chap. LXIII.: "Aftir that tyme that the Kyngis sone hade "the lordchipe of Irland, and ynto the lande was come, adventuris befell that Mayster Geraud shortly "towchith." Compare also similar notices in chap. XXV. and XXXII. The MS. is a quarto volume very well written, and, so far as I can judge, of the latter part of the fourteenth or early part of the fifteenth century. It seemed so interesting and curious a specimen of English as spoken in the Pale, and of so much importance to the philologist as well as the historian, that I feel no apology is due for printing it in full and retaining the original orthography. The spelling of the MS. is not uniform throughout. Partly owing to the peculiarities of expression, and still more to the most villainously perplexing and unintelligible system of punctuation, partly to the practice of using capitals in the middle of a sentence and often no capitals at the commencement, I have been sorely puzzled on more than one occasion in determining the author's meaning and fixing the full stops. In case of doubt I have been governed by the text of Giraldus, but this resource has failed on more than one occasion, as the author does not strictly adhere to the Latin of Giraldus, either omitting some passages, or abridging and modifying others. But on this head the reader must exercise his own discretion. The other manuscripts noticed in this volume have either appeared in print or been so fully described, that any further notice of them is unnecessary. J. S. BREWER, CAREW MSS. Vol. 623. f. 1. THE BOOK OF HOWTH. The genealogy of Fin Herin came out of Denmark, and landed at Falis-ni-Grye Barrerove, whose names are as followeth ; viz., Davith the King, ancestor and father to Devre Done; and he had four sons, Covrrye, Boyskene, Fiaghe, and Oghe. And Boyskene had a son named Garreneslo; and the same Garre had a son named Con Caghmore; and the same Con had a son named Ferraloghe; and the same Ferraloghe had a son named Trenmore; and the same Trenmore had a son named Culle Negae; and the same Culle had a son named Fin Fa, otherwise called Fin MacCulle, who had a son named Oshen, which told the same history to Saint Patrick. All these above-written of Fin Herin, except Davith, was born in Ireland. This Osseyne was alive in the year of our Lord 432.* I find that a woman called Zenobia was the best and hardiest of women that ever was in martial feats of arms. See Bockas,† the eighth book, f. 180. Why Methe had that name :-for that that the chief King of Ireland, called Tweltactor, called before him all the Kings of Ireland, and required at their hand their goodwills that he might enjoy that qayge or fifth part of Ireland, and they with one assent refused that to do; whereupon he strack off their heads, so that a body without a head is called in Irish Meythe, which name to this time resteth. [Kings of the O'Neales and O'Donnells.]+ There was of the sept of the Neyllis before the Conquest but 18 Kings, and of the Donels but 10 Kings, and of Munster but one, that was called Bren Bere, of whom the Brenis took their surname, and five chyampynons out of Conoght; these was they that most account was made of in Ireland. 25528. This last sentence and the next three paragraphs are in a different but contemporary hand, which appears in many parts of this MS. † Bocaccio. This heading is in Carew's handwriting. f. 2. Karbre-lyacke, chief king of Ireland this time. Nor no maid should marry without their licence. Fynanachecoyll was absent this time. Garrestowne. The Field of Arde-Kaghe, otherwise called Kaghe Cauroe. In Ireland there was soldiers called Fyen-erryne, appointed to keep the sea coasts, fearing outward invasion, as foreign princes to enter the realm; whose names of these soldiers was Fyn McKoyll, Kokoyllon, Keylte, Osker, McOsseyn, Dermot O'Doyne, Collemagh Morne, and divers others. These soldiers waxed bold, as shall appear hereafter at length, and so strong that they did contrary to the orders and institutions taken by the Kings of Ireland, their chief* lords and governors, and became very strong and stout, and at length would do many things of themselves without licence of the Kings of the land. Part of their misdemeanour was, they charged all the Commons of Ireland that they should not hunt no game without their special licence; and if they did, they should pay after this rate: for a hare's killing 20d.; for a water dog's killing double as much, and so after that rate, doubling still as the game was, as the fox, the wolf, the deer, and all other pastimes. Such disorders they kept that the Kings did consemble together that they would banish [them] the realm, and so sent them word; which made answer that they would not, unless they were put out by battle. And so those soldiers sent to Denmark for their King's son, with a thousand stalworth soldiers as ever crossed the seas before that time to Ireland. And so the day of battle was appointed; at which time all the Kings of Ireland did prepare against that day of battle to the number [of] 60,000 and five [hundred?]. The number of these soldiers and strangers was 28 thousand and 700 Danes or Norways. The place of the battle was at Barne-neRegein in Margalle, in Methe, appointed. But these strangers thought themselves so strong and apt for battle, they made haste to come to fight, and came to Ard-Kathe against the Kings, which made haste also, and came to Gareston; and they perceiving their enemies so night in battle themselves there, and after kissed the ground, and gave a great cry, as their manner was; of the which cry that name was given Ballegarre. The order of this battle was this. Those soldiers and strangers placed themselves by south-west the hill of ArdKaghe in one great battle where as the King's army should not perceive them, being somewhat beneath the hill, and put all the best men in the foremost of their battle, and the rest behind in their rearward; meaning thereby that in case this foreward being sure to win the first of the field would so stomach their rearward that their courage would be the better to fight the surer, and maintain the battle. They also put their rascals * "yeyff," MS. f. 3. Hill of Trase. Oration of the upon their horses, nags, and labouring garrans, and placed them on a hill distant from them, where as is now a little moat, midway between both, which was made after in that place for memory of this same; and gave them in charge that ere the Kings' army had come within a quarter of a mile of them that they should retire to their main battle for refuge and succour; meaning hereby, that when the Kings' army had seen so great a number of people flee that they would break order and follow them; and they finding them out of order, they doubted not to win the battle, and after to make the King of Denmark's son King, and all Ireland to be theirs. This was their policy and order. The Kings this time upon the hill of Garyston there, understanding the premises, put their men in order in this manner. First, seeing their enemies in such order, divided their army in two parts. They were seven Kings upon that hill at that time, walking; for which cause it was called the Hill of Trasse, as though you would say there these Kings trassyd there, and walked, for that was their place of meeting for that purpose. They also there appointed the prince or King of Leynster to have the government of their horsemen, which was called Deyrmot Lawedyarge, and all their lightest men of foot; and these they made least account of was appointed to one Gyllemorre A'Conor Done's son of Connaght, which was a rebel many years afore, and thought by this ways to win him favour at the Kings' hands. He with those light footmen was appointed to follow the horsemen ; for the Kings made small account of those, for they with the horsemen was appointed to give the first onset, as though their enemies should weary themselves upon these, and dulling their weapons upon their bones before they should enter the battle, and that they coming fresh upon their enemies, they being weary and wounded afore, and their weapons being dull, they doubted not but they should prosper and have good fortune. The King of Leynster, being chief of Ireland, for their part made this oration. "My friends and fellows in arms, understand the cause of this battle, that whereas we in the beginning did seek and provide these strangers to help us in our wars against all our enemies, thinking that they should rather be at our commandment to serve than they should misuse us with such great extortion; you see, do not they not take our wives, ravish our widows, deflower our maidens, oppress and misuse our people? No meat, nor drink, nor bedding can content them, without money for eating their meats. Whereas they should be our servitors, they have made our people their villains; as in maintaining them with great wages, we hath so trusted on them, that whereas we had men of our own able to serve and defend our countries, we by this mean hath made us idle, unapt for the wars. Trusting in their defence, we hath suffered our own to be beggared by them, that they are not able to furnish themselves with no kind of furniture for our defence; Garrestowne, f. 4. Osker McOisshen's oration. and doth they only contend with us now through their boldys and our folly and negligence, in suffering them so long that they are become not only our fellows but our superiors. And those our people be not coegall or like them in the experience of the wars; for we hath made them apt in battle. Let us remember the memorial histories of the Bible, how Dawythe wan of the great Gollyas or Giant; and also the children of Israel, being but a simple people or generation against the warlike force of Faro. Yea, many more the like of this is in that holy book and other histories that I pass over [in] which God hath helpen his people and defended them. Behold our request and demand of God. Is it not to deliver us of our great thraldom these strangers put us to? We are not able to continue this, as God knowest all. Now you all with one voice and cry to our God that all the angels in the high heavens above may hear our complaint and supplication, and put yourselves on the earth, and kiss this same.' So did they with such a terrible cry that the like was not heard afore, and for that cause Ballegare had that name. And after this the horsemen and light footmen gave charge upon those rascals of these strangers; at which time one Osker McOyssen, being somewhat learned and bold in speech, was allowed by his fellows to speak as followeth, which rose up upon a high horse on a little moat that there was, that he might be heard and seen. "My masters, all the cause of our assembly here is to maintain that was granted us, our ancestors, and posterity, which we have in writing, that we in respect of good service that by our blood was done to those princes and Kings that here is and their ancestors. There is no port nor haven in Ireland but that we had the charge, and kept to this day valiantly and truly. We hath fought many and divers battles, which they are not denied, for their defence. Yea, we hath win and brought them tributes from other realms, and discharged them of tributes and other great charges they were at before our entertaining; and now, for our recompense, they mean to banish us. Therefore they keep no promise with us; therefore this our right we mean, by the help of God, to keep against these. Understand what they are that we shall fight withall. There is a few princes and gentlemen which I and we must grant are surely good men, which doth use to fight on horseback. Let us provide an unprofitable ground for their horses to travail in, as down the hill and marsh grounds; for there is the force of their battle, and that once mastered the rest is but peasants and poor and needy slaves of small strength. And we are strong, sturdy, and stalworth, apt in fight, and well practiced in the wars, and they are as I hath said; for all their good meats and drinks we did feed upon, and they spared this same to us and fasted * 66 rayskell," MS. |