16.3. Thomas Fitzgirald his rebellious oration.

Thomas Fitzgirald his rebellious oration.

[1] _HOwsoeuer iniuriouslie we be hand|led, and forced to defend our selues in armes, when neither our seruice nor our good meaning towards our prince his [page 90] crowne aua [...]leth: yet saie not héereafter, but in this open hostilitie which héere we professe and proclame, we haue shewed our selues no villaines nor churles, but warriours and gentlemen. This sword of estate is yours, and not mine; I receiued it with an oth, and haue vsed it to your benefit. I should staine mine ho|nour, if I turned the same to your annoiance. Now haue I need of mine owne sword, which I dare trust. As for the common sword, it flattereth me with a painted scabberd, but hath indéed a pestilent edge, al|readie bathed in the Giraldines bloud, and now is newlie whetted in hope of a further destruction. Therefore saue your selues from vs, as from open enimies, I am none of Henrie his deputie, I am his fo, I haue more mind to conquer than to gouerne, to meet him in the field than to serue him in office. If all the hearts of England and Ireland, that haue cause thereto, would ioine in this quarrell (as I hope they will) then should he soone abie (as I trust he shall) for his crueltie and tyrannie, for which the age to come may lawfullie score him vp among the an|cient tyrants of most abhominable and hatefull memorie.

[1] Hauing added to this shamefull oration manie other slanderous and foule tearmes, which for diuerse respects I spare to pen, he would haue surrendered the sword to the lord chancellor, who (as I said before) being armed for the lord Thomas his comming, and also being loath that his slacknesse should séeme dis|loiall in refusing the sword, or his frowardnesse ouer cruell in snatching it vpon the first proffer, tooke the lord Thomas by the wrist of the hand, and requested him for the loue of God, the teares trilling downe his chéekes, to giue him for two or thrée words the hearing, which granted, the reuerend father spake as insueth.