10.11. Of the comming of Maurice Fitzgerald into Ireland: of the yeelding vp of Dublin to Dermon Mac Morogh; and of the warres betweene the two princes of Conagh and Limereke. Chap. 11.

Of the comming of Maurice Fitzgerald into Ireland: of the yeelding vp of Dublin to Dermon Mac Morogh; and of the warres betweene the two princes of Conagh and Limereke. Chap. 11.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 These things thus doone & performed, and fortune seeming with a more fauourable countenance to smile vpon them, behold Maurice Fitzgerald, of whom we spake before, who was the halfe brother by the mothers side to Robert Fitzstephans, arriued at Wexford in two ships, hauing in his companie (which he brought) ten gentlemen of seruice, thirtie horssemen, and of archers and footmen about one hundred. A man EEBO page image 11 he was both honest and wise, and for his truth and valiantnesse verie noble and famous. He was a man of his word, and constant of mind, and there|withall adorned with a certeine kind of womanlie shamefastnesse. Mac Morogh being verie glad of this new repaire, as also much animated and incou|raged therewith, beginneth to thinke vpon old sores, and to call to remembrance the great iniuries and wrongs which the citizens of Dublin had in times past doone both vnto his father and to himselfe; and minding to be reuenged thereof, bendeth his force, and marcheth with his whole armie to besiege the ci|tie, but left Fitzsterphans behind, who was then buil|ding a hold or castell vpon a certeine rockie hill cal|led the (1) Caricke, about two miles from Wexford, which place although it were verie strong of it selfe, yet by industrie and labour it was made much stron|ger. Morice Fitzgerald, with all the force and com|panie of the Englishmen, accompanied and atten|ded Mac Morogh, who was his guide, and conducted him vnto Dublin. Assoone as they were entred with|in the borders and confines of the territorie of Du|blin, they foorthwith burned, spoiled, and wasted the same, and the whole countrie thereto adioining. The citizens of Dublin séeing and considering the same, began to quaile, and their hearts fainted, and doo seeke and intreat for peace; and hauing obteined the same, did sweare fealtie, and gaue in hostages for the true and firme kéeping of the same. In this meane time there fell a great enimitie and quarell betweene Rothorike of Connagh and Donald prince of Lime|reke. And assoone as Rothorike was with all his force entered into the countrie of Limereke, Der|mon Mac Morogh sent foorthwith Robert Fitzste|phans with all his power, to aid and helpe the said Donald: for he was Dermons sonne in law, by whose means he gat the victorie, and Rothorike with shame was driuen to retire out of the countrie, and to returne to his owne home: and left the chefferie which he demanded. In these and all other like serui|ces, Robert Barrie and Meilerius carried the best praise and commendations. At this time was séene a woman who had a great beard, and a man vpon hir backe, as a horsse; of whom I haue alreadie spo|ken in my topographie.

(1) The said Caricke (as is written) is distant from the towne of Wexford about two English miles, and standeth vpon a high rocke, and is inuiro|ned on two sides with the riuer which floweth to Wexford towne, and it is verie déepe and nauiga|ble: the other two sides are vpon the maine land, which is a verie fertile soile, and in height almost equall with the castell. It was at the first made but of rods and turffes, according to the maner in those daies; but since builded with stone, and was the strongest fort then in those parts of the land: but be|ing a place not altogither sufficient for a prince, and yet it was thought too good and strong for a subiect, it was pulled downe, defaced and raced, and so dooth still remaine.

10.12. Dermon Mac Morogh sendeth for the earle Richard, who foorthwith maketh great pre|paration for his comming. Chap. 12.

Dermon Mac Morogh sendeth for the earle Richard, who foorthwith maketh great pre|paration for his comming. Chap. 12.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 MAc Morogh, being by meanes of his good successe well quieted and satisfied, be|thinketh himselfe now of greater mat|ters, and deuiseth how and by what means he might recouer his old and ancient rights; as also purchase all Connagh to his subiection. And herein he vsed a secret conference with Fitzstephans and Fitzgerald, vnto whome he vttereth and discouereth all his whole mind and intent: who foorthwith gaue his answer that his deuise was verie easilie to be compassed, if he could get a greater supplie and aid of Englishmen. Wherevpon he made most earnest requests vnto them, both for the procuring of their kinsmen and countriemen, as also for the furthering to effect his purpose and deuise. And that he might the better persuade them herevnto, he offereth to ei|ther one of them his daughter and heire in mariage with the inheritance of his kingdome: but they both being alreadie married, refused the offer. And at length after much talke they thus concluded, that he should with all spéed send his messengers with his letters vnto the earle Richard, of whome we spake before, and vnto whome he the said Mac Morogh at his being at or about Bristow, had promised his daughter to wife, which letters were as followeth. Dermon Mac Morogh prince of Leinster, to Ri|chard earle of Chepstone, and sonne of Gilbert the Mac Mo|roghs letter to earle Ri|chard. earle sendeth gréeting.

If you doo well consider and marke the time as we doo which are in distresse, then we doo not complaine without cause nor out of time: for we haue alreadie seene the (1) storkes and swal|lows, as also the summer birds are come, and with the westerlie winds are gone againe; we haue long looked and wished for your comming, and albeit the winds haue béene at east and easterlie, yet hitherto you are not come vnto vs: wherefore now linger no longer, but hasten your selfe hither with spéed, that it may thereby appeare not want of good will, nor for|getfulnesse of promise, but the iniurie of time hath béene hitherto the cause of your long staie. All Lein|ster is alreadie wholie yéelded vnto vs: and if you will speedilie come away with some strong compa|nie and force, we doubt not but that the other foure portions will be recouered and adioined to this the fist portion. Your comming therefore the more spée|die it is, the more gratefull; the more hastie, the more ioifull; and the sooner, the better welcome: and then our mislike of your long lingering shall be recom|pensed by your soone comming, for fréendship & good will is recouered and nourished by mutuall offices, and by benefits it groweth to a more assurednesse.

When earle Richard had read these letters, he ta|keth aduise with his fréends, and taking some com|fort and stomach of the good successe of Fitzstephans, whereof he was at the first both fearefull and doubt|full, fullie determineth to bend his whole force and power to follow this seruice and hostings. This earle was a man of a verie noble parentage, and descen|ded of verie honorable ancestors; but yet more fa|mous in name, than rich in pursse; more noble in blood, than endowed with wit; and greater in hope of succession, than rich in possessions. Well, he thought long yer he could wend himselfe ouer into Ire|land, and therefore to compasse the same to good ef|fect, maketh his repaire to king Henrie the second, and most humblie praieth and beséecheth him that he will either restore him to such possessions, as by inhe|ritance did apperteine vnto him; or else to grant him the libertie to trie and séeke fortune in some other forren countrie and nation.

(1) The storke and the swallow are named A|ues semestres, or the halfe yeares birds: for they come at the spring, and depart againe awaie at the au|tumne or fall of the leafe, for in the winter they are not séene. And by this Mac Morogh alludeth and meaneth that he hath awaited that whole halfe yeare for the earles comming: whose promise was, that in the spring of the yeare past he would haue come.

10.13. Of the arriuall of Reimond le grosse in|to Ireland, and of the fight which he had against the Waterford men at Dundorogh. Chap. 13.

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Of the arriuall of Reimond le grosse in|to Ireland, and of the fight which he had against the Waterford men at Dundorogh. Chap. 13.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 THe king hauing heard the earles requests, be thought himselfe a while thereof: but in the end he alowed not of the one, nor gran|ted the other, but fed him still with good spée|ches, and nourished him with faire words, commen|ding his noble mind, that he would aduenture so ho|norable an enterprise. And in words the king sée|med to giue him leaue to follow his deuise, but to saie the truth, it was rather in game than in earnest, for the king minded nothing lesse. But the earle ta|king the aduantage of the kings words, and accep|ting the same for a sufficient leaue and licence, retur|neth home. And the same being the winter season & verie vnfit to trauell into forren nations in martiall affaires, dooth now make preparation of all things fit to serue when time should require. And assoone as the winter was past, he sendeth ouer before him in|to Ireland, a gentleman of his owne houshold and familie named Reimond le gross [...]: who had with him ten gentlemen of seruice, and three score and ten archers well appointed, and taking shipping about the kalends of Maie, then landed at the rocke of (1) Dundonolfe, which lieth south from Wexford, and about foure miles east from Waterford: and there they cast a trench, and builded a little castell or hold, with turffes and wattell. This Reimond was ne|phue to Robert Fitzstephans and to Maurice Fitz|gerald, being the sonne vnto their elder brother named William, and was verie valiant, of great courage, and well expert in the warres and in all martiall affaires. The citizens of Waterford, and Omolaghlin Ofelin, being aduertised of this their arriuall, and nothing liking the neighborhood of such strangers, take counsell togither what were best to be doone: and finding it most necessarie and néedfull to withstand at the beginning, they doo conclude and determine to giue the onset vpon them; and being about thrée thousand men, they take botes, and rowe downe the riuer of the Sure (which fléeteth fast by the wals of Waterford on the east, and diuideth Lein|ster from Mounster) and so came to the place where Reimond and his companie were, where they lan|ded and set their men in order for the assaults, and marched boldlie to the ditches of Reimonds fortresse or castell: but then it appeered how valiantnes can neuer be hid, lustie courage be daunted, nor yet pro|wesse or worthines be blemished. For Reimond and his companie, although they were but few in num|ber, and too weake to incounter with so great a com|panie as their aduersaries were: yet being of cou|ragious minds & lustie stomachs, went out to méet with their enimies; but when they saw that their small number was not sufficient nor able in the plaines to abide and indure the force of so great a multitude, they retired to their fort. The enimies thinking then to discomfit and cleane to ouerthrow them, followed and pursued them so shortlie, that the Englishmen were no sooner in at the gates, but the Irishmen were also at their heeles, and some of them within the gate. Which thing when Reimond saw, and considering also with himselfe what a di|stresse and perill he and all his were in, suddenlie turneth backe his face vpon his enimies; and the first of them which entred, he ranne him thorough with his sword (or as some saie claue his head asun|der) and then with a lowd voice cried out to his com|panie to be of a good comfort. Who forthwith as they turned and stood most manfullie to their defense: so their enimies also being dismaied and afraid at the death of that one man, they all fled and ranne awaie: and then they which in this doubtfull chance of fight, were thought should be vanquished and cleane ouerthrowne, suddenlie became to be the victors and conquerors. And these sharpelie then pursued their enimies, who were scattered abroad in the plaines and out of arraie; that in a verie short time and space they slue aboue fiue hundred per|sons: and being wearie with killing, they cast a great number of those whome they had taken priso|ners headlong from the rocks into the sea, and so drowned them. In this fight and seruice a gentle|man named William Ferand did most valiantlie acquit himselfe. For albeit he were but of a weake bodie, yet was he of a verie stout stomach & courage: he was diseased and sicke of the leprosie, and there|fore desirous rather to die valiantlie, than to liue in miserie: and for that cause would and did ad|uenture himselfe in places where most perill and danger was and séemed to be; thinking it good with a glorious death to preuent the gréefe and lothsom|nesse of a gréeuous disease.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Thus fell the pride of Waterford, thus decaied their strength and force, and thus began the ruine and ouerthrow of that citie, which as it bred a great hope and consolation to the Englishmen; so was it the cause of a great desperation and terror to the eni|mies. It was a strange matter and neuer heard of before in those parties, that so great a slaughter should be made by so small a number: neuerthelesse by euill counsell and too much crueltie, the En|glishmen abused their good successe and fortune. For hauing gotten the victorie, they saued seuentie of the best citizens, whom they kept prisoners; and for the ransome or redemption of these, they might haue had either the citie of Waterford yeelded & surren|dred vnto them, or such a masse of monie as they would themselues. But Herueie of Mount Moris (who came ouer with three gentlemen of seruice, and ioined with his countrimen and Reimonds) being both of contrarie minds, striued the one with the o|ther, what were best to be doone héerein.

(1) Dundonolfe is a rocke standing in the coun|tie of Waterford vpon the sea side, lieng east from the citie of Waterford about eight English miles, and is from the towne of Wexford about twelue miles, lieng southwards from the same: it is now a strong castell, and apperteining to the ancient house of the Powers of Kilmaithen, & called by the name of Dundorogh.

(2) The citie of Waterford or Guaterford, na|med sometimes (as Ptolomeus writeth) Manapia, is a faire, ancient, and honorable citie, standing vpon the south side of the riuer of Sure, which fléeteth fast by the walles thereof, and was first builded by one named Sitaratus, one of the thrée princes which came out of the east parts to inhabit that land. It was at the first but a small pile, lieng in forme of a long triangle, but since & of late times inlarged by the citizens & inhabitants of the same. It is the chée|fest emporium in a manner of all that land, and standeth chéeflie vpon the trade of merchandize, they themselues being not onelie great trauellers into forren nations, but also great resort and dailie con|courses of strangers are to it. Concerning the go|uernement, order, state and seruice of this citie, and of sundrie other things incident to the same, are at large described in the later historie of this land.