12.6. The titles of the kings of England vnto Ireland. Chap. 6.
The titles of the kings of England vnto Ireland. Chap. 6.
LEt then the enuious & ignorant cease and giue ouer to quarrell, and anouch that the kings of England haue no right nor ti|tle to the realme of Ireland. But let them well vnderstand that by fiue maner of waies, that is to saie, by two ancient titles, and three latter they haue to auouch and defend the same, as in our to|pographie is declared. First it is euident and appa|rent by the histories of England, that Gurguntius the sonne of Belin king of Britaine, as he returned with great triumph from out of Denmarke, he met at the Iles of the Orchades a nauie (1) of a certeine nation or people, named Baldenses, now Baions, and those he sent into Ireland, appointing vnto them certeine guides and leaders to conduct & direct them thither.
Likewise the same histories doo plainlie witnesse, that king Arthur, the famous king of Britaine, had manie of the Irish kings tributarie to him: & he on a time holding & kéeping his court at Westchester, Gillomarus king or monarch of Ireland, with other the princes thereof, came & presented themselues be|fore him. Also the Irishmen came out of (2) Baion, the chiefe citie in Biscaie. And forsomuch as men, be they neuer so frée, yet they maie renounce their right and libertie, and bring themselues into subiection: so it is apparent that the princes of Ireland did fréelie, and of their owne accord, submit & yéeld themselues to king Henrie of England, & swore vnto him faith and loialtie. And albeit such men of a kind of a natu|rall lightnesse and inconstancie, be not ashamed nor afraied to denie and renounce their faith: yet that can not so release and discharge them. Euerie man is at his owne choise and libertie how to contract and bargaine with anie one, but the same once made he can not fléet nor swarue from it. And finallie the holie pope, in whom is the effect of perfection, and who by a certeine prerogatiue and title requireth & clai|meth all Ilands, bicause by him and by him and by his meanes they were first reduced and recouered to the christian faith; he I saie hath ratified and con|firmed this title.
(1) The historie is this, that Gurguntius the son of king Belin made a viage into Denmarke, there to appease the people, who were then vp in rebellion against him: and hauing preuailed and ouercommed them, he in his returning homewards by the Iles of the Orchades; there met him a fléet or a nauie of thir|tie or (as some saie) three score sailes of men and wo|men latelie come and exiled from out of that part of Spaine, called then Baldensis, whereof Baion was the chiefe citie, but now it is a part of the countrie of Gascoigne, whose capteine named (as some write) Bartholomew, did present himselfe before Gurgun|tius, and discoursing vnto him the cause of their tra|uels, besought him to consider of their distresse, and to grant vnto them some dwelling place, and they would béecome his subiects. Which their request the king granted, and taking their oth of allegiance sent and caused them to be conducted into Ireland, where as his subiects they remained and continued.
(2) These people were named Iberi, & before that they came to seeke vnto Gurguntius for a land to dwell in, they dwelled in that part of Spaine, where|of Baion is the metropole, which is now part of Bi|scaie, and this countrie before and long after the time of Gurguntius, was still subiect to the kings of Bri|taine, now called England.
12.7. The rebellion of Donald prince of Li|merike, and of the taking of the citie of Limerike. Chap. 7.
The rebellion of Donald prince of Li|merike, and of the taking of the citie of Limerike. Chap. 7.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 IN the meane while, Donald O Brin prince of Limerike waxed verie insolent, and nothing regarding his former promise and oth made to the king, began & did with|draw his fealtie and seruice. Wherevpon Reimond EEBO page image 37 mustering his armie, gathered and picked out the best and lustiest men which he had. And hauing twen|tie and sir gentlemen, thrée hundred horssemen, and thrée hundred bowmen and footmen in readinesse and well appointed, about the kalends of October mar|ched towards Limerike to assaile the same. When they came thither, the riuer of the Shenin, which inui|roneth and runneth round about the citie, they found the same to be so déepe and stikle, that they could not passe ouer the same. But the lustie yoong gentlemen who were gréedie to haue the preie, but more desi|rous to haue the honor, were in a great agonie and gréefe, that they were thus abarred from approching to assaile the citie. Wherevpon one (1) Dauid Welsh so named of his familie and kinred, although other|wise a Camber or a Welshman borne, and nephue vnto Reimond, who was a lustie and valiant yoong soldior, and a verie tall man aboue all the rest, was verie hot and impatient, that they so long lingered the time about nothing. Wherevpon hauing a grea|ter regard to win fame and honor, than fearing of a|nie perill or death, taking his horsse and putting his spurres to his sides aduentureth the water, which being verie stikle and full of stones and rocks was the more dangerous: but yet he so wiselie marked the course of the streame, and so aduised and guided his horsse, that he passed the riuer, and safelie recoue|red the further side: and then he cried out alowd to his companie, that he had found a foord: but for all that there was neuer a one that would follow, sa|uing one Geffreie.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 But they both returning backe againe to conduct ouer the whole companie, the said Geffreie, his horsse being caried awaie with the violence of the streame, they were both drowned. Which when Meilerius (who was also come thither) did sée, he began to fret with himselfe, partlie for that his cousine & kinsman of so noble an enterprise had so bad a successe: part|lie also disdaining that anie should atchiue to honor but himselfe. Wherevpon being mounted vpon a lu|stie strong horsse, setteth spurre to his side, and being neither dismaied with the stiklenesse and danger of the water, nor afraied with the mishap fallen to the gentleman, who was then drowned, more rashlie than wiselie aduentureth the riuer & recouereth the further side & banke. The citizens some of them wat|ching and méeting him at the waters side, and some standing vpon the towne wals fast by the riuer side, minding and meaning to haue driuen him backe a|gaine, or to haue killed him in the place, hurled stones a good pace vnto him. But this noble and lustie gen|tleman, being thus sharpelie and hardlie beset in the middle of perils and dangers, his enimies on the one side hardlie assailing, and the riuer on the other side stopping and closing him vp from all rescue, standeth to his tackle, and as well as he could couering his head with his shield, defendeth and saueth himselfe from his enimies. Whilest they were thus bicketing there was great showting and noise on both sides of the water. But Reimond being then the generall of the field, and in the rereward, knowing nothing here|of, as soone as he heard of it, came in all hast through the campe vnto the waters side. Where when he saw his nephue on the other side, to be in the middle of his enimies, and like to be vtterlie cast awaie and de|stroied vnlesse he had some spéedie helpe and succour, was in a maruellous griefe & agonie, & verie sharp|lie crieth and calleth out to his men, as followeth.
(1) This Welsh was so called, the same being the name of his familie and kindred, and not of the countrie of Wales, wherein be was borne. He was a woorthie gentleman, and of his race there are yet remaining manie good and woorthie gentlemen, who are chieflie abiding in the prouince and citie of Wa|terford: for there were they first planted.
12.8. The oration and speech of Reimond vnto his companie, and of the recouerie of the citie of Limerike. Chap. 8.
The oration and speech of Reimond vnto his companie, and of the recouerie of the citie of Limerike. Chap. 8.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 OYe woorthie men, of nature valiant, and whose prowesse we haue well tried, come ye awaie. The waie heretofore not knowne, and the riuer hitherto though not passable, by our aduentures a foord is now found therein: let vs therefore follow him that is gone be|fore, and helpe him being now in distresse. Let vs not suffer, nor sée so woorthie a gentleman, thus for our common cause and honor oppressed, to perish and be cast awaie before our eies and in our sights for want of our helpe, and by meanes of our sluggish|nesse. It is no time now to vse manie words, nor lei|sure serueth to make manie spéeches. The shortnesse of the time, the present necessitie of this noble gen|tleman, & the state of our owne honors vrgeth expe|dition, & requireth hast. And euen with these words he put spurres to the horsse, and aduentureth the ri|uer: after whome followed the whole companie, eue|rie one striuing who might be formost. And as God would they passed all safe ouer, sauing two souldiors and one gentleman named Guido, who were drow|ned. They were no sooner come to land, but that their enimies all fled and ran awaie, whome they pursued, and in the chase slue a number of them, as also ente|red and tooke the towne. And hauing thus gotten both the citie and the victorie, they recouered their small losse with great spoiles & riches, as also reaped great honor and fame.
Now reader, which of these thrée thinkest thou best valiant, and best woorthie of honor? Him who first ad|uentured the riuer, and taught the way? Or him who séeing the losse of his companion, the perill of the ri|uer, and the multitude of the enimies, did yet (not fearing death nor perill) aduenture himselfe in the midle of his enimies? Or him who hastilie setting all feare apart, did hazard himselfe and all his hoast to saue the friend, and to aduenture vpon the enimie? And this one thing by the waie is to be noted, that on a tuesdaie Limerike was first conquered, on a tues|daie A note con|cerning tues|daie or the daie of Mars. it was againe recouered, on a tuesdaie Wa|terford was taken, on a tuesdaie Wexford was gotten, and on a tuesdaie Dublin was woone. And these things came not thus to passe, as it were by a set match, but euen of a common course of fortune, or by Gods so appointment. And it is not altogither against reason, that martiall affaires should haue good successe vpon Mars his daie.