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10.43. The description of Maurice Fitzgerald. Chap. 43.

The description of Maurice Fitzgerald. Chap. 43.

THis Maurice was a man of much no|bilitie and worship, but somewhat shame fast and yet verie well coloured, and of a good countenance, of stature he was indifferent, being seemelie and well compact at all points, in bo|die and mind he was of a like composition, being not too great in the one, nor proud in the other; of na|ture he was verie courteous and gentle, and desired rather so to be in déed, than to be thought or reputed so to be: he kept such a measure and a moderation in all his dooings, that in his daies he was a patterne of all sobrietie and good behauiour; a man of few words, and his sentences more full of wit and reason than of words and spéeches; he had more stomach than talke, more reason than spéech, and more wise|dome than eloquence. And when so euer anie matter was to be debated, as he would take good leasure, and be aduised before he would speake: so when he spake he did it verie wiselie and prudentlie. In mar|tiall affaires also he was verie bold, stout, and vali|ant, and yet not hastie to run headlong in anie ad|uenture. And as he would be well aduised before he gaue the attempt and aduenture, so when the same was once taken in hand, he would stoutlie pursue and follow the same. He was sober, modest, and chast, constant, trustie, and faithfull: a man not al|together without fault, and yet not spotted with anie notorious crime and fault.

10.44. The first dissention betweene the king and his sonnes. Chap. 44.

The first dissention betweene the king and his sonnes. Chap. 44.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 IN the moneth of Aprill then next folow|ing, the yoong king sonne to king Henrie the elder, being no longer able to conceale or sup|presse the wickednesse he had deuised against his father: he (I saie) and his two brethren the earls of Aquitaine and of Britaine suddenlie stole awaie into France, vnto Lewes the French king his fa|ther in law: for he had married his daughter, that hauing his aid he might ouer-run his owne father, and shorten his old yeares. And for his farther helpe he had procured vnto him and on his side manie noble men both French and English, who openlie, but manie more, who secretlie did ioine with him to aid him. The elder king the father was verie much troubled and vnquieted for and about these and ma|rrie other sudden troubles, which on euerie side did grow vpon him; but yet he bare it out with a good face and countenance, dissembling that outwardlie which he conceiued inwardlie. And to stand firme and assured, he got and procured by all the meanes he could all such aid and helpe as was to be gotten and had. He sent into Ireland for his garrison, which he had left there; and being at Rone he committed the charge and gouernment of all Ireland vnto the earle Richard; but ioined Reimond in commission with him, bicause the earle without him would not doo anie thing, nor take the charge vpon him. And then the king of his liberalitie gaue also vnto him the towne of Wexford with the castell of Guikuilo.

10.45. Of the victories of king Henrie the second. Chap. 45.

Of the victories of king Henrie the second. Chap. 45.

THe king hauing indured more than ci|uill wars two whole years togither aswell in England as in Aquitaine, in great trou|bles, much wachings, & painfull trauels, yet at length most valiantlie he preuailed against his e|nimies; & surelie it was more of Gods goodnes, than by mans power, and (as it is to be thought) for the re|uenge of the disobedience & wrongs doone by the sons EEBO page image 29 against the father. But forsomuch as a mans owne houshold are commonlie the worst enimies; and of all enimies, the houshold & familiar enimie is most dangerous: there was no one thing, which more troubled and gréeued the king, than the gentlemen of his priuie chamber, and in whose hands in a man|ner laie his life or death, would euerie night secret|lie and with treacherous minds run and resort to his sonnes, and in the morning when they should doo him seruice, they were not to be found. And albeit these warres in the beginning were verie doubtfull, and the king himselfe in great despaire: yet his hard be|ginning had a good ending, and he in the end had the victorie to his great honor and glorie. And God, who at the first séemed to be angrie with him, and in his anger to powre vpon him his wrath and indig|nation: yet now vpon his amendement and conuer|sion, he was become mercifull vnto him, and well pleased. And at the castell of Sandwich, whereof Reinulfe Glandeuill was then gouernor, who was a wise man, and alwaies most faithfull and trustie to the king, there was a generall peace proclamed, and all England in rest and quietnesse.

In this warre the king had taken prisoners the king of Scots, the earles of Chester and of Lei|cester, besides so manie gentlemen and good serui|tors both English and French, that he had scarse a|nie prisons for so manie prisoners, nor so manie fet|ters for so manie captiues. But forsomuch as in vaine dooth a man triumph of the conquests vpon o|thers, who cannot also triumph of the conquering of himselfe; and although the king had indured and a|biden manie storms, great vnquietnesse, and much trouble; and at length hauing ouercommed both them and his enimies, he might the sooner haue béen wreaked and auenged of them: yet setting apart those affections euen in the middle of his triumphs vpon others, he also triumphed ouer himselfe; vsing such kinds of courtesies & clemencies as before had not beene heard. For suppressing his malice and re|uenging mind, he gaue honor to his aduersaries, & life to his enimies. And the warres thus after two yeares ended, and all the great stormes ouercom|med, he granted peace to all men, and forgaue ech man his offense and trespasse. And in the end also his sonnes repenting their follies, came and submit|ted themselues, with all humblenesse yéelding them|selues to his will and pleasure.

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