sister or demaund ward then the inheritance should seeme to be divided so that the eldest sister should seeme to be segnioresse and tennant of inheritance simul semel that is to say heire of her owne part and segnioresse to her sisters which could not stand well together in this case for the eldest can demaund no more then her sisters but the chiefe mease by reason of her auncienty Moreover if the eldest sister should take homage of the yonger she should be as a segnioresse to them all and should have the ward of them and their heires which should be none other but but to cast the Lambe to the Wolfe to be devoured And therefore wee command you that you cause the aforesaid customes that bee used within our Realme of England in this case to bee proclaimed throughout our dominions of Ireland and to be straightly kept and observed in testimony whereof c. I witnesse my selfe at Westminster the ninth of February the thirteeneth yeere of our Raigne Anno 1233. or as some will have it 1234. the 7. of Aprill there appeared as it were foure Sunnes besides the naturall Sunne of a red colour and a great Circle of Christall colour from the sides whereof went out halfe Circles in the divisions whereof the foure Sunnes went forth There followed that yeere great warre and cruell bloodshed general great disturbance throughout England Wales and Ireland so write Matthew Paris and Stow. This troublesome yeere died Gualter Lacy Lord of Meath leaving behind him two daughters coheires to inherit his possession to wit Margret that was maried to the Lord Theobald Verdon and Mathilda married to Ieffray Genevile Amids these troubles in the flourishing daies of Maurice Fitz Gerald Hubert de Burgo Ieffray de Morisco and Gualter de Lacy whose ends followed according The Noble Earle Richard Maxfield Lord Maxfield Earle Marshall of England spoken of before and being by them maligned was traitorously cut off by sundry devilish draughts Matthew Paris wrot the Story at large laid downe their practise on both the sides of the seas their forged letters and secretly as it were by stealth fixing thereto the Kings seale Hee calleth them traitors Iudasses and Ieffery de Morisco he termeth Achitophell that gave wicked counsell Hubert had a lamentable end Ieffery dyed in misery Lacy was shortly cut off and Maurice Fitz Girald was with dishonour removed from his Iusticeship This Maurice of the King desired to bee reconciled to Gilbert Marshall his brother whom he greatly feared and offered in satisfaction to build with all speed a noble Monastery and to endow the same with large possessions and to furnish it with a reverent covent to pray for the soule of Richard Marshall at length with much adoe and importunate intreaty of the King and Nobility of England Gilbert Marshall granted him peace but of Earle Richards end I have spoken somewhat before About the yeere 1233. or 34. Hugh Mapleton Bishop of Ossorie whose Episcopall see was then at Achboo in upper Ossorie began the foundation of the Cathedrall Church now standing in the Irish towne of Kilkenny in the honour of God and Saint Canicus of whom the towne of Kilkenny hath the name and is reckoned the first founder Hee ordained three Canons for the service hee gave them divers Churches and tithes for their maintenance as in the foundation of those Chanons more at large doth appeare He builded the Bishops Court of Aghor adding thereto fish-ponds fishings and other necessaries Such good men lived in those dayes At the same time came the King of Connaught exhibiting a grievous complaint unto Henry the third saith Mathew Paris against Iohn de Burgo the sonne as I suppose of Hubert de Burgo before spoken of that he had entred his country with forces and wasted the same with fire and sword that it would please his Majestie to doe him justice and command such rash attempts to be bridled alledging that he was his loyall subject and paid for his kingdome an annuall pension mounting to the summe of 5000 marks ever since King Iohn had subdued his kingdome and that he would rid him of that base upstart or new commer which sought unjustly to disherit him The King tendred his reasonable requests and commanded Maurice Fitz Girald then present to plucke up by the roote the fruitlesse Plant the which Hubert Earle of Kent had sometime planted in those parts while he was in Ruffe that it might budde no more Hee wrote also unto the Nobilitie of Ireland that they should banish the said Iohn de Burgo and peaceably establish the King in his kingdome who with these princely favours joyfully returned into his country Anno 1235. saith Cooper the Irish men rebelled so hee left it and so I leave it too Anno 1236. Mathew Paris doth write that in the North parts not farre from the Abbey of Rochor Rupie and also in Ireland and the parts there abouts more apparantly strange and wonderfull sights were seene which amazed the beholders to wit there appeared comming forth of the earth companies of armed men on horseback with Speare Shield Sword and banners displaid in sundry formes and shapes riding in battaile array and encountring together and this sight appeared sundry dayes each after other sometimes they seemed to joyne as it had beene in battaile and fought sore and sometimes they seemed to just and breake staves as if it had beene at some triumphant justs of torny The people of the country beheld them a farre off with great wonder for the skirmish shewed it selfe so lively that now and then they might see them come with their empty horses sore wounded and hurt and likewise men mangled and bleeding A pittifull fight to behold and that which seemed more strange and most to be mervailed at after they vanished away the prints of their feet appeared in the ground and the grasse trodden in those places where they had beene seene Anno 1240. Petrus de Supino came from Pope Gregory into Ireland with an authenticke papall mandate requiring under paine of Excommunication and other censures ecclesiasticall the twentieth part part of the whole land besides donatives and private gratuities to the maintenance of his warres against Fredericke the Emperour where he extorted saith Mathew Paris a thousand and five hundred markes and above saith Florilegus at which time also one Petrus Pubeus intitled the Popes Familiar and kinsman and both bastards saith Bale filled in like sort his fardles in Scotland These Nuntioes were so crafty that they needed no Brokers they secretly understood by Posts and Cursitors the state of the Court of Rome which quailed them full sore that the Pope was either gone or panted for life secretly by the conduct of the Monkes of Canterbury they were conveyed to Dover where they tooke shipping and crossed the seas The Emperour Fredericke against whom this provision was made having intelligence thereof and secretly acquainted with the Popes state wrote to the King of England
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
understood this hee was more waspish and moved with the countenance of the sonnes then with the former iniury of the father and turning him to the King spake aloud what I have said I have said what I have written I have written never to be blotted out To be short the Bishop with great sorrow departed and in bitternesse prophecied of the ill successe of the children who dyed and lived in great honour all the dayes of their lives but these matters we are to referre to the secret iudgement of God After the decease of these five brethren five Earles and five Princes of Leinster leaving no issue behinde them the five daughters their sisters Ioane Mathilda Isabell Sibilla and Eva being honourably matched had their fathers and brethrens possessions and territories in Ireland orderly divided amongst them Ioane the eldest daughter of William Earle Marshall and eldest sister of the five brethren before spoken of was married to Warren de Mountchensen who in right of her had allotted unto him the County of Wexford they had issue one daughter Ioane that was married Anno 1247. to William de Valence a Norman the sonne of Hugh Brune Earle of March and Turryn Vicount of Curce c. hee was halfe brother to King Henry the third by Queene Isabell daughter and heire of Amerie Earle of Angolesm the widdow of King Iohn This William in the right of his wife was Earle of Penbroke and Lord of Wexford and died Anno 1296. he had issue two sonnes and two daughters William de Valence Owdomare alias Aimer de Valence Isabell and Ioane William succeeded his father in the Earldome of Penbroke and Lordship of Wexford and died without issue Aymer his brother after him was Earle of Penbroke and Lord of Wexford and died without issue whereupon the inheritance fell to the two sisters Isabell and Ioane Isabell was married to Iohn Hastings Lord Hastings of Abergevenny who in the right of his wife had one halfe of the county of Wexford allotted unto him and had issue Elizabeth which married Reynold Lord Gray of Ruthin Ioane the second sister was married to Iohn Lord Comyn who in her right had the other halfe of Wexford and he had issue two daughters Elizabeth and Ioane Elizabeth married Richard Lord Talbot and Ioane was married to David Earle of Atholl in Scotland and thus the County of Wexford was divided Mathilda or Mawde the second daughter of William Earle Marshall of England had the county of Cattelough alias Carlogh assigned unto her she was married to Hugh Bigod Earle of Norfolke father of Ralph Bigod whose daughter and heire Isabell was married to Sir Gilbert Lacy who had issue Margery and Mawd Margery was married to Iohn Lord Verdon of whom the Earle of Shrewesbury and the Earle of Essex are descended Mawd married Ieffery Genivill father to Peter Genivill whose daughter and heire was married to Roger Mortimer Lord of Wigmore and the first Earle of March Isabell the third daughter of William Earle Marshall of England had to her portion the county of Kilkenny She was married to Sir Gilbert de Clare Earle of Glocester and Herford whose discent is before spoken of Hee was slaine by the Scots in King Edward the seconds time and died without issue I have seene a Charter granted by him to the towne of Kilkenny Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester and Herford to our Seneshall of Kilkenny and to our treasurer of the same greeting know you that we for the common profit of the towne of Kilkenny of our especiall favour have granted to our loving Burgesses of the same towne c. the whole in substance is that none shall sell victuals there but it shall be prized by the officers of our towne After the decease of Sir Gilbert Clare then the Earledomes of Glocester and Herford and the County of Kilkenny fell betweene his three sisters begotten upon Isabell aforesaid to wit Elenor Margaret and Elizabeth Elenor was married to Hugh Spencer the younger Margaret was married to Peter Gaveston and after his death to Hugh Lord Audely Elizabeth was married first to William Lord Burgh Earle of Vlster the second time to Ralph Roch Baron of Farmoy thirdly to Theobald Lord Verdon and lastly to Roger Damary and had issue by every one of them Sibilla the fourth daughter of William Earle Marshall had to her part the Countie of Kildare and was married to William Ferers Earle of Ferers and Darby who had issue Agnes Isabell Mathilda Sibilla Cecilia and a second Sibill Agnes was married to VVilliam de Vescy who had issue Iohn de Vescy who had issue VVilliam de Vescy that died without issue in his fathers life time Lastly this County of Kildare was given by the King unto Iohn Fitz Thomas the first Earle of Kildare as hereafter in more convenient place shall appeare Eva the first daughter of VVilliam Earle Marshall had to her portion the Mannor of Dounmas in Leix and was married to VVilliam Bruse Lord Bruse of Gower who had issue Mathilda Elenor and Eva. Mathilda was married to Roger Mortimer Elenor was married to Humphery de Bohun Earle of Herford and Eva to Cantilupe alias VVilliam de Canlow Of the line of these Maxfields I meane of VVilliam Earle Marshall of England the pedigree discent of this Noble familie the properties and purports holds of the daughters I have seene sundry copies Nicholas Magwir Bishop of Leighlen perfected an abstract of the division of the land in Ireland among the daughters and the paritcularities thereof which is to be seene in the red towne-booke of Kilkenny and now forwards with the history from whence I have somewhat digressed Anno 1190. in which yeere the Citie of Dublin by foule mishap was fired to ashes King Richard set all in a readinesse for his iourney into the holy land gathered masses of money together and among others it is remembred what a summe of money he received of Hugh Pudsey a Norman and Bishop of Durham that gave an inestimable summe to be made an Earle whom the Antiquaries doe condemne for his intolerable pride and damnable covetousnesse whom the King also flowted after hee had received the coyne saying Loe I have made a young Earle of an old Bishop In this voyage and preparation for the recovery of Ierusalem and the ayde of the Christians in Asia there went Fredericke Emperour of Almaine Richard King of England Philip of France VVilliam of Cicilia Otho Duke of Burgundie the Venetians Pisanes Frisones Danes and Flemings Now that the King is on his iourney abroad let us talke a little gentle Reader of little Iohn at home Stanihurst leads me into the history and reporteth that Anno 1189. he came into Ireland and sojourned at Dublin the storie goeth and especially in Hector Boetius and Iohn Major Antiquaries of Scotland how that in those daies there were many outlawes in the North parts of England of these outlawes Robin Hood and little Iohn were Chiefetaines It was said of
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
calmenesse Anno 1327. Donald sonne to Art Mac Morch and Sir Henry Traharne were taken prisoners Anno 1328. Deceased the Lord Thomas Fitz Iohn Earle of Kildare and the Lord Arnold Power and William Earle of Vlster came into Ireland Anno 1329. Iohn Brimingham Earle of Lowth and Peter his brother with many other were slaine on Whitsun even at Balibragan by the men of the Country Also the Lord Thomas Butler and divers other Noble men were slaine by Macgohegan and other Irishmen neere to Molingar Anno 1330. There died Sir Richard Deicetir Also the Earle of Vlster went with a great Army into Mounster upon Obren Also the Prior of the Hospitall then Lord Iustice put the Lord Maurice Fitz Thomas Earle of Desmond into the custody of the Marshall out of the which hee freely escaped And Sir Hugh de Lacy returned into Ireland and obteined peace of the King Anno 1331. The Earle of Vlster went into England and great slaugher was made upon the Irish in O kenslie also the Castle of Arclow was taken by the Irish and great slaughter made of the English ni the Cowlagh by Otothell where Sir Philip Bryt and many others were slaine and the Lord Anthony Lacy came over Lord Iustice of Ireland and great slaugter was made of the Irish at Thurles by the men of the Country and at Finnath in Meath there were many of them slaine by the English also the Castle of Fernis was taken and burned by the Irish also Maurice Fitz Thomas Earle of Desmond was apprehended at Limerick by the Lord Iustice upon the day of the Assumption and sent unto the Castle of Dublin Moreover the Lord Iustice tooke Sir William Birmingham and Walter his sonne at Clomell by a wile whilest hee was sick in his bed and sent them likewise unto the Castle of Dublin on the 19. day of Aprill Anno 1332. Sir William Birmingham was hanged at Dublin but Walter his sonne was delivered by reason hee was within orders Also the Castle of Clonmore was taken by the English and the Castle of Bonrath was destroyed by the Irish of Thomond also Henry Mandevill was sent prisoner to Dublin likewise Walter Burgh with two of his brethren were taken in Conaght by the Earle of Vlster and sent to the Castle of Norburgh also the said Lord Iustice was deposed by the King and went into England with his wife and children and Iohn Darcy was made Lord Iustice and great slaughter was made upon Bren Obren and Mac Carthy in Munster by the English of that Country Anno 1333. The Earle of Desmond by the Parliament held at Dublin was sent over into England unto the King and VVilliam Earle of Vlster in going toward Knock fergus upon the seventh day of Iune was treacherously slaine neere to the foords in Vlster by his owne people but his wife with his daughter and heire escaped into England which daughter was married unto the Lord Lionell the Kings sonne and afterward died at Dublin and had a daughter and heire which was afterward married unto Roger Mortimer Earle of March and Lord of Trim And to revenge the death of the said Earle the Lord Iustice of Ireland with a great Army went into Vlster But before that hee came thither the men of that Country had done the revenge and the Lord Iustice with his Army went into Scotland to the King of England because at that time hee was there in warre and hee left the Lord Thomas Burgh his Lievtenant in Ireland also on Saint Margarets Eve great slaughter was made in Scotland by the Irish and so what by the King in one part and the Lord Iustice in another Scotland was Conquered and Edward Balioll was established King of Scotland and Iohn Darcy came back Lord Iustice of Ireland and delivered VValter Birmingham out of the Castle of Dublin Anno 1336. On Saint Laurence day the Irish of Conaght were discomfited and put to flight by the English of the Country there and there were slaine tenne thousand and one Englishman Anno 1342. And in the sixteenth of King Edward the 3. Pope Benedict deceased Clement the sixth succeeded a man truly of great learning but exceeding prodigall so that hee would bestow upon his Cardinals Church livings in England when they were vacant and would goe about to impose new titles for them For which cause the King of England about the yeere 1344. disannulled the provisions so made by the Pope interdicting upon paine of imprisonment and death that none should bring any of them Anno 1348. There was great mortality in all places especially in and about the Court of Rome Avinion and about the sea coastes of England and Ireland Anno 1349. Deceased Alexander Bignor upon the foureteenth day of Iuly and the same yeere was Iohn de Saint Paul consecrated Archbishop of Dublin Anno 1355. Died Maurice Fitz Thomas Earle of Desmond L. Iustice of Ireland Anno 1356. Deceased the Lord Thomas de Rokesbie L. Iustice of Ireland Anno 1357. Began great variance betwixt Master Richard Fitz Ralphe Primat of Ardmagh and the foure Orders of begging Fryers Anno 1360. Deceaded Richard Archbishop of Ardmagh upon the seventeenth day of the Kalends of December in the Popes Court and Richard Kilminton dyed in England therefore the controversie ceased betwixt the Clergie and the orders of begging Fryers Anno 1361 and in the thirty fourth yeere of K. Edward the third about Easter began a great mortalitie of men consuming many men but few women in England and Ireland Also the same yeere the Lord Lionell Sonne to King Edward the third Duke of Clarence came over the Kings lievetenant into Ireland Anno 1362. deceased Iohn de Saint Paule Archbishop of Dublin on the fift day before the Ides of September Anno 1363. Thomas Minot was consecrated Archbishop of Dublin Anno 1369. the Lord William Windsor came over the Kings Lievetenant in Ireland Anno 1370. there was a third great Pestilence in Ireland And the Lord Gerald Fitz Maurice Earle of Desmond and the Lord Iohn Fitz Richard and the Lord Iohn Fitz Iohn and many other Noble men were taken prisoners and many others were slaine by Obren and Maccoinnard of Thomond in the moneth of Iuly Anno 1372 Sir Robert Asheton came over Lord Iustice of Ireland Anno 1373. there was great warre betwixt the English of Meth and Offerolle in which warre many upon both sides were slaine Anno 1375. Thomas Archbishop of Dublin departed this life and the same yeere was Richard de Wikeford consecrated Archbishop there Anno 1381 Edmund Mortimer the Kings Lievetenant in Ireland Earle of March and Vlster dyet at Coâ—ke Anno 1383. the fourth great Pestilence was in Ireland Anno 1385. Dublin Bridge fell Anno 1387. about Martilmas the Peeres of England rose against those that were of the side of King Richard the second but Robert Veer Duke of Ireland came over to Chester and got together many men and put them in array to march backe toward the
betweene the King of Mounster and his Brother wherein the King was overmatched and fled into England visited Malchus in his Abbey and would at no hand be said nay but so long as it should please God to afflict him he would live there under his governement and ensue his conversation he contented himselfe with a poore Cell used dayly a cold bathe to represse the wantonnesse of his flesh dieted himselfe with none other fare then bread water and salt passed dayes and nights in sobbing and remorse of sinne At length the Kings and Nobles of Ireland began to stomacke the usurper vanquished him called home the good King to his right who with many perswasions of Malchus and Malachias could scarcely be gotten to forsake ghostly company trade of life CAP. XV. The most noble events in Ireland betweene the time of Saint Patricke and the conquest under Henry the 2. IN the yeare of Christ 586. the people of Norway were Lordes and victours of the Ilandes in the West Ocean called Orchades and great scowrers of the seas A nation desperate in attempting the conquest of other Realmes as being sure to finde warmer dwelling any where then at their owne home These fellowes lighted into Ireland by this meanes Careticus King of Brittaine odious to his subjects fell with them at civill warre Ioyfull was the newes hereof to the Saxons who then in the six severall kingdomes possessed the Iland sundry wayes so they laide together their force associated to them Gurmondus a Rover out of Norway who having a navy still in a readinesse and an army thereafter furnished holpe the Saxons to hunt the Brittaines into the marches of Wales builded the towne of Gormond-chester and then having holpen the Saxons made a voyage into Ireland where he sped but meanely and therefore the Irish account not this for any of their conquests as some of their antiquities have informed me The same Gurmondus finding hard successe did but build a few slight castles and trenches in the frontiers and then leaving the land got him home into France where he was finally slaine him our Chonicles name King of Ireland But the Irish affirme that before Turgesius no Easterlings obtained a Kingdome Here Cambrensis to salve the contradiction thinketh Gurmundus to have conquered the land by Turgesius his Deputy sent thither at his provision which answere breedeth a contrariety more incurable for himself numbreth betweene Laigirius King of Ireland in an 430. and â—edlemidius whom Turgesius vanquished Monarches 33. and yeares 400. so that Turgesius lived in an 830. and could not possibly deale with Gurmondus who joyned with the Saxons against Careticu in Anno 586. This knot might be untwyned with more facility Gurmondus made much of that little he caught and wrote himselfe King which Title our Histories doe allow him because he opened a gappe enjoyed it for a while and brake a way for his Countreymen Turgesius brought this attempt to perfection and in these respects each of them may be called first King and Conqueror Secondly therefore Turgesius with his Normans assaulted Ireland sustained losse and many overthrowes but in the end fastening his power to the sea coasts and receiving in his friends at will he subdued the land through and through ever as he went building up Castles and fortresses vvherevvith the Irish had not beene yet acquainted for hitherto they knevv no fence but vvoods or bogges or strokes Turgesius bridled the Kings and avved them so that vvithout interruption he raigned thirty yeares cryed havocke spoile vvhere any vvealth vvas heaped spared neither Lay nor Clergy nor Church nor Chappell but very insolently abused his victory O-malaghlien king of Meth vvas in some trust vvith the Tyrant his onely Daughter Turgesius craved for his concubine The father having a present vvitt and vvatching some subtle oportunities Saving your fancie my Lord quoth hee there are diverse Ladies of my bloud svveeter bed-fellovves for a king then that brovvne girle and then he began to count neeces and cousins a number forsooth endovved vvith angell-like beauties painted so lively vvith his Tale that the Tyrant doted already upon them ere hee savv them But ever he doubted lest O-malaghlien extolled them to exempt his ovvne and the vvise father cloaked his drift vvith modestie in ansvveres and lingering his graunt to enflame the leachers folly as hee that vvould any thing to bee suspected rather then his thought indeed And at the last vvhen the other tooke his delay somevvhat unkindely and bade his Queene speake to him If I said quoth hee that vvith my very goodvvill my sole daughter should bee sent to you to bee deflovvred your high vvisedome would guesse I did but faine and flatter and yet if ten daughters were deerer unto me then your good pleasure and contentation by whose bounty both she I and we all are supported I were unworthie the secret friendship wherein it lyeth in you to use mee As for the wench it will in part seeme honourable to bee asked to the bed of such a Prince seeing Queenes have not sticked to come from farre and prostrate their bodies to noble Conquerours in hope of issue by them and howsoever it bee taken time will redeeme it But such a friend as you are to mee and mine neither I nor mine shall live to see and I purpose not to offend your amity with saving a greater mater then twenty maiden-heads seeing fathers have not sticked to yeeld their owne wives to quench the loves and lustes of their sonnes Therefore I am thus agreed name you the day and place sever your selfe from the open eye of your Court conferre with those that have a curious insight and skill in beauties I will send you my daughter and with her the choice of twelve or sixteene gentlewomen the meanest whereof may bee an Empresse in comparison when all are before you make your game at will and then if my childe shall please your fancie shee is not too good to be at your commandement Onely my request is that if any other presume upon your leavings your Majestie will remember whose fathers childe shee is This liberall proffer was accepted of him whose desire was insatiable with many faire promises and thankes To bee short the same day O-malaghlien attired Prince-like his owne Daughter and with her sixteene beautifull striplings which presented to the King in his privy Chamber accompanied onely with certaine wantons of the Nobility drew foorth from under their woman-like garments their skeanes and valiantly bestirred themselves stabbing first the Tyrant next the youth present that prepared but small resistance surely sitt mates to supply the office they tooke in hand of Paris not of Hector Out flew the fame thereof into all quarters of Ireland and the Princes nothing dull to catche holde of such advantage vvith one assent rose ready to pursue their liberty All Meth and Leinster vvere soone gathered to O-malaghlien the father of this practise
the childe first into Scotland then into France and misdoubting the French into Italy vvhere Cardinall Pole his neere kinsman preserved him till the raigne of Edward the sixt vvith vvhom hee entred into high favour and obtayned of him his olde Inheritance of Meinothe Lastly by meanes of the said Cardinall and Sir Anthony Browne Lord Mountague whose sister hee marryed a woman worthy of such a brother Queene Mary Founder and restorer of many Noble houses repealed his attainder and set him in his fathers Earledome wherein since that time he hath shewed himselfe sundry wayes officious and serviceable towards his Common-wealth and the Crowne of England beside other good qualities of honour and curtesie they repute him heere for the best horseman in these parts of Christendome With this escape of yong Fitz Gerald the Lord Leonard Gray his Vncle on the mothers side was held suspect the same was one speciall article urged against him when hee lost his head Anno 1542. Sir VVilliam Skevington a vvorthy Governour and among all vertues very just of his vvord deceased Lord Deputy at Kilmaynam the Lord Leonard Gray succeeded him Oneale and Odonill colourably required a parley vvith the Deputy but in the vvay as they rode they burned the Navan and the tovvne of Ardee Wherefore the Deputy vvith the helpe of the Maior of Divelin Iames Fitz Symonds and the Maior of Droghedagh and the English pale met them flighted them slevv 400. of their trayne and there the Maior of Divelin for notable service in that journey vvas knighted Sir Anthony Seintleger Knight of the Garter Lord Deputy He summoned a Parliament vvherein the Geraldines vvere attainted Abbeyes suppressed the King named supreme head and King of Ireland because he recognized no longer to hold it of the Pope At this Parliament appeared Irish Lords Mac Gilpatricke Lord Barry Mac Cartimore O-Brene and diverse more vvhom follovved Con Oneale submitting himselfe to the Kings Deputy and after to the King himselfe vvho returned him richly plated created him Earle of Tyrone his base sonne Matthew Oneale Baron of Donganon As for Shane Oneale the onely sonne of his body mulier begotten hee vvas then little esteemed and of no proofe The same time Iames Earle of Desmond came to the King and vvas of him both Princely entertained and revvarded CAP. X. Edward the 6. Mary and Elizabeth BEfore the decease of Henry the 8. Seintleger was twice in England leaving at both times Sir VVilliam Brabason Lord Iustice. In his second returne An. 1546. Sir Edward Bellingham Captaine generall landed at Waterford and skowred the coast where Omore and Ocomore used to prey This yeare the city of Divelin obtained a Charter for two Sheriffes in stead of Bayliffes The Geraldines Out-lawes were taken and executed Bellingham appointed Lord Deputye erected a Mint within the Castle of Divelin which quickely wearyed them for want of fuell Andrew Brereton with 300. horsemen and 40. footemen inhabited the North as farre as Lecale where hee with 35. horsemen gave the charge upon 240. Scotts that from the out Islandes came to succour the Irish and wasted the Countrey In one yeare hee cleered those quarters that the Kings subiects might passe in peace Sir Frauncis Bryan the Kings Mynion was left Lord Iustice vvhile Bellingham repayred into England vvhere he dyed a man made up by service in the vvarres by continuall toyle therein diseased and feebled but of courage a lyon to his dying day true as steele as farre from flattery as from hearing flatterers an exceeding fervent Protestant very zealous and carefull in tendring the vvealth of Ireland vvherein the countrey giveth him the praise over all his predecessours and successours vvithin memory he spent his vvhole allovvance in hospitality calling the same his deare Masters meate none of his ovvne cost Letters commendatory offered him by the Councell vvhen Brian had vvrought his trouble before the nobility of England hee rejected as vaine and superfluous professing that if of his owne innocencie he could not uphold him hee would never seeke other shift then Credo resurrectionem mortuorum for quoth he well they may kill mee but they shall never conquer mee Sowre he was and thundering in words indeed very temperate applyed himselfe altogether to severity Lordlinesse and terrour Brian dyed within sixe weekes and Brabason became Lord Iustice till Saintleger the fourth time was sent over Deputye To him crept Mac Cartye that had lately roved and denyed his obedience with an halter about his necke and got his pardon Vpon Saintleger came Sir Iames Croftes of whose bounty and honourable dealing towards them they yeeld at this day a generall good report Crofts tarryed in office two yeares and left Sir Thomas Cusack who dyed five houres before the writing heereof and Gerald Ailmer while they both were coursing Oneale from Dundalke Queene Mary established in her Crowne committed her government once more to Saintleger whom sundry Noblemen pelted and lifted at till they shouldered him quite out of all credite He to be counted forward and plyable to the taste of King Edward the sixt his raigne rymed against the Reall Presence for his pastime and let the papers fall where Courtiers might light thereon vvho greatly magnified the pith and conveyance of that noble sonnet But the originall of his own hand-vvriting had the same firmely though contrary to his ovvne Iudgement vvandering in so many hands that his adversary caught it and tripped it in his vvay the spot vvhereof he could never vvipe out Thus vvas he removed a discreete Gentleman very studious of the State of Ireland enriched stout enough vvithout gall While the Deputy staggered uncertaine of continuance the Tooles and the Cavenaghes vvaxed cockish in the Countie of Divelin rangeing in flockes of seven or eight score on vvhom set forth the Marshall and the Sheriffes of Divelin Buckley and Gygen vvith the citties helpe and over-layde them in sudden skirmishes of which threescore were executed for example Thomas Earle of Sussex Lord Deputy with whom came his Brother in law Sir Henry Sidney Treasurer This Deputy to the inestimable benefite of the Realme brought under obedience the disordered countreyes of Leix Slewmarge Ofalie Irrye and Glinmalire then late possessed by the Oconnore Omores Odempsyes and other Irish rebels Hee molested Iames Mac Conell the Scottish Islander that in those dayes joyned with the Irish and disquieted Vlster In which voyage Divelin assisted the Governour with a faire company conducted by Iohn Vsher Sheriffe and Patrick Buckley He held a Parliament wherein it was made high Treason to retaine Scots for souldiours and fellony to contract with them matrimony At his returne from England in which time Sir Henry Sidney vvas Lord Iustice hee pursued the Scots to their Ilands and there entred did them much skathe vvanne himselfe full great commendation of hardinesse sayled backe vvith the glory of that adventure vvherein I trovv tvvo more
Greek in the Irish tongue yet for their comming from Spaine which they so much urge Iohannes Major Scotus forsooth hath found one Spanish word bona dies in Irish vennoka die to which I answere una hirundo non facit ver but indifferently to examine the matter wee finde that diversity of times alteration of government invasion of strangers planting of new Colonies and conversing with forraigne nations doe alter languages The Hebrewes by reason of their peregrination and captivities do smach of the Chaldees Syriack and Arabick tongues The Slavonian tongue as Surius and others record without exception at this day is the most dispersed language upon the earth for the Muscovites Ruthenes Russians Dalmatians Bosnenses Croatians Istrians Carnians Carniolanians Carinthians Stirians Maesians Servians Bulgarians with other nations reaching to Constantinople as Bohemians Lusatians Silesians Moravians Polonians Circasians Quinquemontanians even unto Pontus and the remnant of Vandals beyond the river Albis through Germany into the North have the language and yet we have neither their characters nor ancient Annals extant Saint Ierome borne in Strido in the confines of Dalmatia and Pannonia is said to have translated the Bible into the Slavon tongue but whether it be in that language extant let him report that knoweth it Gothi Hypogothi Gepidi Vandali Hunni Alani though they vary in name yet they vse one language saith Paulus Diaconus The Italian Spanish and French tongues are compounded of the Latine The German high and low country Saxon Scottish and English have great affinity Northwales Southwales Cornwall and little Britaine in France as Cambrensis and Sir Io. Price have learnedly discoursed but the Irish excepting the Red shanks and the Scottish of the haye londe have affinity with no tongue as I can learne more then with the British language Many reasons there are gentle reader to induce thee to bee of that opinion first of all according unto the first command the Celticke tongue was of force in all these Northerne parts Bodinus writeth that the British and Celtick language was all one Pausanias the Grecian maketh mention how the Celts in their language called a horse Marc and three horses Trimarc the which the Welshman useth to this day with a gutturall alteration Margh and Treemargh Also Camden the learned Antiquary of this our age is of this opinion remembring the story of Gurguntius and the infinite number of British words in ure among the Irish the which he termeth infinitam vim Britannicarum dictionum that the Britaines first peopled this land And although of a long time by reason of troubles and alterations the speech grew wholly out of vse yet afterwards in successe of time it was revived Secondly the British and Irish oft matched together so that there grew among them great alliance and affinity to the furtherance of the language Mare King of Cornwall anno 459 married with Label Isode that built Isodes Chappell or Chappell-Isode and Isodes Tower in Dublin shee was the King of Irelands daughter Edwal ap Meiric Prince of Wales in the time of Edelred anno 992 married in Ireland Iago ap Edwal Prince of Wales in the time of Cnute anno 1031 married in Ireland In the time of Edward the Confessor Conan the sonne of Iago Prince of Wales married with Ranulph daughter of Alfred King of Dublin anno 1041. In the time of William Rufus Arnulph Earle of Pembroke married with the daughter of Marogh King of Ireland anno 1101 at the same time Magnus the sonne of Herald married with another daughter of the said King In the time of Henry the first and King Steuen lived Griffith ap Conan Prince of Wales that was wont to brag of three things that his mother was an Irishwoman his grandmother an Irishwoman and that hee himselfe was borne and of a child brought vp in Ireland In the time of Henry the second Biryd the sonne of Owen Gwyneth Prince of Wales being Lord of Cloghran in Ireland begat his sonne Howel upon an Irish Gentlewoman In the same Kings raigne Richard Strangbow Earle of Pembroke married with Eva the daughter of Dermotte Mac Morrogh King of Leinster Thirdly when there was any trouble in Ireland they fled to Wales when they had any warres or rebellion there they came for refuge and aide into Ireland hereof came the shaking of hands Brother Brannagh Brother Erinagh In the life of Henry the third it is written that when Othobon the Popes Legate came to Oxford and soiourned at Osney Abbey among other schollers some for one cause some for another that were there a poore Irish scholler Matthew Paris calleth him Capellanum Hibernensem drew neere unto the kitchin dresser and praid for some releefe the cook took a ladell full of hot liquor and threw it in his face a Welch scholler standing by tooke his bow and shot the cook through with an arrow Stow writeth that the cook was the Legates brother the hurly burly was great the schollers came together in armes and as it is said one Odo of Kilkenny was their ensigne bearer the Cardinals men were well beaten the Cardinall himselfe to save his life fled secretly at a posterne gate to the King made a grievous complaint and craved the aide of armed men to fetch off his men and thereof arose great troubles but to proceed Dermotte Mac Morogh King of Leinster being banished out of his country had aide out of Wales Conan the sonne of Iago Griffith ap Conan Rees ap Tewder Owen the sonne of Cadogan Kadwalader the sonne of Griffith ap Conan Marlgon ap David Princes of Wales Algar Earle of Chester Arnulph Earle of Pembroke Magnus the sonne of Herald William de Bruse Lord of Breknock with his wife and children in extremity tooke Ireland for their refuge where they found favor and kindnesse to their own hearts desire as in the British Chronicles published by Caradoc of Sancarban Cambrensis Humfrey Lloid and Doctor Powel doth more plainly appeare These two nations conversed much one with another Sir Tristram one of the Knights of the round Table came to Ireland Morogh brother to the King of Ireland whom Caxton calleth Morhaus was one of King Arthurs Knights Merlin the Welch Prophet came twice to Ireland and in Ofaby there is a Chappell bearing his name the occasion of his first comming was this There was a noble man of Ireland which had a suit unto the King of England with whom Merlin was great to whom he said Merlin if thou wilt effect my sute come to Ireland and I will give thee as much land as thou shalt see round about thee it was done after his arrivall Merlin demanded his promise the noble man put him into a cellar where was a grate and without a bawne with an high wall looke out saith the Irish man the Welch Prophet could not see a quoits cast from him and thus was he deceived having left his spirit of prophecy at home But to our purpose Fourthly
became a Bishop and ended his dayes in sanctitie When Saint Patricke had baptized a second Conallus a petite King and his brother Fergus he prophecied of Fedlemus the sonne of Fergus and of Columba the sonne of Fedlemus what a holy man hee should prove as after hee did and was the founder of an hundred Monasteries Saint Patricke for all this travaile sailed into Britaine for coadiutors and fellow-labourers in this worke where he opposed himselfe both in publike and private against the Pelagians and other heretickes which disturbed the peace of the Church and brought with him thirty learned men whom afterward he consecrated Bishops So that to this day in Britaine as in Anglesey Bristoll Exeter and other places there are Churches built in remembrance of him He also converted the Isle of Man to the faith and there is a Church which also beareth his name and left them one Germanus to bee their Bishop after whose death hee ordained for that place Conidrius Ronillus and Machaldus Vpon his returne into Ireland hee met with sixe of his Disciples of Irish birth that had beene Students beyond Seas whom in the end he made Bishops Lugacius Columbanus Meldanus Lugadius Cassanus and Cheranus Then he made saith Iocelin a second iourney unto Athcled now called Dublin upon his comming which was about twentie yeeres after their conversion and found them all given to idolatrie and withall one Alpinus a King with his Queene and his retinue lamenting the death of Eocchiad their sonne heire and the drowning of their sole daughter Dublinia Patricke preached the people beleeved the King hearing of him hoped to reape some comfort to bee short saith mine Author the dead are raised to life and Athcled ever after in remembrance of the Kings daughter Dublinia was called Dublin Saint Patrickes manner was first to Catechize secondly to Baptize lastly to minister the Sacrament of the Lords Supper When with the aide of the country he builded Churches hee would not name them after any Saints name but Domnach the Church of the Lord. And when he had procured a Church to be builded in a place called Achad Fobuit and consecrated his Disciple Sennachus alias Seachuallus Bishop there the humble sute of Senachus unto him was that the Church should not be called after him as the manner was saith mine Author in many places among the Irish people The onely doctrine Patricke read and expounded unto the people was the foure Evangelists conferred with the old Testament Hee is reported to have given many blessings and to have denounced many curses He had many Disciples Kertennus Winnocus Winwallocus likewise saith Molanus Elberus Ibarus Connedus Secundinus Asicus Fiechus Sennachus Olcanus with many others which he made Bishops I finde mention also of Riochus that kept his Bookes and Papers and of Rodanus that kept his Cattell that hee made them Bishops and the world made them Saints Ireland is greatly beholding unto him for it is recorded that hee went up to the top of the Mount Hely I take it to be a hill in Ely O Carrols country where he made three petitions unto Almighty God for the people of Ireland that had received the faith First that every one might have grace to repent though it were at the last houre Secondly that they might not be utterly destroyed by Infidels Lastly that no Irish man should live till the day of Iudgement Quia delebitur per orationem sancti Patricij septem annis ante judicium for it shall be destroyed by meanes of Saint Patrickes prayers seaven yeeres before the comming of Christ to iudgement Probus maketh mention of other Petitions which for that I hold them fabulous I will not rehearse He procured as it is written of him seaven hundred Churches to bee builded in Ireland ordained five thousand Ministers consecrated three hundred and fifty Bishops successively understand in his time Darius the Booke of Houth calleth him Dares in Probus Dair a Noble man affecting Patricke and seeing him beare low saile and shrowding himselfe with all humilitie in Vlster drew him to dwell at Drumsailech now called Armagh and having used meanes there for the building of a Church Patricke went to Rome procured all confirmations necessary to his purpose arrived againe in Ireland and being of the age of 122. yeeres ended his life in the time that Aurelius Ambrosius raigned in Britaine and Forthkerrus was Monarch of Ireland Brigida and Ethembria who then were accounted two holy women shrowded him to his grave when Thassach a Bishop had ministred the Sacrament Probus writeth that the Britaine 's came with great forces attempting at severall times to fetch away his corps and that the men of Vlster did withstand them As for the purgatorie that is fathered upon him I must referre the reader to the yeere of grace 850. where he shall finde a second Patricke founder thereof In our Patricks time flourished many good Christians renowned at this day and as an Antiquarie and collector of antiquities I desire the christian reader to accept of them as I finde them And I will beginne with Brigida that gave Saint Patricke his winding sheete shee was borne as Iohn Clyn writeth anno 439. in Fochart not farre from Dondalke as Bernard deliuereth she was the base daughter of one Duptacus haply Laigerius his rymer before spoken of a Noble man saith Bale of the North parts a Captaine of Leinster saith the Book of Houth Capgrave writeth that her mother in wantonnesse having conceived and her belly being espied to be up Duptacus his wife caused her to be turned out of doores Duptacus to avoid the iâ—alousie and disquietnesse of his wife delivered her to a Poet or Bard a Magician saith Bale who kept both Mother and Daughter and trayned her up in such learning as he had skill in Shee proved so singularly learned and was in such account among all men that a Synode of Bishops assembled by Dublin used her advice in weightie causes as I reade in the Booke of Houth She became a Nunne and wrought but one miracle saith Bale that is shee used meanes to purge a Bishop one Bronus or Bruno from fornication when the fact was manifestly proved against him In the authenticke manuscript Legend of Ireland I finde that she kept most in Leinster and builded a Cell for her abode under a goodly faire Oke which afterwards grew to be a Monasterie of Virgins called Cyll-dara in Latine Cella Quercus the Cell of the Oke now Kildare and saith mine Author ibique maxima civitas postea in honore beatissimae Brigidaecrevit quae est hodie metropolis Laginensium The first Bishop by her meanes was Conlianus alias Conlaidus Stanihurst reckoneth the succession of the See in this sort Lony Ivor Conlie Donatus David Magnus Richard Iohn Symon Nicolas Walter Richard Thomas Robart Boniface Madogg William Galfride Richard Iames. Wale
Pyrate prevailed for the time and that the Princes of the land not being able then to withstand his forces yeelded unto the iniquitie of the time and wincked at his rash enterprises And whereas he gave forth his stile King of England they laughed at it and he perceiving the wilinesse and ingeniositie of the people and having small stomacke to continue among them by reason of many mishaps which befell him left the land and went for France to seeke adventures where he ended his dayes Further they write that he had a sonne called Barchard alias Burchared Mac Gurmond whom his father made Duke of Leinster and Baron of Margee He was commonly called O Gormagheyn Hee builded Gurmund grange in Monte Margeo with other memorable things for him and his posterity hee is said to have beene the founder of the mother Church or priorie of old Leighlin but I rather beleeve hee was a Benefactor or endower thereof in the time of Saint Eubanus the originall Patron and that one Lazerianus a Bishop and Confessor Anno 651. procured the perfection of the whole as in the Leighlin records more at large doth appeare Againe it is recorded that Duke Burchard lyeth buried on the North side of the Chancell of that Cathedrall Church over against the Treasurers stall under a marble stone as it was found for certaine Anno 1589. by Thadie Dowlinge Chancellour and others with this Epitaph Hic jacet humatus Dux fundator Leniae i. Leighlenie En Gormondi Burchardus vir gratus Ecclesiae Here lyeth interred Duke Burchard the sonne of Gurmond founder of Leighlin and a gratefull man to the Church There are saith mine Author other remembrances of this in those parts as Gurmunds-grove and Gurmunds-foord the which I overpasse Mons Margeus in Irish Sliewe Marrig or Sliew Marighagha which is the mountaine reaching along by Leighlin to Butlers wood wherin as before I have touched Gurmunds-grange standeth was as I haue learned of old granted to one called de Sancto Leodegario by the name and honour of Baron de Marrighagha but time and place have brought the name to degenerate and turne from English to Irish. Of late yeeres a Gentleman of the name dwelling at Dunganstowne neere Catherlagh affirming himselfe to be lineally descended from Baron Sentleger made claime unto the same but the successe I hearken not after as impertinent to my purpose About the yeere 587. Athelfrid the Saxon King of Northumbers so tyrannized over the Britaines that they were faine to take Ireland for their refuge and Atdan King of Scots pittying their state raised forces to defend them but could not prevaile so great was the miserie of the Britaines Anno Dom. 635. was Cadwallin crowned King of Britaine Caxton and Florilegus write of cruell warres betweene Edwin sonne unto Athelfrid King of Northumbers and Cadwallin how that Edwin made him flee into Ireland destroyed his land cast downe his Castles burnt his Mannors and divided his land among his friends and lastly how that in a good while after Cadwallin came upon him with forces out of Ireland slue Edwin and recovered all his possessions In the dayes of this Cadwallin Kenevalcus otherwise called Cewalch King of West Saxons builded the Church of Winchester made it a Bishops See and the first Bishop he placed there was one Agilbertus who came out of Ireland who in a short time after was deposed say some Grafton with other writers record not the cause but Beda writeth that he was offended for that Kenelwalkus divided the Province into two that he left the See went into France became Bishop of Paris and there ended his dayes and how that Kenelwalkus sent for him againe and againe but his flat answer was for that he had dealt with him so unkindely he would never returne I must here insert that which Cambrensis writeth of the antiquities of Brechinia or Breknoke in this sort there was of old of that country which now is called Brecheinoc a governour that was a man both mighty and Noble whose name was Brachanus of whom the country of Brecheinoc Brecknokshire is so called of whom one thing came unto me worthy the noting the histories of Britaine doe testifie that he had foure and twenty daughters that were all from their childhood brought up in the service of God and happily ended their dayes in the holy purpose they tooke upon them Doctor Powell the great Antiquarie of Britaine in his learned annotations upon him explaineth the same thus This Brachanus saith he was the sonne of one Haulaph King of Ireland his mother was one Mercella the daughter of Theoderike the sonne of Tethphalt a petite King of Garthmarthrin to wit of the country which tooke the name of this Brachanus and at this day is called Brechonia or Brechinia in British Brechinoc in English Breknok This Brachanus had to his daughter one Tydvaell the wife of Congenus the sonne of Cadell a petit King of Powis and the mother of Brochmael surnamed Scithroc who slue Athelfred alias Ethelfred King of Northumberland at the river of Deva called of the Britaines Doverdwy and foyled his armie about the yeere of our Lord 603. Here Breknoktowne and Breknokshire have cause to glorie of Ireland that gave them the name and honour which they hold to this day and Ireland to glory of them that gave their Kings sonne Marcella their Lady and all that country in her right Also I cannot omit another thing of that age the which Grafton reporteth of the Clergie and I finde in Beda more reverently delivered for that I have formerly spoken much of them and shall have occasion to speake something hereafter especially seeing Bedaes words are generall to be understood as well of the one land as of the other if not rather of Ireland considering what hath beene delivered heretofore In those dayes saith Grafton the Monkes and Clergie set all their mindes to serve God and not the world and were wholly given to devotion and not to filling of the panch and pampering of the body wherefore they were then had in great reverence and honour so that they were then received with all worship And as they went by the streetes and wayes men that saw them would runne to them and desire their blessings and well was him then that might give unto them possessions and to build them houses and Churches But as they increased in riches of worldly treasure so they decreased in heauenly treasure as in the dayes of Aluredus some deale began and sithen that time hath sprung not all to the pleasure of God Then they applyed nothing that was worldly but gave themselves to preaching and teaching of the word of our Saviour Iesus Christ and followed in life the doctrine that they preached giving good example to all men And beside that they were utterly void of covetousnesse and received no possessions gladly but were enforced thereunto So farre Grafton Anno Dom.
after Bishop of Iuvaviens the name of which Bishopricke hee procured to bee changed and called it the Bishops See of Salisburgh where he builded a sumptuous Cathedrall Church and was the first founder thereof In his time one Boniface an English man and the Popes Legate in Germany tooke upon him to rebaptize contrary to the Canons of the Church such as had beene as hee thought formerly not rightly baptized Virgilius having had conference with Sydonius Archbishop of Bavaria opposed himselfe against him The matter came to hearing before Pope Zacharie who gave sentence that Virgilius was in the right and Boniface his Legate for all his great authority in the wrong opinion Hee prudently governed his Church some thirty yeeres and gave place to nature So farre Bale out of Gaspar Bruschius Learned Camden alledgeth out of Rhegino that in the time of Carolus magnus which must needs bee about the yeere 767. certaine Norwegians or Normans entred Ireland and were repulsed and further of them I have not read but in the British Chronicle of Caradoc Llancarvan I finde that Anno 799. the Danes came into England and destroyed a great part of Lindsey and Northumberland over-ranne the most part of Ireland and destroyed Rechreyn The accidents of the eight hundreth yeere after Christ now follow And first of all Functius offereth occasion to write how that Anno 820. Regnerus King of Denmarke invaded Britaine and how that his prosperous successes in Britaine Scotland and the Orchades puffed him up and emboldned him so much that he passed into Ireland slue the King of the land tooke the Citie of Dublin where hee remained an whole yeere and then returned to Denmarke Next commeth Turgesius his time to bee examined who was of Norwey and came with great power of Esterlings into Ireland vanquished King Edlumding or Edlimidus or in Irish Felim Mac Edmund and raigned thirty yeeres Here gentle reader observe certain errours or escapes whether of ignorance wilfulnesse or negligence I know not the which I finde betweene Cambrensis Polychronicon Fabian and others touching Gurmund and Turgesius First that Gurmund and Turgesius should be one man the end of them both by a generall consent of Writers reproveth that for Gurmund dyed in France and Turgesius was slaine in Ireland Secondly whereat Giraldus marvaileth how that the Antiquaries of England make mention of Gurmund but nothing of Turgesius and that the Writers of Ireland speake of Turgesius but little or nothing of Gurmund so that Turgesius by reason of his raigne and continuance was knowne unto them and Gurmund if he were here made small abode as I have formerly written and therefore became a man unknowne Thirdly that Turgesius should be Gurmunds deputie in Ireland or his brother as I reade in Fabian cannot possibly stand with the truth for on all sides it is agreed that Gurmund came to Britaine and ioyned with the Saxons against Careticus who began his raigne in Britaine anno 586. but as saith Cambrensis Turgesius Captaine of the Norwegians Danes or Esterlings came to Ireland in the daies of Fedlimidius which was 400. yeeres from the comming of the first Patricke into the land in the which time there had raigned thirty three Kings or Monarchs then this knot with facilitie may be untied for Patricke came to Ireland as I have formerly delivered An. 432. adde 400. to it then Turgesius came to Ireland Anno 832. But forward with the history When these Norwegians or Esterlings had got footing in the land to their content and planted themselves the space of thirty yeeres they builded Castles Fortes and Wardes they cast up Trenches Bankes and Ditches for safegard and refuge Toward the end of the terme before mentioned Turgesius was enamoured on a faire Gentlewoman the onely daughter of Omalaghlin King of Meth and desired her for his Concubine he practised with the father for obtaining of his purpose the father not willing to yeeld nor daring to displease resolved him thus Appoint the day the houre and the place and sequester your selfe from your Court and retinue and I will send my daughter unto you with twelve or sixteene Gentlewomen of the choice and beautifullest maidens of my country and take your choice of them if my daughter please you best she is at your command When the time appointed came and the Lecher longed to satisfie his filthy lust Omalaghlin attired his daughter in princely sort and sent her to King Turgesius with sixteene young men in womens attire which had long Skeines under their Mantles These young springals were faire beautifull effeminate and amiable to look upon they were brought to his chamber and presented before him he taketh the Gentlewoman by the middle and kisseth her the Striplings out with their Skeines and stabbed him having the Lady in his armes whereof he presently dyed whilst they fell upon a few loose and dissolute persons that were about him whom they killed every one Omalaghlin that lay in ambush all this while with certaine horsemen expecting the end of this exploit reioyced greatly when hee saw his daughter and her company make so speedy a returne and understanding that his practise was effected as he desired sent Scoutes and Cursitors Messengers and horses over the whole land declaring what had happened Immediately Meth and all Leinster are in Armes the Princes and Lords from euery place throughout Ireland repaired to Omalaghlin and being glad of liberty reioyced with him at the destruction of Turgesius and his Guard To make the story short for they made short worke with it they set upon the Norwegians and Danes killed them every mothers sonne that escaped not by flight seized upon all their possessions so as together with their lives they lost all their lands and goods and saith the Irish Chronicle tunc cepit conquestus Hibernicorum Then the Irish began to conquer This Omalaghlin King of Meath being in great trust credite and favour with Turgesius no man greater at that time demanded of him concealing the plot that lay hidden in his heart against the Norwegians by what meanes certaine ravenous and pestiferous fowle hee meant the Norwegians lately brought into the land which greatly annoyed the country might be destroyed Turgesius answered if they breed destroy their egges birds and nests which answer the Irish made good upon the Norwegians Not long after saith Cambrensis and Polychronicon after what They meane after the murthering of Turgesius and rooting out of all the Norwegians and Esterlings there came againe out of Norway and the Northerne Ilands as remnants of the former nation and whether they knew of themselves or by relation of their Parents and Ancestours the land to be fruitfull commodious thither they came not in warlike sort but in peaceable manner to use the trade of merchandise when they had entred certaine Ports and Havens of Ireland with the licence of the Princes of the land they builded therein divers Cities For the Irish nation they
Lievetenant with the allowance of twenty Gentlemen of his houshold and joyned with him in commission Iohn de Courcy with the allowance of tenne men to attend his person Robert Fitz Stephens and Miles Cogan who had nobly served him in his wars two yeers with the allowance of twenty men to attend their persons at which time saith Holinshed the Irish men paid the King a tribute of twelve pence yeerely for every house or else for every yoke of Oxen alias plow which they had of their owne Richard surnamed Strangbow had to his father Gilbert likewise surnamed Strangbow for his valour strength this Gilbert was E. of Ogye in Normandie Lord of Totenhā Alverdiston Wolaston in England so created by Henry 1. William the son of Osbert a Norman E. of Ogie in Normandie had issue Richard E. of Ogie this Richard had issue Walter Gilbert aforesaid father to Richard E. Strangbow William Fitz Osbert came into England in the ayde of William the Conquerour And as far as I can learn Walter was the first Earle of Penbroke the Britaines call it Penbraich More the head of an arme of the sea whence both the Countie and the most noble Earldome have their denominations Arnulph de monte Gomerik the yonger sonne of Roger de montegomerik that was by William the Conquerour created Earle of Arundell and Shrewsbury builded the Castle of Penbroke where Henry the seventh was borne William the Conquerour gave him Divet and Cardigan hee was Earle of Ogie and the second Earle of Penbroke and married the daughter by the mediation of Girald de Windsore Constable of his Castle of Morogh King of Leinster in Ireland Gilbert surnamed Strangbow was created by King Stephen the third Earle of Penbroke hee was Earle of Ogie in Normandie Lord of Totenham Alverdiston Wolaston and Cardigan and in England succeeded Arnulph Henry the first made him Earle of Strigule now called Chepstow and gave him Cardigan this Gilbert builded Castrogie alias Castrum Ogie in Gwent and the Castle of Stratmirike Richard surnamed Strangbow succeeded his father Gilbert his stile as I take it is thus Richard surnamed Strangbow Lord of Totenham Alverdiston Wolaston and Cardigan in England Earle of Penbroke Earle of Strigule alias Domonius de Chepstow in England Earle of Ogie in Normandie Earle of Leicester Earle Marshall of England Vicegerent of Normandie Lord Lievetenant of Ireland and Prince of Leinster in the right of Eva his wife sole heire of Dermot Mac Morogh King of Leinster This Richard had issue by his first wife a sonne a fine youth and a gallant stripling who following his father with some charge in battaile array as he passed by Idrone in Leinster to relieve Robert Fitz Stephens in Wexford upon the sight and cry of the Irish men when his father was in cruell fight gave backe with his company to the great discouragement of the host yet the Earle got the victory and commanded with the teares in his cheekes that his sonne should be cut in the middle with a sword for his cowardize in battaile he was buried in the Church of the blessed Trinitie in Dublin where now his father resteth by his side and caused the cause of his death for an Epitaph to be set over him Nate ingrate mihi pugnanti terga dedisti Non mihi sed genti regno quoque terga dedisti My sonne unkinde didst flye the field the father fighting hard Nor me nor English birth didst weigh nor kingdome didst regard How the sonne pleaded with his father for the place of service and how the father answered Stanihurst hath many circumstances hereof and delivered that his owne father in his fury and in the face of the enemy cut him off and marvaileth that Cambrensis would conceale it and in the end taketh it as a matter of truth both by the testimony of the Tombe in Christ Church as also by the industry of Sir Henry Sidney Knight a great favourer of Antiquities in preserving the same to the knowledge of the posterity Richard Earle Strangbow by his second wife Eva the daughter of Dermot Mac Morogh had issue one daughter Isabell whom Richard the first gave in marriage to William Maxfield Lord Maxfield Earle Marshall of England of whom God willing I shall have occasion to speake further when I come to his time The same yeere that Strangbow dyed viz. 1177. so Holinshed writeth Iohn de Courcy entred Vlster discomfited the Irish and wanne the Citie of Dune where the body of Saint Patricke Saint Colme and Saint Brigide the Virgin rests whom Courcy calleth tria jocalia Hiberniae the three jewels of Ireland At the winning of Dune Roderic King of Connaght and Monarch of Ireland at severall times before sworne to the King raised a mighty army against Courcy where Roderic was overthrowne and the Bishop of Dune taken prisoner among other rebels the which Bishop at the request of Cardinall Vinian then present was set at liberty This Cardinall saith mine Author intitled Sancti Stephani de monte Celio was sent from Alexander 3. and comming into England without licence was pardoned by Henry 2. and permitted to goe into Scotland and the north parts where his commission directed him when he had ended his businesse in Scotland he passed over into Man where he held his Christmas with Gotred King of Man and after the Epiphanie sailed from thence into Ireland and came thither saith Newbrigiensis the same time that the English men invaded the country and was entertained by Roderic and the Bishop of Dune and others with great reverence The Irish men aske councell of Vivian the Legate what in that case he thought best to be done whether they should fight or yeeld unto the English nation he gave counsell forgetting what Adrian 4. and Alexander 3. had formerly granted and said fight in defence of your country This Legate craftily preventing all mishaps took the Church of Dune for his sanctuary and had in readinesse the Popes commission and the King of Englands Passe unto the Captaines of Ireland for his safe conduct From thence he went to Dublin called the Prelates held a councell and filled his bagges with the sinnes of the people the English Captaines understanding of it gave him in charge either to depart the land or to goe to the warres and serve for pay with them and no longer to receive money for nought In the booke of Howth it is further alledged how that this Legate in his Synod at Dublin whether it were to curry favour with the English men and to colour his other pranckes it forceth not greatly shewed and published openly the King of Englands right to Ireland with the Popes grant and confirmation and accursed all those that gainesaid the same Now to the true history of Sir Iohn de Courcy as worthy a Knight for martiall prowesse as ever trode upon Irish ground whom Cambrensis lightly overskipped partly upon private grudge for that Sir Iohn de Courcy allowed him
take possession of the Kings graunt given him in those parts As they came to the walles of Lymerick the Citizens of spight in sight of them all to the end that no Englishman should roost there set the Town on fire Philippe de Bruse was therewithal discouraged and his Company in so much that when Robert Fitz Stephens and Miles Cogan offred to adventure their lives in the recovery of the Kingdome of Lymerik with all their aide and assistance he refused it and returned with them to Corke esteeming it farre better to lose Lymric and with safetie to dwell among his lovers and friends then to lose life and kingdome by dwelling among such Iewes as will fire their owne houses and cut all English throats In a while after Miles Cogan and Raffe the sonne of Robert Fitz Stephens who had lately married Miles daughter went towards Lismore to parlee with Waterford men and determined that night to lodge with one Mac Tyrid who had solemnly invited them As they waited in the field expecting the comming of the Waterfordians this Mac Tyrid unawares stealing upon them most traiterously slue them and five of their company whereupon the whole country was in uproare insomuch that Dermot Mac Carty and all the Irish in those parts together with Mac Tyrid that most perfidious traitor were in armes determining thenceforth to be no longer the Kings loyall subjects when they had gathered their forces together they laid siege to Corke meaning to cut off Robert Fitz Stephens and all the English men there Robert Fitz Stephens being distressed in Corke fearing the open enemy without and mistrusting the secret enemy within sent post to Wexford to his nephew Reimond le Grosse praying him to come to his aide Reimund forthwith with twenty knights and one hundred foot and bowmen entred the Lee landed at Corke encountred with the enemies killed some drove other to flye and compelled the rest to submit themselves and sue for peace When the King understood of this he sent Richard Cogan brother unto Miles to supply his brothers roome in the kingdome of Corke a man no way inferiour to his brother for valour and martiall prowesse in his companie came Philip Barry and Girald Barry his brother otherwise called Silvester Giraldus Cambrensis the famous learned man nephewes of Robert Fitz Stephens with a jolly troupe of horse and foot chosen and picked men Robert Fitz Stephens and Richard Cogan enjoyed this kingdome of Corke peaceably for certaine yeeres and in processe of time for want of heires male of them it came to two daughters the one of them was married to Robert de Carew the other to Patricke de Courcy and they in right of their wives enjoyed the same during their lives and after them their heires untill such time as by a division growne as I take it in England betweene the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster the Irish men expelled them and recovered the country unto themselues Anno 1178. The Monasterie Beatae Mariae Roseae vallis called Rosglâ—s was founded Yet others thinke it was in Anno 1189. I may not forget Harvey de monte Marisco of whom often mention is made before who after many spitefull parts treacheries and false accusations exhibited by him unto the King against most noble servitors became a Monke the man was sore troubled in conscience and in his course he made the common saying true desperatio facit Monachum Hee had founded saith Felcon the Monastery of our blessed Lady de Portu Donbrodthi he gaue unto the Monasterie Saint Trinitatis of Canterbury his territories advousons along the sea coast between Waterford and Wexford and there cloystred himselfe I would saith Cambrensis he had changed his conditions with his habit The same yeere saith Holinshed there came from Pope Alexander 3. into England two Cardinals Alberto desuma and Petro de sancta Agatha whose commission was to summon the Bishops of England Ireland Scotland with the Isles and Normandie to the generall Councell of Lateran in Rome after they had obtained licence to passe through his dominions the King swore them upon the holy Evangelist that in their Legateship they should not attempt any thing that might be hurtfull to the King or his dominions and that upon their returne they should visite him homewards whereupon out of Ireland there went thither Laurence Archbishop of Dublin and Catholicus Archbishop of Tuam with some other five or sixe Irish Bishops whom the King likewise swore that they should not procure any damage to his Realmes and dominions The Realme of Ireland at this time was singular well governed by Hugh de Lacy a good man and a wise Magistrate who for the good of the land and the people established many good orders he made Bridges and builded Townes Castles and Forts throughout Leinster as Sir Iohn de Courcy did in Vlster in his time the Priest kept his Church the Souldier his Garrison and the Plow-man followed his Plough yet cankred envy quieted not her selfe practised mischiefe against him so that he was charged before the King to attempt the Crowne of Ireland and make himselfe absolute Lord of the land and that he had married the King of Connaghts daughter saith Holinshed contrary to the Kings pleasure The King immediately as Princes are jealous of great men called him into England appointed governours Iohn Constable and Richard Peche This Lacy behaved himselfe so discreetly and dutifully in England that he cleered himselfe of all suspition that the King was resolved of his truth and fidelity and sent him backe againe into Ireland with further credit then formerly he had done and that within three moneths and gave him the absolute command and Lievetenantship of the land and joyned as assistant unto him Robert Salisbury calling home the former governours It was not long but he was upon malitious occasion the second time sent for into England and one Philip of Worcester Cambrensis is mine Author a valiant souldier a bountifull and a liberall man with a most brave troupe of horse and foot arrived in Ireland with command to send over Hugh de Lacy and he to remaine there as Governour of the land until Iohn his sonne came over Stanihurst is of opinion that he went over into England and cleering himselfe speedily returned againe which cannot well stand with the course of the history for when Philip of Worcester tooke upon him the governement Lacy hastened the building and finishing of the Castle of Derwath whereof my penne immediately shall make report and there ended his dayes And now to Philip of Worcester and his companion Hugh Tirell Cambrensis and Stanihurst especially write most bitter of them of Philip how that first of all he resumed and seized unto the Kings use the lands of Ocathesie and divers other parcels which Hugh de Lacy had sold away and these he appointed to serve for the Kings provision and the Governours diet And after the winter was past he assembled and mustred his
land he tooke to wife in the I le of Cyprus the Lady Berengaria daughter to Garsias some say Sanctius King of Nauarre and died without issue when he had raigned nine yeeres nine moneths and two and twenty dayes It is noted by the Antiquaries that upon the death of his father he had three notable windfals the first was the Crowne of England the second was his fathers treasure which he found at Salisbury amounting to nine hundred thousands pound in coyne besides Plate precious stones Iewels and apparell lastly in the Coffers of Ieffrey Ridley Bishop of Elye who dyed intestate he found towards his coronation 3260. pound in silver five markes in gold which was better for his coronation was most Royall Iohn Comyn Archbishop of Dublin was at it Mathew Paris in Latine and Holinshed in English have penned it verbatim Will. K. of Scots did him homage and when he was the second time crowned King bare a sword before him King Richard the first yeere of his raigne gave the Lady Isabell sole daughter and heire of Richard surnamed Strangbow Earle of Penbroke to William Maxfield Lord Maxfield and Earle Marshall of England Anno 1189 This William his surname was not Marshall as Sir Iohn Plunket his collection hath laid downe but Maxfield his descent I finde thus with William the Conquerour there came into England to his ayde one Walter Maxfield a Norman that was his Marshall this Walter had issue William William had issue Walter Walter had issue Iohn Iohn had issue this William Maxfield that married Isabell the daughter of Strangbow who was made Earle Marshall of England Earle of Penbroke in Wales and Prince of Leinster in Ireland in the right of his wife This William was in great favour with King Richard the first that gave him the Lady Isabell to wife and honoured him so at his coronation that he bare a regall Scepter before the King in the top whereof was set a Crosse of gold and when the King with full determination passed over into Normandie and from thence into the Holy Land he assigned him the third governour of the Realme Iohn Earle of Morton Anno 1199. after the death of his brother Richard sent this William among others into England to set all things in a readinesse for his coronation the which being the 27. of May and yeere aforesaid gave him his full creation to the Earledome of Penbroke and girded him with the sword not long after King Iohn sent him with others as Embassadors to the French King with sundry other imployments he was also in great favour with Henry 3. as shall be shewed when I come to his raigne He had five sonnes and five daughters his sonnes all succeeded him in the Earldome of Penbroke and office of Marshalsie together with the Principality of Leinster and dyed all without issue The daughters were all honourably matched in the life time of their father and brethren and had his territories and possessions in Wales and Ireland orderly divided among them the which they and their posterity peaceably enioyed This William Earle Marshall the elder came to Ireland Anno 1207. hee builded the Castle of Kilkenny and gave the towne a Charter with priviledges wich they enjoy to this day hee founded there also the Monasterie of the blacke Fryers and ended the way of all flesh at London Anno 1220. and lyeth buried in the temple of his Lady Isabell at Tinterne in Wales William Marshall his eldest sonne succeeded him both in the office of Marshall and Earldome of Penbroke and Ogie and Principalitie of Leinster he granted a Charter to the towne of Kilkenny Anno 1223. sixt of Aprill with the testate of Thomas Fitz Antony Lord of Thomas stowne Seneschall of Leinster Fulkoe Carnae Walter Pursell William Grace Haman Grace Amnar Grace and others he ended his dayes at Kilkenny Anno 1231. and resteth in the Monastery there which his father had formerly founded Againe of this William I have seene another Charter exemplified Anno 1329. by King Edward the third with an inspexim Edwardus Dei gratia Rex Angliae Dominus Hiberniae Dux Aquitanie omnibus Ballivis Ministris omnium villarum villatorum Lagenie ceteris quibuscunque deijsdem partibus salutem Supplicavit nobis superior et communitas villae de Kilkenny quod cum Willielmus nuper Comes Mariscallus et Pembrochie tempore quo idem Comes extiterat Domini totius terrae Lageniae concesserit Burgensibus et Communitati ville predicte qui pro tempore fuerint diversas libertates inter quas videlicet quod ipsi in perpetuum per totam Lageniam terram potestatēin suam tam villa quā alibi essent quieti de theulonio lastagio poritagio de omnibus aliijs consuetudinibus quibuscunque quam quidem cartam inspeximus c. Teste Iohanne Darcy Iusticiario nostro Hibernie apud Kilkenny 8. die Iulij anno regninostri 3. per billam ipsius Iusticiarij Yet Holinshed writeth that this William Marshall the younger deceased at London and lyeth buried by his father in the new Temple Richard Marshall the second brother succeeded he was Earle Marshall of England Earle of Penbroke in Wales and Ogie in Normandie and Prince of Leinster in Ireland In the yeere 1233. and the Moneth of Aprill in a battell nigh Kildare upon the great Heath called the Curragh fighting against the Oconors hee tooke his deaths wound whereof shortly he dyed Hee lieth buried by his brother William in the blacke Fryers at Kilkennye which was the foundation of William Earle Marshall his father Henry the third lamented his death and protested that he lost then the worthiest Captaine of his time His tombe with the tombe of eighteene Knights that came over at the Conquest and resting in that Abbey at the suppression of the Monasterie was defaced and inhabitants there turned them to their private uses and of some they made swine-troughs so as there remaineth no Monument in the said Abbey save one stone whereupon the picture of a Knight is portraied bearing a shield about his necke wherein the Cantwels armes are insculped and yet the people there call it Ryddir in Curry that is the Knight slaine at the Curraghe Iohn Clyn guardian of the Fryers there in his Annals of Ireland writeth thus Post incarnatum lapsis de virgine natum Annis millenis tribus triginta ducent is In primo mensis Aprilis Kildariensis Pugna die Sabbati fuit in tristitia facti Acciderant stallo pugnae Comiti Mariscallo And upon his Tombe Hic Comes est positus Richardus vulnere fossus Cujus sub fossa Kilkennia continet ossa After the decease of Richard Gilbert Marshall the third brother was Earle Marshall of England Earle of Penbroke and Ogie and Prince of Leinster Anno 1239. King Henry the third held his Christmas at Winchester where there rose a grudge betweene the King and this Earle Gilbert by reason that this same Earle with his servants having tip-staves
March alias Maurish so Holinshed calleth him in Mathew Paris Galfridus de Marisco to have beene Lord Iustice of Ireland so it may be in the absence of Maurice Fitz Girald who made three journeys to King Henry the third one with great power out of Ireland to ayde him beyond the seas secondly to cleare himselfe of the death of Richard Marshall Earle of Pembrook lastly with Irish forces against the Welshmen Mat. Paris and Holinshed make report of his good service How that when an Irish petit King in Conaght understanding that both the King of England and the Earle Marshall and Maurice Fitz Gerald were gone over into France and so Ireland left without any great aide of men of warre on the English part raised a mighty Army and with the same entred into the Marches and borders of the English dominion spoiling and burning the Country before him And how that Ieffray de Maurisco then Lord Iustice being thereof advertized called to him Walter de Lacy Lord of Meth and Richard de Burgh assembling therewithall an hugh Army the which he divided into three parts appointing the said Walter de Lacy and Richard de Burgh with the two first parts to lye in ambush within certain Woods through the which he purposed to draw the enemies And marching forth with the third which he reserved to his owne government he profered battaile to the Irishmen the which when they saw but one battaile of the Englishmen boldly assaid the same The Englishmen according to the order appointed faining as though they had fled and so retired still backe till they had trained the Irish within danger of their other two battailes which comming forth upon them did set on them eagerly whilest the other which seemed before to fly returned back againe and set upon them in like manner by meanes whereof the Irish men being in the midst were beaten downe if they stood to it they were before and behind slaine if any offered to fly hee was overtaken thus in all parts they were utterly vanquished with the losse of 20000. Irish and the King of Conaght taken and committed to prison This Noble Ieffray de Marisco of whom Holinshed writeth a man some time in great honour and possessions in Ireland fell into the displeasure of the King was banished who after he had remained long in exile suffred great miserie ended the same by naturall death Thus the unstable Wheele goeth round about and yet I may not so leave it hee had a sonne called William de Maurisco who together with the father the Iustice of God requiring the same came to most shamefull ends Matthew the Munke of Westminster and Matthew Paris the Munke of Saint Albones doe write the Story While the King was beyond seas a certain noble man of Irish birth to wit Willielmus de Maurisco an exiled and banished man the sonne of Ieffray de Maurisco for some hainous offence laid to his charge kept himselfe in the Isle of Lundy not farre from Bristall preying robbing and stealing as a notorious Pirate at length being apprehended together with 17. of his confederacy and by the Kings commandement adjudged to cruell death he was drawne at London with his confederats at horse tailes to the Gibbet and there hanged and quartered His father one of the mightiest men of Ireland by name Galfridus de Maurisco hearing thereof fled into Scotland and scarce there could hee lye safe who pinnig away with grief and sorrow soone after ended a miserable life with wished death againe after in another place he writeth Galfridus de Maurisco reckened amongst the most Noble of Ireland an exile and a banished man died pitifully yet not to be pitied whom being banished Ireland expulsed out of Scotland and fled out of England France received for a begger where hee ended an unfortunate life after the most shamefull death of his sonne Willielmus de Maurisco These things therefore I deliver more at large unto the hearers that every man may wey with himselfe what end is alloted unto treason and especially being committed against the sacred person of a Prince His father against Richard Earle and Marshall in Ireland and his son William against the King unadvisedly and unfortunatly adventured to practice mischiefe Paris addeth the name of this William was very odious unto the King for so much it was reported that through the councell of Ieffray his father he had conspired the death of the King and that he had traitorously sent that varlet which came in the night season to Woodstock to slay the King and last of all that hee had killed at London in presence of the King one Clemens a Clerk messenger of some Noble man of Ireland that came to informe the King against him About this same time florished a Learned man of Irish birth one Cornelius Historicus so called because hee was an exquisit antiquary Bale and Stanihurst have briefly written his life and his commandations out of Hector Boetius who was greatly furthered by this Cornelius to the perfecting of the Scotish History hee wrote as they say Multarum rerum Cronicon lib. 1. About this time Viz. Anno 1230. there rose a doubt in Ireland so that they sent to England to be therein resolved the King by his learned Councell answered as followeth Henry by the grace of God c. King of England Lord of Ireland Duke of Normandy and Guian c. Trusty and welbeloved Gerald Fitz Maurice Iusticer of Ireland greeting VVhereas certien Knights of the parties of Ireland lately informed us that when any land doth discend unto sisters within our dominion of Ireland the Iustices errant in those parties are in doubt whether the younger sister ought to hold of the eldest sister and doe homage unto her or not And forasmuch as the said Knights have made instance to bee certified how it had beene used before within our Realme of England in like case at their instance we doe you wit that such a Law and Custome is in England in this case that if any holding of us in chief happen to die having daughters to his heires our ancestors and we after the death of the father have alway had and received homage of all the daughters and every of them in this case did hold of us in chiefe And if they happned to be within age we have alway had the ward and marriage of them and if hee bee tennant to another Lord the sisters being within age the Lord shall have the ward and manage of them all and the eldest onely shall doe homage for herselfe and all her sisters and when the other sisters come to full age they shall doe their service to the Lord of the fee by the hands of the eldest sister yet shall not the eldest by this occasion exact of her younger sisters homage ward or any other subjection for when they be all sisters and in manner as one heire to one inheritance if the eldest should have homage of the other
sides and the King of Connaught slaine Raphaell Holinshed in his Irish collection thinketh that there were slaine at that time above two thousand persons The King of England hearing thereof was mightily displeased with the Lord Iustice and sent for him into England to yeeld reason why he would permit such shamefull enormities under his governement Robert Vfford substituted Robert Fulborne as before satisfied the King that all was not true that hee was charged withall and for further contentment yeelded this reason that in policie he thought it expedient to winke at one knave cutting off another and that would save the Kings Coffers and purchase peace to the land whereat the King smiled and bid him returne to Ireland Anno 1279. Stow is mine Author King Edward commanded groats of foure pence a piece pence halfe pence and farthings to be coyned and to be currant through England and Ireland not decrying the old whereupon saith he these verses were made Edward did smite round penny halfe penny farthing The crosse passes the bond of all throughout the ring The Kings side was his head and his name written The crosse side what Citie it was made in coyned and smitten The poore man ne to Priest the penny frayses nothing Men give God aye the least they feast him with a farthing A thousand two hundred fourescore yeeres and moe On this money men wondred when it first began to goe Anno 1280. the Citie of Waterford saith Clyn through some foule mischance was all set on fire others report that some Merchant stranger being wronged as they thought by the Citizens brought bagges of powder out of their ships and threw them in the night season in at their sellers windowes and coales of fire after them and spoyled the City in that sort that it was long after ere they could recover themselves Anno 1281. Robert Fulborne Bishop of Waterford was by direction from the King ordained Lord Iustice of Ireland This yeere there was a great rebellion in Connaught and in upper Ossory and in Archloe which cost many mens lives but the ringleaders were cut off Adam Cusack slue William Barret and his brethren which contended about lands In Connaught Hogken Mac Gill Patricke was cut off in Vppsory Murtough Mac Muroch with Art his brother lost their heads at Wickloe another saith at Artchloe so Clyn and Dowlinge doe report Anno 1283. it is remembred by Clyn and others that a great part of Dublin was burned Campanile Capitulum sanctae Trinitatis saith mine Author the belfrie or steeple and Chapter house of the blessed Trinity with the Dormiture and Cloyster Others write that certaine Scots to be revenged upon some Citizens for wronging of them set Skinner-Row a fire and by that meanes the fire ranne into Christ Church but the citizens of Dublin therein greatly to bee commended before they went about to repaire their owne private houses agreed together to make a collection for repayring the ruine of that antient Church Anno 1284. flourished Ieffery or as Clyn writeth Galfridus de sancto Leodegario Bishop of Ossorie the second founder of the Cathedrall Church of Setus Canicus and the first founder of the Colledge of the Vicars of the same Church who gave unto the Colledge and vickars of the same Church for the maintenance of divine Service his Manse and lodging with the edifices thereunto adjoyning the rectory of Kilkesh and revenue de manubrinnio one marke sterling of the Abbot of Duiske for the land of Scomberlowaie with other revenues The said Ieffery by combate the combatants I finde not recorded anno 1284. recovered the Mannor of Sirekeran in Elly now Ocarolls country He builded part of the Mannors of Aghboo and Dorogh he builded a great part of the Church of Saint Canicus formerly begunne by Hugh Mapilton his Predecessor hee exchanged the towne Scomkarthie for the towne of Killamerry with William Marshall the Earle of Penbroke in his kinde of devotion he injoyned the collegiat Vicars of Kilkenny to celebrate the universary and aniversary of the reverend fathers his predecessors Walter Barkeley Galfrid Turvill Hugh Mapilton and others and his successors and Canons in the said Church of Ossory He established other things for the good of the Burgesses of Crosse ..... in the Irish towne of Kilkenny as in the foundation of the Burgesses there more at large doth appeare he dyed Anno 1286. and lyeth buried before the Chappell of our Lady in the Cathedrall Church Thus farre the Collections of Doctor Hanmer the Continuation following is taken out of the Chronicles of Henry Marleburrough HENRY MARLEBVRROVGH'S CHRONICLE OF IRELAND ANno 1285. the Lord Theobald Butler fled from Dublin and died shortly after and the Lord Theobald Verdon lost his men and horses going towards Ophali and the next morning Girald Fitz Maurice was taken prisoner and Iohn Samforde was consecrated Archbishop of Dublin and the Lord Ieffery Genuill fled and Sir Gerard Doget and Ralph Petit were slaine Anno 1287. deceased Richard Decetir Girald Fitz Maurice Thomas de Clare Richard Taff and Nicholas Telinge Knights Anno 1288. In England a bushell of Wheate was at foure pence And Fryer Stephen Fulburne Lord Iustice of Ireland dyed And Iohn Samford Archbishop of Dublin was made Lord Iustice. And the Lord Richard Burgh Earle of Vlster besieged Theobald Verdon in the Castle of Aloan and came to Trymm with a great power by the working of Walter Lacy. Anno 1290. Was the chase or discomfiture of Ophaly and divers Englishmen were slaine And Mac Coghlan slue Oâ—olaghlin And William Bourgh was discomfited at Delvin by Mac Coghlan And Gilbert Earle of Glocester married the daughter of King Iohn le Bayloll King of Scotland And Sir William Vescy was made Lord Iustice of Ireland Anno 1294. Deceased Iohn de Samford Archbishop of Dublin and Iohn Fitz Thomas and Iohn de la Mare tooke prisoners Richard Bourgh Earle of Vlster and William Bourgh in Meath And the Castle of Kildare was taken and by the English and Irish the whole countrie was wasted And Calwagh burnt all the rolles and tallyes of that countie And Richard was delivered out of the Castle of Leye for his two sonnes And Iohn Fitz Thomas with a great armie came into Meath Anno 1295. William Dodinsell Lord Iustice of Ireland dyed and the Lord Thomas Fitz Maurice was made Lord Iustice. Anno 1296. Fryer William de Hothum was consecrated Archbishop of Dublin Anno 1298. The Lord Thomas Fitz Maurice dyed and an agreement was made betwixt the Earle of Vlster and the Lord Iohn Fitz Thomas and Sir Iohn Wogan was made Lord Iustice of Ireland Anno 1299. William Archbishop of Dublin dyed and Richard de Feringes was consecrated Archbishop of Dublin Anno 1302. The King of England Edward the first went into Scotland and there Sir Iohn Wogan Lord Iustice of Ireland and the Lord Iohn Fitz Thomas with many others met with him Anno 1305. King Edward made the
inquisitions of Treylbaston The same yeere Iordan Comin slue Conthir de Ophaly and Calwagh his brother was slaine in the Court of Peirs de Birmingham at Carricke and Balimor was burnt Anno 1306. Edward the second succeeded his father being dead in the kingdome In the beginning of his raigne he called back from beyond the seas Peirs de Gaveston whose company in the presence of his father he abjured and being wholly taken up with him he neglected Isabell his Queene and his Nobles for which cause the Nobles being offended they banished the said Peirs into Ireland where also the Kings treasure that was sent over thither was wantonly consumed Then Peirs was called backe againe but in regard the Kings treasure was spent as aforesaid the Nobles make an insurrection and put away Peirs from the King Anno 1308. And in the second of King Edward the second Peirs de Gaveston by the Lords of England but contrary to the Kings minde was banished into Ireland about the nativitie of our Lady but the next yeere hee was called backe againe and the King met him at Chester Anno 1309. The Lord Ieffery Genvill became a Fryer at Trym of the order of the Preachers and the Lord Peirs de Birmingham dyed Anno 1311. Was the consecration of Iohn Leeke Archbishop of Dublin and Richard Bourgh Earle of Vlster with a great armie went to Bourath in Thomound and there he was taken prisoner by Sir Robert de Clare and Iohn Fitz Walter Lacy and many others were slaine and there dyed Sir Walter la â—aint and Sir Eustace Power And the next yeere Maurice Fitz Thomas and Thomas Fitz Iohn married two daughters of the Earle of Vlster And Saint Fingay was translated and William de Lowndres the first and Iohn the son of Sir Richard Bourgh Knight deceased and the Lord Edmund Butler made 30. Knights Anno 1313. Died Iohn Leek Archbishop of Dublin and Theobald Verdon came over Lord Iustice of Ireland and William de Montency and Richard Loundries died Anno 1315. The Lord Edward Bruse brother of the King of Scots entred the North part of Vlster with a great Army upon Saint Augustines day in the month of May and afterward hee burned Dundalke and a great part of Vrgile and the Church of Athirde was burned by the Irish And in the warre of Comeram in Vlster Richard Earle of Vlster was put to flight and Sir William Bourgh and Sir Iohn Mandevill and Sir Alan Fitz Warren were taken prisoners and the Castle of Norburgh was taken Moreover at Kenlis in Meath the Lord Roger Mortimer in the warre together with the said Edward were put to flight and many of the men men of the said Roger were slaine and taken prisoners and he burnt the Towne and after this he went as farre as Finnagh and the Skerries in Leinster and there incountred him Edmund Butler Lord Iustice of Ireland the Lord Iohn Fitz Thomas afterward Earle of Kildare and the Lord Arnold Power and every one of them had a great army to war against him and upon the sodaine there arose a dissention amongst them and so they left the field and this dissention hapned upon the 26. day of Ianuary after this hee burnt the Castle of Leye and afterward hee returned into Vlster and besieged the Castle of Knockfergus and slue Thomas Mandevill and Iohn his brother at Downe comming out of England and then returned into Scotland Anno 1316. Edward Bruse before Easter came into Ireland with the Earle of Murry and other armies and besieged the Castle of Knockfergus afterward they went to Castle Knock and there tooke the Baron prisoner and Edward Bruse lay there and Richard Earle of Vlster lay in Saint Maries Abbey neere Dublin Then the Major and Commonalty of the City of Dublin tooke the Earle of Vlster prisoner and put him in the Castle of Dublin and slew his men and spoiled the Abbey Then the said Bruse went as farre as Lymmerick after the Feast of Saint Matthew the Apostle and staied there untill after Easter and in the meane time Roger Mortimer the Kings Lievtenant landed at Waterford with a great Army and for feare of him Edward Bruse made haste to goe into the parts of Vlster and Iohn Fitz Thomas was created Earle of Kildare also Oconthir of Conaght and many other of the Irish of Conaght and Meath were slaine neere Athenry by the English there also there was a great slaughter made by Edmond Butler neere Testilldermot upon the Irish and another slaughter by the same Edmund upon Omorthe at Balitcham Anno 1317. The said Lievtenant delivered the Earle of Vlster out of the Castle of Dublin and after Whitsuntide hee banished out of Meath Sir Walter and Sir Hugh de Lacy and gave their lands unto his souldiers and they together with Edward Bruse went back into Scotland and Alexander Bignor was consecrated Archbishop of Dublin Anno 1318. The Lord Roger Mortimer went againe into England and Alexander Bignor was made Lord Iustice and Edward Bruse and the said Walter and Hugh de Lacy with a great Army landed at Dundalke upon Saint Calixtus the Popes day and there the Lord Iohn Brimingham Richard Tute and Miles Verdon with one thousand three hundred twenty foure men incountred them and slew the said Edward Bruse with eight thousand two hundred seventie foure of his men and the said Iohn Birmingham did cary the head of the said Edward into England and gave it to King Edward and the King gave unto the said Iohn and his heires males the Earledome of Lowth and the Barony of Athirdee to him and his heires also Sir Richard de Clare with foure Knights and many others were slaine in Thomond Anno 1319. The Lord Roger Mortimer came over againe Lord of Iustice of Ireland And the Towne of Athessell and Plebs were burned by the Lord Iohn Fitz Thomas brother to the Lord Maurice Fitz Thomas And the Bridge of Kilcolin was built by Maurice Iâ—kis Anno 1320. The Lord Iohn Fitz Iohn Earle of Kildare was made Lord Iustice. And the bridge of Leiglin was built by Maurice Iakis Anno 1321. There was a very great slaughter made of the Oconhurs at Balibagan by the English of Leinster and Meath And the said Earle of Lowth was made Lord Iustice Anno 1322. Died the Lord Richard Birmingham Lord of Athenry the Lord Edmund Butler and the Lord Thomas Persivall Moreover the Lord Andrew Birmingham and Sir Richard de la Londe were slaine by Onolan Anno 1323. Iohn Darcy came over Lord Iustice of Ireland Anno 1325. Deceased Nicolas Fitz Simon Gonvill Anno 1326. The Lord Richard Burgh Earle of Vlster died Edward the third sonne to Edward the second after the Conquest at the age of fifteene yeeres in his fathers life time upon Candlemas day was crowned King at Westminster In the beginning of whose raigne there was great likelyhood of good successe to follow For then also the Earth received fruitfulnesse the Ayre temperature and Sea
against all that state and now lately through the boldnes and late good successe of of this Feagh Mac Hugh they are so farre imboldened that they threaten perill even to Dublin over whose necke they continually hang. But touching your demand of this Feaghes right unto that Countrey which he claimes or the seigniory therein it is most vaine and arrogant For this you cannot be ignorant that it was part of that which was given in inheritance by Dermot Mac Morrough King of Leinster unto Strongbowe with his daughter and which Strongbowe gave over unto the King and his heires so as the right is absolutely now in her Majesty and if it were not yet could it not be in this Feagh but in O Brin which is the ancient Lord of all that Countrey for he and his auncestours were but followers unto O-Brin and his grandfather Shane Mac Terlagh was a man of meanest regard amongst them neither having wealth nor power But his Sonne Hugh Mac Shane the father of this Feagh first began to lift up his head and through the strength and great fastnes of Glan-Malor which adjoyneth unto his house of Ballinecor drew unto him many theeves and out-lawes which fled unto the succour of that glynne as to a sanctuary and brought unto him part of the spoyle of all the Countrey through which he grew strong and in short space got unto himselfe a great name thereby amongst the Irish in whose footing this his sonne continuing hath through many unhappy occasions increased his said name and the opinion of his greatnes insomuch that now he is become a dangerous Enemy to deale withall Eudox. Surely I can commend him that being of himselfe of so meane condition hath through his owne hardinesse lifted himselfe up to the height that he dare now front Princes and make tearmes with great potentates the which as it is to him honourable so it is to them most disgracefull to be bearded of such a base varlet that being but of late growne out of the dunghill beginneth now to overcrow so high mountaines and make himselfe great protectour of all Outlawes and Rebells that will repaire unto him But doe you thinke he is now so dangerous an enemy as he is counted or that it is so hard to take him downe as some suppose Iren. No verily there is no great reckoning to bee made of him for had he ever beene taken in hand when the rest of the Realme or at least the parts adjoyning had been quiet as the honourable Gent. that now governeth there I meane Sir William Russell gave a notable attempt thereunto and had worthily performed it if his course had not beene crossed unhappily he could not have stood 3. moneths nor ever have looked up against a very meane power but now all the parts about him being up in a madding moode as the Moores in Leix the Cavenaghes in the county of Wexford and some of the Butlers in the county of Kilkenny they all flocke unto him and drawe into his country as to a strong hould where they thinke to be safe from all that prosecute them And from thence they doe at their pleasures breake out into all the borders adjoyning which are well peopled countryes as the counties of Dublin of Kildare of Catherlagh of Kilkenny of Wexford with the spoiles whereof they victuall and strengthen themselves which otherwise should in short time be starved and sore pyned so that what he is of himselfe you may hereby perceive Eudox. Then by so much as I gather out of your speech the next way to end the warres with him and to roote him out quite should be to keepe him from invading of those countryes adjoyning which as I suppose is to be done either by drawing all the inhabitants of those next borders away and leaving them utterly waste or by planting garrisons upon all those frontiers about him that when he shall breake forth may set upon him and shorten his returne Iren. You conceive very rightly Eudoxus but for that the dispeopling and driving away all the inhabitants from the countrey about him which you speake of should bee a great confusion and trouble aswell for the unwillingnesse of them to leave their possessions as also for placing and providing for them in other Countryes me thinkes the better course should be by planting of Garrisons about him which whensoever he shall looke forth or be drawne out with the desire of the spoyle of those borders or for necessity of victuall shall be alwayes ready to intercept his going or comming Eudox. Where then doe you wish those Garrisons to be planted that they may serve best against him and how many in every Garrison Iren. I my selfe by reason that as I told you I am no martiall man will not take upon me to direct so dangerous affaires but onely as I understood by the purposes and plots which the Lord Gray who was well experienced in that service against him did lay downe To the performance whereof he onely required 1000. men to be laid in 6. garrisons that is at Ballinecor 200. footemen and 50. horsemen which should shut him out of his great glynne whereto he so much trusteth at Knockelough 200. footemen and 50. horsemen to answere the county of Catherlagh at Arclo or Wicklow 200. footemen and 50. horsemen to defend all that side towards the Sea In Shillelagh 100. footemen which should cut him from the Cavanaghes and the county of Wexford and about the three Castles 50. horsemen which should defend all the county of Dublin and 100. footemen at Talbots towne which should keepe him from breaking out into the County of Kildare and be alwayes on his necke on that side The which Garrisons so laide will so busie him that he shall never rest at home nor stirre forth abroad but he shall be had as for his Creete they cannot be above ground but they must needes fall into their hands or starve for he hath no fastnes nor refuge for them And as for his partakers of the Moores Butlers and Cavanaghes they will soone leave him when they see his fastnes and strong places thus taken from him Eudox. Surely this seemeth a plot of great reason and small difficulty which promiseth hope of a short end But what speciall directions will you set downe for the services and risings out of these Garrisons Iren. None other then the present occasions shall minister unto them and as by good espialls whereof there they cannot want store they shall be drawne continually upon him so as one of them shall be still upon him and sometimes all at one instant bayting him And this I assure my selfe will demaund no long time but will be all finished in the space of one yeare which how small a thing it is unto the eternall quietnesse which shall thereby be purchased to that Realme and the great good which should growe to her Majesty should me thinkes readily drawe on her Highnesse to the undertaking of the