the Englishe Gentlemen in Vlster as the lacke of vvalled townes is also the principall occasion of the rudenesse and wildenesse in other partes of Ireland This Savage having prepared an army against the Irish allowed to every Souldiour before he buckled with the enemy a mighty draught of Aquavitae Wine or old Ale and killed in provision for their returne beeffes venison and foule great plenty which diverse of his Captains misliked considering the successe of warre to be uncertaine esteemed it better pollicy to poyson the cates or to doe them away then to cherish a sort of Catives with princely foode If ought should happen to themselves in this adventure of so few against so many Hereat smyled the Gentleman and said Tush yee are too full of envy this world is but an Inne whereunto you have no speciall interest but are onely tennants at the will of the Lord. If it please him to commaund us from it as it were from our lodging to set other good fellowes in our roomes what hurt shall it be for us to leave them some meate for their suppers let them hardly winne it and weare it If they enter our dwellings good manners would no lesse but to welcome them with such fare as the country breedeth and with all my heart much good may it doe them Notwithstanding I presume so farre upon your noble courage that verily my minde giveth me that wee shall returne at night and banquet our selves with our owne store and so they did having slaine 3000. Irishmen Morrice Fitz Thomas Earle of Desmond Lord Iustice during life whom followed Sir Thomas Rokesbye a knight sincere and upright of conscience who being controlled for suffering himselfe to be served in wooden Cuppes Answered these homely Cuppes and dishes pay truely for that they containe I had rather drinke out of wood and pay gold and silver then drinke out of gold and make wooden payment Almericus de Sancto Amando Iames Butler Earle of Ormond and Morrice Fitz Thomas Earle of Kildare Iustices of Ireland by turnes To this last the Kings letters appointed in yearely fee for his office 500. pounds with promise that the said governour should finde twenty great horse to the field and should bee the tvventieth man in going out against the enemy vvhich allovvance and conditions at these dayes I thinke vvere ordinary Leonell the third sonne of Edward the third Duke of Clarence and in the right of his wife Earle of Vlster Lord Lieutenant of Ireland He published an inhibition to all of Irish birth that none of them should approach his army nor be imployed in service of the warres Obrene he vanquished suddainely but no man wist how an hundred of his principall Souldiours in garrison were missed whose dispatch that seditious decree was thought to have procured wherefore hee advised himselfe and united the people shewing alike fatherly care towards them all and ever after prospered Knights he created these Gentlemen the worthiest then in Chivalry and at this day continuing in great worship Preston now the house of Gormanstowne Holywood Talbot Cusacke Delahide Patricke Robert and Iohn de Fraxinis The exchequer he removed to Catherlagh and bestowed in furnishing that towne 500. pounds Gerald Fitz Morice Earle of Desmond Lord Iustice untill the comming of VVilliam de VVindsore Lieutenant to the King then in the last yeare of Edward the third ruling the realme under the name of Lord Governour and keeper of Ireland ¶ At the yeare 1370. all the Notes written by Flatsbury doe end and from hence to this day nothing is extant orderly gathered the rest I have collected out of sundry monuments authorityes and pamphlets During the raigne of Richard the second Lieutenants and Iustices of Ireland are specially recorded the two Mortimers Edmund and Roger Earles of March Phillip Courtney the kings cousin Iames Earle of Ormond and Robert Vere Earle of Oxford Marquesse of Divelin and Lord Chamberlaine who was created Duke of Ireland by Parliament and was credited with the whole Dominion of the Realme by graunt for tearme of life nothing paying therefore passing all writs all offices as Chancellor Treasurer Chiefe Iustice Admirall his owne Lieutenant and other inferiour charges under his own Teste The meane while King Richard afflicted impatiently with the decease of Queene Anne his wife nor able without many teares to behold his pallaces and chambers of Estate which represented unto him the solace past and doubled his sorrow sought some occasion of businesse and visited Ireland where diverse Lords and Princes of Vlster renewed their homage and he placing Roger Mortimer his Lieutenant returned quietly but within foure yeares after informed of the trayterous death of Mortimer whom he loved entirely and being wonderfull eager in hastening the revenge thereof upon the Irish he journeyed thither the second time levied infinite subsidies of money by penall exactions and with his absence as also with those injuries fed the hatred and opportunity of conspiratours at home for Henry Duke of Lancaster intercepted the Kingdome whose sonne with the Duke of Glocesters sonne King Richard shut up in the Castle of Trim and then shipped course into England tooke land at Milford Haven found his defence so weake and unsure that to avoide further inconvenience and perill of himselfe and his friends he condiscended to resigne the Crowne CAP. VII The house of Lancaster Henry the fourth Henry the fift Henry the sixt ALexander Bishop of Meth Lieutenant of Ireland under Thomas Lancaster the Kings brother so was also the worshipfull Knight Sir Stephen Scroope whom for his violence and extortion before used in the same office under King Richard the common voyce and out-cry of poore people damned This report hearing the Lady his wife she would in no wise assent to live in his company there but if he sware a solemne oath on the Bible that wittingly he should wrong no Christian creature in the land that duely and truely he should see payment made for all expences and hereof she said she had made a vow to Christ so deliberately that unlesse it were on his part firmely promised she could not without perill of her soule goe with him her husband assented and accomplished her boone effectually recovered a good opinion schooled his Caters enriched the country continued a plentifull house remissions of great fines remedyes for persons endamaged to the Prince pardons of lands and lives he granted so charitably and discreetely that his name was never uttered among them without many blessings and prayers and so cheerefully they served him against the Irish that in one day he spoyled Arthur Mac Murrough brent his country restored O-Carrol to the towne of Callane with-held by VValter Burke slew a multitude of Kerneghes and quieted Leinster Not long before the Major of Divelin Iohn Drake with his band out of the Citty had slaine of the same Irish Outlawes 400. In this Kings raigne
Mahowne all the Captaines of Thomond and all this in three moneths The Cleargye of Divelin tvvice every vveeke in solemne procession praying for his good successe against these disordered persons vvhich novv in every quarter of Ireland had degenerated to their olde trade of life and repyned at the English Lieutenants to Henry the sixt over the Realme of Ireland were Edmund Earle of Marche and Iames Earle of Ormond his Deputy Iohn Sutton Knight Lord Dudley and Sir Thomas Strange his Deputy Sir Thomas Standley and Sir Christopher Plonket his Deputy Lyon Lord Welles and the Earle of Ormond his Deputy Iames Earle of Ormond the Kings Lieutenant by himselfe Iohn Earle of Shrewesbury and the Archbishop of Divelin Lord Iustice in his absence Richard Plantaginet Duke of Yorke father of Edward the fourth and Earle of Vlster had the office of Lieutenant by letters Patents during the space of ten yeares who deputed under him at severall times the Baron of Delvin Roland Fitz Eustace knight Iames Earle of Ormond and Thomas Fitz Morrice Earle of Kildare To this Richard then resciant in Divelin was borne within the castle there his second son George Duke of Clarence afterwards drowned in a butt of Malmsey his god fathers at the font were the Earles of Ormond and Desmond Whether the commotion of Iacke Cade an Irish-man borne naming himselfe Mortimer and so clayming cousinage to diverse noble houses proceeded from this crew it is uncertaine surely the Duke was thereof vehemently mistrusted immediatly began his tumults which because our English histories discourse at large I omit as impertinent Those broyles being couched for a time Richard held himselfe in Ireland being lately by Parliament ordained Protector of the Realme of England leaving his agent in the Court his brother the Earle of Salisbury Lord Chauncellour to whom he declared by letters the trouble then toward in Ireland which letter exemplified by Sir Henry Sidney Lord Deputy a great searcher and preserver of Antiquities as it came to my hands I thinke it convenient here to set downe To the right worshipfull and with all my heart entirely beloved brother the Earle of Shrewesbury RIght worshipfull and with all my heart entirely beloved Brother I commend mee unto you as heartily as I can And like it you to wit that sith I wrote last unto the King our soveraigne Lord his Highnes the Irish enemy that is to say Magoghigan and with him three or foure Irish Captaines associate with a great fellowship of English rebells notwithstanding that they were within the King our Soveraigne Lord his power of great malice and against all truth have maligned against their legiance and vengeably have brent a great towne of mine inheritance in Meth called Ramore and other villages thereabouts and murdered and brent both men women and children without mercy The which enemies be yet assembled in woods and forts wayting to doe the hurt and grievance to the Kings subjects that they can thinke or imagine for which cause I write at this time unto the Kings Highnes and beseech his good grace for to hasten my payment for this land according to his letters of vvarrant novv late directed unto the Treasurer of England to the intent I may vvage men in sufficient number for to resist the malice of the same enemyes and punish them in such vvyse that other vvhich vvould doe the same for lacke of resistance in time may take example for doubtlesse but if my payment bee had in all haste for to have men of vvarre in defence and safeguard of this Land my povver cannot stretch to keepe it in the Kings obeysance And very necessity vvill compell mee to come into England to live there upon my poore livelode for I had lever bee dead then any inconvenience should fall thereunto in my default for it shall never bee chronicled nor remaine in scripture by the grace of God that Ireland vvas lost by my negligence And therefore I beseech you right vvorshipfull brother that you will hold to your hands instantly that my payment may bee had at this time in eschuing all inconveniences for I have example in other places more pitty it is for to dread shame and for to acquite my truth unto the Kings Highnes as my dutie is And this I pray and exhort you good brother to shew unto his good grace and that you will be so good that this language may be enacted at this present Parliament for my excuse in time to come and that you will bee good to my servant Roger Roe the bearer hereof and to mine other servants in such things as they shall pursue unto the kings Highnes And to give full faith and credence unto the report of the said Roger touching the said maters Right worshipfull and with all my heart entirely beloved brother our blessed Lord God preserve and keepe you in all honour prosperous estate and felicity and graunt you right good life and long Written at Divelin the 15. of Iune Your faithfull true brother Richard Yorke Of such power was Magoghigan in those dayes who as he wan and kept it by the sword so now he liveth but a meane Captaine yeelding his winnings to the stronger This is the misery of lawlesse people resembling the wydenesse of the rude vvorld vvherein every man vvas richer or poorer then other as he vvas in might and violence more or lesse enabled Heere beganne factions of the nobility in Ireland favouring diverse sides that strived for the Crovvne of England for Richard in those tenne yeares of government exceedingly tyed unto him the hearts of the noblemen and gentlemen in this land vvhereof diverse vvere scattered and slaine vvith him at Waterford as the contrary part vvas also the next yeare by Edward Earle of Marche the Dukes brother at Mortimers crosse in Wales in vvhich meane time the Irish vvaxed hardye and usurped the English Countreyes insufficiently defended as they had done by like oportunity in the latter end of Richard the second These two seasons did set them so a-floate that henceforwards they could never be cast out from their forcible possessions holding by plaine wrong all Vlster and by certaine Irish Tenures no little portions of Mounster and Connaght left in Meth and Leinster where the civill subjects of English bloud did ever most prevaile CAP. VIII Edward the fourth and Edward his sonne Richard the third Henry the seventh THomas Fitz Morice Earle of Kildare Lord Iustice untill the third yeare of Edward the fourth since which time the Duke of Clarence aforesaid brother to the King had the office of Lieutenant while he lived and made his Deputies in sundry courses Thomas Earle of Desmond Iohn Tiptoft Earle of Worcester the Kings cozen Thomas Earle of Kildare Henry Lord Graye Great was the credit of the Geraldines ever when the house of Yorke prospered and likewise the Butlers thryved under the bloud of Lancaster for
which cause the Earle of Desmond remained many yeares Deputy to George Duke of Clarence his god-brother but when he had spoken certaine disdainfull words against the late marryage of King Edward with the Lady Elizabeth Gray the said Lady being now Queene caused his trade of life after the Irish manner contrary to sundry old statutes enacted in that behalfe to be sifted examined by Iohn Earle of Worcester his successour Of which treasons he was attaint and condemned and for the same beheaded at Droghedah Iames the father of this Thomas of Desmond being suffered and not controuled during the government of Richard Duke of Yorke his godsip and of Thomas Earle of Kildare his kinsman put upon the Kings subjects within the Countyes of Waterford Corke Kerry and Limericke the Irish impositions of Coyne and Lyverie Cartings carriages loadings cosherings bonnaght and such like which customes are the very nurse and teat of all Irish enormities and extort from the poore tennants everlasting Sesse allowance of meate and money their bodies and goods in service so that their horses and their Galloglashes lye still upon the Farmers eate them out begger the Countrey foster a sort of idle vagabonds ready to rebell if their Lord commaund them ever nusseled in stealth and robberyes These evill presidents given by the Father the sonne did exercise being Lord Deputy to whome the reformation of that disorder especially belonged notwithstanding the same fault being winked at in others and with such rigour avenged in him it was manifestly taken for a quarrell sought and picked Two yeares after the said Earle of Worcester lost his head while Henry the 6. taken out of the towre was set up againe and King Edward proclaymed Vsurper and then was Kildare enlarged whom being likewise attainte they thought also to have ridde and shortly both the Earles of Kildare and Desmond were restored to their bloud by Parliament Sir Rowland Eustace Knight sometimes Treasurer and Lord Chauncellour and lastly Lord Deputye of Ireland founded Saint Frauncis Abbey besides Kilkullen bridge Edward a yeare before his death honoured his yonger son Richard the infant Duke of Yorke with the title of Lieutenant over this Land But his unnaturall Vnkle Richard the Third when hee had murdered the childe and the elder brother called Edward the 5. He then preferred to that Office his ovvne sonne Edward vvhose Deputy was Gerald Earle of Kildare and bare that office a vvhile in Henry the 7. his dayes To whom came the vvylie Priest Sir Richard Symonds presented a lad his scholler named Lambert vvhom he fained to be the son of George Duke of Clarence lately escaped the tovvre of Londō And the child could his pedegree so readily and had learned of the Priest such princely behaviour that he lightly moved the said Earle and many Nobles of Ireland tendering the Seed Royall of Richard Plantagenet and George his sonne as also maligning the advancement of the house of Lancaster in Henry the seventh either to thinke or make the world weene they thought verily this childe to bee Edward Earle of Warwicke the Duke of Clarences lawfull Sonne And although King Henry more then halfe marred their sport in shewing the right Earle through all the streetes of London yet the Lady Margaret Dutchesse of Burgoine sister to Edward the fourth Iohn de la Poole her Nephew the Lord Lovel Sir Thomas Broughton Knight and diverse other Captaines of this conspiracy devised to abuse the colour of this young Earles name for preferring their purpose which if it came to good they agreed to depose Lambert and to erect the very Earle indeed now prisoner in the towre for whose quarrell had they pretended to fight they deemed it likely hee should have beene made away Wherefore it was blazed in Ireland that the King to mocke his subjects had schooled a Boy to take upon him the Earle of Warwickes name and had shewed him about London to blinde the eyes of simple folkes and to defeate the lawfull Inheritour of the good Duke of Clarence their countryman and Protectour during his life to whose linage they also derived a title of the Crowne In all haste they assembled at Divelin and there in Christ-Church they Crowned this Idoll honouring him with titles imperiall feasting and triumphing rearing mighty shoutes and cryes carrying him from thence to the Kings Castle upon tall mens shoulders that he might be seene and noted as he was surely an honourable Boy to looke upon Thereupon ensued the Battle of Stoke wherein Lambert and his Master were taken but never executed the Earle of Lincolne the Lord Lovel Martine Swarte the Almaigne Captaine and Morice Fitz Thomas Captaine of the Irish were slaine and all their power discomfited Iasper Duke of Bedford and Earle of Penbroke Lieutenant and VValter Archbishop of Divelin his Deputy In this time befell another like illusion of Ireland procured from the Dutchesse aforesaid and certaine Nobles of England whereby was exalted as rightfull King of England and undoubted Earle of Vlster the counterfeit Richard Duke of Yorke preserved from King Richards cruelty as his adherents faced the matter downe and with this maygame lord named indeede Peter in scorne Perkin VVarbecke flattered themselves many yeares Then was Sir Edward Poynings Knight sent over Lord Deputy with commission to apprehend his principall partners in Ireland amongst whom was named Gerald Fitz Gerald Earle of Kildare whose purgation the King notwithstanding diverse avouching the contrary did accept After much adoe Perkin taken confessed under his owne hand-writing the course of all his proceedings whereof so much as concerneth Ireland I have heere borrowed out of Halles Chronicles I being borne in Flaunders in the towne of Turney put my selfe in service with a Britton called Pregent Meno the which brought me with him into Ireland and when wee were there arrived in the towne of Corke they of the towne because I was arrayed with some cloathes of silke of my said Masters threeped upon me that I should be the Duke of Clarences sonne that was before time at Divelin and forasmuch as I denyed it there was brought unto me the Holy Evangelists and the Crosse by the Major of the towne called Iohn Lewellin and there I tooke my oath that I was not the said Dukes sonne nor none of his blood After this came to me an English man whose name was Stephen Poytowe vvith one Iohn VValter and svvare to me that they knevv well that I vvas King Richards Bastard sonne to whom I answered vvith like oathes that I vvas not And then they advised me not to be affraide but that I should take it upon me boldly And if I vvould so doe they vvould assist me with all their povver against the King of England and not onely they but they vvere assured that the Earles of Desmond and Kildare should doe the same for they passed not vvhat part they tooke so they might be avenged
King whom the said Peeres met at Rotcotebridge and slue Thomas Molleners and spoyled the rest neverthelesse the Duke of Ireland escaped But in the same yeere on the morrow after Candlemas day a Parliament beganne at London in which were adjudged the Archbishop of Yorke the Duke of Ireland the Earle of Suffolke c. Anno 1388. foure Lord Iustices of England were banished into Ireland by a decree of the Parliament and it was not lawfull for them either to make lawes or to give counsell upon paine of the sentence of death Anno 1390. Robert de Wikeford Archbishop of Dublin departed this life and the same yeere was Robert Waldebie translated unto the Archbishopricke of Dublin being an Augustine Fryer Anno 1394. and in the seaventeenth yeere of King Richard the second died Anne Queene of England and the same yeere about Michaelmas the King crossed the seas over into Ireland and landed at Waterford the second day of the moneth of October and went back about Shrovetide Anno 1397. Fryer Richard de Northalis of the order of the Carmelites was translated to the Archbishopricke of Dublin and died the same yeere Also the same yeere Thomas de Craulie was consecrated Archbishop of Dublin And Sir Thomas Burgh and Sir Walter Birningham slue sixe hundred Irish men with their Captaine Macdowne Moreover Edmund Earle of March Lord lievetenant of Ireland with the aide of the Earle of Ormond wasted Obren's country and at the winning of his chiefe house hee made seaven Knights to wit Sir Christopher Preston Sir Iohn Bedlow Sir Edmund Loundres Sir Iohn Loundres Sir William Nugent Walter de la Hide and Robert Cadell Anno 1398. and in the two and twentieth of King Richard the second on Ascention day the Tothillis slue forty English men Among whom these were accounted as principall Iohn Fitz Williams Thomas Talbot and Thomas Comyn The same yeere upon Saint Margarets day Edmund Earle of March the Kings lievetenant was slaine with divers other by Obren and other Irishmen of Leinster at Kenlis in Leinster Then was Roger Greye elected Lord Iustice of Ireland The same yeere on the feast day of Saint Marke the Pope and Confessor came to Dublin the Noble Duke of Surrey the Kings lievetenant in Ireland and with him came Thomas Crauly Archbishop of Dublin Anno 1399. and of King Richard the three and twentieth on Sunday being the morrow after Saint Petronilla the Virgins day the illustrious King Richard landed at Waterford with two hundred shippes and the Friday after at Ford in Kenlis in the Countie of Kildare there were slaine two hundred Irish men by Ienicho and other English men and the morrow after the Citizens of Dublin brake into Obrens country slue three and thirty of the Irish and tooke fourescore men women and children The same yeere King Richard came to Dublin upon the fourth Kalends of Iuly where hee was advertized of the comming of Henry Duke of Lancaster into England whereupon he also speedily went over into England and a little while after the same King was taken prisoner by the said Henry and brought to London and there a Parliament was holden the morrow after Michaelmas day in which King Richard was deposed from his kingdome and the said Henry Duke of Lancaster was crowned King of England on the feast day of Saint Edward the Confessor Anno 1400. and in the first yeere of the raigne of King Henry the fourth at Whitsontide the Constable of Dublin Castle and divers others at Stranford in Vlster fought at Sea with the Scots where many Englishmen were slaine and drowned The same yeere on the feast of the Assumption of the blessed Virgin Mary King Henry with a great army entred Scotland and there he was advertized that Owen Glendor with the Welsh men had taken armes against him for which cause he hastened his iourney into Wales Anno 1401. in the second yeere of King Henry the fourth Sir Iohn Stanley the kings Lievetenant in the moneth of May went over into England leaving in his roome Sir William Stanley The same yeere on Bartholomew Eeven arrived in Ireland Stephen Scroope Lievetenant unto the Lord Thomas of Lancaster the kings Lievetenant of Ireland The same yeere on Saint Brices day the Lord Thomas of Lancaster the kings Sonne and Lord Lievetenant of Ireland arrived at Dublin Anno 1402. on the fift Ides of Iuly was the dedication of the Church of the Fryers Preachers in Dublin by the Archbishop of Dublin And the same day the Maior of Dublin namely Iohn Drake with the citizens and townesmen neere to Bre slue of the Irish foure hundred ninety three being all men of warre The same yeere in September a Parliament was held at Dublin during the which in Vrgile Sir Bartholomew Verdon knight Iames White Stephen Gernond and their complies slue Iohn Dowdall Sheriffe of Lowth Anno 1403. in the fourth yeere of king Henry in the moneth of May Sir Walter Betterley Steward of Vlster a right valiant knight was slaine and to the number of thirty other with him The same yeere on Saint Maâ—dlins Eeven neere unto Shrewesbury a battell was fought betweene king Henry and Henry Percy and Thomas Percy then Earle of Worcester which Percyes were slaine and on both sides there were sixe thousand and more slaine in the battaile The same yeere about Martlemas the Lord Thomas of Lancaster the kings Sonne went over into England leaving Stephen Scroope his Deputy there who also in the beginning of Lent sayled over into England and then the Lords of the land chose the Earle of Ormond to be Lord Iustice of Ireland Anno 1404. in the fift yeere of king Henry Iohn Colton Archbishop of Armagh departed this life upon the fift of May unto whom Nicholas Flemming succeeded The same yeere on the day of Saint Vitall the Martyr the Parliament began at Dublin before the Earle of Ormond then Lord Iustice of Ireland where the Statutes of Kilkenny and Dublin were confirmed and likewise the Charter of Ireland The same yeere Patricke Savage was treacherously slaine in Vlster by Mac Kilmori and his brother Richard was given for a pledge who was murthered in the prison after hee had paid two thousand markes The same yeere upon Martilmas day deceased Nicholas Houth Lord of Houth a man of singular honesty Anno 1405. in the sixt yeere of King Henry in the moneth of May three Scottish Barkes were taken two at Greenecastle and one at Dalkay with Captaine Thomas Macgolagh The same yeere the Merchants of Droghedah entred Scotland and tooke pledges and preyes The same yeere on the Eeven of the feast day of the seaven brethren Oghgard was burnt by the Irish. The same yeere in the moneth of Iune Stephen Scroope crossed the seas over into England leaving the Earle of Ormond Lord Iustice of Ireland The same yeere in the moneth of Iune they of Dublin entred Scotland at Saint Ninian and valiantly behaved themselves and afterward they entred Wales and there did much
so aged that his sustenance was the milke of a white Cow which he carried with him wheresoever he travelled This yeere the Abbey de fonte vivo was founded While all went well in Ireland newes came that Henry the sonne whom his father had for good purpose crowned King of England was misledde to intrude upon the actuall possession of the Crowne in his fathers life-time which stirre to appease the King left the custody of Ireland with Hugh de Lacy to whom he gave Meth in fee with Fitz Stephens Fitz Gerald and Philip de Bruise and diverse others and sayled into England In absence of King Henry Ororick King of Meth surnamed Monoculus required conference and parley with Hugh de Lacy in which communication the King had trayterously murdered Lacy had not Fitz Gerald rescued him Then stept out an ambushment of the Irish but Griffin a Gentleman of the bloud royall in Wales flighted the Kyrneghes and slevv Ororick The English perceived such practices daylie sought and attempted tooke from the Irish as farre as they durst all trust of government fenced themselves vvith garrisons made Captaines Keepers and Constables vvheresoever they vvanne the better But King Henry vvas so affrighted vvith his sonnes rebellion and grevv into such envye both at home and abroad for the death of Thomas late Archbishop of Canterbury that he had no vvill to mind his proceedings in Ireland Ever his jealousie increased tovvardes the Earle Strongbow vvhom he supposed easie to bee carryed avvay vvith any light occasion of tumult The Earle vvas a man of great birth but not of great port until this good marriage befell him knovving himselfe neither to be brooked in sight nor trusted out of sight kept still one certaine rate in all his doings bare but lovve saile fed no quarrells shunned all suspicious conference While they stood thus in a mammaring and Letters ctme daylie over hovv faintly the States and Princes of Ireland performed obedience for except in Leinster all other parts retayned still their auncient kinde of government and did onely acknovvledge Tribute It vvas thought expedient by Henryes Counsellours to discharge his minde of that care and seeing there vvas trouble on all sides and all could not bee intended one vvay they determined to venture the custody of Ireland to Strongbow being likely for his ovvne vvealth and assurance to procure all possible meanes of bridling and annoying the Irish. No sooner vvas the Earle landed with his Commission Lord Warden of Ireland but Donald King of Limericke met him at the vantage and coursed him within the walls of Waterford whereof hearing the residue their mates were animated so that up they start in every corner tagge and ragge to expell the English It went hardly then the Earle remembred himselfe of his cousin Lord Reymond left behinde him in Wales a suitor to Basil his sister whose marriage nothing stopped but the Earles consent Now therefore hee writeth lovingly to the Wooer and upon condition that hee came speedily to succour him hee yeelded the Lady and all else at pleasure Reymond in his first entry brake into Divelin marryed his Wife in compleate Armour and the very next daye sprang foorth whipped the Rebells quieted Leinster Also the Cleargy having lately perused the Popes Bull wherein hee entitleth Henry Lord of Ireland and under straight paynes commaundeth alleagiance unto him busily repressed the fury of their Countreymen And forsomuch as immediatly after Christianity planted there the whole Iland had with one consent given themselves not only into the spirituall but also into the temporall jurisdiction of the See of Rome which temporall right the two Bishops Adrian and Alexander had freely derived into King Henry as by their publique instruments read in their counsell at Cashell appeareth they denounced curse and excommunication to any that would maliciously gainsay or frustrate the same When these bâ—oyles were rocked asleepe and husht for a time the familiars of Strongbow greatly fore-thought them of the credit and rule committed to Reymond whom in conclusion they procured home againe vvhen he had served their turne at neede The meane vvhile dyed Strongbow as some say betrayed and vvounded he lyeth buryed in the Body of Christ Church in Divelin leaving behinde him one onely daughter Isabel marryed after 14. yeares to VVilliam Earle marshall Closely they concealed Strongbowes death untill they had compassed from the King another Governour after their owne tooth For ever they dreaded that Reymond being in the Princes eye and friended in the Court would catch his oportunity and wynde himselfe might he get an inkling in time of the Earles death into the succession of his office which even then waxed sweet and savoury Coodgellors of this drift stopped messengers intercepted letters hasted on their own course Basil the wife of Reymond more dutiful to her husband then naturall to her brother continued still in Ireland sicke but having privy knowledge of those newes ere the breath was quite out of the Earles body payned her selfe to disturbe this whole array And whereas shee knew well her letters should bee searched and her owne servants stayed shee let it be delivered at all a very venture to one of the maryners and therein draweth a long processe of her affayres and houshold but in the middle shuffles in a few lines of her meaning under these tearmes To all my afflictions is added now lately the tooth-ake so that except that one master-tooth had fallen which I send you for a token I weene I were better out of my life Now was the tooth tipped with golde and burnished feately like a present which Reymond wist well to bee none of hers and therefore quickly smelled the construction lingred not for Letters Pattents but stept over presently and made his packe and was elected by the Kings Agents there Lord Protectour of Ireland till the Kings pleasure were further knowne During his authority flourished the Geraldines but shortly after they quayled againe under the government of VVilliam Fitz Aldelin with him was joyned in commission the valiant Knight Iohn de Courcy conquerour and Earle of Vlster which hitherto the King had not obtained That yeare was founded the Abbey of Crockesden by Bertramus de Verdon To establish the conquest of Vlster and other victories of the parts of Ireland before enjoyed Alexander the third sent his Cardinall Vivianus vvho declareth the Title that Henry held of the Pope the reservation of the Peter-pence the indignation of GOD and holy Church against the rebells who beeing themselves contemners and breakers of Canons Ecclesiasticall yet for maintenance of their unruly stomackes had found the meanes to make Churches their barnes bestowing therein both corne and pulse that the victuallers and purveyors of the Princes campe should not dare to require the sale thereof for perill of sacriledge Therefore hee licenseth Officers in this behalfe soberly and discreetely to convent such persons as made the
durst not stirre out of Kilkenny to prosecute his accusation reputed partiall and when by meanes thereof the matter hanged in suspence hee infamed the said Prior as an abbettour and favourer of Arnolds heresie The Prior submitted himselfe to the tryall and three severall Proclamations were cryed in Court that any man might lawfully come in and indict accuse or say evidence against the Iustice none came then passed the Councell a decree commanding to appeare at Divelin all Bishops Abbots Pryors the Majors of Divelin Corke Limericke Waterford Droghedah the Sheriffes Knights and Senischalls of every shire Out of them all they sorted sixe Inquisitours which in secrecie examined the Bishoppes and persons aforesaid one by one who with universall consent deposed for the Pryor that to their judgements hee was a zealous and faithfull childe of the Catholique Church The meane while deceased le Power prisoner in the Castle and because he stood unpurged long he laye unburyed Sir Iohn Darcye Lord Iustice. The Irish of Leinster made insurrections so did Magoghigan in Meth and Obrien in Mounster whom VVilliam Earle of Vlster and Iames of Ormond vanquished In which sturre VVilliam Bermingham a warriour incomparable was found halting and was condemned to dye by Roger Outlawe Pryor of Kilmainam then Lieutenant to the Lord Iustice and so hanged was hee a Knight among thousands odde and singular So outragious were the Leinster Irish that in one Church they burned 80. innocent soules asking no more but the life of their Priest then at Masse whom they notwithstanding sticked with their savelins spurned the blessed Sacrament and wasted all with fire neither forced they the Popes interdiction nor any censures ecclesiasticall denounced against them But maliciously persevered in that fury till the Citizens of Weixford tamed them slevv foure hundred in one skirmish the rest flying vvere all drenched in the vvater of Slane Thomas Burgh Treasurer and Lieutenant of Ireland vvhile Darcy Lord Iustice pursued the murtherers of VVilliam Bourk Earle of Vlster a young gentleman of tvventy yeares olde vvhom the seditions of Maundevill murdered besides Cragfergus And vvhen hee had scourged those Traytours he entred Scotland vvith an army and might have possessed the Ilands besides had they bene vvorth the keeping into vvhich Ilands besides him and Sussex the late Lieutenant of Ireland no Governour ever yet adventured Sir Iohn Carleton Lord Iustice vvith vvhom came his brother Thomas Bishop of Hereford Lord Chauncellor and Iohn Rice Treasurer and tvvo hundred Welchmen souldiours The Bishop became Lord Iustice in vvhose time all the Irish of Ireland vvere at defiance vvith the English but vvere shortly calmed by the Earles of Kildare and Desmond Sir Iohn Darcy by the Kings Letters Patents Lord Iustice of Ireland during life in the fourteenth yeare of Edward the third vvhich king abused by some corrupt informers called in under his signet royall fraunchises and liberties and graunts vvhatsoever his predecessours had ratified to the Realme of Ireland and to every person thereof This revocation vvas taken very displeasantly The English of birth and the English of bloud falling to vvords and divided in factions about it The Irish laye wayting for the contention so as the Realme was even upon point to give over all and rebell For remedy the Iustice began a Parliament at Divelin whereto the nobles refused to make apparance assembled themselves quietly without disturbance at Kilkenny where they with the Commons agreed upon certaine questions to be demaunded of the King by way of supplication by which questions they partly signified their griefes Those in effect were 1. How a Realme of warre might be governed by one both unskilfull and unable in all warlike service 2. How an officer under the king that entred very poore might in one yeare grow to more excessive wealth then men of great patrimony in many yeares 3. How it happened seeing they all were called Lords of their owne that the Lord of them all was not a penny the richer for them The Prince of this repining was Morice Earle of Desmond whom Vfford the now Lord Iustice in paine of forfeiture of all his lands commaunded to the Parliament at Dublin and there put him under arrest delivered him by main prise of the tvvo Earles Vlster Ormond of 28. knights squiers All vvhich except the Earles tvvo knights lost their inheritāce by rigour of the said Vfford because Desmond had escaped Therefore at the decease of the Lord Iustice vvhich ensued the next yeare Bonfires and gavvdes vvere solemnized in all the Land his Lady vvas a miserable sott and led him to extortion and bribery much he clipped the prerogatives of the Church and vvas so hated that even in the sight of the country he vvas robbed vvithout rescue by MacCarty notvvithstanding he gathered povver and dispersed the rebellions of Vlster Robert Darcy Lord Iustice chosen by the Councell untill the Kings charter came to Sir Iohn Fitz Morrice vvho inlarged Fitz Thomas Earle of Kildare left in holde by Vfford Fitz Morrice vvas deposed and Sir VValter Bermingham elected who procured safe conduct for Desmond to pleade his right before the King where he was liberally intreated allowed towards his expences there twenty shillings a day at the Princes charge in consideration of which curtesie to his kinsman the Earle of Kildare accompanyed with diverse Lords Knights and chosen horsemen served the King at Callice a towne thought impregnable and returned after the winning thereof in great pompe and jollity Iohn Archer of Kilmainam Lieutenant to the Lord Iustice to whom succeeded Baron Carew after Carew followed Sir Thomas Rokesby knight This yeare dyed Kemvricke Shereman sometimes Major of Divelin a Benefactour to every Church and religious house twenty miles round about the citty his legacies to poore and others besides the liberality shewed in his life time amounted to 3000. marks with such plenty were our fathers blessed that cheerefully gave of their true winnings to needfull purposes whereas our time that gaineth excessively and whineth at every farthing to be spent on the poore is yet oppressed vvith scarcity and beggery The same time dvvelled in Vlster Sir Robert Savage a vvealthie Knight vvho the rather to preserve his ovvne beganne to vvall fortifie his Mannour houses vvith castles and pyles against the Irish enemy exhorting his heire Sir Henry Savage to intend that Worke so beneficiall for himselfe and his posterity Father quoth he I remember the Proverbe better a Castle of bones then of stones vvhere strength and courage of valiant men are to helpe us Never vvill I by the grace of God cumber my selfe vvith dead vvalls my fort shall be vvheresoever young blouds be stirring and vvhere I finde roome to fight The father in a fume let lye the building and forsvvore it But yet the vvant thereof and such like hath beene the decaye asvvell of the Savages as of all
the inhabitants of the county towne of Corke being tyred with perpetuall oppressions of their Irish borderers complained themselves in a generall writing directed to the Lord of Rutheland and Corke the Kings Deputy and to the Councell of the Realme then assembled at Divelin which Letter because it openeth the decay of those partes and the state of the Realme in times past I have thought good to enter here as it was delivered me by Francis Agard Esquire one of her Majesties privy Councell in Ireland It may please your wisedomes to have pittie of us the Kings poore subjects within the county of Corke or else we be cast away for ever for where there was in this countie these Lords by name besides Knights Esquiers Gentlemen and Yeoman to a great number that might dispend yearelie 800. pounds 600. pounds 400. pounds 200. pounds 100. pounds 100. markes 20. pounds 20. markes 10. pounds some more some lesse to a great number besides these Lords following First the Lord Marquesse Caro his yearely revenues was besides Dorzey Hauen and other Creekes 2200. pounds sterling The Lord Barnevale of Bearehaven his yearely revenues was beside Bearehaven and other Creekes 1600. pounds sterling The Lord Vggan of the great Castle his yearely revenues was besides havens and creekes 1300. pounds sterling The Lord Balram of Emforte his yearely revenues was besides havens and creekes 1300. pounds sterling The Lord Courcy of Kilbretton his yearely revenues besides havens and creekes 1500. pounds sterling The Lord Mandevil of Barrenstelly his yearely revenues besides havens and creekes 1200. pounds sterling The Lord Arundell of the strand his yearely revenues besides havens and creekes 1500. pounds sterling The Lord Baron of the Guard his yearely revenues besides havens and creekes 1100. pounds sterling The Lord Sleynie of Baltimore his yearely revenue besides havens and creekes 800 pounds sterling The Lord Roche of Poole-castle his yearely revenue besides havens and creekes 1000. pounds sterling The Kings Majesty hath the Lands of the late young Barry by forfeiture the yearely revenue whereof besides two rivers and creekes and all other casualties is 1800. pounds sterling And at the end of this Parliament Your Lordship with the Kings most noble Councell may come to Corke and call before you all these Lords and other Irish men and binde them in paine of losse of life lands and goods that never any of them doe make warre upon another without licence or cōmandement of you my Lord Deputy the Kings Councell for the utter destruction of these parts is that onely cause and once all the Irish men and the Kings enemies were driven into a great valley called Glanehought betwixt two great mountaines called Maccorte or the leprous Iland and their they lived long and many yeares with their white meat till at the last these English Lords fell at variance among themselves and then the weakest part tooke certaine Irish men to take his part and so vanquished his enemy and thus fell the English Lords at variance among themselves till the Irish men were stronger then they and drave them away and now have the whole country under them but that the Lord Roche the Lord Courcy and the Lord Barry onely remaine with the least part of their auncestors possessions and young Barry is there upon the Kings portion paying his Grace never a penny Rent Wherefore we the Kings poore subjects of the Citty of Corke Kinsale and Yowghall desire your Lordship to send hither two good Iustices to see this matter ordered and some English Captaines with twenty English men that may be Captaines over us all and we will rise with them to redresse these enormities all at our owne costs And if you doe not we be all cast away and then farewell Mounster for ever And if you will not come nor send we will send over to our Liege Lord the King and complaine on you all Thus farre the letter And at this day the Citty of Corke is so encumbred with unquiet neighbours of great power that they are forced to watch their gates continually to keepe them shut at service times at meales from sunne set to sunne arising nor suffer any stranger to enter there with his weapon but to leave the same at a lodge appointed They walke out for recreation at seasons with strength of men furnished they match in wedlocke among themselves so that welnigh the whole citty is allyed together It is to be hoped that the late sent over Lord President of Mounster Sir Iohn Parrot who hath chosen the same place to abide in as having greatest neede of a Governour resident would ease the inhabitants of this feare and scourge the Irish Outlawes that annoy the whole region of Mounster Henry the 4. in the 10. yeare of his raigne gave the Sword to the Citty of Divelin which Citty was first governed as appeareth by their auncient seale called Signum propositurae by a Provost and in the 14. yeare of H. the 3. by a Major two Bayliffes which Bayliffes were changed into Sheriffes by Charter of Edward the 6. an 1547. This Majorality both for state and charge of that office and for the bountifull hospitality exceedeth any Citty in England except London While Henry the 5. reigned I finde lieutenants and deputyes of Ireland specially remembred Iohn Talbott of Hollamshire Lord of Furnyvall Thomas de Lancaster Senischa of England and Stephen le Scroope his Deputy Iohn Duke of Bedford then also Lord Keeper of England and the noble Earle of Ormond Sir Iames Butler whose grandsire was Iames surnamed the chast for that of all vices hee most abhorred the sinne of the flesh and in subduing of the same gave notable example In the red Moore of Athye the sun almost lodged in the West and miraculously standing still in his epicycle the space of three houres till the feat was accomplished and no pit in that bogge annoying either horse or man on his part he vanquished Omore and his terrible Army with a few of his owne and with the like number Arthur Mac Murrough at whose might and puissance all Leinster trembled To the imitation of this mans worthinesse the compiler of certaine precepts touching the rule of a Common-wealth exciteth his Lord the said Earle in diverse places of that Worke incidently eftsoones putting him in minde that the Irish beene false by kinde that it were expedient and a worke of Charity to execute upon them willfull and malicious transgressours the Kings Lawes somewhat sharpely That Odempsye being winked at a while abused that small time of sufferance to the injury of the Earle of Kildare intruding unjustly upon the Castle of Ley from whence the said Deputy had justly expelled him and put the Earle in possession thereof that notvvithstanding their oathes and pledges yet they are no longer true then they feele themselves the vveaker This Deputye tamed the Obriens the Burckes Mac-banons Ogaghnraghte Manus Mac
the wretch would never yeeld In the meane while defiance proclaimed with Fraunce Scotland both at once moved the King to returne Surrey out of Ireland that he might employ him in those services his prowesse integrity good nature and course of governement the country much commendeth and honoureth the name and family to this day Pierce Butler Earle of Ossory Lord Deputy Kildare attending the Kings pleasure for his dispatch recovered favour at the instance of the Duke of Suffolke whose daughter Dame Elizabeth Graye he espoused royally and so departed home Now there was a great partaker of all the Deputies Councell one Robert Talbot of Belgard whom the Geraldines hated deadly him they surmized to keepe a Kalender of all their doings and to stirre the coales that incensed brother against brother In which fury Iames Fitz Gerald meeting the said Gentleman besides Ballimore slew him even there journeying to keepe his Christmasse with the Deputy With this despitefull murder both sides brake out into open rage and especially the Countesse of Ossory Kildares sister a rare woman and able for wisedome to rule a Realme had not her stomacke over-rul'd her selfe Heere beganne intimation of new Treasons passing to and fro with complaints and replyes But Suffolke had wrought the canvas so fast in his sonne in lawes behalfe that hee was suffered to rest at home and onely Commissioners directed thither with Authority to examine the roote of their griefes wherein if they found Kildare but even tollerably purged their instructions was to depose the plaintiffe and to sweare the other Lord Deputy The Commissioners were Sir Raphe Egerton a Cheshire Knight Anthony Fitzherbert second Iustice of the Common-pleas and Iames Denton Deane of Lichfield who huddeled up those accusations as they thought good and suddenly tooke the sword from the Earle of Ossory sware the Geraldine Lord Deputy before whom Con Oneale bare the sword that day Concerning the murtherer whom they might have hanged they brought him prisoner into England presented him to Cardinall VVolsey who vvas said to hate Kildares bloud And the Cardinall intending his execution vvith more dishonour to the name caused him to be ledde about London streetes manacled and haltered vvhich asked so long time that the Deane of Lichfield stepped to the King and got the Gentleman his pardon This untimely shift inflamed the Cardinall and ripened the malice hitherto not so ranke and therefore hereafter Ossory brought evident proofes of the Deputies disorder that hee vvilfully vvinked at the Earle of Desmond vvhom hee should have attached by the Kings letters that he curryed acquaintance and friendship vvith meere Irish enemyes that he had armed them against him being the Kings Deputy that he hanged and hevved rashly good subiects vvhom hee mistrusted to leave to the Butlers friendship Yet againe therefore was Kildare commaunded to appeare which he did leaving in his roome Fitz Gerald of Leixlip whom they shortly deprived and chose the Baron of Delvin whom O-Connor tooke prisoner and there the Earle of Ossory to shew his ability of service brought to Divelin an army of Irish-men having Captaines over them Oconnor Omore and O-Carroll and at S. Mary Abbey was chosen Deputie by the Kings Councell In which office being himselfe save onely in feates of Armes a simple gentleman he bare out his honour and the charge of governement very worthily through the singular wisedome of his Countesse a Lady of such port that all Estates of the Realme couched unto her so politique that nothing was thought substantially debated without her advice manlike and tall of stature very rich and bountifull a bitter enemy the onely meane at those dayes whereby her Husbands Countrey was reclaymed from the sluttish and uncleane Irish custome to the English habite bedding house-keeping and civility But to those vertues vvas yoked such a selfe-liking and such a Majesty above the tenure of a subiect that for ensurance thereof shee sticked not to abuse her husbands honour against her brothers follye Notvvithstanding I learne not that shee practised his undoing vvhich ensued and vvas to her undoubtedly great heavinesse as upon vvhom both the blemish thereof and the sustenance of that vvhole family depended after but that shee by indirect meanes vvrought her Brother out of credite to advance her husband the common voyce and the thing it selfe speaketh All this vvhile abode the Earle of Kildare at the Court and vvith much adoe found shift to bee called before the Lords to ansvvere solemnely They sate upon him diversely affectioned and especially the Cardinall Lord Chauncellour disliked his cause comforted his accusers and enforced the Articles obiected and vvhat else soever could be gathered thereof in these words I wot well my Lord that I am not the meetest man at this Board to charge you with these treasons because it hath pleased some of your pew-fellowes to report that I am a professed enemie to all Nobilitie and namely to the Geraldines but seeing every curst boy can say asmuch when he is controlled and seeing these points are so vveightie that they should not be dissembled of us and so apparant that they cannot be denyed of you I must have leave notwithstanding your stale slaunder to be the mouth of these honorable persons at this time and to trumpe your Treasons in your way howsoever you take me First you remember how the lewde Earle your kinsman who passeth not whom he serve might he change his Master sent his confederates with letters of credence to Frauncis the French King and having but cold comfort there to Charles the Emperour proffering the helpe of Mounster and Connaght towards the conquest of Ireland if either of them vvould helpe to vvinne it from our King Hovv many letters vvhat precepts vvhat messages vvhat threats have been sent you to apprehend him and yet not done vvhy so forsooth I could not catch him Nay nay Earle forsooth you vvould not nighly vvatch him If he be justly suspected vvhy are you partiall in so great a charge If not vvhy are you fearefull to have him tryed Yea Sir it vvil be svvorne deposed to your face that for feare of meeting him you have vvinked vvilfully shunned his sight altered your course vvarned his friends stopped both eyes and eares against his detectors and vvhensoever you tooke upon you to hunt him out then vvas hee sure before-hand to bee out of your vvalke surely this juggling and false-play little became either an honest man called to such honour or a Nobleman put in such trust Had you lost but a Covv or a Garron of your ovvne tvvo hundred Kyrneghes vvould have come at your vvhistle to rescue the prey from the uttermost edge of Vlster All the Irish in Ireland must have given you the vvay But in pursuing so vveightie a mater as this mercifull God hovv nice how dangerous how wayward have you bin One while he is from home another while he keepeth home sometimes fled sometimes in the borders
of Antrim Cnockfergus called also Cragfergus This part is dissevered from Meath and Leinster by the river Boandus which breaketh out beside Logh-foyle a bogg betweene Ardmagh and S. Patrickes Purgatorie Cambrensis reputeth the bogge at 30. miles in length and halfe so much in breadth and the same once firme Land to have beene suddenly ouerflowen for the bestiall incest committed there unfit to be told In Mounster lye the counties of Waterford Limericke Cork counties Pallatine of Tipperary Kerry and exempt from priviledge the Crosse of Tipperarie Waterford hath Dongarvon and Waterford full of traffique with England France and Spaine by meanes of their excellent good Haven Limericke hath Kilmallocke lately sackt by Iames Fitz Morice and the Citie Limiricum coasting on the sea hard upon the river Shannon whereby are most notably severed Mounster and Connaght Corke hath Kinsale Yowghall and the Cittie Corke Tipperary hath Tipperary Clonmell Fidderstown Cassell Mounster was of old time devided into East-Mounster Ormond West-Mounster Desmond South-Monster Thomond Here dwell Obrenes Macnemarraes Mack-maâ—ownes and one sept of the Offlherties In these quarters lyeth the Countryes of O-Carroll O-Magher the white Knight Mac-Ibrine O-Gaunaghe Waterford contayneth the Powers and Deces Corke the Barries Lands Imokillie Carbarrie Maccarty-more Maccarty-reagh L. Roches lands Osulivan Muscry L. Courcy and diverse more some of Irish blood some degenerate and become Irish. Limericke hath in it the Knight of the valley VVilliam Burcke Mac-Ibrine Ara part of the white Knights Lands Cosmay Obrenes and upon the edge of Kerrie the greene knight alià s the knight of Kerrie Leinster butteth upon England Mounster and Connaght upon France and Spaine Vlster upon the Scottish Ilands which face with Hebrides scattered between both realmes wherein at this day the Irish Scot Successour of the old Scythian Pict or Redshancke dwelleth The spirituall Iurisdiction is ordered into 4. Provinces whereof the primacy was euer given in reverence toward Saint Patricke their Apostle to the Archbishoppe of Ardmagha now called Ardmagh which custome was since confirmed by Eugenius the 3. who sent withall 3. other prelates to be placed one at Dublin one at Cashell the last at Tuam To these are suffraganes in right 29. and all they inferiour to the Primate of Ardmaghe under his province are the Bishopprickes of Meath Derry Ardagh Kilmore Clogher Downe Coner Clonmacknoes Rapho and Dromore Vnder Dublin whereunto Innocentius 3. united Glandelagh are the Bishop of Elphine Kildare Ferneâ— Ossorie and Laighlein Vnder Cashell are B. of Waterford Lysmore Corke Clone Rosse Ardigh Limericke Emely Killalo Ardferte Vnder Tuam the B. of Kilmaco Olfine Anaghdoune Clonfert Mayo In this recount some diversities have happened by reason of personall and reall union of the Seas and for other alterations An old distinctioÌ„ there is of Ireland into Irish English pales for wheÌ„ the Irish had raised coÌ„tinual tumults against the English planted heere with the Conquest At last they coursed them into a narrow circuite of certaine shires in Leinster which the English did choose as the fattest soyle most defensible their proper right and most open to receive helpe from England Hereupon it was termed their pale as whereout they durst not peepe But now both within this pale uncivill Irish and some rebells doe dwell and without it Countreyes and cities English are well governed CAP. II. The temporall Nobility BY conference with certaine gentlemen attendants upon Sir Henry Sidney Lord Deputie who excelleth in that knowledge I tooke notice of the most noble English families in Ireland which heere ensue with their surnames as they stand at this present Gerald Fitz Gerald Earle of Kildare this house was of the nobilitie of Florence came thence to Normandie and so with earle Strangbow his kinsman whose Armes hee giveth into Wales neere of bloud to Rice ap Griffin Prince of Wales by Vesta the mother of Morice Fitz Gerald and Robert Fitz Stephens with the said Earle it removed into Ireland one of the speciall conquerors thereof One record that I have seene nameth a Geraldine the first Earle of Kildare in anno 1289. But another saith there dyed a Geraldine the fourth Earle of Kildare in anno 1316. the family is touched in the sonnet of Surrey made upon Kildares sister now Lady Clinton From Tuscane came my Ladyes worthy race Faire Florence was sometime her ancient seate The westerne Isle whose pleasant shore doth face Wilde Cambres cliffes did give her lively heate His eldest sonne Lord Gerald Baron of Ophalye I reade the Geraldine Lord of Ophalye in anno 1270. Sir Thomas Butler Earle of Ormond and Ossorye the Butlers were ancient English Gentlemen preferred to the Earledome of Ormond in the first of Edward the 3. Anno 1327. which fell upon heires generall lastly upon Sir Thomas Butler Earle of Wilshire after whose disfavour it reversed to the name of Pierce Butler whom little before King H. 8. had created Earle of Ossorye Theo. Butler was Lord of the Carricke An. 1205. And Earle of Tipperarie 1300. or sooner the Latine History calleth him Dominum de Pincerna the English Le Bottiller whereby it appeareth that hee had some such honour about the Prince his very surname is Becket who was advanced by H. le 2. in recompence of the injurie done to Thomas of Canterburie their kinsman His eldest sonne Lord Butler Viscount Thurles Gerald Fitz Gerald Earle of Desmond Morice Fitz Thomas a Geraldine was created Earle of Desmond the same yeare soone after that the Butler became Earle of Ormond The Irish say that the elder house of the Geraldines was made Earle of Desmond though Kildare be the more ancient Earle His eldest sonne L. Fitz Gerald of Desmond Baron of Inshycoin Sir Richard Burcke Earle of Clanriccard a braunch of the English family de Burge Lord Burgh who were noble men before their arrivall into Ireland His eldest sonne Vlioke Burghe Baron of Donkeline Conegher Obrene Earle of Tumond the name of Earle given to Murroughe Obrene for terme of life and after to Donoghe Obrene An. 5. Edw. 6. now confirmed to the heires male His eldest sonne Lo. Obrene Baron of Ibrecane Mac Cartimore Earle of Clarcar created An. 1565. His eldest sonne Lo Baron of Valentia Viscount Barrie Viscount Roohe Preston Viscount of Gormanston whereunto is lately annexed the Barony of Lounders their auncestour Preston then cheife Baron of the Exchequer was made Knight in the field by Lionell Duke of Clarence Lieutenant of Ireland Eustace alias Powere Viscount of Baltinglasse Lord of Kilkullen to him and his heires male An. H. 8.33 Their ancestour Robert le Powere was sent into Ireland with commission and in his Off-spring hath rested heere since An. 1175. Powere alias Eustace is written Baron of Domvile An. 1317. Sir Richard Butler Viscount Mongaret to him and his heires males An. Edw. 6.5 Viscount Deces Lord Bermingham Baron of Athenrye now degenerate
and become meere Irish against whom his auncestors served valiantly in An. 1300. Sir Richard Bermingham was Lord of Athenrye 1316. Iohn Bermingham Baron de Atrio dei Anno 1318. Mac Morice alias Fitz Gerald Baron of Kerye Lord Courcye a poore man not very Irish the auncient descent of the Courcyes planted in Ireland with the Conquest Lord Flemmynge Baron of Slane Simon Flemmynge was Baron of Slane in Anno 1370. Plonket Baron of Killyne this family came in with the Danes whereof they have as yet speciall monuments Nugent Baron of Delvin Saint Laurence Baron of Hothe Plonket Baron of Doonesawny Barnewall Baron of Trimleston they came from little Brittaine where they are at this day a great surname upon their first arrivall they wonne great possessions at Beirnhaven where at length by conspiracie of the Irish they were all slaine except one yong man who then studied the common Lawes in England who returning dwelt at Dromnaghe besides Divelin and his heires are there at this day from thence a second brother remooved to Sirestone and so to Trimlestone and married the Lady Bruns who caused him to be made Baron This writeth the Lord of Donsany Edward Butler Baron of Donboyne given to Edmund Butler esquire and his heires males An. 33. H. 8. Fitz Patricke Baron of upper Ossory given to Barnabie Mac Gilpatricke and his heires males An. 33. H. 8. Donnate Clonnaghe Mac Gilpatricke was a peerelesse warriour in Anno 1219. Plonket Baron of Louthe to Sir Christopher Plonket and his heires males An. 33. H. 8. This Barony was an Earledome in An. 1316. appertaining to Bermingham Oneale Baron of Dongannon to whom the Earledome of Terone was entayled by gift of H. 8. Powere Baron of Curraghmore Mac Suretan Lord Deseret whom Sir Henry Sidney called Iordan de Exeter This was Lord in the time of Lionell Duke of Clarence An. 1361. now very wilde Irish. Murroghe Obrene Baron of Insickeyne to him and his heires males An. 35. H. 8. Mac Costilaghe L Nangle whom Sir Henry Sidney called de Angulo now very Irish. Mac William Burcke Lord of eighter Connaght now very Irish. Seintleger Baronet of Slemarge meere Irish. Den Baronet of Pormanston waxing Irish. Fitz Gerald Baronet of Burnchurch Welleslye Baronet of Narraghe Husee Baronet of Galtrim S. Michell Baronet of Reban Marwarde Baronet of Scryne Nangle Baronet of the Navan English gentlemen of longest continuance in Ireland are the race of those which at this day either in great povertie or perill doe keepe the properties of their auncestors lands in Vlster being then companions to Courcy the conquerour and Earle of that part These are the Savages Iordanes Fitz Symonds Chamberlaines Russels Bensons Audleyes Whites Fitz Vrsulyes now degenerate called in Irish Mac Mahon the Beares sonne CAP. III. Nature of the soyle and other incidents THe soyle is low and waterish includeth diverse little Ilands invironed with bogges and marishes Highest hilles have standing pooles in their toppe Inhabitants especially new come are subiect to distillations rhumes and flixes for remedy whereof they use an ordinary drinke of Aqua-vitae so qualified in the making that it dryeth more and inflameth lesse then other hote confections The aire is wholsome not altogether so cleare and subtle as ours of England Of Bees good store no vineyards contrary to the opinion of some writers who both in this and other errours touching the land may easily be excused as those that wrote of hearesay Cambrensis in his time complaineth that Ireland had excesse of wood and very little champaigne ground but now the English pale is too naked Turffe and Sea-coales is their most fuell it is stored of kyne of excellent horses hawkes of fish and fowle They are not without wolves and grey-hounds to hunt them bigger of bone and limme then a colt Their kyne as also their cattle and commonly what els soever the Countrey ingendreth except man is much lesse in quantity then ours of England Sheepe few and those bearing course fleeces whereof they spinne notable rugge mantle The country is very fruitefull both of corne and grasse the grasse for default of Husbandrie not for the cause alleaged in Polychronicon groweth so ranke in the north parts that oft times it rotteth their Kyne Eagles are well knowne to breed heere but neither so bigge nor so many as Bookes tell Cambrensis reporteth of his owne knowledge and I heare it averred by credible persons that Barnacles thousands at once are noted along the shoares to hang by the beakes about the edges of putrified timber shippes oares anchor-holdes and such like which in processe taking lively heate of the Sunne become water-foules and at their time of ripenesse either fall into the sea or fly abroad into the ayre Aeneas Sylvius that after was Pope Pius the second writeth himselfe to have perceaved the like experiment in Scotland where he learned the truth hereof to be found in the Ilands Orchades Horses they have of pace easie in running wonderfull swift Therefore they make of them great store as wherein at times of need they repose a great peice of safetie This broode Raphael Volateranus saith to have come at first from Arturia the country of Spaine betweene Gallicea and Portugall whereof they were called Asturcones a name now properly applyed to the Spanish Iennet I heard it verified by Honourable to Honourable that a Nobleman offered and was refused for one such horse an hundred kyne five pound Lands an Airy of Hawks yearely during seven yeares In the plaine of Kildare stood that monstrous heape of stones brought thither by Gyants from Affrique and removed thence to the plaine of Sarisbury at the instance of Aurel. Ambrose King of Brittaine No venemous creping beast is brought forth or nourished or can live here being sent in and therefore the spider of Ireland is well knowne not to be venemous Onely because a frogge was found living in the Meadowes of Waterford somewhat before the conquest they construed it to import their overthrowe S. Bede writeth that Serpents conveyed hither did presently die being touched with smell of the land and that whatsoever came hence was then of Soveraigne vertue against poyson He exemplifieth in certaine men stung with Adders who dranke in water the scrapings of Bookes that had beene of Ireland and were cured Generally it is observed the further West the lesse annoyance of pestilent creatures The want whereof is to Ireland so peculiar that whereas it lay long in question to whether Realme Brittaine or Ireland the I le of Man should pertaine the said controversie was decided that forsomuch as venemous beasts were knowne to breed therein it could not be counted a naturall peice of Ireland Neither is this propertie to be ascribed to S. Patrickes blessing as they commonly hold but to the originall blessing of God who gave such nature to the situation and soyle from the beginning And though I
forced pledges and Trowages of Oneale to keepe the Kings peace and diverse other exploytes did hee during his time of government which in particular rehearseth Flatsbury in his notes collected for Gerald Fitz Gerald Earle of Kildare Anno 1517. To him succeeded in office Sir Iohn Fitz Geffrey knight Geffrey Allan de la Zowche whom Earle Warren slevv to Zowch Stephen de longa spata who slevv Oneale in the streets of Down and there dyed Him followed William Den in whose time Mac Cartye played the devill in Desmond and to Den Richard Capell who envyed the Geraldines and was of them taken prisoner together with Theobald le Butler and Miles Cogan The king tooke up the variance and discharged Den preferring David Barrye to his roome who tamed the insolencie of Morrice Fitz Morrice cousin germane to Fitz Gâ—rald upon Barrye came Vfford upon Vfford Iames Audeley who dyed of a fall from his horse in Thomond and then for the time Fitz Morrice governed till the king sent over Sir Ieffrey de Genevill newly returned in pilgrimage from the Holy Sepulture Him called home againe Edward the first in the fourth yeare of his raigne and sent in his stead Robert Vfford the second time who made his Vice-gerent Fryar Fulborne Bishop of Waterford and resumed his charge at his next arryvall into Ireland At this time the citty of Divelin was miserably wasted with fire and the Bell-house of Christs Church utterly defaced which the citizens before they repayred their private harmes jointly came to succor collections made to redresse the ruines of that ancient building first begun by the Danes as I finde in a monument of that foundation continued by Sitricus Prince of Divelin at the motion of Donate then Bishop dedicated to the Blessed Trinity finished by Richard Earle Strangbow Fitz Stephens and S. Laurence the Archbishop and his foure successors Iohn of Evesham Henry Scorchbill Lord Iustice Lucas and lastly by Iohn de S. Paul which worke at the decay by fire and since many devout citizens of Divelin have beautified The same Strongbowes Tombe spoyled by fall of the roofe Sir Henry Sidney Lord Deputy restoreth at this present who hath also given a sightly countenance to the Quire by doing cost upon the Earle of Kildares Chappell over against the which he hath left a monument of Captain Randolfe late Colonell of Vlster Valiantly dead in that service Iohn Samford Archbishop of Divelin Lord Iustice VVilliam Vescy Lord Iustice who pursued Omalaghliâ—n king of Meth that soone after was slaine The Souldan of Babylon determined to vexe the Christians cities of the East Tripolis Tyrus Berinthus Sidon Ptolemais now parts of Turky vvhom to redeeme vvith their helpes to get againe the Holy Land Edward the first had foure yeeres past obtained by licence of Marâ—in the fourth and by confirmation oâ— Honorius his successor the vvhole tenth of all ecclesiastical revenues in Ireland for 7. yeares vvhereafter follovved a fifteene of the Temporalty And the same yeere Iohn Baliol Earle of Galvvay founded Baliol Colledge in Oxford made his homage to King Edward for his Kingdome of Scotland and to the Lord Iustice for his Earledome of Ireland Vescey vvas a sterne man and full of courage but rashe and impudent of his tongue he convented before him Iohn Earle of Kildare charged him vvith riots vagaryes unseasonable for that he ranged vvith his men abroad preyed upon privat enemies inordinatly for malice grudge not for advancement of the publique vveale vvhom the Earle as impatient as the other ansvvered thus By your honour and mine my Lord by king Edwards hand you vvould if you durst appeach me in plaine tearmes of â—elony for vvhereas I have the title and you the fleece of Kildare I wot well how great an eye sore I am in your sight who if I could bee hansomely trussed up for a fellon then might my young Master your sonne become a Gentleman Iustice Gentleman quoth he thou proud Earle the Vescyes were gentlemen before Kildare was an Earledome and before the Welch bankrupt thy Cousin feathered his Nest in Leinster But seeing thou darest me I will surely breake thy heart and with that word he called the Earle a notorious theefe murderer Then followed clattering of swords by Souldiours on both parties untill either side appeased his owne and the Lord Iustice leaving his Lieutenant VVilliam Hay sped over to the King whom immediately followed the Earle as fast as Vescey charged Kildare with fellony no lesse did Kildare appeach the Iustice of high treason and in tryall thereof he asked the Combate But when the listes royall were provided Vescey was slipt away into France and so disherited of all his lands in the county of Kildare which were bestowed upon the Earle of Kildare and his heires for ever The Earle waxed insolent upon this successe and squared with diverse Nobles English and Irish of the Land hee took prisoner Richard Earle of Vlster and him detained untill the Parliament then assembled at Kilkenny commanded his delivery and for that unrulinesse disseised the Geraldines of the Castle of Sligagh and of all his lands in Connaght VVilliam Doddingâ—ale Lord Iustice. This yere for the defence of Wales and commodity of Passengers to and from Ireland the King did coast upon the Isle of Anglisey called the mother of Wales and builded there the castle de bello marisco or Bewmarishe Thomas Fitz Morice Lord Iustice. Iohn VVogan Lord Iustice pacified the former strife betweene Vlster and Kildare and all the Geraldines with their associats together with Theobald Lord Butler gathered strength of men and met the kings army before Edinburgh wan the Citty slew 25. thousand Scots hampred Iohn Baliol king of the Scots in such sort that glad and faine was he to renew his homage CAP. V. Edward the second THomas Fitz Morice Lord Iustice. I will begin this Chapter with the modestie of a good Clerke Richard Havering who five yeares by dispensation had received the fruites and revenues of the Bishopricke of Divelin and long might have done had he beene so disposed But now feeling in sleep a waight upon his stomacke heavyer to his weening then any masse of mettall whereof to be released he vowed in his dreame all that ever he could make in this world Suddainely the next morne resigned the custodium of the Bishopricke and contented himselfe with other ecclesiasticall cures incident to his vocation The same yeare was the bane of the Templers in Ireland to whom succeeded the Knights of the Rhodes This profession began at Ierusalem by certaine Gentlemen that kept their abode next to the Temple there who till the Councell of Creetz increased not above the number of nine But thenceforth in little more then fiftie yeares being enriched by contribution of all Christian Realmes every where their houses were erected and endowed bountifully
they grew to 300. Knights of the order and into inferiour brethren innumerable But with ease and wealth they declined now to such intollerable deformities of life and other superstitious errors nothing lesse regarding then the purpose of this their foundation that the generall Councell assembled at Vienna disanulled the same for ever And thereupon as in other countries so in Ireland they confessed the publicke fame of their enormities and themselves culpable their persons they yeelded to perpetuall pennance their lands were given though with some difficulty to the Knights of S. Iohns hospitall at Ierusalem who since then for recovering the Iland of Rhodes from the Saracens became famous and multiplied much more honourably then did the Templers Of this latter foundation was the priory of S. Iohns at Kilmaynam besides Divelin Iohn Decer Major of Divelin builded the high Pype there and the Bridge over the Liffy toward S. Wolstans and a chapell of our Lady at the Fryar minors where he lyeth buried repaired the Church of the Fryars preachers and every friday tabled the Fryars at his owne costs In absence of VVogan Sr VVilliam Burcke was Lord Warden of Ireland to whom King Edward recōmended Pierce of Gavestone the disquieter of all the nobility in England a companion to the King in vice bolstered up by the King so peremptorily against the will of his Councell that whereas the said Pierce was by them exiled Edward sent him now into Ireland with much honour and many Iewels assigning him the commodities royall of that Realme which bred some bickering betweene the Earle of Vlster Sir Richard Burke and Gavestone who notwithstanding bought the hearts of the Souldiours with his liberality subdued Obrene edified sundry Castles cawswayes and bridges but within three yeares he retyred from Flaunders into England where the nobles besieged him at Scarborough and smit off his head Iohn VVogan Lord Iustice summoned a Parliament at Kilkenny where wholesome lawes were ordained but never executed There fell the Bishops in argument about their Iurisdictions and in especiall the Archbishop of Divelin forbad the Primate of Ardmagh to lift up his crosyer within the province of Leinster In ratifying of which priviledge I have seene the coppy of Pope Honorius Bull exemplified among the recordes of S. Patricks Church shortly after Rowland Ioyce then Primate stale by night in his pontificals from Howth to the priory of Gracedieu where the Archbishops servants met him and violently chased him out of all the diocesse This Archbishop was named Iohn Aleeke after whose death were elected in scisme division of sides two successours Thorneburgh Lord Chancellor and Bignore Treasurer of Ireland The Chancellor to strengthen his election hastily went to sea and perished by shipwracke the other submitting his cause to the processe of law tarryed at home and sped Theobald de Verdon Lord Iustice. Sixe thousand Scots fighting men under the conduct of Edward Bruise brother to Robert King of Scotland also the Earle Murray Iohn Menteith Iohn Steward and others landed in the north of Ireland ioyned with the Irish and conquered Vlster gave the Englishmen three notable overthrowes crowned the said Bruise King of Ireland burned Churches and Abbeyes with all the people found therein men women and children Then was Sir Edmund Butler chosen Lord Iustice who combined the Earle of Vlster and the Geraldines in friendship himselfe with Sir Iohn Mandevill and preserved the rest of the Realme In the necke of these troubles arose foure Princes of Connaght to impaire and scatter the English force But then the Burckes and the Berninghams discomfited and slew the number of eleaven thousand besides Athenry To Sir Richard Berningham belonged a lusty young swayne Iohn Hussee whom his Lord commanded to take a view of the dead carcasses about the walles and bring him word whether Okelly his mortall foe were slaine among them Hussee passed forth with one man to turne up and peruse the bodies All this marked Okelly who lurking in a bush thereby being of old time well acquainted with the valiantnes truth of Hussee sore longed to traine him from his Captaine and presuming now upon this opportunity disclosed himself said Hussee thou seest I am at all points armed and have my Esquire a manly man besides me thou art thin and thy page a youngling so that if I loved not thee for thine owne sake I might betray thee for thy Masters But come and serve me at my request I promise thee by S. Patrickes staffe to make thee a Lord in Connaght of more ground then thy Master hath in Ireland When these wordes waighed him nothing his owne man a stout lubber began to reprove him for not relenting to so rich a proffer assured him with an oath whereupon hee proffered to gage his soule for performance Now had Hussee three enemies and first he turned to his owne knave and him he slew next hee raught to Okellyes Squire a great rappe under the pit of his eare which overthrew him Thirdly he bestirred himselfe so nimbly that ere any helpe could be hoped for he had also slaine Okelly and perceiving breath in the Squire he drawed him up againe forced him upon a truncheon to beare his Lords head into the high towne which presented to Bermingham and the circumstances declared he dubbed Hussee Knight and him advaunced to many preferments whose family became afterwards Barons of Galtrime While the Scots were thus matched Robert de Bruise King of Scots tooke shore at Cragsergus to assist his brother whose Souldiours committed sacriledge and impiety against Monasteries Tombes Altars Virgins robbed Churches of all their plate and ornaments They of Vlster sent to the Lord Iustice pittifull supplication for aide in this misery who delivered them the Kings power and standerd wherewith under pretence to expell the Scots they raunged through the country with more grievance and vexation to the subjects then did the strangers Le Bruise proceeded and spoyled Cashell and wheresoever he lighted upon the Butlers lands those hee burned and destroyed unmercifully By this time had the Lord Iustice and Thomas Fitz Iohn Earle of Kildare Richard de Clare and Arnold de Powere Baron of Donoile furnished and armed thirty thousand men ready to set forward Then came newes that VVilliam de Burgo the Earles brother was taken by the Scots whereof the Irish of Vlster imboldened with the presence of the Scotish Army and with the late discomfiture which Earle Richard Burcke sustained at Coynes denyed their alleagiance openly and conspired in the behalfe of Edward le Bruise whom they proclaimed King The Lord Iustice had assembled such force against them under the leading of the Geraldines and Poweres that each of them was thought sufficient by himselfe to winne the field But suddainely the two Captaines and their adherents squared so as no good conclusion might be inferred Roger Mortimer trusting by their discention to imbeazell a
upon the King of England And so against my will they made me to learne English and taught me what I should doe and say and after this they called me Richard Duke of Yorke second sonne to Edward the fourth because King Richards Bastard sonne was in the hands of the King of England And upon this the said Iohn VValter and Stephen Poytowe Iohn Tyler Hubbert Burgh with many others as the foresaid Earles entred into this false quarrell and within short time after the French King sent ambassadours into Ireland whose names were Lyot Lucas and Stephen Frayn and thence I went into Fraunce and from thence into Flanders and from Flanders againe into Ireland and from Ireland into Scotland and so into England Thus was Perkins bragge twighted from a milpost to a pudding pricke and hanged was he the next yeare after Then in the yeare 1501. King Henry made Lieutenant of Ireland his second sonne Henry as then Duke of Yorke who afterwards raigned To him was appointed Deputy the aforesaid Gerald Earle of Kildare who accompanied with Iohn Blacke Major of Divelin warred upon VVilliam de Burgo O-Brien and Mac Nemarra Occarrol and the greatest power of Irish men that had beene seene together since the conquest under the hill of Knoctoe in English the hill of Axes sixe miles from Galway and two miles from Ballinclare de Burgoes mannor towne Mac VVilliam and his Complices were there taken his Souldiours that escaped the sword were pursued flying five miles great slaughter done and many Captaines gotten not one English man killed The Earle at his returne was created knight of the Noble Order and flourished all his life long of whom I shall bee occasioned to say somewhat in the next Chapter CAP. IX Henry the eight GErald Fitz Gerald Earle of Kildare a mighty made man full of honour and courage who had beene Lord Deputy and Lord Iustice of Ireland thirtie foure yeares deceased the third of September and lyeth buried in Christs Church in Divelin Betweene him and Iames Butler Earle of Ormond their owne jealousies fed with envy and ambition kindled with certaine lewd factions abbettors of either side ever since the ninth yeare of Henry the seventh when Iames of Ormond with a great army of Irish men camping in S. Thomas Court at Divelin seemed to face the countenance and power of the Deputy these occasions I say fostered a mallice betwixt them and their posterityes many yeares after incurable causes of much ruffle and unquietnes in the Realme untill the confusion of the one house and nonage of the other discontinued their quarrels which except their Inheritours have the grace to put up and to love unfainedly as Gerald and Thomas doe now may hap to turne their countryes to little good and themselves to lesse Ormond was nothing inferiour to the other in stomacke and in reach of pollicy farre beyond him Kildare was in governement a milde man to his enemies intractable to the Irish such a scourge that rather for despite of him then for favour of any part they relyed upon the Butlers came in under his protection served at his call performed by starts as their manner is the duty of good subjects Ormond was secret and drifty of much moderation in speech dangerous of every little wrinkle that touched his reputation Kildare was open and passionable in his moode desperate both of word and deede of the English welbeloved a good lusticier a warriour incomparable towards the Nobles that he favoured not somewhat headlong and unrulie being charged before Henry the seventh for burning the Church at Cashell and many witnesses prepared to avouch against him the truth of that article he suddainely confessed the fact to the great wondering and detestation of the Councell when it was looked how he would justifie the matter By Iesus quoth he I would never have done it had it not beene told me that the Archbishop was within And because the Archbishop was one of his busiest accusers there present merrily laught the King at the plainenesse of the man to see him alleadge that intent for excuse which most of all did aggravate his fault The last article against him they conceived in these tearmes finally all Ireland cannot rule this Earle No quoth the King then in good faith shall this Earle rule all Ireland Thus was the accusation turned to a jest the Earle returned Lord Deputy shortly after created Knight of the Garter and so died Marvell not if this successe were a corrosive to the adverse party which the longer it held aloofe and bit the bridle the more eagerly it followed his course having once the sway and roome at will as you may perceive hereafter Gerald Fitz Gerald sonne of the aforesaid Earle of Kildare and Lord Deputy who chased the nation of the Tooles battered Ocarrols Castles awed all the Irish of the land more more A Gentleman valiant and well spoken yet in his latter time overtaken with vehement suspition of sundry Treasons He of good meaning to unite the families matched his Sister Margaret Fitz Gerald with Pierce Butler Earle of Ossory whom he also holpe to recover the Earledome of Ormond whereinto after the decease of Iames a Bastard brother had intruded Seven yeares together Kildare kept in credit and authority notwithstanding the pushes given against him by secret heavers enviers of his fortune and nourishers of the old grudge who fett him up to the Court of England by commission and caused him there to be opposed with diverse interrogatories touching the Earle of Desmond his Cousin a notorious traytor as they said He left in his roome Morice Fitz Thomas Lord Iustice. After whom came over Lord Lieutenant Thomas Howard Earle of Surrey Grandfather to this Duke of Norfolke accompanied with 200. of the Kings guarde While he sate at Dinner in the Castle of Divelin hee heard newes that Oneale with a mighty army was even in the mouth of the borders ready to invade Immediately men were levyed by the Major and the next morrow joyning them to his band the Lieutenant marched as farre as the water of Slane where having intelligence of Oneales recoyle hee dismissed the footemen and pursued Omore with his horsemen which Omore was said to lurke within certaine miles That espied a Gunner of Omore and watching by a wood side discharged his peece at the very face of the Deputy strake the visard of his helmet and pierced no further as God would This did he in manner recklesse what became of himselfe so he might amaze them for a time breake the swiftnesse of their following and advantage the flight of his Captaine which thing he wanne with the price of his owne blood for the Souldiours would no further till they had searched all the corners of that wood verily suspecting some ambush thereabout and in severall knots ferretted out this Gunner whom Fitz VVilliams and Bedlowe of the Roche were faine to mangle and hewe in peeces because
for the erecting of Grammer Schooles within every diocesse the stipends to be levied in such proportion as in the late act hath beene devised whereunto the royall assent is already granted and yet the point in no forwardnes nor in none is like to be except by some good meanes the onset be given freshly followed surely might one generation sippe a little of this liquor and so bee induced to long for more both our country men that live obeysant would ensue with a courage the fruites of peace whereby good learning is supported and our unquiet neighbours would finde such sweetenesse in the taste thereof as it should bee a ready way to reclaime them In mine experience who have not yet seene much more then forty yeares I am able to say that our Realme is at this day an halfe deale more civill then it was since noble men and worshipfull with others of ability have used to send their sonnes into England to the Law to Vniversities or to Schooles Now when the same Schooles shall bee brought home to their doores that all that will may repaire unto them I doubt not considering the numbers brought up beyond the Seas and the good already done in those few places where learning is professed but this addition discreetly made will foster a young frye likely to prove good members of this common wealth and desirous to traine their children the same way Neither were it a small helpe to the assurance of the Crowne of England when Babes from their Craddles should be inured under learned Schoole-masters with a pure English tongue habite fashion discipline and in time utterly forget the affinity of their unbroken borderers who possibly might be wonne by this example or at the least wise loose the opportunity which novv they have to infect others And seeing our hap is not yet to plant an Vniversity here at home which attempt can never bee remembred without many thankes to your good Lordship for your bountifull offer me seemeth it is the more expedient to enter so farre forth as our commission reacheth and to hope for the rest I have said enough especially to a learned governour to whom an inckling were sufficient in such a plausible and needfull motion It resteth that wee pray your Lordship to folde up whatsoever squarings or diversities of Iudgements wise men have heere uttered in our often meetings and by the sequele of all our doings to measure the good meaning of every severall person When the Speaker had done the Deputy having a rich and plentifull kinde of utterance meere naturall but not without judgement answered at length as he that knew no end of his good the points whereof as I can remember were these In good faith M. Speaker I cannot lesse doe but recorde and testifie the readines travaile and good service of you all and namely of your selfe who in the whole course of this Parliament now lastly in this charitable request for trayning your youth have confirmed the opinion which my selfe and the generall voyce long since retained of your rare vertues devotion wisedome learning and modestie so as the case cannot be misdoubted that is preferred by such a Proctor the substance whereof toucheth you my Lords spirituall and temporall you the knights and worshipfull of every Shire to you belongeth the quickening of this godly statute which heere againe I recommend unto you will not let to enquire after your diligence therein from time to time the most effectuall order that may be for this purpose shall assuredly be taken in place convenient Shew your selves forvvard and franke in advancing the honour wealth ease and credit of your countryes envy not to your posterity the same path that your selves have troden and namely you that flourish at this day in the light eye of your cōmon-wealth Had your opinions matched with mine concerning the Vniversity which M. Speaker remembreth no doubt the name and reputation thereof would have bin a spurre to these erections as nurses for babes to suck in till they might repaire thither to be wained But I trust your consents therein are only suspended for a time and that so much good labour shall not be utterly lost and frustrate What though certaine imperfections cannot as yet be salved What though the summe arise not to make a muster of Colledges at the first day What though the place be not also commodious What though other circumstances inferre a feeble and rawe foundation These are indeede objections of the multitude whose backewardnesse breedeth an unnecessary stoppe in this our purpose But your wisedomes can easily consider that time must ripen a weake beginning that other Vniversities began with lesse that all experience telleth us so shall wee be so curious or so testy that nothing will please us but all in all all absolute all excellent all furnished all beautified all fortified in the prime and infancie thereof I remember a tale of Apuleius asse who being indifferently placed betweene two bottles of haye because he could not reach them both at once forbare them both Let us not so doe but content our selves by little and little to bee fedde as the case requireth The rest of your Bills debated and passed by your wisedomes in this Parliament I must confesse they are as you say beneficiall to the Queene my Mistris and to her Crowne but how Verily as the Husband-man soweth his seede and reapeth much more then he layde downe so whatsoever this benefite amounteth unto it returneth to your selves in a circle heere it groweth heere it is eaten heere it multiplyeth heere it is spent they have their due the Prince is bettered you are quieted Iustice executed malefactours terrifyed Were they never so deare collopps of your owne flesh and bloud I see not how you could either have coloured their offence or qualifyed their punishment the one so notorious that it cannot be dissembled the other so ordinary that course of law prescribeth it Therefore as you have well done so you have done but your duties allowed an inch to receive an ell abridged your owne foes avenged your own Injuryes condemned your owne oppressors And yet this duty being on your parts so cheerefully and painfully so lovingly and advisedly performed deserveth great thankes and shall finde it too If I bee the man either in office able to consider you or out of office in place to friend you I am to depart into England shortly lay your heads together and article the points whereby this Realme may be furthered use mee either as a mouth to speake for you or an eye to direct you or as a hand to under-prop you aut consilio aut auxilio Besides the generall care vvhich I ought to have for you all as your governour and yoked together under one obedience English blouds and English hearts I am linked to you as to my continuall acquaintance these many yeares hither I came in my spring heere I have spent my summer I
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
of other Parliaments whereuppon a tallage was demaunded but not granted Anno 1414. The English slue of the Irish of the Omordris and Odemsis neer to Kilka Thomas Crawly Archbishop of Dublin then Lord Iustice of Ireland in Tristledermot praying in Procession with his Clergy and his men with the helpe of those of the Country slue one hundred of the Irish enemies In the feast of Saint Gordian and Epimachus the English of Meath were discomfited and there Thomas Manrevard Baron of Skrine was slaine and Christopher Flemnig and Iohn Dardis taken prisoners and many others were slaine by Oconthir and the Irish. On Saint Martins Eve Sir Iohn Talbot Lord Furnivall the Kings Lievtenant in Ireland landed at Dalkey Anno 1415 In the moneth of November a right noble man that walled the suburbs of Kilkenny departed this life and after Hallonide Fryer Patricke Baret Bishop of Fernes a Canon of Kenlis dyed and was buried there Anno 1416. On the feast day of Saint Gervasius and Prothasius the Lord Furnivall Lord Iustice of Ireland had a sonne borne at Finglasse about this time Stephen Flemming Archbishop of Armagh a venerable man died after whom succeeded Iohn Suaing And the same time dyed the Lord and Fryer Adam Leins of the Order of the Preaching Fryers Bishop of Ardmagh On the day of Saint Laurence the Martyr the Lord Furnivals sonne Thomas Talbot that was borne at Finglasse departed this life and was buried in the Quire of the Fryers Preachers Church in Dublin About the same time the Irish fell upon the Englishmen and slue many of them among whom Thomas Balimore of Baliquelan was one The Parliament which the last yeere had beene called and holden at Dublin was this yeere removed to Trim and there began the 11. of May where it continued for the space of 11. dayes in the which was granted unto the L.L. a subsidy of foure hundred markes Anno 1417. Vpon May Eve Thomas Granly Archbishop of Dublin went over into England and deceased at Faringdon but his body was buried in the New Colledge at Oxford This man is greatly praised for his liberality he was a good almes-man a great Clerk a Doctor of Divinity an excellent Preacher a great builder beautifull courteous of a sanguine complexion and of a tall stature in somuch as in his time it might be said unto him Thou art fairer then the sons of men grace and eloquence proceeded from thy lips He was 80. yeeres of age when he died and had governed the Church of Dublin almost 20. yeeres in great quiet Anno 1418. The Annunciation of our Lady was in Easter weeke and shortly after the Lord Deputy spoiled the tenants of Henry Crus and Henry Bethat also at Slane upon the feast day of S. Iohn and S. Paul the Earle of Kildare Sir Christopher Preston and Sir Iohn Bedlow were arrested and committed to ward within the Castle of Trim because they sought to commune with the Prior of Kilmaynan Vpon the 29. of Iune Mathew Husseil Baron of Galtrim deceased and was buried in the Covent of the Fryers Preachers of Trim. Anno 1419. upon the eleventh of May dayed Edmund Brel sometime Major of Dublin and was buried at the Fryers Preachers of the same City A Royall Councell was holden at the Naas where were granted unto the Lord Lievtenant 300. markes At the same time died Sir Iohn Loundres Knight The same yeere upon Cene thursday Othoill tooke fowre hundred Cowes belonging unto Balimore breaking the peace contrary to his oath The fourth Ides of May Mac Morthe chiefe Captaine of his Nation and of all the Irish in Leinster was taken prisoner And the same day was Sir Hugh Cokesey made Knight The last of May the Lord Lievtenant and the Archbishop of Dublin with the Major rased the Castle of Kenini The morrow after the feast of Processus and Martinianus the Lord William de Burgh and other Englishmen slue five hundred of the Irish and tooke Okelly On the feast day of Mary Magdalen the Lord Lievtenant Iohn Talbot went over into England leaving his Deputy there the Archbishop of Dublin carying along with him the curses of many because hee being runne much in debt for victuall and divers other things would pay little or nothing at all About Saint Laurence day divers dyed in Normandy as Fryer Thomas Butler that was Prior of Kilmainan and many others Whom Fryer Iohn Fitz Henry succeeded in the Priory The Archbishop of Dublin being Lord Deputy made an assault upon Scohies and slue thirtie of the Irish neere unto Rodiston Also the thirteenth of February Iohn Fitz Henry Prior of Kilmainan departed this life and William Fitz Thomas was chosen to succeed in his place was confirmed the morrow after Saint Velentines day Also the morrow after the Lord Iohn Talbot Lord Furnivall delivered up his place into the hands of the Lord Richard Talbot Archbishop of Dublin who was afterward chosen to be Lord Iustice of Ireland Anno 1420. about the fourth des of Aprill Iames Butler Earle of Ormond Lord Lievetenant of Ireland landed at Waterford and shortly after he caused a combat to be fought betwixt two of his cousins of whom one was slaine in the place and the other was carried away sore wounded unto Kilkenny On Saint Georges day the same Lord Lievetenant held a Councell at Dublin and there summoned a Parliament and after the midst thereof he made great preyes upon O Rely Mac Mahon Mac Gynoys And the seventh of Iune the Parliament began at Dublin and there were granted to the Lord Lievetenant seaven hundred markes And that Parliament continued for sixteene dayes and was adjourned againe to Dublin untill Munday after Saint Andrewes day And in the said Parliament were reckoned up the debts of the Lord Iohn Talbot late Lord Lievetenant which amounted to a great summe Also on the morrow after Michaelmas day Michael Bodley departed this life Vpon Saint Francis Eeve dyed Fryer Nicholas Talbot Abbot of the Monastery of Saint Thomas the Martyr at Dublin whom Fryer Iohn Whiting succeeded The morrow after the feast day of the Apostles Simon and Iude the Castle of Colmolin was taken by Thomas Fitz Girald And on Saint Katherines Eeven Buttler Sonne and heire unto the Earle of Ormond was borne and the Munday after Saint Andrewes day the Parliament was begun at Dublin and continued for thirteene dayes and there were granted unto the Lord Lievetenant three hundred markes and then againe the Parliament was adjourned untill Munday after Saint Ambrose day Then rumours were spread abroad that the Lord Thomas Fitz Iohn Earle of Desmond was departed this life at Paris upon Saint Laurence day and that he was buried in the Covent of the Fryers Preachers there the King of England being there present After whom succeeded his Vncle Iames Fitz Girald whom he had three severall times renounced alledging that he was an unthrift and had wasted his Patrimony both in Ireland and England and that hee gave or would give
lands unto the Monastery of Saint Iames of Keynisham Anno 1421. Our Lady day fell out to be upon Munday in Easter weeke Also the Parliament began the third time at Dublin the Munday after Saint Ambroses day and there it was ordained that agents should be sent over unto the King for reformation of matters touching the state of the land namely the Archbishop of Armagh and Sir Christopher Preston Knight At the same time Richard Ottdian Bishop of Casshell was accused of Iohn Gese Bishop of Lismore and Waterford upon thirty articles among other one was that he made very much of the Irish and that he loved none of the English nation and that he bestowed no Benefice upon any English man and that he counselled other Bishops not to give the least Benefice to any of them that he counterfeited the Kings Seale and letters Patents that he went about to make himselfe King of Munster and that hee had taken a Ring from the image of Saint Patricke which the Earle of Desmond had offered and bestowed it upon his Concubine And he exhibited many other enormious matters against him in writing by whom the Lords and Commons were troubled Also in the same Parliament there arose a contention betwixt Adam Payn Bishop of Clone because the said Adam would have united unto his See the Church of another Prelate and the other would not give way unto it and so they were dismissed unto the Court of Rome the Parliament continued eighteene dayes Then newes were stirring that the Lord Thomas of Lancaster Duke of Clarence was slaine in France and many other with him Vpon the seventh of May there was slaughter made upon the Earle of Ormonds the Lord Lievetenants men by Omordris neere unto the Monastery of Leys and there were seaven and twenty English men slaine the chiefe whereof were Purcell and Grant tenne Noble men were taken prisoners and two hundred fled unto the said Abbey and so saved themselves About the Ides of May dyed Sir Iohn Bedloe knight and Ieffery Galon sometime Maior of Dublin who was buried in the house of the Fryers Preachers of the same City About the same time Mac Mahon an Irish Lord did much hurt in Vrgile by wasting and burning all before him Vpon the seaventh of Iune the Lord Lievetenant entred into the Country about Leys upon Omordris leading a very great army and for the space of foure dayes together slaying the people till the Irish were glad to sue for peace On the feast of Saint Michael the Arch-angell Thomas Stanley with all the Knights and Esquires of Meath and Irel tooke Neyle O Donnell prisoner and slue the rest in the fourteenth yeere of the raigne of King Henry the sixt Here endeth the Chronicle of Henry Marleburrough FINIS A VIEW OF THE STATE OF IRELAND Written dialogue-wise betweene Eudoxus and Irenaeus By EDMUND SPENSER Esq. in the yeare 1596. VVhereunto is added the History of IRELAND By EDMUND CAMPION sometime fellow of St Iohn's Colledge in Oxford Published by Sir IAMES WARE Knight DUBLIN Printed by the Society of Stationers M.DC.XXXIII TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THOMAS LO VISCOVNT WENTWORTH LO DEPVTY GENERALL OF IRELAND LO PRESIDENT OF HIS MAIESTIES COVNCELL ESTABLISHED IN THE NORTH PARTS OF ENGLAND AND ONE OF HIS MAIESTIES MOST HONORABLE PRIVIE COVNCELL RIGHT HONORABLE THE sence of that happy peace which by the divine providence this Kingdome hath enjoyed since the beginning of the raigne of his late Majestie of ever sacred memory doth then take the deeper impression when these our halcyon dayes are compared with the former turbulent and tempestuous times and with the miseries of severall kindes incident unto them Those calamities are fully set out and to the life by Mr Spenser with a discovery of their causes and remedies being for the most part excellent grounds of reformation And so much may be justly expected from him in regard of his long abode and experience of this Kingdome In these respects and for other good uses which the collections now communicated doe afford for matter of history and policy I am incouraged to dedicate them to your Lordship and humbly to desire your favourable acceptance of them and of Your Lordships ever humbly devoted IAMES WARE THE PREFACE HOw far these collections may conduce to the knowledge of the antiquities and state of this Land let the fit reader judge yet something I may not passe by touching Mr Edmund Spenser the worke it selfe lest I should seeme to offer injury to his worth by others so much celebrated Hee was borne in London of an ancient and noble family and brought up in the Vniversitie of Cambridge where as the fruites of his after labours doe manifest he mispent not his time After this he became Secretary to Arthur Lord Grey of Wilton Lord Deputy of Ireland a valiant and worthy Governour and shortly after for his services to the Crowne he had bestowed upon him by Queene Elizabeth 3000. acres of land in the Countie of Corke There hee finished the later part of that excellent poem of his Faery Queene which was soone after unfortunately lost by the disorder and abuse of his servant whom he had sent before him into England being then a rebellibus as Camdens words are è laribus ejectus bonis spoliatus He deceased at Westminster in the yeare 1599. others have it wrongly 1598. soone after his returne into England and was buried according to his owne desire in the collegiat Church there neere unto Chaucer whom he worthily imitated at the costes of Robert Earle of Essex wherupon this Epitaph was framed Hîc prope Chaucerum situs est Spenserius illi proximus ingenio proximus ut tumulo Hîc prope Chaucerum Spensere poeta poetam conderis versu quà m tumulo propior Anglica te vivo vixit plausitque poesis nunc moritura timet te moriente mori As for his worke now published although it sufficiently testifieth his learning and deepe judgement yet we may wish that in some passages it had bin tempered with more moderation The troubles and miseries of the time when he wrote it doe partly excuse him And surely wee may conceive that if hee had lived to see these times and the good effects which the last 30. yeares peace have produced in this land both for obedience to the lawes as also in traffique husbandry civility learning he would have omitted those passages which may seeme to lay either any particular aspersion upon some families or generall upon the Nation For now we may truly say jam cuncti gens una sumus and that upon just cause those ancient statutes wherein the natives of Irish descent were held to be and named Irish enemies and wherein those of English bloud were forbidden to marry and commerce with them were repealed by act of Parlament in the raigne of our late Soveraigne King IAMES of ever blessed memory His proofes although most of them conjecturall concerning the
having beene once so low brought and thoroughly subjected they afterwards lifted up themselves so strongly againe and sithence doe stand so stiffely against all rule and government Iren. They say that they continued in that lowlinesse untill the time that the division between the two houses of Lancaster and Yorke arose for the Crowne of England at which time all the great English Lords and Gentlemen which had great possessions in Ireland repaired over hither into England some to succour their Friends here and to strengthen their partie for to obtaine the Crowne others to defend their lands and possessions here against such as hovered after the same upon hope of the alteration of the kingdome and successe of that side which they favoured and affected Then the Irish whom before they had banished into the mountaines where they lived onely upon whitt meates as it is recorded seeing now their lands so dispeopled and weakened came downe into all the plaines adjoyning and thence expelling those few English that remained repossessed them againe since which they have remained in them and growing greater have brought under them many of the English which were before their Lords This was one of the occasions by which all those Countreyes which lying neere unto any Mountaines or Irish desarts had beene planted with English were shortly displanted and lost As namely in Mounster all the lands adjoyning unto Slewlogher Arlo and the bog of Allon In Connaght all the Countries bordering upon the Curlues Mointerolis and Orourkes Countrey In Leinster all the lands bordering unto the Mountaines of Glanmalour unto Shillelah unto the Brackenah and Polmonte In Vlster all the Countreyes neere unto Tirconnel Tyrone and the Scottes Eudox. Surely this was a great violence but yet by your speach it seemeth that onely the Countreyes and valleyes neere adjoyning unto those mountaines and desarts were thus recovered by the Irish but how comes it now that we see almost all that Realme repossessed of them was there any more such evill occasions growing by the troubles of England Or did the Irish out of those places so by them gotten breake further and stretch themselves out thorough the whole land for now for ought that I can understand there is no part but the bare English Pale in which the Irish have not the greatest footing Iren. But out of these small beginings by them gotten neare to the mountaines did they spread themselves into the Inland and also to their further advantage there did other like unhappy accidents happen out of England which gave heart and good opportunity to them to regaine their old possessions For in the raigne of King Edward the fourth things remained yet in the same state that they were after the late breaking out of the Irish which I spake of and that noble Prince began to cast an Eye unto Ireland and to minde the reformation of things there runne amisse for he sent over his brother the worthy Duke of Clarence who having married the heire of the Earle of Vlster and by her having all the Earledome of Vlster and much in Meath and in Mounster very carefully went about the redressing of all those late evills and though he could not beate out the Irish againe by reason of his short continuance yet hee did shut them up within those narrow corners and glynnes under the mountaines foote in which they lurked and so kept them from breaking any further by building strong holdes upon every border and fortifying all passages Amongst the which hee repaired the Castle of Clare in Thomond of which Countrey he had the inheritance and of Mortimers lands adjoyning which is now by the Irish called Killaloe But the times of that good King growing also troublesome did lett the thorough reformation of all things And thereunto soone after was added another fatall mischeife which wrought a greater calamity then all the former For the said Duke of Clarence then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was by practise of evill persons about the King his brother called thence away and soone after by sinister meanes was cleane made away Presently after whose death all the North revolting did set up Oneale for their Captaine being before that of small power and regard and there arose in that part of Thomond one of the O-Briens called Murrogh en-Ranagh that is Morrice of the Ferne or wast wilde places who gathering unto him all the reliques of the discontented Irish eftsoones surprised the said Castle of Clare burnt and spoyled all the English there dwelling and in short space possessed all that countrey beyond the River of Shanan and neere adjoyning Whence shortly breaking forth like a suddaine tempest he over-ran all Mounster and Connaght breaking downe all the holds and fortresses of the English defacing and utterly subverting all corporate Townes that were not strongly walled for those he had no meanes nor Engines to overthrow neither indeed would hee stay at all about them but speedily ran forward counting his suddennesse his most advantage that he might overtake the English before they could fortifie or gather themselves together So in short space hee cleane wyped out many great Townes as first Inchequin then Killalow before called Clariford also Thurles Mourne Buttevant and many others whose names I cannot remember and of some of which there is now no memory nor signe remaining Vpon report whereof there flocked unto him all the scumme of the Irish out of all places that ere long he had a mighty Army and thence marched foorth into Leinster where he wrought great out-rages wasting all the Countrey where he went for it was his policie to leave no hold behinde him but to make all plaine and waste In the which he soone after created himselfe King and was called King of all Ireland which before him I doe not reade that any did so generally but onely Edward le Bruce Eudox. What was there ever any generall King of all Ireland I never heard it before but that it was alwayes whilst it was under the Irish divided into foure and sometimes into five kingdomes or dominions But this Edward le Bruce what was hee that could make himselfe King of all Ireland Iren. I would tell you in case you would not challenge me anon for forgetting the matter which I had in hand that is the inconvenience and unfitnesse which I supposed to be in the lawes of the Land Eudox. No surely I have no cause for neither is this impertinent thereunto for sithence you did set your course as I remember in your first part to treate of the evils which hindered the peace and good ordering of that Land amongst which that of the inconvenience in the lawes was the first which you had in hand this discourse of the over-running wasting of the Realme is very materiall thereunto for that it was the begining of al the other evils which sithence have afflicted that land opened a way unto the Irish to recover their possession to beat out the English which had
Lordships to Feoffees in trust wherby he reserveth to himselfe but a state for terme of life which being determined either by the sword or by the halter their lands straight commeth to their heire and the Queen is defrauded of the intent of the Law which laide that grievous punishment upon Traytors to forfeite all their lands to the Prince to the end that men might the rather be terrified from committing treasons for many which would little esteeme of their owne lives yet for remorse of their wives and children would bee with-held from that haynous crime This appeared plainely in the late Earle of Desmond For before his breaking forth into open Rebellion hee had conveyed secretly all his lands to Feoffees of trust in hope to have cut off her Maiestie from the escheate of his Lands Eudox. Yea but that was well enough avoided for the Act of Parliament which gave all his lands to the Queene did as I have heard cut off and frustrate all such conveyances as had at any time by the space of twelve yeares before his rebellion beene made within the compasse whereof the fraudulent Feoffement and many the like of others his accomplices and fellow-traytors were contained Iren. Very true but how hardly that Act of Parliament was wrought out of them I can witnesse and were it to be passed againe I dare undertake it would never be compassed But were it also that such Acts might be easily brought to passe against Traytors and Fellons yet were it not an endlesse trouble that no Traitour or Fellon should be attainted but a Parliament must be called for bringing of his Lands to the Queene which the Common-Law giveth her Eudox. Then this is no fault of the Common Law but of the persons which worke this fraud to her Majestie Iren. Yes marry for the Common-Law hath left them this benefite whereof they make advantage and wrest it to their bad purposes So as thereby they are the bolder to enter into evill actions knowing that if the worst befall them they shall lose nothing but themselves whereof they seeme surely very carelesse Eudox. But what meant you of Fugitives herein Or how doth this concerne them Iren Yes very greatly for you shall understand that there bee many ill disposed and undutifull persons of that Realme like as in this point there are also in this Realme of England too many which being men of good inheritance are for dislike of Religion or danger of the law into which they are run or discontent of the present government fled beyond the seas where they live under Princes which are her M ties professed enemies converse are confederat with other traitors fugitives which are there abiding The which neverthelesse have the benefits profits of their lands here by pretence of such colourable conveyances thereof formerly made by them unto their privie Friends heere in trust who privily doe send over unto them the said Revenues wherwith they are there maintained and enabled against her Majestie Eudox. I doe not thinke that there be any such fugitives which are relieved by the profite of their Lands in England for there is a straighter order taken And if there bee any such in Ireland it were good it were likewise looked unto for this evill may easily be remedied But proceede Iren. It is also inconvenient in the Realme of Ireland that the Wards and Marriages of Gentlemens children should be in the disposition of any of those Irish Lords as now they are by reason that their Lands bee held by Knights service of those Lords By which means it comes to passe that those Gentlemen being thus in the ward of those Lords are not onely thereby brought up lewdly and Irish-like but also for ever after so bound to their services they will runne with them into any disloyall action Eudox. This greivance Iren. is also complained of in England but how can it be remedied since the service must follow the tenure of the lands and the lands were given away by the Kings of England to those Lords when they first conquered that Realme and to say troth this also would be some prejudice to the Prince in her wardshipps Iren. I doe not meane this by the Princes wards but by such as fall into the hands of Irish Lords for I could wish and this I could enforce that all those wardships were in the Princes disposition for then it might be hoped that she for the universall reformation of that Realme would take better order for bringing up those wards in good nurture and not suffer them to come into so bad hands And although these things bee already passed away by her Progenitours former grants unto those said Lords yet I could finde a way to remedie a great part thereof as hereafter when fit time serves shall appeare And since we are entred into speech of such graunts of former Princes to sundry persons of this Realme of Ireland I will mention unto you some other of like nature to this and of like inconvenience by which the former Kings of England passed unto them a great part of their prerogatives which though then it was well intended and perhaps well deserved of them which received the same yet now such a gapp of mischeife lyes open thereby that I could wish it were well stopped Of this sort are the graunts of Counties palatines in Ireland which though at first were granted upon good consideration when they were first conquered for that those lands lay then as a very border to the wild Irish subject to continuall invasion so as it was needfull to give them great priviledges for the defence of the Inhabitants thereof yet now that it is no more a border nor frontired with enemies why should such priviledges bee any more continued Eudox. I would gladly know what you call a County palatine and whence it so called Iren. It was I suppose first named palatine of a pale as it were a pale and defense to their inward lands so as it is called the English Pale and therefore is a Palsgrave named an Earle Palatine Others thinke of the Latine palare that is to forrage or out-run because those marchers and borderers use commonly so to doe So as to have a county palatine is in effect to have a priviledge to spoyle the enemies borders adjoyning And surely so it is used at this day as a priviledged place of spoiles and stealthes for the county of Tipperary which is now the onely countie palatine in Ireland is by abuse of some bad ones made a receptacle to rob the rest of the Counties about it by meanes of whose priviledges none will follow their stealthes so as it being situate in the very lap of all the land is made now a border which how inconvenient it is let every man judge And though that right noble man that is the Lord of the liberty do paine himselfe all he may to yeeld equall Iustice unto all yet can there not but great abuses
through a pleasant Plaine Till with the Fanchin she her selfe doe wed And both combin'd themselves in one faire river spred Nath'lesse Diana full of indignation Thence-forth abandond her delicious brooke In whose sweet streame before that bad occasion So much delight to bathe her limbes she tooke Ne onely her but also quite forsooke All those faire forrests about Arlo hid And all that Mountaine which doth over-looke The richest champain that may else be rid And the faire Shure in which are thousand Salmons bred Them all and all that she so deare did way Thence-forth she left and parting from the place Thereon an heavy haplesse curse did lay To weet that Wolves where she was wont to space Should harbour'd be and all those Woods deface And Thieves should rob and spoile that Coast around Since which those Woods and all that goodly Chase Doth to this day with Wolves and Thieves abound Which too-too true that lands in-dwellers since have found To the right honourable Thomas Earle of Ormond and Ossory REceive most noble Lord a simple taste Of the wild fruit which savage soyle hath bred Which being through long warres left almost waste With brutish barbarisme is overspred And in so faire a Land as may be red Not one Parnassus nor one Helicon Left for sweet Muses to be harboured But where thy selfe hast thy brave mansion There indeed dwell faire Graces many one And gentle Nymphes delights of learned wits And in thy person without Paragone All goodly bounty and true honour sits Such therefore as that wasted soyle doth yield Receive deare Lord in worth the fruit of barren field E. S. To the most renowned valiant Lord Arthur Lord Grey of VVilton Knight of the noble order of the Garter c. MOst noble Lord the pillor of my life And Patron of my Muses pupillage Through whose large bountie poured on me rife In the first season of my feeble age I now doe live bound yours by vassalage Sith nothing ever may redeeme or reave Out of your endlesse debt so sure a gage Vouchsafe in worth this small gift to receive Which in your noble hands for pledge I leave Of all the rest that I am tyde t' account Rude rimes the which a rustick Muse did weave In savage soyle far from Parnasso mount And roughly wrought in an unlearned Loome The which vouchsafe deare Lord your favourable doome E. S. To the right noble Lord and most valiant Captaine Sir Iohn Norris Knight Lord President of Mounster VVHo ever gave more honourable prize To the sweet Muse then did the Martiall crew That their brave deeds she might immortalize In her shrill tromp and sound their praises dew Who then ought more to favour her then you Most noble Lord the honour of this age And Precedent of all that Armes ensue Whose warlike prowesse and manly courage Tempred with reason and advizement sage Hath filld sad Belgick with victorious spoile In France and Ireland left a famous gage And lately shak't the Lusitanian soile Sith then each where thou hast disspred thy fame Love him that hath eternized your name E. S. A translation made ex tempore by Mr Edm. Spenser upon this distich written on a Booke belonging to the right honorable Richard Earle of Corke c. NVlla dies pereat pereat pars nulla dieâ— Ne tu sic pereas ut periêre dies LEt no day passe passe no part of the day Lest thou doe passe as dayes doe passe away Verses upon the said Earles Lute VVHilst vitall sapp did make me spring And leafe and bough did flourish brave I then was dumbe and could not sing Ne had the voice which now I have But when the axe my life did end The Muses nine this voice did send E. S. This Booke includeth the first part of Cambrensis devided by him into 3 distinctions Which was delivered me by Iames Stanihurst Lagenia Conatia Hultonia Momonia Mediâ— Leinster An. Philip Mar. 3o. 4o. Irish families taken out of S. Henry Sidneys collections Dublinum Lib. fl Suir fl Meath Irish families Connaght Galvia Irish fam Ororicke Vlster Boyn fl Lacus â—oilus Dist. 1. Mounster Shanon fl Irish families Bishops in Ireland Bern. in vita Malach. An. 1148. Province of Ardmagh Dublin an 1212. S. Pat. booke of Recordeâ— Cashell Tuam English pale Flatsbury Stowe Flatsbury Baron of Aâ—ry Baron of Ardigh Baronets Gentlemen most ancient in Ireland of English bloud Aquavitae Camb. part 1. Io. Bohem. lib. 3 c. 26. Munst. lib. 1. Dist. 3. lib. 12.32 Barnacles Anseres arborei Volat. lib. 3. de grege Camb. dist 1. lib. 1. Anglor hist. cap. 1. I le of Man Gathelus Simon Brecke Epiph. cont heros l. â— tom 1. Munst. l. 2. Irish tongue Hibernia Irlamale Fab. part â— cap. 32. Hiberus in Cign cant Pliny writeth it Iuuernia Ibernis Iuerland Iâ—â—land Io. Ma. Sco. l. 1. c. 9. Old customes of the Irish. Epistle of an Irish Monke In praefat l. 1. dec 1. Cesara An. Dom. 1656 Rab. Isaac in Gen. 5. Anno mundi 1957. after the best authors which make 300. yeares and not 100 betweene Noes floud and Babeâ—l Bastolenus Clem. recogn l. 4. Giants first in Ireland Clem recognit l. 4. Gen. 9. Anno mundi 2257. Ruanus who is of some thought to be Fin Macoole Gen. 5. Gen. 10. Anno Mundi â—â—17 Nemodus Ann. mundi 2714. The sonnes of Dela Cantredes Meth. Ann. mundi 2800. Brennus Hector Boâ—th l. 1. Hist. Scot. Ioh. Major de gestis Scot. lib. 1. cap. 9. Gathelus Exod. 14. Hector Boeth lib. 1. Ann. mundi 2642. Hiberus and Hirimon The head Captaine was Bartholmew as many Authors affirme Fab. part 2. Grafton p. 60. Ann. mundi 3â—92 Severall Kingdomes in Ireland An. Dom 120. Bed l. 1. c. 1. Picts Ioh. Maior de gest Scot l. 1. c. 10. The words of Roderick King of Picts The Answer Iohn Stow. Bede lived an Dom. 7â—0 Anno Mundi 57â—7 ante Christum 330. Ioh. Major lib. 2. cap. 1. An. Dom. 160. Ioh Major l. 1. cap. 11. Bed l 1. c. 1. Rheuda Ioh. Maior de gest Scot. l. 5 c. 15. Lucan li. 5. An. Dom. 2â—8 An. Dom. 353. To. Maior li. 2. c. 1. An. Dom. 398. An. Dom. 423· Distinct. 3. Ioh Major l. 1. cap. 10. Pol. l. 1. Angl. hist. An. Dom. 42â— Nicephor l. 14· cap. 40· Plat. in Caelestin 1. Vita S. Patricij Ioh. Major l. â— cap 2. Prosp. Aquit in Chroni The life of S. Patrick Ioselin of Furness Ex Epist. Patricij An. Dom. 386. An Dom· 430. An. Dom. 492. Polichro l. 1. ca. 35. Trevis ibid. Distinct 3.6 Brigid Colum. Ex Vitis sanctorum Hiberniae An. Dom. 439. An Dom. 4â—8 Senanus An. Dom. 493. Brendan An. Dom 456. Edan or Madoc Molingus Fintan Malachias· An. Dom. 1014 Bernard in vita Malach. Banchor 1148. King of Mounster 586. Careticus K. of Brittaine Turgesius â—10 Turgesius murdered The words of O-malaghlien King of Meth. Waterford Limericke Dublin 1050.
dispatched if the same be true with his owne hands at Roane Of this barbarous cruelty all mens eares were full and Courcye either of zeale or partiality spake bloudy words against it which meane his undermyners caught and did not onely heave him out of credite but also got commission to attach his body and to send him into England The Earle mistrusted his part and kept aloofe till Hugh de Lacye Lord Iustice vvas faine to levye men in armes and to invade Vlster Thence hee vvas often put to flight vvhereupon hee proclaymed Courcye Traytour and hyred sundry gentlemen vvith revvards to bring him in quicke or dead so long hee vvooed the matter that Courcyes ovvne Captaines vvere inveygled to betray their Lord. Therefore upon good Friday vvhen the Earle did off his armour and in secret meditations visited religious places bare-footed they layde for him tooke him as a rebell and shipped him into England the next way where he was adjudged to perpetuall prison Sentleger addeth in his collections that Lacy payd the Traytors their money and then immediatly hanged them This Courcye translated the Church and Prebendaryes of the Trinity in Downe to an Abbey of black Monks brought thither from Chester and the same did hallow to S. Patricke for which alteration of the name of God to his servant hee deemed himselfe justly punished Not long after as say the Irish certaine French knights came to King Iohns Court and one of them asked the combat for tryal of the Dutchy of Normandy It was not thought expedient to jeopard the title upon one mans lucke yet the challenge they determined to answere some friend put them in minde of the Earle imprisoned a Warriour of noble courage and in pitch of body like a gyant King Iohn demaunded Courcye whether hee would bee content to fight in his quarrell Not for thee said the Earle whose person I esteeme not worthy the adventure of my bloud but for the Crowne and dignity of the Realme wherein many a good man liveth against thy will The words were haply taken without dudgen as proceeding from stomack and from one counted more plaine then wise Courcye therefore being cherished to the field and refreshed with dyet fed so wonderfully after his hard keeping that the French Challenger tooke him for a monster and privily stale into Spaine Then was the Earle inlarged and crossed the seas tovvardes Ireland fifteene times evermore beaten back to the shoare vvent thence into France to change the coast and there dyed after vvhose decease vvithout heires of his body the Earledome of Vlster vvas entirely bestovved upon Hugh de Lacye for his good service In Ireland remained one of the Courcyes Lord of Rathenny and Kilbarrock vvhom as a spye of all their practises and an informer thereof to the King VValter and Hugh the sonnes of Hugh had slaine and great seditions raysed bearing themselves after the decease of their father for Governours out of checke To settle the Realme of Ireland King Iohn brought thither a maine Armye banished the Lacyes subdued the remanents tooke pledges punished malefactours established the execution of English Lawes coyned money of like value currant sterling in both Realmes The two Lacyes repentant of their follyes and tyrannies fled into France dispoyled of sumptuous apparell and unknowne meekely they served in Saint Taurines Abbey as gardners untill the Abbot by their countenance and behaviour beganne to smell their estates and pressed them so farre that they detected their offences and the due desert of much harder chastisement eftsoone beseeching the Abbot to keepe their counsells who commending their humilities yet advising them to laye holde upon their Princes favour if it might be had laboured the King his familiar and godsip earnestly for their pardons and obtained it Each of them were fined VValter at 4000. and Hugh at 2500. markes and restored him to the Lordship of Meth this to the Earledome of Vlster King Iohn made his Vice-gerent and returned home subdued the Welchmen met with Pandulphus the Legate of Innocentius the third who came to release him of the sentence wherein he stood excommunicate for his spoyle and extortion of Church goods to whom being the Popes Atturney hee made a personall surrender of both his Realmes in way of submission and after his assoylement received them againe some adde that he gave away his Kingdome to the See of Rome for him and his successours recognizing to holde the same of the Popes in fee paying yearely therefore one thousand markes and in them three hundred for Ireland Blundus sayth Centum pro utroque auri marchas Sir Thomas Moore a man in that calling office likely to sound the matter to the depth writeth precisely that neither any such writing the Pope can shew nor were it effectuall if he could How farre foorth and with what limitation a Prince may or may not addict his Realme feodary to another Iohn Maior a Scottish Chronicler and a Sorbonist not unlearned partly scanneth who thinketh 300. marks for Ireland a very hard pennyworth The instrument which our English Chronicle rehearseth might haply be motioned and drawne and then dye unratified although the copy of that record continue But certaine it is that his successours never payde it and thereto assenteth Iohn Bale in his Apology against vowes To Iohn Comin Founder of S. Patrickes Church succeeded Henry Lounders in the Archbishops See of Divelin who builded the kings Castle there being Lord Chiefe Iustice of Ireland him they nicknamed as the Irish doe commonly give additions to their Governours in respect of some fact or qualitie Scorch villaine and Burnebill because hee required to peruse the writings of his Tenants colourably pretending to learne the kinde of each mans severall tenure and burned the same before their faces causing them either to renew their estates or to holde at will In the fourth yeare of King Iohns raigne was founded the Abbey of Dowske in the sixt the Abbey of Wethny in the Countie of Limericke by Theobald le Butler Lord of the Carricke and in the twelfth Richard Tute builded the Monastery of Granard CAP. IIII. Henry the third and Edward the first AFter the death of Lownders Henry the third informed of the Truth and good service done by the Geraldines ever since their first arryvall in the Countrey made Morrice Fitz Gerald the sonne of Morrice aforesaid Lord Iustice. To him sent Edward the Prince surnamed Longshanke for assistance and power of men against the Welch Rebells who leaving Warders in the Castle of Sligaghe by him lately founded together with Phelim Oconnor and a lusty band of souldiours met the king at Chepstovv returned victoriously and by this meanes increased favour streightway they tvvo joyning vvith Cormack mac Dermot Mac Rory made a noble hosting upon Odonill the Irish enemy that invaded and grieved the Kings subjects of Vlster when Lacy was once dead Odonill being vanquished the Lord Iustice