10.8. The oration and speeches of Mac Mo|rogh to his souldiors and people. Cap. 8.

The oration and speeches of Mac Mo|rogh to his souldiors and people. Cap. 8.

MAc Morogh beheld his men, & perceiuing them to be somewhat dismaied and out of heart, framed his speech to recomfort them, and thus saith vnto them. Ye men of Lein|ster, truth and kindred in all aduentures hath hither|to ioined vs in one fellowship: wherefore let vs now plucke vp our hearts and like men stand to our de|fense. For why, that wicked and ambitious man Ro|thorike, the author of all wickednesse & mischiefe, who desirous to haue the sole souereignetie and dominion dooth now determine (which God forbid) either to driue vs cleane out of our countrie, or vtterlie to de|stroie vs: and marke you now how he listeth vp his head and looketh alost. He is so proud and glorieth so much in his great multitude, that by ambition and pride he measureth & valueth his force and strength: but yet (for all that) manie times a small number being valiant and well appointed are better and haue preuailed against great troops, being but sluggards and vnarmed. If he make chalenge and pretend title to Leinster, bicause the same sometimes hath beene tributarie to some one king of Conagh, then by the same reason (1) we also maie demand and chalenge all Conagh: for both thereof and of all Ireland our ancestors haue béene the sole gouernors & monarchs. But to the purpose and to speake plainelie, he séeketh not to rule and to reigne as a monarch, but to vsurpe and destroie as a tyrant, to driue vs out of our coun|trie, to succéed into euerie mans right & inheritance; and so alone to rule the rost, and to be master ouer all.

Manie there are which doo brag of their great mul|titudes, and put their trust therein: but let them be well assured that we Leinster men though we be but few in number; yet we neuer were nor yet are af|fraid to incounter euen with the best & proudest. For why, victorie is not gotten, neither dooth it stand al|waies in the great multitude of people, but in vertue and valiantnesse, in strength and courage. We on our sides against pride, haue humilitie: against wrongs, equitie: against arrogancie, modestie: and against intemperance, discretion & moderation: and these vertues are to fight for vs. Men doo not alwaie atteine vnto victorie by great troops and multitudes of people, but by vertues. The lawes of all nations doo grant and allow to resist and withstand force and iniurie with force and strength: it is a fauourable cause to fight for our countrie, and to defend our pa|trimonie. And forsomuch as they contend for the gaine, but we to eschew the losse; let vs be of a good courage: we stand vpon a good ground, and our seat is naturallie verie strong of it selfe, as also by our industrie made more strong: but by reason of the streictnesse thereof, the greater the companie is ther|in, the more comberous and troublesome it will be: EEBO page image 10 and yet to win the victorie, a small companie being valiant, couragious, and of a good agreement shall serue and be sufficient.

(1) There be (as is said) fiue portions of Ireland, and euerie of them (except Meth which was reserued to the monarch for the time being for his diet) had their particular princes, & none of these did hold anie one of the other: but of some one of them cho [...]se was made by the whole estates of the land to be the mo|arch; and he for the time being did take and receiue homage and [...]altie of all the others, not in respect that he was a particular prince, but bicause he was the monarch. And this Mac Morogh allegeth for him selfe, denieng that he held anie of his lands of the king of Connagh otherwise than in respect that he was the monarch.

10.9. The oration of Robert Fitzstephans [...] his companions and souldiers. Chap. 9.

The oration of Robert Fitzstephans [...] his companions and souldiers. Chap. 9.

WHen Dermon Mac Morogh had en|ded his speech, Robert Fitzstephans calleth has companie togither, & thus he speaketh vnto them. Ye lustie yoong men and my companions in waares, w [...]tch haue abiden with me in manie perils; & yet still of noble minds & valiant courages: if we would now consider with our sel|ues, what we are, vnder what capteine, and where|fore we doo aduenture and attempt these great en|terp [...]ses, no doubt we shall excell in our wanted va|liantnesse, and good [...]une shall be on our side. We first came and descended from the (1) Troians, and since are of the French bloud and race: of the one we haue these our noble and valiant minds, and of the other the vse and experience in fears of armes: wher|fore being thus descended of noble progenie by t [...]s maner of wares and in two respects; as we be new well armed and appointed so let vs also be of valiant minds and lustie courages: and then no doubt this rascall and naked people shall neuer be able to resist nor withstand vs.

Besides you see and know how that at home, partlie by the subtill and craftie dealings of our owne cousines and kinsmen, and partlie by the secret malice and deuises of our familiars and acquaintances, we are beereft & spoiled both of our countrie and patrimonie. And now we are come hither, not as greedie crauers for large stipends, nor yet as couetous prollers for gaine and lucre: but onlie in respect and consideration to have and inioie the lands & townes to vs, and to our heires after vs, offered and promised. We are not come hither like pirats or theeues to rob and spoile, but as faithfull friends, to recouer and to restore this noble and liberall gentleman to that his patrimonie, wherof he is spoiled and dispossessed. He it is that hath allured and flocked vs hither; he it is that loueth our nation: and he it is who purposeth to plant and settle vs and our heires in this Ile. And peraduenture by these meanes the whole land, which is now diuided into fiue prouinces or portions, maie be deduced and brought into one, and the same in time be wholie vnto vs and our heires: if that by our valiantnesse and prowesse the victorie be gotten, and Mac Morogh by our seruice, meanes, and industrie be restored, and then the whole dominion to vs and to our heires for euer to be reserued.

O how great were then our honor & glorie! yea so great, that with the perils of our bodies, losse of our liues, and the dangers of death, it is to be wished for, sought, & aduentured. For why should we be affraid? and what is death I praie you? Is it anie other than a short delaie or distance of time, & as it were a short sléepe betwéene this transitorie life and the life eter|nall to cou [...]e? What is death (I saie) but a short pas|sage from vaine and transitorie things to perpetuall and euerlasting ioies? And certeine it is we must all once die: for it is that ineuitable destinie, which is common to all men, and can be eschewed of no man: for be we idle, and doo nothing worthie of perpetuall fame and memorie; or be we well occupied, whereof insueth praise and honor: yet die shall we. Then the matter being so, let them be affraied of death, who when they die, all things die with them: but let not them shrinke nor be dismaied, whose vertue and fame shall neuer die but liue for euer. Wherefore ye worthie men, who are enoblished for your valiantnes and famous for your vertues, let vs with bold minds and good courages giue the onset vpon our enimies, that in vs our noble race & progenie be not stained, but that either by a glorious victorie, or a famous death, we doo atchiue to perpetuall fame and honor.

10.10. How Rothorike intreateth for peace and obteineth the same. Chap. 10.

How Rothorike intreateth for peace and obteineth the same. Chap. 10.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 Rothorike, when he had well considered with himselfe how the euents of wars are doubtfull and vncerteine, & that as the wiseman saith; A man of wisedome and vnderstanding is to trie all manner of waies rather than the warres: and also being somewhat timorous to aduenture the battell with strangers, sendeth his messengers by all the waies they best might, to intreat for peace: who at length through their industrie, and by the mediation of good men, and by Gods goodnesse who prospered the same, obteined the same, and which was concluded in this order. That Dermon Mac Morogh should haue and enioy all Leinster in peace and quietnesse, to him and to his heires, ackowledging all Ireland, and yeelding vnto him that seruice and dutie as vnto him therein apperteined. And for the performance hereof, he deliuered his sonne Cunthurus in pledge and for an hostage. To whome Rothorike then promised, vpon condition, that the peace and certeine other points obserued, he would giue his daughter vnto him in marriage. These things being openlie published, each partie swore the one to the other, for the performance and keeping of the same. And yet whatsoeuer the vtter shew, it was secretlie agreed betweene them, that Dermon Mac Morogh, when and assoone as he had quietlie setled Leinster in good order, he should returne and send home all the English people, as also in the meane time should not procure anie more to come ouer.