f. 5. King of Denmark's son slain. Called Osseyn. themselves. Their treasures we had to furnish us in apparel and armour, which thing they want, poor slaves and peasants. Their best bedding we had when they lay on the ground; their wives, widows, and maidens were at our devotion, will they nill they, to keep us warm in the night. Their best soils of ground we must have at our pleasure, if it may be granted or had by any mean. It is we that did all, and nothing was done but by us. We made war and peace at our pleasure. We must be now of good courage, as they of necessity cannot be; therefore courageously let us set on them. Our cause is great* and our life long; without the premises we may not endure. And now is the time to try this matter, and so let one kiss another in token that one of us shall help another." And so did, and marched to the battle with cornets and horns and great trumps of brass pipes. Their weapons was sparres, skeyns, spears, and slings. This battle prepared and being in readiness of both sides, these strangers as Danes and soldiers kept the ground and put off their rascal [s] as I hath told you afore. The Kings' army came forward by the wood side, being on their right hand, which now is a great moor, with such a noise of warlike instruments that the wood so rang and the echo that therein was, that men did think the earth did tremble and the heavens did open. The horsemen with the light footmen gave the charge upon the rascal [s] of the strangers and chased them to their battle, and was so straight handled and compassed about that the strangers was forced to kill their own rascal[s] to be discharged of them, they so troubled them when they entered amongst them for succour. The Kings' light footmen followed after them, thinking that all the field did fly afore them; so all they was slain, and the rascal[s] also, for the Kings' horsemen followed the light footmen so nigh that they could not retire back when they would, and so was they all killed. The horsemen retired, and gave place to the Kings' great battle, which came speedily to the rescues of the horsemen's aid, and gave a stout charge, and came down the hill upon these soldiers and strangers, being weary before in fight and wounded, and their weapons dull with the bones of those that was killed afore. The Kings' army bare down the stranger[s] to the bottom of the hill, and there fought terribly with egall fortune almost all that day, till the King of Denmark's son was slain by the King of Leynster. Then the Danes fled, and after the rest, and all their whole host slain, being a long chase, saving one which was alive till Saint Patrick's coming, which told that holy man of all their doings at this battle. There was four Kings slain and 25 Kings' sons; 19,760 of the Kings' side. This was the sorest battle fought on both sides that was ever in Ireland afore this time, * Here these words are struck out :--" and to our death may be sent." f. 6. but it should seem that those rascal[s] entering amongst the strangers was cause; so that in all evil chances some let or cause must excuse this same. It is a divine providence which cannot be eschewed, for some called it their fortune. * I find that there was of Fyn Mackoyll's sept 5 thousand slain, and of the princes' men 10 thousand in an old book, and but 2 Kings. I find also that Fyn Magcall was this time in Rome, and after his return he demanded of one Ferreys of the sept of Fyen the order of this battle; and he told that Osker was slain, which fought valiantly, and seven sons of Kyelt, all the kern of Allone, the King's son of Feyne, Maglowe and his six sons, the King's son of Denmark. And Feyn asked further news of his son's son called Osker, which he told that he went through the army often by very force and killed many, and none did withstand his force a long time till Art Mag Carbre, one of the Kings, thrust him through, and that instant he killed also the King. This Ferreys was in such agony by reason of his friends all was slain, that he waxed mad, and went about like a wild beast. This much I find in another book. Ireland was kept in old time in this order by Fyn Osker McOsseyn McFyne with his soldiers kept the haven of Doublynge. Fyan McFenrasse kept Wyne-Gyattes. One Etaghe McCas Foule kept Wycklowe. Creyon McOne kept Arclo. Eye O'Naghe McKellen Kas kept Wexford. Dono McKaydder kept Rosse. Feyllam McEy Keyge kept Dongarvane. Bressell McEydowe kept O'Keylle. Gaero McDohe Yere kept Corke. Ollene Aye Nyarge McBressell kept Kynsall. Collo McKeylt kept Deyngne Koysse. Kone Kreore McBren McFoyll kept Fentra. Osker McCromkeyn kept Traley. Don Dowe McReymowre, King upon the sept of Fyne McKoyll, kept Lymnaghe. Eye Boge McFyne kept Enyskaghe. Coll Kroytte kept Corke. Vaysken Eye McSroye kept Canborne. Eye Clone Drylynge kept Dourys Oveyragh. Bressell McEy Beyge kept Gallewey. Deyre Dounaghe Magher Morne kept Enys-bresyn. Eye Orowe McFeyn kept Klere. Collowe Davere kept Small Island. Enosse Dayrke kept Koymaghtbe. Enos Mayghe Ercorpre kept Galley. Feartaghe Fenolaghe kept Moye. Lowe Maghe McKarbre kept Sligoe. Smecger Drought kept Bondroys. Keyll Croaghe Kede Gonagh O'Naunyd kept Asseroe. Brassell McDoyeyre kept Dongall. Moghe Smalle McSmoyll kept Fanyd. Eye McKehowe kept Loghfoyll. Da Rawryd Rourer kept Bon-bane. Spere-naghe Clawe kept Cnocfergos. Maghe Love kept Ard-olloe. Donoghe McDermot Evne kept Ard * This paragraph is added by the same hand as the additions on folio 1. glas. Art Ogge McMorne kept Dondourme. Eye McCarra These was the captains that took the charge of the keeping of Ireland by the appointing of Fyn McCoyll, their chief prince; and took order also that fires should be made where as any occasion should happen, in such order so that by three days' passing all their realm did answer to the place of relief. And this order was kept till the field of Kagcauroe, otherways called Ardcage, by Garyston in Fyngall, kept, where as all those garrisons was slain, and their posterity destroyed, within one month after, of the male line, saving one man, as appeared afore was Osseyne Macke Feyn Magh Coylle in the year of our Lord 330. Osseyn told also to Saint Patrick that one Gorre, being an old man, after the wars was at Fyn McCoyll's house called Baraghe-lys in Ulster, with many more, as hereafter shall appear, and there was he telling of his feats of war that he did, and many other things; at which sayings the gentlewomen that there was was jesting at his sayings, and he, finding fault at them, sware he would burn them all that there was, and gathered a great deal of timber, and put it in the house, and did set fire in the same, and made fast the same doors that was upon the house. Fyn McCoyll's wife, that was daughter to Con Kede Caghe, desired of Gorre to let her out. He sware that he would not, neither for her husband nor her father's sake. Then asked Connan's wife and Kylte Conane's wife, that never offended with any man saving her husband, to let them out. He said plainly he would let none out but Kylt's wife, so that she would be his at commandment. She answered that she would not. "Well then," said Gorre, "you shall burn all;" and so departed, leaving the house a-fire and ready to fall upon them, and went backward till he came to a cave underground in Monster, for that none should follow him upon his track or foot-right. Fyn McCoyll this time being a-hunting, appeared to him in the clouds, that there was some evil toward them, and willed all those that was by to give over hunting, and retired to his place; at which time they found nothing unburn[t] saving a few stakes; and for their wives they were all burn[t], that no man there was knew his own wife. 300 men and more there was that was that died for sorrow and pensiveness. * "preynssys," MS. † "aner," MS. The rest of this paragraph is a contemporary addition to the original text. "stackes," MS. f. 8. Realmondus. There was burnt one 100 and 2 horses, a 100 chests full of plate and treasure, a 100 shield [s], a 100 coats (?),* a 100 shirts of mail, and as much pessantes thereto belonging. There was two instruments burn[t] that made such mirth that was accustomed to put them all asleep; 300 old soldiers of Fyn's sept, 300 maidens, 300 ancient women that had a child on every of their laps or arms, 300 young greyons.† Fyn and his soldiers went to seek Gorre, and at length they him found, and as they met and saw other they spake very uncourteous words together. After Fyn commanded his soldiers to go and take him, that he may suffer where as he did burn our wives. There was killed of Fyn's men a great number; and after Gorre, being long fasting and weary of fight, came out himself, and put away all his weapon, and so was taken and brought to the place where as he burn[ed] their wives, not speaking, or any other countenance. And when he saw the bones of the women he laughed and made game; and being there that night a-watching the stale away to another cave that was a great way off. And Fyne and his men followed, and found him in a cave, and willed his son called Hue to bring him out dead or alive. Their manner was, that he that had taken upon him armour last should give the first charge. And so he went upon his father, not understanding in the beginning what he was, and slew him, which after made him mad. And when Fyn McCoyll knew that Hue was beside his wit, he willed every of them to lie as they were dead; which did. which did. After Hue came out, and finding them so, did throw them with his feet a certain space off, and said, "Be-like, whilst I was killing my father, these men fought a field." So he departed, and came where a herd was keeping his cattle, and he asked to fight with him, which told him that he was not a match for him, but bade him go to a wood that was by, and be avenged on that; and so did, and came again. And the herd bade him to go to the sea, and there fight his fill with the sea; and being there a while he fell asleep at the low water, lacking meat and sleep, and there was drowned. And after both he and his father was buried together. Those kind of people was brought into Ireland by Reallmondus, King in Ulstyer, out of Denmark, as the old histories of Ireland testified, after certain contention that was between the said King for a lady that was in Leynster, that was wife to the King of Connaght. She was of stature not of the highest; she had the fairest hair, the beautifullest face of any creature then living; and all the rest of her shape far * The word seems to have been originally written "chokes," which has been corrected, but unintelligibly. † Sic. + a wagyng," MS.; "c" being placed over the first "g" by another hand. § This paragraph is added by the same hand as the additions on f. 1. This was he that fought for Republica. That was he that began mortal battles. Conference betwixt f. 9. passing any other. And to all those princes that came to This Ossyon that I spake of afore was son to Fyn McKoyll, and was alive in Saint Patrick's time, which was in the year of our Saviour 432. Being asked by Saint Patrick what thing grieved him most, he said that he being at Hallon a night, and heard roaring of the red deer, fallow deer, the roebuck, and great number of wolves; then I remember[ed] my friends and kinsmen that pastime did use, as my father Fyn And Saint Patrick McKoyll, and the rest of Fyn Eryn. asked what Fyn McKoyll was, and what Fyn Eryn did. He answered that was hard for him to do, for he said, "Truly I "Say not so," said think he was the best that ever was." "Well, thou sayest Saint Patrick; "God was the best." that thy God knowest all, and that there is nothing but he seeth. And truly in Fyn McKoylle my father his house there would be a great number of people unknown to him; the number of his soldiers was so many, and his people; and some think he was better than thy God and master." After many things told, he was persuaded by that holy man, and took upon him baptism. And being at that service, Saint Patrick having a croyge or bahell in his hand, wherein was a long prick of iron, and in saying his service at that baptism, he thought that he strake the bayghell down in the ground, and by chance he strake it through Osseyn's foot, which suffered it patiently, and after service done, a great deal of blood appeared on the ground. Saint Patrick asked Osseyn why he did not complain when he felt himself hurt. He said that he thought it was part of the baptism. He was of the age of 7 score and 8 years at this time. He told also of the field of Fentra, and of the field of Kaghcaro, which is also called the field of Ardkaghe, the last field that was fought by Feyn Ere, which was 5 score 2 years before this time, and that was in the year of our Lord 330. He told also that the King of Denmark sent for Fyn his father to come to Denmark to marry his daughter, the fairest that then |