in their hands comming to the Court were not suffered to enter within the gates but were kept backe by the Porters and others of which injury when hee complained the King made him an overthwart answer Whereupon the Earle not well pleased therewith estranged himselfe from the Court and went into the North country so that thenceforth he and his brother Walter gave small attendance upon the King and to end with this Earle Gilbert it fell out on a time in a Turnay which hee had attempted without the Citie of Hereford contrary to the Kings pleasure that his unruly horse cast him so that of the hurt which he tooke with the fall he shortly after departed this life in the yeere 1241. and was buried in the new temple Church at London hee had married the Lady Margaret the sister of Alexander King of Scots who by her had no issue she also dyed Anno 1245. Walter Marshall succeeded Gilbert in all the former honours and possessions both in England and Ireland who because he had procured the turnament wherein his brother was slaine hardly obtained of the king the same He departed this life at Godrike Castle by Monmouth and was buried at Tintern Anno 1245. leaving no issue behind him Anselme Marshall the fift sonne of William Earle Marshall succeded Walter hee was the last of the Maxfields and died without issue Hee had married Mathildis or Mawd daughter of the Earle of Hereford anc because hee had entred without doing of homage unto the King his wife after his decease could have no dowry wherof among the statutes of England I find the cause by especial words thus overruled· When any dyeth and his heire entreth into the Land that his Ancesters held of the King the day that he died before he hath done homage to the King and received seisin of the King hee shall give no free hold thereby and if hee dyed seised during that time his wife shall not be indowed of the same land as came late in urc by Mawd the daughter of the Earle of Hereford wife of Anselme the Marshal Who after the death of Walter Marshall of England his brother tooke his seisin of the Castle and mannor of Strogill and died in the same Castle before hee had entred by the King and before hee had done homage unto him whereupon it was agreed that his wife should not be indowed because that her husband had not entred by the King but rather by trusion This Anselme died in England and was buried at Tinterne After the death of these five brethren Florilegus writeth thus All the sonnes of William the great Marshall it is not knowne what sinne required the same according to the Prophecy of the Countesse their mother without issue left behind them as shadowes departed out of this world yet all successively became Earles even as their mother by a Propheticall spirit foreshewed and so the Noble sheild or buckler of the Marshalls dreadful to so many and so great enemies of England vanished away Mathew Paris wrote the story at large The aforesaid William as Warlike and stout called Marshall as if hee had beene Mars his Seneschall while in Ireland hee gave himselfe to slaughter and burning and got to himselfe large possessions he tooke away by strong hand and injuriously from an holy Bishop two mannors or Lordships belonging to his Church and presumptuously usurped them as though he might by just title possesse them as if he had wonne them with the sword The Bishop after many admonitions and receiving many froward answers thundred against him and not without cause the sentence of Excommunication the which the Earle despised and pleaded for excuse the warlike season keeping injuries upon injuries Whereupon not without advisement one Maister Gervasius de Melckeria framed of him this distinction and shrowded himselfe in his person Sum quem Saturnum sibi sensit Hibernia Solem Anglia Mercurium Normania Gallia Martem Iam whom Ireland Saturne hight and England Sol me cals Amids the Normans Mercury and Mars among the Gauls The meaning in a word is how that he in his time had tamed the wild Irish and had beene the shining beame of honour unto the English as an Ambassadour to pacifie the Normans and an invincible Knight among the French nation but forwards with Paris the aforesaid Earle held those mannors all his life time and annexed them unto his dominions Within a few yeeres after the Earle ended the way of all flesh and was buried in the new Temple at London the Bishop hearing of this for he was the Bishop of Fernes a Cistertian Monke by birth Irish and famous for Sanctity not without great paine in travaile he went unto the King who then was in London exhibited a grievous complaint of the injury done unto him and how that hee had justly excommunicated the Earle and humbly besought the King that by his soveraigne authority and Princely mandat and also for the good of the said Earle Williams soule he would see his mannors restored unto him that in so doing though he were dead yet might reape the benefit of absolution The King with this was moved and willed the Bishop to repaire to the Earles grave and absolve him and he would diligently labour for his satisfaction the Bishop together with the King went to his Tombe and in the hearing of al that were present as if they had been both alive said O William that here lyest interred and wrapped in the bonds of Excommunication if the thing which thou hast injuriously taken away from my Church bee restored by the king or by thine heire or by some one of thy kindred or friends with competent satisfaction I absolve thee o her wise I doe ratifie the said sentence that thou being ever wrapped in thy sinnes maiest remaine damned in hell The King hearing this was moved and sharply rebuked the immoderat rigour of the Pontificall Prelate To whom the Bishop replied my Lord ann dread soveraigne marvaile not though I be out of patience for he hath spoiled my Church to his great commoditie The King then secretly conferring with William the eldest sonne of this Earle and heire to the whole and now invested in the inheritance and Earledome and certaine others his brethren besought them by the restoring the mannors unjustly taken away mercifully to deliver their fathers soule To whom William the heir made answer I doe not beleeve neither is to be credited that my father tooke them injuriously for that which is gotten by the sword may lawfully be enjoyed for if that old and doting Bishop hath given a wrong sentence let the curse light upon his owne pate I will not weaken my estate nor diminish the inheritance wherein I am invested my father dyed seized thereof and I have rightly entred Vnto these words all the brethren yeelded their consents The King being then of tender yeeres and under Tutor would not give cause of heavinesse unto so great and Noble a personage when the Bishop
Robin Hood that he was an Earle and after outrages by him committed he kept the woods his company was of some hundred persons all chosen and picked Archers of singular strength to handle their weapons and such as durst encounter with 400. others they robbed none but the rich as Tanners and Grasiers and Vsurers and Bishops Priests and fat Abbots they shed no bloud they killed no man releeved themselves and the poore also with their spoyles Robin Hood after many theevish feats fell sicke went into a Nunnery in Scotland to be let bloud where he was betrayed and bled to death wherupon the company brake and the crue dispersed themselves every man to shift for himselfe little Iohn came to Ireland with many of his confederates and found in the woods enough to fit his humour and fell so much to his old occupation that he was faine to flye the land In the end he went to Scotland and there died There are memorable acts reported of him which I hold not for truth that he would shoot an arrow a mile off and a great deale more but them I leave among the lyes of the land Anno 1191. the Monasterie de iugo Dei was founded Anno 1193. King Richard after many most valiant exploits in the Holy Land the which I hold not so necessary for this place after the drowning of Fredericke the Emperour and after the sudden and envious departure of Philippe King of France hearing the conspiracy of the said Philippe and the treason of his brother Iohn aspiring to the Crowne of England made peace with the Saladine for three yeres and with a small company returning homewards was taken prisoner by Leopold Duke of Austria who brought him to Henry the Emperour and there kept him in prison a yeere and 5. months untill he had paid his ransome which was Anno 1194. Hee was received into England with the joy and applause of all true harts and having setled the affaires of the Realme in due sort he went into France where he had much a doe with the French King the which for brevities sake I doe omit and yet one memorable act of his I may not omit and thus it was There came unto him one Fulco a Priest who with great courage and boldnesse said Thou hast O Mighty King three daughters very vicious and of evill disposition take good heed of them and betimes provide them good husbands to whom the King in rage answered thâ—u errant lyar and shamelesse hypocrit thou knowest not where thou art nor what thou sayest I weene thou art not well in thy wits for I have never a daughter as the world will beare me witnesse get thee out of our presence To whom Fulco replyed If it like your Grace I lye not but say truth for you have three daughters which continually frequent your Court and more is the pitty wholly possesse your person I meane Pride Covetousnesse and Leachery The King thereat smiled and called his Lords and Barons unto him and related what Fulco had delivered unto him and thereupon gave his resolution Here before you all I doe presently bestow my three daughters First I give my daughter swelling Pride to the proud Templars my greedy daughter Avarice to the covetous Order of the Cistercian Monkes and my daughter Leachery to the wanton Prelats of the Church This noble King went to besiege a Town called Chalus Cheverell in Poitou in the confines of Britaine where unlooked for from the wall of the Towne he was wounded with a venomed arrow out of a Crosbow whereof shortly after hee died afore his death hee sent for him that was the cause of his death forgave him yea gave him money in his purse but after his death he was apprehended and cut off with cruell tortures Lastly King Richard tooke order for his buriall thus he bequeathed his body to Fount Ebrad there to lye at his fathers feet whom in his life time he had offended his heart to Roan that had alwayes been true unto him and his bowels to Chalus Cheverell where he tooke his death for that filth was fit for them that had beene unto him both false and rebellious Mathew Paris hath is Epitaph thus Ad Chalus cecidit Rex regni cardo Richardus His ferus his humilis his agnus his Leopardus Casus erat lucis Chalus Per secula nomen Non intellectum fuerat sed nominis omen Non patuit res clausa fuit sed luce cadente Prodiit in lucem pro casu lucis ademptae Againe of his legacie Pictavus exta ducis sepelit tellusque Chalutis Corpus dat claudi sub marmore fontis Ebrandi Neustria tuque tegis cor inexpugnabile Regis Sic loca per trina se sparsit tanta ruina Nec fuit hoc funus cui sufficeret locus unus Iohn the fift sonne of Henry the second Earle Morton alias Mortaigne and Lord of Ireland as formerly hath beene delivered by the gift of his brother King Richard the first Earle of Cornwall Dorset Sommerset Nottingham Darby Lancaster and in the right of his marriage Earle of Glocester was Crowned at Westminster King of England Anno 1199. Hee was first married to Isabell whom the Britaines called Hawise and the Cornish Avis daughter to Robert Earle of Glocester who for that they were found within the third degree were divorced so that King Iohn left both the Lady Isabell and the Earledome of Glocester whereupon by the advice of Philip King of France he matched in holy wedlocke with Isabell daughter to Amerie Earle of Angolesme This Isabell if not married had beene affianced to Hugh Brune Earle of March a Noble man of Aquitaine who gave battaile in that quarell to King Iohn and was discomfitted yet after the death of King Iohn hee had her to wife Immediatly upon the Coronation of Henry the third who succeeded him broyles beganne in England France and Ireland which had every way a tragicall end Bruse in England Arthure in France and Courcy in Ireland are testimonies thereof But orderly of these as the Nature of the Historie requires Arthure the sonne of Ieffry Plantagenet nephew to King Iohn lived when his uncle Iohn aspired to the Crowne being 16 yeeres of age he was affianced to a daughter of Philippe the French King the said Philippe Knighted him in the field he was Duke of Britain Earle of Anjou Poitiers Maine and Turrow of Normandy He did homage unto his uncle for some and to Philippe for the rest his uncle had him in Iealousie first lest that in processe of time he would make claime to the Crowne secondly for that he adhered too much to the French and the young Prince upon conference with bold spirit told him that he did him wrong and that hee was bound in honour to deliver unto him the Crowne of England with all that thereunto appertained Shortly after it fell out that King Iohn took this Arthure confederate against him with William de
very broken of all the Lords and best Gentle-men of Fealtie to the Kings which now is no lesse needfull because many of them are suspected to have taken an other Oath privily to some bad purposes and thereupon to have received the Sacrament and beene sworne to a Priest which they thinke bindeth them more then their alleagiance to their Prince or love of their Countrey Eudox. This tything to the Common people and taking sureties of Lords and Gentlemen I like very well but that it wil be very troublesome should it not be as well for to have them all booked and the Lords Gentle-men to take all the meaner sort upon themselves for they are best able to bring them in whensoever any of them starteth out Iren. This indeed Eudoxus hath beene hitherto and yet is a common order amongst them to have all the people booked by the Lords and Gentlemen but yet the worst order that ever was devised for by this booking of men all the inferiour sort are brought under the command of their Lords and forced to follow them into any action whatsoever Now this you are to understand that all the Rebellions which you see from time to time happen in Ireland are not begun by the common people but by the Lords and Captaines of Countries upon pride or willfull obstinacy against the government which whensoever they will enter into they drawe with them all their people and followers which thinke themselves bound to goe with them because they have booked them and undertaken for them and this is the reason that in England you have few such bad occasions by reason that the noble men how ever they should happen to be evill disposed have no commaund at all over the Communalty though dwelling under them because that every man standeth upon himselfe and buildeth his fortunes upon his owne faith and firme assurance The which this manner of tything the poles will worke also in Ireland For by this the people are broken into many small parts like little streames that they cannot easily come together into one head which is the principall regard that is to be had in Ireland to keepe them from growing unto such a head and adhering unto great men Eudox. But yet I cannot see how this can bee well brought without doing great wrong unto the noble men there for at the first conquest of that Realme those great Seigniories and Lordships were given them by the king that they should bee the stronger against the Irish by the multitudes of followers and tennants under them All which hold their tenements of them by fealty and such services whereby they are by the first graunt of the King made bounden unto them and tyed to rise out with them into all occasions of service And this I have often heard that when the Lord Deputy hath raised any generall hostings the Noble men have claimed the leading of them by graunt from the Kings of England under the great Seale exhibited so as the Deputies could not refuse them to have the leading of them or if they did they would so worke as none of their followers should rise forth to the hostage Iren. You say very true but will you see the fruite of those grants I have knowne when those Lords have had the leading of their owne followers under them to the generall hostings that they have for the same cut upon every plowland within their country 40. shil or more whereby some of them have gathered above seven or eight hundred pounds and others much more into their purse in lieu whereof they have gathered unto themselves a number of loose Kearne out of all parts which they have carried forth with them to whom they never gave any penny of entertainement allowed by the Countrey or forced by them but let them feede upon the Countryes and extort upon all men where they come for that people will never aske better entertainement then to have a colour of service or imployment given them by which they will pole and spoyle so outragiously as the very enemy cannot doe much worse And they also sometimes turne to the enemy Eudox. It seemes the first intent of those graunts was against the Irish which now some of them use against the Queene her selfe But now what remedy is there for this or how can those graunts of the Kings be avoyded without wronging of those Lords which had those lands and Lordships given them Iren. Surely they may be well enough for most of those Lords since their first graunts from the Kings by which those lands were given them have sithence bestowed the most part of them amongst their Kinsfolke as every Lord perhaps hath given in his time one another of his principall Castles to his younger Sonne and other to others as largely and as amply as they were given to him and others they have sold and others they have bought which were not in their first graunt which now neverthelesse they bring within the compasse thereof and take and exact upon them as upon their first demeasnes all those kinde of services yea and the very wilde exactions Coignie Livery Sorehon and such like by which they pole and utterly undoe the poore Tennants and Free-houlders under them which either thorough ignorance know not their tenures or through greatnes of their new Lords dare not challenge them yea and some Lords of countryes also as great ones as themselves are now by strong hand brought under them and made their Vassalls As for example Arundell of the Stronde in the county of Corke who was aunciently a great Lord and was able to spend 3500. pounds by the yeare as appeareth by good Recordes is now become the Lord Barries man and doth to him all those services which are due unto her Majesty For reformation of all which I wish that there were a commission graunted forth under the great Seale as I have seene one recorded in the old Councell Booke of Mounster that was sent forth in the time of Sir William Drurie unto persons of speciall trust and judgement to inquire thoroughout all Ireland beginning with one county first and so resting a while till the same were settled by the verdict of a sound and substantiall Iury how every man houldeth his land of whom and by what tenure so that every one should be admitted to shew and exhibite what right he hath and by what services hee houldeth his land whether in cheife or in soccage or by Knights service or how else soever Thereupon would appeare first how all those great English Lords doe claime those great services what Seigniories they usurpe what wardships they take from the Queene what lands of hers they conceale and then how those Irish Captaines of Countryes have incroached upon the Queenes Free-holders and Tennants how they have translated the tenures of them from English houlding unto Irish Tanistry and defeated her Majesty of all her rights and dutyes which are to acrew to her thereout as wardships
and become meere Irish against whom his auncestors served valiantly in An. 1300. Sir Richard Bermingham was Lord of Athenrye 1316. Iohn Bermingham Baron de Atrio dei Anno 1318. Mac Morice alias Fitz Gerald Baron of Kerye Lord Courcye a poore man not very Irish the auncient descent of the Courcyes planted in Ireland with the Conquest Lord Flemmynge Baron of Slane Simon Flemmynge was Baron of Slane in Anno 1370. Plonket Baron of Killyne this family came in with the Danes whereof they have as yet speciall monuments Nugent Baron of Delvin Saint Laurence Baron of Hothe Plonket Baron of Doonesawny Barnewall Baron of Trimleston they came from little Brittaine where they are at this day a great surname upon their first arrivall they wonne great possessions at Beirnhaven where at length by conspiracie of the Irish they were all slaine except one yong man who then studied the common Lawes in England who returning dwelt at Dromnaghe besides Divelin and his heires are there at this day from thence a second brother remooved to Sirestone and so to Trimlestone and married the Lady Bruns who caused him to be made Baron This writeth the Lord of Donsany Edward Butler Baron of Donboyne given to Edmund Butler esquire and his heires males An. 33. H. 8. Fitz Patricke Baron of upper Ossory given to Barnabie Mac Gilpatricke and his heires males An. 33. H. 8. Donnate Clonnaghe Mac Gilpatricke was a peerelesse warriour in Anno 1219. Plonket Baron of Louthe to Sir Christopher Plonket and his heires males An. 33. H. 8. This Barony was an Earledome in An. 1316. appertaining to Bermingham Oneale Baron of Dongannon to whom the Earledome of Terone was entayled by gift of H. 8. Powere Baron of Curraghmore Mac Suretan Lord Deseret whom Sir Henry Sidney called Iordan de Exeter This was Lord in the time of Lionell Duke of Clarence An. 1361. now very wilde Irish. Murroghe Obrene Baron of Insickeyne to him and his heires males An. 35. H. 8. Mac Costilaghe L Nangle whom Sir Henry Sidney called de Angulo now very Irish. Mac William Burcke Lord of eighter Connaght now very Irish. Seintleger Baronet of Slemarge meere Irish. Den Baronet of Pormanston waxing Irish. Fitz Gerald Baronet of Burnchurch Welleslye Baronet of Narraghe Husee Baronet of Galtrim S. Michell Baronet of Reban Marwarde Baronet of Scryne Nangle Baronet of the Navan English gentlemen of longest continuance in Ireland are the race of those which at this day either in great povertie or perill doe keepe the properties of their auncestors lands in Vlster being then companions to Courcy the conquerour and Earle of that part These are the Savages Iordanes Fitz Symonds Chamberlaines Russels Bensons Audleyes Whites Fitz Vrsulyes now degenerate called in Irish Mac Mahon the Beares sonne CAP. III. Nature of the soyle and other incidents THe soyle is low and waterish includeth diverse little Ilands invironed with bogges and marishes Highest hilles have standing pooles in their toppe Inhabitants especially new come are subiect to distillations rhumes and flixes for remedy whereof they use an ordinary drinke of Aqua-vitae so qualified in the making that it dryeth more and inflameth lesse then other hote confections The aire is wholsome not altogether so cleare and subtle as ours of England Of Bees good store no vineyards contrary to the opinion of some writers who both in this and other errours touching the land may easily be excused as those that wrote of hearesay Cambrensis in his time complaineth that Ireland had excesse of wood and very little champaigne ground but now the English pale is too naked Turffe and Sea-coales is their most fuell it is stored of kyne of excellent horses hawkes of fish and fowle They are not without wolves and grey-hounds to hunt them bigger of bone and limme then a colt Their kyne as also their cattle and commonly what els soever the Countrey ingendreth except man is much lesse in quantity then ours of England Sheepe few and those bearing course fleeces whereof they spinne notable rugge mantle The country is very fruitefull both of corne and grasse the grasse for default of Husbandrie not for the cause alleaged in Polychronicon groweth so ranke in the north parts that oft times it rotteth their Kyne Eagles are well knowne to breed heere but neither so bigge nor so many as Bookes tell Cambrensis reporteth of his owne knowledge and I heare it averred by credible persons that Barnacles thousands at once are noted along the shoares to hang by the beakes about the edges of putrified timber shippes oares anchor-holdes and such like which in processe taking lively heate of the Sunne become water-foules and at their time of ripenesse either fall into the sea or fly abroad into the ayre Aeneas Sylvius that after was Pope Pius the second writeth himselfe to have perceaved the like experiment in Scotland where he learned the truth hereof to be found in the Ilands Orchades Horses they have of pace easie in running wonderfull swift Therefore they make of them great store as wherein at times of need they repose a great peice of safetie This broode Raphael Volateranus saith to have come at first from Arturia the country of Spaine betweene Gallicea and Portugall whereof they were called Asturcones a name now properly applyed to the Spanish Iennet I heard it verified by Honourable to Honourable that a Nobleman offered and was refused for one such horse an hundred kyne five pound Lands an Airy of Hawks yearely during seven yeares In the plaine of Kildare stood that monstrous heape of stones brought thither by Gyants from Affrique and removed thence to the plaine of Sarisbury at the instance of Aurel. Ambrose King of Brittaine No venemous creping beast is brought forth or nourished or can live here being sent in and therefore the spider of Ireland is well knowne not to be venemous Onely because a frogge was found living in the Meadowes of Waterford somewhat before the conquest they construed it to import their overthrowe S. Bede writeth that Serpents conveyed hither did presently die being touched with smell of the land and that whatsoever came hence was then of Soveraigne vertue against poyson He exemplifieth in certaine men stung with Adders who dranke in water the scrapings of Bookes that had beene of Ireland and were cured Generally it is observed the further West the lesse annoyance of pestilent creatures The want whereof is to Ireland so peculiar that whereas it lay long in question to whether Realme Brittaine or Ireland the I le of Man should pertaine the said controversie was decided that forsomuch as venemous beasts were knowne to breed therein it could not be counted a naturall peice of Ireland Neither is this propertie to be ascribed to S. Patrickes blessing as they commonly hold but to the originall blessing of God who gave such nature to the situation and soyle from the beginning And though I
with Bastolenus arrived in Ireland certaine godlesse people of the stocke of Nemrod worthily tearmed a gyant as one that in bodily shape exceeded proportion used his strength to winne soveraigntie to oppresse the vveake vvith rapine and violence That linage Chams breed grevv to great numbers alvvay bethought them of getting mastery vvheresoever they tarryed One cause vvas their bodily force ansvvereable to their hugenesse of quantity another the example of Cham Zoroastes that magitian and Nemrodus Ninus his Nephew which two in themselves and their progenies were renowned throughout the world as victorious Princes over two mighty Kingdomes Aegypt and Assyria Thirdly they maligned the blessings bestowed upon Sem and Iapheth counting it necessary for themselves to stirre and prevent Dominions lest the curse of slavery prophesied by Noe should light upon them as notwithstanding it did at last Thus irked they began to kicke at their Governours and taking head set up a King of their owne faction nourishing the same and annoying the Subjects incessantlie the successe on both sides was variable quarrels increased the enemie caught handfast every day bred a new skirmish It seemed intolerable very necessity cōpelled them to try their whole force in one Battle either utterly to weede out the Gyants or to die free Peace therefore concluded among themselves for any private grudge hitherto maintayned all sorts brake truce and amity with the Gyants and straited them up so that from all corners of the land they must needes assemble into one field and fight for the better maynelie they tugged certaine houres but in conclusion the lawfull Kings prevayled the miscreants done to death See now the mockery of Fortune Victors they were and promised themselves a security Anger insolencie over-turned all for what with spoiling the dead carcases what with murthering the remaynder of that generation man woman and childe in all parts of the Realme vouchsafing them no buryall but casting them out like a sort of dead dogges there ensued through the stench of those carryons such a mortall pestilence infecting not onely the places where they lay but the ayre round about by contagion that beside those few which by sea returned homeward few escaped alive and heereby hangeth a tale From this plague say the Irish was preserved Ruanus the Gyant who from time to time kept true record of their histories else utterly done away by sundry casualties of death warre spoyle fire forraine victories and he forsooth continued till the yeare of Christ 430. and told S. Patrick all the newes of the country requiring of him to bee baptized and so died when he had lived no more but two thousand and forty one yeares which is above twice the age of Methusalem Had it beene my chaunce in Ireland to meete conferre with this noble Antiquarie hee might have eased me of much travell These things I note for no other purpose but that the simple stumbling upon such blinde legends should be warned to esteeme them as they are idle fantasies wherewith some of their Poets dallyed at the first and after through error and rudenes it was taken up for a sad matter CAP. VIII The severall Inhabitants of Ireland since Bastolenus OF an infinite number of Gyants slaine certaine hid families lurked and escaped the common mischiefe whom at length penury constrayned to forsake their dennes and to pilfer for meate when they perceived the murraine of men and beasts and that none gave them resistance they waxed hardie searching the land found it wel-nigh desolate wherefore they harboured themselves in the clearest coast and easily subduing the poore soules remaining revived their blood and became Lords of the whole Iland 60. yeares Among the Sonnes of Iapheth Genesis recounteth Magog who had now planted his people in Scithia within Tanaris from whom at this day the Turkes are descended They hearing the hard happe of their fathers lyne cast out by the collaterall braunches of Cham the late King of the Bactrians their odious neighbours sent into Ireland Nemodus with his foure sonnes Starius Gerbavel Amimus Fergusius captaines over a faire company who passing by Greece and there taking up such as would seeke fortunes finally landed here held the country multiplyed but not without continuall warre upon the Gyants aforesaid who in th' end vanquished and chased them thence againe into Greece after 216. yeares from Anno mundi 2533. from which time untill the comming of Dela his sonnes the Gyants possessed it peaceably without forreine invasion But themselves being disordered and measuring all things by might seditiously vexed each other nor were they ever able to frame a common-wealth That espyed five brethren sonnes to Dela the Grecian notorious Pilots named Gaudius Genandius Sagandius Rutheragius Slanius the posterity of Nemodus expulsed successors who fortified their navyes and finding the Countrey but weake wanne it entirely rooted out the old enemy divided the Iland into five parts in each of them severally raigned for better contentation of all sides they agreed to fixe a meare stone in in the middle point of Ireland to which stone every of their Kingdomes should extend and be partakers of the commodities then chiefly found in that soile These are also supposed to have invented the distribution of shires into Cantredes every Cantrede or Barony conteining an hundred Towneships wherewith the name and use of hundreds well knowne in England might seeme to accord Variance for the chiefty set the foure brethren at a lovve ebbe and then Slanius perched over them all encroached every vvay round about the middle stone certaine miles for provision and furniture of his ovvne houshold vvhich plott in time obtained the name of one generall part and novv maketh up the fift Media Meth it vvas called either for moytie of Cantredes being but sixteene vvhereas the rest comprised thirty tvvo apeece or for the site thereof in the navell of Ireland This hee assigned to the Monarch a surplus over and above his Inheritance vvhich notvvithstanding grevv to a severall Kingdome and allovved thereof certaine parts by composition Not long after dyed Slanius vvas buryed in a mountaine of Meth that carrieth his name Thirty yeares the Monarchy vvas possessed in this order but shortly the Princes ovving fealty beganne to stomack the Intrusion of Slanius vvhen he vvas once rid they disdained his successour whereupon ensued everlasting Battels The Monarchy was laide downe then fell they at debate for the land of Meth which strife could never be appeased In the necke of those troubles came over a new army of Scithians who claymed also from Nemodus their fore-father and they tooke parts and made parts set all in uproare with sword and havocke To be short they spent themselves one upon another so fiercely and furiously that now they reckoned not what nation or what souldiour they received in to keepe up or beate downe a side
Church a Sanctuary for their Corne and in neede to take thereof at reasonable prices Little good did Fitz Aldelin and lesse vvas like to doe because hee delighted to crosse his Peeres and vvas of them stopped in his course of government Hugh de Lacye vvas made Protector generall over the Land But Miles Cogan Philip de Bruise Fitz Stephens Power and diverse other more preferred to severall countreyes under him This Lacye builded a sort of castles and forts throughout all Leinster and Meth and the next sixe yeares continually devout gentlemen erected sundry Abbeyes as the Abbey of Roseglasse of Donbrothy by Hervy a Welchman one of the speciall conquerours of Ireland vvho himself after that entred into religion in Trinity Priory at Canterbury The Abbeyes of Geripont and Choro Benedicti the Abbey de lege Dei vvith repayring of many Chappels Chauncells Bell-houses High-vvayes and Bridges Then dyed Saint Laurence Archbishop of Divelin to vvhom succeeded Iohn Comyn an Englishman brought up in the Abbey of Evesham Founder of Saint Patrickes in Divelin vvhich vvas before that time a Parish Church novv by the said Archbishop endovved vvith Prebends Viccars Clearkes Chorists and many notable possessions for their maintenance vvhereout from time to time have proceeded Clergy-men of greatest learning reputation in the Diocese Divers contentions were raised betwixt Christs Church and it for antiquity wherein they of S. Patrickes are no doubt inferiour as shall appeare They are both written Cathedrall Churches and both are the Bishops Chapiter in vvhose election they both ought to convent within the Church of the blessed Trinity called Christs Church which in all records hath the preheminency of place The party that disturbeth this order of election forfeiteth by deede to th'Archbishop of Divelin 200. pounds This foundation was much enriched by King Iohn The same yeare died the yong King Henry reconciled to his father but preparing warre against his brother Richard Duke of Aquitain soon after also deceased Ieffry his other son Duke of Brittaine Thus were left Richard his inheritour and Iohn afterwards Earle of Glocester heretofore surnamed without land to whom the father conveyed all his interest and Lordship of Ireland sent him thither honourably accompanied being then but twelue yeares old and with him in speciall trust Giraldus Cambrensis Clerke a diligent searcher of the antiquities of Ireland surely well learned and in those dayes counted Eloquent About the young Earle were servants and counsellours three sorts first Normans great quaffers lourdens proud belly swaines fed with extortion and bribery to whom hee most relyed secondly the English brought with him meetly bold Thirdly the English found in the land whom being best worthy and most forward in all good services hee least regarded hereof sprang parties and disdaine and to the knights that hardiest were and readiest of courage no small discomfort to the enemies a spurre With the brute of his arrivall at Waterford the Kings of Thomond Desmond and Connaght put themselves in the bravest manner they could to meete him and to submit their countries to his Grace before them came the Irish Franklyns with rich presents and as they are very kind hearted where they list to shew obedience made unto the Childe their Lord the most joy and gladnesse that might be and though rudely yet lovingly and after the custome of their country offred to kisse him with such familiarity as they used towards their Princes at home Two of the Guard Normans pick-thankes shooke and tare the Clownes by the glibs beards unmannerly and churlishly thrust them out of the presence whom they should have instructed curteously born with The Irish thus rejected went against the fore-named Kings opened the rebukes and villanyes done to them for their meekenes that their Lord whom they thought to honour was but a Boy peevish and insolent governed by a sort of flatterers younglings and prowlers That sithence to them that buxome were and tractable such despite and dishonour that terme they have borrowed of the Spaniards was proffered so soone little good should the states of Ireland looke for in continuance when the English had once yoked and penned them in their clouches This report lightly alienated the mindes of those Princes not yet very resolute and turned them home with great oathes and leagues entred among themselves caused also the mightiest Captaines elsewhere to sticke together while their lives lasted and for no manner earthly thing to slacke the defence of their auncient liberties Immediately walked abroad mutinyes of broyle commotion so that the young Earle and his army were content to commit the tryall thereof to Lacy Bruise Courcy Fitz Gerald and the rest himselfe departing away the same yeare he came and leaving the Realme a great deale worse bestedde then he found it From the Conquest hitherto Giraldus Cambrensis and from hence to the yeare 1370. I am specially holpen by certaine briefe extracts whose author is namelesse and therefore I quote him by the name of Philip Flatsbury who wrote them and enriched them with collections of his owne for Gerald the father of the Earle of Kildare then being An. 1517. Lacy the rather for these whisperings did erect and edifie a number of Castles well and substantially provided in convenient places one at Derwath vvhere diverse Irish prayed to be set on worke for hyre Sundry times came Lacy to quicken his labourers full glad to see them fall in ure with any such exercise wherein might they once be grounded taste the svvetenesse of a true mans life he thought it no small token of reformation to be hoped for which cause he visited them often and merrily would command his Gentlemen to give the labourers example in taking paines to take their instruments in hand and to worke a season the poore soules looking on and resting But this game ended Tragically while each man was busie to try his cunning some lading some plaistering some heaving some carving the Generall also himselfe digging with a pykeaxe a desperate villaine of them he whose toole the Generall used espying both his hands occupied and his body with all force inclining to the blow watched his stoope and clove his head with an axe little esteeming the torments that ensued This Lacy was conquerour of Meth his body the two Archbishops Iohn of Divelin and Mathew of Cashell buryed in the monastery of of Becktye his head in S. Thomas abbey at Divelin The next yeare was builded the abbey of Ines in Vlster and soone after the abbeyes of Iugo Dei and of Comer and then the abbey of Knockmoy or de Colle victoriae by Cathel Cronderg King of Connaght CAP. II. The Titles of the Crowne of England to every part of Ireland and to the whole diverse wayes I Will begin with the pedigree of VVilliam Earle marshall for thereupon depend many recordes in Ireland and the Queenes
right to Leinster VValter Fitz Richard who came from Normandy with VVilliam Conquerour died Lord Strongbow of Strigule alias Chepstow without issue to whom succeeded his sisters sonne Gilbert who was created the first Earle of Pembroke had issue Richard the inheritour of Leinster by a covenant marriage of Eva the sole daughter of Mac Murrough King of Leinster This Richard conveyed to Henry the second all his title and held of him the Lordship of Leinster in foure counties Weixford Catherlagh Ossory and Kildare Richard left issue a daughter Isabel married to VVilliam Earle marshall of England now Earle of Pembroke Lord Strongbow and Lord of Leinster VVilliam had issue five sonnes who died without issue when every of them except the youngest had successively possessed their fathers lands and five daughters Maude â—oane Isabel Sibil and Eve among whom the patrimony was parted in an 31. H. 3. Of these daughters bestowed in marriage are descended many noble houses as the Mortimers Bruises Clares c. borne subjects to the Crowne of England paying ever to the King his dutyes reserved Hugh de Lacy Conquerour of Meth had issue VValter de Lacy who held the same of King Iohn paying a fine of foure thousand marks sterling and hence beganne all the severall claimes there at this day with allegiance sworne and done by their auncestours At the very first arrivall of Henry the second the Princes of Mounster came universally and did homage voluntarily and acknowledged to him and his heires duties and payes for ever Iohn de Courcy Conquerour and Earle of Vlster dyed without issue King Iohn Lord of Ireland gave the Earledome to Hugh de Lacy who had issue VValter and Hugh dead without issue and one daughter married to Reymond Burke Conquerour and Lord of Connaght Connaght descended to diverse heires owing service to the Prince but Vlster is returned by devolution to the speciall inheritance and revenues of the Crowne of England in this manner The said De Burgo had issue Richard who had issue Iohn who had issue VVilliam who was slaine without issue and a Daughter Elizabeth intytled to thirty thousand marks yearely by the Earledome of Vlster whom Edward the 3. gave in marriage to Leonel his second sonne Duke of Clarence who had issue a daughter Philippe marryed to Edmund Mortymer who had issue Edmund Anne Elinor Edmund and Elinor died without issue Anne was married to Richard Earle of Cambridge sonne to Edmund of Laugley Duke of Yorke fift sonne to Edward the third which said Richard had issue Richard Plantagenet father to Edward the fourth father to Elizabeth wife to Henry the seventh and mother to Henry the eight father to Mary Edward the sixt and Elizabeth Severall claimes to the Land of Ireland 1. First that the Irish for of the rest there is no question were subjects to the the Crowne of Brittaine before they set foote in Ireland Thus it appeareth They dwelt on that side of Spaine whereof Bayon was then cheife imperiall Citie and the same then in possession and obedience to Gurguntius 376. yeares ere Christ was borne as it was to his successours many a day after namely to Henry the which as I finde noted in certaine precepts of governement dedicated by Iames Young to Iames Butler Earle of Ormond then Lieutenant of Ireland an 1416. From this coast and Citty now part of Gascoigne came the fleete of those Iberians who in 60. ships met Gurguntius on the sea returning from the conquest of Denmarke to whom they yeelded oath and service sued for dwelling were by him conducted and planted in Ireland and became his leige people 2. Mac Gil-murrow King of Ireland with all his petty Princes Lordes and Captaines summoned to King Arthurs court held in Carlion an 519. did accordingly their homage and attended all the while his great feast and assembly lasted 3. The Monarch of Ireland and all other both reges and reguli for them and for theirs for ever betooke themselves to Henry the second in an Dom. 1172. namely those of the south whiles he lay at Waterford Dermot King of Corke which is the nation of Mac Cartyes at Cashell Donald King of Limricke which is the nation of the Obrenes Donald King of Ossory Mac Shaghlen King of Ophaly at Divelin did the like Okeruell King of Vriell Ororicke king of Meth Rodericke King of all Ireland and of Connaght This did they with consents and shoutes of their people and king Henry returned without any Battle given Onely Vlster remained which Iohn de Courcy soone after conquered and Oneale Captaine of all the Irish there came to Dublin to Richard the 2. in an 1399. And freely bound himselfe by oath and great summes of money to be true to the crowne of England 4. The same time Obrene of Thomond Oconor of Connaght Arthur Mac Murrow of Leinster and all the Irish Lords which had beene somewhat disordered renewed their obedience 5. When Ireland first received Christendome they gave themselves into the jurisdiction both spirituall temporall of the See of Rome The temporall Lordship Pope Adrian conferred upon Henry the second and hee gave the same to Iohn his younger sonne afterwards King of England and so it returned home to the Crowne 6. Alexander the 3. confirmed the gift of Adrian as in both their Charters is expressed at large 7. Vivian the legate on the Popes behalfe doth accurse and excommunicate all those that flitte from the obeysance of the Kings of England 8. The cleargy twice assembled once at Cashell secondly at Ardmagh plainely determined the conquest to be lawfull and threatned all people under paine of Gods and holy Churches indignation to accept the English kings for their Lords from time to time 9. It would aske a volume to recite the names of such Irish Princes who since the conquest have continually upon occasions revolts or petitions sworne truth and faith to the kings of England from time to time received honours wages fees pardons and petitions And thus I thinke no reasonable man will doubt of a right so old so continued so ratified so many wayes confessed CAP. III. Richard the first and King Iohn BY occasion of Lacyes mishap Iohn Courcye and Hugh de Lacye the younger with all their assistants did streight execution upon the Rebells and preventing every mischiefe ere it fell stayed the Realme from uproares Thus they continued lovingly and lived in wealth and honour all the dayes of Richard the first untill the first yeare of King Iohns raigne Henry the second had issue male VVilliam Henry Richard Ieffrey and Iohn VVilliam Henry and Richard dyed without issue Ieffrey Earle of Brittaine dyed before his father and left issue two daughters and an after-borne son called Arthur whose title to the Crowne as being the undoubted lyne of the elder brother Philip King of France and certaine Lords of England and Ireland stoutly justified Him had King Iohn taken prisoner in Normandy and
the holy man ceased not to travaile among them by preaching and teaching and by all meanes possible to winne them not long after a certaine King of Vlster destroyed Conor and put the people to the sword burned and spoyled and made havocke of all whereupon Malachias with a hundred and twenty brethren fled to Mounster where King Cormake gave him great entertainement and ayded him greatly in the building of the Monastery of Ybrak By this time Celsus spoken of before fell sicke and dyed The rude people thrust in Mauritius that usurped the place some five yeeres then Malchus Bishop of Lismore and Gislebertus the first Legate that came to Ireland from the Pope called the Bishops and Princes of the land together appointed Malachias for the place And when death had swiftly cut off the intruder Mauritius that damnable nation thrust in Nigellus but he prospered not long so that Malachias enjoyed it quietly Of the injury done to that Church and the abuse of that time heare Bernard as he learned of Conganus and others report The see of Ardmach saith Bernard for the reverence and honour of Saint Patricke the Apostle of that nation which converted that whole land to the faith in the which See living he ruled and in which dying he rested is had of all men from the beginning in so great reverence that not onely the Bishops and Ministers of the Clergie but the Kings and Princes of that nation carry themselves in all obedience unto their Metropolitane so that he being one ruleth all but there crept in a most detestable custome through the divellish ambition of certaine mighty men that the holy See was obtained by inheritable succession neither were any suffered to enioy the Bishopricke but such as were of their tribe and familie neither did this execrable succession hold for a small time but for the space of fifteene generations now in this diabolicall malice elapsed And so farre this wicked and adulterous generation had confirmed to it selfe this lewd interest yea rather an injurie to be punished with all manner of death that if at any time there should want Clerks of that race yet never wanted Bishops To be short there were before Celsus eight Bishops married men besides himselfe without orders yet learned men from hence over all Ireland issued that dissolution of ecclesiastiall discipline which Malachias found in Conor the rooting out of godly censure and the abandoning of religion from hence every wherein stead of Christian meekenesse was brought in cruell barbarousnesse yea paganisme and infidelity under a Christian name for that which was not heard of from the originall of Christianitie without order without reason the Metropolitans at their pleasure changed and increased the number of Bishops so that one Bishopricke contented not it selfe with one Bishop and no marvaile for how could it fare well with the members of so diseased a head they possessed the Sanctuary of God in this sort the space well neere of two hundred yeeres hee meaneth unto the dayes of Celsus and Malachias Cambrensis in his itinerarie of Cambria had relation no doubt unto this where he with Baldwin Archbishop of Canterbury in visitation about Wales came to the Church called lure padaen vacor that is the Church of great Paternus mis-stiled with the governement therof for thus he writeth This Church like as many more throughout Ireland and Wales hath a Laye man to their Abbot use hath prevailed and a lewd custome hath crept in that great and mighty men in Parishes have beene by the Clergie appointed Patrons and defendors afterwards have usurped unto themselves the right thereof Immediately hee reporteth of a travailer that came hither out of little Britaine in France that had for his further knowledge seene many countries and fashions of sundry nations and entring into the said Church on the Sabbath day wayted for divine Service they rung the Bell they tould they waited long at length came in the Abbot with some twenty after him in armes and wilde lookes every one having fon villuge so the Britaine 's termed it a forrest Bill on his shoulder the travailer asked which is the Abbot answer was made the formost with the greatest forrest Bill the travailer asked hath he any other ornament or doth he use any other weede answer being made no then said hee I have travailed farre enough I will see no more fashions whilst I live after that I have seene an Abbot carry a forrest Bill upon his backe Now to returne whence I have made this digression for the abuse of the Church causeth me to abuse the reader Malachias when he had peaceably enioyed Ardmagh some three yeeres with the consent of the three Bishops and Princes he resigned his place to Gelasius and returned to his former Bishopricke not of Conor but of Dune for he had placed one in Conor before to wit Oedanus his disciple here Bernard noteth that where Dune and Conor were before this time united through ambition and covetousnesse this man of devotion and conscience separated them againe dividing the Churches as they had beene of old for the good will he bare to Armagh he tooke his iourney towards Rome landed in Scotland came to Yorke sailed to France and lodged at Clarevallis hee came to Rome in the time of Innocentius 2. who made him his Legate of Ireland in the roomth of Gislebert the old man spoken of before which had made sute to be removed Boniface appointed Armagh to be a Metropolitane See but did not effect it and promised the pall which he did not performe Bernard maketh mention of two Metropolitan Sees one procured by Celsus the other by Malachias but where and how I finde no antient record Bale is of opinion they were in vocibus and not in rebus for lacke of money to pay for them Vpon his returne hee came to Clarevallis thence to England so to Scotland where King David most royally entertained him and lastly to his Abbey of Benchor in Vlster Of his conversation heare Bernard from the day of his birth to the day of his death hee lived sine proprio without claiming propertie in any thing he had neither men servants nor maid servants neither townes nor villages neither any reuenue ecclesiasticall or temporall in his Bishopricke for his provision ad mensam episcopalem hee had no certainty allotted him whereupon a Bishop might live hee had no certaine Monastery or dwelling place for hee daily went about all the Parishes preaching the Gospell and living by the Gospell as the Lord had ordained saying the labourer is worthy of his reward of his labours and such as travelled with him he carried about to relieve them all to be short Malachias neither in dyet or rayment was discerned from the rest of the brethren when he went a preaching with footmen he went on foot being a Bishop and a Legate and here Bernard exclaimeth when he entreth into the consideration of the difference betweene him and his
and his whole practise came to nought Wherefore let us with one minde like those valiant Frenchmen in our rightfull cause in the defence of our country and safeguard of the lives of our wives and children couragiously give the onset upon our enemies And whiles these strangers are but few in number let us stoutly issue out upon them The fire while it is but in embers and sparkles may easily be covered with ashes but if it breake into flames it is hard to be quenched wherefore it is expedient we stoppe beginnings and prevent sicknesse when it creepeth least when it takes roote it will hardly be cured wherefore cheere my hearts wee fight for our country and liberty let us leave unto our posterity an immortall fame let us march on and lustily assault them that the overthrow of a few may be a terrour to many and that it may be a president unto all forraigne Potentates never to attempt the like againe Dermot Mac Morogh and his men receive intelligence of this march and the approach of the enemy and beholding his men somewhat dismaid turned him to them with loving countenance yee men of Leynster my naturall subjects of my flesh and bloud whom loyalty truth and kindred hath hitherto lincked together let us live together and dye together in the defence of our persons and country you see how that wicked and ambitious minded Rodericke the Author of many mischiefes not contented with his owne country and kingdome seeketh now the soveraignty and dominion over the whole land the which I hope God will not permit You see his glory his pride and audacious attempts how he lifteth up his head and looketh aloft he trusteth to his multitude doubt you not but that God is on our side and the rightfull cause ours though wee of country birth to you Leinster men I speake bee not so many as they are neither so well appointed it forceth not for victory is not measured by multitude but by valour and courage and oftentimes wee know that a few stout and hardy men have foiled troupes of sluggards dastards and white liverd Souldiers If you mistrust any defect in your selves behold a present supply at your back and elbow Doe not you see these Worthy Knights these Valiant Warriers these Noble gallants the flowre of Brittaine their valour in part you have sufficiently tryed their furniture excelleth their order and aray is most comely they have forsaken their native soyle their friends and kindred and all for our sakes will they fly no they have burned their Ships the Land will yeeld them neither succour nor refuge neither will the bloody tyrant Roderic shew any mercy wee are sworne the one to the other while breath lasteth and life endureth If the enemy pretend with the sword to chastise us for our sinnes as it appeareth by their slaunderous shamelesse reports alas what have you done God knoweth your consciences are cleare your cause honest to take Armes in defence of your Prince and Countrey Why doe they not behold the blemishes nay the hainous enormities and villanies that raigne among them Their carrows their kerne their theeves their murders their swearing their lying their drunkennesse their whordome and bloody minds who reformeth The Tyrant Roderic hath murdered his owne naturall brother hee hath three wives alive he hath eleven bastards by severall women O villaine to behold a mote in our eye and cannot see a beame in his owne If the tyrant make challenge and pretend title to Leinster because the same hath sometimes beene tributarie to some one King of Connoght by the same reason also may wee demand and challenge all Connoght for our ancestors have beene sole Governours of both and Monarchs of all Ireland The Lawes of all Nations doe permit and allow to resist and withstand force and injury with force and strength Let us be of good courage wee stand vpon a good ground our seat is naturally very strong of it selfe now by our industry made more defensive feare nothing quit your selves like men When Dermot had made an end of his Irish Oration Robert Fitz Stephens in the Brittish tongue turneth him to the Brittaines You my companions in martiall affaires you lusty young gallants that have endured with me many perils yet still retaine your noble and valiant courage consider whence wee came what wee are and the cause we have in hand we are lineally descended from Troy whose fame hath filled the whole earth and now lately some of us out of Normandy have seated our selves in Brittaine and have to our wives children and kindred of the ancient and noble Brittish race of the one we cary our valiant and noble mind of the other wee learned the experience in feates of Armes wee are not come hither as pirats and theeves to robbe and spoile as it is well knowne unto you wee had our native soile to inhabit wee had our kindred about us and the countenance of great persons wee came after the course of the World as Marshall men but in an honest cause to take our adventures Heere wee are our friends are with us our foes are in armes against us wee are well appointed the enemy is but a wilde naked rasâ—all and savage people feare nothing our cause is good Dermot sought us we sought not him hee loveth our nation and our friends in former times have found friendship in his Countrey hee is a Prince lately exiled whose fall is more to be pittied then envied we are to comfort him to aide him and to restore him to his Kingdome It is more honorable to make then to be a King and to restore then to exile he is a Prince of a bountifull mind hee hath promised large for us and our heires after us hee hath in part already most faithfully performed his yeeres are many and his daies are but few after him wee shall enjoie his and if we overcome the enemy wee shall possesse all feare not death it is but a short delay betweene transitory and eternall life it is but a short passage from vaine and temporall delights to certaine and perpetuall joies if we conquer here wee shall inherit here and purchase unto us immortall fame if we misse here we are sure of a Kingdome in another world Roderic considering with himselfe the events of warres how doubtfull and uncertaine they are wrought all meanes to intreat for peace being timerous to adventure battaile with strangers whose force hee mightily feared and whose puissance and valour being renowned he was loth to encounter withall he sent messengers unto Dermot Mac Morogh promising him that hee and his heires should in peace and quietnesse enjoy all Leinster and acknowledge him for his chiefe King and Monarch and to yeeld unto him the service and homage that to that belonged and that he should deliver him his sonne Cunthurus Cnothurinus saith Stanyhurst for pledge and hostage And if the peace were truly kept and performed Roderic promised to give him his
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
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
house to take victuall by the way notwithstanding that there is no other meanes for him to have lodging nor horse meate nor mans meate there being no Innes nor none otherwise to bee bought for money but that he is endangered by that Statute for treason whensoever he shall happen to fall out with his Tennant or that his said hoste list to complaine of greivance as oftentimes I have seene them very malitiously doe thorough the least provocation Eudox. I doe not well know but by ghesse what you doe meane by these termes of Coigny and Livery therefore I pray you explaine them Iren. I know not whether the words bee English or Irish but I suppose them to bee rather auncient English for the Irish men can make no derivation of them What Livery is wee by common use in England know well enough namely that it is allowance of horse-meate as they commonly use the word in stabling as to keepe horses at Livery the which word I guesse is derived of livering or delivering forth their nightly foode So in great houses the livery is said to be served up for all night that is their evenings allowance for drinke And livery is also called the upper weede which a serving man weareth so called as I suppose for that it was delivered and taken from him at pleasure So it is apparant that by the word Livery is there meant horse meate like as by the word Coigny is understood mans meate But whence the word is derived is hard to tell Some say of Coine for that they used commonly in their Coignies not onely to take meate but coine also and that taking of money was speciallie meant to be prohibited by that Statute but I thinke rather this word Coigny is derived of the Irish. The which is a common use amongst Land lords of the Irish to have a common spending upon their Tennants for all their Tennants being commonly but Tennants at will they use to take of them what victuals they list For of victuals they were wont to make small reckoning neither in this was the Tennant wronged for it was an ordinary and knowne custome and his Lord commonly used so to covenant with him which if at any time the tenant disliked hee might freely depart at his pleasure But now by this Statute the said Irish Lord is wronged for that hee is cut off from his customary services of the which this was one besides many other of the like as Cuddy Coshery Bonnaght Shrah Sorehin and such others the which I thinke were customes at first brought in by the English upon the Irish for they were never wont and yet are loath to yeeld any certaine Rent but only such spendings for their common saying is Spend me and defend me Eudox. Surely I take it as you say that therein the Irish Lord hath wrong since it was an auncient custome and nothing contrary to Law for to the willing there is no wrong done And this right well I wot that even heere in England there are in many places as large customes as that of Coignie and Livery But I suppose by your speach that it was the first meaning of the statute to forbid the violent taking of victualls upon other mens Tenants against their wills which surely is a great out-rage and yet not so great mee seemes as that it should be made treason for considering that the nature of treason is concerning the Royall estate or Person of the Prince or practizing with his enemies to the derogation and danger of his Crowne and dignitie it is hardly wrested to make this treason But as you earst said Better a mischiefe then an inconvenience Iren. Another Statute I remember which having beene an auncient Irish Custome is now upon advisement made a Law and that is called the Custome of Kin-cogish which is that every head of every Sept and every chiefe of every kinred or family should bee answerable and bound to bring foorth every one of that sept and kinred under it at all times to be iustified when hee should be required or charged with any treason felony or other haynous crime Eudox. Why surely this seemes a very necessary Law For considering that many of them bee such Losells and scatterlings as that they cannot easily by any Sheriffe Constable Bayliffe or other ordinary Officer bee gotten when they are challenged for any such fact this is a very good meanes to get them to bee brought in by him that is the head of that sept or chiefe of that house wherfore I wonder what just exception you can make against the same Iren. Truely Eudoxus in the pretence of the good of this Stature you have nothing erred for it seemeth very expedient and necessary but the hurt which commeth thereby is greater then the good For whilest every chiefe of a sept standeth so bound to the Law for every man of his blood or sept that is under him and hee made great by the commaunding of them all For if hee may not commaund them then that Law doth wrong that bindeth him to bring them foorth to bee iustified And if hee may commaund them then hee may commaund them aswell to ill as to good Heereby the Lords and Captaines of Countreyes the principall and heades of septs are made stronger whome it should bee a most speciall care in policie to weaken and to set up and strengthen diverse of his underlings against him which whensoever hee shall offer to swarve from duty may bee able to beard him for it is very dangerous to leave the commaund of so many as some septs are being five or sixe thousand persons to the will of one man who may leade them to what he will as he himselfe shall be inclined Eudox. In very deede Iren. it is very dangerous seeing the disposition of those people is not alwayes inclineable to the best And therefore I holde it no wisedome to leave unto them too much commaund over their kinred but rather to with-drawe their followers from them asmuch as may bee and to gather them under the commaund of Law by some better meane then this custome of Kin-cogish The which word I would bee glad to know what it namely signifieth for the meaning thereof I seeme to understand reasonably well Iren. It is a word mingled of English and Irish together so as I am partly ledde to thinke that the custome thereof was first English and afterwardes made Irish for such an other Law they had heere in England as I remember made by King Alured that every Gentleman should bring foorth his kinred and followers to the Law So Kin is English and Congish Affinitie in Irish. Eudox. Sith then wee that have thus reasonably handled the inconveniences in the Lawes let us now passe unto the second part which was I remember of the abuses of customes in which mee seemes you have a faire champian layde open unto you in which you may at large stretch out your discourse into many sweete remembrances
Countrey of warre as it is handled and allwayes full of Souldiours they which have the government whether they finde it the most ease to the Queenes purse or the most ready meanes at hand for victualing of the Souldiour or that necessity inforceth them thereunto doe scatter the Army abroad in the Countrey and place them in Villages to take their victuals of them at such vacant times as they lye not in Campe nor are otherwise imployed in service Another kinde of Cesse is the imposing of provision for the Governors house-keeping which though it be most necessary and be also for avoyding of all the evills formerly therein used lately brought to a composition yet it is not without great inconveniences no lesse then here in England or rather much more The like Cesse is also charged upon the Countrey sometimes for victualling of the Souldiours when they lye in Garrison at such times as there is none remayning in the Queenes store or that the same cannot be conveniently conveyed to their place of Garrison But these two are not easily to be redressed when necessity thereto compelleth but as for the former as it is not necessary so is it most hurtfull and offensive to the poore country and nothing convenient for the Souldiours themselves who during their lying at Cesse use all kinde of outragious disorder and villany both towards the poore men which victuall and lodge them as also to all the Country round about them whom they abuse oppresse spoyle afflict by all the meanes they can invent for they will not onely not content themselves with such victuals as their hostes nor yet as the place perhaps affords but they will have other meate provided for them and Aqua vitae sent for yea and money besides laide at their trenchers which if they want then about the house they walke with the wretched poore man and his silly wife who are glad to purchase their peace with any thing By which vile manner of abuse the countrey people yea and the very English which dwell abroad and see and sometimes feele this outrage growe into great detestation of the Souldiours and thereby into hatred of the very government which draweth upon them such evills And therefore this you may also ioyne unto the former evill customes which we have to reprove in Ireland Eudox. Truly this is one not the least and though the persons by whom it is used be of better note then the former roguish sort which you reckoned yet the fault me thinkes is no lesse worthy of a marshall Iren. That were a harder course Eudoxus to redresse every abuse by a marshall it would seeme to you very evill surgery to cut off every unsound or sicke part of the body which being by other due meanes recovered might afterwards doe very good service to the body againe and haply helpe to save the whole Therefore I thinke better that some good salve for the redresse of the evill bee sought forth then the least part suffered to perish but hereof wee have to speake in another place Now we will proceede to other like defects amongst which there is one generall inconvenience which raigneth almost throughout all Ireland that is the Lords of land and free-holders doe not there use to set out their land in farme or for tearme of yeares to their Tennants but onely from yeare to yeare and some during pleasure neither indeede will the Irish Tennant or husbandman otherwise take his land then so long as he list himselfe The reason hereof in the Tennant is for that the Land-lords there use most shamefully to racke their Tennants laying upon them Coigny and Livery at pleasure exacting of them besides his Covenants what he pleaseth So that the poore husbandman either dare not binde himselfe to him for longer tearme or thinketh by his continuall liberty of change to keepe his Land-lord the rather in awe from wronging of him And the reason why the Land-lord will no longer covenant with him is for that he dayly looketh after change and alteration and hovereth in expectation of new worlds Eudox. But what evill commeth hereby to the Common-wealth or what reason is it that any Land-lord should not set nor any Tennant take his land as himselfe list Iren. Marry the evils which commeth hereby is great for by this meanes both the Land-lord thinketh that he hath his Tennant more at commaund to follow him into what action soever hee shall enter and also the Tennant being left at his liberty is fit for every occasion of change that shall be offered by time and so much also the more ready and willing is he to runne into the same for that hee hath no such state in any his houlding no such building upon any farme no such coste imployed in fensing or husbanding the same as might with-hold him from any such willfull course as his Lords cause or his owne lewde disposition may carry him unto All which hee hath forborne and spared so much expence for that he had no firme estate in his Tenement but was onely a Tennant at will or little more and so at will may leave it And this inconvenience may be reason enough to ground any ordinance for the good of the Common-wealth against the private behoofe or will of any Landlord that shall refuse to graunt any such terme or estate unto his Tennant as may tende to the good of the whole Realme Eudox. Indeede me thinkes it is a great willfullnes in any such Land-lord to refuse to make any longer farmes unto their Tennants as may besides the generall good of the Realme be also greatly for their owne profit and availe For what reasonable man will not thinke that the Tenement shal be made much better for the Lords behoofe if the Tennant may by such good meanes bee drawne to build himselfe some handsome habitation thereon to ditch and inclose his ground to manure and husband it as good Farmours use For when his Tennants terme shal be expired it will yeeld him in the renewing his lease both a good fine and also a better rent And also it shall be for the good of the Tennant likewise who by such buildings and inclosures shall receive many benefits first by the handsomenesse of his house he shall take more comfort of his life more safe dwelling and a delight to keepe his said house neate and cleanely which now being as they commonly are rather swyne-styes then houses is the cheifest cause of his so beastly manner of life and savage condition lying and living together with his beast in one house in one roome in one bed that is cleane strawe or rather a foule dunghill And to all these other commodities hee shall in sort time finde a greater added that is his owne wealth and riches increased and wonderfully inlarged by keeping his Cattle in inclosures where they shall allwayes have fresh pasture that now is all trampled and over-runne warme covert that now lyeth open to all weather safe
with them what they would for they would not by any meanes returne againe nor goe forth For in that case who will not accept almost of any conditions rather then dye of hunger and miserie Eudox. It is very likely so But what then is the Ordinance and what bee the conditions which you will propose unto them which shall reserve unto them an assurance of life and liberty Iren. So soone then as they have given the best assurance of themselves which may be required which must be I suppose some of their principall men to remaine in hostage one for another and some other for the rest for other surety I reckon of none that may binde them neither of wife nor of children since then perhappes they would gladly be ridde of both from the famine I would have them first unarmed utterly and stripped quite of all their warrelike weapons then these conditions set downe made knowne unto them that they shall bee placed in Leinster and have land given them to occupy and to live upon in such sort as shall become good subjects to labour thenceforth for their living and to apply themselves to honest trades of civility as they shall every one be found meete and able for Eudox. Where then a gods name will you place them in Leinster or will you finde out any new land there for them that is yet unknowne Iren. No I will place them all in the Countrey of the Birnes and Tooles which Pheagh mac Hugh hath and in all the lands of the Cavanaghes which are now in rebellion and all the lands which will fall to her Maiestie there-abouts which I know to be very spacious and large enough to containe them being very neere twenty or thirty miles wyde Eudox. But then what will you doe with all the Birnes the Tooles and the Cavanaghes and all those that now are joyned with them Iren. At the same very time and in the same very manner that I make that Proclamation to them of Vlster will I have it also made to these and upon their submission thereunto I will take like assurance of them as of the other After which I will translate all that remaine of them unto the places of the other in Vlster with all their Creete what else they have left them the which I will cause to be divided amongst them in some meete sort as each may thereby have somewhat to sustaine himselfe a while withall untill by his further travaile and labour of the Earth hee shal be able to provide himselfe better Eudox. But will you give the land then freely unto them and make them heires of the former Rebells so may you perhaps make them also heires of all their former villainies and disorders or how else will you dispose of them Iren. Not so But all the lands will I give unto Englishmen whom I will have drawne thither who shall have the same with such estates as shall bee thought meete and for such Rent as shall eftsoones bee rated under every of those Englishmen will I place some of those Irish to bee Tennants for a certaine Rent according to the quantity of such Land as every man shall have allotted unto him and shal be found able to wield wherein this speciall regard shall be had that in no place under any Land-lord there shall bee many of them placed together but dispersed wide from their acquaintance and scattered farre abroad thorough all the Country For that is the evill which now I finde in all Ireland that the Irish dwell altogether by their septs and severall nations so as they may practise or conspire what they will whereas if there were English well placed among them they should not bee able once to stirre or to murmure but that it should be knowne and they shortened according to their demerites Eudox. You have good reason but what rating of rents meane you to what end doe you purpose the same Iren. My purpose is to rate the rent of all those lands of her Maiesties in such sort unto those Englishmen which shall take them as they shall be well able to live thereupon to yeeld her Maiesty reasonable Chiefrie and also give a competent maintenance unto the garrisons which shall be there left amongst them for those Souldiours as I tolde you remaining of the former garrisons I cast to maintaine upon the rent of those landes which shall bee escheated and to have them divided thorough all Ireland in such places as shal be thought most convenient and occasion may require And this was the course which the Romanes observed in the Conquest of England for they planted some of their Legions in all places convenient the which they caused the Countrey to maintaine cutting upon every portion of land a reasonable rent which they called Romescot the which might not surcharge the Tennant or Free-holder and might defray the pay of the Garrison and this hath beene alwayes observed by all Princes in all Countries to them newly subdued to set Garrisons amongst them to containe them in dutie whose burthen they made them to beare and the want of this ordinance in the first conquest of Ireland by Henry the Second was the cause of the so short decay of that government and the quicke recovery againe of the Irish. Therefore by all meanes it is to bee provided for And this is that I would blame if it should not misbecome mee in the late planting of Mounster that no care was had of this Ordinance nor any strength of garrison provided for by a certaine allowance out of all the saide Landes but onely the present profite looked into and the safe continuance thereof for ever heereafter neglected Eudox. But there is a Band of Souldiours layde in Mounster to the maintenance of which what oddes is there whether the Queene receiving the rent of the Countrey doe give pay at her pleasure or that there be a settled allowance appointed unto them out of her lands there Iren. There is great oddes For now that said rent of the Countrey is not appointed to the pay of the Souldiers but it is by every other occasion comming betweene converted to other uses and the Souldiours in time of peace discharged and neglected as unnecessary whereas if the said rent were appointed and ordained by an establishment to this end only it should not bee turned to any other nor in troublous times upon every occasion her Majestie bee so troubled with sending over new Souldiours as shee is now nor the Countrie ever should dare to mutinie having still the Souldiour in their necke nor any forraine enemie dare to invade knowing there so strong and great a Garrison allwayes ready to receive them Eudox. Sith then you thinke that this Romescot of the pay of the Souldiours upon the land to be both the readiest way to the Souldiers and least troublesome to her Majestie tell us I pray you how would you have the said lands rated that both a rent may
them placed at the Bantry where is a most fit place not onely to defend all that side of the west part from forraine invasion but also to answere all occasions of troubles to which that Countrey being so remote is very subject And surely there also would be planted a good towne having both a good haven and a plentifull fishing and the land being already escheated to her Majesty but being forcibly kept from her by one that proclaimes himselfe the Bastard Son of the Earle of Clancar being called Donell Mac Carty whom it is meete to foresee to For whensoever the Earle shall die all those lands after him are to come unto her Majesty he is like to make a foule stirre there though of himselfe no power yet through supportance of some others who lye in the wind and looke after the fall of that inheritance Another hundred I would have placed at Castle Mayne which should keepe all Desmond and Kerry for it answereth them both most conveniently Also about Kilmore in the county of Corke would I have 2. hundred placed the which should breake that nest of theives there and answere equally both to the county of Limericke and also the county of Corke Another hundred would I have lye at Corke aswell to command the towne as also to be ready for any forraine occasion Likewise at Waterford would I place 2. hundred for the same reasons and also for other privy causes that are no lesse important Moreover on this side of Arlo neere to Muskery quirke which is the Countrey of the Burkes about Kill-Patricke I would have two hundred more to be garrisond which should skoure both the white Knights country and Arlo and Muskery quirk by which places all the passages of Theives doe lye which convey their stealth from all Mounster downewards towards Tipperary and the English pale and from the English pale also up unto Mounster whereof they use to make a common trade Besides that ere long I doubt that the county of Tipperary it selfe will neede such a strength in it which were good to be there ready before the evill fall that is dayly of some expected And thus you see all your Garrisons placed Eudox. I see it right well but let me I pray you by the way aske you the reason why in those Citties of Mounster namely Waterford and Corke you rather placed Garrisons then in all others in Ireland For they may thinke themselves to have great wrong to bee so charged above all the rest Iren. I will tell you those two Citties above all the rest doe offer an in-gate to the Spaniard most fitly But yet because they shall not take exceptions to this that they are charged above all the rest I will also lay a charge upon the others likewise for indeed it is no reason that the corporate townes enioying great franchizes and priviledges from her Majesty and living thereby not onely safe but drawing to them the wealth of all the land should live so free as not to be partakers of the burthen of this Garrison for their owne safety specially in this time of trouble and seeing all the rest burthened and therefore I will thus charge them all ratably according to their abilities towards their maintenance the which her Majesty may if she please spare out of the charge of the rest and reserve towards her other costes or else adde to the charge of the presidency in the North. Waterford C. Corke L. Limericke L. Galway L. Dinglecush X. Kinsale X. Yoghall X. Kilmallock X. Clonmell X. Cashell X. Fedard X. Kilkenny XXV Wexford XXV Tredagh XXV Rosse XXV Dundalke X. Mollingare X. Newrie X. Trim X. Ardee X. Kells X. Dublin C. In all 580. Eudox. It is easie Irenaeus to lay a charge upon any towne but to foresee how the same may be answered and defrayed is the cheife part of good advisement Iren. Surely this charge which I put upon them I know to bee so reasonable as that it will not much be felt for the port Townes that have benefit of shipping may cut it easily off their trading and in land townes of their corne and cattle neither doe I see but since to them especially the benefit of peace doth redound that they especially should beare the burthen of their safeguard and defence as wee see all the townes of the Low-Countryes doe cut upon themselves an excise of all things towards the maintenance of the warre that is made in their behalfe to which though these are not to be compared in richesse yet are they to bee charged according to their povertie Eudox. But now that you have thus set up these forces of Soldiers and provided well as you suppose for their pay yet there remaineth to fore-cast how they may bee victualled and where purveyance thereof may bee made for in Ireland it selfe I cannot see almost how any thing is to bee had for them being already so pittifully wasted as it is with this short time of warre Iren. For the first two yeares it is needefull indeede that they bee victualled out of England thoroughly from halfe yeare to halfe yeare afore-hand All which time the English Pale shall not bee burdened at all but shall have time to recover themselves and Mounster also being reasonably well stored will by that time if God send seasonable weather bee thoroughly well furnished to supply a great part of that charge for I knowe there is great plenty of Corne sent over Sea from thence the which if they might have sale for at home they would bee glad to have money so neere hand specially if they were streightly restrayned from transporting of it Thereunto also there will bee a great helpe and furtherance given in the putting forward of husbandrie in all meete places as heereafter shall in due place appeare But heereafter when things shall growe unto a better strength and the Countrey bee replenished with Corne as in short space it will if it bee well followed for the Countrey people themselves are great plowers and small spenders of Corne then would I wish that there should bee good store of Houses and Magazins erected in all those great places of garrison and in all great townes as well for the victualling of Souldiers and Shippes as for all Occasions of suddaine services as also for preventing of all times of dearth and scarcitie and this want is much to bee complayned of in England above all other Countreyes who trusting too much to the usuall blessing of the Earth doe never fore-cast any such hard seasons nor any such suddaine occasions as these troublous times may every day bring foorth when it will bee too late to gather provision from abroad and to bring it perhappes from farre for the furnishing of Shippes or Souldiers which peradventure may neede to bee presently imployed and whose want may which GOD forbid hap to hazard a Kingdome Eudox. Indeede the want of those Magazins of victualls I have oftentimes complayned of in England and wondered