f. 18. b.

Not: tenorem

Bullæ Adrianæ.*

Capitulum XXXVII.

Theghe the Kyng was fullong in gret angwishe throgh his sonnes, as hit is to for told, natheless among othir nedis he for yate not Irland. He tak the lettres that war made yn the consayll of Casshell, of the unclen lyff and the orrybylle synnes that the pepyle of Irland lyvyd in, in othir wysse than Crysten men oght lywe; and the lettres al ensealyd as thay war he send his messagres to the Courte of Rome and Alysandir that than was. And thar he dyde purchache that by the auttoryte of the Pope, and by his concent, was to hym grauntyd the Lordshipe of the lande, and the londe pepil that Crysten shold be, and al clene was out of ryght rule and cristendome, and ryght belewe to bryng ynto ryght lawe of holy Churche, in the manner of England. That privylege forthewith an othir that raddir was purchasyd of the Pope Adryane, that was tofor Alysandir, was send over ynto Irland, by Nycole priour of Walynford and Wyllyam Aldelmes sone; and was a consayll of al the clergy of Irland y gadryd to gyddir at Watirford. Ther wer the privilegis y shewyd and y rade sollemplich tofor hame, and grauntyd hiliche of al the commyng. The fourrym of thay privilegis, as thay wer endityd in Latteyn, at Rome, y may not commynly sette yn Engliche, and therfor y hit lewe; but the most streynth ys this. Whan the Pope Adryane had herd oppynly the evyle lyff and the synfule, that the pepyle of Irland laddyn, wors than wyld bestis, and out constytuciones of holy Churche and ryght belewe, he grauntyd the Kyng that he shuld ynto Irland wend for to a dresse and spred the termys of holy Churche, for to with stond and lette the renene of syne, for to amend the wickyd dedis and sette the good for to euche relygyon of Cristendome. So that hit wer wirchup to God and helth to the soulis and the pepyl of the lond, manshiply hym shold upe take and worthy as Lorde save the ryght of holy Churche unwemmyd, and to Seynt Petir and the holy modir Churche of Romee of every hous a peny of rent a yer in Irland as yn England. This privylege was purchassid of the Pope Adryane, and a clrek hit purchasid, that was called John of Salysbury, and the Pope by the same clerk send to the Kyng a gold ryng yn tokyn of seysyng of the londe. And the Pope Alexandir nexte aftir hym confermyth the same yeft, and every othir of tham amonesshid and partyd fro God Almyghty, and betok the Dewyl al tham that yn any tyme ther a gayns wold come.

Capitulum XXXVIII.

Off the Kyng and of his sonis and of the purchasse that the Kyng dyde ys nowe shortly tolde. Nowe we wyll turne agayne to our knyghten gestis in Irland. The lond of Irland was yn good pees undir Reymond ys keepyng, but

f. 19.

f. 19. b.

Hervy of Montmurche, that ever hade envy to Reymond, and sawe that his godnysse and his wirchipe wex ever mor and mor, for he durst not opynly show the felony that was yn his hert, he bethoght that he wold priuely he made to hym semblant of myche lowe, besoght gretly that he shold alyaunce have of har kynred, and namly that he have to wyve a gentyl woman, Morcis doghtyr Fiz Geraud that was called Nest. This mayd was to hym grantyd, and he hir spousyd, and the kynred shold be aftyr bound togyddyr by procurynge of Reymond and of hym. Also the Erle yawe Ellyn his sustir to Wyllyam Moryces yldist sone, the Erle send also aftir Moryce that was than went into Walis, and at his commyng he yawe halff unto hyme of Ofolan and the castel of Viclowe, and the othir halff he gawe unto Meyler. In the tyme that the pees was, and the land yn good state, befell that Obrene the Kyng of Thomond agayn his trouth and the Kyngis pees, begane to withdrawe hym from the Kyng, and wold not be bowynge to hym, nethir to ham that wer undyr hym in the lond. Reymonde told therof gret unworthynys, and in lityll whyll gadryd to gyddris his hoste, so that he hade an hundred knyghtes, and 20 thre hundryde othir, an horse, and 400 bowmen a foote, and aboute al Halryntyd wentyn toward Lymbryk. Whan thay wer theddyr come, they had gret lette of the watir of Shynnyne, that was betwen ham and the citte, so that thay myght not over wend. The younglyngis that wel covetous wer ham selff to avaunce har myght to showe, and also wynnyng to gett, and to have, wer sor greuuyd that thay myght not over to the citte, that was ham so nyghe, for the watir that was so depe and so streyte rynnyng betwen, and allso so stony by the ground. As the frust of tham was a bydyng uppon the watir ys brynk, was a knyght amonge tham newly dubbyd, fayr and stalward, Remondis eme, that was callyd Davy the Welsse. Throgh gret covetysse that he hade over al othir to wyn the formost parte, he dredyd not to do hymselff to so orrybyle perell of dethe. He smote his hors with the sporris and over threw adoune into the watyr, that was depe and full of stonys. The hors was myche and stronge and come sone upp abowe the watir with hym. He vyssyd the hors sydlyng a yens the watir a squynt, and come over ynto the othir syde, and cried to his men, and sayd that he had a ford founde; but for he found no man that hym wold folowe, but o knyght that was callyd Jefray Judas, he turnyd agayn by the same way, and the knyght come with hym holde and sounde, but the knyght, throgh the streynes of the watir, was cast doune and drount to for ham ale. Whan Meyler that thedir was with Reymond come this sawe, he hade grett envy that suche boldnesse shold be told of anny othir, and noght of hym. Uppon the hors that hym bare, he put hymselff in the watir and boldly without anny perylle passid over the othir syde. The cittseynes sawe hym commyng out of the watir, so al oone thay came a gayne hym for to kepe hym upward, at his commyng out of the watir, for to mak

f. 20.

Descriptio Remun di Le Gras.

hym turne agayn, othir to undo hym ryzt yn the watir. The knyght was strong and boldly put hyme uppe betwen two perelys, on oone halve the woode rynnyng watir so grymly, on the othir syd his ennemyes, that with stonis and with sawis hym leydyne one, bothe at the watir and uppon the wallis of the town that ryght uppon the watir stode. He put his sheld and his hede with the sallet agayn the strokis, and hertly hede hym a myde al the perelys al one without anny helpe, full unsur on al sydis. The crye was full orrybyle on every syde, and Redmond that was at the laste of the hoste, as heede and leder and prynce of all the hoste, herd the cry and wist not what hit was. He come a noone hastely throwe al the hoste tyle he come to the watir, and whan he saw his eme on that othir syde, so narowe besette, he hade gret angwyshe in his herte, and sharp and bittir began to cry to his followys: "Men that so bolde ben of ryght kynde, and yn so many angwisshe with us hathe your streynth proved, come forth men, the way ys oppynnyd tofor us, and the forde that none of us knewe throgh boldnes of ouris ys found. Folowe nowe the herty knyghte that so stronge ys bylade, and lette we never so ney to for our eyghen be shente." With that word Reymond was the fryste that put hym yn the watir, and al the hoste aftyr dyde hame in adventur, and in Gooddis grace, and wenten over al quytt; but o knyght that was callyd Guy and two fotemen her enemyes kyllyden tofor hem ynto the cytte, and slowyn ful many of the cittseynys, and dreyntyn. Thay founden ther so myche gold and sylver, and othir riches, that for that and also for the maystry, that God ham send, thay told lytyll of the perele and the lostis that thay hade ther to for. Now a rede ys whiche was the boldist of this thre knyghtis, whedyr he that without anny mane to for hym put hym in the watir for to techyn al the othir the way, other he that after ensampyle of hym and the orrybyle dethe of hame that weryne drounde, to for har eyghen, passyd the watyr and al one sette so hardy his body to marke a monge his ennemyes; othir he that aftir ham bothe so hardy and so boldly, with al the hoste, put hym in so grete pereyle. Thus was as this tyme Lymbryk take on a Tusday. Watirforde was take one a Tusdaye and Dewlyne also. Noght for one purpos was that day waytyd therto, but as hit befell by casse and by adventur, and not without skylle; ffor the Tusday by hetbyn men tyme in the olde world was sette to a god that was callyd Mars, and was hold god of battayle. And on that thay foundyne that who so battayle be soght he should spede bettyr that day than othir dayes.

Capitulum XXXIX.

Now y wyll you telle thes two bold knyghtis, Reymond and Meyler, whiche thay weryne. Remond was a mane brode of boddy and sumdell mor thane metlyche, yelowe here, and same cryspe grey and depe eyghene. Somdele heghe nosse, face roddy,

Descriptio
Meyleri.

f. 20. b.

well hywyd, glad sembland and cler. Mane. Of myche mett
and gret purveyaunce, no thyng delycyous nothir of mett ne
of clothe, hete and cold al y lyke, wel he myght suffir. Mane of
myche travayle, tholmod yn wrethe. As redy he was to
srewe to quem
ham that was he over, as to be seruyd of hame.
When he had hoste he was as byssy aboute to kepe the hoste,
that oft he left slepe al the nyght, and wakyd aboute spyeng
and crying, for to lok that none harme ne sheld befalle. And for
he wold ever frust be redy, yef hit nede wer; and shortly to say
his condicionys and his manneris, he was mane fre and mek,
queynt and purveyyng, and thegh he wer swythe hardy and well
taght yn wepyne of quentysse, and of sleght yn fyght, and of
selthe yn battaylle, he passyd al othir. And thegh he in
bothe wer myche to preysse he was bettyr leder of hoste thane
knyght.

Capitulum XL.

Meyler was a mane of durke semblant, blake eyghyne, roze lokyng, strene semblant, of body somdell, mor thane metlyche, full bold, well brestyd, smale myddyle, armys and othir lymes full bony, mor synnowy than fleshy. He was knyght full hardy ande envyousse, he was never aferde, ne a grysse to begyne thyng yn fyght that anny mane oght done hym on, athir with othir y mewyd. In every fyght he was the frust to begyne, and the last hit to lewe. Al the boldnys that anny man myght do, he wold passe or suffir dethe. The mastry and the price to wyne othir dye, no thyng he ne sette betwen. Of al thyng both thus knyghtis wer to preysse myche withe alle, wer hit that throghe covetysse oght toke holy Churche ryghtis, but mor harm ys, and gretly to mourne, that defaute haddyne meste al our knyghtis frome the furst begynnyng. What was Robert Stewyn sone and his sonnys? What was Robert de Barry of whom is tofor told? What Morice FizGeraud and his sonnys? What Myles De Seynt Davy, bothe Robert and Moryces emes that wythe the furst boldly come into Irland? What Robert Fiz Henry Meyler ys brodyr? What Reymond de Cantetoune? What Robert de Barry the yonge? What Reymond Hue ys sone? What othir of the same gentyll, many and y nowe, whiche hit wer stronge to tell by name, for no man ne myght hit bethynk but har boldnes, ne her good dedis, shold never go out of mynd? They wer a pepyll and kynrede on bothe sydis be kynd, bold, and hardy, on othir halve of the kynd of France, and therof well taght in weppyne; of myche nembre of kynred and kynde blode ever mor to her ende. Whan Remond hade take the citte of Lymbryk, he ordyned and purveyd howe the citte myght be best kepte. He lette bryng theddir vyttayle on every halve grete plente, and lefte there Myles of Seynt Davies with fitty knyghtis and squeers, an hors, and 400 bowmen, and with the othir part of the hoste with joy and gladnys alle harmles turnyd agayne into Leynyster.

*Sic., q. for serwe, i.e., serve?

f. 21.

Descriptio Herveii.

Capitulum XL1.

The land was thane yn good pees undir Remondis kepynge so that non Irycheman durst not styr hyme to mysdone Hervy of Montmorchy that ever hade envy to hym, ne left not for the alyaunce that was hame betwen, that he ne dyde hym al the hareme that he myght, and opynly shewyd than the felony that he longe thoght yn herte. He send over to the Kynge by messangers and dyde hym to undirstaud was, that Remond in indignacion of the Kyng and agayn his owyne trouthe so hauteyn y worth, that he wold al Irland tak to hyme and to his. And for his lesyings shold the better be belewed manye lesyngis he dyde hyme to undirstond, and so fayr hit glossyd with lesyngis that hit semyd trouthe al that he sayde. The Kyng, as oft manner yd, that fals talis ben bettyr belewed and leugir thoght than good, he belewyd the fals manys talis and accusyng, and send ynto Irlande four messagers, that ys to witten Robert Le Power, Osbren of Herford, Wyllyam Beryng, and Adame of Jarnemouthe, of the which two shold abyde with the Erle yn Irland, and the othir two shold wende agayne ynto England with Remond, as the Kyng hym hade comandide.

Capitulum XLII.

Hervey was a man, fayre and lygne, eyghen grey and depe, lo[v]liche lokyng, fayr, semblant, of fayr speche and words, wel be sette of body, mor thane metlyche, of al lymmes welle becommly, but as fayre and as becomly as he was without as wickyde and as fals of many manner lastes* he was withyne. Fro the tyme that he was chyld he yave hyme selff to lechery and not only to manye sengyll womene, but he ne synnyde never spousbryche, ne siblyngis. He was onfule and bacbiter, wryer fals and trechoure, doubylle of tonge and nothyng stydfaste but yn falsnesse, his speyche as hite wer honny and mylk out of the mouthe, but ever hit was medlyde with venyme at the end. Somtyme he was bold as longyth to a knyght, but aftir he yave hym to cowardyss than to knyghthode, and mor he made of hymeselff than he was worthe. Hey of beryng in honte and not† of plente, of miche speche and lityll trouthe.

Capitulum XLIII.

Remond made hyme to go ynto England as the Kyng hym commandid, and no thyng a bode but wynd and weddyre. At the see come messagers hastly fro the meny of Lymbrik and told that Obrene, Kyng of Tomond, was besegyne Lymbryke with ful grete hostis, and for thay haddyn al the wyttayle that Remond wythe ham hade lefte, and also that thay purchasyde sithenys, thay hade al spende. And that thay shold hastly send tham socour. The Erle was ful auguyshous hame

* Sic.

† After this a short word has been apparently deleted.