3

This booke was written by Edward Spencer Clarke of the Counsell of the pro= vince of Mounster in Irland in anno 1596.

A vewe of the present state of Ireland discoursed by waie of a dialogue betwene Eudoxus & Irenius.

Eudox: But if that Cuntrye of Ireland whence ye latelie come b[e]
soe goodlie and comodious a soyle as ye reporte, I wonder that
noe Course is taken for the turninge therof to good vses, & reducing[e]
that salvage nation to better governement & ciuilitye, Iren. Mary
soe there have ben diuerse good plottes deviz'd & wise Counsells
Caste alreadie about reformacion of that Realme, but they saye
it is the fatall destenye of that Land that noe purposes whatso[euer]
are meant for her good will prosper or take good effecte. which
whether it proceed from the verie Genius of the soyle or influen[ce]
of the Lawes, or that almightie god hathe not yet appointed the
tyme of her reformacion or that he reserveth her in this vnquiet
state till, for some secrett scourge which shall by her Come vn[to]
England, it is harde to be knowne, but yett muche to be feared.
Eudox Surelie I suppose this but a vayne Conceipte of simple
men which Iudge thinges by their effectes and not by there cause[s]
for I would rather thinke the cause of this evill which hangeth
vppon that Cuntrye to proceed rather of the vnsoundnesse
of the Counsells & plottes which yowe saie haue ben oftentymes
Laid for her reformacion; or of fayntnesse in followinge an[d]
effecting the same, then of anie soche fatall course or appoint=
of god (as you misdeme) but it is the manner of men, that whe[n]
they are fallen into anie absurditie or there accions succede
not as they would, they are redie allwaies to impute the
blame therof vnto the heavens, soe to excuse there owne
follies and imperfeccions. Soe have I alsoe heard it often wishe[d]
(even of some whose greate wisdome in opinion should sem[e]
to iudge more soundlie of soe weightie a Consideracion) th[at]
all that Land were a seapoole,: which kynde of speche is
the manner rather of desperate men farr driven to wishe
the vtter ruyne of that which they cannot redresse then of
grave counsellers which ought to thinke nothinge soe harde bu[t]
that thoroughe wisdom maie be maistred and subdued,
since the Poete saithe that the wise man shall Rule even
over the starres, muche more over the earthe, for were it not [the]
parte of a desperate phisition to wishe his diseased pacient, rath[er]
to applie the best endevor of his skill for his recoverye, But
since

since we are soe farre entred, let vs I praye yowe a litle
devise of those eviles by which that cuntry is helde in this
wretched case, that it cannot as yowe saie be recured
And if it be not painefull to yowe tell vs what thinges
duringe your late continuance there ye observed to be moste
offensive & impeachfull vnto good rule & government therof.
Iren: Surelie, Eudoxus, the evills which ye desier to be
recounted, are verie manie & allmoste countable with those
which were hidden in the Baskett of Pandora, but since ye
soe please I will out of that infinite nombre reckon but
some that are moste capitall & comenly occurrent
bothe in the lief & Condicions of private men, and alsoe
in the meane age of publique affaiers & pollicie, The
which ye shall vnderstand to be of diuerse natures as I
observed them, for some of them are of verie greate
antiquitie & longe countynuance, others nowe late & of
lesse endurance, others dailie grow uppe & encreasinge
Contynually as there evill occasions are euerie daie offred:
Eudox Tell them then I praie y[owe in the] same ordre
that ye have now rehearsed them [for] theare can be
noe better methode then this which the [verie] matter it
self offreth, and when ye have reckoned all the evills
lett vs heare your opynion for redressinge of them
after which there will perhapps if it self appere
some Reasonable waie to settle a sounde & perfecte
Rule of gouernement by shunnynge the former evills & followinge
the offred good, The which methode wee maie lerne of
the wise Phisicions, which firste requier that the malady
be knowne thoroughlie & dyscouered: afterwardes doe
teache howe to Cure & redresse it: And lastlie doe
prescribe a diet with straight rules & ordres to bee daily
observed for feare of relapse into the former disease or
fallinge into some other more dangerous then it /.
Iren. I will then accordinge to your advisement begynne
to declare the evills which seme to me most hurtfull
to the Comen ••••• well of that land and first those which I
said were most auncient, & longe growen, And they also
are

5

waye to the sttlinge of his will, yett with the state of Ireland
peradventure it dothe not soe well agree, beinge a
people alltogither stubborne & vntamed, or yf it were
ever tamed, yett nowe latelie havinge quite shaken of ther
yokes & broken the bandes of their obedience for England
beefore the entraunce of the conqueror was a peaceable
kingdome, & but latelie envrid to the mylde & goodlye
governement of K. Edward surnamed the Confessor, besides
nowe latelie growen vnto a loathinge & detestacion of
the vniuste & tyranous rule of harolde an vsurper which
made them the more willinge to accept of anie reason=
=able conditions & ordre of the newe victor thinckinge
surelie that it coulde be noe worse then the later,
and hopeinge well it would be as good as the former
yett what the proof of the firste bringinge in and
establishinge of those Lawes was, was to manie full
bitterlie made knowne, but with Ireland it is far
otherwise for it is a nacion ever acquainted with
warres thoughe but amongst them selues, and in
their owne kynde of militare discipline trayned vp
even from their youthes, which they have never yet
ben taughe to laye aside nor made to lerne obedience
vnto Lawe scarslye to knowe the name of Lawe but
in steade therof have allwayes preserved & kept
their owne Lawe which is the Brehon Lawe:
Eudox what is that which ye call the Brehon Lawe it
is a worde to vs alltogether vnknowne.
Iren. It is a certen rule of right vnwritten but deliuered
by tradicion from one to an other, in which oftentymes there
appereth great showe of equitye in determyninge the
right betwene partie & partie, but in manie thinges repugning
quite bothe to godes lawe & mans as for ensample in the
Case of murder Brehon, that is their Iudge will compound
betwen the murderer & the frendes of the partie murdered
which prosecute the accion, that the malefactor shall
geive vnto them, or to the Childe or wief of him that
is slayne a recompence which they call an Iriach.
by which vyle lawe of theirs manie murders are amongst
them made vpp and smoothed. And this Iudge beinge as
he is called the lordes Brehon, adiudgeth for the most
part a better share vnto his Lorde-that is the lorde
of the soile or the heade of that sept, and alsoe vnto
him

7

vnto them selues and to there owne inordinate lief and
manners they eftsoones forgott what before they were
taughte, and soe soone as they were out of sighte
by them selues shooke of there bridles & began to Colte
a newe more licentiously then before.
Eudox. It is greate pittie that soe good an opportunity
was omitted, and soe happie an occasion foreslacked that
might have bredd the eternall good of that Lande
But doe they not still acknowledge that submission.
Iren. Noe they doe not for nowe the heiers & posteritie
of them which yeilded the same are as as they saye
either ignorant therof or doe wilfully denye or
steadfastly disavowe.
Eudox Howe can they soe doe ••• iustlye, dothe not the
acts of the parent in anie lawfull grant or conveyans
bynde his heyers soe ever therunto, Since then the
Auncestors of these that nowe lyve yeilded them selues
then subiectes & legemen, shall it not tye their children
to the same subiection.
Iren They saie noe for their Auncestors hadd noe
estate in anie their Landes Segniories or hereditament
longer then duringe their owne lives as they alleadge
soe all the Irishe doe holde their land by Tamistry
which is to saye they have noe more but a personall
estate for his lief time that is tamist, by reason
that he is admitted therunto by eleccion of the
Cuntry /.
Eudox what is this which yowe call Tamist and
Tamistry. They be names & termes never harde
of nor knowne •• •• vnto vs.
Iren. It is a Custome amongest all the Irishmen that
presently after the deathe of anie their cheiffe
Lordes or Capteines they doe presently assemble
them selues to a place generallie appointed and
knowne vnto them and to choose an other in his stead
wheare they doe nomynate & elect for the most
part not the eldest sonne nor anie of the children
of their lord disceassed but the next to him of blood
that is the eldest & wourthiest as comenly the next
brother

9

beinge then vnable to defende his Right or to withstand
the force of a forrayner: and therfore they doe
appoint the eldest of the kin to have the Seignorye
for that he comenly is a man of stronger yeris &
better experience to mayneteyne the inheritance &
to defende the Cuntry either against the next borderinge
Lorde which vse comenly to encroche one vppon an other
as eache one is stronger, or againste the Englishe
which they thinke lie still in wayte to wype them out
of their Landes & territories, and to this ende the
Taniste is allwaies readie knowne if it shoulde
happen the Capteine suddenly to die or to be slayne
in battall or to be out of the Cuntry to defende &
kepe it from all doubtes and dangers for which
Cause the Taniste hathe alsoe a share of the contry
allotted vnto him & certen Cuttinges & spendinges
vppon the Inhabituntes vnder the lorde /
Eudox when I heare this worde Tanist it bringeth
to my remembrance what I have redd of Tania, that
it should signifie a province or segniory as aquitania
Lusitania and Britania. the which some doe thincke
to be deryved of Dania: that is from the danes
but I thincke amis but sure it semeth that it cam
Aunciently from those Barbarous nations that overan
the worlde which possessed those dominions wherof
they are nowe soe Called And soe it maie well
that from thence the firste originall of this
worde Tanist & Tanistry came & the customs therof
hath sithens as manie others ells bene contynued But
to that generall subiection of the Land wherof wee formerly
spake me semes that this custome or tenure canne
be noe barre nor impeachment beinge that in open
parliament by their said acknoweledgment they wayed
the benefitt therof and submitted them selues to the
ordinance of their newe soveraigne.
Iren yea but they saye as I earst tolde yowe that
they reserved their tytles tenures and seignoryes
hole & sounde to them selues & for proof alledge
that

11

that he formerly hadd for havinge all before absolutely
in his owne power it remaynethe soe still vnto
him, he havinge neither forgeiven nor forgone anie
thinge therbie vnto them but have receyved somethinge
from them that is a more voluntary & loyall
subiection soe as her Maiestie maie yett when it
shall please her alter anie thinge of these
former Ordinances or appointe other lawes, that maye
be more bothe for her owne behoof & for the good
of that people.
Iren. Not soe for it is not soe easye nowe that
thinges are growen into an habit & have there
certen course to •• chaunge the Chanell and turne
their streames an other waie for they maie
have nowe a cullourable pretence to withstande
soche innovacion havinge accepted of other lawes and
Rules alreadye /.
Eudox But yow saie they doe not accept of them
but delighte rather to Leane to their oulde
Customes & Brehon Lawes, thoughe they be muche
more vniust & alsoe more inconvenient for the comen
people, as by your Late relation of them I gatherid
As for the Lawes of England they are surely moste
iuste and most agreable bothe with the gouernement
and with the nature of the people howe falles
it then that yowe seme to disleike of them as not soe
meet for that Realme of Ireland and not only
the comen lawe but alsoe the statutes & Actes of
Parliament which were especiallie provided and
entended for thonlye benefytt therof /.
Iren: I was about to have tould yowe my Reason
therin but that your self drue me awaye withe
other questions, for I was shewinge by what meanes
& in what sorte the positive Lawes were firste
brought in and establyshed by the norman conqueror
which were not by him devised nor applied vnto
the state

13

theire delightes of licentious barbarisme vnto the
love of goodnes & Ciuilitie.
Eudox. I cannot howe they maye better bee then
by the discipline of the lawes of England for
the Inglishe were att the firste as stoute and
warlike a people as ever were the Irishe, and
yett yee see are nowe brought vnto that Ciuility
that noe nacion in the worldee excelleth them in
all goodlie Conversacion and all the studies of
knoweledge and humanitie.
Iren. what they nowe be bothe yowe and I see very
well, but by howe manie thornie and harde waies
they are Come therunto by howe manie Ciuille
broyles, by howe manie tumultuous rebellions that
even hazzard oftentymes the whole safetye of the kingdome
maye easely be conscidered all which they nevertheles
fayrelie overcame by Reason of the continuall
presence of their kinge whose ••••••• •••••••• ••
•••••• •• ••• ••••••••• ••• onelye person is oftymes
in steade of an army to contayne the vnruly people
from a thowsand evill occasions which that wretched
kingdome is for want therof is dailie carried into, the
which when soe they make heade noe Lawes noe pennaltys
can restrayne, but that they doe in the violence
of that furye treade downe & trample vnderfoote
all bothe devyne & humane thinges and the lawes
them selues they doe speciallie rage att & rende
in peices as most repugnant to their libertie and
naturall freedome which in their madnes thei affecte ./
Eudox It is then a verie vnseasonable tyme to plead
Lawe when swords are in the handes of the vulgare
or to thincke to retayne them with feare of pvnnishment
when they looke after libertie & shake of all gouernement;
Iren, Then soe it is with Ireland contynuallie, Eudoxus
for sworde was never yett out of their hande but
when they are weary with warres and brought
downe to extreame wretchednes then they crepe
a litle perhaps & sewe for grace till they have
gotten

15

of theare baser sorte are, they receyved vnto them as ther
vassalls but scarslye ••• vouchsafed to imparte vnto
them the benefitt of those lawes vnder which them selues
lived but euerie one made his will and Comaundment a
Lawe vnto his owne vassall, Thus was not the
Lawe of Ingland ever properly applied vnto the
Irishe nacion as by a purposed plotte of gouernement
but as they Could insynuate & stealle them selues vnder
the same by theire Cariage and submission:
Eudox Howe Comes it then to passe that havinge bene
once soe lowe brought & thoroughlie subiected they
afterwardes lifted them selues soe setronglie vpp
againe & sithens doe stande soe stifflye againste
all rule & gouernement.
Iren They saye that they contynued in that
lowlienesse vntill the time that the diuision betwene
the two howses of Lancastar & yorke arose for the
Crowne of England at which time all the great
Englishe Lordes and gentleman which hadd greate
possessions in Ireland repaiered •••• over hither••
into England, some to succor there Frendes here
and to strengthen there partie soe to obtayne the
Crowne others to defend there Landes & possessions
here againste soche as hoverid after the same vppon
hope of the alteracion of the kingdome and
successe of that syde which they favoured and
affected, Then the Irishe whome they before
hadd banished into the mountaynes wheare they lived
onlye vppon white meates as it is recorded, salinge
nowe •••• there Landes soe dispeopled and weakened
came downe into the plaines adioyninge, and thence
expellinge those fewe Englishe that remayned repossessed
them againe, since which they have remayned in them
and • growinge greater have brought vnder them ••
manie of the Englishe which were before their lordes:
This was one of the occasions by which all those
Cuntries which lienge nere vnto anie mountaines or
Irishe

17

Earldome of Vlster & muche in meathe and mounster
verie Carefullie went about the redressinge of
all •••••• those late evills, and thoughe he Coulde
not beate out the Irishe againe by reason of his
shorte Countenance yet he ded shutt them vpp
within those narrowe Corners & Glennes vnder the
mountayne foote in whichby buildeinge stronge
houldes vppon euerie Bordre, and fortefieinge
all Passages, Amongest the which he builte the
Castle of Clare in Thamond of which Cuntrye he
hadd the Inherritaunce & of Mortimers Landes
adioyninge which is nowe by the Irishe Called
Killalowe) they lurked & kept them from breakinge
anie Further, But the tymes of that goode
kynge growinge alsoe troublesome, ded lett the
thoroughe reformacion of all thinges and therunto
soone after was added an other fatall mischeif
which wrought a greater Calamitie then all
the former For the seid duke of Clarence then
Lorde leifetenant of Ireland was by practize
of evill persons about the kinge •• his brother
called thence awaie and soone after by sinister
meanes was cleane made awaye, Presently
after whose deathe all the northe Revoltinge
ded sett vpp Oneale for their Capteine beinge
before that of smale power and Regarde and
theare arose in that parte of Thamond one of
the Obriens called Morroghen ranaghe that is
Morrice of the Ferne or waste wilde pleices whoe
gatheringe vnto him all the releckes of the discontented
Irishe, eftesoones surprised the said Castle of
Clare ••• burnt & spoyled all the Englishe
there dwellinge & in shorte space possessed all
that Country beyonde the River of Shenan and
nere adioyninge, Whenas shortely breakinge
forthe leike a suddeine tempeste he overran all
Mounster

19

Eudox noe surelie I have noe Cause For neither is this
impertinent thereunto for sithens yow ded sett your course
(as I remembre) in your firste parte to treate of the
evills which hinderethe the peace and good orderinge
of that Land amongest which that of the inconvenience
•• in the Lawes was the firste which ye hadd in hande
this discourse of the over ••••••••• Rvnninge and
wastinge of the Realme •• is verie materiall
thereunto for that it was the begyninge of all the
other evills which sithens have afflicted that land
and opened a Waie vnto the Irishe to Recover
their possession and to beate owte the Englishe which
hadd formerlie wonne the the same, And besides
it will geive a greate lighte bothe vnto your
second & thirde parte which is the Redressinge ••
of those evills & plantinge of some good Fourme of
Pollicie therin by Renueinge the Remembrance
of those occasions & Accidentes by which those ruynes
happened and layeinge before vs the ensamples
of those times to be Compared with oures to be
rewarded by those which shall have to doe in the
leike, Therfore I praye yowe tell them vnto vs
and as for the point, where yowe lefte I will
not forgett afterwardes to Call yowe back againe
thereunto :
Iren: This Edward le Bruce was the brother
of Robert le Bruce whoe was kinge of Scotland
at soche tyme as kinge Edward the second
raigned here in England & bare a moste
malicious & spightfull mynde againste
kinge Edward doeinge him all the scathe that
he Could and annoyinge his territories of England
whilste he was troubled with civill warres of
his Barrons att home / He also to worke him
the more mischeif sent over his said brother
Edward with a power of Scottes & Reddshanckes
into Ireland, where by the meanes of the
Lacies & of the Irishe, with whome they combyned
they gott

21

notwithstandinge all the waye as they fledd they
for verie Rancor & dispight in their returne
vtterly consumed & wasted whatsoeuer they hadd
before lefte vnspoiled soe that of all townes
and Castles fortes Bridges and Inhabitancions
he lefte not anie steke standinge nor anie people
Remayninge for those fewe which survived fled
from his furye further into the Englishe pale
that nowe is, Thus was all that goodlie country
vtterlie wasted and lefte desolate as yett
it remayneth to this daie which before hadd
bene the Cheiff ornament and bewtye of
Irelande for that parte of the Northe sometymes
was as populus and plentifull as anie
parte in England and yeilded vnto the kinges
of Englande (as yett appereth by good recordes),
thirtie thowsandes markes of oulde money
by the yere besides manie thowsandes of
able men to serve them in the warres, And
sure it is yett a most bewtifull Cuntrye as
anie is vnder heaven, seamed thorought with
manie goodlie Ryvers replenished with all
sortes of fishe most abundantly, sprinckled
with verie manie sweete Ilandes and goodly
Lakes leike litle Inland seas that will cary
evene shipps vppon their waters adorned with
goodlie woodes fitt for buildinges of howses and
shipps soe Comodiouslye, as that if some
princes in the worlde hadd them, they wolde
soone hope to be Lordes of all the seas and
eare Longe of all the worlde, Alsoe full of
verie good Portes and havens openinge vpon
England & Scotland as inviteinge vs to Come
vnto them to soe what excellent Commodities the
Contrye can afforde, besides the soyle it self
most fertile, fitt to yeilde all kinde of frute,
that shalbe

23

founde: For in them the Realme was lefte like a shipp
in a storme amidst the raginge surges vnruled
& vnderected of anie: For they to whome shee
was Comitted either fainted in their Labor or
forsooke there Charge. But he like a most
wise Pilott kepte her Course Carefully and
hild her nose stronglie evene againste those
Roaringe Billoes that he brought her safely
out of all soe as longe after evene by the space
of xij or xiij whole years shee rode at peace
throughe his onlye paines and excellente
endewrance, howe ever envye liste to blatter ageinst
him / But of this wee shall have more occasion
to speake in an other place, nowe if yow
please lett vs returne againe into our firste
Course :/.
Eudox: Truelie I am verie gladd to heare your
iudgement of the governement of that honorable
man soe soundlie: For I have in deed hearde
it oftentymes maligned and his doenges repraved
of some whoe I perceyved ded Rather of malicius
mynde or private greevaunce seeke to detracte
from the honor of his deedes and Councells
then of anie iuste Cause, But he was
nevertheles in the iudgement of all wiese
& good men defended & maineteyned and nowe
that he is deade his immortall fame surviveth &
florisheth in the mouthes of all those people
that evene those which ded backbite him, are
choked with their owne venyme, and breake their
galls to heare his soe honorable reporte, But
let him reste in peace and turne wee to our more
troublous matters of discourse of which I am Right
sorie that ye make soe shorte an ende and
Covett to passe over to your Former purposes For
there be manie other partes of Ireland, which (••• as
as I

25

Iren: The Common lawe is (as I before said) of it
self most Rightfull & verie Convenient I suppose for
the kingdome for which it was first devized for this
I thincke (as it seemes reasonable) that out of the
manners of the people and abuses of the Country
for which they were invented they tooke their firste
begynninge: For ells they should be moste vniuste:
for noe Lawes of man accordinge to the streight
rule of Right are iuste but as in Regarde of the
evills which they prevent and the saftye of the
Comen weale which they provide for as for ensample
in the true ballauncinge of Iustice it is a
flatt•••••• wronge to pvnnishe the thought or purpose
of anie before it be enacted: For true Iustice
pvnnisheth nothinge but the evill Acte or wicked
worde yett by the lawes of All Kingdomes it is a
Capitall Cryme to devize •• •••••• or purpose the
deathe of the kinge, The reason is for that when
soche a purpose effected it should be to late to
devise of the pvnnishement therof and should
turne that Common weale to more hurte by
soche losse of their prince then soche pvnnishement
of the malefactors. and therfore the Lawe in that
Case pvnnisheth his thought, For better it is a
mischeif then an inconvenience Soe that Ius
Polliticum thoughe it be not of his self iuste yet
by applicacion or Rather Necessitie is made iust.
And this only Respect maketh all Lawes iuste Nowe
then if those Lawes of Ireland be not likwise
applied and fitted for that Realme they are sure
verie inconvenient :
Eudox yow reason strongly but what vnfitnes
doe yowe fynde in them for that Realme
shewe vs some particculars : /
Iren

27

For besides that shee looseth soe muche land as should
turne her to great profitt shee besides looseth
soe manie good subiectes which might be assurd
to her as those Landes would yeilde inhabitaunc
and livinge vnto ./
Eudox But does that people saye yowe
make noe more Conscience to periure them
selves in their verdicth and to damme their
soules . /
Iren: Not onlie soe in their verdictes but also
in all other their dealinges speciallie with the
Inglishe, they are most wilfully bent: For
though they will not seme manifestly to doe
it yet will one or other some subtill headed
felloe amongest them pick some quirk or devise
some evasion wherof the reste will take hold
lightly and suffer them selues easily to be
led by him to that them selues desierid For
in the moste apparant matter that maie be
the least question or doubt that can be moved
will make a stopp vnto them & put them
quite out of the waie besides that of them
selues they are for the most parte so cautelous
and wilye headed specially beinge men of
soe small experience and practise in
Lawe matters, that yowe would wunder
whence they boroughe soche subtiltyes and
slye shiftes /.
Eudox But me thinckes this inconvenience
might be muche helped in the Iudges and
Cheiff Magistrates which have the Chosinge &
nominatinge of those Iurours if they woulde
have Care to appoint eyther most Englyshmen
or soche Irishmen as were of the soundeste
disposicion: For noe doubt but some there be incorruptible:
Some

29

of soche persons as the parties shall produce which if they
shall corrupte howe can theare ever anie light
of the trueth appere what remedie is there
for this evill but to make hevie lawes and
pennalties against periurors.
Iren: I thinck sure that will doe small good.
for when a people are inclined to anie vice
or have noe towche of Conscience nor sence of
their evill doenge it is bootlesse to thincke to
restrayne by anie pennalties or feare of punishement
but either the occasion is to be taken awaie or a
more vnderstandinge of the Righte and shame
of the faulte is to be imprinted: For if that
Lygurgus shoulde have made it deathe for
the Lacedemonians to stealle they beinge a
people which naturallye delighted in stealthe or if
it should be made a Capitall Cryme for the
Flemynge to be taken in Drunckenesse theare
should have bene fewe Lacedemonians soone lefte
and fewer Fleminges soe impossible it is to remove
anie faulte soe generall in a people with terror of
Lawes or most sharpe •••••••• restraintes.
Eudox: what meanes maie theare then be to avoid
this inconvenience, For the Case sure semes
verie harde ./
Iren: wee are not yett come to that pointe to
devise remedies for evills but onlye have now
to recount them of the which this which I have
tolde yowe is one defecte of the Comon Lawe/
Eudox Tell vs then I praie yowe further
have yowe anie more of this sorte in the
Common Lawe,
Iren: by rehersall of this I Remembre me alsoe
of an other leike which I have often observed in
tryalls to have wrought greate hurt & hindrance
& that is the exception which the Comon lawe
alloweth to a fellon in his triall, for he maye
have as

31

an owtlawe & to have ben found in the possession•
of the prisoner, againste whome, nevertheles noe
Course of Lawe can proceed nor triall can be had
for that the principall theif is not to be gotten
notwithstandinge that he leikwise standeth
perhaps indicted att once with the receyvor
beinge in rebells or in the woodes where perad=
venture, he is slayne before he can be gotten
& soe the receyver cleane acquitted & discharged
of the Crime, By which meanes the theves are
greatly encouraged to steale and there maintaynors
imboldned to receyve there stelthes knowinge howe
hardlie they can be brought to anie tryall /.
Eudox: Truelie this is a greate inconvenience &
a great Cause as yow saye of the maintenance
of theves knowinge there receyvers allwaies redye
For would there be noe receyvers there wolde
be noe theves, But this me seemes mighte
rather be provided for by some Acte of parliament
that the receyvor beinge convicted by good profes
mighte receyve his triall without the principall
Iren: yowe saie verie true Eudoxus, but this
is all most imposable to be Compassed, And
herin also yowe discover an other imperfeccion
in the Course of the Comon lawe & Firste
Ordinance of the Realme, For ye knowe
that the said parliament muste consiste of
peres gentlemen & Freeholders & Burgesses of
of that Realme it self nowe these beinge
perhaps themselues or the moste parte of
them (as •••• maye seeme by their stiff with=
standinge of this Acte) Culpable of this
Cryme or favourers of their Frendes which are
soche by whome their kitchins are sometimes
amended will not suffer anie soche statute to
Passe:

33

all his Landes to Feffees of truste in hope to have
Cutte of her Maiesties from the excheat of his landes.
Eudox yea but that was well enoughe avoyded
For the Acte of Parliament which gave all his
Landes to the Quene did (as I have hearde)
cutte of and frustrate all soche conveyances
as hadd anie tyme by the space of xij
yeris before his rebellion bene made within
the Compasse wherof that Fraudulente
feoffment and manie other the leike of his
Accomplices and felloe traitours were conteynd
Iren: verie trewe but howe hardly that
Acte of Parliament was wrunge out of
them I cann witnes and were it to be passed
againe, I dare vndertake would never
be comepassed, But were it soe that soche
Actes mighte easilye be brought to passe
againste traytours and felons yett were
it not an endlesse trouble, that noe traitor
nor felon should be attainted, but a parlament
muste be Called for bringinge his Landes to
the Quene which the Comon lawe geiveth her.
Eudox: Then this is noe falte of the Comon
Lawe but of the persons which worke this
fraude to her Maiestie /.
Iren: Yes marrie, for the Comon Lawe hathe
lefte them this ••••••••• benefitt wherof they
make advantage & wrest it to their bad purpose
Soe as they are therbie the bolder to enter into
evill accion knowinge that if the wourst befall
them they shall loose nothinge but them selues,
wherof they seeme surelie verie Carelesse
leike as all barbourous people •• are as in
his Comentaries very fearelesse of deathe;
Eudox

35

Eudox But what meane yowe of fugitives herein or howe
doe this concerne them.
Iren: Yes verie greatelie; For ye shall vnderstand
that there be manie ill disposed & vndewtifull persons
of that Realme, leike as in the pointe there alsoe
in this Realme of England to manie which beinge
men of good inherritance are for dislike of the
religion or daunger of the lawe which they are rune
or discontent of this present gouernement flee beyond
the seas where they live vnder princes that are
her Maiesties professed enemyes and converse and
are confederate with other traiters and fugitives
which are there abidinge, The which nevertheles have
the benefitt and profittes of their landes here by pretence
of soche coullorrable conveyances therof Formerly
made by them to their prevy frendes here in truste
whoe secretlie doe sende over vnto them the saide
revenues, wherewith they are there mainteyned &
enhabled againste her Maiestie ./.
Eudox: I doe not thincke that theare be anie soche
fugitives which are releived by the proffit of
their Landes in England For theire is a streighter
ordre taken, and if theare be anie suche in Ireland
it were good that it were leikwise lookte vnto:
For this evill maie easilie be remedied but proceed.

37

Eudox, Nowe truelie Irenius yea have (me seemes) very
well handled this pointe towchinge inconveniences in
the Common lawe theare by yowe obserued and
it semeth that ye have hadd a myndfull regard
vnto the thinges that Maye concerue the good of
that realme, And if ye Canne aswell goe thorough
with the statute Lawes of that land I will thinck
yowe have not lost all your tyme there Therfore
I praye yowe nowe take them to yowe in hande
and tell vs what ye thincke to be amisse in them:
Iren: The statutes of that Realme are not manie &
therfore wee shall the soonner runne thoroughe
them And yet of those fewe there are sundrye
impertinent & vnnessassarye, the which perhaps, thoughe
att the time of the makinge of them were verie
needfull yett nowe thorowe Change of tyme are
cleane antiquated and alltogither ydle, As that
which forbideth anie to weare their berdes all on
the vpper lipp and none vnder the Chin, And that
which putteth awaie saffron shirtes & smockes
And that

Eudox These truelie which yea have repeted
seeme verie frivolus and fruiteles for by the
breatche of them litle dammage or inconvenience
can come to the Comon wealthe, neither indeed
if anie transgresse them shall he seme
••• wourthey of pvnnishement scarse of blame
savinge but that they abide by the names of lawes
But lawes ought to be soche as that the
kepeinge of them shoulde be greatelie for the
behoof of the Comon weale & the violateinge of them
should be verie hainous & sharpelie punishable
But tell

39

Eudox. Nevertheles the evill vse of distreyninge an
other mans goodes yowe will not denye but it is
to be abolished and taken awaie /.
Iren: It is soe but not by takinge awaie the subiecte
withall For that is to violent a medicine, specially
this vse beinge permitted and made lawfull to some
deathe, As to moste of the Corporate townes there
it is graunted by their Charter, that they maie euery
man by him self, withowt an officer (for that were
more tollerable) for anie debt distreyne the goodes
of anie Irishe beinge found within their libertye
or but passinge throughe their townes, And the
firste permission of this was for that in those times
when that grant was made, the Irishe were not
amenable to law, soe as it was not safetie for the
townes man to goe to him for to demand his debte
nor possible to drawe him into lawe soe that he
hadd leave to be his owne Baliffe to arreste
his said debters goodes within his owne Franchise
The which the Irishe seeinge, thoughte it was
lawfull for them to distrayne the townesmans
goodes in the Cuntrye where they founde yt
And soe by ensample of that graunt to
Townes Men they thought it Lawfull & made
it a vse to distraine one an others goodes for small debtes
And to saie truthe me thinckes it hard for euery
triflinge debte of ij or iij^s to be driven to lawe
which is soe farre from them sometymes to be sought
for which me thinckes it an heavie ordinance to
geive Deathe especiallie to a Rude man that is
ignorant of Lawe & thinckes a Comon vse or
graunte to other men a lawe for him self, yea but
the Iudg• when it Cometh before him to tryall may
easilye discide this doubte & laie open the intent
of the Lawe by his better discretion.
Iren: yea but it is daungerous to leave the sence of
a lawe vnto the reason or will of the Iudge, whoe
are men

41

by the wourde liuerye is there meant horsemeate like as
by Coigny is vnderstood mans meate But whence
the worde is ••• dirived is verie hard to tell some
saye coyne for that they vsed Comonly in their
Coignes not only to take meate but Coyne also
and that takinge of money was speciallie meante
to be prohibited by that statute: But I thincke that
this word Coignye is dirived of the Irishe, the
which is a Common vse amongest the Irishe landholders
to have a Commen spendinge vppon their tenantes: For
all their tenantes beinge comenly but tenantes at will
the vse to take of them victalls they liste, For of
victualls they were wont to make smale recokninge
neither in this was the tenante wronged for it was an
ordinarye & knowne Custome & his Lorde comenly vsed
soe to covenante with him which if at anie tyme the tenante
disleiked he might frely departe att his pleasuer
but nowe by this statute the said Irishe lord is wronged
for that he is Cut of from his Customarie services
of the which this was one besides manie other of
the like as Cuddie Cossheire Bonnaght Sragh
forehin and soche others, the which I thincke at firste
were Customes brought brought in by the Inglishe
vppon the Irishe the which were never wont and
yet are loathe to yeild anie Certeine rent but only
soche spendinges For their Common saieinge is
spende me and defende me.
Eudox: Surelie I take it as yowe saie that
therin the Irishe lord hathe wronge since it
was an Auncient Custome and nothinge contraye
to lawe for to the willinge their is noe wronge
done, And, this righte well I wote that evene
here in England there are in manie places as large
Customes as that of Coigny & lyuery but I
suppose by your speeche that it was the
firste meaninge of that statute to forbid the
violent takinge of victualls vppon other mens
tenantes againste their wills which surely is a great
outrage

43

••• wronge that bindeth that bindeth him to bringe
them forthe to be iustified And if he maie comand
them, then he maie Comaund them aswell to ill
as to good, Herebie the Lordes and Captaines of
Countries the principalls and heade of Septes
are made stronger whome it should be a most
speciall Care in Pollicie to weaken and to sett vpp
and strengthen diuerse of his underlinges againste
which whensoever he shall offer to swarue from
dutye maie be hable to •••••• bearde him For
it is verie daungerous to leave the Comaund
of soe manie as some septes are being fyve or
sixe thowsand personnes to the will of one manne
whoe maie leade them to what he will as he
him self shalbe inclyned. /.
Eudox: In verie deed Irenius it is verie daungerous
especiallie seeinge the disposicion of those people
not allwaies inclynable to the beste, And therfore
I hould it noe wisdome to leave vnto them
to muche Commaund over their kindred but
rather to withdrawe their followers from them
as muche as maie be and to gather them
vnder the Comaund of Lawe by some better
meane then this custome of kinconghishe, The
which wourde I woulde be glad to knowe what
it namelie signifiethe for the meaninge therof
I seeme to vnderstand reasonablye well.
Iren It is a wourd mingled of Englishe ande
Irishe togither soe as I am partly ledd to
thincke, that the Custome •• ••••• therof was
firste Englishe & afterward made Irishe, For
soche another lawe they hadd here in England
as I remembre made by kinge Alured, that
euerie gentleman shoulde Contynually bringe
furthe his kindred & followers to the lawe, Soe
kin is Englishe and Conghish signifieth affinitye
in Irishe. /.
Eudox

45

contynued amongeste them For not of one nacion
was it peopled as it is but of sondrye people
of deffrent Condicions and Manners But the
Cheiffest which haue firste possessed & inhabited
it, I suppose to be Scythians, which att soche
tyme as the Northen nacions overflowed all
Christendome came downe to the seacoste where
inquieringe for other Countreis abroade and
gettinge intelligence of this Countrye of Ireland
findinge shippinge convenient passed over hither
and arived in the North parte therof which is
nowe Called Vlster which firste Inhabitinge
and afterward stretchinge them selues fourthe
into the Land as their numbers increased
named it all•• of them selues Scuttenland which
nowe breifflye is called Scutland or Scotland
Eudox: I won•der Irenius whither ye rune soe
farre astraye For whilste we talke of
Ireland my thinckes ye ripp upp the
Originall of Scotland but what is that
to this?
Iren: Surelie verie muche for Scotland and
Ireland are all one and the same.
Eudox: That seemeth more Leauinge, For
wee all knowe right well that they
are distinguished with with a great sea
runninge betwene them or ells there are
two Scotlandes:
Iren: Neverthemore are theare two Scotlandes
but two kinde of Scottes theare were in
deed as ye maie gather out of Buckhanan
the one Irin or Irishe scottes the other Albin
Scottes, for those Scuttes or Scythyans
arryved as I sayd in the Northe partes of
Ireland some of them afterwardes passed over
into the next Coste of Albyne nowe Called
Scotland

47

Eudox: yea doe verie bouldly Irenius adventure
vppon the history of soe Auncient tymes
and leane to Confidently vnto those Irishe
Cronicles which are most fabulous and
forged in that oute of them ye dare take
in hand to laie open the originall of
a nation soe antique, as that noe
monyment remayneth of her begyninge
and Inhabitinge, here speciallie havinge
bene allwaies withowt lettres but only bare
tradicion of tymes & remembrances of
bardes which vse to forge and falsefie every
thinge as they liste to please or
displease anie man . / .
Iren: Truelie I must confesse I doe soe
but yett not soe absolutely as yea doe
suppose, doe I herin rely vppon Bardes
or Irishe Cronicles thoughe the Irishe
them selues thoroughe their ignorance
in matters of lerninge and deep iudgment
doe most constantly •• beleive & avouch
But vnto them besides I add myne
owne Readinge and out of them bothe
togither with comparison of tymes, liknes
of manners & Customes, affinitye of wordes
and names, properties of nature and vses,
resemblances of rightes & ceremonies, monimentes
of Churches and tombes, and manie other
like Circomestances I doe gather a likelyhood
of truthe not certemlye affirminge anie
thinge but by conferringe of tymes nations
Languages monimentes & soche like I doe
hunt out a probalitie of thinges which I
leave vnto your Iudgment to beleive or
refuse, Nevertheles there be some very
Auncient

49

Syluius luddus

any antiquity which is receyved by tradicion
since all men be lyers and maye lye when
they will, But yett for the Auncientnesse
of the written Cronickles of the Irishe geive
me leave to saye some thinge not to iustifye
them but to shewe that some of them might
saye truthe For where ye saye that the
Irishe haue allwaies beene withowte lettres
ye are therin muche deceyved For it is
certeine that Ireland hathe hadd the vse
of lettres very Aunciently and longe before
England ../
Eudox Is it possible howe comes it then
that they are soe barbourous still, and soe
vnlerned beinge soe ould schollers for
lerninge as the Poet saithe Emollit mores
nec sinit esse feros whence then I praye
yowe could they haue those lettres /.
Iren: It is hard to saye, For whither they
at their firste Comeinge into the Lande
or afterwardes by tradinge with other nacions
which hadd lettres learned of them or devised them
amongeste them selues, it is verie doubtfull
but that they hadd letters Aunciently it
is nothinge doubtfull For the Saxons
of England are said to have fetched their
Lettres and lerninge and learned men from
the Irishe. And that also appereth by the
leiknes of the Character For the Saxon
Character is the same with the Irishe
nowe the Scythians never that I can Reade
of ould hadd lettres amongest them, Therfore
it semethe that they hadd them from that
nation which came out of Spaine for in Spaine
theare was (as Strabo writeth) lettres aunciently
vsed

51

Iren: Neither so nor soe: For these Irishe Cronicles
as I said vnto yowe beinge made by unlearned men
and writinge thinges accordinge to the apparaunce
of the truthe which they conceyve doe erre in the
Circomstances not in the matter, For all that
Came out of Spayne, they beinge noe dilligent
sertchers into the deffrences of nations supposed
to be Spaniardes and soe called them but the
groundeworke therof is nevertheles (as I earste
said) true and Certeine, howe ever they thoroughe
ignorance Disguise the same or thorough there
owne vanitie whilste they would not seme
to be ignorant doe thervppon builde & enlarge
manie forged histories of their owne antiquity
which they delyver to fooles and make them beleive
them for true As for Ensample, that firste
of one Gathelus the sonne of Ceroppes or Argus
whoe havinge married the kinge of Aegistes
daughter /
and there inhabited Then that
of Nemed and his nyen sonnes whoe cominge out of
Scythia peopled Ireland and inhabited it with
his sonnes two hundred and fiftene yeres till he
was overcome of the Geauntes dwellinge then
in Ireland and att laste quit banished and
rooted out, After whome two hundred yeris the
sonnes of one Dela beinge Scithians arryved
here againe and possessed the whole lande
of which the youngeste called Slanius in the ende
made him self monarch. lastlie the iiiior sonnes
of milesius kinge of Spayne which conquered that
Land from the Scithians and Inhabitinge it
with Spanyerds called it of the name of the
youngest Heberus Hibernia, all which are in truth
mere fables & verie milesian lies as the
latin proverbe is For neither was their ever
soche a kinge

53

themselues ded (as it is likely) roote owte all that were
affected to the Romanes, And lastlie the romanes
havinge againe recoured that Countrie & bett oute
Hanniball ded doubtlesse Cut of all that had favoured
the Carthagineans: soe that betwixte them bothe to and
fro, there was scarce a native spanierd lefte but
all inhabited of Romanes, All which tempestes of trobles
beinge overblowne there longe after arose a newe storm
more dreadfull then all the former which overan all
Spayne and made an infinite confusion of all thinges
That was the cominge downe of the Gothes ••••
Hunes and Vandalls, and lastlie all the nations of
Scithia which like a mountaine fledd ded overflowe
all Spaine and quite drowne and washe awaye
what ever relickes theare were lefte of the land
brede people yea and of all the Romaines too, The
which Northerne nacions findinge the Compleccion
of that soyle and vehement heat theare farre
diffringe from their natures, tooke noe felicitye
in the Countrye but from thence passed over &
ded spreed them selues into all Countries • in Christendome
of all which theare is none but hathe some mixture
and sprincklinge, yf not throughe peoplinge of
them, And yet after all these the Mores and
Barbarians breakinge over out of Affrica ded
finallie possesse all spayne or the moste parte therof
and treade downe vnder the faule heathnishe foote
whate ever litle they founde theare yet standinge
the which thoughe afterwardes they were beaten out
by Ferdinando of Arygon and Elizabeth his wief yet
they were not soe Clensed but that thorowe the
marriages which they hadd made and mixture with
the people of the land duringe their longe contynuance
theare they hadd lefte noe pure drop of Spannishe
bloud noe nor of Romane nor of Scythian, so that of
all nations under heavene I suppose the Spanierd is the
moste mingled moste vncerteine & moste bastardlie:
wherfore

55

welshemen and Cornishmen and the Britons of France
thoughe tyme wourkinge alteracion of all thinges
and the tradinge and enterdeale with other
nations rounde about haue changed and greatly
altered the dialect therof but yett the
Originall wordes appeare to be the same, as
who that liste to reade in Cambon and Buckanan
maie see at large Besides there be manie
places as havens hills townes and Castles
which yett beare name from the Galles of the
which Buckhanan reherseth above thre hundred
in Scotland and I can I thincke recounte nere
as manie in Ireland Morover there be of
the old Gallees certen nations yet remayninge in
Ireland which detaine the ould denominacions of
the Gaules as the Menapif the Cancj the Venti &
others By all which manie other verie reasonable
probabillities which this shorte Course will not suffer
to be laid fourthe yt appereth that the Cheif
Inhabitantes in Ireland were Galles cominge
thither firste out of Spaine and afterwardes from beside
Tanius where the Gothes the Hunns and the Getes
satt downe they alsoe beinge (as it is said of some)
Auncient Galles and lastlie passinge out of
Gallia it self from all the seacoastes of Belgia &
Celtica into all the Southerne Coastes of Ireland
which they possessed and inhabited whervppon it is
as this daie amongest the Irjshe a Comon vse
to Call anie straunge inhabitante theare
amongest them from the Gaules /.
Eudox: This is verie leiklie for evene soe ded
those Galles aunciently possesse and people all
the Sourtherne Coastes from Brittaine which yet
retayne their ould names as the Belga in
Sommetshire Wilshire and parte of Hamshire
Atrebatij

57

Coulde add manie probabilities of the names of places
personnes and speches as I ded in the former
but they should be to longe in this place and
I reserve them for an other, And thus ye
have harde my opinion howe all that Realme
of Ireland was firste peopled and by what
nations, After all which the Saxons succeedinge
ded wholie subdewe it vnto them selues for
firste Egfrydd k. of the Northumbers ded
vtterlie waste and subdue yt as apperethe
owte of Bedas complaint against him, and
afterwardes kinge Edgard brought it vnder
his obedience as appereth by an Auncient
Recorde in which it is founde written that he
subdewed the Islandes of the Northe evene
vnto Norwaye and their kinges ded bringe
into his subieccion
Eudox: This Rippinge vpp of Auncestries
is verie pleasinge vnto me & in dede favoreth
of good conceipt and some readinge withhall
I see herbye howe profitable traveile and
experience of Forreyne nations is to him
that will applye them to good purpose,
Nether in deed I would haue thoughte
that anie soche antiquities coulde haue bene
avouched for the Irishe that makethe me
the more to longe to see some other of
your observacions which ye haue gathered
out of that Country, and haue earste
half promised to put forthe, And sure
in this minglinge of nations appereth as yow
earste well ••• noted) a wounderfull
providence

59

leaste by the occasion therof offeringe matter of a
longe discourse, wee might be drawen from this
that we have in hand namely the handlinges of abuses
in the customes of Ireland /.
Eudox: In trueth Irenius ye doe well remember
the plott of your firste purpose but yett from
that me seemes ye haue muche swarued in all
this longe discourse of the firste inhabiting of
Ireland for what is that to your purpose.
Iren: Truelie verie Materiall for if ye marked
the Course of all that speche well it was to
shewe by what meanes the Customes that
nowe are in Ireland beinge some of them in deede
verie strange and almost heathnishe were first
brought in & that was I said by those nations
from whome that Countrye was firste peopled
for the deffrence of Manners & Customes dothe
followe the deffrence of nations & people the
which I haue declared vnto yowe to have ben
three speciall which seated themselues here to
wytt firste the Scithians then the Gaules and
lastlie the Englishe notwithstandinge that I am
not ignorant that theare were sondrye other
nations which gott footinge in that land of the which
there yet remayne diuerse greate families and
septes of whome I will also in their proper places
make mencion /
Eudox ye bringe yor self Iren verie well into
the waye notwithstandinge that it semeth ye were never
out of the waie, But nowe that ye haue passed
throughe those antiquities which I Could have
wished not soe soone in deed, begin when yt please
yow, to declare what customes & manners have
bene deryved from those nations to the Irishe
and which of them ye finde faulte withall /.
Iren:

61

they bringe continuallie to those Bollies where they are
receyved readilie and the theif harboured from
daunger of Lawe Or soche officers as mighte
lighte vppon him Moreover the people that
live thus in these Bolies growe therbie the
more Barbarous and live more licentiouslye
then they Coulde in townes usinge what meanes
they liste and practisinge what mischeifes &
villanies they will either againste the gouernment
there generallie by their Combinations or againste
privat men whome they maligne by steallinge
there goodes or murderinge them selues, For
theare they thincke them selues half exempted
from Lawe and obedience, and havinge once
tasted fredome doe leike a steare that hathe
beinge longe out of his yoke grudge & repine
ever after to come vnder Rule againe:
Eudox By your speche Irenius I perceave
more evill come by this vse of bollies then
good by their grazinge, and therfore it maie
well be reformed but that muste be in his
due Course do yowe proceed to the next
Iren: They haue an other custome from the Scithians
that is the wearinge of mantles and longe Glibbes which
is a thicker curled bushe of haier hangeinge downe
over theare eyes & moonstrously disguisinge them which
are bothe verie badd & hurtfull/. ./
Eudox: doe ye thincke that the mantle cometh from
the Scithians, I would surelie thincke otherwise
For by that which I have redd it appereth that
moste nations in the wourlde aunciently vsed the
mantle for the Iewes vsed it as ye maye reade of
Elias mantle of
The Caldees vsed it also as ye maie reade in Diadorus
the Egiptians leikwise vsed it as ye maie reade
in Herodotus maie be gathered by the discription of
Berenice, in the Greke Comentaries vppon Callimachus
The grekes

63

howse for ann owtlawe, a meet bedd for a rebell, and
an apte Cloke for a theif, firste the owtlawe beinge
for his manie Crymes and villanies banished
from the townes & howses of honest men are
wanderinge in waste places farre from daunger
of Lawe maketh his mantle his howse •• &
vnder yt Covereth him self from the wrathe
of heaven from the offence of the earthe and
from the sighte of men when it rayneth it is
hys pentise when it bloweth it is his tente, when
it freizeth it is his tabernacle in somer, he can
weare it Loose in winter he can wrapp it close
att all tymes he can vse yt never heavye
never Cumbersome, likewise for a Rebell it is
as servicable, For in warr that he maketh (yf
at leaste it deserve the name of warre) when
he still flieth from his foe and lurketh in the
thicke woodes and straight passages waytinge
for advantages it is his bedd, ye & allmoste
all his houshould stuffe, For the woode is his
howse againste all weathers, and his mantle is
his Cave to sleepe in, Therin he wrappeth him
self rounde and ensconseth him self strongly
againste the gnatte, which in the Countrye doe more
anoye the naked Rebels whilste they kepe the
woodes and doe more sharplie wound them then
all their Enemies swordes or speares which canne
seldome come nighe them, ye and oftentymes ther
mantle serveth them when they are nere driven
beinge wrapped about their lefte arme in steade
of a targett, for it is harde to Cut thoroughe yt
with a sworde besides it is lighte to beare to
throwe awaie and beinge as they then comonly
are naked it is to them all in all lastlie for
a theif it is soe handsome, as it maye seme
it was firste invented for him for vnder yt
he can cleanly convaye anie fitt Pillage that
Comethe

65

which I would thincke it meet to forbidd all mantles
Eudox. O evill mynded man that havinge reckned
vpp soe manie vses of a mantle will ye wishe
it to be abandoned, Sure I thincke Diogines dishe
ded never serue his master more turnes, notwithstandinge
that he made his dishe his Cupp his Capp his
measuer his waterpott. then a mantle doth not Irishman
But I see they be all to badd intentes, and therfore
I will ioyne with yowe in abolishinge it, But
what blame laie yowe to the Glibb: take heede I
praie yowe that yowe be not to buisye therwith
for feare of your owne blame, seeinge our Englishmen
take yt vpp in soche a generall fashion to weare
there haier soe vnmeasurablie longe that some
of them exceed the longest Irishe Glibbes.
Iren: I feare not the blame of anie vndeserved
misleikes but for the Irishe Glibbes, I saye that
besides their salvage brutishnes & loathlie filthines
which is not to be named they are fitt maskes as
a mantle is for a theif: For when soever he hath
Runne him self into that perill of law that he
will not be knowne he either cutteth of his
Glibbe quite, by which he becometh nothinge leke him
self or puttethe it soe lowe downe over his eies
that it is verie harde to discerne his thevishe
Countenance, And therfore fitt to be trussed vpp
with the mantle /.
Eudox Truelie these three Scithian abuses I houlde
moste fitt to be taken awaie with sharpe
pennalties, and suer I wounder howe they haue
ben kept thus longe notwithstandinge soe many
good provicions & ordres as haue bene devised
for that people /.
Iren: The Cause therof shall appere to yowe
hereafter but lett vs nowe goe forwarde with
our Scithian customes of which the next the next that
I haue to treate of is their manner of the raysinge
the ioye in

67

worde Feragh made a verie blunt coniecture
as namelie master stanihurste whoe thoughe he be
the same Countryman borne that should searche
more nerelie into the secrete of these thinges
yet hathe strayed from the truthe all the heavens
wyde (as they saie) for he theruppon groundeth a
verie grosse ymaginacion that the Irishe should
discende from the Ægiptians which came into that
Island firste vnder the leadinge of one Scota the
daughter of Pharao whervppon they vse (saithe he)
in all their battalls to call vppon the name of
Pharao cryinge Feragh• Feragh• surelie he shoote
wyde on the bowe hande and verie farre from the
marke, For I would firste knowe of him what
Auncient grownde of aucthorytie he hathe for
soche a sencelesse fable, And if he haue anie of
the rude Irishe bookes as it maie be he hathe
yet me seemes a man of his lerninge should not
soe lightlie haue bene carried awaie with ould
wives tales from approvance of his owne
reason, For whither Scota be leike an Ægiptian
worde or smacke of anie lerninge or iudgmente let
the learned iudge but his Scota rather comes of the
Greeke Scotos that is darkenes which hathe not lett
him see the lighte of the trueth /.
Iren: yowe knowe not Eudoxius howe well master stanihurst could
see in the darke perhaps he hathe owles or Cattes eies
but well I wote he seeth not well the verie lighte
in matters of more wighte, But as for Feragh I
haue told yow my Coniecture only and yett this
muche more to prove a likelyhoode that there be
yett at this daie in Ireland manie Irishe men
Cheifflie in Northerne partes called by the name
of Feragh, but let that nowe be, This onlye for
this place suffizeth, that it is a worde vsed in
their Comon hububs the which with all the reste
is to be abolished for that it discouereth an affectacion
of Irishe Captenry which in this platforme I endevor
speciallie to beate downe, There be other sortes
of Cryes alsoe vsed amongest the Irishe which
savor greatlye

69

other Customes perhaps wourthe not•inge, And firste of
their Armes and weapons amongest which theire
broade swordes are proper Scithian for soche the Scythes
vsed commonlie as ye• maie reade in Olaus Magnus
And the same also the old Scottes vsed as ye maye
reade in Buckanan & in
where the Pictures of them are in the same forme
expressed Also their shortebowes & little quivers
with shorte bearded arrowes verye Scythian as ye
maye reade in the same Olaus and the same sort
bothe of Bowes quivers and arrowes are att this
daie to be seene comonly amongest the Northerne
Irishe whose Scottish Bowes are not paste thre
quarters of a yard longe with a stringe of
wreathed hempe slacklie bent and whose
arrowes are not muche aboue half an elne longe
tipped with steele heades made like common
broade arrowes heades but muche more sharp
and slender that thei enter into an armed man
or horse moste cruelly, notwithstandinge that thei
are shott fourthe weakelye Moreover their longe
broade sheildes made but of wicker Roddes which
are commonly vsed amongest the said Northerne
Irishe, but specially of the Scottes are brought
from the Sithians as ye maie reade in Olaus
magnus Solynus and others /.
Likewise their goeinge to battell without Armor
on their bodies or heades but trustinge only
to the thicknes of their glibbes the which thei
saye will sometymes beare of a good stroke
ys mere salvage and Scythian, as ye maye
see in the said Images of the old Scythes or
Scottes sett forthe by Herodianus and other besides
their confused kinde of marche in heapes
without anie ordre or arraye their clashinge
of swordes togithers their fyers comeinge vpon
their enemies, and their mannor of fighte resembleth
alltogither that which is reade in all histories to
have bene vsed of the Scythians by which it maie
Almoste

71

makinge a Crosse therwith vppon the earth and thrustinge
the pointe ••••of their blades into the grownde
thinckinge therbie to haue the better successe in
fighte, Also they vse to sweare Comonly by ther
swordes, likwise at the kindlinge of the fyer and
lightinge of Candles they saie Certenne prayers
and vse some other supersticious rightes, which shewe
that they haue the fyer and light for all
those Northerne Nations havinge bene vsed to
be annoyed with muche Coulde & darknes are
wont therfore to haue the fier & the sonne
in greate veneracion like as Contrarywise the
mores and Ægiptians which are muche offended
and greived with muche extreame heate of
the sunne doe everie morninge when the sunne
Riseth fall to Cursinge and blaminge of him
as their plague and Cheif scourge, Alsoe
the Scythians vsed when they would binde anie
solemne vowe or Combinacion to drincke a bole
of blowde togither vowinge therbie to spende
there laste bloode in that quarrell, And
evene soe doe the wilde Scottes as ye maye
reade in Buckhanan and some of the Northerne
Irishe ye maie also reade in the same booke
in the tale of Arsacomus that it was the
manner of the Scythians when anie one of them
was heavilie wronged and woulde Assemble
vnto him anie forces of people to ioyne with
him in his revendge to sitt in some publique
place for Certeine daies vppon an oxe side to
which theare would resorte all sutche personnes
as beinge disposed to take Armes woulde
enter into his paie or ioyne with him in his quarell
And the same ye maie likwise reade to haue
••• beene the Auncient manner of the wilde
Scottes which are indeede the verie naturall Irishe
Moreover

73

Iren: It is noe cause of wonder at all, For it is the Manner
of all the barbarous nations to be verie superstitious
and dilligent observors of oulde Customes and
antiquities which they receyve by Contynuall tradition
from their parentes by recordinge of their bardes
and Cronicles and songes and by dailie vse &
ensample of their Elders . /
Eudox: But have yowe I praie yow observed
anie such Customes amongest them brought likewise
from the Spanierdes or Gawles as these from
the Scythians that maie sure be verie materiall
to your firste purpose . /
Iren Some perhaps I haue and whoe that will by
this occasion more dilligentlie marke & Compare
their Customes shall finde manie more But there
are fewer I thincke remayninge then of the
Scythians by reason that the partes which they then
possessed lienge vppon the Coaste of the Westerne
and southerne sea were sithens contynually visited
with strangers and forraine people repairinge
thither for trafficke & for fishinge which is very
plentifull vppon those Coastes for the trade
and enterdeale of seacoaste nations one with an
other wourketh more Civilitye & good fashions /.

which are seldome sene of Forreyners yet some of soche
as I haue noted I will recount vnto yowe And
firste I will for the better Creditt of the reste shewe
yowe one out of theire statutes amongest which yt is
enacted that noe man shall weare his bearde
onlie on the vpper lipp like Mustachios shavinge
all the rest of his Chin. And this was the
Auncient manner of the Spanierds, as yet it is
of all the Mahometans to Cut all their beardes
Closse saue only their muschacios, which they were
Longe, And the Cause of the vse was for that
they beinge bredd in hott Countrye founde muche
haier on their

75

tymes vsed to weare their mistresses or loves sleive vppon
their Armes as appereth by that is written of
Sr Lancelott thatt wonne the sleive of the faier maid
of Asteroth in a torney wherat Quene Gremiver was
muche displeased
Eudox: your Conceipt is verie good and well fittinge
for thinges so farre from certentye of knowledge
and learninge onlie vppon likliehoodes & cuniectures
but have yowe anie Customes remayninge from
the Gawles or Brittons /.
Iren: I haue observed a fewe of either & whoe
will better seartche into them maie finde more
& firste the profession of their Bardes was as
Cesar writeth) vsuall amongeste the Gawles &
the same was alsoe Comon amongest the Brittons
& is not yet altogither lefte of the welche which
are theare posteritie /. For all the fashions of
of the Gawles & Brittons as he testifieth were
muche like the longe deirtes came alsoe from the
Gaules as ye maie reade in the same Cesar &
in Iohn Boemus likewise the said Boemus writeth
that the Gaules vsed swordes a handfull broade
& soe doe the Irishe nowe, Alsoe that they vsed
longe wicker sheildes in battell that could cover
their whole bodies & soe doe the Northerne Irishe
But bicause I haue not seene soche fashioned
targettes vsed in the southerne partes but only
amongest these Northerne people & Irishe Scottes
I doe thincke that they were broughte in rather
by the Scythians then by the Gawles, Also the
Gaules vsed to drincke their enemyes bloode & to
painte them selues therwith, Soe also they wryte
that the oulde Irishe were wount / And soe haue
I sene some of the Irishe doe but not their enemyes
but frendes blood: as namelie at the execution of
a notable traytor at lamericke called Murroghe
Obrien I

77

Eudox: ye haue verie well ronne thoroughe suche customes
as the Irishe have derived from the firste ould nations
which Inhabited that Lande namelie the Scythians the
Spanierdes the Galles the Brittons, It nowe
remaineth that yowe take in hande the Customes
of the oulde Englishe which are amongest the
Irishe: of which I doe not thincke that ye shal
haue muche to finde faulte with anie Conscideringe
that by the English moste of the ould badd Irishe
Customes were abollished & more Civill fashions
brought in their stead: /
Iren: yowe thincke otherwise Eudox: then I doe
for the Cheiffest abuses which are nowe in the realme
are growen from the Inglishe, and the English
that were are nowe muche more lawles and
Licentious then the wilde Irishe: soe that as
muche Care as was then by them hadd to reforme
the Irishe, soe muche & more must nowe be
vsed to reforme them soe muche tyme dothe alter
the manners of men
Eudox That seemeth verie straunge which yowe
saie that men should soe muche degenerate from
their firste natures as to growe wilde ./
Irenius Soe muche can liberty & ill example doe
Eudox what libertye hadd the Englishe theare
more, then, then hadd here at home were not the
lawes planted amongest them at the firste & hadd
they not governeors to curbe & kepe them still in
awe and obedience . /
Iren They hadd but it was for the moste parte
soche as ded more hurte then good, For they hadd
governors for the moste parte them selues & comonlye
out of the two families of the Geraldines & the Butlers
bothe adversaries and corrivalls one against the other
whoe thought for the moste parte but deputies vnder
some of the

79

in reasonable civilitye, but the reste which dwelle above
•••••••• in Connaght and Mounster which is the sweetest
soyle of Ireland and some in Leinster and Vlster
are degenerate and growne to be as very Patchockes
as the wilde Irishe ye & some of them haue quite
shaken of their Englishe names and put on Irishe that
they might be alltogither Irishe.
Eudox: Is it possible that anie shoulde soe farre
growe out of frame, that they should in soe short
space quite forgett their Country and their owne
names that is a most daungerous Lethargie
muche wourse then that of Messala Corvinus who
beinge a moste learned man thoroughe sicknes
forgott his owne name, But can yowe count vs
anie of this kinde /
Iren: I cannot but by report of the Irishe them
selues: whoe report the Marmahons in the Northe
were auncientlye Englishe to wit discended from
the fzvrsula which was a noble famelie in England
and that the same appereth by the signification
of their Irishe names likwise that the MacSwines
nowe in Vlster were Aunciently of the Veres
of England but that they them selues for hatred
of the Englishe soe disguised their names /.
Eudox: Colde they ever Conceyve anie soche
develishe disleike of their owne naturall Cuntreis
as that they would be ashamed of her name &
bite att the dugge from which they sucked lief . /
Iren: I wote well theare shoulde be none but
proude hartes doe oftentymes like wanton Coltes
kicke att their mothers as we reade Alcibiades
& Themistocles ded whoe beinge banished out of
Athens fledd vnto the kinge of Asia & theare
stirred him vpp to warre against their Cuntrye
in which warres they them selues were Cheiffteines
Soe they saie ded these MacSwins & Mackmahons
or rather Veres and fzursulies for private dispight
turne themselues

81

of the olde Englishe in Ireland which thoroughe licentious
conversinge with the Irishe or marryinge & fosteringe
with them or lacke of meet nourture or other soche
vnhappie occasions have degendred from their auncient
dignities are nowe growne as Irishe as Ohanlans
breech (as the proverbe theare is) of which sorte theare
are two most pittifull Ensamples aboue the reste
to wit the Lord Breningham whoe beinge the most
Auncient Barron I thincke in England is nowe woxen
the most •••••• salvage Irishe namenge him self
Irishe like Maccorishe and the other is the great
Mortymere, whoe forgettinge howe great he was once
in Ingland or Englishe at all is nowe become the
moste barbarous of them all & is called Maccnemaria
And not muche better then he, is the olde Lord Courcie
whoe havinge lewdlie wasted all the landes and seignors
that he hadd and aliened them to the Irishe is himself
also nowe growne quite Irishe.
Eudox: In truthe this which yowe tell, is a moste
shamefull hearinge, and to be reformed with
sharpe censures in soe great personages to the terror
of the meaner For wheare the lorde & cheiff men
waxe soe barbourous and bastardlie what shalbe
hoped of the peasantes and Base people and
herebie sure wee haue made a faier waie vnto
your self to laie open the abuses of their evill
Customes which ye haue nowe next to declare
The which noe doubt but are verie bad and
Barbarous beinge borrowed from the Irishe as
their apperell their language their Rydinge
and manie other the like.
Iren ye cannot but thincke them sure to be very
brute & vncivill for were they att the beste that
they were of ould when they were brought in they
should in soe longe an alteracion of tyme seeme
very straunge and vncouth, for it is to be thought
that the

83

their fosteringe & marrienge with the Irishe the which
are two most daungerous infeccions For firste
the Childe that sucketh the milke of the nourse
muste of necessitie learne his firste speche of her
the which beinge the firste that is evrid to his
tongue is ever after moste pleasinge vnto him
insoemuche as thoughe afterwardes be taught
Englishe yett the smacke of the Firste will
all waies abide with him and not only of the
speche but also of the manners & Conditions
for besides that younge Children be like Apes
which will affect & imitate what they see done
before them speciallie by their nurses, whome
they love soe well, they moreover drawe into
them selues togither with their sucke evene the
nature & disposition of their Nourses; for the
mynde followethe muche the temperature of
the bodie & alsoe the wourdes are the ymage
of the mynde soe as they proceedinge from
the mynde must be needes affected with the wordes
soe that the speche beinge Irishe the harte
must needes be Irishe for out of the aboundance
of the hart the tongue speaketh, The nexte
is the marrienge with the Irishe which howe daungerus
a thinge it is in all Common wealthes appereth
to euerie simplest sence and thoughe some great•••
ones have perhaps vsed suche matches with ther vassells
& haue of them neverthelesse raised wourthie
yssue as Telamon did with Tecmessa Allexander the
great with Roxane
yet the example is soe perillus as it is not to
be adventured for in steade of those fewe good
I would Count vnto them infinite manie evill
and indeed howe can soche matchinge but bringe
forthe an evill race seeinge that Comonly the
Childe taketh moste of his nature of the mother
besides

85

Eudox: But what Couller soeuer they alleadge me
thinckes it not expedient that the execution of a lawe
once ordayned shoulde be lefte to the discretion of
the officer but that without parciallitye or regard
it should be fullfilled aswell on the Inglishe as
Irishe
Iren But they thincke this precisenes in reformacion
of apperell not to be soe materiall or greatly pertinent
Eudox: yes surelie but it is for mens apperell is
Commonlie made accordinge to their Condicions
and theare Conditions oftentymes gouerned by ther garmentes:
For the person that is gowned is by his gowne
put in mynde of gravitie & alsoe restrained from
lightnes by the verie vnaptnes of his weed, Therfore
it is written by Aristotle that when Cyrus had
overcome the Lydians that were a warlike nation &
devised to bringe them to a more peaceable lief he
changed their apperell & musick: and in steade
of their shorte warlike Coate Clothed them in
longe garmentes like weomen, and insteade of
there musicke appointed to them certeine lascivious
layes and loose giges, by which in shorte space their
myndes were soe mollified and abated that
they forgott their former feircenes & became moste
tender and effeminate, wherbie it appereth that
theare is not a litle in the garment to the
fashioninge of the mynde & Conditions But by
these which yowe haue discribed the fashions of
the Irishe weedes /.
Iren Noe all these which I haue Rehersed to yow
be not Irishe garmentes but Englishe For the quilted
leather Iack is olde Englishe for it was the proper
wede of the horseman as ye maie reade in
Chauucer where he discribeth Sir Thopas apperell
and Armour

87

Iren: I would not haue it laid awaie but the abuse therof
to be put awaye for beinge vsed to thende that it was
framed that is to be worne in warre vnder a
shirte of mayle it is allowable as also the shirte
of male & all his other furniture but to be worne
dailie at home and in townes & in civill places
it is a Rude habitt and most vncomely seeminge
like a players painted Cote
Eudox: But it is wourne likwise they saye of
Irishe ••• footemen howe doe yowe allowe of that
for I should thincke it verie unsemelye. /
Iren: Noe not as it is vsed in warre for yt is
then wourne likwise of a footeman vnder a
shirte of male the which footeman they Call a
Galloglasse, the which name dothe discouer him
to be also Auncient Englishe: For Gallogla
signifies an English servitor or yeoman, And
he beinge soe Armed in a longe shirte of mayle
downe to the Calue of his legge with a longe broad
•• axe in his hand was then Pedes grauis &
Armature and was in steade of the armed footeman
that nowe weareth a Corslett then before the corslett
were vsed or all moste invented.
Eudox: Then him belike ye likewise allowe in your
streight reformation of olde Customes ./
Iren: Bothe him & the kerne also (whome only
I tooke to be the proper Irishe soldier can I allowe
soe that the vse of that habitt & custome of theirs
in the warres onlye, when they are ledd fourthe to
the service of their prince and not vsuall at home
and in civill places and besides doe laye asside the
evill & vilde vses which the Galloglasse & kerne doo vse
in their Comon trade of lief . / .
Eudox

89

as to confirme & contynue those which are good but
followe yowe your owne Course & showe what
other their Customes ye haue to disleik of . /
Iren Theare is amongeste the Irishe a Certeine kinde
of people Called Bardes which are to them in
steade of Poetes whose profession is to sett fourthe
the prayses & dispraises of menne in their poems
or rymes the which are hadd in soe highe regard
& estimation amongst them that none dare
displease them for feare to runne into reproche
thorough their offence & to be made infamous
in the mouthes of all men / for their verses are
taken vpp with a generall applause and vsuall
songe att all Feastes & meetinges by Certeine other
persons whose proper functions that is which alsoe receyve
for the same greate rewardes & reputation beside /.
Eudox: doe yow blame this in them which I woulde
otherwise haue thought to haue bene wourthie of
good accompt & rather to haue bene mainteined &
augmented amongst them then to haue bene
misliked For I haue redd that in all ages poetes
have bene hadd in speciall reputacion & that me
seemes not withowt greate Cause, for besides their
sweet invencions & most wittye layes they have
allwaies vsed to sett fourthe the praises of the
good & virtuous & to beate downe & disgrace the
badd & vicious, soe that manie brave younge
mindes haue oftentymes throughe the hearinge
of the praises & famous Eulogies of wourthie men
sunge & Reported vnto them bene stirred vpp to
affecte like Comendations & to strive vnto the like desartes.
Soe they that the Lacedemonians were more
excited to desier of honor with the excellent verses
of the Poete Tyrteus then with all the exhortacions
of their Capitaynes or Aucthoritie of theire
Rulers and Magisrates. / .
Iren:

91

(as they all be) broughte vpp ydley without awe
of Parentes without preceptes of maisters without
feare of offence & not beinge directed nor
imployed in anie Course of lief which maie Carry
them to virtue well easilie to be drawen to
followe soche as anie shall sette before them for
a younge mynde cane not reste and if he be
not still buysied in some goodnes he will finde
him self soche buisines as shall soone buisye
all about him in which if he shall finde anie
to praise him and to geive him encouragement
as those Bardes and Rymers doe for
a litle rewarde or a share of a stolen Cowe
then waxethe he most insolent & half
madd with the love of him self & his owne
lewde deedes and as for wourdes to sett Fourth
soche lewdnes it is not hard for them to geive
a goodlie glose & painted shewe thervnto
borrowed evene from the praises which are
proper vnto virtue it self, As for a moste
notorious theif and wicked owtlawe whiche
hadd lived all his lief tyme of spoyles and
Robberries one of their Bardes in his praise sayd
that he was none of those ydele milke sopps that
was brought vpp by the fyers syde but that
most of his daies he spent in Armes and
valiaunt enterprises, that he ded never eate
his meate before he hadd wonne it with his
sworde that he laie not slugginge all nighte in a
Cabin vnder his Mantle but vsed Comonlye
to kepe others wakinge to defende their lives and ded
lighte his Candle at the flames of their howses ./
To leade him

93

hostlers to lende their horses by the waye But
when thinges shalbe reducid to a better passe
this needeth speciallie to be reformed for out
of the frye of these rakehellye horseboyes
growinge vpp in Knauery & villanye are
there kerne contynuallye supplied & mainteyned
for havinge beene brought vpp an ydle horsboyes
he will never after fall to labor but is only
made fitt for the halter, And these alsoe (the
which is one fowle oversight) are for the most
part bredd vpp amongst Englishmen and
souldiers of whome learninge to shoote in a
peice and beinge made acquainted withall
the trades of the Englishe they are afterwardes
when they become kerne made more fytte to
Cutt their throtes, next to this there is an
other muche like but muche more lewde and
dishonest and that is there Carrowes, which
are a kinde of people that wander vpp and
downe gentlemens howses livinge onlye vppon
Cardes & dice, they which thoughe they have
litle or nothinge of their owne, yet will thei
plaie for muche money, which if they wynne
they waste most lightlie, and if they loose
they paye as slenderlye but make recompence
with one stealthe or an other: Whose onlye
harte is not that they them selues are
ydle losels, but that thoroughe gameinge
they drawe others to like lewdnesse & ydlenes
And to these maie be added an other sorte of
leike looser felloes which doe passe vpp & downe
amongst gentlemen by the name of Iesters,
but are indeed notable Rogues & partakers
not onlye of manie stealthes by settinge forthe
other mens goodes to be stolen but also prevy
to manie traytors practises & comon carriers
of newes.

95

parlies I haue diuerse times knowne that manie
Englishmen & other good Irishe subiectes haue
bene villanouslye murdered by movinge one
quarrell or an other amongst them, For
the Irishe never Come to those Rathes but
Armed whither on horse or foote which the
English nothinge suspectinge are the comonly
taken at avantage like shepe in a pinfould.
Eudox: It maie be Iren: that abuse maie
be in these meetinges but these rownd hills
and square ••• bawnes which yow see soe
stronglie trenched & throwen vpp we (
they saye at firste ordeyned for the same
purpose that people might assemble them
selues theron, And therfore Aunciently thei
were called Folkmotes this is a place for
people to moote or talke of anie thinge
that Concerneth anie diffrence betwene
parties & Towneshipps which semeth yett
to me verie requisyte /.
Iren: Ye saie verie trewe Eudox: The
firste makinge of these highe hills was
at firste indeed ••• to verie good purpose
for people to mete but howe ever the tymes
when they were firste made might well serve
to good occasions as perhaps they ded then
in England, yet thinges beinge since
altered and nowe Ireland muche diffringe
from that state of England the goode vse
that their was of them is nowe turned to
abuse. For those hills ye speake were (as
ye maie gather by readinge) appointed
for two speciall vses & builte by two seuerall
nations, The one is those which yowe Call
Folkimotes the which were built by the saxons/.
•••••••• •• as the word

97

in a Circle like a garland or pitche manie longe stones
on ende in Compasse Everie of which they saie betokened
some wourthie person of note there slayne and buryed
For this was their Auncient Custome before Christianity
came in amongest them that Church yardes were inclosed:
Eudox: ye haue verie well declared the originall
of these mountes and great stones encompassed which
some vainelie terme the oulde Geantes Trivettes &
thincke that those huge stones woulde not ells be
broughte into ordre or reared vpp without the strengthe
of Geantes: and others as vainelie thincke that they
were neve placed theare by mans hand or Arte
but onle remayned theare soe since the begyninge
and ••••• were afterwardes discouered by the deluge
and laid open as they by the washinge of the
waters or other like casuallitye but lett them
dreame theare owne ymaginations to please them
selues: But ye haue satisfied me muche better both
by that I see some confirmation therof in the
holye writt but alsoe remembre that I have
redd in manie historyes and Cronicles the like
Cronicles & mountes & stones oftentymes mencioned
as .
Iren: Theare be manie greate Aucthorities I
assuer yowe to prove the same but as for these
meetinges on hills wherof wee were speakinge
it is verie inconvenient that anie soche should
be permitted speciallie in a people soe evill
mynded as they nowe be & diuerslye shewe
them selues . /
Eudox: But yet it is verie needfull me seemes
for manie other purposes as for the Cuntrye to
gather togither when theare is anie ymposition
to be laid vppon them the which they then all agree
att soche meetinges to Cutt & devyde vpon them
selues accordinge to their houldinges & habillities
so as if

99

Compelleth: but as for the former as it is not necessary
soe it is most hurtfull & offensive to the pore
Countrye, & nothinge convenient to the souldier him self
whoe duringe his lieinge att Cesse vsethe all kinde of
outragious disorder & villenye bothe towardes the pore men
which victall & lodge them & also to all the rest of the
Countrye about them, whome they abuse oppresse spoyle
& afflicte by all the meanes they can most invent / For
they will not only not contente them selues with sutche victells
as their hostes doe nor yet as the place perhaps will afford
but they will have other meat provided for them, and aqua
vita sent for, yea & money besides laide at his trencher
which if he want then about the house he walkethe
with the wretched pore man & his sillye wief whoe
are gladd to purchase their peace with anie thinge
by which vile manner of abuse the Countrye people
ye & the verie Englishe which dwell abroade & see
& sometymes feile these outrages growe into great
detestacion of the souldier & therbie into hatred of the
verie governement which draweth vppon them soche
Evill• Customes which wee haue to reprove in Ireland
Eudox: Truelie this is one not the leaste, & thoughe
the persons by whome it is vsed be of better note then
the former Rogishe sorte which ye reckoned yet the fault
me semes is noe lesse wourthie of a Marshall.
Iren: That were a harde Course Eudox: to redresse
euerye abuse by a marshall It would seme to yowe
verie evill surgerye to Cutt of euerie vnsound or sicke
parte of the bodie which beinge by other due meanes
recured might afterwardes doe verie good service vnto
the bodie againe and happelie helpe to save that
whole, Therfore I thincke better that some goode
salue for redresse of this evill be sought forthe then
the least parte suffred to perishe, But hereof wee
have to speake in an other place nowe we will
proceed to other leike defectes amongst which theare
is one

101

the same as might withholde him from anie soche wilfull
Course as his landlord or his owne lewde disposition
maie carrie him into all which he hathe forborne and
spared soe muche expense for that he hadd noe former
estate in his tenate but was only a Tenante at will
or litle more & soe at will maie leave yt, And this
inconvenience maie be reason enoughe to grounde anie
ordinanc for the goode of a comon wealthe againste the
private •••• behoof or will of anie landlord that shall
refuse to graunte anie soche tenure or Estate vnto his
Tenat as maie tende to the good of the whole Realme /.
Eudox: In dede me semes it is a ••••• great wilfulnes
in anie soche landlord to refuse to make anie longer
fermes vnto their tenates as maie besides the generall good
of the Realme be also greatlie for their owne profitt
& avayle, For what reasonable man will not
thincke that the tenent shalbe made muche better for
the lordes behoof, yf the Tenat maye by soche meanes
be drawne to builde him self some handesom habitacion
theron to ditche & inclosse his grounde & to manur
& husbounde yt as good Farmers vse, For when his
tenant terme shalbe expired it will in the Renuenge of
his •••• lease yeilde him bothe a good fine & alsoe a better
Rent, And alsoe it shalbe for the good of the Tenate
likwise whoe by soche buildinges & Inclosures shall
receyve manie benefyttes Firste by the handsomenes
of •his house he shall take great comforte of his ••••
lief more safe dwellinge and delight to kepe
his said house neate & cleanely, which nowe beinge (as
they Comonlye are) rather Swynsteades then
howses, is the Cheiffest cause of his soe beastlye
manner of lief And salvage Condicion lyinge &
livinge togither with his beaste in one howse in one
rowne, and in one bedd that is the Cleane straw
or rather the fowle dungehill, And to all these
other Comodities he shall in short tyme finde a
greater added that is his owne wealth & riches
encreased

103

Iren: Litle haue I to saye of Religion bothe bicause •• the
partes therof be not manie it self beinge but one, and
my self have not bene muche conversant in that Calling
but as lightlie passinge by I haue sene or harde,
Therfore the faulte which I finde in religion is but
one but the same vniuersall throughe all that Cuntry
that is that they are all Papistes by their profession
but in the same soe blindelie & soe brutishely
informed for the moste parte, as that ye ••••• would rather
thincke them Atheists or infidills but not one amongst
an hundred knoweth anie grownde of Religion
anie Article of his Faithe but can perhaps saye
his Pater noster or his Ave Marie without anie
knowledge or vnderstandinge what one wourd
therof meaneth / .
Eudox: This is truelie a most pittifull hearinge
that soe manie sowles should fall into the divills
Iawes at once and lacke the blessed comfort
of the sweet Gospell & Christes dere passion
Aye me howe cometh it to passe that beinge
people as they are tradinge with soe manie nacions
& frequented of soe manie, yet they haue not
tasted anie parte of those happie Ioyes, nor once
bene lightned with the morninge starre of truthe
but lie weltringe in soche spiritvall darknesse
hard by hell mouthe evene redie to fall in yf
god happelie helpe not . / .
Iren: The generall faulte commeth not of anie late
abuse either in the people or their preistes whoe
can teache noe better then they knowe nor shewe
noe more light then they have sene but in the first
Institution & plantinge of Religion in all that
Realme which was (as I reade) in the time of Pope
Celestine whoe as it is written) ded firste sende over
thither Palladius whoe theare deceassing he afterwardes
sent over St Patrick beinge by nation a Britton whoe
Converted the

105

synnes for they haue all erred and gone owte of
the waye togeather ./.
Eudox: But if this ignorance of the people be suche
a burden vnto the Pope is it not a like blotte to them
that nowe houlde that place in that which nowe are
in the lighte them selues suffer a people vnder their
charge to wallowe in soche deadlie darkenesse, For
I doe not see that the faulte is changed but the
faultes maistar /.
Iren: That which ye blame Eudox: is not I suppose
anie faulte of will in these godlie Fathers which
have charge therof nor anie defecte of zeale for
reformacion hereof but the inconvenience of the
tyme & troublous occasions wherewith that wretched
Realme hathe bene contynuallie turmoyled. For
instruccion in religion needeth quiete tymes and
ere we seeke to settle a sounde discipline in Cleargie
wee must purchase peace vnto the layitie. For it
is ill tyme to preache amongst •••• swordes and
most hard or rather impossible it is to perswade a good
oppinion in the mindes of men for matters of religion
doubtfull which haue a doubtlesse evill opinion of our
selues for ere a newe be broughte in the olde must
be removed . / .
Eudox: Then belike it is meet that some fitter time
be attended that god sende peace & quietnes there in
civile matters before it be attempted in Ecclesiasticall:
I woulde rather haue thoughte that as it is said
Correccion shoulde begine at the house of god and
that the care of the sowle should haue bene preferred
before the Care of the bodie . / .
Iren: moste trewe Eudox: the care of the sowle
& sowle matters is to be preferred before the care of
the bodie & conscideration of the wourthines bothe but
not in the time of reformation: For if yowe should
knowe a wicked person daungerouslye sicke havinge
nowe bothe sowle & bodie sore diseased yet bothe
Recouerable

107

take the tythes and offringes & gather what fruites
ells they maie of their livinges the which they conuert
as badlie & some of them they saie paie as due
tributes & shares of their livinges to their byshopps
(I speake of those which are Irishe) as they Receive
them duelye / .
Eudox: But is •• that suffred amongst them it is
wounder but that the gouerners redresse soche shame
full abuses:
Iren: Howe can they since they knowe them not
for the Irishe Bisshopps haue their clergies in
soche awe & subieccion vnder them that they dare
not Complaine of them soe as they maye doe
to them what they please: For they knowinge
their owne vnwourthines & incapacitie and
that they are therfore still removable att ther
Bishopps will yeild what pleaseth him & he
taketh what pleaseth him, yea & some of them
whose dioces are in remote partes somewhate out
of the wourldes eye doe not at all bestowe
the benefices which are in their owne donation
vppon anie but kepe them in their owne handes
& sett their owne servauntes & horseboyes to take
vpp the tithes & fruites of them with which some
of them purchase great Landes & builde fayer
Castles vppon the same, of which abuse if anie
question be moved they have a verie semely
color of excuse that they haue noe wourthie
ministers to bestowe them vppon but kepe them
soe vnbestowed for anie soche sufficient person
as anie shall bringe vnto them .
Eudox: But is theare noe Lawe nor ordinance
to meet with this mischeif nor hath it
never before bene looked into / .
Iren:

109

Preachinge or teachinge which either cannot vnderstand him
or will not heare him or what comforte of lief he have
wheare his Parrishyoners are soe insociable soe intractable
soe ill affected to him as they vsuallye be to all the Inglishe
& finallye howe dare allmost anye minister that are
peacefull civill men Comitt his safetye into the handes
of soche neighbours as the bouldest Capteines dare
scarselye dwell bye
Eudox: Litle good then I see is by the statute wroughte
howe euer well entended but the reformation therof must
growe higher & be brought from a stronger ordinanc then
the comandment or pennaltie of a lawe which none dare
enforme or Complaine of when it is broken, but have ye
anie more of these abuses in the Clergie / .
Iren: I Could perhaps reckon more but I perceive my
speche to growe to longe & these maie suffice to
Iudge of the generall disorders which Raigne amongst
them, As for the particculars they are to manie to be
reckoned, for the Clergie theare (exceptinge some
fewe grave Fathers which are in highe place aboute
the state & some fewe others which are latelie planted
in their newe Colledge are generallye badd licentious &
most disordred / .
Eudox: ye haue then as I suppose gone throughe
those three first partes which ye proposed vnto your
self to weete the inconveniences which ye observed
in the Lawes in the Customes & in the Religion of
that Land the which me seemes ye haue soe
throughlye towched, as that nothinge more remayneth
to be spoken •• therof,
Iren: not soe throughlye as ye suppose that
nothinge more can remayne but soe generallye as
I purposed that is to laye open the generall evills
of that Realme which doe hinder the good reformacion
therof,

111

Iren: yea but howe can the governers knowe redely
what persons those were & what the purpose of
their killinge was, yea & what will yowe saye
if the Capteines doe iustifie this their Course by
ensample of some of their governers, who (vnde
Benedicite I doe tell it vnto yow) doe practise the
like sleightes in their govermentes. /
Eudox. Is it possible take heed what yow saye Iren:
Iren To yowe onlye Eudox I doe tell it and
that evene with greater hartes greif & inwarde
trouble of mynde to see her Maiestie soe muche
abused by some whome they put in speciall
trust of those great affayers / of which some
beinge martiall men will not doe allwaies what
they maye for quietinge of thinges but will rather
wincke att some faultes & suffer them vnpunnished
least they havinge put all thinges in that
assurance of peace that they might be, should
seeme afterwardes not to be needed nor contynued in
their goverment with soe great charge of her Maiestie
And therfore they doe Cunninglye Carrye that
Course of gouerment & from one hand to an other
doe bandye the service like a Tennys Ball
which they will never streike quiet awaye for
feare least afterwardes they should want sport:
Eudox: yowe speake of vnder Magistrates Irenius
or of principall Governors.
Iren: I doe speake of particculars but the
trueth maye be founde out by tryall & reasonable
insighte into some of there doenges And if
I should said there is some blame hereof in
some of the principall Governors I thincke I
might also

113

and plainlie speake soe muche that the Governors
vsuallie are invious one of an others great glorye:
which if they woulde seeke to excell by better governinge
it shoulde be a moste laudable emulation but thei
doe quite otherwise, For this (as ye maye mark)
is the Comon ordre of them, that whoe comethe
next in place will not followe that Course of
goverment howe Ever good his predecessor hilde either
for disdayne of him self or doubt to haue his
doenges drowned in an other mans praise, but
will straighte take awaye quite Contrarye to the
former, as if the former thought by kepenge vnder
the Irishe to refourme them, the next by
discontynuenge the Englishe will carye favor
with the Irishe & soe make the goverment seme
plausible, as havinge all the Irishe at his comand
But he that comes next after will perhaps followe
neither the one nor the other, but will dandle the
one & the other in soche sorte as he will sucke sweet
out of them bothe and leave bitternesse to the
pore Land, which if he that Comes after shall
seeke to redresse he shall perhaps finde soche
Crosses as he shall hardly be able to beare or
to doe anie good that might wourke the disgrace
of his predecessor Ensamples hereof ye maye see
in the governors of late tyme sufficientlye and
in others of former tymes more manifestlye, when
the goverment of that Realme was Comitted
sometymes to the Geraldines, As when they
house of yorke helde the Crowne of England
sometymes to the Butlers, as when the house
of Lancaster gott the same, And otherwhiles
when an Englishe governor was appointed he
perhaps founde enemyes of bothe, & this is the
wretchednes of that fatall kingdome which I
thincke therfore

115

One hole to make manie, For the Irishe doe strongly
hate & abhorre all reformation & subieccion to the
Englishe by Reason that havinge bene once
subdewed by them they were thruste out of all
their possessions Soe as nowe they feare that if
they were againe brought vnder they shoulde
leikwise be expelled out of all which is the Cause
that they hate the Englishe goverment accordinge to
the sayeinge of Quem metuunt oderunt therfore
the reformation must nowe be with strengthe of
a greater power / .
Eudox: But me thinckes that might bee by
makinge of good Lawes & establyshinge of newe
statutes with sharpe pennalties & punishmentes
for amendinge of all that is presentlye Amisse
and not as ye suppose to beginne all as it were
a newe & alter the whole forme of the goverment
which howe daungerous a thinge it is to attempt
yow your self must needes confesse & they which have
the meanaginge of the Realmes whose pollicye
cannot without greate Cause feare & refrayne
For all innovacion is perillus in somuche as thoughe
it be meant for the better, yet soe manie accidentes
& fearefull eventes maie Come betwene, as that it
maye hazzard the losse of the whole /.
Iren verie true Eudox:, all chaunge is to be shonned
where the affayers stand in soche state as that they
maye Contynewe in quietnesse or be assured att
all to abide as they are but that in the Realme
of Ireland wee see muche otherwise: for everye daye
wee perceive the troubles growinge more vppon
vs & one evill growinge on an other insoemuche
as their is noe part nowe sounde or ascertented
but all haue their evills vpright waytinge when
the watchworde shall come that they should all
arise generally

117

for that they might otherwise be brought perhaps to
good as namelye by this waye which I sett before
yowe / .
Eudox: ys not your waye all one with the former
in effect which ye found fault with save onlye
this oddes that I said by the halter & ye saie
by the sworde what difference is theare .
Iren. Theare is surely a great when yowe
shall vnderstand yt for by the sworde which I
named I doe not meane the Cuttinge of of
all that nation with the sword (which farr be it
from me that ever I should thincke so desperatly
or wishe soe vncharitablye) but by the sword
I meane the Royall power of the Prince which
ought to stretche yt forthe in her cheiffest strengthe
to the redressinge & cuttinge of, of those evills which
I before blamed & not of the people which are evill
for evill people by good ordinances & government maye
be made goode, but the evill that is of it self
evill will never become Goode . / .
Eudox: I praie yowe then declare your mynde
att Lardge howe ye woulde wishe that sword
which ye meane to be vsed to the reformation
of all those evills .
Iren: The firste thinge muste be to send over
into that Realme soche a stronge power of
men as that should perforce bringe in all that
rebellious route of loose people which either doe
nowe stand owt in open Armes or in wandringe
Companies doe kepe the woodes spoylinges and
infestinge the good subiecte /
Eudox:

119

sendinge over nowe Twentie thowsand Powndes & nexte
half yere tenne thowsand, soe as the said souldier in
the meane tyme is for want of due provicion of victell
& good paiement, of his souldior starved & consumed that
of a thowsand which came over lustie able men in haf
a yere theare are not lefte v^C and yet is the Quenes
charge never a whitt the lesse, but what is not paid
in present money is accompted in debt, which will not
be longe vnpaide for the Capteine half of whose soldiers
are deade and the other quarter never mustered nor
sene comes shortlye to demaund paiement here of his
whole accompt where by good meanes to some great
ones & privye sharinge with the servauntes & officers of
other some he receyveth his debte muche lesse perhaps
then was due yett much more indeed then he
iustlie deserved:
Eudox: I take this sure to be noe good husbandrye for
what must needes be spent as good spent at once
wheare is enoughe as haue it drawen out into longe
delaies seinge that therbie bothe the service is muche
hindred and yet nothinge saved, But it maye be
Iren: that the Quenes treasuer in soe great
occasions of huge disbursementes as it is well knowne
shee hathe bene att Latelie is not allwaies so redy nor
• soe plentifull as it can spare soe great a somme
togither: but beinge paid as it is nowe some & then
it is noe great burden vnto her nor anie greate
impouerishment to her Coffers seeinge by soche delaye
of tyme that it daylie Cometh in as faste as shee
powreth it owte / .
Iren: It maie be as yowe saye, But for the goeinge
thorough•• of soe honorable a Course I doubt not but
if the Quenes Coffers be not soe well stored (which
wee are not to looke into) but that the whole Realme
which nowe as thinges are vsed) doe feele a contynuall
burden of that wretched Realme hangeinge vppon
their Backes

121

in soche places as I should thincke might moste annoye
him . /
Eudox: But howe Can that be Iren: with soe fewe
men, for the enemye as ye nowe see is not all
in one Countrye but some in Vlster some in
Connaght & others in Leinster soe as to plante
stronge Garrisons in all those places shoulde
neede manie more men then ye speake of or to
plant all in one & to leave the Reste naked should
be but to leave them to the spoyle . /
Iren I would the Cheif power of the ••••••••
Armye to be garrisoned in one Countrye that
is strongest & the Reste vppon the Rest that
are weakest, As for Ensample the Earle of
Tyrone is nowe Counted the strongeste vppon him
would I laye Eight Thowsande men in
Garrison a Thowsand vppon feagh m^a Hughe &
the Cavanaghes and a Thowsand vppon
some partes of Connaght to be at the direction of
the Governor . /
Eudox I see nowe all •• your men bestowed, but
in what places would yow sett their garrison that
they might rise out most Conveniently to service
And thoughe perhaps I am Ignorant of the
plan, yet I will take the mapp of Ireland
before me & make myne eyes in the meane
whyle my Schoulmasters to guide my vnderstandinge
to iudge of your Plott . / .
Iren: Those Eight thowsand of Vlster I wold
devide likewise into three partes soe as theare sholde
be too Thowsand footemen in euerye garrison, The
which I would thus place vppon the Blackewater
in some convenient

123

liekwise have them haue store of hoes & shoes with soche
other necessaries as maie be needfull for soldiers
Soe as they should haue noe occasion to looke for
releif abroade or occasion soche troble for their
contynuall supplie as I see & haue often proved
in Ireland to be more Combrous to the deputie &
daungerous & daungerous to them that releive them
then half the leadinge of an Armie for the
enemyes knowinge the ordinarye waies by which
their releif must be brought them, vsethe
Comonlye to drawe him self into the streight
passages thitherward & oftentymes dothe dangerously
distresse them Besides the paie of soche force
as shoulde be sent for their convoye the charge
of the Carriages the of the Contry
shalbe spared but onlye euerye half yere the
supplie brought by the deputye him self and
his power whoe shall then visit & overlooke
all those garrisons to see what is needed to
change what is expedient & to direct what
shall best advise, And these fower garrisons
issuenge fourthe at soche convenient tymes as
they shall have intelligence or especiallye
vppon the enemye, will soe drive him from
one side to an other & tenes him amongst them
that he shall finde noe where safe to kepe
his Crete nor hide him self but flyeinge from
the fyer shall fall into the water & out of
one Daunger into an other, that in shorte
space his Crete which is his most sustenance
shalbe wasted with prayeinge or killed with
Dryvinge or starved for want of pastuer
in the woodes and he him self broughte soe
Lowe that

125

Iren: I haue leikwise harde & seene proof therof trewe
but that was of soche outlawes as were either abidinge
in well inhabited Countreis as in Mounster or borderinge to
the Englishe pale as Phehaghe m^a Hughe the
Cavanaghes the Mores the Dempses the ketins the
kellies or soche like, For for them in deede the winter
is the fittest tyme for spoylinge & Robbinge bicause the
nightes are then (as ye said longest & darkest, &
also the Countreis all about are then fullest of
Corne & good provicion to be euerye where gotten
by them but it is farre otherwise with a stronge
peopled enemye that possesse a wholle Countrye
For the other indeed beinge but a fewe are
privilye lodged & kept in outvillages & Corners
nighe the woodes & mountaynes by some their
prevye frendes to whome they bringe their
spoyles and stealthes & of whome they continually
receive secrete releif, but the open enemye
havinge all his Countrye wasted what by him
self & what by the souldier findeth then
succor in noe place: Townes theare are none
of which he maie gett spoyle they are all burnt
Countrye houses & Farmors there be none thei
be all fledd breade he hathe none he
plowed not in somer fleshe he hathe •••• but
if he kill it in winter he shall want milke
in somer & shortly want lief, Therfore if
they be well followed but one winter ye
shall have litle wourke with them the next
Somer . / .
Eudox: I doe

127

whome they thincke vnservicable as ould men weomen
Children ••••• and hindes which they Call Churles
which would onlye waste their victualls & yeild
them noe aide but their Cattell they will surely
kepe awaye, These therfor thoughe Pollicye
would turne them backe againe, that they might
be rather consume & afflict the other Rebells
yet in pittifull Comiseration I would have
them to be Receyved, the Rather for that these
base sorte of people dothe not for the most parte
Rebell of them selues havinge noe hart therunto
but is of force drawen by the grande Rebells
into the Accion & Carried awaie with the
violence of the streame ells he shoulde be
sure to Loose all that he hathe and perhaps
his lief too the which nowe he Carrieth vnto
them in hope to enioye them theare but he is
theare by the stronge rebells them selues soune
turned out of all soe that the Constraint hereof
maye in him deserve pardon likewise if anie
of their hable men or gentlemen shall then
offer to Come awaye & to bringe ther Crete with
them, as some noe doubt maie steale them
awaye previlye, I wishe them also to be
receyved for the dishablinge of the enimye
but with all that good assurance maie be
taken for their true behavior & absolute submission
and that then they be not suffred to Remayne
anie longer in those partes noe nor about the
garrison but sent awaye into the inner partes of
the Realme & disposed in soche sorte as
they shall not

129

others ye have proposed a mercifull meanes much
more then they haue deserved but what then
shall be the Conclusion of this warre for ye
have prefixed a shorte time of his Contynnewanc:
Iren: The ende will I assure me be verie shorte
and muche sooner then can be in soe great a troble
(as it semeth) hoped for Although thear should
none of them fall by the sword nor be slayne
by the soldier, yet thus beinge kept from manuraunc
& their Cattell from ••••••••• comminge abroade by
this harde restraint they wold quickly consume
them selues & devoure one other, the proof
wherof I sawe sufficientlie insampled in
those late warres of mounster for notwithstandinge
that the same was a most riche & plentifull
Countrye full of Corne and Cattle that ye
would have thought they Could haue bene hable
to stande longe, yett ere one yere and a half
that they were brought to soe wonderfull wretched=
=nes as that anie stonie harte would haue Rewed
the same, out of euerye corner of the woodes and
glinnes they Came crepeinge forthe vppon their
handes, for theare legges coulde not beare them
they looked like anotymies of deathe they speake
like ghostes cryinge out of their graves, they ded
eate the deade Carions, happye were they
Could finde them, yea and one an other soone
after, insomuche as the verie Carcases they spared
not to scrape out of ther graves And if they
founde a Plotte of watercresses or Shamorockes
theare they flocked as to a feaste for the tyme
yet not hable longe to Contynue there withall
that in short space theare were none almost
lefte, and a most populus & plentifull contry
suddeinlye lefte

131

But also con them litle thanckes which haue bene the aucthors & counsellors
of soche bloodie platformes, soe I remembre that in the late goverment of
that good lorde Graye when after longe traveile & manie perillus assaies
he hadd brought thinges allmost to this passe that ye speake of that
it was evene made readie for reformatyon & might have ben brought
to what her Maiestie would like complainte was made against him
that he was a bloodie man & regarded not the lief of ther subiectes no more
then dogges but hadd wasted & consumed all soe as nowe shee hadd
almost nothinge lefte but to raigne in their Ashes Eare was soone
lent therunto all suddenlie turned topsideturvaye, he noble Lord eftsones
was blamed the wretched people pittied & newe counsells plotted
in which it was concluded that a generall pardon should be sent over
to all that wold accepte of it vppon which all former purposes were
blancked the governor at a baye & not only that great & long
charge which shee hadd before bene at quite lost & cancelled but
also all that hope of good which was evene at the dore put backe and
cleane frustrate, All which whither it be true or noe your self can
well tell:
Iren: Too trewe Eudox: the more the pittie, for I maie not forgett soe
memorable a thinge neither can I be ignorant of that perillus
device & of the whole meanes by which it was compassed & verye
cuninglie contrived by sewinge first discention betwene him & an
other noble personage wherin they bothe at lengthe founde howe notably
thei hadd bene abused & howe therbie vnderhande this vniuersall
alteration of thinges was brought about, But then to late to staye
the same for in the meane tyme all that was formerlie done with
longe laboure & great toyle, was (as yow saye) in a moment vndonn
& that goode lorde blotted with the name of the bloody man. whome
whoe that well knewe, ••• knewe to be most gentle affable
lovinge and temperate but that the necessitie of that present state of
thinges enforced him to that violence & allmost changed his verie
naturall disposition, But otherwise he was soe farre from delightinge
in blood that oftentimes he suffred not iust vengeance to fall where
it was deserved & evene some of those which were afterwardes his accusers
hadd tasted to muche of his mercie & were from the gallowes broughte
to be his accusers but his course indeed was this that he spared
not the heades & principalls of anie mischevious practise or
rebellion, but shewed sharpe iudgment on them for ensamples sake
that all the meaner sorte which alsoe were then generallie infected with
that evill mighte by terror therof be reclaymed & saved if it were
possible for in that laste conspiracie of the Englishe pale thincke yow
not that theare were manie more guiltie then that felte the
pvnishment: or was theare anie allmost Clere from the same, yet
he touched onlye a fewe of speciall note & in the triall of them
alsoe evene to prevent the blame of Crueltie & partiall proceedinge
and seekinge their blood which he in his great wisdome (as it semed
ded foresee

133

from their owne kinge: soe as it shoulde be dishonorable for him
in the name of his Quene to Condicion or make anie termes
with soche Rascalls: But lefte them to their Choice to yeild
& submitt them selues or noe, whervppon the said Coronell
ded absolutelie submitt •h•im self•• and the forte withall
therin and craved onlie mercy which it beinge not thought
good to shewe them, bothe for daunger of them selues if
beinge saved, they should afterwardes ioyne with the Irishe
& also for terror of the Irishe whoe were much imbouldened
by those forreine succours & also put in hope of more ere longe
there was noe other waie but to make that shorte ende
of them which was made, Therfore most vntruelye and
maliciouslye doe these evill tonges backbite & sclaunder the
sacred Ashes of that most iuste & honorable personage whose
least virtue of manie most excellent which abounded in his
heroicke spirite they were never able to aspire vnto. / .
Eudox. Truelie Iren: I am Righte gladd to be thus satisfied
by yow in that I haue often heard questioned & yet was never
able till nowe to choke the mouthe of soche detractors with the
certeine knowledge of their sclaunderous vntruthe, neither
is the knowledge hereof unpertinent to that which we formerly
hadd in hand I meane to your throughe prosecuteinge of that
sharpe Course which ye haue sett downe for your bringinge
vnder of those Rebells of Vlster & Connaght and
preparinge awaye to their perpetuall reformacion least
happelie by anie soche sinister suggestions of cruelty
& too muche bloodshedd all the plot might be ouerthrown
& all the Coste & Labor therin employed be vtterly
caste awaye / .
Iren: ye saie most true for after that Lordes
callinge awaye from theare the two Lordes Iustices
contynued but a whyle of which the one was of mynde
(as it semed) to have contynued in the footinge of
his predecessor, but that he was curbed & Restrayned
but the other was more myldlye disposed as was meet
for his profession & willinge to have all the pittifull
woundes of that Comon wealth healed & Recured
but not with that heed as they should be, After
whome sir

135

be placed never soe carefully & their Capteines fild never soe
sufficientlie yet maye they if they list discarde whome
they please & sende awaye soche as will perhaps willingly
be ridd of that dangerous & harde service The which well
I wote is their comen Custome to doe when they are laid in
Garrison, for then they maie better hide their defaultes
then when they are in Campe wheare they are contynually
eyed & noted of all men Besides when their paye commeth
they will (as they vse) detayen the greatest portions therof
at their pleasure by an hundred shiftes, that neede
not here be named, throughe which they oftentymes
deceyve the souldier abuse the Quene & greatlye
hinder the service Soe that let the Quene paye
never soe fullie, let the mustar master viewe them never
soe dilligentlye, lett the deputye or generall looke to
him never soe exactly yet they can Cosen them all
Therfore me semes it were good if at least it be
possible to make some provition for this inconvenience / .
Iren: It will surelie be verie hard: but the cheiffest help
for prevention hereof must be the Care of the Coronell
that hathe the goverment of all his Garrison to have an
eye to their Alteration to knowe the nombre &
names of the sicke souldiers and the slayne marke &
observe their Ranckes in their daylie Ryseinge forthe
to service by which he cannot easilye be abused soe that
he him self be a man of speciall assurance & integritye
and therfore great regard in the Choosinge & appointinge
of them Besides I wold not by anie meanes that
the Capteines should haue the payenge of ther souldiers
but that their should be a paye master appointed of speciall
trust which should paie euerye mane accordinge to his
Capteines tickett, and the accompt of the Clarke of
his band. For by this meanes the Capteine will never
seeke either to falsefie his alterations nor to diminishe
his Companie nor to deceyve his souldiers when
nothinge therof shall sure to come vnto him self but
what is his owne bare paye, And this is the maner
of the Spanierd whoe never hathe to medle withe
his souldiers

137

all the time of these warres shoulde offer to come in & submitt
him self to her maiestie would ye not haue him receyved giving
good hostages ••••• & sufficient assurance of him self
Iren: Noe marie, for theare is noe doubt but he will offer to
come in as he hathe done diuerse times allreadie, but it is
withowt anie intent of true meaninge or submission as the
effecte haue well shewed neither inded can he come nowe
in att all if he would nor geive that assurance of him self that
should be meet for beinge as he is verily subtillie headed seinge
himself nowe soe farre enaged in his badd Accion can he
thincke that by his submission he can purchase to himself anie
safetie but that hereafter when thinges shalbe quieted these
his villanies wilbe ever Remembred & when soeuer he shall
treade awrye as needes the moste Righteous must somtymes
advantage wilbe taken therof as a breach of his pardon & he
brought to a Reckoninge of all former matters / Besides howe hard
it is for him nowe to frame him self to subieccion that havinge
once sett before his eyes the hope of a kingdome hath therunto
not onlie founde encouragement from the greatest kinge in
Cristendome but also found great faintnes in her Maiestie with-
standinge him, wherbie he is animated to thincke that his
power is alle to defende him & offende further then he hath
done when soe he please lett everie Reasonable man Iudge
But if he him self •• should come in, & leave all
other his accomplices without as Odonell Macmahan
Macknyre & the Rest he must needes thincke, that then
evene they will eare longe cut his throte which havinge
drawen them all into this occasion nowe in the middest
of their troble geiveth them the slipp, wherbie he
must needes perceive howe impossible it is for him to
submitt him self, But yett if he wolde soe doe can
he not geive anie assurance of his good obedience: For
howe weake hold theare is by hostages hathe too often
bene proved, And that which is spoken of takinge
Shane O'neales sonnes from him & settinge them
vpp against him is a verie perillus Counsell & not
by anie meanes to be put in profe for were they lett forthe
& Could overthrowe whoe shall afterwardes overthrowe them
Or what

139

to serve against him howe like yowe that device /.
Iren: muche wourse then the former for whoe that is
experienced in those partes knoweth not that the Oneales are
nerelie allied vnto the Mackonells of Scotland & to the
Earle of Argile from whence they vse to haue all their
successors of those Scottes & Redshanckes besides all
these Scottes are through longe contynuance entermingled
& allied to all the inhabitantes of the northe soe as theare
is noe hope that they will ever be wrought to serve
faithfullie against their olde Frendes & kinsmen, And
thoughe they would howe when the warres are finished
& they have overthrowen him shall they them selues
be put owt doe we not all knowe ••• that the Scottes
were the firste inhabitantes of all the northe & yt those
which are nowe called north Irishe are indeed verye
scottes which challendge the Auncient inheritaunc and
dominion of all that Country to be theare owne
auncientlie This then were then but to leape out
of the pan into the fyer, For the Cheiffest caviat
& provision in Reformation of the north must be to kepe
owt the Scottes. /
Eudox. Indeed I remembre that in your discourse of
the first peoplinge of Ireland ye shewed that the
Scithians or Scottes were the first that satt downe
in the northe wherbie it semes they maie challendge
some right therin howe comes it then that Oneale
Claymes the Dominion therof & this Earle of
Tyrone saithe the Righte is in him I praye yow
Resolue me therin for it is verie needfull to be
knowne & maketh muche vnto the Right of the warr
against him whose successe vseth comonly to be
accordinge to the iustnes of the Cause for which it
is made, for if Tirone haue anie right in that
seignory me semes it should be wronge to thust
him out Or if (as I remembre ye said in
the begyninge /

141

Eudox: I am verie gladd herein to be thus satisfied
by yowe that I maye the better satisfie them whome
I haue often hearde to obiect these doubtes and
sclaunderously to bark att the Courses which are held
against that trayterous Earle & his Adherentes.
but nowe that yowe have thus setled your service
for Vlster & Connagh, I wold be gladd to
heare your oppinion for the prosecuteinge of Feagh
m^a Hughe whoe beinge but a Base villaine
& of him self of noe power yet soe contynually
troubleth that state, notwithstandinge that he
liveth vnder their nose that I disdayne his bold
arrogancye I thincke it to be the greatest indignity
to the Queene that maye be to suffer soche a
caytife playe soche Rexe & by his ensample not
only to geive harte & encouragement to all soche
bould rebells but alsoe to yeild them succoure &
refuge against her Maiestie, whensoeuer they flye into
his comericke, wherfore I would first wyshe before
yowe enter into your plott of service against him
that yow should laie open by what meanes he
beinge soe base firste lifted him self vpp to this
daungerous greatnes & howe he mayneteyneth
his parte against the Quene & her power
notwithstandinge all that hathe bene done &
attempted against him, And whither also he
haue anie pretence of Right in the Landes he
holdeth or in the warres that he maketh for the same /
Iren: I will soe att your pleasure & since ye desier
to knowe his firste begyninge I will not only discouer
the begyninge of his private house but also the originall
of all his sept of the Birnes & Tooles soe farre
as I have Lerned the same from some of them selues
and gathered

143

vnto him parte of the spoyle of all the Cuntrye through
which he grewe stronge & in shorte span got vnto
him self a greate manie therbie amonst the Irish
in whose fotinge this his sonne contynuinge hathe
throughe manie vnhappie occasions increased his
said name & the opynion of his greatnes soe that
nowe he is become a daungerous enemye to deale
withall . /
Eudox: Surelie I can Comend him that beinge of him
self of soe meane Condition hathe through his
owne hardines lifted him self vpp to that height
that he nowe dare front Princes & make termes
with great Potentates: the which as it is to him
honorable soe it is to them most disgracefull to be
bearded of soche a base varlet, that beinge but late
growne out of the dunghill beginneth nowe to
overcrowe soe highe mountaynes and make him •••
self great protector of all Outlawes & Rebells
that will repare vnto him, But do yowe thincke that
he is nowe so daungerous an enemy as he is counted
or that it is soe hard to take him downe as some suppose:
Iren: Noe verilie there is noe great Reckoninge
to be made of him for hadd he ever ben taken
in hand when the Rest of the Realme or at leaste
the partes adioyninge had bene quiete as the honorable
gentleman that nowe governeth theare I meane
Sir William Russell gave a notable attempt therunto
& hadd as wourthelie performed it yf his Course
hadd not bene crossed vnhappelie he could have stoode thre
monithes nor ever have looked vpp against anie meane
power But nowe all the partes about him beinge vpp in
a maddinge moode as the mores in leix the Cavanaghes
in the Countye of wexforde & some of the butlers in the
county of kilkennye they all flocke vnto him & drawe
vnto his Cuntrye as to a stronge hould where they
thincke to be safe from all that doe persecute them,
And from thence they doe at their pleasuers
break out

145

Glenne wherto he soemuche trusteth, at knocklouh ij^C
footemen & fiftie horsemen to answere the Countye of
Carle at Arclo or Wicklo CC footemen to defende all
that side toward the sea in Shillelah C footemen
which should cut him from the Cavanaghes and
the Countye of wexford and about the three Castles
fiftie hosemen which should defende all dublyn &
a C footemen att Talbottes towne which should kepe
him from breakinge into the Countye of kildare, and
be allwaies on his necke on that side, The which
Garrisons soe Layde will soe buisye him that he
shall never reste at home nor sturre fourthe
abroade but he shalbe hadd, As for his Create
they Cannot be above growned but they must
needes fall into their handes or starue for he hathe
noe fastnes nor restinge for them and as for the
partakers of the mores Butlers and Cavanaghes
they will soone leave him when they see his
fastnes & stronge places thus taken from him . / .
Eudox: Surelie this semeth a plott of great reason
& small difficultie which promiseth hope of a
shorte ende, But what speciall direccions will
ye sett downe for the services & risinges out of these
Garrisons / .
Iren: None other then the present occasions shall
minister vnto them and as by good especialls wherfore
theare they cannot want store they shalbe drawne
Contynually vppon him soe as one of them shalbe
still vppon him & sometymes all at one instante
baytinge him And this I assure my self will
demand no longe tyme but wilbe all finished in the
space of one yere which howe small a thinge vnto
the eternall quietnes which shall therby be purchased
to that Realme & the great good which shall growe
•••••• to her maiestie should me thincks redilye
Drawe on her highnes to the vndertakinge of the
enterprise /
Eudox: /

147

thinges from this desolate estate in which me thinckes
I behould them nowe lefte ••••• vnto that perfect
establishment & newe comen wealth which ye haue
Conceyved of which soe greate goode maye redound
to her Maiestie & an assured peace be confirmed
for that is it wherunto we are nowe to looke
& doe greatlye longe for beinge longe sithens
made wearye with the huge Charge which ye
have laid vpon vs & with the stonye endurance
of soe manie Complaintes soe manie delaies
soe manie doubtes & daungers as will hereof
I knowe well, arise vnto the which before ye
come it were meete me thinckes that ye shold
take some ordre for the soldier which is nowe
firste to be discharged & disposed of some
waye, the which if ye doe not well foresee
maye growe to as great inconvenience as all
this that wee suppose ye haue quitt vs from
by the loose leavinge of soe manie thowsandes soldiers
which from thensforthe will be •••• vnfitt for any
Labor or other trade but must either seeke
service & imployment abroade which maie be dangerous
or ells will perhaps employe them selues here at
home as maye be discomodious:
Iren: ye saye verie trewe, And it is indeed a
thinge muche misleiked in this our comen wealthe
but noe better course is taken for soche as
haue bene imployed once in service but that
returninge whither maymed or soe vnhable to
laboure or otherwise thoughe hole & sounde yett
afterwardes vnwillinge to wourke rather willinge
to sett the hangeman to wourke But that nedeth
an other Conscideracion: but to this that we have
nowe in hande it is farre from my meaning
to leave the soldier soe at Random or to leave
that wast Realme soe weak & destitute of
strengthe which maie bothe defende it against other
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theare be a generall proclamation made that what soeuer
Outlawes will freelie come in & submitt them selues
to her Maiesties mercie shall haue libertie soe to doe, wheare
they shall •• either fynde that grace that thei desier or have
leave to returne againe in safetie, vppon which it is
liklye that soe manie as survive will come in to sewe
for grace. Of which who•• so are thought meete for
subieccion and fit to be brought to good maye be
receyved or ells all of them for I thincke that all
wilbe but a verie fewe vppon Condition & assuraunc
that they will submitt them selues absolutely to her Maiesties
ordinance for them by which they shalbe assured of
of lief & libertie and be only tyed to soche Conditions
as shalbe thought by her meet for Conteyninge them
ever after in due obedience, To the which conditions
I nothinge doubt but that they will all most redily
& vppon their knees submitt them selues by the
proof of that which I sawe in Mounster for vppon
the like proclamation there they all came in bothe
tagge & Ragge and when as afterward manie of
them were denied to be received they bad them
doe with them what they woulde for they would not
by anie meanes returne againe nor goe fourthe for
in that Case whoe will not accept allmost of any
Conditions rather then die of hunger & misery:
Eudox: It is verie liklye soe but what then
is the ordinance and what be the Conditions
which ye will propose vnto them that
shall Reserve vnto them an Assurance
of lief & libertie . / .
Iren: soe soone •• then they haue geiven the best
Assurance of them selues which maye be requirid
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in some meet sort as each maie therby have some
what to sustayne him self a while withall vntill
by his further traveile & labour of the earthe he
shallbe able of him self to provide better /.
Eudox:
But will ye then geive the land freely vnto them
& make them heiers of the former rebells, soe may ye
perhaps make them heiers of all their former villenies
& disorders or howe ells will ye dispose of them
Iren: Not soe but all the Landes I will geive vnto
Englishmen whome I will haue drawne thither
who shall haue the same with soch estates as shalbe
thought meet & for soche Rent as shalbe eftsoones be
Rated vnder euerie of these Englishmen will I
place some of those Irishe to be tenantes for a
Certeine Rent accordinge to the quantitie of soche
Land as euerie man shall haue allotted vnto him
& shall be found hable to welde, wherin this
speciall Regard shalbe hadd that in noe place
vnder anie Landlord there shalbe manie of them
planted togither but dispersed wyde from
their acquaintaunces & scattred farr abroad throughe
all the Contry: For that is the evill which I nowe
finde in all Ireland that the Irishe dwell all
togither by their septes & seuerall nations soe as
they maie practise or Conspire what they will
wheras if theare weare Englishe shedd amongst
them & placed over them they should not be
able euer to sturr or to murmour for that it
should be knowne & they shortned accordinge
to their Demerittes:
Eudox: ye haue good Reason but what Rating
of Rentes meane yow to what end doe yow purpose the same
Iren: My purpose is to rate the Rent of all those
Landes of her Maiesties in soche sort vnto those
Englishmen which shall take them as they maye
be well

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to other vses and the souldiers in tymes of peace
discharged & necglected as vnnecessary wheras if
the said rent were appointed & ordayned by an
establishment to this ende only it should not be turned
to anie other nor in troublous tymes vppon euerye
occasion her Maiestie be soe troubled with sendinge over
newe souldiers as shee nowe is nor the Contry euer
should dare to mutine havinge still the souldier •• in their
necke nor anie forraine enemye dare to invade knowing here soe
stronge a Garrison allwaies redie to receyve him / .
Eudox: Sithe then ye thincke this of the paie of the soldier
vppon the land to be bothe the readiest waie to the souldier
& leaste troublesome to hir Maiestie, tell vs I praie yow howe
ye would haue the said landes rated that bothe a rent maye
rise therout vnto the Quene and also the soldiers paye
which me semes wilbe harde /.
Iren: Firste we are to Conscider howe muche land thear is
in all Vlster that Accordinge to the quantitie therof wee may
Cesse the said rent & allowance issueing therout Vlster
as the Auncient recordes of that Realme doe testifie dothe
Contayne Nyne thowsandes Plowlandes euerie of which plowlands
Conteyneth sixe score Acres after the Rate of xxj foote to euerye
Pearche of the said Acre which amounteth to in the whole vnto
1240000 Acres, Euerye of which plowlandes which shall excheat
vnto her Maiestie maie be rented at xlvis viijd by the yere
which is not muche more then jd ob' the Acre the which rente
amounteth in the whole to xviij^{iij li}, But bicause the
Countie of Louth beinge •• a parte of Vlster & contayning
in yt vij^C and xij plowlandes is not wholie to excheat
vnto her Maiestie: •• ••• ••••• •••••• as the reste they havinge
in all those warres contynued for the moste parte dutifull
thoughe otherwise a great parte therof is nowe vnder the
Rebells theare is an abatement to be made here out of
iiij^C or v^C plowlandes as I estimate the same the which are
not to paye the whole yerelie Rente of xl^s out of every
plowland like as the excheated landes doe, but yett shall pay
for their Composicion of Cesse towardes the maintenanc of the
souldier xxs

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be graunted to incorporate them, The which as will be no matter
of dificultie to drawe out of England persons which would very
be soe placed, soe wold it in shorte space turne those partes to
great Comoditie & bringe erre longe to her Maiestie much profitt
for those places are soe fitt for trade & trafficke havinge most
Covenient outgages by Rivers to the sea & ingates to the
Richest partes of the Lande that they would soone be
inriched & mightelie enlarged for the verie seatinge of
Garrisons by them besides the safetie & assuraunce which
they shall worke vnto them will alsoe drawe thither
store of people and trade, as I haue sene ensampled att
Mariburghe & Philipstowne in leinster whear by
reason of those two fortes thoughe theare were butt small
wardes lefte in them theare are too goode towne • nowe
growne which are the greatest staye of both those ij Counties
Eudox: Indeed me seemes three soche towne as ye
saye would doe verie well in those places with the garrisons
& in shorte space would be soe augmented as they wold
be able with litle help to inwall them selues strongly
But for the plantinge of all the Rest of the Contry
what ordre would ye take / .
Iren: what other then as I said to bringe people out
of England which should inhabit the same, wherunto
though I doubt not but that great troupes would
be readie to ronne, yet for that in soche Cases the
worst & most decayed men are moste readie to remove
I would wishe them rather to be chosen out of all partes
of this realme either by discretion of wise men therunto
appointed or by lott or by the Drume as was the old
vse in sendinge fourthe of Collonies or soche other good•
meanes as shall in their wisdome be thought meetest,
Amongst the cheif of which I would haue / the Lande sett
into Seignories in soche sorte as it is nowe in Mounster
& devided into Hundredes & parishes or wardes as it is
in Ingland & laid out in shiers as it was Aunciently
Videlicet the

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those in Vlster Countinge theare Composition money there
with all soe as it maie Ronne into one Reckoninge with
the former two Counties, Soe that this Countie of Roscoman
Conteyninge xij^C plowlandes as it is accounted amounteth
to ij^m iiij^C powndes by the yere which with the Former
two Counties Rent maketh about viij^m vij^C poundes for
the former wanted somewhat, But what the excheated
Landes of the County of Gallway & lietrim will arise
vnto it is yet vncerteine to define till survaye therof
be made for that those Landes are intermingled withe
the Earle of Clanricard & others Landes but it is
thought that they be the one half of bothe those countyes
soe as they maye be Counted to the valewe of one
whole Countie which Conteyneth above one thowsande
plowlandes (for soe manie the least County of all
Comprehendeth which maketh two thowsand poundes
more that in all about x or xj^m poundes the other
two Countyes must remayne till thear excheates appere
The which lettinge passe yet as vnknowne, yett this
muche is knowne & to be accounted for Certeine that
the Composition of these two Counties beinge Rated at
xxs euerie plowlandes will amount to ij^{m li} more
all which beinge land togither to the Former maye be
resonablie estimated vnto xiij^m poundes the which some
togither with the rent of the excheated Landes in the two laste
Countyes which cannot yet be valewed (beinge as I doubt
not lesse then a Thowsand powndes more) will yeyld
paie lardglie vnto a thowsand men & their victellers
and a thowsand powndes •••• over towardes the governor
Eudox: ye haue me thinckes made but an estimate
of those Landes of Connaght evene at a very venture
soe as it should be •••• hard to buylde any
Certeinetye of charge to be Raised vppon the
same ./ .
Iren:

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