over Ireland And all the West of the world and there followed immediatly a continuall untemperature of the ayre with a filthy skurfe the Winter stormy cold and wet which continued untill the 11. of Iuly and put the Gardeners Fruterers and Husbandmen void of all hope in so much they complained that Winter was turned to Summer and Summer to Winter and that they were like to lose all and bee undone Anno 1252. saith Dowling and Grace and the English Anonimus but Clyn and Florilegus write that it was 1254. King Henry gave to Prince Edward his sonne Gascoigne Ireland Wales Bristow Stanford and Grantham and sent him to Alphonsus King of Spaine to take Ellionor his sister to wife where hee was by the said King Knighted and returned together with his wife into England with great riches Anno 1255. Alanus de la Zouch was made Lord Iustice so I finde in the Booke of Houth after his departure out of Ireland hee being a Lord Baron and chiefe Iustice in England Florilegus Humfrey Loid and Stow doe write the Story how hee came to his end great strife rose in England betweene certaine of the Nobility about territories lands and titles whereto each side made claime the matters in controversie by direction from the King were decided in Westminster Hall the first Controversie was betweene Iohn Earle of Surrey and Warren and Hugh de Lacy Earle of Lincolne which went upon Lacy his side The second was betweene this Earle Warren and Allan de la Zouch this Zouch being Chiefe Iustice asked Earle Warren how he held his land Earle Warran drew foorth his sword and said by this mine Ancestors held the same and by this I presently hold it and with that ranne the Chiefe Iustice through in Westminster Hall and in his flight wounded also his sonne thence hee fled to his Castle at Risgate whome Prince Edward the Kings eldest sonne pursued with an Army to whom the Earle submitted himselfe and afterwards with friends and what with money pacified all Anno 1256. in the warres of Lewelin Prince of Wales so I find in the records of Conway Stratflur Copied by Gettine Owen Edward Earle of Chester fell to outrage one while against the King another while against the Welshmen his Army was 1500. foot and 500. horse Henry the third together with Richard Earle of Cornewall and King of Almane wrote unto him gently wishing him to returne to his Country and keepe the peace and not to provoke the Welshmen to Armes the which he refused to doe but sent to the Irishmen for succour and supplies Prince Edward the Kings eldest sonne understanding thereof rigged a Navy met with the Irish fleet killed their men and sunck their ships few onely remaining to returne and to make report of this hard successe in Ireland In a while after the King raised warres against Lewellin Prince of Wales and the Welshmen saith Paris Causa autem eorum etiam hostibus eorum justa videbatur and was brought to a narrow straight so that he sent to Ireland and to Gascoigne for succour the Irishmen not forgetting their late overthrow were loath to come being of all sides driven to serve in the end came and joyned with their Kings forces where no memorable act was performed for God saith Paris defended the poore people that put their whole confidence in him About this time to wit Anno 1256. Florished Iohannes De Sacro Bosco Bale out of Leland will have him to be a Yorkeshire man and terme him Iohn Holyfaxe Stanihurst writeth he was borne in Ireland at Holy Wood in Fingall some 12. miles from Dublin and therefore called Iohannes De Sacro Bosco which carried great likly-hood with it untill they are reconciled which side prevaileth I waigh not greatly I thought good to insert him for so much as his great learning graced him unto the posterity In his springing yeeres hee suckt the sweet milk of good learning in the famous Vniversity of Oxford afterwards he went to Paris where he professed the learned Sciences with singular commendations and there slumbreth in the dust of the earth whose exequies and funerals were there with great lamentations solemnized first hee followed Aristotle afterwards gave himselfe to the Mathematikes and addicted himselfe so much thereto that none of the posterity as is thought could follow him hee wrote De Spaera Mundi lib. 1. Tractatum de spaera quatuor De Algorismo lib. 1. Omnia quae a primeva rerum orig De Anni Ratione lib. 1. Cmoputus scientiam considerans Breviarium Iuris lib. 1. Verborum superficie penitus Vpon his Tombe together with the Mathematicall Astrolabe was insculped as followeth M. Christi bis C. quarto deno quater anno De Sacro Bosco discrevit tempora ramus Gratia cui nomen dederat divina Iohannes Anno 1258. Stepham Espee alias De longa spatha that is Stepham with the long skeine or two handed sword Earle of Salibury as I suppose was made Lord Iustice of Ireland this Stepham gave battell unto Oneile and the rebels of Vlster and Conaght and slue of them together with Oneile saith Clinne in one day three hundred fifty and two and departed this life saith Florilegus 1260. Anno 1260. William Denne was made Lord Iustice in whose time Greene Castle Arx Viridis was destroyed and the Carties plaied the Divells in Desmond where they burned spoiled preyed and slue many an innocent they became so strong and prevailed so mightily that for the space so it is reported of twelue yeeres the Desmonds durst not put plow in ground in his owne Country at length through the operation of Satan a bane of discord was throwen betweene the Carties and the Odriscoles Odonovaies Mac Donoch Mac Mahonna Mac Swines and the inhabittants of Muscrie in so much that by their cruell dissention they weakened themselves of all sides that the Desmond in the end overcame and overtopped them all but in the beginning of these garboils I find that the Carties slue of the Desmonds Iohn Fitz Thomas founder of the Monastery and Covent of Trally together with Maurice his sonne eight Barons 15. Knights beside infinite others at a place called Callan where they were buried Mine Authors are Iohn Clinne onely and the Booke of Houth In the end of these tumults dyed Sir William Denny Lord Iustice Anno 1261. Richardus de Capella otherwise called Rochell Clinne calleth him La Rochell de Capella became Lord Iustice of Ireland Anno 1262. There rose in Dublin a great stirre betweene the Prior and Covent of the blessed Trinity now called Christ-Church and the Communalty of the City about the tithe fish of the Liffy Anno 1264. Walter Bourke commonly called Walterus de Burgo spoken of before was made Earle of Vlster hee had married the daughter and heire of Sir Hugh Delacy the younger and in her right enjoyed the Earledome The Booke of Houth layeth downe the descent that this Walter
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
assistance of Rodericke Oconor King of Connaght at that season the generall Monarch of all Ireland The subjects of Leinster detesting the quarrell and long ere this time hating their Prince left him desolate in his greatest neede so as with much difficulty he caught his boate and fled over for succour to Henry the 2. King of England then warring upon the Frenchmen within his Dukedome of Aquitaine Somewhat before this season sate in the See of Rome Adrianus 4. an English man borne who having in his youth taken a painefull pilgrimage into Norway and reduced the whole Iland unto Christianity learned distinctly the state of Ireland and how their countrymen which dayly repaired thither being themselves the most part infidels meeting with a people there wilde and furious were like very shortly but if God found remedy to deface religion for though Christ were beleeved and taught yet the multitude eft soone grew to a shamelesse kinde of liberty making no more of necessary points of Doctrine then served their loose humour Besides these occasions Henry the 2. builded upon the Popes favour his borne subject had sent Ambassadours to Rome in the first yeare of his raigne asking leaue to attempt the conquest of Ireland Adrian trusting and requiring a diligent reformation of the premisses graunted his Bull which Alexander his Successour confirmed and ratified upon the same conditions Now when Dermot was come in the very necke of these consultations and put up his complaint wherein he preferred the interest of his Crowne and craved a restitution of some peece of his lands the matter did seeme not all untowardly broached Henry having his hands full with the French because Mac Murrough urged all possible haste could not personaly intend that offer but sent him honourably garded into England with letters patents bearing this Tenour HENRY the second King of England Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine Earle of Angiow To all our true subjects English Normans Welchmen Scotts and to all nations within our Dominions whatsoever Greeting Witt yee that the Bearer hereof Dermot Mac Murrough King of Leinster we have received into the soveraigne protection of our Grace and bounty wherefore who so of you all our loving subjects will extend towards him your ayde for his restoring as to our trusty and welbeloved know yee that he is thereto authorized by these presents and shall deserve at our hands high favour in so doing With these letters and many gay additions of his owne he arrived at Bristow where he fell at conference with Richard Strongbow Earle of Pembroke with whom he covenanted the delivery of his onely daughter and heire unto marriage and so the remainder of his Kingdome If the said Earle would recover him his home That day were planted in Wales two gentlemen Robert Fitz Stephens and Maurice Fitz Gerald brethren of a Mother allyed to Rice ap Griffin then Prince of Wales whose Grand-father was surnamed Rice the great Fitz Stephens had beene high Constable there under the King and for executing rigour upon the Princes servants was with him detained prisoner three yeares ne would in any wise pay ransome or accept the liberty promised him but if the conditions were loyall to the Crowne and to his person no dis-worship Lastly by the mediation of David Bishop of S. Davids the third brother and of Fitz Gerald and at the instance of Mac Murrough whom the Prince entertained in that distresse Fitz Stephens was conditionaly delivered that he and his brother Maurice should the next spring while Strongbow provided his army assist the Irish out-cast who in consideration thereof assured them an estate for ever in the towne of Weixford and two Cantreds adjoyning Thus much firmely concluded on all sides the King stale secretly home and wintered closely among the Cleargie of Fernes According to covenant came Fitz Stephens with 30. Knights of his blood 60. Squiers 300. footemen Archers to whom at his landing Dermot sent in aid his base sonne Duvelnaldus and five hundred speares The towne and suburbes of Weixford marched forth against him But when they saw Souldiours in array diversly dighted and weaponed furnished with artillery barbed horses and harnesse they retyred to their walles and strengthned them burning the villages thereabouts and all the provision they could not carry The assault lasted 3. dayes in the 4. certaine Bishops resciant there tooke up the variance pacified the Townesmen to their King and procured the rendring of the Towne Dermot having tryed the valiantnes of the Welchmen immeadiately kept his touch and gave possession of Weixford with the appurtenances aforesaid to Fitz Stephens and his brother After successe of these matters they leavyed to the number of 3000. Souldiours and devised to vexe the Lords of Vpper Ossory who had beene to the King of all other most cruell and injurious Them they compelled to deliver Trewage and sweare fealty Rodericke the monarch appalled at these newes reared up all the Kings in defence of the land verily supposing that all would to wrecke were it not prevented And first they directed courteous messages and gifts to Fitz Stephens moving him to depart the land quietly and not to molest them without cause To whom he answered that much he wondred at the folly of those Princes who to satisfie their choller had opened such a gappe to their owne prejudice as though the subjects whom they had schooled to breake allyance towards the King of Leinster would not be as ready by this example to learne to withstand the King of Connaght for his owne part though hee might with better reason invade strangers then they could expell their neighbours and their peere yet would they suffer the King to reenter his right they should not finde him stiffe nor untractable otherwise they should well feele that the Bryttons wanted neither abilitie nor truth to maintaine their word Rodericke perceived it was no boote to spurne and therefore bethought himselfe of composition upon agreement they resolved thus Inprimis that Mac Murrough swearing afresh his obedience to the Monarch should quietly repossesse the parts of Leinster which Rodericke with-held by suspensation Secondly that for ensurance thereof he should pledge his dearest base sonne Cnothurn to whom Rodericke promised his daughter if this peace were found effectuall Thirdly that being rested in his kingdome he should discharge the Welch army nor should henceforwards call them over in defence About this time Donatus the good King of Ergall founded the Abbey of Mellyfont which is the eldest that I finde recorded since the Danes arrivall except S. Mary Abbey besides Divelin erected in an 948. The meane while was landed at Weixford Maurice Fitz Gerald with his provision ten Knights thirty Squiers and an hundred Bowmen hereupon Dermot and the two Brethren set their force against Divelin which being the cheife Citty of his Realme refused to yeeld when Divelin and the country about it vvas recover'd there befell hostility between Rodericke and
Greek in the Irish tongue yet for their comming from Spaine which they so much urge Iohannes Major Scotus forsooth hath found one Spanish word bona dies in Irish vennoka die to which I answere una hirundo non facit ver but indifferently to examine the matter wee finde that diversity of times alteration of government invasion of strangers planting of new Colonies and conversing with forraigne nations doe alter languages The Hebrewes by reason of their peregrination and captivities do smach of the Chaldees Syriack and Arabick tongues The Slavonian tongue as Surius and others record without exception at this day is the most dispersed language upon the earth for the Muscovites Ruthenes Russians Dalmatians Bosnenses Croatians Istrians Carnians Carniolanians Carinthians Stirians Maesians Servians Bulgarians with other nations reaching to Constantinople as Bohemians Lusatians Silesians Moravians Polonians Circasians Quinquemontanians even unto Pontus and the remnant of Vandals beyond the river Albis through Germany into the North have the language and yet we have neither their characters nor ancient Annals extant Saint Ierome borne in Strido in the confines of Dalmatia and Pannonia is said to have translated the Bible into the Slavon tongue but whether it be in that language extant let him report that knoweth it Gothi Hypogothi Gepidi Vandali Hunni Alani though they vary in name yet they vse one language saith Paulus Diaconus The Italian Spanish and French tongues are compounded of the Latine The German high and low country Saxon Scottish and English have great affinity Northwales Southwales Cornwall and little Britaine in France as Cambrensis and Sir Io. Price have learnedly discoursed but the Irish excepting the Red shanks and the Scottish of the haye londe have affinity with no tongue as I can learne more then with the British language Many reasons there are gentle reader to induce thee to bee of that opinion first of all according unto the first command the Celticke tongue was of force in all these Northerne parts Bodinus writeth that the British and Celtick language was all one Pausanias the Grecian maketh mention how the Celts in their language called a horse Marc and three horses Trimarc the which the Welshman useth to this day with a gutturall alteration Margh and Treemargh Also Camden the learned Antiquary of this our age is of this opinion remembring the story of Gurguntius and the infinite number of British words in ure among the Irish the which he termeth infinitam vim Britannicarum dictionum that the Britaines first peopled this land And although of a long time by reason of troubles and alterations the speech grew wholly out of vse yet afterwards in successe of time it was revived Secondly the British and Irish oft matched together so that there grew among them great alliance and affinity to the furtherance of the language Mare King of Cornwall anno 459 married with Label Isode that built Isodes Chappell or Chappell-Isode and Isodes Tower in Dublin shee was the King of Irelands daughter Edwal ap Meiric Prince of Wales in the time of Edelred anno 992 married in Ireland Iago ap Edwal Prince of Wales in the time of Cnute anno 1031 married in Ireland In the time of Edward the Confessor Conan the sonne of Iago Prince of Wales married with Ranulph daughter of Alfred King of Dublin anno 1041. In the time of William Rufus Arnulph Earle of Pembroke married with the daughter of Marogh King of Ireland anno 1101 at the same time Magnus the sonne of Herald married with another daughter of the said King In the time of Henry the first and King Steuen lived Griffith ap Conan Prince of Wales that was wont to brag of three things that his mother was an Irishwoman his grandmother an Irishwoman and that hee himselfe was borne and of a child brought vp in Ireland In the time of Henry the second Biryd the sonne of Owen Gwyneth Prince of Wales being Lord of Cloghran in Ireland begat his sonne Howel upon an Irish Gentlewoman In the same Kings raigne Richard Strangbow Earle of Pembroke married with Eva the daughter of Dermotte Mac Morrogh King of Leinster Thirdly when there was any trouble in Ireland they fled to Wales when they had any warres or rebellion there they came for refuge and aide into Ireland hereof came the shaking of hands Brother Brannagh Brother Erinagh In the life of Henry the third it is written that when Othobon the Popes Legate came to Oxford and soiourned at Osney Abbey among other schollers some for one cause some for another that were there a poore Irish scholler Matthew Paris calleth him Capellanum Hibernensem drew neere unto the kitchin dresser and praid for some releefe the cook took a ladell full of hot liquor and threw it in his face a Welch scholler standing by tooke his bow and shot the cook through with an arrow Stow writeth that the cook was the Legates brother the hurly burly was great the schollers came together in armes and as it is said one Odo of Kilkenny was their ensigne bearer the Cardinals men were well beaten the Cardinall himselfe to save his life fled secretly at a posterne gate to the King made a grievous complaint and craved the aide of armed men to fetch off his men and thereof arose great troubles but to proceed Dermotte Mac Morogh King of Leinster being banished out of his country had aide out of Wales Conan the sonne of Iago Griffith ap Conan Rees ap Tewder Owen the sonne of Cadogan Kadwalader the sonne of Griffith ap Conan Marlgon ap David Princes of Wales Algar Earle of Chester Arnulph Earle of Pembroke Magnus the sonne of Herald William de Bruse Lord of Breknock with his wife and children in extremity tooke Ireland for their refuge where they found favor and kindnesse to their own hearts desire as in the British Chronicles published by Caradoc of Sancarban Cambrensis Humfrey Lloid and Doctor Powel doth more plainly appeare These two nations conversed much one with another Sir Tristram one of the Knights of the round Table came to Ireland Morogh brother to the King of Ireland whom Caxton calleth Morhaus was one of King Arthurs Knights Merlin the Welch Prophet came twice to Ireland and in Ofaby there is a Chappell bearing his name the occasion of his first comming was this There was a noble man of Ireland which had a suit unto the King of England with whom Merlin was great to whom he said Merlin if thou wilt effect my sute come to Ireland and I will give thee as much land as thou shalt see round about thee it was done after his arrivall Merlin demanded his promise the noble man put him into a cellar where was a grate and without a bawne with an high wall looke out saith the Irish man the Welch Prophet could not see a quoits cast from him and thus was he deceived having left his spirit of prophecy at home But to our purpose Fourthly
Queene you my Lord discover it not I. Gormo dyed for sorrow and Thira lamented in one day the departure of her Lord and husband the King the death of her sonne and her owne dolefull widdowhood Anno 939. so writeth Caradoc Abloic a most worthy Prince and Monarch of Ireland deceased Anno 940. after the death of Athelstane his brother Edmund raigned over Britaine He subdued the Danes that remained in Northumberland together with others that came out of Ireland to invade the land with Anlaffe their Captaine saith Fabian he slue some and banished the rest so writeth Cooper Anno 948. the Abbey of the blessed Virgin Mary by Dublin was founded by the Danes Molanus writeth of one Columbanus an Abbot of Irish birth that became a recluse or an anachorist Anno 957. in the Church yard of the Monasterie of Gandavum where he kept the space of two yeeres and there ended his dayes This yeere saith Caradoc Congelach King of Ireland was slaine but he sheweth not where nor how Anno 959. Edgar the sonne of Edmund beganne his raigne over England he reduced all into one Monarchie Camden found in a Charter where Edgar delivered of himselfe that it pleased God of his mercy to grant unto him together with the command of England to subdue all the Ilandish kingdomes of the Ocean together with their fierce and mighty Kings as farre as Norwey and the greatest part of Ireland with Dublin the most noble Citie thereof unto the kingdome of England Anno 966. Rodericke the sonne of Edwall Voell Prince of Wales was slaine by Irish men that landed there for a prey spoyled the country and destroyed Aberfraw Caradoc so complaineth of them Molanus writeth of one Forananus a Bishop which flourished Anno 980. he termeth him Bishop of Domenormor and Metropolitane of Ireland and Scotland where he mightily erred in the name of the place of the person and his stile For hee was Bishop of Dromore in Ireland and no Metropolitane at all but to his purpose hee findeth him among his Saints of Flanders and saith that he was warned in a vision to travaile so that he with a company of Irish Priests arrived in France and came to Rome in the time of Benedict 7. from thence he came backe to the Monasterie of Walciodorum where hee and his Priests became professed Monkes of the order of Saint Benedict for the space of twelve yeeres and there ended their dayes The Monkes there saith he were wont among other Saints at Easter yeerely to call upon him Sancte Foranane ora pro nobis untill that the reformers of Bursfeld wiped him out of the Catalogue of Saints for that he was not canonized by the Church of Rome Anno 988. as I finde in the British Chronicle Elwmaen the sonne of Abloic King of Ireland was slaine and a great number of people dyed with famine that is alwaies the end of civill warres and rebellion in Ireland Anno 1004. the Scots I know not the cause entred Ireland and after their manner as also the Danes did then in England preyed burned and destroyed they tooke Gulfath and Vbiad Irish Lords and put out their eyes they ransacked also the Citie of Dublin Anno 1012. Grace and Dowlinge the Irish Antiquaries doe concurre the English Writers are silent and deliver how that Bernaidus commonly called Brian Bowrow Monarch of Ireland and his sonne Murcath alias Murchardus Mac Brian with other Kings of the land subiect unto him gathered great power and met at Clantarfe nigh Dublin and gave a sore battaile unto Sutraic alias Sutric the sonne of Abloic King of Dublin and unto Moilmordha King of Leinster This Sutric to withstand the Monarch had hired to his aide all manner of strangers he could get by sea or by land as Danes Norwegians Scots Britaines Pirates and sea rovers The fight was desperate the field all bloud a horse they say was sometime to his belly in bloud There were slaine that day of the one side Brian the Monarch and his sonne Murchard of the other side Moilmordha King of Leinster Rodericke the Arch-Pirate and Captaine of the strangers with others of both sides innumerable Sutrick was sore wounded was brought to Dublin and shortly after died of his wound I pray thee gentle Reader who got by the bargaine As farre as ever I could learne a woman set them together by the eares The Booke of Houth after the Irish observation delivereth the story thus There was a Merchant in Dublin commonly called the white Merchant a Dane the fourth sonne of the King of Denmarke who had a faire wife of Irish birth and he being full of iealousie and ready to travaile for merchandize into farre countries desired of Brian Borow Monarch of Ireland that his wife untill his returne might waite upon his Lady soiourne in his house for the safeguard of her person credit and honestie the which was granted and the King undertooke it This Merchant made as speedy a returne as he could and being landed early in a morning with a privy key entred the chamber where his wife lay and found Morogh Mac Brian the Kings sonne in bed with his wife hee wheeled about devising what was best to be done at length resolving himselfe to depart for that time tooke Moroghs sword and put it into his owne scabbard and his into Moroghs scabbard Hee went to the King and complained of the abuse here spoken of the King answered He is my sonne give thou iudgement upon him saith the Merchant let him keepe the whore still I will be revenged upon him and his partakers in the field as soone as possibly may be and I doubt not but all Ireland shall rue the day of this villanie Immediately he went to Denmarke brought over to his aide thirty thousand Danes and Norwegians landed at Clantarfe whereof the field was called the field of Clantarfe hee summoned Morogh and his favourites to fight and thought at the first to have taken Dublin Brian Borow fearing this made more haste then good speed tarried not for the forces of the land that were comming with his sonne Donogh to his aide but rashly with his sonne Morogh the Author of all this mischiefe gave them battaile The which battaile all the forenoone being cruelly fought seemed all to leane on the Irish side but in the afternoone the Danes that were in the rere and yet fresh for any fight they had were directed to wheele about and to take the voward unknowne unto the Irish which fiercely fought and encountred with the wearie and wounded Irish and wonne the field Here was Brian Borow and his sonne Morogh and eleven thousand of the Irish slaine One thing further gentle reader note there was a Priests sonne accounted a tall man of armes who in the beginning of the battaile fled away fearing the hardinesse of the Danes and Norwegians and went to Donogh Mac Brian the brother of Morogh who was comming with forces to the
field and perswaded him to retraict saying further that there was no hope of good successe to bee obtained in this field This man being taken confessed the whole treason and for punishment was carried to the winde gates twelve miles from Dublin set alive standing in the ground with a great heape of stones about him as it pleased the Commanders to direct In Stanihurst I finde that the the chiefe Potentates of the Irish were Brian Borow Miagh Mac Brian whom formerly I termed Morogh Tady O Kelly Dolir Ahertegan and Gille Barramed and that they were buried at Kilmaniham over against the great Crosse. Anno 1031. as it is remembred by Caradoc in the British Chronicles there was great stirre and bloudshed in South-Wales by the meanes of Howell and Meredith the sonnes of Edwyn ap Evean ap Owen ap Howell Dha that made claime unto that country against Rytherch ap Iestyn Prince of south-South-Wales Howell and Meridith hired unto them a King of Ireland whose name is not set downe which brought with him a great armie of Irish-Scots the armies met the fight was cruell much bloud on both sides was shed in the end Rytherch the Prince was discomfited and slaine by which means they attained unto the governement of south-South-Wales the which they ioyntly ruled and bountifully rewarded the Irish King There is at Sauntrie some three miles from Dublin yeerely remembrance of Saint Pappan that was borne there Molanus calleth him Poppon He travailed into France builded there many Monasteries saith mine Author and preferred to governe them many men became an Abbot himselfe and departed this life Anno 1048. and lyeth buried at Stabuletum in France where hee governed Lastly mine Author noteth that he was a Saint but never canonized Conan the sonne of Iago Prince of north-North-Wales married Ranulph the daughter of Alfred King of Dublin who in the warres betweene Iago his father and Griffith the sonne of Lhewelyn ap Sitsylte sometimes King of Wales saith Caradoc was driven to flee into Ireland for safegard of his life This Conan Anno 1041. came with Alfred his father in law with great power out of Ireland to recover his country they shortly landed in Wales and by treason secretly tooke Griffith the King and carried him towards their ships but when it was knowne the country upon the sodaine rose armed themselves followed the Irish men made great slaughter of them rescued their Prince and drove Alfred and Conan with the rest of their forces to their shippes and so to Ireland Stow following Fabian writeth how that Anno 1049. certaine forces out of Ireland whom hee calleth Irish Pirates with 36. ships entred the mouth of Severne landed in a place called Westlapham and with the helpe of Griffith King of South-Wales spoyled along those coasts and did great mischiefe Afterwards Griffith and those Irish Pyrates ioyning their powers together passed over the river Wie and burnt Dumenham and slue man woman and childe leaving nothing behinde them but bloud and ashes Worcester Glocester and Herefordshire rose in Armes against them but many of them in cruell fight being slaine the rest put to flight the Irish returned home merrily loaden with spoyle Anno 1050. Conan gathered an armie of his friends in Ireland attempting the second time the recoverie of his inheritance he hoysed up saile towards Wales but on a sodaine there arose such a tempest upon the seas that scattered his Navie and drowned the most part of his ships so that he gave over the voyage for that time About this time wherein the English and British historiographers doe agree Robert Archbishop of Canterbury accused Earle Godwin and his five sonnes especially Swaine and Harold of treason and Queene Editha the daughter of Godwin of adulterie who being called before the King refused to appeare and therefore were banished the land and the Queene was put away from the King Godwin and Swaine fled to Flanders Harold and Leofwin Warwell saith Holinshead to Ireland and the Queene was sent with one Maid to the Monasterie of Wilton Immediately the King disposed of all their possessions It was not long after ere Godwin and Swaine got shippes men munition and all necessaries in Flanders the like did Harold and Leofwin in Ireland they all met upon the seas to wit the father the mother and the five sonnes they spoyled the I le of Wight Partland Peveneseny Romny-heath Folkeston Dover and Sandwich and entring the Thames destroyed Sheppey and burned the Kings houses at Mielton Then they met with the kings Fleet upon the seas and being ready to fight Bishop Stigand stept betweene them and reconciled both sides in such sort that the King restored them their lands and goods tooke home the Queene and banished Robert the Archbishop with all the French men which had put buzzes and suspitions into the Kings head Anno 1054. as Powell in his annotations upon Caradoc hath learnedly collected King Edward by evill counsell as it was thought banished Algar Earle of Chester which had treason laid to his charge whereupon Algar gate him into Ireland and there providing him eighteene shippes of warre well appointed and manned with stalworth men of Irish birth returned and joyned himselfe with Griffith King or Prince of Wales who both together invaded the country of Mercia about Hereford where Ranulph Earle of that country who was sonne to King Edwards sister named Goda by her first husband Walter de Manut came against them with a great armie and met them about two miles from Hereford where after a sore fight by the space of three houres Ranulph and his armie were discomfited and about 500. of them slaine and the rest put to flight whom Griffith and Algar pursued to Hereford and entring the towne set the Cathedrall Church on fire and slue the Bishop named Leogar with seven of the Canons and most lamentably as it falleth out in warres spoyled and burned the towne King Edward being advertised hereof gathered an armie and sent Harold the sonne of Earle Godwin against them who pursuing the enemies to North-Wales passed through Stradlewyde to Snowdon but Griffith and Algar being loath to meete Harold got them againe into South-Wales whereof Harold being advertised left one part of his armie in North-Wales to resist the enemy there and returning with the residue to Hereford caused a great trench to be cast round about the towne with a high rampire strongly fortifying the gates of the same After this by meanes of a parlee had with Griffith and Algar at a place called Biligellagh a peace was concluded whereupon Algar being pardoned by the King and restored againe to his Earledome returned home to Chester About two yeeres after Algar was accused againe of treason and the second time exiled the land fled into Ireland where he was most ioyously received of his old followers and offered more kindenesse then he requested for hee had most honourably dealt with the Merchants and owners of the former ships and most
kindely intreated and bounteously rewarded the Irish souldiers the which then in his second extremity was not forgotten With shippes men and munition out of Ireland he bent his course to Wales repaired to his old friend Griffith Prince of Wales where he was most welcome and shortly restored againe to his Earldome by the meanes and intreaty of certaine strangers which had lately there arrived out of Norway Camden writeth how that Anno 1066. Godred surnamed Cronan the sonne of Hiraldniger of Island invaded the I le of Man thence came into Ireland did the like unto Dublin and a great part of Leynster made great spoyle and went backe againe The British Chronicle reporteth of Dermot a King in Ireland that in Anno 1068. he was murthered but the manner hee sheweth not the commendation he giveth of him is this He was the worthiest and noblest Prince that ever ruled in Ireland Polychronicon reporteth how that Anno 1072. at Winsore before William the Conquerour and the Cleargie the controversie between the Archbishops of Canterbury and Yorke was heard at large and decided and that Bedaes historie was shewed where it appeared that from Austen the Monkes time till Bedaes death about 140. yeeres the Archbishop of Canterburie had primacie over all Great Britaine Ireland that he had held Councels by Yorke summoned Bishops of Yorke consecrated Bishops and punished Bishops of Yorke for their offences and iudicially removed them Philip Flatesburie a great Antiquarie whom Stanihurst followeth and Iames Grace of Kilkenny with Dowlinge his ioynt Collectour doe write how that Anno 1074. Patricke Bishop of Dublin was consecrated in Pauls Church in London by Lanfranke Archbishop of Canterburie upon commendatorie Letters of Teridionatus alias Terdilnacus Monarch of Ireland and Godericke King of Leinster and with teste of the Clergie and Laytie of that Diocesse of his lawfull and orderly election Further I finde recorded that it was the manner to consecrate Bishops in this sort and that the Monarch of Ireland in regard of his royall principalitie and title of honour with other priviledges belonging to his Monarchie had negative voyce in the nomination of Bishops throughout his Realme Secondly how the Archbishop of Canterbury took of him that was so consecrated a corporall oath of Canonicall obedience as his predecessours formerly used to him and his successors and lastly gave him letters testimoniall thereof to the Monarch and King of Leynster Cambrensis sheweth the reason of this consecration namely how that in Ireland as then there was no Archbishop but one Bishop consecrated another untill that Anno 1148. Iohannes Papiron a Priest Cardinall sent from Eugenius 3. together with Christian Bishop of Lismore Legate of all Ireland came to the land and brought with them foures Paales But of this more in another place The same Flattesburie writeth further how that the said Lanfranke in like sort consecrated Donatus Bishop of Dublin Anno 1085. About this time Godwin and Edmund sonnes to King Harold my Author is Thomas Walsingham Monke of Saint Albans which formerly had fled into Ireland for succour unto Dermotte Mac O Nell King of Ireland returned with 66. saile landed in Sommersetshire saith Stow where Brian the sonne of Eudo Duke of Brabant met them and gave them battaile wherein saith Stow the brethren gate the victory and the Irish men with many great preyes out of Cornewall and Devonshire returned into Ireland But Walsingham which seemeth more true writeth that it was a bloudie battaile wherein 1070. of the English and Normans with certaine of the Nobilitie of the land were slaine and the enemies with aide of their ships fled and brought heavy newes home to their deerest friends in Ireland It is very like that William the Conquerour immediately upon this sent great forces into Ireland to bee revenged of them for relieving or assisting his enemies for Stow writeth out of William of Malmsbury thus Lanfranck Archbishop of Canterbury being in such favour with King William that the said William thought not good to deny any thing that hee requested procured by his industrie that the said King left his ill custome of selling his prisoners which hee tooke in Ireland which was a thing hardly granted unto him and to Wolstan Bishop of Worcester the gaine that the King had by the sale of those Irish men was such The British Chronicle reporteth how that Anno 1087. and the last yeere of William Conquerour the sonnes of Blethlyn ap Convyn sometime King of Wales gathered their strength together against Rees ap â—yder who not being able to meete with them fled to Ireland and there he purchased to himselfe great friends and got an armie of Irish men and Scots to whom hee promised great rewards when he should obtaine his kingdome so landed in South-Wales with these strangers and when his friends heard thereof they drew unto him and the other came in all haste to vanquish him before hee had made a head and gathered forces together to bee short at Wechryd they gave battaile where they were discomfited and two of the brethren slaine to wit Madoc and Kirid and the other fled and forsooke the country As soone as Rees was in quiet possession of his country he sent away the Irish men with great rewards All the Lords of the Ilands sent messengers unto Murchard alias Moragh O Brien King of Ireland that it would please him to send them some worthy man of royall bloud to be their King during the nonage of Olanus the sonne sonne of Godred King of Man Whereupon he sent unto them one Dopnald Mac Tady whom hee deepely charged to governe that kingdome which of right appertained not to him with all kindenesse love and modesty but hee was no sooner warm in the kingdome but he forgot his instructions and the charge his Lord had given him he poled he pilled and practised all kinde of tyranny for the space of three yeers Then all the Lords of the Ilands rose in armes against him and banished him out of those parts so he fled into Ireland of whom they never heard any further newes Stanihurst findeth that Anno 1095. there came certaine Esterlings to the North side of Dublin adjoyning to the Liffie and seated themselves there so that of them to this day the place is called Ostomontowne and corruptly Oxmonton and the Parish Saint Michans of one Michanus a Dane and a Bishop which founded the Church unto whom Murchard or Moragh King of Leynster gave that parcell of land to that use The faire greene or Commune now called Ostmontowne-greene was all wood and hee that diggeth at this day to any depth shall finde the ground full of great rootes From thence Anno 1098. King William Rufus by licence of Murchard had that frame which made up the roofe of Westminster Hall where no English Spider webbeth or breedeth to this day Cambrensis in his Itinerarie of Cambria reporteth how that King William standing upon some high rocke in the
farthest part of Wales beheld Ireland and said I will have the shippes of my kingdome brought hither wherewith I will make a bridge to invade this land Murchard King of Leynster heard thereof and after he had paused a while asked of the reporter hath the King in that his great threatning inserted these words if it please God No then said he seeing this King putteth his trust onely in man and not in God I feare not his comming Anno 1095. Murchard so writeth Holinshed alias Morogh King of Leynster with the Clergie and people of the Citie of Dublin elected one Samuel a Monke of Saint Albans an Irish man borne to the governement of the Church and Bishops See of Dublin and according to the antient custome presented him by sufficient letters of testimony unto Anselme Archbishop of Canterburie to be consecrated by him who according to their request did so and tooke of him an oath of Canonicall obedience after the usuall manner Anno 1097. the Citizens of Waterford perceiving that by reason of the great multitude of people in that citie it was necessarie for them to have a Bishop obtained licence of their King and Rulers to erect in their Citie a Bishops See and besought them to write to Anselme Archbishop of Canterburie to have his consent therein and permitted them to nominate a man meete for the place Hereupon Morogh King of Leynster wrote unto Anselme informing him of the whole matter wherein one Malchus was commended and presented unto him to be admitted and consecrated if he thought good these letters were subscribed by Murchard King of Leynster Dermotte his brother Bishop Dufnald Idiman Bishop of Meath Samuel Bishop of Dublin and Ferdomnachus a Bishop in Leynster Anselme considering their request to be honest and necessarie examined the man gave him the oath of Canonicall obedience and consecrated Malcus Bishop of Waterford About this time to wit Anno 1098. the Normans having slaine Rees ap Twyde Prince of south-South-Wales they bent their forces against Griffith ap Conan Prince of north-North-Wales by the conduct of Hugh de Montgomerie Earle of Saloppe and Arundell called of the Welchmen Hugh Gough and of Hugh Vras Earle of Chester Griffith the Prince fled to the mountaines and sent for aide into Ireland saith Caradoc where he received cold comfort then to avoid farther mischiefe and treason which hee suspected to have beene wrought against him fled into Ireland In the same season Magnus King of Norway so Stow calleth him the sonne of Olavus the sonne of Harold Harvager came with great forces and subdued the Iles of Orknay with the I le of Man entred into Anglesey incountred with Hugh Earle of Salop who withstood his landing in the which skirmish Hugh the Earle had an arrow shot in his face which pierced his braine of which he died whereupon the Normans retraited Magnus invadeth Ireland saith Saxo Grammaticus and Griffith the Prince of Wales returned to his country and made peace with the Normans and governed the same fiftie yeeres Many things worthy of memory are recorded of this Griffith ap Conan Powell writeth that hee was an Irish man by his mother daughter of the King of Dublin and also by his Grandmother and that hee was borne in Ireland and that he brought over with him out of that country into Wales divers cunning Musitians who devised in manner all the instrumentall musicke upon the Harpe and Crowth that is there used and made lawes of minstrelsee to retaine the Musitians in due order I have not yet done with Magnus the Norwegian of him Camden writeth a worthy storie Magnus saith he caused a fleete to bee in readinesse of an 160. saile and sailed into the Orkeneys the which he forthwith subdued he passed through all the Ilands made them subject unto him and arrived in the I le of Man when hee beheld how pleasant the Iland was he made choice thereof for habitation fortified therein which of him to this day beares his name Hee so hampered the inhabitants of Galloway in Scotland that hee made them bring him timber to his Port for the frame of his fortifications Afterward he sailed to Anglesey in Wales where he met with two Hughs both Earles the one he slue the other he put to flight and made the Iland subiect unto him The Welsh men gave him many gifts and rewards he bade them farewell and so returned to Man He sent to Murchard alias Morogh King of Ireland his shooes commanding him to hang them upon his shoulders upon Christmas day as he passed through his Hall in the sight of his Embassadors that thereby he might understand that he was subject to Magnus the king When the Irish men heard thereof they tooke it in ill part and chafed exceedingly but King Morogh a wise and a sage Prince smiling at the conceit with great modesty and discretion gave this answer I will not onely beare his shooes but I had rather eate them then that King Magnus should destroy any one Province in Ireland Whereupon he fulfilled his command honoured his Ambassadors sent many Presents unto King Magnus and concluded a league The Ambassadors upon their returne related all circumstances gave great report and commendation of the land delivered how pleasant and fruitfull the soile was the temperature of the ayre and how healthfull the dwelling was Magnus hearing this immediately it ranne in his head to conquer all Ireland he commanded a great fleet to be in a readinesse and he himselfe going before with sixteene saile privily to espie and search out the strength of the land and unadvisedly ranging from his shippes was upon a sodaine compassed and hemmed in by the Irishmen and slaine with all in a manner that were with him Thus Magnus is become Minimus in fine hee was buried in Saint Patrickes Church of Downe So farre Camden in substance The British Chronicle writeth how that before this insolent attempt he had procured for his sonne a daughter of King Morogh in marriage and that he made him King of Man but I doe not finde that he enjoyed it Carodoc writeth how that Anno 1101. Robert de Mountgomerie Earle of Salop and Arnulph his brother Earle of Pembroke rebelling against King Henry Robert sent for aide to Magnus but could get none Arnulph sent Gerald of Windesore his Steward to Murchard alias Morogh King of Ireland to desire his daughter in marriage the which hee obtained with promise of great succours which did encourage him the more against the King whereupon Arnulph went with all haste into Ireland for his wife and Irish forces Earle Robert seeing himselfe disappointed sent to the King desiring him that he might forsake the Realme which thing the King granted and he sailed into Normandie Arnulph received message from the King that either he should follow his brother and depart the land or yeeld himselfe to his mercie he chose to forsake the land and fled into Ireland Not long after Owen the sonne of
Cadogan after hee had done great mischiefe and spoile upon the English Normans Flemings and Welsh men fled into Ireland to King Morogh who joyfully received him for he had beene there before returned to Wales and fled thither the second time and in like sort the third time Anno 1113. or thereabout Griffith the sonne of Rees ap Twyder Prince of south-South-Wales who for feare of the King had beene of a childe brought up in Ireland came to Gerald Steward of Pembroke his brother in law and others of his friends to recover his country whom the King by secret policies and practises pursued so that hee was forced to flee againe In the time of King Henry the first I finde that there was great stirre betweene Murchard or Morogh King of Leynster and the Citizens of Dublin for it seemeth that hee used grievous exactions and tyrannies over them so that the Dublinians in revenge of him sent for Godred King of Man and the Ilands so writeth Camden and made him their King Morogh mustereth his country gathereth forces procureth aide marcheth against his enemies pitcheth his campe at the towne of Coridelis sent his brother by the mother side Osibell with three thousand horse well appointed to Dublin where hee was slaine by Godred and by the men of Dublin and the rest discomfited and put to flight Godred found himselfe well satisfied with spoiles and returned to Man they of Dublin likewise thought themselves in some sort reasonably well revenged of their King quitted themselves for a while and by mediation and intercession after many Presents and Gifts were reconciled There was great banquetting and feasting and ioy outward of all sides but inward lay venome and treason like sparkles of fire covered with ashes which broke forth not long after as I am readie to deliver Stanihurst Grace and Dowlinge doe write that the Councell of the Citie determining to establish and decree many good lawes and orders for the publike weale of the towne and commons of the same appointed a solemne day of meeting sent for Morogh their King humbly craving with all loyall circumstances his presence counsaile and assistance among them at the day appointed the which hee granted when the day came and that they had debated many matters the King as he sate merrily in his chaire sporting himselfe and reporting some pleasant historie one suddenly stept unto him and tooke away his weapon the rest came upon him and stabbed him to the death they were not content with this but they cast him into a base grave and in further contempt and dispute of his person they threw a dogge upon him and earth upon them both the which Dermotte his sonne revenged afterwards as shall appeare in processe of the historie About the yeere 1134. after Functius his computation one Harold borne in Ireland so writeth Saxo gathered forces and became the terrour of Norway affirming withall that he was the sonne of Magnus the Dane that invaded Ireland and for truth thereof he would declare it by fire When the time and place was appointed with his bare feet he trode upon a fierie plate and felt no hurt the Norwegians admired and would make him their King which was the roote of many mischiefes in Norway He was a man faire spoken strong hardy and swift of foot and it seemeth after the manner of Ireland that he went much bare so that the soles of his feet were as hard as horne and could not easily take harme by fire by which meanes he deceived the Norwegians Nicholaus King of Denmarke corrupted Magnus of Norway by secret meanes to cut him off Magnus practised with Ericus a Danish Captaine to dispatch him immediately after his Coronation To bee short Ericus came with great forces to Scypetors a Village where Herald was in the night time laid siege to his Pallace and by the breake of day pulled him and his sonnes forth by the head and shoulders and put them to death In the time of Henry 1. King of England flourished Celsus Bishop of Armagh and ended his dayes with the entrance of King Stephen to the Crowne He descended of Noble Parentage in Ireland whom Saint Bernard with others for divers rare and singular gifts highly commendeth he had beene brought up in the Vniversitie of Oxenford where in the liberall sciences and profound literature he excelled others of his time when he perceived by the infirmities of his body that age hastened to an end and that his naturall course was in short time to be finished he desired of them that were present their favours and prayed them to use meanes unto others that were absent and especially unto the two Kings of Mounster so Bernard writeth that Malachias might succeed him in the Bishopricke of Armagh He was a married man and died of great age and lyeth buried with his wife and children in the said Church Malachias in the time of King Stephen succeeded Celsus in the Bishopricke of Armagh whose life Saint Bernard Abbot of Clarevallis Capgrave and Conganus an Abbot of Ireland have written at large He was borne in Ireland amongst barbarous people saith Bernard yet in his birth and native soile hee sucked of them no more barbarousnesse then the Sea fish take of the salt water His Parents for wealth and might were in great account in those dayes he was brought up at Armagh under Imarius the Anachorite where Celsus made him both Deacon and Priest at the age of 25. yeeres from thence with licence of Imarius and of Celsus he went to Malchus Bishop of Lismore in Mounster a man of Irish birth that had beene a Monke sometimes in the Abbey of Winchester in England and from thence advanced to the Bishopricke of Lismore And to make the historie plaine there was at that time great warres betweene Cormacke King of Mounster and his brother for the Soveraignty the brother prevaileth Cormacke fleeth to the Bishop of Lismore and in his distressed estate tooke a Monkes Cell and led a private life Malachias was appointed his Tutor where Cormacke continued untill that a King there adjoyning pittying his miserie gathered forces and restored him to his kingdome Immediately after this Letters came for Malachias in most earnest sort that he should come to Armagh where not farre off an Vncle of his a man of great command a Lord of a country rich and potent that held in his hands all the wasted Monasterie of Benchâ—r alias Bengor dwelled of which Monasterie I have spoken before in the raigne of King Arthure Malachias upon his comming restored these possessions and reedifieth the old Monasterie and appointed one Malchus brother to Christianus Abbot of Melâ—efont governour of the place when Malachius was thirty yeeres of age he was made Bishop of Conor Conorets saith Bernard where hee met by his owne report more then I am willing to lay downe in writing so rude and barbarous a people as worse could not be found upon the face of the earth yet
is that say they the stones of your two foster brethren with that she cast up a wilde look and never beheld him cheerefully againe Ororic her Lord and husband being in pursuit of kerne theeves and outlawes that had mightily annoyed his people in the furthest part of his country she with all celerity supposing it a fit time sent for her lover Dermotte the message was no sooner delivered but hee was a horse backe posting to the Harlot to be short he tooke her away with him at which time O false heart she strugled she cryed as though she were unwilling and that hee forced her Ororic immediately heard of it gathered his forces together mustred his people craved ayde and among others wrote unto Roderick Monarch of Ireland as followeth Though I am not ignorant most renowned Prince that humane causes are to be weighed in the balance of patience and that a man endued with vertue will not effeminate himselfe by reason of the unconstant and mutable minde of a Harlot yet in so much this horrible crime whereof I am fully perswaded came to your eares before my messenger could deliver his letters a thing heretofore not heard of as farre as I remember not practised against any King of Ireland severity causeth me to call for justice when charity admonisheth me not to seeke revengement If thou behold the shame I confesse it redoundeth to me alone if you weigh the cause it is common to us both what confidence shall we repose in our subjects that are bound unto us in regard of our Princely command if this effeminate adulterer or rather queller of chastity shall escape unpunished for so abhominable a fact for the unchastised offences of Princes notoriously committed in the sight of al men breed a most pernitious imitation as precedents unto the people in summe you have sufficient experience of my good will and affection towards you you see mee wounded with the cruell darts of fortune vexed with infinite discommodities and now extremely driven to my utter shifts It remaines seeing I am wholly yours that not onely with counsell being requested but with armes being urged you revenge my quarrell this when you will and as you will not onely I aske but require at your hands Farewell The Monarch for some former quarrell against Dermot was all on fire and joyning forces with Ororic entred Leinster with fire and sword the people cry woe and alacke O bone in Irish now are wee punished for the lewdnesse of our Prince Dermot lulling himselfe in his lovers armes heareth the newes starteth upon a sodaine beholdeth his Lady hath no power to speake runneth forth calleth his men cryeth for aid throughout his country none gave â—are unto him the country thought now whereas they could not that God will be revenged on him for his exactions cruelty tyranny and all other villanies practised upon his subjects and especially for deflouring another mans wife when he saw himselfe quite forsaken voyd and destitute of all ayde he betooke himselfe to the sea and fled for England but what became of the Harlot I cannot learne belike shee hanged her selfe when she had set all the country in uprore Anno 1169. Iohn Clin and Iohn Stow are mine Authors now that Dermot is fled I am to insert a story out of the British Chronicles of Conwey and Strotflur Abbeyes afore I discourse of him which was in the same yeere that he tooke the sea how that Owen Gwyneth Prince of north-North-Wales had a sonne called Ryryd who in the right of his wife as it seemeth was Lord of Clochran in Ireland and another sonne begotten vpon an Irish woman called Howell and a third sonne called Madoc This Madoc finding his country in great contention and his brethren at civill warres prepared certaine ships with men and munition out of Wales and Ireland and sought adventures by seas he sailed west from the coast of Ireland so farre north that hee came to a land unknowne where he saw many strange things This land in the opinion of Humphrey Lloyde the great Antiquary of Britaine must needs be some part of that country of which the Spaniards affirme themselves to be the first discoverers since Hannos time For by reason and order of cosmographie this land to the which Madoc came must needs be sonne part of Nova-hispania or Florida whereupon it is manifest that the same country was long before discovered by Britaines and Irish men afore either Columbus or Americus Vespatius led any Spaniards thither Of the voyage and returne of this Madoc there be many fables the which I will not report He prepared ships for a second voyage and tooke with him men and women to inhabit that land therefore it is to be presupposed that he and his people inhabited part of those countries for it appeareth by Francis Loves that in Acusanus and other places the people honoured the Crosse whereby it may be gathered that Christians had been there before the comming of the Spaniards but because this people were not many they followed the manners of the land and used their language I am of opinion with others that the land whereunto Madoc came was some part of Mexico first of all for that the inhabitants of that land report their Rulers to have descended from a strange nation that came from a far country which thing is confessed by Mutesuma King of that country in his orations made for quieting of his people at his submission to the King of Castile Hernando Curtecius being then present which is laid downe in the Spanish Chronicles of the conquest of the West-Indies secondly the british words and names of places used in that country to this day doe argue the same as when they talke together they say Gwrando which is hearken or listen in British Also if you peruse Sir Humphrey Gilberts discovery they have a Bird which they call Pengwin in Brittish and Cornish a white-head but the Iland of Corroeso the Cape of Britaine the river of Gwyndoor and the white rocke of Pengwyn be British or Welch words whereby it appeareth that it was that country which Madoc and his people inhabited now remembring my selfe that my pen hath not carryed me so far unto forraigne countries by sea but that I expect Dermots returne by sea and by land into Ireland Dermot Mac Morogh came to Henry 2. in Normandie made his moane as formerly in substance is delivered craved aide for his restitution into his country being a King exiled although distressed and void of comfort unlesse hee might obtaine it at his Majesties hands the Kings hands being full of warres he granted him his favourable letters as followeth Henry King of England Duke of Normandie and Aquitaine Earle of Anjow c. unto all his subiects English Normans Welch and Scots and to all nations and people being his subiects greeting whereas Dermot Prince of Leinster most wrongfully as he enformeth banished out of his owne country hath craved our ayde therefore for
for the guard and safety of the City early in the morning when the enemy was unarmed out of order little thinking that so few within durst attempt to give the onset to so many without they fell upon them killed without mercy and the rere was so forward that they came with the Vanguard by wheeling about to the slaughter of the enemie Roderic all this while trusting to his troupes and multitude of people feared nothing he took his ease and pleasure and was bathing himself but when the larum was up that he saw his men on every side fall to the ground never tarried called for man nor Page to array him but tooke his mantle and ranne away all naked and hardly escaped with life The Britaines pursued after and had the killing of them all that day in the evening they returned into the Citie not onely with the honour of the field but rich booties and praies of victuals armour and other pillage as much as man and beast could cary Immediatly also the rumor hereof the other Campes were dispersed namely Laurence the Archbishop whom it had beseemed better to have beene at home with his porthouse then in Campe with rebels Mathelan Machalem Gillemehelmocus Otuetol Ororic Prince of Meath Ocarol alias Ocarvell Prince of Vriell Machfalin Ochadese with many other great Commanders where every man shifted for himselfe of Gotred alias Godfray King of Man that came by Sea I find nothing for upon this disaster he tooke him to the seas the next day without any further deliberation Miles Cogan is left to governe Dublin and the Earle with his Army marched towards Wexford to raise the siege at the Carreke to relieve Robert Fitz Stephens as he passed by Odrone the forces of Leinster by the conduct of Donole Obrene Prince of Limerik and Donald Prince Osery set upon him and fought a cruell fight but he went on with the losse of one man As he came to the borders of Wexford certaine messengers met and informed him of the mischance that happened to Robert Fitz Stephens and the firing of the Towne of Wexford adding moreover that the Wexfordians were fully determined if the Earle came any further towards them they would cut off all the heads of Fitz Stephens and all his company and send them unto him whereupon with heavy cheere and sorrowfull heart he changed his mind turned to Waterford But afore I proceede any further I am to deliver the manner of the treachery and villany shewed unto Robert Fitz Stephens Donold of Limric sonne in Law to Dermot Mac Morogh while his father lived he was one that favoured the Brittains and not without cause but now forgetting humanity returneth to his vomit bends his course towards Wexford and while other states of Ireland by East and by North with might maine practised the rooting out of the Brittains he flies to the South and raiseth Wexford Kensile to lay siege to the Carreke the fort of Robert Fitz Stephens First they begin with force and seeing that failed them they fall to guiles and subtilities under color of peace pretending nothing but pure love tender affection and safeguard of his person and all that were with him they bring with them two Bishops the one of Kildare the other of Fernes in their formall moods with other Religious persons O damned Prelats and they had with them the Masse Booke the host with certaine Reliques upon these they take corporall oathes and sweare with great solemnity and protestations as followeth For the good will and affection wee beare unto you whom we have alwaies found a curteous and bountifull Prince we are to signifie unto you this much how that Dublin is taken the Earle Strangbow Maurice Fitz Girald Reimond le Grosse Miles Cogan with all the English are put to the sword and now Roderic the Monarch with all the power of Conoght and Leinster posteth hither to rase even with the ground all the Forts Holds and Castles which the Englishmen have and especially to apprehend you Robert Fitz Stephens and Willam Not that were the forerunners into this Land of all this mischiefe wherefore take this for truth and be well advised what to doe if they take you there is no mercy if you will put your selfe with your company and goods into our hands in the faith of Christianity we sweare we will safely transport you and yours unto Wales so shall you not lose so much as a haire of your head wherefore the great Army being at hand yeeld come forth and shippe your selfe for Wals. Robert Fitz Stephens who would not in this case give credit yeelded himselfe into their hands immediatly more like Iewes then Christians they strippe them out of all that ever they have they hang one they throw another over a rocke they breake anothers necke one hath his eyes puld out another hath his tongue cut some they scourge with thongs other some they take and with sledges breake their Armes and thighes the greatest kindnesse they shew is iron and imprisonment the which Robert Fitz Stephens endured now leaving these bloody Massacers and themselves I will turne to Waterford after Earle Strangbow When Earle Strangbow came to Waterford he found there Hervie de Monte Marisco newly arrived out of England with letters from the King requiring him forthwith to repaire unto his Majesty Strangbow together with Hervy tooke the first wind and went for England and found the King at Newham not farre from Glocester where he was in readinesse with a great Army to saile out into Ireland whereafter sundry altercations passed betweene them at length as they say by meanes of Hervy the Kings displeasure was appeased and it was agreed that the Earle should sweare alleageance to the King and yeeld and surender unto him the City of Dublin with the Cantreds thereunto adjoining as also such Townes and Forts as were bordering upon the Sea side and as for the residue he should have and reteine to him and his heires holding the same of the King and his heires Strangbow was no sooner knowne to be in England and Reimond at Waterford but Ororic Monoculus the one eyed Prince of Meath mustred a great number of Souldiers and laid siege to the City of Dublin Miles Cogan the Governour withall his company while the enemy was carelesse upon a sudden issued out and fell upon them unawares and made a great slaughter of them among whom both Ororic and his sonne were slaine In the British Chronicles copied by Owen Cretten out of the Abbies of Conwey in North-wales and Stratflur in South-wales I find recorded that when King Henry the 2. made preparation for the conquest of Ireland Richard Strangbow Earle of Strigale Marshall of England being reconciled to the King had all his Lands in England and Normandy restored unto him againe and thereupon the King made him Seneschall Steward saith he of Ireland Then came Rees prince of south-South-wales and offred the King to further his
the same Sixtly that all and every good Christian being sicke and weake shall before the Priest and his neighbours make his last Will and Testament and his debts and servants wages being paid all his moveables to be divided if he have any children into three parts whereof one part to be to the Children another to his Wife and the third part to be for the performing of his Will and if so be that hee have no children then the goods to be divided into two parts whereof the one moytie to be to his Wife and the other to the performance of his Will and Testament And if he have no Wife but onely Children then likewise the goods to be divided into two parts whereof the one to himselfe and the other to his children Seventhly that every Christian dying in the Catholike faith shall be reverently brought to the Church and to bee buried as appertaineth Eightly and lastly that all the divine Service in the Church of Ireland shall be kept used and observed in the like order and manner as it is in the Church of England for it is meet and right that as by Gods providence and appointment Ireland is become now subject and under the King of England so the same should take from thence the order and rule and manner how to reforme themselves and to live in better sort Gelasius Primate of Armagh was not at this Synod but at his comming to Dublin hee concurred with his Collegues and confirmed the premises He was a man of great learning godly life and great age when by reason of age sight and strength and stomacke failed him as he travailed he had with him alwaies a white Cow that gave him milke and was his onely sustentation Gilbert succeeded this Gelasius in that See The Antiquaries of that time have recorded that the winter during the Kings abode in Ireland there rose such stormes and tempest by sea and by land that no newes could be heard either out of England or Normandie neither Shippe or Barke crosse the seas untill mid-Lent at what time with an easterly winde there came out of England and Aquitaine in France newes unto the King how that there came into Normandy in France two Cardinals from Alexander the third to wit Albertus and Theodinus to enquire of the death of Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury Whereupon the King sent in post before him to signifie that he was returning with all speede and that he would conferre with them in Normandie And leaving Ireland hee was very sorry that time and leisure served not to lay things in better order for the stay of the land And also suspecting the greatnesse of Richard Earle Strangbow whom at that time he tooke with him into England hee appointed to governe Dublin Hugh de Lacy to whom he had given in Fee the territorie of Meth with twenty Gentlemen to his Guard Robert Fitz Stephens and Morice Fitz Girald with twenty others to attend their persons Likewise he left Governours over Waterford Humfrey de Bohune Robert Fitz Bernard and Hugh de Graunt devil with forty persons to their guard Lastly hee assigned over Wexford William Fitz Adelme Philip de Bruesa and Philip de Hastings with twenty to their guard and tooke shipping at Wexford Munday in Easter weeke by sixe a clocke in the morning with full saile and landed the same day about noone at Saint Davids in Wales so writeth Cambrensis in his vaticinall historie and in his Itinerarie of Cambria What time the King was in Ireland there fell a great plague in his army which was some cause of his departure from Dublin to Wexford Cambrensis out of the mouth of the common people attributeth it unto certaine Archers cessed at Finglas that cut downe the trees of the Church-yard and therefore were they iustly punished and left their bones there every one but the British Chronicle and Holinshed also more likely to be true affirmeth that there fell a plague among the Kings souldiers in Ireland by reason of the change of the ayre and victuals and concourse of people corrupting the same The names of the men of account orderly as they came to the conquest of Ireland Dermot Mac Morogh Prince of Leinster after his returne out of England wintred at Fernes expecting the comming of these Conquerours Robert Fitz Stephens the Kings Constable at Abertivy David Barry Hervie de Monte Marisco married Nesta daughter to Maurice Fitz Girald Williâ— Nott. Maurice Prendregast Meilerus Maurice Fitz Girald Reimond le Grosse nephew to Robert Fitz Stephens married with Basilia the sister of Earle Strangbow William Ferrand Richard Strangbow Earle of Penbroke Miles Cogan brethren nephewes to Robert Fitz Stephens and Maurice Fitz Girald Richard Cogan brethren nephewes to Robert Fitz Stephens and Maurice Fitz Girald Henry 2. King of England c. Hugh de Lacy. William Fitz Adelme Raffe Abbot of Bulldewa in Normandie Raffe Archdeacon of Landaff Nicholas the Kings Chaplaine Humphrey de Bohune Robert Fitz Bernard Hugh de Grandevilla Philip de Brensa Philip de Hastings Silvester Giraldus Barry Cambrensis Iohn Ridensford Girald the two sonnes of Maurice Fitz Girald Alexander the two sonnes of Maurice Fitz Girald William Makrell Philip Mercrâ—s William Morice Fitz Girald his eldest sonne married with Elen sister to Earle Strangbow Griffin the sonne of William Fitz Girald the elder brother Philip Welsh Adam Herford brethren ...... Herford brethren ...... Purcell Lievetenant of the Army slaine by the Waterfordians Nich. Wallingford a Prior afterwards Abbot of Malmesburie David Welsh nephew to Reimund Ieffrey Welsh Reimund of Kantan Reimund Fitz Hugh Milo of Saint David Robert Poer Osbert of Hertford Willin Bendâ—ger Adam of Gernemie Hugh Tirell Iohn de Courcey Hugh Cantwell Redmond Cantimore Alliance of the chiefe Conquerours of Ireland Nesta the daughter of Rees ap Tuyder Prince of south-South-Wales Loved Henry the first King of England father to Henry father to Henry Fitz Henry Meiler Fitz Henry Robert Fitz Henry was maried twice 1 Steven Custos castri Abertivi Robert Fitz SteveÌ„ Rafe Meredâ—calâ—as Meredith Milo 2 Gerald of Windsor WilliaÌ„ Fitz Girald who had issue Reimund le Grosse who married Basilia Strangbowes Sister Griffeth Maurice Fitz Girald William married Ellen Sister to Strangbow Camb. or by others Alma Daughter of Strangbow Girald Alexander Nesta married to Hervie de monte Marisco Milo or Miles David Bishop of Saint Davids Not long after the Kings departure out of Ireland Ororic of Meth craved a parlee with Hughe Delacy pretending reformation of abuses and establishing of perfect love and amity but meant nothing else saving falshood treason and villany the place being appointed Cambrensis calleth it Ororics Hill I take it to be the Hill of Taragh and oathes taken of each side with conditions that all armes should be laid aside and few persons approach to the place Ororic contrary to the covenants laid an ambush that upon a signe or token given by him they should forth
to apprehend such prollers wherein he also reproved his cowardize The Emperour when he understood that the birds were flowne away made search for the neast yet overtooke them in Italy where to be short hee imprisoned them their kindred and favourers rifled them of their money and sent them to Rome to sing for more money he that will reade the story more at large let him repaire to Mathew Paris The same yeere saith Mathew Paris Andelmus borne in Cullen a man highly commended for life and learning was by the Bishop of Worcester solemnly consecrated at Westminster Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland in the presence of the King the Legate and many reverend Prelates Anno 1242. Maurice Fitz Girald Lord Iustice of Ireland builded the Castle of Sligoe Anno 1243. Clun and Dowlinge write that Giraldus Fitz Maurice Richardus de Burgo and Hugh de Lacy Earle of Vlster in Ireland ended the way of all flesh and was buried at Carechfergus Mathew Paris giveth Lacy great commendations that he was a most renowned warriour and a valiant Conquerour of a great part of Ireland This Lacy left behinde him one daughter and heire whom Walter de Burgo married and in her right became Earle of Vlster of Richardus de Burgo Mathew Paris writeth he had great possessions and lands in Ireland by the conquest of his most Noble father Anno 1245. Florilegus Powell out of Gittin Owen and Holinshed doe write how that the Welch men rebelled against the King and his forces being foyled by David ap Llewelin Prince of Wales hee sent into Ireland to Maurice for ayde and was in winter time mightily distressed the which I finde by Powell recorded and written by a Noble man out of the campe unto his friends The King with his army lyeth at Gannocke fortifying of that strong Castle and we live in our Tents thereby watching fasting praying and freezing with cold wee watch for feare of the Welch men who are wont to invade and come upon us in the night time we fast for want of meate for the halfe penny loafe is worth five pence we pray to God to send us home speedily we starve for cold wanting our winter garments and having no more but a thinne linnen cloath betweene us and the winde there is an arme of the seas under the Castle where we lye whereto the tyde commeth and many shippes come up to the haven which bring victuals to the Campe from Ireland and Chester The King all this while expected the arrivall of Maurice Fitz Girald with his Irish forces mused with himselfe fretted with himselfe the winde serving and yet said nothing at length the Irish sayles are discryd a shore they came and Maurice Fitz Girald together with Phelina Oconor Oconoghor saith another in battaile array present themselves before the King at Chepstow say the Irish Chroniclers but the British Chroniclers coppied out of the Abbies of Conwey and Stratflur by Owen Gittine deliver they landed at the I le of Man or Anglesey the which in mine opinion seemeth to be most likely to be true For David ap Llewelin was Prince of north-North-Wales and there kept his forces Chepstow is in South-Wales and besides it is agreed upon of all sides that the Irish landing spoyled the I le of Anglesey laded themselves with spoyles and going to their ships were driven to runne and leave all behinde but to be short when all the forces joyned together the Welch men were overthrowne the King manned and victualled his Castles returned into England gave the Irish men leave to returne winking a while in policie at the tarriance and slow comming of Maurice Fitz Girald when Maurice Fitz Girald Lord Iustice arrived in Ireland he found O Donell the Irish enemy upon the death of Hugh Lacy in Armes invading and sore annoying the Kings subjects in Vlster and called unto him Cormake Mac Dermot Mac Dory with great forces and entred Tireconell preyed burned and spoyled and vanquished the enemy there he slue Moyleslaghlon O Donell called King of Keyvayle together with Gille Canvinelagh Obugill and Mac Surley called King of Oyrisgall with divers others gentlemen of those parts in like sort many English men were cast away in the river whose passage O Donell stopped and slue there William Butt high Sheriffe of Connaught together with a valiant young Gentleman his brother When the Lord Iustice had thus atchieved his purpose hee manned and victualled the Castle of Sligo tooke pledges of O Neale to keepe the Kings peace and left them in the said Castle gave Cormake Dermot Mac Dory that came to his aide the moytie of Connaught and returned with a great prey When this noble service was performed the King disgorged himselfe and what inwardly he had conceived and for a while conceived against the Lord Iustice he then in writing delivered and removed Maurice Fitz Girald out of his Iusticeship and placed in his roome Iohn Fitz Ieffery de Morisco the which the Irish Chroniclers have suppressed yet Florilegus and Holinshed doe write Mauritium Hiberniae Iustitiariū eo quod ficte tarde auxilium ab hibernia domino Regi duxerat periclitanti a Iustitiaria Deposuit This Maurice departed out of this world Anno Dom. 1256. was buried saith Clyn in the habit of the Fryers Minors at Yough-halle the which Morice had founded of whom Mathew Paris saith thus he was a valiant Knight a very pleasant man inferiour to none in Ireland who sometime swayed the land when hee had the sword of Iusticeship this man lived with commendations all the dayes of his life but peradventure falsly reported of and stained in the end with the death of Richard Earle Marshall Anno 1247. after that Henry the third and the Clergie of England and Ireland found themselves mightily grieved at the Popes exactions and intollerable extortions in England Wales and Ireland and had signified the same in writing to the Court of Rome whereupon saith Florilegus the Court of Rome fretted and sorrowed that their avarice was as well reproved as restrained Innocentius 4. devised in his conceit a milder course to be held that in stead of a greater summe they should give him at that time out of those dominions to supply his wants but eleven thousand markes Then saith Florilegus Master Iohannes Rusus was sent into Ireland furnished with authority diligently to collect the Popes money as a Legate yet not clad in scarlet lest the Pope should offend the King of England who hath this priviledge that no Legate set foot on his land unlesse hee be sent for or licenced but the said Iohn being a sophisticall Legate vigilantly plying the papall mandate and his owne private gaine extorted out of Ireland about sixe thousand markes the which by the conduite of the Clergie was transported and conveied to London about the Feast of Saint Michaell the Archangell The same yeere saith Florilegus there was a marveilouse and strange Earthquake over England but saith Felcon
By which occasion the Brittaines also put in a foot who discovering the state of the land to their Princes opened a gappe for Brennus the brother of Belinus to direct his course thither vvith the same Navy vvhich he had furnished to serve Signimius then King of Lyons amid the Galles in France But Brennus took small effect Before him also divers Kings of Brittaine had scope in Ireland Insomuch that Gurguntius the sonne of Beline reputed the same by lineall descent among his ovvne Dominions Notvvithstanding they never injoyed it longer then they could keepe possession perforce and often vvere they repelled and vvearyed vvith seeking after it as vvherein they found small fruite and blovves enough Lastly came the Spaniards from Biscaye conducted by foure Captaines of vvhose arryvall before I speake I must repeate their originall somevvhat farther and so give a light to the assoyling of a controversie that is vvhether the Irish came from Aegypt or from Spaine It shall appeare they came from both CAP. IX The arrivall of the Spaniards then called Iberians into Ireland IN the yeare of the World 2436. after the universall floud 780. while the children of Israell served in Aegypt Gathelus the sonne of Neale a great Lord in Greece was upon disfavour exiled the Country with a number of his faction adherents and friends The young Greeke being very wise valiant and well spoken got honourable entertainement with Pharao surnamed Amaenophis king of Aegypt and in short space reached to such a credit that he espoused the Kings base Daughter Scota whereof the Scotts are thought to be named This match bred to the King some tumult and to the young Gentle-man much envy wherefore assoone as the foresaid Amaenophis was drowned in the Red Sea the Princes of Aegypt so vexed Gathelus and his wife that they were faine to buske them withall their traine into Europe and came first to Lusitania where diverse of his people tyred with travaile would needs abide he builded there the city of Brigantia called afterwards Novium now Compostella The remnant passed with him into Ireland where the Barbarians highly honoured him for his cunning in all languages who also greatly perfected and beautified the Irish tongue taught them letters sought up their antiquities practised their youth in martiall feates after his Greeke and Aegyptian manner Finally so well he pleased them that to gratifie such a Benefactour they were content to name the Iland after him Gathelia and after his wife Scotia Truely that Scotia is the auncient appellation of Ireland all Chroniclers agree as it shal be more plaine when wee touch the Scottish pedigree A brute there is in Ireland but uncertainelie fathered that in remembrance of Pharao their good lord the Kerne pitching his Dart cryeth of courage faro faro but the learned thinke that to bee taken from the Spaniard who in his Ioco dicano exclaymeth fabo fabo The people left in the coast of Spaine founded the city of Bayon now part of Gascoigne and replenished all the shore towards Africk and the edges of Portugall Castile Galaecia towardes the sea Cantabricum well nigh 200. yeares after which time some of them began to minde another travaile because they were pestered with Inhabitants and whether they ever sped to Ireland it is unknowne at the leastwise in the raigne of Gurguntius the Brittaine then chiefe Lord of Bayon foure brethren Spaniards whereof two are noted Hiberus and Hirimon not the sonnes of Gathelus as writeth Boethius but his off-spring understanding that divers Western Ilands were empty desirous to live in ease and elbovv-room sayled Westvvard vvith a great retinue of men vvomen and babes hovering long about the Ilands Orchades in 60. great ships untill by good hap they met vvith Gurguntius then returning from the conquest of Denmarke vvho had refused to pay him the tribute vvhich Belinus his father vvan him they besought considering their vvant of victuals unable any longer to dvvell in their ships accumbred vvith carriage of vvomen children to direct further them to some place of habitation proffering to become his liege people to hold the same of him his heires for ever The King advising himselfe remembred vvith vvhat difficultie he kept the Irish in subjection conceived hope that these strangers vvould endeavor either to stub out that unruly generation or to nurture them so taking their oathes and hostages he mann'd their ships stored thē vvith victuall munition seated thē in Ireland Thus had the Brittaines an elder right to the Realme of Ireland then by the conquest of Henry the 2. vvhich title they never surceased to claime somtimes prevailed as in the dayes of King Arthur to vvhom the Irish Princes agnized their tribute and apparance made at his Parliament in urbe Legionū vvhich I take to be Westchester called of old Carleon as divers other citties vvere vvherein the Romanes placed the legions Again the Kings of Britain vvere thē Lords of the place vvhence this people came so as their vvinnings must have beene the Kings Dominion To all this when their owne free assent the dedition of other Princes lawfull conquest and prescription is adjoyned it forceth an invincible title But to prosecute our purpose Those Iberians being substantially ayded of Gurguntius enjoyed the Lands bestowed themselves foure brethren into foure parts thereof untill their pride and ambition armed two against other two Hiberus and his brother against Hirimon and his In this conflict Hirimon slew Hiberus and raigned quietly At this time the countrey was first named Ibernia as I have declared in the third Chapter The King to avoyde obloquie and slaunder purged himselfe to his subjects that neither maliciously nor contentiously but for his necessary defence and safeguard he had borne armes against his brother And to witnesse how farre he was from desire to rule alone he nominated speciall Captaines to be Kings under him of their severall Countryes reserving to himselfe but one fourth part and the portion of Meth allotted to the Monarchie for the better maintenance of his part These afterward clambered into five Kingdomes incompatible Leinster Connaght Vlster Mounster in two portions and sometimes to more by usurpations and compositions but ever one was elected the Monarch over all An hundred and thirtie chiefe Kings are reckoned of this Nation from Hirimon to Laigirus the sonne of Nealus magnus in whose time the blessed Bishop Patricius converted them to Christianity CAP. X. The comming of the Picts into Ireland NOW lived the Irish in tollerable order under their sundry Kings and applyed themselves to peace and gathering of wealth when suddainely Rodericke a Red-shank of Scythia fled thither with a small company of Galleyes and winde-driven in compassing round about the British coast were happely blowne ashore into Ireland These are the Picts a people from their cradle dissentious land-leapers mercilesse sowre and hardy being presented to the
King they craved Interpreters which granted Roderick their Chieftaine uttered for him and his the request in this manner Not as degenerate from the courage of our auncestors but inclining our selves to the bent and swaye of fortune we are become suppliants to Ireland that never before have humbled our selves to any Looke Sir King eye us well It is not light prowesse that hath caused these valiant bodies to stoop Scithians we are and the Picts of Scithia great substance of glory lodgeth in these two names what shall I tell of the civill Tumult that hath made us leave our home or rippe up old Historyes to make strangers bemoane us Let our vassailes and children discourse it at large and leysure if perhaps you vouchsafe us any leysure in the Land To which effect and purpose your infinite necessities pray your favours A King of a King Men of Men Princes can consider how neere it concerneth their honour and surety to proppe up the state of a King defaced by Treason and men will remember nothing better beseemeth the nature of man then to feele by compassion the griefes of men Admit we beseech you these scattered reliques of Scithia If your Realmes bee narrow we are not many If the soyle be barren we are born to hardnesse If you live in peace we are your subjects If you warre we are your Souldiours We aske no kingdome no wealth no triumph in Ireland We have brought our selves and left these casualtyes with the enemie Howsoever it like you to esteeme of us we shall easily learne to like it when we call to minde not what we have beene but what we are Great consultations was had upon this request and many things debated too and fro In the end they were answered that their antiquities layde forcible arguments wherefore it could not be expedient to accept the Scithians into Ireland that mingling of natiōs in a Realme breedeth quarrels remedilesse that Ireland finding scarcity rather of roome then of people that those few inferred amongst a many might quickly disturbe and put the whole out of joynt But quoth they though wee may not dwell together yet shall you finde us your very good neighbours and friends Not farre hence lyeth the Iland of Brittaine in the north thereof your manhood and polycies shall winne you scope enough our Capitaines shall conduct you the way our strength shall helpe to settle you addresse your shippes and hye you thither With this perswasion they shaped course towards the north of Brittaine now called Scotland where contrary to all expectation Marius the King awayted their comming and gave them there a sharpe battle wherein Rodericke was slaine with diverse of his band Them which remained and appealed to mercy he licensed to inhabite the uttermost borders of Scotland Wives they wanted to encrease their Issue and because the Brittaines scorned to match their daughters with such a froward and beggerly people the Picts continued their first acquaintance with the Irish and by entreaty obtained wives from them conditionally that if the Crowne should happe to fall in question they should then yeeld thus much prerogative to the woman as of the female blood royall rather then of the male to choose their Prince which Covenant saith S. Bede the Picts are well knowne to keepe at this day But long afore this time the Scottish Chronicles mention the arrivall of Almaine Picts into the marches now of England and Scotland vvith vvhom certaine Irish called then also Scotts joyned against the Brittaines devising to erect a kingdome there aswell to fortify themselves as to gratifie the Irish who detracting their obedience lately promised to Gurguntius practised all they might to abridge the kingdome of the Brittaines First therefore came from Ireland Fergusius the sonne of Ferchardus a man very famous for his skill in blasoning of armes Himselfe bare the Red Lyon rampant in a golden field There was in Ireland a monument of Marble fashioned like a Throne which Simon Brecke a companion to Hiberus and his brethren found in the journey because he deemed the finding thereof to be ominous to some Kingdome he brought it along with him and layde it up in the country for a Iewell This marble Fergusius obtained towards the prospering of his voyage and in Scotland he left it which they used many yeares after in Coronation of their King at Scona But Fergusius though he be scored in the row of Kings for one and the first yet he held himselfe there obscurely sundry times beat backe into Ireland where he was finallie drowned by misfortune within the Creeke of Knockfergus That Fergusius encountred with Coilus the Brittaine and slew him as writeth the Scotts it is impossible except they mistake the name of Coilus for Calius with whom indeede the age of Fergusius might well meete and the rather for that in the first yeare of his raigne the Picts entred and then Fergusius immediately after them 330. yeares ere Christ was borne Now Coilus raigned in the yeare of our Lord 124. about which time befell the second arrivall of the Picts in Brittaine so it seemeth they mistake by a slight error Coilus for Calius and the second arrivall of the Picts for the former This confusion of Histories is learnedly noted by Cooper in his generall collection of Chronicles CAP. XI How the Irish setled themselves in Scotland REturne wee now to the course of our Historie while the Picts were bestowed in the north of Brittaine and waxed populous the Irish made sundry arrands over to visite their Daughters Nephewes and kindred In often comming and going they noted waste places and little Ilands not replenished but rather neglected and suffered to grow wilde Hereof in Ireland they advertised their Prince namely Reuther or Rheuda who being the Issue of Fergusius bethought himselfe of his interest to certaine peeces of land beside the nation of the Picts Hee therefore well appointed partly by composition and some deale perforce stepped into those hamlets which no man occupied proceeded hansomely to reare his kingdome By little and little he edged forward and got betweene the Picts and Brittaines on this side the Scottish banke which he possessed but a season The place was thereof named Rheudisdale now Riddesdale asmuch to say as the part of Rheuda for dahal in their language signifieth part In those quarters after sundry conflicts with the borderers hee was by them slaine but the kingdome lasted in his successours still and the tvvo nations the Picts and the Irish lovingly suffered each other to thrive The Scotts caught up the Islands the Frontiers The Picts dwelt in the middle Soone after the peace betweene them vvent suspitions the diversities of people place custome language vvith the memorie of old grudges stirred up such inward jealousies and hate that it seemed they were easie to kindle as in such factions there never wanteth drifte to drive a tumult so it happened that
kept in his court with diverse yongmen his schoole-fellowes openly adjured the King to suffer him and them to depart and serve God as they were accustomed which being now sundred and distrayned of libertie they had partly discontinued immediately they were dismissed he died Bishop of Fernes and laide the foundation of that Burrogh Molingus the successor of S. Madoc being Bishop tooke himselfe to voluntary labour with his owne hands drived a running spring to his Monastery enduring that travaile dayly after prayer and study eight yeares together Fintan the Abbot was had in such veneration that whereas Colm King of Leinster kept prisoner Cormak the Kings sonne of Kensill He went boldly with 12. of his Disciples through the presse of the Souldiours and in sight of the King rescued the young Prince for the Irish in no wayes are outragious against holy men I remember Cambrensis writeth himselfe merrily to have objected to Morris then Archbishop of Cashell that Ireland in so many hundred yeares had not brought forth one Martyr The Bishop answered pleasantly but alluding to the late murther of Thomas of Canterbury Our people quoth he notwithstanding their other enormities yet have ever more spared the bloode of Saints marry now we are delivered to such a nation that is well acquainted with making Martyrs henceforwards I trust this complaint shall cease Malachias was borne in Ardmagh of noble parents cherished in vertue by example of his Mother and trayned up in learning even yet a very babe he vvas oft-times espied to steale from his companions to pray in secret so grave modest that of himselfe he choosed alwayes the most severe and rigorous Schoolemasters and refused an excellent Clerke only because he saw him somewhat lightly demeaned at game In the beginning of his youth hee yeelded himselfe the Disciple of Imarius an old recluse whose austerity of conversation the whole towne admired There he became a Deacon and at twenty five yeares a Priest The Archbishop for the fame and opinion of his worthinesse made him his Coadjutor in the which office he reformed superstitions and revived the strength of religion specially the uniformitie of their Church service wherein before time they jarred The famous monastery of Banchor he reedified of the patrimony legacies by his Vncle left him The same Monastery was of old time first governed by Congellus and then proceeded Columbanus the father of many religious houses in France Banchor had beene so stored with Moncks that no houre of day nor night they ceased but some company or other was in continuall succession at divine service Of which brethren there were in one day murthred 900. and the place spoyled whose possessions conveyed to Malachias by his Vncle hee restored forthwith and bettered the foundation At the age of thirtie yeares he was by Canonicall election forced to accept the Bishopricke of Conereth a people of all the Irish then most savage and bestiall whom he with inestimable toyle reclaymed In the meane while died Celsus Archbishop of Ardmagh to whom succeeded Malachias at the age of thirty eight years But ere this wel-nigh the space of 200. yeares together a pestilent custome had crept into the country that the Metropolitanes See was inferred upon meere lay persons of the blood royall in manner by inheritance wherefore Nigellus the next of kindred animated by the partiality of some Princes getting into his custody the Bible and Staffe and other Ornaments of S. Patricke whereunto the eares of the common people tyed the prelacy came to the Pallace with a bande of Souldiours to have slaine the Bishop When all the people wept and howled for his perill he alone stepped into the bosome of his enemies demaunding their purpose The very Tyrants letting fall their weapons in stead of the murder conspired fell to reverence him and departed friends Three yeares he sate in the primacy rather to discontinue the horrible corruption before used then with intent to abide there and their error having disanulled the abuse he procured Gelasius to be his Successor and returned to his former Bishopricke of Downe For to Downe was then annexed Coner But Malachias understanding that in times past they were severall sundred them againe and preferred another to the Diocesse of Coner desirous rather to discharge his cure then to enlarge the fruites while he preached a woman fell at his feete and besought his prayer for that she had gone now with childe fifteene moneths and twenty dayes nor could by any meanes be delivered which done the newes of her delivery was reported before the assembly brake up Hee threatned vengance to a Captaine unlesse he would turne away the Concubine he kept the same being also his brothers Concubine The Captaine tooke it disdainefully and within one houre was slaine by a conspiracy of women whose Daughters and servants he had defiled There dwelt in Lismore a notable Clerke of conversation upright but corrupt in judgement of religion this fellow advancing his doctrine offered disputation to the Bishop before the multitude when he was forced to silence with the waight of truth yet he cavelled maliciously that not the cause nor learning but the countenance and credit of Malachias had wonne the victory To whom the Bishop answered our Lord compell thee even maugre thine owne willfullnesse to acknowledge thine errors At these words the Clerke and intending to fly the sight of men was prevented with a mortall infirmity and beseeching the Bishop of his peace and communion died immediatly reconciled to God and holy Church Being demaunded of his Brethren the Moncks of Banchor where and when hee would wish to dye and be buryed if it lay in his choyse hee answered If in Ireland beside the body of S. Patricke If beyond the seas at Clarivall where S. Bernard was then famous and in the feast of All Soules He cast in his minde within a few dayes to sue to Eugenius the third for the increase of the number of Metropolitanes which request was shortly after sped and in this voyage he rested at Clarivall and there diverse times openly foretold that his yeare of departing was come accordingly when he had taken leave of S. Bernard and the brethren descended from his chamber to Church and received the rites of a christian man he returned to his lodging and dyed on All Soules day in the yeare of his age fifty foure so mildely and peaceably that it seemed rather a sleepe then a death There his obsequies was solemnized and miracles wrought at his tombe and from thence his body was translated to Ardmagh in the yeare 1192. Malchus though borne Irish yet he spent most part of his time in the monastery of Winchester in England from thence assumpted Bishop of Lismore him also remembreth S. Bernard upon occasion A lunaticke childe he cured in Bishopping him This miracle was through the world seene and confessed of many hundreds There happened the same time a discord
Duvenaldus Prince of Limericke vvhom Dermot his father holpe in field foyled the enemy and then vvithdrevv his obedience from the Monarch Shamefull was Roderickes flight and Dermot insinuated into the favour of his people began to recount the confederates of his first misfortune and consulted with the two Captaines for the invasion of Connaght finding them prest he wrote over to the Earle Strongbow renewed their covenants prayed his helpe Richard Earle Strongbow whose auncestors came in vvith the Conquest but commonly of the King and his successors disfavoured having read the letters he passed to King Henry besought him either to answere him his rightfull heritage vvhich other men occupied or to licence him else vvhere in uncouth lands to seeke his fortune The King halfe in derision bad him on in the name of God even as farre as his feete could beare him The Earle dissembling to perceive the hollovvnes of the king furnished his Cousin Reymond le Grose Nephevv to the brethren aforesaid vvith ten Knights and 70. Bovvmen himselfe ensued vvith about 200. Knights and 1000. lusty Welchmen tryed Souldiours shortly they vvanne the Citty of Waterford and then immediately Mac Murrough accomplished his convention gave to the Earle in marriage his daughter Eve with the succession of his Kingdome When Waterford was gotten and Leinster pacified and the Princes of Ossory tamed and a chosen band ever in garrison Mac Murrough became so terrible that none durst encounter him The Cleargy assembled themselves at Ardmagh and with one accord did protest that for all their sinnes and especially for the Turkish kinde of Tyrany which they used in buying and selling and with vile slaveries oppressing the bodies of the English whom their pyrats tooke their land was like to be translated to that nation whose captives they handled so cruelly To appease in part the indignation of God they decreed that all English wheresoever in hold within the realme should forthwith be loosed Further if it pleased God to scourge them it should be meekely suffered as farre beneath the debt of their deserts King Henry though he was well apayed that the Earle should be from him yet he liked no deale his growing in Ireland to such power as percase in time to come with his faction in Wales then living under a Prince of their owne he might be able to face the Crowne of England An edict was therefore drawne whereby all subjects were charged upon their perill to reverte into England by a day and a caveat annexed that upon paine of death none should presume to passe over without a nevv warrant nor ship over any wares money munition or victuals into Ireland Thus had the Irish a breathing space and would perhaps have picked greater benefits thereby had not the Normans beene in their top immediately after Great force they laide to Divelin but vvere valiantly repelled and their Captaine Hasculphus taken prisoner who being calmely intreated began to overview himselfe and to imagine that the Citizens durst not use him extreamely once in open audience brake forth his unseasonable courage in these wordes Take this quoth he but for hansell the game is to come which heard they delayed him no longer but pusht him downe on a blocke and swapped off his head Strongbow perceiving the Kings jealously not yet allayed having wel-nigh spent his army in defence of diverse good townes impugned by Rodericke and the Irish left sufficient warde till his returne and met the King at Gloucester To whom he writeth declaring the envy that lurked in his preferment yeelded the tittle of all his winnings craved good countenance with his grace contented himselfe with any portion whatsoever his Majesty should relinquish a finall quietnesse was driven betweene them Dublin with th' appurtenances and all port townes of Leinster all fortresses reserved to the King The Earle should enjoy with good leave whatsoever he had gotten beside This yeare dyed Mac Murrow and the Abbey de Castro Dei was founded Soone after the King with five hundred Knights with archers and horsemen many more tooke shore at Waterford and was such a terrour to the Irish that incontinently all Mounster submitted themselves to his peace There the men of Wexford to feede the surmises of Henry conceived against the gentlemen betrayed their Lord Fitz Stephens and him delivered to the King The King to gratifie them for a while tremely chained and hampered the prisoner quarrelling with him notwithstanding the inhibition he had proceeded in atchieving the conquest of Ireland but shortly hee enlarged him and ratified the grants of Wexford above-mentioned These Princes of the South sware fidelity and tribute to Henry Dermot Carâ—ye King of Corke Donald Obrene king of Limericke Donald and Omalaghlien puissant Lords of Ossory and in briefe all the states of Mounster from thence hee journeyed to Dublin where in like manner all the Captaines of Leinster and Ororicke king of Meth and Rodericke Oconor king of Connaght and of all Ireland for himselfe and the whole Iland humbly recognized his soveraignety finally no man there was of name in the land except them of Vlster but they to him bowed and sware obeysance All which he feasted royally with a dinner of Cranes flesh a fowle till then utterly abhorred of the Irish. Merlin had prophesied that five should meete and the sixt should scourge them This sixt they now construed to be Henry in whom the five pettie Kingdomes were united Of the same conquest prophesied their foure notable Saints Patricke Brachon Colme and Moling The King not unmindfull of his charge enjoyned by the Popes Adrian and Alexander entred into a reformation of the Church and mooved the famous Bishop of Lismore Saint Christian their Legate to call a Synode at Cashell wherein they defined Eight Articles 1. First that their people should abandon unlawfull contracts of their cousins and allyes and observe the Canons of Matrimonie 2. That their Infants should be primestened of the Priests hand at the Church dore and then baptized in the font of their mother Church 3. That all faithfull duely pay their Tithes 4. That holy Church be for ever quit of those cursed exactions of diet and harborow whereunto they had beene accustomably strayned foure seasons in the yeare and else against right 5. That the fine levyed for manslaughter be not borne by the Clearkes and kinsmen to the malefactour but if he were accessary or faulty to the deed doing 6. That the sicke doe his Testament to be made or read in the presence of credible persons 7. That the funerals of the dead be devoutly and solemnly kept 8. That forasmuch as GOD hath universally delivered them into the government of the English they should in all points rights and ceremonies accord with the Church of England To these things Gelasius Primate of Ardmagh because he was old and impotent gave his consent at Divelin in the presence of the King he died two yeares after
so aged that his sustenance was the milke of a white Cow which he carried with him wheresoever he travelled This yeere the Abbey de fonte vivo was founded While all went well in Ireland newes came that Henry the sonne whom his father had for good purpose crowned King of England was misledde to intrude upon the actuall possession of the Crowne in his fathers life-time which stirre to appease the King left the custody of Ireland with Hugh de Lacy to whom he gave Meth in fee with Fitz Stephens Fitz Gerald and Philip de Bruise and diverse others and sayled into England In absence of King Henry Ororick King of Meth surnamed Monoculus required conference and parley with Hugh de Lacy in which communication the King had trayterously murdered Lacy had not Fitz Gerald rescued him Then stept out an ambushment of the Irish but Griffin a Gentleman of the bloud royall in Wales flighted the Kyrneghes and slevv Ororick The English perceived such practices daylie sought and attempted tooke from the Irish as farre as they durst all trust of government fenced themselves vvith garrisons made Captaines Keepers and Constables vvheresoever they vvanne the better But King Henry vvas so affrighted vvith his sonnes rebellion and grevv into such envye both at home and abroad for the death of Thomas late Archbishop of Canterbury that he had no vvill to mind his proceedings in Ireland Ever his jealousie increased tovvardes the Earle Strongbow vvhom he supposed easie to bee carryed avvay vvith any light occasion of tumult The Earle vvas a man of great birth but not of great port until this good marriage befell him knovving himselfe neither to be brooked in sight nor trusted out of sight kept still one certaine rate in all his doings bare but lovve saile fed no quarrells shunned all suspicious conference While they stood thus in a mammaring and Letters ctme daylie over hovv faintly the States and Princes of Ireland performed obedience for except in Leinster all other parts retayned still their auncient kinde of government and did onely acknovvledge Tribute It vvas thought expedient by Henryes Counsellours to discharge his minde of that care and seeing there vvas trouble on all sides and all could not bee intended one vvay they determined to venture the custody of Ireland to Strongbow being likely for his ovvne vvealth and assurance to procure all possible meanes of bridling and annoying the Irish. No sooner vvas the Earle landed with his Commission Lord Warden of Ireland but Donald King of Limericke met him at the vantage and coursed him within the walls of Waterford whereof hearing the residue their mates were animated so that up they start in every corner tagge and ragge to expell the English It went hardly then the Earle remembred himselfe of his cousin Lord Reymond left behinde him in Wales a suitor to Basil his sister whose marriage nothing stopped but the Earles consent Now therefore hee writeth lovingly to the Wooer and upon condition that hee came speedily to succour him hee yeelded the Lady and all else at pleasure Reymond in his first entry brake into Divelin marryed his Wife in compleate Armour and the very next daye sprang foorth whipped the Rebells quieted Leinster Also the Cleargy having lately perused the Popes Bull wherein hee entitleth Henry Lord of Ireland and under straight paynes commaundeth alleagiance unto him busily repressed the fury of their Countreymen And forsomuch as immediatly after Christianity planted there the whole Iland had with one consent given themselves not only into the spirituall but also into the temporall jurisdiction of the See of Rome which temporall right the two Bishops Adrian and Alexander had freely derived into King Henry as by their publique instruments read in their counsell at Cashell appeareth they denounced curse and excommunication to any that would maliciously gainsay or frustrate the same When these bâ—oyles were rocked asleepe and husht for a time the familiars of Strongbow greatly fore-thought them of the credit and rule committed to Reymond whom in conclusion they procured home againe vvhen he had served their turne at neede The meane vvhile dyed Strongbow as some say betrayed and vvounded he lyeth buryed in the Body of Christ Church in Divelin leaving behinde him one onely daughter Isabel marryed after 14. yeares to VVilliam Earle marshall Closely they concealed Strongbowes death untill they had compassed from the King another Governour after their owne tooth For ever they dreaded that Reymond being in the Princes eye and friended in the Court would catch his oportunity and wynde himselfe might he get an inkling in time of the Earles death into the succession of his office which even then waxed sweet and savoury Coodgellors of this drift stopped messengers intercepted letters hasted on their own course Basil the wife of Reymond more dutiful to her husband then naturall to her brother continued still in Ireland sicke but having privy knowledge of those newes ere the breath was quite out of the Earles body payned her selfe to disturbe this whole array And whereas shee knew well her letters should bee searched and her owne servants stayed shee let it be delivered at all a very venture to one of the maryners and therein draweth a long processe of her affayres and houshold but in the middle shuffles in a few lines of her meaning under these tearmes To all my afflictions is added now lately the tooth-ake so that except that one master-tooth had fallen which I send you for a token I weene I were better out of my life Now was the tooth tipped with golde and burnished feately like a present which Reymond wist well to bee none of hers and therefore quickly smelled the construction lingred not for Letters Pattents but stept over presently and made his packe and was elected by the Kings Agents there Lord Protectour of Ireland till the Kings pleasure were further knowne During his authority flourished the Geraldines but shortly after they quayled againe under the government of VVilliam Fitz Aldelin with him was joyned in commission the valiant Knight Iohn de Courcy conquerour and Earle of Vlster which hitherto the King had not obtained That yeare was founded the Abbey of Crockesden by Bertramus de Verdon To establish the conquest of Vlster and other victories of the parts of Ireland before enjoyed Alexander the third sent his Cardinall Vivianus vvho declareth the Title that Henry held of the Pope the reservation of the Peter-pence the indignation of GOD and holy Church against the rebells who beeing themselves contemners and breakers of Canons Ecclesiasticall yet for maintenance of their unruly stomackes had found the meanes to make Churches their barnes bestowing therein both corne and pulse that the victuallers and purveyors of the Princes campe should not dare to require the sale thereof for perill of sacriledge Therefore hee licenseth Officers in this behalfe soberly and discreetely to convent such persons as made the
right to Leinster VValter Fitz Richard who came from Normandy with VVilliam Conquerour died Lord Strongbow of Strigule alias Chepstow without issue to whom succeeded his sisters sonne Gilbert who was created the first Earle of Pembroke had issue Richard the inheritour of Leinster by a covenant marriage of Eva the sole daughter of Mac Murrough King of Leinster This Richard conveyed to Henry the second all his title and held of him the Lordship of Leinster in foure counties Weixford Catherlagh Ossory and Kildare Richard left issue a daughter Isabel married to VVilliam Earle marshall of England now Earle of Pembroke Lord Strongbow and Lord of Leinster VVilliam had issue five sonnes who died without issue when every of them except the youngest had successively possessed their fathers lands and five daughters Maude â—oane Isabel Sibil and Eve among whom the patrimony was parted in an 31. H. 3. Of these daughters bestowed in marriage are descended many noble houses as the Mortimers Bruises Clares c. borne subjects to the Crowne of England paying ever to the King his dutyes reserved Hugh de Lacy Conquerour of Meth had issue VValter de Lacy who held the same of King Iohn paying a fine of foure thousand marks sterling and hence beganne all the severall claimes there at this day with allegiance sworne and done by their auncestours At the very first arrivall of Henry the second the Princes of Mounster came universally and did homage voluntarily and acknowledged to him and his heires duties and payes for ever Iohn de Courcy Conquerour and Earle of Vlster dyed without issue King Iohn Lord of Ireland gave the Earledome to Hugh de Lacy who had issue VValter and Hugh dead without issue and one daughter married to Reymond Burke Conquerour and Lord of Connaght Connaght descended to diverse heires owing service to the Prince but Vlster is returned by devolution to the speciall inheritance and revenues of the Crowne of England in this manner The said De Burgo had issue Richard who had issue Iohn who had issue VVilliam who was slaine without issue and a Daughter Elizabeth intytled to thirty thousand marks yearely by the Earledome of Vlster whom Edward the 3. gave in marriage to Leonel his second sonne Duke of Clarence who had issue a daughter Philippe marryed to Edmund Mortymer who had issue Edmund Anne Elinor Edmund and Elinor died without issue Anne was married to Richard Earle of Cambridge sonne to Edmund of Laugley Duke of Yorke fift sonne to Edward the third which said Richard had issue Richard Plantagenet father to Edward the fourth father to Elizabeth wife to Henry the seventh and mother to Henry the eight father to Mary Edward the sixt and Elizabeth Severall claimes to the Land of Ireland 1. First that the Irish for of the rest there is no question were subjects to the the Crowne of Brittaine before they set foote in Ireland Thus it appeareth They dwelt on that side of Spaine whereof Bayon was then cheife imperiall Citie and the same then in possession and obedience to Gurguntius 376. yeares ere Christ was borne as it was to his successours many a day after namely to Henry the which as I finde noted in certaine precepts of governement dedicated by Iames Young to Iames Butler Earle of Ormond then Lieutenant of Ireland an 1416. From this coast and Citty now part of Gascoigne came the fleete of those Iberians who in 60. ships met Gurguntius on the sea returning from the conquest of Denmarke to whom they yeelded oath and service sued for dwelling were by him conducted and planted in Ireland and became his leige people 2. Mac Gil-murrow King of Ireland with all his petty Princes Lordes and Captaines summoned to King Arthurs court held in Carlion an 519. did accordingly their homage and attended all the while his great feast and assembly lasted 3. The Monarch of Ireland and all other both reges and reguli for them and for theirs for ever betooke themselves to Henry the second in an Dom. 1172. namely those of the south whiles he lay at Waterford Dermot King of Corke which is the nation of Mac Cartyes at Cashell Donald King of Limricke which is the nation of the Obrenes Donald King of Ossory Mac Shaghlen King of Ophaly at Divelin did the like Okeruell King of Vriell Ororicke king of Meth Rodericke King of all Ireland and of Connaght This did they with consents and shoutes of their people and king Henry returned without any Battle given Onely Vlster remained which Iohn de Courcy soone after conquered and Oneale Captaine of all the Irish there came to Dublin to Richard the 2. in an 1399. And freely bound himselfe by oath and great summes of money to be true to the crowne of England 4. The same time Obrene of Thomond Oconor of Connaght Arthur Mac Murrow of Leinster and all the Irish Lords which had beene somewhat disordered renewed their obedience 5. When Ireland first received Christendome they gave themselves into the jurisdiction both spirituall temporall of the See of Rome The temporall Lordship Pope Adrian conferred upon Henry the second and hee gave the same to Iohn his younger sonne afterwards King of England and so it returned home to the Crowne 6. Alexander the 3. confirmed the gift of Adrian as in both their Charters is expressed at large 7. Vivian the legate on the Popes behalfe doth accurse and excommunicate all those that flitte from the obeysance of the Kings of England 8. The cleargy twice assembled once at Cashell secondly at Ardmagh plainely determined the conquest to be lawfull and threatned all people under paine of Gods and holy Churches indignation to accept the English kings for their Lords from time to time 9. It would aske a volume to recite the names of such Irish Princes who since the conquest have continually upon occasions revolts or petitions sworne truth and faith to the kings of England from time to time received honours wages fees pardons and petitions And thus I thinke no reasonable man will doubt of a right so old so continued so ratified so many wayes confessed CAP. III. Richard the first and King Iohn BY occasion of Lacyes mishap Iohn Courcye and Hugh de Lacye the younger with all their assistants did streight execution upon the Rebells and preventing every mischiefe ere it fell stayed the Realme from uproares Thus they continued lovingly and lived in wealth and honour all the dayes of Richard the first untill the first yeare of King Iohns raigne Henry the second had issue male VVilliam Henry Richard Ieffrey and Iohn VVilliam Henry and Richard dyed without issue Ieffrey Earle of Brittaine dyed before his father and left issue two daughters and an after-borne son called Arthur whose title to the Crowne as being the undoubted lyne of the elder brother Philip King of France and certaine Lords of England and Ireland stoutly justified Him had King Iohn taken prisoner in Normandy and
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 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
I thinke some Princes Bastard no Butchers sonne exceeding wise faire spoken high minded full of revenge vicious of his body lofty to his enemies were they never so bigge to those that accepted and sought his friendship wonderfull courteous a ripe Schooleman thrall to affections brought a bed with flattery insatiable to get more princelike in bestowing as appeareth by his two Colledges at Ipswich and at Oxenford th' one suppressed with his fall th' other unfinished and yet as it lieth an house of Students considering all appurtenances incomparable through Christendome whereof Henry the eight is now called Founder because hee let it stand He held and enjoyed at once the Bishopricks of Yorke Durham and Winchester the dignities of Lord Cardinall Legate and Chancellour The Abbey of S. Albans diverse Prioryes sundry fat Benefices in Commendam A great preferrer of his servants advauncer of learning stoute in every quarrell never happy till his overthrow Therein he shewed such moderation and ended so patiently that the houre of his death did him more honour then all the pompe of life passed The Cardinall perceived that Kildare was no Babe and rose in a fume from the Councell table committed the Earle deferred the matter till more direct probations came out of Ireland After many meetinges and objections wittily refelled they pressed him sore with a trayterous errant sent by his daughter the Lady of Slane to all his brethren to Oneale Oconnor and their adherents wherein he exhorted them to warre upon the Earle of Ossory then Deputy which they accomplished making a wretched conspiracy against the English of Ireland and many a bloody skirmish Of this Treason he was found guilty and reprived in the Towre a long time the Gentleman betooke himselfe to God and the King was heartily loved of the Lieutenant pittied in all the Court and standing in so hard a case altered lâ—â—tle his accustomed hue comforted other Noblemen prisoners with him dissembling his owne sorrow One night when the Lieutenant and he for disport were playing at slide-groat suddainely commeth from the Cardinall a mandat to execute Kildare on the morrow The Earle marking the Lieutenants deepe sigh in reading the bill By Saint Bride quoth he there is some mad game in that scrolle but fall how it will this throw is for a huddle when the worst was told him now I pray thee quoth he doe no more but learne assuredly from the Kings owne mouth whether his Grace be witting thereto or not Sore doubted the Lieutenant to displease the Cardinall yet of very pure devotion to his friend he posteth to the King at midnight and said his errant for all houres of the day or night the Lieutenant hath accesse to the Prince upon occasions King Henry controwling the sawcynesse of the Priest those were his tearmes gave him his Signet in token of countermand which when the Cardinall had seene he begun to breake into unseasonable words with the Lieutenant which he was loath to heare and so he left him fretting Thus broke up the storme for a time and the next yeare VVolsey was cast out of favour within few yeares Sir VVilliam Skevington sent over Deputy who brought vvith him the Earle pardoned and rid from all his troubles Who vvould not thinke but these lessons should have schooled so vvise a man and vvarned him rather by experience of adversities past to cure old sores then for joy of this present fortune to minde seditious drifts to come The second yeare of Skevingtons governement there chaunced an uproare among the Merchants and their Apprentices in Divelin which hard and scant the Deputy and Major both could appease Then was also great stirre about the Kings divorce who hearing the frowardnes of Ireland under Skevington and thinking it expedient in so fickle a world to have a sure poste there made Kildare his Deputy the Primate of Ardmagh Lord Chancellor and Sir Iames Butler Lord Treasurer But Kildare reviving the old quarrels fell to prosecute the Earle of Ossory excited Oneale to invade his country his Broâ—her Iohn Fitz Gerald to spoyle the country of Vriell and Kilkenny being himselfe at the doing of part namely in robbing the towne and killing the Kings subjects The next yeare going against O-Carrol he was pittifull hurt with a Gun in the thigh so that he never after enjoyed his limmes nor delivered his wordes in good plight otherwise like enough to have beene longer forborne in consideration of his many noble qualities great good service and the state of those times Straight wayes complaints were addressed to the King of these enormities that in the most haynous manner could be devised whereupon he was againe commaunded by sharpe letters to repaire into EnglaÌ„d to leave such a substitute for whose govermeÌ„t he would undertake at his perill to answere He left his heire the Lord Thomas Fitz Gerald and ere he went furnished his owne pyles forts and castles with the Kings artillery munition taken forth of Divelin Being examined before the Councell he staggered in his answere either for conscience of the fact or for the infirmity of his late maâ—me Wherefore a false muttering flew abroad that his execution was intended That rumour helped forward Skevingtons friends and servants who sticked not to write into Ireland secret letters that the Earle their Masters enemy so they tooke him because he got the governement over his head was cut shorter and now they trusted to see their Master againe in his Lordship whereafter they sore longed as crowes doe for carryon Such a letter came to the hands of a simple Priest no perfect English man who for haste hurled it among other papers in the Chimneyes end of his chamber meaning to peruse it better at more leisure The same very night a Gentleman retaining to Lord Thomas then Lord Deputy under his father tooke up his lodging with the Priest and raught in the morning for some paper to drawe on his straite hosen and as the devill would he hit upon the letter bare it away in the heele of his his hose no earthly thing misdeeming at night againe he found the paper unfretted and musing thereof began to pore on the writing which notified the Earles death To horsbacke got he in all haste and spreading about the country these unthrifty tydings Lord Thomas the Deputy rash and youthfull immediately confedered himselfe with Oneale and O-Connor with his Vnkles and Fathers friends namely Iohn Oliver Edward Fitz Gerald Iames and Iohn Delahide VVelch parson of Loughseudy Burnel of Balgriffen Rorcks a pirat of the seas Bath of Dullardston Feild of Buske with others and their adherents guarded he rideth on S. Barnabyes day to S. Mary Abbey where the Councell sate and when they looked he should take his place and rose to give it him hee charged them to sit still and stood before them and then spake Howsoever injuriously we be handled and forced to defend our selves in armes when
signifieth a skilfull archer And these Pictes brought with them the use of darts which the Irish retaine to this day But I come to Beda who goeth plaine to worke When the Britaines saith hee had possessed the greatest part of the Isle beginning at the South it happened that a nation of Pictes out of Scythia with long shippes yet not many entred the Ocean the winde driving them about beyond all the coast of Brittaine they came into Ireland and arived in the North and finding there the nation of Scots desired of them to grant them a dwelling place amongst them but they could not obtaine it c. The Scots made answere that the Iland could not hold them both but wee can give you said they good counsaile what you may doe We know another Island not farre from ours reaching to the East the which we are wont oft to discerne in cleare dayes if you will goe thither you may make it your dwelling place or if any withstand you take vs for your aide And so the Pictes sayling into Britaine began to inhabite the North parts of the Iland for the Britaine 's held the South And when the Pictes had no wives and sought them of the Scots they were granted them onely upon this condition that when the title of Soveraigntie became doubtfull they should choose them a King rather of the Feminine bloud royall then of the Masculine the which unto this day is observed amongst the Pictes And in processe of time Britaine after the Britaines and Picts received that third nation of the Scots upon that part where the Pictes had their habitation who issuing out of Ireland with their Captaine Reuda either by loue or by the sword have wonne peculiarly unto themselves those seats which they hold unto this day and of this their captaine they are called Dalreudin for in their language Dal signifieth apart And here I cannot but meruaile at Hector Boetius and Buchanan what confusion they bring into the historie without regard of the truth they name Beda they call Reuda Reuther and say that he was the sixt King of Albania and that the Britaine 's made him flee into Ireland and that in the end he was restored to his kingdome againe which can no way agree with the words of reverend Beda whose credit we may not impeach for he saith they were Scythians and wanted a dwelling place and beganne to inhabit the North parts of the Iland If Reuda were King of Albania no thanke to the Irish men to direct him thither But let us goe on with the Pictes I finde in Lanquet that the Pictes were rebellious an 9 of Arviragus Anno. Domini 53. And Polycronicon affircteth as Beda wrote before that they came to the North of Ireland in Vespasians time Stow saith it was in Anno 73. Matthew the Monke of Westminster in Anno 75. and 76. Leslaeus and Bozius write that Reuda came about the yeere 360. which is very doubtfull and that then the Pictes wanting wives desired of the Britaines that they might march with their nation their suit being denied they went to the Irish who granted them wives upon the condition in Beda before rehearsed And farther Giraldus Cambrensis Polycronicon and Grafton concurring doe say that Scotland was first called Albania of Albanactus secondly Pictlandia of the Pictes thirdly Hibernia Ireland because of the alliance or affinitie in marriage betweene the Pictes and Irish last of all Scotland or Scythians land And hereof it commeth to passe that Ireland is called Scotland and Scotland Ireland the Irish Scots and the Scots Irish as one hath largely collected and the distinction of Scotia Major and Scotia Minor Harding hath an historie out of Mewinus a Brittish Chronicler Harding lived in the time of Henry the fift and sixt and in the daies of Edward the fourth which if it be true all that is formerly spoken of Gathelus and Scota his wife by the Scottish and Irish Chroniclers is of small credit namely how that Gathelus and Scota came into these North parts together with the Pictes Anno Domini 75. his words are these speaking of the King of Britaine Then to the Peights left alive he gave Catenesse To dwell upon and have in heritage Which wedded were with Irish as I gesse Of which after Scots came on that linage For Scots be to say their language A collection of many into one Of which the Scots were called so anone But Mewinus the Bryton Chronicler Saith in his Chronicle otherwise That Gadelus and Scota in the yeere Of Christ seventie and five by assise At Stone inhabite as might suffice And of her name the country round about Scotland she cald that time without doubt This Scota was as Mewin saith the sage Daughter and bastard of King Pharao that day Whom Gadele wedded and in his old age Vnto a land he went where he inhabited ay Which yet of his name is called Gadelway And with the Peights he came into Albanie The yeere of Christ aforesaid openlie c. Polycronicon and Cambrensis accord with Harding in this point that the King gave the Pictes a place to dwell in which is now called Galleway And saith Ponticus Virunius it was desert and waste where none dwelled in many dayes before The credit of Harding is great and he that list to know farther of him let him reade Bale Bishop of Ossorie who wrote his life I will now neither confirme nor confute but acquainte the reader with such antiquities as I finde and in a word to adde something unto that which went before of the time of the Pictes comming into these North and North-west parts Florilegus writeth it was Anno Domini 77. Functius and Polydore Anno Dom. 87. To reconcile the dissonance what every one saith may stand for truth for they came in severall companies and at severall times some into Ireland some into Albania and some into England I will from henceforward leave writing the kingdome of Albania and write the kingdome of Scotland Anno Dom. 73. began Marius the sonne of Arviragus to raigne in Britaine Humfrey Lloide calleth him Meurig who after his troublesome warres for nine yeeres space against the Picts and Scots ended with the helpe of Iulius Agricola is said to have aspired towards Ireland and to have placed garrisons on the coast and to the end he might performe some exploite there entertained an Irish Prince that was driven out of his country by civill dissention for his conductor I finde no issue recorded of this businesse In the 15. yeeres civill warres which ensued vpon the death of Lucius the sonne of Coile King of Britaine it is reported that Fulgenius called the Ilanders Albanians Pictes and Irish men to his aide against whom Severus the Emperour comming from Rome gave them battaile neere unto Yorke where Severus and a Prince of Ireland were slaine and Fulgenius deadly wounded the Emperour Severus
and the Irish Prince lye buried at Yorke In the antiquities of Ireland I finde that about the dayes of Constantine the great who beganne his raigne anno Dom. 310. one Realmond King of Vlster fell in love with a Lady of Leinster who had beene wife to the King of Connaught a woman they say of meane stature but of singular beautie when many Princes and Lords of Ireland laboured to winne her fauour her answer was that none should enjoy her loue but a Champion that by Marshall prowesse had prevailed in forraigne countries quitted himselfe like a man wonne the Garland and brought tribute with him to his native soile Realmond being overcome with the love of this Lady hoised up saile and went for France where he encounrted with a Champion and wonne a Garland called Civica Afterward comming to great Britain hee challenged the Duke of Cornewall and got of him a tribute thence he went into Scotland and encountred with Gyant Castreus and prevailed such was the manner of winning honour and dignity by marshall feates in those daies saith Saxo Grammaticus last of all he came backe to Ireland and acquainted his love the Lady he formerly sought for with his travaile his dangerous adventures and his good successe and now having prevailed abroad hee doubted not at home in regard of his kingdome his kindred and valour but to obtaine her fauour Shee being made throughly acquainted with his affaires abroad and at home gave many a sigh in his absence fearing some mischance might come to him and wishing she had not so peremptorily answered him but he no sooner came in place but she relented from her former hardnesse and with all speed the solemnity of marriage was performed But the match was disdained by others insomuch that he was hated of the Princes and Nobilitie of Ireland who had formerly affected the Lady whereof grew mutinies contentions and at last open warre and hee finding himselfe weake in comparison of his enemies was forced to flee into Denmarke where hee found favour and great aide of worthy Souldiers which came with him into Ireland where he and his generation together with the Danes and their posteritie effected many notable acts and continued many yeeres The Danes of the lyne of Fin Eryn that came out of Denmarke were these David the Kings sonne who had to his sonne borne in Ireland Deure Dove who had foure sonnes Covrry Boyskene Fyagh and Oghe Boyskene had a sonne called Garreneslo and Con-Caghmore was his sonne Con had a sonne named Ferrelogh and he had a sonne called Trenmore this Trenmore had to his sonne Coylle Negoe and he had a sonne called Fin-Fa alias Fin Mac Coylle and he had a sonne caled Oshen and he had a sonne called Osker This Oshen lived in Anno Dom. 432. in the dayes of Saint Patricke unto whom he made relation of many things before going and was by him baptized being of the age of seven score yeeres For proofe of this historie I finde in Saxo Grammaticus that wrote the historie of the Danes that Fin and Finni were a great sept there hardy stalworth men given to preying and burning of towne and country and happly the Irish conversing with them did learne those parts of them and that the name of Eric was of the royall bloud among them so Fin Erin turning c. into n. was a great commander there and conducted into Ireland many Danes And happly Ireland of old because of his great command and his posteritie might after him be called Erin this is but my conceit happly others can say more thereof These Danes increased and multiplied exceedingly and became great Commanders and Captaines over the whole land and tooke vpon them the defence thereof against all forraigne invasion In processe of time fell out the battaile of Fentra in Mounster valiantly fought by the Irish and Danes whereof the Irish Chroniclers make great accompt it was fought chiefly in Mounster by the Princes and power of Ireland with the aide of the Danes and generation of Fin Mac Coylle and Fin Eryn in which field they say all the forraigne enemies that came out of Scotland Cornewall Normandie Germany Spaine and Denmarke it selfe were overthrowne The occasion was as followeth Many Gyants and worthy Champions there were in those daies in Ireland of Irish and Danish birth hired by them for their defence these trauelling into forraine countries fought many combats and got yeerely tribute unto their country as the manner then was among such challengers For this they were generally envied and a day was appointed by the invaders to arrive together in Ireland to ouer-runne the country and roote out the whole nation The first company to the number of thirtie thousand landed at the Derrie where Conkedagh one of the Princes of the North being prepared for them by a sleight set their shipping on fire and met with them in a place where they were all overthrowne so that with their Armes those among the Irish that formerly wanted were furnished and made fit for the warres The second company of this combination came to Lambay landed their men at the Follesse of Skerries set their men in battaile array and marched to a place now called Cnoc-nagean that is the hill of dead mens heads where Dermotte Lamhdhearg King of Leinster met them fought a cruell battaile with equall fortune for the space of foure daies the Irish by reason of the spoile and victory got at the former battaile were mightily encouraged and also the milke and fresh meate which the country yeelded them and the strangers wanted made them the more able to fight to be short the strangers were overthrowne and thirty sixe thousand of them slaine whose Armes furnished Ireland throughly to encounter with the rest of the combination The third company came to Fentra in Mounster where the forces of Ireland being gathered together kept them from landing the space of seven dayes with the slaughter of many on both sides so that the sea-shore at sundry times was died redde with the bloud of the slaine karkasses untill that one Gillemore sonne to the King of Thomond being male-content for that he was remoued from the voward of the battaile to the rere revolted and by night stole to the enemie and directed them where they should safely land their men which accordingly came to passe so that the Irish knew it not untill the strangers had set their owne shippes on fire hee withall brought the invaders to such advantage of ground that they refreshed themselues for ten dayes without any annoyance from the Irish and afterward when they came to skirmish did himselfe divers times fight valiantly imbruing his hands in the bloud of his owne naturall countrimen At last it fell out after some bickering that hee called for water to wash his hands that were all full of the bloud of his countrymen which was left stand after he had therein washed and soone after
Gillemore O Connor Dunnes sonne of Connaght one that had stood out in rebellion against the Kings untill that time had in the Voward the leading of the light footmen whereof they made least account he therby to winne their favours and they to hazard him first Dermotte Lamhdhearg King of Leinster had the charge of the horsemen their bonnys were double armed well appointed active and venturous souldiers Dermot being well mounted got him to an advantage of ground and turned him to the armie with this speech My friends and fellowes in Armes whose great valour hath been oft tryed understand I beseech you the cause of this battaile Whereas heretofore we have sought out these and hired them in our warres for our defence and good of our country against our forraine enemies to be at our service and command they have committed all manner of outrage against vs and extortion upon the people of this land they abused our wives ravished our widowes defloured our daughters and maidens their meat their drinke their bedding will not content them but they must have money for eating drinking and sleeping Where they should have beene our true and dutifull seruitors they disdained the Princes of the land and made the people their villaines By maintaining of them wee made our country men idle and unapt for the warres by inriching of them we have beggered our selves and now see the villany of these verlates our provision our furniture our Armes and forces of our native soile they bend against us and not onely this but they have drawn to their present aide afresh both Danes and Norwegians Wherefore plucke up your hearts quitte your selues like men our cause is good wee fight for our selves our wives and children and the libertie of our country if we lose we are lost for euer and our children become bondslaues and our country subiect to these bloudy rascall strangers He had no sooner ended his speech but they all kissed the ground and gave a terrible shout that the woods about them rang thereat On the other side one Osker Mac Oshen experienced in the warres and bold of speech craved of the Danes and Norweyes libertie to speake and began as followeth My masters and fellowes the cause of this our assemblie is knowne unto you it is to maintaine that which we honourably wonne in the field and was granted our ancestors and their posteritie the which we have in writing to shew under the hands and seales of the ancestors of these faithlesse Kings and Princes that be in Armes against us There is no haven creeke or port in Ireland but that our predecessors and we tooke the charge of them since our first arrivall here out of Denmarke and valiantly defended theâ— maugre the beards of all forraigne enemies We fought many a battaile for them wee wanne them tributes and procured them discharge of tributes the which forraigne champions in combats had obtained of them and now for recompence they endevour eyther to banish us the land or put us to the sword Will yee understand what they are surely a people that keepe no promise with us therefore we doubt not but the better to speed and excepting a few of their Princes and Gentlemen that are valiant men indeed and daily exercised in feats of Armes the rest are but pesants poore and needy slaues bare arst bare legd and bare footed and of small strength For Armes they weare a skull a sword by their side hanging in a Wyth that compasseth their middle and a Target other some have darts the best thing in them is they are swift of foot I hope we shal speedily have the experience of that when we see them run away Their good meate best drink we took and made them fast their treasure we tooke to furnish us in apparell and Armes and left them unfurnished and bare their bedding wee had and made them lye on the ground their wives widdowes and maides were at our command to keepe us warme in the night and we gave them leave to lye among their swine The best soile we tooke to our selves and gave them mountaines and bogges alas poore sillie fellowes these be they that now take Armes against us Wherefore faint not be of good courage and we shall prevaile let us winne vantage of ground and get the side of the hill and bogge against them that their horses prevaile not and once master them we shall quickly over-runne the pesants now last kisse one another in token that you will live and die one with another His words being ended they marched forward with Pipes Cornets and Trumpets sounding Their chiefe armes were Skeynes Speares Darts Slings and Sparthes which we call Galloglas Axes they sent their boyes and varlets as they had formerly determined to the top of the hill The King of Leinster that had the leading of the horsemen no sooner espied them but contrary to the plot laid downe upon the hill of Trase put spurres to his horse and with a loud voyce said follow me they were straight upon their backes that fled so that the Danes had no leisure to receive them for their safegard but were driven to kill their owne before as the Irish did behinde Immediately came the light foot under the leading of Gillemore and together with the horse charged the voward of the Danes so that the rascals of the Danes and the light footmen of the Irish were slaine with the death and hurt of many a Dane Then came the great battaile of the Kings of Ireland in rescue of the horse with a great and terrible noise and gave a stout charge upon the enemie that kept the ground I meane the side of the hill and fiercely bare them downe to the bottome where they fought a cruell battell with equall fortune almost the whole day untill the King of Denmarkes sonne was slaine by the King of Leinster whereupon the Danes fled the Irish followed and had the killing of them without resistance till horse and man were weary and the Danes in a manner all destroyed Of the Irish were slaine as I finde in the antiquities of the land foure Kings twenty five Kings sonnes and of others nineteene thousand seven hundred and threescore though others extenuate the matter They say the horses went to their bellies in bloud also the ayre with the stinke was infected and thereof shortly after rose a grievous plague which cut off the wives children and servants of the Danes and of many of the Irish that were slaine There was at this field one Ferreis a Dane a valiant souldier in the fight but escaping with life for very sorrow of the overthrow and losse of his friends fell madde and kept company with wilde beasts to his dying day Fin Mac Coile one of the principall Captaines of the Danish sept was in Rome at the time of this field many things are reported of him worthy remembrance His chiefe house was
Barret Edmund Lane Who flourished in the yeere 1518. So farre Master Stanihurst Hector Boetius putteth us in remembrance of the honour given her by Scots Pictes Irish and English nations and how that many Churches beare her name The superstitious Irish in processe of time found out a Bell called Clogg Brietta Brigids Bell whereunto to deceive the simple people they attribute great vertue and holinesse the which together with other toyes they carried about not onely in Ireland but also in England and were by Act of Parliament in England banished the land in Henry the fifts time Cambrensis reporteth that the harmonie of the foure Evangelists the worke of Saint Ierome was caused by Brigid most of it to be written in letters of gold and was as curious a worke saith he as ever I saw and called Brigids Booke the which was kept as a monument saith Stanihurst at Kildare She deceased about the yeere 510. another saith anno 548. and about the yeere 524. she was translated from the Hebrides into Dune and resteth by Saint Patrickes side as formerly hath beene declared in his life Ireland hath given her this Epitaph Flos patriae pietatis amans virtutis alumna Sidus Hibernorum Brigida virgo fuit In her Legend I finde mention of Ercus a Bishop the disciple of Saint Patricke borne in Mounster also of Saint Ruanus a Bishop Saint Numidus Saint Praecipuus Saint Daria a Virgin Saint Darlugdach called a Virgin and yet had a daughter that was baptized in the presence of Brigide This Darlugdach was the second Nunne and succeeded Brigide in Kildare whose remembrance is celebrated the same day with her Illand King of Leinster gave Brigide great honour of him I read in her Legend that hee was a most worthy Prince and fortunate in all his affaires Illand Rex Lageniae qui triginta bella in Hibernia vicit octo certamina in Britannia occidit Engusium regem Momoniae cum Ethna uxore quos Patricius baptizavit Illand King of Leinster who wonne thirty battailes in Ireland and eight combats in Britaine slue Engusus King of Mounster and Ethna his wife whom Patricke had baptized About this time lived Caelius Sedulius whom Damianus à Goes a Knight of Portingall challenged for a Spaniard Bale writeth hee was a Scot and Stanihurst that he was borne in Ireland I will first lay downe what Bale hath next what Stanihurst reporteth Caelius Sedulius saith Bale by nation a Scot. by calling a Priest a man trayned up in learning from his youth cleaved as a diligent scholler unto Hildebert the most learned Archbishop of Scots as Tritemius delivereth After the decease of his master being desirous of farther knowledge he tooke a painefull voyage in hand travailed throughout Spain France Italie Greece and Asia last of all after he had read in Achaia most learned lectures to the great profit of many hee came backe to Rome where with great labour he distributed most abundantly in like sort the treasure of singular learning Hee was a man exercised in holy Scripture of a singular wit excellently well seene in all manner of secular literature passing both for verse and prose so that Gelasius Bishop of Rome in the decrees dist 15. calleth him reverend Sedulius and gave his workes no meane commendation Patâ—rius the disciple of Gregorius Magnus and Remigius Antisiodorensis in his commentary upon him of old have published his fame and renowne Sedulius both in verse and prose hath published many workes whereof in Boston of Burie and Tritemius I onely found these that follow Vnto Macedonius the Priest a singular worke which he intituled Carmen paschale lib. 4 Pascales quicunque dapes conviva requiris Elegia vel exhortatorium ad fideles lib. 1 Cantemus socij Dom. cantemus honorem De signis virtutibus lib. 1 Domino meo charissimo Gesta et miracula Christi lib. 4 Expulerat quondam c Superutroque testamento lib. 2  In Psalmos Dividicos lib. 1  Collectanea in Paulum lib. 14 Antequam Apostolica verba In Paulum ad Romanos lib. 1 Sciendum est quod hoc Ad Corinthios lib. 2 Quod nomen suum proponit Ad Galatas lib. 1 Hoc est non ab humana Ad Ephesios lib. 1 Refere scriptura testante Ad Philippenses lib. 1 Metropoli Macedoniae cum Ad Colossenses lib. 1 Hac vice Apostolatus autor Ad Thessalonicenses lib. 2 Quod non dicit Apostolus Ad Timotheum lib. 2 Non secundum praesumptionem Ad Titum Discipulum lib. 1 Hanc epistolam scribit de Ad Philemonem lib. 1 In carcere vel in catenis Ad Hebraeos lib. 1 Quoniam apud Haebraeorum De factis Christi prosaice lib. 2  Ad Caesarem TheodosiuÌ„ lib. 1 Romulidum ductor Clariss Epist. ad diversos lib. 1 Sedulius Scotigena dilect In editionem Donati lib. 1  In Prisciani volumen lib. 1  Carmina diversi generis lib. 1  He published also certaine Hymnes which the Church useth 1 A solis ortus cardine Ad usque terrae limitem Christum canamus principem c. Hostis Herodes impie Christum venisse quid times c. 2 A solis ortus cardine Ad usque terrae limitem Christum canamus principem c. Hostis Herodes impie Christum venisse quid times c. He flourished in the yeere after the Incarnation 450. under Theodosius Iunior the Emperour what time Fergusius the second raigned in Scotland after his miserable exile by the Romanes Of this Author Sigebertus and Bostonus write more So farre Bale Stanihurst pleadeth for Ireland and writeth Sedulius was not only of Irish birth but also the light of all Ireland neither will we suffer any longer so excellent a man out of his native soile contrary to all right to exile or wander but he is rather to be restored to his former inheritance as it were with a new solemnity of birth In another place hee seemeth to qualifie the matter having already chalenged Damianus a Goes of iniurie and to reconcile the dissonance of varying writers that the Scottish is taken for the Irish and the Irish for the Scottish and to satisfie the reader noteth the confusion how that all the commentaries of Sedulius upon the Epistles of Paul beginne Sedulij Scoti Hibernensis c. the Commentarie of Sedulius the Scot of Ireland And to shut up this challenge of all sides I finde that there was a second Sedulius a man of no lesse fame and learning and hee is said to bee a Scottish man therefore let Ireland being more antient then Scotland take the first and Scotland the last In the like sort excepting the challenge standeth Fridelinus Viator so called by reason of his great travaile his stile is Scotorum Hibernicorum regis olim filius the sonne sometime of the King of the Scots in Ireland whom I couch among them of Irish birth because of the ancient stile and distinction often used
Leinster craved him to extend his Princely favour toward him Gillomer on the other side complained of the wrong done him by Vter-Pendragon and the Britaines namely how they had slaine his subiects wasted his country and carried away his rare monuments concluding that hee was willing of himselfe to be revenged of them much more finding this opportunitie Caxton saith he came with fifteene thousand Irish to aide Passent against the Britaines the Armie was great for with Passent came Germans Irish and Saxons and arrived at Menevia now called Saint Davids at which time Aurelius Ambrosius being sicke of poyson by the procurement of Passent of which he died Vter-Pendragon was appointed Generall of the field met with the invaders fought a bloudy battaile where many fell on both sides and in the end slue Passent and Gillomer and ouerthrew the Germans Irish and Saxons and was crowned King of England I doe finde in Antiquaries together with Florilegus Fabian Caxton Holinshed and Fleminge men of great iudgement that the Pictes and Scots in the dayes of King Arthur who succeeded his father Vter-Pendragon ioyned with the Saxons and drew to their aide Gillomer second of that name King of Ireland so that Arthur sent for Howell his sisters sonne King of little Britaine in France who came with fifteene thousand fighting men and ioyning forces with Arthur foyled the Pictes Scots and Saxons vanquished the Irish King and chaced him into Ireland and the yeere following viz. five hundred twenty and five in revenge of the former aide hee came into Ireland offered King Gillomer battaile hee then being Monarch of Ireland as Caxton and the book of Houth record assembled the Princes and Nobles of the land and it is said that King Anguish came to the field with five thousand horse but Arthur constrained them to yeeld and to acknowledge by doing their fealtie to hold the Realme of Ireland of him Whereof Harding saith The somner next Arthur went to Ireland With battaile sore forefoughten y conquered And of the King had homage of that land To hold of him so was he of him feared And also gate as Chronicles have us lered Denmarke Friseland Gâ—tland and Norwey Iseland Groenland the Isle of Man and Orkney The booke of Houth recordeth that anno Dom. 519. Arthur summoned to a speciall feast of solemnitie of the round Table Gillomer the Monarch of Ireland and King Anguish with the Princes and Nobles of the land where they continued during the whole time of the solemnitie In which triumph it is recorded that Garret King of Orkeney sonne to King Lotho and nephew to Arthur being one of King Arthurs Knights together with his two brethren performed most valiant exploits encountred with Anguish King of Ireland Goranus King of Scotland Cador Duke of Cornewall and with other Princes and wanne great honour This Anguish claimed tribute from Marke King of Cornewall that formerly was wonne by combate and sent Morogh whom Caxton calleth Marhaus the Queene of Leinsters brother who was also one of King Arthurs Knights to demand it he was a valiant Gentleman often tryed and ever quitted himselfe with honour The Frenchmen calleth him Le Morhoult d'Ireland and a Citizen of London thus blazoneth his Armes In silver shield on fesse of peeces five throughout the same He bare a Lyon Rampant red and arme greene whose name Might seeme to signifie in truth each mighty enterprise A prey most fit for his courage as is the Irish guise Marke King of Cornewall denieth the tribute offereth the combate and Sir Tristram undertaketh it for him Morogh for himselfe pleaded that he was to encounter with none unlesse he were a King or Queene a Prince or Princesse sonne the circumstances being considered and agreed upon the combatants meete and fiercly fight the battaile was a long time doubtfull in the end Sir Tristram gave Sir Morogh with his sword a sore blow that a piece of the edge stucke in his scull whereupon the combate ended Morogh returned into Ireland and shortly after died of the wound This doth Caxton and the booke of Houth deliver at large But I may not end thus with Sir Tristram he also was sore wounded with a Speare whose head was venomed and could not be cured untill that by counsaile he repaired to the country where the venome had beene confected Whereupon he came to Ireland and to King Anguish his Court and having great skill upon the Harpe he recreated himselfe delighted the house and fell in loue with La Bell Isod the Kings daughter and she with him In processe of time the Queene had learned that he had given her brother Morogh his deaths wound and comparing the piece of the swords edge which was taken out of the skull with his sword found them to agree and banished him the land Not long after upon conference had with Marke King of Cornewall of marriage and commending the beautie and vertues of La Bel Isod spoken of before hee commeth to Ireland to intreate of marriage betweene King Marke and her And having effected his purpose taketh her with him to Cornewall where Marke espoused her with great ioy and solemnity but the old secret love betweene Tristram and her had taken such impression in both and so inflamed their hearts that it could not easily be quenched so that in processe of time Marke espied it and in his furious jealousie slue him as he played upon the Harpe to recreate La Bel Isod and thus as his love began with the Harpe so it ended at the Harpe it is recorded that Isod came to his grave and swouned She was saith mine Author so faire a woman that hardly who so beheld her could not chuse but be enamoured with her In Dublin upon the wall of the Citie is a Castle called Isods towre and not farre from Dublin a Chappell with a Village named Chappell-Isod the originall cause of the name I doe not finde but it is coniectured that her father King Anguish that doted on her builded them in remembrance of her the one for her recreation and the other for the good of her soule About the time that King Arthur raigned lived many famous men of Irish birth renowned for their great learning and sanctitie and commended by divers Antiquaries both at home and abroad to the posteritie But before I come to speake of them I must first make mention of Congellus a Britaine by birth who builded the Monasterie of Bangor not farre from West-Chester which was called the Colledge of Christian Philosophers and became the first Abbot thereof himselfe in the dayes of King Arthur anno Dom. 530. I make mention of him because Bernard in the life of Malachias reporteth this Colledge or Abbey which he built to have beene the head or principall Abbey of all the Monasteries in Europe the seminarie or bee-hive of many thousands of Monkes after the Apostolike manner getting their living with the sweate of their
mentioned came the more willingly out of Ireland unto us Trithemius reporteth of this time in this sort There were many Monasteries of Irish men in Germanie Herbipolis and other places but when their zeale waxed cold and that they fell to remisse and dissolute life they were expulsed and their habitation became waste and desolate Saint Chilian otherwise written Kilian whom Bale calleth a Scot Surius Baronius and Lippeloo write that hee was an Irish man of Noble Parentage Molanus writeth in Hibernia regio sanguine procreatus that he was begotten in Ireland of royall bloud another saith he was a Kings base sonne This man became a Monke went to Rome together with Colman a Priest and Totnan a Deacon of the same country birth in the time of Conon Bishop of Rome about the yeere 687. to sue unto the Bishop there that Ireland might be released of the curse that was denounced against the land and the inhabitants thereof for the Pelagian heresie Molanus writeth that he served in Saint Peters Church in Rome eleven yeeres but he was directed another course for he was consecrated Bishop of Herbipolis in the East parts of France and together with his fellowes sent away There they converted Gosbert a French Duke which had married one Geila his brothers wife It is Iohn Baptists case he rebuked him for it and shee hearing thereof sent certaine lewd persons in the night which murthered them all three and privily buried them lest so horrible a fact should come to light but God that will have no such villany concealed brought it out the tormentors became madde and confessed the whole Beda in his Martyrologe reporteth how that at Wirciburge in Austria the birth day of Kilian the Martyr and his two companions is solemnly kept the eight of Iuly Molanus saith that in his travaile he met with Saint Fiacre sometime his fathers servant but he following carefully his direction staid not with him but passed on in his iourney This Saint Fiacre saith the Martyrologe was base sonne of some King in Ireland went into France and became an heremite there are small remembrances of him in Surius and Lippeloo saving that for a womans sake which called him a Witch Sorcerer and Inchanter hee commanded that no woman should put foot into his Cloister and if any should doe so he prayed that God would lay some plague upon her to try this a woman sent her maide to take the ayre of the Cloyster but she tooke no harme upon a second tryall a fairer then she presumed so farre that her shinne her knee and her thigh saith mine Author and some parts above tooke swelling and that went for a punishment In an antient manuscript Legend of the life of Congellus or Congallus I finde that Saint Fiacre returned into Ireland and became Abbot of Airard in Leinster upon the river of Berba now called the Barrow in the Barony of Odrone and that he went to the Abbey of Beanchor in Vlster to visite Congellus at whose hands Congellus received the Sacrament and gave up the Ghost There also it is further alledged that this Fiacre builded a Monasterie in Leinster in the honour of Saint Congellus The martyrologe aforesaid remembreth Saint Cataldus a Bishop Saint Finan an Abbot Saint Sacodine a Virgin who forsooke her husband and entred religion to have lived then and how that Indrake a King of Ireland forsooke his royaltie went to Rome with his sister Dominica led a private life and died beggers Capgrave calleth him Indraktus saying that he was a Kings sonne and tooke with him beside his sister nine persons more About this time saith Capgrave one Muriardachus Monarch of Ireland together with his wife Sabina lived in the true faith and feare of God who being mighty and wise commanded in good sort all the Princes of the land In this his good successe and peaceable governement he was envied so that a petite King his neighbour came upon him in the night murthered him with his Queene and all his familie excepting one daughter whose life hee saved for her beauties sake This cruell tyrant after assaulted this faire Gentlewoman to his filthy lust and when with faire perswasions he could not prevaile at length by force he oppressed her so that shee conceived and bare him a sonne called at the time of his baptisme Milluhoc but afterwards Cuthbert This Cuthbert being borne as my Author writeth at Kilmacrodrike some three miles from Dublin his mother tooke him to Scotland to her two brethren Meldan and Eatan that were Bishops From thence hee went into the North parts of England and was brought up among the holy Monkes of those dayes in the Monasterie of Mailros under the Abbot Boisilius whom he succeeded in the same Monasterie Anno 651. And Anno 676. he went to the I le Farne which was uninhabited and continued there nine yeeres building teaching and preaching and as Beda writing his life delivereth working in harvest time with his owne hands The fame of his vertues and holinesse went farre abroad so that Egfride King of the Northumbers made him Bishop of Lindesfarne to which dignitie hee was consecrated at Yorke by Theodorus the Archbishop Anno 685. In his time the aforesaid Egfride sent Brith with a great host into Ireland to be revenged of them for that he was given to understand they had aided his enemies against him these Saxons over-ranne the land killing burning and spoyling they spared neither Church nor Monasterie so writeth Beda Berthus vastavit miserè gentē innoxā nationi Anglorum semper amicissimam Berthus pittifully spoiled this harmelesse people who alwaies most kindely affected the English nation Cuthbert reproved him for it and the Ilanders cried unto the heavens and prayed God to avenge their cause Beda reporteth farther how that he bent his forces afterwards against the Pictes and Scots and would not be advised by Cuthbert and Egbert and that his bloudy course had no good successe and that then Egfride the glory of the Saxons began to decay the which Florilegus attributeth to the crie of the Irish and the courage of the Pictes and Scots and Britaines In his time saith Carodoc it rained bloud in Britaine and Ireland the Milke likewise and the Butter turned to the colour of bloud and the Moone appeared all bloudie Cuthbert when he had beene Bishop two yeeres forsooke his Bishopricke and went to the I le Farne where hee led an hermites life and left the world Anno Dom. 687. It is written of him that he forbade his Monkes and Priests the company of women and that they should not come within any Cloyster for that the devill appeared unto him in his Church in the shape of a woman most faire and beautifull Yet I finde that he conversed much with Ebba and Verca and with Elfleda King Egfrides sister and repaired oft to their Nunneries did eate and drinke with them and sent Elfleda a linnen
or threed Girdle for a token which tooke away a swelling and crampe that troubled her and that he was shrouded in the winding sheete which the Nunne Verca had sent him Anno 875. Ardulphus Bishop of Lindisfarne fearing the incursion of the Danes who destroyed Churches and defaced Tombes tooke the corps of Cuthbert and attempted the transporting of it into Ireland but the winde was against them and compelled them to land in England then they brought it to Cuncacester some sixe miles from Durham where it rested some yeeres Anno 925. though Stow referre it to the yeere 995. Aldunus who was the first Bishop of Durham preventing as formerly Ardulphus did the invasion of barbarcus people removed it to a place full of bushes and thornes now called Durham and with the aide of Earle Vthred builded a Church over it where now at length it resteth Edmund the second Bishop of Durham enlarged the Church and beautified the place of his buriall and long after were brought thither the bodies of Balther and Bilfride that had beene Anchors Acca and Alkmundus that had beene Bishops Ebba the Nunne and familiar of Cuthbert Boisilus the Abbot his master King Oswine and the bones of Beda that rested at Girwin so writeth Capgrave He that will see farther of Cuthbert and his patrimonie so called in the Bishopricke of Durham of the endowments and grants given by Christian Princes and of the reverend opinion held of the place because of the sanctitie of Irish Cuthbert let him repaire to learned Camdens Brigantes the which for that they concerne the antiquities of England more then Ireland I omit Now to come to the 700. yeere of Christ. I will beginne with Adamannus who flourished Anno 701. as Florilegus writeth in the time of Alfred King of Northumbers whom Beda highly commendeth and as it may be gathered and borrowed out of his workes many things to furnish his historie of England I finde of divers reported that he was in Ireland and did much good I take it he was of Irish birth for I cannot finde the contrary Bale summarily out of Beda and others writeth in his life as followeth Adamannus Coludius by profession a Monke not vowed but of the Apostolike order and governour of that famous Monasterie which of old Columbanus the disciple of Congellus had founded in the I le Hu made himselfe a patterne of vertue to be followed of many hee was a man studious and singularly well seene in holy Scripture as Tritemius witnesseth neither ignorant of prophane literature wise and faire spoken hee was for his life and conversation renowned and for opinion of sanctitie recounted the father of many Monkes so that hee travailed in a manner all the North regions of Britaine he was a notable Preacher instructing with heavenly admonitions Irish Scots Pictes and Anglosaxons Hee willingly gave eare to all such as made report of any memorable acts of Palestina by their travaile and of other places of the holy Land with the site thereof trusting thereby to attaine unto a better sight in the holy Scripture Then it fell out say the Chronographers that one Arnulphus a Bishop of France comming from Ierusalem and being winde-driven to that place arrived there and throughly enformed Adamannus the which he shortly after committed to writing and dedicated unto Alfred King of Northumbers with these titles De locis terrae sanctae lib. 1. De situ Ierusalem lib. 1. De paschate legitimo lib. 1. With certaine Epistles So farre Bale I have seene beside these a Manuscript worke of his of the life of Saint Columba in three bookes About the yeere 740. saith Lippeloo Gualafer Bishop of Dublin was famous who by his prayers obtained that Cecilia wife to David King of Scots and daughter to the King of Sicilia being barren did conceive beare a sonne called Rumoldus who after the decease of Gualafer was made Bishop of that See and consecrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury and two other Prelates He went into England afterwards to France and came to Rome Anno 752. in the time of Stephen 2. he resigned his Bishopricke from thence hee went into Brabant and by his prayers saith mine Author got one Eliza wife to Earle Ado of the age of 66. yeeres to conceive In the end he went to repaire an old Church agreed with workemen wrangled with them so that they for one quarrell and other and especially for that they held him to be rich hoping to get some part of his wealth knockt him in the head with a hatchet and there lay Saint Rumolde Molanus in discreet sort examineth this historie and delivereth that this Rumoldus tooke with him beyond the seas one Saint Himelin now Patron of Fenacum the place in Dutch is Sijnte Himelijns Vissenaken some said he was of his bloud others some that he was of his bloud and bone His words are these Some suppose that Saint Rumold was the sonne of Erfinus King of Scots after whom succeeded in the kingdome the third and fourth sonne Fergusius and Achaius but the names of the first and second sonne are not extant They adde happely unto the rest that because he was the King of Scots his sonne it stood him upon to forsake the Bishopricke of Dublin when Solvathius that raigned betweene Fergusius and Achaius warred against the Irish and upon this occasion he tooke his iourney to Rome and at his returne preached the Gospell at Mechlin All which by conferring the times would have some great probabilitie unlesse the antient Monuments and Records of Mechlin had avouched him to have beene the sonne of one David a King and to have beene brought forth into the world by the intercession and devout prayers of Gualafer Bishop of Dublin and of him baptized whereby I gather that he was the sonne of some King of Ireland Neither is it any mervaile though we reade not of this David when as Saint Bernard witnesseth that Ireland was not governed by one King but by many the orderly succession of which Kings I suppose for the most part is now perished If you urge that hee came of the Scottish bloud royall I admit it for it is so sung every where throughout the Diocesse of Mechlin but that of old the Irish men were understood and comprehended under the name of Scots by the life of Saint Patricke and elsewhere is very manifest To this purpose is that which Beda affirmeth that Ireland is properly the country of the Scots and Ionas also writeth in the entrance to Columbanus his life how that the Scottish nation inhabit the Iland of the Irish. This Rumoldus died Anno 775. and is honoured in Mechlin for their Patron Virgilius Solivagus borne in Ireland and descended of noble Parentage in his yeeres of discretion forsooke his native soile and together with certaine companions of the same countrey birth went into Germanie where Anno 754. hee was made Abbot of Salisburge by Odilo Duke of Bavaria and shortly
the holy man ceased not to travaile among them by preaching and teaching and by all meanes possible to winne them not long after a certaine King of Vlster destroyed Conor and put the people to the sword burned and spoyled and made havocke of all whereupon Malachias with a hundred and twenty brethren fled to Mounster where King Cormake gave him great entertainement and ayded him greatly in the building of the Monastery of Ybrak By this time Celsus spoken of before fell sicke and dyed The rude people thrust in Mauritius that usurped the place some five yeeres then Malchus Bishop of Lismore and Gislebertus the first Legate that came to Ireland from the Pope called the Bishops and Princes of the land together appointed Malachias for the place And when death had swiftly cut off the intruder Mauritius that damnable nation thrust in Nigellus but he prospered not long so that Malachias enjoyed it quietly Of the injury done to that Church and the abuse of that time heare Bernard as he learned of Conganus and others report The see of Ardmach saith Bernard for the reverence and honour of Saint Patricke the Apostle of that nation which converted that whole land to the faith in the which See living he ruled and in which dying he rested is had of all men from the beginning in so great reverence that not onely the Bishops and Ministers of the Clergie but the Kings and Princes of that nation carry themselves in all obedience unto their Metropolitane so that he being one ruleth all but there crept in a most detestable custome through the divellish ambition of certaine mighty men that the holy See was obtained by inheritable succession neither were any suffered to enioy the Bishopricke but such as were of their tribe and familie neither did this execrable succession hold for a small time but for the space of fifteene generations now in this diabolicall malice elapsed And so farre this wicked and adulterous generation had confirmed to it selfe this lewd interest yea rather an injurie to be punished with all manner of death that if at any time there should want Clerks of that race yet never wanted Bishops To be short there were before Celsus eight Bishops married men besides himselfe without orders yet learned men from hence over all Ireland issued that dissolution of ecclesiastiall discipline which Malachias found in Conor the rooting out of godly censure and the abandoning of religion from hence every wherein stead of Christian meekenesse was brought in cruell barbarousnesse yea paganisme and infidelity under a Christian name for that which was not heard of from the originall of Christianitie without order without reason the Metropolitans at their pleasure changed and increased the number of Bishops so that one Bishopricke contented not it selfe with one Bishop and no marvaile for how could it fare well with the members of so diseased a head they possessed the Sanctuary of God in this sort the space well neere of two hundred yeeres hee meaneth unto the dayes of Celsus and Malachias Cambrensis in his itinerarie of Cambria had relation no doubt unto this where he with Baldwin Archbishop of Canterbury in visitation about Wales came to the Church called lure padaen vacor that is the Church of great Paternus mis-stiled with the governement therof for thus he writeth This Church like as many more throughout Ireland and Wales hath a Laye man to their Abbot use hath prevailed and a lewd custome hath crept in that great and mighty men in Parishes have beene by the Clergie appointed Patrons and defendors afterwards have usurped unto themselves the right thereof Immediately hee reporteth of a travailer that came hither out of little Britaine in France that had for his further knowledge seene many countries and fashions of sundry nations and entring into the said Church on the Sabbath day wayted for divine Service they rung the Bell they tould they waited long at length came in the Abbot with some twenty after him in armes and wilde lookes every one having fon villuge so the Britaine 's termed it a forrest Bill on his shoulder the travailer asked which is the Abbot answer was made the formost with the greatest forrest Bill the travailer asked hath he any other ornament or doth he use any other weede answer being made no then said hee I have travailed farre enough I will see no more fashions whilst I live after that I have seene an Abbot carry a forrest Bill upon his backe Now to returne whence I have made this digression for the abuse of the Church causeth me to abuse the reader Malachias when he had peaceably enioyed Ardmagh some three yeeres with the consent of the three Bishops and Princes he resigned his place to Gelasius and returned to his former Bishopricke not of Conor but of Dune for he had placed one in Conor before to wit Oedanus his disciple here Bernard noteth that where Dune and Conor were before this time united through ambition and covetousnesse this man of devotion and conscience separated them againe dividing the Churches as they had beene of old for the good will he bare to Armagh he tooke his iourney towards Rome landed in Scotland came to Yorke sailed to France and lodged at Clarevallis hee came to Rome in the time of Innocentius 2. who made him his Legate of Ireland in the roomth of Gislebert the old man spoken of before which had made sute to be removed Boniface appointed Armagh to be a Metropolitane See but did not effect it and promised the pall which he did not performe Bernard maketh mention of two Metropolitan Sees one procured by Celsus the other by Malachias but where and how I finde no antient record Bale is of opinion they were in vocibus and not in rebus for lacke of money to pay for them Vpon his returne hee came to Clarevallis thence to England so to Scotland where King David most royally entertained him and lastly to his Abbey of Benchor in Vlster Of his conversation heare Bernard from the day of his birth to the day of his death hee lived sine proprio without claiming propertie in any thing he had neither men servants nor maid servants neither townes nor villages neither any reuenue ecclesiasticall or temporall in his Bishopricke for his provision ad mensam episcopalem hee had no certainty allotted him whereupon a Bishop might live hee had no certaine Monastery or dwelling place for hee daily went about all the Parishes preaching the Gospell and living by the Gospell as the Lord had ordained saying the labourer is worthy of his reward of his labours and such as travelled with him he carried about to relieve them all to be short Malachias neither in dyet or rayment was discerned from the rest of the brethren when he went a preaching with footmen he went on foot being a Bishop and a Legate and here Bernard exclaimeth when he entreth into the consideration of the difference betweene him and his
brethren and the nephewes of the Apostles so he calleth them Towards his latter dayes hee sorrowed that Ireland had not the pall and as oft as he thought upon Innocentius 2. his promise he sighed who as formerly I have delivered had promised not performed when he heard that Eugenius his successor was come unto France he thought it a fit time to obtaine his purpose he tooke shipping for Scotland where King David received him as in times past and thence unto England where the jarre betweene the King of England and the Pope hindred his passage yet he got into France and straight to Clarevallis where hearing that Pope Eugenius was returned to Rome he rested himselfe fell sicke of an ague and there dyed being of the age of 54. yeeres Anno 1148. 4 Nonas Novembris so farre Bernard in substance yet Antonine saith hee dyed Anno 1140. In his time lived Conganus Abbot of Benchor who enformed Bernard of the whole life of Malachias and wrote at large thereof himselfe inserting many fabulous things and saith Nicholas Magwire he wrote not onely the life of Malachias but also the life of Bernard I finde him to be the Patron of Killaskin otherwise called Killeshin in Monte Margeo and the Barony of Marghagha in Leynster spoken of before In this time lived Tundalus Magus so surnamed because suspected for a Sorcerer borne and brought up in Mounster in Cashell saith Lepelo in the West of Ireland of Noble birth and by calling a Knight Antonius out of Vincentius reporteth that hee was fierce and cruell and in the end became a Carthusian Monke for that order beganne as we may reade in the life of Bruno the first founder thereof upon some great extremity whereof the Proverbe rose desperatio facit Monachum desperation maketh a Monke it seemeth that he had in his life time committed some hainous offences and was mightily tormented in conscience and fell into trances and extasies upon his recovery he delivered unto the world strange damnable untruths saith Bale of Heaven Hell Purgatory and I wot not what for a man distracted knoweth not what he saith Bale writeth talia ad terrorem fingebant scelestissimi Nebolones somewhat excusing him and extenuating his imbecillities and biddeth him farewell Clarint Stephano Rege in Anglia dominante satana apud Hybernos suas vires exercente hee flourished when Stephen raigned over England and the divell domineered over Ireland Hee wrote a booke of Revelations the which Melchior Canus Albertus Crantzius and Gobelenus have utterly condemned He wrote also the life of Vrsula and the 11000. Virgins printed at Cullen the which Zazarias Lepelo counteth for lyes and fables Anno 1142. the Abbey of Molyfont was founded by Donatus alias Donogh King of Louth alias Vriell some call him Donogh Ocarvell the first Abbot was Christianus who afterwards was Bishop of Lysmore and Legate of all Ireland Anno 1144. William Bishop of Winchester by authority of Pope Celestine 2. in a Councell held at London brought in the use of cursing with Bell Booke and Candle which liked the Irish Priests well to terrifie the Laytie for their Tithes Foxe Anno 1148. there fell great variance betweene Owen surnamed Gwyneth Prince of northâ—Northâ—Wales and Cadwallader his brother they were both the sonnes of Griffith ap Conan Prince of North Wales This Cadwallader fled into Ireland and hired to his aide Octer Mac Octer Curbell Mac Therulfe with a great number of Irish men and red shankes for 2000. markes and landed at Abermeany in Carnarvonshire against whom Prince Owen came with great power but before the Armies met there was a peace concluded betweene the brethren which when the Irish men understood they kept with them Cadwallader as prisoner for their pay formerly promised so that hee was faine to deliver 2000. heads of Cattell besides many prisoners and spoyles that were taken in the country but Prince Owen as soone as he knew his brother to be set at liberty set upon the Irish men his stomacke was full of revengement slue a great number of them and recovered all the Cattell with the prisoners and other spoyle so that in the end as many as escaped with life returned to Ireland with sorrow shame and losse and made no bost of their voyage so writeth Carodoc The same yeere Anno 1148. Iohn Papire a Priest Cardinall together with Christianus Bishop of Lismore the Popes Legate over the whole Land being sent by Eugenius came into Ireland And in Anno 1151. saith Mathew Paris but by the consent of most Writers Anno 1152. summoned a Councell where in the presence of the Bishops Abbots Kings Dukes the Antients of Ireland by the Apostolike authoritie Colledge of Cardinals consent of the Bishops Abbots others there present they ordained foure Archbishopricks in Ireland and gave them foure pales to wit Ardmach Dublin Cashell and Tuam In Ardmach then sate Gelasius in Dublin Gregory in Cashell Donatus in Tuam Edanus these were the first Archbishops of Ireland The records from that time to this day of the foure Provinces the foure Archbishoprickes with their Bishops and Suffragans in Latine and vulgar speech with their titles of Saints and Patrons together with the unions of them in processe of time following I finde thus Anno 1151. these Abbies were founded de Beatitudine de duillio de Magio de valle salutis and happily the Monasterie which Mathew Paris and Polychronicon spake of upon this occasion There was a Knight say they called Owin of Irish birth which had long served King Stephen in his warres got licence to repaire unto his native soile and to visit his friends when hee came to Ireland hearing the fame of the Purgatory of the second Patricke the Abbot and not the Bishop so I reade in Polychronicon it came in his minde to visit the same he being in the Cave and concavities under ground saw strange sights and making report thereof unto King Stephen obtained licence of him thenceforth to leade a religious and solitary life he obtained also of King Stephen so Mathew Paris writeth a parcell of ground in Ireland to build a Monasterie called Luden an Abbey of white Monkes where Gervasius became the first Abbot and where Gilbert a Monke trayned up Owen in the order thereof This Gilbert saith mine Author wrote as Owen told him all the reports that are now extant of that Purgatory so that it seemes to be no antient matter but a late device first found by this Owen in the late dayes of King Stephen Anno 1152. was the battaile of Monad more fought in Ireland betweene Leinster and Mounster men where saith Holinshed the flower and chiefest personages of Leinster and Mounster were slaine and saith Iohn Plunket Mounster lost the field Anno 1154. Terdielach King of Connaght dyed there succeeded him Rorie Oconochor Rowag commonly called Roderic who slue his owne brother that aspired to the kingdome of Connaght and in this successe attempted further and became
so much as we have received him unto our protection grace and favour whosoever within our Realmes subiects unto our command will ayde and helpe him whom wee have embraced as our trustie friend for the recovery of his land let him be assured of our favour and licence in that behalfe Dermot returned ioyfully with these letters and came to Bristoll where at that time Richard surnamed Strangbow Eare oâ— Penbroke and Chepstow lay hee shewed his letters caused them at severall times publikely to be read conferred with Earle Richard and concluded to give the Earle his sole daughter and heire in marriage and his whole interest in the kingdome of Leinster after his decease Richard undertooke of the other side to effect all his desire As Dermot wayted for a winde it came in his minde for the shorter cut into Ireland to goe by land into Saint Davids where he was refreshed and greatly pittied by the Bishop there and concluded in like sort as with the Earle before with Robert fitz Stephens and Moris Fitz Gerald by the mediation of the good Bishop there to restore him unto his kingdome upon condition that hee should give them and theirs for ever the towne of Wexford and two cantreds of land next adjoyning upon this hee tooke shipping secretly came to Fernes and lived privately among the Clergie all that winter expecting performance of promises out of England Anno 1170. Abbatia de Castro Dei was founded in the same yeere and the first day of May so writeth Stow Robert Fitz Stephens with David Barrie and Hervie de Monte Mariscospie of Strangbow his nephew according to his promise with thirty Knights threescore Esquires well mounted and three hundred foot being Archers well appointed of his owne kindred and trayning up in feates of armes and the choice souldiers of all Wales landed at the Bann not farre from Wexford hereupon the rime runneth At the Creeke of Bagganbun Ireland was lost and wonne Here some allude unto the blinde Prophecie of Merlin that hee should meane this noble Warrior and worthy Knight where he saith A Knight biparted shall first enter with force of Armes and breake the bounds of Ireland this they would have understood of Robert Fitz Stephens an English man borne in Normandie and of Nesta his mother daughter to Râ—es ap Tuyder Prince of South Wales so I finde in Cambrensis but if Merlin had foresight in this I had rather take his Prophecie verified in respect of his Armes and Ensignes which were biparted being of two sundry changes namely party par pale gules and ermine a saltier counterchanged for commonly all Prophecies have their allusions unto Armes and by them they are discovered though at the first not so apparant before the event thereof take place The next day after in the same place landed Morice Prendergast whom Stanihurst calleth Prendelgast de Rofensi Walliae Demetiae Provinciâ as Cambrensis writeth the which I take to be about Milford in South-Wales accompanied with ten Knights and a great number of Archers in most gallant sort in two ships Immediately Robert Fitz Stephens directeth his letters to Dermot who could scarce reade them for joy of their arrivall and sent forthwith his base sonne Donald with five hundred men to salute them and hasteneth after himselfe with all speed off goeth his poore mantle wherein hee obscurely shrowded himselfe on goeth his princely attire the Irish men follow him the fame thereof is spread over the whole land such as before in his distressed state flatly forsooke him now runne and flatter and fawne upon him to be short they meete they confirme the former leagues with oathes and ioyne forces together and they march towards Wexford to lay siege to the towne the townesmen a fierce wilfull people to the number of 2000. sally forth with full purpose to give them battaile in the field but when they heard the Trumpets sound the horses neyghing and beheld their glittering Armes the ratling of their furniture horse and men in compleat Armes and all most comely in battaile array the like of them not formerly seene neither heard of they alter their mindes they retire into the towne they make fast their gates and fire the suburbs Fitz Stephens came to the wals filled the trenches with armed men and appointed his Archers to levell at the wals and turrets if occasion were offered the townesmen manfully defended themselves threw over the wals great stones and pieces of timber hurt many and made them voyd the place among whom a couragious Knight called David Barrye adventured to scale the walles but with a great stone which fell upon his head-piece he was cast downe to the ditch and carried away by his fellowes with safeguard of his life upon this they goe to the sea strand and fired all the ships and vessels which they found there The next day after upon better advice and deliberation they approach unto the wals and gave a new assault the townesmen within beganne to distrust their state being upon this sudden arrivall of the strangers not sufficiently provided of men munition and victuals to encounter with them and remembring againe how most unnaturally they had rebelled against their Prince and Soveraigne they sent messengers to Dermot to intreate for peace alas it was farre from the heart the which was granted and tooke of them pledges and hostages for the performance thereof Lastly Mac Moragh according to his former promise gratified these first adventures hee gave unto Robert Fitz Stephens and Morrice Fitz Gerrald who was as yet in England the towne of Wexford and the territories thereunto adioyning and unto Hervie de Monte Morisco two cantreds on the sea side betwixt Wexford and Waterford Dermot Mac Moroch and his company now take heart they encrease their Army with Wexford men and become 3000. strong The next iourney they bend their course towards Ossory where one Donald or Mac Donell was Prince whom Dermot hated deadly and for this cause Donald suspected Dermots sonne and heire to have much familiaritie with his wife and therefore in his jealous humour apprehended him imprisoned him and pulled out both his eyes but say they though sight failed him his feeling did not for she loved him the more in so much that she satisfied his lust and ranne away after him When Robert Fitz Stephens and the Gallants of Britaine entred the country they found neither dastards nor cowards but valiant men with horse and foot they found the country fast with woods bogges and paces trenched and plashed yet the valour of the adventurers was such presuming upon former fortunes to have the like future successes with loose wings drove them out of the woods and bogges into the plaine and champion land where the horsemen with their speares overthrew them and the foote finding them groveling runne them thorow and ended their dayes the Gallowglasses followed and cut off their heads And here Dermot Mac Morogh is mightily condemned he being originally for exaction
extortion cruelty tyranny and other damnable offences iustly exiled now sheweth no Princely stomacke but a base Wolvish minde for when 300. of the Ossory mens heads were throwne at his feete alas they had not offended hee viewed them all and finding one whom he knew and mortally hated he held him by the head and eares and most brutishly with his teeth bit the nose and lips of the dead whom without the ayde of the Britaines hee durst not behold in the face In this bloudy course Dermot directed these worthy warriours they more affecting the prey for their present maintenance then the bloud of any person to spoyle burne waste the country and murther the poore and seely people which God wot meant no harme whereupon Donald Prince of Ossory despising Dermot Mac Morogh by the advice of his Councell and friends sent to Robert Fitz Stephens in writing as followeth Sir Knight of Noble race renowned for martiall prowesse Donald Prince of Ossory sendeth greeting Dermot that damnable adulterer in his owne person with the King of Meths wife and in his sonnes person with my wife have drawne thee and those Gallants most worthy Knights into this poore country and naked people I will yeeld my selfe it is for the good of my poore followers into thy hands peace I crave and peace let me have Robert Fitz Stephens acquainted Dermot Mac Morogh with the premises of all sides the Irish dissembled as hereafter shall further appeare peace they granted and they acknowledged Dermot for their Lord and Soveraigne In all this service I may not conceale what Cambrensis delivereth David Barry and Meilerius effected singular exployts and deserved no lesse commendations As soone as the good successe of Dermot and the strangers lately arrived was spread abroad Rory Oconochor alias Rodericke King of Connaught Monarch of Ireland called the Princes and Nobles of the land together and layeth before them the dangerous estate and imminent perill of the whole land how Dermot guilefully had trayned in strangers how hee and the strangers were like to ouer-runne all unlesse with all expedition this mischiefe were prevented in summe they concluded that every man shall to his Armes and make ready horse and foot and set upon these invaders Dermot Mac Morogh having certaine knowledge of this great separation and mischiefe intended and his false harted subjects that lately fawned vpon him were fled to the enemies fearing the puisance of the Monarch and the forces of the whole land called Robert Fits Stephens and said vnto him Fortune is fickle our state is an ague that commeth by fits my friends fleet away and argue false hearts no marvaile though I bee disquieted if you stick not to mee I am undone Robert Fitz Stephens replied Wee have left behind us our deare friends and our native soyle wee have fired all our shippes not upon intent to runne away wee haue already in armes ingaged our lives fall out as fall out may wee will live and dye together bee you true to us wee will not bee false to you Dermot hereupon gathering his spirits together got him and his followers to a certaine fastenesse not farre from Fernes where hee intrenched and plashed himselfe being invironed with woods hils rockes bogges and waters a place to mans seeming inaccessible and invincible to endure for a while wandring clowds and threatning stormes of his adversaries to vanish and bee caried away with waving winds of fortune and unfortunate warres Whose foresight and ready wit Robert Fitz Stephens highly commended Immediatly there came a Messenger from Roderic the Monarch unto Robert Fitz Stephens with this message The Britans may not by the Lawes of Armes display their Banners and Ensignes in forreine possessions and dispose the lawfull heires of their inheritance but they are with licence of the Irish to pack home whence they came It is a blemish for the Brittish nation iniuriously to giue aide to a shamefull fact neither may the lechery of Dermot be mantled under British cloaks wherefore depart and forsake him that is forsaken of God and man And here by my messenger receive to defray your charges and transport you to your native soyle Robert Fitz Stephens answereth your present I will not accept faith and troth I have pawned to my friend Dermot I will not breake hee forsakes not me I will not forsake him neither leave him distressed you speake of lechery what is that among martiall men I heare you have Bastards your selfe to what end is your embassie If Roderick give councell we need it not if he Prophecie we credit not his oracle if he command as a Prince we obey not his autority if hee threaten as an enemie a figge for his Monarchy The messenger returned with small welcome going and comming Roderic bethought himselfe againe and sent letters to Dermot perswading him to be at peace with his country people and to banish the strangers out of the Land he rejected his councell and despiseth the messenger Roderic seeing that his private practises tooke small effect put himselfe in armes assembleth his forces and delivereth unto them these speeches You right worthy and valiant defenders of your Country and liberty Consider with what people and for what cause wee are now to fight and wage battell the enemy of his owne Country the tyrant over his owne people the exile fugitive behold hee is returned backed with strangers and purposeth to destroy us and the whole Nation hee being an enemy hath brought in those enemies which have beene ever hatefull unto us all and are most greedy to have the Soveraignty and Dominion over us all protesting openly and firmely avouching that by fatall destiny they are to bee Commanders over this land And so farre hath he poured out his venome that there is no favour nor mercy to be looked for at his hands O cruell beast yea more cruell then ever was beast who lately bit with his owne teeth the nose and lips of the dead he to satisfie his insatiable malice and bloudy minde spareth neither man woman nor childe he deserveth well to be hated of all that opposeth himselfe an enemy to all wherefore my loving and deere country men be well advised looke about you and consider advisedly how by the like meanes I meane civill warres all Realmes and nations for the most part have beene overthrowne and brought to utter ruine Iulius Caesar attempted the invasion of Britaine was twice foyled and indured the repulse but when Androgeus Duke of London fell at variance with the King to be revenged sent for Iulius who thereupon returning subdued the land The Britaines being at discord and hating their vicious King Careticus the Saxons finding opportunitie to over-runne all sent for Gurmundus the arch-Pirate and terror of the Ocean seas who ioyning forces together foyled the Britaines and banished their King not long after Isembert aspiring to the Crowne of France procured the said Gurmund to his ayde behold the end Gurmund was slaine Isembert overthrowne
and his whole practise came to nought Wherefore let us with one minde like those valiant Frenchmen in our rightfull cause in the defence of our country and safeguard of the lives of our wives and children couragiously give the onset upon our enemies And whiles these strangers are but few in number let us stoutly issue out upon them The fire while it is but in embers and sparkles may easily be covered with ashes but if it breake into flames it is hard to be quenched wherefore it is expedient we stoppe beginnings and prevent sicknesse when it creepeth least when it takes roote it will hardly be cured wherefore cheere my hearts wee fight for our country and liberty let us leave unto our posterity an immortall fame let us march on and lustily assault them that the overthrow of a few may be a terrour to many and that it may be a president unto all forraigne Potentates never to attempt the like againe Dermot Mac Morogh and his men receive intelligence of this march and the approach of the enemy and beholding his men somewhat dismaid turned him to them with loving countenance yee men of Leynster my naturall subjects of my flesh and bloud whom loyalty truth and kindred hath hitherto lincked together let us live together and dye together in the defence of our persons and country you see how that wicked and ambitious minded Rodericke the Author of many mischiefes not contented with his owne country and kingdome seeketh now the soveraignty and dominion over the whole land the which I hope God will not permit You see his glory his pride and audacious attempts how he lifteth up his head and looketh aloft he trusteth to his multitude doubt you not but that God is on our side and the rightfull cause ours though wee of country birth to you Leinster men I speake bee not so many as they are neither so well appointed it forceth not for victory is not measured by multitude but by valour and courage and oftentimes wee know that a few stout and hardy men have foiled troupes of sluggards dastards and white liverd Souldiers If you mistrust any defect in your selves behold a present supply at your back and elbow Doe not you see these Worthy Knights these Valiant Warriers these Noble gallants the flowre of Brittaine their valour in part you have sufficiently tryed their furniture excelleth their order and aray is most comely they have forsaken their native soyle their friends and kindred and all for our sakes will they fly no they have burned their Ships the Land will yeeld them neither succour nor refuge neither will the bloody tyrant Roderic shew any mercy wee are sworne the one to the other while breath lasteth and life endureth If the enemy pretend with the sword to chastise us for our sinnes as it appeareth by their slaunderous shamelesse reports alas what have you done God knoweth your consciences are cleare your cause honest to take Armes in defence of your Prince and Countrey Why doe they not behold the blemishes nay the hainous enormities and villanies that raigne among them Their carrows their kerne their theeves their murders their swearing their lying their drunkennesse their whordome and bloody minds who reformeth The Tyrant Roderic hath murdered his owne naturall brother hee hath three wives alive he hath eleven bastards by severall women O villaine to behold a mote in our eye and cannot see a beame in his owne If the tyrant make challenge and pretend title to Leinster because the same hath sometimes beene tributarie to some one King of Connoght by the same reason also may wee demand and challenge all Connoght for our ancestors have beene sole Governours of both and Monarchs of all Ireland The Lawes of all Nations doe permit and allow to resist and withstand force and injury with force and strength Let us be of good courage wee stand vpon a good ground our seat is naturally very strong of it selfe now by our industry made more defensive feare nothing quit your selves like men When Dermot had made an end of his Irish Oration Robert Fitz Stephens in the Brittish tongue turneth him to the Brittaines You my companions in martiall affaires you lusty young gallants that have endured with me many perils yet still retaine your noble and valiant courage consider whence wee came what wee are and the cause we have in hand we are lineally descended from Troy whose fame hath filled the whole earth and now lately some of us out of Normandy have seated our selves in Brittaine and have to our wives children and kindred of the ancient and noble Brittish race of the one we cary our valiant and noble mind of the other wee learned the experience in feates of Armes wee are not come hither as pirats and theeves to robbe and spoile as it is well knowne unto you wee had our native soile to inhabit wee had our kindred about us and the countenance of great persons wee came after the course of the World as Marshall men but in an honest cause to take our adventures Heere wee are our friends are with us our foes are in armes against us wee are well appointed the enemy is but a wilde naked rasâ—all and savage people feare nothing our cause is good Dermot sought us we sought not him hee loveth our nation and our friends in former times have found friendship in his Countrey hee is a Prince lately exiled whose fall is more to be pittied then envied we are to comfort him to aide him and to restore him to his Kingdome It is more honorable to make then to be a King and to restore then to exile he is a Prince of a bountifull mind hee hath promised large for us and our heires after us hee hath in part already most faithfully performed his yeeres are many and his daies are but few after him wee shall enjoie his and if we overcome the enemy wee shall possesse all feare not death it is but a short delay betweene transitory and eternall life it is but a short passage from vaine and temporall delights to certaine and perpetuall joies if we conquer here wee shall inherit here and purchase unto us immortall fame if we misse here we are sure of a Kingdome in another world Roderic considering with himselfe the events of warres how doubtfull and uncertaine they are wrought all meanes to intreat for peace being timerous to adventure battaile with strangers whose force hee mightily feared and whose puissance and valour being renowned he was loth to encounter withall he sent messengers unto Dermot Mac Morogh promising him that hee and his heires should in peace and quietnesse enjoy all Leinster and acknowledge him for his chiefe King and Monarch and to yeeld unto him the service and homage that to that belonged and that he should deliver him his sonne Cunthurus Cnothurinus saith Stanyhurst for pledge and hostage And if the peace were truly kept and performed Roderic promised to give him his
But I may not so leave my Prelates they synodically decreed as followeth that all the English men within the land whatsoever they were should bee manumised a worshipfull piece of worke and no thanke to them all for the English sword was then ready to cut off the Irish heads this reformation was but a sweeping of a house with a Foxes tayle The prosperous successes of Earle Richard surnamed Strangbow were no sooner effected but fame flyed abroad and flatterers carried it to Henry the seconds eares and made him jealous as Kings commonly are that a subject as Richard was should not onely in the right of his wife content himselfe with Leinster but most presumptuously without licence as the King alledged attempt the conquest of a kingdome where he formerly by grant of Adrian was interessed Whereupon the King in his iealous rage indeavouring to stop the Springs and Water-courses proclaimed We Henry c. Forbid and inhibit that from henceforth no shippe from any place of our dominioâ— shall traffique or passe into Ireland and likewise charge that all our subjects upon their dutie of allegiance which are there commorant shall returne from thence into England before Easter next following upon paine of forfeiture of all their lands and the persons so disobeying to be banished our land and exiled for ever The Earle seeing himselfe in this distresse being in perill to lose his friends and to want his necessaries out of his native soile by entercourse of Merchants calleth a Councell where it was agreed and concluded that Sir Reimond Legrosse should bee sent over to pacifie the King who then was in Aquitaine with these letters Most puissant Prince and my dread Soveraigne I came into this land with your Majesties leave and savour as farre as I remember to aide your servant Dermot Mac Morogh what I have wonne was with the sword what is given me I give you I am yours life and living at your command Vpon the receit of these letters there fell of all sides three disasters the King was mightily incensed against Earle Richard and therefore delayed Sir Reimond Legrosse and gave him no answer secondly the death of Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury troubled him exceedingly and to helpe the readers memory with the time it was as the rime delivereth Annus millenus centenus septuagenus Primus erat primas quo ruit ense Thomas The third was that Dermot Mac Morogh a most bountifull Prince died and was buried at Fernes Anno 1171. Hastulpus late Governour of Dublin of whom I have formerly spoken returneth and entreth the haven of Dublin with threescore saile to his aide of Ilanders Norwegians and Esterlings they forthwith landed and unshipped themselves and had to their Captaine saith Cambrensis one Iohn Wood some call him mad Iohn for the prankes he playd for wood and mad beare one sense Stanihurst calleth him Pewood Douling Heywood They were all mighty men of warre and well appointed after the Danish manner being harnessed with good Brigandines jackes and shirts of maile their Shields Bucklers and Targets were round and coloured red and bound about with iron and as they seemed in armes so were they no lesse in mindes iron-strong and mighty they marched in battaile array towards the East gate of the Citie Miles Cogan the Governour with a faire company yet but a handfull to the number of the enemy sallied forth and gave them battaile where both sides lost many a tall man Miles Cogan seeing himselfe overlaid with the furious rage and multitude of his adversaries gave backe and retired into the towne by this time Richard Cogan his brother had secretly issued out with a good company at the South posterne gate compassed the Danes and being at the foot of the rereward made mighty cry and shout whereat the Danes were amazed and the two brethren had the killing of them before and behinde The Danes brake their array threw their Armes away fled towards their ships where many also for haste were drowned In this skirmish Iohn Wood was slaine and Hastulphus taken prisoner and put to his ransome The prodigalitie of this Hastulphus was such that he contented not himselfe with life but braved and bragged of his exploits in the hearing of Miles Cogan and therewithall delivered that that attempt was nothing but a taste or proofe of the Irish valour and shortly they should see another manner of forces assault them What saith Miles Cogan is it not enough for him to have his life but he must threaten us with further rebellion goe take him and cut off his head And thus the blabbe of his tongue turned to his confusion Shortly after the Irish and country birth lying aloofe wayting for all opportunities and understanding of some unkindenesse and displeasure conceived by King Henry the second against Earle Richard and in that quarrell generally against all the Britaines and invaders of Ireland they put their heads together they plot they draw their draughts and devices to lay siege to recover the Citie of Dublin and the chiefest instrument was Laurence O Toole Archbishop of Dublin who wrote unto Roderic King of Connaght unto Gotred alias Godfrey King of Man and to all the Princes of Ireland that it would please them some in regard of neighbourhood othersome in regard of naturall affection unto their native soile and distressed country men of Irish birth put to their helping hand ioyne their forces together lay siege to the Citie of Dublin by sea and by land relieve their brethren rid them from the Britaines hands and restore them to their former liberty The Bishop for the good opinion that was held of his learning gravitie and sanctitie prevailed insomuch that Gotred King of Man came into the harbour of Dublin with thirty saile Roderic the Monarch and forces of Ireland came by land and incamped within sight of the towne Within the towne were Earle Richard Strangbow Maurice Fitz Gerald Reimond Legrosse lately arrived from out of England Miles Cogan Richard Cogan with other worthy men and Citizens to the number of thirty thousand fighting men As they were prepared for battaile as commonly one mischiefe falleth in the necke of another Donald the base sonne of Dermot Mac Morogh came in post to the Earle and delivered how that Robert Fitz Stephens in his Fort of Carreck by Wexford was besieged with three thousand men of Wexford and Kinsele by the conduct of Donald Prince of Limeric sonne in law to Dermot Mac Morogh who before time in his extremity and in the warres betweene him and Roderic the Monarch for chiefery at the request of Dermot Mac Morogh was relieved by Robert Fitz Stephens and so aided that he foiled his enemy and thus good is recompenced with evill In this perplexitie and doubtfull danger Maurice Fitz Gerald full of courage turneth him to the Earle and the martiall men in these words you most valiant men wee came not into this land neither were we procured hither to be idle or to live
Conquest 300. Horses 400. Oxen and for performance of all services gave him 14. pledges when they were presented the King made choice of 30. principall Horses gave backe all the rest confessing himselfe greatly pleasured at his hands Anno 1172. upon Saint Lukes day the 18. of October Henry the 2. the 17. yeere of his raigne the 41. of his age entred the Haven of Waterford so writeth Cambrensis that lived then and being landed to the harty joy of the English and fained welcome of the Irishmen had by them of Wexford formerly spoken of Robert Fitz Stephens in irons presented before him whom the Wexfordians herein I commend Stanihursts indifferent dealing rather of malice cankard spight then for just cause did charge with many hainous crimes The King advisedly to pacifie the rage of furious people for for the present time committed him to prison whence shortly after he was with honour and credit discharged and advanced to his great preferment After that the King had a little rested himselfe and the messengers scattered themselves with newes over the land the Princes were amazed they knew the Kings greatnesse was such if faire meanes would not force should constraine them and therefore in policie resolved themselves to yeeld allegiance homage and fealtie Whereupon Dermot Mac Carty Prince of Corke began became tributarie sware faith truth and loyaltie to the King of England And the King thereupon gave the kingdome of Corke to Robert Fitz Stephens and Miles Cogan as hereafter more at large shall appeare From Waterford the King raised his army and marched towards Lismore where he tarryed two daies and from thence he marched to Cashill not farre from the Shure and thither came to him Donald O Bren Prince of Limric who submitted himselfe became tributarie and swore fealty whereupon the King as hee had formerly done with Corke appointed a Governour for Limric then also came in Donall Prince of Ossorie and Omelaghlen Ophelin Lord of the Decies with all the chieftaines of Mounster submitting themselves as others had formerly done surrendring unto the Kings hands their territories and holding them againe at his pleasure Thence the King returned to Waterford left there his houshold and Robert Fitz Barnard governour of the towne and marched with his army towards Dublin In his iourney there came unto him of the chiefest commanders of the land Omathelan Machelan Ophelan O Mac Chelweie Gille Mac Holemoc O tuell helly Ocathdhessy O Caraell of Vriell and Roric the sonne of Monoculus of Meth. But Roderic the Monarch came no neerer then the Shanon where Hugh de lacy and William Fitz Aldelme by the Kings command met him and hee desiring peace submitted himselfe swore allegiance became tributarie and did put in as all others had done hostages and pledges for the performance of the same Thus was all Ireland saving Vlster brought in subjection and every Prince of the other parties in his owne person saving Roderic King of Connaght submitted himselfe but he subtilly alledged that he submitted Connaght but not the command of all Ireland the which he reserved for the Monarch and his successors but of this hereafter if God permit Christmas drew on which the King kept at Dublin where hee feasted all the Princes of the land and gave them rich and beautifull gifts they repaired thither out of all parts of the land and wonderfull it was to the rude people to behold the Majestie of so puissant a Prince the pastime the sport and the mirth and the continuall musicke the masking mumming and strange shewes the gold the silver and plate the precious ornaments the dainty dishes furnished with all sorts of fish and flesh the wines the spices the delicate and sumptuous banquets the orderly service the comely march and seemly array of all officers the Gentlemen the Esquires the Knights and Lords in their rich attire such as rugged Mantles and Irish Troosses were never acquainted withall the running at Tilte in compleat harnesse with barb'd horses where the staves shivered and flew in splinters safer to sit then upon an Irish Pillion that playeth crosse and pile with the rider the plaine honest people admired and no mervaile but now to more serious matters Henry 2. having thus conquered Ireland with the envy of the French and forraigne Princes without one drop of sweat without drawing of sword or shedding of one drop of English bloud as it became his Princely calling turned himselfe to reforme the state Ecclesiasticall and the misdemeanours of holy Church whereof Cambrensis writeth In the yeere of Christs incarnation 1172. and in the first yeere when Henry the most Noble King conquered Ireland Christianus Bishop of Lismore and Legate of the Apostolike See Donatus Archbishop of Cashill Laureance Archbishop of Dublin and Catholiâ—us Archbishop of Tuemond with their Suffragans and fellow Bishops Abbots Priors Deanes and Archdeacons and many other Prelates of the Church of Ireland by the commandment of the King did assemble themselves and kept a Synod at Cashill and there debating many things concerning the wealth estate and reformation of the Church of Ireland did provide remedies for the same At this Councell in behalfe of the King whom he had sent thither there were Raffe Abbot of Buldeway Raffe Archdeacon of Landaffe Nicholas the Kings Chaplaine with divers other Clerkes sundry good statutes and wholesome lawes were there devised which were after subscribed and confirmed by the King himselfe and under his authority which were these that follow First it is decreed that all good and faithfull Christian people throughout Ireland shall refraine and forbeare to marry with their neere kins folkes and cousins and match with such as lawfully they might doe Secondly that children shall be catechized without the Church door and baptized in the Font appointed in the Church for the same purpose Thirdly that every Christian doe truely and faithfully pay yeerely the tithes of his Cattell Corne and all other his increase and profits to the Church or Parish where he is a parishioner Fourthly that all the Church lands and possessions throughout all Ireland shall be free from all secular exactions and impositions and especially that no Lords Earles or Noble men nor their children nor family shall extort or take any cony and livery cosheries or cuddies or any other like custome from thence forth in or upon any of the Church land and territories and likewise that neither they nor any other person doe thenceforth exact out of the said Church lands old wicked and detestable customes of cony and livery the which they were wont to extort upon such townes and villages of the Churches as were neere and next bordering upon them Fiftly when carik or composition is made among the laye people for any murther that no person of the Clergie though he be a kinne to any of the parties shall contribute any thing thereunto but as they bee guiltlesse of the murther so shall they be free from paying of money for any such release for
with issue out of the bushes and ditches and effect his traiterous devices The night before the parly Griffith the nephew of Robert and Morice being the sonne of William the elder brother dreamed in his sleepe that he saw a great heard of wild hogges rush upon Hugh Delacy and his uncle Maurice and that one of them being more furious and raging then the rest had rent them with his tuskes and tore them in pieces if he had not with his force rescued them and killed the Bore this dreame troubled him exceedingly wherewith he acquainted his company and made him and the rest be the more upon their keeping to prevent treachery The houre of parlee came they met and confered together Griffith not forgetting his dreame made choice of seven tall men of his owne kindred in whom he reposed great trust and confidence well mounted with swords sparthes and sheilds raunged the fields as nigh the Hill as they might and made sundry Carreers and brave Turnaments under pretence of recreation and pleasant pastime yet alwaies casting an eye to the Hill to see the end of this parlee Hughe Delacy and Ororic being somewhat long together Ororic to worke his treason stept aside faining to make water upon the signe he gave his men brought him his horse and sparth the which he taking upon his shoulder ment therewith to have cloven Hughe Delacy his head if the interpreter had not stept betweene whose arme was cleane cut off and himselfe wounded to the death Maurice Fitz Girald and Griffith his nephew rush in the traitours of the one side the true men of the other are together by the eares when Ororic the traitor tooke horse to runne away Griffith with his launce runne him through and killed him and his horse and three of his men cut off his head and sent it to the King of England this was the end of Orirics treason and the effect of Griffiths dreame Immediatly upon this Earle Richard being formerly upon reconciliation made with the King appointed Seneschall of Ireland is now sent out of Normandy by especially commission from the King with Reimondle grosse his brother in Law in joint commission to governe the whole land to be his Lieutenant in Ireland where he found the Irish saith Cambrensis constant in inconstancy firme in wavering and faithfull in untruthes he found emulation betweene Hervy and Reimond and the Army in a mutiny for lacke of pay at Herveies hands whereupon he made Reimond Lievetenant of the forces Reimond immediatly mustred his men drew them forth to the Decies among the Rebels where they preyed and spoiled Secondly they marched to Lismore where they did the like Lastly along the Sea cost they goe with their booties preyes and rich pillage towards Waterford and finding at Dunganan some thirteene botes out of Waterford and other places they lade them with their preys intending by water to saile for Waterford while they waited for wind Corke men envyed their successe prepared 32. Barks manned and furnished them out out of their Towne to overthrow Reimond and the English men and to recover the preyes they met they fought cruelly Corke men are overthrowne and their Captain Gilbert Mac Turger was slaine by a valiant Knight Philip Welsh and finally Adam Herford with all his charge safely arrived in Waterford Reimond was not at this skirmish but by the way he met with Dermot Mac Corty Prince of Desmond who with great power was come to the aid of the men of Corke They likewise skrimished and fell to a cruell fight where Dermot forsooke the field with small credit and Reimond went to Waterford with foure thousand head of cattell Immediatly upon this newes came out of England unto Reimond that William Fitz Girald his father was departed this life whereupon he sailed to Wales and Hervey De monte Marisco was appointed by the Earle Lieutenant of the forces This Hervey to advance his credit purposed to worke some exploits and drew out of Dublin the Earle to Cashil there also after consultation by mandat from the Earle he appointed the Souldiers that were at Dublin to meet him When they came as farre as Ossorie Donald Prince of Limirik having by his espials before hand intelligence thereof stole upon them in the morning slue of them foure Knights whereof O Grame an Irish man was one and foure hundred souldiers with this the Earle was discouraged and went to Waterford the Irish gathered heart and determined to roote out al the Englishmen So that Roderic Prince of Conoght tooke this opportunity passed the Shannan and wasted all to the walles of Dublin The Earle being in this perplexity wrote unto Reimond that was in Wales As soone as you have read those our letters make all the haste you can to come away and bring with you all the helpe and force you can make and then according to your own will and desire you shall assuredly enjoy that which you long looked for Immediatly he prepared himselfe together with his cousin Meilerius shipped 30. young Gentlemen of his own kindred 100. horsemen with 300. archers foot of the best chosen men of all Wales and in 20. Barkes arrived in Waterford It was at such time as the Waterford men had determined to kill every English man within the walles but when they saw the Barkes come in with flags and banners displaid they were astonied and staid their course Reimond entreth the towne of Wexford setteth all in order taketh the Earle with him and all their forces and went to Wexford hee had left behinde him one Purcell his Lievetenant to guard the town whom the Waterfordians slue and put to the sword of English birth man woman and childe but such as had fled to Reynolds towre plagued them sore afterwards drove them to intreate for peace the which they obtained with hard conditions And saith the booke of Houth the Waterfordians were ever after the lesse beleeved For all the troubles in England and Normandie and these treasons and rebellions in Ireland the King was not unmindefull to quiet the people and to establish himselfe and his heires in the kingdome first he sent Embassadors to Rome to cleere himselfe of the death of Thomas of Canterbury secondly he sent messengers thither concerning the state of Ireland whereunto Alexander the third answered as followeth Alexander the Bishop the servant of the servants of God to his dearely beloved sonne the Noble King of England greeting grace and Apostolike benediction Forasmuch as things given and granted upon good reason by our predecessors are to be well allowed of ratified and confirmed wee well considering and pondering the graunt and priviledge for and concerning the dominion of the land of Ireland to us appertaining and lately given by Adrian our predecessor we following his steps doe in like manner confirme ratifie and allow the same reserving and saving to Saint Peter and to the Church of Rome the yeerely pension of one penny out of every house
as well in England as in Ireland provided also that the barbarous people of Ireland by your meanes be reformed and recovered from that filthy life and abhominable conversation that as in name so in life and manners they may be Christians and that as that rude and disordered Church being by you reformed the whole nation may also with the profession of the name be in acts and deeds followers of the same And saith the booke of Houth Alexander the third besought the devill to take them all that gainesayed this Kings title Amen Henry 2. sent this priviledge to Ireland by Nicholas Wallingford a Prior afterwards Abbot of Malmesbury and William Fitz Adelme And then being at Waterford they caused an assembly and a Synod of the Bishops and Clergie within the land to be gathered together where in open audience this priviledge of Alexander and the other of Adrian formerly spoken of were read and published and ratified Reimond having setled his affaires at Wexford marched towards Dublin the noyse of his comming drave Roderic the rebell of Connaght away he was no sooner come to Dublin but the newes of the rebellion of Limric followed after where Donald O bren having sworne faith and fealty unto Henry 2. is now revolted and turned to his vomit Reymond maketh preparation mustereth his men chose out 26. gallants 300. horsemen and 300. Archers and foote and commeth to Lymeric where he found the Bridges drawn the river swift and impassable the townesmen upon the walls with all manner of defence for their safeguard David Welsh a lusty Gentleman maketh no more adoe but putteth spurres to his horse and with good guiding thereof crosseth the river and got to land immediately he calleth to his company come I have found a Ford yet for all that none would follow but Ieffery Welsh and Meilerius Fitz Henry Then Reimond turneth him to the army with these words You worthy men who of nature are valiant and whose Prowesse we have well tryed come away the way heretofore not knowne and the river hitherto thought not passable by our adventures a foord is now found therein let us therefore follow him that is gone before and helpe him being now in distresse let us not suffer nor see so worthy a Gentleman thus for our common cause and honour oppressed to perish and to be cast away before our eyes and in our sight for want of our help and by meanes of our dastard cowardize It is no time to use many words the shortnesse of the time the present necessitie of this Noble Gentleman and the state of our own honour urgeth expedition and requireth haste And even with the words he put spurres to his horse and adventureth the river after whom followed the whole company every one striving who might be formost And as God would they passed all over safe saving two souldiers and one Gwydo a Gentleman when they had recovered land the enemy fled whom they pursued and in the chase slue a number of them they entred the towne got great spoyles and riches but greater honour and fame When all was quiet Reimond left there a strong Garrison and Miles of Saint Davids Lievetenant over them and returned to the borders of Leinster Envy hardly sleepeth but is still devising of mischiefe Hervie de monte Marisco though now by marriage allyed unto Reymond yet by malice worketh his overthrow enuying his honour and prosperous successe sendeth secret letters to the King against him which are not worthy to be recorded being but the sinke of secret malice The King as the nature of Princes is to be jealous and suspitious of any greatnesse is easily brought to credit Hervie and thereupon sendeth foure of his servants to Ireland Robert Poer Osbert of Herlotte or Hereford William Bendeger and Adam of Gernemie two of them to stay with Earle Richard and the other two to bring Reimond away with them as Reymond was ready to goe for England newes came that Donald Prince of Lymeric had besieged the towne and that the garrison was greatly distressed and in want of victuals the Earle with Reimond and the foure Gentlemen fell to consultation what course to hold they found in the army a secret mutiny where the souldiers said flatly they would not serve that way unlesse Reimond were their Captaine to be short it was concluded that Reimond should undertake the service when he had mustered and made choice of horse and foot he marched towards Lymeric Donald Prince of Ossory who bore private grudge to Donald of Lymeric Morogh of Kencile with other Irish men then served and attended upon Reimond By the way a Post came and certified Reimond that Donald of Lymeric had raised his siege and was come to the pace of Cashill to give him battaile this pace of it selfe was naturally very strong but by trenching and hedging and plashing of trees it seemed invincible When of each side they were ready to joyne battaile Donald Prince of Ossory being desirous to see his enemy of Lymeric and Thomond overthrowne turneth him to the English men with these words You worthy Noble and valiant Conquerours of this land you are this day valiantly to give the onset upon your enemies which if you doe after your old and accustomed manner no doubt the victory will be yours for we with our sparthes and you with your swords will sharpely pursue them as they shall very hardly escape our hands avoid our force but if it so fall out which God forbid that you be overthrowne and hove the worse side be you assured that wee will leave you and turne to our enemies and take part with them Wherefore be of good courage and looke well to your selves and consider that you are now farre from any Fort or place of refuge and therefore if you should be driven to flye the same will be long and dangerous unto you As for us ye may not trust to us for we determine to sticke to them who shall have the victory and will pursue and be on the jackes of them who shall flye and runne away and therefore be no longer assured of us then whilst yee be Conquerours Meilerius who had the foreward being somewhat moved and warmed with those words suddenly like a blast of winde entred the Passe pulled away the bushes brake downe the hedges the Pioners filled the trenches and speedily made plaine the way with no small slaughter of the enemies and so they marched without any great perill to Lymeric where they releeved the army and set things in order and rested a short time Roderic of Connaght and Donald of Thomond finding themselves weake craved a parlee it was granted them Roderic would needs keepe on the water and Donald kept the wood Who would trust them that would trust no other Reimond chose the midst betweene them both to be short a peace was concluded they both submitted themselves gave hostages made fealtie and swore to be true thenceforth for ever to the King of
take possession of the Kings graunt given him in those parts As they came to the walles of Lymerick the Citizens of spight in sight of them all to the end that no Englishman should roost there set the Town on fire Philippe de Bruse was therewithal discouraged and his Company in so much that when Robert Fitz Stephens and Miles Cogan offred to adventure their lives in the recovery of the Kingdome of Lymerik with all their aide and assistance he refused it and returned with them to Corke esteeming it farre better to lose Lymric and with safetie to dwell among his lovers and friends then to lose life and kingdome by dwelling among such Iewes as will fire their owne houses and cut all English throats In a while after Miles Cogan and Raffe the sonne of Robert Fitz Stephens who had lately married Miles daughter went towards Lismore to parlee with Waterford men and determined that night to lodge with one Mac Tyrid who had solemnly invited them As they waited in the field expecting the comming of the Waterfordians this Mac Tyrid unawares stealing upon them most traiterously slue them and five of their company whereupon the whole country was in uproare insomuch that Dermot Mac Carty and all the Irish in those parts together with Mac Tyrid that most perfidious traitor were in armes determining thenceforth to be no longer the Kings loyall subjects when they had gathered their forces together they laid siege to Corke meaning to cut off Robert Fitz Stephens and all the English men there Robert Fitz Stephens being distressed in Corke fearing the open enemy without and mistrusting the secret enemy within sent post to Wexford to his nephew Reimond le Grosse praying him to come to his aide Reimund forthwith with twenty knights and one hundred foot and bowmen entred the Lee landed at Corke encountred with the enemies killed some drove other to flye and compelled the rest to submit themselves and sue for peace When the King understood of this he sent Richard Cogan brother unto Miles to supply his brothers roome in the kingdome of Corke a man no way inferiour to his brother for valour and martiall prowesse in his companie came Philip Barry and Girald Barry his brother otherwise called Silvester Giraldus Cambrensis the famous learned man nephewes of Robert Fitz Stephens with a jolly troupe of horse and foot chosen and picked men Robert Fitz Stephens and Richard Cogan enjoyed this kingdome of Corke peaceably for certaine yeeres and in processe of time for want of heires male of them it came to two daughters the one of them was married to Robert de Carew the other to Patricke de Courcy and they in right of their wives enjoyed the same during their lives and after them their heires untill such time as by a division growne as I take it in England betweene the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster the Irish men expelled them and recovered the country unto themselues Anno 1178. The Monasterie Beatae Mariae Roseae vallis called Rosglâ—s was founded Yet others thinke it was in Anno 1189. I may not forget Harvey de monte Marisco of whom often mention is made before who after many spitefull parts treacheries and false accusations exhibited by him unto the King against most noble servitors became a Monke the man was sore troubled in conscience and in his course he made the common saying true desperatio facit Monachum Hee had founded saith Felcon the Monastery of our blessed Lady de Portu Donbrodthi he gaue unto the Monasterie Saint Trinitatis of Canterbury his territories advousons along the sea coast between Waterford and Wexford and there cloystred himselfe I would saith Cambrensis he had changed his conditions with his habit The same yeere saith Holinshed there came from Pope Alexander 3. into England two Cardinals Alberto desuma and Petro de sancta Agatha whose commission was to summon the Bishops of England Ireland Scotland with the Isles and Normandie to the generall Councell of Lateran in Rome after they had obtained licence to passe through his dominions the King swore them upon the holy Evangelist that in their Legateship they should not attempt any thing that might be hurtfull to the King or his dominions and that upon their returne they should visite him homewards whereupon out of Ireland there went thither Laurence Archbishop of Dublin and Catholicus Archbishop of Tuam with some other five or sixe Irish Bishops whom the King likewise swore that they should not procure any damage to his Realmes and dominions The Realme of Ireland at this time was singular well governed by Hugh de Lacy a good man and a wise Magistrate who for the good of the land and the people established many good orders he made Bridges and builded Townes Castles and Forts throughout Leinster as Sir Iohn de Courcy did in Vlster in his time the Priest kept his Church the Souldier his Garrison and the Plow-man followed his Plough yet cankred envy quieted not her selfe practised mischiefe against him so that he was charged before the King to attempt the Crowne of Ireland and make himselfe absolute Lord of the land and that he had married the King of Connaghts daughter saith Holinshed contrary to the Kings pleasure The King immediately as Princes are jealous of great men called him into England appointed governours Iohn Constable and Richard Peche This Lacy behaved himselfe so discreetly and dutifully in England that he cleered himselfe of all suspition that the King was resolved of his truth and fidelity and sent him backe againe into Ireland with further credit then formerly he had done and that within three moneths and gave him the absolute command and Lievetenantship of the land and joyned as assistant unto him Robert Salisbury calling home the former governours It was not long but he was upon malitious occasion the second time sent for into England and one Philip of Worcester Cambrensis is mine Author a valiant souldier a bountifull and a liberall man with a most brave troupe of horse and foot arrived in Ireland with command to send over Hugh de Lacy and he to remaine there as Governour of the land until Iohn his sonne came over Stanihurst is of opinion that he went over into England and cleering himselfe speedily returned againe which cannot well stand with the course of the history for when Philip of Worcester tooke upon him the governement Lacy hastened the building and finishing of the Castle of Derwath whereof my penne immediately shall make report and there ended his dayes And now to Philip of Worcester and his companion Hugh Tirell Cambrensis and Stanihurst especially write most bitter of them of Philip how that first of all he resumed and seized unto the Kings use the lands of Ocathesie and divers other parcels which Hugh de Lacy had sold away and these he appointed to serve for the Kings provision and the Governours diet And after the winter was past he assembled and mustred his
bee true one to another throughout that whole rancke of rebels as farre as life lands and goods would reach to effect this enterprise Secondly they swoare never to yeeld obedience to the English nation againe Oconor King of Conaght becomes the mouth of the Irish perswades to his liking disswades where fancy pleaseth not and gathered together in short time an Army as mine Author saith of 20000. fighting men his policy was first to cleare Conoght and afterwards all Vlster and so by degrees the whole land the which he doubted not of as he delivered to his followers Sir Iohn de Courcy understanding this and doubting what hee should finde at Sir Hugh Delacies hands sent letters in post to his brother Sir Amorick Saint Laurence who shortly to his ayd marched towards the North with 30. Knights and 200. foot Oconor hearing this lyeth in ambush in most secret wise and sendeth scouts of horse and foot before him to apprehend and cut off all espials which might bewray his ambush and give intelligence to Sir Amorick to prevent the danger Sir Amorick boldly marcheth on misdoubting nothing for that he understandeth by his espials nothing to the contrary till he came to the Divels mouth where upon a sudden beholding Oconor and his huge Army peeping out of their ambush was amazed made a stand and consulting with his company wist not what to doe there was no flying there was no fighting one to a hundred was no equal match a horseman whose name was Mountgomery in a few words said this Let us fly and save our lives as for the foot company wee can doe them no good by figting by flying and saving our owne lives we may succour their wives children and kindred By that time Sir Amorick his brother leader of the foot company came to the consultation and said I see by all circumstances that you meane to flie and you Sir Amorick my noble brother what meane you to give eare to these cowardly horsemen will you leave us here as sheepe in the mouths of this mercilesse people and ravening wolfes ready to rent us in peeces Have you forgotten the bloody battels we followed you in and do you not see that we have left our Country our wives our children and dearest friends and now stand at deaths doore to be forsaken of you whom wee never left so disolate and distressed if you weigh not our lamentable estate regard your owne honour and the house you are descended of Will you lose in an houre the honour you wanne in many yeeres Call to remembrance most worthy Knight how that in Vriell in manner in the like distresse you dismounted your selfe slew your horse led the foot animated the company recovered your selfe and ended with honour Wee are your flesh and your blood wee come hither to fight to live and to dye together I know the worst I am resolved if we fight we dye if we fly we are slaine is it not better for us to dye in fight like men and so winne honour then to bee slaine in flight like beasts and gaine shame for ever With this Sir Amorick turned him to the foot company and hardly gathering breath with the sorrow of his heart resolved himselfe thus I have no power to fly and leave my frinds my flesh and blood in this extreme distresse I will live with them who for my sake came hither if it so please God and I will dye with them if it bee his pleasure that ending here wee shall meet againe bodies and soules at the last day God and the World beare witnesse that wee doe as Christian Knights ought to doe I yeeld my soule into Gods hands my body to returne whence it came my service to my naturall Prince my heart to my wife and brother Sir Iohn de Courcy my might my force and bloody sweat to the ayd of you all that are in the field He lighted kneeled upon his knees kissed the crosse of his sword ranne his horse through saying thou shalt never serve against mee that so worthily hast served with mee The like did all the rest then looking about with a chearefull countenance as if he had not beene the man that was formerly dismaid charged two young Gentlemen of the company to get them to the top of an Hill hard by adjoyning and beholding the battell upon their returne homwards make true report to his brother Courcy and others of that daies service Immediatly they prepared to battaile the enemies marvailed seeing them approch that they durst being so few abide the field they made likewise a stand and cast doubts whether the Englishmen in this attempt had not some great supply rescues are maine battaile following after they would not give the on-set before they had certain knowledge thereof by scoutes and espials to be short they joyne the battaile where to deliver the whole in few words Sir Amorick was slaine and all his company It was a bloody day when all the one side and a 1000. of the other side fell to ground Oconor and his company seing the end of this field durst never againe give battell unto the English but sued to Sir Hugh Delacy then Lord Iustice for peace which he obtained vowing as he had many a time before faith truth and perfect subjection This Oconor after his reconciliation made report unto Sir Hugh Delacy of that daies work that he thought verily there was never the like seen upon the earth how that the Englishmen not being able to stand in fight turned backe to backe with sparthes and two handed swords untill the last man was slaine The lamentation that Sir Iohn de Courcy made when this was bruted abroad I will not stand to rehearse I am now to end with King Henry the second a most worthy Prince whose troubles every way troubled not him so much as the unnaturall rebellion of his sonnes and the Iealousie of his Queene he raigned 34. yeeres 9. months and two dayes his Epitaph in Mathew Paris and in others I find thus Rex Henricus eram mihi plurima regna subegi Multiplicique modo Duxque Comesque fui c Of late King Henry was my name Which Conquered many a Land And divers Dukdomes did possesse And Earldomes held in hand And yet while all the earth could scarce My greedy mind suffice Eight foot within the ground now serves Wherein my Carcas lyes Now thou that readest this note well My force with force of Death And let that serve to shew the state Of all that yeeldeth breath Do good then here fore slow no time Cast off all worldly cares For brittel world full soone doth faile And death doth strike unwares Richard the first the third sonne of Henry 2. began his raigne over England the 6. of Iuly Anno 1189. For his valence he was called Coeur de Lyon the Lyons heart he was affianced but never married to Adela or Alice daughter to the French King and in his iourney to the holy
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
I am right sorry that you make so short an end and covet to passe over to your former purposes for there be many other parts of Ireland which I have heard have bin no lesse vexed with the like stormes then these which you have treated of as the Countries of the Birnes Tooles neere Dublin with the insolent out-rages and spoyles of Feagh mac Hugh the Countreyes of Catherlagh Wexford and Waterford by the Cavenaghes The Countreyes of Leix Kilkenny and Kildare by the O Moores The Countreyes of Ofaly and Longford by the Connors The Countreyes of Westmeath Cavan and Lowth by the O Relyes the Kellyes and many others so as the discoursing of them besides the pleasure which would redound out of their History be also very profitable for matters of policy Iren. All this which you have named and many more besides often times have I right well knowne and yet often doe kindle great fires of tumultuous broyles in the Countreyes bordering upon them All which to rehearse should rather bee to Chronicle times then to search into reformation of abuses in that Realme and yet very needfull it will bee to consider them and the evills which they have often stirred up that some redresse thereof and prevention of the evills to come may thereby rather be devised But I suppose wee shall have a fitter opportunity for the same when wee shall speake of the particular abuses and enormities of the government which will bee next after these generall defects and inconveniences which I saide were in the Lawes Customes and Religion Eudox. Goe to them a Gods name and follow the course which you have promised to your selfe for it fitteth best I must confesse with the purpose of our discourse Declare your opinion as you began about the Lawes of the Realme what incommoditie you have conceived to bee in them chiefly in the common Law which I would have thought most free from all such dislike Iren. The Common Law is as I saide before of it selfe most rightfull and very convenient I suppose for the Kingdome for which it was first devised for this I thinke as it seeemes reasonable that out of your manners of your people and abuses of your Countrey for which they were invented they take their first beginning or else they should bee most unjust for no Lawes of man according to the straight rule of right are just but as in regard of the evills which they prevent and the safety of the Common-weale which they provide for As for example in your true ballancing of Iustice it is a flat wrong to punish the thought or purpose of any before it bee enacted for true Iustice punisheth nothing but the evill act or wicked word that by the Lawes of all Kingdomes it is a capitall cryme to devise or purpose the death of your King The reason is for that when such a purpose is effected it should then bee too late to devise thereof and should turne the Common-wealth to more losse by the death of their Prince then such punishment of the malefactors And therefore the Law in that case punisheth the thought for better is a mischiefe then an inconvenience So that Ius politicum though it bee not of it selfe just yet by application or rather necessity it is made just and this onely respect maketh all Lawes just Now then if these Lawes of Ireland bee not likewise applyed and fitted for that Realme they are sure very inconvenient Eudox. You reason strongly but what unfitnesse doe you finde in them for that Realme shew us some particulars Iren. The Common Law appointeth that all tryalls as well of Crimes as Titles and Rights shall bee made by verdict of a Iury chosen out of the honest and most substantiall Free-holders Now most of the Free-holders of that Realme are Irish which when the cause shall fall betwixt an Englishman and an Irish or betweene the Queene and any Free-houlder of that Countrey they make no more scruple to passe against an Englishman and the Queene though it bee to strayne their oathes then to drinke milke unstrayned So that before the Iury goe together it is all to nothing what the verdict shall be The tryall have I so often seene that I dare confidently avouch the abuse thereof Yet is the Law of it selfe as I said good and the first institution thereof being given to all Englishmen very rightfully but now that the Irish have stepped into the very roomes of your English wee are now to become heedfull and provident in Iuryes Eudox. In sooth Iren. you have discoversed a point worthy the consideration for heereby not onely the English subject findeth no indifferencie in deciding of his cause bee it never so just but the Queene aswell in all pleas of the Crowne as also in inquiries for Escheates Lands attainted Wardshipps Concealements and all such like is abused and exceedingly dammaged Iren. You say very true for I dare undertake that at this day there are more attainted Lands concealed from her Majestie then shee hath now possessions in all Ireland and it is no small inconvenience for besides that shee looseth so much Land as should turne to her great profite shee besides looseth so many good subjects which might bee assured unto her as those Landes would yeelde Inhabitants and living unto Eudox. But doth many of that people say you make no more conscience to perjure themselves in their verdicts and damne their soules Iren. Not onely so in their verdicts but also in all other their dealings especially with the English they are most willfully bent for though they will not seeme manifestly to doe it yet will some one or other subtle-headed fellow amongst them put some quirke or devise some evasion whereof the rest will likely take hold and suffer themselves easily to be led by him to that themselves desired For in the most apparant matter that may bee the least question or doubt that may bee mooved will make a stoppe unto them and put them quite out of the way Besides that of themselves for the most part they are so cautelous and wylie-headed especially being men of so small experience and practice in law matters that you would wonder whence they borrow such subtiltyes and slye shifts Eudox. But mee thinkes this inconvenience might bee much helped in the Iudges and chiefe Magistrates which have the choosing and nominating of those Iurors if they would have dared to appoint either most Englishmen and such Irishmen as were of the soundest judgment and disposition for no doubt but some there bee incorruptible Iren. Some there bee indeede as you say but then would the Irish partie crye out of partialitie and complaine hee hath no Iustice hee is not used as a subject hee is not suffered to have the free benefite of the Law and these out-cryes the Magistrates there doe much shunne as they have cause since they are readily hearkened unto heere neither can it bee indeede although the Irish party would bee so contented
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
broken of all the Lords and best Gentle-men of Fealtie to the Kings which now is no lesse needfull because many of them are suspected to have taken an other Oath privily to some bad purposes and thereupon to have received the Sacrament and beene sworne to a Priest which they thinke bindeth them more then their alleagiance to their Prince or love of their Countrey Eudox. This tything to the Common people and taking sureties of Lords and Gentlemen I like very well but that it wil be very troublesome should it not be as well for to have them all booked and the Lords Gentle-men to take all the meaner sort upon themselves for they are best able to bring them in whensoever any of them starteth out Iren. This indeed Eudoxus hath beene hitherto and yet is a common order amongst them to have all the people booked by the Lords and Gentlemen but yet the worst order that ever was devised for by this booking of men all the inferiour sort are brought under the command of their Lords and forced to follow them into any action whatsoever Now this you are to understand that all the Rebellions which you see from time to time happen in Ireland are not begun by the common people but by the Lords and Captaines of Countries upon pride or willfull obstinacy against the government which whensoever they will enter into they drawe with them all their people and followers which thinke themselves bound to goe with them because they have booked them and undertaken for them and this is the reason that in England you have few such bad occasions by reason that the noble men how ever they should happen to be evill disposed have no commaund at all over the Communalty though dwelling under them because that every man standeth upon himselfe and buildeth his fortunes upon his owne faith and firme assurance The which this manner of tything the poles will worke also in Ireland For by this the people are broken into many small parts like little streames that they cannot easily come together into one head which is the principall regard that is to be had in Ireland to keepe them from growing unto such a head and adhering unto great men Eudox. But yet I cannot see how this can bee well brought without doing great wrong unto the noble men there for at the first conquest of that Realme those great Seigniories and Lordships were given them by the king that they should bee the stronger against the Irish by the multitudes of followers and tennants under them All which hold their tenements of them by fealty and such services whereby they are by the first graunt of the King made bounden unto them and tyed to rise out with them into all occasions of service And this I have often heard that when the Lord Deputy hath raised any generall hostings the Noble men have claimed the leading of them by graunt from the Kings of England under the great Seale exhibited so as the Deputies could not refuse them to have the leading of them or if they did they would so worke as none of their followers should rise forth to the hostage Iren. You say very true but will you see the fruite of those grants I have knowne when those Lords have had the leading of their owne followers under them to the generall hostings that they have for the same cut upon every plowland within their country 40. shil or more whereby some of them have gathered above seven or eight hundred pounds and others much more into their purse in lieu whereof they have gathered unto themselves a number of loose Kearne out of all parts which they have carried forth with them to whom they never gave any penny of entertainement allowed by the Countrey or forced by them but let them feede upon the Countryes and extort upon all men where they come for that people will never aske better entertainement then to have a colour of service or imployment given them by which they will pole and spoyle so outragiously as the very enemy cannot doe much worse And they also sometimes turne to the enemy Eudox. It seemes the first intent of those graunts was against the Irish which now some of them use against the Queene her selfe But now what remedy is there for this or how can those graunts of the Kings be avoyded without wronging of those Lords which had those lands and Lordships given them Iren. Surely they may be well enough for most of those Lords since their first graunts from the Kings by which those lands were given them have sithence bestowed the most part of them amongst their Kinsfolke as every Lord perhaps hath given in his time one another of his principall Castles to his younger Sonne and other to others as largely and as amply as they were given to him and others they have sold and others they have bought which were not in their first graunt which now neverthelesse they bring within the compasse thereof and take and exact upon them as upon their first demeasnes all those kinde of services yea and the very wilde exactions Coignie Livery Sorehon and such like by which they pole and utterly undoe the poore Tennants and Free-houlders under them which either thorough ignorance know not their tenures or through greatnes of their new Lords dare not challenge them yea and some Lords of countryes also as great ones as themselves are now by strong hand brought under them and made their Vassalls As for example Arundell of the Stronde in the county of Corke who was aunciently a great Lord and was able to spend 3500. pounds by the yeare as appeareth by good Recordes is now become the Lord Barries man and doth to him all those services which are due unto her Majesty For reformation of all which I wish that there were a commission graunted forth under the great Seale as I have seene one recorded in the old Councell Booke of Mounster that was sent forth in the time of Sir William Drurie unto persons of speciall trust and judgement to inquire thoroughout all Ireland beginning with one county first and so resting a while till the same were settled by the verdict of a sound and substantiall Iury how every man houldeth his land of whom and by what tenure so that every one should be admitted to shew and exhibite what right he hath and by what services hee houldeth his land whether in cheife or in soccage or by Knights service or how else soever Thereupon would appeare first how all those great English Lords doe claime those great services what Seigniories they usurpe what wardships they take from the Queene what lands of hers they conceale and then how those Irish Captaines of Countryes have incroached upon the Queenes Free-holders and Tennants how they have translated the tenures of them from English houlding unto Irish Tanistry and defeated her Majesty of all her rights and dutyes which are to acrew to her thereout as wardships
ac prosperis praelijs domuit eamque partem Britanniae quae Hiberniam aspicit copijs instruxit in spem magis quam ob formidinem Siquidem Hibernia medio inter Britanniam atque Hispaniam sita Gallico quoque mari opportuna valentissimam imperij partem magnis invicem usibus miscuerit Spatium ejus si Britanniae comparetur angustius nostri maris insulas superat Solum coelumque ingenia cultusque hominum haut multùm à Britannia differunt meliùs aditus portusque per commercia negotiatores cogniti Agricola expulsum seditione domesticâ unum ex regulis gentis exceperat ac specie amicitiae in occasionem retinebat Saepè ex eo audivi Legione unâ modicis auxilijs debellari obtinerÃque Hiberniam posse idque adversùs Britanniam profuturum si Romana ubique arma velut è conspectu libertas tolleretur Pag. 31. lin 4. Slanius in the end made himselfe Monarch The Irish stories have a continued succession of the Kings of Ireland from this Slanius untill the conquest by King Henry the second but very uncertaine especially untill the planting of Religion by S. Patrick at which time Loegarius or Lagirius was Monarch Pag. 33. lin 35. Ireland is by Diodorus Siculus and by Strabo called Britannia Iris is by Diodorus called a part of Brittaine but Ireland by neither of them Britannia Pag. 33. lin 38. King Arthur and before him Gurgunt Concerning King Arthur's conquest of Ireland see Geffry of Monmuth and Matthew of Westminster at the yeare 525. where he is said to have landed in Ireland with a great army and in a battle to have taken King Gilla-mury prisoner and forced the other Princes to subjection In our Annals it appeares that Moriertach the sonne of Erca was at that time King of Ireland of which name some reliques seeme to be in Gilla-Mury Gilla being but an addition used with many names as Gilla-Patrick c. But in the Country writers which I have seene I find not the least touch of this conquest Pag. 34. lin 23. amongst whom he distributed the land King Henry the 2. gave to Richard Strong-bow Earle of Striguil or Penbroke all Leinster excepting the citty of Dublin and the Cantreds adjoyning with the maritime townes and castles Vnto Robert fitz Stephen and Miles de Cogan he granted the Kingdome of Corke excepting the Citty of Corke and the Ostmans Cantred And unto Philip de Bruse the Kingdome of Limericke But in a confirmation of King Iohn to William de Bruse or Braos Nephew to this Philip wee finde that hee gave to him onely honorem de Limerick retentis in dominico nostro as the words of the Charter are civitate de Limerick donationibus episcopatuum abbatiarum retentis in manu nostrâ cantredo Ostmannorum S. insulâ Among other large graunts remembred by Hoveden which this King Henry gave to the first adventurers that of Meth to Sr Hugh de Lacy is of speciall note The grant was in these words HEnricus Dei gratiâ Rex Angliae Dux Normanniae Aquitaniae Comes Andegauiae Archiepiscopis Episcopis Abbatibus Comitibus Baronibus Iustitiarijs omnibus ministris fidelibus suis Francis Anglis Hiberniensibus totius terrae suae Salutem Sciatis me dedisse concessisse praesenti chartâ meâ confirmâsse Hugoni de Lacy pro servitio suo terram de Midiâ cum omnibus pertinentijs suis per servitium quinquaginta militum sibi haeredibus suis tenenduÌ„ habenduÌ„ à me haeredibus meis sicut Murchardus Hu-melathlin eam tenuit vel aliquis alius ante illum vel posteà Et de incremento illi dono omnia feoda quae praebuit vel quae praebebit circa Dâ—veliniam dum Balivus meus est ad faciendum mihi servitium apud civitatem meam Duveliniae Quare volo firmiter praecipio ut ipse Hugo haeredes sui post eum praedictam terram habeant teneant omnes libertates liberas consuetudines qu sibi habeo vel habere possum per praenominatum servitium à me haeredibus meis benè in pace liberè quietè honorificè in bosco plano in pratis pascuis in aquis moleÌ„dinis in vivarijs stagnis piscationibus venationibus in vijs semitis portubus maris in omnibus alijs locis alijs rebus ad eam pertinentibus cum omnibus libertatibus quas ibi habeo vel illi dare possum hâc meâ chartâ confirmare Test. comite Richardo filio Gilberti VVillielmo de Braosa c. Apud VVeisford But above all other graunts made by K. Henry the 2. that to his sonne Iohn is most memorable Deinde saith Hoveden venit rex Oxenford in generali concilio ibidem celebrato constituit Iohannem filium suum Regem in Hiberniâ concessione confirmatione Alexandri summi Pontificis By vertue of this graunt both in the life time of his father and in the raigne of his brother king Richard he was stiled in all his charters Dominus Hiberniae and directed them thus Ioannes Dominus Hiberniae comes Morton Archiepiscopis episcopis comitibus baronibus Iustitiarijs vicecomitibus constabularijs omnibus ballivis ministris suis totius Hiberniae salutem Thus we have it frequently although sometimes with a little variation in the Registers of Saint Mary Abbey and Thomascourt by Dublin How the Earle in Leinster and Lacy in Meth distributed their lands besides what they retained in their owne hands is delivered by Maurice Regan interpreter to Dermot Mac Murrough King of Leinster who wrote the Historie of those times in French verse The booke was translated into English by Sir George Carew Lo. President of Mounster afterwards earle of Totnes and communicated to me by our most reverend and excellently learned Primate There wee finde that the Earle gave to Reymond le Grose in marriage with his sister Fotherd Odrone and Glascarrig unto Hervy de Mount-marish hee gave Obarthy unto Maurice de Prindergast Fernegenall which was afterwards conferred upon Robert fitz Godobert but by what meanes he obtained it saith Regan I know not Vnto Meiler Fitz Henry he gave Carbry unto Maurice Fitz Gerald the Naas Ofelin which had beene possessed by Mackelan and Wickloe unto Walter de Ridelesford he gave the lands of Omorthy unto Iohn de Clahul the marshalship of Leinster and the land betweene Aghabo and Leghlin unto Robert de Birmingham Ofaly and unto Adam de Hereford large possessions What these possessions were are thus noted in the Register of Thomascourt abbey where speaking of the Earle Posteà Lageniâ perquisitâ erat quidam juvenis cum eo quem multûm dilexit dedit eidem pro servitio suo terras tenementa subscripta viz. tenementum de saltu Salmonis Cloncoury Kill Houterard tenementum de Donning cum omnibus
vvho lightly leapt to horse and commaunding their forvvardnesse in so naturall a quarrell sayde Lordings and friendes this case neither admitteth delay nor asketh policie heart and haste is all in all vvhile the feate is young and strong that of our enemies some sleepe some sorrovv some curse some consult all dismayed let us anticipate their furye dismember their force cut off their flight occupie their places of refuge and succour It is no mastery to plucke their feathers but their neckes nor to chase them in but to rovvse them out to vveede them not to rake them nor to treade them dovvne but to digge them up This lesson the Tyrant himselfe hath taught mee I once demaunded him in a parable by vvhat good husbandry the Land might bee ridde of certaine Crovves that annoyed it hee advised to vvatche vvhere they bred and to fire the nestes about their eares Goe vvee then upon these Cormorants that shrovvde themselves in our possessions and let us destroy them so that neither nest nor roote nor seede nor stalke nor stubbe may remaine of this ungracious generation Scarce had he spoken the vvord but vvith great shovvtes and clamours they extolled the King as patron of their lives and families assured both courage and expedition joyned their confederates and vvith a running campe svvept every corner of the Land razed the castles to the ground chased the strangers before them slevv all that abode the battaile recovered each man his ovvne precinct and former state of government The Irish delivered of slavery fell to their old vomit in persecuting one another having lately defaced their fortified castles tovvns as coverts to the enemy al sides lay novv more open in harmes vvay This considered the Princes that in the late rule of Turgesius espied some towardnesse to wealth and ease began to discourse the madnesse of their fathers who could not see the use of that vvhich their enemies abused they began to loathe their unquietnesse to wish either lesse discord or more strength in every mans dominion to cast out the danger of naked Territoryes as ready to call in the enemy as the contrary was to shrowd them faine vvould they mend and they vvist not hovv The former subjection though it seemed intollerable yet they felt therein a grovving to peace fruits of merchandize rest surety for it fared diversly tvvixt those Easterlings these Irish they knevv hovv to thrive might they get some commodious soyle These had all the commodities of the soile reckoned them not While the Princes Potentates pavvsed in this good mood certain marchants out of Norvvay called Ostomanni Easterlings because they lay East in respect of us though they are indeede properly Normans partly Saxons obtained licence safely to land utter their vvares By exchanging of vvares money finding the Normans civill and tractable delighted also vvith gay conceipts vvhich they never esteemed needfull untill they savv them they entred into a desire of traffique vvith other nations to allure marchants they licensed the strangers aforesaid to build if they vvere disposed Haven-Tovvnes vvhich vvas done Amellanus founded Waterford Sitaricus Limericke Inorus Dublin more at leisure by others Then were repaired by helpe and counsell of these men castles forts steeples and Churches every-where Thus are the Irish blended also in the blood of the Normans who from thenceforth continually flocked hither did the Inhabitants great pleasure lived obediently till wealth made them wanton and rebellious But they could not possibly have held out had not the conquest ensuing determined both their contentions The meane while they waxed Lords of Havens and Bur-Townes housed their souldiours and oftentimes skirmished tooke their fortune crept no higher onely a memory is left of their field in Clantarfe where diverse noble Irish men were slayne that lye buryed before the Crosse of Kilmaynam And it is to be noted that these are the Danes which people then Pagans wasted England and after that France From whence they came againe into England with VVilliam the Conquerour So that Ostomani Normans Easterlings Danes and Norway-men are in effect the same and as it appeareth by conference of times and Chronicles much about one time or season vexed the French men subdued the English and multiplyed in Ireland But in the yeare of CHRIST 1095. perceiving great envy to lurke in the distinction of Easterlings and Irishe utterly west and because they were simply Northerne not Easterne and because they magnified themselves in the late conquest of their Countreymen who from Normandy flourished now in the Realme of England they would in any wise bee called and counted Normans Long before this time as ye have heard Ireland vvas bestowed into tvvo principall Kingdomes and sometime into more whereof one was ever elected Monarch whom they tearme in their Histories maximum regem or without addition regem Hiberniae The rest were written Reguli or Reges by limitation as the King of Leinster of Connaght of Vlster of Mounster of Meth. To the Monarch besides his allowance of ground and titles of Honours and other priviledges in Iurisdiction was graunted a negative in the nomination of Bishops at every vacation The Cleargy and Laity of the Diocesse recommended him to their King the King to their Monarch the Monarch to the Archbishop of Canterbury for that as yet the Metropolitanes of Ireland had not receaved their palles In this sort was nominated to the Bishopricke of Divelin then voide Anno 1074. at the petition of Godericus King of Leinster by sufferance of the cleargy people there with the consent of Terdilvachus the Monarch a learned prelate called Patricius whō the blessed archbishop Lanfrancus consecrated at S. Pauls Church in London swore him to the obedience after the maner of his antecessors Christian Bishop of Lismore Legate to Eugenius 3. summoned a Provinciall Councell in Ireland wherein were authorized foure Metropolitan See◠Ardmagh Dublin Cashell Tuam Bishops thereof being Gelasius Gregorius Donatus Edanus for hitherto though they yeelded a primacy to the Bishop of Ardmagh in reverence of Saint Patricke yet was it partly voluntary and ratified rather by custome then by sufficient decree neither did that Arch-Bishop take upon him to invest other Bishops but sent them to Canterbury as I said before which henceforth they did not Namely the next Bishop S. Laurence sometimes Abbot of S. Kevynes in Glandilagh was ordered and installed at home by Gelasius Primate of Ardmagh THE SECOND BOOKE OF CAMPION'S HISTORY OF IRELAND CAP. I. The conquest of Ireland by Henry the second King of England commonly called Henry Fitz Empresse DErmot Mac Murrough King of Leinster halt and leacherous vowed dishonestly to serve his lust on the beautifull Queene of Meath and in the absence of her husband allured the woman so farre that she condiscended to be stolne away This dishonourable wrong to avenge O-Rorick the King her husband besought
cerva petens vitulum lac fudit abundè Et potum c. Rex quondam retinens plenam turpedine prolem Luminis expertem natum mutamque puellam Praeclarum Christi famulum iam rogitavit Vt natos miseros ditaret munere caro Illico respexit caecus muta locuta Ad natum regis caecum mutamque puellam Fynbarry precibus salvavit conditor almus Sanctus Fynbarrus quondam cum rege sedebat Cumque salutabant laeti sese vice versa Audierant fletum tristem magnumque lamentum At rex confestim turbatus heu mea dixit Regalis conjux nunc mortem gustat amaram Tunc dixit Christi famulus depone merorem Namque potest dominus vitam donare defunctis Fynbarry precibus tunc foemina viva resurgit Fynbarrus residens Rex atque sub arboris umbra Tunc placuit Regi miracula cernere quaedam Auxiliante Deo Fynbarrus quae faciebat Interea corylus gignebat tempore veris Maturos fructus valdè largèque cadebant Miratur corylum vernalem gignere fructum With many such strange things with which I will no longer trouble the reader nor keepe him from that which followeth Now commeth in the confused name of Colme Columba Columbanus Columkillus and Colmannus who all lived at one time about the dayes of King Arthure and were all of Irish birth but are greatly mistaken by the Antiquaries The first called Columbanus by Adamannus and Capgrave in the life of Columba was as they write Episcopus Laginensis a Bishop of Leinster but the Diocesse of which he was Bishop I finde not named The second by Beda whom for authority and antiquitie I reverence is called Columbanus presbiter Abbas Priest and Abbot whom Capgraue calleth Columba borne of Noble Parentage in Ireland Adamannus who wrote his life saith his father hight Feidlimyd the sonne of Fergus his mother Ethnea and that the second yeere after the bloudie battaile of Cule-Dreibne he came to Britaine in the time of Gildas sapiens and converted the Pictes But before his departure out of Ireland he founded a Monasterie saith Beda à copia roborum in the Scottish tongue called Dearmagh Capgrave termeth it Roboretum the grove of Okes. In Britaine saith Beda he builded a Monasterie in the Iland called Hu Capgrave calleth it Iona where he lyeth buried ending his dayes at the age of 77. yeeres whose death Aidanus King of Scots greatly lamented Beda reporteth that some wrote of him which work came not to his hands and that in the observation of Easter he followed no other direction then hee found in holy Scripture Here gentle reader two scruples are to be removed from among our Irish Antiquaries the first Beda dissolveth namely that of him the name of Columkilli came in Columba now a dayes saith he of some men compounding Cella and Columba is called Columcelli and in Capgrave we reade Columkillius The second scruple is where Beda writeth that he was buried in the Isle Hu the Antiquaries of Ireland record his funerall to have beene at Downe as formerly I have written in one Tombe with Patricke and Brigide I hold both may be true namely that he was buried in the Isle before spoken of and being thence translated into Downe in Ireland as Brigide was before now resteth therein one grave with Patricke and her The third Columbanus otherwise called Columba of Irish birth was a most famous man of that time for learning and vertue eternized in writing by Ionas an Abbot his disciple also by Capgrave Bale Surius Baronius Lippeloo and Stanihurst In his youth he was mightily tempted with the feminine sex nihil tam sanctum religione saith mine Author â—amque custodia clausum quod penetrare libido nequeat He forsooke his native soile went to Congellus Abbot of Bangor continued there many yeeres and having formerly taken with him twelve of his country men called twelve followers hee went into France and made them Cabanes after the Irish manner in stead of Monasteries Many fabulous things are reported of Wolves Beares and Fowles of the ayre that they had no power over him When he had continued together with his followers twenty yeeres in one place he was banished thence and being desirous to returne to Ireland Clotarius sonne to Chilpericke staid him yet he tooke his course into Italie where Agilulphus King of Lombardie received him most honourably and in Italie hee died saith Beda in his Martyrologe though Capgrave write it was in Almaine whose report of him I may not omit He builded saith he certaine famous Monasteries in Almaine into the which as it is said they admit onely Irish men unto this day He wrote saith Lippeloo a booke against the Arians Bale reckoneth his other workes that he published In psalterium commentar lib. 1. Collationes ad Monachos lib. 1 De moribus monachorum metrice lib. 1. Haec praecepta legat Epistolas ad Commilitones lib. 1. Monasteriorum methodos lib. 1. Adversus Theodoricum regem adulterum lib. 1 This Columbanus had many learned men of Irish birth brought up under him The Martyrologe of Sarum remembreth one Deicolus an Abbot Capgrave and Walafridus Strabo commend one Gallus whom Columbanus left behinde him in Almaine And when Gunzo Duke of Suevia would have made him Bishop of Constance he preferred one Iohn his Deacon and disciple to the roomth and kept the desert himselfe Surius writeth Italie glorieth of Columbanus Almaine of Gallus and Flanders of Kilianus Hee wrote as Bale remembreth In electione Iohannis Orat. 1. Sempiternus inaestimabilis Deus Gubernandae ecclesiae formam lib. 1 Ionas likewise his disciple is by Tritemius commended and reckoned among the great learned men of Ireland who at the request of certaine brethren penned for the good of posteritie Vitam Abbatis Columbani lib. 1 All are found among Beda his workes Vitam Attalae Monachi lib. 1 All are found among Beda his workes Vitam Eustachij Abbatis lib. 1 All are found among Beda his workes Vitam Bertolfi Abbatis All are found among Beda his workes There was a fourth Columbanus a Monke in Luxonium countriman and kinsman to Columbanus going before who dyed in his presence so much I finde of him in Capgrave and no more of him either there or in any other Colmannus I must referre to his place and Colme I must leave to the vulgar and corrupted speech yet in one Author I finde that Colme is buried with Patricke and Brigide which must be understood to be Columbanus spoken of before About the latter dayes of Saint Martin Bishop of Toures in France Ninianus a Britaine whom Beda worthily commendeth comming from Rome was made Bishop of Lyndsey Lindesfernensis whom Aidus otherwise called Aidanus and Aedanus Finanus and Colmannus all three of Irish birth orderly succeeded in the dayes of King Arthur About this time Carthagus commonly called Mocudu Mochudu and Mocodi was the first Bishop of Lismore he descended
of the sept of Fergusius the most potent Prince of Vlster whose of-spring were dispersed over Ireland his father matched with the royall bloud of Mounster he had to his Schoolemaster one Carthagus a Bishop It is alledged in his Legend penes authorem sit fides that it was prophecied he should become a great man and build two cities the first Raithe or Raichen in Feraceall the second Lismore This diversitie of names comming upon accidents is known unto them that have skill in the old Irish. It is remembred in his life that in his youth 30. Virgins were in love with him and that hee prayed unto God to turne their carnall into spirituall love which was granted yet saith mine Author to requite their former love he builded them all Cells and they dwelled in his parish and conversed with him all the dayes of their lives He had disciples that proved rare men Mochue Mocoemoge Gobbanus Sraphanus Lazreaanus Molva Aidanus Fiachus Findeling with others He was compelled to forsake Raithen and travailed west-ward untill he came to the river Nem now called Band more falling from the mountaine Chua and running into the sea whereupon Lismore is builded and given to Saint Mocodi For the Lord of that country Nandeisi Melochtrig the son of Cokthacg before witnesse granted him that seate to build both Church and Citie where he resteth and whom one Molcolmog succeeded Machutus otherwise called Maclovius though Bale and Capgrave call him a Britaine yet I finde that he was borne in Ireland and that he was the sonne of one Lovi and therefore called Maclovy Molanus writeth that he crossing the seas and having good successe led an Eremites life in Britaine and was the disciple of Saint Brendan of Ireland He accompanied with one Aaron and kept with him in an Island of his name saith Molanus called Aaron but now I finde it in the North-west parts of Ireland belonging to the Earle of Ormond called the Isles of Aran. Lastly he was made Bishop of Aletha and is honoured at Gemblacum in Flanders where the Church say they is patronized by Saint Machutus alias Maclovius hee lived saith Bale about the yeere 540. what time Arthur commanded Britaine Kentegernus then also lived and now is remembred in Ireland and in Wales the Martyrologe of Sarum reporteth that his Mother wist not how when nor by whom he was gotten yet was shee an holy woman saith mine Author and much loved our Lady She was cast downe headlong from a rocke saith mine Author into the sea and tooke no hurt then put into a Boate alone without Sayle or Oare came into Ireland and presently travailed with child He became an Abbot of 965. Monkes kept company with Saint David and in the end was a Bishop Ruadanus borne in Ireland of Noble Parentage his father hight Byrra of the of-spring of Dnach but inhabited the West part of Leinster of olde called Osraigie but now Ossorie whose sept is called Dnachs in those parts unto this day He left Ossorie and hearing of the fame of Saint Fynnan a wise and a learned man dwelling in his owne towne so saith mine Author commonly called Clonard of Cluayn jarhaird in Meath and confines of Leinster resorted to him who for the space of certaine yeeres brought him up in sacred letters gave him orders and sent him to Muscraytrie in Mounster where he was borne where also he builded a Monasterie which standeth to this day and is maintained by the Lords of the soile From thence he went to a place called Lothra where he builded another Monasterie and lyeth there wayting the generall resurrection Saint Brendan at the same time builded a Cell not farre from that place called Tulach Brenayd that is saith mine Author Collis Brendani left Ruadan the charge thereof tooke his blessing and begun his travaile as the Legends at large doe write Ruadanus is said to have written these bookes in the Latine tongue De miraculosa arbore lib. 1 De mirabili fontium in Hibernia natura lib. 1 Contra Diarmoyd regem lib. 1 Saint Faghua lived in the time of Finbarry and founded a Monasterie upon the sea in the south part of Ireland where he became Abbot the which seat grew to be a Citie wherein a Cathedrall Church was builded and patronized by Faghua This towne of olde called Rossai Lithry but now Roskarbry hath beene walled about by a Lady of that country but now according to the fruits of warre among the Carties O Driscales and other septs scarce can the old foundation be seene There hath beene there of old saith mine Author magnum studium scholarium a great Vniversitie whereto resorted all the South-west parts of Ireland for learnings sake Saint Brendan Bishop of Kery read publikely the liberall sciences in that schoole Farther of Faghua or Faghuanus mine Author recordeth that he being sapiens probus a wise and a good man by mishap fell blinde and with many prayers and salt teares desired of God restitution of his sight for the good of his Covent and the Students brought up under him a voyce he heard saith mine Author goe get some of the breast milke of Broanus the artificers wife wash thine eyes therewith and thou shalt see He went to a Prophetesse called Yta or Ytha to learne how to come by this woman and it fell out that this woman was her sister hee found her out washed his eyes and recovered his sight whether it be true or no I know not I report it as I finde it This Saint Yta was an Abbatesse whose originall was of Meth but she was borne in Mounster Vpon the storie of Faghua dependeth the Legend of Mocoeinoge interpreted in Latine meus pulcher iuvenis my beautifull young man who proved learned an Abbot and a Bishop being the childe of those breasts that washed Faghua his eyes many admirable things are reported of him wherewith I will not trouble the reader He conversed with Coemanus or Chemanus Cannicus Finianus Abbas Colman a Bishop Daganus Abbot of Inbyr-dayle in Leinster Mocobe his owne disciple Illepius the disciple of Mocobe Molna Mofecta Cunminus longus the sonne of Fiachua and Cronanne who lyeth buried at Rosscre Luctichernus and Lazerianus with Yta Patronesse of Huae Conaill her Abbot of Cluayn Mac Noys Abbot Engus Abbot Congallus of Vlster Mocoeinoge resteth in the county of Typperary by a long foord in the way from Kilkenny to the Holy Crosse as they cal it where sometime was a Citie a Monasterie called Liath but now a Village bearing his name Liath Mocoeinoge He had in his life time much adoe with Coemanus Bledin Ronanus Foelanus Diarmoda Sugbue Lords of Ely now called Ely O Carroll and with Falke Fland King of Mounster whose chiefe Pallace was in Cashell Saint Coeingenus shall next be spoken of in Latine as much to say as pulchrogenitus he was ordered by Bishop Lugidus led
dayes Satan with all the internall spirits sent greeting with great thankes unto the Ecclesiasticall state upon earth in dreadfull characters For that they wanting no aide in their delights from hellish places sent such a number of damned soules into the sulphureall pits through their remisnesse in life and slacknesse in preaching as in former ages had not beene seene Whosoever devised the course it forceth not greatly the matter might seeme odious if it contained no truth Finnan in Wales as my Authors report called Gwyn was born at Ardez he travelled forraigne countries came to his native soile was Bishop of Farne saith Beda baptized Penda King of Mercia consecrated Cedd Bishop of East Saxons and lyeth buried at Cuningham in Scotland called of the Britaines Kilgwinin There was also one Finan an Abbot borne in Mounster sent by Saint Brendan to Smoir now called Mons Blandina to inhabite there who came afterwards to Corcodizbue where hee was borne builded Cels and Monasteries for religious men contended with Falbe Fland King of Mounster A third Finan there was who was master of Ruadanus a great learned man and dwelt at Cluayn jarhaird in Meath Colmannus whose life Bale writeth at large was a godly learned man borne in Ireland the sonne of one Fiachra of the bloud Royall and highly commended of Beda hee was brought up after the Apostolike rules of Congellus he succeeded Finan in the Bishopricke of Farne alias Linsey In his time there was great stirre about the observation of Easter when some alledged custome and some urged the authoritie of Rome he pleaded the Gospell both against this stir and the like trouble that rose about the shaving of Priests crownes the which he reiected saith Beda and seeing that he could not prevaile forsooke his Bishopricke and went with certaine Scots and Saxons into the Hebrydes where he ended his dayes Beda writeth how that in the yeere 664. there fell strange accidents upon the eclipse of the Sunne which was the third of May in England and Ireland and a great mortalitie in both lands in the time of Finan and Colman the godly Bishops Gentle reader thou shalt heare himselfe speake The plague pressed sore that Iland of Ireland no lesse then England there were then as that time many of noble parentage and likewise of the meane sort of English birth in the dayes of Finan and Colman the Bishops who leaving their native soile had repaired thither either for divine literature or for more continencie of life whereof some immediately gave themselves to monasticall conversation others frequenting the Cels gave diligent eare to the lectures of the readers All which the Scots he meaneth the Irish men with most willing minde daily relieved and that freely yeelding unto them bookes to reade and masterly care without hire Among these there were two young men of great towardnesse of the Nobles of England Edelthun and Egbert the first was brother to Edilhun a man beloved of God who formerly had visited Ireland for learnings sake and being well instructed returned into his country was made Bishop of Lindisfarne and for a long time governed the Church with great discretion These men being of the monasterie of Rathmelfig and all their fellowes by the mortalitie either cut off or dispersed abroad were both visited with the sicknesse and to make short that which mine Author layeth downe at large Edelthun died thereof and Egbert lived untill he was fourescore and tenne yeeres old So farre Beda There was another Colmannus otherwise called Colmanellus an Abbot of the sept of the Neilles borne in Hoichle in Meth what time the King of Leinster with an huge armie wasted the North he became first Abbot of Conor in Vlster where the godly Bishop Mac Cnessey resteth From thence he came to the place where he was born and there saith his Legend he met with Eadus the sonne of Aimireach a King of Ireland Edus Flan a Lord of that country of the sept of the Neills his kinsman Saint Columba Cylle and Saint Cannicus the Abbot who received him ioyfully Edus Flan gave him a parcell of land to build upon and to inhabit called Fyd Elo afterwards called Colmans Elo where hee founded a Monasterie and now resteth himselfe Carantocus in the martyrologe Cartak was the sonne of Keredicus a King of Ireland a good Preacher the Irish called him Ceruagh his mother was a Britaine and was delivered of him in Wales Hee travailed over Ireland and Britaine King Arthur is said to have honoured him greatly and gave him a parcell of land where he builded a Church In his latter dayes he came to Ireland and died in a towne called after his name Chervac So much Capgrave There was another of that name an Abbot in France of whom Ionas maketh mention in the life of Columbanus but not of Irish birth Now to intermit a while from speaking of these learned men I finde that Aurelius Conanus who slue Constantine that succeeded King Arthur and raigned in his stead thirty three yeeres valiantly by force of Armes brought under his command as Gualterus Oxoniensis writeth Norwey Denmarke Ireland Island Gothland the Orchades and Ocean Ilands I finde also that Malgo the nephew of this Conanus who as it is in the English history succeeded Vortipore vanquished the Irish Pictes or Scots which the Britaines called y Gwydhil Pictiard which had over-runne the Isle of Man of them called Tyr Mon and slue Serigi their King with his owne hand at Llany Gwydhil that is the Irish Church at Holy-head so write Sir Iohn Price Knight and Humfry Lloyd in the description of Cambria Florilegus saith that he subdued sixe Ilands of the Ocean adioyning unto him which Harding thus reckoneth And conquered wholy the Isle of Orkenay Ireland Denmarke Iselond and eke Norway And Gotland also obeyed his royaltie He was so wise full of fortunitie When Careticus was King of Britaine who began his raigne Anno Dom. 586. the Saxons intending to make a full conquest of the land called to their aide for a number of Pirates and sea rovers that were mighty and strong and scoured the Seas and the Ilands whose Captaine was Gurmundus one calleth him an African Fabian writeth that he had two names and was called Gurmundus and Africanus howsoever I finde that hee was the King of Norweys sonne and for his successe in England referre the reader to that historie and for his behaviour in Ireland I will acquaint the courteous reader with what I finde in which the Writers noâ— not agree Cambrensis and Polycronicon followed bad presidents and were deceived Stanihurst stammereth writing one thing in English another thing in Latine the best record I finde is in Thadie Dowlinge Chancellour of Leighlin and Iames Grace of Kilkenny They write that Gurmund was in Ireland but no King or Conquerour that with strong hand he entred Leinster like a raging
Pyrate prevailed for the time and that the Princes of the land not being able then to withstand his forces yeelded unto the iniquitie of the time and wincked at his rash enterprises And whereas he gave forth his stile King of England they laughed at it and he perceiving the wilinesse and ingeniositie of the people and having small stomacke to continue among them by reason of many mishaps which befell him left the land and went for France to seeke adventures where he ended his dayes Further they write that he had a sonne called Barchard alias Burchared Mac Gurmond whom his father made Duke of Leinster and Baron of Margee He was commonly called O Gormagheyn Hee builded Gurmund grange in Monte Margeo with other memorable things for him and his posterity hee is said to have beene the founder of the mother Church or priorie of old Leighlin but I rather beleeve hee was a Benefactor or endower thereof in the time of Saint Eubanus the originall Patron and that one Lazerianus a Bishop and Confessor Anno 651. procured the perfection of the whole as in the Leighlin records more at large doth appeare Againe it is recorded that Duke Burchard lyeth buried on the North side of the Chancell of that Cathedrall Church over against the Treasurers stall under a marble stone as it was found for certaine Anno 1589. by Thadie Dowlinge Chancellour and others with this Epitaph Hic jacet humatus Dux fundator Leniae i. Leighlenie En Gormondi Burchardus vir gratus Ecclesiae Here lyeth interred Duke Burchard the sonne of Gurmond founder of Leighlin and a gratefull man to the Church There are saith mine Author other remembrances of this in those parts as Gurmunds-grove and Gurmunds-foord the which I overpasse Mons Margeus in Irish Sliewe Marrig or Sliew Marighagha which is the mountaine reaching along by Leighlin to Butlers wood wherin as before I have touched Gurmunds-grange standeth was as I haue learned of old granted to one called de Sancto Leodegario by the name and honour of Baron de Marrighagha but time and place have brought the name to degenerate and turne from English to Irish. Of late yeeres a Gentleman of the name dwelling at Dunganstowne neere Catherlagh affirming himselfe to be lineally descended from Baron Sentleger made claime unto the same but the successe I hearken not after as impertinent to my purpose About the yeere 587. Athelfrid the Saxon King of Northumbers so tyrannized over the Britaines that they were faine to take Ireland for their refuge and Atdan King of Scots pittying their state raised forces to defend them but could not prevaile so great was the miserie of the Britaines Anno Dom. 635. was Cadwallin crowned King of Britaine Caxton and Florilegus write of cruell warres betweene Edwin sonne unto Athelfrid King of Northumbers and Cadwallin how that Edwin made him flee into Ireland destroyed his land cast downe his Castles burnt his Mannors and divided his land among his friends and lastly how that in a good while after Cadwallin came upon him with forces out of Ireland slue Edwin and recovered all his possessions In the dayes of this Cadwallin Kenevalcus otherwise called Cewalch King of West Saxons builded the Church of Winchester made it a Bishops See and the first Bishop he placed there was one Agilbertus who came out of Ireland who in a short time after was deposed say some Grafton with other writers record not the cause but Beda writeth that he was offended for that Kenelwalkus divided the Province into two that he left the See went into France became Bishop of Paris and there ended his dayes and how that Kenelwalkus sent for him againe and againe but his flat answer was for that he had dealt with him so unkindely he would never returne I must here insert that which Cambrensis writeth of the antiquities of Brechinia or Breknoke in this sort there was of old of that country which now is called Brecheinoc a governour that was a man both mighty and Noble whose name was Brachanus of whom the country of Brecheinoc Brecknokshire is so called of whom one thing came unto me worthy the noting the histories of Britaine doe testifie that he had foure and twenty daughters that were all from their childhood brought up in the service of God and happily ended their dayes in the holy purpose they tooke upon them Doctor Powell the great Antiquarie of Britaine in his learned annotations upon him explaineth the same thus This Brachanus saith he was the sonne of one Haulaph King of Ireland his mother was one Mercella the daughter of Theoderike the sonne of Tethphalt a petite King of Garthmarthrin to wit of the country which tooke the name of this Brachanus and at this day is called Brechonia or Brechinia in British Brechinoc in English Breknok This Brachanus had to his daughter one Tydvaell the wife of Congenus the sonne of Cadell a petit King of Powis and the mother of Brochmael surnamed Scithroc who slue Athelfred alias Ethelfred King of Northumberland at the river of Deva called of the Britaines Doverdwy and foyled his armie about the yeere of our Lord 603. Here Breknoktowne and Breknokshire have cause to glorie of Ireland that gave them the name and honour which they hold to this day and Ireland to glory of them that gave their Kings sonne Marcella their Lady and all that country in her right Also I cannot omit another thing of that age the which Grafton reporteth of the Clergie and I finde in Beda more reverently delivered for that I have formerly spoken much of them and shall have occasion to speake something hereafter especially seeing Bedaes words are generall to be understood as well of the one land as of the other if not rather of Ireland considering what hath beene delivered heretofore In those dayes saith Grafton the Monkes and Clergie set all their mindes to serve God and not the world and were wholly given to devotion and not to filling of the panch and pampering of the body wherefore they were then had in great reverence and honour so that they were then received with all worship And as they went by the streetes and wayes men that saw them would runne to them and desire their blessings and well was him then that might give unto them possessions and to build them houses and Churches But as they increased in riches of worldly treasure so they decreased in heauenly treasure as in the dayes of Aluredus some deale began and sithen that time hath sprung not all to the pleasure of God Then they applyed nothing that was worldly but gave themselves to preaching and teaching of the word of our Saviour Iesus Christ and followed in life the doctrine that they preached giving good example to all men And beside that they were utterly void of covetousnesse and received no possessions gladly but were enforced thereunto So farre Grafton Anno Dom.
England and to his successors after him This service was no sooner performed but there came messengers to Reimond from Dermot Mac Carty Prince of Desmond humbly craving his aide against his eldest son Cormac O Lechan who was in armes against his natural father with the advice of his Councell Reimond granteth aide hee marcheth towards Corke and subdueth the rebell the sonne dissembleth with the father and clapt him in prison the father requiteth the sonne with like he got him in under colour of peace clapt him in prison and cut off his head And not long after saith Cambrensis the men of Corke at a parlee not farre from the Towne slew their Prince Dermot Mac Carty and most of his company Anno 1177. so writeth Holinshed Henry the 2. held a Parliament at Windsore where Laurence Archbishop of Dublin was present as what time Roderic King of Conoght sent thither the Archbishop of Tuam the Abbot of Saint Brandon with one Laurence his Chaplen offring all submission and loyalty The King willingly heard them and gladly concluded a Peace at the importunate suit of his Messengers to avoid further trouble injoyning Roderic to pay him in token of subjection a tribute of Cow hides the Charter of agreement was drawne and subscribed as followeth Hic est finis concordia quae facta fuit apud Windesore in Octabis Sancti Michaelis Anno gratiae 1175. Inter Dominum Regem Angliae Henricum secundum Rodericum Regem Conaciae per Catholicum Tuamensem Archepiscopum Abbatem C. Sancti Brandani Magistrum Laurentium Cancellarium Regis Conaciae 1. Scilicet quod Rex Angliae concedit predicto Roderico Ligio homini suo Regnum Conaciae quamdiu ei fideliter serviet vt sit Rex sub eo paratus ad servitiuÌ„ suuÌ„ sicut homo suus ut teneat terraÌ„ suam ita bene in pace sicut tenuit antequam Dominus Rex Angliae intraret Hiberniam reddendo ei tributum totam illam terram habitatores terrae habeat sub se justiciae ut tributum Regi Angliae integrè persolvant per manum ejus sua jura sibi conservent illi qui modo tenent teneant in pace quam diu mansuerint in fidelitate Regis Angliae fideliter integre persolverint tributum alia jura sua quae ei debenâ— per manum Regis Conaciae salvo in omnibus jure honore Domini Regis Angliae suo 2. Et si qui ex eis Regi Angliae ei rebelles fuerint tributum alia jura Regis Angliae per manum ejus solvere noluerint a fidelitate Regis Angliae recesserint ipse eos justitiet amoveat si eos perse justitiare non poterit Constabularius Regis Angliae familia sua de terra illa juvabunt cum ad hoc faciendum quum ab ipso fuerint requisiti ipsi viderint quod necesse fuerit propter hunc finem reddet predictus Rex Conaciae Domino Regi Angliae tributum singulis annis scilicet de singulis decem animalibus unum coâ—ium placabile mercatoribus tam de tota terra sua quam de aliena 3. Excepto quod de terris illis quas Dominus Rex Angliae retinuit in dominio suo in dominio Baronum suorum nihil se intromittet Scilicet Duvelina cum pertinentijs suis Midia cum omnibus pertinentijs suis sicut unquaÌ„ Murchart Wamai Leth Lachlin eam melius plenius tenuet aut aliqui qui eam de eo tenuerint Et excepta Wesefordia cum omnibus pertinentijs suis scilicet cum tota Lagenia excepta Waterf cum tota terra illa quae est a Waterf usque ad Dungarvan ita ut Dungarvan sit cum omnibus pertinentijs suis infra terram illam 4. Et si Hibernenses illi qui aufugerint redire voluerint ad terram Baronum Regis Angliae redeant in pace reddendo tributum predictum quod alij reddunt vel faciendo antiqua servitia quae facere solebant pro terris suis et hoc sit in arbitrio Dominorum suorum et si aliqui eorum redire noluerint Domini eorum et Rex Conaciae accipiat obsides ad omnibus quos ei CoÌ„misit Dominus Rex Angliae ad voluntatem Domini Regis et suam et ipse dabit obsides ad voluntatem Domini Regis Angliae illos vel alios et ipsi servient Domino de Canibus et Avibus suis singulis annis de presentis suis et nullum omnino de quacunque terra Regis sit retinebunt contra voluntatem Domini Regis Hijs testibus Richardo Episcopo Wintoniae Gaufrido Episcopo Eliensi Laurentio Duvelinensi Archepiscopo Gaufrido Nicolao et Rogero Capelanis Regis Guilelmo Comit. Essex et aliis multis Moreover at that Parliament the King gave an Irishman named Augustine the Bishopricke of Waterford which was then voyd and sent him unto Ireland with Laurence the Archbishop of Dublin to be consecrated of Donatus Archbishop of Cashill Anno 1176. Bertran de Verdon founded the Monastery of Crokisdan As Reimond marcheth towards Leinster newes came unto him from the Lady Basilia his wife that Strangbow was dead the which hee concealed with good countenance and called a secret councell of the wiser sort and trustiest friends how to dispose of the State of the Land afore the Irish were acquainted therewith it was agreed upon for that the enemy were many the forces but few they should strengthen all their holds upon the Sea cost untill the K. pleasure were further knowne and withdraw the midland garrisons to supply and compleat the same And among others they thought good to take the garrison out of Lymerik and deliver the Towne to the charge of Donald Obrien of Thomond Prince of Lymericke he being sent for came in poast understanding Reimonds pleasure was the gladdest man that might bee and undertooke the charge Viz. to keepe the Towne to the Kings use and at his pleasure to re-deliver it as also in the meane time to keepe the peace this he undertooke with Corporall oathes and solemne vowes and thereupon delivered hostages But the Englishmen were no sooner over the one end of the Bridge but Donald broke the other end and set fire in the foure quarters of the Towne saying there shall no English race rest here any longer This they beheld with their eyes to their no small griefe of mind Cambrensis inveyeth against this Donald Obrien calling him traitour wicked impudent perfidious perjured and what not This was in Anno one thousand one hundred seventy seven Earle Strangbow left behinde one daughter of tender yeeres and lyeth buried in the Church of the blessed Trinity in Dublin over against the Pulpit in the body of the Church whose exequies Laurence O Toole Archbishop of Dublin did solemnize with great reverence whereupon the King sent into Ireland William Fitz Adelme to be his