12.1. The earle is sent backe againe into Ire|land, and is made generall of the land, and Reimond is ioined in com|mission with him. Chap. 1.

The earle is sent backe againe into Ire|land, and is made generall of the land, and Reimond is ioined in com|mission with him. Chap. 1.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _ERle Richard, be|ing now returned into Ireland, the people there being aduertised of the great trubles which were beyond the seas, they being a people constant on|lie in inconstancie, firme in wauering and faithfull in vn|truths; these (I say) and all the princes of that land, the earle at his com|ming found to be reuolted and to become rebels. For the recouerie and suppressing of whom, the earle then wholie bestirred himselfe; and at length hauing spent and consumed all his treasure, which he had brought ouer with him, his soldiors who were vnder the guiding of Herueie being then constable, lacked their wages and were vnpaid: and by reason of the emulation betwéaene Herueie and Reimond, the ser|uice and exploits to be doon against the Irishrie was verie slacke and slender; and by that meanes they wanted such preies and spoiles of neat and cattell as they were w [...]nt to haue for their vittels. The souldiors in this distresse, wanting both monie for their wages and vittels for their food, assembled themselues and went vnto the earle, vnto whome with one voice they exclamed and said; that vnlesse he would make and appoint Reimond to be their capteine againe, they would without all doubt for|sake him, and would either returne home againe, or (that which is worse) would go and serue vnder the enimies.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 In this distresse was Reimond appointed the cap|teine, & forthwith hauing mustered his souldiers, he made a rode or iourneie into Ophalia vpon the re|bels there, where he tooke great preies, and were well recouered as well in horsse as in armor. From thense they marched to Lismore, where when they had spoi|led both the towne and countrie, they returned with great booties, taking the waie vnto Waterford by the sea side: and being come to the sea shores, where they found thirteene botes latelie come from Wa|terford, as also others of other places; all these they laded with their pretes, minding to haue passed by water vnto Waterford. But tarieng there for a wind, the men of Corke, who had heard of their doo|ings, and being but sixtéene miles from them, doo pre|pare two and thirtie barks of their owne towne, and doo well man and furnish them, being wholie deter|mined to set vpon Reimond, and if they can to giue him the ouerthrow; which they did: betwéene whom was a cruell fight, the one part giuing a fierce onset with stones and spaths, & the other defending them|selues with bowes and weapons. In the end the men of Corke were ouercome, and their capteine named Gilbert Mac Turger was there slaine by a lustie yoong gentleman named Philip Welsh. And then Adam Herford, who was the generall or admerall of that nauie, being well increased and laden with great preies, sailed with great triumph to the citie of Waterford.

But Reimond himselfe was not present at this fight vpon the water, and yet hearing thereof, he came in all hast and marched towards them, taking his waie by the sea side, hauing in his companie twentie gentlemen, and thréescore horssemen. And by the waie in his iourneie he met with Dermond Mac Artie prince of Desmond, who was comming with a great band of men to helpe and rescue the men of Corke where they fought togither: but in the end Mac Artie had the worse side, and was ouer|throwne; and then Reimond hauing preied and taken about foure thousand head of neat, he marched and came to Waterford. About this time also as they marched homewards, certeine Irishmen in those parties lieng skulking & lurking in the woods, when the preies and cattell passed by, they issued out, tooke and carried awaie certeine of the cattell in|to the woods, wherevpon the crie was vp, and came us farre as Waterford. Wherevpon the souldiers and most part of the garison issued out, among whom Meilerius was the best and most forward. For he being come to the woods, and hauing in his compa|nie then onelie one souldier, put spur to the horsse, and aduentured in the woods, following the Irish|men (by the abetting of the souldier who was with him) euen to the furthest & thickest part of the woods: where he was so farre entered, that he was in dan|ger of the enimie: and the souldier being not able to retire was there taken, killed and hewed in péeces. Meilerius then séeing himselfe to be inuironed round about with the enimies, and he in the like pe|rill as the other was, bicause he alone against a thou|sand was neither able to rescue his man, nor helpe himselfe, but in danger to be taken as was the o|ther, like a valiant gentleman draweth his sword, and with a lustie courage, euen in despite of their téeth maketh waie through them. And such as set vp|on him he spared not, but cut off an arme of this man, a hand of that man, a head of one, and a shoul|der of another, & he escaped throughout them with|out anie harme or hurt to his owne bodie, sauing that he brought two darts in his shield, and thrée in his horsse.

12.2. The ouerthrow giuen by the Irish|men against the souldiers which came from Dublin; and what the Osto|men were, of whom mention is made here and elsewhere. Chap. 2.

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The ouerthrow giuen by the Irish|men against the souldiers which came from Dublin; and what the Osto|men were, of whom mention is made here and elsewhere. Chap. 2.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 WHen these things were thus done, & the souldiers well refreshed by the booties and preies taken vpon the water and the land, Reimond being aduertised that his father William Fitzgerald was dead, he tooke shipping and passed ouer into Wales, there to take seisen, and to enter into the land descended vnto him. And in his absence Heruie was againe made lieutenant of the armie: who in the absence of Reimond, thinking to doo some seruice and notable exploit, bringeth the earle vnto Cashill; and for their better strength and further helpe, sent his commandement vnto Dub|lin, that the souldiers there should come and méet them; who according came foorth: and in the iourneie they passed thorough Ossorie, where on a certeine night they lodged themselues. Donald then prince of Limerike, a man verie wise in his nation, hauing vnderstanding by his priuie espials of their cõming, suddenlie and vnwares verie earlie in the morning with a great force and companie stale vpon them, and slue of them foure gentlemen which were cap|teins, and foure hundred (1) Ostomen in this sore dis|comfiture.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The earle as soone as he heard hereof, with great sorrow & heauinesse returned vnto Waterford. By means of this mishap, the Irishmen in euerie place tooke such a heart and comfort, that the whole nation with one consent and agréement rose vp against the Englishmen, and the earle as it were a man besie|ged, kept himselfe within the wals and citie of Wa|terford, and from whence he mooued not. But Rotho|rike Oconor prince of Connagh, comming and pas|sing ouer the riuer of Shenin, thinking now to reco|uer all Meth, inuadeth the same with sword and fire, and spoileth, burneth, and destroieth the same, & all the whole countrie euen to the hard walles of Dublin, leauing no castell standing or vndestroied.

(1) These Ostomen were not Irishmen, but yet of long continuance in Ireland. Some saie they came first out of Norwaie, and were called Osto|men, that is to saie Easterlings, or Easterne men, bicause that countrie lieth East in respect of Eng|land and Ireland. Some thinke they were Saxons and Normans; but whatsoeuer they were, they were merchants and vsed the trade of merchandize, and in peaceable maner they came into Ireland; and there being landed they found such fauour with the Irish|rie, that they licenced them to build hauen townes wherein they might dwell & vse their traffike. These men builded the ancientest and most part of the ci|ties and towns vpon or néere the sea side within that land; as namelie Dublin, Waterford, Corke, Lime|rike, and others. And albeit they in processe of time grew to be mightie and strong, and for their safetie did build townes and castels: yet they durst not to dwell among the Irish people, but still continued and kept themselues within their owne townes and forts, and thereof they are and were called since townesmen. And of them were these, being the inhabitants of Dublin, which came to méet the earle, and were thus slaine.

12.3. The returning of Reimond into Ire|land, and how he maried Basilia the sister vnto the earle. Chap. 3.

The returning of Reimond into Ire|land, and how he maried Basilia the sister vnto the earle. Chap. 3.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 THe earle then seeing himselfe to be now in great distresse, and in a narrow streict, taketh aduise with his fréends and councel|lors what were best to be doone. At length, as vnto his last refuge, he sendeth his letters to Rei|mond being yet in Wales, to this effect.

As soone as you haue read these our letters, make all the hast you can to come awaie, and bring with you all the helpe and force that you can make: and then according to your owne will and desire, you shall assuredlie and immediatlie vpon your comming haue and marrie my sister Basilia.

Reimond; as soone as he had readthese letters, he was forthwith in hast to be gone, and thought it long yer he could be gone; not onlie in re|spect of the faire ladie, whom he had long wooed, lo|ued, and desired; but also that he might helpe and suc|cour his lord and maister in this distresse and neces|sitie. Wherefore he maketh preparation accordinglie, and by means of friendship and otherwise, he had gotten thirtie lustie yoong gentlemen of his owne coosins and kindred, and one hundred horssemen; as also thrée hundred footmen and bowmen of the best and chosen men in all Wales: all which were in a readinesse to go with him. And as soone as the ship|ping for them was readie, and the wind seruing, he and his coosin Meilerius, with all the said companie tooke the seas, and shortlie after arriued in twentie barks vnto (1) Waterford.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 At the verie same time the townesmen of Wa|terford, being in a verie great rage and furie against the Englishmen there, were fullie minded and deter|mined to haue killed them all wheresoeuer they could find them. But when they saw these barks comming in with their flags, hanging to their top masts, which to them were vnknowne, they were astonied at their so sudden comming, and their deuises were dashed. Reimond foorthwith entered the towne with all his companie; and when all things were quieted and ap|peased, he & the earle went from thense vnto Wex|ford, with all their force and strength, leauing behind one (2) Precell or Purcell his lieutenant at Water|ford. But he verie shortlie minding to follow after the earle, tooke a boat, and as he passed ouer the riuer of the Sure, the maister of the boat and his compa|nie which were townesmen of Waterford, slue this Purcell, and those few whom he had then attending vpon him. Which murther when they had thus doone, they returned to the citie, and there without all pitie or mercie, spared neither man, nor woman, nor child; but slue as manie as they could find in the streets, houses, or anie other places. Howbeit the citie it selfe was safelie kept by such as were then in Reinolds tower, who draue the traitors out of the citie, as also in the end compelled them to yéeld and submit them|selues, and to intreat for peace, which they hardlie ob|teined, both with an euill credit and harder condi|tions.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 But Reimond still mindfull of the promise made vnto him, and he languishing vntill the same were performed, would not depart from out of Wexford, vntill messengers were sent to (3) Dublin to fetch and bring his louer Basilia to (4) Wexford to be ma|ried vnto him. Which being doone, and he maried, they spent all that daie and night in feastings & pastimes. And as they were in their most iollitie, newes was brought vnto them, how that Rothorike prince of Connagh had destroied, wasted, & spoiled all Meth, and was entred into the borders of Dublin. Where|vpon EEBO page image 35 Reimond on the next morrow, setting apart and giuing ouer all wedding pastimes, mustereth all his souldiors, and without anie delaiengs mar|cheth towards the enimies. But Rothorike who had before tried his valiantnesse, and experimented his force, hearing of his comming, and not minding to trie or abide the same, retireth backe, and getteth him to his owne home and countrie. Then Reimond re|couereth againe all those countries, and foorthwith causeth all the forts and castels then before pulled downe and defaced, to be now reedified and repared, as also the castels of Trim, and of Dunlences in Meth, of which Hugh Tirell was before the cone|stable, and for want of rescue and helpe compelled to leaue and forsake them. And thus by the means of Reimond, all things being recouered and restored to their former and pristine estate, the whole land for feare of him continued a good time in peace and rest.

(1) There is great varietie in such bookes and ex|amples as I haue, and which I doo follow in this point: some writing that Reimond did not land at Waterford, but at Wexford; and the tumult there being appeased, he went from thense vnto Water|ford, and brought the earle vnto Wexford. Some write againe (as is aforesaid) that he landed at Wa|terford, and not at Wexford: but hauing saluted the earle, appeased the tumult, and set all things in or|der, he conducted the earle and the whole armie ouer land vnto Wexford. Although there be some vari|ance in the exemplars, yet concerning the substance of the historie it is not materiall.

(2) There is also a varietie in the exemplars of this name; some write Fricellus, and some write Pricellus, and some Pircellus, or Purcell; it is like to be Purcell, for they of that name were seruitors in this conquest, and for their good seruice they were rewarded with lands and territories, and who are yet remaining about or néere the citie, and in the countie of Waterford.

(3) It is certeine that this Basilia abode at Du|blin, but whether she were there married or at Wex|ford it is doubted. Some hold opinion, that Reimond after that he had met and also saluted the erle, they foorthwith hearing the countries in Leinster, and es|peciallie about Dublin to be in an vprore, marched thither straitwaie without anie staie. And there Rei|mond as a lustie soldior in his armor married the la|die Basilia, and they issued with aduantage vpon the enimie. But the writer of best credit saith that the marriage was at Wexford.