10.3. The going ouer and landing of Ro|bert Fitzstephans and of his companie in Ireland, and of the winning of the towne of Wexford, Cap. 3.

The going ouer and landing of Ro|bert Fitzstephans and of his companie in Ireland, and of the winning of the towne of Wexford, Cap. 3.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 IN the meane time Robert Fitzste|phans, not vnmindfull nor carelesse of his word and promise, prepareth and prouideth all things in a readinesse, and being accom|panied with thirtie gentlmen of seruice of his owne kinsfolks & Thrée sco [...] other in [...]. certeine armed men, and about thrée hundred of archers and footmen, which were all of the best chosen and piked men in Wales, they all ship and imbarke themselues in thrée sundrie barkes, and sailing towards Ireland, they land about the ca|lends of Maie at the (1) Banne. Then was the old prophesie of Merlin fulfilled, which was, that A (2) knight biparted should first enter with force in arms & breake the bounds of Ireland. If you will vn|derstand the mysterie herof, you must haue respect to his parents, for his father was a Norman and an Englishman, his mother the noble ladie Nesta was a Camber or a Britaine, in his companie also was Herueie of Mont Maurice, a man infortunat, vn|armed, EEBO page image 5 and without all furniture: but he trauelling in the behalfe of the earle Richard, to whome he was vncle, was rathe [...]a (3) spie than a souldier. On the next daie following: Maurice of Prendelgast a (4) lustie and a hardie man, and borne about Milford in west Wales, he with ten gentlemen of seruice, and a good number of archers imbarke themselues in two ships, and arriue also at the Banne. These men thus landed at the Banne, and not standing well assured of their safetie, by reason their comming was blowen abroad through the whole countrie, they with all hast sent messengers to Dermon, aduerti|sing him of their comming. Wherevpon diuerse of that countrie, who dwelling vpon the sea coasts, and who when fortune frowned had and did shrinke a|waie from Dermon, now perceuing that she fauo|red him againe, returned and fawned vpon him; ac|cording to the saieng of the poet in these words:

As fortune so the faith of man doth stand or fall.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Mac Morogh, assoone as he heard of their landing and comming, sent his base son Donold, a valiant gentleman vnto them with fiue hundred men: and verie shortlie after he himselfe also followed with great ioie and gladnesse. And then when they had re|newed their former couenants and leagues, and had sworne each one to the other, to obserue the same and to kéepe faith: then, though they were people of contrarie dispositions, yet now being good fréends and all of one mind, they ioine their forces togither, and with one consent doo march towards the towne of Wexford, which is about twelue miles distant from the Banne. When they of the towne heard ther|of, they being a fierce and vnrulie people, but yet much trusting to their woonted fortune, came foorth about two thousand of them, and were determined to wage and giue battell. But when they saw their aduersaries armie to be better set in order than in times past, and that the horsiemen were well armed with armour and shield shining bright: then vpon new chances & changes taking new counsels, they set on fire and burned their suburbs, and retired into the towne.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 Fitzstephans minding and preparing to giue the assault, filleth the ditches with armed men, and setteth his archers to marke and watch well the turrets of the wals: which things doone, he with great showtes and force giueth the assault. The townesmen within being readie to stand at defense, cast ouer the wals great peeces of timber & stones, and by that meanes hurting manie, made the rest to giue ouer and retire. Among whom a lustie yoong gentleman named Ro|bert Barrie, being hot and of a lustie courage, and nothing afraid of death, so he might atchiue vn|to honour, giueth the first aduenture to scale the wals: but he was striken with a great stone vpon the headpeece, wherwith he fell he adiong downe into the ditch and escaped verie hardlie, for with much a|doo did his fellowes draw & pull him out of the place. About sixtéene yeares after, all his great teeth with the force and violence of this stroke fell out; and that which is verie strange, new téeth grew vp in their places. Upon this repulse they all retired and with|drew themselues from the wals, & assembled them|selues vpon the sea strands, where foorthwith they set on fire all such ships and vessels as they could there find. Among whome was one merchant ship latelie come out of England laden with wines and come, which there laie then at anchor, and a compa|nie of these lustie youths hauing gotten botes for the purpose, would haue taken hir: which the mari|ners perceiuing, suddenlie cut their cabels and hoi|sed vp their sailes, & the wind being westerlie and blowing a good gale, they recouered the seas. These youths still follownig them, had almost lost all and marred the market: for if others their fellowes had not made good shift and rowed a good pace after them they would scarselie haue recouered the land againe. Thus fortune, which is onlie constant in inconstan|cie, séemed to haue forsaken Morogh and Fitzste|phans, and to haue left them destitute of all hope and comfort: neuerthelesse, on the next morow hauing heard diuine seruice through the whole campe, they determine with better aduise and circumspection to giue a new assault, & with lustie courages drew to the wals. The townesmen within séeing this, began to distrust themselues, & to consider how most vnnatu|rallie and vniustlie they had rebelled against their prince & souereigne: whervpon being better aduised, they send messengers to him to intreat for peace. At length by the earnest intercession and mediation of two bishops, and certeine good and peaceable men which were within the towne, peace was granted; and foure of the best & chiefest men within the towne were deliuered and giuen for pledges and hostages, for the true kéeping of the peace and their fidelitie. Mac Morogh, to gratifie his men in these his first successes, and to acquit the first aduenturors, did (ac|cording to his former promise and couenant) giue vnto Robert Fitzstephans and Maurice Fitzgerald the towne of Wexford, and the territories therevn|to adioining and apperteining, and vnto Herucie of Mont Morice he gaue in fee two cantreds, lieng on the sea side betwéene Wexford and Waterford.

(1) The Banne is a little créeke lieng in the coun|tie of Wexford, neere to Fither a fisher towne, which is belonging to the bishop of that diocesse, the open seas being on the east and not farre from the hauen mouth of Waterford on the south: and as it should séeme, Fitzstephans and his companie mistooke the place or were driuen in there, the same being verie vnapt for a harborow: but the same being the place of the first receipt of Englishmen, there were cer|teine monuments made in memorie thereof, and were named the Banna & the Boenne, which were the names (as the common fame is) of the two grea|test ships in which the Englishmen there arriued.

(2) A knight biparted. The prophesie was not one|lie verified in respect of the parents of Robert Fitz|stephans, the one being a Norman Saxon, and the o|ther a Camber: but also in respect of his armes and ensigne which were biparted being of two sundrie changes, namelie partie per pale gules, and ermine a saltier counterchanged. For commonlie all pro|phesies haue their allusions vnto armes, and by them they are discouered, though at the first not so appea|ring before the euent thereof.

(3) Gentlemen. The Latine word is Milites, which in the now common spéeches is termed knights, a name of worship and honour: but the word it selfe importeth and meaneth men expert and skilfull to serue in the wars, whether it be on foot or horssebacke. In times past when men ruled by the sword, then such as were valiant and of good experience grew in|to credit and estimation; and the people did make choise of such to gouerne, rule, and defend them, and who for their excellent vertues were called Nobiles, which in English is gentlemen. And then men being ambitious of honour, did contend who might best ex|cell in feats of prowesse and chiualrie: some deliting to excell in the seruice on foot: and bicause they vsed chieflie the target and shield, they tooke their name thereof, & were called Scutiferi. Some practised chief|lie the seruice on horssebacke, and they (according to the manner of their seruice) were named Equites: but both the one and the other were in processe of time called Armigeri, in English esquiers: and this is ta|ken for a degrée somewhat aboue the estate of a one|lie EEBO page image 6 gentleman. And for somuch as seruice in the fields did carie awaie with it the greatest honor and credit, and princes willing & desirous to incourage gentlemen to excell that waie and in that kind of seruice, they deuised a third degree of honour named knighthood. And this, as it excelleth the others before and not to be giuen but for great desert: so to in|crease the credit and estimation thereof, it was not to be giuen but with great solemnities and ceremo|nies; and the person so to be honored, was to be ador|ned with such ornaments as doo speciallie apperteine to the furniture of such seruice, as namelie a sword, a target, a heime, a paire of spurres, and such like: and they which were thus aduanced were named Mi|lites or knights, and thus the name of seruice was turned to the name of worship: yea this degree did grow and wax to be of such credit, honor and estima|tion, that kings and princes were and would be ve|rie circumspect and aduised, before they would dub or promote anie man to this estate. Wherefore consi|dering the estate, nature & worship of a knight, and weieng also the course of this historie, it cannot be intended that all they which went ouer and serued in this conquest, though they were named Milites, that therfore they should be compted & taken for knights of worship and high calling: but that they were such as were expert and skilfull to serue in warres accor|ding to the nature of the word Miles. Wherefore I haue and doo English the word Miles in this historie a gentleman of seruice.

(4) A spie, not to watch the dooings of his coun|trimen, whereby to take them in a trip, but to note, marke and consider the nature, maner, and disposi|tion of the countrie and people: whereby to aduer|tise the earle how he should prouide and order his doo|ings against his comming ouer into the land.

(5) Maurice of Prendalgast was doubtlesse a vali|ant gentleman, and borne and bred in west Wales, in or about the prouince of Penbroke. He is not named nor mentioned in some books of this historie; but I finding in such exemplars as I haue of best credit, doo thinke I should haue doone wrong to haue omitted him. There are yet of his race, posteritie and name, remaining at these daies in the countie of Wexford, and elsewhere.

10.4. Of the ouerthrow giuen in Ossorie, and of the submission of the king thereof. Chap. 4.

Of the ouerthrow giuen in Ossorie, and of the submission of the king thereof. Chap. 4.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 THese things thus doone and ended as they would themselues, they increase their ar|mie with the townesmen of Wexford, and being then about thrée thousand men, they march towards (1) Ossorie, whereof Donald was then the prince, & who of all the rebels was the most mortall enimie which Mac Morogh had. For on a time he hauing the said Dermons eldest son in his ward and hand fast, was in gealousie of him, and mis|trusted him with his wife: wherevpon he did not on|lie shut him vp in a closer prison; but also to be auen|ged thereof, and of other supposed iniuries, putteth out both of his (2) eies. First then Dermon and his companie enter into Ossorie, but they durst not march or aduenture anie further than to the midst of the countrie, because the whole countrie else was full of woods, streicts, passes, and bogs, and no waie at all for men to trauell. But when they met and in|countered with the Ossorians, they found nor co|wards nor dastards, but valiant men, and who stood well to the defense of their countrie, and manfullie resisted their enimies. For they trusted so much to their woonted good fortune and successe in such like af|faires, that they shroonke not a whit from them, but braue them perforce out of the bogs and woods, and followed them into the champaine countrie.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Robert Fitzstephans being in the plaine and o|pen fields with his horsemen, and seeing that the Os|sorians being there he had the aduantage of them, gi|ueth most fiercelie the onset vpon them, and flue a great number of them; and such as straied and were scattered abrode, they either slue them or ouerthrew them: and such as were ouerthrowne, the footmen with their Galloglasses axes did cut off their heads. And thus hauing gotten the victorie, they gathered vp and brought before Dermon Mac Morogh three hundred of their enimies heads, which they laid & put at his féet; who turning euerie of them one by one to know them, did then for ioy hold vp both his hands, and with a lowd voice thanked God most highlie. Among these there was the head of one, whom espe|ciallie and aboue all the rest he mortallie hated. And he taking vp that by the heare and eares, with his téeth most horriblie and cruellie bit awaie his nos [...] and lips.

After this, they made a rode through the whole countrie, & marched almost to the vttermost parts, and still as they passed they murthered the people, spoiled, burned, and wasted the whole countrie. And therevpon the prince of Ossorie by the aduise of his friends, maketh sute and intreateth for peace: which obteined (although in verie déed it was but a colou|red and a dissembled peace on both sides) they put in their hostages, made fealtie, and were sworne to bee faithfull and true to Mac Morogh, as vnto their law|full and true lord. In these seruices, as in all other, Robert of Barrie, and Meilerius had the pricke and praise, and shewed themselues of all others the most valiant. Both these yoong gentlemen were ne|phues to Fitzstephans (4) the one being his brothers sonne, and the other his sisters sonne. They both were of like valiantnesse, but of sundrie dispositions and natures. For Meilerius being ambitious and dest|rous of honour, referred all his dooings to that end; and whatsoeuer he attempted, was to aduance his fame and credit, making more account to be repor|ted and haue the name of a valiant man, than to be so in déed. The other being of a certeine naturall dis|position both noble and valiant, was neither a grée|die séeker of land and praise, nor an ambitious cra|uer of fame and honour; but being alwaies among the best, did rather séeke and trauell to the best, than to be onelie counted the best.

Besides, he was naturallie indued with such a maidenlie shamefastnesse, and no bragger nor boa|ster, would neither glorifie his dooings, nor yet like well of anie others which would so doo of him. By means whereof it came to passe, that the lesse ambi|tious and desirous he was of honour, the more the same followed him: for glorie and honour follow al|waies vertue, as the shadow the bodie, shunning them who doo most séeke for hir, & following them who do lest regard hir. And manie men are the more liked of manie, bicause they séeme not to like of anis: and praise, fame, and honour most commonlie, the lesse it is estéemed, the more sooner it is had & gotten. It for|tuned on a time that the armie thus being in Osso|rie, they did on a night incampe themselues about an old castell. These two gentlemen as they were e|uer woont, laie togither, and suddenlie there was a great noise, as it were of an infinit number of men, which séemed to breake in and rush in among them, with great force and a rage, destroieng all that euer was, and making a great noise with clashing of their harnesse, and striking of their bils togither, and therewithall such a noise and a showt, as though hea|uen EEBO page image 7 and earth would haue come togither.

These kind of phantasmes and illusions doo often|times happen in Ireland, especiallie when there be a|nie hostings. With this noise the more part of the ar|mie was so afraid and dismaid, that for the most part they all fled, some into the woods, and some into the bogs, euerie one séeking a place where to hide and succour himselfe. But these two onelie tarieng be|hind, raught to their weapons, and foorthwith full boldlie ran to Fitzstephans tents, and called againe togither all such as were thus scattered, and incoura|ged them to take their weapons, and to stand to de|fense. Robert of Barrie in all his hurlie burlie, stan|ding alone by himselfe musing, except a man or two of his owne men about him, did aboue all others not without anie great admiration of manie, and to the great gréefe of such as enuied him, best acquit him|selfe. For among other good gifts which were in him, this was speciallie reported of him; that no feare, or force, no sudden mishap or misaduenture whatsoeuer, could at anie time make him afraid or discomforted, and to flie awaie. For howsoeuer things fell out and happened, he was alwaies at hand, and in a readines with his weapons to the fight. And such a one as is alwaies readie to abide whatsoeuer shall happen, and to preuent what mischeefs maie insue, is by all mens iudgements counted the best and valiantest man. This man was he, who in this Irish warres was the first who either was striken or hurt. As concerning the foresaid phantasine, this one thing is much noted of it; that in the morning following, when all things were pacified and quieted, the grasse and weeds which the night before stood there vpright and of a great height, did now in the morrow lie downe flat vpon the ground, as though the same had bin troden with great multitude of people, and yet was it most cer|teine that none had béene there at all.

(1) There be two Ossories, the one named the vp|per Ossorie, which is of the ancient inheritance of the Macguilfathrikes, and who are the barons therof; and this lieth in the diocesse of Leighling: the other lieth on the north of Ormond, and is vnder the iurisdiction of the earle of Ormond, who is also the earle thereof, being named earle of Ormond and Ossorie. It is a diocesse of it selfe, and the bishop thereof is na|med the bishop of Ossorie, whose sée and house is at Kilkennie. It is parcell of the prouince of Leinster and vnder the obeisance then of Dermon Mac Mo|rogh.

(2) This was a courteous kind of punishing, for cõmonlie such is the reuenging nature of the méere Irishman, that albeit he can or doo laie neuer so ma|nie plagues and punishments vpon his enimie: yet is he neuer satisfied, vnlesse he haue also his life, yea and manie not therewith contented, but will vtter their wicked nature euen vpon the dead carcase, as dooth appeare in this chapter of the same Mac Mo|rogh, who finding one of his enimies heads, was not satisfied, vntill in most cruell maner he did with his téeth bite awaie his nose and his lips.

(3) There are in Ireland thrée sorts or degrées of soldiers: the first is the horsseman, who commonlie is a gentleman borne, and he is armed with such armor as the seruice of that countrie requireth: the second degree is the Kernaugh, & he also is a gentleman or a fréeholder borne, but not of that abilitie to main|teine a horsse with his furniture, and therefore he is a light souldier on foot; his armor is both light and slender, being a skull, a left gantlet or [...] target, a sword and skeine, and thrée or foure daris: the third degree is the Galloglasse, who was first brought in to this land by the Englishmen, and thereof taketh his name. For Galloglas is to saie, an English year man or seruant; his armor is a skull, a iacke, an ha|bergeon or shirt of male, a sword and a sparre, other|wise named a Galloglasse ax or halbert, & this man is counted the best souldier on foot, and the strength of the battell. These in all hostings haue attending vp|on them a number of boies and Kernes, and who doo spoile and kill all such as be ouerthrowne and hurt in the fields.

10.5. The conspiracie of Rothorike mo|narch of Ireland, and of the residue of the princes against Mac Mo|rogh and Fitzstephans. Chap. 5.

The conspiracie of Rothorike mo|narch of Ireland, and of the residue of the princes against Mac Mo|rogh and Fitzstephans. Chap. 5.

IN the meane time the wheele of fortune is turned vpside downe, and they which before séemed to stand aloft, are now afraid of sli|ding: and they which were on high, in perill now to fall. For assoone as it was noised through the whole land of the good successe of Dermon, and of the comming in of strangers into the land, and whereof they were much afraid: Rothorike prince of (1) Co|nagh, and (2) monarch of the whole land, coniectu|ring how of small things great doo grow; and consi|dering that by the comming in of strangers, the whole land was in some perill; sendeth abrode his messengers, and summoneth a parlement of the whole land: who being assembled, and the matter at full debated, they doo with one voice and consent con|clude and determine to make open warres, and to giue the battell vnto Mac Morogh. And foorthwith e|uerie man hauing made readie both men and armor to his vtter most power, doo ioine all their forces and strengths togither, and with maine and strength doo inuade the countrie of Okensile in Leinster.

Dermon Mac Morogh in this distresse was som|what disquieted, and in a great perplexitie; partlie bicause some of his (but glosing) fréends distrusting the sequele, did shrinke from him, & hid themselues: some of them most traitorouslie, contrarie to their oth and promise, were fled to his enimies: and so in this his distresse he had verie few fréends, sauing on|lie Robert Fitzstephans and the Englishmen with him. He therefore with such companie as he had, went vnto a certeine place not farre from Fernes, which was compassed and inuironed round about with great thicke woods, high stikle hilles, and with bogs and waters; a place so strong of it selfe, as it was in a maner inaccessible, and not to be entred int [...]. And as soone as they were entred into the same, they foorthwith by the aduise of Fitzstephans (3) did fell downe trées, plashed the wood, cast great tren|ches and ditches round about, and made it so strict, narrow, crooked, and strong, that there was no pas|sage nor entrie for the enimie: and yet by their art and industrie it was made much more strong.

(1) Conagh, in Latine Conacia, is one of the fiue portions of the land, according to the ancient diuisi|on. In it are thirtie cantreds or baronies; and before and vntill the conquest they were vnder the gouern|ment of the sept of the O Conners, the eldest man of which sept by the Irish law was ouer the prince: but at the conquest it was giuen to certeine noble men of England, & by certeine descents it came to sir Walter de Burgo, who was lord of that whole prouince and earle of Wolster. From these Burghs descend the Burghs now being in Conagh, they being of a base line, and first were put onlie in trust to kéepe that countrie to the vse of their lords, who then dwelled and remained in England. This coun|trie lieth betwéene Ulster in the north, Mounster in EEBO page image 8 the south, and the seas in the west. The cheefest and onelie merchant towne or emporium thereof is Gallowaie.

(2) There was alwaies one principall gouernor among the Irish, whom they named a monarch; and he was commonlie either of the Mac Carthies in Mounster, or of the Moreghs in Leinster, or of the O Connors in Connagh, as this Rothorike was. He was elected & chosen by the common consent of all the nobilitie of the land: & being once chosen, all they did homage and fealtie vnto him. The pro|uince of Meth, which was the least of the fiue seue|rall portions, was reserued alwais vnto him for his diet. For though the Omolaghlins did dwell in M [...]th, and were great inheritors or possessioners there, yet they were not counted for princes as the o|ther were. This monarch did gouerne the whole land vniuersallie, & all the princes were directed by him: in him it laie whether it should be peace or warre; and what he commanded was alwaies doone.

(3) The maner of the Irishrie is to kéepe them selues from force of the enimies, or in the bogs, or in the woods: the one of his nature is so strong as no horsseman is to aduenture into the same; the other with industrie they make strong, by felling of trées & plashing of the woods; and by these means the horsse|man (in whom is all the strength of their warres) can haue no passage nor entrie to the enimie, but must either retire, or go on foot, or séeke some other wa [...]e. If they will and must néeds passe that waie, they must of necessitie go on foot, and then they are too weake, and easilie to be ouercome by the Kernes, whose seruice is onelie on foot: therefore they doo chéefelie kéepe themselues in such places, as where they can take the aduantage of others, and not o|thers of them.