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You are here: 1577 > Volume 3 > Body Text: Section 3 of 4: The ſeconde Booke of the Hiſtories of Irelande, in which the conqueſt made by Henry the ſecond of that name, King of Englande, is comprehended.
Snippet: 136 of 200 (1577, Volume 3, p. 42)

Compare 1587 edition: 1 By occaſion of this murder committed on the perſon of Hugh Lacie, Iohn Curcy and Hugh Lacie the yõger, with their aſſiſtants, did ſtraight execution vpon the Rebels,

Curcy and Hugh Lacy the yonger keepe the Realme in quiet.

1199

and preuenting eue|ry miſchiefe ere it fell, ſtayed the Realm from vp|rores. Thus they knitting themſelues togither in friendſhip, continued in wealth and honor vntill the firſt yeere of King Iohns raigne, who ſuccee|ding his brother King Richard, tooke his nephew Arthur,King Iohn ſlayeth his ne|phew Arthur. ſonne to his brother Geffrey Earle of Britaine, and diſpatched him, ſome ſayde with his owne handes, bycauſe he knew what clayme he made to the Crowne, as diſcended of the elder brother, and therefore not only the French King, but alſo certayne Lordes of Englande and Ire|land fauored his title, and when they vnderſtoode that he was made away, they tooke it in maruel|lous euil part. And Curcy either of zeale to the truth, or parcialitie,Curcy vttreth diſpleaſant words againſt King Iohn. abhorring ſuch barbarous cru+eltie, whereof al mens eares were full, ſpake blou|dy words againſt K. Iohn, whiche his lurking aduerſaries (yt lay ready to vndermine him) caught by ye end, & vſed ye ſame as a mean to lift him out of credit, which they did not only bring to paſſe,He is accuſed. but alſo procured a commiſſion to attach his bo|dy, & to ſend him ouer into England. Erle Curcy miſtruſting his part, & by like getting ſome inck|ling of their drift, kepte himſelfe aloofe, till Hugh Lacy lorde Iuſtice was fayne to leuie an army & to inuade Vlſter, from whence he was oftẽtimes put backe:He is proclay|med traytor. wherevpõ he proclaimed Curcy tray|tor & hired ſundry gẽtlemẽ with promiſe of great recõpence, to bring him in, eyther quicke or dead. They fought once at Doune, in whiche battell, [figure appears here on page 42] there dyed no ſmall number on both partes, but Curcy gote the vpper hand, and ſo was the Lord Iuſtice foyled at Curcies hands, but yet ſo long hee continued in practiſing to haue him, that at length Curcies owne Captaynes were in [...]y|ghed to betray their maiſter, inſomuche, yt vppon good Friday, whileſt the Earle out of his armour viſited darefooted certayne Religious houſes for deuotion ſake, they leyde for him, tooke him as a Rebell,He is taken. and ſhipped him ouer into Englande the next way, where hee was adiudged to perpe|tuall priſon. One Saintleger addeth in his col|lections, as Campion ſaith, that Lacie payed the traytors their money, and forthwith there vppon hanged them.

You are here: 1577 > Volume 3 > Body Text: Section 3 of 4: The ſeconde Booke of the Hiſtories of Irelande, in which the conqueſt made by Henry the ſecond of that name, King of Englande, is comprehended.
Snippet: 137 of 200 (1577, Volume 3, p. 42)

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Tranſlation of Prebenda|ries to Mõks.This Curcy tranſlated the Church and Pre|bendaries of the Trinitie in Doune, to an Abbey of blacke Monkes brought thither from Cheſter, & cauſed the ſame to be conſecrated vnto S. Pa|trick: for which alteration, taking the name from God to a creature, he deemed himſelfe worthily puniſhed. Not long after (as ſay the Iriſh) certain French knightes came to king Iohns court,A chalenge for a combat [...] made by cer|tayne French Knightes. and one among them required the combate for triall of the right to the Duchie of Normandy. It was not thought expedient to ieoperd the title vpõ one mans lucke, yet the chalenge they determined to anſwer. Some friende put them in minde of the Erle impriſoned, a warriour of notable courage, and in pitch of body like a Giant. K. Iohn demã|ded Curcy,Curcies an|ſwer to king Iohn. whether he could be content to fighte in his quarrel, not for thee ſaid ye Erle, whoſe per|ſon I eſteme vnworthy ye aduẽture of my bloud, but for ye crowne and dignitie of the Realme,He taketh vpon him to defende the chalenge. in which many a good man liueth againſt thy will, I ſhall be content to hazard my life.

You are here: 1577 > Volume 3 > Body Text: Section 3 of 4: The ſeconde Booke of the Hiſtories of Irelande, in which the conqueſt made by Henry the ſecond of that name, King of Englande, is comprehended.
Snippet: 138 of 200 (1577, Volume 3, p. 42)

Compare 1587 edition: 1 EEBO page image 43Theſe words were not conſtrued in the worſt part as proceeding from an offended mind of him that was therein eſteemed, more playne thã wiſe. Therefore being cheriſhed and muche made of, he was fedde ſo wõderfully (nowe he came to large allowaunce in dyet after harde keeping) that the Frenche chalenger tooke him for a Monſter, and fearing to deale with him, priuily ſtale away into Spayne. It is further reported, that the French King, being deſirous to ſee Curcy, requeſted K. Iohn that he might come before them, and ſhewe of what ſtrength hee was by ſtriking a blowe at an helmet. Herevpon forth he was broughte, and preſented before the Kings, where was an Hel|met ſet vpon a blocke. Curcy taking a ſwoorde in his hande, and with a ſterne frowning counte|nance caſt vpon the Kings, gaue ſuch a ſtroke to the helmet, that cleauing it in ſunder, the ſwoorde ſticked ſo faſt in the logge, that no mã there was able to plucke it foorthe, excepte Curcy him ſelfe. When he therefore had plucked foorth the ſword, the Kings aſked him what he meant to looke vp|pon them with ſuch a grimme and froward coũ|tenance before he gaue the blowe to the helmet, he aunſwered, that if he had miſſed in his ſtroke, he would haue killed all the whole company, as well the Kings as other. Then was he releaſed of bondes, and croſſing the Seas towards Ire|land whether he was boune,Curcy depar|teth this life. The deſcrip|tion of Curcy. was fifteene times beaten backe agayne to the Engliſhe ſhore: and going into France to change the coaſt dyed there. This Curcy was whyte of colour, mightie of limmes, with large bones and ſtrong of ſynews, tall and broade in proportion of body, ſo as hys ſtrength was thought to exceede, of boldneſſe in|comparable, and a warriour euen from his youth, the formoſt in the front of euery battell where hee came, and euer ready to hazard himſelfe in place of moſt daunger, ſo foreward in fight, that often|times forgetting the office of a Captaine, he toke in hande the part of a Souldiour, preſſing foorthe with the formoſt, ſo that with his ouer raſh vio|lence, and deſire of victory, he might ſeeme to put all in daunger. But although he was thus haſtie and hote in the field againſt his enimies, yet was hee in conuerſation modeſt and ſober, and very religious, hauing Churchmen in great reuerence, aſcribing all to the goodneſſe of God, when he had atchieued any prayſeworthy enterpriſe, yeelding thankes to his diuine Maieſtie accordingly. But as ſeldome times any one man is founde perfecte in all things, ſo theſe vertues were ſpotted with ſome vices, namely too much nigardneſſe in ſpa|ring, and inconſtancie. He maried the daughter of Godred King of Man, and after many conflicts and battayles had againſt the Iriſhe, he conque|red (as before ye haue heard) the countrey of Vl|ſter, and building diuers ſtrong Caſtels therein, he eſtabliſhed the ſame vnder his quiet rule, and gouernement, till he and Lacy fell out as before is expreſſed.

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