the Irish. Item the Lord William Burgh Earle of Ulster led forth an army out of Ulster into Mounster against Briene O-Brene Also the Lady Joan Countesse of Kildare was at Maynoth delivered of William her first sonne that the Lord John Darcy had by her whiles the Lord John abode in England Item Reymund Lawles is slaine treacherously at Wickelow More a Parliament was holden at Kilkenny by Frier Roger Utlaw the Prior of Kylmainon then Lievtenant under the Lord Justice at which were present Alexander Archbishop of Dublin the Lord William Earle of Ulster the Lord James Earle of Ormond the Lord William Bermingham and Walter Burk of Conaght and every of them with a great power set forward to expell Brien O-Brene out of Urkiff neere Cashill Also Walter Burk with his army of Connaght harried the lands of the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas bringing back with him the booty to Urkiff Item the Lord Earle of Ulster and the Earle of Desmund namely the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas for this is the first time that I call him Earle are appointed to the safe keeping of the Marshall at Lymeric by Frier Roger Utlaw Justice of Ireland But the Earle of Desmond by a wile escaped out of the custody of the said Marshall and went his way MCCCXXXI The Lord Hugh Lacy with the Kings pardon and peace entred Ireland Also the Earle of Ulster entred England Also there was given an overthrow to the Irish in Okenseley by the English the one and twenty day of April Item the same day on the Vigill of Saint Marke the Evangelist the O-Tothely came to Tanelagh and robbed Alexander Archbishop of Dublin tooke away three hundred sheepe and slew Richard White and other honest men of his company Then ran rumours to Dublin of that depredation and slaughter and Sir Philip Bryt knight and Frier Moris Fitz-Gerald Knight of the order of Knights Hospitalers Hamnud Archdekyn Iohn Chamberlane Robert Tyrell and the two sons of Reginald Bernewall and many others but especially of the retinew of the Lord Archbishop of Dublin were by a traine or ambush slaine by David O-Tothill in Culiagh Also the Lord William Bermingham led forth a great army against the foresaid Irish and did much harme unto them but more would have done had he not beene empeached by the false promises of the Irish. Item those of the English pale at Thurles gave a great overthrow unto Briene O-Brene and slew many of the Irish in the moneth of May. Item at Finnagh in Meth the English of the said pale defeated the Irish upon the eleventh day of June Also when famine encreased much in Ireland the mercy of God so disposed that upon the seven and twenty day of June there came to land a mighty multitude of great sea fishes to wit Thurlhedis such as in many ages past had never beene seene which by the estimation of many men amounted to the number of five hundred and this hapned neere unto Connyng and the water called Dodyz in the haven of Dublin about evening and Anthony Lord Lucy then Justice of Ireland with his owne people and certain citizens of Dublin amongst whom was Philip Cradock killed of the foresaid fishes above 200. and no man was forbidden to carry away the same Justice giving order therefore Item Antony Lord Lucy Justice of Ireland ordained a common Parliament at Dublin in the Utas of Saint Iohn Baptist unto which certaine of the Ancients of the land came not Then the said Justice removed to Kilkenny proroging the said Parliament from the foresaid Octaves unto the feast of Saint Peter ad Vincula Unto which place there repaired the Lord Thomas Fitz-Thomas and many other Nobles of the land who came not in before submitting themselves to the Kings grace and mercy And the King for his part as much as concerned himselfe under a certaine forme of pardon gratiously forgave all the mischiefes committed by the foresaid persons in the land Also the castle of Fernis is taken by the Irish perfidiously and burned in the month of August Item the said Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas of Desmund is taken by order from the counsell at Lymerick by the said Lord Justice the morrow after the assumption of the blessed Virgin Mary and with the Justice brought to the castle of Dublin the seventh day of October Item Henry Mandevile is apprehended in the month of September and led to the castle of Dublin by vertue of a warrant from Simon Fitz-Richard Justice in the Kings Bench. Item Walter Burck who with his two brethren of whole blood are taken in Connaght by the Earle of Ulster in November and conveied by the same Earle unto the castle of North-burg in the month of Februarie Also the Lord William Bermingham with his son Walter Bermingham are attached at Clomell by the said Justice in the moneth of February notwithstanding the Kings charter or pardon given unto them before by the Justice above named and are brought unto the Castle of Dublin the nineteenth day of Aprill Item the Irish of Leinster made spoile of the English and burnt Churches and in the Church of Freineston they burnt about fourescore men and women and a certain Chaplain of the said Church arraied in his sacred vestiments and with the body of our Lord they repelled backe with their javelins when he would have gone forth and burnt him with the rest in the Church These newes came unto the eares of the Lord Pope who sent his Bull or briefe unto the Archbishop of Dublin commanding him to excommunicate the said Irish and all their adherents together with their retinue and followers and to interdict their lands Now the Archbishop fulfilled the commandement of the Lord Pope but the said Irish contemning the said Bull excommunication interdiction and chastisement of the Church and continuing still in their wickednesse drew themselves againe together and invaded all the county of Weis ford as farre as to Carcarne and spoiled the whole country Whom the English made head against to wit Richard White and Richard Fitz Henry with the Burgesses of Weisford and other English slew of the Irish about 400. and many others of them as they fled were drowned in the river which is called Slane MCCCXXXII William Bermingham is put to death and hanged at Dublin by the said Lord Justice the eleventh day of July and Walter his sonne is set free The foresaid Sir William was a noble Knight and among many thousand knights most renowned and excellent for feats of armes Alas the day great pity it was of him for who relating his death can forbeare teares But at length enterred hee was in Dublin among the preaching Friers Also the castle of Bonraty was forced and rased to the very ground by the Irish of Totomon in July Also the castle of Arclo by the said Justice with the citizens of Dublin and the help of the English within the pale was won from the Irish and in the Kings hand on the eighth day of August
was fiercely set upon by Mac-Carton the which Mac-Carton verily having encountred with the said Justice spoiled him of his clothes mony utensils silver plate and horses yea and slew some of his men But in the end the foresaid Justice with the helpe of the men of Ergale got the victory and entred into the parts of Ulster MCCCXLV The seventh of Iune a common Parliament was holden at Dublin unto which the Lord Moris Fitz Thomas came not Item the Lord Ralph Ufford Justice of Ireland after the feast of S. John Baptist with the Kings standard raised yet without the assent of the Elders of the land against the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Desmond marcheth forthwith into Mounster and there seized into the Kings hands the Earles lands and these lands so seized letteth out to farme unto others for a certain yeerly rent to be carried unto the King Item the said Justice being in the parts of Mounster delivered unto Sir William Burton Knight two writs the one whereof the said William should deliver unto the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Kildare the contents of which was this That upon paine of forfeiting all his lands he should with all speed repaire unto him to aid the King and him with a strong power Now in the other writ contained it was that the said Sir William should apprehend the said Earle of Kildare and so apprehended commit him to prison But Sir William seeing that this could not possibly be brought about and effected accordingly by himselfe with colourable words framed for the nonce perswaded the said Earle whiles he was preparing himselfe with his army and levying a power unto the foresaid Justice that before his departure out of the countrey hee should repaire unto the Kings Counsell at Dublin and that by the unanimity and joint counsell of the same so deale as to provide for the safe keeping of his owne lands in his absence and if after that any hurt should befall unto his lands whiles he was absent it should be imputed unto the Kings counsell and not to him The Earle therefore giving credit unto the Knights words and thinking of no treacherous practice in this behalfe disposed and addressed himself to come unto Dublin When he was come altogether ignorant of any treachery toward whiles himselfe sat in consultation with others of the King Councell in the Exchequer-court sodainly he was by the said Sir William betraied attached or arrested and apprehended and brought to the castle of the said city and there clapt up in prison Item the said Justice entred with his army the parts of O. Comill in Mounster and by a treacherous device taketh two castles of the Earle of Desmonds to wit the castle of Yniskisty and the castle of the Iland in which castle of the Iland thus taken the Knights being within the said castle namely Sir Eustacele Bâ—re Sir William Graunt and Sir Iohn Cotterell were first drawne and afterward in October openly hanged untill they were dead Also the said Earle of Desmond with some other of his Knights were by the said Justice banished The foresaid Justice having attchieved these exploits in Mounster returned in the moneth of November with his company unto his wife then great with child remaining at Kilmaynon which is neere to Dublin over and beside those things which had beene done against the Laity by inditing and emprisoning some of them and turning them out of their goods he also caused the Ecclesiasticall persons as well Priests as Clerkes to be endited and standing endited attached and imprisoned them and fetched no small summes of money out of their purses Item as touching the grants and demises of their lands to wit whom before hee had deprived of their lands he bestowed the same upon divers tenants as hath beene said as also the very writings concerning those grants so sealed as they were by him and with the Kings seale he revoked tooke the same from them cancelled defaced and wholly annulled them Item all the mainpernours of the said Earle of Desmond in number twenty sixe as well Earles as Barons Knights and others of the countrey whose names be these to wit Lord William Burke Earle of Ulster Lord Iames Botiller Earle of Ormond Sir Richard Tuit Knight Sir Eustace Le Poer Knight Sir Gerald De Rochfort Knight Sir Iohn Fitz-Robert Poer Knight Sir Robert Barry Knight Sir Moris Fitz-Gerald Knight Sir Iohn Wellesley Knight Sir Walter Lenfaunt Knight Sir Roger de la Rokell Knight Sir Henry Traharn Knight Sir Roger Pover Knight Sir Iohn Lenfaunt Knight Sir Roger Pover Knight Sir Matthew Fitz-Henry Knight Sir Richard Wallis Knight Sir Edward Burk Knight the sonne of the Earle of Ulster David Barry William Fitz-Gerald Fulke Ash Robert Fitz-Moris Henry Barkley Iohn Fitz-George Roch and Thomas de Lees de Burgh their own travels and proper expences which some of them with the said Justice in his warre had beene at and in pursuing the said Earle of Desmond notwithstanding he by definitive sentence deprived of their lands and dis-inherited and awarded their bodies to the Kings pleasure excepting foure persons only of all the foresaid sureties whose names be these William Burk Earle of Ulster Iames Botiller Earle of Ormond c. MCCCXLVI Upon Palme-Sunday which fell out to be the ninth day of Aprill the above named Lord Ralph Ufford Justice of Ireland went the way of all flesh for whose death his owne dependants together with his wife sorrowed not a little for whose death also the loiall subjects of Ireland rejoice no lesse The Clergy and people both of the land for joy of his departure out of this life with merry hearts doe leap and celebrate a solemn feast of Easter At whose death the floods ceased and the distemperature of the aire had an end and in one word the common sort truely and heartily praise the onely Son of God Well when this Justice now dead was once fast folded within a sheet and a coffin of lead the foresaid Countesse with his treasure not worthy to be bestowed among such holy reliques in horrible griefe of heart conveied his bowels over into England there to be enterred And againe in the month of May and on the second day of the same month behold a prodigious wonder sent no doubt miraculously from God above For lo she that before at her comming entred the city of Dublin so gloriously with the Kings armes and ensignes attended upon with a number of souldiers in her guard and traine along the streets of the said city and so from that time forward a small while though it were living royally with her friends about her like a Queen in the Iland of Ireland now at her going forth of the same city privily by a posternegate of the castle to avoid the clamour of the common people calling upon her for debts in her retire homeward to her owne countrey departed in disgrace sad and mournfull with the dolefull badges of death sorrow and heavinesse Item after the
with their fellowes of the Counsell treat upon this point In the same yeere before Lent the Irish of Leinster gathered themselves together and set up a certain King namely Donald the sonne of Arte Mac-Murgh Who being made King determined to set up his banner two miles from Dublin and afterwards to passe through all the lands of Ireland Whose pride and malice God seeing suffered him to fall into the hands of the Lord Henry Traharn who brought him to the Salmons leaps had of him 200. pound for his lives ransome then led him to Dublin to wait there untill the Kings Counsell could provide and take order what to doe with him and after his taking many infortunities lighted upon the Irish of Leinster to wit the Lord John Wellesley took David O-Thothiel prisoner and many of the Irish were slaine The same yeere Adam Duff the sonne of Walter Duff of Leinster and of the kinred of the O-Tothiles was convicted for that against the Catholike faith hee denied the Incarnation of Jesus Christ and held that there could not bee three persons and one God and hee affirmed that the most blessed Virgin Mary mother of our Lord was an harlot hee denied also the resurrection of the dead and avouched that the sacred Scriptures were fables and nothing else and he imputed falsitie upon the sacred Apostolicall See For which and for every of these articles the same Adam Duff was pronounced an hereticke and blasphemer whereupon the same Adam by a decree of the Church was on the Munday after the Outas of Easter the yeere 1328. burnt at Hoggis Greene by Dublin MCCCXXVIII On Tuesday in Easter week Thomas Fitz-John Earle of Kildare and Justice of Ireland died after whom succeeded in the office of Justice Frier Roger Outlaw Prior of Kilmaynok The same yeere David O-Tothil a strong thiefe and enemy to the King a burner of Churches and destroier of people was brought forth of the Castle of Dublin to the Tolstale of the Citie before Nicolas Fastoll and Elias Ashbourne Justices in the Kings bench which Justices gave him his judgement that he should first be drawne at horses tailes through the midst of the Citie unto the gallowes and afterward be hanged upon a jebbit which was done accordingly Item in the same yeere the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas raised a great army to destroy the Bourkeins and the Poers The same yeere also the Lord William Bourk was knighted at London on Whitsunday and the King gave unto him his Seignory Also in the same yeere Iames Botiller in England espoused the daughter of the Earle of Hereford and was created Earle of Ormund who before was called Earle of Tiperary The same yeere a Parliament was holden at Northampton where many of the Lords and Nobles of England assembled and a peace was renewed betweene Scotland England and Ireland by marriages between them and it was ordained that the Earle of Ulster with many Nobles of England should goe to Barwick upon Tweed to the espousals and assurance making The same yeere after the said espousals and contract made at Barwicke the Lord Robert Brus King of Scotland and the Lord William Burk Earle of Ulster the Earle of Meneteth and many of the Scottish nobility arrived at Cragfergus peaceably and sent unto the Justices of Ireland and to the Counsell that they would come to Green Castle to treat about a peace of Scotland and Ireland Now because the said Justices of Counsell failed to come as the said King desired he took his leave of the Earle of Ulster and returned into his owne country after the feast of the assumption of the blessed Virgin Mary And the Earle of Ulster came to Dublin unto the Parliament and there stayed sixe dayes and made a great feast and after this went into Connaght The same yeere about the feast of Saint Katherin Virgin the Bishop of Osserie certified the Kings Counsell there that Sir Arnald Pover was convicted before him upon divers articles of perverse heresie Whereupon at the suit of the said Bishop the said Sir Arnald by vertue of the Kings writ was arrested and layed up in the Castle of Dublin and a day was given unto the Bishop for to come unto Dublin to follow the foresaid suit and action against the foresaid Lord Arnald who made his excuse that hee could not then come because his enemies lay in wait for his life in the way whereupon the Kings Counsell knew not how to make an end of this businesse and so the Lord Arnald was kept in duresse within the Castle of Dublin untill the Parliament following which was in Mid-lent where all the Nobles of Ireland were present In the same yeere Frier Roger Utlaw Prior of the Hospitall of St. John of Jerusalem in Ireland Lord Justice and Chancellour of Ireland was disfamed by the said Bishop and slandered to bee a favourer of heresie a Counsellour also and a better of the said Lord Arnold in his hereticall naughtinesse And because his person was thus villanously delamed the said Prior went to the Counsell of the King and put up a petition that hee might purge himselfe Whereupon they of the Kings Counsell tooke advice and upon consultation had granted unto him that he might make his purgation And they caused it to be proclaimed for three dayes That if there were any person who would follow suit and give information against the said Frier Roger he might come in and put in his pursuit But no man was found to follow the matter Whereupon at the procurement of Sir Roger the Frier there went out the Kings writ to summon the Elders of Ireland to wit Bishops Abbots Priors and foure Maiors of foure Cities namely Dublin Corke Limerick and Waterford and of Tredagh also the Sheriffes and Seneschals yea and the Knights of the shire with the Free-holders of the countie that were of the better sort for to repaire unto Dublin And there were chosen sixe examiners in the said cause to wit M. William Rodyard Deane of the Cathedrall Church of St. Patrick in Dublin the Abbat of Saint Thomas the Abbat of St. Maries the Prior of holy Trinitie Church in Dublin M. Elias Lawles and M. Peter Willebey These Inquisitours convented those that were cited and they examined every one severally by himselfe which examinats all upon their oathes deposed that he was honest and faithfull a zealous embracer of the faith and readie to die for the faith and in regard of this great solemnity of his purgation the said Frier Roger made a royall feast to all that would come Also the same yeere in Lent died the said L. Arnald Pover in the Castle of Dublin and lay a long time unburied in the house of the preaching Friers MCCCXXIX After the feast of the Annuntiation of the blessed Virgin Mary the Nobles of Ireland came unto the Parliament at Dublin to wit the Earle of Ulster the Lord Thomas Fitz-Moris the Earle of Louth William Bermingham and the rest of the Lords and
and chastised the Irish very well MCCCLVI And in the one and thirty yeere of the foresaid King Sir Thomas Rokesby was made the second time Justice of Ireland who tamed the Irish very well and paied as well for the victuals he tooke saying I will eat and drinke out of Treen vessels and yet pay both gold and silver for my food and apparel yea and for my pensioners about me The same yeere died that Sir Thomas Justice of Ireland within the Castle of Kilka MCCCLVII Also in the two and thirty yeere of the same Kings raigne Sir Almarick de Saint Aimund was made chiefe Justice of Ireland and entred into it At this very time began a great controversie between Master Richard Fitz-Ralfe Archbishop of Armagh and the foure Orders of the begging Friers but in the end the Friers got the mastery and by the Popes meanes caused the Archbishop of Armagh to hold his peace MCCCLVIII In the 33. yeere of the same King Sir Almarick Sir Amund chiefe Justice of Ireland passed over into England MCCCLIX In the 34. yeere of the same King Iames Botiller Earle of Ormond was made chiefe Justice of Ireland Item the Lady Ioan Burke Countesse of Kildare departed this life on St. Georges day and was buried in the Church of the Friers Minors of Kildare neere unto her husband the Lord Thomas Fitz-Iohn Earle of Kildare MCCCLX And in the 35. of the foresaid King died Master Richard Fitz-Ralfe Archbishop of Armagh in Hanault the sixteenth day of December whose bones were conveied into Ireland by the reverend father Stephen Bishop of Meth to be bestowed in S. Nicolas Church at Dundalk where he was born But doubted it is whether they were his bones or some other mans Item Sir Robert Savage a doughty knight dwelling in Ulster departed this life who with a few Englishmen slew of the Irish three thousand neere unto Antrim but before that he went forth to that battell he tooke order that there should be given unto every Englishman one good draught or pot of wine or ale whereof hee had a number of hogsheads and barrels full and the rest he saved against the comming of his friends he caused also to be killed sheepe oxen tame foule crammed fat wilde foule and for venison red Deere that they might bee dressed and made ready for such as returned winners out of the field whosoever they were And he was wont to say a shame it were if guests should come and not finde what to eate and drinke But when it pleased God to give the English victorie he invited them all to supper and they rejoiced with thanksgiving and himselfe said I give God thanks For better it is thus to keep it than to let it run forth upon the ground as some gave me counsell Buried he was in the covent Church of the preaching Friers of Coulrath neere to the river of Banne Also the Earle of Ormond Lord Justice of Ireland entred England in whose place Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Kildare was made Lord Justice of Ireland by this Charter and Commission as appeareth Omnibus ad quos c. that is To all whom these letters shall come unto Greeting Know ye that we have committed to our sweet and faithfull subject Moris Earle of Kildare the office of our L. Justice of our land of Ireland and our land of Ireland with the Castle and all pertenances thereto to keep and governe so long as it shall please us and to receive at our Exchequer in Dublin yeerely so long as hee shall remaine in that office five hundred pounds for which he shall keep that office and land and he shall be himselfe one of the twenty men in armes whom he shall finde with as many horses armed continually during our foresaid commission In witnesse whereof c. Given by the hands of our beloved in Christ Frier Thomas Burgey Prior of the Hospitall of S. John of Ierusalem in Ireland our Chancellour of Ireland at Dublin the thirtieth day of March and of our reigne the thirty five yeere Also Iames Botiller Earle of Ormond came again out of England Lord Justice of Ireland as before unto whom the Earle of Kildare resigned up the office of Justiceship MCCCLXI Leonell Earle of Ulster in right of his wives inheritance and being the Kings sonne of England came into Ireland as the Kings Lievtenant and arrived at Dublin the eighth day of September being the feast of the blessed Virgins nativitie bringing his second wife Elizabeth daughter and heire of the Lord William Burke Earle of Ulster In the same yeere was the second pestilence There died in England Henry Duke of Lancaster the Earle of March the Earle of Northampton Also on the sixth day of January Mons Doncref a Citizen of Dublin was buried in the Churchyard of the Friers Preachers of the same City unto which covent or brotherhood he gave forty pounds toward the glazing of their Church Item there departed out of this life the Lady Ioan Fleming wife to the Lord Geffery Trevers and the Lady Margaret Bermingham wife to the Lord Robert Preston on the Vigill of St. Margaret and were buried in the Covent Church of the preaching Friers of Tredagh Also the Lord Walter Bermingham the younger died on S. Laurence day who divided his inheritance between his sisters the one part thereof the foresaid Preston had for his share Item the foresaid Lord Leonell after hee was entred into Ireland and had rested some few daies made warre upon O-Brynne and proclaimed throughout his army that no man borne in Ireland should come neere unto his campe and an hundred of his owne Pensioners were slaine Leonell seeing this forthwith reduced the whole people as well of England as of Ireland into one and so hee prospered and strucke many battailes round about in all places with the Irish by the helpe of God and the people of Ireland Hee made also many Knights of English and Irish and among them Robert Preston Robert Holiwood Thomas Talbot Walter Cusacke Iames de La Hide Iohn Ash or de Fraxius Patricke and Robert Ash or de Fraxius and many besides Also he removed the Exchequer from Dublin to Carlagh and gave five hundred pounds to the walling of that towne Item on the feast of Saint Maur Abbat there rose a mighty wind that shooke and overthrew pinnacles battlements chimneys and other things higher than the rest trees without number divers Steeples and namely the Steeple of the Preaching Friers MCCCLXII Also in the 36. yeere of the same King the Church of St. Patricke in Dublin through negligence was set on fire and burnt the eighth of Aprill MCCCLXIV And in the 38. yeere of the foresaid King the Lord Leonel Earle of Ulster entred England the 22. of Aprill and left his deputy-Deputy-Justice of Ireland the Earle of Ormond and the same Leonell Duke of Clarence returned the eighth of December MCCCLXV Also in the 39. yeere of the said King the same Leonell Duke of Clarence
For in the Kings Palace a place there was for the Chancellor and clerks such as were imployed about writs or processes and the seale for Judges also that handled as well Pleas as they terme them pertaining unto the Kings Crown as between one Subject and another There was also the Exchequer wherein the Lord Treasurer Auditours and Receivers sat who had the charge of the Kings revenues treasure and coffers Every of these being counted of the Kings houshold in ordinary had allowed them from the King both dier and apparell Whereupon Gotzelinus in the life of S. Edward calleth them The Lawyers of the Palace John of Salisburie The Court Lawyers But beside these and above them all was one appointed for administration of Justice named Iustitia Angliae The Iustice of England Prima Iustitia The principall Iustice The Iusticer of England and chiefe Iusticer of England who with a yearely pension of a thousand Marks was ordained by a Commission or Charter running in these termes The King to all Archbishops Bishops Abbats Priors Earles Barons Sheriffes Forresters and all other liege and faithfull people of England greeting Whereas for the preservation of our selves and the peace of our Kingdome and for the ministring of Iustice to all and every person of our Realme we have ordained our beloved and trustie Philip Basset Chiefe Iusticer of England so long as it shall please us wee charge you upon the faith and allegiance that yee owe unto us and doe straightly enjoyne you that in all things which concerne the office of our foresaid Iusticeship and the preservation of our peace and Kingdome yee be fully attendant and assistant unto him so long as be shall continue in the said Office Witnesse the King c. But when as in the raigne of Henry the Third enacted it was that the Common Pleas of the Subjects should not follow the Kings Court but be held in some certain place within a while after the Chancerie and the Court of the Pleas of the Crowne together with the Exchequer were translated from the Kings Court and established in certaine places apart by themselves as some I know not how truely have reported Having premised by way of Preface thus much I will proceede to write briefly somewhat of these Courts and others that arise from them according as they are kept at this day And whereas some of them bee Courts of Law to wit the Kings Bench The common Bench or Pleas the Exchequer the Assises the Star-Chamber the Court of Wards and the Admirals Court others of Equitie namely The Chauncerie the Court of Requests The Counsels in the Marches of Wales and in the North parts of every of these in due order somewhat as I have learned of others The Kings Bench so called because the Kings were wont there to sit as Presidents in proper person handleth the pleas of the Crowne and many other matters which pertaine to the King and the Weale publique and withall it sifteth and examineth the errors of the Common Pleas. The Judges there beside the King when it pleaseth him to be present are the Lord chiefe Justice of England and other Justices foure or more as the King shall thinke good The common Pleas hath that name because in it are debated the common Pleas betweene Subject and Subject according to our law which they call common Heerein give judgement The chiefe Iustice of the common Pleas with foure Justices assistants or more Officers attendant there be The Keeper of the Brieffes or writs Three Protonotaries and inferiour Ministers very many The Exchequer tooke that name of a boord or table whereat they sat For thus writeth Gervase of Tilburie who lived in the yeere 1160. The Exchequer is a foure cornered boord about ten foote long and five foote broad fitted in manner of a table for men to sit round about it On every side a standing ledge or border it hath of the bredth of foure fingers Vpon this Exchequer boord is laid a cloth bought in Easter terme and the same of black colour and rewed with strikes distant one from another a foote or a span And a little after This Court by report began from the very Conquest of the Realme and was erected by King William howbeit the reason and proportion thereof taken from the Exchequer beyond Sea In this are all causes heard which belong unto the Kings treasury Judges therein be The Lord Treasurer of England The Chancellor of the Exchequer The Lord chiefe Baron with three or foure other Barons of the Exchequer The servitours and Ministers to this Court are The Kings Remembrancer The Lord Treasurers Remembrancer The Clerke of the Pipe The Controller of the Pipe Auditours of the old revenues five The Forrein Opposer The Clerke of the Estreights The Clerke of the Pleas The Mareschall The Clerke of the Summons The Deputie Chamberlaines Secondaries in the office of the Kings Remembrancer two Secondaries in the office of the Lord Treasurers Remembrancer two Secondaries of the Pipe two Clerkes in divers offices foure c. In the other part of the Exchequer called the Receipt these bee the Officers Two Chamberlains a vice Treasurer Clerke of the Tallies Clerke of the Pels Tellers foure Ioyners of Tallies two Deputie Chamberlaines two The Clerke for Tallies The Keeper of the Treasurie Messengers or Pursevants ordinarie foure Scribes two c. The Officers likewise of the Tenths and first Fruits belong to this Court who were ordained when as the Popes authoritie was banished and abolished and an act passed by which it was provided that the Tenths and First fruits of Churchmens Benefices should be paid unto the King Beside these three Kings Courts for law to cut off delaies to ease the subject also of travell and charges King Henrie the Second sent some of these Judges and others yearely into every Shire or Countie of the Realme who were called Iustices Itinerant and commonly Iustices in Eyre These determined and gave judgement as well of the Pleas of the Crowne as the Common Pleas within those Counties whereunto they were assigned For the said King as Matthew Paris saith By the counsell of his sonne and the Bishops together appointed Iustices to sixe parts of the Kingdome in every part three who should sweare to keepe and maintaine the right belonging to every man sincerely and uncorruptly But this ordinance vanished at length under Edward the Third Howbeit within a while after by Parliamentary authoritie it was in some sort revived For the Counties being divided into certaine Circuits as wee terme them two of the Kings Justices together twice in the yeare ride about and keepe their Circuits for to give definitive sentence of the Prisoners and as we use to speake to deliver the Goales or Prisons Whereupon in our Lawyers Latin they bee called Iusticiarii Gaolae deliberandae that is Justices for Goale deliverie as also to take Recognisances of Assises of new Deseisine c. whereof they be named
Iustices of the Assises to end and dispatch controversies depending and growne to an issue in the foresaid principall Kings Courts betweene plaintiffes and defendants and that by their Peeres as the custome is whence they are commonly called Iustices of Nisi prius which name they tooke of the writs sent unto the Sheriffe which have in them these two words Nisi Prius that is Vnlesse before c. The Star-Chamber or the Court rather of Kings Counsell wherein are discussed and handled criminall matters perjuries cousenages fraud deceit riots or excesse c. This Court in regard of time is right ancient and for dignitie most honourable For it seemes that it may claime antiquitie ever since the first time that Subject appealed unto their Soveraignes and the Kings Councell was erected Now the Judges of this Court are persons right Honourable and of greatest reputation even the Kings Privie Counsellors As for the name of Star-Chamber it tooke it from the time that this Counsell was appointed at Westminster in a Chamber there anciently garnished and beautified with Starres For we read in the Records of Edward the Third Counseil en la Chambre des Estoilles pres de la Receipt al Westminster that is The Counsell in the Chamber of Starres neere unto the Receit at Westminster But the Authoritie thereof that most sage and wise Prince Henry the Seventh by authoritie of Parliament so augmented and established that some are of opinion though untruely hee was the first founder of it The Judges heere are The Lord Chancellor of England The Lord Treasurer of England The Lord President of the Kings Counsell The Lord Keeper of the Privy Seale and all Counselors of the State as wel Ecclesiasticall as Temporall and out of the Barons of the Parliament those whom the King will call The two chiefe Iustices of the Benches or in their absence two other Iudges The Officers heerein are these The Clerke of the Counsell The Clerke of writs and processe of the Counsell in the Star-Chamber c. And causes here are debated and decided not by Peeres according to our common Law but after the course of Civill Law The Court of Wards and Liveries hath the name of Pupils or Wards whose causes it handleth was first instituted by Henrie the Eighth whereas in former times their causes were heard in the Chancerie and Exchequer For by an old Ordinance derived out of Normandie and not from Henry the Third as some doe write when a man is deceased Who holdeth possessions or Lands of the King in chiefe by Knights service as well the heire as his whole patrimonie and revenues are in the Kings power tuition and protection untill he be full one and twentie yeares of age and untill by vertue of the Kings briefe or letter restitution and re-delivery be made unto him thereof In this Court the Generall Master sitteth as Judge under whom are these The Supravisor or Surveior of Liveries The Atturney generall of the Court The generall Receiver The Auditour The Clerke of the Liveries The Clerke of the Court Fortie Fedaries and a Messenger There have sprung up also in these later times two other Courts to wit Of reforming Errours whereof the first is to correct Errours in the Exchequer the other to amend errours committed in the Kings Bench. The Judges in the former of these twaine are the Lord Chancellor and Lord Treasurer of England with others of the Kings Justices whom they are disposed to take unto them In the later The Iustices of the Common Pleas and the Barons of the Exchequer The Admirals Court handleth Sea matters In this are reckoned the Lord Admirall of England his Lieutenant and a Iudge two Scribes a Serjeant of the Court and the Vice-Admirals of England Now proceede we to the Courts of Equitie The Chancerie drew that name from a Chancellor which name under the ancient Roman Emperours was not of so greate esteeme and dignitie as wee learne out of Vopiscus But now adaies a name it is of highest honour and Chancellors are advanced to the highest pitch of civill Dignitie Whose name Cassiodorus fetcheth from crosse grates or lattesses because they examined matters within places severed apart enclosed with partitions of such crosse bars which the Latins call Cancelli Regard saith hee to a Chancellor what name you beare It cannot bee hidden which you doe within Lattesses For you keepe your gates lightsome your barres open and your dores transparent as windows Whereby it is very evident that he sate within grates where he was to be seene on every side and thereof it may be thought he tooke that name But considering it was his part being as it were the Princes mouth eie and eare to strike and dash out with crosse-lines lattise like those letters Commissions Warrants and Decrees passed against law and right or prejudiciall to the comon-wealth which not improperly they termed to cancell some thinke the name of Chancellor came from this Cancelling and in a Glossarie of latter time thus we read A Chancellor is he whose Office is to looke into and peruse the writings and answers of the Emperour to cancell what is written amisse and to signe that which is well Neither is that true which Polydore Virgil writeth namely that William the Conquerour instituted a Colledge or fellowship of Scribes to write letters pattents c. and named the Master of that Societie Chancellor considering it is plaine and manifest that Chancellors were in England before the Normans Conquest How great the dignitie and authoritie of the Chancellor is at this day it is better knowne than I can declare but of what credit it was in old time have heere in a word or two out of a writer of good antiquitie The dignitie of the Chancellor of England is this He is reputed the second person in the Realme and next unto the King with the one side of the Kings Seale whereof by his Office he hath the Keeping he may signe his owne injunctions to dispose and order the Kings Chappell as hee liketh to receive and keepe all Archbishopricks Bishopricks Abbeies and Baronies void and falling into the Kings hand to be present at all the Kings Counsels and thither to repaire uncalled also that all things be signed by the hand of his Clerke who carrieth the Kings Seale and that all things be directed and disposed by advise of the Chancellor Item that by the helpfull merits of his good life through Gods grace he need not die if he will himselfe but Archbishop or Bishop And heereof it is that the Chancellor-ship is not to be bought The forme and manner of ordaining a Chancellor for that also I will note was in the time of King Henrie the Second by hanging the great Seale of England about the necke of the Chancellor elect But in King Henry the Sixth daies this was the order of it according to the notes I tooke out of the Records When the place of the Lord
the Church of Ely for to expiate and make satisfaction for the wicked act hee had committed in murdering his owne mother then by Angre where upon a very high Hill are the tokens of a Castle built by Richard Lucy Lord Chiefe Justice of England in the Raigne of Henry the Second of which Family a daughter and one of the heires King Iohn gave in marriage to Richard Rivers who dwelt hard by at Stranford Rivers So it passeth by Lambourn Manour which is held by service of the Wardstaffe viz. to carry a load of strawe in a Carte with sixe horses two ropes two men in harnesse to watch the said Wardstaffe when it is brought to the Towne of Aibridge c. and then by Wansted Parke where the late Earle of Leicester built much for his pleasure From the mouth of this Roding this Tamis hasteneth through a ground lying very flat and low and in most places otherwhiles overflowne whereby are occasioned strong and unwholsome vapours exceeding hurtfull to the health of the neighbour Inhabitants to Tilbury neere unto which there bee certaine holes in the rising of a chalky Hill sunke into the ground tenne sathome deepe the mouth whereof is but narrow made of stone cunningly wrought but within they are large and spacious in this forme which hee that went downe into them described unto mee after this manner Of which I have nothing else to say but what I have delivered already As for Tilbury Bede nameth it Tilaburgh it consisteth of some few cottages by the Tamis side yet was it in ancient time the seate of Bishop Chad when about the yeare of our Salvation 630. hee ingrafted the East-Saxons by Baptisme into the Church of Christ. Afterwards this River passing by places lying flat and unwholesome with a winding returne of his Water severeth the Island CONVENNON which also is called COUNOS whereof Ptolomee maketh mention from the firme land This hath not yet wholly foregone the old name but is called Canvey It lyeth against the Coast of Essex from Leegh to Hole Haven five miles in length some part whereof appertaineth to the Collegiat Church of Westminster But so low that oftentimes it is quite overflowne all save hillocks cast up upon which the Sheepe have a place of safe refuge For it keepeth about foure hundred Sheepe whose flesh is of a most sweet and delicate taste which I have seene young lads taking womens function with stooles fastened to their buttockes to milke yea and to make Cheeses of Ewes milke in those dairy sheddes of theirs that they call there Wiches There adjoyne to this Island along in order first Beamfleot fortified with deepe and wide Trenches as saith Florilegus and with a Castle by Hasting the Dane which King Aelfred wonne from them Then Hadleigh sometime the Castle of Hubert de Burgo afterwards of Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester now defaced with ruines and in the last place Leegh a proper fine little Towne and very full of stout and adventerous Sailers with Pritlewel fast by where Sweno de Essex built long since a Cell for Monkes And here the land shooteth forward to make a Promontory which they call Black-taile Point and Shobery Nesse of Shobery a Village situate upon it which sometime was a City an Havenet named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For in old Annales of the English-Saxons wee reade thus The Danes being driven from Beamfleot goe to a City seated in East-sex called in the English Tongue Sceobirig and there built themselves a sure and strong Fort. Heere by reason that the bankes on both sides shrinke backe the Tamis at a huge and wide mouth rowleth into the sea This doth Ptolomee terme Aestuarium TAMESAE and corruptly in some other Copies TEMESAE and we commonly the Tamis Mouth More inward is Rochford placed that hath given name to this Hundered Now it belongeth to the Barons Rich but in old time it had Lords of ancient Nobility sirnamed thereof whose inheritance came at length to Butler Earle of Ormond and Wiltshire and from them to Sir Thomas Bullen whom King Henry the Eighth created Vicount Rochford and afterward Earle of Wiltshire out of whose Progeny sprung that most gracious Queene ELIZABETH and the Barons of Hunsdon Heere I have heard much speech of a Lawlesse Court as they called it holden in a strange manner about Michaelmasse in the first peepe of the day upon the first cocke crowing in a silent sort yet with shrowde fines eftsoones redoubled if not answered which servile attendance they say was imposed upon certaine Tenants there-about for conspiring there at such unseasonable time to raise a commotion But I leave this knowing neither the originall nor the certaine forme thereof Onely I heard certaine obscure barbarous rhymes of it Curia de Domino Rege tenetur sin◠lege Ante ortum solis luceat nisi polus c. not worth remembring Leaving the Tamis Banke and going farther within the countrey yea from West to East these places of name above the rest standing thus in order shew themselves Havering an ancient retiring place of the Kings so called of a Ring which in that place a Pilgrime delivered as sent from S. J. Baptist for so they write unto K. Edward the Confessor Horn-Church named in times past Cornutum Monasterium that is the horned Minster for there shoot out at the East end of the Church certaine points of leade fashioned like hornes Rumford the glory whereof dependeth of a swine mercat and Giddy-hall an house adjoyning to it which belonged to that Sir Thomas Cooke Major of London whose great riches hoorded up together wrought him his greatest danger For being judicially arraigned innocent man as he was of high treason and through the incorrupt equity of Judge Markham acquit in a most dangerous time yet was he put to a very grievous fine and stript in manner of all that he was worth Brentwood called by the Normans Bois arse in the same sense and by that name King Stephen granted a Mercat and a Faire there to the Abbat of S. Osith and many yeares after Isabell Countesse of Bedford daughter to King Edward the Third built a Chappell to the memory of S. Thomas of Canterbury for the ease of the Inhabitants Engerstone a Towne of note for nothing else but the Mercat and Innes for Travailers Heere am I at a stand and am halfe in a doubt whether I should now slip as an abortive fruite that conjecture which my minde hath travailed with Considering there hath beene in this Tract the City CAESAROMAGUS and the same doubtlesse in the Romanes time of especiall note and importance for the very name if there were nothing else may evict so much signifying as it doth Caesars City as DRUSOMAGUS the City of Drusus which also should seeme to have beene built in the honour of Caesar Augustus For Suaetonius writeth thus Kings that
inscription IMP. DOMIT. AUG GER DE CEANG. But on the other IMP. VESP. VII T. IMP. V. COSS. Which Monument seemeth to have beene erected for a Victory over the Cangi Heereto maketh also the very site upon the Irish sea For thus writeth Tacitus in the 12. booke of his Annales Whiles Nero was Emperour There was an Army led by Ostorius against the Cangi the fields were wasted booties raised every where for that the enemies durst not come into the field but if they attempted closely and by stealth to cut off the Army as it marched they paid for their deceitfull cunning Now were they no sooner come neere unto the Sea-Coast toward Ireland but certaine tumults and insurrections among the Brigantes brought the Generall backe But by the inscription abovesaid it should seeme that they were not subdued before Domitians time and then by computation of the times when as that most warlicke Julius Agricola was Propretour in Britaine Ptolomee likewise placed the Promontory KARRANâ—N that is of the Cangi on this shore Neither dare I seeke elsewhere than in this tract that Station CONGANII where in the declining estate of the Roman Empire a Company or Band called Vigiles that is Watchmen with their Captaine under the Dux Britanniae kept watch and ward Notwithstanding I leave to every man for mee his owne judgement heerein as in all things else of this nature Touching the Earles that I may passe over the English Saxons Earles only by office and not by inheritance king William the first created Hugh sirnamed Lupus son to the Vicount of Auranches in Normandy the first hereditary Earle of Chester and Count Palatine and gave unto him and his heires all this County to be holden as freely by his sword as the King himselfe held England by his Crowne For these are the words of the Donation who forthwith appointed under him these Barons viz. Niele Baron of Haulton whose posterity afterwards tooke the name of Lacies for that the Lacies inheritance had fallen unto them and were Earles of Lincolne Robert Baron of Mont-hault Seneschall of the County of Chester the last of whose line having no issue ordained by his last Will Isabel Queene of England and John of Eltham Earle of Cornwall his heires William Malbedeng Baron of Malbanc whose nephewes daughters by marriage brought the inheritance to the Vernons and Bassets Richard Vernon Baron of Shipbroke whose inheritance for default of heires males in the end came by the sisters unto the Wilburbams Staffords and Littleburies Robert Fitz-Hugh Baron of Malpas who as it seemeth dyed as I said before without issue Hamon de Masey whose possessions descended to the Fittons of Bollin Gilbert Venables Baron of Kinderton whose posterity in the right line have continued and flourished unto these our dayes N. Baron of Stockeport to whom at length the Warrens of Pointon budded out of the honorable family of the Earles of Warren and Surry in right of marriage succeeded And these were all the Barons of the Earles of Chester that ever I could hitherto finde Who as it is written in an old Booke Had their free Courts of all Plees and Suits or Complaints except those Plees which belong unto the Earles sword And their Office was To assist the Earle in Councell to yeeld him dutifull attendance and oftentimes to repaire unto his Court for to doe him honor and as we finde in old parchment Records Bound they were in time of warre in Wales to finde for every Knights fee one horse with caparison and furniture or else two without within the Divisions of Ches-shire Also that their Knights and Freeholders should have Corslets and Haubergeons and defend their Foces by their owne bodies After Hugh the first Earle beforesaid succeeded Richard his sonne who is his tender yeeres perished by shipwracke together with William the onely sonne of King Henry the First and other Noblemen betweene Normandy and England in the yeere 1120. After Richard succeeded Ranulph de Meschines the third Earle sonne to the sister of Earle Hugh and left behinde him his sonne Ranulph named de Gernonijs the fourth Earle of Chester a Warlike man and who at the Siege of Lincolne tooke King Stephen Prisoner Hugh sirnamed Keveltoc his sonne was the Fifth Earle who died in the yeere 1181. and left his sonne Ranulph named de Blundevill the sixth Earle who after he had built the Castles of Chartley and Beeston and the Abbay also De la Cresse died without children and left foure sisters to be his heires Maude the wife of David Earle of Huntingdon Mabile espoused to William D' Albeney Earle of Arundell Agnes married to William Ferrars Earle of Darby and Avis wedded to Robert de Quincy After Ranulph the sixth Earle there succeeded in the Earledome John sirnamed the Scot the sonne of Earle David by the said Maude the eldest daughter Who being deceased likewise without any issue King Henry the Third casting his eye upon so faire and large an inheritance laid it unto the Domaine of the Crowne and assigned other revenewes elsewhere to the heires not willing as the King himselfe was wont to say that so great an estate should be divided among distaves And the Kings themselves in person after that this Earledome came unto their hands for to maintaine the honor of the Palatineship continued here the ancient rights and Palatine priviledges and Courts like as the Kings of France did in the County of Champan Afterward this honour of Chester was deferred upon the Kings eldest sonnes and first unto to Edward King Henry the Third his sonne who being taken prisoner by the Barons and kept in ward delivered it up for his ransome unto Simon Montford Earle of Leicester But when Simon was soone after slaine it returned quickly againe unto the bloud Royall and King Edward the Second summoned his eldest sonne being but a childe unto the Parliament by the Titles of Earles of Chester and Flint Afterwards King Richard the Secondary by authority of the Parliament made it of an Earldome a Principality and to the same Principality annexed the Castle of Leon with the territories of Bromfield and Yale Chircke Castle with Chircke land Oswalds-street Castle the whole hundred and eleven townes belonging to that Castle with the Castles of Isabell and Delaley and other goodly lands which by reason that Richard Earle of Arundell stood then proscript and outlawed had beene confiscate to the Kings Exchequer and King Richard himselfe was stiled Prince of Chester but within few yeeres after that Title vanished away after that King Henry the Fourth had once repealed the Lawes of the said Parliament and it became againe a County or Earledome Palatine and at this day retaineth the jurisdiction Palatine and for the administration thereof it hath a Chamberlaine who hath all jurisdiction of a Chancellour within the said County Palatine a Justice for matters in Common Plees and Plees of the Crowne to bee heard and determined in the said
matters In criminall causes the Kings chiefe Justice holdeth his Court for the most part at Edenburgh which office the Earles of Argile have executed now for some yeeres And he doth depute two or three Lawyers who have the hearing and deciding of capitall actions concerning life and death or of such as inferre losse of limbs or of all goods In this Court the Defendant is permitted yea in case of high treason to entertaine a Counsellor or Advocate to pleade his cause Moreover in criminall matters there are sometimes by vertue of the Kings commission and authoritie Justices appointed for the deciding of this or that particular cause Also the Sheriffes in their territories and Magistrates in some Burghs may sit in judgement of man-slaughter in case the man-slayer be taken within 24. houres after the deed committed and being found guiltie by a Jurie put him to death But if that time be once overpast the cause is referred and put over to the Kings Iustice or his Deputies The same priviledge also some of the Nobilitie and Gentrie enjoy against theeves taken within their owne jurisdictions There bee likewise that have such Roialties as that in criminall causes they may exercise a jurisdiction within their owne limits and in some cases recall those that dwell within their owne limits and liberties from the Kings Justice howbeit with a caution and proviso interposed That they judge according to Law Thus much briefly have I put downe as one that hath but sleightly looked into these matters yet by the information of the judicious Knight Sir Alexander Hay his Majesties Secretarie for that kingdome who hath therein given me good light But as touching SCOTLAND what a noble countrey it is and what men it breedeth as sometimes the Geographer wrote of Britaine there will within a while more certaine and more evident matter be delivered since that most high and mightie Prince hath set it open now for us which had so long time beene shut from us Meane while I will come unto the description of places the project that I entended especially GADENI or LADENI UPon the Ottadini or Northumberland bordered as next neighbours the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is GADENI who also by the inversion or turning of one letter upside downe are called in some Copies of Ptolomee LADENI seated in that countrey which lieth betweene the mouth of the river Twede and Edenburgh Forth and is at this day divided into many petty Countries the chiefe whereof are Teifidale Twedale Merch and Lothien in Latine Lodeneium under which one generall name alone the Writers of the middle time comprised all the rest TEIFIDALE TEifidale that is to say the Vale by the river Teifie or Teviat lying next unto England among the edges of high craggie hills is inhabited by a warlike nation which by reason of so many encounters in foregoing ages betweene Scottish and English are alwaies most readie for service and sudden invasions The first place among these that wee meet with is Iedburgh a Burrough well inhabited and frequented standing neere unto the confluence of Teifie and Ied whereof it took the name also Mailros a very ancient Monastery wherein at the beginning of our Church were cloistered Monkes of that ancient order and institution that gave themselves to prayer and with their hand-labour earned their living which holy King David restored and replenished with Cistertian Monkes And more Eastward where Twede and Teifie joine in one streame Rosburg sheweth it selfe called also Roxburg and in old time MARCHIDUN because it was a towne in the Marches where stands a Castle that for naturall situation and towred fortifications was in times past exceeding strong Which being surprised and held by the English whiles James the second King of Scots encircled it with a siege hee was by a peece of a great Ordnance that brake slaine untimely in the very floure of his youth a Prince much missed and lamented of his Subjects As for the castle it was yeelded and being then for the most part of it layed even with the ground is now in a manner quite vanished and not to bee seene The territory adjoyning called of it the Sherifdome of Roxburg hath one hereditary Sheriffe out of the family of the Douglasses who is usually called the Sheriffe of Teviot Dale And now hath Roxburg also a Baron Robert Kerr through the favour of King James the sixth out of the family of the Kerrs a famous house and spred into a number of branches as any one in that tract out of which the Fernhersts and others inured in martiall feats have been of great name Twede aforesaid runneth through the middest of a Dale taking name of it replenished with sheepe that beare wooll of great request A very goodly river this is which springing more inwardly Eastward after it hath passed as it were in a streight channell by Drimlar Castle by Peblis a mercate towne which hath for the Sheriff thereof Baron Zeister like as Selkirk hard by hath another out of the family of Murray of Fallohill entertaineth Lauder a riveret at which appeareth Lauder together with Thirlestan where stands a very faire house of Sir John Mettellan late Chancellor of Scotland whom for his singular wisdome King James the sixth created Baron of Thirlestan Then Twede beneath Roxburg augmented with the river of Teviot resorting unto him watereth the Sherifdome of Berwick throughout a great part whereof is possessed by the Humes wherein the chiefe man of that family exerciseth now the jurisdiction of a Sheriffe and so passeth under Berwick the strongest towne of Britain whereof I have spoken already where hee is exceeding full of Salmons and so falleth into the sea MERCHIA MERCH or MERS MERCH which is next and so named because it is a march country lyeth wholly upon the German sea In this first Hume Castle sheweth it selfe the ancient possession of the Lords of Home or Hume who being descended from the family of the Earles of Merch are growne to be a noble and faire spred family out of which Alexander Hume who before was the first Baron of Scotland and Sheriff of Berwick was of late advanced by James King of great Britaine to the title of Earle Hume Neere unto which lieth Kelso famous sometime for the monastery which with thirteen others King David the first of that name built out of the ground for the propagation of Gods glory but to the great empairing of the Crowne land Then is to be seene Coldingham which Bede calleth the City Coldana and the City of Coludum haply COLANIA mentioned by Ptolomee a place consecrated many ages since unto professed Virgins or Nunnes whose chastity is recorded in ancient bookes For that they together with Ebba their Prioresse cut off their owne noses and lips choosing rather to preserve their virginity from the Danes than their beauty and favour and yet for all that the Danes burnt their monasterie and them withall Hard by is Fast-castle a castle of
way to convey their small vessels over it by land Which I hope a man may sooner beleeve than that the Argonauts laid their great ship Argos upon their shoulders and so carried it along with them five hundred miles from Aemonia unto the shores of Thessalia LORN SOmewhat higher toward the North lyeth LORN bearing the best kinde of barley in great plentie and divided with Leaue a vast and huge lake by which standeth Berogomum a castle in which sometime was kept the Court of Justice or Session and not farre from it Dunstafag that is Stephens Mount the Kings house in times past above which Logh Aber a Lake insinuating it selfe from out of the Westerne sea windeth it selfe so farre within land that it had conflowed together with Nesse another Lake running into the East sea but that certaine mountaines betweene kept them with a verie little partition asunder The chiefest place of name in this tract is Tarbar in Logh Kinkeran where King James the fourth ordained a Justice and Sheriffe to administer justice unto the Inhabitants of the out Islands These countries and those beyond them in the yeere of our Lords Incarnation 655. the Picts held whom Bede calleth the Northern Picts where hee reporteth that in the said yeere Columbane a Priest and Abbat famous for his Monkish profession and life came out of Ireland into Britaine to instruct these in Christian religion that by meanes of the high rough ridges of the mountaines were sequestred from the Southerne countries of the Picts and that they in lieu of a reward allowed unto him the Iland Hii over against them now called I-Comb-Kill of which more in place convenient The Lords of Lorna in the age aforegoing were the Stewarts but now by reason of a female their heire the Earles of Argile who use this title in their honourable stile BRAID ALBIN or ALBANY MOre inwardly where the uninhabitable loftie and rugged ridges of the Mountaine Grampius begin a little to slope and settle downeward is seated BRAID-ALBIN that is The highest part of Scotland for they that are the true and right Scots indeed call Scotland in their mother tongue Albin like as that part where it mounteth up highest Drum Albin that is the Ridge of Scotland But in an old booke it is read Brun Albin where wee finde this written Fergus filius Eric c. that is Fergus the sonne of Eric was the first of the seed or line of Chonare that entred upon the Kingdome of Albanie from Brun-Albain unto the Irish sea and Inch-Gall And after him the Kings descended from the seed or race of Fergus reigned in Brun-Albain or Brunhere unto Alpin the sonne of Eochall But this Albanie is better knowne for the Dukes thereof than for any good gifts that the soile yeeldeth The first Duke of Albanie that I read of was Robert Earle of Fife whom his brother King Robert the third of that name advanced to that honour yet he ungratefull person that he was pricked on with the spirit of ambition famished to death his sonne David that was heire to the crown But the punishment due for this wicked fact which himselfe by the long-sufferance of God felt not his son Mordac the second Duke of Albanie suffered most grievously being condemned for treason and beheaded when hee had seene his two sonnes the day before executed in the same manner The third Duke of Albanie was Alexander second sonne to King James the second who being Regent of the Kingdome Earle of March Marr and Garioth Lord of Annandale and of Man was by his own brother King James the third outlawed and after hee had beene turmoiled with many troubles in the end as hee stood by to behold a Justs and Tourneament in Paris chanced to bee wounded with a peece of a shattered launce and so died His sonne John the fourth Duke of Albanie Regent likewise and made Tutour to King James the fifth taking contentment in the pleasant delights of the French Court after hee had wedded there the daughter and one of the heires of John Earle of Auverne and Lauragveze died there without issue Whom in a respective reverence to the bloud royall of the Scots Francis the first King of France gave thus much honour unto as that hee allowed him place betweene the Archbishop of Langres and the Duke of Alenson Peeres of France After his death there was no Duke of Albanie untill that Queene Marie in our memorie conferred this title upon Henrie Lord Darly whom within some few daies after shee made her husband like as King James the sixth granted the same unto his owne second sonne Charles being an Infant who is now Duke of Yorke There inhabite these regions a kinde of people rude warlike readie to fight querulous and mischievous they bee commonly tearmed High-landmen who being in deed the right progenie of the ancient Scots speak Irish call themselves Albinich their bodies be firmely made and well compact able withall and strong nimble of foot high minded inbread and nuzzeled in warlike exercises or robberies rather and upon a deadly feud and hatred most forward and desperate to take revenge They goe attired Irish-like in stript or streaked mantles of divers colours wearing thicke and long glibbes of haire living by hunting fishing fowling and stealing In the warre their armour is an head-peece or Morion of iron and an habergeon or coat of maile their weapons bee bowes barbed or hooked arrowes and broad backe-swords and being divided by certaine families or kinreds which they terme Clannes they commit such cruell outrages what with robbing spoiling and killing that their savage crueltie hath forced a law to bee enacted whereby it is lawfull That if any person out of any one Clanne or kinred of theirs hath trespassed ought and done harme whosoever of that Clanne or linage chance to bee taken he shall either make amends for the harmes or else suffer death for it when as the whole Clan commonly beareth feud for any hurt received by any one member thereof by execution of lawes order of justice or otherwise PERTHIA OR PERTH Sheriffdome OUt of the very bosome of Mountaines of Albany Tau the greatest river of all Scotland issueth and first runneth amaine through the fields untill that spreading broad into a lake full of Islands hee restraineth and keepeth in his course Then gathering himselfe narrow within his bankes into a channell and watering Perth a large plentifull and rich countrey he taketh in unto him Amund a small river comming out of Athol This Athol that I may digresse a little out of my way is infamous for witches and wicked women the countrey otherwise fertile enough hath vallies bespread with forrests namely where that WOOD CALEDONIA dreadfull to see to for the sundrie turnings and windings in and out therein for the hideous horrour of dark shades for the burrowes and dennes of wild bulls with thicke manes whereof I made mention heretofore
his Kingdome divers authors affirme to have granted by his Charter or Patent Ireland and England both unto the Church of Rome to be held of it ever after in fee and to have received it againe from the Church as a Feudatarie also to have bound his successours to pay three hundred Markes unto the Bishop of Rome But that most worthie and famous Sir Thomas Moore who tooke the Popes part even unto death affirmeth this to be false For hee writeth that the Romanists can shew no such grant that they never demanded the foresaid money and that the Kings of England never acknowledged it But by his leave as great a man as hee was the case stood otherwise as evidently appeareth by the Parliament Records the credit whereof cannot bee impugned For in an assembly of all the States of the Realme in the reigne of Edward the third the Lord Chancellour of England proposed and related that the Pope would judicially sue the King of England as well for the Homage as the tribute which was to be yeelded for England and Ireland to the performance whereof King Iohn in times past had obliged himselfe and his successours and of this point which hee put to question required their opinion The Bishops desired to have a day by them selves for to consult about this matter the Nobles likewise and the people or Communaltie The day after they all met and with one generall accord ordained and enacted That for asmuch as neither King Iohn nor any other King whatsoever could impose such servitude upon the Kingdome but with the common consent and assent of a Parliament which was not done and whatsoever he had passed was against his oath at his coronation by him in expresse words religiously taken before God Therefore in case the Pope should urge this matter they were most readie to the uttermost of their power to resist him resolutely with their bodies and goods They also who are skilfull in scanning and sifting everie pricke and tittle of the lawes cry out with one voice That the said Grant or Charter of King Iohn was voide in Law by that clause and reservation in the end thereof Saving unto us and our heires all our Rights Liberties and Regalities But this may seeme beside my text Ever since King Johns time the Kings of England were stiled Lords of Ireland untill that King Henrie the eighth in the memorie of our fathers was in a Parliament of Ireland by the States thereof declared King of Ireland because the name of Lord seemed in the judgement of certaine seditious persons nothing so sacred and full of majestie as the name of King This name and title of the Kingdome of Ireland were by the Popes authoritie what time as Queene Marie in the yeere 1555. had by her Embassadours in the name of the Kingdom of England tendred obedience unto the Pope Paul the fourth confirmed in these words To the laud and glorie of almightie God and his most glorious mother the Virgin Mary to the honour also of the whole Court of heaven and the exaltation of the Catholike faith as the humble request and suite made unto us by King Philip and Queen Marie about this matter wee with the advice of our brethren and of plenarie power Apostolicall by our Apostolicall authoritie erect for ever Ireland to bee a Kingdome and endow dignifie and exalt with the title dignitie honour faculties rights ensignes prerogatives preferments preeminencies royall and such as other Realmes of Christians have use and enjoy and may have use and enjoy for the times to come And seeing that I have hapned upon those Noblemens names who first of all English gave the attempt upon Ireland and most valiantly subdued it under the imperiall crowne of England lest I might seeme upon envie to deprive both them and their posteritie of this due and deserved glorie I will set them downe here out of the Chancerie of Ireland according as the title doth purport The names of them that came with Dermot Mac Morrog into Ireland Richard Strongbow Earle of Pembroch who by Eve the daughter of Morrog the Irish pettie King aforesaid had one only daughter and she brought unto William Mareschall the title of the Earldome of Pembroch with faire lands in Ireland and a goodly issue five sonnes who succeeded one another in a row all childlesse and as many daughters which enriched their husbands Hugh Bigod Earle of Norfolke Guarin Montchensey Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester William Ferrars Earle of Derby and William Breose with children honours and possessions Robert Fitz-Stephen Harvey de Mont-Marish Maurice Prendergest Robert Barr. Meiler Meilerine Maurice Fitz-Girald Redmund nephew of Fitz-Stephen William Ferrand Miles de Cogan Richard de Cogan Gualter de Ridensford Gualter and sonnes of Maurice Fitz-Girald Alexander sonnes of Maurice Fitz-Girald William Notte Robert Fitz-Bernard Hugh Lacie William Fitz-Aldelm William Maccarell Humfrey Bohun Hugh de Gundevill Philip de Hasting Hugh Tirell David Walsh Robert Poer Osbert de Herloter William de Bendenges Adam de Gernez Philip de Breos Griffin nephew of Fitz-Stephen Raulfe Fitz-Stephen Walter de Barry Philip Walsh Adam de Hereford To whom may be added out of Giraldus Cambrensis Iohn Curcy Hugh Contilon Redmund Cantimore Redmund Fitz-Hugh Miles of S. Davids and others The Government of the Kingdome of Ireland EVer since that Ireland became subject unto England the Kings of England have sent over thither to manage the state of the Realme their Regents or Vice-gerents whom they tearmed in those writings or letters Patents of theirs whereby authoritie and jurisdiction is committed unto them first Keepers of Ireland then afterwards according as it pleased them Iustices of Ireland Lievtenants and Deputies Which authoritie and jurisdiction of theirs is very large ample and royall whereby they have power to make warre to conclude peace to bestow all Magistracies and Offices except a very few to pardon all crimes unlesse they be some of high treason to dub Knights c. These letters Patents when any one entreth upon this honourable place of government are publikely read and after a solemne oath taken in a set forme of words before the Chancellour the sword is delivered into his hands which is to be borne before him he is placed in a chaire of estate having standing by him the Chancellour of the Realme those of the Privie Councell the Peeres and Nobles of the kingdome with a King of Armes a Serjeant of Armes and other Officers of State And verily there is not looke throughout all Christendome againe any other Vice-Roy that commeth neerer unto the majestie of a King whether you respect his jurisdiction and authoritie or his traine furniture and provision There bee assistant unto him in counsell the Lord Chancellour of the Realm the Treasurer of the Kingdome and others of the Earles Bishops Barons and Judges which are of the Privie Councell For Ireland hath the very same degrees of States that England hath namely Earles Barons Knights
hand in fight Afterwards upon the sixth day of the weeke being Good-friday when the foresaid John was unarmed and went by way of pilgrimage bare foot and in his linnen vesture a visiting the Churches as the manner is treacherously he was taken prisoner by his owne people for a piece of money given in hand and for a greater reward to be given afterward for a recompence and so was delivered unto Hugh Lacie But hee bringeth him unto the King of England who gave unto Hugh Lacie the Earldom of Ulster and the Seigniorie of Conaught which belonged unto John Curcie Then Hugh Lacie being Earle rewarded all the foresaid Traitours that had betraied John Curcie and gave unto them gold and silver more or lesse but straightwayes hung up all the Traitours aforesaid and tooke away all their goods and so Hugh Lacie ruleth over all Ulster and John Curcie is condemned to perpetuall prison because he had before time beene a Rebell to John King of England and would not doe him homage and besides blamed him about the death of Arthur the rightfull heire unto the Crowne But whiles hee was in prison and in extreme povertie having but little allowance and the same course and simple for to eat and drinke he said O God wherefore dealest thou thus by me who have built and re-edified so many Monasteries for thee and thy Saints Now when he had many times wailed and made loud moane in this wise and therewith fell asleep the holy Trinitie appeared unto him saying Why hast thou cast me out of mine owne seat and out of the Church of Doun and placed there my S. Patrick the Patron of Ireland Because indeed John Curcie had expelled the Secular Canons or Priests out of the Cathedrall Church of Doune and brought the blacke Monks of Chester and placed them in the said Church And the holy Trinitie stood there in a stately shrine or seat and John himselfe tooke it downe out of the Church and ordained a Chappell for that Image and in the great Church set up the image of S. Patrick which displeased the most High God therefore thus said God Know thou well that thou shalt never enter into thy Seigniorie in Ireland Howbeit in regard of other good deeds that thou hast done thou shalt with honour be delivered forth of prison which also came to passe And now by this time there arose a contention betweene John King of England and the King of France about a Seigniory and certain Castles and this suit or controversie still depending the King of France offered unto him a Giant or Champion to fight for his right Then the King of England called to remembrance his most valiant Knight John Curcie whom upon the information of others he had before cast into prison The King therefore sent for John Curcie and asked him if he were able to help and stand him in stead in a combat then John answered and said I will not fight for thee but for the right of the Kingdome for which afterward hee undertooke to doe his endeavour in single fight and so refreshed himselfe with meat drink and bathing and tooke the vertue of his owne fortitude and strength and a day was appointed betweene these Giants or Champions namely betweene John Curcie and the other But when the Champion of France heard of his exceeding great feeding and of his strength hee refused the combat and then was the said Seigniorie given unto the King of England Then the King of France requested to see a stroake given by the hand of John Curcie and he set a strong and doughtie good morion full of maile upon a great blocke or log of wood and the foresaid John taking his skeine or sword and looking back round about him with a stern and grim countenance smote the moâ—ion through from the very crest downeward into the blocke and the sword stucke in the wood so fast that no other man but himselfe was able to plucke out the sword then John at the request of the Kings easily pluckt it forth And the Kings demanded of the foresaid John wherefore he looked behind him with so grim a countenance before he gave the stroke who answered that if he had failed in giving that stroke he would have slaine them all as well Kings as others And the Kings gave unto him great gifts yea and the King of England rendred unto him also his Seigniorie of Ulster But John Curcie attempted 15. times to saile over sea into Ireland but was alwaies in danger and the wind evermore against him wherefore hee waited a while among the Monkes of Chester At length he returned into France and there rested in the Lord. MCCV. The Abbey of Wetheney in the countie of Lymericke was founded by Theobald the sonne of Walter Butler Lord of Karryke MCCVI. The order of Friers Minors was begun neere the citie Assisa by Saint Francis MCCVIII William Breos is expelled out of England and commeth into Ireland England is interdicted for the tyrannie of King John of England Likewise a great overthrow and slaughter hapned at Thurles in Mounster committed upon the Lord Justice of Irelands men by Sir Geffery Mareys MCCX John King of England came into Ireland with a great fleet and a puissant armie and for that the sons of Hugh Lacie to wit the Lord Walter Lord of Meth and Hugh his brother exercised tyrannie upon the Commons and especially because they slew Sir John Curson Lord of Rathenny and Kilbarrocke for they heard that the foresaid John accused them unto the King therefore I say the King drave the foresaid sonnes of Hugh Lacie out of the land and they fled into France and served in the Monasterie of Saint Taurin as unknowne working about clay and bricke and sometime in gardens as Gardiners but at length they were knowne by the Abbat of the said Monasterie and the said Abbat entreated the King for them because he had baptized his sonnes and was Godsib unto him as a Godfather many times and Walter Lacie paid two thousand and five hundred markes and Hugh Lacie payed a great summe of money unto the King for his ransome and at the request of the said Abbat restored they were againe unto their former degree and Seigniorie And Walter Lacie brought with him John the sonne of Alured that is Fitz-Acory sonne to the foresaid Abbats whole brother and he made him Knight and gave unto him the Seigniorie of Dengle and many other Lordships Item hee brought Monkes with him out of the same Monasterie and gave unto them many fermes and the Cell called Fourie in regard of charitie thankfulnesse and counsell and Hugh Lacie Earle of Ulster made a Cell for Monkes and endowed them in Ulster in a place called ..... But John King of England having taken many pledges and hostages as well of English as of Irish and hanged a number of malefactours upon Jebbits and setled the State of the land returned into England the same yeere that he came
thither MCCXI. Sir Richard Tuit by the fall of a towre at Alone was crushed and whindred to death This Richard was founder of the Monasterie de Grenard MCCXII The Abbey of Grenard was founded In the same yeere died John Comyn Archbishop of Dublin and was buried within the quire of the Church of the Holy Trinitie who was founder of Saint Patricks Church of Dublin after whom succeeded Henrie Londres who is called Scorch Villeyn by occasion of a certaine act of his for that one day he called his tenants before him to answer by what teâ—nure they held of him And those tenants shewed their deeds and charters but he commanded the charters or deeds of these husbandmen his tenants to be burned and then the Freeholders evermore called him Henrie Scorch-Villein which Henrie Archbishop of Dublin was Justice of Ireland and built Dublin castle MCCXIII William Petit and Petre Messet departed this life This Petre Messet was Baron of Luyn hard by Trym but because he died without heire male the inheritance passed unto three daughters the eldest of whom the Lord Vernail married the second Talbot wedded and the other Lounders espoused and so they parted the inheritance betweene themselves MCCXIX The Citie of Damieta in the Nones of September was about the still time of midnight miraculously wonne so that in the forcing and taking thereof there was not one Christian lost his life In the same yeere died William Mareshal the elder Earle Mareshall and of Pembroch who begat on the daughter of Richard Strongbow Earle of Stroghul five sonnes the name of the first sonne was William the named of the second Walter the name of the third Gilbert the name of the fourth Anselme the name of the fifth Richard who was slaine in the warre of Kildare and everie one of these five sonnes was Earle after their father by succession in their fathers inheritance and none of these had issue wherefore the inheritance went away unto the sisters namely the daughters of their father the first was named Maud Mareschal the second Isabel Clare the third Eva Breos the fourth Johan Mount Chensey the fifth Sibill Countesse Ferrers Hugh Bigod Earle of Norfolk espoused Maud Mareschal he in the right of his wife was Earle Mareschal of England which Hugh begat Raufe Bigod father of John Bigod who was the sonne of the Ladie Bertha Furnival also Isabell Lacie wife to Lord John Fitz-Gefferey and when Hugh Bigod Earle of Norfolke was dead she bare John de Gâ—aren Earle of Surrey and his sister Isabell Albeney Countesse of Arundell Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester espoused Isabel the second sister who between them had issue Richard de Clare Earle of Glocester and she was mother to the Ladie Anise Countesse of Denshire who was mother to Isabel wife of the Lord Robert Brus Earle of Carricke in Scotland and was afterwards King of the same Scotland Of Eva Brus the third sister was begotten Maud who was the mother of the Lord Edmund Mortimer and mother to the Ladie Eve Cauntelow mother of the Ladie Milsond Mohun who was mother of Dame Eleanor mother to the Earle of Hereford The Lord Guarin Mont Chensey espoused Johan Mareschall the fourth sister of whom came Johan Valens Sibyll the Countesse of Ferrers to wit the fourth had issue five daughters the first Agnes Vescie mother to the Lord John and the Lord William Vescie the second Isabel Basset the third Joan Mohun wife to the Lord John Mohun son of the Lord Reginald the fourth Sibyll Mohun wife to Lord Francis Bohun Lord of Midhurst the fifth Eleanor Vaus who was wife unto the Earle of Winchester the sixth Agatha Mortimer wife to the Lord Hugh Mortimer the seventh Maud Kyme Lady of Carbry All these abovesaid as well males as females are of the genealogie of the said William Earle Mareschal MCCXX. The translation of St. Thomas of Canterburie In the same yeere died the Lord Meiler Fitz Henrie founder of the house of Connall who is buried in the Chapter house of the same house MCCXXIV The Castle of Bedford was besieged and the Castle of Trim in Ireland MCCXXV Roger Pippard died And Anno MCCXXVIII died William Pippard sometime Lord of the Salmons-leap There departed likewise Henrie Londres alias Scorch villeyn Archbishop of Dublin and is interred in the Church of the Holy Trinitie at Dublin MCCXXX Henrie King of England gave unto Hubert Burk the Justiceship of Ireland and a third pennie of rent and made him Earle of Kent And afterward the same Hubert was imprisoned and great trouble arose between the King and his subjects because he adhered to strangers more than to his owne naturall people MCCXXXI William Mareschall the younger Earle Mareshall and of Pembroke died who is buried within the Quire of the Friers Preachers in Kilkenny MCCXXXIV Richard Earle Mareshall and of Pembroke or Stroghull on the first day before the Ides of April was wounded in battell upon the plaine of Kildare and some few dayes after died in Kilkenny and there hard by his naturall whole brother to wit William lieth buried within the Quire of Friers Preachers of whom it is thus written Cujus sub fossa Kilkenia continet ossa Whose bones bestow'd in grave so deep Kilkenny towne doth safely keepe MCCXI. Walter Lacie Lord of Meth departed this life in England leaving behind him two daughters his heires whereof Sir Theobald Verdon married the first and Geffery Genevile espoused the second MCCXLII The Castle of Slegah was built by Morice Fitz-Gerald Justice of Ireland King Edward the first marched into Wales with a great army and sent to the said Justice that he would come to him with some forces out of Ireland who accordingly came with the flower of the English in Ireland and Phelin O-Conor who was then King of Conacht in his company and shortly returned with victorie honour Afterward the said Justice preied the countrey Tirconnell and gave a moitie thereof to Cormac Mac-Dermot Mac-Rory and carried with him pledges for the other moitie and left them in the castle of Sleagh Another expedition was made by the said Justice and the English first he came to Sleigagh thence to Hohosserovie Mac Morin the Tuesday after the feast of Peter and Paul and Cormac-Mac-Dermot Mac-Rorie accompanied them At that time O Donnel assembled all Kineoill Conail against them at the ford of Ath-Shany so that hee permitted neither English nor Irish to passe over the ford whereupon the English resolved to send Cormac Mac-Rory O-Conor with a company of horse into the champion Westward and they returned by an higher plaine over the moores Eastward to the ford of Quilvain upon the water Earne so that O-Donnel knew nothing of those companies of horse untill he saw them on that side of the river that he himselfe encamped and when he saw the English at his backe hee encountred them but his army was put to rout Moyls Haghlin O-Donnel commonly called King of Kineoil Conail was slain
with Gylly Cavinelagh Obugill and Mac-Derley King of Oresgael with the principall men of Kineoil Conail And many of the army of the said Justice were drowned as they passed over the water of Fin Northward and among them in the rescuing of a prey there were slaine Atarmanudaboge Sir W. Brit Sherif of Conacth and the young knight his brother And afterward the said army spoiled the country and left the Seigniorie of Kineoil Conail to Rory O-Coner for that time There was another expedition also by the said Justice into Tirconnell and great spoiles made and O-Canamayu was expelled out of Kenoilgain he left the territory of Kenail Conail with Gorry Mac-Donald O-Donnel There was another expedition also by the said Justice into Tireogaine against O-Neale but he gave pledges for the preservation of his countrey There was another expedition by the said Justice in Leinster against the Irishry whom he pitifully outraged and spoiled their land In another expedition also the said Justice destroied Kenoilgain and all Ulster in despite of O-Neale tarrying three nights at Tullaghoge MCCXLIII Hugh Lacy Earle of Ulster died and is buried at Crag-fergous in the covent of the Friers Minours leaving a daughter his heire whom Walter Burk who was Earle of Ulster espoused In the same yeere died Lord Girald Fitz-Moris and Richard Burk MCCXLVI An earthquake over all the West about 9. of the clocke MCCXLVIII Sir John Fitz-Gefferey knight came Lord Justice into Ireland MCCL. Lewis King of France and William Long Espee with many other are taken prisoners by the Saracens In Ireland Maccanewey a sonne of Beliol was slaine in Leys as he well deserved MCCLI. The Lord Henry Lacie was borne Likewise upon Christmas day Alexander King of Scotland a childe eleven yeeres old espoused at Yorke Margaret the King of Englands daughter MCCLV Alan de la Zouch is made Lord Justice and commeth into Ireland MCCLVII The Lord Moris or Maurice Fitz-Gerald deceaseth MCCLIX Stephen Long Espee commeth Lord Justice of Ireland The Greene castle in Ulster is throwne downe Likewise William Dene is made Lord Justice of Ireland MCCLXI The Lord John Fitz-Thomas and the Lord Maurice his son are slaine in Desmund by Mac-Karthy likewise William Dene Lord Justice of Ireland dejected after whom succeeded in the same yeere Sir Richard Capell MCCLXII Richard Clare Earle of Glocester died Item Martin Maundevile left this life the morrow after Saint Bennets day MCCLXIV Maurice Fitz Gerald and Maurice Fitz Maurice took prisoners Rich. Capell the Lord Theobald Botiller and the Lord John Cogan at Tristel-Dermot MCCLXVII David Barrie is made Lord Justice of Ireland MCCLXVIII Comin Maurice Fitz Maurice is drowned Item Lord Robert Ufford is made Lord Justice of Ireland MCCLXIX The castle of Roscomon is founded Richard of Excester is made Lord Justice MCCLXX The Lord James Audeley came Lord Justice into Ireland MCCLXXI Henry the Kings sonne of Almain is slaine in the Court of Rome The same yeere reigned the plague famine and the sword and most in Meth. Item Nicholas de Verdon and his brother John are slain Walter Burk or de Burgo Earle of Ulster died MCCLXXII The Lord James Audeley Justice of Ireland was killed with a fall from his horse in Twomond after whom succeeded Lord Maurice Fitz-Maurice in the office of chiefe Justice MCCLXXIII The Lord Geffrey Genevile returned out of the holy land and is made Justice of Ireland MCCLXXIV Edward the sonne of King Henrie by the hands of Robert Kelwarby a Frier of the order of Preaching Friers and Archbishop of Canterburie upon S. Magnus the Martyrs day in the Church of Westminster was anointed K. of England and crowned in the presence of the Lords and Nobles of all England whose protestation and oath was in this forme I Edward son and heire to King Henrie professe protest and promise before God and his Angels from this time forward to keep without respect the law justice and peace unto the holy Church of God and the people subject unto me so far forth as we can devise by the counsell of our liege and loiall ministers also to exhibite condigne and canonicall honour unto the Bishops of Gods Church to preserve inviolably whatsoever hath bin bestowed by Emperors and Kings upon the Church committed unto them and to yeeld due honour unto Abbats the Lords vessels according to the advise of our lieges c. So help me God and the holy Gospels of the Lord. In the same yeer died the Lord Iohn Verdon likewise the Lord Thomas Clare came into Ireland Item William Fitz-Roger Prior of the Hospitalers with many others are taken prisoners at Glyndelory and more there slaine MCCLXXV The castle of Roscoman is erected againe In the same yeere Moydagh was taken prisoner at Norragh by Sir Walter Faunte MCCLXXVI Robert Ufford is made Lord Justice of Ireland the second time Geffrey Genevile gave place and departed MCCLXXVII O-Brene is slaine MCCLXXVIII The Lord David Barry died Likewise the Lord John Cogan MCCLXXIX The Lord Robert Ufford entred into England and appointed in his roome Frier Robert Fulborne Bishop of Waterford in whose time the money was changed likewise the Round table was holden at Kenilworth by the Lord Roger Mortimer MCCLXXX Robert Ufford returned out of England Lord Justice as before Also the wife of Robert Ufford deceased MCCLXXXI Adam Cusack the younger slew William Barret and many others in Connaght Item Frier Stephen Fulborne is made Justice of Ireland Item the Lord Robert Ufford returned into England MCCLXXXII Moritagh and Arte Mac-Murgh his brother are slaine at Arclowe on the Even of Saint Marie Maudlen Likewise the Lord Roger Mortimer died MCCLXXXIII The citie of Dublin was in part burnt and the Belfray of Saint Trinitie Church in Dublin the third day before the Nones of Januarie MCCLXXXIIII The castle of Ley was taken and burnt by the Potentates or Lords of Offaly the morrow after Saint Barnabe the Apostle his day Alphonsus the Kings sonne twelve yeeres old changed his life MCCLXXXV The Lord Theobald Botiller died the sixth day before the Kalends of October in the castle of Arclowe and was buried there in the covent of the Friers preachers Item Girald Fitz-Maurice was taken prisoner by his own Irish in Offalie and Richard Petit and Saint Doget with many other and a great overthrow was given at Rathode with much slaughter MCCLXXXVI Norragh and Arstoll with other townes were one after another continually burnt by Philip Stanton the 16. day before the Calends of December In these daies Alianor Queen of England mother of King Edward tooke the mantle and the ring at Ambresburie upon the day of Saint Thomas his translation having her dower in the kingdome of England confirmed by the Pope to be possessed for ever Likewise Calwagh is taken prisoner at Kildare The Lord Thomas Clare departed this life MCCLXXXVII Stephen Fulborn Archbishop of Tuam died after whom there succeeded in the office of Lord chiefe Justice for a time John
Sampford archbishop of Dublin In the same yeer the King of Hungary forsaking the Christian faith became an Apostata and when hee had called fraudulently as it were to a Parliament the mightier potentates of his land Miramomelius a puissant Saracene came upon them with 20000. souldiers carrying away with him the King with all the Christians there assembled on the even of Saint John Baptists day as the Christians therefore journied the weather that was cleere and faire turned to be cloudie and suddenly a tempest of haile killed many thousands of the Infidels together The Christians returned to their owne homes and the Apostata King alone went with the Saracenes The Hungarians therefore crowning his sonne King continued in the Catholike faith MCCLXXXIX Tripolis a famous citie was laied even with the ground not without much effusion of Christian blood and that by the Soldan of Babylon who commanded the images of the Saints to bee drawne and dragged at horses tailes in contempt of the name of Christ through the citie newly destroyed MCCXC Inclyta Stirps Regis Sponsis datur ordine legis In lawfull guise by hand and ring Espoused is the Kings off-spring The Lord Gilbert Clare tooke to wife the Ladie Joan a daughter of the Lord King Edward in the Abbey or Covent Church of Westminster and the marriage was solemnely celebrated in the Moneth of May and John the Duke of Brabant his sonne married Margaret the said Kings daughter also in the Church aforesaid in the moneth of July The same yeere the Lord William Vescie was made Justice of Ireland entring upon the office on Saint Martins day Item O Molaghelin King of Meth is slaine MCCXCI Gilbert Clare the sonne of Gilbert and of the Ladie Joan of Acres was borne the 11. day of May in the morning betimes Item there was an armie led into Ulster against O-Hanlon and other Princes hindering the peace by Richard Earle of Ulster and William Vescie Justice of Ireland Item the Ladie Eleanor sometime Queene of England and mother of King Edward died in the feast of St. Iohn Baptist who in the religious habite which she desired led a laudable life for the space of foure yeeres eleven moneths and sixe dayes within the Abbey of Ambresby where she was a professed Nun. Item there resounded certaine rumours in the eares of the Lord Pope Martin on the even of St. Mary Maudlen as touching the Citie Acon in the holy land which was the only refuge of the Christians namely that it was besieged by Milkador the Soldan of Babylon an infinite number of his souldiers and that it had been most fiercely assaulted about fortie daies to wit from the eighth day before the Ides of April unto the fifteene Calends of July At length the wall was plucked down by the Saracens that assaulted it and an infinite number of them entred the Citie many Christians being slaine and some for feare drowned in the sea The Patriarch also with his traine perished in the sea The King of Cypres and Otes Grandison with their companies pitifully escaped by a ship Item granted there was unto the Lord Edward King of England by the Lord Pope Martin the tenth part of all the profits of Ecclesiasticall benefices for seven yeeres in Ireland toward the reliefe of the holy land Item the eldest sonne of the Earle of Clare was borne MCCXCII Edward King of England eftsoones entred Scotland and was elected King of Scotland Lord John Balliol of Galwey obtained the whole kingdome of Scotland in right of inheritance and did homage unto the Lord Edward King of England at New-castle upon Tine on S. Stephens day Florentius Earle of Holland Robert Brus Earle of Carrick John Hastings John Comyn Patrick Dunbar John Vescie Nicolas Soules and William Roos who all of them in that kingdome submitted themselves to the judgement of the Lord King Edward Item a fifteene of all secular mens goods in Ireland was granted unto the soveraign Lord King of England the same to be collected at the feast of S. Michael Item Sir Peter Genevile Knight died Item Rice ap Meredyke was brought to York and there at horses tailes drawne c. MCCXCIII A generall and open war there was at sea against the Normans Item no small number of the Normans by fight at sea was slain by the Barons of the Ports of England and other their co-adjutors between Easter and Whitsuntide For which cause there arose war between England and France whereupon Philip King of France directed his letters of credence unto the King of England that he should make personall appearance at his Parliament to answer unto Questions which the same King would propose unto him whose mandate in this behalf being not fulfilled straightwaies the King of France declaring by the counsell of the French the King of England to be outlawed condemned him Item Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester entred with his wife into Ireland about the feast of S. Luke MCCXCIV William Montefort in the Kings counsell holden at Westminster before the King died sodainly which William was the Dean of S. Pauls in London in whose mouth the Prelates Bishops and Cleargy putting their words which he was to utter and doubting how much the King affected and desired to have of every one of them and willing by him to be certified in whom also the King reposed most trust being returned to the King and making hast before the King to deliver expresly a speech that he had conceived became speechlesse on a sodain and fell downe to the ground and was carried forth by the Kings servants in their armes in piteous manner In regard of which sight that thus happened men strucken with feare gave out these speeches Surely this man hath beene the Agent and Procurator that the Tenths of Ecclesiasticall benefices should bee paied to the King and another author and procurer of a scrutinie made into the fold and flocke of Christ as also of a contribution granted afterward to the King crying against William Item the Citie of Burdeaux with the land of Gascoigne adjoining was occupied or held by the ministers of the King of France conditionally but unjustly and perfidiously detained by the King of France for which cause John Archbishop of Dublin and certaine other Lords of the Nobilitie were sent into Almaine to the King thereof and after they had their dispatch and answer in Tordran the Lord Archbishop being returned into England ended his life upon S. Leodegaries day The bones of which John Sampford were enterred in the Church of Saint Patrick in Dublin the tenth day before the Calends of March. The same yeere there arose debate betweene Lord William Vescy Lord Justice of Ireland for the time being and the Lord John Fitz-Thomas and the said Lord Williliam Vescy crossed the seas into England left Sir William Hay in his stead Justice of Ireland but when both of them were come before the King to fight a combat under an Appeal for treason the foresaid
William Vescy fled into France and would not fight Then the King of England gave all the Seigniories and Lordships which were the Lord William Vescies unto Sir John Fitz-Thomas to wit Kildare Rathemgan and many others The same yeere Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester returned out of Ireland into England likewise Richard Earle of Ulster soon after the feast of S. Nicholas was taâ—en prisoner by Sir John Fitz-Thomas and kept in ward within the Castle of Ley unto the feast of Saint Gregorie the Pope whose enlargement was then made by the counsell of the Lord the King in a Parliament at Kilkenny for the taking of whom the foresaid Sir Iohn Fitz-Thomas gave all his lands to wit Slygah with the pertenances which he had in Connaght Item the Castle of Kildare was won Kildare and the country round about it is spoiled by the English and Irish. Caluagh burnt all the Rolls and Tallies of the said Earle Great dearth and pestilence there was throughout Ireland this yeere and the two next ensuing Item Lord William Odyngzele is made Justice of Ireland MCCXCV Edward King of England built the Castle de Bello-Marisco that is Beaumaris in Venedocia which is called mother of Cambria and of the common sort Anglesey entring unto the said Anglesey straight after Easter and subduing the Venodotes that is the able men of Anglesey under his dominion and soone after this time namely after the feast of St. Margaret Madock at that time the elect Prince of Wales submitting himselfe to the Kings grace and favour was brought by Iohn Haverings to London and there shut up prisoner in the towre expecting the Kings grace and benevolence This yeere died Lord William Odingzele Justice of Ireland the morrow after S. Mary of Aegypt whom succeeded Sir Thomas Fitz-Maurice in the Justiceship Item about the same time the Irish of Leinster wasted Leinster burning New-castle with other townes Item Thomas Torbevile a traitor of the King and the realm being convicted was drawne through the middest of London lying along prostrate guarded with foure tormentors disguised under vizzards taunting and reviling him and thus in the end was hanged upon a jibbet in chaines so as his carcase might not be committed to sepulture but kites carrion crowes and ravens celebrated his funerals This Thomas was one of them which at the siege of the Castle of Rions were taken prisoners and brought to Paris Who spake unto the Peeres of France and said that he would betray the King of England into their hands and leaving there his two sonnes for hostages returned from the parts beyond-sea joining himself unto the King of England and his counsell relating unto them all how craftily he escaped out of prison and when hee had gotten intelligence of the Kings designement and the ordering of the kingdome hee put all in writing and directed the same unto the Provost of Paris For which being in the end convicted he received the sentence of judgement aforesaid Item about the same time the Scots having broken the bond of peace which they had covenanted with the Lord Edward King of England made a new league with the King of France and conspiring together rose up in armes against their owne soveraigne Lord and King Iohn Balliol and enclosed him within the inland parts of Scotland in a castle environed and fensed round about with mountaines They elected unto themselves after the manner of France twelve Peeres to wit foure Bishops foure Earles and foure Lords of the Nobilitie by whose will and direction all the affaires of the kingdome should be managed And this was done in despite and to disgrace the King of England for that against the will and consent of the Scots the said John was by the King of England set over them to be their Soveraigne Item the King of England brought an armie againe toward Scotland in Lent following to represse the rash arrogancie and presumption of the Scots against their owne father and King Item Sir Iohn Wogan was made Justice of Ireland and the Lord Thomas Fitz-Maurice gave place unto him Item the said John Wogan Justice of Ireland made peace and truce to last for two yeeres betweene the Earle of Ulster and Iohn Fitz-Thomas and the Geraldines Item in these dayes about the feast of Christ his Nativitie Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester finished this life Item the King of England sendeth his brother Edmund with an armie into Gascoigne MCCXCVI The Lord Edward King of England the third day before the Calends of Aprill to wit upon Friday that fell out then to be in Easter weeke wonne Berwicke wherein were slaine about 7000. Scots and of the English one onely Knight to wit Sir Richard Cornwall with seven footmen and no more Item shortly after namely upon the fourth of May he entred the Castle of Dunbar and tooke prisoners of the enemies about fortie men alive who all submitted themselves to the Kings grace and mercie having before defeated the whole armie of the Scots that is to say slaine seven hundred men of armes neither were there slaine of the English men in that service as well of horsemen as of footmen but ... footmen onely Item upon the day of Saint John before Port-Latin no small number of Welshmen even about fifteene thousand by commandement of the King went into Scotland to invade and conquer it And the same time the great Lords of Ireland to wit Iohn Wogan Justice of Ireland Richard Bourk Earle of Ulster Theobald Butler and Iohn Fitz-Thomas with others came to aide and sailed over sea into Scotland The King of England also entertaining them upon the third day before the Ides of May to wit on Whitsunday made a great and solemne feast in the Castle of Rokesburgh to them and other Knights of England Item upon the next Wednesday before the feast of Saint Barnabe the Apostle hee entred the towne of Edeâ—burgh and wonne the Castle before the feast of Saint John Baptist and shortly after even in the same summer were all the Castles within the compasse of Scotland rendred up into his hands Item the same Lord John Balliol King of Scotland came though unwilling upon the Sunday next after the feast of the translation of Saint Thomas the Archbishop to the King of England with Earles Bishops and a great number of Knights beside and submitted themselves unto the Kings grace and will saving life and limbe and the Lord John Balliol resigned up all his right of Scotland into the King of England his hand whom the Lord the King sent toward the parts about London under safe conduct Item Edmund the King of Englands brother died in Gascoigne MCCXCVII Lord Edward King of England sailed over into Flanders with a power of armed men against the King of France for the warre that was raised betweene them where after great expences and much altercation a certaine forme of peace was concluded betweene them with this condition that they should submit themselves unto the ordinance of
seas into England out of Ireland the Earle of Ulster Roger Mortimer and Sir Iohn Fitz-Thomas Item Sir Theohald Verdon died MCCCX. King Edward and Sir Piers Gaveston tooke their journey toward Scotland to fight against Robert Bruâ— Item in the said yeere great dearth there was of corn in Ireland an eranc of wheat was sold for 20. shillings and above Also the Bakers of Dublin for their false waight of bread suffered a new kinde of torment which was never seen there before for that on S. Sampson the Bishops day they were drawne upon hurdles through the streets of the Citie at horse-tailes More in the Abbey of S. Thomas Martyr at Dublin died Sir Neile Bruin Knight Escheator to the Lord the King in Ireland whose bodie was committed to the earth at the Friers minors with so great a pompe of tapers and waxe lights as the like was never seene before in Ireland The same yeere a Parliament was holden at Kildare where Sir Arnold Pover was acquit for the death of the Lord Bonevile because he had done this deed in his owne defence Likewise on S. Patricks day by assent of the Chapter M. Alexander Bickenore was elected Archbishop of Dublin Item the Lord Roger Mortimer returned into Ireland within the Octaves of the Nativitie of the blessed Virgin Marie Also the same yeere the Lord Henrie Lacie Earle of Lincolne died MCCCXI In Thomond at Bonnorathie there was a wonderfull and miraculous discomfiture given by the Lord Richard Clare unto the side of the Earle of Ulster Which Lord Richard aforesaid tooke prisoner in the field the Lord William Burke and John the sonne of the Lord Walter Lacie and many others In which battaile verily there were slaine a great number as well of the English as the Irish the 13. day before the Galends of June Item Taslagard and Rathcante were invaded by the robbers to wit the O-Brines and O-Tothiles the morrow after the Nativitie of S. John Baptist. Whereupon soon after in Autumne there was a great armie assembled in Leinster to make head and fight against the said robbers lurking in Glindelory and in other places full of woods Also a Parliament was holden at London in August betweene the King and the Barons to treat about the State of the kingdome and of the Kings houshold according to the ordinance of sixe Bishops sixe Earles and sixe Barons as they might best provide for the good of the Realme Item on the second day before the Ides of November the Lord Richard Clare slew sixe hundred of Galegalaghes More on All-Saints day next going before Piers Gaveston was banished the Realme of England by the Earles and Barons and many good Statutes necessarie for the commonwealth were by the same Lords made Which Piers abjured the Realme of England about the Feast of All-Saints and entred into Flanders foure moneths after the said Piers returned presently upon the Epiphanie and by stealth entred into England keeping close unto the Kings side so that the Barons could not easily come neere unto him And hee went with the King to Yorke making his abode there in the Lent whereupon the Bishops Earles and Barons of England came to London for to treat about the State of the kingdome for feare lest by occasion of Piers his returne the Common wealth should bee troubled with commotions Item Sir John Cogan Sir Walter Faunt and Sir John Fitz-Rerie Knights died and were buried in the Church of the Friers Preachers at Dublin Item John Mac-Goghedan is slaine by O-molmoy Item William Roch died at Dublin with the shot of an arrow by an Irish mountainer Item Sir Eustace Power Knight died Item in the Vigill of Saint Peters Chaire began a riot in Urgaly by Robert Verdon Item Donat O-Brene is traiterously slaine by his owne men in Tothomon MCCCXII Sir Peter or Piers Gaveston entred the castle of Scardeburgh resisting the Barons But soone after the Calends of June hee yeelded himselfe unto Sir Aumare Valence who had besieged him yet upon certaine conditions named before hand who brought him toward London But by the way he was taken prisoner at Dedington by the Earle of Warwicke and brought to Warwicke whereupon after counsell taken by the Earles and Barons he lost his head the thirteenth day before the Calends of July whose bodie lieth buried in the coventuall Church of the Friers Preachers at Langley Item John Wogan Lord Justice of Ireland led forth an armie to bridle the malice of Robert Verdon and his abettors which was miserably defeated the sixth day before the Ides of July in which fight were slain Nicolas Avenel Patrick Roch and many others For this fact the said Robert Verdon and many of his complices yeelded themselves unto the Kings prison at Dublin in expectance of favour and pardon Also on Thursday the morrow after Saint Lucie Virgin in the sixth yeere of King Edward the Moone was wonderfully seene of divers colours on which day determined it was that the order of Templars should be abolished for ever More in Ireland Lord Edmund Botiller was made the Lievtenant of Lord John Wogan Justice of Ireland which Edmund in the Lent following besieged the O-Brynnes in Glindelorie and compelled them to yeeld yea and brought them almost to confusion unlesse they had returned the sooner unto the peace of the Lord the King Item the same yeere on the morrow after Saint Dominickes day Lord Maurice Fitz-Thomas espoused Katherin daughter of the Earle of Ulster at Green-castle And Thomas Fitz-Iohn espoused another daughter of the same Earle the morrow after the Assumption in the same place Also the Sunday after the feast of the exaltation of the holy Crosse the daughter of the Earle of Glocester wife to the Lord Iohn Burke was delivered of a sonne MCCCXIII Frier Roland Joce Primate of Ardmach arrived at the Iland of Houth the morrow after the annuntiation of the blessed Virgin Marie and rising in the night by stealth tooke up his Crosier and advanced it as farre as to the Priorie of Grace Dieu whom there encountred certaine of the Archbishop of Dublins servants debasing and putting downe that Crosier and the Primate himselfe of Ardmagh they chaced with disgrace and confusion out of Leinster Item a Parliament was holden at London wherein little or nothing was done as touching Peace from which Parliament the King departed and tooke his journey into France at the mandate of the King of France and the King of England with many of his Nobles tooke the badge of the Crosse. Also the Lord John Fitz-Thomas knighted Nicolas Fitz-Maurice and Robert Clonhull at Adare in Mounster More on the last day of May Robert Brus sent certaine Gallies to the parts of Ulster with his rovers to make spoile whom the men of Ulster resisted and manfully chased away It is said that the same Robert arrived with the licence of the Earle to take truce Item in the same summer Master John Decer a Citizen of Dublin caused a necessarie bridge to
bee made from without the towne of Batiboght unto the Causey of the Mil-poole of Clontarf whereas before time the passengers that way were much endangered But after he had defraied great charges thereabout by reason of a mightie inundation and floud the bridge with the arches fell downe Also Master John Leeks Achbishop of Dublin in the feast of St. Laurence ended this mortall life Then in a schisme and division of sides were elected for to bee Archbishop of Dublin Master Walter Thornbury the Kings Chancellor in Ireland and Master Alexander Bicknore Treasurer of Ireland but Walter Thornbury was drowned and many others to wit about one hundred fiftie and sixe took the sea and the night following were all drowned At the time of the foresaid Walters death Alexander Bicknore expected at home the Popes favour The same Alexander was made Archbishop of Dublin Item the Lord Miles Verdon espoused the daughter of the Lord Richard Excester Item the same yeere the Lord Robert Brus overthrew the Castle of Man and vanquished the Lord Donegan O-Dowill on S. Barnabes day And the Lord John Burck heire unto Richard Earle of Ulster died at Galwey on the feast of St. Marcellus and Marcellianus Also the Lord Edmund Botiller dubbed thirtie Knights in Dublin Castle on Sunday and St. Michaels day MCCCXIV The Knights Hospitallers had the lands given unto them of the Templars in Ireland Item Sir John Parice is slaine at Pount Also Lord Theobald Verdon came Lord Justice of Ireland on Saint Sylvesters day Item Sir Gefferey Genevile a Frier died the twelfth day before the Calends of November and was buried in his owne order of the Friers Preachers of Trym who was Lord also of the libertie of Meth. More in the same yeere and upon S. Matthew the Apostles day Loghseudy was burnt and on the friday following the Lord Edmund Botiller received his Commission to be Lord Justice of Ireland MCCCXV On St. John Baptists day the Earle of Glocester had his deaths wound given him and died when many others as it were without number were slaine in Scotland and more taken prisoners by the Scots For which cause the Scots became bold and carried their heads aloft and gat good land and tributes out of Northumberland Item shortly after this came the Scots and besieged the towne of Carlile where James Douglas was squized to death by misfortune of a certaine wall falling upon him The same yeere the Scots not contented with their owne land arrived in the North part of Ireland at Clondonne with sixe thousand fighting men and expert warriours to wit Edward Brus whole brother to Robert King of Scots and with him the Earl of Morreff John Meneteth John Steward the Lord John Cambel Thomas Randolfe Fergus Andressan John Bosco and John Bisset who seized Ulster into their hands and drave the Lord Thomas Mandevile and other liege men out of their owne possessions The Scots entred Ireland first on St. Augustines day that was the Englishmens Apostle in the moneth of May neere unto Crag-fergus in Ulster betweene whom and the English the first conflict was neere unto Banne in which the Earle of Ulster was put to flight there were taken prisoners William Burk John Stanton and many others and the Scots having slaine a number of the English prevailed and had the day The second conflict was at Kintys in Meth wherein Roger Mortimer with his followers was put to flight The third conflict was at Sketheris hard by Arstoll the morrow after the conversion of S. Paul wherein the Englishmen were chaced and the Scots had the better hand And the foresaid Edward Brus soone after the feast of Philip and Jacob caused himselfe to be crowned King of Ireland and they tooke Greene Castle and left their men there whom the Dublinians quickly after expelled and recovered the said Castle to the Kings behoof and finding Sir Robert Coulragh the Keeper of the Castle there brought him with them to Dublin who being imprisoned and put to short diet ended his dayes Item upon Peter and Paul the Apostles day came the Scots before Dundalk and won the towne spoiled and burnt it killing as many as made resistance and a great part of Urgale was burnt by the Scots The Church of the blessed Virgin Mary in Atterith being full of men women and little children was burnt by the Scots and Irish. In the same yeere the Lord Edmund Botiller Justice of Ireland about the feast of S. Mary Maudlen assembled together a mightie power out of Mounster Leinster and other parts and the Earle of Ulster on the contrarie side as it were comming from the parts of Connaght with an infinite army met all together about Dundalk and consulted among themselves to kill the Scots but how it is not knowne the Scots fled otherwise as hope was they had been taken prisoners Which done the Earle of Ulster with the foresaid Justice and other great Lords tooke in hand after they had slaine the Scots to bring the Lord Edward le Brus quicke or dead to Dublin which Earle followed them in chase as far as to the water of Branne and afterwards the said Earle retired backe toward Coyners which the said Brus perceiving warily passed over the said water and followed him whom with some other of the Earles side hee put to flight having wounded George Roch and slaine others namely Sir John Stanton and Roger de sancto Bosco that is Holy-wood likewise on the part of Brus many were slaine and the Lord Wiliam Burk was taken prisoner the tenth day of the moneth of September and the Earle was defeated neere unto Coyners and then the Irish of Connaght and Meth rose up in armes against the King and against the Earle of Ulster and burnt the Castle of Atholon and of Raudon and many other Castles in the said war of Coyners The Baron of Donell bare himselfe there right valiantly but he lost much goods there and the said Scots manfully chased them as far as to Cragfergus and there on the Earls side they fled and some entred the Castle and valiantly kept it and afterwards came mariners from the havens and Port townes of England and on a night surprised the Scots and slew fortie of them and had away their tents and many things else And the morrow after the exaltation of the holy Crosse the Earle of Morreff passed the seas into Scotland and took the Lord William Brus with him seeking for more warlike and armed men with foure Pirats ships full of the goods of Ireland whereof one was sunke all which time the said Brus laid siege to the Castle of Cragfergus At the same time Cathill Roge razed three Castles of the Earles of Ulster in Connaught and many townes in the same Connaught he burnt and sacked And at the same time the said mariners went to the said Castle and the Lords there skirmished and in the meane time slew many Scots at which time Richard Lan de O-ferivill was by a certaine Irishman
the said Earle having an oath tendered unto him swore upon the Sacrament that hee would never worke or procure by himselfe or by any of his friends and followers harme or grievance upon the occasion of his apprehension unto the Citizens of Dublin but that which himselfe might by order of law obtaine or get against the offenders or transgressours in that behalfe and thereupon hee had time and day untill the feast of the Nativitie of S. John Baptist at which day he came not Also in the same yeere Corne and other victuals were exceeding deere A Cranok of wheat was sold for three and twenty shillings and wine for eight denires and the whole land in maner was wasted by the Scots and Ulster-men yea many house-holders and such as had sustained and relieved a number of folk were driven to begge and a number were famished So great also was the death and dearth together that the poore were pined with famine and many died At the same time came messengers to Dublin out of England with grants of pardon which they had at their will and pleasure but before their comming the foresaid Earle was delivered And at the feast of Pentecost Mortimer the Lord chiefe Justice took his journy towards Tredagh and from thence to Trim and sent his letters for the Lacies to repaire unto him who contemptuously refused to come And afterwards Sir Hugh Crofts Knight was sent unto the Lacies to treat about a peace who by them was slain the more the pity And after that Mortimer L. Justice assembled his army against the Lacies who seized upon their goods cattell and treasure and brought them to finall destruction slew many of their men and chased them into the parts of Connaght And it was said that Sir Walter Lacie went forth as farre as to Ulster to seeke Brus. Item in the towne of St. Cinere in Flanders about the feast of Pentecost the Lord Aumar Valence and his sonne were taken prisoners and conveied into Almaini And the same yeere on Munday after the feast of the nativitie of S. John Baptist the Potentates of Ireland assembled themselves to the Parliament at Dublin and there was the Earle of Ulster enlarged who tooke his oath and found mainprisers or sureties to answer the writs of law and to pursue the Kings enemies both Irish and Scots Item upon the day of the Saints Pnocesse and Martinian Sir Iohn Atly encountred at sea Thomas Dover a right strong thiefe and took him and about forty of his men well armed he slew and his head he brought with him to Dublin Also upon the day of the translation of S. Thomas Sir Nicholas Bolscot came out of England with newes that two Cardinals were come from the Court of Rome into England to treat concerning a peace and they brought a Bull to excommunicate all the troublers of the peace of the Lord the King of England Likewise the Thursday next before the feast of St. Margaret Hugh and Walter Lacie were proclaimed seducers and felons to the King because they had advanced their banner against the peace of the Lord King of England More on the sunday following the Lord Roger Mortimer Justice of Ireland took his journey to Tredagh with all his souldiers At the same time the Ulster-men raised a bootie neere unto Tredagh and the men of Tredagh went out and fetched the bootie backe againe where was slaine Miles Cogan with his brother and sixe other great Lords of Ulster were taken prisoners and brought to the castle of Dublin And afterwards Mortimer the Lord Justice assembled his army against O-Fervill and commanded the Mal-passe to be cut downe and destroied all his houses and afterwards the said O-Fervil rendred himselfe to the peace and put in hostages Also the Lord Roger Mortimer Justice tooke his journey toward Clony and made an inquisition or inquest as touching Sir Iohn Blound to wit White of Rathregan which inquest accused the said Iohn whereupon he was of necessity to fine for two hundred marks and afterward on sunday after the feast of the nativity of blessed Marie the said Mortimer with a great power marched against the Irish of O-Mayl and came to Glinsely where many were slaine both of Irish and English but the Irish went away with the worst and soone after came O-brynn and rendred himselfe to the peace of the King And Roger Mortimer with his company came to the castle of Dublin And upon the day of Simon and Jude the Apostles the Archbales had peace by mainprise of the Earle of Kildare And at the feast of Saint Hilary following there was a Parliament holden at Lincolne about a treaty of peace betweene the Lord King of England and the Earle of Lancaster and between the Scots and the Scots continued in peace and by reason of that Parliament the Archbishop of Dublin and the Earle of Ulster staied in England by the Kings commandement And about the feast of the Epiphany there came newes to Dublin that Sir Hugh Canon the Kings Justice in his bench was slaine by Andrew Bermingham between Naas and Castle-Martin Item at the feast of the purification of the blessed Virgin Mary there came the Popes Buls so that Alexander de Bicknor was confirmed and consecrated Archbishop of Dublin and those Buls were read and published in the Church of the holy Trinity And at the same time was read another Bull that the Lord Pope ordained peace between the Lord King of England and the Lord Robert Brus King of Scotland for two yeeres to which time the said Brus refused to condescend and agree These things passed about the feast of St. Valentine Item the sunday following came the Lord Roger Mortimer to Dublin and dubbed Iohn Mortimer Knight with foure of his fellowes and the same day Mortimer kept a great feast in the castle of Dublin Item at the same time a great slaughter was made of Irishmen in Conaght through a quarrell betweene two Lords of Princes there and slaine there were of both sides about foure thousand men and afterwards there was taken great revenge upon the men of Ulster who in the time that the Scots spoiled and preaded in Ireland had done much harme and eate flesh in Lent not of necessity therefore much tribulation came upon them insomuch that they did eat one another so that often thousand there remained about 300. and no more who escaped in maner all for to be punished And here appeared the vengeance of God Item it was reported of a truth that some of the foresaid evill doers were so hunger-starved that in Church-yards they tooke the bodies out of their graves and in their skuls boiled the flesh and fed thereupon yea and women did eat their owne children for starke hunger MCCCXVIII In the Quindene of Easter newes out of England arrived in Ireland that the towne of Berwicke was betraied and taken by the Scots and afterwards in the same yeere Master Walter Islep the Kings Treasurer in Ireland landed and
there was of oxen and kine in Ireland MCCCXXV Richard Lederede Bishop of Ossorie cited Dame Alice Ketyll upon her perverse hereticall opinion and caused her to make personall appearance before him and being examined as touching sorceries he found by an enquest that she had practised sorceries among which this was one foule fact of hers that a certaine spirit named Robyn Artysson lay with her and that she offered unto him nine red cockes at a stone bridge in a certaine foure crosse high way Item that she swept the streets of Kilkenny with beesomes between Complin and Courefew and in sweeping the filth toward the house of William Utlaw her sonne by way of conjuring mumbled these words Unto the house of William my sonne Hie all the wealth of Kilkenny towne Now the complices of the said Alice and those that agreed unto this divelish and wretched practise of hers were one Pernill of Meth and Basilia the daughter of the same Pernil When the above named Alice was by inquisition attainted of these foresaid imputations the Bishop punished her by the purse and caused her utterly to abjure all sorcerie and witch-craft But when afterwards shee stood convict eftsoones of the same crime herselfe with the foresaid Basilia fled but was never after found As for the said Pernill she was burnt at Kilkenny but at the houre of death shee avouched that the foresaid William deserved death as well as her selfe affirming that he for a yeere and a day wore the divels girdle upon his bare bodie Whereupon the Bishop caused the said William to bee apprehended and laid in prison for eight or nine weekes within the Castle of Kilkenny and by the Bishops decree and appointment hee had two men to give attendance and to minister unto him with expresse commandement not to speake unto him but once a day nor to eat or drinke with him At length the said William by the helpe of the Lord Arnald Poer Seneschall of the Countie of Kilkenny was delivered forth of prison and the foresaid William gave a great summe of money unto the abovenamed Arnold to imprison the Bishop aforesaid The Lord Arnold before named caused the Bishop aforesaid to lye in prison about three moneths Now among the goods and implements of the said Alice there was a certaine holy Wafer-cake found having the name of the Divell imprinted upon it there was found also a boxe and within it an ointment wherewith she used to besmear or grease a certaine piece of wood called a Coultree which being thus annointed the said Alice with her complices could ride and gallop upon the said Coultree whethersoever they would all the world over through thick thin without either hurt or hindrance And because the foresaid things were so notorious Alice was cited againe to appeare at Dublin before M. Deane of the Church of St. Patricke there to finde greater favour Who there made her appearance and craved a day of answer under a sufficient mainprise and suretiship as it was thought But shee was no more to be seene for by the counsell of her sonne and others that were not knowne was she kept hidden in a farme house or village untill the winde served for England and so she passed over and never was it knowne whither she went Now because it was found by the inquisition and recognizance of the said Parnell condemned to be burnt that William Utlaw was consenting to his mother in her sorcerie and with-craft the Bishop caused him to be arrested and taken by the Kings writ and to be kept in prison who in the end through the supplication of great Lords was set free yet with this condition that he should cause the Church of S. Maries in Kilkenny to be covered all over with lead and to doe other almes-deeds by a certaine time which almes-deeds if he performed not within the said terme then he should be in the same state wherein he stood when he was taken by vertue of the Kings Processe MCCCXXVI A Parliament was holden at Whitsontide in Kilkenny unto which Parliament came the Lord Richard Burk the Earle of Ulster although he was somewhat weake and crazie thither repaired also all the Lords and Potentates of Ireland and there the said Earle made a great and noble feast unto the Lords and the people Afterwards the Lord Earle taking his leave of those Nobles and Lords went to Athisell where he ended his life And a little before the feast of S. John Baptist he was there enterred The Lord William Burk became his heire MCCCXXVII There arose a quarrell and a fray betweene the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas and the Lord Arnald Pover and the Lord Moris had in his traine and company the Lord Botiller and the Lord William Bermingham and the Lord Arnald had in his retinew the Bourkeins of whom the said Lord Morrice Fitz-Thomas slew many and some he chased into Connaght In the same yeere after Michaelmas the Lord Arnald came to aide the Bourkeins and by occasion of certaine rude and uncivill tearmes which the Lord Arnald had given out in calling him Rymour the said Morice raised an armie againe and together with Botiller and the said William Bermingham with a puissant hoast burnt the lands and possessions of the said Lord Arnâ—ld in Ofath Also the said William Bermingham fired the lands and man our houses of the Lord Arnald Pover in Mounster and Kenlys in Osserie he burnt so that the Lord Arnald was forced to fly with the Baron of Donnyl to Waterford and there they remained a moneth untill that the Earle of Kildare then Lord Justice of Ireland and others of the Kings Counsel took a day betweene them which day the Lord Arnald kept not but came to Dublin and passed the seas into England about the feast of the Purification and after that Arnald had sailed over the said Moris Botiller and the Lord William Bermingham with a great armie came spoiled harried and burnt the lands of the said Arnald and by reason of those puissant forces that they had led and the many mischiefes which they had done the Kings ministers of his Counsell feared lest he would besiege Cities and therefore the Cities made provision with more warding and watching the while betweene And when the said Lord Moris Botiler and William heard that the Cities made such provision and preparation before hand they gave intelligence unto the Kings Counsell that they would come to Kilkenny and there cleere himselves that they never thought to doe any noisance to the lands of their soveraigne Lord the King but onely to be revenged of their enemies Unto which Parliament came the Earle of Kildare then Justice of Ireland the Prior of Kilmaynon to wit Roger Outlaw Chancellour of Ireland Nicholas Fastoll Justice in the Bench and others of the Kings Counsell and the foresaid Moris and William demanded the Kings Charter of peace but they of the Kings Counsell warily making answer tooke day unto the moneth after Easter that they might
a peace was renewed there betweene the Earle of Ulster and the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas the said Lords with the Kings Counsel ordained there that the Kings peace should be fully kept so that every Nobleman and Chieftaine should keep in his owne sept retinew and servants and the said Earle of Ulster made a great feast in the Castle of Dublin and the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas the morrow after kept a great feast within the Church of St. Patrick in Dublin and Frier Roger Outlaw Justice of Ireland feasted likewise upon the third day at Kylmaynon and so they departed The same yeere on the Virgill of St. Barnabee the Apostle Sir John Bermingham Earle of Louth was slaine at Balybragan in Urgal by those of Urgal and with him Peter Bermingham the said Earles legitimate and whole brother also Robert Bermingham the same Earles putative brother Sir John Bermingham the son of his brother Richard Lord of Anry William Finne Bermingham the Unkles sonne by the mothers side of the foresaid Lord of Anry Simon Bermingham the same Williams sonne Thomas Bermingham the son of Robert of Conaght Peter Bermingham the sonne of Iames of Conaght Henry Bermingham of Conaght and Richard Talbot of Malaghide a valiant man at armes and two hundred with them whose names are not knowne Item after the foresaid slaughter the Lord Simon Genevile his men invaded the country of Carbry for to spoile and harry them in regard of their robberies and manslaughters committed many times in Meth but before the said invasion they of Carbry arose and slew of the said Simons men threescore and sixteen Also the same yeere on the morrow after holy Trinitie Sunday there came to Dublin John Gernon and Roger Gernon his brother in the behalfe of those of Urgal and made humble request that they might stand to be tried at the Common Law And on Tuesday which was the morrow after the feast of St. John Baptist John and Roger hearing that the Lord William Bermingham was comming departed out of Dublin The same yeere on the Vigill of St. Laurence the Lord Thomas Botiller went with a great power into the parts of Ardnorwith and there encountred the said Lord Thomas Williams Mac-Goghgan with his forces and there was the said L. Thomas to the great losse of the land of Ireland with him were killed the Lord John Ledewich Roger Ledewich Thomas Ledewich John Nangle Meiler Petit Simon Petit David Nangle Sir John Waringer James Terel Nicholas White William Freines Peter Kent John White and together with them one hundred and forty men whose names are unknowne And on the tuesday next before the feast of St. Bartholomew the body of the said Lord Thomas Botiller was conveied to Dublin and bestowed in the house of the preaching Friers but as yet not buried and the sunday next ensuing the feast of the beheading of St. Iohn Baptist the said Lord Thomas his corps was very honourably carried through the city and enterred in the Church of the preaching Friers and the wife of the said Lord John that day made a feast In the same yeere John Lord Dracy came Justice of Ireland the second time and the said Lord John espoused the Lady Joan de Burk Countesse of Kildare the third day of July at Maynoth Item Philip Stanton is slaine Also Henry Lord Traham is treacherously taken in his owne house at Kilbego by Richard the sonne of Philip Onolan More the Lord Iames Botiller Earle of Ormond burnt Foghird against Onolan for the foresaid Henries sake brother of Botiller The same yeere on wednesday next after the feast of the Ascension of the blessed Virgin Mary John Lord Darcy Justice of Ireland went toward the parts of Newcastle of Mac-Kingham and Wikelow against the O-Brynns and the monday following certain of Lawles were slaine and many wounded and namely Robert Locam was hurt and of the Irish the better sort were slaine many likewise wounded and the rest fled But Murkad O-Brynne yeelded himselfe an hostage together with his son unkle and unkles sonne and they were brought to the castle of Dublin But afterwards delivered for other hostages the better sort of their sept and kin The same yeere the Lord Justice namely the Lord John Darcy and those of the Kings Counsell in Ireland about the feast of the Circumcision of our Lord charged the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas of Desmund that himselfe should come into the field with his forces for to vanquish the Kings enemies giving him to understand that their soveraigne Lord the King would provide for to defray the charges of him and of his army and the said Moris came with his power and Briene O-Brene was in his company and their army consisted of ten thousand men and the said Lord Moris advanced with his army first against the O-Nolanes vanquished them gat a great bootie and wasted their lands with fire and the O-Nolanes fled and afterwards delivered hostages who were sent unto the castle of Dublin And afterwards the said Lord Moris made a journy against the O-Morches who did put in their hostages for to keepe the Kings peace The same time the castle of Ley which O-dympcy had won and kept was rendred up to the said Moris The same yeere after the Epiphany of our Lord Donald Arts Mac-Murgh made an escape out of the castle of Dublin by a cord which one Adam Nangle had bought for him which Adam afterwards was drawne and hanged MCCCXXX Mighty winds were up in divers places about the feast daies of St. Katherine S. Nicolas and of the Nativitie of our Lord by which wind part of the wall of a certain house fell downe and killed the wife of Sir Miles Verdon with his daughter on S. Nicolas even such winds as the like were never seene in Ireland Item there was such an inundation of the water of Boyn as never had been known before by which flood all the bridges as well of stone as of timber standing over the said water were utterly cast downe unlesse it were Babe bridge The water also carried away divers mills and did much hurt to the Friers Minors of Trym and Tredagh in breaking down their houses The same yeere about the feast of S. John Baptist there began a great dearth of corne in Ireland and continued untill Michaelmas Item a cranoc of wheat was sold for 20. shillings also a cranoc of oats for eight shillings and one cranoc of peason beanes and of barly for 8. shillings And this dearth hapned by occasion of abundance of raine so that much of the standing corne could not be reaped before the feast of St. Michael The same yeere the English of Meth made a slaughter of the Irish to wit of Mac-Goghigans people about Lent neere unto Loghynerthy whereupon the said Mac-Goghigan in anger burnt in those parts 25. small villages and sacked them which the English seeing gathered themselves together against him and of his men slew one hundred and among whom were slaine three Lords sons of
in part is newly erected Also the Lord Antony Lucy Justice of Ireland is put out of his office and returneth into England with his wife and children in the month of November In whose place also is set Iohn Lord Darcy Justice of Ireland and he entred Ireland the thirteenth day of February Item the English of the pale gave a great overthrow to Briene O-Brene and Mac-Karthy and slew many Irish in the parts of Munster Item there deceased John Decer a citizen of Dublin and lieth buried in the Church of the Friers Minors a man that did many good deeds Also a certain maladie named Mauses reigned all over Ireland as well in old men and women as in young and little ones Item the hostages abiding in the castle of Lymericke slew the Constable of the same castle and seized the castle into their owne hands but after that the castle was recovered by the citizens the same hostages were put to the sword and killed Likewise the hostages tooke the castle of Nenagh and when part of it was burnt recovered it was againe and the hostages were reserved Also one P ... of wheat about Christmas was commonly sold for 22. shillings and straight after Easter and so forward for twelve pence Item the towne of New-castle of Lions was burnt and sacked by the O-Tothiles MCCCXXXIII The L. John Darcy arrived Lord Justice of Ireland at Dublin Item O Conghirs lost a great bootie two thousand cowes and above by the Berminghams of Carbery Item the Lord John Darcy Justice of Ireland caused the Pas at Ethergovil in Offaly to be cut downe against O-Conghir Item the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Desmond is taken forth of the prison of Dublin after he had beene imprisoned one yeere and a halfe having gotten many mainprisers first even the greatest and noblest personages of the land to be bound for him in the forfeiture of life losse of all their goods if then the said Lord Moris attempted ought against the King and if those Nobles abovesaid presented not his person unto the King for his demerits Also William Burk Earle of Ulster betweene the New-towne and Cragfergus in Ulster was traiterously the more pitty slaine by his owne company in the twentieth yeere of his age and the sixth day of the month Iune Robert the sonne of Mauriton Maundevil was hee that gave him his first wound Upon the hearing of which rumours the Earles wife being then in the parts of Ulster with her daughter and heire presently embarked and went over into England After whose murdering John L. Darcy Lord chiefe Justice of Ireland to revenge the Earles death by advice of all the States of the land assembled in the said Parliament forthwith with his army took his journy and by ship arrived at Cragfergus upon the first day of July Now the people of the country rejoicing at the Lord Justice his comming and thereby taking heart unto them against the murderers of the said Earle of Ulster with one assent rose up to revenge the killing of him and in a pitched field obtained victory some they tooke prisoners others they put to the sword The things thus dispatched the said Justice with his said army went into Scotland leaving in his place M. Thomas Burgh Treasurer at that time of Ireland Item many Nobles of the land and the Earle of Ormond with their retinue and followers assembled together at the house of the Carmelite Friers in Dublin the 11. day of June and during this said Parliament whereas they were going out of the Court yard of the said Friers sodainly within the presse of the people Murchard or Moris the sonne of Nicolas O-Tothil was there murdered At whose sodaine killing all the Elders of the land fearing and supposing there was some treason were strucken with an extraordinary and strange affright and much troubled And he that killed the same Murchard stoutly escaped all their hands but neither the party himselfe nor his name they ever knew Also John Lord Darcy returned Justice of Ireland Item Sir Walter Bermingham sonne to the Lord William Bermingham is delivered out of the castle of Dublin in the month of February More the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Desmond by a fall off his Palfrey brake his legge Item it fell out to be a faire and dry summer in so much as at the feast of St. Peter advincula bread made of new wheat was eaten and a peck of wheat was sold for sixpence in Dublin Also Sir Reimund Archdekon Knight and many others of the same kinred were slaine in Leinster MCCCXXXVII In the Vigill of S. Kalixt Pope seven partridges and unknown it is what spirit moved them leaving the plaine field made way directly unto the City of Dublin and flying most swiftly over the mercate places setled on the top of the Brew-house belonging to the Canons of holy Trinity in Dublin To which sight some Citizens came running and wondered much at so strange a prodigie But the boyes of the city caught two of them alive a third they killed and the rest scared therewith mounting up higher took their swift flight and escaped into the fields over against them Now what this accident not heard of in the ages before did portend I leave to the judgement of those that are cunning and skilfull Also Sir John Charleton Knight and a Baron with his wife sonnes and daughters and his whole family came at the feast of S. Calixtus Pope as chiefe Justice of Ireland and of his sonnes and houshold some died Also Lord Thomas Charleton Bishop of Hereford brother in the whole blood unto the said Justice came the same day with his brother as Chancellour of Ireland together with Master John Rees Treasurer of Ireland and Doctor in the Decretals bringing with them many Welshmen to the number of two hundred and arrived in the haven of Dublin Also whiles John Charleton was Lord Justice and held a Parliament at Dublin Doctor David O-Hirraghey Archbishop of Ardmagh being called to the Parliament made his provision for housekeeping in the Monastery of S. Mary neere unto Dublin but because hee would have had his Crosier before him hee was impeached by the Archbishop and his Clerkes and permit him they would not Item the same yeere died the same David Archbishop of Ardmagh after whom succeeded Doctor Richard Fitz-Ralfe Deane of Lichfield a notable Clerke who was borne in the towne of Dundalke Item James Botiller the first Earle of Ormond departed this life the sixth day of January and lieth buried at Balygaveran MCCCXXXVIII Lord Iohn Charleton at the instigation of his whole brother to wit Thomas Bishop of Hereford is by the King discharged of his office and returneth with his whole houshold into England and Thomas Bishop of Hereford is by the King ordained Custos and Justice of Ireland Item Sir Eustace Pover and Sir John Pover his Unkle are by the said Justice brought out of Mounster to Dublin and committed to prison in the castle the
third day of February Also in the parts of Ireland the frost was so vehement that Aven-Liffie the river of Dublin was so frozen that very many danced and leaped upon the Ice of the said river they played at foot-ball and ran courses there yea and they made fires of wood and of turfe upon the same Ice and broyled herrings thereupon This Ice lasted very many dayes And as for the snow also in the parts of Ireland that accompanied the same frost a man need not speake any more seeing it was knowne to lye on such a wonderfull depth This hard time of weather continued from the second day of December unto the tenth day of February the like season was never heard of before especially in Ireland MCCCXXXIX All Ireland was generally up in armes Item an exceeding great slaughter there was of the Irish and a number of them drowned even 1200. at the least by the meanes of the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Desmond and the rest of the Geraldines in the parts of Kernige Item the Lord Moris Fitz-Nicolas Lord of Kernige was apprehended and imprisoned by the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Desmond and died in prison being put to strait diet for that he openly went out and rebelled with the said Irish against the Lord King of England and against the Lord Earle Item a number of the O. Dymcies and other Irish were killed and drowned in the water of Barrow by the English and the hot pursuit of the Earle of Kildare Also a great booty of cattell of sundry sorts and such a booty as had not been seen in the parts of Leinster by the said Lord Thomas Bishop of Hereford and Justice of Ireland and with the helpe of the English of that country was taken from the Irish in the parts of Odrone in the end of February MCCCXL The said Bishop of Hereford and Justice of Ireland being sent for by the King returned into England the tenth day of Aprill leaving in his place Frier Roger Outlaw Priour of Kylmaynon Also this Sir Roger Lord Priour of Kylmainon Justice and Chancellour of the said land died the thirteenth day of February Item the King of England granted by his letters patents unto Iohn Darcy the office of Lord Justice of Ireland for terme of life MCCCXLI Sir John Moris Knight came Lord Justice of Ireland in the moneth of May as Lievtenant unto Iohn Darcy in the foresaid land Item this wondrous prodigie following and such as in our age had not been heard of before hapned in the county of Leinster where a certain waifaring man as he travelled in the Kings high way found a paire of gloves fit as he thought for his owne turne which as he drew upon his hands forthwith instead of a mans voice and speech he kept a strange and marvellous barking like unto a dogge and from that present the elder folke and full growne yea and women too throughout the same county barked like bigge dogges but the children and little ones waughed as small whelpes This plague continued with some 18. daies with others a whole moneth and with some for two yeeres Yea this foresaid contagious malady entred also into the neighbour shires and forced the people in like manner to barke Also the King of England revoked all those gifts and grants that by him or his father had bin conferred by any meanes upon any persons whatsoever in Ireland were they liberties lands or other goods for which revocation great displeasure and discontent arose in the land and so the land of Ireland was at the point to have beene lost for ever out of the King of Englands hand Item by the Kings Councell there was ordained a generall Parliament of Ireland in the moneth of October To the same Parliament Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Desmond came not Before which time there was never knowne so notable and manifest a division in Ireland between those that were English by birth and English in blood The Maiors besides of the Kings cities in the same land together with all the better sort of the Nobility and Gentry of the said land with one consent upon mature deliberation and counsell had among other their conclusions decreed and appointed a common Parliament at Kilkenny in November to the utility and profit both of the King and the land before named without asking any counsell at all of the Lord Justice and the Kings officers aforesaid in this behalfe Now the Lord Justice and the rest of the Kings Ministers in no wise presumed to come unto the same Parliament at Kilkenny The Elders therefore of the land aforesaid together with the Ancients and Maiors of the cities agreed and ordained as touching solemne Embassadours to be sent with all speed unto the King of England about relieving the State of the land and to complaine of his Ministers in Ireland as touching their unequall and unjust regiment of the same and that from thenceforth they neither could nor would endure the realme of Ireland to be ruled by his Ministers as it had wont to be And particularly they make complaint of the foresaid Ministers by way of these Questions Imprimis How a land full of warres could be governed by him that was unskilfull in warre Secondly how a Minister or Officer of the Kings should in a short time grow to so great wealth Thirdly how it came to passe that the King was never the richer for Ireland MCCCXLII The eleventh day of October when the moone was eleven dayes old there were seen by many men at Dublin 2. moones in the firmament well and early before day The one was according to the course of nature in the West and appeared bright the other to the quantity of a round loafe appeared in the East casting but a meane and slender light MCCCXLIII St. Thomas street in Dublin was casually burnt with fire upon the feast of S. Valentine Martyr Item the 13. day of July the Lord Ralph Ufford with his wife the Countesse of Ulster came Lord chiefe Justice of Ireland Upon whose entring the faire weather changed sodainly into a distemperature of the aire and from that time there ensued great store of raine with such abundance of tempestuous stormes untill his dying day None of his predecessours in the times past was with griefe be it spoken comparable unto him For this Justicer bearing the office of Justice-ship became an oppressor of the people of Ireland a robber of the goods both of Clergy and Laity of rich and poore alike a defrauder of many under the colour of doing good not observing the rights of the Church nor keeping the lawes of the kingdome offering wrongs to the naturall inhabitants ministring justice to few or none and altogether distrusting some few onely excepted the inborne dwellers in the land These things did hee still and attempted the like misled by the counsell and perswasion of his wife Item the said Justice entring into Ulster in the moneth of March through a Pas called Emerdullan
death of the said Justice of Ireland the Lord Roger Darcy with the assent of the Kings Ministers and others of the same land is placed in the office of Justice for the time Also the castles of Ley and Kylmehede are taken by the Irish and burnt in the moneth of April Item Lord Iohn Moris commeth chiefe Justice of Ireland the fifteenth day of May. Also the Irish of Ulster gave a great overthrow unto the English of Urgale wherin were slaine three hundred at the least in the moneth of June Also the said Lord Iohn Moris Justice of Ireland is discharged by the King of England from that office of Justiceship and the Lord Walter Bermingham set in the same office by the foresaid King and a little after the foresaid slaughter committed entreth with Commission into Ireland in the month of June Item unto the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Desmond the maintenance of peace for a certain time is granted by the King of England Which being granted upon the Vigill of the exaltation of the holy Crosse hee together with his wife and two sonnes take sea at the haven of Yoghal and crosseth over into England where he followeth the law hard and requireth instantly to have justice for the wrongs done unto him by Raulph Ufford late Lord Justice of Ireland above named Item unto the said Earle by commandement and order from the Lord King of England there are granted from his entrance into England twenty shillings a day and so day by day still is allowed for his expences Also the Lord Walter Bermingham Justice of Ireland and the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Kildare rose up in armes against O-Merda and his complices who burnt the Castle of Ley and Kilmehed and they with their forces valiantly set upon and invade him and his complices spoiling killing and burning in so much as the said O-Morda and his complices although at the first they had manfully and resolutely made resistance there with many thousands of the Irish after many wounds and a great slaughter committed were constrained in the end to yeeld and so they submitted to the Kings grace and mercy and betake themselves full and whole unto the said Earles devotion MCCCXLVII The Earle of Kildare with his Barons and Knights goeth unto the King of England in the moneth of May to aide him lying then at the siege of Caleys Also the towne of Caleys was by the inhabitants upon the fourth day of June rendred up into the King of Englands hands Item Walter Bonevile William Calfe William Welesley and many other noble Gentlemen and valiant Knights as well of England as of Ireland died of the sicknesse in Caleys Also Mac-Murgh to wit Donald Mac-Murgh the sonne of Donald Art Mac-Murgh King of Leinster upon the fifth day of June is treacherously slain by his own people More Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Kildare is by the King of England made Knight Also the towne called Monaghan with all the territorie adjoining is by the Irish burnt on the feast day of S. Stephen Martyr Item Dame Joane Fitz-Leoues sometime wife to the Lord Simon Genevile departed this life and is buried in the Covent Church of the Friers Preachers of Trim the second day of Aprill MCCCXLVIII And in the 22. yeere of King Edward the third reigned the first pestilence and most of all in Ireland which had begunne afore in other Countries Item in this yeere Walter Lord Bermingham Lord Justice of Ireland came into England and left Iohn Archer Prior of Kylmainon his Lievtenant in his roome And he returneth againe in the same yeere Justice as before and the King conferred upon the same Walter the Barony of Kenlys which is in Osserie because he led a great army against the Earle of Desmond with Raulfe Ufford as before is said which Barony belonged in times past unto the Lord Eustace Pover who was attainted and hanged at the castle of the Isle MCCCXLIX Lord Walter Bermingham the best Justice of Ireland that ever was gave up his office of Justiceship after whom succeeded the Lord Carew Knight and Baron both MCCCL. And in the 25. yeere of the foresaid King Edward Sir Thomas Rokesby Knight was made Lord Justice of Ireland Item Sir Walter Bermingham Knight Lord Bermingham that right good Justice sometime of Ireland died in the Even of S. Margaret Virgin in England MCCCLI Kenwrick Sherman sometime Maior of the Citie of Dublin died and was buried under the Belfray of the preaching Friers of the same City which Belfray and Steeple himselfe erected and glazed a window at the head of the Quire and caused the roofe of the Church to be made with many more good deeds In the same Covent he departed I say the sixth day of March and at his end he made his Will or Testament amounting to the value of three thousand Marks and bequeathed many good Legacies unto the Priests of the Church both religious and secular that were within twenty miles about the City MCCCLII Sir Robert Savage Knight began in Ulster to build new castles in divers places and upon his owne Manours who while he was a building said unto his sonne and heire Sir Henry Savage let us make strong walls about us lest happily the Irish come and take away our place destroy our kinred and people and so we shall be reproached of all Nations Then answered his sonne where ever there shall be valiant men there is a Castle and Fortresse too according to that saying The sonnes encamped that is to say valiant men are ordained for warre and therefore will I be among such hardy men and so shall I be in a castle and therewith said in his vulgar speech A castle of Bones is better than a castle of Stones Then his father in a fume and chafe gave over his worke and swore an oath that he would never build with stone and morter but keepe a good house and a very great family and retinew of servants about him but he prophesied withall that hereafter his sonnes and posterity should grieve and waile for it which indeed came to passe for the Irish destroyed all that country for default of castles MCCCLV And in the thirty yeere of the same King Sir Thomas Rokesby Knight went out of his office of Justice the sixe and twenty day of July after whom succeeded Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Desmund and continued in the office untill his death Item on the day of Saint Pauls conversion the same Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas died Justice of Ireland in the castle of Dublin not without great sorrow of his friends and kinsfolke and no lesse feare and trembling of all other Irish that loved peace First he was buried in the quire of the preaching Friers of Dublin and at last enterred in the Covent Church of the Friers Preachers of Traly This man was a righteous Justicer in that hee stucke not to hang up those of his owne blood for theft and rapine and misdemeanours even as soone as strangers