12.13. The succouring of the garrison at Limerike. Chap. 13.

The succouring of the garrison at Limerike. Chap. 13.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 REimond hauing receiued the kings de|termination by the foresaid foure messen|gers, prepared all things in a readinesse for his passage ouer accordinglie, and nothing wanted therevnto but onelie a west wind. But be|fore the same happened, messengers came from the garrison at Limerike, aduertising that Donold prince of Thomond had besieged the citie round a|bout with a great armie, and that their vittels which they had in the towne, aswell that which they found at their comming thither, as also what so euer was else prouided, were all spent and consu [...]ed; and there|fore requested that they might with all spéed be rescu|ed and holpen. The earle, who was verie sorie & pen| [...]ife for these newes, and deuising all the waies he could to helpe them, caused a muster to be taken of all his souldiers; who were so gréeued for the going awaie and departure of Reimond, that they vtter|lie denied and refused to go and to serue that waie, vnles Reimond were their capteine and lieutenant. Wherevpon they tooke aduise with the kings messen|gers what were best to he doone in this distresse. At length it was thought best, that Reimond should take the enterprise in hand; and he though verie loth, yet at the request of the earle and the foresaid gentle|men, yéeldeth himselfe to that seruice, and marched foorth toward Limerike, hauing with him foure score gentlemen of seruice, two hundred horsmen, & thrée hundred archers, besides Morogh of Kencile, and Donold of Ossorie, and certeine other Irishmen, who serued and attended him. And as he was marching and comming toward Cashill, tidings was brought him that the prince of Thomond had raised his siege and was comming towards him to méet him, and was now come to the passe of Cashill: which passe al|though naturallie of it selfe it were verie strong, yet by means of new trenching, plashing of trées, and making of hedges, it was made so strong, that no horsmen could either enter or passe through the same.

12.14. The oration of Donold to his soldiers, the recouerie of the citie of Limerike. Chap. 14.

The oration of Donold to his soldiers, the recouerie of the citie of Limerike. Chap. 14.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 REimond being now almost come to the place where his enemies late, diuided his hoast or armie into thrée parts or compa|nies, and determined to giue the onset or aduenture. Wherevpon Donold prince of Ossorie, who was a mortall enimie to the prince of Thomond, and now verie desirous that some good exploit shuld be doone; and beholding the Englishmen now also set in good araie, for though they were but few in number in respect of the others, yet they were p [...]ked men, valiant and couragions: he also to incourage them, to shew themselues like valiant men, vseth and maketh these spéeches vnto them. Yee worthie, noble, and valiant conquerors of this land, you are this daie valiantlie to giue the onset vpon your eni|mies, which if you doo after your old and accustomed maner, no doubt the victorie will be yours; for ws with our spars, and you with your swords, will so sharplie them pursue, as they shall verie hardlie es|cape our hands, and auoid our force. But if it so fall out, which God forbid, that you be ouerthrowne and haue the woorsse side: be you assured that we will leaue you and turne to our enimies, and take part with them. Wherefore be of good courages, and looke well to your selues, and consider that you are now far from anie fort or place of refuge, and therefore if you should be driuen to flee, the same will be long and dangerous to you: as for vs yée may not trust vnto vs, for we are determined to sticke to them who shall haue the victorie, and will pursue and be on the tacks of them who shall flée and run awaie; and ther|fore be no longer assured of vs than whilest yee be conquerors. Meilerius who had the fore ward, hea|ring these words, being warmed with the same, sud|denlie like a hurling and a blustering wind entered into the passe, pulled downe the fastnesse, and brake downe the hedges, and so made waie, with no small slaughter of the enimies, whereby the passe was re|couered and the enimies ouercome. And they then marched without perill vnto Limerike, where they entered the third daie in the Easter wéeke, being on tuesdaie. And as the first conquest of Limerike was vpon a tuesdaie, so was the second also, where for a time they staied, and restored all things by the eni|mies before spoiled, & set the same in good order. The enimies finding themselues to be too weake, and that it was better to bow than to breake, practise to haue a parlée and a communication with Reimond: & in the end the messengers of Rothorike king of Con|nagh, and of Donold of Thomond, did obteine the same; and a parlée was appointed for them both, which was in one daie, but not in one place; for Rothorike of Connagh came by boates vpon the riuer of She|nin, as far as the great logh of Dirigid, & there stai|ed. And Donold not far from thense kept himselfe and his companie in a certeine wood. But Reimond chose a place not far from [...]illaloo, which is about sea|uentéene miles from Limerike, and in the midle be|twéene them both. The parlée betweene these conti|nued a pretie while, but in the end both kings submit|ted & yéelded themselues, gaue hostages, made s [...]al|tie, and were sworne to be true from thensefoorth for euer, to the king of England and to his heires.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 These things thus doone and concluded, Reimond returneth in great triumph and iolitie vnto Lime|rike. And by and by there came messengers vnto him from Dermon Mac Artie prince of Desmond, praieng and requesting him to aid and helpe him, EEBO page image 40 being the king of Englands faithfull and leige man against his eldest sonne Cormon Olechan, who went about to driue and expell him out of his land and dominion: & promised him good interteinment both for himselfe and for his souldiors for the same. Reimond nothing refusing the offer, and verie desi|rous of honor, taketh aduise of his fréends and com|panions; and by all their consents, the iorneie to|wards Corke was liked. Wherevpon Reimond dis|plaieth his banner, and marcheth thitherwards, and taketh by the waie great preies and booties of neat, cattell, and other things: of the cattels he sent a good portion backe vnto Limerike for vittelling of that citie; & in the end he conquered the whole countrie, subdued the rebellious sonne, and restored Dermon the prince to his estate and right. And thus by reason of Reimond Mac Artie, he was restored and recoue|red, who otherwise had beene in vtter despaire, and out of all remedie. And now to recompense his son Rormach, who before this, by waie of a peace and an intreatie, both vniustlie & guilefullie had taken and imprisoned him, he to acquite guile with guile, and the like with the like, tooke his sonne and cast him in|to prison, and not long after smote off his head.

12.15. The death of the earle Strangbow. Chap. 15.

The death of the earle Strangbow. Chap. 15.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 WHilest these things were thus adooing in Desmond, there came a messenger in all hast from Dublin, with letters to Rei|mond from his wife Basilia, the effect whereof the messenger knew not. These letters Rei|mond foorthwith deliuered to a familiar fréend of his to read them vnto him secretlie, and apart from all others, the tenure of them was as followeth. To Reimond hir most louing lord and husband, his The ladie Basilias let|ter to hir hus|band Rei|mond. owne Basilia wisheth health as to hir selfe. Know yee my déere lord that my great cheeketooth, which was woont to ake so much, is now fallen out; where|fore if yée haue anie care or regard of me, or of your selfe, come awaie with all spéed. Reimond hauing considered of this letter, did by the falling of the tooth fullie coniecture the death of the earle, for he laie ve|rie sicke at Dublin before his comming awaie from thense. But he being thus deceased, which was about the kalends of Iune, they at Dublin did what they could to kéepe the same secret, for feare and in doubt of the Irishmen, vntill that Reimond were come with his band of souldiers vnto them. Reimond himselfe foorthwith returned vnto Lime|rike: and notwithstanding he were verie sorrie and much gréeued with this newes, yet dissembling the same, and bearing it out with a good countenance, would not nor did vtter or disclose it to anie bodie, sauing to a few wise and discréet men of his famili|ars and trustie councellors. And then vpon good ad|uise and deliberation had among them, it was con|cluded and agréed vpon, that forsomuch as the earle was dead, and that Reimond also was to depart a|waie ouer into England; that the citie of Lime|rike which was so farre remoted and in the middle of manie enimies, should for the time be left, and the garrison to be conducted and brought from thense in|to Leinster, for the defense and safe keeping of the townes and forts vpon the sea coasts. There Rei|mond full much against his will yéelded to this their aduise and counsell, being much gréeued that ha|uing taken paines to recouer the citie of Limerike, he was now neither able to kéepe it himselfe, nor yet had any to leaue behind him, who would take charge vpon him. But at length he sent for Donald prince of Thomond, being the kings baron & sworne sub|iect, and vnto him he committed the custodie and charge of the citie: who foorthwith pretending all truth and fidelitie was contented therewith; and did not onelie put in hostages, but also tooke a corpo|rall oth, and was solemnlie sworne for the safe kee|ping and the restitution of the same at the kings will and pleasure, as also in the meane time to kéepe the peace.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Then Reimond and all his companie departed and went awaie: but they had not so soone passed o|uer the one end of the bridge, but that the other end was forthwith broken downe, euen at their heeles; and the citie which was well walled, defended and vittelled, was set on fire in foure sundrie parts, which they saw and beheld with no small greefe of mind. The false traitor then openlie shewing and teaching what credit was to be giuen thenseforth to the Irish nation, who so wickedlie, impudentlie, and perfidi|ouslie did periure themselues. The king of England not long after, being aduertised héereof, is said to haue thus said: Noble was the enterprise in the gi|uing of the first aduenture vpon the citie, but grea|ter was the rescuing and recouering thereof a|gaine: but it was onelie wisedome, when they left and forsooke it. Reimond then returned vnto Du|blin with his whole garrison in safetie, and then the erle, whose corps by his commandement was reser|ued vntill Reimonds comming, was buried in the church of the Trinitie at Dublin, before the rood there, by the appointment of Laurence the archbi|shop, who did execute all the funerall seruices and obsequies.