Snippet: 51 of 64 (1587, Volume 3, p. 56) Compare 1577 edition:
1
2 All Meth and
Leinster were speedilie got togi|ther, The persuasi|on of Oma|laghlilen. resorting
vnto Omalaghlilen the author of this practise, who lightlie leapt to horsse, and commending their forward
redinesse in so naturall a quarell, said:
My lords and fréends, this case neither admitteth de|laie, nor
requireth policie; hart and hast is all in all. Whilest the matter is fresh and greene, and that some of
our enimies lie still and sléepe, some lament, some cursse, some are togither in councell, and all the
whole number dismaied: let vs preuent their furie, dis|member their force, cut off their flight, seize
vpon their places of refuge and succour. It is no victorie to plucke their feathers, but to breake their
necks; not to chase them in, but to rowse them out; to weed them, not to rake them; not to tread them
downe, but to root them vp. This lesson the tyrant himselfe did teach me. I once demanded of him as it
were in a parable, by what good husbandrie the land might be rid of certeine rauening foules that annoied
it. He aduised vs to watch where they bred, and to fire their nests about their eares. Go we then vpon
these cor|uorants which shrowd themselues in our possessions, and let vs so destroie them, that neither
nest nor root, neither séed nor stalke, neither branch nor stumpe shall remaine of this vngratious
generation.
Scarse had he ended his tale, but that with great showts and clamors they extolled the
king, as defendor of their liues and liberties; assuring them both of their bold and hardie stomachs and
speedfull expedition ioi|ned with their confederats, and with a running campe swept euerie corner of the
land, rased the ca|stels to the ground, chased awaie the strangers, slue all that abode battell, ech man
recouering his owne, with the state of gouernment.
Snippet: 52 of 64 (1587, Volume 3, p. 56) Compare 1577 edition:
1
2 Thus in
effect haue the Irish writers reported of Turgesius a Norwegian, whether he did reigne be|fore the supposed
time of Gurmond, or whether that he came thither as lieutenant to him: which if it shuld be true, no doubt
the same Gurmond was some king of the Danes, or Norwegians, and not of the Affricans (as some of our
countrimen name him.) Which error is soone committed, in taking one hea|thenish Gurmond. nation for another, as those men haue doone that haue named the Hungarians (when they
did inuade Gallia before they were christians) Sara|cens. And so likewise might that author (whosoeuer he
was) whome Geffreie of Monmouth followeth, finding Gurmond written to be a king of the
mis|creants, mistake the Norwegians for Affricans, be|cause EEBO page image 57 both those nations were
infidels: and therfore sith happilie the Affricans in the daies when that au|thor liued, bare all the brute
aboue other heathenish nations then, as the Turks doo now, he named them Affricans. Howsoeuer it was,
certeine it is that the Danes or Norwegians made sundrie inuasions into Ireland, and that at seuerall times.
But for Turgesius, whether he were an absolute king, or but a lieutenant of some armie, vnder some other
king named Gurmound, or peraduenture Gormo, (as such names are soon
corrupted) I cannot affirme, bicause that no certeine time is set downe in the chronicles which are written
of those nations, where|by they may be so reconciled togither, as sufficeth to warrant anie likelie
coniecture in this behalfe.
Snippet: 53 of 64 (1587, Volume 3, p. 57) Compare 1577 edition:
1 But if I
should saie (with the readers licence) what I thinke, this Gurmound whatsoeuer he was, made no such conquest
of Ireland, nor of this our Ile of Britaine (as by some writers is supposed) but yet might he peraduenture
land in Wales, and either in fauor of the Saxons then enimies to the
Britons, or in hatred of the christian name persecute by cruell wars the British nation, and vse such
crueltie as the heathenish nations then were accustomed to practise against the christians in all places
where they came, and chanced to haue the vpper hand. The chiefest cause that mooueth me to doubt thereof, is
for that I find not in anie of our approoued ancient English writers, as Beda, Malmesburie, Huntington,
Houe|den, or such like, anie plaine mention made of him; whereby I
may be throughlie induced to credit that which I find in Geffrie Monmouth and others recor|ded of
him, except his name be mistaken, and so thereby some error crept in, which I am not able to resolue.