IN this fight there was manie a woor|thie man, which valiantlie acquited himselfe: but if it might be said without offense, there was no one man who did more valiant acts than (1) Roger le Power, who albeit he were but a yoong man and beardlesse, yet he shewed himselfe a lustie, valiant, & couragious gentleman; & who grew into such good credit, that afterwards he had the go|uernment of the countrie about Leighlin, as also in Ossorie. This fight was verie long & doubtfull, each partie manfullie defending themselues, and none yeelding the one to the other. But as the com|mon prouerbe is, be the daie neuer so long, yet at the length it ringeth at euensong: so likewise this fierce, long, and cruell fight had his end, and the vic|torie fell to Iohn de Courcie, and a great multitude of the enimies were slaine in the field, as also vpon the woars of the seas as they were fléeing and run|ning awaie. Then was fulfilled the old prophesie of Celodine the Irish prophet, who forespeaking of A prophesie of Celodine fulfilled. this battell said, that there should be such a great bloudshed therein of the Irish people, that the eni|mies perceiuing them should wade vp to the knees in bloud. Which thing came so to passe; for the Eng|lishmen perceiuing them and killing them vpon the woars, the same were so soft, that with the weight of their bodies they sunke downe vp to the hard knées or twisels, and so the bloud fléeting and lieng vpon the woars, they were said to be therein vp to the knées.
The same man also (as is said) did write that a poore stranger, and one come out from other coun|tries, should with a small power come to the citie of Downe, and against the will of the gouernor thereof should take the same. Manie other things also he wrote of sundrie battels to be waged, and of the euents thereof, which were all fulfilled in Iohn de Courcie. This booke the said Iohn had, and he so esteemed the same, that still he had it about him, and in his hands; and did manie times, yea and for the most part direct his dooings by the same. It was al|so written in the same booke, that a yoong man with force and armes should breake and enter in through the wals of Waterford, and conquer the same with the great slaughter of th [...] townsmen: moreouer, that the same man should come to Wexford, & from thense to Dublin, where he should enter in without anie great resistance; & all these things (as is appa|rant) were fulfilled in earle Richard. Likewise he wrote in the same booke, that the citie of Limerike should be twise left and forsaken by the English|men: but the third time it should be kept, which thing came so to passe. For first (as is before writ|ten) Reimond had it and gaue it ouer: the second was, when the king had giuen the same to Philip de Bruse, for he being brought thither by Fitzstephans, and Miles Cogan, to take and enter into the same, and being come to the riuer side of Shenin for the same purpose, was there vtterlie discoraged to pro|céed anie further, and so without anie thing doone, leaueth the same as he found it, and came backe a|gaine; as hereafter in his place it shall be shewed. And thus (according to this vaticine) twise it was left, but the third time it shall be kept.
But this is to be implied and meant of Hamon de Ualognses the iusticiarie there appointed; in whose time the said citie being vnder his gouern|ment, was by treacherie and treason destroied, and so forsaken and left; but afterwards recouered by Meilerius: euer since which time it hath remained and béene kept in the possession of the Englishmen. Well then to the battels of Iohn de Courcie, first he had the victorie in two notable battels or fights at Dublin; the one in Februarie, and the other in Iu|lie: in which he hauing but a small companie of men, fought against fifteene hundred of his enimies, of whome he slue and ouerthrew a great number, and had the victorie. The third was at Ferlie about the taking of a preie, where by reason of the streict & narrow passes, he was too much and euerie eft|soones ouerset by the enimies, and so had the woorse; some of his men being killed, and some scattered and dispersed abroad in the woods and fields, so that he had scant eleuen persons left with him. And notwithstanding that he had thus lost his men and horsses, yet was he of such a valiant mind and cou|rage, that with those few which were left, he went through his enimies, and in spite of them all tra|uelled two daies and two nights on foot in their ar|mour without meat or drinke thirtie long miles, vn|till he was past danger, & so came safelie vnto his owne castell againe. The fourth battell was at Uriell, where manie of his men were killed and ma|nie fled. The fist was at the bridge of Yuor, after and vpon his comming from out of England, and yet therein he had the victorie and conquest. So in three battels he had the victorie, but in two he recei|ued both the losse and hurt; and yet in them did more annoie the enimie, than was hurted himselfe.
(1) The race & issue of the Powers hath euer since and yet dooth remaine in Ireland, who nothing dege|nerating from this their ancestor, haue for their part shewed themselues valiant and men of good ser|uice, for which they haue béene honorablie rewarded, and are now barons and peeres of the realme. Their habitation and dwelling is in the prouince or coun|tie of Waterford, and not far from the citie of Wa|terford.