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A13980 The historie of Iustine Containing a narration of kingdomes, from the beginning of the Assyrian monarchy, vnto the raigne of the Emperour Augustus. VVhereunto is newly added a briefe collection of the liues and manners of all the emperours succeeding, vnto the Emp. Rodulphus now raigning. First written in Latine by that famous historiographer Iustine, and now againe newly translated into English, by G.W.; Historiae Philippicae. English Justinus, Marcus Junianus.; Trogus, Pompeius. Historiae Philippicae.; G. W., fl. 1606.; Wilkins, George, fl. 1607, attributed name.; Victor, Sextus Aurelius. De Caesaribus. 1606 (1606) STC 24293; ESTC S117759 462,376 347

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the inhabitants of the county towne of Corke being tyred with perpetuall oppressions of their Irish borderers complained themselves in a generall writing directed to the Lord of Rutheland and Corke the Kings Deputy and to the Councell of the Realme then assembled at Divelin which Letter because it openeth the decay of those partes and the state of the Realme in times past I have thought good to enter here as it was delivered me by Francis Agard Esquire one of her Majesties privy Councell in Ireland It may please your wisedomes to have pittie of us the Kings poore subjects within the county of Corke or else we be cast away for ever for where there was in this countie these Lords by name besides Knights Esquiers Gentlemen and Yeoman to a great number that might dispend yearelie 800. pounds 600. pounds 400. pounds 200. pounds 100. pounds 100. markes 20. pounds 20. markes 10. pounds some more some lesse to a great number besides these Lords following First the Lord Marquesse Caro his yearely revenues was besides Dorzey Hauen and other Creekes 2200. pounds sterling The Lord Barnevale of Bearehaven his yearely revenues was beside Bearehaven and other Creekes 1600. pounds sterling The Lord Vggan of the great Castle his yearely revenues was besides havens and creekes 1300. pounds sterling The Lord Balram of Emforte his yearely revenues was besides havens and creekes 1300. pounds sterling The Lord Courcy of Kilbretton his yearely revenues besides havens and creekes 1500. pounds sterling The Lord Mandevil of Barrenstelly his yearely revenues besides havens and creekes 1200. pounds sterling The Lord Arundell of the strand his yearely revenues besides havens and creekes 1500. pounds sterling The Lord Baron of the Guard his yearely revenues besides havens and creekes 1100. pounds sterling The Lord Sleynie of Baltimore his yearely revenue besides havens and creekes 800 pounds sterling The Lord Roche of Poole-castle his yearely revenue besides havens and creekes 1000. pounds sterling The Kings Majesty hath the Lands of the late young Barry by forfeiture the yearely revenue whereof besides two rivers and creekes and all other casualties is 1800. pounds sterling And at the end of this Parliament Your Lordship with the Kings most noble Councell may come to Corke and call before you all these Lords and other Irish men and binde them in paine of losse of life lands and goods that never any of them doe make warre upon another without licence or cōmandement of you my Lord Deputy the Kings Councell for the utter destruction of these parts is that onely cause and once all the Irish men and the Kings enemies were driven into a great valley called Glanehought betwixt two great mountaines called Maccorte or the leprous Iland and their they lived long and many yeares with their white meat till at the last these English Lords fell at variance among themselves and then the weakest part tooke certaine Irish men to take his part and so vanquished his enemy and thus fell the English Lords at variance among themselves till the Irish men were stronger then they and drave them away and now have the whole country under them but that the Lord Roche the Lord Courcy and the Lord Barry onely remaine with the least part of their auncestors possessions and young Barry is there upon the Kings portion paying his Grace never a penny Rent Wherefore we the Kings poore subjects of the Citty of Corke Kinsale and Yowghall desire your Lordship to send hither two good Iustices to see this matter ordered and some English Captaines with twenty English men that may be Captaines over us all and we will rise with them to redresse these enormities all at our owne costs And if you doe not we be all cast away and then farewell Mounster for ever And if you will not come nor send we will send over to our Liege Lord the King and complaine on you all Thus farre the letter And at this day the Citty of Corke is so encumbred with unquiet neighbours of great power that they are forced to watch their gates continually to keepe them shut at service times at meales from sunne set to sunne arising nor suffer any stranger to enter there with his weapon but to leave the same at a lodge appointed They walke out for recreation at seasons with strength of men furnished they match in wedlocke among themselves so that welnigh the whole citty is allyed together It is to be hoped that the late sent over Lord President of Mounster Sir Iohn Parrot who hath chosen the same place to abide in as having greatest neede of a Governour resident would ease the inhabitants of this feare and scourge the Irish Outlawes that annoy the whole region of Mounster Henry the 4. in the 10. yeare of his raigne gave the Sword to the Citty of Divelin which Citty was first governed as appeareth by their auncient seale called Signum propositurae by a Provost and in the 14. yeare of H. the 3. by a Major two Bayliffes which Bayliffes were changed into Sheriffes by Charter of Edward the 6. an 1547. This Majorality both for state and charge of that office and for the bountifull hospitality exceedeth any Citty in England except London While Henry the 5. reigned I finde lieutenants and deputyes of Ireland specially remembred Iohn Talbott of Hollamshire Lord of Furnyvall Thomas de Lancaster Senischa of England and Stephen le Scroope his Deputy Iohn Duke of Bedford then also Lord Keeper of England and the noble Earle of Ormond Sir Iames Butler whose grandsire was Iames surnamed the chast for that of all vices hee most abhorred the sinne of the flesh and in subduing of the same gave notable example In the red Moore of Athye the sun almost lodged in the West and miraculously standing still in his epicycle the space of three houres till the feat was accomplished and no pit in that bogge annoying either horse or man on his part he vanquished Omore and his terrible Army with a few of his owne and with the like number Arthur Mac Murrough at whose might and puissance all Leinster trembled To the imitation of this mans worthinesse the compiler of certaine precepts touching the rule of a Common-wealth exciteth his Lord the said Earle in diverse places of that Worke incidently eftsoones putting him in minde that the Irish beene false by kinde that it were expedient and a worke of Charity to execute upon them willfull and malicious transgressours the Kings Lawes somewhat sharpely That Odempsye being winked at a while abused that small time of sufferance to the injury of the Earle of Kildare intruding unjustly upon the Castle of Ley from whence the said Deputy had justly expelled him and put the Earle in possession thereof that notvvithstanding their oathes and pledges yet they are no longer true then they feele themselves the vveaker This Deputye tamed the Obriens the Burckes Mac-banons Ogaghnraghte Manus Mac
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 Car●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
Church a Sanctuary for their Corne and in neede to take thereof at reasonable prices Little good did Fitz Aldelin and lesse vvas like to doe because hee delighted to crosse his Peeres and vvas of them stopped in his course of government Hugh de Lacye vvas made Protector generall over the Land But Miles Cogan Philip de Bruise Fitz Stephens Power and diverse other more preferred to severall countreyes under him This Lacye builded a sort of castles and forts throughout all Leinster and Meth and the next sixe yeares continually devout gentlemen erected sundry Abbeyes as the Abbey of Roseglasse of Donbrothy by Hervy a Welchman one of the speciall conquerours of Ireland vvho himself after that entred into religion in Trinity Priory at Canterbury The Abbeyes of Geripont and Choro Benedicti the Abbey de lege Dei vvith repayring of many Chappels Chauncells Bell-houses High-vvayes and Bridges Then dyed Saint Laurence Archbishop of Divelin to vvhom succeeded Iohn Comyn an Englishman brought up in the Abbey of Evesham Founder of Saint Patrickes in Divelin vvhich vvas before that time a Parish Church novv by the said Archbishop endovved vvith Prebends Viccars Clearkes Chorists and many notable possessions for their maintenance vvhereout from time to time have proceeded Clergy-men of greatest learning reputation in the Diocese Divers contentions were raised betwixt Christs Church and it for antiquity wherein they of S. Patrickes are no doubt inferiour as shall appeare They are both written Cathedrall Churches and both are the Bishops Chapiter in vvhose election they both ought to convent within the Church of the blessed Trinity called Christs Church which in all records hath the preheminency of place The party that disturbeth this order of election forfeiteth by deede to th'Archbishop of Divelin 200. pounds This foundation was much enriched by King Iohn The same yeare died the yong King Henry reconciled to his father but preparing warre against his brother Richard Duke of Aquitain soon after also deceased Ieffry his other son Duke of Brittaine Thus were left Richard his inheritour and Iohn afterwards Earle of Glocester heretofore surnamed without land to whom the father conveyed all his interest and Lordship of Ireland sent him thither honourably accompanied being then but twelue yeares old and with him in speciall trust Giraldus Cambrensis Clerke a diligent searcher of the antiquities of Ireland surely well learned and in those dayes counted Eloquent About the young Earle were servants and counsellours three sorts first Normans great quaffers lourdens proud belly swaines fed with extortion and bribery to whom hee most relyed secondly the English brought with him meetly bold Thirdly the English found in the land whom being best worthy and most forward in all good services hee least regarded hereof sprang parties and disdaine and to the knights that hardiest were and readiest of courage no small discomfort to the enemies a spurre With the brute of his arrivall at Waterford the Kings of Thomond Desmond and Connaght put themselves in the bravest manner they could to meete him and to submit their countries to his Grace before them came the Irish Franklyns with rich presents and as they are very kind hearted where they list to shew obedience made unto the Childe their Lord the most joy and gladnesse that might be and though rudely yet lovingly and after the custome of their country offred to kisse him with such familiarity as they used towards their Princes at home Two of the Guard Normans pick-thankes shooke and tare the Clownes by the glibs beards unmannerly and churlishly thrust them out of the presence whom they should have instructed curteously born with The Irish thus rejected went against the fore-named Kings opened the rebukes and villanyes done to them for their meekenes that their Lord whom they thought to honour was but a Boy peevish and insolent governed by a sort of flatterers younglings and prowlers That sithence to them that buxome were and tractable such despite and dishonour that terme they have borrowed of the Spaniards was proffered so soone little good should the states of Ireland looke for in continuance when the English had once yoked and penned them in their clouches This report lightly alienated the mindes of those Princes not yet very resolute and turned them home with great oathes and leagues entred among themselves caused also the mightiest Captaines elsewhere to sticke together while their lives lasted and for no manner earthly thing to slacke the defence of their auncient liberties Immediately walked abroad mutinyes of broyle commotion so that the young Earle and his army were content to commit the tryall thereof to Lacy Bruise Courcy Fitz Gerald and the rest himselfe departing away the same yeare he came and leaving the Realme a great deale worse bestedde then he found it From the Conquest hitherto Giraldus Cambrensis and from hence to the yeare 1370. I am specially holpen by certaine briefe extracts whose author is namelesse and therefore I quote him by the name of Philip Flatsbury who wrote them and enriched them with collections of his owne for Gerald the father of the Earle of Kildare then being An. 1517. Lacy the rather for these whisperings did erect and edifie a number of Castles well and substantially provided in convenient places one at Derwath vvhere diverse Irish prayed to be set on worke for hyre Sundry times came Lacy to quicken his labourers full glad to see them fall in ure with any such exercise wherein might they once be grounded taste the svvetenesse of a true mans life he thought it no small token of reformation to be hoped for which cause he visited them often and merrily would command his Gentlemen to give the labourers example in taking paines to take their instruments in hand and to worke a season the poore soules looking on and resting But this game ended Tragically while each man was busie to try his cunning some lading some plaistering some heaving some carving the Generall also himselfe digging with a pykeaxe a desperate villaine of them he whose toole the Generall used espying both his hands occupied and his body with all force inclining to the blow watched his stoope and clove his head with an axe little esteeming the torments that ensued This Lacy was conquerour of Meth his body the two Archbishops Iohn of Divelin and Mathew of Cashell buryed in the monastery of of Becktye his head in S. Thomas abbey at Divelin The next yeare was builded the abbey of Ines in Vlster and soone after the abbeyes of Iugo Dei and of Comer and then the abbey of Knockmoy or de Colle victoriae by Cathel Cronderg King of Connaght CAP. II. The Titles of the Crowne of England to every part of Ireland and to the whole diverse wayes I Will begin with the pedigree of VVilliam Earle marshall for thereupon depend many recordes in Ireland and the Queenes
so great a trouble as it seemeth hoped for although there should none of them fall by the sword nor bee slaine by the Souldiour yet thus being kept from manurance and their Cattle from running abroad by this hard restraint they would quickly consume themselves and devoure one another The proofe whereof I saw sufficiently exampled in these late warres of Mounster for notwithstanding that the same was a most rich and plentifull countrey full of corne and cattle that you would have thought they should have beene able to stand long yet ere one yeare and a halfe they were brought to such wretchednesse as that any stony heart would have rued the same Out of every corner of the woods and glynnes they came creeping forth upon their hands for their legges could not beare them they looked like anatomies of death they spake like Ghosts crying out of their graves they did eate the dead Carrions happy were they could finde them yea and one another soone after insomuch as the very carcasses they spared not to scrape out of their graves and if they found a plot of water-cresses or Shamrocks there they flocked as to a feast for the time yet not able long to continue therewithall that in short space there were none almost left and a most populous and plentifull countrey suddainely left voyde of man and beast yet sure in all that warre there perished not many by the Sword but all by the extremitie of famine which they themselves had wrought Eudox. It is a wonder that you tell and more to bee wondred how it should so shortly come to passe Iren. It is most true and the reason also very ready for you must conceive that the strength of all that Nation is the Kerne Galloglasse Stocah Horseman and Horseboy the which having beene never used to have any thing of their owne and now being upon spoyle of others make no spare of any thing but havocke and confusion of all they meet with whether it bee their owne Friends goods or their Foes And if they happen to get never so great spoyle at any time the same they waste and consume in a tryce as naturally delighting in spoyle though it doe themselves no good On the other side whatsoever they leave unspent the Souldier when hee commeth there spoyleth and havocketh likewise so that betweene both nothing is very shortly left And yet this is very necessary to bee done for the soone finishing of the warre and not onely this in this wise but also those subiects which doe border upon those parts are either to bee removed and drawne away or likewise to bee spoyled that the Enemy may find no succour thereby For what the Souldier spares the Rebell will surely spoyle Eudox. I doe now well understand you But now when all things are brought to this passe and all filled with these ruefull spectacles of so many wretched Carcases starving goodly Countreyes wasted so huge desolation and confusion that even I that doe but heare it from you and doe picture it in my minde doe greatly pittie and commiserate it If it shall happen that the state of this miserie and lamentable image of things shall bee tolde and feelingly presented to her sacred Maiestie being by nature full of mercy and clemency who is most inclinable to such pittifull complaints and will not endure to heare such Tragedies made of her poore people and subiects as some about her may insinuate Then shee perhappes for very compassion of such calamities will not onely stoppe the streame of such violence and returne to her wonted mildenesse but also conne them little thankes which have beene the authours and Councellours of such bloodie platformes So I remember that in the late government of that good Lord Grey when after long travell and many perillous assayes he had brought things almost to this passe that you speake of that it was even made ready for reformation and might have beene brought to what her Maiestie would like complaint was made against him that he was a bloodie man and regarded not the life of her subiects no more then dogges but had wasted and consumed all so as now she had nothing almost left but to raigne in their Ashes eare was soon lent therunto all suddenly turned topside-turvy the Noble Lord eft-soones was blamed the wretched people pittied new counsells plotted in which it was concluded that a generall pardon should be sent over to all that would accept of it upon which all former purposes were blancked the Governour at a bay and not only all that great and long charge which shee had before beene at quite lost and cancelled but also all that hope of good which was even at the doore put back and cleane frustrated All which whether it be true or no your selfe can well tell Iren. Too true Eudoxus the more the pitty for I may not forget so memorable a thing Neither can I bee ignorant of that perillous device and of the whole meanes by which it was compassed very cunningly contrived by sowing first dissention betweene him an other noble personage where in they both at length found how notably they had beene abused and how thereby under hand this universall alteration of things was brought about but then too late to stay the same for in the meane time all that was formerly done with long labor great toyle was as you say in a moment undone and that good Lord blotted with the name of a bloody man whom who that well knew knew to be most gentle affable loving and temperate But that the necessitie of that present state of things inforced him to that violence and almost changed his naturall disposition But otherwise he was so farre from delighting in blood that oftentimes he suffered not just vengeance to fall where it was deserved and even some of them which were afterwardes his accusers had tasted too much of his mercy and were from the gallowes brought to bee his accusers But his course indeede was this ●hat hee spared not the heades and principalls of any mischievous practises or rebellion but shewed sharpe iudgement on them chiefly for ensamples sake that all the meaner sort which also were generally then infected with that evill might by terrour thereof bee reclaymed and saved if it were possible For in the last conspiracy of some of the English Pale thinke you not that there were many more guiltie then they that felt the punishment yet hee touched onely a few of speciall note and in the tryall of them also even to prevent the blame of cruelty and partiall proceeding and seeking their Blood which he as in his great wisedome as it seemeth did fore-see would bee objected against him hee for avoyding thereof did use a singular discretion and regard For the Iury that went upon their tryall hee made to bee chosen out of their nearest kinsmen and their Iudges he made of some of their owne Fathers of othets their Vncles and dearest friends
all be amended Therfore now you may come unto that generall reformation which you spake of and bringing in of that establishment by which you said all men should be contained in duty ever after without the terror of warlike forces or violent wresting of things by sharpe punishments Iren. I will so at your pleasure the which me thinkes can by no meanes be better plotted then by ensample of such other Realmes as have beene annoyed with like evills that Ireland now is and useth still to bee And first in this our Realme of England it is manifest by report of the Chronicles and auncient Writers that it was greatly infested with Robbers and Out-lawes which lurking in Woods and fast places used often to breake foorth into the high-wayes and sometimes into small villages to robbe and spoyle For redresse whereof it is written that King Alured or Aldred did divide the Realme into Shires and the Shires into Hundreds and the Hundreds into Lathes or Wapentackes and the Wapentackes into Tythings So that tenne Tythings make an Hundred and five made a Lathe or Wapentake of which tenne each one was bound for another and the eldest or best of them whom they called the Tythingman or Borsolder that is the eldest pledge became surety for all the rest So that if any one of them did start into any undutifull action the Borsolder was bound to bring him forth who joyning eft-soones with all his Tything would follow that loose person thorough all places till they brought him in And if all that Tything fayled then all that Lathe was charged for that Tything and if that Lathe fayled then all that Hundred was demaunded for them and if the Hundred theh the Shire who joyning eft-soones together would not rest till they had found out and delivered in that undutifull fellow which was not amesnable to Law And heerein it seemes that that good Saxon King followed the counsell of Iethro to Moyses who advised him to divide the people into Hundreds and to set Captaines and wise men of trust over them who should take the charge of them and ease of that burthen And so did Romulus as you may read divide the Romanes into Tribes and the Tribes into Centuries or Hundreths By this ordinance this King brought this Realme of England which before was most troublesome unto that quiet State that no one bad person could stirre but he was straight taken holde of by those of his owne Tything and their Borsholder who being his neighbor or next kinsman were privie to all his wayes and looked narrowly into his life The which institution if it were observed in Ireland would worke that effect which it did in England and keep all men within the compasse of dutie and obedience Eudox. This is contrary to that you said before for as I remember you said that there was a great disproportion betweene England and Ireland so as the lawes which were fitting for one would not fit the other How comes it now then that you would transfferre a principall institution from England to Ireland Iren. This law was not made by the Norman Conqueror but by a Saxon King at what time England was very like to Ireland as now it stands for it was as I tolde you annoyed greatly with Robbers and Out-lawes which troubled the whole state of the Realme every corner having a Robin Hood in it that kept the woods and spoyled all passengers and Inhabitants as Ireland now hath so as me thinkes this ordinance would fit very well and bring them all into awe Eudox. Then when you have thus tythed the Communalty as you say and set Borsolders over them all what would you doe when you came to the Gentle-men would you holde the same course Iren. Yea marry most especially for this you must know that all the Irish almost boast themselves to be Gentlemen no lesse then the Welsh for if he can derive himselfe from the head of any Sept as most of them can they are so expert by their Bardes then hee holdeth himselfe a Gentleman and thereupon scorneth to worke or use any hard labour which hee saith is the life of a Peasant or Churle But thenceforth becommeth either an horse-boy or a Stocah to some Kerne inuring himselfe to his weapon and to the gentlemanly-trade-of stealing as they count it So that if a gentleman or any wealthy man Yeoman of them have any Children the eldest of them perhaps shall be kept in some order but all the rest shall shift for themselves and fall to this occupation And moreover it is a common use amongst some of their Gentlemens sonnes that so soone as they are able to use their Weapons they straight gather to themselves three or foure straglers or Kearne with whom wandring a while up and downe idlely the Countrey taking onely meate hee at last falleth unto some bad occasion that shall be offered which being once made knowne hee is thenceforth counted a man of worth in whome there is courage whereupon there draw to him many other like loose young men which stirring him up with incouragement provoke him shortly to flat Rebellion and this happens not onely sometimes in the sonnes of their Gentle-men but also of their Noble-men specially of them who have base Sonnes For they are not onely not ashamed to acknowledge them but also boaste of them and use them to such secret services as they themselves will not be seene in as to plague their Enemyes to spoyle their Neighbours to oppresse and crush some of their owne too stubburne Free-holders which are not tractable to their wills Eudox. Then it seemeth that this ordinance of tithing them by the pole is not onely fit for the Gentle-men but also for the Noble-men whom I would have thought to have beene of so honourable a minde as that they should not neede such a kinde of being bound to their allegiance who should rather have held in and stayde all the other from undutifulnesse then neede to bee forced thereunto themselves Iren. Yet so it is Eudoxus but because that Noble-men cannot be tythed there being not many tythings of them and also because a Borsolder over them should be not onely a great indignitie but also a danger to adde more power to them then they have or to make one the commander of tenne I holde it meeter that there were onely sureties taken of them and one bound for another whereby if any shall swerve his sureties shall for safe-guard of their Bonds either bring him in or seeke to serve upon him and besides this I would wish them all to bee sworne to her Majestie which they never yet were but at the first creation and that Oath would sure contayne them greatly or the breach of it bring them to shorter vengeance for God useth to punish perjurie sharpely So I reade that there was a corporall Oath taken in the raignes of Edward the Second and of Henry the Seventh when the times were very
person with such an unknowne marke Eudox. Surely these ordinances seeme very expedient but specially that of free townes of which I wonder there is so small store in Ireland and that in the first peopling and planting thereof they were neglected and omitted Iren. They were not omitted for there were through all places of the Country convenient many good townes seated which thorough that inundation of the Irish which I first told you of were utterly wasted and defaced of which the ruines are yet in many places to be seene and of some no signe at all remaining save onely their bare names but their seates are not to be found Eudox. But how then commeth it to passe that they have never since beene recovered nor their habitations reedified as of the rest which have beene no lesse spoyled and wasted Iren. The cause thereof was for that after their desolation they were begged by Gentlemen of the Kings under colour to repaire them and gather the poore reliques of the people againe together of whom having obtained them they were so farre from reedifying of them as that by all meanes they have endeavoured to keepe them waste least that being repaired their Charters might be renewed and their Burgesses restored to their lands which they had now in their possession much like as in those old monuments of Abbeyes and religious houses we see them likewise use to doe For which cause it is judged that King Henry the eight bestowed them upon them conceiving that thereby they should never bee able to rise againe And even so doe these Lords in these poore old corporate townes of which I could name divers but for kindling of displeasure Therefore as I wished many corporate townes to be erected so would I againe wish them to be free not depending upon the service nor under the commaund of any but the Governour And being so they will both strengthen all the Country round about them which by their meanes will be the better replenished and enriched and also be as continuall houldes for her Majesty if the people should revolt or breake out againe for without such it is easie to forrage and over-run the whole land Let be for ensample all those Free-boroughes in the Low-Countryes which are now all the strength thereof These and other like ordinances might be delivered for the good establishment of the Realme after it is once subdued and reformed in which it might afterwards be very easily kept and maintained with small ca●e of the Governours and Councell there appointed so as it should in short space yeeld a plentifull revenue to the Crowne of England which now doth but sucke consume the treasure thereof through those unsound plots and changefull orders which are dayly devised for her good yet never effectually prosecuted or performed Eudox. But in all this your discourse I have not marked any thing by you spoken touching the appointment of the principall Officer to whom you wish the charge and performance of all this to be committed Onely I observed some fowle abuses by you noted in some of the late Governours the reformation whereof you left of for this present place Iren. I delight not to lay open the blames of great Magistrates to the rebuke of the world and therefore their reformation I will not meddle with but leave unto the wisedome of greater heads to be considered only thus much I will speake generally thereof to satisfie your desire that the government and cheife Magistracy I wish to continue as it doth to wit that it be ruled by a Lord Deputy or Iustice for that it is a very safe kinde of rule but there withall I wish that over him there were placed also a Lord Lieutenant of some of the greatest personages in England such a one I could name upon whom the eye of all England is fixed and our last hopes now rest who being intituled with that dignity and being here alwayes resident may backe and defend the good course of that government against all maligners which else will through their cunning working under hand deprave and pull backe what ever thing shall be begun or intended there as we commonly see by experience at this day to the utter ruine and desolation of that poore Realme and this Leiutenancie should be no discountenancing of the Lord Deputy but rather a strengthning of all his doings for now the cheife evill in that government is that no Governour is suffered to goe on with any one course but upon the least information here of this or that hee is either stopped and crossed or other courses appointed him from hence which he shall run which how inconvenient it is is at this houre too well felt And therefore this should be one principall in the appointing of the Lord Deputies authority that it should bee more ample and absolute then it is and that he should have uncontrouled power to doe any thing that he with the advisement of the Councell should thinke meete to be done For it is not possible for the Councell here to direct a Governour there who shall be forced oftentimes to follow the necessitie of present actions and to take the suddaine advantage of time which being once lost will not bee recovered whilst through expecting direction from hence the delayes whereof are oftentimes through other greater affaires most irkesome the oportunityes there in the meane time passe away and great danger often groweth which by such timely prevention might easily bee stopped And this I remember is worthily observed by Machiavel in his discourses upon Livie where he commendeth the manner of the Romans government in giving absolute power to all their Councellors and Governours which if they abused they should afterwards dearely answere And the contrary thereof he reprehendeth in the States of Venice of Florence and many other principalityes of Italy who use to limit their cheife Officers so strictly as that thereby they have oftentimes lost such happy occasions as they could never come unto againe The like whereof who so hath beene conversant in that government of Ireland hath too often seene to their great hinderance and hurt Therefore this I could wish to be redressed and yet not so but that in particular things he should be restrained though not in the generall government as namely in this that no offices should bee sould by the Lord Deputy for money nor no pardons nor no protections bought for reward nor no beoves taken for Captainries of Countryes nor no shares of Bishopricks for nominating of Bishops nor no forfeytures nor dispensations with poenall Statutes given to their servants or friends nor no selling of licences for transportation of prohibited wares and specially of corne and flesh with many the like which neede some manner of restrainte or else very great trust in the honorable disposition of the Lord Deputy Thus I have Eudoxus as briefly as I could and as my memorie would serve me run through the state of that whole Country both to