12.32. A vision and exposition thereof. Chap. 32.

A vision and exposition thereof. Chap. 32.

THerfore I thought it not inconuenient to set downe a vision, which he that hideth much from wisemen & reuealeth it to babes visited me withall, being a most simple and vile wretch. In the miserie of this time, in that ciuill and detestable discord betwéene the king and the erle of Poitiers, I being with the king at Chinon castell the seuenth ides of Maie: at night in my sléepe a|bout the cocke crowing, me thought I saw a great multitude of men looking vp into heauen, and as it were woondering at somewhat. So I lifting vp mine eies to sée what the same was, I saw a bright light breake out betwéene the thickenesse of the A strange vision. clouds, and the clouds being incontinentlie seuered asunder, and the lower heauen as it were being o|pened, and the sight of mine eies pearsing through that window to the empeireall heauen, there appered the court thereof in great multitude, wide open as it were to be spoiled, all kinds of munition being bent against it. You might haue séene there a head cut from one, an arme from another, and some stri|ken through with arrowes, some with lances, and some with swords. And when manie of the beholders either for the brightnes, or terror, or pitie, had fallen flat on their faces: me thought that I (to see the end of the matter) did view it longer than the rest. So they hauing gotten the victorie ouer all the other, the bloudie slaues fell vpon the prince of the heauenlie orders, sitting in his throne as he was woont to bee pictured, and drawing him from the throne on the right hand, hauing his breast naked, they thrust him through the right side with their lances, and immedi|atlie there followed a terrible voice in this maner, Woch, woch, OHoli-ghost! But whether it came frõ heauen, or was vttered by the people beneath, I can not tell; and so the terror of this voice & the vision a|wakened me.

EEBO page image 51 I call him here to witnesse, to whome all things are apparant and manifest, that immediatlie as I sat in my bed, & reuolued these things in my mind, I was in so great an horror both of bodie and mind, for halfe an houre and more, that I feared least I should haue fallen besides my selfe. But recoursing deuout|lie to the onlie refuge of humane saluation, & blessing my forehead with the crosse estsoones, & fortifieng my mind thereby, I passed the rest of the night without sléepe, & so through Gods grace returned fullie to my selfe: yet to this daie I can neuer remember that vi|sion without horror. What may be more terrible to a creature than to see his creator smitten through with weapons? What man without gréefe can abide to sée the seruants of God, & patrons of men to be murthe|red? Who can behold the Lord of nature to suffer, & dooth not suffer therewith? What this vision porten|deth, The meaning of the foresaid vision. without preiudice to anie I will shew brieflie. He that suffered once in his owne person for all, gi|ueth vs to vnderstand, that he now suffereth againe, but that in his flocke. And he that by triumphing o|uer the crosse, and ascending to the right hand of his father, hath victoriouslie entered his kingdome; his enimies now go about to depriue him of his king|dome, and subuert his church, which he gathered vnto him by the shedding of his bloud. Therefore, as I doo suppose, this passion did not appeare vpon the crosse, but his maiestie: as though the crosse now being taken awaie, his enimies go about to take that glorie from him, which he got on the crosse. Or else that his faithfull had suffered, not in the crosse, but with weapons in that holie land, which he af|ter so manie miracles had consecrated with his bloud. So likewise he declared this his passion which he for his susteined, not in the crosse, but in his maie|stie: so he signified, that all the court of heauen suffe|red with the like compassion, mouing his to reuenge|ment with the shewing of so great greefe. As concer|ning that voice beginning in a barbarous language and ending in Latine, what I thinke I will shew. Woch, woch, in the Germane toong, is a signe of gréefe doubled. And where that wofull mourning voice began in the Germane toong, and ended in La|tine, it maie be signified thereby, that onelie the Al|mans and the Italians take this the affliction of their Lord more grieuouslie than other nations, as their hasting declareth. God forbid that the passion or la|mentation be here vnderstood by anie slaughter of the christians and people in this expedition.

12.33. The memorable euents of our time. Chap. 33.

The memorable euents of our time. Chap. 33.

I Thinke it not impertinent to set downe here (by occasion) the aduentures and nota|ble euents in England: and first of all, the sudden death of the deteiners of the king|dome of England against the lawfull heire, the ne|phue of Henrie by his daughter Matild: as well the death of the woorthie knight Eustashius the son of king Stephan, and son in law to Lewes the French king: as of his mother quéene Matild the countesse of Bullogne. Then the concord adoption made be|twéene king Stephan, and Henrie duke of Nor|mandie. And then after the death of king Stephan, the mariage of quéene Elianor, and the translation from crowne to crowne. Immediatlie, the aduance|ment of the duke to the kingdome, and the corona|tion of king Henrie the second. The assiege of the castell of Bridgenorth vpon Seuerne, and the com|pulsion of the woorthie knight Hugh Mortimer to dedition, to the terrible example of all. What née|deth manie words? To confound the mightie, and to make euen the rugged, there were prosperous suc|cesses. And as destruction fell vpon the deteiners of the kingdome, so likewise it fell vpon the peacebrea|kers of the same, as well of the brethren, as also of the sons.

The subduing of prince Oeue at Colshull in Northwales in a wooddie strei [...], not without the losse of manie knights. A sumptuous expedition to Tholouse, albeit it was vnprofitable. An altercation & warre betwéene the king of England and Lewes of France, through the doting of both parts. The yéelding vp of prince Rhese by the means of his vn|cle Oene at Pencador in Southwales, the king of England comming thither. The vnwilling & wrested confession onelie by word & by writing (as some say) of Thomas of Canturburie, and his suffragans at Clarendon, as concerning annates: when that pro|phesie of Merlin Ambrosius séemed to be fulfilled; The buls toongs shall be cut out. The inturions cri|eng out of all the court at Northampton against the A prophesie of Merlin ful|filled. father, bearing the crosse, & mainteining the rights of the crucifix, and the priuie departure of him to exile that night. The ambassage of Reinold archbi|shop of Cullen, & chancellor to the emperor, from the said emperor to the king of England: who was an effectuous persuader of mariage to be had betwéene Henrie the emperors nephue duke of Saxonie and Bauier, and Matild the kings eldest daughter: he mooued also, but in vaine, to set cleare the Almains schisme. Not long after the publike periurie through out all the realme, by the kings proclamation a|gainst the sée of saint Peter, and the archbishop of Canturburie. And incontinentlie the countie Gun|celine, and other states of Saxonie came from the duke into England for the kings daughter.

The coronation of king Henrie the third, son to king Henrie, solemnized in London by the archbi|shop of Yorke, to the preiudice of the church of Can|turburie. Ambassadors came from Spaine, and ob|teined the kings daughter Elianor, to be maried vnto Ansulfo, king of Toledo and Castile. The comming of Dernicius (being expelled) to the king, and the sailing ouer into Ireland of Fitzstephans, & earle Richard. The expedition of the lord of Albi mona|sterij. Oswal|stre in Powes, and his returne by occasion of rame: not without his hurtfull dismembring of the pled|ges, and great slaughter of his enimies. The mar|tyrdome of Thomas. The often shining miracles. The departure of the noble Henrie bishop of Win|chester, descended of the kings bloud at Winchester. The viage of the king into Ireland. The conspira|cie of the states against their prince, and the chil|dren against their father. The comming of two cardinals into Normandie, to make inquirie of the death of the martyr. The sudden returne of the king out of Ireland into Wales, and so into England, thense into Normandie; with an appeasing of the said cardinals, and the French king. The first de|parture of the yoong king with his two brethren from his father into France. The victorie of the ci|uill and two yeares warre, and the kings mercie towards the vanquished, as we haue shewed before. The comming of Huguntio Petie Leon cardinall of the title of saint Angelo into England, and the celebration of a councell vnder him of all the clear|gie of England, at London, as concerning the con|tention of supremasie betweene Richard archbishop of Canturburie, and Roger of Yorke: but the alle|gations on both sides with fists and staues brake it off. The bishop of Capua, and Diaferus elect of Croia, and earle Florius, came from William king of Sicill, to haue mariage betwéene him and Ioane the kings yoonger daughter.

EEBO page image 52 The ambassadors of the kings of Spaine, Ca|stile, and Nauar, came into England: who as con|cerning lands and castels (whereof they contended) promised altogither to stand vnto the king of Eng|lands arbitrement. Wherefore the king assem|bling at London all the lawyers & wise men in the land of both orders; when the cause was proposed, and the allegations heard on both sides, by famous aduocats; among whome, Peter of Cardon, that came in the behalfe of the king of Nauar, excelled in eloquence: the king vsing wise counsell, and in|tending to end the contention by transaction, that giuing somewhat from one, and keeping somewhat from an other, he would hurt neither partie much. But as he was appointed iudge by both, so he was carefull for the commoditie of both as much as could be. So making a transaction, and ingrossing it in writing, he writ the iudiciall examination for a pro|uiso; That if either part refused to stand to his arbi|trement, the definitiue strife might be dirempted by sentence. The comming of Lewes king of France into England, who went on pilgrimage to Canturburie, to the martyr Thomas, to require his helpe deuoutlie, whome he in the time of his exile had helped: and offering a cup pretious both for matter & substance in the place where the holie bodie was buried, when he had declined a while prostrat on his face, and had laid his bare head a while in the right side hole of the marble stone that standeth therby; at last, rising from his praier (that he might confirme the memorie of his pilgrimage with euerlasting record) in the presence of the king of England, the earle of Flanders, the archbishop of the see, the prior of the couent, and other men of state, he gaue yearelie vnto Canturburie abbeie an hundred tuns of wine.

The second defection of king Henrie the third, and earle Geffreie, with the sudden death of the yoonger king at Marcels. The comming on pilgrimage of Godfrie archbishop of Cullen, and Philip earle of Flanders vnto Canturburie. The death of earle Geffreie. The comming of Heraclius the patriarch, and the sailing of earle Iohn into Ireland. Al|most all things as they be here set in order, chanced in our time, in no great distance betwéene, in and about the space of thrée and thirtie yeares. O how glorious had all these things béene, if they had sor|ted to a good end! Which surelie would haue hapned, if he setting other things aside, had followed Christ, when he was called, of whome he receiued all these benefits; and had spent the last fiue yeares reigne in his seruice. But these things being before rehearsed by the way, let vs returne to the historie.

12.34. The recapitulation of sundrie acts, and of the commming of Iohn the kings sonne to Ireland, with his successe there. Chap. 34.

The recapitulation of sundrie acts, and of the commming of Iohn the kings sonne to Ireland, with his successe there. Chap. 34.

HOw omitting the building of three ca|stels, one at Tipporarie, the other at Arch|phin, & the third at Lismore, after the com|ming of earle Iohn, & speaking nothing of the euill fortune of thrée woorthie yoong men; Robert Barrie at Lismore, Reimond Fitzhugh at Olethan, and Reimond Cantitinensis at Odrona. Of part of the garrison of Archphin slaine in the wood there, by the prince of Limerike on Midsummer daie, & foure knights there killed, not without manfull defense. Of them of Limerike, and the noble man Ograine slaine at Tipporarie. Of them of Archphin slaine a|gaine by those of Limerike in taking of a preie. Of Dermucius Mac Arthie prince of Desmond, with others slaine in a parlée neere Corke by them of Corke, and the garrison of Theobald brother to Walter. Of the slaughter of them of Kencolon, with their prince inuading Meth by the men there|of, & William Litle, and one hundred of their heads sent to Dublin. Of the finding out of the bodies of Patrike, Brigid, & Columbe at Dundalke, & their translation from thense by the procurement of Iohn de Curcie.

Of the heading of Hugh Lacie at Dornach, through the treason of his owne Irishmen. Of the killing of twelue noble knights vnder Iohn de Cur|cie, in the returne from Connagh. Of the traitorous and lamentable slaughter of Roger Powre, and manie others in Osserie: and thorough that occa|sion, the priuie conspiracie of all Ireland against the Englishmen, manie castels being therewith de|stroied. All which things are not vnwoorthie to be re|corded, when the dominion was translated to the kings son. But assigning these dooings to other wri|ters, we will proceed to more profitable matters. How and wherefore this first enterprise of the kings son had no good successe I thought good to declare brieflie: that this finall addition (albeit it can not be a cure to that which is past) yet it may be a caueat for things to come. ¶ This recapitulation followeth in a more absolute forme, pag. 53. which being de|liuered Note. out of sundrie copies, doo perfect one ano|ther.]

When all things méete and necessarie for so great a iournie or voiage were at the king his com|mandement and charges made readie; then Iohn the kings yoonger sonne a little before made lord of Ireland, was seut ouer; and in the Lent time (1) he tooke leaue of his father, and as he tra|uelled towards saint Dauids to take shipping, he passed and rode along by the sea coasts of South|wals, and so came to (2) Penbroke. There brought and accompanied him vnto the ship a noble and a worthie man named Reinulfe Glanuile, one of the K. his most priuie councell in all weightie matters; as also cheefe iustice of England. And on wednes|daie in the Easter weeke, the wind being at east and blowing a good gale, he tooke ship in Milford hauen, but for hast he left to doo his deuotion and oblation at saint Dauids, which was but an euill halsoning: ne|uerthelesse on the next morrow about noonetide he arriued in safetie vnto Waterford with all his com|panie, which were about thrée hundred gentlemen, and of bowmen, footmen, horssemen, and others a great number. Then was fulfilled the vaticine or prophesie of old Merlin: A burning globe shall rise Prophesies of Merlin fulfilled. out of the east, & shall compasse about the land of Ire|land, and all the soules of that Iland shall flée round about the fire. And hauing spoken these words of the father, he continueth his speech, and thus speaketh of his sonne: And of this fire shall rise a sparkle, for feare of which all the inhabiters of the land shall tremble and be afraid: and yet he that is absent shall be more estéemed than he that is present, and better shall be the successe of the first than of the second.

Iohn at this his first arriuall into Ireland was of the age of 12 yeres, which was from the first arri|uall of his father thirtéene yeares, of the landing of the earle Strangbow fouretéene yeares, and from the first entrance of Robert Fitzstephans fiftéene yeares, and the yeare of our Lord one thousand one hundred eightie and fiue, Lucius then Romane bi|shop, Frederike the emperor, and Philip the French king. There passed ouer with the king in the same fléet manie good clerks, among whome (3) one was speciallie commended vnto this yoong lord by his fa|ther, for that he was a diligent searcher of naturall EEBO page image 52 histories, as also had béene before two yeares in the same land, and there collected sundrie notes, and suf|ficient matter as well for his historie, as for his to|pographie: and which after that he was returned home, and attending in the court, did (as leisure ser|ued him) digest and set in good order of a booke, the same being his labor of thrée yéeres. A trauell to him painefull, but to his posteritie profitable, although much misliked and enuied at by such as then were li|uing: the one liked it well, but the other dispraised it; the one reaped a benefit and commoditie, but the other of a secret malice maligning the same, fret|ted in his humor, and was grauelled in his owne fellie.

(1) The first voiage of the king his sonne, being then but a child of twelue yéeres of age: the English chronicles doo make small mention therof. But such as doo write thereof, doo report that the king brought his sonne as farre as Glocester on this iornie: and there dubbing and honoring him with the degree of knighthood, sent him on his iornie.

(2) Penbroke is an old and an ancient towne, builded by a noble man named Arnulph Montgome|rie the ancestor of the Carews, whose names are Montgomeries, & lieth in Westwales named De|metia, but now of this towne is called Penbroke|shire. The ancient house of the Ca [...]ws. It standeth vpon a créeke of Milford hauen, about two miles from the castell Carew: of which castell the Montgomeries builded, and there dwel|ling tooke the name thereof, & were called Carews, which name that familie dooth yet reteine. In this towne of Penbroke standeth a goodlie and a strong castell, which hath béene in times past the seat and house of manie a noble man bearing the name of the earles of Penbroke. In this was king Henrie the seuenth borne. It is now in great ruine and in decaie.

(3) This man ment here is Giraldus Cambren|sis the author of this booke, who (as it appeareth by this and other his works) was learned and much giuen to studie. He was archdeacon of saint Dauids, and descended from Girald of Windsore, and the ladie Nesta his wife, for he was the son of Maurice, and the sonne of the foresaid Girald and Nesta: and so this Girald of Windsore was his Proauus or great grandfather.