The Holinshed Texts (1577, Volume 3, p. 37 with companion text)

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Meiller was browne of colour, with black eies,The deſcriptiõ of Meiller. and of countenaunce grim and ſterne, of ſtature ſomewhat leſſe than the common ſort, but yet of paſſing ſtrẽgth for the quantitie of his body, with a brode breaſt, and ſlender waſt, his armes and o|ther limmes being greater of bone and ſinewes than filled with fleſh, a right hardy knight & ready to attẽpt any enterprice y^t was to be atchieued ei|ther alone or accõpanied: the firſt to giue the onſet in euery battel, & the laſt y^t ſhould depart forth of y^e field, & nothing in him might be diſpraiſed, but y^t he was giuen ouer much to ſpilling of bloud, and ſo deſirous of praiſe, that he eſteemed honor more than life. This with more doth Giraldus Cam|brenſis report of the foreſayd Meiller.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Now as cõcerning Heruey,The diſcriptiõ of Heruey. he was of perſon beautiful, with gray eies, & ſomwhat ſtãding out|ward, or (as we terme it) bol eied, a round vpright neck, crump ſhoulders, with lõg armes & handes, brode breſted, but in y^e waſt ſlẽder with due pro|portiõ, thighes, legs, & feet anſwerable to y^e ſame, in height not much exceeding the cõmon ſtature. But as nature had garniſhed the outward partes of the man with ſundry graces, ſo had ſhe diſgra|ced the inner parts with ſundry vices, for euen frõ his youth he was giuẽ to ſenſuall luſt, not caring with what womã he delt, ſo he might ſatiſfie hys liking, not ſparing kinſwoman nor other. Beſide this, he was enuious, ſlanderous, a ſower of ſini|ſter reports, & double in all his dealings, crafty, fair ſpokẽ, & deceitful: in incõſtancy only cõſtant, ſom|time ſet aloft through fortunes fauor, & after caſt downe without hope of recouery. In the French warres he had ſhewed good prouf of his valiancy, but after his cõming into Ireland,Giral. ſeemeth to ſpeake en|uiouſly of this man. his praiſe wõ|derfully decayed. As by Giral. Cam. it ſhould ap|pere. At length he becam a Monk at Canterbury, as in another place is ſpecified.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Now as cõcerning Fitz Aldelm,The diſcrip|tion of Fitz Aldelme. he was of ſta|ture ſomwhat bigger thã y^e mean ſort, of hãdſom EEBO page image 38 proportion, a man liberall and pleaſant, but ſub|till and deceytfull ynough, in outwarde counte|naunce curteous, friendly, and gentle, but in|wardly conteyning more gall than honie, hys wordes were as ſoft as Oyle, but they proued pearcing Dartes: whom this day he honoured, to morow he would ſpoyle, oppreſſing the weake and bearing with the rebell: harde to thoſe that were ouercome, and eaſie to them that helde good agaynſt him, giuen to wine and women, and as he was Courtly, ſo was he couetous.

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12.10. The description of Meilerius. Chap. 10.

The description of Meilerius. Chap. 10.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 MEilerius was a man of a browne hew and complexion, his eies blacke, his looke grim, and his countenance sowre & sharpe, and of a meane stature; his bodie for the bignesse verie strong, broad brested, & he was small bellied. His armes and other lims mors sine wous than fleshie, a stout and a valiant gentleman he was and emulous. He neuer refused anie aduenture or enterprise which were either to be doone by one alone, or by mo; he would be the first that would enter the field, and the last that would depart from the same. In all seruices he would either haue the garland or die in the place, and so vnpatient he was in all ex|ploits, that he would either haue his purpose, or lie in the dust: and so ambitious and desirous he was to haue honor, that to atteine therevnto, there was no means nor mild thing but that he would suerlie haue the same either in death or in life: for if he could not haue it and liue, he would suerlie haue it by dieng. And verelie both he and Reimond haue béen worthie of too too much praise and commendation, if they had beene lesse ambitious of worldlie honors, and more carefull of Christes church, and deuout in christian religion, whereby the ancient rights thereof might haue beene preserued and kept safe and sound: and also in consideration of their so manie conquests and bloudie victories, and of the spilling of so much innocent blood, and murthering of so manie christian people, they had béene thankefull to God, and liberal|lie contributed some good portion for the furtherance of his church and religion. But what shall I saie? It is not so strange but much more to be lamented, that this vnthankefulnesse euen from our first comming into this land, vntill these presents, this hath béene the generall and common fault of all our men.

12.11. The commendation and praise of Ro|bert Fitzstephans, and of his cousins. Chap. 11.

The commendation and praise of Ro|bert Fitzstephans, and of his cousins. Chap. 11.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 WHat shall we speake or saie, how well Robert Fitzstephans and his sonnes haue deserued? What of Maurice Fitzgerald? What shall I saie of Robert of Barrie, a man verie honest and valiant, whose worthie com|mendations by the premisses are to be knowne? What shall be said of Miles of Cogan, the nephue vn|to Fitzstephans and Maurice, who as he came ouer with the first, so in commendation and for his seruice deserueth to be the chéefe and first? What shall we saie of Robert Fitzhenrie, & the brother vnto Meile|rius, who if he had not so soone beene dead and cut, he would doubtlesse haue béene nothing behind his bro|ther? What shall we speake of Reimond of Kantune & of Robert Barrie the yoonger, they both were verie worthie, tall, handsome, and worthie men? What also shall be said of Reimond Fitzhugh, who although he were but of a little stature, yet for his honestie & pru|dence not to be forgotten? These thrée lastlie spoken of for their valiantnesse and prowesse doone in the parties of Desmond, deserue great honor and com|mendation, and great is the pittie that through too much hardinesse their daies were so shortened, and their time so cut off? What did also a number of our gentlemen of the same their kindred & cous [...]nage de|serue, whose noble acts were such, and deserued such a perpetuall fame and memorie, that if I had a hun|dred toongs, a hundred mouthes, and so manie voi|ces of pron; yet could I not vtter and at full de|clare their worthinesse and deserts. O kindred, O nation, which in double respects art noble! for of the Troians by a naturall disposition thou art valiant, of the French nation thou art most expert and skil|full of armes and chiualrie. O worthie nation and kindred! which of thy selfe art sufficient and able to haue conquered anie nation, if enuie and malice had not maligned at thy worthinesse. Well then Rei|mond had taken order for the kéeping of the citie, and had well vittelled the same, he left therein a ga|rison of his owne men, fiftie gentlemen, two hun|dred horssemen, and two hundred bowmen; ouer whome he appointed Miles of S. Dauids his coosine to be leiutenant: and so as a noble conqueror he safelie returned into the borders of Leinster. But sée the nature of enuie, who neuer ceaseth to persecute vertue. For Heruie of Mount Maurice, notwith|standing by meanes of the late affinitie he were thought to be a good fréend, yet could he not forget his old malicious mind and wicked deuises: for still he secretlie from time to time sent his messengers and letters to the king of England, and full vntrulie did aduertise the state, euent, and successe of all things, affirming that Reimond contrarie to the kings honor and his owne allegiance, had determi|ned to haue assumed and chalenged vnto himselfe not onelie the citie of Limerike, but also the whole land of Ireland. And to make this the more proba|ble, and himselfe of more credit, he aduertiseth that Reimond had placed and appointed garrisons for the purpose; and had sworne the whole armie to obserue certeine articles by him prescribed, to the great pre|iudice of the king. Which his aduertisment being in|terlined with manie good words, the king so credited the same, that he beleeued it to be most true: for as it is well seene, a little suspicion of an iniurie doone or offered to be doone vnto a prince, dooth more sticke in his mind, than manie benefits and good seruices before doone. The king therefore after the winter fol|lowing, sent ouer foure of his seruants in message to Ireland; namelie Robert Powre, Os [...]ert of Her|loter or Herford, William Bendeger, and Adam of Gernemie: of which, two of them to come awaie and to bring Reimond with them, and the other to tarrie and remaine behind with the earle.

12.12. The description of Heruie. Chap. 12.

The description of Heruie. Chap. 12.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 AS we haue of others, so let vs also now make and set foorth the description of Heruie. He was of stature a tall and a comelie man, his eies graie and somewhat big, amiable of face and pleasant of countenance, an eloquent man, hauing a long and a round necke, his shoulders EEBO page image 39 some [...]hat low, his armes and hands somthing long; he was broad brested, but small in waste, though the same being big in others is thought to be commen|dable, his bellie was somewhat big and round, his thighes, legs, and féet being well proportiona [...]ed and answerable to his bodie; of stature he was indiffe|rent. But as in bodie he was well beset & compact, so on the contrarie, his mind, life, and conuersation were corrupt & disordered. For euen from his child|hood he was giuen to lecherie, being readie and for|ward to performe in wanton & filthie actions, what|soeuer liked him or anie others, who were of the like disposition: and therefore he forbare neither incest nor adulteries, nor anie other such like filthinesse. Besides, he was a priuie and an enuious accuser, and a double man, vncerteine, vaine, and altogither vnconstant, sauing in inconstancie; a verie subtill man and a deceitfull: vnder his toong he had both milke and honie, but both of them were mixed with poison. He was sometimes in great prosperitie, and all things fell out according to his owne desire; and suddenlie fortune turning hir whéele, he had such a fall, that he did neuer recouer the same againe. He was sometimes a verie good soldior, and had good ex|perience in the feats of wars, after the maner vsed in France; but he was so suddenlie altred & changed, that he became more skilfull in malice than valiant in prowesse, more full of deceit than renowmed in honor, more puffed vp in pride than endowed with worship, more hastie than happie, and more full of words than abounding in truth.