you will enter into the Land and Realme of Ireland to the end to bring them to obedience unto Law and under your subjection and to root out from among them their foule sinnes and wickednesse as also to yeeld and pay yeerely out of every house a yeerely pension of one penny to Saint Peter and besides also will defend and keepe the rites of those Churches whole and inviolate We therefore well allowing and favouring this your godly disposition and commendable affection doe accept ratifie and assent unto this your petition and doe grant that you for the dilating of Gods Church the punishment of sinne the reforming of manners planting of vertue and the increasing of Christian religion doe enter to possesse that land and thereto execute according to your wisedome whatsoever shall be for the honour of God and the safety of the Realme and further also we doe strictly charge and require that all the people of that land doe with all humblenesse dutifulnesse and honour receive and accept you as their Liege Lord and Soveraigne reseruing and accepting the right of holy Church to be inviolably preserved as also the yeerely pension of Peter pence out of every house which we require to be truely answered to Saint Peter and to the Church of Rome If therefore you doe minde to bring your godly purpose to effect indevour to travell to reforme the people to some better order and trade of life and that also by your selfe and by such others as you shall thinke meet true and honest in their life manners and conversation to the end the Church of God may be beautified the true Christian religion sowed and planted and all other things done that by any meanes shall or may be to Gods honour and salvation of mens soules whereby you may in the end receive of Gods hands the reward of everlasting life and also in the meane time and in this life carry a glorious same and an honourable report among all nations The King upon the receit hereof was very glad and let it lye dorment by him untill better opportunity was offered as hereafter shall appeare Anno 1166. Moragh Mac Cocholan King of Ireland called a great Councell at Dublin gave battaile to the King of Leinster and killed him and shortly after was himselfe slaine by Ororic which succeeded in the soveraignty the same yeere saith Guttyn Owen in his British Chronicle Henry 2. being at Chester hired many shippes out of Ireland for his ayde against North-Wales but hee discharged them immediately for his purpose tooke no good effect in as much as the present troubles of Normandy called him away In this pastime so the old English delivereth or rather the hurly-burly of the world amids the warres of France Flanders and England Ireland was all in armes the occasion was as followeth Dermot Mac Moragh King of Leinster was a long time enamoured with the wife of Ororike King of Meth some call him Morice some other Mordich she was the daughter of Omalarghlun whom nature had made faire the world a Queene and lust a Harlot the booke of Howth reporteth at large how Ororic was old his Queene young and wanton and that in derision when he came from hunting and being an hungred she gave Apples to eate which had beene in some undecent place of her body to be spoken of so that the scent of them was strong whereat she smiled her Lord and husband having secretly learned her lewd practise tooke with him the day following two of her foster brothers a hunting gelded them baked their stones brought the Pie hot to his Lady and her Gentlewomen when hee had commended the rarenesse of the meat the fond wantons and giglets fell to it when they had satisfied themselves saith Ororic how like you this Pye excellent good meat say they it is saith hee the meat which you love raw and rosted what
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 live
Conquest 300. Horses 400. Oxen and for performance of all services gave him 14. pledges when they were presented the King made choice of 30. principall Horses gave backe all the rest confessing himselfe greatly pleasured at his hands Anno 1172. upon Saint Lukes day the 18. of October Henry the 2. the 17. yeere of his raigne the 41. of his age entred the Haven of Waterford so writeth Cambrensis that lived then and being landed to the harty joy of the English and fained welcome of the Irishmen had by them of Wexford formerly spoken of Robert Fitz Stephens in irons presented before him whom the Wexfordians herein I commend Stanihursts indifferent dealing rather of malice cankard spight then for just cause did charge with many hainous crimes The King advisedly to pacifie the rage of furious people for for the present time committed him to prison whence shortly after he was with honour and credit discharged and advanced to his great preferment After that the King had a little rested himselfe and the messengers scattered themselves with newes over the land the Princes were amazed they knew the Kings greatnesse was such if faire meanes would not force should constraine them and therefore in policie resolved themselves to yeeld allegiance homage and fealtie Whereupon Dermot Mac Carty Prince of Corke began became tributarie sware faith truth and loyaltie to the King of England And the King thereupon gave the kingdome of Corke to Robert Fitz Stephens and Miles Cogan as hereafter more at large shall appeare From Waterford the King raised his army and marched towards Lismore where he tarryed two daies and from thence he marched to Cashill not farre from the Shure and thither came to him Donald O Bren Prince of Limric who submitted himselfe became tributarie and swore fealty whereupon the King as hee had formerly done with Corke appointed a Governour for Limric then also came in Donall Prince of Ossorie and Omelaghlen Ophelin Lord of the Decies with all the chieftaines of Mounster submitting themselves as others had formerly done surrendring unto the Kings hands their territories and holding them againe at his pleasure Thence the King returned to Waterford left there his houshold and Robert Fitz Barnard governour of the towne and marched with his army towards Dublin In his iourney there came unto him of the chiefest commanders of the land Omathelan Machelan Ophelan O Mac Chelweie Gille Mac Holemoc O tuell helly Ocathdhessy O Caraell of Vriell and Roric the sonne of Monoculus of Meth. But Roderic the Monarch came no neerer then the Shanon where Hugh de lacy and William Fitz Aldelme by the Kings command met him and hee desiring peace submitted himselfe swore allegiance became tributarie and did put in as all others had done hostages and pledges for the performance of the same Thus was all Ireland saving Vlster brought in subjection and every Prince of the other parties in his owne person saving Roderic King of Connaght submitted himselfe but he subtilly alledged that he submitted Connaght but not the command of all Ireland the which he reserved for the Monarch and his successors but of this hereafter if God permit Christmas drew on which the King kept at Dublin where hee feasted all the Princes of the land and gave them rich and beautifull gifts they repaired thither out of all parts of the land and wonderfull it was to the rude people to behold the Majestie of so puissant a Prince the pastime the sport and the mirth and the continuall musicke the masking mumming and strange shewes the gold the silver and plate the precious ornaments the dainty dishes furnished with all sorts of fish and flesh the wines the spices the delicate and sumptuous banquets the orderly service the comely march and seemly array of all officers the Gentlemen the Esquires the Knights and Lords in their rich attire such as rugged Mantles and Irish Troosses were never acquainted withall the running at Tilte in compleat harnesse with barb'd horses where the staves shivered and flew in splinters safer to sit then upon an Irish Pillion that playeth crosse and pile with the rider the plaine honest people admired and no mervaile but now to more serious matters Henry 2. having thus conquered Ireland with the envy of the French and forraigne Princes without one drop of sweat without drawing of sword or shedding of one drop of English bloud as it became his Princely calling turned himselfe to reforme the state Ecclesiasticall and the misdemeanours of holy Church whereof Cambrensis writeth In the yeere of Christs incarnation 1172. and in the first yeere when Henry the most Noble King conquered Ireland Christianus Bishop of Lismore and Legate of the Apostolike See Donatus Archbishop of Cashill Laureance Archbishop of Dublin and Catholiâ—us Archbishop of Tuemond with their Suffragans and fellow Bishops Abbots Priors Deanes and Archdeacons and many other Prelates of the Church of Ireland by the commandment of the King did assemble themselves and kept a Synod at Cashill and there debating many things concerning the wealth estate and reformation of the Church of Ireland did provide remedies for the same At this Councell in behalfe of the King whom he had sent thither there were Raffe Abbot of Buldeway Raffe Archdeacon of Landaffe Nicholas the Kings Chaplaine with divers other Clerkes sundry good statutes and wholesome lawes were there devised which were after subscribed and confirmed by the King himselfe and under his authority which were these that follow First it is decreed that all good and faithfull Christian people throughout Ireland shall refraine and forbeare to marry with their neere kins folkes and cousins and match with such as lawfully they might doe Secondly that children shall be catechized without the Church door and baptized in the Font appointed in the Church for the same purpose Thirdly that every Christian doe truely and faithfully pay yeerely the tithes of his Cattell Corne and all other his increase and profits to the Church or Parish where he is a parishioner Fourthly that all the Church lands and possessions throughout all Ireland shall be free from all secular exactions and impositions and especially that no Lords Earles or Noble men nor their children nor family shall extort or take any cony and livery cosheries or cuddies or any other like custome from thence forth in or upon any of the Church land and territories and likewise that neither they nor any other person doe thenceforth exact out of the said Church lands old wicked and detestable customes of cony and livery the which they were wont to extort upon such townes and villages of the Churches as were neere and next bordering upon them Fiftly when carik or composition is made among the laye people for any murther that no person of the Clergie though he be a kinne to any of the parties shall contribute any thing thereunto but as they bee guiltlesse of the murther so shall they be free from paying of money for any such release for
with issue out of the bushes and ditches and effect his traiterous devices The night before the parly Griffith the nephew of Robert and Morice being the sonne of William the elder brother dreamed in his sleepe that he saw a great heard of wild hogges rush upon Hugh Delacy and his uncle Maurice and that one of them being more furious and raging then the rest had rent them with his tuskes and tore them in pieces if he had not with his force rescued them and killed the Bore this dreame troubled him exceedingly wherewith he acquainted his company and made him and the rest be the more upon their keeping to prevent treachery The houre of parlee came they met and confered together Griffith not forgetting his dreame made choice of seven tall men of his owne kindred in whom he reposed great trust and confidence well mounted with swords sparthes and sheilds raunged the fields as nigh the Hill as they might and made sundry Carreers and brave Turnaments under pretence of recreation and pleasant pastime yet alwaies casting an eye to the Hill to see the end of this parlee Hughe Delacy and Ororic being somewhat long together Ororic to worke his treason stept aside faining to make water upon the signe he gave his men brought him his horse and sparth the which he taking upon his shoulder ment therewith to have cloven Hughe Delacy his head if the interpreter had not stept betweene whose arme was cleane cut off and himselfe wounded to the death Maurice Fitz Girald and Griffith his nephew rush in the traitours of the one side the true men of the other are together by the eares when Ororic the traitor tooke horse to runne away Griffith with his launce runne him through and killed him and his horse and three of his men cut off his head and sent it to the King of England this was the end of Orirics treason and the effect of Griffiths dreame Immediatly upon this Earle Richard being formerly upon reconciliation made with the King appointed Seneschall of Ireland is now sent out of Normandy by especially commission from the King with Reimondle grosse his brother in Law in joint commission to governe the whole land to be his Lieutenant in Ireland where he found the Irish saith Cambrensis constant in inconstancy firme in wavering and faithfull in untruthes he found emulation betweene Hervy and Reimond and the Army in a mutiny for lacke of pay at Herveies hands whereupon he made Reimond Lievetenant of the forces Reimond immediatly mustred his men drew them forth to the Decies among the Rebels where they preyed and spoiled Secondly they marched to Lismore where they did the like Lastly along the Sea cost they goe with their booties preyes and rich pillage towards Waterford and finding at Dunganan some thirteene botes out of Waterford and other places they lade them with their preys intending by water to saile for Waterford while they waited for wind Corke men envyed their successe prepared 32. Barks manned and furnished them out out of their Towne to overthrow Reimond and the English men and to recover the preyes they met they fought cruelly Corke men are overthrowne and their Captain Gilbert Mac Turger was slaine by a valiant Knight Philip Welsh and finally Adam Herford with all his charge safely arrived in Waterford Reimond was not at this skirmish but by the way he met with Dermot Mac Corty Prince of Desmond who with great power was come to the aid of the men of Corke They likewise skrimished and fell to a cruell fight where Dermot forsooke the field with small credit and Reimond went to Waterford with foure thousand head of cattell Immediatly upon this newes came out of England unto Reimond that William Fitz Girald his father was departed this life whereupon he sailed to Wales and Hervey De monte Marisco was appointed by the Earle Lieutenant of the forces This Hervey to advance his credit purposed to worke some exploits and drew out of Dublin the Earle to Cashil there also after consultation by mandat from the Earle he appointed the Souldiers that were at Dublin to meet him When they came as farre as Ossorie Donald Prince of Limirik having by his espials before hand intelligence thereof stole upon them in the morning slue of them foure Knights whereof O Grame an Irish man was one and foure hundred souldiers with this the Earle was discouraged and went to Waterford the Irish gathered heart and determined to roote out al the Englishmen So that Roderic Prince of Conoght tooke this opportunity passed the Shannan and wasted all to the walles of Dublin The Earle being in this perplexity wrote unto Reimond that was in Wales As soone as you have read those our letters make all the haste you can to come away and bring with you all the helpe and force you can make and then according to your own will and desire you shall assuredly enjoy that which you long looked for Immediatly he prepared himselfe together with his cousin Meilerius shipped 30. young Gentlemen of his own kindred 100. horsemen with 300. archers foot of the best chosen men of all Wales and in 20. Barkes arrived in Waterford It was at such time as the Waterford men had determined to kill every English man within the walles but when they saw the Barkes come in with flags and banners displaid they were astonied and staid their course Reimond entreth the towne of Wexford setteth all in order taketh the Earle with him and all their forces and went to Wexford hee had left behinde him one Purcell his Lievetenant to guard the town whom the Waterfordians slue and put to the sword of English birth man woman and childe but such as had fled to Reynolds towre plagued them sore afterwards drove them to intreate for peace the which they obtained with hard conditions And saith the booke of Houth the Waterfordians were ever after the lesse beleeved For all the troubles in England and Normandie and these treasons and rebellions in Ireland the King was not unmindefull to quiet the people and to establish himselfe and his heires in the kingdome first he sent Embassadors to Rome to cleere himselfe of the death of Thomas of Canterbury secondly he sent messengers thither concerning the state of Ireland whereunto Alexander the third answered as followeth Alexander the Bishop the servant of the servants of God to his dearely beloved sonne the Noble King of England greeting grace and Apostolike benediction Forasmuch as things given and granted upon good reason by our predecessors are to be well allowed of ratified and confirmed wee well considering and pondering the graunt and priviledge for and concerning the dominion of the land of Ireland to us appertaining and lately given by Adrian our predecessor we following his steps doe in like manner confirme ratifie and allow the same reserving and saving to Saint Peter and to the Church of Rome the yeerely pension of one penny out of every house
are manie we are but few in comparison of their number afore we give battaile there are 3. things as I take it requisite to be considered the cause wherefore we fight the number of both sides that they be somewhat equally matched and the place where both joyne battaile together I would not have any of my speeches drawn to discourage or dismay any valiāt mind To the first our parentage is knowne we are no base people our valour is tryed our enemy hath the proofe thereof we come not to steale but to be revenged of the theeves that murthered our men robbed us of our necessary provision Secondly where we find our company small and our side weake and the ground not fitting us for any advantage where force cannot further let policie take place my advice is that a begger or a Frier shall goe from us to the Irish campe and informe them that Sir Hugh Delacy came yesternight with a great force to Drogheda and that he saw two miles off a great army of horse and foot somewhat westerly of him which he supposeth to bee the English Army that marched all night from Tradaf towards Dundalke in the meane while my sonne Nico with twenty choice horsemen together with our lackies and horseboies for the greater shew upon our hackneis and garrans shall wheele Westwards on the right hand that it may concurre with the Fryers tale and give us a signe what we shall doe and we will march after to see the event when the enemy hath discried us we shall perceive by his stirring what he meanes to doe if they turne face to us and offer fight our foot shall recouer Dondalke afore theirs and with our horses wee will so handle the matter that we shall sustaine no great losse if they fly and take the river the sea comes in we shall overtake them afore halfe passe over All were well pleased with his device and followed the direction Nico. Saint Laurence with his company wheeles before Sir Iohn de Courcy a loofe followeth after Sir Roger Poer takes the rereward the enemy having discried them takes the river Sir Nico. gave the signe whereupon the English Army give a great shout and followeth their heeles the Irish breake their araie they tumble one upon another in the water the cariage drowns some the sea and the swiftnesse of the tyde take others away such as would not venter the water were slaine by the English Othanlan and his company that had passed the water seeing the slaughter of his men could not come to the rescues by reason of the salt water the Englishmen having quitted that place were directed by the Fryer to a foord on the left hand where they passed over and pursued the rest The Horsemen overtooke the Foot of the Irish and skirmished with them untill Sir Iohn de Courcy came by that time the sea likewise had stopped the Irish from flying at a great water a mile from the Lurgan on the Southside of Dundalk The Irish seeing themselves in this strait turne their faces choose rather to dye with the sword like men then to be drowned in the seas like beasts There were in that place some 6000. Irish and about 1000. English there was no advantage of ground it booted not to fly on any side the coward must in that case try himselfe a man the fight was sore no mercy but dead blowes The foot of the English drew backe Sir Iohn de Courcy their leader was left in the midst of his enemies with a twohanded sword washing and lashing on both sides like a Lion among sheepe saith my Author Nicolas posteth to his father Amoric that was in chase of ths scattred horsemen of the Irish and cried alas father mine uncle Sir Iohn is left alone in the midst of his enemies and the foot have forsaken him with that Sir Amoric lighted killed his horse and said here my sonne take charge of these horsemen and I will lead on the foot company to the rescue of my brother Courcy come on fellow souldiers saith he let us live and dye together He gave the on-set upon the foot of the Irish rescued Sir Iohn Courcy that was sore wounded and with cruell fight in manner out of breath with the sight of him the souldiers take hart and drive the Irish to retreit the slaughter on both sides was great few of the Irish and fewer of the English were left alive The Irish got them to the Fewes and the English to Dundalke but who got the best there is no boast made Not long after Sir Iohn de Courcy went into England where the King in regard of his good service made him Lord of Conoght and Earle of Vlster upon his returne saith Stanihurst which was in the Canicular daies he fought at the Bridge of Ivora a cruell battaile and prostrated his enemies with great honour and for that I find litle written thereof I thought good thus lightly to passe it over as others before me have done After this he builded many Castles in Vlster made bridges mended high wayes repaired Churches and governed the Country in great peace untill the dayes of King Iohn where I shall have further cause to discourse of him Amids these tumults in the North Miles Cogan bestirred himselfe in the West he passed the Shannon into Conoght with 540. men where saith mine Author never Englishman entred before whereupon the Conoght men drove before them all their cattle into the fastnesses carried with thē as much as they could fired the rest with their Townes Villages Houses and Cottages Milo marched as far as Tuam where he rested 8. dayes and finding man and beast fled and the Country barren of victualls he returned towards the Shannon and by the way met with Roderic the Monarch which lay in ambush with three Companies waiting his comming At their meeting they skirmished a long while and fought a cruell fight where the enemy lost many and Milo but three men then hee passed the river and came safely to Dublin Anno William Fitz Adelme the Kings Lievtenant is called into England Hee was a man that did no honour to the King neither good to the Country whom every good man in his life time detested and all Irish Chronicles after his death have defamed In his roome the King appointed Hugh Delacy Deputy of Ireland and joyned in Commission with him Robert Poer Seneschal of Wexford and Waterford Not long after the King sent into Ireland Miles Cogan and Robert Fitz Stephens with others and gave them in regard of their service all South Mounster to with the Kingdome of Corke in Fee for ever to be equally divided betweene them except the City of Corke and one Cantred thereunto adjoyning also he gave unto Philippe de Bruse all North Mounster to wit the Kingdome of Lymerick After they had pacified Dermot Mac Carty Prince of Desmond quieted the Country and divided their territories they conducted Philippe de Bruse to Lymerick to
take possession of the Kings graunt given him in those parts As they came to the walles of Lymerick the Citizens of spight in sight of them all to the end that no Englishman should roost there set the Town on fire Philippe de Bruse was therewithal discouraged and his Company in so much that when Robert Fitz Stephens and Miles Cogan offred to adventure their lives in the recovery of the Kingdome of Lymerik with all their aide and assistance he refused it and returned with them to Corke esteeming it farre better to lose Lymric and with safetie to dwell among his lovers and friends then to lose life and kingdome by dwelling among such Iewes as will fire their owne houses and cut all English throats In a while after Miles Cogan and Raffe the sonne of Robert Fitz Stephens who had lately married Miles daughter went towards Lismore to parlee with Waterford men and determined that night to lodge with one Mac Tyrid who had solemnly invited them As they waited in the field expecting the comming of the Waterfordians this Mac Tyrid unawares stealing upon them most traiterously slue them and five of their company whereupon the whole country was in uproare insomuch that Dermot Mac Carty and all the Irish in those parts together with Mac Tyrid that most perfidious traitor were in armes determining thenceforth to be no longer the Kings loyall subjects when they had gathered their forces together they laid siege to Corke meaning to cut off Robert Fitz Stephens and all the English men there Robert Fitz Stephens being distressed in Corke fearing the open enemy without and mistrusting the secret enemy within sent post to Wexford to his nephew Reimond le Grosse praying him to come to his aide Reimund forthwith with twenty knights and one hundred foot and bowmen entred the Lee landed at Corke encountred with the enemies killed some drove other to flye and compelled the rest to submit themselves and sue for peace When the King understood of this he sent Richard Cogan brother unto Miles to supply his brothers roome in the kingdome of Corke a man no way inferiour to his brother for valour and martiall prowesse in his companie came Philip Barry and Girald Barry his brother otherwise called Silvester Giraldus Cambrensis the famous learned man nephewes of Robert Fitz Stephens with a jolly troupe of horse and foot chosen and picked men Robert Fitz Stephens and Richard Cogan enjoyed this kingdome of Corke peaceably for certaine yeeres and in processe of time for want of heires male of them it came to two daughters the one of them was married to Robert de Carew the other to Patricke de Courcy and they in right of their wives enjoyed the same during their lives and after them their heires untill such time as by a division growne as I take it in England betweene the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster the Irish men expelled them and recovered the country unto themselues Anno 1178. The Monasterie Beatae Mariae Roseae vallis called Rosglâ—s was founded Yet others thinke it was in Anno 1189. I may not forget Harvey de monte Marisco of whom often mention is made before who after many spitefull parts treacheries and false accusations exhibited by him unto the King against most noble servitors became a Monke the man was sore troubled in conscience and in his course he made the common saying true desperatio facit Monachum Hee had founded saith Felcon the Monastery of our blessed Lady de Portu Donbrodthi he gaue unto the Monasterie Saint Trinitatis of Canterbury his territories advousons along the sea coast between Waterford and Wexford and there cloystred himselfe I would saith Cambrensis he had changed his conditions with his habit The same yeere saith Holinshed there came from Pope Alexander 3. into England two Cardinals Alberto desuma and Petro de sancta Agatha whose commission was to summon the Bishops of England Ireland Scotland with the Isles and Normandie to the generall Councell of Lateran in Rome after they had obtained licence to passe through his dominions the King swore them upon the holy Evangelist that in their Legateship they should not attempt any thing that might be hurtfull to the King or his dominions and that upon their returne they should visite him homewards whereupon out of Ireland there went thither Laurence Archbishop of Dublin and Catholicus Archbishop of Tuam with some other five or sixe Irish Bishops whom the King likewise swore that they should not procure any damage to his Realmes and dominions The Realme of Ireland at this time was singular well governed by Hugh de Lacy a good man and a wise Magistrate who for the good of the land and the people established many good orders he made Bridges and builded Townes Castles and Forts throughout Leinster as Sir Iohn de Courcy did in Vlster in his time the Priest kept his Church the Souldier his Garrison and the Plow-man followed his Plough yet cankred envy quieted not her selfe practised mischiefe against him so that he was charged before the King to attempt the Crowne of Ireland and make himselfe absolute Lord of the land and that he had married the King of Connaghts daughter saith Holinshed contrary to the Kings pleasure The King immediately as Princes are jealous of great men called him into England appointed governours Iohn Constable and Richard Peche This Lacy behaved himselfe so discreetly and dutifully in England that he cleered himselfe of all suspition that the King was resolved of his truth and fidelity and sent him backe againe into Ireland with further credit then formerly he had done and that within three moneths and gave him the absolute command and Lievetenantship of the land and joyned as assistant unto him Robert Salisbury calling home the former governours It was not long but he was upon malitious occasion the second time sent for into England and one Philip of Worcester Cambrensis is mine Author a valiant souldier a bountifull and a liberall man with a most brave troupe of horse and foot arrived in Ireland with command to send over Hugh de Lacy and he to remaine there as Governour of the land until Iohn his sonne came over Stanihurst is of opinion that he went over into England and cleering himselfe speedily returned againe which cannot well stand with the course of the history for when Philip of Worcester tooke upon him the governement Lacy hastened the building and finishing of the Castle of Derwath whereof my penne immediately shall make report and there ended his dayes And now to Philip of Worcester and his companion Hugh Tirell Cambrensis and Stanihurst especially write most bitter of them of Philip how that first of all he resumed and seized unto the Kings use the lands of Ocathesie and divers other parcels which Hugh de Lacy had sold away and these he appointed to serve for the Kings provision and the Governours diet And after the winter was past he assembled and mustred his
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
French King with forraigne powers intending an open invasion was driven to prevent further mischiefe as I finde in Polychronicon to surrender his Crowne from his head and to subject his Kingdomes of England and Ireland tributarie to the See of Rome and as his client vassall and feodarie to that See to hold them of Innocentius the Bishop againe England being interdicted and Ireland likewise were after released upon agreement composition and Charter and homage as in the Chronicle of England more at large appeareth The death of King Iohn and the manner of it I referre to the English Chronicles After his decease Henry the third his eldest sonne aged about nine yeeres began his raigne Anno 1216. Anno 1220. and the fourth yeere of Henry the third so writeth Clyn Dowling and Grace together with the English Antiquities in their Irish collections all Meth was wonderfully afflicted and wasted by reason of the priuate quarrels and civill warres betweene William Earle Marshall Earle of Penbroke c. and Sir Hugh de Lacy Earle of Vlster and Lord of Connaght Trimme was besieged and brought to a lamentable plight and when the rage and furie of those garboiles was somewhat mitigated and appeased after the shedding of much bloud the same yeere to prevent afterclaps and subsequent calamities the Castle of Trim was builded About this time certaine worthy persons of great fame and renowne to wit Henry Loudreds Roger Peppard and William Peppard Lords successively de saltu Salmonis and Meiler Fitz Henry one of the first Conquerours paid nature her due sinne her debt and ended their daies It appeareth in Stanihurst that the same yeere that Henry Loudreds died viz. 1220. the Castle of Dublin was builded I meane the walles foure square or quadrangle wise but the foure Turrets and the other afterwards Sir Henry Sidney is said to have builded the inner lodgings in whose eternall commendation I finde in the said Stanihurst these verses Gesta libri referunt multorum clara virorum Laudis in chartis stigmata fixa manent Verum Sidnaei laudes haec saxa loquuntur Nec jacet in solis gloria tanta libris Si libripereant homines remanere valebunt Si pereant homines ligna manere queant Lignaque si pereant non ergo saxa peribunt Saxaque si pereant tempore tempus erit Si pereat tempus minime consumitur aevum Quod cum principio sed sine fine manet Dum libri florent homines dum vivere possunt Dum quoque cum lignis saxa manere valent Dum remanet tempus dum denique remanet aevum Laus tua Sydnaei digna perire nequit Anno 1224 Abbatia de Albo tractu was founded By generall consent of Antiquaries after the death of Henry Loudres spoken of before Maurice Fitz Gerald was by Henry the third made Lord Iustice of Ireland and afterwards fell in the Kings displeasure and was removed but the yeeres they agree not upon wherein I finde great discord The English Chronicle of Ireland delivereth that hee was made Lord Iustice Anno 1228. Florilegus and Holinshed write that he was removed from his Iusticeship Anno 1245. and Iohn Fitz Ieffery substituted in his roome Mathew Paris writeth that hee was removed Anno 1248 but howsoever they have mistaken the yeeres or whether the fault of the Printer crept in it forceth not I am to deliver to the reader the truth of the history and the most worthy service of this Noble man with the yeeres and the time as neere as I can Anno 1229. in the raigne of Henry the third Maurice Fitz Girald being Lord Iustice Mathew Paris and Holinshed write the storie one Stephen Chapplen and Nuntio to Pope Gregory came to King Henry with the Popes Apostolike Mandates and procuration letters requiring of spirituall temporall throughout England Ireland and Wales the tenth of all their moveables to the maintenance of his warres against Fredericke the Emperour At the day and place appointed when the King and his Lords spirituall and temporall met together and the Nuntio had read his letters the King was silent reputed saith mine Author as consenting thereto the Earles and Barons saith Paris all the Laytie said flatly that they would give the Pope no tenths neither subject their Baronies and locall possessions to the Church of Rome the Clergie after three or foure dayes deliberation fearing the thunderbolts of excommunication with grudging and murmurs and many a bitter curse yeelded yet Ranulphus Earle of Chester alone stood stoutly in the cause and would not permit the Clergie of his country to become in bondage neither to contribute the said tenths though England Wales Scotland and Ireland were compelled to pay Ireland sent likewise after their money Irish curses for they were driven at the worst hand to sell unto the mercilesse Merchants their Cowes Hackneyes Caddoes and Aqua vitae to make present payment and were driven in that extremitie to pawne and sell their Cups Chalices Copes Altar-clothes and vestments Anno 1230 as I finde recorded in the booke of Houth Hubertus de Burgo was Lord Iustice of Ireland as I gather in the absence of Maurice Fitz Girald to whom the King gave the land ..... and Connaught and made him Earle of Connaught and shortly after ob probitatem fidelititem ex imiam so I reade in Ypodigma Neustria being called into England for his uprightnesse and singular fidelity was made governour of the King Lord Iustice of England and Earle of Kent by the consent of all the Peeres of the Realme afterwards as the course of this world wheeles about hee fell into the Kings displeasure so that he called him old traytor and in his rage would have runne him thorow with his sword had not the Earle of Chester and others runne betweene for that saith Stow hee had taken five thousand markes of the Queene of France to hinder his purpose to avoyd the Kings displeasure this Hubert fled to the Chappell of Brandwood in Essex where he was taken and by commandement of the King sent to the Tower of London all his friends forsooke him none answered for him but the Archbishop of Dublin wherein we may behold as in a Glasse the disposition of feyned friends in former ages who in the Spring of a mans felicity like Swallowes will flye about him but when the winter of adversitie nippeth like Snailes they keepe within their shels at length this Hubert was somewhat reconciled to the Kings favour that he was inlarged yet banished the Court lastly he ended his miseries at his Mannor house of Bansted in Surry and was buried at the Church of the Fryers Preachers at London which was then in Holborne unto the which Church he gave his noble Palace at Westminster the which afterwards Walter Grey the Archbishop of Yorke bought of them and made it his Inne since commonly called Yorke House but now White-Hall So farre Stow Holinshed and others The yeere aforesaid I finde one Ieffery
sister or demaund ward then the inheritance should seeme to be divided so that the eldest sister should seeme to be segnioresse and tennant of inheritance simul semel that is to say heire of her owne part and segnioresse to her sisters which could not stand well together in this case for the eldest can demaund no more then her sisters but the chiefe mease by reason of her auncienty Moreover if the eldest sister should take homage of the yonger she should be as a segnioresse to them all and should have the ward of them and their heires which should be none other but but to cast the Lambe to the Wolfe to be devoured And therefore wee command you that you cause the aforesaid customes that bee used within our Realme of England in this case to bee proclaimed throughout our dominions of Ireland and to be straightly kept and observed in testimony whereof c. I witnesse my selfe at Westminster the ninth of February the thirteeneth yeere of our Raigne Anno 1233. or as some will have it 1234. the 7. of Aprill there appeared as it were foure Sunnes besides the naturall Sunne of a red colour and a great Circle of Christall colour from the sides whereof went out halfe Circles in the divisions whereof the foure Sunnes went forth There followed that yeere great warre and cruell bloodshed general great disturbance throughout England Wales and Ireland so write Matthew Paris and Stow. This troublesome yeere died Gualter Lacy Lord of Meath leaving behind him two daughters coheires to inherit his possession to wit Margret that was maried to the Lord Theobald Verdon and Mathilda married to Ieffray Genevile Amids these troubles in the flourishing daies of Maurice Fitz Gerald Hubert de Burgo Ieffray de Morisco and Gualter de Lacy whose ends followed according The Noble Earle Richard Maxfield Lord Maxfield Earle Marshall of England spoken of before and being by them maligned was traitorously cut off by sundry devilish draughts Matthew Paris wrot the Story at large laid downe their practise on both the sides of the seas their forged letters and secretly as it were by stealth fixing thereto the Kings seale Hee calleth them traitors Iudasses and Ieffery de Morisco he termeth Achitophell that gave wicked counsell Hubert had a lamentable end Ieffery dyed in misery Lacy was shortly cut off and Maurice Fitz Girald was with dishonour removed from his Iusticeship This Maurice of the King desired to bee reconciled to Gilbert Marshall his brother whom he greatly feared and offered in satisfaction to build with all speed a noble Monastery and to endow the same with large possessions and to furnish it with a reverent covent to pray for the soule of Richard Marshall at length with much adoe and importunate intreaty of the King and Nobility of England Gilbert Marshall granted him peace but of Earle Richards end I have spoken somewhat before About the yeere 1233. or 34. Hugh Mapleton Bishop of Ossorie whose Episcopall see was then at Achboo in upper Ossorie began the foundation of the Cathedrall Church now standing in the Irish towne of Kilkenny in the honour of God and Saint Canicus of whom the towne of Kilkenny hath the name and is reckoned the first founder Hee ordained three Canons for the service hee gave them divers Churches and tithes for their maintenance as in the foundation of those Chanons more at large doth appeare He builded the Bishops Court of Aghor adding thereto fish-ponds fishings and other necessaries Such good men lived in those dayes At the same time came the King of Connaught exhibiting a grievous complaint unto Henry the third saith Mathew Paris against Iohn de Burgo the sonne as I suppose of Hubert de Burgo before spoken of that he had entred his country with forces and wasted the same with fire and sword that it would please his Majestie to doe him justice and command such rash attempts to be bridled alledging that he was his loyall subject and paid for his kingdome an annuall pension mounting to the summe of 5000 marks ever since King Iohn had subdued his kingdome and that he would rid him of that base upstart or new commer which sought unjustly to disherit him The King tendred his reasonable requests and commanded Maurice Fitz Girald then present to plucke up by the roote the fruitlesse Plant the which Hubert Earle of Kent had sometime planted in those parts while he was in Ruffe that it might budde no more Hee wrote also unto the Nobilitie of Ireland that they should banish the said Iohn de Burgo and peaceably establish the King in his kingdome who with these princely favours joyfully returned into his country Anno 1235. saith Cooper the Irish men rebelled so hee left it and so I leave it too Anno 1236. Mathew Paris doth write that in the North parts not farre from the Abbey of Rochor Rupie and also in Ireland and the parts there abouts more apparantly strange and wonderfull sights were seene which amazed the beholders to wit there appeared comming forth of the earth companies of armed men on horseback with Speare Shield Sword and banners displaid in sundry formes and shapes riding in battaile array and encountring together and this sight appeared sundry dayes each after other sometimes they seemed to joyne as it had beene in battaile and fought sore and sometimes they seemed to just and breake staves as if it had beene at some triumphant justs of torny The people of the country beheld them a farre off with great wonder for the skirmish shewed it selfe so lively that now and then they might see them come with their empty horses sore wounded and hurt and likewise men mangled and bleeding A pittifull fight to behold and that which seemed more strange and most to be mervailed at after they vanished away the prints of their feet appeared in the ground and the grasse trodden in those places where they had beene seene Anno 1240. Petrus de Supino came from Pope Gregory into Ireland with an authenticke papall mandate requiring under paine of Excommunication and other censures ecclesiasticall the twentieth part part of the whole land besides donatives and private gratuities to the maintenance of his warres against Fredericke the Emperour where he extorted saith Mathew Paris a thousand and five hundred markes and above saith Florilegus at which time also one Petrus Pubeus intitled the Popes Familiar and kinsman and both bastards saith Bale filled in like sort his fardles in Scotland These Nuntioes were so crafty that they needed no Brokers they secretly understood by Posts and Cursitors the state of the Court of Rome which quailed them full sore that the Pope was either gone or panted for life secretly by the conduct of the Monkes of Canterbury they were conveyed to Dover where they tooke shipping and crossed the seas The Emperour Fredericke against whom this provision was made having intelligence thereof and secretly acquainted with the Popes state wrote to the King of England
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 much
they are surely most just and most agreeable both with the government and with the nature of the people How falls it then that you seeme to dislike of them as not so meete for that Realme of Ireland and not onely the Common Law but also the Statutes and Actes of Parliament which were specially provided and intended for the onlie benefit thereof Iren. I was about to have told you my reason therein but that your selfe drewe me away with other questions for I was shewing you by what meanes and by what sort the Positive Lawes were first brought in and established by the Norman Conquerour which were not by him devised nor applyed unto the state of the Realme then being nor as yet might best be as should by Lawgivers principally be regarded but were indeed the very Lawes of his owne Countrey of Normandie The condition whereof how farre it differeth from this of England is apparant to every least judgement But to transferre the same lawes for the governing of the Realme of Ireland was much more inconvenient and unmeete for he found a better advantage of the time then was in the planting of them in Ireland and followed th' execution of them with more severity and was also present in person to overlooke the Magistrates and to over awe these subjects with the terrour of his Sword and countenance of his Majesty But not so in Ireland for they were otherwise affected and yet doe so remaine so as the same Lawes me seemes can ill fit with their disposition or worke that reformation that is wished For Lawes ought to be fashioned unto the manners conditions of the people to whom they are meant and not to be imposed upon them according to the simple rule of right for then as I said in stead of good they may worke ill and pervert Iustice to extreame injustice For hee that transferres the Lawes of the Lacedemonians to the people of Athens should finde a great absurditie and inconvenience For those Lawes of Lacedemon were devised by Licurgus as most proper and best agreeing with that people whom hee knew to be enclined altogether to warres and therefore wholly trained them up even from their Cradles in armes and military exercises cleane contrary to the institution of Solon who in his Lawes to the Athenians laboured by all meanes to temper their warlike courages with sweet delightes of learning and sciences so that asmuch as the one excelled in armes the other exceeded in knowledge The like regard moderation ought to be had in tempering and managing of this stubborne nation of the Irish to bring them from their delight of licentious barbarisme unto the love of goodnes and civilitie Eudox. I cannot see how that may better bee then by the Discipline of the Lawes of England for the English were at first as stoute and warlike a people as ever the Irish and yet you see are now brought unto that civillity that no nation in the world excelleth them in all goodly conversation and all the studies of knowledge and humanitie Iren. What they now be both you and I see very well but by how many thornie and hard wayes they are come thereunto by how many civill broiles by how many tumultuous rebellions that even hazzarded oftentimes the whole safety of the kingdome may easily be considered all which they neverthelesse fairely overcame by reason of the continuall presence of their King whose onely person is oftentimes in stead of an Army to containe the unrulie people from a thousand evill occasions which this wretched kingdome for want thereof is dayly carried into The which whensoever they make head no lawes no penalties can restraine but that they doe in the violence of that furie tread downe and trample under foote all both divine and humane things and the lawes themselues they doe specially rage at and rend in peeces as most repugnant to their libertie and naturall freedome which in their madnes they affect Eudox. It is then a very unseasonable time to plead law when Swords are in the hands of the vulgar or to thinke to retaine them with feare of punishments when they looke after liberty and shake off all governement Iren. Then so it is with Ireland continually Eudoxus for the sword was never yet out of their hand but when they are weary of warres and brought downe to extreame wretchednesse then they creepe a little perhaps and sue for grace till they have gotten new breath and recovered their strength againe So as it is in vaine to speake of planting lawes and plotting pollicie till they be altogether subdued Eudox. Were they not so at the first conquering of them by Strongbowe in the time of King Henry the second was there not a thorough way then made by the sword for the imposing of the lawes upon them and were they not then executed with such a mightie hand as you said was used by the Norman Conquerour What oddes is there then in this case why should not the same lawes take as good effect in that people as they did here being in like sort prepared by the sword and brought under by extreamity and why should they not continue in as good force and vigour for the containing of the people Iren. The case yet is not like but there appeareth great oddes betweene them for by the conquest of Henry the second true it is that the Irish were utterly vanquished and subdued so as no enemy was able to hold up head against his power in which their weakenes hee brought in his lawes and settled them as now they there remaine Like as William the Conquerour did so as in thus much they agree but in the rest that is the cheifest they varie for to whom did King Henry the second impose those lawes not to the Irish for the most part of them fled from his power into deserts and mountaines leaving the wyde countrey to the Conquerour who in their stead eftsoones placed English men who possessed all their lands and did quite shut out the Irish or the most part of them And to those new inhabitants and Colonies he gave his lawes to wit the same lawes under which they were borne and bred the which it was no difficultie to place amongst them being formerly well inured thereunto unto whom afterwards they repaired diverse of the poore distressed people of the Irish for succour and reliefe of whom such as they thought fit for labour and industriously disposed as the most part of their baser sort are they received unto them as their vassalls but scarcely vouchsafed to impart unto them the benefit of those lawes under which themselves lived but every one made his will and commandement a law unto his owne vassall Thus was not the Law of England ever properly applyed unto the Irish Nation as by a purposed plot of government but as they could insinuate and steale themselves under the same by their humble carriage and submission Eudox. How comes it then to passe that
having beene once so low brought and thoroughly subjected they afterwards lifted up themselves so strongly againe and sithence doe stand so stiffely against all rule and government Iren. They say that they continued in that lowlinesse untill the time that the division between the two houses of Lancaster and Yorke arose for the Crowne of England at which time all the great English Lords and Gentlemen which had great possessions in Ireland repaired over hither into England some to succour their Friends here and to strengthen their partie for to obtaine the Crowne others to defend their lands and possessions here against such as hovered after the same upon hope of the alteration of the kingdome and successe of that side which they favoured and affected Then the Irish whom before they had banished into the mountaines where they lived onely upon whitt meates as it is recorded seeing now their lands so dispeopled and weakened came downe into all the plaines adjoyning and thence expelling those few English that remained repossessed them againe since which they have remained in them and growing greater have brought under them many of the English which were before their Lords This was one of the occasions by which all those Countreyes which lying neere unto any Mountaines or Irish desarts had beene planted with English were shortly displanted and lost As namely in Mounster all the lands adjoyning unto Slewlogher Arlo and the bog of Allon In Connaght all the Countries bordering upon the Curlues Mointerolis and Orourkes Countrey In Leinster all the lands bordering unto the Mountaines of Glanmalour unto Shillelah unto the Brackenah and Polmonte In Vlster all the Countreyes neere unto Tirconnel Tyrone and the Scottes Eudox. Surely this was a great violence but yet by your speach it seemeth that onely the Countreyes and valleyes neere adjoyning unto those mountaines and desarts were thus recovered by the Irish but how comes it now that we see almost all that Realme repossessed of them was there any more such evill occasions growing by the troubles of England Or did the Irish out of those places so by them gotten breake further and stretch themselves out thorough the whole land for now for ought that I can understand there is no part but the bare English Pale in which the Irish have not the greatest footing Iren. But out of these small beginings by them gotten neare to the mountaines did they spread themselves into the Inland and also to their further advantage there did other like unhappy accidents happen out of England which gave heart and good opportunity to them to regaine their old possessions For in the raigne of King Edward the fourth things remained yet in the same state that they were after the late breaking out of the Irish which I spake of and that noble Prince began to cast an Eye unto Ireland and to minde the reformation of things there runne amisse for he sent over his brother the worthy Duke of Clarence who having married the heire of the Earle of Vlster and by her having all the Earledome of Vlster and much in Meath and in Mounster very carefully went about the redressing of all those late evills and though he could not beate out the Irish againe by reason of his short continuance yet hee did shut them up within those narrow corners and glynnes under the mountaines foote in which they lurked and so kept them from breaking any further by building strong holdes upon every border and fortifying all passages Amongst the which hee repaired the Castle of Clare in Thomond of which Countrey he had the inheritance and of Mortimers lands adjoyning which is now by the Irish called Killaloe But the times of that good King growing also troublesome did lett the thorough reformation of all things And thereunto soone after was added another fatall mischeife which wrought a greater calamity then all the former For the said Duke of Clarence then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was by practise of evill persons about the King his brother called thence away and soone after by sinister meanes was cleane made away Presently after whose death all the North revolting did set up Oneale for their Captaine being before that of small power and regard and there arose in that part of Thomond one of the O-Briens called Murrogh en-Ranagh that is Morrice of the Ferne or wast wilde places who gathering unto him all the reliques of the discontented Irish eftsoones surprised the said Castle of Clare burnt and spoyled all the English there dwelling and in short space possessed all that countrey beyond the River of Shanan and neere adjoyning Whence shortly breaking forth like a suddaine tempest he over-ran all Mounster and Connaght breaking downe all the holds and fortresses of the English defacing and utterly subverting all corporate Townes that were not strongly walled for those he had no meanes nor Engines to overthrow neither indeed would hee stay at all about them but speedily ran forward counting his suddennesse his most advantage that he might overtake the English before they could fortifie or gather themselves together So in short space hee cleane wyped out many great Townes as first Inchequin then Killalow before called Clariford also Thurles Mourne Buttevant and many others whose names I cannot remember and of some of which there is now no memory nor signe remaining Vpon report whereof there flocked unto him all the scumme of the Irish out of all places that ere long he had a mighty Army and thence marched foorth into Leinster where he wrought great out-rages wasting all the Countrey where he went for it was his policie to leave no hold behinde him but to make all plaine and waste In the which he soone after created himselfe King and was called King of all Ireland which before him I doe not reade that any did so generally but onely Edward le Bruce Eudox. What was there ever any generall King of all Ireland I never heard it before but that it was alwayes whilst it was under the Irish divided into foure and sometimes into five kingdomes or dominions But this Edward le Bruce what was hee that could make himselfe King of all Ireland Iren. I would tell you in case you would not challenge me anon for forgetting the matter which I had in hand that is the inconvenience and unfitnesse which I supposed to be in the lawes of the Land Eudox. No surely I have no cause for neither is this impertinent thereunto for sithence you did set your course as I remember in your first part to treate of the evils which hindered the peace and good ordering of that Land amongst which that of the inconvenience in the lawes was the first which you had in hand this discourse of the over-running wasting of the Realme is very materiall thereunto for that it was the begining of al the other evils which sithence have afflicted that land opened a way unto the Irish to recover their possession to beat out the English which had
ac prosperis praelijs domuit eamque partem Britanniae quae Hiberniam aspicit copijs instruxit in spem magis quam ob formidinem Siquidem Hibernia medio inter Britanniam atque Hispaniam sita Gallico quoque mari opportuna valentissimam imperij partem magnis invicem usibus miscuerit Spatium ejus si Britanniae comparetur angustius nostri maris insulas superat Solum coelumque ingenia cultusque hominum haut multùm à Britannia differunt meliùs aditus portusque per commercia negotiatores cogniti Agricola expulsum seditione domesticâ unum ex regulis gentis exceperat ac specie amicitiae in occasionem retinebat Saepè ex eo audivi Legione unâ modicis auxilijs debellari obtinerÃque Hiberniam posse idque adversùs Britanniam profuturum si Romana ubique arma velut è conspectu libertas tolleretur Pag. 31. lin 4. Slanius in the end made himselfe Monarch The Irish stories have a continued succession of the Kings of Ireland from this Slanius untill the conquest by King Henry the second but very uncertaine especially untill the planting of Religion by S. Patrick at which time Loegarius or Lagirius was Monarch Pag. 33. lin 35. Ireland is by Diodorus Siculus and by Strabo called Britannia Iris is by Diodorus called a part of Brittaine but Ireland by neither of them Britannia Pag. 33. lin 38. King Arthur and before him Gurgunt Concerning King Arthur's conquest of Ireland see Geffry of Monmuth and Matthew of Westminster at the yeare 525. where he is said to have landed in Ireland with a great army and in a battle to have taken King Gilla-mury prisoner and forced the other Princes to subjection In our Annals it appeares that Moriertach the sonne of Erca was at that time King of Ireland of which name some reliques seeme to be in Gilla-Mury Gilla being but an addition used with many names as Gilla-Patrick c. But in the Country writers which I have seene I find not the least touch of this conquest Pag. 34. lin 23. amongst whom he distributed the land King Henry the 2. gave to Richard Strong-bow Earle of Striguil or Penbroke all Leinster excepting the citty of Dublin and the Cantreds adjoyning with the maritime townes and castles Vnto Robert fitz Stephen and Miles de Cogan he granted the Kingdome of Corke excepting the Citty of Corke and the Ostmans Cantred And unto Philip de Bruse the Kingdome of Limericke But in a confirmation of King Iohn to William de Bruse or Braos Nephew to this Philip wee finde that hee gave to him onely honorem de Limerick retentis in dominico nostro as the words of the Charter are civitate de Limerick donationibus episcopatuum abbatiarum retentis in manu nostrâ cantredo Ostmannorum S. insulâ Among other large graunts remembred by Hoveden which this King Henry gave to the first adventurers that of Meth to Sr Hugh de Lacy is of speciall note The grant was in these words HEnricus Dei gratiâ Rex Angliae Dux Normanniae Aquitaniae Comes Andegauiae Archiepiscopis Episcopis Abbatibus Comitibus Baronibus Iustitiarijs omnibus ministris fidelibus suis Francis Anglis Hiberniensibus totius terrae suae Salutem Sciatis me dedisse concessisse praesenti chartâ meâ confirmâsse Hugoni de Lacy pro servitio suo terram de Midiâ cum omnibus pertinentijs suis per servitium quinquaginta militum sibi haeredibus suis tenenduÌ„ habenduÌ„ à me haeredibus meis sicut Murchardus Hu-melathlin eam tenuit vel aliquis alius ante illum vel posteà Et de incremento illi dono omnia feoda quae praebuit vel quae praebebit circa Dâ—veliniam dum Balivus meus est ad faciendum mihi servitium apud civitatem meam Duveliniae Quare volo firmiter praecipio ut ipse Hugo haeredes sui post eum praedictam terram habeant teneant omnes libertates liberas consuetudines qu sibi habeo vel habere possum per praenominatum servitium à me haeredibus meis benè in pace liberè quietè honorificè in bosco plano in pratis pascuis in aquis moleÌ„dinis in vivarijs stagnis piscationibus venationibus in vijs semitis portubus maris in omnibus alijs locis alijs rebus ad eam pertinentibus cum omnibus libertatibus quas ibi habeo vel illi dare possum hâc meâ chartâ confirmare Test. comite Richardo filio Gilberti VVillielmo de Braosa c. Apud VVeisford But above all other graunts made by K. Henry the 2. that to his sonne Iohn is most memorable Deinde saith Hoveden venit rex Oxenford in generali concilio ibidem celebrato constituit Iohannem filium suum Regem in Hiberniâ concessione confirmatione Alexandri summi Pontificis By vertue of this graunt both in the life time of his father and in the raigne of his brother king Richard he was stiled in all his charters Dominus Hiberniae and directed them thus Ioannes Dominus Hiberniae comes Morton Archiepiscopis episcopis comitibus baronibus Iustitiarijs vicecomitibus constabularijs omnibus ballivis ministris suis totius Hiberniae salutem Thus we have it frequently although sometimes with a little variation in the Registers of Saint Mary Abbey and Thomascourt by Dublin How the Earle in Leinster and Lacy in Meth distributed their lands besides what they retained in their owne hands is delivered by Maurice Regan interpreter to Dermot Mac Murrough King of Leinster who wrote the Historie of those times in French verse The booke was translated into English by Sir George Carew Lo. President of Mounster afterwards earle of Totnes and communicated to me by our most reverend and excellently learned Primate There wee finde that the Earle gave to Reymond le Grose in marriage with his sister Fotherd Odrone and Glascarrig unto Hervy de Mount-marish hee gave Obarthy unto Maurice de Prindergast Fernegenall which was afterwards conferred upon Robert fitz Godobert but by what meanes he obtained it saith Regan I know not Vnto Meiler Fitz Henry he gave Carbry unto Maurice Fitz Gerald the Naas Ofelin which had beene possessed by Mackelan and Wickloe unto Walter de Ridelesford he gave the lands of Omorthy unto Iohn de Clahul the marshalship of Leinster and the land betweene Aghabo and Leghlin unto Robert de Birmingham Ofaly and unto Adam de Hereford large possessions What these possessions were are thus noted in the Register of Thomascourt abbey where speaking of the Earle Posteà Lageniâ perquisitâ erat quidam juvenis cum eo quem multûm dilexit dedit eidem pro servitio suo terras tenementa subscripta viz. tenementum de saltu Salmonis Cloncoury Kill Houterard tenementum de Donning cum omnibus
farthest part of Wales beheld Ireland and said I will have the shippes of my kingdome brought hither wherewith I will make a bridge to invade this land Murchard King of Leynster heard thereof and after he had paused a while asked of the reporter hath the King in that his great threatning inserted these words if it please God No then said he seeing this King putteth his trust onely in man and not in God I feare not his comming Anno 1095. Murchard so writeth Holinshed alias Morogh King of Leynster with the Clergie and people of the Citie of Dublin elected one Samuel a Monke of Saint Albans an Irish man borne to the governement of the Church and Bishops See of Dublin and according to the antient custome presented him by sufficient letters of testimony unto Anselme Archbishop of Canterburie to be consecrated by him who according to their request did so and tooke of him an oath of Canonicall obedience after the usuall manner Anno 1097. the Citizens of Waterford perceiving that by reason of the great multitude of people in that citie it was necessarie for them to have a Bishop obtained licence of their King and Rulers to erect in their Citie a Bishops See and besought them to write to Anselme Archbishop of Canterburie to have his consent therein and permitted them to nominate a man meete for the place Hereupon Morogh King of Leynster wrote unto Anselme informing him of the whole matter wherein one Malchus was commended and presented unto him to be admitted and consecrated if he thought good these letters were subscribed by Murchard King of Leynster Dermotte his brother Bishop Dufnald Idiman Bishop of Meath Samuel Bishop of Dublin and Ferdomnachus a Bishop in Leynster Anselme considering their request to be honest and necessarie examined the man gave him the oath of Canonicall obedience and consecrated Malcus Bishop of Waterford About this time to wit Anno 1098. the Normans having slaine Rees ap Twyde Prince of South-Wales they bent their forces against Griffith ap Conan Prince of North-Wales by the conduct of Hugh de Montgomerie Earle of Saloppe and Arundell called of the Welchmen Hugh Gough and of Hugh Vras Earle of Chester Griffith the Prince fled to the mountaines and sent for aide into Ireland saith Caradoc where he received cold comfort then to avoid farther mischiefe and treason which hee suspected to have beene wrought against him fled into Ireland In the same season Magnus King of Norway so Stow calleth him the sonne of Olavus the sonne of Harold Harvager came with great forces and subdued the Iles of Orknay with the I le of Man entred into Anglesey incountred with Hugh Earle of Salop who withstood his landing in the which skirmish Hugh the Earle had an arrow shot in his face which pierced his braine of which he died whereupon the Normans retraited Magnus invadeth Ireland saith Saxo Grammaticus and Griffith the Prince of Wales returned to his country and made peace with the Normans and governed the same fiftie yeeres Many things worthy of memory are recorded of this Griffith ap Conan Powell writeth that hee was an Irish man by his mother daughter of the King of Dublin and also by his Grandmother and that hee was borne in Ireland and that he brought over with him out of that country into Wales divers cunning Musitians who devised in manner all the instrumentall musicke upon the Harpe and Crowth that is there used and made lawes of minstrelsee to retaine the Musitians in due order I have not yet done with Magnus the Norwegian of him Camden writeth a worthy storie Magnus saith he caused a fleete to bee in readinesse of an 160. saile and sailed into the Orkeneys the which he forthwith subdued he passed through all the Ilands made them subject unto him and arrived in the I le of Man when hee beheld how pleasant the Iland was he made choice thereof for habitation fortified therein which of him to this day beares his name Hee so hampered the inhabitants of Galloway in Scotland that hee made them bring him timber to his Port for the frame of his fortifications Afterward he sailed to Anglesey in Wales where he met with two Hughs both Earles the one he slue the other he put to flight and made the Iland subiect unto him The Welsh men gave him many gifts and rewards he bade them farewell and so returned to Man He sent to Murchard alias Morogh King of Ireland his shooes commanding him to hang them upon his shoulders upon Christmas day as he passed through his Hall in the sight of his Embassadors that thereby he might understand that he was subject to Magnus the king When the Irish men heard thereof they tooke it in ill part and chafed exceedingly but King Morogh a wise and a sage Prince smiling at the conceit with great modesty and discretion gave this answer I will not onely beare his shooes but I had rather eate them then that King Magnus should destroy any one Province in Ireland Whereupon he fulfilled his command honoured his Ambassadors sent many Presents unto King Magnus and concluded a league The Ambassadors upon their returne related all circumstances gave great report and commendation of the land delivered how pleasant and fruitfull the soile was the temperature of the ayre and how healthfull the dwelling was Magnus hearing this immediately it ranne in his head to conquer all Ireland he commanded a great fleet to be in a readinesse and he himselfe going before with sixteene saile privily to espie and search out the strength of the land and unadvisedly ranging from his shippes was upon a sodaine compassed and hemmed in by the Irishmen and slaine with all in a manner that were with him Thus Magnus is become Minimus in fine hee was buried in Saint Patrickes Church of Downe So farre Camden in substance The British Chronicle writeth how that before this insolent attempt he had procured for his sonne a daughter of King Morogh in marriage and that he made him King of Man but I doe not finde that he enjoyed it Carodoc writeth how that Anno 1101. Robert de Mountgomerie Earle of Salop and Arnulph his brother Earle of Pembroke rebelling against King Henry Robert sent for aide to Magnus but could get none Arnulph sent Gerald of Windesore his Steward to Murchard alias Morogh King of Ireland to desire his daughter in marriage the which hee obtained with promise of great succours which did encourage him the more against the King whereupon Arnulph went with all haste into Ireland for his wife and Irish forces Earle Robert seeing himselfe disappointed sent to the King desiring him that he might forsake the Realme which thing the King granted and he sailed into Normandie Arnulph received message from the King that either he should follow his brother and depart the land or yeeld himselfe to his mercie he chose to forsake the land and fled into Ireland Not long after Owen the sonne of
Bruse Hugh Brune and others imprisoned him in Falaise in Normandy from thence he was brought to Roane and there clapt in the Tower under the custody of Robert de Veipont where shortly after he finished his life whether by leaping into the ditch thinking to make his escape or by meane of some privy hand which murther it is not as yet agreed upon Vtinam saith Mat. Paris non ut fama refert invida by occasion whereof K. Iohn was ever after had in great suspition whether justly or unjustly the Lord knoweth King Iohn fearing the secret practises of his adversaries and doubting the revolt of his Barons sent for his further security unto those whom he most suspected for hostages and pledges of their Ioialty and among others unto William de Bruse a Normand borne but Lord of Brechnok saith Guttin Owen and a great commander in South-wales The wife like a quicke Dame taking the answer out of her husbands mouth gave this round speech that shee would not give any of her sonnes to King Iohn who already had slaine and murthered his owne nephew Arthur These words being lavishly delivered unto the King set him in such a heat of displeasure against her husband though hee had rebuked her sharply for the same that the L. Bruse with his wife and children fled the Realme and got them unto Ireland for safeguard of their lives and when King Iohn came unto Ireland they fled to the I le of Man where they were apprehended and sent to the Castle of Windsore in England and there as the common fame went famished to death But William de Bruse himselfe escaped the hands of the King in Ireland and fled into France died at Corbell and was buried in Paris The next that comes upon the stage is Sir Iohn de Courcy Earle of Vlster Lord of Conaght that had lastly beene L. Liev. of Ireland who governing the land with great circumspection together with Sir Hugh de Lacy the younger who maligned him secretly and envied his prosperity in so much that hee accused him to King Iohn saying that he laid to the Kings charge the murthering of his nephew Arthure whereupon King Iohn sent for him into England and gave commission unto Sir Hugh de Lacy and his brother Walter Delacy to attach his person Sir Iohn de Courcy having secret intelligence of their drift kept himselfe a loofe Sir Hugh Delacy finding that levied an army and invaded Vlster the Country rose against him and drove him to flie Then Lacy praclaimed him traitor and marched towards him with all the forces he could make Courcy in like sort prepared for his comming At Dune they met and fought a cruell battaile where the field was all blood and many slaine on both sides but in the end the victory fell to Courcy and Lacy went back with shame enough Then Lacy practised how he might betray him It is said among the Irish that Courcy offred the combat and that Lacy refused it aleadging that it was not for him that represented the Kings person to hazard his life with an inferior being a subject and a traytor Lacy makes proclamation promising a large reward to him that should bring him in Courcy either alive or dead but it would not be then privily he dealt with some of his servants that if they would undertake the apprehension of him they should have great rewards it was concluded and this advice the betraiers gave Sir Iohn de Courcy is a mighty man in armes and of such strength that no one man dares be so hardy as lay hand upon him and againe hee is alwaies both in publick and privat well provided Yet we can direct you a course to bring your purpose to effect upon good Friday yeerly he weares no armes but is wholly given to divine contemplation and commonly walketh all solitary round about the Church-yard of Dune if you provide a troope of horsemen in a readinesse and send your espiall before there you shall have him apprehend him and worke your will and hither they came and laid hands upon him Courcy now unarmed and altogether distressed ranne to a wooden crosse that stood in the Church yard tooke the pole therof and laid about him lustily Courcy at that time had but a few attending on him and they armelesse of which number were two young Gentlemen the sonnes of Sir Amorick Saint Laurence which were slaine to bee short the Author of the Booke of Houth reporteth that Courcy in that Skirmish slew 13. of Lacy his men that died not upon the Crosse but under the Crosse but in the end he was carried away conveied beyond the seas clapt in the Towre of London and condemned to perpetuall imprisonment Whereupon Lacy for that service had the Earledome of Vlster given him and the Iudases that betrayed their Master had their hire Then they craved of Sir Hugh de Lacy a pasport into England with the relation of the good service they had done in Ireland which was granted upon condition that upon the paine of death they should never returne into Ireland againe neither to open the same afore it were demanded of them It was as followeth I Hugh de Lacy Lord Iustice of Ireland servant to my dread Soveraigne Lord King Iohn To all them that shall read these few lines greeting know you that thâ—se men whose names are under written served sometimes Sir Iohn de Courcy late Earle of Vlster but now in durance in the Towre of London and for a summe of money betraied their owne Master into my hand I deeme them no better then Iudas the traitor how hardly soever I have conceived of Courcy I hold them a thousand times more damnable traitors Wherefore let no subject within any of the Kings dominions give them any entertainment but spit in their faces and suffer them to rogue about and wander as Iewes He provided them a barke with saile and victuall but gave them no Pilots nor sea-faring men for want of skill they could not take the seas but were tossed with winde and weather along the Coast at length the Tyde brought them into the river of Corke they were no sooner landed but they were apprehended examined and brought to Sir Hugh de Lacy and forthwith all foure hanged cheeke by jole Not long after there fell some difference betweene Iohn King of England and Philip King of France for the right of some Fort in Normandie who to avoyde the shedding of Christian bloud agreed of each side to put it to a combat of King Philips part there was a French man in readinesse King Iohn upon the sudden wist not what to doe for a Champion to encounter with him at length one attending upon his person enformed him that there was one Courcy in the Towre of London the onely man in his dominions if hee would undertake it to answer the challenge King Iohn ioyfull of this sent the first yea second and third time promising large rewards and rich gifts
and that it stood him upon as farre as the honour of his Crowne and kingdome did reach to make good the combat Courcy answered very frowardly the which was taken in good part in regard of the urgent necessitie that he would never fight for him neither for any such as he was that he was not worthy to have one drop of bloud spilt for him that he was not able to requite him the wrongs he had done him neither to restore him the hearts ease he had bereaved him of yet notwithstanding all the premises he was willing and would with all expedition be ready to venture his life in defence of the Crowne and his country Whereupon it was agreed that he should be dyeted apparrelled and armed to his content and that his owne sword should be brought him out of Ireland The day came the place appointed the Liste provided the scaffolds set up the Princes with their nobilitie of each side with thousands in expectation Forth comes the French Champion gave a turne and rests him in his tent They sent for Courcy who all this while was trussing of himselfe about with strong poynts and answered the messengers if any of their company were to goe to such a banquet I thinke he would make no great haste Forth he comes gave a turne and went into his Tent. When the Trumpets sounded to battaile forth come the combatants and viewed each other Courcy beheld him with a wonderfull sterne countenance and passed by The French man not liking his grimme looke the strong proportion and feature of his person stalked still along and when the Trumpets sounded the last charge Courcy drew out his sword and the French man ranne away and conveyed him to Spaine Whereupon they sounded victory the people clapt their hands and cast up their cappes King Philip desired King Iohn that Courcy might bee called before them to shew some part of his strength and manhood by a blow upon on a Helmet it was agreed a stake was set in the ground and a shirt of maile and a Helmet thereon Courcy drew his sword looked wonderfull sternely upon the Princes cleft the helmet the shirt of maile and the stake so farre in that none could pull it out but himselfe Then the Princes demanded of him what hee meant to looke so sowrely upon them his answer was if hee had missed his blow upon the blocke he would have cut off both the Kings heads All that hee said was taken in good part King Iohn discharged him out of all his troubles gave him great gifts and restored him to his former possessions in Ireland It is written further that hereupon hee sailed into England came to Westchester offered himselfe to the sea and was put backe againe fifteene times by contrary windes which rose upon a sodaine to the English shore And in the booke of Houth it is delivered that upon every repulse the night following he was admonished in a vision not to attempt the seas for to saile into Ireland and that he should never set foot upon any land there and withall that the reason was yeelded thus Courcy thou hast done very ill for thou hast pulled downe the master and set up the servant for he had translated the Cathedrall Church and the Prebendaries of the blessed Trinitie in Dune into an Abbey of blacke Monkes brought thither from Chester and consecrated the same to the honour of Saint Patricke Whereupon remembring himselfe that he had done very ill in taking the name from God to a creature gave sentence upon himself that he was worthily punished Immediately hee altered his course went into France and there died now forwards with the history according to the due course of time in the raigne of King Iohn so the booke of Houth reporteth Anno 1202. Meler Fitz Henry whose father was the base sonne of King Henry the first founded the Abbey of Cownall hee came into Ireland with the first Conquerours being a young stripling and is highly commended by Cambrensis for his great valour and worthinesse in martiall prowesse he left this world Anno 1220. his Epitaph I finde in Iohn Clynne Conduntur tumulo Meyleri nobilis ossa Indomitus domitor totius gentis Hibernae Intombed are the bones of him they Noble Meler call Who was the tamelesse tamer of the Irish nation all Anno 1205. in the seventeenth yeere of the raigne of King Iohn Theobald Fitz Walter Fitz Gilbert Becket the first Lord Butler of Ireland founded the Monastery of Wethencia alias Wethran alias Wethenoya alias Voghney in the county of Limeric this difference I finde in Dowling Grace and others Anno 1206. Saint Monon an Irish man and a Martyr Molanus layeth him downe among the Saints in Flanders flourished he is reputed the Patron of Nassonia under the command of the Abbot of Saint Hubert in the Lordship of Audiamum he was the Disciple of Saint Remulch and Saint Iohn Agnus Bishop of Trajectum and of Irish birth this Monon was murthered at Ardevenna saith Molanus by some bloudy massacres lyeth buried at Nassonia in the Church which he there had founded Anno 1208. I finde it in Dowlinge and Grace Sir Hugh de Lacy the younger being Lord Iustice entred into Thurles where the country being in rebellion offered him battaile he laid siege to Castle Meiler wanne it brake it downe and made it even with the ground but he lost there more men say the Irish then he tooke away with him the chiefe Rebell was Ieffery Mac Moris alias Morich Anno 1209. the occasion of blacke Munday and the originall remembrance thereof rose at Dublin The Citie of Dublin by reason of some great mortality being wasted and desolate the inhabitants of Bristoll flocked thither to inhabit who after their country manner upon Holy dayes some for love of the fresh ayre some to avoyd idlenesse some other for pastime pleasure and gaming 's sake flocked out of the towne towards Cullen wood upon Munday in Easter weeke The Birnues and Tooles the mountaine enemies like Wolves lay in ambush for them and upon espiall finding them unarmed fell upon thē slue some 300. persons besides women children which they led in their hands although shortly after the towne was upon the report thereof eftsoones peopled againe by Bristolians yet that dismall day is yeerely remembred and solemnly observed by the Maior Sheriffes and Citizens with feast and banquet and pitching up of tents in that place in most brave sort daring the enemy upon his perill not to bee so hardy as once to approach neere their feasting campe and whereas the Irish heretofore accounted Tuesday their fatall and infortunate day for Lymric was twice wonne Wexford yeelded up Waterford was besieged and Dublin was sacked upon a Tuesday now they have Munday in memory making difference of dayes not fitting the minde of the Apostle which forbade the superstitions or vaine observations of daies c. Gal. 4. Anno 1211 or somewhat before the
sides and the King of Connaught slaine Raphaell Holinshed in his Irish collection thinketh that there were slaine at that time above two thousand persons The King of England hearing thereof was mightily displeased with the Lord Iustice and sent for him into England to yeeld reason why he would permit such shamefull enormities under his governement Robert Vfford substituted Robert Fulborne as before satisfied the King that all was not true that hee was charged withall and for further contentment yeelded this reason that in policie he thought it expedient to winke at one knave cutting off another and that would save the Kings Coffers and purchase peace to the land whereat the King smiled and bid him returne to Ireland Anno 1279. Stow is mine Author King Edward commanded groats of foure pence a piece pence halfe pence and farthings to be coyned and to be currant through England and Ireland not decrying the old whereupon saith he these verses were made Edward did smite round penny halfe penny farthing The crosse passes the bond of all throughout the ring The Kings side was his head and his name written The crosse side what Citie it was made in coyned and smitten The poore man ne to Priest the penny frayses nothing Men give God aye the least they feast him with a farthing A thousand two hundred fourescore yeeres and moe On this money men wondred when it first began to goe Anno 1280. the Citie of Waterford saith Clyn through some foule mischance was all set on fire others report that some Merchant stranger being wronged as they thought by the Citizens brought bagges of powder out of their ships and threw them in the night season in at their sellers windowes and coales of fire after them and spoyled the City in that sort that it was long after ere they could recover themselves Anno 1281. Robert Fulborne Bishop of Waterford was by direction from the King ordained Lord Iustice of Ireland This yeere there was a great rebellion in Connaught and in upper Ossory and in Archloe which cost many mens lives but the ringleaders were cut off Adam Cusack slue William Barret and his brethren which contended about lands In Connaught Hogken Mac Gill Patricke was cut off in Vppsory Murtough Mac Muroch with Art his brother lost their heads at Wickloe another saith at Artchloe so Clyn and Dowlinge doe report Anno 1283. it is remembred by Clyn and others that a great part of Dublin was burned Campanile Capitulum sanctae Trinitatis saith mine Author the belfrie or steeple and Chapter house of the blessed Trinity with the Dormiture and Cloyster Others write that certaine Scots to be revenged upon some Citizens for wronging of them set Skinner-Row a fire and by that meanes the fire ranne into Christ Church but the citizens of Dublin therein greatly to bee commended before they went about to repaire their owne private houses agreed together to make a collection for repayring the ruine of that antient Church Anno 1284. flourished Ieffery or as Clyn writeth Galfridus de sancto Leodegario Bishop of Ossorie the second founder of the Cathedrall Church of Setus Canicus and the first founder of the Colledge of the Vicars of the same Church who gave unto the Colledge and vickars of the same Church for the maintenance of divine Service his Manse and lodging with the edifices thereunto adjoyning the rectory of Kilkesh and revenue de manubrinnio one marke sterling of the Abbot of Duiske for the land of Scomberlowaie with other revenues The said Ieffery by combate the combatants I finde not recorded anno 1284. recovered the Mannor of Sirekeran in Elly now Ocarolls country He builded part of the Mannors of Aghboo and Dorogh he builded a great part of the Church of Saint Canicus formerly begunne by Hugh Mapilton his Predecessor hee exchanged the towne Scomkarthie for the towne of Killamerry with William Marshall the Earle of Penbroke in his kinde of devotion he injoyned the collegiat Vicars of Kilkenny to celebrate the universary and aniversary of the reverend fathers his predecessors Walter Barkeley Galfrid Turvill Hugh Mapilton and others and his successors and Canons in the said Church of Ossory He established other things for the good of the Burgesses of Crosse ..... in the Irish towne of Kilkenny as in the foundation of the Burgesses there more at large doth appeare he dyed Anno 1286. and lyeth buried before the Chappell of our Lady in the Cathedrall Church Thus farre the Collections of Doctor Hanmer the Continuation following is taken out of the Chronicles of Henry Marleburrough HENRY MARLEBVRROVGH'S CHRONICLE OF IRELAND ANno 1285. the Lord Theobald Butler fled from Dublin and died shortly after and the Lord Theobald Verdon lost his men and horses going towards Ophali and the next morning Girald Fitz Maurice was taken prisoner and Iohn Samforde was consecrated Archbishop of Dublin and the Lord Ieffery Genuill fled and Sir Gerard Doget and Ralph Petit were slaine Anno 1287. deceased Richard Decetir Girald Fitz Maurice Thomas de Clare Richard Taff and Nicholas Telinge Knights Anno 1288. In England a bushell of Wheate was at foure pence And Fryer Stephen Fulburne Lord Iustice of Ireland dyed And Iohn Samford Archbishop of Dublin was made Lord Iustice. And the Lord Richard Burgh Earle of Vlster besieged Theobald Verdon in the Castle of Aloan and came to Trymm with a great power by the working of Walter Lacy. Anno 1290. Was the chase or discomfiture of Ophaly and divers Englishmen were slaine And Mac Coghlan slue Oâ—olaghlin And William Bourgh was discomfited at Delvin by Mac Coghlan And Gilbert Earle of Glocester married the daughter of King Iohn le Bayloll King of Scotland And Sir William Vescy was made Lord Iustice of Ireland Anno 1294. Deceased Iohn de Samford Archbishop of Dublin and Iohn Fitz Thomas and Iohn de la Mare tooke prisoners Richard Bourgh Earle of Vlster and William Bourgh in Meath And the Castle of Kildare was taken and by the English and Irish the whole countrie was wasted And Calwagh burnt all the rolles and tallyes of that countie And Richard was delivered out of the Castle of Leye for his two sonnes And Iohn Fitz Thomas with a great armie came into Meath Anno 1295. William Dodinsell Lord Iustice of Ireland dyed and the Lord Thomas Fitz Maurice was made Lord Iustice. Anno 1296. Fryer William de Hothum was consecrated Archbishop of Dublin Anno 1298. The Lord Thomas Fitz Maurice dyed and an agreement was made betwixt the Earle of Vlster and the Lord Iohn Fitz Thomas and Sir Iohn Wogan was made Lord Iustice of Ireland Anno 1299. William Archbishop of Dublin dyed and Richard de Feringes was consecrated Archbishop of Dublin Anno 1302. The King of England Edward the first went into Scotland and there Sir Iohn Wogan Lord Iustice of Ireland and the Lord Iohn Fitz Thomas with many others met with him Anno 1305. King Edward made the
inquisitions of Treylbaston The same yeere Iordan Comin slue Conthir de Ophaly and Calwagh his brother was slaine in the Court of Peirs de Birmingham at Carricke and Balimor was burnt Anno 1306. Edward the second succeeded his father being dead in the kingdome In the beginning of his raigne he called back from beyond the seas Peirs de Gaveston whose company in the presence of his father he abjured and being wholly taken up with him he neglected Isabell his Queene and his Nobles for which cause the Nobles being offended they banished the said Peirs into Ireland where also the Kings treasure that was sent over thither was wantonly consumed Then Peirs was called backe againe but in regard the Kings treasure was spent as aforesaid the Nobles make an insurrection and put away Peirs from the King Anno 1308. And in the second of King Edward the second Peirs de Gaveston by the Lords of England but contrary to the Kings minde was banished into Ireland about the nativitie of our Lady but the next yeere hee was called backe againe and the King met him at Chester Anno 1309. The Lord Ieffery Genvill became a Fryer at Trym of the order of the Preachers and the Lord Peirs de Birmingham dyed Anno 1311. Was the consecration of Iohn Leeke Archbishop of Dublin and Richard Bourgh Earle of Vlster with a great armie went to Bourath in Thomound and there he was taken prisoner by Sir Robert de Clare and Iohn Fitz Walter Lacy and many others were slaine and there dyed Sir Walter la â—aint and Sir Eustace Power And the next yeere Maurice Fitz Thomas and Thomas Fitz Iohn married two daughters of the Earle of Vlster And Saint Fingay was translated and William de Lowndres the first and Iohn the son of Sir Richard Bourgh Knight deceased and the Lord Edmund Butler made 30. Knights Anno 1313. Died Iohn Leek Archbishop of Dublin and Theobald Verdon came over Lord Iustice of Ireland and William de Montency and Richard Loundries died Anno 1315. The Lord Edward Bruse brother of the King of Scots entred the North part of Vlster with a great Army upon Saint Augustines day in the month of May and afterward hee burned Dundalke and a great part of Vrgile and the Church of Athirde was burned by the Irish And in the warre of Comeram in Vlster Richard Earle of Vlster was put to flight and Sir William Bourgh and Sir Iohn Mandevill and Sir Alan Fitz Warren were taken prisoners and the Castle of Norburgh was taken Moreover at Kenlis in Meath the Lord Roger Mortimer in the warre together with the said Edward were put to flight and many of the men men of the said Roger were slaine and taken prisoners and he burnt the Towne and after this he went as farre as Finnagh and the Skerries in Leinster and there incountred him Edmund Butler Lord Iustice of Ireland the Lord Iohn Fitz Thomas afterward Earle of Kildare and the Lord Arnold Power and every one of them had a great army to war against him and upon the sodaine there arose a dissention amongst them and so they left the field and this dissention hapned upon the 26. day of Ianuary after this hee burnt the Castle of Leye and afterward hee returned into Vlster and besieged the Castle of Knockfergus and slue Thomas Mandevill and Iohn his brother at Downe comming out of England and then returned into Scotland Anno 1316. Edward Bruse before Easter came into Ireland with the Earle of Murry and other armies and besieged the Castle of Knockfergus afterward they went to Castle Knock and there tooke the Baron prisoner and Edward Bruse lay there and Richard Earle of Vlster lay in Saint Maries Abbey neere Dublin Then the Major and Commonalty of the City of Dublin tooke the Earle of Vlster prisoner and put him in the Castle of Dublin and slew his men and spoiled the Abbey Then the said Bruse went as farre as Lymmerick after the Feast of Saint Matthew the Apostle and staied there untill after Easter and in the meane time Roger Mortimer the Kings Lievtenant landed at Waterford with a great Army and for feare of him Edward Bruse made haste to goe into the parts of Vlster and Iohn Fitz Thomas was created Earle of Kildare also Oconthir of Conaght and many other of the Irish of Conaght and Meath were slaine neere Athenry by the English there also there was a great slaughter made by Edmond Butler neere Testilldermot upon the Irish and another slaughter by the same Edmund upon Omorthe at Balitcham Anno 1317. The said Lievtenant delivered the Earle of Vlster out of the Castle of Dublin and after Whitsuntide hee banished out of Meath Sir Walter and Sir Hugh de Lacy and gave their lands unto his souldiers and they together with Edward Bruse went back into Scotland and Alexander Bignor was consecrated Archbishop of Dublin Anno 1318. The Lord Roger Mortimer went againe into England and Alexander Bignor was made Lord Iustice and Edward Bruse and the said Walter and Hugh de Lacy with a great Army landed at Dundalke upon Saint Calixtus the Popes day and there the Lord Iohn Brimingham Richard Tute and Miles Verdon with one thousand three hundred twenty foure men incountred them and slew the said Edward Bruse with eight thousand two hundred seventie foure of his men and the said Iohn Birmingham did cary the head of the said Edward into England and gave it to King Edward and the King gave unto the said Iohn and his heires males the Earledome of Lowth and the Barony of Athirdee to him and his heires also Sir Richard de Clare with foure Knights and many others were slaine in Thomond Anno 1319. The Lord Roger Mortimer came over againe Lord of Iustice of Ireland And the Towne of Athessell and Plebs were burned by the Lord Iohn Fitz Thomas brother to the Lord Maurice Fitz Thomas And the Bridge of Kilcolin was built by Maurice Iâ—kis Anno 1320. The Lord Iohn Fitz Iohn Earle of Kildare was made Lord Iustice. And the bridge of Leiglin was built by Maurice Iakis Anno 1321. There was a very great slaughter made of the Oconhurs at Balibagan by the English of Leinster and Meath And the said Earle of Lowth was made Lord Iustice Anno 1322. Died the Lord Richard Birmingham Lord of Athenry the Lord Edmund Butler and the Lord Thomas Persivall Moreover the Lord Andrew Birmingham and Sir Richard de la Londe were slaine by Onolan Anno 1323. Iohn Darcy came over Lord Iustice of Ireland Anno 1325. Deceased Nicolas Fitz Simon Gonvill Anno 1326. The Lord Richard Burgh Earle of Vlster died Edward the third sonne to Edward the second after the Conquest at the age of fifteene yeeres in his fathers life time upon Candlemas day was crowned King at Westminster In the beginning of whose raigne there was great likelyhood of good successe to follow For then also the Earth received fruitfulnesse the Ayre temperature and Sea