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.

12.11. The commendation and praise of Ro|bert Fitzstephans, and of his cousins. Chap. 11.

The commendation and praise of Ro|bert Fitzstephans, and of his cousins. Chap. 11.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 WHat shall we speake or saie, how well Robert Fitzstephans and his sonnes haue deserued? What of Maurice Fitzgerald? What shall I saie of Robert of Barrie, a man verie honest and valiant, whose worthie com|mendations by the premisses are to be knowne? What shall be said of Miles of Cogan, the nephue vn|to Fitzstephans and Maurice, who as he came ouer with the first, so in commendation and for his seruice deserueth to be the chéefe and first? What shall we saie of Robert Fitzhenrie, & the brother vnto Meile|rius, who if he had not so soone beene dead and cut, he would doubtlesse haue béene nothing behind his bro|ther? What shall we speake of Reimond of Kantune & of Robert Barrie the yoonger, they both were verie worthie, tall, handsome, and worthie men? What also shall be said of Reimond Fitzhugh, who although he were but of a little stature, yet for his honestie & pru|dence not to be forgotten? These thrée lastlie spoken of for their valiantnesse and prowesse doone in the parties of Desmond, deserue great honor and com|mendation, and great is the pittie that through too much hardinesse their daies were so shortened, and their time so cut off? What did also a number of our gentlemen of the same their kindred & cous [...]nage de|serue, whose noble acts were such, and deserued such a perpetuall fame and memorie, that if I had a hun|dred toongs, a hundred mouthes, and so manie voi|ces of pron; yet could I not vtter and at full de|clare their worthinesse and deserts. O kindred, O nation, which in double respects art noble! for of the Troians by a naturall disposition thou art valiant, of the French nation thou art most expert and skil|full of armes and chiualrie. O worthie nation and kindred! which of thy selfe art sufficient and able to haue conquered anie nation, if enuie and malice had not maligned at thy worthinesse. Well then Rei|mond had taken order for the kéeping of the citie, and had well vittelled the same, he left therein a ga|rison of his owne men, fiftie gentlemen, two hun|dred horssemen, and two hundred bowmen; ouer whome he appointed Miles of S. Dauids his coosine to be leiutenant: and so as a noble conqueror he safelie returned into the borders of Leinster. But sée the nature of enuie, who neuer ceaseth to persecute vertue. For Heruie of Mount Maurice, notwith|standing by meanes of the late affinitie he were thought to be a good fréend, yet could he not forget his old malicious mind and wicked deuises: for still he secretlie from time to time sent his messengers and letters to the king of England, and full vntrulie did aduertise the state, euent, and successe of all things, affirming that Reimond contrarie to the kings honor and his owne allegiance, had determi|ned to haue assumed and chalenged vnto himselfe not onelie the citie of Limerike, but also the whole land of Ireland. And to make this the more proba|ble, and himselfe of more credit, he aduertiseth that Reimond had placed and appointed garrisons for the purpose; and had sworne the whole armie to obserue certeine articles by him prescribed, to the great pre|iudice of the king. Which his aduertisment being in|terlined with manie good words, the king so credited the same, that he beleeued it to be most true: for as it is well seene, a little suspicion of an iniurie doone or offered to be doone vnto a prince, dooth more sticke in his mind, than manie benefits and good seruices before doone. The king therefore after the winter fol|lowing, sent ouer foure of his seruants in message to Ireland; namelie Robert Powre, Os [...]ert of Her|loter or Herford, William Bendeger, and Adam of Gernemie: of which, two of them to come awaie and to bring Reimond with them, and the other to tarrie and remaine behind with the earle.