10.13. Of the arriuall of Reimond le grosse in|to Ireland, and of the fight which he had against the Waterford men at Dundorogh. Chap. 13.

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Of the arriuall of Reimond le grosse in|to Ireland, and of the fight which he had against the Waterford men at Dundorogh. Chap. 13.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 THe king hauing heard the earles requests, be thought himselfe a while thereof: but in the end he alowed not of the one, nor gran|ted the other, but fed him still with good spée|ches, and nourished him with faire words, commen|ding his noble mind, that he would aduenture so ho|norable an enterprise. And in words the king sée|med to giue him leaue to follow his deuise, but to saie the truth, it was rather in game than in earnest, for the king minded nothing lesse. But the earle ta|king the aduantage of the kings words, and accep|ting the same for a sufficient leaue and licence, retur|neth home. And the same being the winter season & verie vnfit to trauell into forren nations in martiall affaires, dooth now make preparation of all things fit to serue when time should require. And assoone as the winter was past, he sendeth ouer before him in|to Ireland, a gentleman of his owne houshold and familie named Reimond le gross [...]: who had with him ten gentlemen of seruice, and three score and ten archers well appointed, and taking shipping about the kalends of Maie, then landed at the rocke of (1) Dundonolfe, which lieth south from Wexford, and about foure miles east from Waterford: and there they cast a trench, and builded a little castell or hold, with turffes and wattell. This Reimond was ne|phue to Robert Fitzstephans and to Maurice Fitz|gerald, being the sonne vnto their elder brother named William, and was verie valiant, of great courage, and well expert in the warres and in all martiall affaires. The citizens of Waterford, and Omolaghlin Ofelin, being aduertised of this their arriuall, and nothing liking the neighborhood of such strangers, take counsell togither what were best to be doone: and finding it most necessarie and néedfull to withstand at the beginning, they doo conclude and determine to giue the onset vpon them; and being about thrée thousand men, they take botes, and rowe downe the riuer of the Sure (which fléeteth fast by the wals of Waterford on the east, and diuideth Lein|ster from Mounster) and so came to the place where Reimond and his companie were, where they lan|ded and set their men in order for the assaults, and marched boldlie to the ditches of Reimonds fortresse or castell: but then it appeered how valiantnes can neuer be hid, lustie courage be daunted, nor yet pro|wesse or worthines be blemished. For Reimond and his companie, although they were but few in num|ber, and too weake to incounter with so great a com|panie as their aduersaries were: yet being of cou|ragious minds & lustie stomachs, went out to méet with their enimies; but when they saw that their small number was not sufficient nor able in the plaines to abide and indure the force of so great a multitude, they retired to their fort. The enimies thinking then to discomfit and cleane to ouerthrow them, followed and pursued them so shortlie, that the Englishmen were no sooner in at the gates, but the Irishmen were also at their heeles, and some of them within the gate. Which thing when Reimond saw, and considering also with himselfe what a di|stresse and perill he and all his were in, suddenlie turneth backe his face vpon his enimies; and the first of them which entred, he ranne him thorough with his sword (or as some saie claue his head asun|der) and then with a lowd voice cried out to his com|panie to be of a good comfort. Who forthwith as they turned and stood most manfullie to their defense: so their enimies also being dismaied and afraid at the death of that one man, they all fled and ranne awaie: and then they which in this doubtfull chance of fight, were thought should be vanquished and cleane ouerthrowne, suddenlie became to be the victors and conquerors. And these sharpelie then pursued their enimies, who were scattered abroad in the plaines and out of arraie; that in a verie short time and space they slue aboue fiue hundred per|sons: and being wearie with killing, they cast a great number of those whome they had taken priso|ners headlong from the rocks into the sea, and so drowned them. In this fight and seruice a gentle|man named William Ferand did most valiantlie acquit himselfe. For albeit he were but of a weake bodie, yet was he of a verie stout stomach & courage: he was diseased and sicke of the leprosie, and there|fore desirous rather to die valiantlie, than to liue in miserie: and for that cause would and did ad|uenture himselfe in places where most perill and danger was and séemed to be; thinking it good with a glorious death to preuent the gréefe and lothsom|nesse of a gréeuous disease.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Thus fell the pride of Waterford, thus decaied their strength and force, and thus began the ruine and ouerthrow of that citie, which as it bred a great hope and consolation to the Englishmen; so was it the cause of a great desperation and terror to the eni|mies. It was a strange matter and neuer heard of before in those parties, that so great a slaughter should be made by so small a number: neuerthelesse by euill counsell and too much crueltie, the En|glishmen abused their good successe and fortune. For hauing gotten the victorie, they saued seuentie of the best citizens, whom they kept prisoners; and for the ransome or redemption of these, they might haue had either the citie of Waterford yeelded & surren|dred vnto them, or such a masse of monie as they would themselues. But Herueie of Mount Moris (who came ouer with three gentlemen of seruice, and ioined with his countrimen and Reimonds) being both of contrarie minds, striued the one with the o|ther, what were best to be doone héerein.

(1) Dundonolfe is a rocke standing in the coun|tie of Waterford vpon the sea side, lieng east from the citie of Waterford about eight English miles, and is from the towne of Wexford about twelue miles, lieng southwards from the same: it is now a strong castell, and apperteining to the ancient house of the Powers of Kilmaithen, & called by the name of Dundorogh.

(2) The citie of Waterford or Guaterford, na|med sometimes (as Ptolomeus writeth) Manapia, is a faire, ancient, and honorable citie, standing vpon the south side of the riuer of Sure, which fléeteth fast by the walles thereof, and was first builded by one named Sitaratus, one of the thrée princes which came out of the east parts to inhabit that land. It was at the first but a small pile, lieng in forme of a long triangle, but since & of late times inlarged by the citizens & inhabitants of the same. It is the chée|fest emporium in a manner of all that land, and standeth chéeflie vpon the trade of merchandize, they themselues being not onelie great trauellers into forren nations, but also great resort and dailie con|courses of strangers are to it. Concerning the go|uernement, order, state and seruice of this citie, and of sundrie other things incident to the same, are at large described in the later historie of this land.

10.14. The oration of Reimond for the deliuerie of the prisoners taken. Chap. 14.

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The oration of Reimond for the deliuerie of the prisoners taken. Chap. 14.

REimond being verie desirous that the captiues taken might be deliuered, laboreth by all the waies he could how to compasse the same, & in presence of Herueie maketh these spéeches, and vseth these persuasions to all his companie. Yée my noble and valiant companions and souldiers, for increase of whose honour, vertue and fortune séeme to contend; let vs now consider what is best to be doone with these our prisoners and captiues. For my part I doo not thinke it good, nor yet allow that anie fauour or courtesie should be at all shewed to the enimie. But vnderstand you, these are no enimies now, but men; no rebels, but such as be banquished and cleane ouerthrowen, and in stand|ing in defense of their countrie, [...] euill fortune and a worse destinie they are subdued. Their aduentures were honest and their attempts commendable, and therefore they are not to be reputed for théeues, facti|ous persons, traitors, nor yet murtherers. They are now brought to that distresse and case, that rather mercie for examples sake is to be shewed, than cruel|tie to the increasing of their miserie is to be mini|stred. Suerlie our ancestors in times past (although in déed it be verie hard to be doone) were woont in times of good successe and prosperitie, to temperat their loose minds and vnrulie affections with some one incommoditie or other. Wherfore let mercie and pitie, which in a man is most commendable, worke so in vs, that we who haue ouercome others, may also now subdue our owne minds, and conquer our owne affections: for modestie, moderation, and dis|cretion are woont to staie hastie motions, and to stop rash deuises. O how commendable and honorable is it to a noble man, that in his greatest triumph and glorie, he counteth it for a sufficient reuenge, that he can reuenge and be wreaked?

Iulius Cesar, whose conquests were such, his vic|tories so great, and his triumphs so manie, that the whole world was noised therewith; he had not so ma|nie fréends who reioised for the same, but he had ma|nie more enimies who maligned and enuied at him, not onelie in slanderous words and euill reports; but manie also secretlie conspired, deuised, and practised his death and destruction: and yet he was so full of pitie, mercie, and compassion, that he neuer com|manded nor willed anie to be put to death for the same, sauing onelie one Domitius, whome he had of meere clemencie for his lewdnesse before pardoned, for his wickednesse released, and for his trecherie ac|quited. And thus as his pitie did much increase his honour, so did it nothing hinder his victories. O how beastlie then and impious is that crueltie, wherin vi|ctorie is not ioined with pitie? For it is the part of a right noble and a valiant man, to count them eni|mies which do [...] wage the battell, contend and fight for the victorie; but such as be conquered, taken priso|ners, and kept in bonds and captiuitie, to take and repute them for men, that hereby fortitude and force may diminish the battell and end the quarrell, as also humanitie may increase loue & make peace. It is therefore a great commendation and more praise|worthie to a noble man in mercie to be bountious, than in victorie to be cruell; for the one lieth onelie in the course of fortune, but the other in vertue: and as it had béene a great increase of our victorie, and an augmentation of honour, if our enimies had béene slaine in the field and ouerthrowen in the battell: so they being now taken and saued, and as it were men returned from rebels to the common societie and fel|lowship of men; if we should now kill them, it will be to our great shame, dishonor, and reproch for euer. And for somuch as by the killing and destroieng of them we shall be neuer the néerer to haue the coun|trie, nor neuer sooner to be the lords of the land; and yet the ransoming of them verie good for the mainte|nance of the souldiers, the good fame of vs, and the aduancement of our honour: we must néeds thinke it better to ransome them than to kill them. For as it is requisit and meet, that a souldier in the field figh|ting in armes, should then thirst for the bloud of his enimies, trie the force of his sword, and valiantlie stand to his tackle for victorie: so when the fight is ended, the wars are ceassed, & the armor laid downe, and all fiercenes of hostilitie set apart; then in a no|ble man must humanitie take place, pitie must be shewed, and courtesie must be extended.

10.15. The oration or speech which Herueie made. Chap. 15.

The oration or speech which Herueie made. Chap. 15.

WHen Reimond had ended his speech, & the whole companie being in a muttering, and as it were men well pleased and verie well allowing his mind and opinion: then Herueie stood vp and spake to them all in this ma|ner. Reimond hath verie exquisetlie discoursed with vs of pitie and mercie, and in set speeches vttering his eloquence, hath shewed his mind and declared his opinion; persuading and inducing vs to beléeue, that a strange land were to be conquered sooner by mercie and fond pitie than by sword and fire. But I praie you, can there be a worsse waie than so to thinke? Did Iulius Cesar or Alexander of Macedo|nie by such means or in such order conquer the whole world? Did the nations from out of all places run to submit themselues vnder their yoke and empire, in respect of their pitie & mercie, & not rather compel|led so to doo for feare & perforce? For people, whiles they are yet proud and rebellious, they are (all pitie and mercie set apart) by all manner of waies and means to be subdued: but when they are once brought into subiection and bondage, and redie to serue and obeie, then they are with all courtesie to be intreated and dealt withall: so that the state of the gouern|ment may be in safetie and out of danger. Herein and in this point must pitie be vsed, but in the other seueritie or rather crueltie is more necessarie: here clemencie is to be shewed, but in the other rigour without fauour is to be exhibited and vsed. Reimond persuadeth that mercie is to be extended, as vpon a people alreadie subdued and subiected; or as though the enimies were so few and of so small a number, as against whome no valiant seruice nor chiualrie can be exploited, and yet they redie to ioine with vs: whereby our force may be increased, and our power augmented. But alas! Doo not we sée how that the whole nation and people of Ireland are wholie bent, and not without cause altogither conspired against vs?

Suerlie me thinketh Reimond is contrarie vnto himselfe; for why, his comming hither was not to di|spute of pitie, nor to reason of mercie; but to conquer the nation and to subdue the people. O what an ex|ample of impious pitie were it then, to neglect our owne safetie, and to haue remorse and compassion vpon others distresses? Moreouer, we haue here in the fields, and in armour more enimies than friends, we are in the middle of perils and dangers, our enimies being round about vs in euerie place: and shall we thinke this to be nothing, but that we must be also in the like distresse and danger among EEBO page image 14 our selues. Round about vs our enimies are infinit, and within our selues some there be which practise our destruction. And if it should happen that our cap|tiues and prisoners should escape and breake loose out of their bonds, which are but verie weake and slender, no doubt they will foorth with take our owne armours and weapons against vs. Well well, the mouse is in the cupbord, the fire is in the lap, and the serpent is in the bosome; the enimie is at hand rea|die to oppresse his aduersarie, and the gest is in place with small courtesie to requit his host. And I praie you dooth not Reimond execute that in his facts and dooings, which he denieth in his words? Are not his spéeches contrarie to his deeds? Let him answer me to this. If our enimies when they come in good araie and well appointed to giue the onset, and to wage the battell against vs, if they should happen to haue the victorie and the ouerhand ouer vs, would they deale in pitie & mercie? Would they grant vs our liues? Would they put vs to ransome? Tush what néed ma|nie words when the déeds are apparant? Our victorie is to be so vsed, that the destruction of these few may be a terror to manie; wherby all others and this wild and rebellious nation may take an example, and be|ware how they meddle and incounter with vs. Of two things we are to make choise of one; for either we must valiantlie and couragiouslie stand to per|forme what we haue taken in hand; and all fond pi|tie set aside, boldlie and stoutlie to ouerthrow and vanquish this rebellious and stubborne peop [...]e: or (if we shall after the mind and opinion of Reimond al|togither be pitifull and full of mercie) we must hoise vp our sailes and returne home, leauing both the countrie and our patrimonie to this miserable and wretched people. Herueies opinion was best liked, and the whole companie allowed his iudgement, wherevpon the captiues (as men condemned) were brought to the rockes, and after their lims were bro|ben, they were cast headlong into the seas, and so drowned.