Compare 1577 edition: 1 EEBO page image 61 These words were not construed in the worst part, as procéeding from an offended mind of him that was therein estéemed more plaine than wise. There|fore being cherished and much made of, he was fed so woonderfullie (now he came to so large allowance in diet after hard keeping) that the French chalen|ger tooke him for a monster: and fearing to deale with him, priuilie stole awaie into Spaine. It is further reported, that the French king, being desi|rous to sée Curcie, requested king Iohn that he might come before them, and shew of what strength he was by striking a blow at an helmot. Herevp|on foorth he was brought, and presented before the kings, where was an helmet set vpon a blocke. Cur|cie taking a sword in his hand, and with a sterne & srowning countenance cast vpon the kings, gaue such a stroke to the helmet, that cleauing it in sun|der, the sword sticked so fast in the log, that no man there was able to plucke it foorth, except Curcie him|selfe. When he therefore had plucked foorth the sword, the kings asked him what he meant to looke vpon them with such a grim & froward countenance be|fore he gaue the blow to the helmet? He answered, that if he had missed in his stroke, he would haue killed all the whole companie, as well the kings as others. Then was he released of bonds, and crossing the seas towards Ireland whither he was bound, was fiftéene times beaten backe againe to the Eng|lish shore, & going into France to change the coast died there. This Curcie was white of colour, migh|tie Curcie depar|teth this life. The descrip|tion of Cur|cie. of lims, with large bones and strong of sinews, fall & broad in proportion of bodie, so as his strength was thought to excéed, of boldnesse incomparable, and a warrior euen from his youth; the formost in the front of euerie battell where he came, and euer readie to hazard himselfe in place of most danger, so forward in fight, that oftentimes forgetting the of|fice of a capteine, he tooke in hand the part of a soul|dior, pressing foorth with the formost, so that with his ouer rash violence, and desire of victorie, he might seeme to put all in danger. But although he was thus hastie and hit in the field against his enimies, yet he was in conuersation modest and sober, and verie religious, hauing churchmen in greate reuerence, ascribing all to the goodnesse of God, when he had atchiued anie praise-woorthie enterprise, yeelding thankes to his diuine maiestie accordinglie. But as seldome times anie one man is found perfect in all things, so these vertues were spotted with some vices; namelie, too much nigardnesse in sparing, and inconstancie. He maried the daughter of Godred king of Man, and after manie conflicts and battels had against the Irish, he conquered (as before ye haue heard) the countrie of Vlster, and building diuers strong castels therin, he established the same vnder his quiet rule and gouernment, till he and Lacie fell out, as before is expressed.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 After Curcies decease, because he left no heires, the earledome of Vlster was giuen vnto Hugh Lacie in recompense of his good seruice. There was one of the Curcies remaining in Ireland that was lord of Rathermie and Kilbarrocke, whome (as an espiall of all these practises and informer thereof to the king) Walter and Hugh the sons of Hugh Lacie slue, by reason whereof great trouble and disquietnesse insued: those Lacies bearing themselues (now after the decease of their father) for gouernors out of checke. To set the realme in quiet, king Iohn was faine to passe thither himselfe in person with a maine armie, King Iohn went into Ireland. banished the Lacies, subdued the residue of the countrie yet not conquered, tooke pledges, punished malefactors, established the execution of Sée more [...]ereof in En|gland. English lawes, coined monie of like value currant sterling in both realmes. The two Lacies repenting their misdemeanors, fled into France disguised They fled in|to France. in poore apparell, and serued there in an abbeie as gardeners, till the abbat by their countenance and behauior began to gesse their estates, and opposed them so farre that they disclosed what they were; be|seeching the abbat to keepe their counsels, who com|mending their repentant humblenes, aduised them yet to make sute for their princes fauor, if it might be had, promising to doo what he could in the matter, and so tooke vpon him to be a suter for them vnto the king that was his godcept and well acquainted with him. He trauelled so earnestlie herein, that at length he obteined their pardons: but yet they were fined, They are pardoned, and put to their fines. Walter at foure thousand, and Hugh at fiue and twentie hundred markes: and herevpon Walter was restored vnto the lordship of Meth, and Hugh to the earledome of Ulster.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 King Iohn appointed his lieutenants in Ire|land, and returning home, subdued the Welshmen, and soone after with Pandulfus the legat of pope Innocentius the third, who came to release him of the censure, wherin he stood excommunicat, to whom as to the popes legat he made a personall surrender of both realmes in waie of submission; and after he was once absolued, he receiued them againe. Some adde, that he gaue awaie his kingdoms to the see of Rome for him and his successors, recognising to hold the same of the popes in fée, paieng yearelie therefore one thousand markes, as seauen hundred for Eng|land, and three hundred for Ireland. Blondus saith An hundred marks of gold. Blondus. Centum pro vtroque auri marchias. Sir Thomas More (as Campion saith) a man both in calling & office likelie to sound the matter to the depth, writeth preciselie, that neither such writing the pope can shew, neither were it effectuall if he could. How farre foorth, and with what limitation a prince may or may not addict his realme feodarie to another, Iohn Maior a Sco|tish chronicler, and a Sorbonist not vnlearned part|lie scanneth, who thinketh three hundred markes for Ireland no verie hard peniworth. The instrument (as Campion thinketh) which our English writers rehearse, might happilie be motioned and drawen, and yet not confirmed with anie seale, nor ratified: Iohn Bale in his apologie against bows. but though the copie of this writing remaine in re|cord, yet certeine it is, king Iohns successors neuer paid it. After Iohn Comin archbishop of Dublin, and founder of saint Patriks church succéeded Hen|rie Londores in the sée, who builded the kings castell there, being lord chéefe iustice of Ireland, him they nick named (as the Irish doo commonlie giue additi|ons in respect of some fact or qualitie) Scorchuille in, that is, But nobil, because he required to peruse the writings of his tenants, colorable pretending to learne the kind of ech mans seuerall tenure, and bur|ned the same before their faces, causing them [...] new their takings, or to hold at will.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 EEBO page image 43Theſe words were not conſtrued in the worſt part as proceeding from an offended mind of him that was therein eſteemed, more playne thã wiſe. Therefore being cheriſhed and muche made of, he was fedde ſo wõderfully (nowe he came to large allowaunce in dyet after harde keeping) that the Frenche chalenger tooke him for a Monſter, and fearing to deale with him, priuily ſtale away into Spayne. It is further reported, that the French King, being deſirous to ſee Curcy, requeſted K. Iohn that he might come before them, and ſhewe of what ſtrength hee was by ſtriking a blowe at an helmet. Herevpon forth he was broughte, and preſented before the Kings, where was an Hel|met ſet vpon a blocke. Curcy taking a ſwoorde in his hande, and with a ſterne frowning counte|nance caſt vpon the Kings, gaue ſuch a ſtroke to the helmet, that cleauing it in ſunder, the ſwoorde ſticked ſo faſt in the logge, that no mã there was able to plucke it foorthe, excepte Curcy him ſelfe. When he therefore had plucked foorth the ſword, the Kings aſked him what he meant to looke vp|pon them with ſuch a grimme and froward coũ|tenance before he gaue the blowe to the helmet, he aunſwered, that if he had miſſed in his ſtroke, he would haue killed all the whole company, as well the Kings as other. Then was he releaſed of bondes, and croſſing the Seas towards Ire|land whether he was boune,Curcy depar|teth this life. The deſcrip|tion of Curcy. was fifteene times beaten backe agayne to the Engliſhe ſhore: and going into France to change the coaſt dyed there. This Curcy was whyte of colour, mightie of limmes, with large bones and ſtrong of ſynews, tall and broade in proportion of body, ſo as hys ſtrength was thought to exceede, of boldneſſe in|comparable, and a warriour euen from his youth, the formoſt in the front of euery battell where hee came, and euer ready to hazard himſelfe in place of moſt daunger, ſo foreward in fight, that often|times forgetting the office of a Captaine, he toke in hande the part of a Souldiour, preſſing foorthe with the formoſt, ſo that with his ouer raſh vio|lence, and deſire of victory, he might ſeeme to put all in daunger. But although he was thus haſtie and hote in the field againſt his enimies, yet was hee in conuerſation modeſt and ſober, and very religious, hauing Churchmen in great reuerence, aſcribing all to the goodneſſe of God, when he had atchieued any prayſeworthy enterpriſe, yeelding thankes to his diuine Maieſtie accordingly. But as ſeldome times any one man is founde perfecte in all things, ſo theſe vertues were ſpotted with ſome vices, namely too much nigardneſſe in ſpa|ring, and inconſtancie. He maried the daughter of Godred King of Man, and after many conflicts and battayles had againſt the Iriſhe, he conque|red (as before ye haue heard) the countrey of Vl|ſter, and building diuers ſtrong Caſtels therein, he eſtabliſhed the ſame vnder his quiet rule, and gouernement, till he and Lacy fell out as before is expreſſed.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 After Curcies deceſſe, bicauſe he left no heires, the Earledome of Vlſter was giuen vnto Hugh Lacie, in recompence of his good ſeruice. There was one of the Curcies remayning in Irelande, that was Lorde of Rathermy and Kilbarrocke, whome (as an eſpiall of all their practiſes, and in|former thereof to the Kyng Walter and Hugh, the ſonnes of Hugh Lacy ſlew, by reaſon wherof, great trouble and diſquietneſſe enſued, thoſe La|cies bearing themſelues (nowe after the deceſſe of their father) for gouernors out of checke. To ſet the Realme in quiet,king Iohn wẽt into Ireland. King Iohn was fayne to paſſe thither himſelfe in perſon with a mayne ar|my, baniſhed the Lacies, ſubdued the reſidue of the countrey, yet not conquered, tooke pledges, pu|niſhed malefactors,See more here of in England. eſtabliſhed the execution of Engliſh lawes, coyned money of like valew cur|rant ſterling in both Realmes.

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