f. 13.

The Queen fought a battle.

days after other, without resting night nor day, that pity it was to see the great slaughter on both sides. But always in that battle the princes of Ireland had fresh men that came to their aid, and the strangers had none, by reason whereof they were all slain. It was said that all the princes in Europe did send their aid to that battle to conquer Ireland. No marvel that this battle and fight was so long a time ere it could be ended. It is written that there numbers of men was hung; that there died and was slain in this pastime above 140,000 men.

Thus ended the battle of Fentra, wherein was as many good deeds of war used and done as was at the siege of Troy for one year. For sometime some sang, and after wept ; now woe, now gladness; now mirth, now pain; now light, now dark; now heavy, now merry; now bitter, now sweet; now trouble, now free ;† shewing, to use a manner resemblance, no worldly wealth hath here none assurance. It is strange to tell of this war, that in this time was termed or called to be but the field of Fentra. Truly there was under the colour of this field of Fentra sixteen main battles fought, besides the battles that was private amongst knights and gentlemen for their ladies, which was 151 cruel fights. No marvel; for the best of all chivalry in Europe was gathered to come to win Ireland, for that they of Ireland was reported, yea, and taken in those days, to be alone and peerless of all nations, which greatly was disdained by all foreign princes and governors. Being so many of the generation of Fyn McCoyll slain in this pastime was a great cause that Fyn Eryn that‡ lost the field of Kagcawroe or Ardcaghe, and the absence of their prince or King Fyn McCoyll, his being absent in other realmns.

§ I find that there was a queen with seven ladies came to Ireland then, disguised in men's apparel, that fought wonderful, and challenged the King of Connaghe's son and 7 lords. The day of battle both the armies gave the looking on, and then was 14 days' truce between the armies. These ladies was fair and stout. At the first encounter there was two lords slain. After they met again a-horseback and brake their spears; at which encounter the Queen was unhorsed and was like to be slain, but three of her ladies light a-foot, and horsed her again, and before they took their horses, they three was so sore wounded that they lay on the earth, and could do nothing. After the Queen ran at the King's son, and unhorsed him, and, as the report went, could have slain him, were it not she was in love with him before her coming to Ireland, which was her first enterprise, for the good report she heard of his valiantness. The King's son was by one of

This paragraph is added by a different hand:

Saint Patric's Life.

the ladies put to horse by commandment of the Queen, which knew her privy counsel, and being a-horseback ran at the Queen with a strong spear that the lady gave him, and ran her through the shoulder, but at that time she was not unhorsed, for she rode as sure as any knight that was there of either side. After she remembered herself, met with one of the lords, and ran him quite through, and after another in like manner. The King's son, perceiving both his lords slain, ran at the Queen, and by chance strake her horse and slew him. By reason of the fall the Queen brake her leg, and could do no more; and so the King's son took her prisoner, and after she was whole he married her, and continued to their deaths.

Patricius was born in the Marches of England and Scotland, in a shiret town called then Taburnia, whose mother Concher was sister to Saint Martin, the famous Bishop of Toure in France. The child was from his cradle brought up in the faith, and much given to devotion. Now were the Irish, through help of the Scots and Picts, arch-pirates of the narrow seas, and used to sack villages scattered along the shore, and, for want of other prey, to bring the inhabitants home captives. With other was also taken this Patricius, a lad of 16 years old, being then a student of secular learning, aud became the villain‡ of a[n] Irish [ord] called McBuayn, from whom after six years he redeemed himself with a piece of coin which he found in a clod of earth newly turned up by the swine he kept the time of his banishment. As affliction commonly maketh men religious, with the regard of his former education printed in him such remorse and humility that he was utterly weaned from the world, and betook him to contemplation, ever lamenting the lack of grace and truth in that land. Wherefore, not despairing but that in continuance some good might be wrought upon them, he learned their tongue perfectly, and, alluring one companion with him for his exercise, departed thence into France, ever casting back his eye to the conversion of Ireland, whose babes yet unborn seemed to him in his dream from out their mothers' wombs to call for Christendom.

In this purpose he sought out Martinus, his uncle, by whose means the young man entered into government of Germanus, then B[ishop] of Altisiodormy,§ whose scholar and familiar he was 40 years, bestowing all that time in prayer and study of eloquence and holy Scriptures.

Then, at the age of 62, being renowned through the Latin Church for his wisdom, virtue, and skill, he came to Rome, recommended with their letters from the French bishops to Pope

f. 14.

Saint Bryde and
Colme.

Cælestine, to whom he uttered his full mind, and the secret vow* that long since he had conceived touching Ireland. The Pope mused him archbishop and primate of whole Ireland, blessed him, commanded public prayers and fasting, brought him and his disciples onward on the voyage. Therefore, in the 23rd year of Theodosius the younger, Patrick landed in Ireland, and because he spake the tongue plentifully, being a reverend personage to behold, adding thereto divers miracles in the name and virtue of Jesus, whom he preached, many listened unto him, namely, such as in the late entertainment of Palladius and Abinus, the Irish bishop, his disciple, had some little feeling in the Gospel. In tenour, he wan the better part of that kingdom, except Lagirius himself, son of Neal, the great monarch, who, notwithstanding he relied‡ nothing of his gospel, yet because he stopped not the course thereof, nor forbad any that listed to embrace it, the bishop denounced unto him a curse§ from God accordingly, tempered with mercy and judgment, that during his life he should be virtuous, but after him neither the kingdom should stand, nor his lineage inherit.

Thence he journeyed with a great number of disciples and friends to Conill, Lord of Connaght, who honourably reputed him, and with all his people was converted, and then sent him to Cogan, his brother, King of Leinster, whom he likewise persuaded. In Munster he was highly honoured of the Earls Dares, who gave him a dwelling in the east angle of Ardmache called Ferta, where he erected || many cells and monasteries, replenished with votaries, men, and women. 30 years continual he travelled in preaching through the land, ever leaving behind him bishops and priests, whose learning and holiness, by the special grace of God, shortly ripened the faith so began. Other 30 years he spent in the province of Ardmaghe, among his ghostly brethren, in visitation of those religious housen with his means were founded. So he lived in the whole 122 years, and lieth buried in Doune.

Cambrensis telleth, that in St. Patrick's time flourished St. Bride the Virgin and St. Colme in the city of Downe, where their bodies, soon after the Conquest, and also St. Patrick's body, were found by Sir John Courcey, being then Earl and President of Ulster, in viewing the sepulchre of St. Patrick ; he testified to have seen three principal jewels, which thence translated as honourable monuments worthy to be preserved. Of St. Colume it is doubted whether he lived in that age.

B

f. 15.

Length and breadth of Ireland.

Lagenia. Cannacia.

Hultonia.

Momonia.

Media.

Brigida was the base daughter of Dubtaghe, a captain in Leinster, who, perceiving the mother with child, sold her secretly, fearing the jealousy of his wife, to an Irish poet, reserving to himself the fruit of her womb. She was there delivered of this Brigida, whom the poet trained* up in letters, and so conveyed her home to her father. The damsel was schooled (?)† in the faith by Saint Patrick's preaching in those quarters. She became so religious and so ripe in judgment that not only the multitude, but a whole synod of bishops assembled by Dublin, used her advice in weighty causes, and highly esteemed her.

One fact of hers, being yet a child, made her famous. The King of Leinster had given to Dubtachus, in token of singular affection for his good service, a rich sword. Now it befell that the maiden visiting the sick neighbours diversely distressed with hunger, her father being a stern man, his lady a shrew, she saw none other help to relieve those wretched people but to part the jewels of that idle sword among them. This matter was heinously taken, and came to the King's ears, who, coming shortly after to a banquet in her father's house, demanded the girl, not yet nine years old, how she durst presume to deface the gift of a King. She answered, that it was bestowed upon a better King than he; "whom (quoth she) finding in such extremity, I would have given all my father hath, and all that thou hast, yea, yourselves and all, were ye in my power to give, rather than Christ should starve."

At convenient age she professed virginity, and allured other noble virgins to her fellowship, with whom she lived in her monastery until the year of our Lord 500, and was buried at Doune in the tomb of St. Patrick. In Ireland the uttermost woe.‡

In§ Ireland, the uttermost isle known, is by the later survey deemed to be in length well nigh three hundred miles north and south; broad from east to west one hundred and twenty.|| In proportion it resembleth an egg, blunt and plooniyng in the sides, not reaching forth to sea nooks and elbows of land, as Britain doth. Long sith it was divided into four regionsLeinster east, Connaght west, Ulster north, and Mounster south; and into a 5th plot defaulked from every 4th part, lying together in the heart of the realm, called thereof Media, Methe. Each of these 5, such as are framable to civility,

* "trayced," MS.

+"scald" or "stald," MS.

"we," MS. These five words were probably intended to be cancelled. § Sic.

Note at foot of page: "From the west of Ireland, which is called AcleyNary, to the east, that is called Acley-Dulyne, is the breadth. From ClockeStrame (?) in the north to Carne-Baller in the south is the length of Ireland."

f. 16.

and answer the writs of the Crown, be sundered into shires and counties after this manner :

In Leinster lieth counties of Dublin, Kildar, Weyxford, Carthelaghe, Kylkeny, King and Queen's Counties; these 2 lately so named by Parliament in the reigns of Philip and Mary, having shire towns accordant, Phylipston and Mary bourghe.

Septs, Irish of name, planted in these quarters, they reckon the Byrnes, Tolles, Conanaghtes (?) which is the one of McMorowes, O'Mores, Occonors, O'Demseys, O'Dune.

Cities of best accompt-Divelin, the beauty and eye of Ireland, fast by a noble river which Camerans called Denelifinus (Ptolome ly bui mu*) they call the Liffie. The seat hereof is in many respects comfortable, but less frequented of merchant strangers, because of the bare haven.

Kyldare hath Kyldare and the Nase. Weyxford hath Weixford and Rosse. Kylkeney hath Kylkeney, the best dry town in Ireland, on the south side of the river Suirus; also Callan and Thomaston.

Methe is divided into East and West Meth, and the county of Longeford. There dwell ancient Irish families, sometime princes and potentates-O'Melaghlen, McConlan, O'Bryen, O'Meloy, O'Madden, Magoghigan; therefore this whole part and the vein of Fingall in Leinster are applied with husbandry, and taken to be the richest soils in Ireland.

Connaght bath as yet but the county Clare, the town of Athenry, a proper neat city, Galula, Galvey, at sea side. Herein Turloghe Muore O'Connor was a prince,† and parted the whole twixt his two sons Cahall and Brene O'Connour. In it are now, chief Irish-Brenny O'Rely, Brene O'Rourke, O'Connor Donn, O'Connor Roe, the O'Kellies, Maglomore. O'Flangnes, L. Bremmegan, Aemyly (?), McWylliam Euter‡ of Larty, Clanrycord.

Of Ulster, wherein O'Neyll and O'Donill are chiefest Irish, the counties of Louthe, Doun, Antrim, one moiety of Droghda; for the rest is in Meth. Caryck-Fergus, chief town of Lowth, Dundalke, Doundrom, of Antrim, Carlingeford, of Droghda, Droghda, of Caricfergus, Cnocfergus, where Fergus nies, that wan that crown of Scotland, was by misadventure drowned.

*

This part is dissevered from Meth and Leinster by the river Boandus, which breaketh out by side Loghfoist, a bog between Armaghe and St. Patrick's Purgatory. Cambrensis reputeth the bog at 30 miles in length and half so much in breadth, and the same was firin land, and hath been suddenly whelmed in waters for the bestial things committed there unfit to be told.

* Sic.

† "app'erresse," MS.
+ "Suter," MS.