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.
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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.
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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.
