In the tẏm̄ē þat this was so, was in prison̛ with þe prince of wales, a knygℏt þat heght Robert Stefenes-son̛, þat som̛ tym̛ had y-be constable of aƚƚ south walys, & many il turnes had idon̄e vpon̛ þe princes men̛ whan̛ þay any thẏnge mysdeden̄; & þrogℏ traison̛ of his own̄e men̛ he was I-take & delyuered̛ to the prince; & þre yer̛ he was I-hold̛ in prisonne ar Macmorgℏ theder cam̛. Oft þe prince hym̛ profred̛ to delyuer hym̛ out of prison̛, so þat he wold̛ be his helppe to werry vp-on̛ þe kynge; bot Robert was a trew man̛, & for no tynge wold̛ do thynge wher-of he myght be þer-after I-wyted̛ of wntrowtℏ. Than̛—þrogℏ besechẏnge of þe bisshope & of Moryce fitz-Geraud, þat weren̛ Robertes two bretheren̛ on his moþer half,—he was delyuered̛ owt of prison̛ on this manere: þat he & Morice his brother shold, þe next somer, wend̛ in-to Irland̛, with ar power̛ to helppe Macmorgℏ; & he shold̛ hym yeue þe ton̛ of weysford̛, with þe twey next cantredes; & of this was good sekernes Imaked on ether̛ half. ¶ Whan̛ this thyngMS. kyng. was aƚƚ thus bespokene, Macmorgℏ ne myght no lengere suffre þat he ne most to his land̛ wend̛, thegℏ he ne fond nat þe aduentures þat he soght, sucℏ as hẏme lif wer̛, ne non other power̛ he ne broght with hym̛ than he out ladde. He had shippe redy, and̛ good̛ wynd̛, and passed̛ ouer in-to Irland̛, & boldly arẏued in lond þer he had many fomen̛ and fewe frendes. from̛ þe see he went to fernes; and weƚƚ simply he lyued̛ þer aƚƚ þe wynttyr̛ with the Clergie of þe chircℏ, wiche weƚƚ fayr̛ hym̛ vndrefynge, and by hare power̛ to hym̛ & to his, fonden̛ þat hame was nede.

Vnder that tyme, Robert Steunes-son̛ hym̄ dyght to wend in-to Irland, as a man̛ þat on aƚƚ maner wold̛ hold̛ lawfully his trowthe and̛ his behest . he hade purueied hym̛ of xxxti knyghtes and̛ lx skyers, & ccc of foot-men̛ with bowes and arowes; and̛ knyghtes and þe skyers weƚƚ I-horsed̛ and weƚƚ y-wepened̛, aƚƚ of his own̛ kyne and of his owne nurtur̛. Thaydidden̛ hame to saiƚƚ att send dauyes, and arẏueden̛ at Banow in Irlaund̛, weƚƚ vnsikere on euery halfe. thay vncharged hare shippes, & made ham̛ loges on lond. Thane was fulfilled a prophecie þat merlyn̛ seid of this commynge: "A knygℏt with party armes shaƚƚ formost breke þe clos of Irland̛." Sucℏ armes bare þat Robert. he send son̛ to Dermod Macmorgℏ, and didde hym̛ to witt of his commynge; and̛ þe thedynge spronge fort son̛ into alƚ þe lond̛, what folke was to hym̛ Icom̛. and of þo that to-for hym̛ hade I-left, and litiƚƚ told̛ by hym̛, commyn son̛ to hym̛, so þat he had I-gadered̛ fywe hundred̛ men̛. he wentt witt this folk to þe Englysse-men̛; and when þay com̛ to-geddr̛, euery of ham̛ was the gladder̛ for other. Ther was the forward̛ meued bethwen̛ ham̛, and othes y-swor̛, and̛ sekernesse I-made to conferme aƚƚ þe forward, as hit there-by-for was purueied by-for the prince of wales.

Whan this sekernesse was thus y-maked, þese twey maner folkes, witℏ oon̛ wiƚƚ, and̛ with oon̛ hert, with Baners i-lacet, nam the wey toward̛ weysford̛. The men̛ of þe self ton̛ weren̛ ywar̛ of har̛ commyng, and̛ tok ham̛ to rede—for þe tother weren̛ so few, & day so many—that þaẏ wold figtℏ with ham̛ in þe pleyne felde. They cam̛ owt of the ton̛ arraied̛ on har maner; bot whan þay sawe the Englismen̛, with hors I-helled̛ with yren̛ harnes, ham̛-self weƚƚ I-wepned̛ with haubergeons, and̛ Bright helmes and sheldes, wicℏ the sawe neuer þer-to-for, they toke a-nother̛ rede, and̛ turned̛ ayeyn̛ to ton̛; & aƚƚ þat was with-owt þe walles, thay sett a-fyr and̛ brent, & redied̛ ham̛ to hold̛ ham̛ with-yne the wallẏs with streynthe. Robert with his men̛ went strongly for to assayƚƚ to ton̛, & sette the bowmen̛ for to wer the fight of the kernels, and̛ turned̛ the wepned̛ men̛ to fill þe diches. thay with-yn defendet ham̛ stalwarthly with stonnes and̛ stakes, wher-of they wer I-warned̛, and wer many I-hurt whit-yn and̛ eke with-out, so that thay with-out mosten nedes leue of the assaut, & withdraw ham̛. Among ham̛ was a yong knyght þat het Robert de Barry, þat drogℏ yong blodes hete, and̛ for hys stalwardnes, reght nat of his lif: as he wold̛ with þe formoste passe ouer the wall, he hent a dynt with a greth stone vpon þeheued̛ al with the helme, þat he fel doun yn the ground̛ of þe dicℏ; & vnnethes he was I-draw vp throgℏ his felowes, þat mycℏ put har lyf in aduentur̛ for to saw his lif. The cry was weƚƚ gret on euery syde, for this knyght þat thus was I-hurt. Thay with-drow ham̛ fro the wallys and̛ wenten ham̛ to þe strond̛; and̛ aƚƚ þe shippes þat þay þer fond̛, thay settene a-fyre. And.O.shippe þer was, that was I-com̛ owt of Brittayne aftyr cheffar̛, and̛ was y-charget with whet & with wynes, and̛ lay I-ancred in the hauene: the best parte of the englismen̛ wenten̛ with bottes and̛ toke his shippe. þe shippmen̛ werne many, and̛ saw that þer weren bot a few englys in the shippe, & the wynd̛ was of þe lond̛; thay cutte the cabƚe of the ankre, and̛ þe wynd̛ bare the shippe in toward̛ the see: her fellowes saw this, and̛ wenten̛ after with bottys; and̛ vnnethe with rowyng, and̛ with gret peril of all har lyues, þay come ayeyn to lond. Macmorgℏ saw this, & weren̛ sore amaied, for thay wend̛ neuer more þat on of ham shold̛ haw com̛ to lond̛ a-lyue. The assaut was I-left all þat day. A-morowe, whan masse was I-herd̛, al þe host þay wentene to the assaut wislyere and̛ warliere þan thay didden̄ the day befor, and strusten as weƚƚ to sleght as to streyntℏ. The mēn̄ of the tōn̄ saw̄ē ham commyng, and wer rigℏt sor̛ aferd̛ that day shold nat withstond the assaute, and vndrestonden al-so that with wronġ daẏ holden aẏaẏn her lord̛; thaẏ tok ham to red, and besoghten pees; & drogℏ be-sechẏnġe of twe bissoppes, that þat tẏm weren with-yn the toun, and other possibƚe men al-so with ham, thay yolden ham̛ al to Macmorgh; and four̛ hostages, the best þat he wold̛ chese, delyuered to hym̛ for the pees, and trywly with hym for to hold̛ frome þat tẏm forward, as har kyndly lord. Macmorgh, as wise & war̛, ffor-thy that he wold̛ that þe out-commyn men shold̛ haw the bettre hert, and wiƚƚ, hym̛ for to serue, he bethoght þat, of the fyrst good aduentur̛ þat hẏm was befall, þay that best weren worthy shold̛ hawe har̛ parte, and þe host. Al þe ton of weysford, with twey cantredes aller-next, he yaf to Robert, steuenes sone, and to Morice fitz-Geraud̛, as forward̛ was to-for̛ maked; othere thwey cantredes he yaf heruy of Mountmorthy,—neghest thay tweyn on the syd toward Waterford,—a knygℏt þatcom̛ in that same flote, hym þriddesum of knyghtes, and com̛ þrogℏ the Erle Richard, more for to spẏe the lond̛ than to fight.

a small w is inside the V.Vhan this was thus I-don al after har̛ wiƚƚ, they tok with hame the folk of weysford̛, and̛ wenten ham̛ toward̛ Ossery, with ferd̛ as myght by tre thousant men̛; and was than prince of Ossory, Macdonenild̛, a mān̄ þat was Macmorogh switℏ lotℏ and aƚƚ his mēn̄, for mẏcℏ shame that thay had hym i-do. At þe begẏnynge, as thay com̛ in-to the contrey, in narrow weys drogℏ woddes and̛ mores, thay fonden the men̛ of the contrey stalwartℏ for to defend̛ har̛ lond̛; & mycℏ tene ham̛ didde, ar that daẏ myght take the pleyne; and̛ eke into the pleẏn thay folwed̛ ham̛ fuƚƚ freslẏ. the horsman̛ saw this, and̛ turned manly vp-on ham, & anoon slowen right many of ham̛, & discomfited̛ ham̛ euerychone. And̛ thay þat þe horsmen̛ kest to ground̛ with speres and̛ with swerdes, þe yrisshe fotemen̛ smotene of the heddes. Whan þe slagℏt was aƚƚ I-do, and̛ har enẏmẏes aƚƚ ouer-comen, thay broghten weƚƚ ccc heudesheuedes, heads., and kesten at Macmorgh feet. he be-held̛ ham̛, & tried euerẏ of ham̛ bẏ ham̛-self, for to know hame, & hild̛ vp his handes and̛ tanked̛ god almyghtẏ ful Inwardly. Oon hede ther was, a-monge þe other̛, of a man that he ouer-dede and̛ mycℏ hated; he name hit be the heer̛ and̛ by the eers, and̛ with girslicℏ bit, as no man̛ ne oweth to done; with his teetℏ he karue of his nose and̛ botℏ lippes. There-after þeẏ wenten̛ forther̛ into the contrey, slowen, robeden, and branden full manly al þat hame withstonden, in-to the tẏm the prince of Ossory, by consaiƚƚ of his men̛, send̛ to ham̛, & be-soght pees: the pees was graunted̛ whan he hit bẏsoght, vp-on good ostages, and̛ othes I-swer̛, þat he, to his lord̛ Macmorgℏ, shold̛ be trew, and̛ trowth hold̛, trẏwly serue fro that tẏme forward̛. in these fightes as in manẏ othere, thogℏ that in the englishe host noon wer̛ bot good and stalward̛, Robert þe Barr̛ and Meiler fiz-henrẏ weren thaẏ that best deden. Thaẏ weren both ẏong knyghtes, and Robert Steuenes-sonnes neues; the oon his brother̛ sone, the other̛ his susteres sone; of diuerse maners, bothbut. of hardnes & of stalworthnesmostdele al I-lẏcℏ; ffor Meyler was a man̛ that ouer mycℏ desyred̛ to be I-preisede, and þat men̛ sholden mẏcℏ speke of his stalwardnes, and preisen hym. Robert was kẏndlẏe, hardy, & stalwarde, and euer with the forthmost in euery fight and in euery peril, bot he hatede notynge so mycℏ as that me shold̛ spek of his stalwardnes, ne hyme preiese. The whill the host was thus in Ossory, befel þat þay weren̛ a nẏght I-loget in an old̛ casteƚƚ, & aboute; and̛ these tweẏn, as har̛ wone was, weren botℏ I-hosted to-gedderes: ffer̛ with-yn nyght come an host vp-on ham, of so mycℏ folk as thegℏ hit were fele thousand̛, on euerẏ side smẏtynge vp the host as they wolden in wode raas ferly ouersaiƚƚ hame, al, with wepne rẏngẏnge, speres and̛ sparthes ruthlynge to-geddre, with cryynge so gryslẏ that noon ende was of helf far̛, as hoftMS. host.-sithes was wonet to be-faƚƚ in ostynges in Irland̛; of whicℏe frightnes the most parte of the oste was so aferd̛, that þay floweMS. slowe. and hidden ham̛, some in wodnes, som in mores. These twey stalward̛ mēn̄ henten har̛ wepene, & lep to hors, and wenten a-noon to Robertes tentes, (Steuenes sone,) and̛ cryed vp-on har̛ felowes þat day sholden withstond̛, and̛ tak hert to hame, and̛ defend̛ ham-self; bot few ther̛ wer̛ that so diden, til they saw that this crie and̛ þe noise was all I-left, & nas bot fantasy. Whan the host hem gaddred ayaẏn to-geddre, thaẏ wer̛ fuƚƚ sor̛ ashamet that thay so arglẏ put ham to flight, and̛ mycℏ speche was amonge ham, and̛ manẏ, hadden gret enuẏ, and̛ mẏch wonder toght of Robert de barr̛, that whan the host was in so gret frightnes, he was that man̛ þat stydfastlẏ most hẏm held, and̛ most hẏm entised for to witℏstond̛ and̛ fight; and̛ amonge aƚƚ the goode thewes that in hym weren, þis inamliche is i-told̛ of hẏm, that for no violence ne ferlẏ aduentur̛ þat hym mẏght betid, he was neuer whan-hopefully argh, ne aferd̛, ne amayed̛ of hert, ne shamefully ne didde hym to flight, bot euer mor̛ he was I-licℏ redy to weppen and̛ to defend̛ hym-self, and̛ to helpen all oþer; he the formost knẏght that in this conqueste of Irland̛ first receyued̛ dẏnt and̛ hurtẏng in battaill. A wonder̛ was of that fantasye: A-morowe whan̛ hit was daẏ, I the place, ther this folk I-seẏe smẏten vp-on hame, the wedes and̛ the grasethat stoden al euen vp-right, thay lay aƚƚ I-drow a-doune and I-cast to grond̛.This grass, &c. only in Harl. MS. 177. Op. v. 236.

As this was on this maner I-don̛, the tythẏnges sprongen in-to al Irland̛ hwow Macmorgℏ conquered his lond̛ vpon his men, and̛ that no man myght hym withstond̛ for out-comen men that he lade with hym. Roryk O'Concowr̛ of Connaght, that was that tẏm kynge of al Irland̛, vndrestod hẏm, and̛ toght in his hert the gret peril that myght be-faƚƚ hẏm and̛ al the lond̛ folk, drogℏ the owt-comen folk þat was thus in-to the land̛ I-com̛; he sent his messagers to al the gret men̛ of the lond̛, and̛ in a lityll whiƚƚ gaddred ham to-geddre to a parlement, and̛ tok ham to rede that euery on his half shold̛ gaddre al the power̛ þat they myght, for to wer̛ vpon Macmorgℏ. And as hit was purueied, so hit was don̛; Thay assemblet so many hostes and̛ so mẏch folk on euery half, that noon end̛ was, and̛ comen̛ to Okenselẏ for to weren vpon Macmorgℏ. Whan this hostes weren thus assemblet, the most parte of Macmorghis men̛, ayeyne har̛ trowth and̛ ayeẏn har̛ othes, some priuely whithdrow hem that daẏ, nold nat to hym com, some al openly leften hẏm, and wenten to his fomen ayeyn̛ hym̛; so that, in his most nede, trew frendes ne fonde he non̛, sawe Robert, steuenes son̛, and his. With the litẏll folk that thaẏ hadden, thay wenten in-to a place nat fer̛ frome ffernes, a pleẏn place bisette about with montaignes and woddes, watres and mores, on euery side il to com̛ to. the entrees that ther weren̛, by Robert-is deuice thay setten men̛ for to stopen, in some place with trees I-cast don̛, and̛ in other places depe diches I-cast. thegℏ the place wer̛ stronge of kynde, thay maden̛ hit mycℏ stronger with engyn, so that hit was I-now seker̛ recet to ham̛, and̛ to her̛ enemẏes ful strong̛ to com̛ to, and with litill folke hit myght be I-kept; & derne weies thay hadden purueied̛ to ham̛-self, owt to goo, ayeyn̛ In to com̛, whan ham̛ liked. Whane the kynge of Connaght, with so many hostes, was to ham̛ I-com̛, he send to Robert by Messangers, and̛ present hẏm with rych yiftes, and̛ many mo he hym be-het, and̛ fast hym̛ be-soght that, owt of þe Contray, wyche no Righthe ne hadde to, n̄e no chalange ne myght setten vp-on, he and his, witℏ pees and loue shold departe. Micℏ they spek of this, and litell thay sped. Ther̛-aftyr̛, the messagers turned to Macmorgℏ, and be-soghten hym̛ on the kynges half, OConghour̛, that he forth, with ham̛, shold turne vp-on̛ the owt-comen̛ folk, ham̛ to slee and̛ vndo. And if he so wold, thay wold delyuer hym al leynestr̛, and stidfast pees and frend̛-shippemak hym haue of the kynge and̛ of all other. Many reisons thaẏ shewed, both for the land & for the land̛ folk; bot notynge thay ne spedde, ne noon̛ answar̛ ne hadden, that ham liket. Oconghour̛ saw and̛ herd of his Messagers that he myght nat in sucℏ maner spede, and̛ that he most witℏ streyntℏ do, that he myght nat with fair̛ speche: he tok his wepne grymly, and stod̛ vp a-monge his folk, and thus sayd to ham̛; "Mighty men̛, and stalward̛ in fight for to defende your lond̛ and̛ your franchise! vndrestondetℏ, ayeyn̛ whice folk, and̛ for what encheson̛, ye shoƚƚ this battaiƚƚ tak an hond̛: al oure enemy, that afor thus was owt of lond̛ I-dryw for his wykkednesse, In commune confusion̛ of vs all, al be-tak with owt-comen & wepned folk, is ayayn̛ commen for enuy and harme of vs, & hath I-broght vnked̛ folk vp-on̛ vs, that the harme wicℏ he had̛ no power̛ to don̛ vs hẏm-self, throgℏ helpe of ham̛ & mayntenaunce, the better myght brynge to end̛; and̛ hath dight hem to sheden his attẏr̛ so wide, that he rechet nat of his own̛ deth, bot that al mowen̛ hawe our̛ bale troghe hẏm̛, and̛ for noon̛ shold̛ be I-spared, and̛ he ne spared hẏm-self. Ther-for we willen withstond̛ the begẏnẏnge, and þe yuel whil hit is comẏn, ar hit be Iroted; ffor harme wexet euer with longe abiddẏnge. Our̛ lond & our̛ fredom̛ defended we manly; so that the slaght of þese fewe be ferdnesse to many; & be ensample of these, al other out-lond̛ men̛ to be adrede, such folies to begẏn, and̛ the mynd of vs, with-out end̛ to restMS. best.."

Macmorgh, on his halue, be-held his men̛, and saw ham̛ sor̛ amayed: with wordes that he myght, he conforted ham̛ on this maner: "Men of leynester, which, sothfast trowth & stidfaste kynd in al aduentures, vs hath felawes I-maked̛,without any partyng, a-rer̛ we our̛ hertes, styfly vs-self to defend. The maistre of wreth and of Coueytise, that with streynth wold vs brynge vnderfoot, and ows ayeyn drẏue out of lond, other̛, that wors is, in the same lond̛, vs tynken vndo: that god shild̛! loo, her̛ is I-com̛ vpon our̛ hed̛, of his mẏcℏ gaderẏnge of folke prowt & hauteẏn. be ye well vndrestond, þat nat trogℏ gret tale of men ne trogh greth streynth, both drogℏ right and trowth that man̛ hath with hym, battailles doth ouercom̛. We haue for vs, ayeyn̛ har̛ pryd, mekenes; ayayns har vnrẏght, right and̛ trouth; ayeyn har̛ boldenesse and ouer-truste, mekenesse and maner. Thay fighten for coueytise, for to get good; and̛ we, for to flee harme. with al this we bene in strong̛ place and̛ wel I-warned̛. The mor̛ that her̛ commeth, the more encombrement we shall do hame, by lityll folk ham to ouercom̛, so that we be of on hert, and stifly withstond̛.'

Whan Macmorghe had̛ his tale I-endeth in his speche, Robert Steuenes-son̛, spake to his felaws and̛ to his meigne on this wise: "ffightyng̛ fors, & yongelynges I-corne, that so many perilles hawe to-geddre I-soffred̛, and̛ euer in al aduentures, and̛ of heigh hert ibe! If we inly vndrestonde wiche men̛ we ben, with what lodes-man̛, and̛ for what thẏnge we this perille vndre-tok with stalwardnesse, as our̛ woneys, we shullen ouercome; & the grace that ye I-haue i-hadde ar this of god̛, ne shal vs nat forlete. Of the folke of Troy we ben kyndlẏch y-come, on̛ þat oon half, fro þe first begynnyge; of ffraunce, we haue kynde on other̛ half. Throgh kynd̛ of Troy, we owe to be hardy; throgh kynd of ffraunce, we ben vsed in wepene; & so as we bene of double mane kyndlẏ, of good herth & weƚƚ y-wepned̛, & well y-lernet yn wepne, ne dout no man, þat such vnwepned̛ rascayƚƚ any power̛ haw ows to wythstond̛: on̛ that other̛ halue, we come nat yn-to thys land as hyryng̛ men, ne for no couetyse of gold̛, ne of syluyr̛, ne galyotȝ ne robbers; bott for to helpe thys heyth man that ys so noble & so fre, &, þrogh hys owne men, lodderly was of lond̛ y-dryue. we hawe reuth of hys harm̛; & helpeth vp þat adoun was ẏ-broȝthe; to hys kynd̛ sted, bryngeth hym þat vnkyndly wasther̛-of I-bansheth. And he, as largh man̛ & good̛ prynce, hat vs yeuen̛ wyde londes & ryche townes, & owr̛ lond folke wyll setten & planten stydfastly yn þys lond, nowe & euerMS. ouer.. Therfor, men, full of streynth & stalwarthnes, such thyng̛ y-magẏneth to-day hartly to do, that owr̛ kynred ne go nat out of kynd̛, & yn thẏs, lyuynge oþer dey, we manly wyn̛ the pryce, that euer more torne to whyrshyppe vs & al our̛ that aftyr̛ ws shullen come."

Wythe these wordes, & other̛ suche, these heghe men̛ comforted̛ har̛ folk, for day schulden̛ hawe the bettyr wyll well for to fẏght. And whan̛ day were on̛ euery half redy for to smyth to-geddre, OConoȝwẏr, be-thoȝghthẏng that the aduentur̛ of battaylle ben ofte doutouse & mẏche vncerteyne, And as the whysman̛ seythe 'all tynge me shaƚƚ assay, rather̛ than̛ fyȝth,' & all-so he & hys doutenden̛ well sore to assemble with folke I-wepned̛, On al maner that he myȝght, He was abowte thame sholde make peas. thane, throgℏ besechyng̛ of goode mene̛ that went betwene, & throgℏ grace of the holy goste, was the peas y-made, on̛ þis maner; that thay sholde leve leynester to Maccmorghowe, & he sholde hitt holde of Oconoghour̛, & hym knowlech, & suget be to hym as to a kynge & prynce of Irland̛. And þat thys shold̛ be stydfastly I-hold, Macmorgh bẏtok hẏm hẏs sone to astage, by so, þat yf he good̛ pees hold̛, & trewlẏ hẏm helde, Oconghur̛ shold hẏm yeue hys doghter to wyff. Whan̛ thys was comynly I-shewed & I-knowe, & othes I-shwerne on̛ euery half, all thẏs trewly to hold, Another̛ thyng was bespoke bytwen ham, bott þat preuely, that Macmorgh ne shold̛ nomore brynge vnked mon yn-to the lond, & thay that he hade y-broght, as rathe as he had leynestre yn̛ good pees, he shold̛ anoon send ayenne home, & delyueryd þe lond of ham.

Aftyr that þe pees was thys Imaket, þe host departed, euery on̛ hẏs half. Sone þer-after come Moryce, Geraudes son̛, Robertes brother̛, of whom we spoken̛ ar thys, wyth .x. knẏghtes & .xxx. Squyres & ij houndred footmen, & aryued at weysford;A man fuƚƚ queynt, trow trogℏ al thynge, & stalwarth, & stydfast of word, & of hert symple, & shamffast as a mayd. Wan̛ Macmorgh & Robert hyt wysten, thay weren ful glad, & bolder̛ þan thay before were: thay come to ham sone wyth þe oste þat thay had. Macmorgh be-thoght hym̛ of the mych vnryght that þe men of deuelẏng̛ hẏm hadden done, & hys fader̛ all-so, manẏ sithe: he assembled hẏs hostes, & redied hym to wend thedere. Boot Robert byleft with somdell of þe meẏne, fore to rere hym a castell at a place that me clepeth þe karryke, & ys twey myle out of weysford; & Moryce went wyth hẏm. Macmorgh, as mayster & leder of the host, & cheuetayn of al. In lytell whyle, all þe contreys about dyuelyn, wyth robynge & bernyng & sleẏng, werenMS. wepen. neght I-broght to nogℏt. The siteȝeyns of dyuylyn, whan thay thys wysten, thay sentten to ham, & besoghten pees, & yaue ham so mych gold & syluer that non end was at har wylle, & good ostages, & othes I-swore that þay sholden to Macmorgh trew be, & hẏm knowleche þan-forward as lord & prynce. Fro that tyme that thys was y-do, ther was noon Iryshman yn leynnester̛, of hey kyne ne of low, that for seruessefor ferdnesse? of englyssemen ne yeldet hym to Macmorgh, so þat þer was noght of þe lond̛-folke þat all nas subyett to hym, & redy to hys wylle.

IN thys whyle, wax a grett wreth & a grete stryfe betwyx þe kyng̛ of Connaght, & donoll Obreyn̛, þe kyng of lymeryke, & of thomond. the kyng of connaght, Oconoghur̛, gaddered̛ hys hostes for to werr̛ vpon̛ Obreen. Obreen sent to mamorrowȝ, for allyaunce that was betwen ham, that he shold hym helpe. he spake þer-of to Robert & to Moryce, & bad ham that þay shold̛ go theder for to helpe Obreen. Thay name har men̛ wyth ham, & wenten ynto thomond̛, and ffonden̛ Oconoghur̛, that stryffly stode ayeyn̛ ham, & many fyghtes ham yaue. Bot the dysconfitur̛ turned vpon̛ Oconoghur̛, & many of hys men̛ wer I-sleyn̛, so that wythe shame he most turne ayeyn̛ ynto Connaght. And fro that tym, Obreen wythdrow hym from̛ Oconoghur̛, & neuer after was subyect to hym̛ as he was thar̛-by-fore; & the englysh hoste, wyth grett gettynges & with rych yiftes, turned ayeyne yn̛-to leynestre.

Whan the Kynge wyst hys entent, whoder he wold go, he ne yaue hym fully leue, ne fully hym ne warned; bot wyth such leue as he had, he dight hym þe wynter tyƚƚ the begynnynge of Maye. He sent to-for hym ynto Irland A knyght that was I-called Reymond̛ le gras;—wyth hym, x knytghtes, & fourty Squyers, & four score bowmen;—A man ful hardy & stalwarde, & weƚƚ proued yn̛ wepne, Robertis neueu, & Moryces, har eldest brother, sone. Thay arryued at a place i-called dundoneuile, four myle a soutℏ halfe Waterford; & ther thay arered a dyche, & a feble castel vpon, of yardes and turuesMS. iurues, or inrues.. The men of Watterford, & wyth ham Malaghelyn̛ of olan, thys waren I-ware that thay y-hadden such negℏborhede ful loth, & toke ham̛ to rede, þat þay wolden vpon̛ ham̛, ar mo com to ham. Thay assembled ham togeddre, well thre thousand men̛, & wenten̛ ouer the wattyr of sur, that parteth the twey contres of leynestre & of mounestre, & setten̛ ham̛ yn̛ thre hostes, ful boldely for to assaylle the englysshe-men̛ with-In har castell. Reymond & hys men̛—thogh they fewe wer, theẏ wer̛ nat feẏnt—with vneuenlẏ host wenten̛ out & assembled wyth ham. Bot, as no wonder̛ was, so few men ne myght nat all priuely fẏghten aẏeyn̛ so many, thay turned ham̛ aye to har recet. the other weneden̛ that thay departed ẏn dẏscomfyte; thaẏ braken̛ har sheld. In̛, & wentten̛ aftyr: & thay war nat fully wythyn̛ þe yate, that some of ham̛ ner̛ rather̛ In than̛ þe englyssh. Reymond saw that he & hys weren̛ yn̛ gret perylle, & vpon poynt to lese the lyfe. he be-cryed hys felewes, & turned stalwarthly vpon̛ her̛ formen̛men in front.; & þe fyrste that come yn̛, he claue hym̛ the heed, & throgℏ slaght of thatman̛, all the ost was dyscomfyte, & tok ham̛ to flyght. The oþer ham folwed yn̛-to all þe pleyn̛, & leyd ham̛ on̛ so, þat yn̛ lytell whẏll thay slowe of ham̛ fyfeMS. lyfe. hundred & mo; & þe most parte of þe other̛ fellen̛ adon̛ yn̛-to þe see, of þe heye rokes, & drent ham̛-selfe. In thys fyght, was a knyght that hete Wyllyam̛ ferand, that dydde ouer-weƚƚ & aboue all other̛: he was a man̛ that hade semblant as thoght he wer̛ on̛ the mich yuell, & þer-for̛ he put hym̛-selueMS. sleue. alwey ther̛ the most perille was; ffor he ne raght thegh deth come betwene hym̛ & hẏs ẏuell, ar hyt war̛ to mych I-smẏt vpon̛ hym̛. Her̛ þe pryd of waterford felle; her̛ aƚƚ hẏs mẏght went to noght; her̛-of come the Englysshe hope & comfort; & to the Iresshe, dred & wanhope; ffor hẏt was neuer ther̛-to-for I-herd, that of so fewe men, so grett a slaght was done. Bot lyder consaylle thay dẏdden̛ þer̛-after, that turned ham to mych cruelte; ffor whan̛ the maẏstrẏ was al har, & al har fomen̛ ouercome, In þe fyght weren̛ ytake well thre score men̛ & ten̛, that ham yolden̛, & weren̛ the heghest & the rychyst of al the sitè, such þat þay mẏght haue had for ham the sitè delyuered, or els as myche catel as thay wolden desyr̛. Heruy of Mountmorthy, that to ham̛ was ẏcome, hẏm thrydsome of knẏghtes, & Reymond, vp dyuers domes strouen̛ what men̛ shold̛ do wyth har prysonspryson=prisoner.; ffor Reymond trauayllet about for to dylyuere ham̛, as a man̛ of reuthful mode, & þus seyd to hys feres: "lordynges, what ys vs to done of our̛ wreched prisoners? I sey nat that manMS. maner. shal on any maner spar̛ hys foman̛; bot thay beth nat now fomen, bothbut: Sed hi non hostes jam, sed homines.—Op. v. 250.beth men̛ nat rebelle, bot yn̛ bataylle for to defendMS. defond. har contrey ouercome. Me thynketh thay beth now yn̛ such state, that me oght bettyr haw mercy of ham̛ & yeve ham̛ lyfe, for to yeue other̛ ensample to be boxom̛, than̛ cruely to do ham̛ to deth, whar̛-throgℏ þat other̛, throgℏ ferdnesse of trust, þe lasse to yeld̛ ham̛ to vs." Whan̛ Reymond̛ had such wordes I-seyde, yn al þe folke was moste willeThe ink has perisht: 'et murmure populi cum quodam quasi favore subsecuto.' Gir. Camb., Exp. Hib. c. xv.—Op. v. 252, Rolls Series. to graunt ham lyf, Arose vp Heruy amongehame al, & thys ham̛ seyd: "Inogℏ Reymond openly to vs hath spoke of mercy & almes-dedes, vnked landes I-wonne, & nat wyth slagℏ & wyth brennynge. Wheder̛ Alexander̛ & Iulius Cesar, that weren̛ lordes of al þe world̛, wonnen londes by such wey, I wold Reymond wold me answer. Whan thay comen̛ to vs vel arrayede to fyghten̛, If þay hadde I-won ouer-hand & vs ouercome, wolden thay, for almesse & for reuth, haw had mercye of vs? nay, I trow nat. þerfor out-chese on̛ of two: Other̛ do manly thynge, wher̛-fore we bene ycome; & the folke þat ys rebbeƚƚ ayeyn vs, wyth-outten any noyse, wyth wepne hertely brynge out of dawes; Other, yf we shollen̛ do almes dede on hem̛, & ham̛ sparen̛, as Reymond hath seyd, out we wend to our̛ shyppes, & turne ayeyn̛, & let we the wreched men hold har lond, & brouken wythouten any chalange." Heruyes dome lyket bettre than Reymondes; & weren the Cyteȝeyns to deth Idemed. Thay ne hadden no wone of warytres; & þerfor þey ladden ham̛ to þe clyf of þe see, & put ham̛ adoun, & drent ham.

The men-tyme, the Erl Rychard, wyth the power̛ that he had arayed, was y-come to south wales; & whan̛ he hadde wyth gret reuerence y-done hys pylrimage at sent dauyes, he put hym to saylle, & hade good wynd, came ẏnto Irland with two hundret knythtes & other̛, mor̛ than a thousand. He arryued at weyseford on seynt Bertylmewes euen̛: Than was fulfylled a prophecye that Merlyn̛ seyd of hys comynge; 'þe brond shal come to-fore þe borned fyr̛; And rygh as the spark maked the brond come, Also þe brond shal make the fyr come after.' Anoþer prophecye, seynt Molynge seyd of that same: 'A mych man shall erne to-fore; & þe most heeddes of desmond & ek of leynestre he shal defouly; & wyth streynth he shall noblych the wey opne to the wepned.' Amorow, whan the tythynge of ham̛ was I-spronge, Reymond went hym to the Erle with furty knyghtes with mych gladnes; & amorow, after þe holy-daye, Thay went comynly al to þe syte of Waterford, & assaylled the toun ful fersly; & twyes thay weren̛ rebuked, & ful stalwarhly, of þe Cyteȝeyns. Reymond, that by purueaunce & graunt of ham al was ymadeprince, & forman̛ of al the host, sawe & awayted a place good for to assaylle: he cryed & cleped the wepned men to the assaut, & þay egrely assaylleden̛, & braken̛ yn-to þe sytè, & folke-mele slowe the men̛ yn̛ weyes & yn̛ houses, & wan̛ þe Cyte. In rathnyldes tour̛ weren̛ twey ryche men̛ ytake, bot þrogℏ prayer̛ of Macmorgℏ, that theder̛ was than̛ I-come, he was y-hold alyue. Macmorgh brogℏt hys doghtyr̛ with hym, Eue by name, & spoused hyr̛ to the Erle, & maden̛ fast sekernesse betwen̛ ham. Wan̛ thys was ydo al, þe Erle left men̛ for to kepe the cytè, & turned hym with the hoste to deuylyn̛.

Macmorgℏ wyst that myche of the power̛ of har̛ lond was I-come to helpen̛ ham̛ of dyuelyn̛, & hadden̛ beset all þe wodde weyes & þe narow weys thetherward: he left tho weyes, & lad the hoste throght the montaynes of Glyndelagℏ, al harmeles, ryght to the syte. These cyteȝeyns, ouer al other̛, hated weren̛ of hym, & that was no wonder̛; ffor yn some tyme thay slowen̛ hys fadyr̛ yn̛ the cytè; & after the harme, thay dydde hym̛ mych sham̛, for̛ thay burryd an hounde with hym yn the pute that he was yn I-leyde. Thay sent messagers to þe Erle, & namely the Erchebysshop laurence, & besoghten̛ pees; & as thay weren̛ spekyng of pees, on oon half was Reymond, & on the other̛ halue a ful hardy knyght, Myles of Cogan, with yonglynges well coueytouse of battaylle & of gettyng. Thay assaylled the Cytè, & breken In, & wan þe Cytè, wyth gret slaght of þe sytȝeyns. Natheles, the best parte of ham, wyth þe rychest & the derwarthest thyngys þat thay hadden̛, yn botes escapeden, & wenten yn-to þe north ylondes, wyth hastoyl, that was maystre yn the cyte, & har lodesman̛. That day byfel two Muracles yn the cyte: that on of the Croice, yn the moder̛ chẏrche of þe trẏnẏte, whyche the Cytȝeyns wolden̛ haue I-ladde with ham yn-to the ylandes yn the see; & for nothyng̛, thay ne myghth yt wecchen̛ out of þe place. That other̛, of a sergeant that hadde I-robbet the erchebysshoppes paleys, & þer-after come to-for þe rode, & offred a peny: fyrst, & efte-sone, & at euery tym, the peny stert ayeyne to hym. he bethoght hym that god was nat wel I-quenyted of the robberythat he had y-do: he turned hym than, & let take al that he had y-nomMS. ymon., & bar̛ hyt ayeyn, & went to þe rode & offred; & hys offrynge ther abode. Whan þe Erl hade a few dayes I-ordyned for the stat of þe Cytè, he left ther̛ Myles de Cogan, keper of þe Cytè & of þe contre, & a partye of þe meyne wyth hym. And by entycement of Macmorgh, that bethoght hym of þe old enmyte that he hade to the kynge of Mithe, he went hym to þe contrey, branten, slowen, & robeden, & broghten the contre to noght, for none ne durst hym wythe-stond. Oconghur̛ of Conaght saw that he was the next—as man that seethe hys neghbors hous berne, he may drede of þe sparkes—he sent Messagers to Macmorgh yn thys wordes: "Ayeyne þe four̛me of our̛ pees, thou hast imad come yn-to thys lond mych out-comen̛ folke. þe whylle that thou held the yn thy leynystre, we hyt tholleth euynly; Now thou, as man that naght ne the thynkest on thyn oth, ne no reuth ne hast of thyn ostage, the merres I-sete of thyn eldren lond, vnryghtfullyo uergoste. Make thyn out-comen men wyth-draw, & turne ayeyne, or els sothly we shul the send thy sones heede." Macmorgh thys herd, & yaf hym̛ a prout answar̛, & sent hym to sey, that he ham̛ wold hold, & send after more & eke more; that he nold neuer reste tyl he hadde I-wonne Connaght, wyth the kynge-dome of al þe lond, as hys eldren̛ sumtym hyt hadden̛ to-for̛ hym. Oconnoghur̛ had her̛ of grete dyspyte, & sore was atened, & let smyth of sonnes heed, þat he had hym Itake fore ostage.

Aftyr this, worth gret spech yn-to all þe lond, & mych ferdnesse of the out-comen̛ men̛. Than gaddered ham al to-gedderes, al the clerkes & the wysmen̛ of þe lond at ardmagℏ; & of thys folkes comyng̛, was mych I-spoke, & longe dalyaunce. At þe laste, comynly thay accordeden̛ al her̛-to, that, for the syn̛ of þe folk, thys mesaduentur̛ ham ys byfal; namely, that whan thay fonden̛ englysshe-men̛ chyldren to syllen̛, that chepmen & robbers woldene brynge to the lond, thay were wonet to by ham, & do ham yn̛ thraldome; & that throgh goddys ownewreth hyt was, that as syllers weren̛ to-fore y-broght yn thraldome, also the byggers sholden after: ffor̛ hyt was somtym̛ that the folke of englond—The maner of har kyngdome was al I-hole—whan thay had non̛ other̛ thynge that þay myghten take to, rathar̛ than thay wold any myssayse tholy, Thay wer̛ I-wont to syllen̛ har̛ chyldren & har̛ other̛ kynnesmen̛, botℏ ynto Irlond & ynto other̛ londes. Ther̛-for̛ hyt may well be soth, that as the byggers, also þe syllers, oft serued wel, throgℏ so loly gyltes to be y-broght yn thraldome. Ther̛ hyt was yn þat consaylle be-heght, & by assent of al comynly I-set, that al the englysshe-men̛ yn þe lond that yn thraldome weren̛, shold ben̛ delyuered, & frely let goo whodyr̛so they wold.

Her-aftyr spronge tythyngges of the Erle & of þe englysshe-men̛ ynto englond; &, as maner ys, myche me made more; & that the Erl hade apropred to hym, nat only leynestre, bot other̛ londes also, that, by no ryght ne by law, to hym̛ ne to hys wyf longen̛. The kynge sent anoon, & forebeed that, 'out no lond that were yn hys power̛, ne shold no shyppen passe yn-to Irland, ne no maner thynge for to brynge; & al men̛ that yn-to Irland war̛ comen, shold ayeyn come yn-to englande, wyth-yn þe next estre, or̛ they sholden be dysheryted & exyled out of lond for euer.' The Erl saw that he & hys weren̛ narow belad, both of hys men that hym wold leue, & eke that nothynge ne most hym come out of other̛ landes, of þynge that hym nede was: by comune rede of hys men, he sent Reymond ouer to the kynge that was fer̛ yn gascoyne, & thus hym sent to say: "By thy leue, lord, yf y am welle vndyrstond, y went ynto Irland for to help thy trew man, Dermot Macmorgh; þerfor, that al that of hys herytage, other̛ of oþers yn þe lond, almyghty god me hath I-sent, as hyt come of thy graunt & of thy good wylle, also, I wyll that hyt to the turne, to do ther̛-wyth what the lyketh."

Reymond went to the kynge with such mandement; & the whyle that he folwed the kynges court, abydynge hys answer̛, Thomas, the erchebysshop̄p̄ē of Cantrebery(In margin, in a later hand: The archebushop of canterbury called Tho. Beckett. 1171.), was martyredyn englond, nat wyth-out mych blame to al þe lond-folk, both lered & lewed. That erchebysshopp, after many-fold martyrdome that he þolled, negh seuen yer̛ that he was banshed out of englond for the ryghtes of holy chyurche, In sore & many wepynges, yn double heer̛ about hys body—þat on̛, yn styd of shyrth; that oþer, yn stydde of breche—nyght & day yn holy prayer̛ & redynge yn holy wrytte; & o thynge that meste sorow broght to hys hert, that al hys kyn̛, men & wommen, yonge & old, wommen lyggyne yn chyld-bed, & old men that fore eld yroked weren yn her̛ cradelys, & all other̛, clerkes & lewed, that me myght wytt that sybrede or other̛ frendshypp hadden̛ to hym, al thay weren̛ I-dryue out of englond; & al they that weren̛ of eld that þay myghty othes swerr̛, swaren vpon the masse-boke that, as sone as thay come ouer the see, thay shold go to þe erchebysshōp̄p̄ē, & shew hym the wrechednesse that þay suffred for hys sake; ffor he shold̛, for reuth of ham, turnen hys hert, & graunt þe kynges wylle of þynge that he desyred. After such martyrdomes, and many other̛ þat he tholled yn hys lyue, whyche no manly hert may bethynke to ful end, the hey martyrdome, that broght hys soule to þe blysse of heuyn, & hys body to wyrshyppe yn hert, other̛ many þynges be-tẏdden that men Aght well vnderstond; þat ayeyns hys fomen yede, opyn heed, & opened þe chyrch durr̛ whyche the monkes hadden I-loke, & seyd þat 'men̛ ne shold no castell make of holy chyrche'; & hys holy croune bade ayeyn the naked swerdes for to smyte, & that yn the modyr chyrche, heghest of al þe lond, & to-for̛ the weued, that he of four̛ knyghtes, woder̛ than wood houndes, tholled four̛ woundes yn the holy croun, & non without,—so as þe croun ogℏt betokne of proteccion to clergy,—that he deth tholled yn the north syde of þe chyrche, whyche betokneth Ihesu crystes passyon̛. & thus goddys owne knyghte, wythouten any ferdnesse, tholled deth; yn hys lyf of thys world, chaunged wel selyly for þe lyf that euer shal lest without end. And as seynt Tomas-ys day, Apostle, ys þe fyft day afor yold, so ys thys Thomas day þe fyft day after̛. That Thomas was candel I-set yn þe este of þe world; Thys Thomas yn þe west. That was lyght to aly chyrche yn hyr̛ yough, as Thys yn hyr̛ eld;& as he the Apostle commenced holy chyrche with hys blode whan che was arerynge, Also thys, Beket, whan she had longe I-stond & wox yn eld, & redy was to falle, wyth hys blode he ryght hyr vp, & sette hyr yn ryght stydde. And as he toke hym selue to quellers ffor to arer̛ þe seknes of holy chyrche, also thys ne douten nat to taken̛ hym-self to kene swerdes, & lydder̛ men hondes, for̛ þe fredome of holy chyrche to sawe vnwemmed. The fourme of hys martyrdome, twey verses a latyn shortly comprehendeth, that thus mych ben to vnderstond: "ffor̛ crystes spouse, vnder crystes tyme, yn crystes chyrche, crystes owne leman deyed." Amonge al the halwen̛ that almyghty god wroght yn erth, of selcouth myracƚys for to showen̛ har̛ holynesse,—as the blynd to see, the lame to gon̛, þe dombe to speke, the deue to hyr̛, lasers to clense, paralys to festnen, y-dropesie & al other̛ manere yueles to helen̛, the dede to areren, yuel gostes to quethen̛, & al þe four̛ elementes to har̛ commaundement hadden̛,—he alon̛ was y-wyrshypped with al these, & more þer-to, thar̛-to-for̛that tofore was nat herd ne sey; ffor̛ a man̛ that hade hys eghen I-draw out of hys heed, & hys manly menbres y-kytte of & y-cast awey, come to hys tombe; & þrogℏ besechyng̛ of hym, god hym sent newe. Of thys holy martyr̛, Merlyn seyd thus yn hys prophecye: "A newe martyr̛ shal aryse with newe myracles, that yn the worldes endyng̛, yn the west of þe world, by specyal vertue, mannys lymmes out I-draw & out I-corue, ayeyn shald make come. Sorow shal turne ynto yoye, whan̛ þe sonnes shal sle þe fadyr̛ yn hys modyr̛ wombe; prynces & hey men shal come out of þe este yn-to the weste, & lout ham to þe newe martyres fot-stappes." Al þys was openly I-seyd of þe holy martyr̛ seynt Thomas; he was þe whet corne þat fel yn erth, & mych fruyt forth broght. In þe yer̛ of burth-tyme .xlviij.; of hys sacryfiynge .viij.; of hys exil .vij.; yn the end of Decembre, yn þe yere of our̛ lordes yncarnacion .M.C.lxxj.; & was poppe of Rome, Alexandre the thyrd; Emperour̛ of Almayne, ffrytheryke; kynge of ffraunce, lowys. Whan the wentyr was I-passed, Dermot Macmorgh deyed, þe begynenyng̛ of may, & was bured at ffernes. A man grett of body; hardy yn fyght amonge hys folke; of lange & lome cryynge yn fyght, hys voys was somdel hors; leuer hymwas that man hym dredet than loued; þe noble & þe ryche he wold brynge to noght; the mekMS. mok. Lat. 'humilium erector.' & the pouer he wold rere; al men ayeyns hym, & he ayeyns al.

Aftyr that, about whyt-sontyde, hastoyl, that was some tyme maystre of deuylyn,—as man that fayn was about for to awreke hys old tene,—come wyt men of northwey & of þe north ylondes, with ful grett folk, yn furty grett shyppes, & arryued yn þe hauen of amlyffy, with har̛ lodes-man̛, that hete Ioℏn the Wood. Thay wenten out of har̛ shyppes, men well I-wepned, sum with longe swerdes, some with Iren pletes & round sheldes well I-bound about with Iren, swerdes & speres & axys ynowe, & comen̛ well ordeynly for̛ to assaylle the toun on the eest half. Miles de Cogan, keper̛ of þe Cyte, kyndly stalwardly, & hardy, wyth wel chosen̛ folke, went out ayeyns ham, and yaf ham fyght; bot strong̛ hyt was, to hold fyght ayayn so many with so fewe: than̛ had he I-lost some of hys men̛; & O knyghtes theygℏ was I-cut with þe kappe of hys haubergeon̛ wytht a dynt of a dennysℏ ax. nede he most turne yn̛ ayeyne at þe yate, tyll that Rychard̛ de Cogan, Myles brother̛, wythe few men, that whylle stylly went out at the south yate, & sharply becryed ham behynd, & smote vpon ham. throgh that, þat he come so fersly vpon ham, thay wer̛ so afrygh, that thay wyst nat on̛ whych syde thay shold kepe the fyght: yn a lytell whyl thay war̛ dyssconfyte, & toke ham to flyght toward har̛ shyppes. these other̛ come ham betwene, & slowe ful many: ther̛ was Joℏn the Wood I-slayn, & ful mych folk wyth hym, throght Walter de Redlesford, that ful stalwarth was yn the fyght. Hascoyl was I-take fro the shyppe ther̛ he was to I-flow, & I-broght alyues yn-to the Cyte, & hys lyf I-graunted for raunceon̛; bot as he stode yn court to-for̛ Myles, he put forth lyddyrly a prout word & seyd, "wyt lytell power̛ we comen now, & thys nas bot assaye of our myght; bot yf I lyue, ar̛ hyt be lange to, shal come other̛ so mych as þese." Whan thys was I-hard̛—for yn̛ the mannys tonge hys oft lyf & deth, & me seyth eke, 'Tong̛ breketh bon̛, thegh hym-self ne hawe none'—Myles bad thatmen shold hym anoon̛ out lede, & smyte of þe heed. & thus, for̛ hys hauteyn & prout spech, he lost þe lyf that thar̛-by-for̛ mekely hym was graunted.

Whan the erl hadde I-hard the trayson þat was I-done to Robert, wytht myche sorow of hert he went hym with the host to Watyrford; & þer he fond heruy of mountmorthy, that than̛ wase newen̛ I-comen̛ out of englond from̛ þe kynge, & broght wryttes, & eke by mych amonested the erl that he shold wend to the kynge. he hade shyppe redy, & good wynd; he name heruy with hym, & went ouer; come to the contre of clandechestre, to Newenham, ther he fond the kynge with mychel host, redy to pass yn̛-to Irland. & after myche speche betwene ham ymade, & myche dalyaunce, throgh heruyes modelyng & comynge about þe erle, & eke hys besechynge, the kynge name of hym manred for̛ to hold leynestre of hym; & the Erl graunted þe kynge, dyuelyn̛, & all the hauen tounes vpon̛ þe see, with har̛ Candredes & castelles þer-vpon̛ y-set; & that other̛ parte of hys conquestre, he & hys heyres sholden̛ holden̛ of þe kynge & hys heyrs. Whan thys was al on thys manere I-done, the kynge toke the wey yn-to south Wales, & cam to pembroke; & ther̛ yn þe contre abode with hys host longe whyle, ar̛ he had wynd for̛ to passe. The whyle that he was thar̛, he hadde houndes & haukes, as man that mych delyted yn suche game. .O. day he went by the strond of þe see, & bar̛ a mych goshawke of northwey vpon̛ hys hand. Than sat vp-on̛ an hegh clyff ouer the strond, a faucon̛ gentel, negh hys nest, ther̛ he was woned to brede. The goshake sawe the facon̛, & a-bated to hym. the kynge that saw; & kest hym of hys hand; & he nam hys flyght toward the facon̛, hym fore to henten: the facon̛ sawe hym comynge, & nam hys flyght an heghe, & escaped of hym; þe goshawke turned ayeyne to þe kynges hand; & ar̛he myght fully take to hym, the facon̛ smote to hym from an heyght, & forcleue hym the rygge, & kest hym adoune dede at the kynges foote. Al thay that hyt saw, hadden ther̛-of myche wondyr. Than bade the kynge, that fro that tyme, the bryddes of that facons neste shold euer-mor̛ be I-kepte to hys owne be-houe; & so thay wer̛, euery yeyr; & yn al hys kynge-dome wer non̛ so good facons I-found, ne so bold.

The while that thys was, Roueryke, the kynge of Myth,—awayted that the erl was out of lond; & Reymond & lytel folk was beleft ar dyuelyn, the syte & þe contrey for to kepe,—with mych folke come to dyuelyn̛ about myd-heruest, & assaylled the walles of þe syte with gret streynth & loly crye, & wend wel to haue I-take þe syte, & al þat þer-In was. bote ther streynthys & stalwarthnesse, hyt mote nedes shewe hymself: Myles de Cogan̛ & hys men̛ preuely wenten out, & smote grymly vpon ham, so þat yn lytell whyl thay weren̛ al dyscomfyted. Bot roury hymself vnnethe escaped; & hys sone, a welle stalwarth man amonge hys folk, was thar̛ I-slawe, wyth many other.

Later note in right margin: 'For in Martilogis the king brought 400 great shippes into Irelande, and in short time subdued the whole lande, beinge governed by 5 kinges, all which submitted to the king, except the king of Connaght, who kept himself in woods and marishes.'Aftir̛ this, whan the kynge had I-dygℏt al that nede was to so noble comynge ynto Irlond, he went to seynth dauyes; & besoght the holy man̛, seynt dauy, with grett deuocion & mych wurshyppe. And tho weder̛ hym come, & wynd at wylle. He put hym to saylle; passed the see, hool & sound; & arryued at Waterford on seynt lukes day, with fywe houndred knyghtes, & men, an hors an a foot, fulle many. Than was fulfylled a prophycye that Merlyn seyd: "out of þe Este shal come a fyr̛ bernynge, & shal Irlond al about for-swely." And seynt Molynge seyd þus: "Out of þe eeste shal come a stronge thondred, & shal smyte yn-to þe weste, & al the streynth of Ormond adoun brynge." He arryued, the yer̛ of hys kyngedome, senthe; of hys elde .xl.;of our̛ lordes Incarnacion .M.C.lxxij; & was poppe, Alexander the thryd; Emperour̛, ffryderyke; kynge of ffraunce, lowyse.

The kynge abode at Waterford a fewe dayes. Theder̛ come the sytȝeyns of weysford, & broght to hym Robert steuenesse-sone, as for gret seruyce, & yn hope of good reward; ffor as myche as he come yn-to Irlond, lond to conquer̛, wythout auctoryte of hegher̛ prynce, & yaue other̛, ensample for to comen ynto the lond. The kynge, at the byggynnyge, told of hym grete vnworthynesse; & edwyte hym, with grete thretynge, of that grete boldnesse; & lete take hym, y-bound as he was, & gyued hym to another̛, & put hym yn Rathnyldestour̛ for to kepen̛. Soine þer-after̛ come the kynge of Corke, Dermot Maccarthy, & yeld hym to the kynge, & dydde hym homage, & swar̛ hym hold othes, & delyuered hym ostages for to be to hym hold & trew, & ber̛ hym truage euery yer̛ of hys land. ffrom thus, the kynge went wythe the hoste to lysmore, & ther̛ was twey dayes; & fro thus, went to Casshle. Theder̛ came donald Obreen̛, kynge of lymeryke, to hym vpon̛ the watyr̛ of ssur; & for to hawe pees, yeld hym to þe kynge yn al manere as Maccathy hadde done. The kynge set kepers both at Corke & at lymeryke; & to hym comen the hoste of both contrees aftyr Maccathy & Obreen, & yeld ham to þe kynge, & becomen hys meyn by othes & ostages; so that ther̛ was none that war̛ of any name yn al Monestre, that by hys good wylle ne yeld hym to the kynge. Whan thys was al I-done. the kynge, with mych wyrsshyppe & wyth ryche yiftes, lete euery man̛ wend yn-to hys owne lond, & went hym-self by Tybrach ayeyne to Waterford. þer was ayeyne Robert y-broght to-for hym. The kynge saw hym, & bethoght hym of þe gret goodnesse þat was yn hym, & of hys stalwarthnesse & hys hardy hert; of many good seruices that he & hys hadden I-done, wyth mych trauaylle & grette perille of lyue: he had grett reuth of hym yn hys hert &, throgh besechynge of hegℏ men, al hys wreth, wyth good hert he hym foryaf, & delyueret hym out of pryson̛, & lete delyuer hym hys londes þat hym weren̛ be-nomen̛, of Weysford & of þecontrey about. Some syggen̛ that the kynge lete to-draw the traytours that hym betrayed; Bot Maystre Geroud ne telleth nothynge þer-of; & ther̛-fore I ne tel hyt nat to sothe, bot hyt oght well be so.

Whan þe kynge had thus I-do, he left at Waterford, Robert beranardesson̛, wyth mych meyne; &, by Ossery, name the wey toward dyuelyn̛. In that wyage, the kynge of Ossery came to hym, & yeld hym to the kynge; & whan he hade I-bydde awhylle at dyuelyn̛, theder̛ come Al þe heghest Iresshe-men̛ of leynestre, & besoghten pees, & yolden̛ ham to the kyng̛. Roryke O'conghour̛, the kynge of Connaght, ayeyns the kynges messagers at the watyr̛ shynnen,—that ys to wytten̛, hugℏ þe lacy & wyllyam Al-delines sone,—ther̛ he yeld hym to þe kynge; & the kynge of Myth Also; So that ther̛ nas none hegℏt man̛ yn Irland, that ne come to the kynges owne body, or sent messagers for to be-comen̛ hys man, & yeld hym to hym, sawe only thay of vlnestre. Than was fulfylled a prophecye that seynth Molynge seyd: "To-for̛ hym shall foot-falle þe prynces, & trogℏA later overline h is above the tr of 'trogh.' boxom-fastinesor 'fastmes.' the lyme of pees shul vnderfonge." Merlyn seyd an-other: "Tho is lyght, the foules of the Iland shollen togedder fle; & the most of ham, with har wenges I-brant, shollen ouerthrowen yn thraldome; the fyf deles shollen be broght yn-to on, & the syxt shal ouercome the strengest places of Irland." Whan the mydwyntter came, many of the heghest comen to þe kynges court to feste; & myche wonder ham thoght of the noble seruice that þey þer saw, & of the myohe plente of mete & of drynke, of bordes I-sette, & fayr̛ clothes vpon; the hegh seruice of panetrye & buttellerie, & ryche vessels of gold & syluer̛; the many manere metes of kechen, on the manere of Englond, whych thay had neuer þer-to-fore I-sey. After that þe fest was heghly & fayr̛ I-hold, euery man went wyth gladnesse yn-to hys owne. In that tyme, weren̛ bowemen̛ at ffynglas I-horberowed, & wenten ynto chyrche haye, & hewen̛ adoun trees, that seyntes by old tyme hadden þer I-sete: þer came sodeyn̛ deth vpon ham, euerychon̛.[See Giraldus's Topogr. Hibern. Opera, v. 135.]

In the yer of our̛ lordes Incarnacion̛ M.C.lxxij, the forme yer̛ that þe kynge of england, henry, Irland wan; Crystyen̛, bysshoppe of lysmore, & legat of þe court of RomeLate sidenote in MS.: 'Establishment of orders for the Clergy, and matters of Religion.'; Dougher̛, Erchebysshoppe of Casshell; laurenȝ, Erchebysshoppe of dyuelyn̛; Cathel, erchebysshoppe of Connaght; wyth leed bysshop̄p̄es, Abbotes, priours, & many other prelates of holy chyrche yn Irland, throgh the same kynges commaundement comen̛ to-gedder̛ yn þe See of Casshel; &, for þe state of holy chyrch to brynge yn-to better̛ fourme, helden ther̛ har̛ conssaylle. To thys conseyl, comen̛ these from the kynge I-sent: a noble man Rolf, abbot of byldewdys; Ralf, Erchedekene of landaf; Nychol the prest, & other̛ many, the kynges clerkes & hys messagers. The statutes or̛ constytucions of that consaylle ben̛ these here I-wrytten, & by the kynges auctoryte I-stablet. ¶ The fyrst ys, that crysten men In Irland shvllen leuen̛ har̛ kynnes-wommen& her̛ sybbes, whyche þay have ar̛ thys I-hold to har̛ wylle out of spoushode, & lawfully spouse other̛ wommen, & spousehede lawfully holdrepudiato cognatarum et affinium contubernio, legitima contrahant matrimonia, et observent.—Op. v. 282.. That other̛ ys, that the chyldren̛, at þe chyrche dorre shullen̛ ben̛ I-primseinedcatezizentur. of the prestes hond, & yn þe holy fantstones yn har̛ moder chyrches to be I-fulledbaptizentur.. The thrydde,that euery crysten man lawfullych pay hys tethynges to hys paroche chyrche, of corne & of al other̛ thynge that a yer̛ hym aneweth16th century side-note: 'the privileges and frydom gyven to the church, and londs ther of.'. ¶ The ferthe, that al þe londes of holy chyrche & har̛ possessiouns, of al herthly askynge be quyte; & namely, that no kynges ne other heye men, ne her̛ sonnes, ne her̛ meygnees, mette ne herbrowe yn chyrche londes, ne ask, ne wyth streynth ne be so hardy to take; & that Cursed mete that four syth a yer̛ was wonet to be asked yn̛ chyrche tounes, & of the next neghbors, neuer eft be asked. ¶ The fyft, that of manslaghttre that lewed men doth, whan man maketh fyn̛ with hys foman̛, the clerkes that ben hys kynnes-men̛, no þynge ne yeue ne yeld ther-to; bot, as thay ben̛ gyltles of the dede, also be thay harmles of þe payement. ¶ The syxth, that whan̛ a man ys seke, he shal make testament openly to-for̛ hys prestes of the parorcℏ, & to-fore hys neghbors; & after hys dettes & seruauntes hyre out take, dele hys catel a thre; yf he hath wyf & chyldren̛, that on to hys spoused wyf, that other to hys shyldren̛, The thryde to hys testament. And yf he hath non chyldren by spouse, the good be y-deled bytwene hym & hys wyf, euery Ilyche; & yf the wyf deyeth, the goodes be I-deleth a thre bytwene the housbond, & the chyldren, & the wyf. ¶ The .vij. that whan̛ a man other̛ a woman deyeth, har̛ wathe? mistake for 'wache,' or th used for k, as on p. 67, 1. 4., & the seruyce of holy chyrche, & the buryeng, be man-shyply I-done. ¶ The .viij. that al men̛ & wommen wyrshyppe holy chyrche, & oft go to chyrche; & holy chyrche yn̛ al seruyce be gouerned on the maner that hyt ys yn England. In al these thynges, the kynge ynto the lond come, many defautes wer̛ yn the land I-found, & mych horynesse or oryble synnes that me ne aght nat to speke of, that—throgh grace of god, & by the kynges purueyaunce & hys myght—weren amendet, & yn better̛ wonne I-broȝth. ¶ The prymat of Ardmagh was nat at thys conssaylle, ne theder̛ myght come, for he wase old Man & feble; Bot he come ther̛-after to dyuelyn̛, & graunted yn al thyng̛ the kynges purueyaunce. In thys tyme was the weder̛ so stronge, & the wynd so aweyward, that yn al the wyntyr ne myght no shyppe com ouer yn-to Irland.The kynge went to Watyrford, & abode ther̛ a whyle, & ful mych desyre adde for to hyr tythynges from beyont see. & of the knyghtes that he fond yn Irland, he drogℏ to hym sleghly for o coste the beste: as Reymond, Myles de Cogan, wyllyam Masturel, & other, for to make hys part þe strenger̛, & the Erles parte the foblerso. ¶ After the myd-lente, come shyppes yn-to Irland, that hard tythynges hym broght, & lydder, bothe out of engeland & out of fraunce, And normande, & other londes; ffor ynto Normandy weren ycome twey cardinalles, from the poppe Alexander y-sent (that oon heght Albertus, & that other Theodynus), for to serchen & enqueren of the holy martyres deth, seynt Thomas: ryghtful men, as me vnderstond, & to that lawfully y-chosen / natheles thay weren Romayns; & such folweth oft coueytyse; &, bot the kynge come the rather to ham, the kyngedome of england, & al the londes that he was lord of, sholden be entredyted. & (as me fynd oftMS. est., good aduentures comen oft slowly & aloon, bot mesaduentures ne cometh neuer-more aloon;) wyth thay tythynges comen other̛ mychel wers, & of more perylle; ffor the kynges sone, henry, the eldest, whyche he so fayne was obout to crowne kynge of England, & other tweyn of hys bretheren, (that throgh yought & foolrede hym folwed, & many drogℏ to ham, both of england & of beyend þe see,) waren I-swore to-gredder̛ to entre vp-on the kynge, & bynyn hys londes, The whyle that he was yn Irland: & wel may be that hyt was I-purueyed bytwen ham, ar he ynto Irland wente.

¶ Whan the kynge thys herd, he wasMS. way. yn grete anguysshe. sory he was at the begynnyge, þat he, gyltles, was I-retted of the holy mannes deth; sore he was afred that hys londes shold bene I-shent throght that lydder dede of hys sonne; sore hym forthoght, that he the lond of Irland so sone most fore-lete, whyche he hade y-cast for to streynth with castell, & stable yn pees, the next somer that was to comen. Of al thys, he was yn many thoghtes; & spake ther̛-of fyrst to hymself, þer-after to hys men. Aftyr̛ many redes, he sent some of hys ynto England by-fore hym; & ther̛-after he puruyed how he myght sykyrlychest kepe Irland.

In the next auril ther̛-after, þe yonger̛ kynge henry, þe kynges sone, the lyddernysse that he hadde I-thoght to hysfadyr nold no lenger hellen; with hys twey bretheren̛—that ys to wytte, the Erl of peytou & the erl of brytayn̛Pictaviae scilicet et Britanniae comitibus.—Op. v. 297-8.—wenten to the kynge of ffraunce, whose doghter̛ he hadde I-spoused, & purchased helpe of hym for to werr̛ vpon hys fadyr̛. The encheson̛ wher̛-for̛ hyt was, Mayster Geraud ne telleth nat, ne I ne can̛ nat sey; bot many hegℏ & Ryche men he hadde to consaylle & to helpe, both of England & of beyend the see; many openly & wel; most, illy & dernely. The old kynge, the yonger̛ kynges fadyr̛, for̛ the fortune that hym come to on̛ euery halue so vnwarly, was ful sorowful. ¶ Nathales, throgh gret sleght & hegℏ herth, he made fayr̛ semblant, & heped to god; & on̛ euery syde that he myght, yn al maner he besoght help. He sent messagers ynto Irland, & mad come ouer to hym the meste parte of the knyghtes & of the good meygne þat he ther hadde I-lefte. Thay come to hym at the cyte of Ruem, & he bethogh hym that hyt was perylle to leue har lond vnkepet; ther he betoke þe Erl Rychard al þe lond to kepe, & sette to hym Reymond as hys other̛ hand; ffor the erl for-soke al out & out, þat he that kepynge wold nat receyue, bot yf he hadde Reymond with hym for to helpe.

The Erle & Reymond, with har̛ power̛, wentten yn-to Irland; &, for the folk of yrland hade y-hard of the mych stryff that was betwene the kynge & hys sonnys be-yent the see,—as folk þat styddefast ys yn vnstedfastnesse, & lawfully ham holt to vnlawfulnesse,—the most parte of the prynces of þe lond, ayeyn har trouth I-found, þay turned ayeyn-to the kynge. The erl hadde sone I-spend the traysour̛ that he broght ouer wyth hym; & whan the meygne lacked spendynge, & nat spedden yn prayes takynge vnder̛ heruy, that was conestable ouer the meygne, & euer hadde enuy to Reymond, Thay wenten̛ ham to the erl comynly by one accorde, & sey hym wel, that 'bot yf he wold sete Reymond ouer ham, thay wold leue hym euerychone, & wend yn-to england; oþer, that wel wors was, thay wold turnet to har̛ enemyes ayeyns har heed.' As the meygne wold, Reymond was I-sette ouer ham; thay name than hert to ham, & wenten vpon the Ofolanes yn the dees,& name grett prayes, arrayed ham nobly wyth hors & wepne. From thens thay wentten̛ to lysmore, & the cyte, & al þe contre about, robbeden & prayeden, & by the see wey senten many grete prayes to Watyrford; & of pylfre & thynge that thay namen, thay fylled .xiij. far costes that weren̛ I-come fro Waterford yn-to the hauen of dongaruame. As thay wer̛ wynd abydynge, ther̛ come þe men of Cork from by west, by the see, yn xxxij shyppys, & many men ther̛-In, for to take thay other. Ther̛ was the fyght styffely I-yeuen, of these twey fletes yn the see: That oon assaylled that other grymlych with stones & with sparthes; the other̛ weren̛ welle I-wepned, & with-stode styffly with arblastes & with bowes. At þe end, thay of Corke weren descomfyted & ouer-come; her̛ shyppys I-take; her̛ men I-slawe, & I-caste yn the see. Adam de herford & phylep de Wellsse, that weren I-sette ouer thay yonglynges, with mo shyppes & grete beyetes of wepne & of pylfre, to Watyrford wenten with grete yoye. Reymond herd speke of thys fyght, & tythynges to hym come; he toke with hym xxti knyghtes & an hundreth bowmen, & went by the see wey thederward. Than come to hym tythynges þat dermot, þe prynce of desmond, was, with myche hostes, comen̛ to lysmore, to helpe ham of Cork. Reymond went hym thederward. Þe prynce that herd, & turned tyeyne, & durst hym nat abyde. And Reymond went forther̛ yn-to the contrey, robbed & prayed, so that he hadde with hym at hys turnynge aye toward Watyrford, four thousand kyne; & as thay wer comyngeby narow weyes wyth har praye, come the Ireshemen of þe contray, & henten a party of har kyne, & wenten al quytten with ham to wodde. þe crye arose, & Reymond The Latin text gives this exploit to Meiler: Gir. Cambr. Op. v. 309-10, 'et in primis Meilerius, ut erat praeceps semper et probus, satellite quodam comitatus equestri, praedones usque ad silvae condensa est persecutus.' (as man that euer was formost redy) went aftyr, with on̛ priuisant man an hors wyth hym; come to the woddes enseEnds., ther̛ the theues weren an hydynge. Whan he hadde I-faylled of þe preye, & wolde turne ayeyne, hys felewes folyly entyced hym for to wende yn-to þe wodde, & he so dydde. Whan thay weren wel with-yn,the Irysshe-men rysse to ham on euery halue, & leyd ham on̛, & anoon̛-ryght the yonge man̛ was al to-hakked to-for hym; he yarne to snellych for to socur̛ hym, & was assaylled on̛ euery halue; & he, as man, hent out the swerd & leyd on about hym, & smot of that man̛ the hond, þat other̛ the arme, þe þryd the heede by þe sholdres; thus he opened hym the wey, & come out to hys men, & brogℏt twey sparthes fast on hys sheld, & thre on hys horstres secures Hibernicas in equo confixas, duasque in clipeo portans.—Gir. Camb. Op. v. 310.; bot all hool & sound, & harmeles of body, he escaped.

Whan thys was y-done, & the meygne was noblych arrayed both byl ond & eke by watyr̛, come tythynges to Reymond, that hys fadyr̛ Wyllyam fytz Geraud was dede. Reymond went ouere yn-to Walys, to take seysyne yn hys fadyr̛ landys; & heruy was the whyle eftMS. est. y-made conestable of þe meygne: he wold fayne entremette hym to do some thynge the whyle that Reymond was out of londe, & made the Erl & the meyne wend to Casseƚƚ for to weren yn Monestre; he sent eke after the meyne of dyuelyn to come to ham. And as thay come throgh Ossery, & laye a nyght yn a place thar̛ thay supposed to be al syker̛, Obreen, the kynge of thomone, was syker̛, & awayted har̛ comynge by good spies. he aroos with mych folk vpon hem erly a day yn the mcrowenynge, & smot vpon ham vnwyttyngly, & slogh four̛ knyghtes that weren̛ ouer ham, & four̛ hundret ostmen. Whan the tythynges her̛-of come to the Erl, he turned ayeyne to Waterford with mych shame, & held hym thar̛ as man that was beseget, that he cam nat fro thennes. And for thys aduentur̛, the folk of Irland wyth oo hert al to-gyddre aresen vpon the englysshe, & slow ham yn-to al ther̛ thay myght ham fynd. The kynge of Connaght come eke ouer the shynen yn-to Myd, & fond al þe castels wast & voyde; he brant & keste ham adoun to ground, tyl he come ryght to dyuelyn̛. The Erl saw þat he was narow by-ladde: by consaylle of hys men, as the last remedy of lyue, he sent hys lettres to Reymond ouer yn-to Walys, yn thesewordes: "As rathe as thou hast I-sey these lettres, ne leue nat to come to socour vs wyth good myght: & thy desyr of basyle, my sustre, lawfully for to spouse, anone at þy comynge, wythout faylle thou shalt haue." Whan Reymond hadde thys I-herd, both for the maydnes loue þat he so longe hadde desyred, & for to proue hys stalwardnesse, & socour̛ hys lord yn hys mychele nede, wyth Meyler̛, hys emes sone, he dyght hym al þat he myght yn such hast, so that he hadde threttyknyghtes of hys owne kyn, & thre hundert bowmen, the choyse of al Wales: he put hym to saylle, & arryued at Weysford yn fyftene shyppes. That same tyme, the men of Weysford hadden I-purueyed ham to vndo al þe englysshe, wher̛-so me myght ham fynde. Whan thay sawe the shyppes comynge yn þe hauyn̛, & baneres that thay wel knowe; þroght þat comynge so fersly, that trayson̛ was y-lefte; & anoon̛ Reymond went wyth hys men to Waterford, & broght thens the Erl stalwarthly to Weysford. ffresel, that was keper̛ of Waterford, went after̛ the Erl by þe water of Sur, yn botys with hys men; &, as þay wer̛ yn the watyr̛, the lydder gyddes that hym shold lodefor lede., slowe hym & al hys men, & turned ayeyne to the Cyte, & gadered ham to-gedder al þe Irysshe-men, & smyt vpon̛ þe englesshe, & slowe al that thay myght fynd yn hous & yn wey, men & wommen, yonge & old, without any sparynge, saue thay that escaped yn-to Rathevyldestour̛; & throgh ham was the toun I-saued, tyl the traytours þer-after come to pees, & euer ther-after the lasse beleued & loued. Reymond, whan he hadde thys I-seuyd the Erl, he miniyed the Erl of hys beheste. The Erl sent anoon̛ to dyuelyn̛ aftyr hys suster̛, and went neuer from Weysford, fort sho was with mych wyrshyppe I-spoused to Reymond. Whan he was I-spoused, & al þe day was Ihold yn yoy, gladnesse, & mych plente of mete & drynke, & the nyght aftyr, yn delytes of chambre as ham beste lyked, came tythynges that Oconghour̛, kynge of Connaght, hadde I-destrued al myght, & was I-come wyth myche power̛ yn-to the contrey of dyuelyn̛. Reymond was nat slowe, nether̛ for̛ loue of hys fayr̛ wyf ne for the moche feste, bot anoon̛ a morowe he toke hys men̛ wyth hym, & went toward dyuelyn̛.Oconghour̛ hadde þer-to-forne assayed hys mayne, y-douted hym the more; he ne abode nat wyth hym, bot was gladde to take homward. Reymond let restore & arere that was destrued throgh þe werr̛, & fale castels ryght vp, & broght yn-to rather state; & for dred of hym, the lond wax yn good pees a good whyle, that none Iresshe-man̛ ne durst hym styrre, wer to begynne.

This while the kynge was yn mych stryf, wel two yer, ayeyn̛ hys thre sonnes & har̛ allyes, both yn englande & yn normandy & garioigne; & so was I-peyned with trauaylle yn wepne & wakynge nyght & day, that no man ne myght more. Bot, for ne wors fomanne may be, þan̛ thay that man̛ moste trusteth to, o thynge was, that meste tene hym dydde: that þe knyghtes that he hadde I-chose, hys body to kepe, yn whose hondes hys lyf & hys deth he be-taght, for the moste dele euery nyght wenten to hys sones pryuely; so that, whan the kynge oft-tymes asked aftyr̛ ham, thay war nat I-founde. Natheles, the bataylle that was of so dotous begynnyge, hadde so good endynge that, for the vnryght that hys sonnes hym dedde so vnkindely, hyt semete bettre that he soght by power of god, than by erthly power; ffor yn al places, the ouerhand was hys. And as hyt semete fyrste that hyt was for wreth of seynth Thomas-es deth that þat vnhape hymbetydde, Also hyt semed þer-aftyr̛, Whan he hadde I-done asseth to holy chyrche, & pees made wyth the holy martyr, wyth teres & repentaunce of herte, al hys tene, throght goodys helpe, hym turned to gladnesse: ffor aftyr the mych tene & trayson̛ þat he hadde Itholled al two yer, at þe laste was þe bataylle I-smytten̛, at the whych, betwen the twey ostes, Ther war the kynges sonnes dyscomfyt, þrogℏ Rauf de Glanuyl, that was mayster of þe kynges hoste. Ther was I-take þe kynge of scotland, & þe erl of shestre, & þe erl of leycestre, & so fele gret men, bothe of england & of beyent see, that vnnethe me fond prisons to ham. Ther̛, aftyr al þe trauayl þat þe kynge hadde, & þe enuy, & þe costes al two yer, come þe sonnes to þe fadyres pees, & maden asseth, falsly, as hyt was þer-aftyr̛ wel Ishewed yn deede. Of þus vntrowth, spake Merlyn yn hysprophecyes, & seyde: "The sonnes shullen agylte ayeyn þe fadyr̛ for hys gyltes, & the rather gylte shal be encheson̛ of þe gyltes þat after shullen comen. The sonnes shullen aryse vpon þe fadyr̛; & for to awreke hys felonye ayeyne þe wombe, the tharmes shal swer ham togydder̛. In the man of blode, the blode shall aryse, & wanhoply shal hys pynsynge be, tyl that scotland þe penaunce of hys pylgrymage bewepe."

The kynge henry the other̛, wasvir subrufus, caesius (= lentiginosus), amplo capite et rotundo, oculis glaucis, ad iram torvis, et rubore suffusis, facie ignea, voce quassa, collo ab humeris aliquantulum demisso . . . corpore carnoso, et naturae magis quam gulae vitio, citra tumorem enormem et torporem omnem, moderata quadam immoderantia ventre praeamplo. Gir. Cambr. Op. v. 302. a man̛ saunrede, roune heed, & round grey eghen̛; roghly lokynge, & rede yn wreth; vysage rede bernynge, grete speche, neke somdel logℏ of þe sholdres, brest thyk, armes staluarthe, of flesshy body; &, more of kynde than of glotony, grete of wombe; for he was, as to prynce belongeth, of mete, & of drynke ful meen & for-beryngeErat enim cibo potuque modestus ac sobrius; et parcimoniae, quoad principi licuit, per omnia datus. Gir. Cambr. Op. v. 302.; &, for to a-quenche that gretnesse, he put hymself to ful mych trauaylle, that wnneth he lete hys body haue eny reste, ether̛ by day other̛ by nyght; ffor, wynter, & somer, he arose euer more yn the dawnynge, & herd fyrst hys seruyce of holy chyrch; ther̛-aftyr, most what al þe day he wold ben out, other̛ wyth houndes other̛ wyth hawkes, for yn thay two thynges he delyted hym swyth mych wythal; & vnnethe he wold ryde any amblynge hors, bot myche trottynge hors, for to trauaylle hys body the more. Aftyr al hys trauaylle a-day, vnnethe he lete hys body haue a lytell reste for to syte to hys mete the whyle that he eete; & anoon aftyr mete, & namely aftyr sopper̛, anoon he wold aryse & stonde, & so dryue forth al þe meste parte of the nyght, so that al þe court was oft ennyede ther̛-of. þe man that he ones yn lych beheld, euer eft he hadde knowleche of hym; & dynge þat he hadde ones herd, euer eft he hyt wold vnderstond; þe man that he ones hated, vnnethe he wold euer eftMS. est. loue; & man that he ones loued, vnnethhe wold euer eft hate. Whan any vnhappes hym befelle, noman meker; efte whan he was yn sekernesse, no man sterner̛. Suert ayeyn the bold, meke wyth ham that weren̛ vnder̛ y-broght, hard amonge hys owne, & priuely large amonge vnkouth; & openly mekenesse & debonerte he louede; pryde & hauteynesse he hated, & wold brynge vnder fote.

Thegℏ þe kynge wer wel longe yn grete nuy & grete anguyshe throght hys sonnes, as hyt ys to-fore I-told, natheles, amonge other̛ nedes, he ne foryet nat hys Irland. He lete take the lettres that war̛ Imade yn the consaylle of Casshele, of the vnclene lyf & the horyble synnes that the folk of Irland lyueden In, other-wyse than crysten men oght lyuen; & the lettres, al ensealed as thay wer, he sent by hys messagers to the Court of Rome, to the pope Alyxsander̛ that than was; & thar̛ he dydde the purchace, that by auctoryte of the pope, & by hys concent, was to hym I-graunted the lordshype of the lond; & þe lond-folke, that crysten shold be, & al clene was out of ryght reule of crystendome & ryght byleue, to bryngen̛ yn̛-to ryght lawe of holy chyrch, yn the manere of England. That pryuelege forth, wyth another̛, that rather̛ was purchaced of þe poþe Adrian̛, that was to-fore Alexander, was I-sent ouer yn-to Irlande by Nychole, pryour̛ of Walyngeford, & Wyllyam Aldelines sone; & was a consaylle of al the clergye of Irland I-gaddered to-gyddre at Waterford: ther̛ wer̛ the pryueleges I-shewed & I-radde solempnelych to-fore ham, & I-graunted heghlygh by consentement of al the comynes. The forme of thay preuyleges, as thay wer endyted yn the Court of Rome a latyne, ne myght I nat comly setten yn Englyshe, & þerfor I hyt leue; bot the meste streynth ys thys:—Whan the pope Adryan hadde herd opynly the euyle lyf, & þe synfule, that þe folk of Irland ladden, wors than wyld bestes, & out of constytucions of holy chyrch & ryght byleue, he graunted the kynge that he shold ynto Irland wend, for to adresse & sprede þe termes of holy chyrch, for to wythstond & lete the ruyne of syn, for to Amend the lyther thewes, & sette þe good,for to eneche relygyoun of crystendome, so that hyt war wyrshype to god, & helte to the soules; & the folke of þe londe, manshyply hym shold vptake, & worthly as lorde; saue ryghtes of holy chyrche vnwemmed; & to seynt petyr & þe holy modyr chyrche of Rome, of euery hous a pany to rent, a yer, yn Irland, as yn England. Thys pryuelege was I-purchased of þe pope Adryan; & a clerk hyt purchased, that hetteMS. 'sette' for 'hight, hette, or hete,' p. 94, l. 22 below: 'per Johannem Salesberiensem,' v. 316. Ihōn̄ of Salusbury; & the pope, by the same clerk, sent to the kynge a gulden rynge, yn name of Seysyne of the lond. the pope Alexandre next aftyr hym confermed that same yift; & euery eþer of ham amonested & parted from god almyghty, & betheght þe deuyl al ham that yn any tyme þerayeyne wold come.

Off þe kynge And of hys sonnes, & of the purchace that þe kynge dede, ys Inowe Itold shortlyche: now we wyllen turne ayeyne to our̛ knyghten gestes yn Irlande. The lond of Irland was yn good pees vnder̛ Reymond-ys kepynge; bot heruy of Mountynorthy,—that euer hadde enuy to Reymond, & saw that hys selth & hys wyrshype wex euer more & more,—fore he ne durst nat openly showe the felony that was yn hys hert, he bethoght that he wold dernely; he made hym semblant of myche loue; besoght ful yorne þat he most allyaunce haue to har kynrede, & namely, that he moste haue to wyue a gentyl-womman̛, Moryces doghter, fytz Gereud, that hegℏ Neste. Thys mayd was hym Igraunted, & he hyr spoused; & þat þe kynrede sholden the faster̛ be Ibound togydyr, by procurynge of Reymond & of hym eke, þe Erl yaf helyn, hys sustre, to Wyllyam, Moryces eldest sone; þe erl sent eke aftyr Moryce, that was than Iwent ynto Walys; & at hys comynge, he yaue hym þe haluendele of Ofelan̛, & þe castel of wykynlo; & þat oþer haluendele he yaue Meyler. In the tyme þat þe pees was, & þe lond yn good state, byfel that Obren, the kynge of Thomon, ayeyne hys trouth & ayeyn the kynges pees, began to withdrawen hym from the kynge, & noght nold be bowynge to hym, ne to ham that wer̛ vnder hym yn þe lond. Reymond told þer-of myche vnworthynes, & yn lytyl whyle gadered to-dedderes so hys hoste, so that he hadde an hundert knyghtes & .xx.ti, thre hundret other an hors, & .CCCC. bowmen afote, & about al-halwen-tyde went toward lymeryke. Whan thay wer theder I-come, thay hadden̛ grete lette of the grete watyr of þe shynen, that was betwen ham & þe sytè, so that thay myght nat ouer wende: the yonglynges—that wel coueytouse wer ham self to auaunce, her stalwarthnesse to showe, & also wynnynge to gete & to hawe,—weren wel sore a-tened þat thay myght nat ouer to þe syte that was ham so neght, for þe watyr þat was so depe & so streit rennynge betwene, & eke so stony by the ground. As the formest of ham waren houynge vpon þe waterys brynk, was a yonge knyght amonge ham, newly I-dobbet, fayr & stalwarth, Reymondes Neuowe, that hete Dauy the WelsseDavid agnomine Walensis. Op. v. 321.: throgℏ grete couetyse that he hadde, ouer al other̛ to wyn the formest pryce, ne dredet nat to do hym-self to so horyble perylle of deth; he smote hys hors with the spores, & ouer-threwe adoun ynto þe watyr, þat was so depe & so stony. the horse was myche & stronge, & come sone vp aboue the watyr wyth hym. he wyssed the hors sydlynge ayeyns the watyr asquynt, & come ouer on the other̛ syde, & cryed to hys men, & seyd that he hadde a ford I-found. bot, for he fond no man þat hym wold felowe, bot o knyght that hete Geffrey IudasGalfridus Judas. Ibid., he turned ayeyne by that same wey, & þe knyght with hym. he come ouer hole & sound; bot þe knyght, þrogℏ þe streyntnesse of þe watyr, was I-throw adoun, he & hys hors, & y-drent to-for ham al. Whan Meyler̛, that theder was wyth Reymond I-comen, þys saw, he hadde grete enuy that such hardynesse shold be I-teld of any other, & nat to hym: vpon the hors þat hym bar̛, he put hymself yn the watyr, & hardylyche, wyth-outten any ferdnesse, passed ouer þe other syde. The cytzeyns sawe hym comynge so al-oon; thay comen ayeyn hym, some for to kepe hym vpward at hys comynge out of þe watyr, for to mak hym turne ayeyne; other̛, to vndo hym ryght yn the watyr. The knyght was stalwarth, & boldly putte hym vp bytwene twe perylle:—on on halue, þe wode-yernyngewatyr so grysly; on other̛ halue, hys fomen, that with stonys & with fawesMS. fawes. Lat. creberrimis lapidum jaculorumque jactibus. Op. v. 322. hym leyden on, both at þe watyr, & vpon the wallys of the toun, þat ryght vpon the watyr stode. He pute hys sheld & hys heed wyth the helme ayeyns the dyntes, & hertely held hym amydde al þat harme, alone, wythout any helpe, ful unseker on al syde: þe crye was ful horyble on euery halue. And Reymond, that was at þe last of þe hoste, as hede & lodesman & prynce of al þe hoste, herde the crye, & wyst nat yit what hyt was. He come anoon hastyly thrughe al þe hoste, tyl he come to þe watyr; & when he sawe hys neueu on that other̛ syde, so narowe byladde, & on al syde besete so narowe, he hadde grete angwysshe yn hys hert; & sharpe & byttyrly bygan to cry to hys felowes: "Men̛ that so stalwarth ben of ryght kynd, & yn so fele Anguysshes with vs hath your̛ streynth assayed, cometh forth, men! the way ys open to-for vs, & the ford that noon of vs ne couth, throgℏ hardynesse of our̛ y-found. folow we now the herty knyght, that so stronge ys byladde, & let me hym neuer so neygℏ to-for our eghen be I-shent!" With that word, Reymond was þe fyrst that put hym yn þe watyr; & al þe hoste aftyr dyde ham yn aduentur̛, & yn goddys grace, & wenten our̛ al quyte, bot o knyght that hete Guy, & twey fotemen. her fomen flowenMS. slowen. Lat. fugatis in urbem hostibus, v. 322. to-fore hem ynto the Cytè, & thay braken yn aftyr, & wan the cytè, & slowen ful many of þe cytzeyns, & dreyntten. Thay fonden ther so myche gold & syluer̛ & other rychesshe, that for that, & eke for the maystrethat god ham sent, thay told lytel of the perylle & the lostes that thay hadde ther-to-fore. Nowe arede ye, whyche was the hardyest of these thre knyghtes? whether he, that wythout any man to-fore hym, put hym yn-to the watyr for to techen al the other the weye; Ather̛ he, that, aftyr ensample of hym, & the horyble death of ham that weren I-dreynt to-fore har eyghen, passed the watyr, & al-one sette so hardyly hys body to mark amonge so many fomen; Other he, that aftyr ham both, so hardyly & so boldly, with al the hoste, put hym yn so gret perrylle? Thus was, as the? for 'at this.' tyme, lymeryk I-wonneone a tywesdayLater note in margin: 'Ther̛-aftyre hyt was I-socoured one a tywsday.; Watyrford I-wonne one a tywesdaye, & dyuelyn also: noght for o coste was that day awayted þer-to, bot as hyt byfelle by cas & by adwentur̛; & nat wythout skyle, ffor the tywesday, by hethen men day yn the old world, was I-sette to a god that day cleped Mars, & was I-hold god of bataylle; & on that day thay fonden, þat whoso bataylle besoght, he shold spede better̛ than yn oþer dayes.

Now I wille yowe telle these twey stalwarth knyghtes, Reymond & Meyler, whych thay weren. Reymond was a man brod of body, somdel more than metlyche, yolowe her̛ & sam-crysp, grey eyghen & depe, somdel heyghe nose, neb rody, wel I-hewed, glad semblant & cleer̛"somdel more than metlyche, yolowe her̛ & sam-crysp, grey eyghen & depe, somdel heyghe nose, neb rody, wel I-hewed, glad semblant & cleer̛" = staturaeque paulo plus quam mediocris; capillis flavis et subcrispis, oculis grossis, glaucis et rotundis, naso mediocriter elato, vultu colorato, hilari, ac sereno. Op. v. 323.; man of moche methe & of grete purueyaunce; nothynge delycion, nother of mete ne of cloth; heet & cool, al I-lyche, wel he myght suffre; man of mych trauaylle; tholmode yn wreth; as redy he was to serue, to queme ham that he was ouer, as to be I-serued of ham. Whan he hoste ladde, he was so besy about to kepe the host, that oft he left slepe al the nyght, & wandredde about, spyenge & crynge for to look þat noon harme ne shold betyde, & for he wold euer fyrst be redy, yf hyt nede wer. & shortlych to sygge hys thewes & hys maneres, he was man free & meke, queynt & purueynge; & thegℏ he wer swyth hardy & wel taght yn wepne, of quenyntyse & of sleyght yn syght, & of selth yn bataylle, he passed al other̛et quanquam animosus plurimum, et armis instructus, prudentia tamen rebus in martiis et providentia praecellebat. v. 324.; & thegh he yn both wer̛ myche to preyse, he was better̛ leder of hoste þan knyght.

Meyler was a man of durk semblant; blak eghen, & rogℏ lokynge; sterne semblant; of body, somdel more than methlych; ful stalwarth, wel I-brested, smal mydelstaturae paulo mediocri plus pusillae; corpore tamen pro quantitatis captu pervalido; pectore quadrato, ventreque substricto. v. 324., armes & otherlymmes ful bony, more synowy than fleysly. he was knyht ful hardy & enuyouse; he was neuer aferde ne agryse to begynne thynge yn fyght that any man oght done hym on, Ather wyth other̛ y-meuedMiles animosus et aemulus; nihil umquam abhorrens, quod aggredi quis vel solus debeat vel comitatus, v. 324.. In euery fyght, he was þe fyrst to begynne, & the laste that hyt wold leue. Al þe stalwarthnese that any man myght do, he wold passe, or suffre deth; the maystrye & prys to wynne, other̛ deye,—nothynge he ne sette betwene. Of al thynge, bothe these knyghtes wer̛ to preyse myche wyth-al, ner̛ hyt that thay, throgh couetyse, oft byname holy chyrch her̛ ryghtes; bot more harme ys, & mychel to mourne, that defaute hadden̛ meste al our̛ knyghtes from the forme begynnynge. What was Robert steuenesson̛ & hys sonnes yn har̛ tyme? what, Moryce fytz Geraud & hys sones? what, Robert debarry, of whom ys to-fore I-told? what, myles de seynt dauy? both Robertes & Moryce neueuen, that with þe formest boldly come ynto Irland? what, Robert fyz henry, Meyleres brother̛? what, Reymond de Cantetone? what, Robert de barry the yonge? what, Reymond huessone? what, other̛ of the selue gentrye, many & I-nowe, whych hyt war̛ stronge to namen al by nam? for no mane ne myght hyt bethynk, bot har̛ stalwarthnesse ne her̛ good deddes shold neuer wend out of mynd. Thay wer̛ a folke & a kynrede, on two halue, kyndly, stalwarth, & hardy; on other halue, of þe kynde of ffraunce, & ther̛ of wel I-taght yn wepne of myche nenbre (?) of kynred & kynd stalwarthnesse euer more to her̛ ende. Whan Reymonde hadde I-wonne the sytè of lymeryke, he ordeyned & purueyed how the cytè myght be best I-kept; he lete brynge theder̛ vyttaylle on euery halue grete plente, & lefte þer Myles of seynt dauy, with fyfty knyghtes & squyers an-hors, & CCC bowmen, & with þe other parte of the hoste wyth yoy & gladnesse al harmles turned ayeyne ynto leynestre.

The lond was þan yn good pees vnder Reymondes kepynge, so that non Iresshe-man ne durst hym stur to mysdom. Heruy of Mommorthy, that euer hadde enuy to hym,ne left nat, for the allyance that was ham betwene, þat he ne dydde hym al þe harme that he myght, & opynly shewed than þe felony that he longe hadde I-borne yn hys hert. He sent ouer to þe kynge by Messagers, & made hym to vnderstond that Reymond was yn yndygnacion of the kynge; & ayeyne hys owne trouth, so hauteyn I-worth, that he wold al Irland take to hym & to hys"& made hym to vnderstond that Reymond was yn yndygnacion of the kynge; & ayeyne hys owne trouth, so hauteyn I-worth, that he wold al Irland take to hym & to hys" = illi sinistre rerum eventum indicarit: asseverans quoque Reimundum, contra regis honorem, et fidem debitam, non tantum Limericum, verum etiam Hiberniam totam, sibi suisque jam occupare proculdubio proposuisse.—Op. v. 327.; &, for hys lesynges shold þe bettyr be y-leued, feel þynges he made hym to vndrestond, & so fayr̛ hyt slyked wyth falsnesse, that hyt somet sothe, al that he seyde. The kynge—as ofte manere ys that lydder tales ben bettyr̛ I-leued, & lenger I-thoght, that good—he beleued þe fals mannys talys & wryynge, & sent yn-to Irland four̛ Messagers, that ys to wytten, Robert the power̛, Osbern of herford, Wyllyam Berynger̛, & Adam of yarnemouth, of whych the twey shold abyde with the Erle yn Irland, & þe other tweyn shold wende ayeyne ynto England wyth Reymond, as þe kynge hym hadde COMMAWNDET.

Heruy was a man fayr & lygne, eyghen grey & depe, o uelyche lokynge, fayr semblaunt, of fayr spech & wordes wel besete; of body more than methlych, of al lymmes ful becomly; bot as fayr̛ & as becomly as he was wytout, as lydder̛ & as fals of many maner lastes he was wyt-In; ffor, fro the tyme that he was chyld, he yaf hymself to lecherye; & nat only to many sengle wommen; bot he ne synned neþer spousbrych ne syblynges; he was onful & bakbyter̛, wreyer, false & traytur̛, dubƚe of tonge & nothyng̛ stydfaste, butt yn"wreyer, false & traytur̛, dubƚe of tonge & nothyng̛ stydfaste, butt yn" = These words are in a different hand. falsnesse hys speche thoght as thogh hyt wer hony & mylk out of hys mouthe, bot euer hyt was I-meygnet with attyr at þe ende. Som tym he was stalwarth, as to knyght longeth; bot aftyr, he yaue hym selue more to cowerdyse than to knyghthode; & more he couth hym maken, than̛ he was worthMS. wroth.; hegℏ of berynge yn hous, & noght of plente; of mych speche, & lytel sothnesse.

Aftyr̛ that þe Erle was dede, the kynges messagers, that weren̛ aftyr Reymond I-come, vpon newe aduenturs toke new consaylle. Thay lefte Reymond keper of Irland, & wentten ham ynto Engeland hastyly to the kynge, & told hym of the erles deth, & the state of̘ the lond. The kynge sent than ynto Irlande, Wyllyam aldelinessesone, procuratour of the lond, with x knyghtes of hys own̛ priue meygne; & with hym, Ihon̛ de Courcy with other x; Robert steuenessone & Myles de Cogan̛, þat al two yer̛ yn engeland & yn gascoyne nobly hadden̛ with the kynge I-be, come þan̛ ynto Irland with xxti knyghtes. Tythynges come to Reymond that thay war̛ arryued; & he anoon-ryght went ayeyns ham with mych gladnesse & fayr felawshyppe of knyghtes to Weysford. Ther he yeld vp to Wyllyam, as to Seneschal from the kynge I-sent, al the kynges townes, & hys castels, & al the ostages of Irland. Wylliam sawe Reymond wyth so many & so fayr yonglynges bylad, & beheld Meyller̛ & other knyghtes of hys kyn, fayr & rychely y-wepned of o maner vepne, wel thrytty, vpon ful fayr̛ hors, sheldes about har̛ nekkes, & spers yn hand, pleynge to-geddre ynto al the feldes: he turned hym to hys men, & seyd al soft, "Thys pryd shal be pute In, ar hyt be lange, & þese sheldes to-dreued." Ffro that tyme euer aftyr, these & meste al other̛ procuratours yn Irland, as thoght hyt wer̛ by on oth togeddre I-swore, throgh ond & enuy ne stynt neuer to besech Reymond & Meiller̛, Robertes sones, & Moryce, & al tℏat kynrede, al þe enuy that þay myght & durst; for þys ys euermore har̛ wayte & har̛ aduentur: euer whan̛ grete nede byfelle yn tyme of wer̛, thay war lef & derward, & the formeste to I-clepped, & to bataylle, throgh hardynes, formest & fyrst redy; whan̛ non ned was,anoon̛ thay wer̛ loth, & I-pute abake; her̛ felowsℏyp I-leſt yn̛ yurne to harme. Na the wodde of har̛ gentryce, throgh non enuy ne myght neuer be I-rotet; for euer ham spryngyth new spourges, of whych the myght yn the lond nys nat lytelle. Who beth that kepeth the contreys? the Geraudynes: Who throgh þurleth the hostes? the Geraudynes: Who ben that fomen adredeth? þe Geraudines: Who ben that enuy bacbyteth? þe Geraudines. Hade thay I-found prynce yn any tyme, that har̛ stalwarthnesse ham had y-yold, as thay worthy wer̛, yn good pees & stydfast hadden I-broght the state of Irland. Bot thegh thay nededen neuer so well, thay ne hade bot lytele thanke, other̛ noon; har̛ trauaylle yuel I-yold, & ouerthrow yn har̛ goodnesse, & mysbeleue & bacbyttynge of har̛ stalwarthnesse; & to other̛, the prynces trysten, wyt whych no staluarthnese was I-founde, ne no power hadde well to done without helpe & socour̛ of ham. And also Aldelinese-sone, at hys comynge ynto Irland, he wente from toun to toun vpon̛ þe see, & þrogℏ soght the Cyttes ther̛ plente was of mete & drynke; bot the monteynes, & þe londes with-In, nold he neuer come negℏ. gold & syluyre, whar̛-of mych plente was yn þe lond, wel hungrylych he gaderede, to helpe-with pledynge & pullynge of pees men, & nogh of theues ne of reuers. In that tyme, about myd-heruest, Moryce fyzt-Geraud deyed, nat without gret Sorynesse of al hys, & mych harme & lost to al Irland; ffor he was a man methefull, suttell, & stalwarth: trewer̛ man ne stydfaster man̛, ne left he non yn Irland. ¶ Wyllyam adelinesesone ran Moryce sones to harme anon, & ne stynt neuer tyl he hadde I-take of hym þe Castel of Wykelowe wyth falsnesse. of Reymond & Robert steuenesse-sone, he name the londes that thay hadden yn the vale of dyuelyn & yn Ophelayn; & other̛ that hadden londes yn̛ pes, he name thay londes to the kynges behoud, & delyuered ham londes furthyre yn̛ marche, & yn perryll nexth har̛ fomen: al with vnryght, & by hys owne wyll; ffor ther̛ ys nothynge so bold ne so kene as ys that man̛ that ys of noght I-come, Whan he ys an-hegℏ I-broght, & vnkyndely I-sette yn maystry. ¶ Wyllyam was a man mych of body, & of makynge; good met-yeuer; fre & corteys by semblant; bot al that he dyde anyto wyshype al hyt was yn spyinge, felonye, & trecherye; euer he shedde attyr vndyr hony. To-day he wold do the wyrshype, to-morow he wold the reue & do shendshype; the meke & þe lotles he vndedde, þe sterne & the hawteyn he plessed; softe with wyld men, & hard with pees men; of fayr spech, soft, fals, trecheur̛; argℏ & enuyous, dronklewe & lecheour.

Iohan de Courcy saw that al thynge that Willyam dydde was couetise And trecherye, & that he nas nothynge trewe to ham that vndyr hym wer̛, ne dredlyche to the mysdoynge. he chase hym of̘ the meygne of dyuelyn a few, bot thay wer̛ good & stalwarth & hardy throgh al thynge, so that he hadde xxtiij knyghtes, fyfty squyers, & fotmen as myght be by ccc, & went hym ynto Vlnester̛, whare non engeleshe-man I-wepned to-for̛ hym was I-seye. Than was fulfylled a prophecye of Merlyn, that thys seyd: "A whyt knyght, syttynge on a whyt hors, berynge fowles yn hys sheld, shal formest assayll Vlnestre." Thys Iℏōn̄ was a man ful whyt, & rood þan vpon a whyt hors, & bar̛ yn hys sheld, ernes I-peynted. he went hym throgh Myth & throgh Vryel thre dayes goynge; & the forth day erlych, come to doune without any lete of any foman̛. Vnwyttynge he come; In he wente. dyuelyn, the kynge, was shorthlych a-fryght of so derne comynge, left the toun & flow; the meygne, that was myssayse & hungry, fond ther mete & drynke Inowe, & pylfre of gold & syluer & clothes, & eke whar̛-wyth thay war̛ wel arrayed, & har hert wel comforted. Into the toun was than I-come a legat of Rome, that hete Vyuyen̛, & was y-come out of scotland. Thys legat was youre aboute, pees to make betwene the kynge & Iohn̛: myche he spake & mych he hym profred, & more he behete, & trewage to beren̛ euery yer̛ to Englyssh-men, by so that he wold the lond leue, & turne ayeyne. Myche he spake ther̛-of, & mych hym bysoght; bot noght he wold hym hyr̛, ffor hys thoght was al I-turned, the lond for to wyn, or the lyf to forlese. Donleue saw that he, wyth fayr̛ spech ne fayr beheste, noght ne myght spede; he sent anoon aftyr hys folke, & withyn the viij day he gadered to-gyddyr̛ an hoste of ten thousand men, stalwarthto fyght, & besegete staluarthly the Cyte of doun þer Iohn̛ was In; for yn thys lond, as yn al other̛, the northeren men̛ ben stordyer & smerter̛ to fyght than other̛. Iohn̛ saw thay hostes comynge to hym-ward: thegℏ he fewe wer̛, natheles thay war̛ al hardy & stalwarth he chase; & leuer hym was, out wend, & with streynth to assaye the aduenturs of battaylle, than yn the lytel feble fortelet that he yn & herne of the toun yn so lytel whyle hadde arerede, amyd hys fomen, beseged & hungrod, deye. He went hym out to hard fyght: & whan thay hadde fyrste, from ferr̛, I-suywed har arowes, thay smytten ther̛ aftyre hertelych to-gydder, sper ayeyne sper, swerd ayeyne sparth; & many one the lyf ther forlese. Bot who hadde y-sey Ioℏnes dynttes with swerd, how he smote of þat man þe heed from the scholderes, that man the arme & þe shuldre from þe body, that man the heed I-clouen fer dounynto the body, he myght wel sygge that hys myght & hys mayn oght wel be I-preysed. Thegh many war̛ yn thys fyght that stalwarthly dydden, natheles, Roger the power, that ther̛-aftyr was of grete myght yn Osserye & yn the Contrey of legℏlyn, was the other̛ that best dydde. Aftyr grete fyght & lange, þat ther̛ was of wel vnlyche hostes, at þe laste the Iresshe host was ouercome & I-scomfyte; many I-slawe by the see strond whyder-ward they flowen: than was fulfylled a pro phecye that Colmkylle seyde of thys fyght: he seyd, 'that so many men̛ shold be I-slaw yn that place, that har̛ fomen myght waden to the knees yn her blode.' & so hyt was than; ffor as thay flowen to-for ham yn the slyme, thay folweden aftyr & slowen ham; & as thay dyueden adoun, the blode of ham that waren̛ I-slawe, & fleted abouen, toke to þe knee of ham that slowen ham. The same prophete seyd also, 'that a pouere mane, & as thoght he wer̛ flow or banshed out of other̛ landes, with lytel folk shold come ynto doun? dyn .., & the toun wynne, wythout soccoure of any herrer'; & other̛ many fyghtes & aduentures of thynge that yn that contray shold betyde, whych al openly wer̛ fulfylled yn Ioℏn de Courcy. That same boke, Iℏon hadde an Iresshe I-wrytte, & was hym ther-aftyr as shewer of al hys dedys. In the same boke was eke I-found, that a man̛ with folke I-wepned shold, with strenynth, the walles of Waterford to-breken; & with grette slaght of þe cytȝeynes, the tounwyn̛; & fro thennes, by Weysford, wend to dyuelyn without any lette; & þe cytè wyn: & al þis ys found fulfylled of the Erl: he seyd eke 'that the Cytè of lymeryke shold of Englysshe-men shold be twyes I-lefte, & at the thrydde tyme y-hold': & so hyt was, on tyme of Reymond, another of phylepe de Bruse, as hyt openlyer shal be I-shewed yn hys own place. Ther-of þe prophecye was thys y-seyd, 'þe cytè thrise I-soght, at þe thryd tyme shal be I-hold.' Twey grete fyghtes, Iohn̛ ther ledde & wan at doun; that oon aftyr candelmase, as hyt ys I-told, þat other at mydsomyre, wher he, wyth fewe men, ouercome the battaylle of fyftene thousand, & slow of ham ful many. The þrydde was at ferly at a pray-takynge: thar thay come throgh a narowe pas, and hadde so styf fyght, & so stronge, that hys men̛ was, some y-slawe, & the oþer dele so dyscomfyte ynto al þe woddes, that vnneth ther be-left hym wyth aleueth thousande; & he, as man wonderly stalwarth, with so fewe wyth hym, whan thay hadde har hors I-loste, thay went a-fote al y-wepned: a xxxti myl weye thay helden the fyght of har fomen; & twey dayes & two nyght thay war̛ fastynge, tyl thay come to hys castel. The ferth fyght was yn vryel; ther many of hys weren I-sley, & the oþer descomfyte, & put ham to flyght: the fyfte at yueres brygge, as he come wyth fewe men out of England; natheles, ther he ouercome, & slowe ful many, & come hol & sond to hys owne. Thus yn thre grete fyghtes he wan the ouer-hand; & yn twey, thegℏ he harme tholled, he dydde hys fomen mych more. Ioℏn was a man whyte & fayre; of lymmes bony & synowy; mych of body; non hardyer than he, stalwarth, & fyghter stronge of yought; yn euery fyght the fyrst, & the meste perrylle he wold euer be In; he was so coueytouse of fyght, & so bernynge whan he hoste lad, & come to fyght, that he neuer wold hym hold as leder̛, bot wyth the fyrst wold yn smyte, som whyle behynd, ther̛ most perrylle was, that oft al the oste was the vnredyer̛, and thoght that thay wer ouercome, and al hadden forlore: & thegℏ he wer̛ yn wepne vnmetly stordy, & sterne, out of wepne natheles, he was meke and sobre, & mych wyrshypped god & holy chyrche, & yn al thynge he leuet god and hys seruyce; & al that hym betyd, he thanked god that hym the grace sent. He spoused Godefreysdoghter̛, the kynges of Mane; & aftyr̛ many selcouth battaylles that he dydde, nat wythout grete labour & perrylle of lyf & myche myssayse, at the last he was all aboue, & clenlych hadde ouercomen. He casteled the lond yn couenable places, & such pes made, that non better̛ ne myght be, ne stedfaster. Bot gret wonder ys, & nat bot as god hyt wold, that thay four̛ grete postès of the conquest of Irland, namely, Robert steuenes-sone, heruy of Mountynorthy, Reymon le Gros, and Iℏon de Courcy, mythten neuer haue chyldren of her spoused wyues. Thus mych we haue shortly I-told of Iℏon de Courcy; & the other parte of hys stalwarth gestes, we leueth to wryte to other̛ that ham wrytte wyllen, & turneth ayeyne ther̛ we afore lefte.

Wiuyen, that in-to Irlande was legat I-comen, come to dyuelyn; theder he made come to-for hym al the bysshoppes & the clergye of Irland & held hys senne. ther he shewed openly the kynges ryght of Engelond to Irland, & the popes graunt, & hys confyrmacion; &, vp mansynge, forbed lered & lewed, that non neuere so hardy to comen ayeyns the kynges trouth. &, fore the Iresshe-men wer̛ I-woned to don̛ al har vytayllys yn chyrches, he yawe the Englysshe-men leue, that whan̛ me ladde hostes, & myghten nowher̛ elles wytayll fynd, that yn chyrch war I-found, me shold hardyly out take, & yeue the kepers of the chyrch the worth, as ryght wer̛.

Aftyr that, Miles de Cogan, that vnder Aldelinessesone was keper & conestable of dyuelyn, wyth fowrty knyghtes, of whych Rolf̘, Robertes sone, fytz-esteuene, was one, I-sette mayster ouer ham vnder Myles, & two hundret other̛ an hors, & thre hundret bowmen, passeden the water of shynnen, & wentten ynto Connaght, whar̛ Englesshe-men was neuere er comen. The men of Connaght wer I-ware of har comes; thay drowen ham ynto erth-hous many; & al the vytaylle that thay ne myght nat take wyth ham, thay put yn chyrches; & tounnes & chyrches thay setten al afyr̛ & branten. & yn despyte of the Englesshe-men, & yn hope þat god shold take wrech of ham, thay tokeþe rodes crucyfyed, & ymages of halowen̛, & kesten to-for ham ynto al the feldes. The Englesshe meygne wentten tyl thay come to tuen, & ther̛ thay abodde viij dayes yn bare lond & blote. And whan thay myght no mane fynd, ne nothynge wher-by thay myght lyue, thay turned ayeyne to the shynnen. ther thay found ayeyns ham, Oconghour̛ yn a wodde, wyth thre grete hostes. the Engelesshe boldly smytten̛ vpon̛ ham, & slowe of ham ful many, passeden on̛, & come to dyuelyn̛ al sound, out-tak þre men̛, that yn that fyght weren̛ I-lefte.

Sone ther̛ aftyr̛, Aldelinessone was I-sent aftir̛ ynto Engelonde, that no good yn Irland dydde bot oon, that, by procurynge of hym, an holy baghell & of grete vertue, that me cleped Ihesus baghel, was I-broght from Ardmagℏ to dyuelyn̛, & yet ys at the chyrch of the Trynyte: & comeynto Irland Hugℏ de Lacy, heye Seneshal of al the lond, & Robert de Power̛ wyth hym, Conestable of Waterford. Myles de Cogan̛ & Robert steuenesson̛ wentten also ouer the see ynto Engeland; bot thay comen sone ayeyne, & phylepe de Bruse wyth ham; & hadde the kynge I-yeuen ham thre, al the lond of Desmond. Robert & Myles hadden the south Contrey, that ys to wytten̛, from lysmore al aboute Corke vii Cantredes, saue the kynge the Cytè of Corke, wyth þe next cantrede. Phylype de Bruse, the kynge yaf̘ al the Contrey of lymeryke, saue the Cytè & hys next cantred: these thre I-feffed to-gedder̛, come ouer ynto Irland yn o felewshyppe, & arryueden at Waterford, & fro thennes thay wentten̛ to Corke al harmles. Thay war̛ thar̛ fayr̛ receyued of þe Cytteyns, & of a knyght that was keper̛ of the Cytè, that hete Rychard of Londone. Whan̛ thay hadde I-broght to pees Demot Mac charthy, prynce of desmone, & other̛ many of the contrey of moche power, Robert and myles deled betwen ham the vij cantredes next the Cytè; & felle by lot̘MS. bot. to Robert, thre on the eeste syde; Myles, four yn the weste; mo to the on than to the other̛, for the lond was wors; the kepynge of̘ the Cytè comune to ham bothe; the renth & the trywageof̘ the other̛ four̛ & xx cantredes, as hyt wold falle, euyn to dele betwen ham: & ys a cantrede to sygge, an hundret ton̛ lond. Whan̛ thys was I-don̛, thay wentten wyth Phelype to lymeryke. Robert hadde wyth hym xxxti knyghtes & lxti sweynes; Myles, xxtiknyghtes & fyfty squyers; Phelype, xxti knyghtes & xlti squyers; & fotmen wyth euery of ham ful many: they came to the Cytè, & noght was betwen̛ ham bot the watyre of the shynnen̛; & Robert & Myles baden Phylepe to wend ouer & assaylle the toun; othyr, yf hym leuer wer̛, to rer̛ hym a castele vpon the same watyre afor the toun. Phelepe, thegℏ he knyght wer stalwarth & hardy yn hym selue, natheles, throgℏ feble consaylle of ham that wyth hym, wer̛ he chase; & mych leuer hym was, leue the Contrey, & harmles turne ayeyne to hys own̛, Than amonge so many fomen̛ & so fer londes, yn so grete perrylle to abydde; & that no wonder̛ nas, thegℏ hym yn thyke vyage mys byfelle, that so many lydder̛ men, theues, & manslaghtres of the marche of Wales—& thay to-fore al other—hadde I-chose & I-draw to hys felewshyppe. Noght lange ther-aftyr, Meredus, Robertes sone, yonge knyght & stalwarth, nat wyth-out myche wepynge & sorow of̘ many, deyed yn the Cytè of Corke. That whylle, was I-hold at Rome the consaylle of̘ latran, that men̛ so moche speketh of, vonder the pope Alyxsandyr̛ the thyrdde. & was wyth-yn thre yer̛, thre eclypses of the sone. ¶ Whan̛ Robert steuenesson̛ & Myles of Cogane, wel fyfe yeyr, al desmone yn good pees hadden̛ to-gyddyr̛ I-holde, Myles & hys Othome Rauf̘, Robertes son̛, that a lytyll ther-to-fore hadde hys doghter̛ I-spoused, wentten to the contrey of lysmor, to hold parlement wyth ham of Waterford. & as thay saten̛ yn the feldes abydynge aftyr ham, Mactyr, that theder was wyth ham I-come, & wyth whom thay sholden̛ that nyghtMS. myght. be I-herbrowed, vnwyttyngly smot̘ vpon ham behynd, & ham both, wyth fyue other̛ knyghtes, ther̛ slowen wyth sparthes; & other̛ fewe that wer wyth ham vnneth escaped. Throgℏ that thynge, al the contrey forth ther̛-aftyr̛ worth so I-storbet, that Demot Maccarthy & al the hegh men of the contray, forth wyth Mactyre, ayeyne har trouth, wyth-drowen̛ hamal from the Englysshemen̛, & turned vpon̛ Robert steuenes-sone, that oft hadde harde happes assayed; & neuer eft, tyl Reymond to hym come, and helpe hym for to wyn the londe & worth to herytage; ffor Robert ne myght nat pees haue, as he rather hadde. As the northren men loueth fyght, also the southren, falsness; thay trusteth to streynth, these to sleghtes; thay to staluarthnesse, these to traysoune. Whan Reymond herd that Robert was so narow byladde yn the toun of Corke, wyth hys fomen al about beseget, he put hym to shyppe yn the hauen of Watyrford, wyth xxti knyghtes & squyers, & bowmen̛, wel CCC; leftene the lond al on̛ the ryght hond, & wentten about by the see, fort he come to Cork, to gaddre hele to hys frendes, & vnhele to hys fomen. Aftyr many & selcouth camplynges, many of har̛ fomen̛ thay slow, & many out of̘ contray thay dryuen̛, & the moste parte & the beste come to pees; & so the grete tempeste of that weddyr̛ hape, yn lytel whyle was I-queynt & I-stylled.

Nat longe ther̛ aftyr̛, come into Irland Richard de Cogan, Miles brother, wyth fair̛ meygne from the kynge I-sent; & ther̛-aftyr̛, yn the begynnyge of Marce, come Phylype de barry, a man̛ slegℏ & staluarth, wyth moch folk & fayr̛, both for to help Robert & Reymond, & for̛ to castely hys lond of Olethane, whych Robert hym hadde I-yeue; and yn the same flot come Maystyr̛ Geraud, that phelypees brother̛ & Robertes neueu, ful good clerk, & a man̛ that al the conqueste, & þe state, & þe wondres of Irland, & the kyndes of pepel from the begynnynge, ful Inly soght & oft greped, & thre bokes ther̛-of maked wyth grete trauayl, fywe yer̛ that he was ther̛. about that tyme, heruy of Mountnorthy yeldet hym monke at crystes chyrch yn cantyrbery, to whych he hadde thar-to-forne I-yeue hys chyrches of hys lond be Waterford & Weysford. Wold god that he hadde I-chaunget hys culuertnesse and he dydde hys knyghthode, and trecherye as he dydde hys clothyngeQui utinam sicut habitum, sic et animum, sicut militiam sic et malitiam deposuisset.—Gir. Camb. Op. v. 352..

About̘ that̘ tyme, befel a wonder aduentur̛ yn a wodde of Myth, of a preste that yede by weyes; & as he come throgℏ that wodde, come a man̛ ayeyns hym, & badde hym, for goddys loue, that he shold wend wyth hym for to shryue hys wyf, that lay seke þer negℏ. The preste turned wyth hym; & whan̛ he come somdel negℏ, he herd gronynge and wonynge, as thegℏ hyt wer̛ of a woman̛; & whan̛ he come ryght to, than̛ was hyt a wolf̘ that̘ lay ther & groned. Þe preste that saw, & was wel sore aferd, & turned hym aweyward: the man̛ and the wolf̘ both spake to hym, & bad hym that he ne shold nat be adredde, & that he shold turne to shryue hyr̛. The preste than toke herth to hym, & blessyt hym, & yede sytte besyde hyr̛: & the wolf spake to hym, & shroue to þe preste. & whan̛ thay hadde þat I-don̛, þe preste bethoght hym, and thoght that thynge that was forshape, & hade gras to spek, that hyt myght also wel haue grace & ynsyght of other thynge. he sette to, & asked of the out-comen̛ men that ynto the lond wer̛ comen, howe hyt shold be of ham. The wolf answard & seyd, that 'for the syn̛ of þe lond-folke, almyghty gode tok wreche of ham, & sent that folk for to brynge ham yn thraldome; & so thay shold be tyl the same folk war̛ efte encombret whythMS. whych. syn̛; & than thay shold haue power for to done ham the same wrech, for̛ har̛ synnes.'

WNder this, laurence, Erchebisshope of Dyuelyne, (that at the consaylle of the latran hadde I-be, & as me seyde, ther he hadde purchased ayenys the kynge for loue of hys lond-folke, whar-of the kynge hadde grete ortrow vp-on̛ hym, wher̛-for̛ he lete hym of hys passage ynto Irland,) the xviij kalends of december, deyed at Oye yn normandye; a good mane and holy; & þat, gode almyghty sheweth, by many myracles þat he openly doth for hym̛. Me rede eke of hym, that he was seke thre dayes ar he thader come; and whan he sawe our̛ lady-chyrch, that ys the modyr̛-chyrch of the toun, he seyd thys vers of the psauter, as prophecye, throgh þe holy goste: 'Hec Requies mea in seculum seculi' et cetera: & ys thus mych to sygge an-englysshe, 'Thys ys my reste, world wyth-out end; her I wyll wonne, for I hyt haue I-chose.' ¶ Aftyr hym, was Erchebysshop of dyuelyne, Iℏon comyn, a man̛ of England borne; & yn England, at euesham, of the clergye of dyuelyn̛ (by queyntyse and procurment of the kynge), by on accorde I-chose; & of the pope lucye, at the Cyte of Wellet, ther̛-aftyr I-hodet & I-sacred; a man, good clerke & ryghtful; & by hys myght, mych ryght laked þe stat of holy chyrch yn Irland.

The kynge henry, as he there - to - fore hadde I-thoght, yaue the Lond of Irland to hys yongeste sone, Ioℏn by name; & whan̛ he hyt hadde hym I-yeue,he sent þe Erchebysshope of dyuelyn ouer þe see, to ordeyn ayeyne hys sones comynge. & sone aftyr þat, hugℏ de lassy was I-sent aftyr ynto Englond; and come ynto Irland, Pheƚype of Wyrcestre, procuratour of þe lond, wyth fourty knyghtes; a man that was good knyght, curteys, & good mete-yeuer; bot oþer good ne dydde he noon̛, saue þat he went from contray to contray, & asked, & wyth streynth toke, both of letred & of lewed, þe cursed tallages of gold & of syluer. & I wnderstond that he neuer good dydde þerwyth; ne neuer mane shalle, that so catell gadereth; for many crystes curs, & trew mannys & womannes, pouer & ryche, thay gadereth eke þer-wyth: & wel vnsyker may man̛ be, to do hys lyf yn aduentur̛ wyth ham that catel so wynnethe.

Whan the kynges sone hadde arayed al dynge that nede was, for to come yn-to Irland, he put hym to saylle at Melyford, a ferth estre day. he hadde good wynd, & a-morow arryued at Waterford, wyth thre hundret knyghtys, & other an-hors, & a-fote ful many. he arryued, the yer̛ of hys old .xxij.; of hys faderes comynge ynto Irland .xiij.; of the Erles comynge .xiiij.; of Robertes comynge, fytzsteuen .xv.; the yeer̛ of owr̛ lordes Incarnacion .M. C. lxxxv. Steuenes-sone was forman, & opened the wey to þe Erl; the Erl to þe kynge; the kynge to hys sone; & mych hyt ys to preyse, & grete thynge he began, that fyrste ynto Irland so boldly come, the thynge to begyn. Moch also to preysene, he, that aftyr̛ the begynnynge, so nobely come for to eche thynge that was begon; & most of al to preysen, he that al thynge fulle endet, & the lordshype clenlych wan ouer al other Hy.II. Her̛, men mowen well vndrestond, that the Englesshy-men̛ ne came nat wyth so mych vnryght yn-to Irland as many folk weneth; for Robert, steuenes-sone, & þe Erl, wyth good ryght come to Macmorgℏ ynto leynester; the on, hys trouth for to hold, & hym for to helpe; that other, for loue of hys doghtre; nathles, of Waterford, ne of Myth, ne of Desmon̛, whych the Erl at the begynnynge name to hym, & conquered out of leynestre, ne sey I noght that he hadde al fully ryght ther-to. Bot of the fyftparte of the lond that was the Erles throgℏ hys wyf, The lordshype clenly þe erl yaf the kynge; & al þe prynces of the lond ther-aftyr, by har good wyll, yolden̛ ham to the kynge, to be euermor̛ sugget to hym & to hys. Vp-on al thys, þe pope of Rome, that ys heede of al crystendome, and that hath a specyall ryght of al the Ilondes of crystendome as wyde as the world ys, he yaf plenerly, and confermed to the kynge, the lordshyp of the lond, as hyt ys to-fore I-told. and of eldre ryght we fyndeth eke I-wrytte, that the kynges of England haue to Irland of Germon̛, Belynes sone, kynge of Brytaygne, that ys nowe Englond, he come ynto Irland, & whan the lond; & many yer̛ me bar̛ hym truage, and other̛ aftyr̛ hym, ynto brytaygne. Ther-aftyr̛ the kynge Arthur̛ hadde truage eke out of Irland; & Gylmory the kynge, that than̛ was wyth other kynge of the Ilondes, was wyth hym at the grete feste that he held at karlyon̛. On̛ other halue, the folk of Irland come formeste out of bastles & out of Bayon̛, that longeth now to gascoyne, wherof the kynges of england ben lordes. And thys me may wel vnderstond, that both by old ryght & by newe, the kynges of Englond owen wel to haue the lordshyp of Irland. And thegℏ the folk of the lond neuer ne hadde be subyet ther-byfore, hyt oght be I-noght, þat thay al by good wylle yold ham to kynge henry, by othes & by ostages, & al sykernesse that hymself lyked; & þe popes that þer-aftyr hym graunted & confermed the lordshyp of the lond, & accorsed al ham that yn̛ any tyme thar-ayeyn come. And thegℏ thay, throgh kynd falsnesse & vnstablenesse that yn ham ys, lytyl tel of othes & of mansynge, natheles, thay wer neuer, throgℏ no man that power hadde, ther̛-of assoylled ne vnbound. Bot man may bynd hymself wyth such thynge, bot nat so lyghly vnbynd.

Maystir̛ Geraud ne telleth no forther of the conquest; bot of þe lette where-throgh the lond was not clenlych I-conquered, ne the folk fully I-broght yn thedone, he telleth such resons:—Thay that fyrst comen̛, hadden̛ ful wel I-spedde wyth-out any lette, yif þe kynge ne hadd so astylyI-sent, & forboden that no man ne shold to ham come; & thay that wer̛ ynto þe lond I-come, shold the lond leue, & turne ayeyne, other̛ forlese al that thay helden of the kynge yn other̛ londes. And whan̛ the kynge was ynto the lond hymself I-come wyth so moch power, hyt had he wel ynoght, nar̛ that he hadd so sone turned ayeyne, throgh the popes heste & þe cardynals, & eke the lyddernesse that hys sones hadden I-purueyed to do hym, the whyll that he was out of lond. ffor the folk that, at the begynnynge of so sodeyne comynge, was so swyth amayed, & aferd & agrysed of the wepned men stalwarthnesse, and of the derne wondynge of arwes, throgh lange abydynge & sleuyth of Maystres that no stalwarthnesse ne sykernesse was wyth, by lytyll & lytel lerned, wepne to berr̛, arwes to shote; & so wel woned ham ther-to, that oft ham byfelle wonderly goode happes yn fyght vpon̛ englysshe-men̛; & on thys maner, that at the begynnynge lyghly myght be I-shent & I-broght vnder fote, worthen̛ bold & staluarth to wythstond, & defend ham-self. Me may rede & ouerseche the boke of kynges, þe prophetes, al the old rede fro end to other̛, & other tymes that afoor haue I-be; me shal neuer fynd that werr̛ & hate came vpon̛ folk, bot for har̛ synnes; & so hyt may wel be of the folk of Irland, that oft serued wel, for har̛ synnes, to haue werre & wrak of other̛ out-londes men; natheles, god almyghty was nat ham so wengeable wrot, that he tholled ham fully, nether al to be vndone, ne fully I-broght yn-to theudome, nether thay clenly forelore grace; ne the other clenlych hadden grace, the Maystrye to hawe, ham fully & preysebly yn theudome for to hold. Me fynt that þe Iresshemen hadden̛ four prophetes, euery yn hys tyme, Patryk, Molynge, Braken, & Colmkylly, whos bokes ben wyth ham an Iresshe I-wrytte; euery of ham speken̛ of the fyght of thys conqueste, & seyne that 'lange stryf & oft fyghtynge shal be for thys lond; & oft the lond shal be I-horyed & I-steyned wyth grete slaght of men.' Bot vnnethe thay beheteth the Englyssh peple fully þe maystrye a lytell ar̛ domesday, & that the lond shal from see to see be I-castelled & fully I-won. Bot the englysshe-men̛ shollen̛, ar that, oft wel feble be, & myche desayse yn the lond so? se. Barcan̛seyth, that 'throgℏ a kynge that shal come out of the wyl montayngnes of seynt patrykes þat me cleppeth slesto (slesco ?), & on a soneday-nyghtMS. sone myght., a castel yn the wodd contreys of Offalye shal to-brek, most what al the Englysshe-men of Irland shullen be I-stourbet' //

Now and for whych thynge hit was, that the kynges sonnes trauaille, and har mochel costes, at thys tyme ne sped nat as tham ogh, hyt ys non̛ harme thegh me her̛ sette; for thegℏ of thynge that ys I-past ne be no remedy, natheles, of thynge that ys to come, me may be war̛ by ensample of har̛ dede. Whan the kynges sone was Icome to lond at Waterford, theder̛ come to hym Iresshe-men̛ of the contray, rych men̛, and of pees trew hym besoght, & made hym grete gladnesshe as hare lord, & profred hym to kyssen̛. Thay anoon ryght of tho new men̛, & namely of the Normannes, weren̛ shame-fully receyued, & lothly I-hokred, & by the berdes—whych, yn the maner of the contrey, they hadden̛ grete & long—some of ham shamly weren̛ I-shaken̛ & I-draw. As sone as thay comen to har̛ owne, wyth al that thay hadden thay wyth-drowen ham, & left the contrey & wenten to the kynge of Thomon̛, and hym told, & also the kynge of desmon̛ & the kynge of Connaght, what thay hadd receyued & found wyth the kynges sone. ¶ A yonglynge al wyth yonglynges gouerned; & by yonge men̛ rede, al he wroght; no wytte ne no staluarthnesse wyth hym was found; no sekernese ne trouth to Iresshemen̛, thayr south nat behete. Whan̛ tythynges her̛-of was I-spronge, thay thre cheftayns of Irland that wer̛ ther̛ redy to come to the kynges sone, & ham to hym, & do hym homage, thay thogthten that, aftyr̛ thay smal harmes, wolden̛ come more; & whan̛ me such thynge dydde to good men̛ & meke, wel wors me wold do the prouth & the vnbuxum. Thay toke ham to rede, & sworr̛ to-gedder̛ that thay wolden̛ vpon har̛ lyues wythstond the ryghtes of har̛ old fredomes, & defende, for to be al to-hewen̛. And for that thay sholdFrom this line to the end of the page, the ends of the lines are missing, the corner of the page being torn off. this thyng the better to end brynge, thaysentten̛ about ynto al the lond, & allyed h … & maden frendes of ham that wer̛ byfore fomen, & thus throgh ham that th… -nyge putte (þrogℏ pryde) from ham, both thaye & al other most dele were …þys folke, as euery other̛ wyld folk, thegh thay no wyrshype ne couthe … me shold do ham wyrshype & manshype. And thegh thay nat be …… wyth falsnesse, natheles thay shonneth that other̛ do ham any falshede; & thus the good that thay loueth yn other̛, thay rech…… ham to-gydder̛ thay …… Euery wysman vnderstond hym by Roboam, Salomones sone, how mych harme falleth of pryde & ouertrowshype. whan̛ he, aftyr̛ hys fadyr̛, was made kynge of Israel, þe folk come to hym, & bysoght hym that he shold ham somwhat allegge of þe seruyces that thay wer̛ I-woned to do hys fadyr. He was yonge; and by yonge men̛ consaylle, answard & seyd, 'My fyngyr̛ ys gretter̛ than̛ was my faders ryggebone; & yf he yow bette wyth yardes, y wyl yow bette wyth breres.' ¶ Throgh that answar̛, the ten kynredes hym leften̛, & maden ham kynge of Ieroboam, & neuer aftyr̛ weren vnder hym ne noon̛ of hys: of al þe folk of Israel, non wyth hym abode, bot twey kynredes. Vpon thys, þe Iresshe-men londes, that, fro the tyme that Robert steuenes-sone fyrst come ynto þe lond, trewly wyth englysshe-men hadden̛ I-be, wer̛ I-take fro ham, & yeuen to the newe men̛. And thay anoon̛ turned to the Iresshe-men, & aspyed al the harme that thay myght do to þe Englysshe; & werr̛, so mych the more harme dydde, that thay so pryue werr̛ wyth ham ther-byfore

The tounes vp-on the see, and the castels, wyth the londes that to ham belonget, & the truages & the rentes that shold be I-spende yn comyn nede of the lond, & to ham, of rebelles thay war̛ I-sette to such that wel fayne gadered gold & syluer wyth-yn wowes, eten wel & drynken̛, and ladden̛ Idel lyf, & al thynge vnprofytably wasteden̛, to harme of pees-men̛, & nat of fomen̛. Amonge other̛ harmes betydde yit more, that yn lond so smert & so kene, & folk so weyward & so vnredy, & so mych harme doynge, The kepynge & the maystry tokean hand, that leuerMS. louer. hadde har rych robes, than ham to wepne; leuer to sytte at borde, þan hoste to lede; redyer̛ to fle þan to fyght, leuer to hold a fayr̛ mayd by the womb, than̛ sper̛ & sheld to ber̛ an hand; nether̛ trewe to har̛ vnderlynges, ne dredful to har̛ enemyes. Thay had nat that good herte, ne of kynde yt com̛ to ham̛, for to spar̛ the meke, & wreke ham on the prout; bot al ayeyne that, thay sparid & Torn out. lykled wyth the sterne, & pulled & strope ham that non̛ harme dydde. Vnder whych gouernours, the Iresshe-men̛ begon̛ to pryde & take ouer-hand of the englysshe, branten and slowen, robbeden̛ And stellen̛; for the maystres wyth har̛ meygne, helden̛ ham alwey yn the cytees vpon̛ the see, þer plente was of wyn̛ & of women̛, to whych they weren al clenlych I-yeue to. Bot the lond wyth-In, & the marches next har̛ enemyes, & the castles & the tounes that weren amyd, weren I-lefte & I-brant, the men I-robbed & I-sleyn, wyth-out any lette. The good knyghtes & the eldre folk of the lond, as men̛ that me noght told-by that whyle, wyth-drow ham al sleghtly, & held ham al stylle, for to awayty al soft, what endynge such hyddous stormes wold ham. That whyle, þe state of the lond was such, In al places was weylynge & wonynge, yollynge & crynge; Al þe weyes forlete; no man̛ ne trust to mete wyth other; euery day come newe tythynges of bernynge & sleynge, robbynge & revyng The corner of p. 26 b was torn off before being written upon, so that there are no words missing, and the lines follow each other as usual.yn the out londes: vnneth a lytel shadow of pees was yn þe bourgℏ tounes, þer the wyn quenched al þe sorowe; the gold & the syluer, al oþer harmes; thar̛ me shold yn so lydder world wend from contray to contray wyth folk I-wepned, and chasty ham that mysdeden. Thay setten Iustyces of bench yn har̛ robes of scarlet & menyuèr: men̛ wyth swerdes & battes ham for to kepe, ther no nede was. Than was þe motynge, the pledynge and reynnynge of good men and trewe that non harme dydden: wors ham dydde the harme & the ten that þay ther̛-throgh hadden̛, þan̛ the robbynge & reuynge that thar̛ enemyes ham dydde. ¶ Another̛ thynge that mych was torewe byfelle also, whar̛-of gode was worste I-quemed: Ther prince cometh newly to londe hyt becometh welle that he wyrshype god & holy chyrch, mayntenynge the ryghtes, & yeue more there-to. Bot þe newe prynce nat only held hym from that for to eche the good of holy chyrch, bot londes & rentes & pryuyleges that thay of old world hadde & vsed, at hys fyrst comynge yn many places he bename al clene; yn̛ other̛ places he chaunged, & yaue wors & lasse thar̛ for̛; & hyt may wel be, þat hys spede yn othere thynges was euer the wors & noght þe bettyr̛. On thys maner the englysshe weren̛ both argh & woke to assayllen and to fyght, þe Iresshe stronge & bold to wythstonde, tyl that þe new prynce saue openly that al thynge vnder̛ hys newe men̛ yede to loste; he chaunget ham & renued, as men̛ that nothynge couth, & drogℏ to hym the old knyghtes & the good men̛ that waren̛ ther-to-for̛ Ivsed to fyght yn the maner of þe lond, & sette Ioℏn de Curcy maystre & chefteyne of al thynge that was to done; vnder whom̛ þe state & þe pees of the lond, by as mych began anoon̛ ryght to amend, as Ioℏn, of hert & of staluarthnesshe, passed al other̛, passynge & throgh sechynge the Inlondes, as Desmone, Thomone, Mounester̛, Connaght; & let nat the meygne vndo hamself wyth oft harme & lostes, doynge to hys fomen, & oft to hym-self & to hys, as he that noght was adredde to assaye þe vnsyker̛ aduentures of fyght & of baret.

The usual large initial letter is omitted here, a space being left for it in which a small t is put.The yonge prynce at the begynnynge hadde wyth hym thre manere of meygne, Normannes, Englysshe, & þe Englysshe that he found yn the lond. In wyrshype, gret frenshype, & loue, he hold the fyrst & the worst; In lasse, the mydmest & the better; In allerleste, the latest & þe beste. The fyrst ne myght nat lyue wyth-out wyn, yn whyche thay weren̛ fostred; & for-thy thay forsoken̛ on al wyse to ben̛ yn marches & yn castels fer̛ from the see I-sette; no-wher̛ bot about the kynges sone & hys body, kepe thay myght nat be, & hym folwen, & negh hym be, wyth-out any departynge. fer̛ from the weste &negℏ al eeste; fer̛ from myssayse, & negh ayse thay wyllet euer to be sette. ¶ Ianglers & bosters, & of grette othes, and stronge lyers, foderes, whybelers, Moch told by ham-self throgh pryde, & lytel by other̛; yiftes & wyrshype to receyue, thay wer the fyrst; dout & perrylle to receyue, thay war̛ euer the laste. The lytel good that thay dydde that wyth hym comen̛, that was throgh the englysshe that he wyth hym broght; bot thay was no thynge derward wyth hym ayeyns the other, that no good ne couth do. And for the good knyghtes & the men̛ throgh whych the wey ynto the lond was fyrst I-opened, wer̛ wyth ham bot as forsaken̛ & forlete; non̛ I-cleppeth to conssaylle bot the newe; to non trusted he bot to the newe; to non̛ was wyrshype I-do bot to the newe. Hyt byfelle, that whan̛ thay other̛ wythdrowe ham for such thynge, & lete ham I-worth, yn al thynge that thay dydde, lytel or noght thay spedde. Such gyltes & so many, thegℏ thay both wer̛ myche to wite, yong old & yonge rede, natheles þe yonge lydder̛ rede was more gylty; ffore boustyous lond and vnredy, hadde al nede to be Irotet and I-kept throgℏ wyse men̛ & redy.

The usual large initial letter is omitted, space being left for it.Aftyr that the kynges sone hadde the lordshype of Irland, & ynto the lond was y-come, Aduentures byfelle that maystyr̛ Gerot shortly toucheth. Of thre castels that he anon̛ ryght lete rere, on at Ardfynan, another̛ at lysmore, the thyrd at Tybraghnych. Of thre staluarth knyghtes that throgh grete mesaduentur̛ weren I-slawe, Robert de Barry at Lysmore; Reymond, hughes sone, at Olethan̛; Reymon of Canteton̛ yn Osserye. Of a partye of the meygne of Ardfynan that the kynge of Thomon̛ descomfyted yn a wod þer negℏ on a mydsomyr̛ day, And four̛ knyghtes that ther̛ wer̛ y-slaw; & thay of Tothmon̛ the sam day wer dyscomfyt to-for̛ Tybragℏ; & a grete Iresshe-man, Ograde, was ther I-slawe, wyth many other̛ of the meygne of Ardfynan̛, that sone aftyr̛, yn a prey-takynge toward lymeryke weyes dyscomfyte, & xix knyghtes I-slawe. Of the prynce Of Desmon̛, Dermot Maccarthy, that with many other̛ yn a parlementbesyde Corke, throgℏ Tybaud wauter & the meygne of Corke, was I-slawe. Of the men̛ of kenalayne, that to boldely wentten̛ ynto Mythe to preyen̛, & ther weren̛ I-slawe throgh Wyllyam le petyt, & an hundert heedes of ham I-broght to dyuelyn̛. Of other̛ holy bodyes, patryke, Bryde, &, Colmekyl, at doun I-found, & by Ioℏn de Courcy wer̛ translated; of hugh de lacy, that to trysty was vpon hys Iresshe-men̛, & by trayson̛ of ham was I-heded at dernagℏ. ¶ Of thretten̛ knyghtes, that vnder̛ Iℏon de Courcy weren I-slawe at a comynge out of Connaght. Of the staluarth yonge knyght Roger the power̛, that wyth many of hys, throgh traysone, yn Osserye was I-slawe; & throgℏ that thynge, al the Iresshe of the lond stylly sworne ham to-gyddyr̛ ayeyns the Englysshe; wher̛ throgh that, 1castels yn many places weren̛ I-cast adoun, many men̛ I-slawe, to grete perrylle to al the lond; & of many other̛ aduentures that betydden̛ aftyr that the kynges sone was lord of Irland, of whyche maystyr̛ Geraud, ham & har̛ gestes leueth to other that ham wrytte wold, & lust hadden̛ ther̛-to"castels yn many places weren̛ I-cast adoun, many men̛ I-slawe, to grete perrylle to al the lond; & of many other̛ aduentures that betydden̛ aftyr that the kynges sone was lord of Irland, of whyche maystyr̛ Geraud, ham & har̛ gestes leueth to other that ham wrytte wold, & lust hadden̛ ther̛-to" = destructis castris pluribus, gravi insulae universae perturbatione: non indigna memoratu singula, translato in filium regis jam regni dominio, sua suorumque gesta suis assignando scriptoribus, ad ulteriora simul et utiliora festinamus.—Op. v. 387-8.. And as thys An end maked of thys boke.

IN the tyme that this was so, was in Prisonne wyth the Prince of Walys, a knyght, whos Name was Robert Steues-Sonne, that sometyme hadd̛ y-be constabill of al Suthe Walis. and many yll tvrnys hadd y-don̄e vp-on the Princes men, when thay eny thyng̛ mysdedyn; and throgh traysoun of his owyn men, he was y-take and delyuerid̛ to the Prince. And thre yere he was holde in prison, are Macmurgℏ thedyr come. Oft the Prince hym̛ proferyd̛ to delyuer hym out of pryson, So that he wolde be his helpe to wer vp-on the kynge; but Robert was a trew man, and for nothyng̛ wold̛ do thynge wher-of he myght be ther-aftyr reprovid̛ of vntrowth //

Than,—throgh be-sechynge of the Byshope and of Moryce fiz-Geraud̛, that weryn Robertys two bretheryn on his Modyr syde,—he was delyueryd̛ out of Pryson on this manere: That he and Morice his brodyr sholde, the nexte Somyr, wende Into Irland̛, with har Powere, to helpe Macmurgℏ; and he sholde hym yeue the toun of weysford̛, with the twey nexte cantredes: and of this was good̛ swrte y-fondyd̛ on euery syde. / Whan this was al thus Spokyn̄, Macmurgh myght not lengyr Suffyr that he ne mvste to his Lond̛ wende, thegh he ne found̛ nat the aduentures that he Soght, suche as hym lykyd̛, ne none othyr Powere he ne broght wyth hym, than he out-ladd̛. / he had̛ shipe redy, and good̛ wynd̛, and Passyd̛ ouer into Irland, and boldely arryued̛ in londe ther-as he hadd̛ many Enemys and few frendys. / From the see he went to Fernys; and wel sympylly he lyued̛ there al the wyntyr, with the Clergy of the chyrche, whych wel fayre hym vndyrfonge, and by har Power to hym and to his, foundyn that ham was nede.

VNder that tyme, Robert Steues-Sonne hym dyght to wende Into Irland, as a man that on al maner wolde holde lawfully his throuth, and his beheste. He had Purveyed̛ hym of xxxtiknyghtes and lx Squyeris, and ccc of fote-men with bowes and arowes; And the knyghtis and the Squyris wel y-horsyd̛ and wel wepenyd̛, al of̘ his owyn kyn̛ and his owyn nurture. Thay dyddynham to sayle at Seynt Dauyes, and londyd̛ at the Banow in Irland̛, wel vnsykyr on euery syde. thay vnchargid̛ har shippis, and made ham logis on londe.Than was fulfillid̛ a prophesy that Merlyn seyde of this comynge: 'A knygℏt with Party armys shall formyst breke the clos of Irland̛.' Such armys bare that Robert. He sent sone to Dermot Macmurgℏ, and didde hym to vndyrstand̛ of his comynge; And thythyngis spronge forth sone Into al the londe, what Pepill was to hym̃ com̃e. And many of them that to-forn̛ hym hadd̛ forsake and lefte, and lytill seett by hym, comen sone to hym, So that he hadd̛ gaderid̛ v. C. men. / He went with this pepyll to the Englysℏ men; And when thay come to-geddre, euery of them was the gladdyr for othyr / Ther were the for-sayde conontis rehersyd̛ and mevid̛ betwen tham, and othis sworn, and sekyrnesse made, to conferme all the forsayde, as hit was ther-to-fore Purveyed be-fore the Prince of Walys.

WHan this sekyrnysse was thus madd̛, this two maner Pepyll, wyth on wyll, and with oon̛ herte, with baners lacyd̛, toke ther wey towardes weysford̛. The men of the toune weryn y-ware of thare comynge, and toke them to consayll,—for the othyr weryn so few, and thay so many,—that thay wolde fight with ham in the Playn felde. Thay come out of the toun arrayed on ther maner; but when they sawe the Englysℏ men, with hors y-hellyd̛ with Iryn harneys, ham-Selfe wel wepenyd̛ with haubergeons, and bryght Salletis and sheldys, whych thay sawe neuer there-to-forn̛, thay toke anothyr consayll, and turned̛ ayayn to toun; and al that was with-out the wallis, thay sette afyre and brente; and arrayed tham to kepe ham with-In the wallis with Streynth. Robert, wyth his men, went Strongly to assaylle the toun, and sette the bowmen forto were the fyght of the cornelis, and turned̛ the wepenyd̛ men to fill the dichis. thay wythin defendyd̛ ham boldely with Stones and Stakys, wher-of they were y-warnyd̛, … and mosten nedis lewe the assaute, and wythdrawe ham / Amonge ham was a yong̛ knyght / whos name was Robert de barry, that, throgh yonge blodis hette, and for his boldnys, roght not to lesse the lyfe / As he wolde wyth the fryst Passe ouer the walle, he hadd a stroke with a grette ston̄e vp-onthe hedde al with the Sallet, that he fell doun to the grovnde of the dyche; and vnnethis he was vp-rerid̛ throgh his fellovys, that myche Put har lyfe in aduenture forto sawe his lyfe. The cry was well grette on euery syde, for this knyght that thus was y-hurte. Thay wythdrow ham all from the wallis, and wenten to the stronde; and al the Chippis that they ther found̛, thay setten afyre. And oo shippe ther was, that was y-come out of Brytayn aftyr cheffare, and was y-chargid̛ with whete and with wynes, and lay y-ancred̛ in the Havyn. The beste Parte of the Englysℏ men wenten wyth botis, and toke this shippe: the Chippmen weryn many, and saw that ther weryn but a fewe Englysℏ men in the shippe, and the wynd was on the londe syde; thay cvtte the Cabilys of the ancre, and the wynd bare the Chippe to-ward the see. Her Fellouys sawe this, and wentynwentyntyn, MS. aftyr wyth botis; and vnnethe with rowyng̛, and wyth grette Perill of al there lyues, they come ayeyn to lond̛. Macmurgℏ saw this, and was sore aferde, for they wende neuer more that one of Ham sholde haue come to Londe a-Lyue. The assaute Was Lefte al that day. A-morrow, whan masse was herd̛, al the Oste then wenten to the assaute wyslyer and waryr than thay diddyn the day to-fore, and trusten as well to sleght as to streynth. The men of the toun saw ham comynge, and were ryght sore aferde that thay ne sholde not wythstonde the assaut, and vndyrstodyn̄ also that with wronge thay heldyn ayeyn̄ her lorde. thay toke ham to consayll, and besoghten Pees; and, throgh besechynge of two Bisshopis that that tyme weryn wythin the toune, and othir Pesibbill men also with ham, thay yoldyn ham al to Macmurgℏ; and foure Hostagis, the beste that he wolde chese, delyuerid̛ to hym for the Pees, and trewely wyth hym forto holde from that tyme forward̛, for har trew Lorde/ Macmurgh, as wysse and ware, For cause that he wolde that the strangeres sholde haue the bettyr hert and will, hym forto serwe, he bethoght hym that, of the fryste good̛ aduenture that to hym was fall, thay that best weryn worthy, they sholde haue there Parte, and the hegheste. All the toun of weysford̛, with twey cantredes alther-nexte, he yafe to Robert Steuenes-sone and to Moryce fiz-Geraud̛, as the Promes to-for was made / othyr twey cantredes he yafe Heruey of Montmvrthy,—nexte to thay two on thesyde toward watyrford̛mari conterminos.,—a knyght that come in that same flitte, hym thyrdesum of knyghtes, and come throgh the Erle Rychard, more forto spy the londe than to fyght.

Whan this was thus don al aftyr har will, thay toke with tham the Pepill of weysford̛, and wenten ham to-ward̛ Ossory, with oste as myght be by thre Mƚ. mencum exercitu virorum quasi trium milium.. And was than Prince of Ossory, Macdonenylde, a man that was myche be-hatyd̛ of Macmurgh, for myche shame that thay hadd hym donne. At the begynnynge, as thay come into the contrey, in narrow weyes throgh woddis and mores, thay foundyn the men of the contrey bolde forto defende har londe; and mych sorrow ham didd̛, ar thay myghttake the Playne: and when thay come to the Playne, thay folwid̛ ham ful fresly. the hors-men saw this, and turned̛ boldely vp-on ham, and anoone slowyn ryght many of ham, and dys-comfited̛ ham euerychon̛. And thay that the hors-men keste to ground̛ wyth Sperys and wyth Swerdis, the Iryssℏ footte-men Smoten of the hedis. Whan the slaght was al y-do, and har ennemys al ouer-come, thay broghten wel ccc. hedis, and kesten at Macmurgh is fete. he behylde ham, and̛ tvrned̛ euery of thamthan, MS. by hym-Selfe forto know tham, and hilde vp his handis, and thankyd almyghty god̛ ful Inwardly. Oone hede ther was, amonge the othyr, of a man that he gretly dreddid̛ and myche hatid̛; he toke hit by the heeres and by the Ers, and grymly hit bitte, as no man sholde haue doun; wyth his tethe he kutte of his nose and bothe lippis. Ther-aftyr they wenten fourdyr Into the contrey, kildyn, robedyn and brandyn̛ ful boldely al that ham wythstodyn, into the tyme the Prynce of ossory, by consaylle of his men, sent to ham, and besoght Pees. the Pees was graunted̛ whan he hit be-soght, vp-on good̛ Ostagis, and othis y-Sworn̄e, that he, to His Lord Macmurgh, shold be trewe, and trowtℏ Hold, and trewely Serwe fro that tyme forth. In this fyghtes as in many othyr, thoght that in the Englysℏ hoste noone were but good̛ and bolde, Robert de barry and Meyler fiz-henry weryn thay that best diddyn: they wer both yong̛ knyghtes, and Robert Steuenes-sones emysneveus, nepotes. both, the one his brodyr sonne, the othyr his Systyr Sonne; Of dyuers maners, but of hardynes andboldnys mostdele al y-lyke. For Meyler was a man̄ that gretly desyryd̛ to be Praysid̛, and that men shold myche Speke of his boldnys, and Preysyn hym. / Robert was kyndly, hardy and bold̛, and euer with the fryst in euery fyght / and in euery Perill; but he hatyd̛ nothynge so myche as that a man sholde speke of his boldnys, ne hym Preyse. / The whyll the hoste was thus in Ossory, befell that thay weryn a-nyght y-logid̛ in an olde castell, and aboute. And thus two, as they wer wonyd̛, weryn in one Plase to-gedderis. Fer with-in nyght, come an hoste vp-on ham of so mych Pepill, as they were many thowsandis, on euery syde Smytynge vp the hoste, as they woldyn, in wode raas, fersly ouersayle hame al, wyth wepyn̛ ryngynge, Speris and sparris rutlynge to-giddyr, wyth cryynge so grymly, that none ende was Of elf fare, as ofte-tymes was wonet to befall in hostyngis in Irland̛Cujusmodi phantasma in Hibernia circa expeditiones frequens esse solebat.—Op. v. 235.. Of whych ferde, the moste Parte of the Oste was so a-dred̛, that they flow and hiddyn ham; somme in woddis, some in mores / This two bolde men token har wepyn, and lepe to hors, and wentyn anone to Robert Steuenes-sonne, and cried on har fellowis that 'they sholdyn wytstond̛, and take herte to hame, and defende ham-Selfe;' but fewe were that so diddyn̛, tyll they saw that this cry and this noyse was al cessid̛, and nas but a fantasy. whan the host them gaderid̛ ayeyn to-giddyr, they wer ful sore asshamyd̛ that thay so fently Put ham to flyght; and mych Speche was amonge hame; and many haddyn gret enuy, and mych wondyr thoght of Robert de Barry, that Whan the host was in so gret ferde, he was that man that moste stidfastly hym helde, and moste them styrrid̛ to wythstond̛ and̛ fyght. / And amonge al the good̛ dedis that in hym weryn, this Pryncipaly is of hym tolde, that for no vyolence ne ferly aduenture that to hym chanssyd̛, he was neuer in wanhope sette, ne agaste, ne aferd̛, ne abassid̛ of herte, ne shamefully did hym to flyght; but euer-more he was lyke redy to wepyn, and̛ to defend̛ hym-Selfe, And to helpyn al othyr. he was the formyst knyght that, in this conqueste of Irland̛, fryst receyued̛ stroke and hurte in bataill // A wondyr was of that fantasy a-morrow, whan hit was day: In the Playn ther this Pepill y-seyesmytyn vp-on ham, the wedis and̛ the grasse that stodyn al euyn vp-ryght, thay lay al y-throw dovn̄e and cast to ground̛.

As this was thus donn̄e, the thythyngis Spronge Into al Irland̛, how Macmurgh conquerid̛ his londe vpon his men, and that no man myght hym wythstond̛, for strange men that he ladd̛ wyth Hym. Roryke Oconghoure, of Connaght, that was that tyme Kynge of al Irland, vndyrstode hym, and thoght in his herte the grete Perel that myght be-fall hym and al the londe-Pepill, throgh the strangeres that was thus in-to the lande com̃e. He sende his messangeris to al the Lordis of the Londe, and in a lytyll whylle gaddred̛ ham to-gedre to a parlement, and toke ham to consayll, that euery on his Syde sholde gaddyr al the Pepill that thay myght, forto werre vpon Macmurgh. And as hit was Purueyed, so hit was doun. Thay assemblid̛ so many Hostis, and so mych Pepill on euery syde, that were vnnowmmerabill, and comyncomym, MS. to Okenseley forto werre vp-on Macmurgh / Whan this hostis weryn thus assemblet, the moste parte of Macmurgh-ismen, ayeyn hare trowthe and here othis, Some priuely with-drow ham, that they nolde not to hym come. Some al opynly leften hym, and wenten to his ennemys ayeyñ hym; so that, in his moste nede, trewe frendis ne fownde he non̄e, Sawe Robert Steuenes-Sone and his. wyth the Lytill Pepill that they haddyn, thay wentyn into a place not fare frome Fernys, a pleyne place be-sette aboute with monttanys and woddis, watris and morispaludibus., on euery Syde il to come to. The entrees that ther weryn, by Robert-is deuyce thay setten men̄ forto stopyn; in some Place with trees y-caste doun̄e, and in othir Placis depe dichis y-caste. thegh the Place were stronge of̘ kynd̛, thay maddyñ hit mych strongir with Engyn, So that hit̘ was sure recette to tham, and̛ to ther ennemys stronge to come to, and with lytill pepill hit myght be kepte. And Erthe-weyes thay haddyn madd̛ to tham-Selfe, out to goo, and ayeyñ In to come, when them Plesyd̛. Whan the kynge of connaght, with so many hostis, was to tham come, he sende to Robert by Messangers, and presentid̛ hym with rych yeftys, and mych more hym Promysyd̛, and gretly hym besoght that, out of the contrey, whych no ryghthe hadd̛ therto, ne no calange ne myght setten vpon, he and his, wyth Pees and loue, sholde deperte. MychMyth, MS. they spoke of this, and lytyll thay Spede / There-aftyr, the messangers turned̛ to Macmurgℏ, and be-soghten hym on the kyngis be-halfe, Oconnoghoure, that he forth, wyth tham, sholde turne vpon the strangeres, hame to kyll and vndo. And yf he so wolde, thay wolde delyuyr hym all leynystere, and stydfaste Pees and frendshippe make hym haue of the kynge and of al othyr. Many reysonys thay shewid̛, both for the londe and for the lond-pepill; but nothynge thay ne spede, ne noone answere hadde, that ham Plesyd̛. Oconnoghoure saw and herde of his messyngers, that he myght nat in suche maner spede, and that he moste with streynth do that, that he myght not with fayre speche. He toke his wepyn grymly, and stode vp amonge his pepill, and thus sayde to tham:—"Myghty men, and bolde in fyght forto defende youre londe and youre fredome! Vndyrstondyth, ayeyn̛ whych Pepill, and for whate cause, ye sholde this Bataill take on Honde. Al oure ennemy, that afor this was out of londe ydrywe for his wickidnes, In comynne confusion of vs all, all be-take wyth strangeres and wepened Pepyll, is ayeyn comyn, for Enuy and harme of vs, and hath broght strange Pepill vp-on vs, that the harme whych he hadde no Powere to don vs hym-selfe, throgh helpe of them and mayntenavnce, the bettyr myght brynge to ende; and hath dyght hym to shedyn his wenym so wyde, that he takyth no fors to dye, but that we al mow haue oure ewill throgh hym, and for none sholde be Sparid̛, and he ne Sparyth hym-Selfe. There-for we will wythstonde the begynnynge, and the Perel whyle hit is comyn, are hit be rotyd̛. For harme wexeth euer wyth longe abydynge. Oure londe and oure fredome, defende we manly; So that the slaght of this fewe be ferde to many; and by Ensampill of thes, al othyr strangers sholde be aferde, suche folies to begynne, And the mynde of vs, wyth-oute ende to abyde."

MAcmurgℏ / on his syde, be-held his men, and Sawe hame sore a-bassyd̛. with wordis that he myght, he confortid̛ ham on this manere: "Men of leynyster, wych, trusty trouth and stydfaste kynde in al aduentures, vs hath fellowis y-made, wyth-outeny partynge, arrere we vp oure hertes, boldely vs to defende. The maystyrthe oration [in a later hand]. of wreth and of couetyse, that wyth streynth wolde vs brynge vndyrfote, and vs ayeyn dryue out of londe, Othir, that wors is, in the same londe Purposyth vs to vndo / that god forbedde / be-holde, here is come vp-on oure hedd̛, of his mych gadrynge of pepill Proute and hauteyn. be ye wel vndyrstond, that not wyth many men, ne wyth grete Streynth, bot by ryght and trouth that man hath wyth hym, batalis doth ouercome. We haue for vs, ayeyn̄ har pryde, mekenys; ayeynes hare vnryght, ryght and trouth; ayeyñ har boldnys and ouer-truste, mekenesse and maner. thay fyghtyn for couetyse, forto gete good̛; And we, to shonne myschefe. wyth all this, we byth in stronge Place, and well warnyd̛. The more that here comyth, the more encombrement we shal do ham, by lytill folke ham to ouercome, So that we be of oñe herte, and styfly wystonde."

WHen Macmurgh hadd his tale y-endyd̛ in his speche, Roberte Steuenes-Soñe spake to his fellowys, and to them in this maner Sayde: "Fyghten feris, and yonglynges y-know, that so many Perelis haue to-geddyr Sofferid̛, and euer in al aduentures, and of hey hert ben! If we Inwardly wndyrstonde what men we ben; wyth what lodes-man, and for what thynge, we this Perel vndirtoke; with boldnys, as we were wonyd̛, we shall ouercome; and the grace that we haue hadd ar this of god, ne shall vs not forsake. // Of the folke of Troy we Ben Kynly come, on that one syde fro the fryste begyninge; of Fraunce, we haue kynde on the othyr halfe. Throgh the kynde of troy, we sholde be bolde; throgh kynde of Fraunce, we ben wsyd in wepyn̛; and so as we ben of doubil maner kyndly, of good̛ herte and wel wepenyd, and wel lernyd̛ in wepyñ,—ne dout no man, that Suche vnwepenyd rascaill any Powere haue to vs to wyth-stonde. One that ouer syde, we come not into this londe as wagid̛ men, ne for no couetyse of golde, ne of Syluyr, ne of galiotȝ, ne robbers; but forto helpe this goode man that is so nobill and so fre, and, wyth his owyn men, wickydly was out of his londe drywe. We haue Pite of his harme; and helpyth vp that adoun̛ was caste / to his kynde state,bryngyth hym that vnkyndely was therof̘ y-banshet̘. And he, as large man and good Prince, hath vs yevyn̛ wyde landis and ryche townes; and oure londe-pepill will setten and Planten̛ stydfastly in this londe, nowe and euer. Therfor, men full of streynth and of boldnes, Suche thynge ymagyneth to-day hertely to do, that oure kynred ne go not oute of kynde; and in this, lywe or dye, we manly wynn the Pryce, that euer-more shall tourne to oure wyrchippe, and to al oure that aftyr vs schalle come."

Wyth this wordis, and othyr Suche, thes good men confortyd hare Pepill, for thay sholdyn haue the bettyr wyll, well forto fyght. And when thay were on euery halfe redy forto smyte to-geddre, Oconghoure bethoght hym that the aduenture of bataill ben ofte doutfull and mych vncertayn. And, as the Wysman Seyth, "Althynge we oghte to assay, radyr than fyght" / And also he and his douteden well sore to fyght wyth Pepill wepenyd. On al maner that he myght, he was besy to haue Pees. Then, by the besechynge of good̛ men that wente betwene, and throgh grace of the holy goste, was the Pees mad on this maner; that thay sholde leue leynystere to Macmurgh, and he sholde hite holde of Oconghoure, and hym knowlech, and Subiecte be to hym as to a kynge and Prynce of Irland̛. And that this sholde be stydfastly holde, Macmurgh toke hym his sone to hostage, by So, yf he good Pees helde, and trewely hym helde, Oconghoure sholde hym yeue his doghter to wyfe. whan this was comynly shewyd and know, and othis sworn̛ on euery Syde, al this trewely to kepe, Anothyr thynge was spokyn be-twen them, bothe that Pryuely, that Macmurgℏ ne sholde no more strangeres brynge into the londe; And thay that he hadd broght, as Sone as he hadd leynystere in good̛ Pees, he shold Sende them home, and delyuere the londe of hame.

Aftyr that the Pees was thus made, the hoste departyd̛, on his halue. Sone there-aftyr come Morice, Geraudis Sonne,Robert-is Brodyr, of whom we Spokyn ar this, Wyth x Knyghtis and xxxti Squyeris, and two hundred̛ fotemen, and londid̛ atweysford̛. A man full quent, trew throw al thynge, bolde, and stydfaste of word, and of hert sympil, and shamefaste as a mayd // Whan Macmurgh and Robert hadd̛ wyttynge of Morice-is comynge, they weryn full glad, and boldyr than thay before were. thay came to tham Sone wyth the hoste that thay hadde / Macmurgh bethoght hym of the mych wronge that the men of Deuelyn to hym hawydyn done, and his fadyr also, many tymys: he assemblid̛ his hostes, and made hym redy thedyr forto goo. But Robert lefte wyth some of the meyngne forto rere hym a castel at a Place that is callid̛ the Karryke, and is two myle out of weysford̛; And Morice went wyth hym. Macmurgh as gouernoure and ledere of the hoste and capytan of all. In lytell Processe of tyme, al the contreis about deuelyn, wyth Robynge and brennynge and kyllynge of̘ pepill, weryn al-meste broght to noght // The Citseynys of deuelyn̛, whan thay of this had wyttynge, thay Sendyn and besoght Pees, and yaue hame so myche golde and Siluyr that none ende was at har will, and̛ good hostagis, and othis Sworne that thay Sholdyn to Macmurgh be trewe, and hym knowlege as lord and̛ Prynce. Fro that tyme that this was done / ther was none Irysℏ-man in leynystre, of hey kyn ne of low, but that, for fere of Englysℏ-men, thay yaue hame to Macmurgh, So that ther was none of the londe-pepill, that al nas subiecte to hym, and redy to his wille /

IN this tyme, rose grete debate and̛ wrete be-twyxe the kynge of Connaght̘, and Donalde Obreyn, the kynge of lymerike, and of thomonde. the kynge of Connaght, Oconghoure, gaderid̛ his hostes forto werre vp-on obreyn. Obreyn Sende to Macmurgh, for allyaunce that was betwen ham, that he sholde hym helpe. He Spake therof to Robert and to Morice, and bade them that thay sholde go thedyr forto helpe obreyn. Thay, and har men wyth hame, and wentyn Into thomonde, and̛ foundyn oconghoure, that styfly stode a-yennes hame, and many fightes hame yaue. But the dis-comfyture turned̛ vp-on oconghoure; and many of his men were sleyn, So that wyth shame he mvste tvrne into connaght. / And fro that tyme, Obreyn wythdrowe hym from oconghoure, and neuer aftyr was subiecte to hym as he was ther-to-forn. And the Englysℏ hoste, wyth grete gettynges and wyth ryche yftis, turned̛ ayen Into Leynystre.

Whan the kynge vndyrstode his entente, whedyr he wolde goo, he yaue hym not full leue, ne fully be-name hym not; but with suche leue as he hadd̛, he dight hym the wyntyr till the begynnynge of may / he Sende to-for hym into Irland̛ a knyght that was callid̛R. Legras. Reymond Legras;—wyth hym, x knyghtis and fourty Squyeris, and foure score bowmen;—A man ful hardy and bolde and wel proued̛ in wepyn, Robert-is emeeme, uncle, is 'nephew' in this MS., and Morices, hare eldyts brodyr, sone. Thay londyd̛ at a place that is y-callid Dundonenyld̛, foure Mile on the Sowth syde of watyrford̛; and there they rerid̛ a dyche, and a febill castel vpon, of Iardis and turues. The men of Watyrford, and wyth ham Malaghelyn Of olan, this waryn y-ware that thay haddyn such neghboris, that ham were lothExterorum viciniam suspectam habentes, v. 248.; and toke ham to consayle, that thay wolde vp-on ham, ar mo come to hame. Thay gaderid ham to-gaddyr, wel iije. Mƚ. men, and wentyn ouer the watyr of Sure, that partyth the two contreis, that is to Say leynystre and mounestre, And settyn ham in thre hostis, ful boldely forto assayle the Englysℏ-men with-In har castel. Reymond and his men (thegh thay fewe were, they were not feynte) with few pepill wentyn out, and mete with hame. But, as no woundyr hit was, so few men myght not al plenary fyghten̄ ayeyn so many, that turned ham to thare recette. the othyr wende that thay depertid̛ in descomfite; thay brakyn har sheldrun, and wentyn aftyr. and thay were not fully wythin the gate, that some of hame nere radyr In than the Englisℏ. Reymond saw that he and his were in grete Pereil, and on Poynte to lese here lyfe. he cried on his fellowis, and tvrned boldely vp-on here enemys. and̛ the fryst that come In, he clewe his hede. and throgh deth of that o man, al thehoste was dys-comfite and toke ham to flyght / The othyr ham folwid̛ into al the Playñ, and leyde on ham. So that in lytyl space of tyme thay kyllyd̛ of ham v. C. and mo; and the most Parte of the othyr fellyn adovn̛ into the see, of the hey Rokys, and dreynt ham-selfe // In this fyght was a knyght that was callid̛ William ferrand, that did ful wel and abowe al othyr; he was a man that hade semblant as thegh he were on the mych yuel; and therfor he Putte hym-Selfe at tymys ther the moste Peryl was. For he roght not thegh dethe come betwen hym and his Sekenys, or hit were mych grow on hym"he was a man that hade semblant as thegh he were on the mych yuel; and therfor he Putte hym-Selfe at tymys ther the moste Peryl was. For he roght not thegh dethe come betwen hym and his Sekenys, or hit were mych grow on hym" = vir carne quidem infirmus, sed corde firmissimus: imminentem, ut videbatur, leprae malitiam morte nimirum praevenire desiderans tam praematura quam praeclara.—Op. v. 249. / Here the Pryde of Watyrforde felle; here al his myght went to noght; her-of come the Englysℏ hope and conford̛; and to the Irysℏ, dred and wanhope. For hit was neuer ther-to-fore herde that, of So few men, so grete a slaghte was done. But a lewid consayle thay diddyn, that ther-aftyr turned ham to myche cruelte. For whan the Mastry was al hare, and al hare enemys ouercome, In the fyght weryn take wel iije score men and teñ that ham yeldyn, and weryn the beste and the rycheste of the Cite, Such that thay myght haue hade for them the Cite delyuerid̛, or els as mych ryches as thay wolde desyre. Heruey of montmurthy, that to ham was come, hym thyrdsome of knyghtis, and Reymond̛, vp-on dyuers consaylis thoghten what thay sholde do wyth har Prysoneris. For Reymond laborid̛ for thar delyverance, as man of pitefull herte / And thus sayd to his fellowis: "Lordynges, what is vs to done wyth oure wrechid̛ presoners? I Sey not that man shal on any maner spare his enemys; but thay byth nat now enemys; but byth men not rebell, but in bataill forto defende har contrey ouercome. Me-thynkyth thay byth now in such state, that we owyth bettyr haue mercy of ham and yeue ham lyfe, forto yeue othyr ensampill to be boxume, than cruely to do ham to deth; wher-for otheris wil truste the lasse to yelde ham to vs." Whan Reymond̛ Hade Suche Wordys y-Seyde, and al the felloshippe Was most about to graunt ham lyfe, Aros vp heruey neyamonge ham al, and thus ham Sayde: "I-nowe Reymond opynly to vs hath Spoke of mercy and almes-deddes, vn-kyd landis to wynñe and nat wyth Slaght and wyth brennynge. whedyr Alexandyr and Iulyus Cesar, that weryn lordys of al the worlde, wonnen londis by such wey, I wold Reymond wolde me answere. whan thay commyn to vs wel arrayed̛ to fyghten, If thay had the bettyr, and vs had ouercome, woldyn thay, for almesse and for Pite, haue had mercy of vs? Nay, y trow not. ther-for chese oñe of̘ two: Othyr to do manly thynge, wher-for we ben come; and the Pepill that is rebel ayeynnes vs, wythouten eny noyse, wyth wepyn hertely berewys ham of lyfe / Othyr, yf we shall do almysdede on them, and ham spare, as Reymond hath Sayd, go we to oure shippis, and turnne ayeyne, and lete we the wrechyd̛ pepil holde har lond̛, and kepyn without any chalange." Herueyes Iugement Plesid bettyr than Reymondes; and weryn the Citteseynnes to deth demyd̛. Thay had no galosis; and therfor thay laddyn ham to the clyfe of the See, and put ham adouñ, and drovnde ham al.

The men-tyme, the Erle Rychard, wyth the Power that ne had̛ arraied, was come to Suth Walis; and When he had with grete reuerence done his Pylgrymage at Seynt Dauyes, he Put hym to sayle, and had good wynd̛, come into Irland wythtwo hundryd̛ knyghtis and othyr, more than a thousand̛. he londid̛ at Weysford on Seynt Bartolomewes evyn. Then was fulfillid̛ a pprophesy that Merlynge Sayde of his comynge: "The brond shal come to-for the brennynge fyre, And ryght as the Sparke makid the brond come, Also the brond shall make the fyre come aftyr." Anothyr prophesy, Molynge Sayd of that same: "A mych man shal erne to-for; and the moste hedis of desmond and also of leynystre he shal defeuly; and wyth streynth he shal nobelych the wey opyn to the wepenyd̛." A-morrow, whan the thythyngis spronge, Reymond went to the Erle with fourty knyghtis with mych gladnys; and amorrow, aftyr the holy day thay went holy to the Cite of Watyrford, and assaylid̛ the toun ful fresly; and twyes they weryn rebukyd̛, and ful boldely, of the Citteseynes. Reymond, that by Purueyaunce and graunt of hamal was made Prynce and forman of al the hoste, Saw and a-waytyd̛ a place goode forto assayle. he cried and callid the wepenyd men to the assaute and̛ thay egyrly assaylid̛, and brakyn Into the Cite, and kyllid the men in weyes and in houses, and wan the Cite. in rathnyldys toure weryn two ryche men take, and thay both were be-hedyd̛. Macsaghlyn of olan was also take, but throgh Prayer of Macmurgh, that ther was than y-come, he was holde alyue. Macmurgh broght his doghtyr wyth hym, Eue by name, and Spousid̛ hyr to the Erle and madyn fast syckyrnys betwene Ham// Whan this was done al / the Erle Lefte men forto Kepe the Cite and turnyde hym with the hoste to deuelyn //

Macmurgℏ vndyrstode that myche of the pepill of the contrey was come to helpe ham of the Cite of deuelyn, and hadde be-sette al the wodd-weyes and the Narrow-weyes thedyrward̛. He lefte thay weyes, and lad the hoste throw the montanys of Glyndelagh, al holde and sound, tyl thay come to the Cite. The Citteseynes ouer al othyr hatid Macmurgh; and they wer hatyd of hym: and that was no wondyr. For in some tyme thay slowyn his fadyr in the Cite; and aftyr the harme, thay dyd hym moche shame, for thay buryed an hounde with hym in the buryles that he was In-leyde. Thay send messangeris to the Erle, and namely the archebyschope Laurance, and besoghten Pees; and as thay weryn Spekyn of pees, on oone halue was Reymond and on the othyr syde a ful hardy knyght, Miles de Cogan, with yonglynges wel couetos of batail and of getynge: They assaylid the Cite, and brokyn In, and toke the Cite with grete slaghte of the Citesenes. Natheles, the beste parte of ham, with the rychest and the wourdyest thynges that thay haddyn, in botis escapedyn, and wentyn into the north ylondes wyth hastoyl, that was Captayn in the Cite, and har gouernoure / That day befel two Miraclis in the Cite: that one, of the cros in the Cee churche of the trynyte, wych the Citteseynes wold haue take wyth ham into the Ilandys in the see / And for no thyng thay myght not take hit out of the place. That othyr, of a Sergeant that had yrobyd̛ the archebysshope-is Place; and ther-aftyr come to-for the rode, and offerid a peny: fryst, and aftyr, and in euery tyme, the peny styrte ayeyñ to hym̃. he bethoght hym that god was not aplesid of the robery that he haddone. he turned̛ hym than, and toke al that he toke wyth hym, and bare hit ayeyñ, and went to the rode, and offerid; and his offerynge ther abode. / When the Erle had a few dayes y-ordaynyd for the state of the Cite, he lefte there myles de Cogan, kepere of the Cite and of the contrey, and a partey of the meynne wyth hym. And by entycementinstinctu. of Macmurgh, that be-thoght hym̃ of the olde enemyte that he had to the kynge of Myth, he went hym to the contrey, brantyn, Slouedyñ and robedyñ, and broghten the contrey to noght, for non ne durst hym wythstond. Oconghoure of connaght Saw that he was the nexte, (as a man that seth his evyncrystyñ his house brenne, he may dred the sparkys;) he send messangeres to Macmurgh in these wordis: "Ayeyne the forume of oure pees, thow haste made come into this londe mych strange pepill. the whyle that thow helde the in thy leynystre we hit tollid̛ euynly. Now thow,—as man that noght rekyth of his trouth, ne no pite hauest of thyn hostage,—the meris y-settemetas positas… ofthyn eldryñ lond, vnryghtfully ouer-gosteinsolenter excessisti. Make thy strangeresWyth-draw, and turne ayeyne; othyr ellys Sothly we shall the sende thy Sonnys hede." Macmurgh this herde, and to hym yaue a prowte answere, and Sende hym to Say, that 'he ham wold holde, and send aftyr more, and eke more, / ande that he wold neuer reste, til he had take and conquerid al connaght, with al the kyngdome of al the lond, as his predessessouris had to-for hym.' Oconghoure here-of had grete indignacioñ, and gretly ther-of was grewid̛; And he comandid to Smyte of his Sones hede, that he yafe hym for an hostage.

Aftyr this, Spronge grete Spech in-to al the lond, and mych dreded̛ the strange comen men. Than gadderid ham to-gederes al the clerkys and the wysmen of the land̛ at Ardmagℏ; and of this pepil-is comynge, was mych Speche and longe delyaunce. At the last, comynly thay acordid̛ al herto, that, for the synne of the Pepill, this mys-aduenture ham ys by-fall, specialy that whan thay foundyn Englysℏ-men childryn to sill, that Marchandis and roberes wold bryng to the lond, thay were woned to by ham, and pute ham in thraldome; Andthat, throw godis his owyn wreth hit was, that as the sylleris weryn to-for broght in thraldome, also the byeris sholdyn be broght in thraldome aftyr / For hit was somtyme that the pepil of England̛ the maner of har kyngdome was al y-holde: Whan thay had none othyr thynge that thay myght take to, Radyr than thay wolde suffyr any dyssese, thay wold syll har childyr and har othyr kynnes-men, both into Irland and into othyr landis. Therfor hit may wel be trouth that, as the byeris, also the Silleris, ofte Seruyd̛ well, throgh So wicked doynge, to be broght in thraldome. There hit was in that consayll promysyd̛, and by assent of al comynly y-Set, that al the Englysℏ-men in the lond that in thraldome weryn, shold ben delyuerid, and frely lette goo whedyr So thay wolde.

HEre-aftyr spronge tythyngis of the Erle and of the Englysℏ-men into Englond; and as the maner is, of mych thay mad more; and that the Erle had approperid̛ to hym, not only leynystere, but othyr londis also, that, by no ryght ne lawe, to hym ne to his wyfe partenyd̛ // The kynge sende anone, and comandid̛ that 'no shippe, out of no lond that Partenyth to hym, sholde Passe into Irland̛, Ne no maner thynge forto brynge; and al men that Into Irland̛ war comyn, sholde ayeyñ goo into England̛ wythin the nexte Estyr, Othyr they sholde be disherytid and exilid̛ out of lond for euer.' The Erle saw that he and his weryn narrow bylad, both of his men that hym wold leue, and also that nothynge shold come out of othyr landis of thynge that he had ned to / he toke consayle of his men, and Sente Reymond ouer to the kynge, that was fere in gascoyñ, and thus hym Sende to say: "By youre lycence lord, yf y be wel vndyrstond, y wente into Irland̛ forto helpe yowr trew man, Dermot Macmurgh. Therfor, that al that of his heritage, othyr of otheres, that y haue in the Land, that almyghty god to me Hath sende, as hit come of youre graunt and of youre good wyle,sic ad eandem pro libito vestro nutuque redibit. also y wille that Hit be turne to yow, to do ther-wyth whate Plese yow."

REymond went to the kynge with such mandement; and the whyle that he folwid the kynges courte, abydynge his answere, Thomas, the archebisshope of Cantreberry, was martirid̛in England, not wyth-out grete reprefe to al the land-pepill, both lerid and lewid. That archebisshope, aftyr manyfolde martyrdome that he Sufferid, / ney vije. yere that he was banneschid̛ out of Englond for the ryght of holy church, In sore and many wepyngis, In doubill here about his body,—that on in styd of shyrt, that othyr in styd of breche,—Nyght and day, in holy prayeris and redynge in holy writte. And o thyng that meste Sorrow wroght to his hert, that al his kynnes-men, yonge and old, women lyggynge in chyldbed, and olde men that for elde yrokyd weryn in her cradelis, and al othyr, clerkys othyr lewid, that thay myght know, that weryn of his kyn̛, Othyr frendshipe haddyn to hym, al thay weryn dryw out of Englond̛. And al thay that weryn of elde, that thay myght othys swere, Swaryn on the masboke, that 'as Sone as thay come ouer the See, thay shold go to the archebyschope, and Shew hym the mesury that thay Sufferid for his Sake;' For he shold, for Pite of ham, turnen his hert, and graunt the Kynge his wyll of that, that he desyrid. Aftyr Such martirdomes, and many othyr that he sufferid in his lyfe,—the whych in no mannes hert may be thoght to ful end̛,—The hey martirdome, that broght his Soule to the blysse of hewyñ, and his body to vyrchip in Erth, Othyr many thyngis be-fel that men aght wel vndyrstond; that ayenes His enemys yede, opyn hede, and oppenyd the church-durre, whych the Monkes haddyn y-loke, and sayd that 'men shold not no castel make of holy church.' And his holy crovne bare ayeyn the nakyd Swerdes forto smyte, and that in the modyr chyrch, heghist of al the lond, and to-for the auter / that he of foure knyghtes, wodyr than wode houndis, tholled Foure woundes in the holy croun, and non wyth-out,—So as the crovn̛ oght to be know tokyn of protexcion to clergy,—that he deth Sufferid in the north syde of the church, whych be-tokenyth Ihesu crystes Passion. and thus godis owyn knyght, wyth-out eny ferd, sufferyd̛ deth; and his lyfe of this world, chaunged̛ for the lyfe that euer shal leste wythout end̛. And as seynte thomas-is day the apostyl, is the V. day afor yolde, So is this Thomas-is day, the V. day aftyr. That thomas was candil y-sette in the Este of the World; This thomas in the weste. ille nascenti ecclesiae lumen dedit, hic senescenti.Thatwas lyght to holy churche in hyr youth, as This in hyr elde; andas he commencid holy church wyth his blod whan she was arerynge, Also this, whan she had long stond, and wox in elde, and redy was to fall, wyth his blode he put hyr in good state, and therin confermyd hyr. And as he toke hym-selfe to them that hym berewid the lyfe, forto arere the sekenys of holy church, Also this doutyd not to take hym-Selfe to sharpe Swerdes, & wickyd men hondes, For the fredome of Holy church to Saue Vn-Wemmede. The fourme of His Holy martirdome, two Versis of Lateyñ Sortely comprehendyth, that thus mych ben to vndyrstond: "For crystis Spouse, vndyr crystis tyme, in crystis churche, crystes owyn leman died." / Amonge al the holy Seyntes that almyghty god wroght for in erth of voundyrfull miracles, for to Show har holynes,—as the blynd to se, the lame to goñe, the dombe to Speke, the deue to hyre, leperes to clense, Paralyse to festnen, ydropesye and al othyr maner sekenes to hele, the dede to arrere, the vickid Spyrytys to ouercome, And al the iiije. elementes to har comaundement haddyn —he alon was y-wyrchippid with al thes. For a man, that his eghen was hym berewid, and his manly membris y-kute of and cast away, come to his tombe; and throw besechynge of hym, god hym sende newe // Of this holy martyr, Merlynge sayd thus in his prophesy: "A new martyr shall ryse, with new Miracles, that in the worldis endynge, in the weste of the world̛, by Special vertu, manes lymes out y-draw and out y-corue, a-yeyn shal make come. Sorrow shal make come Into Ioy, whan the Sonnes shal sle the Fadyr in his modyr wombe. Princes and hey men shal come out of the Este into the weste, and lout hame to the new martyr-is fotestappis." Al this was opynly Sayd of the holy martyr Seynte thomas. He was the whet-corne that fel in Erth, and mych frute forth broght. In the yere of his berth-tyme, xlviij.; of his Sacryfyynge, viij.; of his exil, vije.; in the Ende of Decembre, in the yere of oure lord-is Incarnacion, Mƚ. Clxxj; and was Pope of Rome, Alexandre the iije.; Emperoure of almane, Fryderik; Kynge of Fraunce, Lowys // Whan the wyntyr was ypassyd, Dermot Macmurgh dyed in the begynnynge of May, and was buried at Fernys. A man grete of body; hardy in fyght amonge his Pepill; of lange and ofte cryinge in fyght, his voyce was Somdel hors; Leuer hym wasthat a man hym dreddyd̛ than lowyd; the nobil and the ryche he wold brynge to noght; the meke and the Pouer he wold awaunce; al men ayeynes hym, and̛ he ayeynes al men //

Aftyr that, about whitsontyd, Hastoyl, that was Somtyme Maystyr of Deuelyn,—as man that fayne was about forto be awengid of his old wreth,—come wyth men of North-Wey and of the North ylondys, wyth many pepil, in fourty grete shippys, and londyd in the hauyn of Amlyffy, with har captayne that was callid Ihoñ the Woode.Insano vel Vehementi. alii laminis ferreis arte consutis. Thay wentyn out of har shippis, men wel wepenyd, Some with longe Swerdys, Some with Iryñ Platys and roune sheldys, wel bound aboute with Iryñ, Swerdys and Speres and axes ynow, and comyn wel ordeynly forto assayle the toun on the Eeste halue. Myles de cogan, Kepere of the Citey, Kynly Bolde and Hardy, Wyth Welle schosyn pepill, went out ayeynnes ham and yafe ham fyght; but stronge hit was to holde fyght ayeyn so many with so few; than had he lost Some of his men; and o knyghtes thegh was kut with the lappe of his haubergeoñ, with a stroke of a dennysℏ axe. nedes he moste turne aye at the yate, tyl that Richard̛ de cogan, Miles-Is brodyr, with few men, that whyle went out at the south yate, and sharpely becryed ham behynde, and Smote vpon ham. throgh that, that he come so Fresly vpon ham, thay were so aferde, that thay wyst not on what Syde thay sholde kepe the fyght / In a lytyll whyle thay wer dyscomfyte, and toke ham to flyght toward har shippis. thes oþer come ham be-twen, and kyllid ful many. ther was Ihoñ de woode y-slayn, And ful mych pepil with hym, throw Water de Redelesford, that ful bolde was in that fyght. Hastoil was take fro the shipe ther he was to flede, and broght alyues into the Cite, and his lyfe gravntid for Raunceoun; but as he stode in courte to-for Miles, he sayd lewidly a prowte worde: "Wyth lytil pepil we come now, And this was not but assay of oure myght; but yf y lyue, ar hit be lange to, shal come othir so mych as thes." Whan this was herde,—For in the manes tonge is ofte lyfe and deth; And as hit is Sayd, Tonge brekyth bone, thegh hym-Selfe ne haue non,—Miles commandid that he shold anone out be-ladde, and to Smyteof his hede. And this had he for his proude Spech loste the lyfe that thar-by-for mekely hym was graundid̛.

Sone aftyr this, many of them that weryn come into Irland with the Erle, and also tofor,—by the kynges comandement that come to ham as hit is to-for told,—leften the Erle, and wentyn into england. The pepil of Irland Saue the Erle narrow by-lad, both of his men that hym lefte, and of vytayle that trukked̛, wher-of he had grette plente ther-before out of Englond̛. Thay gaderid ham to-gederis mych pepill, al the princes of the londe with al har Power, and be-segedyn Deuelyn on euery syd. and that was by procvrynge of laurance, Archebishope of Deuelyn, as men sayd, for loue of his Pepil / Also he sende his lettres, with o-conghoure-is lettres, kynge of connaght, to Gothrede, kynge of Man, and to othyr Princes of the northe ylondes, for to be-Sette the hauyn of Deuelyn; and large yeftys and presentis ham yaue, and mych mor ham promysid, forto helpe ham. and, for thay dred ham of al Suche aventures, Throgh that, that the Englysℏ-men haddyn So wel conqueryd vpon the Irysℏ, Thay comyn the radyr ham to helpe. and in lytyll whyle came xxxti. shippis, ful of bold men wel arrayid to fyght, and be-setten the hauyn of amlyffy. whan the Erle and his men weryn wel two monthys besegid in the Cite of Deuelyn, and to ham come no Soccovr on lond ne on watyr, And Vytayle ham falid, (and as Hit ys oft̘ founde, Selde befallyth one Harme that more ne comyth aftyr, and euer gaderyth to helpe more and more,) Come Donald, Macmurghes sone of Okensely, to the Erle, and tolde hym, for that Robert Steuenes-Sone was besegid in his castel that he had rerid̛ at the Karrike, of̘ the Citteseynes of weysford, and the men of Okenseley, wel iije. Mƚ. men; And̛ few men had with hym; and, but hym come Socoure by the thyrd day, that of hym, ne thay that with hym weryn, neuer no more to thynke. In the Cite of Deuelyn, wer that tyme lefte with the Erle, Morice fiz Geraud̛, and Reymond, that from the kynge was come newely, Sory for ham-Selfe and for haris. and thegh they wer in grete angwysche for ham-Selfe, they weryn in wel more for har good brodyr, and for his, that amonge his enemys was besegyd̛, inplace febilly garnesyd, but a dyche and a hegge of thornys vpon, and a lytil stone wal. Moryce aros vp to-for the Erle and the knyghtes, and sayd̛: "Not to delytes, ne ydylnes, come we nat into this land; but forto sechyn adventures, and proven oure Streynth vpon peril of oure hedys. we haue stond̛ awhyle, and hygh; and now we ben turnyd to the louyst; for So is the schavnge of this world. the end of euery gladnes is Sorrow. And euery Surnesse hath vnsurnes at the ende. Aftyr the bryght day, comyth the nyght; and aftyr, the durkenes of̘ the nyght is a-way dryven̄ with the lyght of the Sone. Afor this, the ouerhand was in al places our, and plente of al goode. Now ben we So belokken, that none helpe vs ne may come, nothyr by lond̛ ne by watyr. On the othyr Syde, Robert Steuenes-Sone, whos bolde hert openyd vs the way into this lond, is besegid fer with his fomen in febyll place. Whate abyde we? haue we any hoppe that oure lond-pepil wil vs come to helpe? tharto ne trust we not / for we byth now in Such lawe y-Sette, thatIn the margin, 'as we byth ynglys on to the yryssh, so we byth yryssh on to the ynglys.' as the Iryssℏ wer, or this, to the Englysℏ, Also the Englysℏ byth now to the Iryssℏ. Wherfor go we out boldely assaylyn oure enemys! thegh we fewe be, we ben men of herte and wel wepenyd! ne shaƚƚ neuer nakyd raskayl, thegh they many be, haue myght ne powere vs to wythstond̛." Whan Morice had this sayd, Reymonde, that was Smyte wyth the Same Sorrow of herte, sayde to ham the same wordis, and mych mor, 'that thay woldyn alther-formyst Smyte vpon the kynge of connaght / and he that was hede and formyst of ham al.' Al that ther weryn, heldyn herto, and went to wepyn ham, and leppyn to hors, and delyd ham on thre, thegh thay few were. In the formyst, was Reymond, with twonty knyghtes; In the othyr, Milis, with xxxti. In the thyrd, the Erle and Morice wyth fowrty knyghtes, and Morice with fourty knyghtis and Squyeris; and men an-hors and a-fote, to euery of thys y-sette, as hit wolde befall. thay went ham out of the Cite Softely, about noon dayes, and wyth So few men assayledyn an hoste of xxxti Mƚ. Reymonde, amonge the fyght, fryst Smote vpon ham, and ferre to-for al othyr. he Smote two throgh-out with a Spere. Reymond and Morices two Sonnes, Geraud and alexandyr,thegh they were fryst Sette in the laste of the hoste, throgh kynly bolul?for 'bolnys,' 59/14. hertely Smyten out to the formyst, and many dyddyn to deth. Al the othyr freschely folwedyn aftyr; And in lytyll Space of tyme dyscomfyted al the hoste, and slowyn so many, that no tonge myght tell. Oconghoure, that that tyme Satte in bathe, vnneth Escapid̛. thay folwid the dyscomfiture on euery halue tyll the nyght ham lette. Than thay turned ayeyñe, and toke har pilfre, gold and Syluyr, clothis, and wepyn and hors, and wentyn with myche gladnes into the Cite. A-morrow thay lefte good kepynge in the cite, and turned toward Weysford by Odrooñ, wyth baneres ylacyd, forto Socoure Robert Steuenes-Sonne.

The men-tyme, the pepil of weysford̛, with the Power of okenseley, wel iije. Mƚ. men, ayeȳn̄ har othis Sworne and har trouth, Robert Steuenes-Sonne al vn-wittynge, with v. knyghtes and a few bowmēn̄, fownde within his febil castel, thay stynte not to assayle. thay defendyd ham ful boldely, thegh they fewe were; and Specialy a knyght that was callid William Not, aftyr Robert, ouer al othyr best dyd. Whan thay myght not with streynth Spede, thay bethoght ham that with falshede and with treysone thay wolde come within ham. Thay Sende to the dyche two bysshopis, that one of weysford, that othyr of kyldare, and othyr mo with ham in habit of religion̛. thay broght with ham masbokes and Corpus domini, and relykis many, and Sworn̛ vp-on ham al, and vpon har owyn Soulys, that 'Deuelyn was take; and the Erle, and Morice and Reymond, and the Englysℏ-men, euerychoñe were Slayn̄; and the hoste of leynystre and of connaght comynge to ham-ward; and for good of hym, thay were to hym come; that he sholde yelde vp his castel, and thay wold Sawe his lyfe, and al his, and al har good; for he was to ham so fre and So meke lorde, they wold trewely brynge hym and his ouer into walis, or the grete oste of his enemys to hym were come, that nothynge wolde hym Spare.' Robert belewid har Spech and har fals othys. He came out, and yeldyd hym and his, to ham and to har trouth. Thay were no radyr out-come, than thay toke ham euerychone; and Some thay Slowyn in the Place; Some thay vndide and bettyn vickydlyalii verberibus, alii vero vulneribus graviter afflicti.; andboundyn; and with hym-Selfe y-bound, kesten vnmercyably in prysonin carceres, et vincula contruduntur.—Op. v. 271.. Not lange ther-aftyr, come trew thythynges of the dyscomfyture of Deuelyn, and the Erlis comynge toward ham. the traytoures, whan thay hit Vndyrstode, thay Setten har owyn toune of weysford̛ afyre, and brentyn hit / And wenten hame-Selfe, with wyfe and chylde, and al hare othyr good and har prisoneres, into the Iland of begeryn, that is at the Entrest of the hawyn of weysford̛. the Hoste of Leynystre come ayeynys hame in odroon, and yafe ham fyght in a paace of thyke wodde, strange in hym-Selfe, and comerosquamquam in sui natura arcto nimis et invio, concidibus tamen plurimum arte munito.—Op. v. 272.. Ther wer many of the Iryssℏ Slayn in that fyght; ande the Erle and al his came hole and Sounde into the Playn, Saue o man that he there forlese. And Meylere, ouer al othyr, as he was woned, boldely hym there bore / Aftyr that, as thay comen toward weysford, came men toward hame, and toldyn ham the aduenture of Robert and of the tounes brennynge, and ex parte quoque proditorum firmiter asserentes, quod si ad illos accedere forte praesumant, praecisa sibi suorum capita statim cuncta remittent.Sayd ham Surly, that 'yf thay wolde to ham wende anoone, thay wolde sle har prisoneres, and Send ham the hedys.' Whan this was herde amonge þe hoste, who-so hadd̛ herd the wepynge, and the lementacion and the Sorrow that thay made, he myght wel say that 'Such Sorrow was neuer amonge men Sey' // He was man, that none othyr was his eunynge in al goodnesse, and Ensampil of al knyghtys that any boldnys wolde begynne. for in Walis, and also in Irland̛, many aduentures both good and euyl had fovnde, that ofter weryn his aduentures hard, thegh thay Sometyme wel comyn with hym. he was man myche of body, fayr vysage, Softe and rody, not ful becomlych; good mette-yeuer, large and fre throgh al thynge, and of grete Solace in Iaypynge; but to mych, and vnmesurably, he yafe hym-Selfe to Lechery //

The Erle was man of Such manere: he was wyth-out doute of grey eighen, womanes visage, and Sproty, smale Speche, Short neke: on al othyr maner, he was a fayre body, and alonge fre and meke. thay that he hadd not to yew, he plesyd with fayre SpechQuod re non poterat, verborum suavitate componebat.—Ibid.. Out of wepyn, he was as redy to otheres byddynge, as thay to hym.Al thynge he did by consayle of his men, and nothynge without / Out of battayl, he had more of knyght than of hoste-leder; in battayle / more ledder than knyght / and in al aduentures of battayle, he was stydfaste, ful conynge, and tokyn of recette to al his hoste; and for no vnhape he was not aferde hym-Selfe, ne in vanhope ne felle; ne for no good chaunce, he was not the Pruttyr, ne the heyer; but euer-more, in al aduentures, of stydfaste herte and trewe.

WHan the Erle had herde the trayson that was done to Robert, with myche Sorrow of herte he went with al the hoste to watyrford̛; and ther he founde heruey of montmurthy, that that tyme was come out of England frome the kynge, and broght writtes, and Eke mych amonneschyd the Erle that he sholde wend to the kynge. he had ship redy, and good wynd̛; he toke heruey with hym, and went ouer; come to the contrey of clandecestre, to New-Enham, ther he found the Kynge with grette hoste, redy to Passe Into Irland̛. and aftyr mych Speche betwen ham made, and myche delyaunce, throgh herueyes medlynge and comynge about the Erle, and also his besechynge, the kynge toke of hym concayle forto holde leynystre of hym; and the Erle graunted̛ the kynge, deuelyn, and al the hawyn tounes vpon the see, with hare candredes and castelis there-vpon̛ sette; and that othyr Parte of his conqueste. He and Hys heyres sholde Holde of the Kynge and his Heyrys. Whan this Was on this manere done, the kynge toke the way into South walis, and came to PembrokeEt Penbrochiam veniens, pulcherrimam in brevi Milverdico portu Milford Haven classem conjunxit.—Gir. Camb. Op. v. 273.; and ther in the contrey abode with his hoste longe tyme, ar thay had wynd to Passe. The whyle that he was there, he hadd houndes and̛ haukys, as man that mych delytyth in Such game. O day, he went by þe see stronde, and bar a mych goshauke of Norwey on his hande. Than Sate vpon an hey clyfe ouer the stronde, a faucon gentyll, ney his neste, ther he was wonyd to brede. the goshauke Saw the faucon, and abated to hym hym forto smyte. the faucon saw hym comynge, and toke his flyght an hey, and Escapid of hym. the goshauke turnyd̛ ayeyn to thekyngys hand̛; and, Ar he myght fully take to hym, the faucon smote to hym from an hey, and for-clew hym the bake, and kest hym doune ded at the kynges fote. Al thay that hit Saw, ther-of had grete wondyr. singulis rex annis, circa nidificationis tempora, propter falcones terrae illius, qui marinis in rupibus excluduntur, mittere consuexit.Than comandid̛ the kynge, that fro that tyme, birdis of that faucon-is neste shold euer-more be kepe to his owyn behow; and So thay were, euery yere. And in al his kyngdome wer none So good faucones y-found, ne so bolde.

THe mene-tyme that this was / Roueryke, the kynge of mytherex monoculus Medensis Ororicius…cum multitudine magna, circa kalendas Septembris, Dubliniam venit.—Op. v. 274.,—be-helde his tyme, and that the Erle out of lond was, and Reymond̛ and lytil peple was lefte at Deuelyn, the Cite and the contrey to kepe,—wyth mych pepyl come to deuelyn about myd hervyst, and assaylid the wallis of the Cite with gret Streynth and grymly cry, and wend wel to haue take the Cite, and al that therin was. But ther streynthis and bolnys, hit mote nede Schow hym-Selfe: Miles de Cogan and his men priuely wentyn out, and smote grymly vpon ham, so that in lytyll whyle thay weryn al dyscomfyted̛. But Roury hym-Selfe vnneth Escapyd̛; and his Sonne, a wel bolde man amonge his pepil, was ther Slayn, with many oþer.

Aftyr this, whan the kynge had dygh al that nede was to So nobyl comynge into Irland̛, he went to Seynt Dauyes, and besoght the holy man, seynt Dauy, with gret deuocion and myche wyrchippe. and then wynde and weddyr hym come at wille. he putte hym to sayle, and passyd the see, holde and Sounde; and londyd at Watyrford̛ on Seynte Luke-is day, with fyue hundred knyghtes, and men an hors and a foote, ful many. Than was fulfillid a prophesy that Merlyn Sayd thus / "Out of the Este shal come a fyre brennynge, and shal Irland al aboute forswely." And seynt Molynge sayd thus, "Out of the Este shal come a stronge thondyr, and shal smyte into the weste, and al the streynth of Ormond adoune brynge." he londyt, the yere of the kynge-dome, the Senfte; of his age, the xl, of our lordys incarnacion, Mƚ. Clxxij; and waspope, Alexandyr the thyrd; Emperoure, Frederike; kynge of Fraunce, Lowys.

Whan the kynge had thus don̄ē, he lefte at watyrford, Robert Barnardessonne, with mych pepill; and, by Ossory, toke his way to Deuelyn. In that vyage, the kynge of Ossory came to hym, and yolde hym to the kynge. and whan he had bydd awhyle at deuelyn, thedyr came all the heghyst Irysℏ-men of leynystre, and be-soghten pees, and yeldyn ham to the kynge. Roryke Oconghoure, the kynge of connaght, ayeyn̄ēs the kynges messaungeris at the watyr of shynnyn,—that is to Say, hugh de Lacy and Willam aldelines Sone,—ther he yelde hym to the kynge; And the kynge of Myth also; So that ther was no man of any reputacioun that he ne come to the Kyngys owyn Body, or Sent messangeres forto Becomyn Hys man, Saue only thay of̘ vllyster // Than was fulfillid a prophesy that Seynt Molyng sayd: "To-for hym shal foote-fall the pryncys, and, throgh buxumfastnys, the lyme of pees shal vndyrfonge" // Merlynge sayd anothyr prophesy: "To his lyght, the foulys of the yland shullyn to-geddyr fle; and the mest of ham, with har wynges y-brante, shullyn ouer-throwyn in thraldomecorruent in capturam.. the fywe delys shal be broght into one, and the Syxte shal ouercome the Strongyst placis of Irland̛" / Whan the Mydwyntyr came, many of the heghest men comyn to the kynges courte to feste; and mych wondyr thay had of the nobil seruyce that they ther Sawe, and of the mych plente of mete and of drynke, of bordys sette, and fayre clothis vpoñ; the hey Service of panetrye and buttellerye, and rych wesselis of golde and Syluyr; the many maner metys of kechen, on the maner of Englond̛, whych they had neuer ther-to-for SeynWhy wasn't this crane bit englisht? 'carne gruina, quam hactenus abhorruerant, regia voluntate passim per aulam vesci coeperunt.'—Op. v. 280.. Aftyr that the feste was ryaly holde, euery man went wyth gladnys into his owyn. In that tyme weryn bow-men at Fynglas y-herberowid̛, and wentyn Into church-hay, and hewyn adov̄n̄ trees that Seyntys by olde tym had ther Sette: there came Sodayn deth vpon ham eueryon̛.

IN the yere of oure lord-is incarnacyon Mƚ. Clxxij, the fryste yere that the kynge of England, henry, Irland conqueridconquesid, MS., Crystyn, Byschope of Lysmore, and Legate of the Courte of Rome; Dougher, Archebyschope of Cassel; Laurance, Arcebishope of Deuelyn; Cathel, Arcebyschope of connaght; with othyr Byschopis, abbotis, pryorys, and many othyr prelatys of holy church in Irland̛, by the same kyngys comaundement comyn to-geddre in the Cee of Casshel; and, for the State of holy church to bryng into bettyr state, heldyn ther har consayle. to this Consayle comȳn̄ thes frome the kynge, that is to say: a nobyl-man Rolfe, Abbote of byldewais; Ralfe, Archedekyn of landaf̘; Nycol the Preste, and othyr many of the kyngys clerkys and his messagers // The Statutes or constytuciones of that consayle ben this her writtyn, And by the kynges auctorite Stabelid̛ // The fryst is, that crystyn men In Irland̛ sholde lewe har kynnys-women, whych thay haue ar this holde to har will out of Spoushode, and lawfully spouce othyr women, and Spoushode Lawfully Holde // The Seconde is, that the chyldryn at the church dore sholde be y-primseined of the prestes honde, and in the holy fantstonys in hare modyr chyrchis to be yfullid̛. The thyrde, thateuery crystyn man lawfully pay his thethis to his Parasℏe church, of cor̄n̄e, and of al othyr thynges that a yere hym aneweth // The iiije. that al the landis of holy church and har Possessiones of al Erthly askynge be quyte; and namely, that no kyngesMS. nothynge., ne othyr hey men, ne her Sones, ne her menyes, mete ne herbrow in church londys, ne aske / ne with streynth ne be So hardy to take; and that Cursed met that foure tymes a yere was wonyd to be askyd in church tounes, and of the nexte neghbores, neuer aftyr to be axedet quod de villis ecclesiarum cibus ille detestabilis, qui quater in anno a vicinis comitibus exigitur, de cetero nullatenus exigatur.—Op. v. 282.. The Ve, that of manslaghtre that lewid men doth, whan men makyth fyne with his enemy, the clerkys that ben his kynnys-men, nothynge ne yeue therto; but, as thay ben gyltlesMS. glytles. of the dede, also thay be harmeles of the pament. The vje. that whan a man is seke, he shal make testament opynly, to-for his preste of the parasℏ and to-for his evyncrystynnes and aftyr his dettis and his seruauntes vagis out-take, dele his catel athre. yf he haue wyfe and chyldryn, that on to the Spousyd wyf, that othyr to his chyldryn, the thyrd to his testament. And yf he haue no childe by Spouse, the good be y-delid̛ betwen hym and his wyfe, euery y-lyke. and yf the wyfe deyeth, the good be y-delid at threinter ipsum et liberos bipartiri debent., betwene the hosbonde, and the chyldryn, and the wyfe / The vije, that whan a man oþer woman deyeth, har wache, and the seruyce of holy churchet missarum et vigiliarum exhibitione., and the burienge, be wyrchiply done // The viije. that al men and women wyrchip holy church, and ofte go to church; and holy church in al seruyce be gouerned̛ on al maner that hit is in England. In al thes thynges, the kynge Into the lond come? abl. abs.—Nam ante ipsius adventum in Hiberniam.—Op. v. 283., many defautes were in the land found, and mych felth or orribil synnys that y ne oght not to Speke of, that,—by the grace of god and by the kynges purueyaunce and his myght—weryn amendid, and in bettyr state broght // The Primat of Ardmagh was not at this consail, ne thedyr myght come, for he was olde man and febill. But he come ther-aftyr to deuelyn, and graunted in al thynge the kynges PurueyaunceHarl. 177 ends a chapter here too, and leaves out the Archbp.'s white cow.. In this tyme was the weddyr so stronge, and the wynd so aweyward, that in al the wyntyr ne myght no shipp come ouer Into Irland. the kyngewente to watyrford, and abode ther awhile, and grettely desyr hadd forto hyr thythyngis from be-yont see. And of the knyghtes that he found in Irland, he drew to hym wylely for o Purpos, the beste, as Reymond̛, Miles de cogan, Willam Masturel and othyr, forto make his parte the strongyr, and the Erlis parte the febelier / Aftyr the myd-leynte, come shippis into Irland thatthad, MS. screwid thythynges hym broght / out of England, and out of Fraunce, And Normandye, and othyr londes. For into Normandy weryn come two cardynalis, from the pope Alexandre Sende,—that one was callid Albert, and that othyr Theodoin,—forto serche and enquere of the holy martires deth, Seynt Thomas. (ryghtful men, as y-vndyrstode, and to that lawfully chose.) Natheles, they were Romanys; and such folwyth ofte covetys"Natheles, they were Romanys; and such folwyth ofte covetys" = sed tamen Romani.—Op. v. 285.; and, But the Kynge come the Sondyr to Hamenisi citius eis rex occurrerit., the Kyngdome of England̛, and al the londys that he was lord of, Sholdyn be Entredytyd̛, and̛ (as y fynd ofte, good aduentures comyn ofte Slowely and aloon, but mysaduentures ne comyth neuer more al-oon,) Wyth thay thythyngys, comyn moche wors, and of moche more Pereyl. For the kynges sone henry, the eldyst, whych he So fayn was to crovne kynge of England, and othyr two of his bretherȳn̄ (that throw youuth and fooly hym folwid̛, and many drew to hame both of England and of beyonde See,) ware Swern to-giddre/to Entyr vpon the kynge and take his landis, The whyle that he was in Irland̛: And hit may wel be, that hit was Purveyed̛ be-twen ham, ar he into Irland went // Whan the kynge this herde, he was in grete angwysche: Sory he was at the begynnynge, that he, gyltles, was yretted of the holy manys dethse tanta tam immerito suspicione notari.—Ibid.. Sore he was aferd, that his londes sholde ben shente throw that vngoodly dede of his Sonnes. Sore hym forthoght, that he the londe of Irland̛ so sone moste leue, whych he had Purposid to streynth wyth castelis, and stabil in pees, the nexte Somer that was to come. Of al this, he was in many thoghtys, and spake therof fryst to hym-Selfe, theraftyr to his men. And aftyr many consalys, he Send Some of his men into England to-for hym; And there-aftyr he Pvrueyed̛ how he myght Svrly kepe Irlande /

VNdyr this, as the lond of Irland was in good pees vndyr ham that weryn lefte, the londe for-to kepe, by-fel on a day, that a certayn Place, to a parlement was sette, be-twen Hugh de Lacy, to whom the kynge had yewe Deuelyn to kepe wyth truste, and the kynge of myth. On a nyght, whan the Parlement sholde ben amorrow, a knyght, that was Morice fiz-geraudes eme, and Robert Gryffyn by name, thoght in hisSlepe that he Saw a mych flote of wylde Swyn yernynge vpon Hugh and Morice; and a bore amonge ham, mych and grymly ouer al other, come to ham, and wyth his tuskys wolde haue smytten ham Slayn, yf he boldely ne had come betwene, and Slayne the Boore, and Holpyd Hame Both. On the morrow, thay Went to the Place ther the Parlement was sette, at a place that Sedyn is callid "Rorike-is hille." Fryste thay heldyn har Parlement from fere, by messageres goynge betwen; ther-aftyr thay toke Surtey, and othis Sware, and comyn to-giddyr aftyrward. Natheles fewe, and ylyke many on euery syde, and thay vnwepenyd̛,—but the on, her Swerdys; the othyr, her Sparthes,—and her fellechip in euery syde fere fro ham. Gryffyn, that wyth Moryce come to the Parlement, was ful thoghtful of the vysion that he Saw; he name to hym Sewyn knyghtis of his owyn kyn, tham that he most truste to har bolthenys, and drowen ham on the one halfe of the hille / as neye as thay myght, Leppen vpon har stedes, with sheldis about har nekkes, and Sperres in honde, and for oo Purpos pleydyn and prikkedyn in the felde ayeyne othyr, So that in what syde the Parlement turnedyn, throgh encheyson of Suche Pley, thay myght be foundyn redy. Rourik and Hugh kepten har Parlement of many thyngis; but in nothynge thay myght acorde, and begon to de-Pert, as in wrethe. The traytoure Rourik had in his thoght / the trayson that he hadd Purueyed: he made semblant, and drow hym be-sydis as forto Pissyn, and made tokyn to his men that thay hastely sholde come to hym. Whan he this had done, he turned ayeyne with his sparth an hey, his face al blake with ful snel goynge. Morice was warnyd of his eme by the vysyon that he sawe; stode, and be-helde al this. he toke out his Swerde, and cried vpon Hugh, and mynyd hym, and did hym-Selfe agayn the traytoure, forto defende hym. The traytoure rane agayn hugh, hym forto smyte. har latymer yed betwen hym and the stroke; and he smote of hym the oone harme of, fast by the shuldyr. Morice stode, and camplid with his Swerde ayene the Sparthecontra securim gladio confligebat., and loude cried to har men. And ar hugh myght be in any statestaste, MS., hym-Selfe forto helpe, throgh grete hastynge, he fel twies a-bac; and vnneth, throgh helpe of Morice, that hym defendidthus, Escapid wyth his lyfe. the whyle that this was, Rourik his men, ful many, come to his callynge, out of dalis and woddis about, rynnynge to ham with Speres and̛ Sparthes, forto berew hugh and Morice the lyfe. Than gryffyn and his fellouys come rynnynge vpon har hors styfly to ham. the traytoure Saw ham comynge, and lep to hors that to hym was broght, and wolde do hym to flyght / And as he lep, vp come gryffyn, and wyth his spere smote hym and his hors throght-out, and slayne them both. wyth hym were Slayn thay that, in so myche Peril, the hors hym broght / and his hed Smytten of / and into England theraftyr to the kynge hit sende; and al his men into al the feldis discomfite, and Slayn ful many / Rolfe, Robert-is Sone, fiz-Steuyñ, was the othyr boldyste that day in the felde.

MOrice was a man ful wyrchipphul and shamefaste; vysage wel colorid̛; becomlych; lytil of body, sume-whate more than lytel and lasse than metlych. of herte and body, wel thewed; nothynge couetynge. of Kyndely goodnes, He was good"vysage wel colorid̛; becomlych; lytil of body, sume-whate more than lytel and lasse than metlych. of herte and body, wel thewed; nothynge couetynge. of Kyndely goodnes, He was good" = vultu colorato, decentique; mediocri quadam modicitate, tam mediocribus minor, quam modicis major; vir tam animo quam corpore modificato, nec illo elato, nec hoc dilutato; innata vir bonitate bonus.—Op. v. 297.; ande Leuer hit Was to Hym to Be good, than to Be sayde good. his maner was euer-more to holde hym methelyche. man of Shorte Speche and lytyll, but of Fayre wordis, as he that more had in herte than in mouthe, more of witte and Reyson than of speche. Nat forthy, whan tyme was, and nede to Spekyu, to good reyson forth brynge,—as letterid as he was, as witty he was. In thynge that befel to battayl, Swyth hardy. But as he was thus, and of Purueyance, thynge to begyn, Also he was stronge and stydfast in thynge whan he hit hadd begonne. he was sobyr, wel condicionyd̛ and chaste, lawful and stidfaste, wyth-out blame" he was sobyr, wel condicionyd̛ and chaste, lawful and stidfaste, wyth-out blame" = Vir sobrius, modestus et castus; stabilis, firmus atque fidelis—Ibid. /

IN the nexte Aurel ther-aftyr, the yongyr kynge hemy, the kynges Sonne, the Wickidnys that he had thoght to his fadyr done / nolde no longyr helle, wyth his two bretheryn thatis to Say, the Erle of Peytou and the Erle of Brytayn, wentyn to the kynge of Fraunce, whose doghtyr he had Spousid̛, and Purchasid helpe of hym forto were vpon his fadyr. The encheyson wherfore hit was, Maystyr Geraud ne tellyth not / ne I ne can not say; but many hey men he hade to consayl and to helpe, both of England̛ and of beyonte see; many opynly and wel; more falthyr pryuely. The olde kynge, the yongyr kynges fadyr, for the fortvne that to hym was fal on euery syde so vnwyttyngly, was ful Sorroful. Neuer-the-las, by grete Sotylte and hey herte, he made fayre semblante, and trystid to god; and on euery syde that he myght, in al maner he besoght helpe. he sende messageres into Irland, and made come ouer to hym the meste Parte of the knyghtes and of the good mennye that he ther lefte. Thay come to hym at the Cite of Ruem. and he be-thoght hym that hit was Peril to leue har londe vnkepte: ther he be-toke the Erle Richard̛, al the londe to kepe, and sette to hym Reymonde as his othyr hande; For the Erle forsoke out and out, that he that kepynge wolde not rescewe, but yf he hadde Reymond wyth hym, hym forto helpe.

The Erle and Reymond, with har men, wentyn Into Irland; and, for þe Pepil of Irland had herde of the grette stryfe that was betwene the kyng and his Sonnes be-yount the See,—as Pepyl that stydfast is in vnstydfastnes, and lawfully ham holde to vnlawfulnes,—the most Part of the Pryncis of the londe, agayñ har trouth y-founde, thay turned agayn the kynge. The Erle had spende the tresoure that he broght ouer wyth hym; and whan the fellochipe lackid spendynge, and not Speddyn in Prayestakynge, Vndyr heruey, that was constabil ouer the menny, and euer had envy to Reymond; Thay wenten ham to the Erle comynly by oone acorde, and sayde to hym wel, 'but that he wolde sette Reymonde ouer ham, thay wolde lewe hym euerichone, and wende Into Englande; othyr, that wel wors was, thay wolde turne to har enemys agaynes hame' / And as the menny desyrid, Reymonde was sette ouer hame. thay take then herte to ham, and wenten vp-on the Ofelanys in the deseses, and toke grettePrayes arrayed ham nobely with hors and wepyñ. From thens thay wentyn to lysmore; and the Cite and the contrey about, robbodyn and preedyn, and, By the See-wey, Sendyne many gret prayis to waterford; and of pilfre and of thynge that thay toke, thay fillid̛ xiije. farcostes that weryn come from watyrford̛ into the havyn of doūn̄-garvan. As thay were wynde abydynge ther, come the men of Corke from be weste, by the See, in xxxijti. Shippis, and many men therin, forto take the othyr. ther was the fyght fressely yewyn of this two flittes in the See. That oone assaylid the othyr grymly with stones and with Sparthis; the othyr wer wel wepenyd, and wythstod styfly with arblastes and with bowesdum isti lapidibus et securis acriter impetunt, illi vero, tam sagittis quam laminis ferreis quibus abundabant, promptissime resistunt.—Op. v. 309.. At the Ende, thay of Corke weryn dyscomfyted and ouer-come; Her shippis take, her men slayne, and caste Into the See. Adam de herforde and PhilippePhilpippe, MS. the wellsshe, that weryn sette ouer thay yonglynges, with mo shippes and gret begetes of wepyn and of Pylfre, to Watyrford wentyn with gret Ioy. Reymond̛ herde speke of this fight, and tythynges to hym come: he toke with hym xxti. knyghtes and an hundrid bowmen, and went by the see-way thedyrwarde. Than com to hym tythyngis that Dermot, the prince of desmonde, was with myche hostys comyn to lysmore, to helpe ham of Corke. Reymonde wentyn hym thedyrward̛. the prince that herde, and turned agayn, and durst hym not abyde. And Reymonde wente Ferdyr Into thethe the, MS. contrey, robbid and Prayed, So that he hadd with hym at his turnynge agayn toward watyrford̛, iiije. Mƚ. kyne. and as thay were comynge by naroweis wyth har Pray, come the Iryssℏ-men of the contray, and tokyn a party of har kyne, and wentyn al quyte with ham to wodde. the cry aros, and Reymond, as man that euer was formyst redye, went aftyr, with one pryuisant man an hors with hym, come to the woddys syd ther the thewis were an-hydynge. Whan he had falid of the pray, and wolde haue turne agayne, his fellowis folely Enticed hym forto wende into the wodd; and he so dide. Whanthay wer with-In the Irysℏ-men rysse to ham on euery halue and leyde on ham, and anoone the yonge man was al to-hackid to-for hym. He rane forto socoure hym, and was assaylid on euery syde. And he, as man, toke out his Swerde, and leyde on aboute hym, and Smote of, that man the honde, that othyr the harme, the thyrde the hede by the sholdris; thus he oppenyd the wey, and come out to his men, and broght two Spares faste on his shelde, and thre on his hors; but al holde and Sounde and harmeles of body he Escapid̛.

Whan this was done, and the meyne was nobely arrayed both by londe and also by watyr / come thythyngis to Reymonde, that his Fadyr willam fiz-geraude was dede. Reymond wente ouer into Walis, to take seysyne in his Fadyr landis; And heruey that tyme was made constabil of the meny. he wolde fayn entremitte hym to done sumthynge, the whyle that Reymonde was out of londe; and made the Erle and meny wende to cassell forto werryn in monestre. He sende also aftyr the meny of deuelyn to come to ham. And As thay come throgh Ossory, and lay a-nyght in a place thar thay demyd to be al Sure, Obreen, the kynge of Thomonde, was Sure, and awayted hare comynge By good Spies. He aroose, with mych Pepil, vppon Hame, erly a day in the mornynge, and Smote vppon ham vnwittyngly, and killid iiije. knyghtis and weryn ouer hame, and CCCC men. Whan the thythynges herof come to the Erle, he turned agayne to Watyrford̛ with mych shame, and helde hym ther as man that was besegid, that he came not fro thennes. And for this aduenture, the Pepil of Irland with oo herte al-to-giddyr arysen vpon the Englysℏ, and Slowen ham in al places that thay ham myght fynde // The kynge of Connaght come also ouer the shynnyñ into Myth, and found al the Castelis waste and woyde. he braunt and keste ham doune to grounde, til he come ryght to Deuelyn. The Erle Saw that he was narrow bylad: by consail of his men, as the laste remedy of lyue, he sende his lettres to Reymond, ouer into Walis, in thes wordis: "As rath asye haue sey thes lettres, ne lette not to come to socoure vs with good myght: and youre desyre of Basyle my Sustre, lawefully forto Spouse, anone at youre comynge, with-out fayl ye shall haue" // Whan Reymond hadd this herde, both for the maydes lowe that he so longe had desiryd, and forto prow his myght, and socoure his lorde in his mychel nede, with Meyler, his emys sone, he dight hym al that he myght in such haste, so that he myght haue / and hadde xxxti. knyghtes of his owyn kyne, and CCC bowmen, the coyse of al Walis. he putte hym to sayle, and arryued at Weysforde in xv. shippis. that same tyme, þe men of Weysforde hadd Purveyed ham to vndo al the Englysℏ, wherso thay myght ham fynde. Whan thay Saue the chippis comynge Into hawyn, and baneres that thay wel knew; throw that comynge So Fresly, that trayson was lefte; and anoone Reymonde went wyth his men to watyrforde, and broght thens the erle boldely to Weysforde. Fresell, that was keper of watyrforde, wente by the watyr of Sure in botis with his men; and, as they were in the watyr, the liddyr gides that hym Sholde lede, slayñe hym and al his men, and turned agayn to the Cite, and gaddrid̛ ham to-geddyr al the Irysℏ-men, and smyte vpon the Englysℏ-men, and slayne al thay that thay myght fynde in hous, in wey, men and women, yonge and olde, with-out any sparynge, Saue thay that Escapid̛ into Rathevyldestoure; and throgh ham was the touñe Sawid, tyl the traytorys ther-aftyr come to Pees, and euer ther-aftyr the lasse belewid and lowid. / Reymond, when he hadd thus I-Sawid the Erle, he mvnyed the Erle of his promes. the erle sende anoone to deuelyn aftyr his suster; and Wente neuer frome Weysforde tiƚƚ that she was, with myche wyrchipp, Spousid to Reymonde. Whan he was spousid, and al the day was holde in Ioy and gladnys, and mych Plente of mette and drynke, and the nyght aftyr in delytes of chambyr, as ham beste plesyde / Came tythyngis that o-conghoure, kynge of Connaght, hadd destrued al Myth, and was come with grete hoste into the contrey of Deuelyn. Reymond was not Slow, nethyr for lowe of his fayre wyffe, ne for the moche feste; But amorrow He toke His men With Hym, and Went towarde Deuelyn. O-conghourehad thertofor assayed his meny, and douted hym the more. he wolde not abyde hym, but was glade to take homwarde. Reymonde lette restore and arere that was destrued̛ by the werre; And fale casteles ryght vpe, and broght into radyr state. and for dred of hym, the londe wax in good pees a goode whyle, that none Irysℏ-man ne durst hym not styre, werre to begynne.

This whyle the kynge was in myche stryfe, wel two yere, agayn his Sonnes and har allience, both in Englande and in Normandy, and gascoygne; and So was peyned with trawail in wepyn, nyght and day, that no man ne myght more. But, for no wors enemy may none be, than thay that a man trusteth moste to, O thynge was, that most angyr hym didd: that the knyghtes that he hadd chose his body to kepe, in Whos handis his lyfe and his deth he betoke, for the mor Party, euery nyght wentyn to his Sones priuely; So that, whan the kynge ofte-tymys askyd aftyr hame, thay were not founde. Natheles, the battayll that was of So doutos begynnynge, hadd So good Endynge that, for the vnryght that his Sones hym didde so vnkyndely, hit Semyd bettyr that he foght by Powere of god̛, than by Erthely Powere. For in al Placys, the ouer-hande was his. And as hit Semyd fryst, that hit was for wrethe of Seynte Thomas-es deth that that vnhape hym befell, Also hit semyd ther-aftyr, whan he hadd dōn̄e asseth to holy churche, and pees made with the hooly martyr, with terys and repentaunce of herte, al his tene (by godys helpe) hym turned to gladnys. For aftyr the mych tene and trayson that he hadd sufferid al two yere. At the laste, was the battayl Smytten, at the whyche, be-twen the two hostys, Ther were the kynges Sonnes dyscomfyte, by Ralfe de Glanvil, that was Maystyr of the kynges hoste. Ther was take the kynge of Scotlande, and the Erle of Chestre, and the Erle of leycestre, and So many grete men, both of England and of beyonte See, that vnneth thay found prisonys to ham. Ther, aftyr al the trauail that the kynge hadde, and the Envy, and the costys al two yere, come the Sonnes to the faderis Pees, and madyn asseth, falsly, as hit was ther-aftyr wel Shewid̛ in dede. Of this vntrouth, Spakemerlynge in his prophesies, and Sayde: "The Sonnes shullyn agylte agayn the Fadyr for his gyltes; and the radyr gylte shall be encheyson of the gyltes that aftyr shullyn come. The Sones shall aryse vpon the fadyr; and forto awreke his felony agayn̄e the wombe, the tharmes shal Swere ham to-giddyr. In the man of blode, the blode shal aryse; and wanhoply shal his Pynsynge beet desperabilis fiet afflictio.—Op. v. 301., til that Scotland the Penaunce of his Pylgrimage bewepe.'

The kynge henry the othyr, was a man same rede, roune hede, and rounde grey eyyn; row lokynge, and rede in wreth; Visage rede, brennynge; grete Speche; neke somdel shorte of the Soldrys, breste thyke, of fleschy Body; ande, more of kynde, than of glotony, gret of wombe; for he was, as to prynce belongyth, of mete and of drynke ful meen and for-berynge; and forto aquenche that gretnes, he put hym-Selfe to ful mych trauayl, that vnneth he lette his body haue enny reste, othyr by day othyr by nyght. For Wyntyr and Somer, he aros euer-more in the dawnynge, and herde fryst his seruyce of holy church; theraftyr, most part al the day he wolde be out, othyr with houndys or with haukes; for in thay two thyngys he delyted gretly with-al / and vnneth he wolde ryde any hamlynge hors, but mych trottynge hors, for to trauail his body the more. Aftyr al his trauayl a-daye, vnneth he lette his body haue a lytil reste forto sitte to his mette. the whyle that he ette, and anoone aftyr mette, and namely aftyr soper, anoone he wolde arysse and stonde"that vnneth he lette his body haue enny reste, othyr by day othyr by nyght. For Wyntyr and Somer, he aros euer-more in the dawnynge, and herde fryst his seruyce of holy church; theraftyr, most part al the day he wolde be out, othyr with houndys or with haukes; for in thay two thyngys he delyted gretly with-al / and vnneth he wolde ryde any hamlynge hors, but mych trottynge hors, for to trauail his body the more. Aftyr al his trauayl a-daye, vnneth he lette his body haue a lytil reste forto sitte to his mette. the whyle that he ette, and anoone aftyr mette, and namely aftyr soper, anoone he wolde arysse and stonde" = sibi nec pacem ullam nec requiem indulgebat. Venationi namque trans modestiam deditus, summo diluoulo equo cursore transvectus, nunc saltus lustrans, nunc silvas penetrans, nunc montium juga transcendens, dies ducebat inquietos: vespere vero domi receptum, vel ante coenam vel post, rarissime sedentem conspexeris.—Op. v. 302., and So dryue forth al the moste Parte of the nyght, So that al the courte was ofte wery of his wakynge. the man that he onys in lyche be-helde, euer he hadd knowlege of hym; and thynge that he hadd̛ ones herde, euer aftyr he wolde hit vndyrstonde. the man that he onys hattyd, vnneth he wolde euer aftyr loue; and man that he onys lowyd, vnneth he wolde euer aftyr hate. Whanany vnhappis hym be-felle no mane mekyr. Whan he was in sickyrnys, no man sternyr. Smyrte agayn the bolde, meke wyth ham that weryn vndyr-broght; harde amonge his owyn, ande Pryuely large amonge strange men; and opynly meknys and debonerte he lowyd; Pryde and hauteynesse he hatyd, and wolde brynge vndyrfete.

Thegh the kynge were wel longe in gret angwysche throgh his sonnes, as hit is to-fore tolde, natheles, amonge othyr nedys, he foryate note his Irlande. he take the letteres that ware made in the Consayl of Cassell, of the vnclene lyfe and the horribil Synnys that the Pepil of Irland lyuedyn In / In othyr wyse than crystyn men oght lyue; and the lettres, al Ensealid̛ as thay were, He sende his messagers to the Courte of Rome, to the Pope Alysandyr that than was, and thar he did Purchase that, by auctorite of the Pope and by his concent, was to hym grauntyd the lorchippe of the londe, and the londe-Pepill that crystyn shold be, and al clene was out of Ryght rule of crystyndome and ryght belewe, to brynge into ryght lawe of holy church, in the maner of England. That pryvylege forth, with an othyr quod idem rex ab Adriano… perquisierat. in publica audientia ejusdem privilegii, cum universitatis assensu solemnis recitatis facta fuit.that radyr was Purchasid of the Pope Adriane, that was to-fore Alexandyr, was sende ouer Into Irlande by Nycole, pryoure of Walyngeforde, and Willam Aldelines-sone; and was a consayle of al the clergy of Irland̛ y-gadderid to-giddyr at Watyrford. ther wer the pryuylegis y-shewyd, and y-radd Sollempnelych to-fore ham, and grauntyd hyghlych of al the comynys. The fourme of thay Pryuylegis, as thay wer endyted̛ At Rome a-latyne, y may not comly sette in Englysℏ, and therfor y Hit Leue; But the mest streynth is this: Whan the Pope Adryan Hadd Herde opynly the evyl lyfe, and the synfull, that the Pepell of Irland laddyn, wors than wilde bestis, and out of constituciones of holy churche and ryght be-lewe, he graunted̛ the kynge, that he sholde into Irland wende, forto adresse and sprede the termys of holy church, forto wythstonde and lete the ruene of synneet vitiorum plantaria inde exstirpanda., forto a-mende the wickid dedis, and sette the good̛; forto Eneche religion of crystyndome, So that hit werevyrchipp to god, and helth to the Sowlys; and the Pepil of the londe, manshiply hym sholde vp-take, and worthy as lorde; Saue the ryght of holy church vnwemyd; and to seynt Petyr and the holy modyr churche of Rome, of euery hous a peny to rent, a yere, in Irland as in England̛. This pryuylege was Purchasyd of the Pope Adrian. / And a clerke hit Purchasid that was callid Ihon of Salysbury; and the Pope, by the Same clerke, Sende to the kynge a golde rynge, in tokyn of Seysyn of the londe. And the Pope Alexandyr nexte aftyr hym confermyt that Same yfte; And euery othyr of ham amonessed and Partid from god almyghty, and betoke the deuyl al ham that in any tyme ther-ayeynnes wolde come.

OFf̘ the kynge and of his sonnes, and of the Purchas that the kynge did, is y-now tolde Sortelych. Now we will turne agayñe to oure knyghten gestis in Irland̛ // The londe in Irland was in good pees vndyr Reymonde-is kepynge; but heruey of montmorthy,—that euer hadd envy to Reymonde, and Saw that his goodnes and his wyrchippe wex euer more and more,—for he ne drust not opynly show the felony that was in his herte, he be-thoght that he wolde Pryuely / he made to hym semblant of mych loue; be-soght gretly that he sholde alyaunce haue to har kynryde, and namely, that he haue to wyue a gentyl woman, Morices doghtyr, fitz-geraude, that was callid Neste. This mayde was to hym graunted̛, and he hyr Spoused̛. and that the kynred sholde be fastyr bounde to-giddyr, by procurynge of Reymonde and of hym also, the Erle yaue Ellyn his sustyr, to Willam, Morices Eldyst Sone. the Erle sende also aftyr Moryce, that was than went into walis; and at his comynge, he yaue halfe to hym of Ofelan, and the castel of wickylow; and the othyr halfe he yaue to Meyler. In the tyme that the Pees was, and the londe in good state, befel that Obreen, the kynge of Thomonde, agayn his trouth and the kynges Pees, began to wyth-drawe hym frome the kynge, and wolde not be bowynge to hym, nethyr to ham that wer vndyr hym in the londe.Reymonde tolde therof gret vnworthynys, and in lytyll whyle gaddrid to-gidderis his hoste, So that he hadd an hundred knyghtes and xxti, thre hundrid oþer an hors, and CCCC bowmen afoote; and aboute al-halwyn-tyde wentyn toward lymerike. whan thay wer thedyr come, thay hadd gret lette of the watyr of the Shynnyñ, that Was Betwen Ham and the Cite, So that thay myght not ouer-wende. the yonglynges—that wel couetos were ham-selfe to auaunce, har myght to show, and also wynnynge to gette and to haue,—wer sore greuyd that thay myght not ouer to the cite that was ham so nyghe, for the watyr that was to depe, and so Streyte rynnynge betwen, and also so stony by the grounde. As the fryste of ham was abydynge vpon the watyres brynke, was a knyght amonge ham newely dobbid, fayre and stalwarth, Reymondes Eme, that was callid Dauy the Welsse: throgh gret couetyse that he hadd, ouer al othyr to wyn the formyste price, he dreddit not to do hym-Selfe to so horribill Perel of deth. he smote his hors with the Sporis, and ouer-threw adoūn̄e Into the watyr, that was depe and ful of stonys. the hors was mych and stronge, and come Sone vp abow the watyr with hym. he wissed̛ the hors sydlynge ayeynes the watyr asquynt, and come ouer on the othyr syde, and cried to his men, and seyde that he had a forde founde. but, for he found no man that hym wolde follow, but O knyght that was callid Geffrey Iudas, he turned agayn by that Same wey (and the knyght come with hym) holde and Sounde; but the knyght, throgh the Streytnys of the watyr, was caste doun, he and his hors, and drounde to-for ham all / whan Meyler, that thedyr was with Reymonde come, this Sawe, he hadd gret envy that Such boldnys sholde be tolde of any othyr, and noght of hym: vpon the hors that hym bare, he Put hym-Selfe in the watyr, and boldely, wyth-out any ferde, Passid ouer the othyr syde. The Citteseynys Saw hym comynge out of the watyr so al-oone: thay came agayn hym, some forto kepe hym vpward at his comynge out of the watyr, forto make hym turne agayn; othyr, to vndo hym ryght in the watyr. The knyght was stronge, and boldely Putte hym vp be-twen two Perelis:—on oone halue, the wode rynnyngewatyr so grymly; on the othyr syde, his enemys, that wyth stones and with fawis hym leydyn on, both at the watyr, and vpon the wallis of the toun, that ryght vpon the watyr stode. he Put his shelde and his hede with the salletgaleam ictibus clipeumque praetendens., agayn the strokys, and hertely helde hym amyd al the Perelis al-one, with-out any helpe, ful vnsure on al sydis / the cry was ful horribill on euery syde. And Reymond, that was at the laste of the hoste, as hede and ledder and prynce of al the hoste, herde the cry, and wyst not what hit was. he come anoone hastely throw al the hoste, til he come to the watyr; and whan he Saw his eme on that othyr syde, so narrow besette, he hadd grete angwysche in his herte; and sharpe and bittyr began to cry to his fellouys, "Men, that So bolde ben, of ryght kynde, and in so many angwyschis with vs hath youre streynth proued, come forth, men! they way is oppenyd̛ to-for vs; and the forde that noone of vs knew, throgh boldnys of oure is founde. followe now the herty knyght that so stronge is by-ladde; and lette we neuer so ney to-for oure eyyne be shente!" wyth that worde, Reymonde was the fryste that Put Hym in the Watyr; and al the Hoste aftyr did Ham in aduenture, and in goddys grace, and wenten ouer al quyte, (but o knyght, that was callid Guy, and two footmen,) her enemys kylledyn to-for hem, into the CiteThe English copier of this MS. has jumpt from the first 'Cite' to the second—see lines 21, 22 opposite,—and put 'killedyn' = 'slowen' l. 22 opp. for 'flowen,' l. 21 opp., and Slowyn ful many of the Citteseynes, and dreyntyn"her enemys kylledyn to-for hem, into the Cite, and Slowyn ful many of the Citteseynes, and dreyntyn" = fugatis in urbem hostibus, non sine grandi civium strage, muros statim irruperunt; et urbe potiti cum victoria, spoliis plurimum ditati et auro, periculi damna lucri simul et laudis honore compensarunt. v. 322-3.. Thay foundyn ther so mych golde and Siluyr, and othyr riches, that for that, and also for the Maystry that god ham sende, thay tolde lytel of the Perel and the lostis that thay hadd ther-to-fore. Now ared þe, whyche was the boldyst of this thre knyghtes: Whedyr he that, with-out any man to-for hym, put hym in the watyr forto techyn al the othyr the wey; Othyr he that, aftyr Ensampill of hym, and the horribil deth of ham that weryn drovnde to-for har eyyn, Passid the watyr, and al-one sette so hardy his body, to marke, amonge so many ennemys; Othyr he that, aftyr ham both, so hardy and so boldely, with al the hoste, Put hym in so grette Peril. Thus was as this tyme lymerike take ona tyvysday, theraftyr hit was socourid̛ on a tywysday, waterford was take on a tyvysday, and deuelyn also. noght for oo Purpos was that day wayted therto, but as hit befell by case and by aduenture, and not with-out skylle. For the tyvysday, by hethyn men tyme in the olde worlde, was sette to a god that is callid Mars, and Was holde god of battayle; And on þat day thay fovndyn, that who-so battayl be-soght, he sholde spede bettyr that day than in othyr dayes.

NOwe y wille you telle thes two bolde knyghtes, Reymond and Meyler, whych they weryn // Reymond̛ was a man brode of body, somdel more than metlych, yolowe here, and samcrysp; grey eyyn and depe, Somdel hegh nose, face rody wel hewid, glad, semblante, and clere; man of mych mette and of grete Purueyaunce / nothynge delycious, nothyr of mete ne of cloth; hette and colde, al y-lyke, wel he myght suffyr; man of mych trauail; tholmode in wreth; as redy he was to Serve, to queme ham that he was ouer, as to be seruyd of ham"hette and colde, al y-lyke, wel he myght suffyr; man of mych trauail; tholmode in wreth; as redy he was to Serve, to queme ham that he was ouer, as to be seruyd of ham" = caloris et algoris ei patientia par: vir patiens irae, patiensque laboris. Quibus praesidebat prodesse magis quam praeesse, potiusque minister quam magister videri volens.—Op. v. 324. (No Latin here for 'Whan ... nede were.'). Whan he hadd host, he was so byssy about to kepe the hoste, that ofte he lefte Slepe al the nyght, and Walkid about, Spyenge and crienge forto loke that noone harme ne sholde befall, and for he wolde euer fryst be redy, yf hit nede were. And Sortely to Say his condicionys and his maneres, he was man fre and meke, queynt and Purueyynge; and thegh he wer Swyth hardy, and wel taght in wepyn, of queyntyse and of Sleght in fyght, and of Selth in battayl, he Passid al othyr; and thegh he in both were mych to Preysemultum quidem militis habens, sed plus ducis., he was bettyr ledder of hoste than knyght.

MEyler was a man of durke semblant; oculis nigris et torvis.blake eyyne and rogh lokynge; sterne Semblante; of body, somdel more than metlych, ful bolde, wel brestyde, smale myddyl, armys and othyrlymes full bony, more synowy than fleshy. he was knyght ful hardy and Enuyouse; he was newyre aferde ne agryse to begynne thynge in fyght that any man ogh don hym ōn̄, Althyr wyth othyr ymewyd. In euery fyght, he was the fryst to Begynne, and þe laste hit to leue; al the boldnes that any man myght do, he wolde Passe, or suffyre dethe. The maystry and Prysce to wyn othyr dye, nothynge he ne sette betwen. Of al thynge, both this knyghtes were to Preyse mych wyth-all, nere hit that thay, throgh covetyse, ofte toke holy church ryghtes; but more harme is, and gretly to morne, that defaute haddyn meste al our knyghtes frome the fryst begynnynge. / What was Robert Steuenes-sone and his Sonnys; What, Robert de barry, of whom is to-for tolde; What, Morice fiz-geraud and his sonnes; What, Miles de seynte dauy; both Robert and Morices emys, that wyth the fryst boldely come into Irland; what, Robert fiz-henry, Meyler-is brodyr; What, Reymonde de Canteton; What, Robert de barry the yonge; What, Reymond Hues-Sone; What, othyr of the same gentil, many and y-now, whych hit were stronge to telle by name? for no man ne myght hit be-thynke, but har boldenys ne her good dedys shold neuer go out of mynde. They wer a pepill and a kynred, on both sydys, be kynde, bolde and hardy; on othyr halue of the kynde of Fraunce, and ther-of wel taght in wepyn, of mych nembre, of kynred and kynde bolde, euer-more to her ende"They wer a pepill and a kynred, on both sydys, be kynde, bolde and hardy; on othyr halue of the kynde of Fraunce, and ther-of wel taght in wepyn, of mych nembre, of kynred and kynde bolde, euer-more to her ende" = O genus! O gens! gemina natura, a Trojanis animositatem, a Gallis armorum usum originaliter trahens.—Op. v. 326. // Whan Reymonde hadd take the Cite of lymerikeA.D. 1175., he ordeynyd̛ and Purueyed how the Cite myght be best kepte: he lette brynge thedyr vytayƚƚ, on euery halue, grete Plente; and lefte ther Miles of Seynt dauy, with fifty knyghtes and Squyerys an hors, and CCC bowmen; and wyth the othyr Parte of the hoste, with Ioy and gladnys, al harmeles, turned agayn Into leynystre.

THe londe was than in good Pees vndyr Reymondys kepynge, So that non Irysℏ-man durst not styr hym to mysdone. Heruey of Mounmorthy, that euer had Enuy to hym, ne lefte not,for the alyaunce that was ham betwen, that he ne did hym al the harme that he myght, and opynly shewed than the felony that he longe thoght in herte. he sende ouer to the kynge by messangerys, and did hym to vndyrstonde, that Reymonde was in indignacion of the kynge; and agayn his owyn throuth, so Hauteyn I-worth, that he wolde al Irland take to hym and to his. And, for his lesyngys sholde the bettyr be belewid, many lesyngys he made hym to vndyrstonde; and So fayre hit glosyd with lesyngis, that hit Semyd trouth, al that he sayde"many lesyngys he made hym to vndyrstonde; and So fayre hit glosyd with lesyngis, that hit Semyd trouth, al that he sayde" = ad votum effectui mancipandum, in Bragmannorum morem conjuratas ad hoc catervas Reimundum asserit composuisse. v. 327.. The kynge,—as ofte maner is, that fals talys ben bettyr belewid, and lengyr thoghtmemoria diuturnior., than good,—he belewid the fals manes talys and accusynge, And Sende Into Irland̛ foure Messagers, that is to wittyn, Robert de Power, Osbern of Herforde, Willam Berynger, And adam of IarnemouthRobertum Poerium, et Osbertum de Herlotera, Gulielmum de Bendinges, et Adam de Gernemes. v. 328.; of the whych, two sholde abyde with the Erle in Irland, and the othyr two sholde wende agayn in-to England, with reymond, as the kynge hym hadd comandyd.

HEruey was a man fayre and lygne, eyghyn grey and depeprominentibus aspectu amabili., lolych lokynge, fayre semblant, of fayre Speche and wordys wel besette of body more than metlych, of al Lymmys wel becomly; But as fayre and as Becomly as he was wyth-out, As wickyd and as fals of many maner lastes he was wyth-In. // Fro the tyme that he was chylde, he yaue hym-Selfe to lechery, and not only to many Syngyl Womennec incestus ullos, nec adulteriam vitans. Vir invidus, delator, et duplex; vir subdolus, facetus, et fallax., but he ne synnyd neuer spousebrich ne siblynges; he was onfull and bacbyter, wreyer, fals and trechoure, doubill of tonge, and nothynge stydfast but in falsnesse; his spech, as hit were honny and mylke out of the mouth, but euer hit was medlid with wenym at the Ende. Sometym he was bolde, as longyth to a knyght; but aftyr, he yafe hym more to cowardyse than to knyght-hode; and more he made of hym-Selfe than he was worth; hey of berynge in house, and not of plente; of myche speche, and lytyl trouth.

Aftyr that the Erle was dede, the kynges messangers, that weryn aftyr Reymond come, vpon new aduentures toke new consail. Thay lefte Reymond keper of Irland, and thay went into Inglande hastely to the kynge, and tolde hym of the Erle-is deth, and the state of the londe // The kynge sende than into Irland, Willam Aldelinys Sone, Procuratoure of the londe, x. knyghtis of his owyn Pryue meny; And with hym Ihon de Cursi, with othyr x; Robert Steuen-es sone and Miles de cogan, that al two yere in England̛ and in gascoyn nobely haddyn with the kynge be, come than Into Irland with xxti. knyghtis. Thythynges come to Reymond that thay ware londid̛; and he anone-ryght went agaynes ham with mych gladnys, and fayre felochipp of knyghtes, to weysforde. Ther he yaue to Willam, as to Senescal from the kynge sende, al the kynges townes, and his castelis, and al the hostages of Irland. Willam Saw Reymond with so many and so fayre yonglynges Bylad, And Be-Helde Meyler and Othyr Knyghtes of His Kyn, fayre and riche wepenyd of o maner wepyn, wel xxxti, vpon ful fayre hors, sheldys aboute har neckys, and sperris in honde, Pleyynge to-gadderes in-to al the feldys. He turned hym to his men, and sayde al softe, "This Pryde shal be Put InSuperbiam hanc, in brevi comprimam, et clipeos istos dispergam. ar hit be lange, and this sheldys to-dreued." Fro that tyme euer aftyr, and thes and most al othyr procuratoures in Irland, as thegh hit were by one othe to-giddyr Sworne, throgh hate and envy ne stynte thay neuer to malyngne agaynys Reymond and meyler, Robert-es Sonnes and Morices, and al the kynred of geraldines, al the envy that thay myght and durste; for this is euer-more har abydynge and har aduenture: Euer whan grete nede bifel in tyme of werre, thay wer lefe and derwarde, and the fryst to be callid for bolnys, and to battail fryst redy; whan nonede was anoon they were hatyd and Putte abake, her fellochip left and turne to harme. // Na the wodd of har gentryce, throgh non envy ne myght, neuer be y-roted, for euer ham spryngyth new Spourgis, of whych the myght in the londe is not lytell. What ben thay that kepyth the contrayes? the Geraudynes. Who throw thurlyth the hostis? the geraudines. Who ben that Enemys dreddyth? the geraudynes. What ben thay that envy bacbityth? the geraudines. Hade thay found prynce in any tyme that har streynth ham wolde yeue, as thay worthy wer to haue / in good pees and stydfast thay haddyn broght the state of Irland. But thegh thay euer so wel had done, thay hadd but lytyll change, or noone, for her laboure. But euer thay profited in har goodnys; and mysbeleue and bacbitynge, of hare boldnys. And to othyr the Pryncis trystyn, wyth whych no boldnys was founde, ne Power had wel to do / with-out helpe and Socoure of ham // And also Aldelines Sonne, at his comynge into Irland, he went from toun to toun vpon the See-syde, and throw soght the Citteis ther Plente was of mette and drynke; but the montaynys and the londe with-In, he wolde neuer come ney. / golde and syluer, wherof mych Plentey was in the lond, wel hungryly he gadderid to-giddyr, with pledynge and Pullynge of peese men, and not of theuys ne of Robers. In þat tyme about Mid-heruest, Morice fiz-geraud deyed, not with-out grette Sorrow of al his, and mych harme and lostes to al Irlande // For he was a man meteful, Suttyl and bolde: trewer man, ne stydfastyr man, ne lefte he none in Irlande // Willam Aldelinys sone ran Morices sone to harme, and styntid neuer til he hadd take of hym the castel of Wickelow wyth falsnes. Of Reymond and of Robert Steuenes-sone, he toke the londys that thay hadd in the vale of Deuelyn, and in Ophelan; and othyr that hadd londis in Pees, he toke thay londys to the kynges be-howe, and delyuerid ham landys furthyr in Marche, and in Peril nexte har enemys, al with vnryght and by his owyn will. For ther is nothynge so bolde ne so kene, as is that man that is of noght come, whan he is an-hey broght, and vnkyndely sette in MaystryAsperius nihil est humili, cum surgit in altum. // Willam was a man mych of body and of makynge, good mete-yeuer, fre and corteyse By Semblant. But ale that He did anyto wyrchyppe, al Hit was in Spyinge, felony, and trechery; euer he shed Venym vndyr hony. Tho day he wolde do the wyrchipp; to-morrow he wolde the rew, and do shenshipp. the meke and the buxum he vndid; the sterne and hawteyn he Plesyd; Softe with wylde men, harde with Pees men; of fayre spech, Softe, fals trechoure; feynte and Envyous, dronklewe and lecherere.

IOhan de Cursy Saw that al thynge that willam did was couetyse and trecherye, and that he was nothynge trew to ham that vndyr hym were, ne dredfull to his enemys. He chose hym of the meny of Deuelyn a few, but thay were good and bolde, and hardy throgh al thynge, So that he hadd xxijtiknyghtis, fyfty Squyeres, and footmen as myght be by thre hundrid̛, and wente hym to vllyster, whar noone Englysℏ-man wepenyd̛ to-for hym was seyn. Than was fulfillid a prophesy of merlynge, that thus sayd̛: "a whyte knyght, syttynge on a whyte hors, berrynge fowlis on his shelde, shal formyste assayle vllystere." This Ihon was a man ful whyte, and rode vpon a whyte hors, and bare in his shelde, ernys y-peyntyd. he went throw myth and throw Vriel thre dayes goynge; and the fourth day Erlych, come to doune, wythout any lette of any enemy. Vn-wyttynge he come; In he wente. Dunleue, the kynge, was schortlych agaste of so suddeyn comynge, lefte the toun and flow; the mayny, that was myssaysid and hungry, founde ther mette and drynke y-now, and Pylfre of golde and Syluyr and clothis, and also wher-with thay wer wel arrayed, and her herte wel confortid. In-to the toun was than y-come a legate of Rome that was callid Vyuyen and was come out of scotlonde. this legate was besy about, Pees to make be-twen the kynge and Ihon̄. mych he spake, and mych he hym proferid̛, and more he promysyd, and trewage to bere euery yere to Englyssℏ-men, So that he wolde the lond lewe, and turne agayn. gretly her-of he spoke and be-soght; but noght he wolde hym hyre; For his thoght was al turned, the londe forto wynne, or his lyfe for-sake. Dounleue Saw that he, wyth fayre speche ne fayre promes, nothynge myght spedese verbis minime profecturum.. he send anoone aftyr his Pepill, and wyth-in viije dayes he gaddrid to-giddyr an hoste of x. Mƚmen, bolde to fyght / and besegyt boldely the Cite of doun ther Ihon was In / For in this lond, as in al othyr, the nordryn men ben sturdier and smyrtyr to fyght than othyr. Ihon Saw the hostys comynge to-wardes hym, and chose; and lewyr was, out wende, and wyth streynth to assay the aduentures of battayl, than in the lytel feble fortelet, that he in and herne of the toun in so lytel tyme hadd arrerid, amyd his enemys be be-segid, and to dey with hungyr. he went out to hard fight. and when thay had fryste, frome fer shote her arrowys, thay smytten aftyr hertely to-giddyr, spere agaynys spere, Swerde agaynys Spare; and many there the lyfe loste. But who had y-sey Ihonys strokys wyth Swerd, how he smote Of that man the hede frome the sholdris, that man the Arme and the shuldyr frome the body, Hee myght wel Sey, that His myght and His mayn oght Wel to be Praysid. Thegh many wer in this fyght that boldely did, Natheles Rohere le Power, that ther-aftyr was of gret myght in Ossory and in the contrey of leghlyn, was the othyr that best did. Aftyr grete and lange fyghtynge of wel vnlych hostisnimis impari certamine. per marinamglisim., at the last, the Irysℏ hoste was ouercome and scomfited, and many slayne by the strondis syde whedyr thay flowe / than was fulfillid a prophesy that colmekylHibernici Kolumbae. Prae glisis namque mollitie, dum ad ima penetraret humana ponderositas, terrae lubricae sanguis profluus superficiem tenens, genua cruraque de focili pertingebat.Sayde of this fyght. He sayde, 'that So many men sholde be slayn in that Place, that har enemys myght wadyn to the knees in her blode' / And so hit was than. For as thay fleddyn to-for ham in the Slyme, thay folwedyn aftyr and kyllid ham; and as thay dyuedyn done, the blode of ham that weryn slayne, and fletid abow, toke to the knees of them that ham Slayne. The same Prophet sayde also, 'that a pouere man, and as thegh he were flow or banshed but of othyr landys, with lytel folke sholde come to doune, and the toune wynne wyth-out Soccoure of any herrer'; and othyr many fightes and aduentures of thynge that in that contray sholde befalle, whych al opynly wer fulfillid in Ihōn̄ de Cursy. That same boke, ther-aftyr had Ihon de Cursy on Irysℏ writte, and was to hym ther-aftyr as merrowre of al his dedys. In þe sayde boke is also fovnde, that a man with pepil wepenyd, sholde with streynth the wallis of watyrford breke; and with grete slaghtof the Citteseynes, the toun wyn: And al this fund fulfillid of the Erle. He sayde also that the Cite of lymerike, of Englysℏ-men twyes sholde be lefte, and the thyrde tyme sholde be holde. And So hit was, on tyme of Reymonde, a-nothyr of Phylip de bruse, as hit opynlyer shal be shewid in his owyn Place. Therof the prophesy was thus sayde: "The Cite thryse soght, at the thyrde tyme shal be holde," Two grete fyghtis, Ihon ther abode, and ham ouercomyd̛ at doun / that oone aftyr candylmasse, as hit is tolde / that othyr, aftyr mydsomer, wher he, with few men, did ouercome the battail o xv. Mƚ, and Slayne of ham ful many. The thyrd was at ferly, at a pray takyn: thar thay come throw a narrow Paas, and had so styfe fyght, that his men was, some slayne, and othyr Part so descomfite in-to al the woddys, that vnneth with hym was lefte Mƚ; and he, as man woundyrly bolde, with so few with hym, Whan thay hadd har hors loste, thay went afoote al wepenyd: xxxti myle wey thay heldyn the fyght of har ennemys; and two dayes and two nyghtes thay wer fastynge, til thay come to his castel. the iiije fyght was in Vriel, ther many of his were slayn, and the othyr dyscomfite, and Put ham to flyght; the v. fyght at yuores bryge, as he come with few men out of England. natheles, ther he ouercome, and slayne ful many, and come hole and Sounde to his owyn. Thus in thre grete fyghtis he had the ouer-hande; and in two, thegh he loste the ouer-hand, he did his enemys mych more // Ihon was a man whyte and fayre; of lymmes, bony and Synowy; myche of Body; noone Hardier than Hee; Bolde, and fyghter stronge of youth: in euery fyght the fryst, and the meste peril he wolde euer be In / he was So covetouse of fyght, and So bernynge whan he hoste ladd, and come to fyght, that he hym neuer wolde holde as ledere, but with the fryste wolde smyte, Sumtyme be-hynnde, ther more Peril was, that ofte al the hoste was the vnredyer, and thoght that thay wer ouercome, and al haddyn for-lore. And thegh he were in wepyn vnmetly sturdy and Sterne, Out of wepyn natheles he was meke and sobyr, and mych vyrchippid god and holy church, and in al thyng he lowid god and his service; and all that hym befel, he thankyd good that hym the grace sende. He Spousyd Godfredes doghtyr, the kyngeof man; and aftyr many Selchouth battalys that he did, not wyth-out grete laboure and Peril of lyfe and mych myssayse, And at the last he was al abow, and clenly hadd ouercome. He castelid the londe in behowabyll Placys; and Suche Pes made, that noone bettyr ne myght be, ne stydfastyr. But hit is grete wondyr, and not but as god hit wolde, that thay iiije grete Postes of the conqueste of Irland, Namely, Robert Steuenes-sone, heruey of Mountmorthy, Reymond le gras / and Ihon de Cursy, myghten neuer haue childe of her Spousyd wyues / Thus mych we haue Shortely tolde of Ihon de Curcy; And the othyr Parte of his bolde gestis, we lewyth to write to otheres that ham write wille, And turnyth agayn̄e ther we afore lefte.

Viuyen, that into Irland was legate, come to deuelyn: thedyr he made come to-for hym al the bischopis and the clergy of Irland, and helde his Senne. ther he Shewid opynly the kyngis ryght of England to Irland, and the Popis graunte and his confirmacion; and, vpon Payn of Cursynge chargid both lerrid and lewyd, that noone neuer so hardy to come agaynys the kyngis trouthe. And, for the Irysℏ-men wer wonyd to do al har vitalys in churchis, he yaue the Englysℏ-men leue, that whan thay ladd hostis, and myght no vytalis ellys fynde, that that in church were founde, thay sholde hardely out-take, and yeue the keperes of the church the worthe, as ryght were.

Aftyr that, Miles de Cogan, that vndyr aldelines-sone was keper and constabil of Deuelyn, with xl. knyghtes, of wych Rolfe, Robert-es sone, fitz-Steuen, was one, y-sette Maystyr ouer ham vndyr Milis, and two C an hors, CCC bowmen, Passyd the watyr of Shynnyn̄, and went Into Connaght / wher englysℏ-men was neuer therto-forne. The men of connaght wer y-ware of har comynge / thay drew ham into Erthe-hous many; and al þe wytalis that thay ne myght take with ham, thay Put in churches; and toun̄es and churches thay sette afyre and brantyn"thay drew ham into Erthe-hous many; and al þe wytalis that thay ne myght take with ham, thay Put in churches; and toun̄es and churches thay sette afyre and brantyn" = urbibus undique et villis igne proprio combustis; alimentis quoque cunctis, quae hypogeis subterraneis abscondere non poterant, simul cum ecclesiis igne consumptis.. and in dyspyte of the englysℏ-men, and in trust that god wold do vengeance on ham, thaytoke the roodys crucyfied, and ymagis of Sayntis, and kesten to-for ham into al the feldys. The Englis-men wentyn tyl thay come to tuem, And ther abode viij dayes in bare Londe ande Blotein hostili terra.. And When thay myght no man fynde, ne nothynge Wherby thay myght lyue, thay turned agayn to the Shynnyn. ther thay found agaynys ham / Oconghoure in a wodde, with thre grete hostis. The englysℏ boldely smytten vpon ham, and Slow of ham ful many, Passyd ouer, and come to Deuelyn al sounde, out-take thre men that in that fyght weryn lefte. /

SOne theraftyr, aldelines Sone was sende aftyr in-to England, that no good in Irland didde but oone, that, by procurynge of hym, an holy baghel and of grete Vertu, that is callid IesusIℏc, MS. baghel, was broght frome Ardmagh to Deuelȳn̄, and yet is at the Trynyte church // And come Into Irland̛ Hugh de lacy, hey Seneschal of al the londegeneralem Hiberniae procuratorem., And Robert de Power with hym Constable of watyrford̛, Miles de Cogan and Robert Steuenes-Sone wentyn ouer the See also in-to England; but thay comyn Sone agayn, and Philip de bruse with hame, and the kynge yaue ham thre al the londe of Desmonde. Robert and Miles haddyn the South contrey, that is to Say, from lysmore al aboute Corke, vije candredes, Saue the kynge the Cite of Corke, with the nexte candrede; Philip de Bruse the kynge yaue al þe contrey of lymerik, Saue the Cite and his nexte Candrede: thes thre, feffyd to-giddyr, come ouer Into Irland in oo fellochipp, and londyn at Watyrford̛, and fro thens thay wenten to Corke al harmeles. Thay wer thar fayre rescewyd of the Citteseynys, and of a knyght that was keper of the citte, that was callid Richarde of london. Whan thay hadd broght to pees Dermot Maccarthy, Prince of Desmon, and othyr many of the contrey of mych Powere, Robert and Miles delid betwen ham the vij Candredes nexte the Cite; and fell by lotte to Robert, thre on the Este syde; Miles foure in the weste: mo to the on than to the othyr, for the londe was wors; the kepynge of the Cite comyn̄ to ham both. the rent and the triwage of the othyrfoure and xxti candredes, as hit wolde falle, euen to dele be-twen ham // And a Candrede is as myche to Say as, an hundrid tounlonde // Whan this was don, thay wentyn with Philip to Lymerike. Robert had wyth hym xxxti knyghtes and xl. Squyeres; Miles, xxtiknyghtes, l. Squyeres; and̛ Philip, xx. knyghtys and xl. Squyeres; and footmen with euery of ham ful many. Thay came to the Cite, and noght was betwen ham but the watyr of the Shynnyn. And Robert and Miles badyn Philip wende ouer, and assayle the toun; Othyr, yf hym leuer were, to rere hym a castel vpon the same watyr afor the toun. Philip, thegh he was knyght bolde and hardy in hym-Selfe, natheles, throgh febil consail of them that wyth hym, were he chose; and myche leuer hym was, leue the contrey, and harmeles turne agayn to his owyn, Then amonge so many enemys, and in so fere londys, in So grete Peril to abyde"throgh febil consail of them that wyth hym, were he chose; and myche leuer hym was, leue the contrey, and harmeles turne agayn to his owyn, Then amonge so many enemys, and in so fere londys, in So grete Peril to abyde" = pusillanimi tamen suorum consilio. potius indemnis ad sua reverti, quam in terra tam hostili tamque remota fortunae tentare pericula praeelegit.. and that no wondyr nas, thegh hym in thylke vyage mys-be-felle, thatviros homicidas, seditiosos ac flagitiosos. So many wyckyd men, condicones and manequelleres of the marche of Walis (and thay to-for al othir) hadd y-chose and̛ y-draw to his fellochipp. Not longe theraftyr, Meredus, Robertes-sone, yonge Knyght and Bolde, not with-out mych wepynge and Sorrow of many, Dyed in the Cite of Corke. That tyme, was holde at Romesedit Romae. the consail of latran, that men of mych Spekyth, vndyr the Pope Alysandyr the thyrde. and was within iije yere, iije Eclipsis of the Sonnenon generales tamen, sed partiales.. Whan Robert Steuenes-Sone and Miles de Cogan, wel ve yere al Desmond in good pees hadden to-gaddyr holde, Miles, and his Sone-in-law, Raufe, Robert-es Sone, that a lytel thertofore to his doghtyr had spousid̛, wenten to the contrey of lysmore, to holde Parlement with ham of watyrforde. and as thay Satyn in the feldys abydynge aftyr ham, Mactyre, that thedyr with hame was come, and with whome thay sholde be that nyght logide, Vnwyttyngly Smote vpon ham; and ham both, wyth v. othyr knyghtes, thay Slayn wyth Sparres; and othyr few that were with ham, vnneth escapid. Throght that thynge, al the contrey was in were, So that Dermot Maccarthy and al the hey men of the Contrey forth with Mactyre, agayne har trouth, withdrowen al fromethe Englysℏ-men, and turned vpon Robert Steuenes-Sone, that ofte had harde Aduenturis assayed; and neuer efte, til Reymond to hym come and helpyd hym forto wyn the londe and broght to heritage; For Robert ne myght not pees haue, as he radyr hadd. As the northeryn men lowyth fyght, also the Southeryn̄, falsnys: thay trustyth to Streynth, thes to sleghtes; thay to boldnys, thes to traysone"thay trustyth to Streynth, thes to sleghtes; thay to boldnys, thes to traysone" = Illa laudis, haec fraudis cupida; illa Martis, haec artis ope confisa; illa viribus nititur, haec versutiis; illa praeliis, haec proditionibus.—Op. v. 350. // When Reymonde herd that Robert was So narrow byladde in the toun of corke, wyth his Ennemys al about besegid, he Put hym to shipp in the hawyn of watyrword̛ with xx. knyghtes and Squyeris and bow-men wel CCC, leften the londe al on the ryght hande and wentyn aboute by the See, fort he come to corke, to grette gladnys to his frendis, and Sorrow to his ennemys. Aftyr many and selcouth Camplyngys, many of har enemys thay haue Slayne, and many out of̘ contray thay dryuen; and the meste Parte and the beste come to Pees; and So the grete tempeste of that weddyr hapid, in lytil whyle was broght to anand, MS. ende. /

NOt longe ther-aftyr, come Into Irland Richard de Cogan, Miles-is brothyr, with fayre maynny frome the kynge y-Sende, and ther-aftyr, in the begynnynge of Marce, come Philip de barry, a man sley and bolde, wyth mych pepill and fayre, forto helpe both Robert and Reymond, and forto castel his londe of olethane, whych Robert hym hade yeue. And in the same flytte come Maystyr Geraude, that Philippes brodyr and Robert-is Eme, ful good clerke, and a man that al the conquest and the state and the wondris of Irland, and the kynde of Pepill from the begynnynge, ful Inwardly soght, and thre bokys therof makyd wyth grette trauayll, v. yere that he was ther-aboute // About that tyme, Heruey of Montmorthy yeldyd hym monke at crystes church in cantyr-berry, to whych he had therto-forne yeue his churchis of his lond betwen Watyrforde And Weysforde. Wolde god that he hadd y-chaunged His culuertnesse as he didd his knyghthode, and his trayson as he didd his clothynge //

About that tyme, befel a merwelos aduenture in a wodd of Myth, of a Preste that went by weyes. And as he came throw that wodd, came a man agaynes hymecce lupus ad eos accedens. Gir. Camb. Op. v. 101., and Prayed hym for the lowe of god, that He sholde go wyth Hym forto shrywe Hys wyfe, that Lay seke ther-By. The prest turned wyth hym; and whan he came Somdel ney, he herde gronynge and con-Playnynge, as hit were of a woman; and whan he came there wher she lay, than was hit a wolfe, that lay there and gronyd. the prest that Saw, and was sore aferde, and turnyd hym to goo / the man and the wolfe both spake wyth hym, and bade hym that he sholde not be afferde, and that he sholde turne to shryw hyre. The Prest toke herte to hym, and blessid hym, and wente and satte be-syde hyre. And the Wolfe spake to hym, and confeste hyr to the preste. and whan thay hadd that done, the preste bethoght hym, and thoght that thynge that was in myse-lyckenys, And hadd grace to speke, that hit myght also wel haue grace and Insyght in othyr thynge. He enquerid of the strangeres that were come Into londe, how hit sholde be of ham? The wolfe answerid and sayde, that 'for the synne of the londe-pepil, almyghty god was displesyd wyth ham, and sende that Pepill to brynge ham in thraldome; and So thay sholde be, thil the Same Pepill were aftyr encombrid̛ wyth SynneSin autem, quia proclivis est cursus ad voluptates, et imitatrix natura viliorum, ad nostros ex convictu mores forte descenderint, divinam in se quoque proculdubio vindictam provocabunt.. And then thay sholde haue Power to do to ham the Same Wrechydnys, for har Synnes.'

VNdyr this laurance, Archebischope of Deuelyn,(that at the consail of the Latran hadd I-be, and as thay Sayde, ther he had Purchasid agaynes the kynge for loue of his londe-Pepill, wharof the kynge had grette artrow vpon hym, Wherfor he lette hym of his passage in-to Irland,) the xviij kalends of Decembyr died at Oye in Normandy, a good man and holy, and that god almyghty Shewid many Miraclis for / that he opynly doth for hym. We rede also of hym, that he was seke iije dayes ar he thadyr came; and whan he Saw our Ladyes churche, that is the modyr churche of the toun, he sayde this vers of the Sawter, as prophesy throw the holy goste: "Hec requies mea in seculum seculi: Hic habitabo habitobo, MS., quoniam elegi eam." And is thus mych to Say in Englysℏ, "This is my reste, worlde wythout Ende. Her y wyl dwele, for y hit haue chose" // Aftyr hym, was Archebischope of Deuelyn, Ihon Comyn, a man of England borne; and in England, at euesham, of the clergi of deuelyn (by queyntyse and procurment of the kynge), by oone acorde chose; and of the Pope Lucie, at the Cite of wellet, ther-aftyr y-hodet and y-Sacrid; a man, god clerke, and ryghtful, and by his myght / mych ryght lakyd the state of holy churche In Irland̛ecclesiae Hibernicae statum egregie sublimasset..

Whan the kynges Sone hadd arrayed al thynge that nede was forto come Into Irland, he Putt hym to Sayl at Milleford̛ the iiije day aftyr Estyr. He had good wynde, and amorrow londid at Watyrforde, wyth CCC knyghtes, and othyr an-hors and a-foote ful many. he londyd, the yere of his age xxij, Of his faderis comynge Into Irlande xiij; Of the Erlis comynge xiiij, of Roberes comynge fitz Steuyn̄ xv, the yere of Oure lordys Incarnacion̛ Mƚ. Clxxxv. Steuenes Sone was the fryst man, And oppenyd the wey to the Erle: the Erle to the kynge; the kynge to his Sone; and gretly he is to Preyse, and grete thynge he began, that fryst in-to Irland So boldely come, the thynge to begyn; gretly also he is to Preyse, that, aftyr the begynnynge, so nobely come forto execute the thynge that was begon; And moste of al he is to Preyse, that al thynge full Endyd, and the lorchip clenly conquesyd ouer al othyr // Here men mowen wel vndyrstond, that the Englysℏ-men came not wyth so mych vnryght into Irland as many pepill wenyth. For Robert Steuenes-Sone and the Erle come to Macmurgℏ into leynystre; that oon, on his through forto holde, and hym forto helpe, / that othyr, for loue of his doghtyr. Natheles, of Watyrford, ne of Mythe, nethyr of Desmon, wych the Erle at the begynnynge toke to hym and conquerid out of leynystre, I Sey not that he hadd ful ryght therto. But of the fryst Parte of the londequintae portionis insulae.that was the Erlis by hys wyfe, The lorchipp clenly the Erle yaue to the kynge; and al the Pryncys of the londe ther-aftyr, by har good-will, yoldyn ham to the kynge to be euer-more subiecte to hym and to hys. Vpon al this, the pope of Rome, that is hede of al crystyndome, and that hath a Special ryght of al the Ilondys of crystyndome, as wid as the worlde is, he yaue Plenerly, and confermyd to the kynge, the lorchipp of the lond, as hit is to-fore tolde. And of eldyre ryght we fyndyth also y-writte, that the kynge of Englande haue to Irlande of Gormon, Belynes Sone, Kyng of BrytaigneBrytaytaigne, MS., that is now England, he come Into Irland, and toke the londe; and many a yere thay bare hym truage, and othyr aftyr hym, Into brytaigne. Ther-aftyr also, kynge Artoure hadd truage out of IrlandHiberniae reges Tributarios habuisse.; and Gylmory the kynge, that that tyme was wyth othyre kynges of the Ilandis, was with hym at the grete feste that he helde at karliōn̄. On othyr halue, the Pepil of Irlande come fryste out of Bascles and out of Bayon, that longyth now to gascoyne, Wherof the kynges of Englande ben lordys. And thus ye may wel vndyrstonde that, both by olde ryght and by new, the kynges of England owen well to haue the lorchipp of Irland. And thegh the folke of the londe neuer hadd be Subiecte ther-by-fore, hit oght be y-now, that thay al, by good-will, yaue ham to the kynge henry by othys and hostages, and by al maner Surte that he desyridfirmis fidei sacramentique vinculis: v. 320.; and the Popis that ther-aftyr hym graunted and confermyd the lorchipp of the londe, and acorsyd al them that in any tyme ther-agayn come. ¶ And thegh thay, by kynde falsnes and vnstabilnes that in ham is, lytel tell of othys and of mansynge, natheles, thay were neuer, by noo man that Power hadd, therof assoilled ne vnbound. But a man may bynde hym-Selfe with Such thynge, but noght So lyght vn-bynde.

Maister geraud ne tellyth no ferdyr the conquest; but of the lette wherfor the londe was not clenlych I-conquerid, ne the Pepil fully y-broght in theudom, he tellyth Such resonys:—Thay that fryst comen, haddyn full well y-Spedewith-out any lette, yf the kynge ne hadd So hastely y-sende and comandid that no man ne sholde to ham come; and thay that were Into the londe y-come, sholde the londe lewe, and turne ayeyn, othyr to lese al that thay heldyn of the kynge in othyre londys. And whan the kynge was Into the land hym-Selfe y-come with So mych Power, hit hadd y-be wel y-now,si ab ausu nobili tam praemature intestina conspiratio non revocasset. nar that he hadd So Sone turned agayn, throgh the Popis comandment and the cardynalis, And also the wickydnys that his Sones haddyn y-Purueyed to dōn̄e hym, the whyle that he was out of londe. For the Pepil that, at the begynnynge of So Sodeyn comynge, was So gretly aferde and agrisid the wepynnyd-men boldenys, and of the cruel woundynge of arowes, throw longe abydynge and Sleuth of Maysters, that no boldnys ne Sickyrnys was wyth, by lytell and lytell lernyd wepyn̛ to berre, Arrowes to shote; and So wel vsyd ham therto, that many tymys ham by-fell wondyrly good happys in fyght vpon englysℏ-men; and on this manere, that at the begynnynge lyghtly myght be shente and broght vndyrfoote, Weryn bolde and hardy to Wythstonde and defende ham-Selfe / We may rede and ouerseche the boke of kynges, the prophetis, al the olde rede fro ende to oþer, and othyr tymys that to-for haue y-be, We shal neuer fynde that were ne hate came vpon Pepill, but for har Synnes. And So hit may wel be of the Pepil of Irland, that ofte serued wel, for har Synnes, to haue werre and wrake of othyr strange comen men. Natheles, god almyghty was not ham so wengeabil wroth that he wolde fully ham Putte out of londe, nethyre al to be vndone, ne fully broght Into traldome, nethyr thay clenly forlorne grace. Nethyr ne othyr hadd not fully grace, the Maystry to haue, and ham fully and Pesabilly in thraldome to holde / ¶ We fyndyth that the Irysℏ-men haddyn iiije prophetis euery in his tyme, Patrike, Molynge, Brakan and Colmkylle, Whos bokis ben wyth ham in Irysℏ writte. Euery of ham Spekyth of the fyght of this conqueste, And Sayne that 'lange stryfe and of fyghtynge shal be for this londe; and ofte the lond shal be defowlid and y-steynyd wyth grete Slaght of men.' But vnnethe thay grauntyth that the Englysℏ pepil fully the maystry, a lytel ar the day of Dome, and that the lond shal from See to See / be castelid and fully Enhabitedex toto subacta et incastellata. / But þe Englysℏ-men shal, ar that, ofte wel ſebil be, and mychmyssayse haue in the londe. So Brakan Seyth, that 'throghper quemdam regem, de desertis Patricii montibus venturum, et nocte Dominica, castrum quoddam in nemorosis Ophelanie partibus irrupturum, omnes fere Anglici ab Hibernia turbabuntur.—Op. v. 385.a kynge that shal come of the wylde Montaignes of Seynte Patrickes, that is callid Selfco, and on a soneday-nyghtMS. sone myght (the same mistake, as before, in both MSS.)., a castel in the wode contreies of Ofelanye shal breke, most what al the Englysℏ-men of Irland shal be strobyd.'

NOw and for wyche thynge hit was, that the kynges Sones travayll, and his grete costes, at this tyme sped noght as tham oght, Hit is none harme thegh I her reherse. Forto speke of thynge that is Paste, is no remedy; Nevyrthelasse, of thynge that is to come, we may be-ware by ensampil of har dedes // ¶ Whan the kynges Sone was come to londe at Watyrforde, thedyr come to hym Irysℏ-men of the contray, rych menviri non infirmi, fideles hactenus Anglis, et pacifici, tanquam domino congratulantes, et eum in osculo pacis suscipientes., and of trew Pees hym be-soght / and made hym grete gladnys as har lorde, and proferid to kysse hym. Than anoone ryght / of two new men, a novis nostris et Normannis.and namely of the Normanes, waryn shamefully rescewid̛, and lewidly Pullid̛ ham by the Berdys, whych, in the maner of the contrey, thay haddyn̄ grete and longe. Some of them wer Shamefully shaken and ydrawen. As Sone as thay comen to har owyn, wyth all that thay hadde, thay wythdrowen ham and lefte the contrey, and wente to the kynge of Thomonde, and tolde hym, and also the kynge of Desmonde and the kynge of Connaght, what thay hadd rescewyd and found with the kynges sone. ¶ A yonglynge al wyth yonglynges gouernyd̛, and by yonge men consayl al didd̛; And no witte ne boldnys wyth hym was founde; ne Surte, ne trouth, to yrysℏ-men thay couth not promysenullam Hibernicis securitatem promittentes.. ¶ Whan tythyngys herof was spronge, thay iije captaynys of Irlandtres principales tunc temporis Hiberniae postes, Limericensis, Connactensis, et Corgagiensis. that was that tyme redy to come to the kynges sone, and yelde ham to hym, and to do hym homage, thay thoghten, that aftyr thay smale harmys, wolde come more; and whan thay Such thynge did to good men and meke, Wel wors thay wolde do to the Prute and the vnbuxum. Thay toke hame to consail, and Sware to-gadderes that thay woldyn vpon Har Lywes wythstond the ryghtes of har olde fredomys, and defende til thay were al hewyde. And for thay sholde this thynge the bettyr brynge toEnde, thay Sende about into al the londe, and allied ham togadderis, and madyn frendys of tham that were enemys. And thus throw ham, that thay at the begynnynge Putte (throw Pryde) from them, both thay and al otheres for the more parte was fro them stirrid. ¶ This Pepyll, as euery othyr wylde Pepill, thegh thay no wyrchipp kowth not, Natheles thay wolde that hy sholde do ham wyrchippe and manshipe. And thegh thay be not aferde ne ashamyd to be founde wyth falsnesse, Natheles, thay Shonnyth that any othyr sholde do ham any falshede: and thay lowyth trouth; and thus good that thay lowyth in otheres, thay thynke no fors whow lytill be found in ham-Selfe therof̘. Euery vysman vndyrstond hym by Roboam, Salomones Sone, how mych harym fallyth of Pryde. Whan he, aftyr his fadyr, was made kynge of Israel, the Pepil come to hym, and besoght hym that he sholde ham Somewhate allegge of the Servyces that thay were wonyd to do to his fadyr. He was yonge; and, by yonge men consayl, answerid and Sayde, ¶ "My fyngyr is more and grettyr then was my Fadyris bake-bone; And yf he bette yow wyth yardes, y will bette you with breris" / ¶ And for that answere, al the tene kynredes lefte hym / and made ham a kynge of Ieroboam; and neuer aftyr weryn vndyr hym, ne noone of his. Of al the Pepil of Israel, none with hym abode, but two kynredis. Vpon this, the Irysℏ-men londes that fro the tyme that Robert Steuenes Sone fryste come Into the londe, trewely wyth englysℏ-men haddyn, wer take fro ham, and yewyn to two new mennovis nostris, contra promissa contulimus.. And thay anoone turnyd to the Irysℏ-men, and aspied al the harme that thay myght do to þe Englysℏ; and werre, so mych the more harme didde, that thay were so Pryue wyth ham therto-fore tanto quidem ad nocendum efficaciores, quanto prius fuerant familiariores..

The tounes vpon the See, and the castelis, wyth the londys that to ham Partenyd, and the truages and the rentes that sholde be I-Spend in the comyn Profite of the londe, and yaue hit to Rebellystalibus est assignata, qui aurum, and to suche that well fayne gaderid golde and Syluer wyth-In wowes, etten wel, and drounken, and laddyn ydill lyfe, and al thynge vnprofytably wastyne, to grete harme of Pees men, and noght to enemys. Amonge al othyr harmys befell yit more, that in the londe So Smyrte and So kene, and Pepil So weyward̛ and So vnredy, and So mych harme doynge,The kepyngeStipendiaria quippe familia, suos imitata magistros, suisque majoribus morem gerens., and the men that was Maysteres to kepe the lande, he had lewer his rych clothis to were, than wepyn to berre; and lowid bettyr to sitte at borde, than hoste to lede; and more redyer to fle than to fyght; leuer to holde a fayre mayde by the wombe, than spere and Shelde to ber an honde. And also they wer not trewe to har Subiectis, ne dredfull to har enemys. Thay had not that good Herte, ne of good Kynde Hit come to Ham, forto Spare the meke, and wreke Ham on the Prowte; but al the contrary thay did. Thay Sparid and fikyllid wyth the sterne, and toke and Pullid the meke, and them that noone harme did // Vndyr whych gouernors, the Irysℏ-men begon to be Prowde, and to haue the Maystry of the Englysℏ-men, and branten, and Slayne, and Stellen / For thay Maysteris, wyth har meny, heldynheldym MS. ham at al tymys in the Citteis vpon the see-syde, ther Plente was of wyne and of women, to the wyche thay yaue ham clenly to. But the lond wyth-In, and the marchis nexte har enemys, and the castelis and the tounes that weryn a-myde, weryn lefte and brante, the men robyd and Slayn, wyth-out any resistence. The good knyghtes and the eldyr Pepill of the londe, as men that noght is tolde by, that tyme wythdrow ham al Slyly, and held ham al stylle, for-to witte al Softe what Ende Suche grete Stormys sholde haue. That tyme, the state of the londe was Suche, In al Placis was wepynge and cryenge, and myche Sorrow. Aƚƚ the weyes was lefte, that no man trustid not to mete with anothyr; euery day come newe tythyngis of brennynge and Sleynge, robbynge and rewynge in the out-landis. Vnneth a lytyll Sadow of Pees was in the burgage tounessed solum in urbibus pacis ut cumque servari umbra videbatur., ther the wyne quenchid al the Sorrow; the golde and the syluere, al the harmys. Thar thay Sholde, in so wyckyd a tyme, goo from contray to contray wyth Pepill y-wepenyd, and correcte ham that did amys; Thay Syttyn Iustices of benche in hare Roobis of Scarlete and menywere; men with Swerdis and battis forto kepe ham, ther no nede was. Than was the motynge, the pledynge, and reyuynge of goode men and trew, that noone harme didde. Wors hame didd the harme and the angyr that thay ther throgh haddyn / than the robbynge and reuynge that har enemys ham dide // Anothyr thynge that gretly is to mowrne, be-felle also, wher-of god wasmoste dysplesyd. Ther Prynce comyth newely to londe, hit becomyth that he wirchippe god and holy churche, mayntenynge the ryghtes, and yeue more therto. But the new Prynce, not oonly helde hym frome that, forto eche the good of hooly church; but londis and rentis and Pryuylegis that thay of olde Worlde hadde and vsyd / At his fryst comynge, in many Placis he toke al clene, and in othyr Placis he chaungid, and yaue Wors and lasse therfor. And hit may wel be, that his Spede in othyr thyngis was euer the wors, and noght the bettyr. On this maner the Englysℏ-men wer both febill and feynte to assaylen and to fyght, and the Irysℏ-men bolde and stronge to wythstonde, till that the new Prynce opynly Saw that al thynge vndyr his new men yede to loste. he chaunged ham, and remewid as men that nothynge kowth, and drewe to hym the olde knyghtes, and the good men that weryn therto-for y-vsyd to fyght in the maner of the londe, And Sette Ihōn̄ de Curcy, Maystyr and captayn of al thynge that was to doun, Vndyr Whom the State and the Pees of the londe, by as-mych began anoone ryght to amende, as Ihōn̄, of herte and of Boldnys, Passid all othyr, Passynge and throw shechynge the In-Londys, As Desmonde, Thomon, Mownyster, Connaght, and lette not the meny Vndo ham-Selfe wyth ofte harme and lostis, doynge to his ennemys and ofte to hym-Selfe and to his, as he that noght was adrede to assay the vnsure aduentures of fyght And of battaylle.

The yonge Prynce at the begynnynge hadd withhym thre maner of menny, Normanes, Englyssℏ, and the Englyssℏ that he founde in the londe / In grete wyrchipp, frendshipp and loue, he helde the fryste and the worste. In lasse, the Secounde and the bettyr. And in alltherleste, the latyste and the beste. The fryste myght not lyue wyth-out wyn, in whych they weryn fosterid; And therfor thay forsoke to be in marchis and in castelis ferre frome the See ysettePrimi vino, quo nutriti fuerant, carere non volentes, in remotis marchiis, et castris procul a mari constructis, moram facere modis omnibus recusabant.—Op. v. 394-5. / andsolum filii regis latera stipare, solum filio regis inseparabiliter assistere. myght not be in no Place but aboute the kyngis Sone, (and from his body, kepe thay myght not be,) and hym followyn, and ney to hym be, with-out any departynge. ferre from the Weste, and ney to the Eeste; Fer frommyssayse, and nygh to ayse, thay wolde euer to be sette. // Iangleris, bosteris, and of grete othis, stronge lyeris, lycheres, Why-beleres, Moche sette by ham-selfe for Pride, and lytill by otheres: yiftis and wyrchipp to rescewe, thay were the fryst; Dowte and Peril to rescewe, thay wer euer the laste. The lytill good that thay didd̛ that wyth hym comyn, that was throgh the Englyssℏ that he wyth hym broght. But thay was nothynge Derward wyth hym agaynys the othyr, that no good ne couth do / And for the good knyghtes and the men, throw whych the wey into the lond was fryste oppenyd, wer wyth ham but as forsakyn and forlete / non callid to consaill, but the newe; to noone trustid hesolum novis fidem habentes, solum novos dignos honore putavimus., but to the new; to noone was wirchipp dōn̄ē, but to the newe. effectum est ut illis se retrahentibus, et invitis operas non ingerentibus, in cunctis agendis parum isti profecissent.Hit befel that, whan thay othyr wythdrow hame for Suche thynge, and lette ham alone, wyth al thynge that thay did, Lytell or noght thay Spede. Such gyltes and So many, thegh thay both wer mych to witte, yonge elde and yonge rede, natheles the yonge lewid consaylle was mor gylty; For bostious, loude and vnredy, hadd grete nede to be y-rotid and y-kepete throgh wysmen and redy.

Aftyr that tyme that the kynges Sone hadde the lordshipp of Irland̛, and into the londe was come, aduentures befell that Maystyr geraude Sortely touchyth. Of thre castelis that he anoone ryght lette rere, oone at ardfynan, anothyr at lysmore, the thyrde at Tybraght. Of thre bolde and hardy knyghtes, that throw gret mysaduenture weryn slayne, Robert de Barry at lysmore, Reymond Hughes-sone at Olethan, Reymond of Canteton in Ossory. Of a party of the meny of ardfynan, that the kynge of Thomon̄ descomfited in a wodde ther neygh, On a Mydsomer day, And four knyghtes that were Slayn; and thay of Thomonde the same day wer discomfite toforfor tybraght; and a grete Irysℏ-man, Odrade, Was ther Slayn, wyth many othyr Of the meny of ardfynan, that Sone aftyr in a pray-takynge toward lymerike weies Discomfitein praedae captione versus Limericum confectis.—Op. v. 386., and xix knyghtes wer Slayn. Of the Prynce of Desmonde, Dermot Maccarthy, that with many othyr ina parlement besyde Corke, throgh Tybaud Wauter and the meny of Corke, was y-Slayn̄. Of the men of kynnaleȳn̄, that So boldely wentyn Into Myth, ther to take a pray, and ther weryn Slaȳn̄ throgh Willam le Petyte, and an C. hedys of ham broght to Deuelyn // Of othyr hooly bodies, Patrike, Bryde, and Colmekil / at doun y-found, and by Ihon̄ de Curcy were translated. Of Hugh de lacy, that to trysty was vpon his Irysℏ-men, And by traysone of ham was hedid at Dernagℏ // Of xiije knyghtes, that vndyr Ihōn̄ de Curcy weryn Slayn at a comynge out of connaght; of the bolde yonge knyght, Roger the Powere, that wyth many of his, throw trayson, in Ossory was Slayn̄; And Throw that thynge, aƚƚ the Irysℏ-men of the londe Pryuely Sworne ham to-giddyr ayeyn̄es the Englyssℏ-men; Wherthrow that, castellis in many Places weryn caste dovne, and many men Slaȳn̄, in Peril of al the londe. And of many othyr aduentures that by chanse fell, aftyr that the kynges sonne was lorde of Irlande, the whych Maystyr Geraud, ham and har gestis lewyth to othyr that ham write wille, and luste haw therto; And as thus an ende makyth of this boke.