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.

12.9. The description of Reimond. Chap. 9.

The description of Reimond. Chap. 9.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 EEimond was big bodied and brode set, of stature somwhat more than meane, his haire yellow and curled, his eies big, greie, and round; his nose somewhat high, his countenance well coloured, pleasant, and merie. And although he were somewhat grosse bellied, yet by reason of a certeine liuelinesse which was in him, he couered that fault: and so that which séemed to be a blemish in his bodie, he couered with the vertue of his mind. He had such a speciall care of his men and soldiors, that he would be a spie ouer his watchmen, and in his trauell that waie he watched manie whole nights, ranging and walking abroad in the camps. And in this he was verie happie & fortunate, that he EEBO page image 38 would neuer or verie seldome laie violent hands vpon anie, of whom he had charge or were vnder his gouernement, although he had rashlie or vnaduised|lie ouerthrowne himselfe, & straied out of the waie.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 He was verie wise, modest, and warie, being no|thing delicat in his fare, nor curious of his apparell. He could awaie with all wethers, both hot and cold; and indure anie paines: he was also verie patient, & could verie well rule his affections. He was more desirous to doo good to such as he gouerned, than to be glorious of his gouernement: for he would shew himselfe more like to be a seruant than a master. Fi|nallie and to conclude, he was a verie liberall, wise, gentle, and a circumspect man. And albeit he were a verie valiant capteine, and a noble soldior: yet in all martiall affaires, he passed and excelled in wise|dome & prouidence. A man doubtles in both respects much to be praised and commended: hauing in him whatsoeuer apperteined to a valiant souldior, but ex|celling in all things belonging to a good capteine.

12.10. The description of Meilerius. Chap. 10.

The description of Meilerius. Chap. 10.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 MEilerius was a man of a browne hew and complexion, his eies blacke, his looke grim, and his countenance sowre & sharpe, and of a meane stature; his bodie for the bignesse verie strong, broad brested, & he was small bellied. His armes and other lims mors sine wous than fleshie, a stout and a valiant gentleman he was and emulous. He neuer refused anie aduenture or enterprise which were either to be doone by one alone, or by mo; he would be the first that would enter the field, and the last that would depart from the same. In all seruices he would either haue the garland or die in the place, and so vnpatient he was in all ex|ploits, that he would either haue his purpose, or lie in the dust: and so ambitious and desirous he was to haue honor, that to atteine therevnto, there was no means nor mild thing but that he would suerlie haue the same either in death or in life: for if he could not haue it and liue, he would suerlie haue it by dieng. And verelie both he and Reimond haue béen worthie of too too much praise and commendation, if they had beene lesse ambitious of worldlie honors, and more carefull of Christes church, and deuout in christian religion, whereby the ancient rights thereof might haue beene preserued and kept safe and sound: and also in consideration of their so manie conquests and bloudie victories, and of the spilling of so much innocent blood, and murthering of so manie christian people, they had béene thankefull to God, and liberal|lie contributed some good portion for the furtherance of his church and religion. But what shall I saie? It is not so strange but much more to be lamented, that this vnthankefulnesse euen from our first comming into this land, vntill these presents, this hath béene the generall and common fault of all our men.