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1.4. Of the strange and woonderfull places in Ireland. The fourth chapter.

Of the strange and woonderfull places in Ireland. The fourth chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _I Thinke it good to begin with S. Patrike his purga|torie, S. Patrike his purgato|rie. partlie bicause it is most notoriouslie knowne, & partlie the more, that some writers, as the author of Po|lychronicon and others that were miscaried by him, séeme to make great doubt where they néed not. For they ascribe the finding out of the place not to Patrike that conuerted the countrie, but an other Patrike an abbat, whom likewise they affirme to haue béene imploied in conuerting the Iland from heathenrie to christianitie.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 But the author that brocheth this opinion, is not found to carie anie such credit with him, as that a man may certeinlie affirme it, or probablie coniec|ture it; vnlesse we relie to the old withered worme ea|ten legend, loded with as manie lowd lies, as lewd lines. The better and the more certeine opinion is, that the other Patrike found it out, in such wise as Cambrensis reporteth. There is a poole or lake, saith Camb. lib 1. topo [...]. dist. 2. rub. 6. he, in the parts of Ulster, that inuironneth an I|land, in the one part whereof there standeth a church much lightned with the brightsome recourse of an|gels: the other part is ouglie and gastlie, as it were a bedlem allotted to the visible assemblies of horri|ble and grislie bugs. This part of the Iland contei|neth nine caues. And if anie dare be so hardie, as to take one night his lodging in anie of these ins, which hath béene experimented by some rash & harebraine aduenturers, streight these spirits claw him by the backe, and tug him so ruggedlie, and tosse him so crabbedlie, that now and then they make him more franke of his bum than of his toong; a paiment cor|respondent to his interteinement. This place is called S. Patrike his purgatorie of the inhabitors. For when S. Patrike laboured the conuersion of the people of Ulster, by setting before their eies in great heat of spirit, the creation of the world, the fall of our progenitors, the redemption of man by the bles|sed and pretious bloud of our sauiour Iesus Christ, the certeintie of death, the immortalitie of the soule, the generall resurrection, our latter doome, the ioies of heauen, the paines of hell, how that at length e|uerie man, small and great, yoong and old, rich and poore, king and keaser, potentate and pezzant must either through God his gratious mercie be exalted to the one, to floorish in perpetuall felicitie; or through his vnsearchable iustice tumble downe to the other, to be tormented in eternall miserie. These and the like graue and weightie sentences, wherwith he was abundantlie stored, so far sunke into their harts, as they séemed verie flexible in condescending to his be|hest: so that some proofe of his estrange preaching could haue béene verefied. Wherevpon, without fur|ther delaie, they spake to the prelat in this wise.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2

Sir, as we like of your preaching, so we dislike not of our libertie. You tell vs of manie gugawes and estrange dreames. You would haue vs to aban|don infidelitie, to cage vp our libertie, to bridle our pleasure: for which you promise vs for our toile and labour a place to vs as vnknowen, so as yet vncer|teine. You sermon to vs of a dungeon appointed for offendors and miscredents.
In deed if we could find that to be true, we would the sooner be weaned from the sweet napple of our libertie, and frame our selues pliant to the will of that God, that you re|ueale vnto vs. S. Patrike considering, that these sealie soules were (as all dulcarnanes for the more part are) more to be terrified from infidelitie through the paines of hell, than allured to christianitie by the ioies of heauen, most hartilie besought God, so it stood with his gratious pleasure, for the honour and glorie of his diuine name, to giue out some euident or glimsing token of the matter they importunatlie required. Finallie by the especiall direction of God, he found in the north edge of Ulster a desolate cor|ner hemmed in round, and in the middle thereof a pit, where he reared a church, called Reglis or Re|glasse. Reglasse. At the east end of the churchyard a doore leadeth into a closet of stone like a long ouen, which they call S. Patrike his purgatorie, for that the people resort thither euen at this daie for penance, and haue re|ported at their returne estrange visions of paine and blisse appearing vnto them.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The author of Polychronicon writeth that in the Polychr. lib. 1. c. 36. 1138 reigne of king Stephan, a knight named Owen pil|grimaged to this purgatorie, being so appalled at the strange visions that there he saw, as that vpon his returne from thense he was wholie mortified, and sequestring himselfe from the world, he spent the remnant of his life in an abbeie of Ludensis. Also Dyonisius a charterhouse moonke recordeth a Dyon. Cart. in lib. de quatu|nouiss. art. 48. vision seene in that place by one Agneius, or Egne|ius, whereof who so is inquisitiue, may resort to his treatise written De quatuor nouissimis. Iohannes Ca|mertes Ioh. Camert. in lib. Solini. cap. 35. holdeth opinion, which he surmiseth vpon the gesse of other, that Claudius writeth of this purga|torie. Which if it be true, the place must haue béene extant before saint Patrike, but not so famouslie knowen. The poet his verses are these following:

Est locus, extremum pandit qua Gallia littus. Claud. lib. 1 in Ruffin.
Oceani praetentus aquis, quo fertur Vlysses
Sanguine libato populum mouisse silentum,
Flebilis auditur questus, simulachra coloni
Pallida, defunctásque vident migrare figuras.
There is a place toward the ocean sea from brim of Gallish shore,
Wherein Vlysses pilgrim strange with offred bloud ygore,
The people there did mooue, a skrit|ching shrill from dungeon lug
The dwellers all appall with gast|lie galpe of grislie bug.
There onelie shapes are seene to stare with visage wan and sad,
From nouke to nouke, from place to place, in eluish skips to gad.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 They that repaire to this place for deuotion his EEBO page image 29 s [...]ke vse to continue therein foure & twentie houres, which dooing otherwhile with ghostlie meditations, and otherwhile a dread for the conscience of their de|serts, they saie they see a plaine resemblance of their owne faults and vertues, with the horror and com|fort therevnto belonging, the one so terrible, the o|ther so ioious, that they verelie déeme themselues for the time to haue sight of hell and heauen. The reue|lations of men that went thither (S. Patrike yet li|uing) are kept written within the abbeie there adioi|ning. When anie person is disposed to enter (for the The ceremo|nies vsed in entering S. Patrike his purgatorie. doore is euer spard) he repaireth first for deuise to the archbishop, who casteth all pericles, and dissuadeth the pilgrime from the attempt, bicause it is knowen that diuerse entering into that caue, neuer were seene to turne backe againe. But if the partie be ful|lie resolued, he recommendeth him to the prior, who in like maner fauourablie exhorteth him to choose some other kind of penance, and not to hazard such a danger. If notwithstanding he find the partie fullie bent, he conducteth him to the church, inioineth him to begin with praier and fast of fiftéene daies, so long togither as in discretion can be indured. This time expired, if yet he perseuere in his former purpose, the whole conuent accompanieth him with solemne pro|cession & benediction to the mouth of the caue, where they let him in, and so bar vp the doore vntill the next morning. And then with like ceremonies they a|wait his returne and reduce him to the church. If he be séene no more, they fast and praie fiftéene daies after. Touching the credit of these matters, I sée no cause, but a christian being persuaded that there is both hell and heauen, may without vanitie vpon suf|ficient information be resolued, that it might please God, at sometime, for considerations to his wisdome knowen, to reueale by miracle the vision of ioies and paines eternall. But that-altogither in such sort, and by such maner, and so ordinarilie, and to such per|sons, as the common fame dooth vtter; I neither be|léeue nor wish to be regarded. I haue conferd with diuerse that had gone this pilgrimage, who affirmed the order of the premisses to be true; but that they saw no sight, saue onelie fearefull dreams when they chanced to nod, and those they said were excéeding horrible. Further they added, that the fast is rated more or lesse, according to the qualitie of the peni|tent.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Cambrensis affirmeth, that in the north of Moun|ster there be two Ilands, the greater and the lesse. In Camb. lib. 1. topog. distinct. 2. rub. 5. the greater there neuer entereth woman o [...] anie li|uing female, but forthwith it dieth. This hath-béene of|ten prooued by bitches and cats, which were brought thither to trie this conclusion, and presentlie they died. In this Iland the cocke or mascle birds are seene to thirye, and yarch vp and downe the twigs, but the ben or female by instinct of nature abando|neth it as a place vtterlie poisoned. This Iland were a place alone for one that were vered with a shrewd wise. The lesse Iland is called Insula viuentium, bi|cause none died there, none maie die by course of na|ture, Insula viuen|tium. as Giraldus Cambrensis saith. Howbeit the dwellers when they are sore frusht with sicknesse, or so farre withered with age as there is no hope of life, they request to be conueied by boate to the greater Iland, where they are no sooner inshored, than they yéeld vp their ghosts. For my part, I haue béene ve|rie inquisitiue of this Iland, but I could neuer find this estrange propertie soothed by anie man of cre|dit in the whole countrie. Neither trulie would I wish anie to be so light, as to lend his credit to anie such feined gloses, as are neither verefied by experi|ence, nor warranted by anie colourable reason. Wherfore I see not why it should be termed Insula vi|uentium, vnlesse it be that none dieth there, as long as he liueth.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Cambrensis telleth further, that there is a church|yard Cambren. in codem loco. in Ulster, which no female kind maie enter. If the cocke be there, the hen dareth not follow. There is also in the west part of Connaght an Iland, pla|ced Aren. in the sea, called Aren, to which saint Brendan had often recourse. The dead bodies néed not in that Iland to be grauelled. For the aire is so pure, that the contagion of anie carrien maie not infect it. There, as Cambrensis saith, maie the sonne sée his father, his grandfather, his great grandfather, &c. This Iland is enimie to mice. For none is brought thither, but either it leapeth into the sea, or else being staied it dieth presentlie. There was in Kildare an The Fire|house or Kil|dare. ancient monument named the Firehouse, wherein Cambrensis saith, was there continuall fire kept day and night, and yet the ashes neuer increased. I tra|uelled of set purpose to the towne of Kildare to sée this place, where I did sée such a monument like a vault, which to this daie they call the Firehouse.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Touching the heath of Kildare Cambrensis wri|teth The heath of Kildare. that it maie not be tild: and of a certeintie with|in this few yeares it was tried, and found, that the corne which was sowed did not prooue. In this plaine (saith Cambrensis) stood the stones that now stand in The stories of Salisburie plaine. Salisburie plaine, which were conueied from thense by the sleight of Merlin the Welsh prophet, at the request of Aurelius Ambrosius king of the Britons. There is also in the countie of Kildare a goodlie field called Moolleaghmast, betwéene the Norrough and Moolleagh mast. Kilka. Diuers blind prophesies run of this place, that there shall be a bloudie field fought there, betweene the English inhabitants of Ireland and the Irish, and so bloudie forsooth it shall be, that a mill in a vale hard by it shall run foure and twentie houres with the streame of bloud that shall powre downe from the hill. The Irish doubtlesse repose a great affiance in this balducktum dreame. In the top of this height stand metes or rundels verie formalie fashioned, where the strength of the English armie (as they say) shall be incamped.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 The Earle of Sussex being lord lieutenant of Ireland, was accustomed to wish, that if anie such The earle of Sussex. prophesie were to be fulfilled, it should happen in his gouernement, to the end he might be generall of the field. Not farre from Moolleaghmast, within a mile of Castledermot, or Thristledermot, is there a place marked with two hislocks, which is named the Ge|raldine The Geral|dines throw. his throw or cast. The length of which in ve|rie déed is woonderfull. The occasion procéeded of 1470. this. One of the Geraldins, who was ancestor to those that now are lords of Lackath, preded an enimie of his. The earle of Kildare hauing intelligence therof, suppressing affection of kinred, and mooued by zeale of iustice, pursued him with a great troope of horsse|men, as the other was bringing of the prede home|ward. The Geraldine hauing notice giuen him, that the earle was in hot pursute, and therefore being warned by the messenger to hie him with all speed possible: the gentleman being nettled, that his kinsman would séeme to rescue the prede of his dead|lie fe; and as he was in such fretting wise frieng in his grease, he brake out in these cholerike words; And dooth my cousine Kildare pursue me in déed? Now in good faith; where as he séemeth to be a suppresser of his The Geral|dines wish. kindred, and an vpholder of my mortall enimie,

I would wish him no more harme, than that this dart were as far in his bodie, as it shall sticke foorthwith in the ground:
and therewithall giuing the spurres to his horsse, he hurled his dart so farre, as he abashed with the length thereof aswell his companie as his posteritie:

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The Geraldine was not verie farre from thense, when the earle with his hand made hot foot after, and EEBO page image 30 dogging still the tracke of the predours, he came to the place where the dart was hurled, where one pick|thanke or other let the earle to vnderstand of the Ge|raldine his wild spéeches there deliuered. And to in|hanse the h [...]inousnesse of the offense, he shewed how farre he hurled his dart when he wished it to be pit|ched in his lordship his bodie. The erle astonied at the length thereof, said: Now in good sooth, my cousine in behauing himselfe so couragiouslie, is woor [...]hie to The earle of [...]dares answer. haue the prede shot frée.

And for my part I purpose not so much to stomach his cholerike wish, as to im|brace his val [...]ant prowesse.
And therewithall com|manded the retreat to be blowne and reculed backe. There is in Meeth an hill called the hill of Taragh, wherein is a plaine twelue score long, which was na|med The hill of Taragh. the Kempe his hall: there the countrie had their méetings and folkemotes, as a place that was ac|counted the high palace of the monarch. The Irish historians hammer manie fables in this forge of Fin mac Coile and his champions, as the French histo|rie dooth of king Arthur and the knights of the round table. But doubtlesse the place séemeth to beare the shew of an ancient and famous monument.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 There is in Castleknocke a village not far from Dublin, a window not glazed nor latized, but open, Castleknocke. The strange welles. and let the weather be stornne, the wind bluster boi|sterouslie on euerie side of the house; yet place a can|dle there, and it will burne as quietlie as if no puffe of wind blew. This maie be tried at this daie, who so shall be willing to put it in practise. Touching the strange wels that be in Ireland, I purpose to speake litle more than that which I find in Cambrensis, whose words I will English, as they are Latined in his booke. There is (saith he) a well in Mounster, with the water of which if anie be washed, he becõmeth forth|with Camb. in lib. 1. topog. dist. 1. rub. 8. & 10. hoare. I haue séene a man that had one halfe of his beard, being died with that water hoare; the other halfe vnwashed was browne, remaining still in his naturall colour. Contrariwise, there is a founteins in the further edge of Ulster, and if one be bathed therewith, he shall not become hoare: in which well such as loath greie heares are accustomed to diue. There is in Connaght a well that springeth on the top of an hill farre and distant from anie sea, [...]bbing and flowing in foure and twentie houres, as the sea dooth; and yet the place is vplandish, and the water fresh. There is another spring in the same countrie, the water of which is verie wholsome to men and wo|men, but poison to beasts: and if a man put but the grauell of this well into his mouth, it quencheth pre|sentlie his thirst.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 There is in Ulster a standing poole thirtie thou|sand pases long, and fiftéene thousand pases brode, [...]nt of which springeth the noble northerne [...]uer, cal|led the Banne. The fishers complaine more often for bursling of their nets with the euer great lake of fish, than for anie want. In our time vpon the con|quest a fish swam from this poole to the shore, in shape resembling a salmon, but in quantitie so huge, that it could not be drawne or caried [...]holie togither, but the fishmongers were forced to hacke it in gob|bets, and so to carrie it in péecemeale throughout the countrie, making thereof a generall dole. And if the report be true, the beginning of this poole was strange. There were in old time where the poole now standeth, vicious and beastlie inhabitants. Al [...] time was there an old said saw in euerie man his mouth, that as soone as a well there springing ( [...]ch for the supers [...]tious reuerence they bare it was con|tinuallie couered and signed) we [...] le [...] open and vn|signed, so soone would so much water gush out of that well, as would foorthwith ouerwhelme the whole ter|ritorie. It happened at length, that an old tro [...]came thither to fetch water, and hearing hir chil [...] whine, she ran with might and maine to dandle hir babie, for|getting the [...]seruance of the superstitious order to|fore-vsed. But as she was returning backe to haue couered the spring, the land was so farre ouerflowne, as that it past hir helpe: and shortlie after she, hir suckling, & all those that were within the whole ter|ritorie were drowned. And this séemeth to carie more likelihood with it, bicause the fishers in a cleare sun|nie daie sée the stéeples and other piles plainlie and distinctlie in the water. And here would be noted, that the riuer of the Banne flowed from this head spring before this floud, but farre in lesse quantitie than it dooth in our time. Hitherto Giraldus Cam|brensis.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Boetius telleth a rare propertie of a poole in Ire|land, Hector Boet. in Scot. reg. descript. pag 9 Sect. 50. & for that he maketh himselfe an eiewitnesse of the matter, he shall tell his owne tale. Ac quoniam Hiberniae incidit mentio, praeter infinita in ea rerum miracu|la, haud importunum fore existimem, si vnum, quod ob porten|tuosam nouitatem fidem omnium excedere videatur, nos ta|men verum experti sumus, adiunxerimus. Lacus in eaest, circaquem amplissimo circumquaque spatio nec herba nec ar|bor vlla nascitur, &c. in quem silignum infigas anni circi|ter vnius curriculo, id quod in terra fixum erit, in [...]apidem conuertetur; quod deinceps aquâ operietur, in ferrum: reli|quum aqua exstans ligni formam naiuramque seruabit. Ita coniuncta, lapis, ferrum & lignumeodem in stipite inaudita nouitate conspectantur. But for that mention is made of Ireland, ouer and aboue the infinite number of woonders in that land, it will not be wholie beside the purpose, to insert one maruellous thing, which al|though i [...] [...]y seeme to some to haue no colour of truth: yet because it hath beene by vs experimented, and found out to be true, we maie the better aduouch it. There is a standing poole in that Iland, neere which of all sides groweth neither herbe, shrub, nor bush. If you sticke a rod or péece of timber in this poole, that which sticketh in the earth within the space of one yeare turneth to a stone; as much as is dipt in the water, is conuerted to iron; all that is aboue the water remaineth still in the pristinat and former woodden shape. So that you may s [...]e that which is strange, [...] one stocke or sticke, stone, iron and wood linkt and knit togither. Thus much Hector Boetius.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 In the countrie of Kilkennie and in the borders there to confining, they vsed a solemne triall by a wa|ter they call Melashée. The propertie of this water is, as they say, that if a periured person drinke there|of, Melashée. the water will gush out at his bellie, as though the drinker his nauill were bord with an anger. The riuer that runneth by Dublin named the Liffie hath The Liffiie. this propertie for certeine, and I haue obserued it at sundrie [...]ies. As long as it reigneth, yea if it stood powring six daies, you shall find diuerse shallow brookes, and the riuer will be nothing thereby in|creased: but within foure a [...] twentie houres after the showres are ceast, you shall perceiue such a sud|den spring flow, as if the former raine were great; a verie few places or none at all will be found pasa|ble. Cambrensis writeth, that in the south part of Mounster, betwéene the maine sea coasting on His|paine Cambr. lib. 1. dist. 2. rub. 4 [...]. and saint Brenban his hills, there is an I|land of the one side incompassed with a riuer abun|dantlie s [...]ored with fish, & on the other pa [...] inclosed with a little brooke. In which place saint Brendan was verie much resiant. This plot is taken to be such a sanct [...]ie for bea [...]s, as i [...] [...]e hare, for, [...]ag, or other wild beast be chased néere that Iland by dogs, it maketh straight vpon the brooke, and as|soone as it passeth the streame, it is so cocke [...]e, as the hunter may perceiue the beast resting on the one banke, & the dogs questing on the other brim, being as it were by some inuisible railes imbard from dipping their féet in the shallow foord, to pursue EEBO page image 31 the beast chased. On the other [...]de of this Iland there runneth a riuer stored aboue measure with fresh wa|ter fish, and in especiallie with salmon. Which a|bundance, as Cambrensis writeth, procéeded of God, to mainteine the great hospitalitie that was kept there. And because the dwellers thereabout shall not like pinching coistrels make anie sale of the fish, let it be poudered as artificiallie as may be, yet it will not kéepe (as though it were manna) aboue the first night or daie that it be taken. So that you must eate it within that short compasse, otherwise it putrifieth and standeth to no stéed.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 This riuer ouerfloweth a great rocke, vsuallie called the Salmon leape: for as it is commonlie the The Salmon leape. propertie of all fish to swim against the tide, as for birds to flitter against the wind; so it is naturallie giuen to the salmon to struggle against the streme, and when it approcheth neere this high rocke, it ben|deth his taile to his head, and sometime taketh it in his mouth; and therewithall beareth it selfe ouer the water, and suddenlie it fetcheth such a round whiske, that at a trice it skippeth to the top of the rocke. The like salmon leape is néere Leislip, but not so high as this. There be also, as witnesseth Cambrensis, in the further part of Ulster, certeine hils néere to saint Bean his church, where cranes yearelie bréed. And when they haue laied their egs, if anie purpose to ransacke their nests, let him but attempt to touch the egs, they will shew like yoong scralling pullets without feather or downe, as though they were new hatched, and presentlie brought out of their shels. But if the partie plucke his hand from the nest, forth|with they shew (whether it be by anie metamorpho|sis, or some iugling legier de maine by dazeling the eies) as though they were transformed into egs. And further, saith Cambrensis, let two at one in|stance be at the nest, and let the one of them onelie giue the gaze, and the other attempt to take awaie the egs, they will séeme to the looker on as egs, and to the taker as yoong red little cranets, being as bare as a bird his arsse.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 The towne of Armagh is said to be enimie to rats, and if anie be brought thither, presentlie it dieth. Armagh. Which the inhabitants impute to the praiers of saint Patrike. But to omit the strange places, that ei|ther by false reports are surmised, or by proofe and ex|perience dailie verefied: there are in this Iland such notable quaries of greie marble and touch, such store of pearle and other rich stones, such abundance of cole, such plentie of lead, iron, latin and tin, so ma|nie rich mines furnished with all kind of metals, as nature séemed to haue framed this countrie for the Ireland the storehouse of nature. storehouse or iewelhouse of hir chiefest thesaure. Howbeit she hath not shewed hir selfe so bounti|full a mother in powring foorth such riches, as she prooueth hirselfe an enuious stepdame; in that she instilleth in the inhabitants a droulie lithernesse to withdraw them from the insearching of hir hourd|ded and hidden iewels. Wherein she fareth like one, that to purchase the name of a sumptuous franke|len or a good viander, would bid diuerse ghests to a costlie and deintie dinner, and withall for sauing of his meat with some secret inchantment would bo|num them of their [...]ms, or with some hidden loth|somnesse would dull their stomachs, as his ghests by reason of the one are not able, or for the other not willing, by taking their repast to refresh themselus, in so much as in my thantasie it is hard to decide whether estate is the better: either for a diligent la|borer to be planted in a barren or stonie soile, or for a luskish loiterer to be setled in a fertill ground; be|cause the one will, and may not; the other may and will not through his painefull trauell reape the fruit and commoditie that the earth yéeldeth.

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1.3. Of the eſt [...] g [...]nd wonderfull places in Irelande. Cap. 4.

Of the eſt [...] g [...]nd wonderfull places in Irelande. Cap. 4.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 I Thinke it good to beg [...]ne with S. Patrike his Purgatorie,S. Patrike his Pur|gatorie. partly bycauſe it is moſt notoriouſly knowen, & partly the more, that ſome wryters, as the auctor of Polichro [...]i|con, and others that were miſcaryed by [...] ſéeme to make great doubt, where they néede not. For they aſcribe the finding out of the place not to Patrike that couerted the coun|trey but to another Patricke a [...] Abbat, wh [...]n likewiſe they affirme to haue done employed in conuerting the Iſlande [...] heathe [...]rie to Chriſtianitie.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 But the auctor, that broacheth this opinion, is not founde to carie any ſuch credi [...]e wyth him, as that a man may certainly affirme it, or probably coniecture it, vnleſſe we relye to the olde wythered woorme eaten Legend, lo|ded with as many lowde lyes, as lewde lines. The better and the more certaine opinion is, that the other Patricke founde it out, in ſuch wiſe as Cambriẽſe reporteth.Camb. lib. [...] Topog. diſt. 2. rub. 6. There is a poole as lake, ſayeth he, in the partes of Vlſter that enuironneth an Iſland, in the one part where|of there ſtandeth a Churche much lightned with the brightſome recourſe of A [...]gelles & the other part is onely and gaſtly, as it were a bedlem allotted to the viſible aſſemblies of horrible and griſly bugges. This part of the Iſlande contayneth nyne caues. And if any dare be ſo hardye; as to take one night his lodging in any of theſe Innes, which hath béene experimented by ſome raſhe and hare|brayne aduenturers, ſtraight theſe ſpirites claw him by the back, and tugge him ſo rug|gedly, and toſſe him ſo crabbedly, that nowe and then they make him more francke of his bumme then of his tongue, a payment cor|reſpondent to his intertaynemẽt. This place is called S. Patricke his purgatorie of the inhabitours. For when S. Patrike laboured the conuerſion of the people of Vlſter by ſet|ting EEBO page image 16 before their eyes in great heate of ſpi|rite, the creation of the worlde, the fall of our progenitours, the redemption of man by the bleſſed and precious bloude of our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, the certayntie of death, the im|mortalitie of the ſoule, the generall reſurrec|tion, our latter dumbe, the ioyes of heauen, the paynes of hell, howe that at length euery man, ſmall and great, young and olde, riche and poore, king and keaſer, potentate & pea|ſaunt muſt eyther through God his gracious mercy be exalted to the one, to flooriſh in per|petuall felicitie, or through his vnſearcheable iuſtice tumbled downe to the other, to be tor|mented in eternall miſerie: theſe and the like graue and weightie ſentences, wherewith he was aboundantly ſtored ſo farre funcke into their heartes, as they ſéemed very flexible in condeſcending to hys beheſt, ſo that ſome proofe of his eſtraunge preaching coulde haue béene veryfied. Wherevpon, wythout further delay, they ſpake to the prelate in this wyſe.

Compare 1587 edition: 1

Syr, as we like of your preaching, ſo we diſlyke not of our libertie. You tell vs of ma|ny gye gawes and eſtraunge dreames. You woulde haue vs to abandonne infidelitie, to cage vp our libertie, to bridle our pleaſure: For which you promiſe vs for our toyle and labour a place to vs as vnknowen, ſo as yet vncertayne. You ſermon to vs of a dungeon appointed for offenders and miſcredentes.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 "In deede, if we coulde finde that to be true, we woulde the ſooner be weaned from the ſwéete napple of our libertie, and frame our ſelues plyaunt to the will of that God, that you reueale vnto vs. ſ. Patricke cõſidering, that theſe ſealy ſoules were (as all dulcarna|nes for ye more part are) more to be terryfied from infidelitie through the paynes of hell, then allured to Chriſtianitie by the ioyes of heauen, moſt heartily beſought God, ſort ſtoode wyth his gracious pleaſure, for the ho|nour and glorie of his diuine name, to giue out ſome euident or glimſing token of the matter they importunatly requyred. Finally by the eſpeciall direction of God, he founde in the North edge of Vlſter a deſolate corner, hemmed in rounde, and in the middle thereof a pit, where he reared a Church, called Reglis or Reglas, Reglaſſe. at the Eaſt end of the Churchyarde a doore leadeth into a cloſet of ſtone lyke a long ouen, which they call S. Patricke hys purgatorie, for that the people reſorte thither euen at this day for pennaunce, and haue re|ported at their returne eſtraunge viſions of paine and bliſſe appearing vnto them.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Polichr. lib. [...].36.1138.The auctor of Polichronicon wryteth that in the reigne of king Stephane a knight na|med Owen, pilgrimaged to this purgatorie, being ſo appalled at the ſtraunge viſions that there he ſawe, as that vpon his returne from thence, he was wholly mortyfied, and ſeque|ſtring himſelfe from the worlde, he ſpent the remnaunt of his lyfe in an Abbay of Luden|ſis. Dyon. Cart. in lib. de quatu. nor|ciſſ. art. 48. Alſo Dioniſius a Charterhouſe Muncke recordeth a viſion ſéene in that place by one Agneius, or Egneius, wherof who ſo is inqui|ſitiue, may reſorte to his Treatiſe written De quatuor nouiſsimis. Iohan Ca|mert. in lib. Solini. cap. 35. Iohannes Camertes holdeth opinion, which he ſurmiſeth vpon the gueſhe of other, that Claudius wryteth of this Purgatorie. Which if it be true, the place muſt haue béene extant before S. Patricke, but not ſo famouſly knowen. The Poet his verſes are theſe.

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Eſt locus, extremũ, pandit, qua Gallia littus.Claud. lib. 1. in Raffin.
Oceani praetentus aquis, quo fertur Vliſſes
Sanguine libato populum mouiſſe ſilentum.
Flebilis auditur queſtus, ſimulachra coloni
Pallida, defunctaſ vident migrare figuras.
There is a place towarde Ocean ſea [...]
from brimme of Galliſh ſhoare,
Wherein Vlyſſes pilgrime ſtraunge
wyth offred bloude ygoare,
The people there dyd mooue,
A skritching ſhrill from dungeon lugge
The dwellers all appale
wyth gaſtly galpe of griſly bugge.
The [...]onely ſhapes are ſeene to ſtare
with viſage wanne and ſad,
From nouke to nouke, from place to place,
in elfiſhe skippes to gad.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 They that repayre to this place for deuo|tion his take vſe to continue therin foure and twenty houres, which doing otherwhyle with ghoſtly meditacions, and otherwhyle a dread for the conſcience of their deſertes, they ſays they ſée a playne reſemblaunce of their owne faultes and vertues, with the horrour & com|fort therevnto belonging, the one [...]o terrible, the other ſo ioyous, that they veryly déeme themſelues for the time to haue ſight of hell & heauen. The reuelatiõs of men that went thither (S. Patricke yet lyuing) are kept wrytten within the Abbeye there adioyning: When any perſonne is diſpoſed to enter (for the doore is euer ſparde) he repayreth firſt for deuiſe to the Archebiſhop,The cere|monies v|ſed in en|tering S. Patricke his Pur|gatorie. who caſteth all pe|ricles, and diſwadeth the pylgrime from the attempt, bicauſe it is knowen, that diuers en|tering into that caue, neuer were ſéene to turne backe againe. But if the partie be fully reſolued, he recommendeth him to the Prior, who in like maner fauourably exhorteth him to chooſe ſome other kinde of pennaunce, and EEBO page image 589 not to hazard ſuch a daunger. If notwithſtan|ding he finde the partie fully bent, he conduc|teth him to the Church, enioyneth him to be|ginne with prayer, and faſt of fiftéene dayes, ſo long togither as in diſcretion can be endu|red. This tyme expyred, if yet he perſeuer in his former purpoſe, the whole conuent accõ|panyeth him with ſollem proceſſion and bene|diction to the mouth of the caue, where they let him in, and ſo barre vp the doore vntill the next morning. And then wyth lyke ceremo|nies they awayte his returne and reduce him to the Churche. If he be ſéene no more, they faſt and pray, fiftéene dayes after. Touching the credite of theſe matters, I ſée no cauſe, but a Chriſtian being perſwaded, that there is both hell and heauen may without vanitie vppon ſufficient information be perſwaded, that it might pleaſe God, at ſometyme, for conſiderations to his wiſedome knowen, to reueale by myracle the viſion of ioyes and paynes eternall. But that altogither in ſuch ſorte, and by ſuch maner, and ſo ordinarily, and to ſuch perſons, as the common fame doth vtter, I neyther beléeue, nor wiſhe to be regarded. I haue conferde with diuers, that had gone this pilgrimage, who affirmed the order of the premiſſes to be true, but that they ſaw no ſight, ſaue onely fearefull dreames, when they chaunced to nodde, and thoſe they ſayde, were excéeding horrible. Further they added, that the faſt is rated more or leſſe ac|cording to the qualitie of the penitent.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Camb. lib. 1. topog. di|ſtinct .2. rub .5. Cambrienſe affirmeth, that in the North of Mounſter there be two Iſlandes, the greater and the leſſe. In the greater there neuer en|tereth womã or any liuing female, but foorth|with it dyeth. This haue béene often prooued by bytches and cattes, which were brought thither to trie this concluſion, and preſently they dyed. In this Iſland the cocke or maſcle byrdes are ſéene to chirppe, and pearche vp & downe the twigs, but ye hẽne or female by in|ſtinct of nature abãdoneth it, as a place vtter|ly poyſoned. This Iſlande were a place alone for one that were vexed with a ſhrewd wyfe. The leſſe Iſlande is called Inſula viuentium, Inſula vi|uentium. bicauſe none died there, ne may dye by courſe of nature, as Giraldus Cambrienſe ſayeth.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 Howbeit the dwellers, when they are ſore fruſht with ſickeneſſe, or ſo farre wythered with age as there is no hope of life, they re|queſt to be cõueighed by boate to ye greater I|ſland, where they are not ſooner inſhored, then they yéelde vp their ghoſtes. For my part, I haue béene very inquiſitiue of this Iſland, but I coulde neuer finde this eſtraunge propertie ſoothed by any man of credite in the whole country. Neither truely would I wiſh any to be ſo light, as to lende his credite to any ſuch fayned gloſes, as are neyther veryfied by ex|perience nor warranted by any coulourable reaſon. Wherefore I ſee not why it ſhoulde be termed Inſula viuentium, vnleſſe it be that none dyeth there, as long as the liueth.Cambrie [...] codẽ loc [...] Cam|brienſe telleth further, that there is a Church|yarde in Vlſter, which no female kinde may enter. If the Cocke be there, the Henrie da|reth not followe. There is alſo in ye weſt part of Connaght an Iſlande, placed in the ſea,Arenne. called Aren, to which S. Brendan had often recourſe. The dead bodies néede not in that Iſland to be graueled. For the ayre is ſo pure that the contagiõ of any carryen may not in|fect it. There, as Cambrienſe ſayeth, may the ſonne ſée his father, his graundefather, hys great graundefather. &c. This Iſland is ene|mie to Mize. For none is brought thither, but eyther it leapeth into the ſea, or elſe being ſtayed, it dyeth preſently.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 There was in Kyldare an auncient monu|ment named the Fyrehouſe, wherein,The fyre|houſe of Kyldare. Cam|brienſe ſayeth, was there continuall fire kept day and night, & yet the aſhes neuer encrea|ſed. I traueyled of ſet purpoſe to the towne of Kyldare to ſée this place, where I dyd ſée ſuch a monument lyke a vaute, which to this day they call the firehouſe.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Touching the heath of Kyldare Cambrienſe wryteth that it maye not be tylde,The heat of Kildare. and of a certayntie within theſe fewe yeares it was tryed, and founde, that the corne, which was ſowed, dyd not prooue. In this playne, ſayth Cambrienſe, ſtoode the ſtones that now ſtande in Saliſbury playne,The ſtones of Saliſbury playne. which were conueyed from thence by the ſleight of Merlyne the Welſhe prophete, at the requeſt of Aurelius Ambroſius king of the Britons.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 There is alſo in the countye of Kyldare a goodly fielde called Moollcaghmaſt betwéene the Norrough and Kylka.Mollcagh maſt. Diuers blinde pro|pheſies runne of this place, that there ſhall be a bloudie fielde fought there betwene ye Enge|liſhe inhabitantes of Irelande and the Iriſh, and ſo bloudy forſooth it ſhall be, that a myll in a vale harde by it ſhall run foure & twentie houres with the ſtreame of bloude that ſhall powre downe from the hill. The Iriſh doubt|leſſe repoſe a great affiaunce in this baldock|tom dreame. In the top of this height ſtande motes or roundels very formally faſhioned, where the ſtrength of the Engliſh armie, as they ſay, ſhall be encamped.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The Earle of Suſſex being Lorde Liuete|naunt of the Irelande was accuſtomed to wiſhe,The Erle of Suſſex. that if any ſuch propheſie were to be fulfilled, it ſhoulde happen in his gouernement, to the ende he might be generall of the fielde.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 EEBO page image 17 Not farre from Moolleagh mast, within a myle of Castledermot, or Thistledermot, is there a place markt with two hillockes whiche is named the Giraldine his throw, or cast. The length of which in very deed is woonderfull. The occasion proceeded of this. One of Giraldines, who was auncestour to those, that now are Lordes of Lackagh preded an enemie of his. The Earle of Kyldare hauing intelligence thereof, surpressing affection of kinred, and moued by zeale of iustice, pursued him with a greate troupe of horsemen, as the other was bringing of the prede homewarde. The Giraldine hauing notice giuen him, that the Earle was in hoate pursute, and therfore being warned by the messenger to hye hym with all speede possible, the gentleman being netled, that his kinsman would seeme to rescue the prede of his deadly foe, and as he was in such fretting wyse frying in his grease, he brake out in these colericke wordes. And doth my cosin Kyldare pursue me in deede? Now in good fayth, wheras he seemeth to be a suppressour of his kinred, and an vpholder of my mortal enemie, I woulde wish him no more harme, then that this dart were as farre in his bodie, as it shall sticke foorthwith in the grounde: and therwithall, giuing the spurres to his horse, he hurlde his dart so farre, as he abasht with the length thereof aswell his co(m)panye, as his posteritie. The Giraldine was not very farre from thence, when the Earle with his bande made hote foote after, & dogging still the track of the predours, he came to the place, where the dart was hurld, where one pyckthanck or other lette the Earle to vnderstande of the Giraldine his wilde speaches there deliuered. And to inhaunce the haynousnesse of the offence, he shewed howe farre he hurled his dart, when he wisht it to be pitcht in his Lordship his body. The Earle astonyed, at the length thereof, sayde: Nowe in good sooth my cosin in behauing himself to couragiously is woorthie to haue the prede shotte free. And for my parte, I purpose not so much to stomacke his colericke wishe, as to imbrace his valiaunt prowesse. And therewithall com(m)aunded the retraite to be blowen and reculed backe. There is in Meeth an hill called the hill of Taragh, wherin is a playne twelue score lo(n)g, which was named the kemp his hall. There the countrey had their meetinges and folckmoates, as a place that was accompted the high pallace of the Monarch. The Irish hystorians ha(m)mer many fables in this forge of Finne macke Coyle & his champions, as the French hystorie doth of king Arthur and the knightes of the rounde table. But doubtlesse the place seemeth to beare the show of an auncient and famous monument.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 There is in Castlenock, a villedge not far from Dublyne, a windowe not glazed not latized, but open, & let the weather be stormie, the winde bluster bousterously of euer side of the house, yet place a candle there, and it will burne as quietly, as if no puffe of wind blew. This may tryed at this day, who so shall be willing to put it in practise. Touching the estraunge Wolles that be in Ireland, I purpose to speake little more than that which I finde in Cambriense, whose wordes I wyll Englishe, as they are latined in his booke. There is, sayth he, a Well in Mounster, with the water of which is any be washt, he becommeth forthwith hoare. I haue seene a man that had one halfe of his bearde, being dyed with that water, hoare, that other halfe vnwasht was brown, remayning still in his naturall coulour.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Contrarywyse there is a fountayne in the further edge of Vlster, and if one be bathed therewith, he shal not become hoare, in which Well such as loath grey heares are accustomed to diue. There is in Connaght a Well that springeth on the top of an hill farre and distaunt from any sea, ebbing and flowing in foure and twentie houres, as the sea doth, and yet the place is vplandishe, & the water freshe. There is an other spring in the same countrey the water of which is very wholesome to men and women, but poyson to beastes, & if a man put the grauell of this Well into his mouth, it quencheth presently his thirst.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 There is in Vlster a standing poole thirtye thousand paces long, and fifteene thousande paces broade, out of which sprinketh the noble Northre(n) riuer, called the Ba(n)ne. The fishers complayne more often for brusting of their nettes with the ouer great lake of fishe, then for any want. In our time vpon the conquest a fine swamme from this poole to the shore, in shape resembling a Salmon, but it was in quantitye so huge, that it coulde not be drawen or caryed wholly togyther, but the fishmo(n)gers were forced to hack it in gobbets, and so to cary it in peecemeale throughout the countrey, making thereof a generall dole. And if the report be true, the beginning of this poole was estraunge. There were in old time wher the poole now sta(n)deth vicious & beastly inhabitants. At which time was there an olde sayde saw in euery man hys mouth, that as soone as a Well there springing (whiche for the supersticious reuerence they bare it, was continually couered and signed) were left open & vnsigned, so soone woulde much water gush out of that Well, as would forthwith ouerwhelme the whole territorie. It hap EEBO page image 18 happened at length, that an olde trot came thither, to fetche water, and hearing hir childe whine, she ranne wyth might and mayne to dandle hir babie forgetting the obseruaunce of the superstitious order to fore vsed. But as she was returning backe to haue couered the spring, the lande was so farre ouerflowen, as that it past hir helpe, and shortly after she, hir suckling and all those that were within the whole territorie were drowned. And this seemeth to cary more likelyhoode with it, bicause the fishers in a cleare sunny daye see the steeples and other pyles playnly and distinctly in the water. And here woulde be noted, that the ryuer of the Bane flowed from this headspring before this floude, but farre in lesse quantitie, then it doth in our tyme. Hitherto Giraldus Cambriense. Hector Boethius recordeth an estraunge propertie of a poole in Irelande, and for that he maketh himselfe an eye witnesse of the matter, he shall tell his owne tale. Ac quoniam Hibernae incidit mentio, praeter infinita in ea rerum miracula haud importunum fore existimem, si vnum, quod ob portentuosam nouitate(m) fidem omnium excedere videatur, nos tamen veru(m) experti sumus, adiunxerimus. Lacus in ea est, circa quem amplisimo circunquaq(ue); spatio nec herba, nec arbor vlla nascitur. &c. in quem si lignum infigas anni circiter vnius curriculo id quod in terra fixum erit, in lapidem conuertetur, quod deinceps aqua extans ligni formam naturamq(ue); seruabit. Ita coniuncta, lapis, ferrum & lignum eodem in stipite inaudita nouitate conspectatur.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 3 But for that mention is made of Irelande ouer and aboue the infinite number of woonders in that lande, it will not be wholly beside the purpose, to insert one marueylous thing, which although it may seeme to some, to haue no colour of truth, yet bycause it hath beene experimented, and found out to be true, we maye the better aduouche it. There is a standing poole in that Islande, neere which of all sydes groweth neyther herbe, shrubbe, nor bushe. If you sticke a rod or peece of tymber in this poole, that which sticketh in the earth within the space of one yeare turneth to a stone, asmuch as is dipt in the water, is conuerted to yron, all that is aboue the water remayneth stil in the pristinate and former wodden shape. So that you may see, that which is estrange, in one stock, or sticke, stone, yron and woodde linckt and knit togither. This much Hector Boethius. In the countrey of Kylkenny and in the borders thereto confining, they vse a sollem tryall by a water they cal Melashee, the propertie of this water is, as they say, that if a periurde person drinke thereof, the water will gush out at his belly, as though the drincker his nauill were borde with an augur. The riuer, that runneth by Dubline named the Liffye hathe this propertie for certayne, and I haue obserued it at sundry times. As long as it rayneth, yea if it stoode powring sixe dayes, you shal finde diuers shallow brookes, and the riuer will be nothing thereby encreased, but within foure and twentie houres after the showres are ceast, you shall perceyue such a sodayne spring flowe, as if the former rayne were very great: a very few places or none at all will be founde passable. Cambriense writeth that in the south part of Mounster betweene the mayne sea coasting on Hispanie, and S.Brendane his hilles, there is an Islande of the one side encompassed with a riuer abundantly stored with fish, and on the other part inclosed with a little brooke. In which place S.Brendane was very much resiaunt. This plotte is taken to be such a Sanctuary for beastes as if any hare, foxe, stagge, or other wylde beast, be chased neere that Islande by dogges, it maketh straight vppon the brooke, & assoone as it passeth the streame, it is so cocksure, as the hunter may perceyue the beast resting on the one bancke, and the dogs questing on the other brimme, being as it were by some inuisible rayles imbarde from diping their feete in the shallowe foorde to pursue the beast chased. On the other side of this Island their runneth a ryuer stored aboue measure with freshe water fishe, and in especiall with Salmon. Which abundaunce, as Cambriense wryteth, proceeded of God, to maintayne the great hospitalitie, that was kept there. Any bycause the dwellers thereabout shall not, like pinching coystrels make any sale of the fishe, let it be poudered as artificially as may be, yet it will not keepe as though it were Manna, aboue the first night or day that it be taken. So that you must eate it wythin that shorte compasse, otherwyse it putrifyeth and standeth to no steede. This ryuer ouerfloweth a great rocke, vsually called the Salmon leape, for as it is commonly the property of all fish to swim against the tyde, as for byrdes to flutter against the winde, so it is naturally giuen to Salmon to struggle agaynst the streame, and when it approacheth neere this high rocke, it bendeth his tayle to his heade, and sometimes take it in his mouth, and therewithall beareth it selfe ouer the water, and sodaynly it fetcheth such a rounde Whiske, that at a trice it skippeth to the top of the rocke. The lyke Salmon leape is neere Leyslippe, but not so high as this. There be also, as witnesseth Cambriense, in the [page ] the further parte of Vlster, certayne hilles neere to S.Bean his Church, where cranes yearely breede. And when they haue layed their egges, if any purpose to ransacke their nestes, let him but attempt, to touch the egs, they will shew like young skrawling pullets without fether or doune, as though they were newe hatched, and presently brought out of their shels. But if the partie plucke his hand from the nest foorth with they shew (whether is be by any Metamorphosis, or some iugling legyer de mayne by dazeling the eyes) as though they were transformed into egges. And further, sayeth Cambriense, let two at one instaunce be at the nest, and let the one of them onely giue the gaze, and the other atte(m)pt to take away the egges, they will seeme to the looker on as egges, and to the taker as yong red little cranettes, being as barre as a byrde his arse.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The towne of Armach is sayde to be enemy to rattes, and if any be brought thither, presently it dyeth. Which the inhabintauntes impute to the prayers of S.Patricke.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 But to omitte the estraunge places, that eyther by false reportes are surmised, or by proofe and experience dayly veryfied: there are in this Islande such notable quaries of grey marble and touch, such store of pearle & other riche stones, such aboundaunce of cole, such plenty of leade, yron, latten and tinne, so many rich mynes furnished withall kinde of metals, as nature seemed, to haue framed this cou(n)trey, for the storehouse or iewelhouse of hir chiefest thesaure. Howbeit she has not shewed hirself so bountifull a mother in powering foorth such riches, as she prooueth hir self an enuious stepdame, in that she has instilleth in the inhabitants a drousie lythernesse to withdraw them from the ensearching of hir hourded and hidden iewelles, Wherein the fareth lyke one, that, to purchase ye name of a sumtuous francklene or good viander, woulde bidde diuers guestes to a costly and daintie dinner, and withall for sauing his meate wt some secret inchauntment would benumme them of their limmes, or with some hidden loth someness would dull their stomackes, as his guestes by reason of the one are not able, or for the other not willing, by taking theyr repast, to refresh themselues, in so much as in my phastasie it is harde to decide whether estate is the better: eyther for a dilgent labourer to be planted in a barrayne or stony soyle, or for a luskishe loyterer to be setled in a fertill grounde, bycause the one will & may not, the other may and will not through hys paynfull traueyle reape the fruite and commoditie, that the earth yeeldeth.