Robert Stevensone's oration.

without any parting. Stir we our hearts stiffly ourselves to defend the mastery of wrath and covetise,* that with one strength would us bring under foot, and we again drive out of the land, and others, that worse is, put in this same land, and think to undo us, that God forbid. Lo! here is come upon our heads of folk proud and haughty. Be ye well understand that not through great tallness of men nor through great strength, but through our right and our truth that we hath with themt battles overcomen. We have against their pride, meekness, against their unright, right, and truth against their boldness; and against our truth, meekness, and manner, they fight for covetousness to get goods, and we for to flee harm for all this.§ We be in strong places, and well i-weaponed; the more that there cometh the more hindrance we shall do them by little folk, them to overcome, so that we be of one heart, and stiffly to withstand them."

When McMorghou had this tale ended in his speech, Robert Stev[e]nson spake to his fellows and company in this wise. 'Fighting fers and younglings, I trow that so many perils togethert hath suffered, and ever in all adventures and in all extremities hath been best. If we justly understand of what men we be come of, and who is our leader, and for what cause this peril we undertake, with stalworthness, and having this good fortune as I have had, thanks be unto God. Of the folk of Troy we be naturally come on that one behalf. From the first beginning of France we have kind, on other half. Through the kind of Troy we be hardy; through the kind of France we be used in weapon [s]; and so as we be in double manner kindly, of good heart, and well weaponed again[st] any power them to withstand. On that other half we come not into this land not bringing men for no covetise of gold nor of silver, nor yet g[o]eth about to rob any man, but for to help this great man, that is so noble and so free, that through his own men was driven out of this land. We have heard of his harm, and we are come to succour him,and to bring him to his land that¶ was banished fro. And he being as large a man and as good a prince hath them given much lands and rich towns, and our land men willing to plant stedfastly in this land for ever, the which the Prince did give unto them. Therefore, men full of strength and lustiness, such thing imagine. Let us to deal wisely that our kindred should not go out of kind; and in this doing we maintain the Prince, that evermore shall turn to our worship, and all ours that after us shall come."

By these words and other such their worthy captains comforted their folks, for they should have the better will

A prudent counsel.

f. 12.

Moreyshe D. came to Ireland; and what his nature

was.

for to fight. And when they were on every side ready for to fight together, O'Conochor bethought himself that the adventure of the battles be oft doubted and uncertain, as the wise man sayeth, "All thing[s] we shall assay and prove rather than for to fight." He went about that men should make peace. Then through their petitions made unto* good men that went betwixt them, through the grace of the Holy Ghost, then the peace was made on this manner :-that they should leave Leynester to MacMorchow, and he should it hold of O'Conoghore, and him knowledge as subject to him as to a King and Prince of Ireland. And that they should stedfastly hold this covenant made betwixt them, MacMorghow be-took his son to hostage, so that if he good peace holde and truly him keep, O'Conoghor should him give his daughter to wife. When this was commonly i-showed and i-know[n], and oaths sworn on every behalf all this truly to hold, and another thing was spoken between them, but that was privily holde— that McMorchow should no more bring strangers into the land, and they that he had, as rathet as he had Leynester in good peace, he should anon send them home, and deliver them out of the land.

After that the peace was thus made the host departed. Soon after came Moriche, Geralde's son, and Robert his brother, with ten knights, and 30 squires, and two hundred footmen, and arrived at Wexford; a man quiet, true, and right in all thing[s], stalworth and stedfast of word and of heart, simple and shamefaced‡ as a maid. When McMorghow and Robert it knew, they were full glad and bolder than they were before. They came to him soon with such company as they had. McMorghow, thoughts evil of the citizens of Dublinge, that unrightfully did use him and his father also. Many times he assembled his host, and readied them to win the town; but Robert took part of the men with him to rear a castle at a place called Carricke, which is two mile from Wexforde; and Mor[i]che went with McMorghow as master and leader of the host, and captain of all. In a short time came to the countries about Dublinge, burned and spoiled them. The citizens of Dublinge, understanding this destruction, made suit for peace, and gave both silver and gold and good hostages to observe and keep the peace, and McMorchow to obey, and knowledge him henceforth to be their lord and prince. After this done, there was none Irish men¶ in Leynester but did submit themselves unto McMorghow and became his faithful and true subjects.

O'Bren, King of
Lymreycke.

Magh Morho was chief King of Ireland.

A letter sent to
Earl Richard.

In this while was a great wrath and a great strife betwixt the King of Connoght and Donill O'Brene, the King of Limricke and of Thomant. The King of Connoght, O'Conoghor, gathered his host for to war upon O'Brene. O'Brene sent unto McMorchow, for alliance that was betwixt them, that he should him help. He spake thereof to Robert and to Moriche, and bade them that they should go thither for to help O'Brene. Then came their men with them, and went unto Thomant, and found O'Connogher, that stiffly stood against them, and many fights they had; but the discomfiture turned upon O'Connoghor, and many of his men were slain, so that with shame he must turn again in to Connoght; and fro that time O'Brene withdrew him from O'Conoghor, and never was subject to him as he was there to him before. The English host, with great thanks and greeting, and with rich gifts, turned again into Leynester.

McMorgh saw the Englishmen so stalworth that no power might them withstand. He thought of that was passed, and that some of his elders tofore him had some time the kingdom of all Ireland, and that all the land was subject to him; he would by his might, by right of his elders, bring it into his old state, that all that land should be under his lordship, as it was under his elders tofore this time. Of this thing he spake privily with Robert and with Moriche, and besought their counsel thereof. And they him answered and said that lightly that might be done, if he would make more plenty of Englishmen come into Ireland. He bade them purvey (?)* that they should in all manner speed send after more of their kind and friends. For they should have the better will thereto, he proferred them to give his eldest daughter to one of them, which her so would, with all his land after his days; but for that every of them had wives and i-spoused, they would not that time.

After much speech and many dalliance thereof at this Council, they thought that he to the Earl Richard, of whom we have ere this spoken, and to whom he be-held this same daughter theretofore at Brestoue, his letters should send on this manner:-"Dermot McMorghow, Prince of Leynester, to Richard Gilbertsone, Earl of Strougoyll, sendeth greeting. If you reckoneth the time that is gone as well as we that need have, our man is i-come to thee no rather than his time. Storks and swallows and other summer fowls we have after i-looked; they be come, and with the cold nor' west wind they be away, I ween; but the coming that was so much desired. and so long i-look[ed] after, neither easter§ wind nor other hath sent, as thou them beheld. For that thou hast not

* "p"we," MS.

ti. e., "sooner."

§ "yfter," MS.

The King's licence to the Earl Ric. to go to Ireland.

f. 13.

Remond Le Grosse sent to Ireland, Moresse FitzGerald's elder brother ['s] son.

Reymond besieged.

done through some great let, heartily be to do; for that were all our gladness, that thou in haste make speed. If thou knightly comest, and with good strength, the four parts of Ireland shall soon be turned to the fifth."

When the Earl had this heard, he was in many thoughts; and after many devices and divers reades,* at the last bethought him that so few men as were into the land i-come theretofore had in so little while so well i-sped of their adventures, he named to him the better heart, and the thing that he doubted much there-before to begin, he was the bolder to take in hand. Fro that time all his thought and all his will was night and day with all his might to come into Ireland. He went then to King Henry, and desirously besought that he should deliver to him his land that should be his by right of heritage, or else give him leave to seek his adventure in another land.

When the King wist his intent whither he would go, he gave him fully leave, neither warned him in like manner to go where he pleased; ‡ whose word was in derision-bade him go as far as his feet could bear him. The Earl dissimuled to understand this saying and departed. When he heard the King's pleasure, he prepared him against the summer, and in the beginning of May he sent before him into Ireland a knight that was called Raymonde Le Grace, with 10 knights and forty squires, and four score bowmen; a man full hardy and stalworth, and well proved in fight; Robert's nephew§ and Moriche FitzGerald's elder brother['s] son. They arrived at a place called Dundoneuile, a four mile be-south Waterforde; and there they reared a ditch with a hedge and a feeble castle, with yards,|| upon a marsh.

The men of Waterford, and with them McLaglyne O'Felyme of this were i-ware, that they had such neighbours full lothe to them, and took them to reade that they would upon them, ere any come to aid them. They assembled them together, well three thousand men, and went over the water of Surre, that parteth the two countries of Leynester and of Monastren, and set their hosts full boldly for to assail the Englishmen within their castle. Raymond and his men, though they were few, they went not to them with an indifferently host, went out, and fought with them, but as no wonder was, so few men might not withstand against so many; they turned them again to their strength. When that they departed discomfit[ed], the Irish brake upon them, and went after. The English was not within the gate fully, when some of

The number of Irishmen that was taken.

Saying of Remond.

A cruel saying of
Herve.

them were rather in than the English. Raymond saw that he and his folk were in great peril, and upon hazard to lose their lives. He then cried unto his fellows, and turned knightly upon their foemen, and the first that came in he slew, and through the slaughter of that one man all the Irish host was discomfited and took them to flight. The others then followed into the plain, and laid on them so, that* within a little while they slew of them a 100 and more, and the most part of them fell off the high rocks into the sea, and so was drowned.

In this fight there was a knight that hight William Ferand, that did very well, above all others. He was a man that had some land given him, and therefore he put himself always where the most peril was, for he had rather that death should come than to be evil thought of; for there was so many strokes upon him that bruised him.

All the pride of Waterford, with all their might, came against that English host, and comforted themselves, and to the Irish they gave dispraise, for it was never before heard that of so few men so great a slaughter was done. But little comfort they gave them after, that turned them to much cruelty. And when the mastery was all had, and all the foemen overcome, in that fight were taken three score men and ten, that them yielded, and were the greatest and richest of all the city of Waterforde, that they might have had from them the city delivered unto them or as much cattle as they would desire.

Herve of Monmorthy† and Raymond were of divers opinions what was to be done with the prisoners, and said thus to his fellows:-"Lordings, what is to be done with these wretched prisoners? I say not this for favour that any man should spare his foemen, but they be no foemen nor robbers, but they are men to defend their country by battle. Me-think, therefore, they are in this state, that men ought sooner to have mercy upon them, and give them their lives, for to give other in example to yield themselves, than cruelly to put them to death, where-through others would trust them the less to yield them." When Raymond had thus his words finished, all the folk for the most part thereto did grant to give them their lives.

After rose up Herve, and spake these words openly: "I do not agree to the opinion of Raymond, which speaketh of mercy and alms-deeds. There was never strange land won without sword and fire. Did Alisander and Julyseser, which wan all the world, win lands by such ways? I would Raymond would answer me. When they came to us in battle array to have fought, if they had overcome us, would they for alms or pity have mercy of us? I trow not. There

* "then," MS.

† Carew has written "Mont Maurice" in the margin.