Reign of Charles the Great that then Classis Normannorum Hiberniam Scotorum Insulam aggressa commisso praelio cum Scotis innumerabilis multitudo Normannorum extincta est turpiter fugiendo domum reversa est the Norman Fleet having attack'd Ireland the Island of the Scots and given them Battel and an innumerable multitude of the Normans being kill'd in that Fight was forc'd at last to run away shamefully and return home See Gratianus Lucius in his Cambrens Evers page 13. 47. I have insinuated page 57. that they were the Irish who gave a beginning abroad even to the Schools at Oxford And now I add that as Polidore Virgil says King Alfred having in the year of Christ 895. by his Royal Authority approved of Oxford for a place of general studies sent Joannes Scotus Erigena thither ut omnium primus ibi bonas literas doceret the very first publick Professor and Teacher of good Letters there says Pitsius page 162 who further gives this Encomium to Erigena that in Learning or knowledg of the Learned Arts he had scarce his match throughout the World in that Age qui in omni meliori doctrina vix sui similem quenquam in illa Aetate per terrarum orbem habuerit Now it is clearly demonstrable both out of History and the surname Erigena that this very Joannes Scotus Erigena was an Irish man and that not only by Education and breeding as Harpsfield grants he was but by extraction and birth The proofs at large may be seen in Lucius page 148. where he quotes Nicolaus I. the Pope Anastasius Malmsbury Hoveden Westmonasteriensis Vsher and last of all Edward Matthews de Scriptor Angl. Bened. page 166. who particularly notes That this Joannes Scotus was in Latin surnamed Erigena because of his birth in Eriâ— For so Ireland has been always call'd by the Natives to this very day and was then by others too Erigena therefore being the same with Hibernigena you may conclude that if Angligena and Francigena import the one an English man the other a French man born so must Erigena an Irish man by birth Nor is any thing said here of Erigena in any wise inconsistent with Cambden's relation out of the old Annals of the Abbey of Winchester Wherein after telling how King Alfred had recall'd the Muses to Oxford and built three Colledges there one for Grammarians another for Philosophers and a third for Divines 't is further said that in the year of Christs Incarnation 806 being the second year of St. Grimbald ' s coming into England the first Regents and Professors in the Divinity Colledg were St. Naoth an Abbot and holy Cambden translated by Hol. page 378. Grimald a right excellent Professour of the most sweet written Word of holy Scripture All this might be true and yet Erigena be and continue still the first Professour of the Learned Arts and good Letters at Oxford Where I relate page 34. the famous Battel fought at Clantarff by the brave Brian Boraimh I Hanmer pag. 91. pass by Hanmers relation of it Even as I have all along pass'd by many ther of his stories concerning Ireland As for Example 1. That of Gurguntius the son of Belinus King of Great Brittain to have met at Sea about the Isle of Orkney as he return'd from the Conquest of Denmark a Fleet of sixty Sail of Spaniards with Men and Women commanded by the Governour of Baiona seeking some Countrey to inhabit or live in and to have assign'd them Ireland c. 2. That other yet more ridiculous one out of Harding and Mewinus a Brittish Chronieler quoted by Harding * Harding lived in the Reigns of Henry V. Henry VI. and Edward IV. How Gathelus and Scota came to these Northern parts anno Christi 75. 3. That of Fredelenus King of Denmark in the Reign of Augustus Caesar to have invaded Ireland and taken Dublin though not by force but by the help of Swallows firing the City with fire tied to their wings though himself was presently forc'd by the Kiâ—g of Leinster to depart and run away to his Fleet. 4. That of Frotho III. King of Denmark when our Saviour was born to have made all Ireland tributary and been Monarch thereof As also that other in him out of Saxo Grammaticus and Albertus Krantzius concerning Frotho IV. thirty years after the former his having sent the Giants and the huge Monster Startucerus to invade the same Kingdom 5. That of King Arthur of Great Brittain and Gillomar King Hanmer page 50 51 and 52. of Ireland Mark King of Cornwall Sir Tristram and La Bel Isod c. though besides the Books of Houth he quotes also Florilegus and Fabian Caxton Holinghed Flemming and Harding for 'em 6. That of his genealogy of Fionn mhac Cuuail and his making this Fionn and his Associats both to have been Giants and of Danish birth whereof I have spoken before page and therefore need not say any more in this place 7. That of his three vast Armies of Foreigners invading Ireland by combination in several Provinces at one time and this to have been the time of Constantine the Great 's Empire at Rome The first of thirty thousand landed at Derry in Vlster and their Navy fired and themselves too in one Battel slain by Conn Ceadchathach one of the Princes of that Province as he calls him The second of a greater number landed at Skerries not far from Dublin but destroy'd in one other Battel by Diarmuid Lambdhearg King of Leinster who says he kill'd six and thirty thousand of them on the spot The third and it much more numerous yet landed in Mounster and utterly destroy'd at Fentra when the Forces of all Ireland encountring them slew seven score thousand of them in that one Field 8. That where ever he had it for he tells not where of the Battel of Garistown and Arcath or as the Irish call it Ardchath fought as he says in the reign of Cairbre Liffor Monarch of Ireland by the seven Kings of that Nation and their Army 65000 Horse and Foot against the Danish Bownies who had been formerly entertain'd by those Princes to defend their Coasts but now rebell'd being 28700 hardy resolute Warriours and fought well-nigh a whole day with equal Fortune so mortally that Horses were up to their bellies in blood until at last Fortune favouring the righteous Cause of the Princes they put these rebellious forein Bownies to a total rout and edg of the Sword all of them although it cost their side also very dear even the lives of four of their Kings and nineteen thousand seven hundred and sixty others All these Relations though given as true ones by Hanmer at large I have pass'd by First because of their manifest repugnancy to all the Irish Chronicles Nay because there is not one word or syllable of any of them in Doctor Ketings Irish Chronicle which yet is an ample Summary of all the Authentick or esteemed Chronicles and Histories of
it be not the greatest of them all I am sure that as it was very great indeed so the Irish Nation is beholden to a Foreiner namely Adolphus Cypreus for transmitting the remembrance of it to Posterity in his Annals of the Bishops of Sleswick a City in Denmark For these are his own Latin words in the sixth page of that Work Reynerus Rex Danorum LVI potentissimus qui tamen ab excitata fortuna quae ipsi in subjugandis Regnis Sueciae Russiae Angliae Scotiae Norvegiae Hiberniae plurimum favit ad inclinatam pene jacentem descivit Namque ab Hella Hiberniae Rege captus in carcere expiravit sub an 841. In English these Reyner the LVI most powerful King of the Danes who nevertheless from the height of Fortune that favour'd him so mightily in subduing the Kingdoms of Swedland Russia England Scotland Norway Ireland was thrown down as low For being taken by Hella King of Ireland he died there in prison about the year 841. And yet I must observe here with Gratianus Lucius 1. That Cypreus mistook both the name and quality of him that took Prisoner this great Danish King 2. That no King of Ireland nor Provincial nor even other lesser King in Ireland was ever call'd by the name of Hella nor was that name of any body at all known among the Irish 3. That the right Irish name in all likelihood was Oillioll which because hard of pronuntiation Foreiners mistook or chang'd it to Hella 4. That since Christianity planted in that Countrey not even any Oillioll was King among 'em save only the Monarch Oillioll surnamed Molt who was next successour to Laoghaire mhac Neill in the year 458. and was killed in Battel An. 478. And lastly therefore that he must have been some great General of an Army and his name Oillioll that took this great Reynerus and kept him in Prison till he died 68. Another is of the Fatal Stone as they call it and refers to page 378. where I ended my Animadversions on the Scottish Histories concerning Fergus I. Of that famed Stone Keting in his Relations of the People call'd Tuath De Dainainn gives this account 1. That this Nation who were the last possessors of Ireland immediately before the Milesian Race had on their arrival there from Norway brought with them four special Jewels of extraordinary use namely a Sword Lance Pot and the Enchanted Stone which in Irish they call by one name Liath Fail by an other Cloch na Cineamhna this later importing in English the Stone of Destiny or Fortune 2. That after the Milesiaus had conquer'd those Tuath-Da-Danan and consequently got possession of this Stone and after they had not only plac'd it at Teambhuir our Tarach where all their Nobles and people did usually meet to chuse the King of Ireland but ordain'd that the new Elect should sit thereon as son as he did so the Stone under him by vertue of some Magical or Diabolical Charm gave such a mighty loud ecchoing astonishing sound that presently the Election was known thereby far and near 3. That this Oraculous Vertue of it ceased as some say when the Pentarchy was set up in that Kingdom by the Monarch Eochadh Feilioch or as others say about the time of our Saviours birth when throughout the World all the sallacious Oracles of the Gentiles became mute 4. That for its name of Cloch na Cineamhne or Stone of Destiny or Fatal Stone the reason was an old Prophesie deliliver'd of it by Tradition which Hector Boethius rendred thus in Latin Verse Ni fallat Fatum Scoti hunc quocumque locatum invenient Lapidem regnare tenentur ibidem But in Irish Meeter it is in Keting thus Ciniodh Scoâ—t saor an Fine man baâ—breag an Faisdine mar a bhfulghid an Liath Fail dlighid flaitheas do ghabhail Importing in both that where-ever the Seottish Nation did find that Stone they should have Dominion Power and Regal Majesty 5. That because of this prophetical Prediction and reputation of it when Fergus that famous Invader of the Picts I mean Fergus Mor mhac Ercho mhic Eochadh muin reamhair as the Irish call and genealogize him from his Father and Grandfather whom the Scottish Historians call Fergus I. would be created K. over hisown conquering Nation the Scots of Pictavia or Albania in Great Brittain he sent to his Brother Mairchiortach Mor mhac Ercha then Monarch of Ireland for this fatal Stone and had it over into Scotland of purpose that by sitting on it when he was created King he might assure the establishment of his Crown and power of his own People in his new conquer'd Kingdom 6. That for many ensuing Ages it remain'd there for a monument either of Religion or Superstition being in the same manner and to the same purpose sate upon by the succeeding Kings of Scotland till Edward I. of England in the current of his Victories had it brought away out of the Abbey of Scone to the Abbey of Westminster Where ever since it has been kept placed under the Royal Chair which the Kings of England usually sit in at their Coronation 7. That in the memory of our Fathers that prophetical Prediction of it and the ancient Scots which you have but now seen was fulfill'd in England too when James VI. of Scotland was crowned King of England at Westminster and has ever since continued to be more and more verified in the succession of Charles I. of glorious memory and Charles II. our present most gracious King For by the line of Maine mhic Cuirek mhic Luighc they are descended through a World of Generations of ancient Scots the Milesian Irish from Heber who as has been already noted elsewhere being the son of Milesius and in a joint Sovereignty ruling with his Brother Herimon was three thousand years since King of all Ireland And this is the account which Keting where he treats of Tuath-De-Danainn gives of that fatal Stone Save only that he makes no express mention of Charles II. nor could indeed as who died himself in the Reign of Charles I. But nevertheless he express'd his mind sufficiently as to the purpose of that Fatal Prediction by naming his Father and Grandfather both I am sure his expression of joy in the same place for their having successively come to be Kings of England Scotland France and Ireland must have involv'd the concomitant wishes of his heart for their posterity after them to attain and continue the same glory while time shall be And therein he has me to join with all my very Soul 69. The Fifth may be referr'd to page 155. where I treated briefly somewhat of Cormock O Cuillenain that excellent pious holy man who was at the same time both Arch-Bishop and King of Mounster and continued so for seven years together that is even all along till he lost his life in the Battel of Mughna For to this rare Example of the same man's being both King and Priest may be added
conceal and these we dissembled Nature bids us magnifie deeds that are commendable None but has extol'd the glorious beyond truth So said Lucius Annaeus Seneca in his one Hundred and Twentieth Epistle as rigid a Stoick as he was And yet I can say for my self this much that I have been so far from dissembling in any such kind where I had unquestionable Authors to lead me that I rather fear to have exceeded on this side than on that other 9. That when I had almost finish'd this Former Part I was unexpectedly desir'd to print before it a Catalogue tho containing only the bare Names of all the Kings that in the succession of so many Conquests and many more Ages for even 3204 years reign'd from Slanius the Son of Dela to the sixth year of Rotheric O Connor the Last of the Irish Race when Hen. II. of England was receiv'd Lord of Ireland in the year of Christ 1172. And though I had my self no inclination to it as apprehending that since I have not given any kind of History great or small of all their Lives or Reigns nor indeed any particular account in any Method Historical or not Historical no not scarce of the Tenth among 'em it would seem a vanity in me to promise more by the Frontispiece than the whole Structure is worth yet after I was persuaded So prevalent with me was the esteem I had of his judgment that urg'd it altho he gave me no other reason than that certainly it would prove at least some satisfaction to all curious Searchers into such remote patterns of Antiquity And truly had he or any other given me this occasion before I had engag'd too far in pursuance of the Method taken by me all along I would have given another kind of Catalogue I mean such a one as together with the Name of each King should have had annex'd the years of his Reign the means of his attaining the Sovoreignty the manner of his death whether natural or violent some one at least of his most remarkable Kingly Actions if any such were recorded of him the Year of the World or Christ respectively answering both the first and last of his Reign and all this of each in a small number of Lines and the whole of all in seven or eight sheets at most or thereabouts I am sure I might with far less trouble have done it than the collecting digesting and discoursing on the matters handled in any one at least in the sixth Section of this Former Part have given me Gratianus Lucius in his Eighth Chapter would have eas'd me of other care in doing it than that of rendring his Catalogue there into English in some few places abridging him by referring the Reader to those pages of my own where I treat the matter at large and in very few places more by adding somewhat out of Keting and then animadverting on both Keting and him But no easing me in that kind could hinder the unproportionable swelling of this Former Part if I should annex to it such a Catalogue as this And therefore in stead thereof I give that of bare Names which take up but little room Perhaps hereafter I may give the other too in a small Treatise bound together with the Later Part. I mean if that Later Part can better than this here admit of such a conjunction without rendring it self unproportionably thick However that happen there needs no further Preface now A Catalogue of the Kings of Ireland Who according to the Irish Book of Reigns and Computation particularly of Lucius Reign'd in all 3204 Years before Henry the II's landing there Anno Christi 1172. Kings of the Fir-bholgian Conquest Reigning in all 36 Years 1 Slainghe 2 Rughruigh 3 Gann and Geannan two Brothers 4 Seanghann 5 Fiacha Cinn Fionnain 6 Rionnal 7 Oidghen 8 Eochâ—dh Kings of the Tuatha-De-Danann Conquest Reigning in all 197 Years 1 Nuadhad Airgidlaimh 2 Breas 3 Lugha Lamhfhada 4 Andaghdha 5 Dealbbaoith 6 Fiacha mhac Dealbhaoith 7 Eachtur Teachtur Ceachtur surnamed Mac Coill Mac Ceacht and Mac Greine the three sons of Cearmada Kings of the Clanna Mileadh or Milesian Conq. Reigning in all 2971 Years 1 Eibhir Fionn and Erimhon two Sons of Mileadh joyntly reigning 2 Erimhon singly 3 Muininne Luigne and Laigne three Sons of Erimhon 4 Iriall Faidh 5 Ear Orba Fearon and Feargna Four Brothers Sons to Eibhir Fionn 6 Ethriall mhac Iriall Faidh 7 Conmhâ—â—l 8 Tighearnmhais 9 Eochodh I. Eadghathach 10 Cearmna and Sohairce two Brothers 11 Eochodh II. Faobharghlas 12 Fiacha I. Labhranna 13 Eochodh III. Mumho 14 Aonghus I. Ollmhuicidh 15 Eunna I. Airgtheach 16 Roitheacthuigh I. mhac Maoin 17 Seadhna I. mhac Artri 18 Fiacha II. Fionscothach 19 Muinemhon 20 Allerghoid 21 Ollamh Fodhla 22 Fionshneachta I. 23 Slanoll ach 24 Geithe Ollghoth 25 Fiacha III. 26 Bearnghall 27 Oillioll I. 28 Siorna Saoghalach 29 Roitheachâ—huigh II. mhac Roin 30 Elim I. Ollfionshneachta 31 Giallchadh 32 Art I. Imleach 33 Nuadhad II. Fionnfail 34 Breasrigh 35 Eochodh IV. Apthach 36 Fionn mhac Bratha 37 Sedhna II. Innarrhuidh 38 Siomon Breac 39 Duacha I. Fionn 40 Muiriadhach Bolgrach 41 Eunna II. Dearg 42 Lughadh I. Jarann 43 Siorlamha 44 Eochodh V. Vaircheas 45 Eochodh VI. Fiadhmhaine and Conn Begeaglach 2 Bro. 46 Lughadh II. Lamhdhearg 47 Conn Begeaglach the second time 48 Art II. mhac Lughaidh 49 Fiacha IV. Tolgrach 50 Oillioll II. Fionn 51 Eochodh VII mhac Oilliolla 52 Airgiodmhair 53 Duacha II. Ladhghrach 54 Lughha III. Laidhe 55 Aaâ—dh I. Ruadh 56 Dithorba 57 Ciombaoth 58 Macha the Queen 59 Reachta Rithdhearg 60 Eoghan Mor. 61 Buchadh 62 Laoghaire I. Lorc 63 Cobhthach Caolbhreag 64 Lauradh Loinnseach 65 Meilge Molbhthach 66 Modhehorh 67 Aonghus II. Ollamh 68 Jar Ainghleo 69 Fearchorh 70 Connla I. Cruaidhcheallgach 71 Oillioll III. Cassâ—hiaclach 72 Adhamhair Foltchinn 73 Eochodh VIII Altleathan 74 Ferghus I. Fortabhaile 75 Aonghus III. Tuirmhidh Teamhrach 76 Conall I. Columhrach 77 Niadh Seadhghamhaine 78 Eunna II. Aignioch 79 Criomthann I. Cosgrach 80 Rughruidh I. mhac Sithrigh 81 Jodhnambar 82 Breassal 83 Lughadh IV. Luighnioch 84 Conghall II. Clarigneach 85 Duach III. Dalltha Deaghniodh 86 Fachna Fathach 87 Eochodh IX Feidhlioch 88 Eochodh X. Aimhremh 89 Eidrisgceoil 90 Nuadhad II. Neacht 91 Conair I. Mor. Immediately after the murder of this Conair surnamed the Great committed on him by some Irish Outlaws but headed as Keting says by Hainchill Keagh Yon to the King of Brittain there follow'd An Interregnum of five Years which being over the Succession was re-assum'd and continued thus 92 Lughadh V. Sriamhndearg 93 Conchahhar I. Abhraruadh 94 Criomthann II. Niadhnair 95 Fearadhach I. Fionnfachtuach 96 Fiacha V. Fionn 97 Fiacha VI. Finnolaidh 98 Cairbre I. Ceann-cheit 99 Feilim I. mhac Conruidh 100 Tuathal I. Teachtmhur 101 Mal. 102 Feilim II. Rachtmhur 103 Cathaoir Mor. 104 Conn II. Ceadchathach 105 Conair II. mhac Moghalaimhe 106 Art III. Aoinfhir 107 Lugha VI. alias Mac Con.
and gloriously in twelve great Battels victorious over the Saxons That he took at last even York and London from them and after this again overthrew them in very Essex and Kent where they were strongest and placed their last reserve That he forc'd the remainders of them either to fly the Kingdom or submit to his pleasure In a word That he restored his whole Countrey and perfect peace unto it And that this happy effect of his pious and victorious Armes continued until the ambition anger and which you please to call it either treacherous rebellion or just indignation and resentment of his Nephew Modroedus for being put by the right of Succession gave too great a turn to his fortunate successes chiefly by the Scottish i. e. Irish Army's falling from him and their conjunction with Modroedus against him For this also I must here particularly note that during their confederacy and sideing with him which had early begun and always continued from the very beginning of his Wars until this unlucky difference about the succession and second unlucky Battel of Humber that followed thereupon he also continued perpetually successful But so soon as they joyn'd against him fortune deserted him and together with him his Countrey But whether so or no or whether indeed any of those other particulars related of K. Arthur by Buchanan himself as true History be or be not such as he would have us believe I think enough return'd in answer to Hanmer and Campion's making the Kings of Ireland Tributary to King Arthur of Great Brittain However because I believe it not very forrein nor much beside the matter I do on this occasion add That Polidore Virgil found so little satisfaction to his mind nay so great certainty of untruth in the relations written of this so much celebrated King Arthur that although in his History l. 3 he sums up in brief that is in seven or eight lines all the Wonders of them yet as he calls them so he reputes them no other than Vulgar stories Which to have been his inward sentiment of those relations may be further seen by his telling us That although King Arthur died in the very flower of his youth yet because of his exceeding great strength of body and no less vigorous heroick bravery of Soul Posterity has reported almost the very same Wonders of him which in our own time are among the Italians Romantickly sung of Rowland Nephew to Charles the Great And this without so much as mentioning any years at all of his Reign is all that Polidore has of this great Brittish Heroe Save only that he was the son of King Vter-pendragon That if he had lived a while i. e. his just age longer he had at last restored his perishing Countrey And that but a few years before the Reign of Henry VIII there was in Glastenbury Cloyster a very magnificent Tomb erected to his memory of purpose that after Ages might be thereby persuaded he had been a Prince adorned with all whatever ought be reputed most excellently great and stupendious and that this Tomb as if it had been erected soon after his death had certainly been design'd a memorial of his glory whereas indeed the Cloister it self wherein it stood was not in being then So this Author Polydore Virgil. And yet after all I cannot but acknowledg that so great a concurrence of other Authors together with the general vogue of King Arthur even all along to our time in these Nations of England Scotland and Ireland especially considering that all sides are agreed about his having existed or been and been also about the year of Christ five hundred King of Great Brittain must argue of necessity some great extraordinary exploits of his against the Saxons Nor truly do I see how otherwise Polydore himself cou'd say That if he had lived longer a while he had enfranchiz'd his Countrey Neither is it a valuable argument to the contrary at least if we believe the judicious impartial Cambden That the Saxon Chronologie or other Saxon Authors have nothing of him and his brave atchievements against them I am sure I have my self read in Cambden this very day to this purpose That he has observ'd the Saxon Writers defective in this particular viz. That they pass over in silence what was bravely done against their own Nation and only care the recording what redounded to their glory or concern'd their own People The conclusion of all is That the Romantick stories made of King Arthur by idle Wits in part and part by others who as they were equally ambitious to magnifie their Nation and ignorant or heedless how easily they might be disprov'd out of the known undoubted Histories of the times brought his true deeds into question so far that no man knows which or what to believe of them 51. To ruin the Romantick Fable indeed of Hanmer's three incredible Armies * In my 26 page my memory fail'd me when relying upon it as having not had the Hiâ—â—ory of Hanmer by me then or at hand I suppos'd those truly incredible and false numbers of men related by him to have been really poured into Ireland by the Danes in the first true War made by them on that Countrey Whereas indeed upon review of Hanmer himself I found he related those very incredible Numbers as landed there long before that is when truly there was neither Invasion nor any kind of Number either of Danes or any other forein Enemies troubling that Kingdom invading Ireland by combination at the same time and this the very time when Constantine the Great was Emperour of Rome Cairbre Laoffachair Monarch of Ireland and Conn Ceadchathach one of the Princes of Vlster c the Irish Analists are unanimous in furnishing us abundantly with particulars Out of them it is clear and manifest that Conn Ceadehathach was not one of the Princes of Vlster as Hanmer says he was but Monarch of Ireland That he came to the Monarchy in the year of the World 5324. of Christ 122 and continued Monarch thirty five years till he was murthered by Assassines employ'd on that Errand by Tibraid Tiriogh King of Vlster which happened at least a hundred and twenty years before Constantine the Great was Emperour of Rome That as he was called or surnamed in Irish Ceadchatach in Latin Centimachus from the hundred Battels which he had fought so he fought not any of them or other soever against any Foreiner but all against his own Countrey-men the native Irish nor in all his Reign as neither indeed for some Ages before and after it did any Foreigners invade the Irish That although Cairbre Lissechaire was Monarch of that Kingdom begun his Reign Anno Mundi 5456 Christi 267. and continued it twenty seven years and so perhaps might have been contemporary for some part of his Reign with Constantine the Great of Rome yet during his Reign there was no other Battel fought in Ireland but the Battel of Gowra I am sure
in the World before the loss of their freedom or their subjection to a forein Power Nor had I any farther if it be a farther end in the matter then That of your understanding throughly at least sufficiently who or what kind of People were the former of those two Nations whose Posterities I have before i. e. in the very beginning of the first Section page 5. observ'd like the Twins of Rebecca contending these last five hundred years in the bowels of Ireland But who the later Nation were and how and by what degrees and means they not only for many Ages got the better of the former but subdued them utterly at last in the memory of our Fathers and what besides happen'd in our own days to the Issue as well of these Conquerours as of those conquer'd by 'em in that Country will be the subject of the Second Part. FINIS Additions 1. AFTER the Fourth Observation on the Catalogue of Kings add what follows here viz. That although it be no part of my business in this Place to speak in particular of any of those Kings other than what I have already of a few of 'em and that only for thy better understanding the said Catalogue yet because I considered that peradventure the Relation of Siorna Saoghall-ach's See the Catalogue Numb 27. long extent of Life and Beign is the only extraordinary of all whatsoever delivered anywhere in the whole Irish History concerning any of so great a number of Monarchs or Kings and Sovereign Princes of Ireland some Readers will boggle at or scruple the truth thereof by objecting How it seems at least improbable that he should be a hundred years old when he came to be Monarch or should reign a hundred and fifty years after or should be in all two hundred and fifty years of Age when he was kill'd by Roitheachtsigh alias Roithsigh mhac Roain therefore to shew that this Relation of him is not improbable I give here those arguments that convince my self And to say nothing of his Surname Saoghalach which attributed to him alone among all other Irish Kings whereof notwithstanding some had reigned 60. others 70 years must import him to have been of extraordinary Long Life and even a man of Ages what convinces me is 1. That not only the Irish Book of Reigns besides many other ancient Monuments and Historians of that Nation who speak of this Subject and after them Gratianus Lucius in our own time have deliver'd it so but Keting himself though he be the chiefest of all the Historians of later days that to reduce the Irish Chronology to an agreement with his own Computation of the years of the World would consequently needs reduce those hundred and fifty years of Siorna's Reign to 21. confesses they did so 2. That very good Historians both ancient and modern of other Countreys tell us how in later Times then Siorna Saoghallach's Reign there have been many that lived as long and some longer then he And yet I 'le lay no stress on Xenophon's writing That a certain Maritim King lived 800. and his son 600 years Nor on Ravisius giving the very same or at least the like Relation of one Impetris King of the Plutinian Islanders and his Son Nor on Pliny recording the five hundred years life of Dondonius a Sclavonian Nor on Homer or his Followers speaking Nestors age to have been 300 years Neither on Hellanicus a most ancient Writer saying That in the Province of Aetholia some lived 200. others 300 years Nor on Onesicritus neither though attesting the same age of two and three hundred years even as very ordinary in the Island of Pandora All these I pass over because I am not certain of the Age of the World they lived in that is whether it was not of earlier Date than Siorna Saoghalach's reign who was kill'd An. M. 4â— 69. according to Lucius My instances are in Servatius Bishop of Tongres and Joannes de Temporibus and Xequipir an Ethiopian and the Nameless Indian living in the same Time and Kingdom of Bengala with Xequipir The first of these four died in the year of Christ 403. after he had lived 300 years as Sigebert in his Chronicle and others write The second took his denomination or surname de Temporibus from those 336 years he had lived under many Emperours whereof one was Charles the Great of whose Life-guard he had sometimes been and another was Conrad III. in whose Reign he died in France An. D. 1139. as not only Petrus Messias in the said Conrad's Life but the Author of Fasciculus Temporum and many more Writers affirm The third I mean Xequipir was yet alive so near our own time as the year of Christ 1536. after having lived till then 300 years For so Hernandus Lopez à Castagneda â— 8 Chronici has written of him The Last or the Nameless Indian had in the foresaid year of Christ 1536 come to the year of his own age 335. says Joannes Petrus Maffeius â— XI Histor Indic and before him the above Lopez both the one and the other telling us many more particulars of Xequipir and Lopez som of this Anonimus Indian but neither being able to recount or give us any light to see how many years more either of 'em lived nor when they died Of all which you may read more at large in Augustinus Torniellius's Annales Sacri c. ad an M. 1556. n. 4. 5. And so I have given the two arguments which convince my self that from the Relation of Siorna Saoghalach's Life of 250 years c. nothing can be derived to make any Reader at all scruple the truth of the Irish History of that Kingdoms Monarchs or Kings Nor by consequence any thing against the Catalogue of them which you have in the beginning of this Book or the long extent of Time which in all they reign'd according to the Title of that Catalogue 2. After the Last Inference from the same Catalogue add this here as an other viz. That notwithstanding any thing said hitherto as it is confess'd that the former sixteen of those 23 of the English or Fourth and Last Conquest of Ireland never assum'd the Stile or Title of Kings of Ireland for Henry VIII was the First of this Conquest that assum'd it altho nevertheless all the same former sixteen Kings of England were Sovereign Lords of Ireland too at least by Title every one in his turn since the 17th year of Henry the II's reign over England so it must be confess'd That properly speaking none of those Irish Kings who rul'd in Association with any other could be called Monarchs while their Association lasted And we see by this Catalogue that such were in all at least for some time 29 among those of the former Three Conquests whereof One and Twenty were Milesians Which is the reason that Cambrensis where he tells us of 181 Monarchs of the Milesians must be corrected as to that appellation or Title of Monarch attributed so indistinctly by him to them all and so must I wheresoever in this Former Part of my Prospect I have in this particular follow'd him The Irish Historians in their own Language speak more properly giving 'em all the Title of Kings of Ireland Errors in the Matter where and where they are corrected THE First in Page 4. and 16. concerning Eoghun Mor and Aonghus Ollbhuodhach but corrected p. 89. and 435. The second p. 67. about Dearmach corrected p. 181. Third in p. 18. concerning Muâ—rieadhach's Six sons c. and corrected p. 93. Fourth p. 19. about the nine Hostages corrected p. 359. Errors in Words and Letters to be corrected by this following Table wherein the first Number signifies the Page the second the Line a add d dele and r read First in the Dedicatory 2. 7. d. as Secondly in the Preface 7. 18. d. his 35. 16. r. 1662. p. 39. 31. r. 1604. Thirdly in the Former Part 35. 5. d. the Monarch 71. r. Tighernmhais 99. 16. d. to 107. 29. d. of 137. 6. r. theâ— and again 8. r. the. 180. 14. for Diarmuid r. Dombnall 221. 7. Taumaturga 272. 5. for him r. bâ— and 24. r. or any 317. 13. d. to 319. â— a. as 351. 14. r. Monmouth 354. 13. r. understood 382. 21. r. Aetius 385. 26. r. other 387. 8. r. 51. 389. 19. r. Language and 29. r. Niull 395. 7. d. was and for kill'd r. died 413. 9. r. Trouts 414. 1. r. Leap and 8. for though r. the. 434. â— 26. r. 219. 459. 2. r. Notkerus 461. 26. r. To and in the Note â— penvâ—t r. Books Lastly observe that the Orthography of all the proper Irish Names and Surnames of the Kings throughout this whole Book must be corrected by that in the Catalogue where any variation appears
publick view 3. That notwithstanding I had on this emergent occasion thought my self eas'd of any further study on a Subject I had no liking to it prov'd much otherwise For his Lordship nevertheless continued his desires that I should prosecute and finish what I had begun and to oblige me to it without hopes of any change in him gave notice in his Preface to the Reader of his Memoir's how the Appendix he had first intended and promis'd of the State of Ireland was grown to such a Bulk as would require its coming out in a Book by its self And therefore I found my self more deeply engag'd 4. That however seeing I was now at more liberty as for Time so for Matter and for Title both I resolv'd to change my first design of so few sheets and write under the Title of a Prospect c. about threescore sheets in all but in the same method and Stile I had already begun with as more agreeable to my purpose of giving though not a strict much less a full History yet the choicest Collections and freest observations too I could derive from or in my way i. e. in several easie plain Discourses make upon the History of Ireland Thirty sheets representing in short the state of that Kingdom from the first Plantation of it after the Flood till the English Conquest and the other thirty what follow'd since for the last five hundred years 5. That because I considered the Form as Printers call it which I had also begun with already and therefore must have continued the same would be too narrow and little for a Volume of sixty sheets not rendred unproportinoably thick I give them divided as in two Parts which I call the Former and Later so in two Volums each apart So much for the Occasion Title Method Form Division of this Treatise As for those matters of Irish Antiquity so strangely far out of our ken discours'd in this Former Part I doubt not some at least or peradventure many of 'em will be excepted against by Criticks in this censorious Age. And that where nothing else can be objected Varro's Three Differences of Time must serve the turn We shall be told How the First having been That which extended from the Creation to the Flood is call'd Obscure and uncertain because we are wholly ignorant of all things happen'd in it The Second which was That from the Flood to the first Olympiad is termed Fabulous by reason of a world of Fables reported thereof But the Third extending frem the said Olympiad to our days is called Historical because the Acts of it are delivered in Histories that are true And indeed I must confess that so said Varro the most learned of the Romans 1700 years ago following herein the Greeks and after him of late our English Cambden who lays so much stress upon this observation of Varro that page 17. Hol. Translat he makes it his only argument to ruin the credit of Geoffrey of Monmouth's new History of Brute But withal I do profess that for my own part I see nothing in it that stresses My reasons are 1. The sayings of Varro how learned soever he was are no Oracles 2. The Histories of the Jewish Nation at least the Books of Moses and several more of the Old Testament Record a great variety of Matters hapned some before the Flood many more after it both the one and the other with all certainty and truth imaginable and yet all of 'em before the First Olympiad which according to Cambden himself was no earlier than the year of the World 3189. though others make it earlier by fifteen years 3. And to wave all kind of advantages from those holy Books which both Jews and Christians repute infallible as being the Oracles of God Josephus in his first Book against Appion a Book written by him 1600. years ago assures us that even the Histories of the Phenicians Egyptians and Chaldeans have recorded likewise with great truth and certainty the Reigns of their own Kings and other memorable things happen'd in their Countreys many hundred years before the first Olympiad yea not a few of them happen'd even long before either Moses or Abraham himself was born 4. There have been several Books written for true History of matters that as the Authors would make us believe happen'd since the first Olympiad nay written partly of some things reported in them to have happen'd fourteen hundred years after that Olympiad which yet we know to be most faculous Witness among so many other the foresaid Geoffrey of Monmouth's seven Books of History to say nothing at all of Annius Viterbiensis But to return back to Josephus it is also remarkable how in the same Book against Appion he wonders not a little at those who as to matters of Antiquity suppose the truth ought only to be gather'd from the Greeks Whereas indeed says he whatever is written by the Greeks is new and of late memory and has been done in the World in a manner but yesterday And this he proves in the same place at large Besides he shews that albeit their knowledg or practice not only of other Arts and Sciences but of any kind of Letters had been very late yet the latest of all among 'em was that of History That herein even after they had given themselves industriously to it they were notwithstanding very imperfect uncertain short their chiefest Authors contradicting one another in what they wrote as knowing there were no ancient Records not even in Athens it self to check their falsity nor Laws to curb their Liberty of writing what they pleas'd at random and what they wrote being so little as to other Countreys of the World that of Rome it self though very powerful within Italy in those times and so near home they seem'd for some Ages wholly ignorant That even their most curious Writers and among 'em Ephorus by name were so ignorant of the Gauls and Spaniards as to have thought the later a People denominated of one only City and related the manners both of the one and the other to be such as neither are nor at any time were among either Finally that their knowledg of other Nations was a long time so extream little as to have extended only to the bordering Thracians and the Inhabitants of the Sea Coasts lying Easterly and Westerly not far from Greece all other Inland or untraffiquing nay and all trassiquing too so they were far remote Countreys being utterly unknown to them Moreover and more nearly to our present purpose it is observable how so excellent so unbyass'd a Writer as Josephus undoubtedly is not only has in the same Book this very expression That he presumes not for matter of Antiquity to compare his own Jewish Nation with the Chaldeans Egyptians or Phaenicians but for certainty and truth highly celebrates in particular the Phenician Historian Dius and the Chaldean Berosus And yet we know from him that as well the one as the other
he lived to finish this Table I know not But I remember to have seen in stead thereof two small Tracts of his in Irish on another Subject annexed to an Irish Copy of his History the one being a Defence of the Mass the other entitl'd in Irish The Three Shafts of Death An other Particular is That which tells how and why he thought it fitting as to the number of years attributed to the several Reigns of some few of their Pagan Monarchs especially Siorna Saoghallach and Cobhthach Caolbhreag to vary from their Book of Reigns where it 's said That the later reign'd fifty years but the former a hundred and fifty and that besides he was a hundred years old when he attain'd the Sovereignty nor died naturally but was murder'd after he had lived two hundred and fifty years in all In the Fifth Particular he speaks only to those who seem rather to admire than believe how it can be at least probable That other Pedegrees than those in Holy Scripture should be truly and in a perpetual Line without any interruption carried up along to Adam and Noah as the Irish Genealogical and Historical Books pretend to do for all their Kings Princes and great Nobles To such admiring incredulous men he answers That the Irishry or Gathelian Off-spring even all along from the time of Gathelus himself whose name gave these Descendants from hinâ— the general appellation of Clanna Gaodhel till their arrival in Ireland had with them a learned sort of men call'd in their Language Draoithe in ours Druids and Magitians whose peculiar Office it was to write and preserve as well their Genealogies as all other Memoirs concerning them or their Travails and Adventures whatsoever good or bad That the more famous Branch of those Gathelians to wit the Clanna Mileadh or Descendents from Milesius the Spaniard after they had conquer'd Ireland from the Nation call'd Tuatha-De-Danann thought fit to continue the same course and accordingly did continue for the 2500 years of their Government and Laws an uninterrupted numerous succession of Antiquaries for the same purpose with large allowance and strict orders to regulate them us has been said afore That besides and particularly to shew the like care among some other Nations for preserving the Genealogies of their great Heroes he instances in the Pedegree of that excellent Saxon King Alfredus and out of Asser Menevensis inserts it carried up through all his Predecessours from Son to Father in a perpetual direct Line to Adam To which Instance alledg'd by Keting I could my self most certainly though without Book add another For about five or six and forty years since travelling in Brabant and within a little English mile to Lovain entring the Choire of the Celestin's Abbey there I saw and for a pretty while did view a Table hung up on the Wall which contain'd the Genealogy of the Illustrious Founders the Dukes of Arscot carried up in like manner through a vast number of Generations to the First of all men Which may be enough to persuade us that the old German Nation how meanly soever for matter of civility or Learning describ'd by Tacitus have been very careful in preserving at least their Genealogical Antiquities And indeed if my memory fail me not I remember to have read in Favins Theatre of Honour much to this purpose where he tells It was from the Germans that all the rest of Europe derived the custom of giving Goats of Arms to shew the Noble Antiquity of their Extraction Though withal I must confess that Keting in the Reign of the Irish Monarch Domhnal mhac Aodh mhic Ainmhire who died in the year of Christ 642. not only demonstrates by a very special Instance That custom of blazoning Arms to have been among the Irish in this Monarchs Reign very common but farther says It had been so in all Ages before among their Ancestours ever since the days of Gathelus himself who deriv'd it from the Israelites at the time of their passing the Red Sea when each of the Tribes had its own peculiar Ensign carried before But to return to my purpose The Sixth and Last of those particulars of Keting's Preface I would acquaint you with is That being his whole History for the matter is only of the Ancient Irish Nation if any Reader shall perhaps apprehend his Relations or commendations or praises of them any where or in any point or as to any matter or Times excessive he desires it be considered That the Author is no Irish man by blood but English though born in Ireland And therefore cannot rationally be suppos'd to magnifie the Old Irish or speak more excellent things of 'em than the very force of Truth and duty of a Historian exacts from him Besides he had immediately before in the same Place declar'd That neither love nor hatred of any People nor hope of any kind of Reward on Earth made him either go through with or indeed at first undergo any part of the toil of so laborious a Work but only those other considerations given before But what his reason was only to write it in Irish I cannot tell Vnless it be That he would not swerve from the custom of that Nation while they were a free People before the English Conquest of transmitting the Authentick Records or publick Acts and Monuments of their Kingdom to after Ages in their own Language only Which as I conceive is the true reason why so little of them has ever yet been known elswhere in the World However you have by this time a sufficient account of Keting the Author I am mostly guided by in the whole Former Part of my Prospect or which is the same thing in my Discourses of the State of Ireland till the beginning of the English Conquest in the year of Christ 1172. I had almost forgotten to prevent your prejudice against Keting's History from his relating about the beginning of it those three unlikely Stories 1. How Seth the Son of Adam and three daughters of Cain in a Company together landed in and view'd all Ireland over 2. How last year before the Deluge three Fishermen of South-Spain by name Laigne Capa and Luasad had been Wind-driven thither c. 3. How Keasar the daughter of Baioth son to Noah with three men viz. Fionntuin Lothra and her said Father and fifty Women to save themselves from the Flood which from Noah they had heard of as impending after they had first by her advice renounc'd the God of Noah taken to themselves an Idol God which the Irish in their Language call Laimbh Dhia and then wandred for seven years by Sea at last arriv'd in Ireland just forty days before the Flood and there nevertheless perish'd by it And indeed I must confess that Keting relates these Stories at large with all their other circumstances But how or why does he relate'em It is manifest he does it of set purpose to explode 'em every one as incredible and meer Poetical
Fictions For so himself expresly says Adding withal that such only and no other was the repute they had in the very days of Yore among the best Irish Antiquaries And for this he brings sufficient proofs by alledging their own words Gratianus Lucius is the next Author I make frequent use of to lead me in several remote affairs of the more Ancient Irish And he likewise an Irish man by birth but of the Province of Connaght and as himself professes by name and blood of English Extraction His own proper name and surname John Lynch his Function Sacerdotal and of the Secular Clergy too His employ besides at Galway for some years in our own time was Teaching a School of Humanity as they call it wherein he was excellent In the differences between the Roman Catholic Confederates in the late unhappy War of that Nation he join'd with those of them that were against the Nuncio Rinuccini's Censures for the Cessation with Inchiquin submission to the King and the two Peaces After the surrender of Galway to the English Parliament Army he went to France Where employing his time as became a good Patriot Loyal Subject he wrote printed and publish'd two Latin Books in Quarto with a Dedicatory Epistle to the Congregation of Cardinals de Propaganda Fide against a Factious disloyal Manuscript which one Richard Ferral an Irish Capuccin had some years before written and presented to the same Congregation as a Direction for them in their government of the Church affairs of Ireland the former entitled Alithinologia the Later Supplementum Alithinologiae Some years after that is an 1662. he publish'd under the name of Gratianus Lucius an other Latin Work in Folio intitled Cambrensis Eversus as being a full confutation of the Author that goes by the name of Cambrensis Who this Cambrensis and what the Quarrel was to let you know if I digress a little it may peradventure be worth the while His proper name and surname in English being Gerald Barry that Additional of Cambrensis he had from his native Countrey in Latin Cambria in English Wales His education of a Scholar profession of a Divine Function of a Priest and as I must suppose merits in all brought him in time to be not only Arch-deacon of S. Davids but Tutor to the young Earl of Mortaign Fifth Son to Henry II. Vnder which Qualifications first his zeal for the old Archiepiscopal privileges of that See engag'd him in a long Contest with the See of Canterbury and then his Election to the same See of S. Davids involv'd him in another In so much that however he came to be worsted in both for so he was yet his name has ever since remain'd on Record in the Papal Canons His extraction made him Nephew to Robert fitz Stephens and Maurice fitz Gerald Cousin to Meylerus and Brother to Philip Barry and Robert Barry five of the first chief men that adventured to Ireland of purpose to advance their own fortune by helping on the Restauration of Diarmuid na Ngall King of Leinster His own Genius once and once more his Place carried him to Ireland For twice he was there first to see his kinsmen daily acquiring large possessions by their valour and next to wait on his young Prince Earl John when created Lord of Ireland and sent thither by the King And now as himself confesses being desirous of glory and immortal fame by describing Ireland and informing the World not only of what he knew of the State of that Kingdom then under the English Conquerors but of all former Conquests and State thereof from the beginning he wrote to this purpose five Books in Latin The first three of 'em under the Title of The Topography of Ireland and the other two under that of The Conquest of Ireland by Henry II. Indeed more specious Titles both than his Relations under them do so much as meanly answer Besides that the Title at least of Topography must be very strangely applyed to signifie the Description of a whole Kingdom And yet notwitstanding This together with the History of all former Conquests and other Antiquities of Ireland is that which he promises to give under the same Title That he has very ill perform'd that he has given his Reader 's nothing less than such a History or such a Description we must not wonder He neither could understand the Language nor so much as read the Books whether of History or Chorography written at large by the Natives themselves in their own Character He saw not in any manner nor travel'd nor view'd e'en at a distance above one Third of the Kingdom nor dar'd for his Life venture into either of the other two parts His whole stay in Ireland being the whole extent of Yime employ'd by him in gathering materials for his intended Work was but a year and a half besides an other half years task which he had left to his Companion Bertram Verdon who therefore stay'd so long behind him His Collections at least for such part of 'em as any way pertinently related to his foresaid promise or Titles were certainly extream little but the rest of them no less extream bad and commonly false to boot They were so little that he describes not so much as one County or Tract or Town no not of that very third Part of the Kingdom which he might have seen Vnless peradventure you take for a Description of all Ireland his Fabulous Narrations of four Wells three Islands three Lakes the Fountain head of four great Rivers and the Fall of the greatest of them all by name the River of Shannon into the Northern Sea Tho it be well known That as all these Narrations are such i. â— meer Fables so the one moiety of these Lakes Wells Islands besides the Head-spring of Shannon are within those other parts of Ireland which he never saw nor durst enter As for the History of the former Inhabitants Conquests and other Antiquities of that Kingdom promised by him it is in like manner not only so imperfect but so little in all respects That 1. he has not the least mention of Tuatha-De-Danainn though a powerful People that by a bloody War entirely won it from Feara-Bolg and were possessors of it for a hundred ninty seven Years under the successive Reigns of seven or rather indeed Nine Kings of their own that is until they also in their turn were conquer'd by the Clanna Mileadh about Thirteen hundred years before the Birth of Christ 2. Of those Clanna Mileadh or Descendents from Milesius though they were the People that continued the Possession and Government of Ireland ever since about 2500 years to this very Authors days yet all the account he gives is only in short that they had a hundred eighty one Monarchs ruling successively over that Kingdom but not a word more of their History Polity Laws Conquests abroad Militia or Wars at home may not so much as a bare Catalogue of
those very Monarchs for he names only the first and last of 〈◊〉 being Feidlimidius whom he mistakes for one more was not King of Ireland but of Mounster only So little he has of the very Milesians or their Antiquities or Actions Except only 1. A few words of the six Sons of Muredus Provincial King of Ulster entring Scotland 2. A slender touch upon the Danish Invasions of Ireland In which notwithstanding he is mightily out both as to the Year of Christ he fixes on for the first of those Invasions viz. 838. and as to the name person feats yea and Nation too of Gurmundus all being meer Fictions borrow'd mostly from Galfridus Monumethensis However with such and many more idle stories in other matters not only impertinent to the Title of his Books or discharge of his Promise nor only not had from any Records or Writings whatsoever as neither from the oral Testimony of men of knowledg or integrity but wholly deriv'd from old Wive's Tales and pastime of Ferry-men and random reports of Soldiers and imposture of some Knaves who fain'd things of purpose to impose on his vain credulity and besides with most vile reflections Invectives Satyrs almost every where against the Irish Nation of his own time their Princes Priests and People generally without sparing any degree not even the very Monks nor even the very Bishops excepted he patch'd up finish'd at last after five years study all his foresaid five Books of Ireland prefixing Dedicatories of some to the King as of other of 'em to Richard Earl of Poictou who soon after was Richard I. of England And now putting an extraordinary value on these Works of his own and no longer able to conceal his ambitious design of glory by 'em he goes to Oxford renews the ancient Roman Rehearsals there in the most publick Audience could be had continues 'em three days together from morning till night allowing a day for each of his Topographical Books And to make his Comedy the more solemn feasts all the meaner sort of that whole City on the firstday on the second all the Doctors Masters and chief Scholars of the Vniversity on the third day the rest of the Scholars the Soldiers too and all the Burgesses of that Place A sumptuous and noble act says Gerald himself glorying of it whereby the ancient Custom of Poets was renewed which neither the present Age nor any former could shew in England But after all he came short of his expectation of glory His little performance and great ignorance his many Fables and evil choice of other materials toâ— yea and his mortal enmity hatred malevolence to the Irish Nation were seen through especially at Court where as himself complains he had too many back Friends to malign him Above all his Satyrs and spleen against the very name of the Irish lai'd him open Nor were the true causes thereof unknown Besides the common concern he had in the destruction of that People for the sake of his Kinsmen there was another more peculiar to himself that continually egg'd him to the greatest violence against them He had even for his own sake very deeply engag'd in a particular controversie with Albinus O Molloy a Cistercian Irish Monk and Abbot of Baltinglass wherein he was worsted Whether any other causes mov'd him I do not know But this I know that in his Second Book of the Conquest of Ireland he desir'd that whole Nation might either be throughly weakned or totally destroy'd yea notwithstanding the Peace but lately concluded and still observ'd by them And that besides in the same Book cap. 36. he prescrib'd the ways to do it I see also that on every occasion as he is perpetually in the greatest extreams even of Romantic praises of his own Relatives Fitz Stephens Fitz Gerald Meyler the two Barrys and all their Brittish Soldiers too his own Countrey-men so of the other side upon the least pique he is no less passionately excessive in charging with and exaggerating the vilest things against the very Normans and English in Ireland tho embarqu'd in the save public quarrel with them against the Irish Nation Witness among others Herveus de Monte Marisco and William Fitz Adelm the King's Lieutenant and Progenitor of the noble Family of Bourks in that Kingdom Nay witness the King himself Henry II. Whom altho during his Life this Author made the Occidental Alexander the Invincible the Salomon of his own Time the most Pious of Princes and his only Fame tho far short of his Merits to have repress'd the fury of all the very Gentils of Europe and Asia too beyond the Mediterranean Sea adding many more Hyperbolical expressions to magnifie him above all truth and reason as for example That his Victoâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 with the Circumference of the Earth and That if you seek after the Limits of his Conquests you shall sooner come to the end of the World than of them yet after this Great Prince's death as David Powel very particularly observes he the same Author Gerald of Wales most bitterly invey'd against him in his Book de Instructione Principis where he so belâ—bed forth the venom of his malevolence that he manifestly discover'd his old inveterate hatred of this King Henry So says Powell Moreover and in reference particularly to his stories of Ireland you may find in Primat Ushers Sylloge pag. 155. how the expostulations of other men and evidence of Truth compell'd him at last to several Retractations among which he confesses that altho he had some of his Relations from persons of credit in that Countrey yet for the rest he had only common report and fame Which if I be not mistaken is in effect to acknowledg that he had common Lyes and Forgeries to authorize them Nay further You may read Sir James Wares Censure of them in his own Antiquities of Ireland cap. 23. where in express terms he says in Latin That Gerald of Wales in his Topography of Ireland has heap'd together so many Fabulous Relations that to discuss them exactly would require a just Treatise And then adds in the same place his own wonder How it should come to pass that some of this very Age tho otherwise grave and learned men have again for Truths obtruded on the World those Fictions of Girald Besides You are to know that notwithstanding so many just exceptions against those Books of Cambrensis yea notwithstanding they had therefore lyen after his death 400 years neglected obscure unknown till Cambden had them printed at Francford an 1602. yet ever since that year they have proved the only chief warrant to all such men of little reading as were delighted in writing ill of the ancient Irish To conclude what I would say on the whole is That if hatred enmity open profess'd hostility and special interest and actual engagement too in the destruction of that ancient Irish Nation if ignorance of their Language and wilful passing by their History even the most authentick of their
Records if no knowledg at least of two Thirds of their Countrey if hunting collecting and hudling together the vainest and falsest and most ridiculous hear-say stories and this forsooth of purpose to gain immortal fame by telling stupendious things not heard before if Satyrs of the people in general so virulent and frequent that in very deed the publishing of 'em may be justly suspected to have been at least a great part of the Authors chief design if a licentious humour and immoderate passion transporting him to the strangest exorbitancy either of praises or dispraises or flatteries or injuries as he stood affected in writing even of his own Party and his own King for company among 'em if his acknowledgment in Usher and the Censure of him by Sir James Ware in a word if so many excellent Qualifications as are enumerated here can render him an Author of Credit or to be follow'd or believ'd in any passage of his foresaid Books that is to any degree of prejudice either against the Irish Nation or contrary to their Chronicles or vain or exotick in it self and not warranted by better authority than his only word I say that if the matter be so indeed then for my own part I must be of opinion that no Author at all how idle or vain or unwarrantable or incredible or false or injurious reproachful and satyrical soever his Relations of any People or Countrey are is to be rejected Tho in all contingencies it must be also confess'd that wherever Cambrensis has delivered any thing to the advantage renown or credit of the Irish Nation his testimony is doubtless above all exception for so much For the confession of an Adversary is valid in all Tribunals and both Bodin and Reason requires it should be so in History Thus having sufficiently inform'd you both of Cambrensis and the true original grounds of the Quarrel of Gratianus Lucius to him I return to the finishing my account of Lucius himself And this I shall dispatch by a little farther addition first of those more special considerations that put him on writing his Cambrensis Eversus and then of his performance therein Those himself gives at large but I shall contract ' em 1. He had often consider'd that altho soon after the coming out of Cambrensis in Germany from the Press two Learned Irish Gentlemen Richard White a Jesuit and Philip O Suillevan a Soldier to undeceive the World and right their injur'd Nation had most exactly and convincingly written each of them at large against his impostures yet through ill fortune their several Books on that subject were lost and no body since had put Pen to paper to retrive this loss 2. By daily conversation among Foreigners he had found That because in so many years since that Francford Edition of Cambrensis nothing appear'd against him in Print his very vilest Relations of Ireland were taken for confessedly true 3. Having read a great number of Books and he thinks all whatsoever written of that Kingdom by English other Brittish Authors and observing how as many of 'em at least as came out since the change of Religion were so unjust to the Irish Nation that amongst all there was not so much as any one Individual who does not either report Fictions or conceal Truths or exaggerate the bad or extenuate the good Things of that People he considered at last that Giraldus Cambrensis was their first pattern 4. And which to him was more grievous yet he considered that ever since the aforesaid German Edition there was not a Book written nor a Cosmographical or Geographical Table drawn there was not I mean a Map or a Card as they are call'd describing the customs or manners of Nations come forth in any part of Europe which was not replenish'd with ugly base reflections on the Irish In so much that in all Countreys and Languages they were on all occasions become a Fable to the Vulgar and object of scorn to others These were the considerations that prevail'd with Lucius to exert his zeal for Truth and Love to his Countrey in taking all the foresaid Books of Cambrensis to pieces laying open the most material of his Errors and Calumnies for it had been endless to pursue him in the more immaterial convincing him every where and therefore when he had finish'd his Work publishing it for the satisfaction of Europe in Latin under the Title of Cambrensis Eversus which may be English'd The Cambrian overthrown How justly it deserves this name others may judg seeing the Book is extant and has been since the year 1622. when it was printed For my own part I can do no less than acknowledg what I think of it my self which is That the Author shews himself very conversant in those Letters we call Polite That above all for knowledg in History both Domestic Forein Sacred and Profane he appears excellently well qualified to write on the Subject he undertook That every where and whatever matter is treated he is very exact in quoting his Authors and where the allegation must depend on Irish Books or Writers he never omits to give 'em by name in the Margin among which are the Annals of Inis Fail the Common Annals the Annals of Anonimus the Annals of Tigernacus the Continuer of Tigernacus the Books of Reigns O Duuegan O Donel Colgan Philip O Suillevan Peter Lombard Archb. of Ardmagh Keting Primat Usher Sir James Ware That in a word his performances in this Book against Cambrensis are accurate absolute full and therefore not unworthy the Dedication they bear prefix'd to the Sacred Majesty of Charles II. of Great Brittain our gracious King I say against Cambrensis Because I do abstract wholly from his occasional or incidental Reflections any where on the State of Ireland since the Year 1640. To deliver my thoughts of them is no part of my business here What more concerning Lucius must be directly to the purpose of this place is to let you understand that although Cambrensis Eversus be not a History of Ireland yet because it is in many places fraught with choice Collections out of the Irish Antiquities and in the VIII Chapter occasionally gives together with a Catalogue of all the Monarchs of Ireland under the several Conquests even from Slanius the first of them a brief account of their Reigns and Years of the World or Christ respectively when each King began finish'd his Reign therefore next to Keting I have made the greatest use of him in the Former Part tho no where before page 130. for till I came so far I had him not And out of him particularly it is That in some places I add to such or such Monarchs the Year of the World or of our Saviour Christ's Incarnation Now what Computation is follow'd by him in giving the former Years I mean those of the World albeit he does not himself expresly inform us we may notwithstanding most certainly know by his fixing
what I had almost forgotten That I have more than once or twice either quoted Geoffrey of Monmouth himself I hope no man will be scandalized that considers besides the occasion what use I make of him Nay I do persuade my self That to see * Former Part from page 3 5. to pag. 347. And again p. 363 364 369. in five or six leaves of this little Form a pretty just Abridgment of his famed Work i. e. his Seven Books of the ancient History of Great Brittain or supposed Posterity of Brutus cannot be displeasing to those who never saw nor knew where to find the Author himself or his History at large nor perhaps were it lying by them and in their own Language too would have the patience to read it over And now That I gave given what I would say in this Place concerning any of those other Authors whom besides Keting and Lucius I either follow or examine or e'en utterly reject in the Former Part of my Prospect there remains but little more to be Prefac'd to it For to the Latter Part I shall therefore prefix an other Preface but one by so much the shorter by how much it must be proper to that Part alone In which other Preface I mean to observe the same Method I have in this by giving an account of the Writers who shall direct me in that Later Part and how and the reasons why I must therein be guided partly by some of those very men whose testimonials in other matters I slight in the Former What more I would give for Preface here to the same Former Part only are these Particulars 1. That wheresoever I annex to any of those Irish Monarchs treated of by me Capital or other Letters or Figures of Numbers whereby I would signifie what rank they held in their Catalogue for example whether of the Tenth or Twentieth or so forth there I related only to the Catalogue of Milesian Monarchs not to any other containing both Milesian and the other 18. Monarchs of the several Conquests that preceded theirs 2. That although I have endeavoured with all diligence to extract in order those Milesian Monarchs out of Ketings voluminous History which no where adds to any of 'em the number i. e. any such Letters Figures or Words importing it after all I cannot be sure I have not mistaken and this perhaps more than once in adding my numbers But the best on 't is that the errour if any such be is not material 3. That where I speak of 2988 years or sometimes of a year or a few years more or less from the first of the Milesian Conquest in all such places I follow the Account of Keting Who to reduce the Irish Chronology to an agreement not only with his own Computation of the years of the World but with the Relation also of Cambrensis and Polychronicon where they tell us of the Milesians having conquer'd that Kingdom 1800 years before S. Patric's death purposely cut off of the Reigns of several of their Kings so many years as make in all 491. But elsewhere that is p. 496 c. and in the Catalogue I have strictly follow'd Gratianus Lucius and consequently the Irish Book of Reigns as to the number of years the Milesian Kings reigned or Kingdom lasted 4. That for want of Irish Books or Antiquaries to consult with I confess it remains a difficulty with me still How the six Sons of the Ulster K. Muredus as Cambrensis calls him in Latin who in Irish is call'd Muiridhach by Keting even those very six famous Brothers that invaded Tâ—ath-Chruthnigh for so the Irish by a proper name in their Language call'd the Countrey of the Picts which now we call Scotland How I say those very six Brothers go sometimes by the name of the Six Sons of Muiridhach and sometimes again by that of the Six Sons of Eirck Vnless peradventure the same person had those two names of Muiridhach Eirck or that Keting derived their being the Sons of Muredus from Girald of Wales only 5. That if any where in these Discourses of Ireland you meet with some Relations either of Miracles above Nature or Antiquities hard to believe I must beg that you will notwithstanding be so just as at least to believe I have no design to impose either upon your reason or upon your freedom 6. That besides it will be no more than Justice requires of you to persuade your self That no Relatour of matters so far beyond our ken is accountable for his own belief or disbelief of them much less for their objective truth or untruth being or not being in themselves Provided he relates no impossibilities nor absurdities nor contradictions of all other Histories that are esteemed true nor any thing whatsoever out of other Records than Authentick or other Authors than Classick or at least other than such as have been among their own People reputed men of Probity and Reason and acknowledg'd so in such matters as they write of 7. That I have commonly chosen to give the Irish proper Names and Surnames though not in Irish Characters yet in such Italick Letters as answer them because by having them so the Reader may be much better assured that he sees before him the true genuine names whether he can pronounce them rightly or not than he could be if according to the custom of others I had transform'd 'em into the English or Latin either syllables or terminations And yet withal my Copy of Keting being very bad in many places and which I do willingly acknowledg my own skill to correct the Irish Orthography of it very small I must in reason suspect my performance in this matter But neither can the Errours herein be either material or any way considerable 8. That I confess I have taken a quite contrary course to the late Brittish Writers in magnifying so far as good Authority did warrant me the Ancient Irish Nation which they a man would think made it their business to lessen and vilifie all they could But nevertheless I doubt not all judicious impartial men will acknowledg how much more it must redound to the honour of the English Nation to have conquered an ancient civil warlike brave People in the days of Yore than such an obscure barbarous vile hideous generation of men as partly the Cambrian Author partly others that follow'd the pattern left by him represent those Old Inhabitants of Ireland in their time Besides if without any relation to others but on the naked sole contemplation of some excellencies in that ancient People I have suffer'd some transport who can blame me None I believe that considers attentively the import and consequence of this Saying of the Roman Sage though delivered by him on an other subject Some acts of Liberality some of Humanity some of Fortitude had astonish'd us and we began to admire them as perfect Under 'em lay many vices which the appearance splendor of some conspicuous Fact did
as had natural ends to have been As for the Fir-bholgian Tuath-De-Danann Kings tho proportionably fewer e'en of either died violent deaths yet of their 18. which was their whole number fourteen lost their Lives by the Sword But how many or how few soever you please of all these and those Kings of all the Former Conquests ended their days either by the hands of other men or some prodigious judgment of Heaven or means of other extrinsick secondary Causes in such manner as rendred their deaths properly violent the Inferences out of this Catalogue are plain 1. That if we count severally each of those Milesian Princes who jointly or in Association with any other govern'd as Kings of Ireland and withal not count the same Person twice nor count among 'em either Cairbre I. surnamed Ccann-cheit or Feilim I. mhac Conruidh see Numb 98. 99. as indeed we ought not being these Two are the only noted for meer Usurpers because both were chosen one after another by the Plebeians only nay and only too to head their most hideous bloody Rebellion of 25 years continuance against all the Royal Line and as for the former of 'em viz. Cairbre he had not so much pretence of right as to have been either of the Milesian or e'en Gathelian Race but originally a meer Dane I say that if we count so we shall find the whole number of those Milesian Kings as it is in this Catalogue to agree exactly with that which Cambrensis himself 500 years since reported it to have been That is just 181 in all 2. That counting together with these Milesians those â—8 Fir-bholgian and Tuatha-De-Donann Kings who preceded them and withal admitting both Cairbre Ceann-cheit Feilim mhac Conruidh as Kings of Ireland for so they really tho illegally were in their time the Former 5 years till he died a natural death and the Later 20. at the expiration of which he was kill'd in Battel by Tuathal Teachtmhur it must follow that they make in all 201 Kings of Ireland while the Former Three Conquests held one after another 3. That hereunto adding 22 more of the Fourth and Last i. e. our English Conquest the whole Number of the Sovereign Princes of Ireland from Slainghe to Charles II. must be 223. whereof Three were Queens Macha Mary and Elizabeth A PROSPECT OF The State of Ireland c. The Former PART SECTION I. First Planter of Ireland Ciocal First Invader Partholan then Neimh and his four Sons then Fir-bholg then Tuatha-De-Danann and last of all the Eight Sons of Mileadh Fights of the former Invaders Nine of Ferramh Bolg and Nine more of Tuatha-De-Danann ruled as Kings of Ireland Fir-Bholg divide it into two parts Three Septs of these remaining still The adventures of Mileadh His eight Sons conquer Tuatha-De-Danann How Erimhon came to be sole Monarch of Ireland He was the first of 181 Kings of the Milesian Conquest Eoghun Mor 620 years after Erimhon set up the Provincial Kings Picts first appearing They are the first time and together with them all the Islands of Scotland Conquered by Aonghus Ollbuadhach Many Plantations of the Irish in Scotland Niall Naoighiallach's Invasion of that Countrey and an other by the six Sons of Muireadhach Fergus Mor mhac Ercha made the first-King of Scots that is of the Irish in Scotland Coilus King of Great Brittain destroy'd by him Three Walls built by the Romans against the Irish Kingdom of the Picts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by these Danish Wars in Ireland Bad success of Roderic the King of Britain's Son The Danes various success They are at the same time plagued as by others so by Ceallaghane King of Mounster most singularly The Monarch Conghallach Mhac Mhaoil Mhithe routs ' emâ— and kills 7000 of them in Battel What of his two next Successors in the Monarchy Briain Boraimh does Wonders in 25 Battels and last of all in that of Clantarff Field Maolseachluin that succeeded him and Hughaire mhac Tuathail King of Leinster destroy the Reliqnes of the Danes The vain attempt of Magnus King of Norvegia to revenge their Fate IReland before that fatal War broke out in the year 1641. had two different Nations like the Twins of Rebecca strugling in its Womb perpetually almost five hundred years the one called by themselves the Ancient Irish the other the Old English or English Irish And indeed the former may justly glory in the Epithet of Ancient since as Cambden himself confesses they fetch Britannia translated by Philemon Holland Edit Lond. Tit. Ireland pag. 64. the beginning of their Histories from the most profound and remote Records of Antiquity so that in comparison of them the Ancientness of all other Nations is but Novelty and as it were a matter of yesterday It is now at least 2988 years since their Fore-fathers the Sons of Mileadh alias Milesius the Spaniard in a Fleet of threescore Sail arrived in Ireland from Gallicia in Spain conquer'd it and left it to their Posterity I say at least Because although Polychronicon and Cambrensis Topog. Dist 3. c. 17. by their saying That from the Arrival of those Milesians in Ireland till the death of S. Patrick their Apostle were efflux'd 1800 years See Jocelin Vit. Saucti Patricii c. 196. agree exactly with Ketings Epocha here yet the Irish Book of Reigns makes the Arrival of those Milesians much earlier that is to this present year of Christ 1680. e'en as long since as 3480 years compleat But I follow Keting's Reformation of that Book and his Account in his Mss History l. 1. whereby he places the Milesian Conquest in the year of the World 2736. after the Floud 1086 after Moses's passing the Red Sea 192. and before the Birth of Christ 〈◊〉 308. Were it to my main purpose which is or only or at least mostly concern'd in those Milesians I could insert here out of Keting the several Plantations and Conquests of that Countrey before they knew it How one Ciocal about a hundred years after the Deluge in a small Fleet of Vessels each Vessel having fifty Men and fifty Women aboard arriving there was the First that planted it How Bartholanus and his three Sons Languinus Salanus and Reterugus with their Wives and as This Author lived as himself writes An 830. under Anaraugh King of Anglesey and Guinech or North-Wales Nennius writes a thousand Fighting Men about 300 years after the Flood Anno Mundi 1956. before the Birth of Abraham 95 years invaded it had many doughty Battels therein with those Aborigines the Issue of Ciocal and Progeny of Cham who come thither from Afric were called Gyants because partly of their stature or corpulency which yet was no way exceeding the tallest growth of other men and partly of their wickedness endeavouring to destroy every where the Descendants or Progeny of Japhet And how this Bartholanus alias Partholan having Conquer'd at last those Aborigines and Affricans his Issue after him were at the end of three hundred
years consumed by a Pestilence not one remaining of them A just judgment from Heaven without peradventure on him who had fled thither as it were from Heaven for having in his own Countrey in Scythia kill'd both his Father and Mother to make way for a Brother of his and their Son to come to the Royal Throne How in the end of 30 years more Nemedus another Scythian some of the Irish Chronologists say he was a son to Bartholanus left by him in Scythia when himself had departed thence with his four Sons Starius Gervale Annin and Fergus in a Fleet of 34 Ships and 30 Marriners in each of them arriving in Ireland overthrew in three Battels the remainder of those Affrican Gyants but was overcome in the fourth And how soon after this defeat Nemedus being dead his People rousing themselves put it to the issue of one great Battel sought at the same time both by Sea and by Land they having 30 thousand at Land and so many more at Sea and the Fight proved so mortal that albeit they had the victory yet they could reap no benefit by it the very Air being so corrupted by the stench of the Carcasses which lay unburied every where for they kill'd promiscuously in every place after that Victory Man Woman and Child of their Enemies that all over the Land there was an universal Pestilence which after seven years more made 'em depart and quit the whole Country leaving only ten Captains to defend those of their People that could not have Shipping against the remainder of the Gygantick Affricans How these Children or Posterity of Nemedus Clanna Neimheadh the Irish call 'em to avoid that dreadful and continual Pestilence departing in a thousand Vessels great and small under the Conduct of three Chieftains Simeon Breac Ibaath and Briotan the other two sailing to Greece Briotan with his adherents Landed in the North of that Countrey which we now call Scotland and with his and their Posterity remaining there gave the denomination of Brittain to this whole Island which is now called Great Brittain as holy Cormac the K. of Mounster and Bishop of Cashel in his Psalter of Cashel together with all the Chronologers of Ireland affirm Wherein surely they have at least much more probability of their side than any late Authors have that derive that name from Brutus or his Romantick History either in Galfridus or in any other For if from Brutus besides other reasons why not Brutannia rather than Britannia How the five sons of Dela viz. Gandius Genandius Segandius Rutheragus and Slanius being the 8th Generation from Simeon Breac and calied in Irish Fir-bholg after 217 years compleat from the former arrival of Nemedus there invaded Ireland with 5000 men of all sorts in their company and studing no great resistance won it entirely routed utterly out of it the remainder of that cursed Generation of Cham the Affrican Giants and divided it into five Provinces or Portions which Division continues till this day How they and four of their Children after them were in succession Monarchs of all Ireland after that Slanius who was the youngest of them all had by force and War upon the rest erected it to a Monarchy though he enjoy'd it but one year Death having given him no longer joy of his Conquest over his Brethren How none before them i. e. none of the former Invaders called themselves Kings they being the first Kings and Slanius among them too as I have now said the first Monarch that Ireland ever had Yet the Reigns of all the nine made not above 36 years in the whole How Eugenius or Eoghun as the Irish Books call him and so they have quite other terminations both for all these and all other Names too expressed by us with Latin terminations being the last of them and prosperously Reigning in peace and plenty over Ireland the Nation whom the Irish call Tuath-De-Danann under their King Nuathad Airgidlaimh as descending from the foresaid Nemedus or Nemeus or Neimh which you please to call him and therefore claiming that Kingdom as their right invaded it fought a great Battel in Connaught with Feramh-Bolg the Generation of Simeon Breac and Neimheadh or Nemedus kill'd a hundred thousand of them and thereby and without much loss to themselves conquer'd the whole kingdom the Reliques of Ferramh-Bolg retiring to the small Islands of Arrain I le Rachluinn and many other about Ireland and Scotland where they continued till such time as Ireland came to be govern'd by Provincial Kings under the Milesians How the Posterity of those Reliques of Ferraimb Bolg being forced away by the Picts had their refuge back again to Ireland and first to the King of Leinster turning Tenants to him for such Lands as he was pleased to lett unto them and next from Leinster because of the heavy rent there to Connaught shifting so in the best manner they could for themselves until by Co-Chulain and Connall Cearnach and the Inhabitants of Vlster they were wholly driven away the second time and quite Banish'd for ever only three Families Sur-names or Septs of them excepted which according to the judgment of some Irish Antiqnaries remain still in Connaght and Leinster as Dr. Keting who also names these Septs does write Adding thereunto this further animadversion as a necessary consequence that these three Families are not of Clanna Gaoidhel or Posterity of Gathelus from whom all the Milesians descended long before either Milesius himself or his Predecessors came into Spain Lastly how according to the Book called Psaltuir Chassil the aforesaid Colony or Nation of Tuatha-De-Danann held the Sovereignty of Ireland for 197 years under seven or rather indeed nine Kings for after Fiacha who was the 6th of them reigned the three Sons of Cearmada by turns yearly But neither to prosecute nor so much as to insert any of these Plantations or Conquests of Ireland by Ciocal or Partholan or Neimhe or Feara Bolg or Tuatha Dee Danann as the Irish names of them are can be much if any thing at all to my main purpose here And though perhaps it might be in some sort material to tell you what a famous man in his Generation nay in a great part of the World Milesius himself otherwise called Galathus in Latin but in Irish Galamh had been Or to tell you 1. Of his first adventuring from Spain to Scythia and serving there as General of the Army under his Kinsman Refloir the great Monarch of that Countrey 2. Of his marrying this Refloir's Daughter and Refloir's growing jealous of his greatness and preparing therefore to dispatch him and his preventing the King by taking away his life and then his quitting Scythia and passing to Egypt by Sea with a Fleet of sixty Sail and his being there employ'd by Pharaoh as General against the King of Ethiopia's Forces warring at that time on Egypt 3. Of the many over-throws given by him to them and Pharaoh's so great favour to him thereupon that
seeing him a Widower his former Wife the Scythian Kings Daughter having died before he came to Egypt the gave him one of his own Daughters to Wife 4. Of his departure from Egypt by Sea and various adventures for some years roaming about all the Northern Seas and Isles of Europe 5. Of his return at last to his own Countrey of Spain and the five and forty Battels fought there victoriously by him and under his conduct by his near Cosins the Children of Breoghuin the Son of Bratha who founded Braganza in Portugal against the forein Enemies that invaded that Kingdom then 6. Of the destruction and utter extirpation at least for a good while of all those Foreiners out of Spain by his Valour and Wisdom and which was consequent of his possessing by himself and his foresaid Kinsmen the greater Part of this Kingdom 7. Of his two and thirty Sons part Legitimat but the most part Illegitimat 8. Of the great Dearth in his time all over Spain continuing six and twenty years thro want of Rain 9. And lastly how this Dearth together with several other reasons but particularly that of his minding now the Prophetical Prediction of him by his own Magitian Cathoir some years before That his Posterity should settle in Ireland made him and soon after his death eight of his Sons think upon invading Ireland Tho I say these are matters not wholly foreign to my purpose yet because they are unnecessary it sufficeth to have touch'd 'em lightly And so I proceed to what I intended as more material here to let you know Which is 1. That of those 8. Sons of that Great Milesius for no more of his two and thirty Sons ventured to Ireland who presently after their Fathers death setting forth from Breoghuin's Tower a place in Gallicia long after called Notium but of later years Compostella and putting to Sea with the first convenience and landing in Ireland then when the three Sons of Cearmada ruled there by turns and by their great Valour destroying all three at last in the Battel of Tailtinn and thereby subduing thorowly the whole Nation of Tuatha-De-Danann two only I mean of those eight Brothers survived to rejoyce in their Conquest finish'd by that Battel Eibhir and Erimhon alias Heber and Herimon as the Latins call them the other six being lost by various Chances 2. That Eibhir and Erimhon assuming now the sovereign power of the whole Island after partition made first to themselves then to their Cousins German then to their other Captains and last of all to the common Soldiers of convenient proportions of Land ruling severally over all that is Eibhir in the Southern and Erimhon in the Northern Division the first year in perfect peace together and then falling at odds through the Pride and instigation of Heber's Wife that put her Husband upon having all in both Divisions to himself alone to the end forsooth she might sit and strut upon the three chief Ardes or Heights of Ireland as the only Queen thereof and then coming to a pitch'd Battel and Heber kill'd in it and then Herimon remaining the only King without any Competitor until his death which hapned fourteen years after He was the first of a hundred fourscore and one that as Monarchs of all Ireland successively governed it and the Milesian or Irish Nation the only possessors of it for two thousand four hundred eighty eight years until the landing of Henry the second there in the year of Christ 1172. 3. Cambrensis himself tho Giraldus Camb. Topog. Hiber dist 3. c. xv 17. 36 37 44. otherwise no great favourer of the Irish does certifie so much by computing from Herimon the first King to Laogirius who was King when St. Patrick landed there Anâ— Christi 432. to preach the Gospel a hundred thirty and one from Laogirius to King Fedlimidius which contain'd 400 years of the flourishing state of Christianity among the Irish three and thirty more and from that period to Ruaridh O Conchabhair who was the Monarch when Henry II. landed as before the whole remainder of that number of a hundred fourscore and one who besides a far greater number of the Provincial Kings under them governed as Sovereign Monarchs of all that Island for so many Ages from the year of the World 2736. Argument enough I think for the Antiquity of the Irish Nation to be no where parallel'd if not peradventure by the Chineses only in the late History written of them by Martinus à Martinâ—s 4. That for their bravery in Martial Exploits to say nothing now of a thousand bloody proofs thereof given by them at home for much above 2000 years fighting almost continually either the Progeny of Heber in general against Herimon's for the Sovereignty or one Province or greater Division Leath Cuinn and Leath Mogh invading the other especially after the Provincial Kings had set up by the Authority of Eoghun Mor or Eugenius Magnus the Monarch about 600 years after the death of Herimon so that very few of their Monarchs in so large an extent of time died other than violent deaths and this in Battel commonly but to say nothing of these proofs given by them at home their manifest Invasions abroad their Plantations and at last even total Conquest of the Kingdom of Albain that part of Great Britain which in after Ages came to be called Scotland from their conquering and planting of it with Colonies of their Children for they themselves were in this part of the World the original Scots as their Countrey now called Ireland or in Latin Hibernia was then the only Countrey named Scotia is an argument which cannot be refuted 5. That the Nation which we call Picts but the Irish in their Language Cruinith having in the reign of Herimon the first Irish Monarch roam'd about by Sea from Scythia till they arrived at last in Ireland and there desiring to inhabit and being denied this request but however directed by Herimon to that part of the now Great Britain which lying Northeast of Ireland was called Albain then and is so still by the Irish and here seated themselves and then multiplying exceedingly for two hundred and fifty years at the expiration of this time upon some difference hapned Aonghus or Aenaeas Ollbhuadhach the VII Monarch of Ireland succeeding Herimon made so sharp and long a War upon them and not on them only but as well on the Northern Britains remaining still their Neighbours as upon the Inhabitants of the barren Orcades the Race of Fir Bholg long before expelled Ireland that in fifty fierce Battels given them he utterly broke their whole strength and made them Tributaries Nor was this the only Conquest made by the Milesian Irish either on the Heathen or Christian Picts and their Associats in Albain For to pass over those six or seven Invasions more of the Irish into Albain under several of their Monarchs from the Reign of the foresaid Aonghus or Enaeas to the
Reign of Niall the Great surnamed also Naoighiallach Likewise to say nothing how this very Niall not only went himself in Person with a powerful Army thither partly to confirm and partly to enlarge those â—â—antations made there by his Predecessors but was himself the first of Mortals that by his own Authority and at the instance of those Plantations gave the name of Scotia Minor or Scotland the Lesser to that Northern part of Great Britain ordaining all his Subjects to call it so Besides to pass by as well the Invasion as the extraordinary great and famous Plantation made therein by the six sons of that Vlster King Muiredbach whom Cambrensis calls in Latin Muredus either in the Time of Lapghaire the II's being Monarch of Ireland when St. Patrick conquered that Kingdom to Christian Religion or at least somewhat later To pass I say all these matters in silence though otherwise both great in themselves and no less attested by sufficient Authority that I think is very great and very true which Cambden a Title Scots page 26. and before page 128. in his Britannia writes That the Scots come from Ireland after a long War at last in the year of Christ 740. and in one great Battel destroyed the Picts so as there was scarce one of them left alive whereby that whole Nation and very name of the Picts was utterly extinguish'd 6. That besides the Irish Chronicles without contradiction from any tell us how the foresaid Niall the Great surnamed Naoighellach from the nine Hostages taken by him five from the five Provinces of Ireland and four from the Picts and other Inhabitants of Scotland or Albuin not only made the other parts of Great Britain even so far as the South of it tributary but with a mighty Force of Irish Scots Picts and Britons in one Army pass'd the Sea to France landed in Armorica and march'd so far as the River Loyre Where being encamped hewas treacherously kill'd by Eochae King of Leinster whom he had formerly so punish'd and plagu'd that he forc'd him to fly even out of all Ireland and who therefore studying still revenge followed him unknown to France and finding there an opportunity took it For standing one day by chance on the bank of the foresaid River and seeing Niall at the same time on the other Bank not far off he bent his Bow presently and with all his might letting fly at him shot him dead in the place by piercing his head through both scull and brain 7. That moreover Fergus the Great King of all Ireland as Buchanan calls him enter'd Scotland with a puiffant Army gave Battel to Coilus King of the Britons who invaded both the Picts and Irish Plantations together fought him kill'd him overthrew his whole Army was thereupon himself both declar'd and receiv'd the first King of the Scottish Nation inhabiting the North of Great Britain and after this being gone for Ireland as he was returning back again to Scotland was drown'd hard by the Rock which from his fate before it hath ever since been called by the Irish Carig-Fherus now Knock-fergus by the English and that all this Rerum Scoticar l. 1. happened says Buchanan about the time that Alexander the Great enter'd Babylon For albeit the Irish Books agree not with Buchanans relation of this Fergusius the Great not either I say as to his quality of being King of Ireland or as to this time of his Adventure in Scotland or elsewhere mentioning him only as a Brother to Mairchertach Mor mhac Ercha Monarch of Ireland and then fixing both his life and death immediatly after Saint Patricks death that is about 530 years after the Incarnation of our Lord yet since they agree with Buchanan in all other material points related by him of this famous Fergus especially that of his entring Scotland with a great Army being the first King of Scots in Britain I think the allegation of what they so agree upon is mightily to purpose 8. That therefore it is easie to be understood whatever Cambden's admiration be how the Milesian Irish Race were those In his Britannia Tit. Picts p. 115. daring men that having the assistance of the Picts their Tributaries and some few Britons withdrawn to them for protection from the Roman yoke drew forth at one time thirty thousand armed men against Agricola and gave Severus the Emperour so much trouble that of Romans and Associats he lost in one expedition against them fifty thousand men And were yet the men against Dio. whose incursions into the Roman Province here first the Fence was built by Adrian from Edinborough Frith to Cluyd fourscore miles Spartianus in length the foundation of it being laid deep within the ground of huge piles or stakes fastned together like a strong hedg or mound then the work of Turff and Earth by Severus across the Island from one Sea to another then under Honorius the Wall of stone running the same extent eight foot broad and twelve foot high and last of all the Towers and Bulwarks all along the Southern Coast of Britain at convenient distances raised against their landing on that side out of their plundering Fleets 6. That a further argument yet and such as of all hands must be confess'd to shew abundantly their Martial spirit and fortitude in those days of old was their brave defence of their own Countrey at home against the manifold powerful and almost continual Invasions of it from abroad by the Heathen Danes Norvegians and Easterlings at least 200 years For I pass wholly over those little short and inconsiderable Invasions of them either by Egfrid the Saxon King of Northumberland in the year 640. according to Cambden c Britannia Tit. Ireland or rather indeed by his General Berthus in the year 684. as Beda d l. 4. c. 26. has it or by some other Brittish Commanders joyn'd with the Picts at two or three several times in the seventh Century after Christ Of none of these do I take notice because they signifie not much save only the preying and burning at two several times and places a part of the Countrey by the Sea-side and three inconsiderable Fights as they are related in the Irish Books The first under the Sovereignty of Blathmhac and Diarmuid Ruannigh two Brothers ruling peaceably together as Kings of Ireland wherein the Saxon King and thirty of his Nobles were kill'd say the Irish Chronicles without mentioning other loss or any at all of the other side The second under the Sovereignty of Fionachta Fliadhach whereof all the account they give is that Comghusgach King of the Picts and a great many of the Irish were slain in it The third after a few years more under the Monarchy of Loionsiogch mhac Aonghussa fought against the men of Vlster by the Brittons but to their own loss And this is all the Irish Chronicles in Doctor Keting have of these matters So that neither the loss nor Victory
signifying much of either side at least as to Ireland in general by any of these Invasions there was nothing more heard of them or of the Invaders Much less was there ever in any Chronicle or Book that I could see either in English Irish or Latin before Cambden's Britannia came forth any mention made of Edgar King of England how puissant soever he was his having conquered a great part of Ireland and Dublin withal or indeed so much as one foot of Land there nay or so much as his having attempted any such thing And therefore I take no notice of Cambden's old Charter of King Edgar wherever he found it And so I do as little of Buchanan's relation where he writes that Gregory the Great King of Scotland who began his Reign Anno Christi 875. and ended it with his life Anno 902. invaded Ireland with a puissant Army during the minority of Donogh King of Ireland and Tutorship of this young King by Brien and Conchuair beat these Tutors in two several great Fights took Dondalk Droghedagh and Dublin visited here the young King assum'd his Tutorage to himself placed Governours in the strong Towns receiv'd threescore Hostages for their fidelity and with them return'd victorious to Scotland Certainly Ireland never had at any time since the very beginning not even since the first Monarch Slanius who reigned above three thousand years ago any King that was a Minor as Doctor Keting well observes and may be seen by any that reads over in his Chronology and History all the Reigns of the several Monarchs who during that vast extent of time successively govern'd Ireland or had the Title to govern as Monarchs there until it came under the English Power in the year of Christ 1172. There was not one of them all that came to the Soveraignty but either by election of the people or power of the Sword as there was not one in seven but came to it by this latter way that is by killing of his Predecessor Keting in the life of Brian Borumha and this commonly too in Battel Besides their very fundamental Law of Tanistry did exclude a Minor What then must we think where so many thousands descended of Heber and Herimon were at hand to claim their Titles rather than a Minor should have it But to say no more to this feigned Invasion from Scotland nor any thing other than what I have already of those former true however inconsiderable ones from elsewhere in Great Britain and to return back where I was to the Invasions both true and terrible and lasting indeed of the Danes what I would say is that notwithstanding those cruel Heathens had from the year of Christ 820. when they first invaded Ireland in the Reign of Hugh in Irish Aodh surnamed Ordnighe Monarch of Ireland and Airtre mhic Caithil Provincial King of Mounster and after that year all along in the Reigns of both that Monarch and his two Successors Conchauar mhac Donchadha and Niall Caille as likewise of Feilimidh mhic Griomthaine the Latins call him Feidlimidius successor to Airtre in the Kingdom of Mounster in several Fleets the two first one after another landing in Mounster the third in the North the fourth in vibh Cinsallach in Leinster fifth in the Harbour of Limmerick sixth of 60 Sail at the River Boyne seventh of forty Sail on the River Liffy eighth and ninth extraordinary great mighty ones at Lough-Foyle in Vlster poured in continually from time to time for above forty years together those almost incredible Numbers of men related by Hanmor yet the Irish fought 'em still and foyl'd 'em too in eight or nine Battels And although being too much overpowred by the continual supplies of new men coming to their Enemies who were absolute masters of the Seas they after a tedious cruel and continual War became at last for some little season Tributary to their Captain General Turgheise for so the Irish call him by us called Turgesius who now stiled himself King of Ireland lived in the middle thereof at Lough Ribh near the place where now Athlone is had both there and all over the whole Kingdom in every Province and Countrey and almost nook of it his Dane-Raths and other Fortifications made and strong Garrisons planted in 'em yet very soon after the generality of their Princes and people I say the generality for some of them held out still in some inaccessible places of Rocks and Bogs ' and Woods had so yielded to him their wisdom valour enfranchiz'd them most wonderfully in little above one Months time by their utter destruction of this Tyrant all his Heathen Crue For upon his lusting after the beautiful Daughter of Maolsechluin King of Meath and his desiring her of her Father to be his Concubine and the Fathers seeming of purpose to consent and then sending her privately at the Night appointed but attended with fifteen resolute Youths in Womens attire with short Swords under their Gowns and instructions what to do and then when it was very late at Night and all the rest of the leacherous Tyrants great Commanders withdrawn each to his own Apartment their seizing him so soon as he began to be rude with her and the Armour too of all the rest laid together in one heap on a Table in the Hall and then her Fathers rushing in at the same time and killing all those Commanders every one when they expected other Company each one of them one of the young beautiful Damsels as the Tyrant had promised them hereupon I say and upon the word given by Messengers who were ready of purpose flying into all parts the Irish to a man throughout the Kingdom are presently in Arms fall upon the astoâ—ish'd Danes attack and carry their Forts fight their Troops wherever they embody rout 'em kill 'em and pursue the remainders of them to their very Ships getting now away out of the Roads as Wind Weather serv'd ' em As for Turgesius himself Maolseachluin reserv'd him in Fetters for a time and then drown'd him at last in Lough-ainme So that after much about forty years bloody continual and general War at home in all the Provinces and several years most miserable and general thraldom under the yoke of such powerful barbarous and fell Tyrants who left not a Monastery or Church or Chappel standing where ever they came who placed a Lay-heathen Abbot in every Cloyster and endowed Church to gather the Revenues who layed so many times all their Countrey in Ashes who no less than four several times in one Month burnt Ardmagh the most holy See and Metropolitan City then of all Ireland who slew indistinctly for so many years both Priests and Clerks and Laicks and mean and great and rich and poor without mercy and who at last having subdued the miserable remainder imposed those burdens of Bondage on them which were such that if as to the particulars they were not attested by all the Irish Chronicles in
Dr. Keting they would surpass all belief we see how at last and for that present the Irish Nation were by the wisdom of this Maolseachluin King of Meath and by the great Valour and resolution of the rest of their Princes and People delivered I say for that present For pursuant to what has been said before you are to understand now 10. That but a very few years after because in the Keting Polychronicon Reign of the same Maolseachluin mhic Mhaolruanuidh King of Meath who deservedly upon the aforesaid expulsion of the Danes was by the Princes and Nobility made King of all Ireland and continued so until his death i. e. full sixteen years and no more three Norvegian Brothers Amelanus Cytaracus and Ivorus as Polychronicon calls 'em with their Train being come to Ireland in a peaceable manner and under pretence of Trafficking got leave of the Princes of the Land to build three Cities paying Tribute for them Dublin Waterford and Limeric Which they had no sooner finished and strongly fortified than the Irish found Keting themselves engaged in as great a War as the former by new and numerous Fleets both of Norvegians Danes and Oostmans as they call'd 'em then arriving continually from time to time in all the Quarters of the Kingdom The difference only was that the former continued forty years or thereabouts but this War now off and on a hundred and fifty years compleat And when the former began the Irish had no strangers in pay whose Revolt might endanger them but when this began they had a great number even of Danish or other Easterling Foreigners whom immediately upon ending the former War they entertain'd in pay and therefore call'd 'em Bownies to guard their Coasts all round the Kingdom and these every one turned against them now Besides in the former the Irish were all of a mind against the common Enemy but in this they were often divided some of them confederating openly and fighting in conjunction with those forein Enemies against their Native Soil especially the little King of Desies in Mounster and the King of Leinster too not seldom Moreover to end the former War and redeem them from their bondage under Turgesius the stratagem of Maolseachluin was necessary but in this later all along both in the procedure and final issue of it they owed their great and frequent Victories not to any stratagem but under God to pure Valour and manly Resolution But that I may at last come to an issue on this point I will pass over all those Victorious Battels fought by the Irish in the procedure of this second Danish War made upon them As first the Battel of Dromma Damhaigha fought by the foresaid King of Ireland Maolseachluin himself 2. The Battel of Loughfoill by his Successor Aoth Finliath 3. The many Battels in the Reign of Donnchoe mhic Floinn fought by Ceallaghane King of Mounster whereby he not only took Limmerick Cashel Cork and Waterford from the Danes but quite extirpated them at least in his days out of that Province His Sea-fight also with their Fleet before Dundalk which proved extreamly fatal to them Likewise the great slaughter of their fellows in Connaught by the Conacians about the same time Moreover and which was somewhat extraordinary and before Ceallaghane had taken Limmerick the Battel of Roscrea where the Merchants and Townsmen at a great Fair held in that place on Saint Peters day understanding of an Army of Danes coming on them from Connaught and Limmerick under a Danish Earl called Oilsin set forth against them in the best order they could fought them defeated them and kill'd three or four thousand of them in that Field Besides Muirchiortach mhac Neill King of Vlster his killing 800 with their chief Commanders Abilaine Aufer and Roilt and soon after Conuing mhac Neill 1200 more of their Heathen wicked Crue And further yet the Defeat given to Rodoricus the King of Britains Son who Anno Christi 966. as Hanmer says invaded Ireland with a puissant Army but lost both Army and Life by those he invaded 4. The Battel of Muine Broghaine fought by the Monarch Conghallach mhac Maoil Mhithe with the slaughter of 7000 Danes on the spot though with great loss of his own side too 5. and lastly even all those four twenty bloudy Battels fought against the Danes and their Confederats before the Battel of Cluain-Tairbh and fought I say every one of them by that happy victorious Prince until his death Brien mhac Kinedie alias Boraimhe who in the fourth year of the foresaid Monarch Conghallach's Reign came to be King of Mounster and within eight years next following made all Leath Mogha i. e. the Southern half of Ireland acknowledg him their Sovereign and ruled so for seven and thirty years until he was chosen at last Monarch of all Ireland in which last Supremacy he continued flourishing the remainder of his life which after twelve years more he ended victoriously at Cluain-tairf Field And as I do pass over so many former Battels wherein the Irish were victorious in this second War so I shall those many other too wherein they were to some purpose foiled in the same War tho Martial courage tho true Valour may sometimes exert it self no less in the Foil than in the Victory I 'le take no notice neither of the stoning to death Maolguala King of Mounster by those barbarous heathen Foes in the Reign of Aodh Finliath nor of the mighty overthrow given the Leinster men by Jomhar one of their Generals in the reign of Niall Gluindubh nor of Sitric another General of theirs both defeating and killing and that in a more considerable fight also the said Monarch Niall Gluindubb himself nor of the Battel of Biothlane against the Leinster men again under the Reign of Domhnal mhac Muirchirtae nor finally of the Battel of Cille mhoane fought by the Danes and Lagenians both joyn'd together now against their Monarch Domhnal mhac Muirchirtae wherein the King of Vlster Ardgall and Dombnal King of Oirghiellae and many others of great quality were kill'd of the Monarch's side As well every one of these unsuccessful Battels as all the former ten times both in number and weight more successful to the Irish in the second War I willingly pass over to come unto and give you the famous Fight of Cluain-Tairbh at last It was the five and twentieth and last of all the Battels fought so bravely by that victorious King of Ireland Brian Boraimhe himself It was indeed the Battel that put an end to all the Danish hopes in that Kingdom Besides it was if ever any was by mutual consent of both sides a pitch'd Battel and the Field whereon it was fought some weeks before agreed upon between them So that there was no place at all for Ambuscadoes Tricks or stratagems in it but pure Valour must decide the quarrel and win the day The occasion manner and issue of it take thus in short
About the end of Brian Boraimh's Reign the Kingdom of Ireland being all over in peace and flourishing with all earthly blessings under him and no more Danes left in the Land but such a certain number of Artificers Handy-craftsmen and Merchants in Dublin Weixford Waterford Cork and Limmerick as he thought and knew could be master'd at any time if they dared rebel he sends to his Brother-in-law Maolmoradh mhac Murchoe King of Leinster desiring three special Masts for shipping out of his Woods Maoldmoradh consents and goes himself to see them drawn along by the streingth of men to Cean Choradh the Monarch's House in Tomond A difference happening in the way between those men and thereupon Maolmoradh alighting and helping them to draw one of the beams up a high Mountain which they must have cross'd he toare off the clasp of his outward Robe Which so soon as he came to the Monarchs Court and visited the Queen his own Sister Garmlaigh he desires her to fasten telling her how it was torn off She takes the Robe throws it into the fire burns it before his face and then rebukes him smartly for his unworthy subjection of himself and his people of Leinster to Briean though her Husband And the Monarch Maolmoradh taking to heart her words and turning aside to see Murchoe the Prince Brian's eldest Son playing a game at Chess advises against him on some draught whereby the Prince lost his game Who thereupon fretting and twitting his Uncle this Leinster King told him that his advice formerly given to the Danes at the Battel of Gleann Mama lost them the Field Maolmoradh replyes that his next should prove otherwise The Prince defies him Maolmoradh withdraws goes to bed Supperless and early in the morning unknown posts away to Leinster Where the very next day after his coming he assembles his chief Noblemen represents to them what had past sets them all on fire to renounce their Allegiance to Briean confederate with the Danes and send the Monarch defiance Then he posts immediatly to Dublin engages the chief of the Danes there to send forthwith to the King of Denmark for a strong supply to help him against their mortal Enemy Brian Boraimhe and promises them his destruction And then he prepares at home for War And then within a little more time having seen twelve thousand men under the command of two of the King of Denmark's Sons Carolus Knutus and Andreas landed safely at Dublin and both kindly received them and refreshed them very well he without longer delay by a Herauld bid defiance to Brian and challenges him to fight on Maghnealta a spacious Field at Cluain-Tairbh otherwise Clantarf within two miles of Dublin And Brian with what speed he can joyning together all the Forces of Mounster Connaght and Meath for those of Vlster he neither sent unto nor would stay for as confiding mightily in those he had already out of the three other Divisions and hastning to fight marches directly to the place appointed Maghnealta and sees the Enemy there prepared to receive him viz. sixteen thousand Danes twelve of the new and four of the old ones together with all the power of Leinster headed by their said King Maolmoradh the only Author of this Battel To be short both Armies drawing near and viewing fully one another the fatal sign is given at last and Trumpets sound and skies resound with the terrible shouts of both sides as they closed But Maolseachluin the King of Meath who had been Monarch before Brian Boraimhe and was deposed to give him place the only Monarch of Ireland that from the beginning did survive his deposition finding it now his time to be in some sort revenged on Brian stands off with his Forces of Meath so soon as the signal was given and continues a meer Spectator during the whole time of the Battel without joyning with either side And yet notwithstanding this treacherous carriage of Maolseachluin for it can be term'd no better though after this Fight was over he recovered the Monarchy by it and was the last Monarch of the Milesian Race obeyed or acknowledged as such universally throughout the Kingdom yet I say notwithstanding it the valorous undaunted Prince Murchoe eldest Son of Brian Boraimhe having persuaded his Father to retire into his Tent by reason of his great age for he was now fourscore and eight years old behaved himself with his Momonian and Conacian Forces so bravely and made such and so many furious impressions on every side into the main Battalions of the Enemies that although neither courage nor dexterity nor ambition nor glory nor revenge nor despair proposed unto them respectively were wanting to make the Danish and Lagenian Forces withstand him a very long time and sell the Victory at a very dear rate he won the Field at last or rather indeed his Father and his Army won it after his death For this renowned Prince was kill'd in the Battel And which is far more strange the Father himself Brian Boraimhe the Monarch now after the Field had been clearly gain'd and the remainder of the Enemy scattered into the four Winds was kill'd in his own Tent by one Bruaodor a Dane who in the general Rout leading a party after him was forc'd to fly that way where the Monarch's Tent was pitch'd Whereinto as he pass'd by entring and seeing the Monarch whom he had formerly known he slew him though himself and his followers were presently cut in pieces by those that pursued them Of the Monarchs side besides himself and his Son the Prince were kill'd in this Battel seven little Kings most of the other Nobility both of Mounster and Connaught and 4000 of inferiour degree But of the other side were kill'd first the King of Leinster himself Molmoradh mhac Murchoe the Challenger of Brian to this Battel with his chief Nobles and 3000 common Souldiers then of the Danes the two Sons of the King of Denmark all their great Nobility 6700 of the Souldiers newly come with them and of the old Danes that were before their coming to Ireland 4000 more in all of both sides 17000 seven hundred besides Princes and other Noble men It was fought in the year of Christ 1034. Apr. 22. on good Friday After this Battel we hear but little of the Danes in Ireland Only that the foresaid Maolseachluin who now the second time succeeded in the Monarchy for nine years more until his death took Dublin the next year sack'd it burnt it and killed in it all those Danes that escaped from Clantarff That soon after this again i. e. in the Sovereignty of this same Maolseachluin Huaghaire mhac Duinling mhac Tâ—athil King of Leinster a man of another mind race and interest than Molmoradh mhac Murchoe was gave a mighty overthrow and it the very last given to Siteric the Son of Aomlaibh and the Danes of Dublin who it seems after the Battel of Clantarff and the burning of Dublin next year by Maolseachluin
Ireland built the famous Monastery of Beannchuir in Vlster had 20000 Monks cloistered in several Monasteries under his own government Which is the more credible because S. Bernard six hundred years agoe in his life of S. Malachias Archbishop of Ardmagh and sometime Abbot and Restorer of Beannchuir who died with him at Clara Vallis in France reporteth * Cap. 5. that this Monastery under the first Founder of it the blessed Comghall or as the Latins call him Congellus was the most noble head of many Monasteries and fruitful Mother of many thousands of holy Monks That one by name Luanus a Son of that holy Congregation of Beannchuir was himself alone Founder of a hundred Monasteries in other places That from thence flowed such a prodigious inundation of Saints all over Ireland Scotland and other foreign Nations in those days as we have spoken of before out of Cambden That Columbanus who came to France being another Son of that holy place founded the Cloyster of Luxeu in Burgundy in which the number of Religious men was so great that both day and night the Quire was replenish'd with Singers praising God perpetually by turns even all the 24 hours throughout the whole year without intermission of one sole moment of time That Beannchuir it self the happy Mother of so blessed an Issue had likewise of her own peculiar Conventuals at home constantly praising and serving God such a number that on a time some foreign Pirats Landing there unexpectedly for't was upon the Sea-side to spoil and burn it as they did both found nine hundred Monks in the place whom they slew and burnt altogether most inhumanely as the Histories of that Countrey tell Which Martyrdom and first destruction of this Monastery happen'd says Keting in the Reign of Ceanfolae Monarch or King of Ireland That is as I take it about a hundred and fifty years before the the first Invasion of the Danes Finally that Malachias about 400 years after this first destruction of Beannchuir and a second too by the Danes restored it once more to its ancient religious dedication to God tho not to the like number of Monks and was himself Abbot of it before his being Bishop either of Connor Ardmagh or Down I add in the last place Down because this wonderful Servant of God Malachias against the will of all others resign'd Ardmagh and chose the poor Bishoprick of Down to retire unto of purpose to cultivate the Barbarous Inhabitants hereof as he had successively those of the two former To illustrate with a few more particulars this relation given of the memorable Abbot Congellus I Hanmer p. 62. and 53. can out of Hanmer's Chronicle add passing over his vain attempt to challenge him for his own Countreyman and make him at least of British blood and birth But he soon gives over his claim in the very next page where on better grounds he confesses that Congellus not far from Westchester founded the Monastery of Bangor which then among the Brittons was call'd the Colledg of Christian Philosophâ—rs and was himself the first Abbot of it in the days of King Arthur An. Christi 530. That he also founded the famous Monastery of Benchor as he calls it but the Irish Beannchuir in the Ardes alias Altitudo Vltonum in Vlster which had 3000 Monks and bred and train'd up many singular and eminent men of Learning not only Irish but Brittons Saxons and Scots who dispers'd themselves far and near into foreign Countreys and converted and confirmed thousands in the true faith of Christ That seven years after the founding of this Abbey in Vlster he founded the other near Chester but then return'd again to his former in Vlster where he resteth in peace And besides other particulars to conclude all and acknowledg indeed both the Native Countrey of Congellus and Countrey also of his breeding in holiness that he was born in Dal-Naraidh in Vlster of honourable Parents bred under Abbot Fiontan in Mounster and then at last under Kieran at Cluain-mhac-Noise c. 15. I might here enlarge on the Conversion of many Infidel Nations especially in the North of Great Britain and the Lower and Higher Germany by the power of the words and Example of the lives of those wonderful Irish Monks But having said enough already on this Head of their Sanctity I will dilate no further on it I will not recount any thing not so much as of St. Aidam that holy Bishop of Lindisfarn and great Instructor of King Oswald's Saxon Subjects in Christianity g Beda Histâ—r Eccles l. 3. c. v. vi nor much neither of Columb-Cille himself Only of this later give me leave to deliver a few things As 1. That he was born in Vlster and the Son of Feilimidh the Son of Fergus the Son of Conal Gulbhann the Son of Niall the Great surnamed also Naoighiallach Monarch of Ireland Which I note against some Scottish Authors that contrary to all known truth would make him a Scotchman 2. That his proper name received in Baptism was Criomhthan and the name of Columb-Cille was given him by Children his Play-fellows who because of his Dove-like simplicity and because when he came to them upon a certain day once every week where they with great longing expected him he always came to them immediatly out of the Church or Monastery wherein he was educated at Dubghlaissa in Tirconel therefore they so soon as he appear'd to them cried forth unanimously with one voice Columb ne Cille Whereof his Instructors taking notice at last thought it the will of God he should be so called thence-forward by all others too even as the innocent Children had already and constantly once a week by their joyful acclamations begun to do those three distinct Irish words importing in English the Dove of the Church For in that Language Celumb is a Dove and Ceall or Cill is a Church Monastery or Cell And hence it was that Criomhthan came to be generally called no more Criomhthan but Columb-Cille the middle word at first used by the Children being left out of the composition for brevities sake 3. That having in his youth dedicated himself to a Monastick life and having by stupendious mortification arrived to the highest pitch of holiness he founded the Monastery of Ardmagh otherwise Dear-magh in Latin Campus Roborum as Beda notes He pass'd from thence over to Scotland in the 43 year of his age but of Christ 565. He Preach'd the Gospel Beda l. 3. c. 4. there with so great power that he converted to Christianity all the Picts then inhabiting the more Northern parts of Great Britain He founded here another no less famous Abbey in the Isle of Hy in Latin Iona on which Abbey Connall mhac Conghvill King of Dal-Rheuda not a Pict but an Irish Scot bestowed that Keting in the Reign of whole Island with the Soveraignty thereof to be transmitted to all future Abbots of it for ever He was held in such
extraordinary great veneration both in his life and after his death that as Venerable Bede records it not only all In quibus omnibus scilicet Monasteriis per Hiberniam Britanniam propagatis ex utroque Monasterio idem Monasterium Insulanum in quo ipse requiâ—scit corpore principatum tenat Habere autem solet ipsa Irsula Rectorem semper Abbatem presbyterum cujus juri omnis Provincia ipsi etiam Episcopi ordine inusitato debeant esse subjecti juxta exemplum primi Doctoris illius qui non Episcopus sed presbyter extitit Monachus Beda ibid. the Monasteries propagated in Ireland or Britain from either of those two Abbeys founded by himself were subordinate to this latter of Hy wherein he lived longest and died at last being 77 years aged nor only all the whole Province but even the very Bishops themselves contrary to the custom of the Church in other Countreys were subject to the jurisdiction of all the succeeding Abbots thereof tho Presbyters only by ordination to wit according to the primitive pattern of their first Doctor who was himself no Bishop but only a Priest and Monk In fine he most justly deserved the title which Posterity gave him of the first Converter of the North of Scotland and great Apostle of the Picts as Cambden himself calls him And so he might have call'd him too the great and chief if not the first Instructor in Christianity of all the Irish Scots 4. That although I cannot tell certainly what Venerable Bede means here in the Marginal Note by his omnis Provincia whole Province that is whether he mean all the Kingdom of Scotland as it lies now extended and as then comprehending all the several petty Kingdoms both of Scots and Picts for by the Battel fought in Scotland at Monadoire in the Reign of Diarmuid mhic Cearbheoil King of Ireland by the Family of the Neals against the Picts we understand this Nation of Picts had several petty Kings at that time being they lost in this one Battel together with the Victory seven of them kill'd in the place by those Irish formerly planted there or whether he mean the Kingdom of the Irish in Scotland or which is the same thing of the Scots or Dal-Rheudans only all three signifying the same People or whether only the Dominions of those Northern Picts converted by Columb and there can be no other to be meant by omnis provincia since the Island it self wherein that Monastery was exceeded not five English miles in length yet thus much I can certainly say that Keting tells us in his Reign of Aodh or Hugh Ainmhirioch Monarch of Ireland that Columb-Cille in his Voyages and Journey to the Parliament held by this Monarch at Drom-Ceath in that Kingdom was all along out of Scotland attended not only by 30 Sub-deacons 50 Deacons and 40 Priests but 20 Bishops also to praise God continually and officiate in divine Offices in his company whereby we may somewhat guess at the largeness of that Province whereof Venerable Bede does speak here SECT III. The Scene altered Cause of admiration Bloody horrible feuds begun encreas'd multiplied continued 2600 years No People on earth so implacably set upon the destruction of one another as the Milesian Irish were Above 600 Battels fought between themselves A hundred and eighteen Monarchs slaughter'd Fourscore and six of those very men that kill'd them succeeded immediatly in their Thrones Other strange deaths of several of them Of the whole number of 181 Monarchs not above 29 came to a natural end The Author of this account Battels fought by the Monarchs Caomhaol Tighearnmhuir Tuathal Teachtvair where somewhat of the Plebeians 25 years War Conn Ceadchathach alias Constantinus Centibellis and Mogha Nuadhat King of Mounster What Leath Cuinn and Leatha Mogh import The feuds rather inflam'd than allaid under Christianity Number of main Battels fought and Monarchs kill'd the first 400 years after their Conversion by S. Patrick By two of them the one betwixt the Monarch Fearghall and Murcho O Bruin King of Leinster the other between the Monarch Aodlâ— Ollan and Aodha mhac Colgan King also of Leinster may be guess'd how bloody the rest were Foreign Conquests and Plantations neglected all that while Occasionally somewhat of the Heathen Monarch Dathi's Landing in France with an Army to pursue Niall the Great 's example and of his being kill'd by a Thunderbolt near the Alps and of the ten several Invasions of Scotland by the Irish Pagans and but one if one by the Christian Irish The Families descended from those Irish remaining to this day in that Country A word of those call'd English Scots Columb-Cille himself Author of fighting three of the foresaid Battels in Ireland The heavy pennance during life enjoin'd him therefore by S. Molaisse and his humble performance of it and much greater wonders of him Why the particular of those Battels of Columb-Cille mentioned here The Parliament of Dromceathe in his time Banishment of the Poets one of the three ends it was called for Great Injustice Cruelty Pride c. instanc'd severally in their Monarchs Tuathal Teuchtvar c. Nial Naoighiallach Diarmuid mhac Ceirrbheoil and Aodh mhac Ainmhiriogh Some of the Murders and Battels that happened about the end of their fourth Century of Christian Religion particulariz'd HItherto I have briefly run over the Antiquity Martial Exploits Political Government or Grand Councils ordinary Militia and after their Conversion to Christianity the Learning also and Sanctity of the Ancient Irish And so have I think delivered in short all the most glorious Excellencies recorded of that Nation eitheir in their own Monuments or any foreign Histories that I have seen 16. What follows next is on the other side of the Medal to represent unto you not only a mixture of great imperfections with so many excellencies nor only the prevalency of downright evil men against so many good against so prodigiously numerous and great exemplars of virtue living among them after their being enlightned with the doctrine of salvation but according to the vicissitude of all things on earth the change and wane and strange decay and utter fall at last of that People in general from all the glory of their Ancestors And this whether we regard the greatness of their former dominion and power abroad or the more ancient policy of their Government at home or the stupendious fame of their Letters and Holiness every where in those days of old Nay and this alteration too in every point as happening to them even before the English had set one foot in their Country under Henry II. All which I am to represent unto you now because the order of things and both title and nature of this Tract require I should Though I shall nevertheless do it by so much the more briefly by how much I am less inclined to dwell on this subject However I must confess that when I reflect on the most authentick Monuments of
of the Danes I find but three only Aodh Slaine Colman Rimhigh and Swine Mean that were not in Arms against any at all Subjects or Foreigners who nevertheless were all three murdered by some wicked Irish men their own Subjects and besides them Blaithmhac and Diarmuid Ruannigh two Brothers in like manner joyntly enjoying the Soveraign Power and then Seachnasach immediatly succeeding in all three more that although they were in Arms at home it was not against any of their own People but the two former against the Saxons and Brittons invading them under the leading of their General Brit or Berthus and the third against the Picts Landing in Vlster whom the Forces of that Province overthrew presently and yet he also was murdered by his own People All the rest of the three and thirty Monarchs had their Swords drawn whether justly or injustly I dispute not here against their own Rebellious Subjects at home and these against them So that besides infinite depredations wastings burnings of the Countrey besides the endless harrassing of the poor Peasants and even sometime the violating of Sanctuaries and burning of Churches and killing of Clergy men and Priests and Bishops too for company besides lesser Fights and skirmishes without number you may read in Manuscript in the several Reigns of those Kings Keting above 58 main Battels fought between their Princes Kings and Monarchs within that period of time a period that wanted seven or eightyears of 400. 18. And that you may understand how bloody how destructive indeed those greater Battels might have generally been I will instance here in two of them First in that which they call the Battel of Allmbain wherein about the year of Christ 920. the Monarch Ferghall mhac Maolduin with an Army of one and twenty thousand men invading and fighting Murchoe mhac Bruin King of Leinster who had but nine thousand one hundred and sixty men to oppose him was himself kill'd and together with him seven thousand of his Army on the place besides 269 persons more of them so strangely frighted that they fell into that kind or heighth of frenzy which the Irish call in their Language Dubhghealtacht flying over ground like frighted Fowls from all People they met or saw This ill fortune of this Monarch Fearghall was thought to have happend him because a Party of his men in their march to this Field had spoild a Sanctuary call'd Cillin and the Anchoret there living had curs'd the Monarch and his whole Army Secondly in that which they call the Battel of Seanaigh and Vchaidh fought between the Monarch Aodh Ollan and Aodh Colgan King also of Leinster yea sought with that fury on both sides that besides this Monarch himself mortally wounded and a very great slaughter of his Army and besides Aodh Colgan kill'd together with Bran Beg the petty King of half Leinster nine thousand more of the Leinster men alone remained dead on the Field tho the said Monarch died not of his wounds received here but was kill'd sometimes after in the Battel of Seir. But what I cannot here but particularly take notice of as worthy of special remark are two things The one that this fury of pursuing one another with Battels and Slaughters and Murders even all along from their conversion to Christianity for the extent of 400 years had been so strangely violent that it gave them no leasure at all to think of preserving much less enlarging their former Conquests In their time of Paganism how bloodily soever the several Factions had been commonly bent to mutual destruction yet the prevailing Parties now and then had such generous publick resolutions as to give over at home and employ their Warlike spirits abroad to enlarge their Dominions We have formerly seen their brave exploits in subduing the Orcades Hebrides Isle of Man and then all Scotland and then making the rest of Great Britain tributary and last of all enterprizing on France it self in the decay of the Roman Empire till Niall the Great was no less treacherously than revengfully murder'd there amidst his Army camping on the River of Loyrc as has been said before I might also have added another adventure and enterprize of theirs on France with a resolute Army under the leading of their Monarch Dathi alias Fearadhach who as in the Sovereignty of Ireland so in his design on France succeeded immediatly to the foresaid Niall the Great tho having Landed there and march'd through till he came near the Alps he was here struck dead by a Thunderbolt from Heaven for so the Irish Chronicles deliver his death As they do also the cause of it according to the conjectures of men to have been that he suffered the Cell of a Christian holy Anchorite by name Parmenius to be ransack'd who thereupon cursing this Heathen Sacrilegious King and calling to Heaven for Vengeance that exemplary punishment shewed his prayer was heard by God But whatever the cause of it was the place where it happen'd shews how vigorously he pursued the brave adventures of so many other Pagan Kings and Princes of Ireland to enlarge their Dominions abroad 19. And because peradventure it may be worth the while take here in short a Catalogue of those Irish Monarchs Princes and other chief Nobles who by their first subduing and then planting of Albain as they call it gave it the name of Scotland 1. Aongus Ollbhuathach not the VII Monarch nor Monarch of any number at all but Son to Fiachae Labhruinne the XIV Monarch or King of Ireland for so you must correct what is said of him otherwise before pag. 17. I say this Aongus entred Albuin to recover of the Picts the chiefry due to the King of Ireland his Father Wherein finding them refractory he gave them and the Britains or Aborigines inhabiting at that time the Northern parts of Great Britain so many overthrows that he reduced them at last to his own conditions making them not only Tributarles but Subjects to the Kings of Ireland which happen'd about 250 years after the arrival of the Iberians there from Spain that is well nigh 2800 years since 2. Aongus surnamed Ollmhucuidh from his extraordinary great Hogs for Muc in their Language signifies a Hog in English the XVI King of Ireland of the Milesian Conquest fought the Picts and Firr Bholg inhabiting the Orcades and other Islands of Scotland and utterly subdued them in 50 Battels For it was he and not the foresaid Aongus surnamed Ollbhuathach or the Victorious that fought them and subdued all those Islanders And therefore by this observation also be pleased to correct what you find otherwise in the foresaid 16 page 3. Many centuries after the sixtieth Monarch of Ireland Reachta Righdhearg crossing the narrow Seas and Landing in Albain as the Irish call that Country still which we call Scotland once more established on the Picts what those other Princes did before him This Reachta Righdhearg was the first of three Irish Monarchs born in Mounster that
this King William of Scotland Fol. 152. after he had been taken Prisoner by Henry II. of England carried over to Normandy confin'd at Roan until he compounded for his Ransom return'd back to England set free at York upon his paying down 4000 c. and now being on his journey home and seeing the Noble-men his own Subjects would come no nearer than Pembels in Scotland to receive him therefore took with him many younger Sons of such of the English Nobility as shew'd him most kindness in the time of his Imprisonment That he entertain'd them and detain'd them and bestow'd on them great Estates and Possessions in Scotland which he took from such as had rebell'd against him there That this of their waiting on him to Scotland was in the year of Christ 1174. And that their names were Bailliol Brewse Soulley Moubrey St. Clare Hay Giffâ—rd Ramsey Lanudell Biscy Berk Ley Willegen Bâ—ys Montgomery Valx Colenuille Friser Granâ—â— Gâ—â—lay and divers others 20. Yet my meaning is not to assert positively that the foresaid last Invasion or Plantation made by those Vlster Dal-Rheudans and six Sons of Muredus King of Vlster had been made in the time of Irelands Paganism I know it happen'd in the 20th year of the Sovereignty of Lugha mhac Laoghaire Monarch of Ireland which was of Christ 493. and consequently the very next year after Patricks death according to Ketings computation tho according to Jocelinus it must have been the next saving one I know also it is supposed by the Writers of this holy mans life especially Jocelinus c. 191. that even three and thirty years before his death all Ireland together with the Isle of Man and all other Islands then subject to the Irish had been throughly and wholly converted to Christian Religion by him Which makes it indeed very probable that this last expedition of the Irish into Scotland was wholly consisting of Christian Adventurers And yet I am not certain of it for these reasons 1. Because Jocelinus c. 49. and others tell us that notwithstanding all the prodigious wonders done by S. Patrick and many of them in the very presence of Laogirius the Monarch Father to this Lugha he was never converted but died in his Infidelity being kill'd at Greallach a Village near the River Liffy in that Country which we now call the County of Kildare by a Thunder-bolt shot at him from Heaven Tho Keting partly attributes this Vengeance of God fallen on him to his perfidious breach of solemn promise made by him upon Oath invoking the Sun Moon and all the Planets to attest it Which Oath he made to obtain his Liberty when he was foiled and taken Prisoner in the Battel of Ath-Dara by the Lagenians and Criomthan mhac Euno the contents of it being to remit for ever the heavy Borâ—imh as they call it or Fine which he challeng'd from them as due to him and all other Monarchs after him 2. Because this very Monarch Luigha in whose Reign that Expedition of the Vlster Dal-Rheudans and six Sons of Muredus happen'd tho he lived and continued his Sovereignty 15 years longer was nevertheless at last struck likewise dead by a Thunderbolt and the Irish Antiquaries of those times have interpreted this Judgment on him as a just punishment of the great disrespects and dishonour done by him to the same extraordinary wonderful Servant of God And these are my reasons for doubting For it seems not likely that if Lugha had been converted he would after his Conversion have so behaved himself towards that Saint as to incense Heaven to punish him in so dreadful a manner And as unlikely it is that in case he had so mis-behaved himself during his Infidelity he would not after his Conversion have repented so heartily thereof as to merit the Saints prayers for him to God at least for diverting so terrible a judgment And then we know how far the example of a wicked Monarch might have prevail'd with other wicked men to keep them still in their Infidelity But be this conjecture true or false nay be it suppos'd for certain that Lugha and all Ireland every one and consequently those six Sons of Muireadhach King of Vlster with their Dal-Rheudans were Christians then when they enter'd Scotland it appears notwithstanding out of the Irish Chronicles that as they were the first so they were the last and only Adventurers any where abroad out of Ireland since its Conversion to Christianity the War-like humor of its Monarchs Princes and Nobles being always after that wholly imploy'd at home in destroying one another Insomuch that they gave not themselves either opportunity or leisure to look after not so much as the paiment of Chiefries or Tributes due to them from their Dominions abroad in the Islands or Terra Firma it self of Scotland Not one of all their Monarchs for ought appears in their History having at any time since entertain'd no not a thought of employing their Arms that way save only Aodh mhac Aiumhiriogh the 10th undoubted Christian Monarch who propos'd it in his great Parliament at Drom Ceatha and was generously resolv'd upon it ' until by the customary obstacle of a Civil War at home he was not only soon diverted from that resolution but himself kill'd in the Battel of Beluigh Duin Bholg fought against him by Brandubh King of Leinster as this Brandubh also not long after was by his own Lagenian Subjects in the Battel of Cam-Chluana By all which you may perceive that Christian Religion wrought so little on that People towards the abatement of their mortal feuds that under it even in its first four hundred years among them their Princes were much more fatally engaged in pursuing one another with fire and sword and horrid slaughters to the utter undoing of themselves and weakning of their Country and making it an easie prey to Foreiners after than their very Pagan Predecessors had been whereof so many had extended their Dominions far and near and still enlarged and kept them for so many Ages abroad whatever in the mean time their dissentions were at home And this is one of those two things I would especially remark here 12. The other is That not even the greatest holiness of some of their very greatest and most justly celebrated Saints has been exempt from the fatality of this genius of putting their Controversies to the bloody decision of Battels tho they foresaw the death of so many thousands must needs have followed or at least be hazarded to follow Even Columb-Cille himself so religious a Monk Priest Abbot so much a man of God was nevertheless the very Author Adviser Procurer of fighting three several Battels namely those of Cuile-Dreimbne Cuile-Rathan and Cuile Feadha The first on this occasion At a Parliament held at Taragh by the Monarch Diardmuid mhic Fergusse Ceirrbheoil it happened that contrary to the most sacred and severe Laws of that priviledg'd place one Cuornane mhac Aodh had kill'd a Gentleman
and that this Cuornâ—ne flying away presently to shelter himself under the wings of Domhnal and Ferghusse the Sons of Muirchiortach mhac Earcha two powerful men in their own Territory and they for his better assurance recommending him to Columb-Cille's protection the Monarch nevertheless lighting on him put him to death for his unpardonable crime at Taragh Which Columb-Cille resented so grievously that he persuaded such Families of the Neales as inhabited the North who by way of distinction from those other Neales living in the South of Ireland were called Clanna Neill in Tuaisgâ—â—art as the said other were Clanna Neill in Disgcâ—art to fight the Monarch while himself pray'd to God for their good success And it seems God was pleased to hear his prayer for humbling the Monarch For the issue of the Battel fought so by those Neales at Cuile Druimhne was that Diarmuid not only saw himself routed but almost his whole Army kill'd in that very Field The second on this occasion Dal-Narruidh and other Vltonians had in a difference twixt Columb-Cille and Comghall shewed themselves unjustly partial against Columb as he thought And therefore he had the Battel of Cuile Rathan fought against them Who this Comghall was I cannot certainly tell tho I think he might be the great Comghall alias Congellus Founder and Abbot of Beannchuir of whom so much has been said before I am sure he and Colum-Cille were contemporaries and of the same Province of Vlster But for being Author of the third Battel Columb-Cille had a much more specious cause it I may presume to interpose my simple judgment than either of the two former Baodhan mhac Niueadha who had been Monarch but one whole year being in some extraordinary danger from his Enemies Columb-Cille pass'd his word in the nature of a Sanctuary to him to keep him safe in that extremity Which Colmane mhac Colmain not regarding he had him set upon and murder'd by the two Cummins viz. Cummin mhac Colmain Bhig and Cummin in hac Libhrein at Carrig Leime in Eich or the Horse-leap in Jomairge And this was the cause that moved Columb-Cille to persuade and be Author of the Battel of Cuile Feadha fought against Colmane mhac Diarmuda It is true That whatever or how just soever the causes of each or all those three Battels had seem'd to Columb-Cille yet the holy Bishop Molaisse was so far from approving any of them that for engaging in them any way he not only most severely reproved Columb-Cille but enjoyn'd him the grievous pennance of departing presently out of Ireland and never more during life to see it It is also true that Columb-Cille with all humility and readiness obeying this injunction departed forthwith to Scotland where the power of God was with him so eminently in converting such vast numbers of Infidels to Christ as if God himself from all eternity had preordained those three Battels to be the occasion of saving the Picts And no less true it is That when the great Parliament of Ireland was summon'd by the Monarch Aodh mhac Ainmhirogh to assemble at Drom Ceatha as they did and sate there thirteen months without intermission or Prorogation debating principally those three things which he proposed to them 1. That of Banishing for ever all the Poets out of the Kingdom by reason of their being an excessive intolerable burden to the People Whereof you may see strange particulars in the following account This was the fourth time the Poets whom the Irish in their Language call Ollamhs were by a general Decree all of them condemn'd to Banishment into Dal-Riada in Scotland by reason of their insolency excessive number and burthen to the People For 1. They beg'd all what-ever seem'd to be most valued by the Noble-men who out of a foolish custom that prevail'd too long could deny them nothing And therefore they had the impudence to beg of this very Monarch Aodh mhac Ainmhiriogh the richest and most precious Jewel in all his Treasury and had it 2. Their number was near a third part of the People of Ireland So says Keting if my Copy of his work be right There was a thousand of them that kept Trains of Vnderlings waiting on them continually where-ever they went The chiefest of all had 30 men for his own particular train The next to him 15. and so forth descending every one of them had some number in his own proper retinue to the very last of 1000 leading Poets 3. They were all of 'em with all their numerous trains yearly cess'd on the other Inhabitants of the Kingdom from All-hallows-day till May-day even six entire months of the year And these I think were sufficient reasons to Banish them as I have said they were three several times before this Parliament of Drom-Ceatha had been chiefly called for the same end For you are to understand that after each of their former Banishments they were still harbour'd in the North until they procur'd licence to return to all the other Provinces The first time being a thousand in number at the intercession of Columb-Cille who went in behalf of Conchabhar King of Ulster to meet and invite them they were staid received and maintain'd by him and his Nobles of that Province till seven years were over The second time by Fiachna mhac Baodhaine King of Ulster but for one year only their number being seven hundred The third time by Maobchoba King of Ulster likewise one whole year when their number was full 1200. But this fourth time at the Parliament at Drom-Ceatha tho Colum-Cille had interposed for them all he could yet being convinc'd by the Monarch's reasons he acquiesed at last in what was decreed there not only for the suppression of their multitudes and reformation of their abuses and ease of the People but even for preservation of their own Language Laws Poetry History Genealogy and Chronology arts both useful and delightful to all ingenious Men and civil Nations As 1. That the Monarch Provincial and other lesser Kings and every Lord of a Cantred or Barony should each of them entertain a Poet of his own bestow on him and his Posterity for ever a competent Estate in Lands to live upon and that both his Person Lands and other Goods should be exempt from all publick duties 2. That for preserving the sciences they profess'd there should be some publick Free Schools both appointed and endowed with Lands by the Estates of the Kingdom in general And pursuant to this Decree those two in Breithfne the one at Rath-Ceanaidh the oother at Magh-Sleacht were establish'd 3. That the Monarch's Poet or Ollamh should be the Ard-Ollamh that is Arch-Poet and Arch-Professor of their knowledge and that he should have the appointment of and a superintendency too over the rest 4. And lastly none otherwise or above this number to be allow'd 2. That of deposing Scanlane Mor mhac Ceanfoaladh King of Ossory who was then his Prisoner and committed even by Authority of
lose his own life than they who were innocent should theirs and therefore delivers himself freely up But the merciless Monarch not moved either with his generosity or humility commands him to be tied presently and straightly about the middle with a strong iron Chain to a huge stone like a Rock which to this day stands an end on a Field that is on the West-side of the River Slaine between Kilbride and Tullo-O-Feilimm in the County of Catherlogh both ends of the chain carried through a hole that ran from one side to another in the Stone and then fastned in the backside with an Iron-bar put into both the extream links and then nine bloody Fellows well arm d to attack him and mangle him in pieces while he had nothing at all no kind of weapon to defend himself Though God and Nature and the horror of so base a death did help him so strangely or rather miraculously indeed that seeing himself in this case for his back was to the Stone and his face to the People and hearing at last the word given to his Executioners who were yet at a little distance off he thereupon roused up his spirits so wonderfully that by violent straining of himself he tore in pieces the Chain before the Executioners were come so near as to reach him and with part of those very pieces laid about him so that some of the Villains lay dead at his feet and he escaped the rest by running away Whereby it seems that God himself in his secret Counsels had design'd so strange a preservation of Eochae at this time that he might be at another time in his own very person the punisher of that extraordinary cruel judgment given by Niall against him For so in truth it happen'd at last in this manner following Eochae as now it has been related having saved his life first by his valour and then by his heels to shun Nialls further cruelty gets himself away so soon as he could privatly over into Scotland where he is incognito receiv'd into the protection of Gabhran mhac Domhunghoirt King of Dal-Riadd there and of all the Scots And after some years more expired when this Scottish King had by commands received from that now mighty Monarch Niall with all the power he could make and spare out of Scotland pass'd over to him in France or Gaule as it then was call'd Eochae accompanies him still incognito and so conceals himself until at last he found his opportunity at the River Loyre where as you have it before he treacherously slew by the flight of an Arrow in the very mid'st of his Royal conquering Army this otherwise invincible though cruel Prince But these later passages of Eochaes preservation and revenge as neither indeed any other of the evil consequences following which were many and great are to my purpose now And therefore I proceed to the Second instance Which though it have not so much either effectual or intentional cruelty yet peradventure it shews the strangest insulting carriage of one Christian Prince a Conqueror towards another not taken in Battel or otherwise but freely coming in of himself and submitting to his mercy that ever has been delivered in writing Diarmuid mhac Ferghussa mhic Ceirrbheoil of whom I have said before that he was the Tenth Christian and now say that he was not only a Christian but perhaps of the very best Christian Monarchs of Ireland being held for many respects a very good man and very just King so just if not rather over just he was that he put his own Son Breassal to death upon the complaint of an old Religious woman of Kill-Ealchruidh That notwithstanding the immunity of that Sacred place and her own right he had forc'd from her a Cow because it was extraordinary fat or to his liking for a Feast though indeed he had first offered her seven Cows and a Bull too in compensation this very Diarmuid I say in the seventh year of his Reign and upon the like complaint of another Nun called Sinioch Chro about one single Cow taken from her having made a sharp War on Guaire mhac Colmain Provincial King of Connaght by overthrowing him in a great Battel and thereupon this Guaire who was no less held as good a King as ever Connaght had hospitable to admiration bountiful without compare so liberal to the Poor that he never denied a considerable Alms to any such person craving it in the name of Christ insomuch that when at any time he wanted money about him he strip'd himself and gave his very Cloaths off his back to help them I say this Guaire so good a man and King too after his said defeat rallying his Troops again the next day and then consulting the Chief among 'em whether he should venture another Fight or go freely of himself and submit to Diarmuids mercy and by their advice choosing the latter and therefore going presently to the Victors Camp entring his Tent and laying himself in an humble posture on his knees before him begging pardon Diarmuid nevertheless without any regard either of the inconstancy of Fortune or of Guaire s voluntary submission or penitent posture or of his regal dignity or of his renowned vertues without other ceremony or more adoe commands him to lie down on his back while himself standing up held one foot on his breast and the point of his Sword between his fore-teeth 'T is true that after this trial made he did Guaire no further hurt yet that does not wipe off the excessive pride and barbarity of the action or trial it self How ever before I pass from this instance it will not be amiss to let the Reader know that notwithstanding all the praises given by Keting to this Connaught King Guaire yet he was the very man as even Keting himself elsewhere relates it who had the Bishop Ceallach Disciple to St. Cieran of Cluan mhac Noise and eldest Son to Eoghan Bell the former King of Connacht murdered by three of that Bishops own Servants which happen'd in the Reign of the former Monarch Tuathal Maolgharbh These Villains Guaire suborn'd to commit this horrid sacriledge and this only on account or supposition of the said Bishops endeavouring to make friends for his own younger Brother to recover that Kingdom of Connaght which his Father Eoghain Bell had some time before enjoy'd and held all along till death Third instance and it is an instance I think of very inhuman rigour Aodh Ainmhiriogh another Christian Monarch of this time for he came to the Sovereignty within eight years after Diarmuids death and we have spoken of him before as who held the great Parliament for 13 months at Dromceatha was so rigorous to Scanlane Mor mhac Cinfoale King of Ossory being his Prisoner that he commanded him to be straightly bound in Prison with twelve chains of Iron loading him fed only with salt Beef allowed not a drop of any kind of liquor no not so much as of
water to drink had all this rigour effectually put in execution against him and rejected even Columb-Cille's Petition for his release though come of purpose out of Scotland to obtain it And so I have done with my Instances nor have I more to say in reference to them Only that although I cannot tell what reasons either of these two Christian Monarchs had for such extream rigour towards Christian Princes of their own Nation though their Prisoners or at their mercy nor can tell as to particulars how considerably this cruel usage did add unto or inflame the former feuds Yet this much I can tell that neither of them had other than a violent death the former murder'd by Aodh Dubh mhac Suibhne the later kill'd in Battel by Brandubh King of Leinster as I have said before upon another occasion And so by consequence I have likewise done with all my special remarks on this large subject of the manifold bloody Feuds of that Nation both in the time of their Paganism and in that of their being under the Gospel of Christ for I intended no more such heer than I have given Which is the reason that now returning once more thither where I was before I conclude at last this long Section with one general remark on that People as they were under the Gospel in the more early Ages of it among them viz. That from the killing of their foresaid Christian Monarch Aodh mhac Ainmhiriogh the last we spake of here the Fate not only of the Milesians but other Gathelians whatsoever in Ireland and the Genius of their Kings Princes Nobles and other Martial men continuing for 300 years after him the very same it had been in the Age before him carried them on perpetually from time to time fighting and slaying and murthering one another at home until the four and twentieth of those Christian Monarchs of theirs who died violent deaths by the hands of their own Irish Subjects within the first 400 years of Christian Religion generally planted among 'em by name Aodh Ollann had been slaughter'd in the Battel of Seir by Domhnal mhac Murchadha that immediatly succeeded him Nay until that in this Domhnals Reign which continued 42 years and the Reign of his Successor Niall Frassach which lasted but four besides Colman the Bishop of Laosaine murdered by Vibh Tuirtre the Battel of Beallach Cro between Criomthan mhac Euno and Fionn mhac Airb the Battel of Beallach Gawran between Mac Conchearca King of Ossory and Dunghall King of Vibh Cionsallach kill d therein the Battel of Leagea betwixt Vibh Mbruine and Vibh Mainne the Battel of Corann betwixt Cinneal Gonnail and Cionneal Eoghuin and finally the killing of Combhasgach King of Ibh-Failghe by Maolduin mhac Aodha Beanainn King of Mounster whether in Battel or out of Battel I know not had fill'd up at last brim full the measure of their domestick unnatural slaughters happening within that term of time their first four Centuries of Christianity SECT IV. National sins Very slight causes of War Cormock Ulfada's beard Muireadhagh's Tiriogh's revenge and the three Colla's War on Ferghussa Fogha King of Eumhna Sundry warnings from God to the Irish Christians but not like the judgment at Magh-Sleachta or the other by Loch Earne on their Pagan Predecessors 1. The loss of all their Dominions abroad 2. Those two Epidemical Plagues at home called the Crom-Chonnioll and Buy-Chonnioll 3. Mortality of Kine and great Famil that follow'd 4. Those three or four Inroads made into their Country by the Saxons and Brittons 5. Prodigies with another extraordinary Famin. Notwithstanding all no amendment This instanc'd in the death of the Monarch's Loinnseach Conghall Cinn Fearrghall Foghartach and Kionaoth What of Flaithiortach The flood-gates of the North set open at last to pour Vengeance on this contumacious people Yet they amidst all continue their intestine feuds Witness the Monarchs Aodh Ordnigh Conchabhar mhac Donochadh and Niall Caille A sad Interregnum The particulars of their Bondage under Turgesius The glory of their Learning and Sanctity now gone for ever Scarce delivered from that Bondage when they relapsed again far more enormously than before This also instanc'd 1. In eight of those eleven Monarchs that Reign'd in the second Danish War 2. In the Reigns of those other six following that assumed the title of Monarchs though not allow'd for such by near at least one half of the Provinces Maolseachluinn the Second by his death put an end to the real Monarchy of Ireland among the Irish and Ruaruidh O Conchabhair saw in his own days not only the pretence or shadow of it gone but the very Being of this Nation any more a free People on Earth 24. SUch were the National provocations of Heaven peculiar to that People hitherto i. e. for two and twenty hundred years besides what we shall yet see did happen after above any other Nation of the whole Earth Immortal Feuds of death tyrannical oppressions of the Subject cruelty as well of justice as revenge Treason Conspiracies Rebellions Murders even of their Sovereigns effusion of human blood like water And this without pity without remorse without any cause sometimes but very slight and sometimes vain and ridiculous An arbitration between two religious Monks in a difference deciding against one of them must engage Families and Countrys in Arms to fight it out in Battel and cut one another in pieces A known Murtherer proscrib'd as unpardouable by their most sacred Laws and therefore justly put to death by the Monarch must nevertheless on pretence of his being seiz'd upon after he had been received into the protection of an Abbot be a just cause of rebelling and fighting that very Monarch and killing his whole Army to boot Nay one single Beast a Cow at most but very little worth taken away I know not how from the owner was the only cause of a great Battel fought between the same Monarch and the Provincial King of Connaught and a Battel wherein most of the Gentry of that Province and Mounster too were kill'd As if neither the Assailant nor Defendant tho Christian Kings both could find any other way to satisfie the poor Woman that was rob'd of that Cow or rather indeed as if they had sported so with the lives not only of their Subjects but of their Friends I say nothing of the Candle-snuff or of its firing the Monarch Cormack Vlfada's beard at an entertainment given him in Maig-Breag by Giolla King of Vlster who shuffing a Candle instead of throwing it aside threw it whether by chance or of purpose into Cormack's long beard which presently catch'd and burn'd up to his tresses Only I say That however this ridiculous matter happen'd or pass'd at that time it cost Vlster dear long after Cormack's death That Muireadhach Tiriogh the great Grand-child of this Cormack and sixth King of Ireland after him took it for a pretence to pour an Army of one and twenty thousand men under the command
of the three Collaes into Vlster to destroy it and conquer as much Land for themselves in it as they could That in pursuance of this Order they made so sharp War on Ferghus Fogha King of Eumhna there that in seven several Fights against him fought seven days consequently without the interposition of one free day they had the killing and taking of all the Vlster Forces having as they beat 'em still pursued them all along from Cearnagha to Gleann Ruigh That being Masters of the Field they returned back to Eumhna spoil'd it burn'd it and destroy'd it so that never after any King resided there Finally that by this expedition they conquer'd for themselves the large Territories of Modharnaigh Vibh Criomthaine and Vibh mhic Vaise which their Posterities after them did hold while the Milesian Kingdom stood in Ireland But I pass over these matters depending on Cormack's beard not because he and the rest mention'd in this story were Pagans for I shall have occasion yet to speak somewhat tho but little of as great Pagans as they but because peradventure the cause it self was not slight Tho however I must acknowledg the punishment was too severe and unjust as neither inflicted on the Criminals nor on any that ought in such a distance of time to suffer for them much less after legal summons or any respit given them to make reparation under peril of abiding the justice of Arms. But leaving this to the Readers judgment I return back to the Christian Princes where I was before animadverting the sport they made on the sligtest causes that well might be of the lives of so many thousands of other Christians their own faithful Friends and Subjects Yet what I am to consider now is another thing It is That all this while nor they nor their Successors after 'em for 300 years more seem'd any way sensible that the All-avenging God began already to warn them For so in truth he did and that not once nor twice but much oftner within that very term of time even while they were in their full career persecuting one another at home with the greatest violence of deadly Foes In which respect he dealt far otherwise that is much more kindly and mercifully with them than he had done with their Pagan Fore-fathers in that very Land upon whom about a hundred years after their conquering it without any such gracious Fatherly warnings given them for ought we find in History he laid on a sudden the whole weight of his heavy hand in a most prodigious manner at two several times For what could be more dreadfully prodigious than that which I have related before and you may remember here three parts of four of all the people of Ireland together with their Monarch Tighernmhuir who was the tenth from Heber slain in one only night upon Maigh-Sleacht by invisible Demons the Executioners of Gods fury enrag'd against them Or what next to that could be more prodigiously terrible than a rich Plain of forty miles long and fourteen fifteen sixteen miles broad in most places throughly planted and thick of Inhabitants in Vlster to be on a sudden over-flown cover'd over with a deluge of waters burst out of its own intrels and neither Man nor Woman nor Child nor Beast nor other goods of so large a tract of ground to be saved but all in one hour perish'd under this Flood of God's avenging irresistible wrath How-ever because their heinous Idolatry i. e. their universal adoration and prostration of themselves before their grand Idol Crom Chruoigh which by all circumstances was the sin that brought upon 'em the former of those two stupendious Judgments though it was national yet it was not peculiar to their Nation only and because the most beastly of sins whence it has its proper name of Bestiality which brought the latter of the same Judgments on those bestial Wretches that so astonishingly perish'd for it was peculiar only to that tract of ground or rather indeed to them who were Inhabitants of it and no way National or involving or affecting so much as any one other part of Ireland therefore I pass over these punishments as not inflicted either of them upon the Irish Nation for those enormities which I have said before were both National and peculiar to Cambden's Ireland in the County of Fermanagh pag. 106. them Besides Cambden himself declares in particular as to the latter of the said Judgments how the Irish Annals deny those bestial Inhabitants of the destroyed Valley to have been other than certain Islanders out of the Hebrides who being fled out of their own Country lurked there and consequently deny them to have been at all of the Irish Nation much more deny 'em to have been either of the Milesian or Gathelian Race Then Keting tho he tells us particularly Keting in the Reign of the foresaid Tighernmhuir of the breaking out of that Inundation of Water the great Lough Earn which it presently made and so continues ever since yet has not a word of the horrible sin of Bestiality as neither indeed of any other sin or cause whatsoever thereof on the part of the Inhabitants And lastly Cambrensis who is the Girald Cambr. Topog. Hib. dist 11. cap. 9. first Author of this relalation brings no other warrant for it but hear-say Yet be it or be the original of Lough Earn so famous ever since for Fishing what you please what I would be at to tell you here is That after that prodigious eruption of Water in the North and the no less if not far moreâ— prodigious slaughter on Maghsleacha we may call it in English the Field of Adoration in Letrim both which happen'd in the Reign of the self-same King and near the same time about 2900 years ago We do not find in the Irish Chronicles that God had once in any special or visible manner concern'd himself either in warning or punishing that People at least otherwise than by themselves until they became Christians but let them go on securely without controul from him in those National peculiar enormities of their own I mean their immortal Feuds and prodigal effusion of human blood even that of their own Country-men and Kinsmen on every little occasion That nevertheless he continued still their Victories and Dominions abroad unto them and gave them the spoils of Forein Kingdoms to enrich their own at home and all this for causes known to his unsearchable Wisdom but wholly unknown to us at least otherwise than by conjecture that he had peradventure so long contain'd hiâ— Wrath in his mercy for the sake of those vast numbers of holy Men and Women those great Saints who were in after Ages to issue from their Loyns and to carry his glorious Name far and near by Preaching the Gospel and converting so many incredulous Nations to him as they did That after they were become Christians and yet nevertheless pursued the bloody courses of their Pagan Ancestors and not
in the beginning nor progress nor issue of it did they amend So that Almighty God the great Justicier the great Striker of them from above might justly say to them at this time what he had formerly said to the Jews by the mouth of his Prophet Jeremy In vain have Frustra percussi filios vestros disciplinaâ— non receperunt Jerem. 2. 30. I stricken your children they received no correction And the pious Observer of this continual recidivation this fatal contumacy of theirs Dr. Keting might have no less truly either complain'd or acknowledg'd it of them to God than Jeremy did the like of his own People Lord thine Eyes Domine oculi tui respiciunt fidem Percussisti eos non doluerunt attrivisti eos renuerunt accipere disciplinam induraverunt facies suas supra petram noluerunt reverti 5. 3. are upon the truth Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refus'd to receive correction They have made their faces harder than a Rock they have refus'd to return To satisfie the Reader that I speak not hyperbolically or at random in this matter I give here in short a sufficient number of instances that may serve for proofs thereof as I find them in Ketings History Indeed they are there I confess as little intentionally for this purpose as much more to his purpose dispersedly given as they happen'd That is the former part of them in the several Reigns of eight of those eleven Monarchs that by the unanimous consent of the Irish Annals and Historians were undoubtedly such over all Ireland from Maolseachluinn 1. in whose Reign the second Danish War begun to Maolseachluinn II. being the second time elected or submitted to as the Monarch some few years before this long War ended and the latter part of them likewise in the several Reigns of those other six that pretended to be such after this Maolseachluinn II. whereof Ruaruidh O Conchabhar was the last and consequently of all the Irish that were any way such But for saving you a labour I have collected all those instances together and so give 'em now that if you please you may read 'em over in a continual series without interposition of any thing else Where I doubt not you will admire how notwithstanding all the heavy pressures in every Province of Ireland by so many powerful foreign Enemies and so many Battels fought and so much blood lost in the same War by the Irish defending their Countrey against those Pagans they could nevertheless have time and men and blood to spare for so mischievous a work as the fighting and destroying one another so cruelly And yet it seems they wanted none of all not even so early as the third Battel fought by them against the Danes in this very second War For Maolseachluinn I. who had so Victoriously fought the first of these Battels being dead in the 16th year of his Reign and Aodh Fionnleath who had no less bravely fought the second of them departing this life within or immediatly after the next 16 years Flann mhac Sionnadh who then succeeded in the Monarchy and Reigned 38 years gave the fatal beginning to that new series of intestine Broils Depredations Battels Slaughters Murders among the Natives themselves that follow'd Certainly the very first Act of this Monarch I mean the first recorded of him in his Reign by Keting is that he enter'd in hostile manner Plunder'd Ransack'd Preyd the whole Province of Mounster and brought away Captives and Pledges thence And after this though I cannot say how long after the great Battel of Beallach Muidh Mughna was fought between him and holy Cormock the good King of Mounster and Archbishop of Cashel For this vertuous Prince who was both King and Priest together though much contrary to his own judgment and inclination yet by the great importunity of his Mounster Noble-men but chiefly by the advice of Flaithbhiortach mhac Joâ—â—haincine Abbot of Inche-Cathaigh march'd with an Army towards Leinster pretending that this Province ow'd him chiefry as being lawful King of Leath-Mogh But in his entring it he was met and fought and defeated and kill'd both himself and seven lesser Kings with him besides other Nobles by the said Monarch who had of the other side in his Army Cearrbhall mhac Muirregin King of Leinster and ten petty Kings more Besides in this Monarch's Reign Aidheith mhac Laighnigh King of Vlster was murder'd by his own Associates And tho in the Reign of Niall Gluindubh who after the said Flann was the next Monarch for three years only there be nothing recorded of action among the Irish themselves but all against the Danes and this Monarch Niall to have bravely in his own person fought 'em twice though he was kill'd in the second Fight and together with him Donchubhar mhac Maolseachluinn called Riogh Damhna or Tanist to the Monarch of Ireland Aodh mhac Eoghagain King of Vlster Maolmhithe mhac Flannegain King of Breag and Maolchraoibâ—e O Duibh seanaigh King of Oirghiall besides others of chief note and estimation we shall find it otherwise in all and every one of the succeeding Reigns at least until this Danish War is wholly over Donachadh mhac Floinn immediat Successor to Niall for twenty years more in the Soveraignty enter'd as an Enemy the Countries about Athlone where many of his Army were kill'd and among others the petty King of Ibh Failghe In his Reign Fearrghraidh succeeding Ceallaghan for two years in the Kingdom of Mounster was treacherously murder'd by his own followers And in the same Reign Mathgamhain mhac Kinedy Successor to Fearghraidh and a brave constant successful Warrier against the Danes was betrayed in his own House by one Donomhan thence convey'd to Mac Brain King of Eoghanach a Confederate of the Danes shut up in Prison by him and there soon after murder'd by his People Conghallach mhac Mhaolmhithe the next Monarch notwithstanding his bravery against the Danes invaded Mounster with a main Army against his own Countrey-men upon what quarrel I know not Though I find special notice taken of his killing in that expedition the two Sons of Kinede mhac Lorcaine In his Reign also Damhnal Claon King of Leinster and Domhnal O Faolain King of the Desies in Mounster joynd with the Danes From which conjunction follow'd not only many bloody Battels between them and Brien mhac Kinede after surnam'd Boraimh younger Brother and Successor in the Kingdom of Mounster to the foresaid Mathgamhain but the destroying of this Monarch Conghallach himself in the Town of Ardmagh where he was by an Army composed partly of Danes and partly of Leinster-men set upon fought defeated kill'd ending so his ten years troublesome vexatious Reign Domhnal mhac Mairchiortae succeeding him for ten years more in this fatal Soveraignty could be at leisure to make War on Fearrghallach O Ruairck King of Connaght prey all that Province and bring away thence a great number
of Captives And so could one Conghallach some time after this but in the same Monarch's Reign make it either his interest or his revenge to murder that very same Connaght King Besides it was against this Monarch Domhnal mhac Muirchiortac that another Domhnal the Son of Conghallach had the prefidious hard unnatural heart to joyn with the Danes of Dublin and fight him in the great Battel which the Irish call in their Language Cath Chille Monae wherein Ardghall mhac Madagain King of Oirghillac and many other illustrious persons of the Monarch s side were lost although himself after this and many other Battels fought in his Reign had the good luck to die a natural death at Ardmagh Maolseachluinn the II. who appears next for 20 years as Monarch on the stage of Ireland notwithstanding that he had known very well how one Gluneran had lately assum'd the Title of King of the Danes in Ireland that he had fought them victoriously in the Battle of Taragh that he had from thence directly march'd to Dublin forc'd it enter'd it enrich'd himself with all the spoils of that City and that he could not but see work enough remaining still among so many several sorts of Enemies Danes Normans Easterlings and their Irish Confederates yet he found leasure and pick'd some quarrel to march his Army to Mounster against Dal-Gheass and prey and spoil them too albeit they were the bravest Warriours there against the common Enemy In his Reign the three sons of Gearbheoill mhac Lorcain sacrilegiously spoil'd the Sanctuary of Glean-da-Logh For which impiety they were all three kill'd the very next following night And in his Reign Muirchiortach va Conghalla heading or at least assisting the Danes of Dublin plunder'd the Sanctuary of Domhnach-Padruig though to all their cost for they all every one died within a month after this wickedness committed by them Now Brien mhac Kinede surnam'd Boraimh succeeding his murder'd Brother in the Kingdom of Mounster which happen'd in the fourth year of the Monarch Conghallach mhic Mhaolmhithe after he had in the second year of his reign over that Province only and in revenge of his foresaid Brother's most barbarous death challeng'd Maolmodh mhac Brain King of Eonachta to a set Battel sought it accordingly at Bealach Leachta kill'd the greater part of Mac Brains Army and taken all the rest prisoners an Army consisting of a numerous Body of Irish and 1500 Danes that join'd them and when this Battel was over upon intelligence brought him that during his diversion by it Domhnal O Faolan King of the Desies over-ran the greatest part of Mounster preying and spoiling all before him after Brien hereupon had immediately march'd towards him overtaken him fought him at a place called Fane mhich Conrach routed him pursued him kill'd him in his flight and together with him the most part of the Danes of Waterford that join'd with him then forc'd that Town plunder'd it burn'd it and enrich'd his Army the brave Dal-Gheass with the spoils of it and preys of all the parts about it after that within the 8th year of his reign over Mounster he had brought the whole Division of Leathmogh to acknowledg his Sovereignty with perfect obedience and that nevertheless upon the death of Domhnal Claon King of Leinster which soon follow'd that Province withdrawing their obedience and joyning anew with the Danes he had with the whole power of Mounster enter'd it and given both the Leinster-men and their Danish Confederats join'd together the memorable overthrow at Gleannmhama killing 4000 of them in that place I say that after all these and many other bloudy Fights against the Danes only fought by him during his Reign over the Provinces of Mounster and Leath-Mogh under the successive Reigns of three Monarchs or Kings of Ireland Conghallach mhac Mhaolmhthe Domhnal mhac Mairchiortae and Maolseachluinn the Second yet when he was chosen by the far greater part of Ireland in the 23d year of this Maolseachluinn to be Monarch he was nevertheless necessitated to make that choice good and establish himself by fighting on still against some other Irish Lords that opposed him till he had subdued all at last by main force and dint of Sword For to this end it was That with the flower of his Army he march'd to Cineall Laigthagh prey'd it spoil'd it and brought thence 300 Hostages That in like manner he enter'd the Countrey call'd Magh Coruinn seiz'd there Maolruanuidh King of Cineal Gonuill and brought him prisoner along with himself to Ceann Chorah in Tuath Mhumhan In fine That Leinster was wholly over-run and burn'd by him even to the Valley of Gleann-da-Logh and from thence again cross to Cill-Mhuighnionn we call it now Killmainam within a small English mile of the walls of Dublin Westward And yet that also may be true which Keting here observes viz. that Brien was mightily moved to this destruction of Leinster because they were Leinster-men that join'd with the Danes in â—ansacking spoiling and leading away a great number of Cap tives from the Sanctuary of Termon Feichin in Meath I say nothing more of any part of those 21 Battels in all fought as you have elsewhere seen by this Brian Boraimh a great part of them while he was only King of Mounster and the rest after he was Monarch only that in 'em all taking one with another especially counting among 'em as I should the greatest last Battel of them which was that of Clantarff I doubt not there was much more Irish bloud spilt by the Irish themselves on both sides than there was of Danish or by the Danes on either Besides I observe it as worthy of special remark here That immediately after this Battel of Clantarff had been over and the Victorious Army of Brian Boraimh had buried their dead especially this Monarch himself and Murchoe the Prince his oldest Son with the rest of greatest quality of their side that were lost in the Battel and interr'd 'em all at Cill-mhuinionn after those funeral rites perform'd by the whole Army before they separated after the Conacians had then parted and return'd the shortest way home to their own Countrey of Connaght and the Momonians likewise in one body taking another as the nearest way to Mounster these being in all but 4000 men and marching through an Enemies Country were no sooner come to Mullach Mastion about some 20 miles from Dublin in their way to Mounster than those of them who were of West-Mounster and they were three parts of the whole i. e. 3000 men withdrew themselves mutinously apart from the rest who were only a thousand North Mounster men but Dal-Gheass the survivors of those other brave Dal Gheass their Companions that with the loss of their own lives made all their Army Victorious That the Westmounster men being so withdrawn a little distance of ground immediatey sent defiance to Donochadh the Leader till then of both parties as being one of the sons of Brien Boraimh and heading
still and remaining with the Dal-Gheass but a conditional defiance it was requiring Donochadh to send them Hostages for his acknowledging one of their own West-Mounster Tribe as rightful King of all Mounster by vertue of the ancient disposition made some 800 years before by Oillioll Ollum the first Provincial King of both Mounsters to his second Son Cormock Caisse and his Grandchild or his eldest Son Eoghun Mor's child by name Fiochae Muilleathan That Donogh relying on his valiant Dal-Gheass though but so few and a great many of them very grievously wounded gave the Messenger nothing to hope but return'd him with an answer of disdain and scorn bidding him tell those who had sent him that his Father came to the Sovereignty of that Kingdom not by vertue of any such or other ancient disposition but by his Sword and that he would endeavour to keep in the same manner what his descent from such a Father had entitled him to That pursuant to this answer preparing to fight when he had put into the Danish Rath which remains to this day on that Height of Maistion all his wounded men and appointed a third part of the rest to defend them not only those very wounded men understanding the cause and thereupon seeing their wounds to open and bleed afresh fill'd them with green Moss call'd for their Arms took 'em march'd forth and embodied with their Companions resolv'd to live or die with them in fighting but the Mutineers observing for they saw all their desperate resolutions thought better of it and whether out of compassion or cowardize or some other motive I know not march'd off presently their own way home to West Mounster leaving Donochadh with his few Dal-Gheass to fight theirs out in passing on towards Tomond through a greater Army of profess'd enemies that expected to receive them near Athy where they were to pass the River Barrow some four or five miles from Maistion That Donochadh mhac Brien Boraimh was no sooner come so far and encamped close by that River then Donochadh mhac Gilla-Phadruig King of Ossory that with an Army rais'd out of all parts of Leinster ten times the number of Dal-Gheass lay not far off on the other side of the same River at a place called Magh Cloinne Keallnigh sent him a Herald requiring him forthwith to deliver considerable Hostages or fight his way though Mac Gilla-Phadruig's quarrel was no other nor otherwise grounded than upon his Fathers imprisonment for twelve months by Brian Boraimh some time past That a much more scornful answer than the former being made to his Messenger and Donochadh mhac Brien Boraimh in the same manner he had so lately at Mastion preparing now the second time to fight his wounded men would not be excused but filling again their wounds with green Moss and taking to their Arms they prevail'd with the Prince to have great Piles or Posts of wood fastned deep in the ground where they were to stand with two of their unwounded friends one on each side of each of them and then themselves tied to those Piles at their backs to keep them from falling while their hands were at work against their Assailants That the sight for now the Enemy was so near that they had a full sight of this unusual preparation of men so strangely devoting themselves to death did so abate the courage of Mac Gille-Phadruig's Army that notwithstanding all his eagerness and all his anger and even his upbraiding them with the greatness of their number of one side and the paucity of Dal Gheass on the other which says he is such that if they were meat you are enough to devour 'em up in one meal yet he could not prevail with them to make the Onset or do other than stand still That Donogh O Brian seeing now at last there was no further hope of Battel broke up his little Camp and march'd on the best he could very slowly indeed for how could it be otherwise being forc'd to skirmish almost continually in the Rear and sometimes in the Front and sides too for several days and forty or fifty long miles until at length having lost in all a hundred and fifty of his wearied men he got clear of this hard hearted Foe and his cowardly Forces that pursued him so far and in such manner attacking him 28. Maolseachluin the II. that was formerly depos'd to give place to Brian Boraimh is now again immediately after the Battel of Clantarff the second time Monarch of Ireland In this second Reign of his after he had as you have seen before kill'd in Dublin the whole remainder of the Danes fled thither from the Battel of Clantarff then without delay he march'd with all his Forces against his own Countreymen And first against those of Cionsallach we call it now the County of Wexford where he turn'd all into ashes and slaughter'd a great many of the Inhabitants Nâ—xt in like Hostile manner against those of Vlster whence he return'd with a great number of Hostages About this time it was that Donochadh mhac Gille Phadruig in the head of his own Troops in the streets of Leith-Ghlinn alias Laghlin kill'd Donochan King of Leinster and Teadhg O Ryan King of Idrona with many more of their followers Nor was it long after that Maolseachluin himself the Monarch enter'd Ossory kill'd Dunchall mhac Donochadh then after his Fathers death King of that Countrey slaughter'd a great number of his adherents and for the future fidelity of the rest led away as many Hostages as he pleased Lastly in this second Reign of Maolseachluinn it was that Dunn Sleibhe mhac Mhaoilmhorda mhac Muirreigheine burn'd the King of Leinster Vghaire mhac Tuathail mhac Duinlingine mhac Vghaire mhac Oiliola mhac Duinling in his dwelling house at Dubh-Loch Easa-Chaille even that brave Vghaire that fought the very last Battel in Ireland against the Danes and defeated them so mightily that they never after could any where make head against the Irish And now both the second War of the the Danes and second reign of Maolseachluinn the II. ending here I also end the former part of my Instances In which if I be not much deceiv'd you may observe a wilful obstinate furious Nation maugre all their Christianity maugre the hand of God himself so heavy on 'em proceeding still from worse to worse For in the former Danish War notwithstanding they had most enormously transgressed at several times by turning the edg of their Swords against one another yet all that while none of them arriv'd to the impiety of leaguing or joyning with the common barbarous Heathen Foe against any Soul whatsoever or upon any terms at all But in the later we have seen a very great part of 'em do so and do it even all along from the very beginning to the end At least I am sure they did so full 55 years compleat from time to time before the Battel of Clantarff had broke all the hearts and
it and reduced Aodh O Conchabhar the King of it to such streights that in the year 1061. he was e'en forc'd at last to buy his peace by coming to his House in Leinster and submitting to his pleasure That before this in the year 1048. at three several times he wasted Meath so cruelly so without any discrimination or distinction made 'twixt sacred and profane that he destroy'd with fire even most of the very Churches there and in the year 1053. entring it the fourth time he led away both a very great number of Captives and innumerable preys That for the Danes or Easterlings of Dublin who it seems stood upon terms of Contest with him he in the year 1052. plagued them so mightily by burning not only Fingall but all other Territories round about them on every side and then fighting and worsting and slaughtering a great number of them hard by their own Walls that they were glad at last to proclaim him their King also and wholly submit to his will That notwithstanding all his former Victories he was in the year of Christ 1072 on the 17th of February being Tuesday fought defeated kill'd in the Battel of Odhbhen by Conchabhar O Maolseachluinn King of Meath And lastly this Author tells us That among all the Irish Antiquaries only Keting places Donochadh O Brien only Sir James Ware Diarmuid mhac Mhaoil-na-Moa in the Catalogue of Irish Monarchs So that all the rest of the Irish Writers it seems account neither of them and consequently none at all in their days to have been King of Ireland but hold a meer Interregnum then of the Monarchy But be it so or no it matters not to my purpose being the Instances brought all along in that very long Reign of Donochadh at least over Mounster are true whether Donochadh or Diarmuid or any other Irish Prince in their time was more than a Provincial King or less than a Monarch of the whole Island Toirrghiallach mhae Teidhg mhic Brien Boraimb that is in our Language Terence the Son of Teig the Son of Brien Boraimh is now Successor to Donachadh as in the Kingdom of Mounster and Leath mogh so in the Title of Monarch says Keting Nor do I find that any other opposed this Title of his But one reason hereof might be his ruling peaceably troubling no man nor forcing any thing from either Province or man And therefore they took no exception against the Title whether assum'd by himself or given him by others during his short Reign which was but of twelve years only as most Antiquaries say though some extend it to 22 years the occasion of their difference being that the former count the beginning of his Reign from the death of Diarmuid Mhaoil-na-moa in the Battel of Odhbhen the later take it from the death of Donochadh O Brien at Rome or at least from his deposition and flight However this is unanimously confess'd that as he lived quietly for his own part during his Reign so he died naturally in the 77 year of his Age being the year of Christ 1086. But so did not under his Reign Conchabhor O Maolseachluinn King of Meath For this but lately Victorious Prince was treacherously murthered by his own Nephew Murcho ' mhac Floinn and his head after burial of it at Cluain-mhac-Noise carried to the Monarch then residing at Coann-Chora Who desired to see it because he bore this Methian King no good will for having kill'd though in Battel his dear Cousin his Patron his supporter and Protector Diarmuid mhac Donochadh surnamed Maol-na-moa King of Leinster as we have seen before But his curiosity cost him dear For the head being brought him on good Friday as he was viewing it a little Mouse slipt out of it into his Bosom which so affrighted him especially when he understood how next Sunday the same head was miraculously return'd back to Cluain-mhac-Noise with a gold Ring upon it that he fell presently into a languishing Disease that held him after in cruel pain for several years and never was perfectly over till he died So writes the Author of Cambrensis Euersus And now Muirchiortach mhac Toirrghialbhaigh mhac Teaidhg the great Grandchild of Brien Boraimh and Son to the foresaid Toirrgheallach succeeded his Father in the Sovereignty at least of Mounster Leath Mogh and greater part of Ireland for 20 years says Keting In which Reign though he record nothing proper to our purpose in this place and somewhat extraordinary that very same is yet Gratianus Lucius has enough This Author page 82. and 84. gives a very particular account of the great combustions in it He tells us how upon the death of Toirrghiallach O Brien the last Monarch not only this Muirchiortach his Son but Domhnall the Son of Ardghar the Son of Lochlen King of Tir-Conel contended to some purpose for the Sovereignty of Ireland How the former by fight and spoil subdued the Lagenians and the later in the same manner the Methians How Dombnal had in the year 1088. got the start of Muirchiortach by forcing the King and Kingdom of Connaght to give him Hostages for their future fidelity and then immediatly enter'd Mounster burnt Limmerick demolish'd Ceann-Chora the chief Royal Seat ever since Brien Boraimh's time wasted the whole Countrey thereabouts with Fire and Sword and brought away thence besides an infinite number of Horses and all sorts of Cattel vast Treasures of Gold Silver and Plate How on the other side Muirchiortach besides forcing Dublin three several times banishing Godred the Danish King being there himself proclaim'd King at each time marcht into Vlster with the Forces of Mounster Connaght Leinster and Meath harrass'd it most wofully burnt the Royal Seat of Domhnall there and was thus reveng'd not once but often on that â—rovince marching into it every time with main Forces and scouring all the Coasts of the whole Island with a very numerous well provided Navy How Domhnall had withal so many rebellions of his own Subjects against himself in the very North nay within Tircâ—nnel it self that having as often overcome them all he put out the eyes of some of their petty Kings and others to death How after all the foresaid Muirchiortach King of Cashel or which is here the same thing of Mounster and together with him Flann O Maolseachluinn King of Meath and Ruidhruigh O Conchabhar King of Connaght found themselves necessitated not only to give Domhnall a meeting but even to deliver him Hostages in the year of Christ 1090. How in the year 1104. Domhnal turn'd to ashes that Countrey in Meath called then Ibh Laoghaire and in the year 1112 broke into Fingall prey'd it plunder'd it all over and carried away thence besides their Cattel a very great deal of costly Rayments magnam boum pretiosissimarumque vestium vim illinc retulit says my Author How after so many devastations of the poor Countrey and much blood spilt betwixt these two Contenders and after frequent annual Cessations between 'em
procured by the Primats of Ireland even then when both their Armies stood ready in the Field to fall on they came at last to the old Division of Leath Cuinn and Leath Mogh that is Domhnall to govern absolutely in all the North side of Eisker-Riada and Muirchiortach in all the South of it each stiling himself King of Ireland How this agreement made Muirchiortach falling into a heavy Disease that continued five years his own Brother Diarmuid O Brien seiz'd the Kingdom of Mounster and both he and other Provincial Kings divided among them all Muirchiortach's wealth and possessions while he was yet alive tho extreamly sick but he afterwards unexpectedly recovering made so sharp a War on them all that they were forc'd to quit and restore whatsoever they had so unjustly got In fine how piously both Muirchiortach and Diarmuid ended their days notwithstanding their almost continual Wars during life and health the former at Lismore in the 20th year of his Reign and of Christ 1119. but having first devested himself of all worldly power and care by turning Clerk in that holy place and the later being 73 years old in the Menastery of Columb-cille at Doire now by us called London-derry 27 of his Reign which was of Christ 1121. For so many years I find given him by Colganus in this Elogy of him Donaldus Loghleni ex Ardgaro filio nepos Rex Hiberniae Hibernorumque excellentissimus formae praestantia generis nobilitate animi indole in rebus agendis prosperitate postquam multa munera egenis clementer potentibus liberaliter elargitus fuerat in Roboreto Divi Columbae hoc est in Dorensi Monasterio decessit anno aetatis suae 73. principatus in Hibernia 27. Christi nati 1121. Where I must occasionally reflect on my own mistake in the foregoing 75 page of this little Book and desire the Reader to account it such Indeed there I suppos'd that that Dearmach where Beda says Columbe-Cille had built his famous Irish Monastery was the same with Ardmach But now I see by Colgan's explication of Roboretum D. Columbae that without question that Dear-mach in Latin Roboretum or Campus Roborum for Dair or Doir signifies an Oak in the Irish and Mach or Magh a Field which Beda meant was at the place ever since called by the Irish Doire Columb-Cille as it is of late by the English London-derry and by no means at Ardmagh But to pass over as well that errour of my own as the brief account immediately before this reflection on it given of the pious end those two great Contenders made for peradventure you will say and I confess it freely that neither the one nor the other is to my main purpose here and therefore to return and prosecute only that which is my Province I will now let you see all the glory of the Monarchical or at least pretended Monarchical Power of Ireland which never lasted long not even from Heber's days in any one Family or Sept removing from Mounster to Cannaght and from the O Brians there to the O Connors here Yet leaving still for my part the Question undetermined whether the same Monarchy did not continue for two years longer in Tirconel after it had ended in Tomond and so pass'd immediatly not from Muirchiortach O Brian but from Dombnall mhac Ardghar mhac Loghlin However that was Toirrghiallach mor mhac Ruidhruigh vibh Chonchabhair i. e. Terence the Great Son of Roderick descended of Connor King of Connaght is now possess'd of the Sovereignty of Leath-Cuinn and greater part of Ireland and thereby of the Title of Monarch for 20 years more says Keting For so at least his his own Subjects and followers call'd him I am sure his Reign has furnish'd History with Instances enough on the Subject I treat of At three several times he enter'd the Province 〈◊〉 Mounster with a great and Hostile power of men though the first time having prey'd and spoil'd not only Ard-feanan but Cashel he was set upon in the Rear by part of the Mounster Army and lost Aodh O Heidin King of Biorradh and Muirriadhach O Flacthiorta King of Lower Connaght with a great number of other prime Gentlemen The second time he invaded it both by Land and Sea himself marching by Land in the head of a strong Army and laying all waste about him till he came to Cork where a goodly Fleet says Keting well provided of Seamen and Souldiers which he had sent about to destroy all the Coasts having done their work met him And now this imperious Monarch Toirrghiallach mor O Conchabhair glutted with revenge divides Mounster in two equal parts the Southern and Northern Mounster so called Whereof he commits the Southern to Donochadh mhac Cartha's government the Northern to Conchabbar O Brien and so returns home triumphantly to Connaght with 30 Hostages of the best in Mounster But soon after Cormock mhac Cartha King of West-mounster being treacherously kill'd by Toirrghiallach O Brien his own Son-in-law and Gossip and the whole Province of Mounster that is all the parts and power and Title too of it seiz'd by him as the lawful King of it Toirrghiallach mor O Concbabhar the pretended Monarch draws together all the Forces of Connaght Breithfne Meath and Leinster puts himself in the head of them and marches now again the third time into Mounster Where being advanced in so far as Gleann Mhachair and to a place there called Moinmhoir in English the Great Moor Toirrghiallach O Brien the new Mounster King in the head of 9000 men the flower of all that Province meets him and fights him but is so intirely and mightily defeated that Dal-Gheass the chief strength of his Army never before nor after had the like overthrow as being for the matter all destroyed therein And the issue was the banishment of this new unfortunate King to Tir-Eoghuin in Vlster and the division of Mounster the second time between Diarmuid mhac Cormuick mhic Cartha and Teadhg O Brien by the Monarch Such is the account of this Monarch and no more I mean of his Warlike Actions and Exploits delivered by Keting in his Reign But Gratianus Lucius in his Cambrensis Euersus says further of him that he prey'd all the Provinces of Ireland every one That he made his own Son Conchabhar actually and really King of the Dublinians Lagenians and Methians That with his Land Army he destroy'd Tirconel and with his Navy consisting of 190 Ships wasted Tir-Oen and with both reduced both these warlike Countreys of the North. That nevertheless before the end of his Reign his Glory was obscur'd and power humbled by him who came next to succeed in the Monarchy and who begun early it seems to lay the foundation of his own future greatness by making War on this very Toirrghiallach mor O Conchabhar himself the Monarch and forcing Hostages from him in the year of Christ 1150. that is full six years before this Monarch's death And that
however he continued in the whole his Reign over Connaght 50 years and according to all the Irish Annals and Historians over Ireland 20. Though says Gratianus according to a more exact severe discussion of the truth if the date of his Monarchy be taken from the death of his Predecessor Mairchiortach O Brien to his own he must have reigned over Ireland 34 years in all or at least 28 if it be continued only till the foresaid Hostages were forc'd from him But I range again For as well this calculation of his years or Reign as his religious preparation for death and his burial and rest close by the high Altar of St. Cieran in the Cathedral Church of Cluan-mhac-Noise is forein to my purpose here And therefore I return again Muirchiortach commonly call'd Mac Loghlenn but immediate Son to Niall and by him Nephew to that Domhnal whom we have so lately seen to have so long contended for the Sovereignty of Ireland and therefore stilâ—d by Colganus King of Ireland upon the death of Toirghiallach mor O Conchabhar assumes that Title of the Irish Monarchy which he had so venturously and early prepar'd for while Toirrghiallach was yet alive and in health Of him at least of any warlike action either of his or indeed of any others in his Reign tho Keting has not a word save only those very few that on an other occasion I have given before page 73. viz. that Mairchiortach mhac Neill the Monarch that succeeded Toirghiallach mor O Conchabhar was in the 18th year of his Reign kill'd by Fearnibh Fearrmhaighe and O Brian yet the diligence and accurateness of Gratianus Lucius makes abundant compensation For this Author p. 86. says of the present Muirchiartach first in general That his humour having been wholly Martial and his fortune answerable he over-run all the Provinces of Ireland in a continual course of Victories obtained partly by Battels and partly by the sole terrour of his Name That he subdued them all and forced them every one to give him Hostages That therefore at least He without any contradiction may be admitted next after Maolseachluinn II. for the undoubted King of all Ireland And then after letting us know that this Prince's great Vertues were much eclipsed by the Precipitancy of his anger and that whom prosperity had rais'd to such a heighth adversity at last did throw down as low even to the very earth he particularly recounts how Eochadh King of Vlster not only refus'd to pay any more Tribute or other dues to him but even without any other provocation made War upon him That he being thereupon enraged enters the Territories of Eochadh routs his Forces burns his Lands takes his Vassals and puts them in Fetters Eochadh himself by good luck escaping That after this yea notwithstanding a reconciliation made between them by the intercession and upon the Engagement of the Primat of Ardmagh and Donochadh King of Oirghllae for performance of Covenants on both sides and Eochadh's consequential pardon and reception to grace which to assure him Muirchiortach took the most solemn Oath he could for such it was accounted then in that Kingdom on the Staff of Jesus what this was S. Bernard tells in the Life of Malachias yet ere long whether out of the former cause or any other new one enraging him he had Eochadh's eyes pull'd out of his head and three of his Nobles duos Olingsios Cathasachi O Flahry nepotem most cruelly put to death without any regard to the engagement of the Sureties And to conclude that Donochadh O Cearrbhaoil the foresaid King of Oirghillae one of the Sureties taking to heart so heinous a breach of Faith Oath Covenants and assurance given by himself and therefore resolving to be reveng'd draws to his association the People of Vibhruinne and Comhaicne marches with an Army of 9000 men into Cineal-Eoghain otherwise call'd by them Tir-Eoghain but by us Tir-oen where the Monarch then resided surprizes him unprovided fights the few tumultuary Forces led forth by him routs them and kills him in that Field a man ever before Victorious in all his Encounters whatsoever Yet such was his end in the 10th of his reign Anno Christi 1166 says Gratianus Lucius though Keting says he was kill'd in the eighteenth of his Reign by Fearrnibh Fearrmhaighe and O Brien as I have noted before But as their difference in computing the years of the Reign is not material the one beginning it when this Muirchiortach mhac Neill had forc'd his predecessor Toirrghiallach mor O Conchabhar to give him Hostages and the other when Toirrghiallach died so neither is it material to know whether any such persons call'd Fearrnibh Fearrmhaighe and O Brien were or were not in that Battel to kill him What is to our present purpose you have it very particularly delivered by the one and not gainsaid by the other And yet upon reflection I must confess I find that I have not delivered all the material things written by Gratianus Lucius in this Reign of Muirchiortach mhac Neill He further writes page 87. that in the Year 1156. even the very first year of it presently after Toirrghiallach mor O Conchabhar's death his Son and Heir and King of Connaght Ruidhruigh O Conchabhar did receive twelve Hostages from Muirchiortach O Brien even that very Mounster King so lately before deprived and banish'd to Tir-Eoghain by the said Toirrghiallach Father to this Ruidhruigh as we have seen already That in the Year 1157. he rush'd into Muirchiortach mhac Neill the Monarch's own peculiar Countrey Tir-Eoghain burnt the fruitful Peninsula there call'd Inis-Eoghain destroy'd all the delicate Gardens Orchards Plantations wasted the whole Region to Cianachty That after this he turn'd his Arms on Mounster Where having first setled the foresaid Muirchiortach O Brien in possession of North Mounster he forc'd Hostages from Diarmuid mhac Cormuic mhic Cartha King of South Mounster to remain with him till Muirchiortach mhac Neill the Monarch did relieve the said Diarmuid That Anno 1158. he enter'd Leinster in like hostile manner with great Force marcht through it to Leiglin being encamp'd there had Hostages brought him from Ossory and Luighis and in the close of all loaded Mac Craih O Morrdha the little King of Luighis with Irons That in the next place he made Inroads into Teabhan driving away thence from the Kerins an exceeding great prey of Cows and with his Fleet afflicted all the Coasts of Tir-Eoghain mightily That in the Year 1161. falling violently on Meath he both compelled the Countreys call'd Vibh Falain and Vibh Faoilghe to give him pledges and then plac'd Governours in them viz. Faolan O Faoelain in the one and Mlaghlin O Conchabhair in the other That after all he made his Conditions of peace with the Monarch deliver'd him four Hostages receiv'd from him in gift the entire Province of Connaght with the one half of Meath and from Diarmuid O Maolseachluinn a hundred ounces of Gold for that
half So that by this time I think the Reader has no reason to complain of want of Instances to purpose out of this Reign of Muirchiortach mhac Neill Who as we have seen was the saddest of them all himself as having by his own Vassals been set upon unprovided fought overcome and kill'd In the last place Ruaruidh O Conchabhar King of Connaght e'n that very same Ruaruidh who contended for so many years before with Muirchiortach mhac Neill and submitted to him at last appears now his Successor on this long tottering Theatre of Irish Monarchs Keting delivers a very imperfect account of him saying That besides Cannaght he had only the Kings of Breithfne and Oirghillac to acknowledg his Sovereignty and giving scarce any thing else happen'd in his Reign but what relates to Diarmuid na Ngall the Leinster Kings Rape and to the Brittons invited in by this Diarmuid nothing I am sure of those warlike Actions and great Contests of this Monarch with other Irish Princes But this defect in Keting is elsewhere abundantly supply'd I mean by Gratianus Lucius in his Cambrensis Eversus In this Author grounding himself on the Annals of Inis Faile you may read that this Ruaruidh not only bore the Title of King of Ireland but was so indeed But without any peradventure the Relation given by him shews this last Irish Monarch's fatal Reign to have been fruitful enough of those and they the very last of those Instances I purpos'd to recount Immediately on the death of his Predecessor kill'd by Eochadh he march'd his Connaght Army to Assa Ruah subdued all Tirconel and received their Hostages From thence both with his own Connacians and the Legions of Breithfne Teamhfna and Meath led on by Tighernan O Ruairk King of Breithfne and Diarmuid O Maolseachluinn King of Meath he march'd to Dublin enter'd it was entertain'd in it by the Danes Easterlings and other the Inhabitants of that City and Territories belonging to it with all demonstrations of honour was proclaim'd their King and they presented by him according to the custom then with a royal Gift of 4000 Beeves From hence but joyning first all the Militia of those Citizens to his former Legions he goes directly so accompanied to Droghedagh the Irish call it Droighid At h is received there by Donochad O Cearbheoil King of Oirghiallae has Hostages whom he pleas'd of that Countrey put into his power and then causes a present of 2000 Beeves more to be in his name given that King From thence returning back to Leinster he advances to Findorf gives Battel there to Mac Murcho King of Leinster defcats him pursues him forces him at last to submit and give Hostages then abridges him of his jurisdiction leaves him only Cionsallach and bids him be content with that or he should lose that too From thence he made his progress to Mac Gille Phadruic the King of Ossory who delivering Pledges was royally treated and presented by him And now he enters Mounster has the submissions of all the Province bestows North-Mounster on Muirchiortach O Brien his own Brother by a Mother commands pledges from Diarmuid mhac Cartha King of South-mounster and so passes on in triumph to Connaght his own home having well nigh surrounded the whole Island in this very first year of his Reign After which circuit and either in the same year of our Lord 1166 as Gratianus insinuates it to have been or at furthest in the next as the Annals of Ireland in Cambden expresly say it was that Diamuid mhac Mhurrchadh alias Mhurchu and Diarmuid na Nghall having committed the famous Rape if it was a Rape on Tighernan O Roirk King of Breithfn's Wife the same Tighernan to be reveng'd on Diarmuid by the Monarch's Authority heading both his own Breithne Forces with those of Meath and most of Leinster too march'd into Ibh-Cionsallach made Diarmuid fly beyond Seas destroy'd his Castle at Ferns divided his said Countrey of Cionsallach between Mac Gille Phadrick King of Ossory and one Murchadh the Son of Murchadh and then return'd with seventeen Hostages for the Monarch And now this revenge or justice on Diarmuid being executed the Monarch himself An. 1167. attended on by all the Kings and Nobles of Mounster Leinster Meath Breithsne Comhaicne Orghiall and Vlidia or Vlla which I take to have been then but a part of the now large Province of Vlster with all their Troops consisting of Nine and thirty thousand Foot and one and twenty thousand Horse march'd to Ardmach From thence of one side with those great Land Forces and from Doire now by us call'd London-derry on the other where his Fleet of a hundred and ninety Sail had landed he attacks Tir-Eoghain so furiously on every side that after the stubborn Forces of that Countrey being first retired into their Woody Fastnesses had not only in vain attempted to fall by Night on his Royal Camp but instead thereof by a great mistake had fallen fouly on one another in the dark they found it necessary on the fourth day to submit and deliver him Hostages This Expedition being ended so he breaks up his Camp dismisses his great Army the several Troops and Legions to their respective Countreys returns himself by the way of Assa Ruagh to Connaght with the two Mounster Kings in his Company entertains them nobly at his own Palace there and at their departure presents them richly But he had not rested above one week at home when he had intelligence brought him of Diarmuid mhac Mhurchadh the Leinster King's being landed in Cionnsallach with forein Auxiliarics possess'd already of Wexford Master besides of a great part of Leinster and a terrour to all the rest Those call'd the Annals of Ireland in Cambden which yet began no earlier than four years before this Monarch Ruiruidgs O Cenchabhar's Reign say these forein Aaxiliaries landed An 1168. But the right Irish Annals that record their landing in the former year 1167. are sollowed by Gratianus Lucius and him I follow However presently on the news Ruaruidh O Conchabhar the Monarch heading his Conacian Troops and joyning in his way the Militia of Meath and Dublin marches to Findorch finds out fights and defeats Diarmuid An atonement between them follows Diarmuid giving the Monarch seven Hostages for his future fidelity and paying a hundred ounces in Gold to Tighernan O Ruairck for the injury done him by the Rape And yet Diarmuid by new Tumults the very next Year giving new jealousies the Monarch marches against him the second time and fights and foils him again Though after all he was wrought upon to accept this second time of Diarmuid's submission promises and base Son for Diarmuid had none at this time remaining that was Legitimat as a new addition to the former Hostages In the same Year 1â—68 Ludos Taltinos dedit says Lucius That is he gave and held with great solemnity the publick famous ancient Games at Tailtean What these were and who ordain'd them first
and upon what occasion you may peradventure know in the next Section At present it may suffice to know they were much like the Olympick Games of Greece But whatever this Aonach of Tailteann as the Irish call it be thought to have been Lucius proceeds and tells us that in the same Year also Muirchiortach O Brien King of North mounster was murder'd by the South mounster men That the Monarch made his Brother Domhnal O Brien King to succeed him put him in full possession fined the Desmonians in 3120 Beeves for killing his Brother and made them effectually pay this Fine The same year likewise he fined the Methians in 800 Beeves and the men of Dealfna heavily for the killing of O Finolan one of their Lords In the Year 1169. Domhnal Breagach for being Author of Diarmuid the Prince of Meath's death he punish'd with the loss of that Estate which the said Domhnal by so wicked an Act of murder aim'd to inherit But this Monarch did confiscate it so as he reserv'd West-meath to himself and the Conacians bestowing at the same time Eastmeath on the foresaid Tighernan O Ruairk and his people of Breithfne Anno 1175. Domhnal O Brien King of North-mounster pull'd out the eyes both of Diarmuid mhic Teaidhg and Mahoom mhic Toirrgiallaidgh vihh Bhrian yea and murder'd the Son of Conchabhar O Brien of Corcumruadh To punish this Tyranny Rotherick or Roderick for so the English Writers name this Ruadhruigh the present Monarch enters Tomond makes Domhnal fly and because he could not find him lays his whole Countrey waste In the same Year 1175. he defeated in Ormund the Irish call it Ir-mhoun that is East Mounster both the Welsh English and Irish Troops led by Strougbow kill'd 1700 of them in the place and forc'd that Earl how valiant and fortunate soever till then to give over his present design and retire in great disorder to Watenford After this but yet in the same Year still Ruadhruigh considering not only the defection of many of the Princes from him but their variance among themselves and which was most dangerous of all his own Sons turn'd unruly and rebellious and therefore considering also that himself alone was not able any longer to bear up against so many Enemies both Domestick and Foreign Irish and Brittish well nigh already environing him round he now at last descends to Capitulations of Peaco with the King of England The sum of them says Lucius the Irish Annals deliver in words importing mostly this sense that Cathal alias Catholicus O Dubhay Archbishop of Tuam return'd out of England with the Peace concluded by him there with Henry II. on these conditions viz. That Rotherick should enjoy still the authority and Title of King over the Irish and the Provincial Kings their respective dignities and power but with their former dependance on and subjection to him the said Ruadruigh O. Rotherick But whatever those Capitulations were which you may see more particularly and fully in Roger Hoveden ad An. 1175. pag. 312. the troubles of Ruadhruidh were but little abated by them In the Year 1177. one of his own Sons by name Murchadh out of some unreasonable pique turn'd most unnaturally Traytor to him sided with the common Enemy and was the very Guide to Miles Cogan and his English Troops in their entring Connaght or at least from their coming to Roscommon till they were soon after fought and beat and forc'd back out of that whole Province by Ruaruidh himself Who thereupon seiz'd the said Murchadh and though his own Son put out his eyes for his rebellious unnatural Treachery and justly enough without any peradventure as at the same time for some other heinous transgression he confin'd prisoner to the small Island in Loch-Cuam his own other yea his eldest Son Conchabhar whom notwithstanding O Flatherty and other Favourers of this young Prince rescued by plain force within a twelve-month from that restraint and set at liberty To conclude partly the forein Invaders but chiefly his own Children brought this last Irish Monarch's hoary hairs with grief to the Grave Even his own eldest Son the foresaid Conchabhar in the year 1186. first depriv'd him of his very Kingdom of Connaght then by sundry other indignities forc'd him to fly away to Mounster and last of all after he had been recall'd by the Connaght Nobility compell'd him again to seek refuge in Tir-Chonaill And here it was that this now afflicted man indeed though in his youth and manly years too for some time the Darling of Fortune found his long wish'd-for death among the Chanon Regulars in the Year of Christ 1198. having first by habit and profession made himself a member of that Religious Order He continued seventeen years possess'd at least in part and in Title of his Monarchy over the Irish For so many years their Antiquaries allow his Reign over Ireland though from the beginning of it to his death were efflux'd full two and forty years Thus you have in substance the account and a very particular full one indeed it is given by Gratianus Lucius of this very last Milesian Monarch and his Reign over Ireland Wherein if I be not extreamly mistaken you have withal though among other matters which I have for some use that may be made of them hereafter mentioned Instances enough answerable both in quality and number to those alledged before out of any of the former Reigns of Irish Monarchs since Maolseachluinn II. for demonstrating what I intended by them all Certainly these and those jointly taken are sufficient demonstrations that the Monarchs Princes and other great ones of that Nation receiv'd no correction from the great Hand that from above scourg'd them so grievously so often and so long Nor can it be denied that the later part of the same Instances I mean that large part of them which hap'ned between Maolseachluinn II. Reign and Ruadhruigh O Conchabhair's death are most evident convictions of the little nay the evil use in order to any reformation of their fatal Feuds they made of the hundred and thirty years freedom from foreign Enemies after the last expulsion or subjection of the Danes though a large term of time questionless allow'd them by the extraordinary mercy of God to consider at least then more wisely of the matter and not only relent from their former unnatural courses of persecuting and spoiling and killing and murdering one another but heartily repent what themselves and their Parents and their Grandsires had done in that kind exasperating him continually to hasten on 'em that final doom of theirs which he had so long suspended Neither is it any further to be doubted that both the former and later part equally of the same Instances are sufficient proofs that those passages of Jeremy the Prophet which I have given before page 153. however in his time and as spoken by him describing only the stubbornness of his own Jewish Countrymen might nevertheless be most justly applied by Keting the
pious Reflecter on these matters to the Milesian race in Ireland at this time of theirs after that nothing at all neither adversity nor prosperity nor war nor peace nor bondage nor liberty could reclaim them Verily to me those Instances are more than sufficient proofs That this wilful Generation of Christians did at this time in the language of the holy Prophet harden their faces harder than a Rock and e'en refuse to return Nay whatever any body else may think certainly it seems further to me that such was the Judgment God himself gave of them For if I may be allowed once more to speak my sense in a symbolical or Metaphorical Scripture phrase and apply to them what another Prophet said many Ages before on another Subject and of another Kingdom but is applicable enough to them at this very time The Watchman and holy one from Heaven Dan. 4. pronounced the long suspended Sentence the fatal Decree the final Doom here on Earth against this lofty-headed large-spread Tree of the Milesian Stock in Ireland At this time he commanded this Eternal Decree to be forthwith put in execution At this time he call'd upon the new Ministers of his Wrath and bid 'em to cut down this Tree chop off its boughs shake off all its leaves disperse its fruit make the beasts fly that were under it and the birds of the air from perching any more on its branches though withal bidding them to leave the spring of the roots thereof still in the ground And I am sure that to speak plain without Similitude or Metaphor what happened since the sixth year of Ruadhruigh O Conchabhar's Monarchical Reign hath manifestly shewn that from thence i. e. from that year which was of Christ's Incarnation 1172. We must date the last and heaviest doom of Heaven declared against that People as to their Being in this World Never more to have a King or State of their own Never more to be a Free People on Earth so as not to be under a forein Yoke And I believe you will think the same when you consider that since that Epocha or Date they and their posterity after them have already seen five hundred Years and Eight of this their heavy Doom continued Tho after all upon after-thoughts I think it more wise to suspend than be positive in any judgment of the future especially considering the example of Spain recovered after seven hundred years subjection to the Moors SECT V. Five things considered 1. Other Nations have at some times no less bloodily engaged in mortal intestin Feuds one against an other Instances in the Romans Germans Florentines Italians at large Spaniards French Saxons Normans 2. Irish Princes renown'd for other excellent Qualifications than those only of Martial Courage and Conduct For Example under Paganism the Monarchs Ollamh Fodhla Feilim Rachtmhor Conair Mor mhac Eidrisgceoil Conn Ceadchathatch and Cormac mhac Airt where also you will meet with a very singular tho only incidental story of Connor the first Provincial King of the North of Ireland Vnder Christianity and for those Excellencies most peculiar to Christianity first the Monarchs Maolchoba Flaithiortach Niall Frassach c. next those Provincial Kings Feilim mhac Criomthain Aillill Anmhana Cormack the Bishop and King of Mounster and lastly the Lesser Kings Damhin mhac Damhinghoirt Ferradhach mhac Duachadh Maolbressel mhac Cearnaigh c. 3. Several Princes even after the Danish Wars that notwithstanding whatever National Feuds effectually proved themselves endued even with those excellent political Vertues necessary for good Governours as such The first and great Instance Brian Boraimh then Muirchiortach c. Ecclesiastical Synods of the whole Nation held under the two or three last of these and Monasteries every where in all the Provinces about the same time erected anew 4. Some however few yet very eminent yea wonder-working Saints among their Church-men especially Maolmoadh and Laurase in our Language Malachi and Laurence the one Archbishop of Ardmagh the other of Dublin succeeding close one another in the very last Age of the Milesians Reign over Ireland 5. The Decree of the holy Watchman is nevertheless immutable 30. BUT before I enter on this great Conversion of the State of Ireland several matters yet remaining of another nature than those discours'd of lately must interpose The first is That by any thing said in either of the two last Sections my meaning was not to make those bloody Feuds or consequents of them so peculiar to the Milesian Race or Irish Nation as if no other People or Nation esteem'd either Christian or Civil had been at any time so guilty in that kind as they I was far from any such thought And indeed how could I be otherwise For without any stress laid upon the Poets Expression Ad generum Cereris sine caede sanguine pauci Descendunt Reges Nay without any assistance from either Pagan Thebe or Christian Bizantium or any other Countrey so remote the Histories of all Nations much nearer us particularly those of Rome Germany Italy Florence Spain France and very singularly those of the Saxon Heptarchy and Barons Wars and Lancaster and York Divisions here at home in England must evince the contrary Even for that very chief Mistriss of Civility first and then Chistianity at least in most parts of Europe that seven hill'd Rome that eternal City in Valentinian's language without any peradvenventure the Foundation of Her cemented by Romulus with the blood of his Brother Remus the Rebellion against Tarquin the Factions of the Plebeians the oppressions by and killing of the Decemviri the Tyranny of Tribuns the Tables of Sylla and Marius with the Rivers of blood flowing from their Swords the Conspiracy of Catilin the Civil Wars of Caesar and Pompey following and then the total change of their Commonwealth into a Principacity compass'd not only by plain lawless rebellious Force but by destruction of so many Myriads of men and now thirty Emperors murdered at several times and now also at one time that is under Gallienus at least Nine and Twenty Tyrants in several parts of the Empire set up for themselves must evince the contrary And so for Germany in later times the bloody contentions there so long continued until at last they resolv'd into the prudent means of declaring an Heir apparent Successour and Caesar in the Emperors Life-time and the violent deaths of Rudolphus Albertus Henry VII Frederick III. Lewis of Bavier Charles Nephew to the said Henry Gunther every one of them dispatch'd as Bodin a Method Histor pag. 450. says either by Conspiracy or Poison must evince the contrary So for Italy the Guelphs and Gibellins and besides many other Instances the prodigiously bloody revolutions of the Florentin Republic for 331 years till after the slaughter extermination and total extinction of one of the sides it was in the memory of our Fathers at least of our Grandfathers by the prudence of Cosmus Medices reduced under the authority of
a single Person must evince the same truth So for Spain Alphonsus III. by putting out the eyes of all his Brethren save one that was kill'd Alfonsus IV. with the like cruelty us'd by his own Brother â—aymirus Peter the Legitimat Son of Alphonsus XI depos'd and kill'd by his Bastard Brother Henry Garzias by Sanctius then Sanctius by Vellidus and after so many retaliations all Spain under King Roderic betray'd to the Moors by a natural Spaniard a Subject to that King Count Julian Prince of Celtiberia as Bodin calls him yea seven hundred thousand Spaniards kill'd in the short space of fourteen months next following that hideous treachery must evince mightily the self-same truth So for France those horrible Feuds Combustions Devastations cruelties inhumanities barbarous sacriledges of the late Civil Wars there continued 40 years against four Kings whereof you may read at large in D'Avila and the Holy Ligue and both Henry III. and Henry IV. one after another so vilely murder'd by those devoted Assassins of Hell Jacques Clement and Ravilliac evince it still Lastly and to come nearer home tho in an earlier time even so for England 1. Those eight and twenty Saxon Kings of the Heptarchy part by one another kill'd part by their own Subjects murder'd besides many other depos'd and forc'd to fly away for their lives For as Matthew of Westminster l. 1. c. 3. writes of the very Northumbrian Kings alone four were murder'd and three more deposed within the little time of one and forty years only And therefore it was that Charles the Great of France when the news of the last of them by name Ethelbert being murdered came to his hearing not only resolv'd to stop the presents he was before on sending to England nor only to do the English in lieu of sending them gifts all the mischiefs he could but said to Alcuinus an English man his own Instructor in Rhetorick Logick and Astronomy that indeed That was a perfidious and perverse Nation a murderer of their Lords and worse than Pagans Nay therefore also it was that many of the Bishops and Nobles fled out of this Northumbrian Kingdom and no man dared for 30 years next following venture on being their King but all men declined it and so left them a prey to the Irish Scâ—ts and Danes who by the just judgment of God over-run them and destroy'd them at last on that very occasion principally 2. Since the Norman Conquest besides the horrible rebellion of Henry the 2d's own Children against him and many other particulars which I pass over not only all the calamities miseries cruelties unspeakable evils of the Barons Wars on both sides under King John Henry III. and Edward II. nor only the deposition and murder too of this poor Edward even his own Wife Queen Eleanor and his own very Soâ—thâ—e Prince of Wales having both of them concurr'd in the deposing him and usurping his Crown but the most prodigiously mortal dissentions of Lancaster and York began with the rebellion against deposition and murder of Richard the II. and so bloodily prosecuted for thirty years under Henry VI. and Edw. IV. that besides eleven main Battels fought with infinite slaughter of English men on either side nay even twenty thousand men kill'd besides the wounded in one of them which Polydore calls the Battel of Touton a Village of Yorkshire the excellent Historian Philip Comines tells us of 80 of the Blood Royal destroyed in them and among this number Henry VI. a most vertuous innocent holy King most barbarously murder'd To say nothing of Richard the Third that Usurping Tyrant so justly dispatch'd in the Battel of Bosworth by the Earl of Richmond who thereupon succeeded King by the name of Henry VII and by marrying the Daughter of Edward IV. and thereby most happily uniting in himself and his Queen and Issue the right of the two Houses ended those fatal dissentions of Lancaster and York Dissentions indeed so fatal to England that besides all her best blood at home as we have seen by their long continuance from the year of Christ 1393. to the year 1486. lost Her not only the Kingdom of France but even the more ancient Inheritance of our Kings in the Dukedoms of Normandy Aquitane and whatever else belong'd to the English Crown on that side of the Sea only the Town of Calais with its little Appendages excepted Were it necessary Buchanan could furnish out of the neighbouring Kingdom of Scotland a very large addition of more examples to the purpose of this place But more than enough has been already said to conclude that notwithstanding any thing or expression in either of the two former Sections my meaning could not be to make those bloody Feuds in Ireland or consequents of them so peculiar to the Milesian Race or Irish Nation as if no other People on Earth had been at any time guilty of the like or as horrid The truth is I mean'd only to say That in respect of their long duration perpetual return from time to time for almost five and twenty hundred years compleat and their excessive degree at very many times within that long Succession of Ages especially considering the small extent of Ireland those cruel bloody Feuds were both National and peculiar to that People only Which I think is true notwithstanding that other Nations either much greater or much lesser might have been in some few Instances of time as high nay peradventure much more horrible transgressors in the very same kind than those antient Milesians were at any one time since their Conquest of Ireland from Tuath-Dee-Danan 33. The second point is to do those ancient Milesians the right as to acknowledg what their Histories have at large That amidst all the Feuds and fury of their Arms how bloody or how lasting soever they had several both Monarchs and after the Pentarchy was set up lesser Kings yea some of those too in their time of Paganism and many more as well of those as these after Christianity establish'd that were of great renown among them for other excellent Qualifications becoming their dignity than those only of Martial Vertue and Fortitude In time of Paganism they had their XXII Monarch Ollamh Fodhla so called from his great Knowledg that very name given him importing in Irish as Gratianus Lucius hath observ'd a great master in Sciences and Teacher of all Knowledg to his People It was he that divided the Lands of Ireland into Hundreds call'd by them Triochae-chead and placed a Lord over each Hundred and over each Town of the Hundred a Bailiff an Applotter of Duties and receiver of Strangers to provide Entertainment for them They had their XCI Monarch Conair mor mhac Eidirsgceoil so great a Justiciar so zealous a Prosecutor of all Malefactors that although with great pains industry hazard to himself yet he forc'd at last all kind of Robbers Thieves Vagabonds and Idlers to fly the whole Kingdom and after this during his Reign
Beeves and twelve Hogs Add further yet as part of this heavy Leinster Fine says Lucius 30 either white or red Cows with their Calves of the same colour 30 brass Collars for those Cows to keep them quiet in their stabling and 30 other brazen ties for their feet also to keep them gentle at their milking Where nevertheless I must take notice that Lucius in this Account does much vary from Keting and that whatever may be thought of all other particulars of it surely the number of 15000 Cauldrons or Coppers as we call them now of that capacity seems to me somewhat incredible But leaving this to the Readers indifferency what is more proper here may be read in the same Author Lucius where he tells us next of this Monarchs port and magnificence in House-keeping which though very great indeed is however I think credible enough He had eleven hundred and fifty Waiters that serv'd him ordinarily at Table in his great Hall at Tarach And this Hall was by himself built of purpose to answer in its capacity the entertainment and attendance of a great King It was 300 Foot long 30 Cubits high and 50 Cubits broad with fourteen Doors opening into it And the daily service of Plate the Flagous and Cups of Gold Silver and precious stone at his Table there consisted of a hundred and fifty pieces in all What is besides delivered of this Monarch is That which among the truly wise must be more valuable than any worldly magnificence or secular glory whatsoever He was to all mankind very just and in his later days through the mercy of God very pious also religious towards him That so strangely powerful on a sudden were his inward illuminations That in plain terms he now refus'd his Druids any more to worship their Idol Gods That soon after he openly professed he would no more worship any but the only true God of the Universe the Immortal and Invisible King of Ages as the great Apostle calls him And finally that those Priests of the Devil by their Necromantical adjurations and ministery of damned Spirits raised from Hell God permitting it wrought his destruction by choaking him as I have said before For in such manner and for such a cause died this great and happy King of Ireland An. Christi 266. But whether he may or may not therefore be rank'd among the true Christian Martyrs I leave others to judge And the same question might peradventure be rationally put though not I confess with the same advantage of the circumstance of violence from an external cause concerning Connor the first Provincial King of Vlster made by the Monarch Eochuidh Feilioch himself the Author of the Pentarchy about 400 years before the Birth of Christ This Connor's Druyd or Magitian which you please to call him having it seems the spirit of Prophecy as you see in the Book of Judges that Baldam though otherwise a Heathen wicked Idolater had the like on a day speaking his Raptures to Connor and among other things delivering much of the Son of God that was to come down from Heaven to save mankind and was nevertheless to suffer the most cruel death of the Cross from his own beloved Countrymen the Jews whom he came to save before any others Connor says Keting on the hearing of all became so affected first with the stupendious mercy of God to Sinners and then presently so transported against the ungrateful Jews that being in a great Wood at the time of this Discourse he drew his Sword fell a slashing and cutting the Trees about him on every side with the greatest fury could be imagining he had before him still those cruel men that put our Saviour to death and continued so long in this passionate action of transport till by over-heating himself and the opening thereby of some old wounds he had in his shull he died What the Reader may answer to the foresaid Quere in relation to either of these two Kings I know not But think nevertheless what St. John Chrysostom would have answer'd it very consequently at least in reference to the former had the case been debated by him when he wrote his Three Books de Providentia Dei to Stargirius a holy Monk that notwithstanding his holiness was through the permission of God either possess'd or obsess'd or both by the power of the Devil It was also in the time of Ireland's Paganism that Niall the Great surnamed Naoighiollach in Latin Noui-obses in English Niall of the Nine Hostages because says Colgan in his Trias Taumatorge from Vlster Connaght Mounster Leinster the Britons Picts Dal-Rheudans and Morini a People of France in all nine Nations he had Hostages did reign the CXX or CXIX Monarch of the Irish Of whose great cruelty in his judgment given against Eochuidh King of Leinster because I have so particularly spoken before I will not conceal now what I have since observ'd in Gratianus Lucius of the extraordinary favour of God unto him For such we must undoubtedly acknowledg it to have been seeing it was no less than a heavenly illustration of his mind with the beams of Christianity to that degree as turn'd him wholly to a new man of perfect holiness Nor yet less than that above a hundred years after his death his Body on the opening of his Shrine or Tomb which I take to have been on Cruach Phadruig in Connaght whither the Army brought his Body from France was found entire without any corruption Nay nor a jot less than that a Christian Bishop namely St. Cernachus infected with the Leprosie was perfectly cured by visiting and lying down in that very Shrine of this Great Niall Naoighiallach So writeth Gratianus Lucius quoting for his Author Colgan And so I have done with those few of the Kings of Ireland in the time of Paganism that besides many more of that very time and their Catalogue have been for several great Excellencies other than those of warlike bravery or success renown'd in that Nation 34. But after Christianity had been among the people of Ireland universally preach'd and establish'd yea and all along from time to time in the succeeding Ages not even those very Ages following the horrible desolations by the Danish Wars excepted they had questionless notwithstanding all their intestin Feuds many more both Monarchs Provincial Kings and other lesser Kings too famous in their generation as well for other great Vertues especially those peculiar to Religion as for those of Martial fortitude and Valour Yet because I perceive this little Book to swell insensibly beyond my design I pass over much of that which otherwise I would have willingly mention'd in this place And therefore what I can briefly on the present Subject observe is First in general the wonderful Devotion Zeal Religious Liberality of the first Christian Monarchs Provincial Kings and other great Lords of Ireland who upon their first conversion not only parted so readily with the whole Tenths of their Estates real
and personal nay and of their Subjects also both men and women by the dedication of all in a peculiar way to God as hath been said before but were so fervently Zealous even to a degree of excess in this kind that as both Keting and Lucius relate it if St. Patrick would have receiv'd what they offer'd more their Successors should have scarce been left the grazing of four Beasts to bestow on the Church Secondly in particular the great number of those Princes one after another in the succession of so many Ages that notwithstanding all the bloody Feuds and warlike humor of their Nation withdrew themselves in time from sin yea from all the pleasures vanity pomp earthly glory of their condition and by contemning the world for the sake of God made themselves greater than the World A large list of them you may find partly in Keting but more amply and exactly in Lucius And they were those that stripping themselves naked to follow Christ and shutting themselves up in Cloysters made choice of the better part with Mary at the feet of out Lord. Such were the Monarchs 1. Maâ—â—â—hoba who by the prayers of Columbe-Cille recovering from death to life thereupon without delay Anno 610. renounc'd the World enter'd a Monastery profess'd himself a Monk and was after in regard of his holiness made Bishop of Kildare 2. Flaithiortach who likewise though without any such inducement as Maolchoba had in perfect health vigour streingth deliberately chose to dispoil himself of all earthly greatness Goods Employments and exchange them all for a poor monastick Weed in the Monastery of Ardmagh for a penitential course of life within the walls of that enclosure and for a Christian happy death which he found in that same place after nine years more had been over in his holy exercises there 3. Niall Frassach that not only quitted the Crown and Power but the very Soil of Ireland by retiring to the Scottish Isle of Hy and there in Columb Cille's Monastery devoting himself wholly to works of Christian repentance after eight years continual preparation by them for his passage to immortality had it in the year 773. of our Saviour's Incarnation 4. Muirchiortach great Grandchild to Brion Buraimh and one of Ketings Monarchs of Ireland who having resign'd his Royal Authority and together with it whatever else he possess'd or loved on earth put on the habit of a pooor religious man at Lismore where without looking back he ended happily his days 5. Domhnal mhac â—rdghair who according to Colgan as we have seen before was also King of Ireland though in his declining years yet amidst his prosperity retiring to the Abbey of Doire Cholumb-Cilie employing the remainder of his life there in exercises of piety holiness and mortification and lamenting the sins of his former days prepared for encountred and receiv'd death with a serene countenance full of hopes of a glorious Immortality But whether he took upon him the outward profession of a Monk in those exercises there or did not I can say nothing on either side Nor is it very material to know seeing the inward habit of his Soul yielded fruits worthy of true repentance and the severest outward profession of it 6. Ruaruidh O Conchabhair the very last Irish Monarch we have shewn likewise before to have made a religious life under the Habit and in a Cloister of Augustinian Chanon Regulars his last refuge in this World from so many vicissitudes of Fortune There it was he became so truly wise indeed as to prepare only for that other World which being planted far above all the glory of the Sun and all the Circles of time expects only Souls either never tainted with sin at any time or by perfect repentance at least before death throughly purified from its deadly sting And such indeed for making choice either sooner or later of the better part with Mary were those now enumerated Monarchs of Ireland And yet I know not why I might not add to their number Maolseachluinn I. and Brian Boraimh For albeit they never had been either profess'd Monks Anchorites or Clerks nor divested of their Authority Royal nor at all outwardly retired from the cares of the Publick or management of their own domestick affairs or comfort of their Wives and Children yet their piety of life was such as purchas'd for them after death the reputation of holy men Yea S. Cairbre Bishop of Cluan-mhac-Noise when the former died Anno 860. being in extasy beheld his Soul ascending to glory says Lucius And the later has been inserted not only by John Wilson in his Martyrologe but by Henry Fitz Simons in his Catalogue of the Saints of Ireland both these Authors having in this particular followed Marianus Scotus Of the Provincial Kings a far greater number and some of them very early that is in their very youth made the same prudential wise divine choice Aillill Anmbanna King of Connaght led so wonderfully strict a life according to the exactest Rules of Christianity that upon his death it pleased God to shew his Soul to Columb-Cille ascending to Heaven Anno 544. Cormac King of South Leinster about the Year of Christ 567. quitting voluntarily his Kingdom went to Beannchuir profess'd himself there a Monk continued in the same place leading a life truly answerable to his profession till death translated him to happiness Anno 567. which the Irish Church believing has placed him in her Calendar of Saints Aodh Dubh King of Leinster forsaking in the same manner both his Kingdom and whatever else he might enjoy on earth took the Monastical habit and Vows upon him lived accordingly some years in the Monastery of Kildare an underling was after made Abbot then Bishop of the same Cloister and See deceased Anno Christi 638. and in fine was recorded in the Register of Saints Ceallach mhac Reghal King of Connaght made the like exchange of a Kingdom for a Cloister died in the Year of our Lord 703. and is invoked particularly at Lochkinne as their tutelary Patron Ardghal mhac Cathail King of Connaght the very same only that to be further off from all noise of the World he retired out of Ireland to the Monastery of Columb-Cille in the Island of Hy where in the seventh year of his peregrination which was of Christ 786 he ended his mortal course Before him a little that is Anno Christi 739. flourished the good King of Vlster Fiacha mhac Aodh Roin surnamed In Droiched from his continual care of building Bridges every-where throughout his Kingdom to make the ways more passable for Droiched in their Tongue signities a Bridge He was even to admiration vertuously just and equitable to all persons whatsoever Only one Cow taken away by stealth within his Dominion and because peradventure says Gratianus Lucius the Author of this stealth had not been with due severity punish'd he inflicted the remainder on his own person by going a Pilgrimage to Beannchuir In his Reign and
Year of Christ 743. not as Cambrensis has it biâ—nnio ante Topog. dist 2. c. 10. adventum Anglorum two Years only but 424 Years before the first landing of Fitz Stephens in Ireland So far is Cambrensis out in his relation of the very time of this matter it happening that a prodigious Whale with three golden Teeth stianded at Carlingford within his jurisdiction each Tooth weighing fifty ounces of Gold he gave one of them to the chief workman-builder of the foresaid Bridges the other two he dedicated to the making of Shrines in the Monastery of Beannchuir for those holy relicks there on which the Countrey people did use to take their most solemn Oaths for ending all Controversies arisen Felim mhac Criomthain alias in Latin Feidlimidius that most famous King though not of Ireland wherein also Cambrensis as in most his other Relations concerning Ireland has most grosly err'd but of Mounster having prosperously reigned 27 years and within that time what by harrassing what by fighting Leath-Cuinn humbled them mightily at last resign'd his Crown retired from all secular Employments all earthly joys pleasures vanities withdrew to a Wilderness turn'd a poor Hermit there continued so the rest of his life devoting himself wholly to God till death call'd him away under the Monarchy of Niall Caille in the Year of Christ 845. For then it was that he departed hence with the Opinion both of a great Saint and of as excellent a Writer too as that Age might have says Lucius The Irish Book call'd an Leabhar Irsi or as Keting expounds it the Book of their Annals has in short this Elogy of him Optimus Sâ—piens Anachoreta Scotorum quievit Contemporary to him was Fionachta-Luibhne King of Connaght who in the same manner exchang'd his Royal Robe for an Hermits Coat and all the attendance wealth delights pomp gayety of a Palace for the laonliness poverty silence obscurity of an uncouth naked solitude to prepare himself for the last day of his life which he ended there Anno 846. Next to this Fionachta in order of time the King of Leinster Dunling mhac Muireadhach retired both from his Kingdom and all worldly things else into the Monastery of Kildare professing Monk and continuing there in the exercises first of an Underling then of an Abbot till in the Year 867. he finish'd happily his course And after him Domhnal son to the Monarch of Ireland Aodh Fionnliach devoted himself to the service of God in the habit and profession of a most godly mortified Ecclesiastick In which condition he received without any fear at all the King of terrours Death in the Year of our Saviour 911. Him although at a great distance of time followed Ruaruidh O Conchabhair King of Connaght I mean the Father of Toirghialiach mor O Conchabhair Monarch of Ireland who in the 20th year after that O Flaithâ—â—iortach had put out his eyes enter'd the Order of Canon-Regulars and among them rendred his Soul to his Redeemer An. 1118. And so did the King of the Dublinian Danes and Leinster Irish Domhnal O Brien son to Muirchiortach O Brien King of Ireland renounce his Kingdom profess Clerk at Lismore and accordingly there continue a life of pennance to his death which happened Anno Dom. 1135. Lastly the religious Devotion of Cathal Cruddhearg King of Connaght Lucius calls him in Latin Cathaldus à rubro Carpo is very much celebrated amongst his Countrymen in all their Histories He after the death of his Wife gave up his Kingdom profess'd Cistercian Monk in the Monastery built by himself at a place in Connaght call'd the Hill of Victory and in the Year of Christ 1224. breath'd out his last in the same religious Cloister The great liberality of this Provincial King to the Church and particularly the large extent of Lands bestowed for ever by him upon that Cistercian Abbey de Colle Victoriae when he built it may perhaps be elsewhere in this Treatise reflected on At present and because I have now done with all the most singular patterns of Piety recorded among the Provincial Kings of that Nation I proceed to those of the most celebrated memory in that respect among their Lesser Kings Such were Damhin mhac Dambinghoirt King of Orghillae departed this life Anno Dom. 560. and Ferrhadhach mhac Duacha parted in the Year 582. whose Souls are said by the Irish Writers to have been shew'd to Columb-Cille ascending to Heaven absque poenis purgatoriis Such was Brian Boraimh's Ancestor in the seventh degree of ascent by name Toirrghiallach by Title or Dignity King of Dal-Gheass or rather indeed says Keting of North-Mounster who in the Year 690. or thereabouts after he had bestow'd all the Islands in his Kingdom on poor strangers to be inhabitâ—d and cultivated by them put on a Monks Cowl at Lismore and for his daily employment either polish'd stones for the building of Churches there or mended High-ways So that he was never idle but discharging continually with his own hands the part sometime of a Stone-cutter at other times that of a poor ordinary Mason or meanest Day-labourer Such Maol-bressal mhac Cearnaigh King of Mogh dornuigh who after quitting the World professing Monk and living in that profession many years like a Saint was kill'd at last by the Danes Anno 847. Such Maolduin King of Oiligh son to Aodgh Ordnigh the Monarch that forsook all whatever was desireable on earth took the same course of a profess'd religious Life in a Monastery for many years never look'd back never took his hand off the Plough till death seiz'd him in the Year of Christ 865. Such also were Maolbride King of Cineal-Gonail and Domhnal King of Cineal-Laoghaire who trampling underfoot all worldly temptations assumed the Monastic habit retired into Cloister'd Cells and for the remainder of their lives which was of many years continued their station there practising only the methods of dying to themselves and living to Christ till the blessed hour came when he call'd them to himself the former Anno 897. the later Anno 882. And after them Donochadh the son of Ceallach and Son-in-law to Donochadh mhac Floinn the Monarch King of Ossory is next recorded as a man of exceeding piety and godliness though never so profess'd Monk nor at all retir'd in outward appearance from the duties of his secular Employment His care of the poor was such that in his time every house in Ossory had three several Bags for daily Collections of Victuals to feed them One that receiv'd the tenth part of every persons meal none at all of the Family no not even of the servants excepted Another design'd for the portion of Saint Michael the Archangel as they call'd it And a third was under the peculiar charge of the good Wife to see all the scraps gathered into it Besides he was himself exceeding bountiful to them And then his devotion at Church frequentation of the Sacrament watch over his own senses delight in all
divine things continual exercise in all good works made his memory pleasant and fragrant and sweet and precious after his death The debt of Nature that open'd for him the passage into a blessed immortality he paid in his Father-in-law's Reign over Ireland that is between the Years 918. when this Monarch Donochadh mhac Floinn be gun his reign and the year 942. when he ended it I might on this occasion peradventure call to mind what Keting has of Scanlan mor mhic Cinfoala a former King of Ossory his grateful devout liberality in applotting and enjoyning three pence a smoak throughout his Countrey to be paid yearly for ever to Columb-Cille's Abbey there at a place call'd Durramh And I might withal remember how great how beneficial yea how wonderful even to this very Scanlan himself the inducement he had to this Devotion was For it was no less than his miraculous delivery from the very extreamest rigours of a most cruel imprisonment and twelve chains of Iron loading him and no drink at all allow'd him to quench his thirst when at Colum-Cille's instance for him in prayer to God he was on a sudden by an Angel of glory from Heaven rescued the Prison at midnight enlightned his chains unloosed his Keepers thrown down the Gates open'd he led forth and then presently as it were in another instant of time both conducted and presented to his Wonder-working Patron Columb-Cille that expected him at that very hour But as I have partly before touch'd upon the extraordinary Obligation laid by this miraculous favour on Scanlan so let it suffice here to have only mention'd so much of his grateful acknowledgment thereof And yet perhaps it may not be amiss to let the Reader know what Lucius on the foresaid occasion hath observ'd of the Kings of Ossory in general or indeed rather of the Irish Historians in relation to them viz. That these Writers do seem all of them to have some peculiar esteem for the Kings of Ossory above any other of the Lesser Kings of Ireland For when they give a Catalogue of those Provincial Kings of the Pentarchy that is of those of South-Mounster North-Mounster Connaght Leinster and Vlster that were contemporary to the Monarchs whose Reigns Lives Acts they principally write it may be seen in all their Books that then also they give a particular account of the Kings of Ossory though on that occasion they take no kind of notice of any other of all the Lesser Kings of Ireland What the reason hereof may be I cannot divine if not that peradventure they valued as Lucius says these Ossory Kings not upon the extent of their Dominion which yet was not contemptible but on their bravery and Martial courage like that of Eumenes in Plutarch who when he had but one Castle remaining in his possession would not otherwise capitulate with Antigonus but upon equal terms of honour as not esteeming any man better than himself whiles he had a Weapon in his hand But be this conjecture as you please I return back to the Subject I was on before I now give the only two remaining of those Lesser Kings that are celebrated for their prudent piety in their abandoning all they had on earth taking up their Cross and following Christ in the poverty habit and mortifications of a religious Life These were Maolmordha Huadomhnail King of Cionsallach who paid his tribute to Nature Anno 1022. and Vadah O Conchanain King of Huadiarmada above a hundred years after for he ended his days Anno 1167. Nor have I any other to add to them but only Conchabhar O Cealla surnamed of the Battles King of Mannech in Connaght whose Christian vertues are wonderfully admired by all the Irish Historians Though he was a man that not only till the last continued in his station of a Prince and Governour of his People but a very notable Warriour too as you see that surname of his imports cui cognomento à Proeliis says Lucius In short they write of him 1. That he maintain'd in Clothes and Diet 3â—0 Clerks Monks and poor Women founded twelve Churches in Moanmaigha endow'd them with Lands render'd them exempt from all publick Duties built the Cathedral Church of St. Brandan at Cluainfert and the other of St. Kieran at Cluain-mhac-Noise gave these two Cathedrals large possessions furnish'd them with Ecclesiastical Books Chalices costly Palls Vestments and all other necessaries for the holy Ministery 2. That he tyth'd his whole Estate three several times bestowed the Tenth of it on the Churches the Ninth on the poor and the Eighth part on the Clerks and others that came for assistance and relief to his House 3. That after all being warr'd upon by Conchabhar Moinmhuigh son to Ruaruidgh the last Irish Monarch by the Mac Teigs also and other great Lords associated against him and an agreement made between both sides to put the quarrel to the issue of a pitch'd Battel with this caution and mutual promise that neither should come unto it nor fight in it with Armour i. e. with breast or back or Habergion or any coat of Maile and he for his part most religiously out of meer conscience of his word keeping to that caution but they on the other side without any regard of theirs having dealt perfidiously by covering themselves with Armour under their Cassocks the issue was the slaughtering of a great number of his Army the routing of the rest and killing of him among others in the Field which they call the Field or Battel of Srugheal fought in the year of our Saviour Christ 1180. 4. That upon the news thosE 360 Pensioners above mention'd of his though not living together in one place but far and wide distant in their several Habitations yet in all the hast they could arriving all of them on the third day where his Body was and there upon the sight of it first giving way to Nature by venting their extream grief in abundance of tears groans and lamentations for him but more especially because he that maintain'd so many Ministers for God had not so much as any one of them or any other such to assoil him or comfort him in the last hour then taking his head for it was cut off and sowing it to his body and this done laying themselves on their knees they prai'd c. crying to God mightily and with wonderful Faith beseech'd him to return back the Soul of their dear Benefactor into his Body while he prepar'd himself by repentance and reconciliation and the Sacraments of Christ for a more quiet and hopeful departure 5. Lastly That their prayers were so efficacious and the mercy of God so extraordinarily propitious to Conchabhar that he revived presently confess'd his sins received the holy Viaticum but then as he told them chose rather to die than live any longer Adding withal that the true cause why God would have him defeated and kill'd in that Battle was that he had not incontinently punish'd some
wickedness committed by his Brother Which yet he had not forgiven but only delai'd to judg as having never once heard of it before that very morning when he was preparing for Battel and consequently his Soul taken up wholly with other cares Whereby says Gratianus Lucius relating this matter at large and quoting O Duvegan for it we may guess at the condition of those Governors that wilfully and deliberately not only delay the punishment of so many horrible crimes they see daily committed even against all Justice and Religion but resolve never to punish them Neâ— enim injuria quis dixerit eum saevire in bonos qui parcit-malis But if you be of an other judgment as to this Maxim I mean That he is cruel to the good who spares the wicked or if peradventure you boggle at the miraculous part either of this Relation of Conchabhar O Cealla's death or of the former enumeration of such Irish Christian Monarchs Provincial and other Lesser Kings who have been famous in their time for piety you may pass it over and leave it to the devotion and credulity of other men that have not the same apprehensions doubts or scruples as they have not the same soul with you I am sure that laying all such matters aside there is among those great Examples of Virtue enough still remaining to edifie any good Christian or any sober man alive Though I must tell you withal that as no Writer holds himself accountable either for the verity or falsity of any other matters of Fact whatsoever written by him out of ancient History so much less for those of Miracles And yet further I must acknowledg that I know not whether any man writing purposely of a Nation or People that both firmly do believe such miraculous works to have been wrought by God among their Predecessors and would perhaps hold it a very invidious malevolent diminution of their glory for such a man to pass them over wholly in silence it were just or prudential in him to do so However I have avoided the two extreams I have not been wholly silent as to such matters nor have I given but a very few of them Besides I do not interpose a syllable of my own judgment Though I would nevertheless be as free either to assent or dissent or even to suspend as any other upon sufficient ground But enough of this and together with it of all I intended to give in the second Point 35. The third is an Appendix to what has been hitherto said of the personal piety of those Princes For I am now to give in order what was done partly by some of the very same partly by other Irish Kings Princes Lords as well to reform the Commonwealth regulate the Church restore Learning to the Nation as to promote Christian religious piety among all their Subjects no less than in themselves And all this I mean acted by them after the general calamity of the Danish Wars yea and acted by them notwithstanding their own so frequent relapses at this very time into their old Feuds again Brian Boraimh so often mention'd but never enough praised must be the first Instance in this place He set all men free from the exactions of the Danes All the spoils gained by him from the Danes he bestow'd on others All the Lands and Territories of the Kingdom he restor'd to the ancient Proprietors and lawful Heirs not retaining to himself or any Relations one foot of Land belonging to others He conferr'd on each Temporal Lord great Priviledges and Immunities according to his degree He restored to each Bishop his own Diocess to each Priest his Church throughout Ireland He founded built endow'd many Churches Schools Colledges and with Royal munificence care solicitude gave a new beginning again to the destroy'd Universities He bestow'd on every person that would learn money to bear his charges competently He built at his own proper cost the Cathedral of Cill-da-Luagh the Church of Inis Cealtrach and re-edified the Steeple of Tuaim-Ghreine He built many Bridges made many Causeys mended many High ways before not passable He erected many new Forts strengthened the old ones with new Bulwarks and in particular fortified Cashel the usual mansion of the Mounster Kings He re-edified all the Royal Houses or Palaces in Mounster that before his time had been either utterly ruin'd or wholly neglected in particular thirteen of them His Government was so rigid that under it a young Woman travail'd all alone from Toruidh to Cliodhna the length of Ireland with a gold Ring hanging on the top of a Wand in her hand without meeting any that attempted to rob or ravish her Besides he enter'd not on the Sovereignty by murdering or killing his Predecessor as so many others did who nevertheless were not tax'd with Usurpation because of their descent from the Royal Line and yet Brian was undoubtedly of the Line from Heber Moreover he was gloriously magnificent in his Port. No man could carry Arms in his Court where ever it chanc'd to be except only Dal-Gheass that were his own peculiar Guards All the Provinces of Ireland every one and some lesser Countreys too besides the Danes inhabiting Dublin and Limmeric lay under a considerable Boraimh or Tax which they paid yearly for the maintenance of his House at Ceann-Chora viz. Connaght 800 Beeves and so many Hogs Tirchonail 500 Mantles and 500 Beeves Tir-Eoghuin 600 Beeves 600 Hogs and 60 Tun of Iron Clanna Ruidhruidh in Vlster 150 Beeves and so many Hogs Oirghilluibh 800 Beeves Leinster 300 Beeves 300 Hogs and 300 Tuns of Iron Ossory 60 Beeves 60 Hogs and 60 Tuns of Iron Danes of Dublin 300 Pipes or Buts of Wine Danes of Limmerick a Tun of Claret for every day in the Year what Mounster paid I do not find In short his Hospitality at Ceann-Chora in every degree was such that excepting the Monarchs Cormock mhac Airt and Conair mor mhac Eidrisgceoil no other King of Ireland ever did an near it Maolseachluinn II. in his Second Reign especially towards the middle of it when he gave himself to Devotion and thoughts of an other life did as well in good Government and care of the Publick as in Piety shew himself both a great and good King He reedified many Schools repair'd many Churches maintain'd 300 Scholars out of his own Revenue laid the foundation of S. Mary Abbey in Dublin built and endow'd it An. 1039. * Vnderstand this according to Ketings Computation that gives Clantar Clantarâ—â— Battel fought on the 16th of April 1036. but not according to Gratianus Lucius or others that deliver it fought earlier by 20 years viz. Anno. 1014. the very first Abbey we read of built in Ireland since the universal destruction by the Danes For the Monarch Toirghiallach mhac Teaidhg mhic Brian Boraimh that he was not only a good man but excellent King you may read in Lucius very convincing Arguments 1. That during his twelve years Reign there was
none oppos'd his person nor any that call'd in question his Title none drew Sword nor lift up an armed Hand against him 2. That he never enacted one farthing never any kind of Boraimh or Tax of the Provinces yet was abundantly furnish'd by them all along with all kind of necessaries to support his Regal dignity 3. That he made very good wholsome convenieent Laws for his People 4. That Lanfrancus then Arch-bishop of Canterbury loved him entirely remembred him still in his Prayers did all the good Offices he could to his Friends calls him tacitly a lover of Justice and then expresly adds Magnam misericordiam populis Hiberniae tunc divinitus collatam quando omnipotens Deus Terdelacho magnifico Hiberniae Regi jus Regiae potestatis super illam terram concessit That Almighty God had then shewed great mercy to the people of Ireland when he gave the Royal power of that Land to the magnificent King Toirrghiallach The Letters of Lanfrancus containing these Elogies of him are quoted by Lucius page 83. Muirchiortach O Brien son to the said Toirrgiallach made a much further progress in restoring the Commonwealth and both endowing and reforming the Church In the first year of his Reign which was the year of Christ 1106. he alienated th City of Cashel from the Mounster Kings and to the honour of God and of St. Patrick bestow'd it for ever in puram eleemosynam by way of pure Alms on the Bishops See there says Keting In his Reign also not only a Parliament of all the Estates in Ireland * See Waraeus in his Commeut de Praesul Heb. p. 12. in Celsus was held at Fiadh-mhac-Naoughussa but as Gratianus Lucius has it even three several Synods representing the whole Clergy of that Nation were conven'd at three divers places One of them at Vsneach in Meath conven'd Anno 1106 as Lucius expresly says telling us withal that in this Council Gillaspuic whom he calls in Latin Gilbertus Abbot of Beannchuir Bishop of Limmeric and Legat for the Pope was President and that in all it consisted of fifty Bishops whereof the said President was the first Celsus in Irish Ceallach successor to St. Patrick at Ardmagh the second and Maolmuire Huadanain Arch-bishop of Mounster the third besides three hundred Priests and three thousand other Ecclesiasticks present Another of them was held at the foresaid Fiadh-mhac Naonghussa then if I understand Keting aright when all the Estates were assembled there And though I cannot say for certain what Year that was I may nevertheless Waraeus out of the Annals of Hister says it was held Anno 1111. assure you that Keting says the Representatives or Members of this Synod were only the successor of that Patrick at Ardmagh for he does not otherwise name him and Maolmuire O Dunain the Archbishop of Mounster and eight Bishops more besides 360 Priests 140 Deacons and other Ministers not numbred that were present But for the Acts of this Council we need not be inquisitive since the same Keting has plainly told us they are lost And so might Lucius for ought I can see have told us of those made at Vsneach for it is he and not Keting that has observ'd that Synod The third which both of them equally mention has been a memorable one indeed and the chief Acts of it preserv'd to Posterity are at large in Keting It was held at Rath Bressail Anno 1110. under the presidency of the foresaid Gillaspuic Bishop of Limmeric as the Pope's Legat. The number of Bishops conven'd I do not find But I see clearly enough their main business was to reduce the number of Bishops in the whole Island and to assign to each Bishop his own peculiar Diocess with the meers and bounds thereof partly as I suppose to prevent disputes about Jurisdiction and partly that the Flock might be the more carefully observ'd They did both successfully And for the number they ordered it should be six and twenty in all twelve of them in Leath Cuinn and twelve in Leath Mogh and two in Meath Of the twelve in Leath-Cuinn six were in the Province of Vlster and Ardmagh one of the six the rest in Connaght of the other twelve for Leath-Mogh seven were appointed for the two divisions of Mounster and five for Leinster He of Dublin was not mention'd amongst them nor indeed at all as receiving then his consecration from Canterbury But Gleann-da Loch now united to it was one of the Five for Leinster All the other Sees also they named whereof some are different from those we know at present And so did they name in the very Acts of the same Council the peculiar Meers of each Bishoprick all round about every where throughout the whole Kingdom The Annals of Inis Fail as Lucius quotes 'em say this Synod or rather perhaps the General Assembly consisting as well of the Lay Estates as of Ecclesiastical sitting in the same Place made better Laws than Ireland ever had before at any time Among which Keting sets down one special Act for the plenary Exemption of the Church for ever from all Taxes Impositions Burthens Duties c. impos'd on 'em by the secular Power Another also for every Bishop's consecrating at Easter the Oyl of holy Vnction After which concluding his whole account of this National Synod he adds how the Fathers assembled therein had in the end of all their Acts bless'd the Observers and curs'd the Transgressors of them in this form The blessing of God Almighty and of S. Peter and S. Patrick and of the Representer of S. Peter's Successor the Legat Giolla-Aspuick Bishop of Limmerick and of Ceallach S. Patrick's successor Primat of Ireland and of Maoil-Josa mhac Ainmhire Arch-bishop of Cashel and of all the Bishops Gentry and Clergy in this holy Synod of Rath-Breassuill light and remain upon every one that shall approve ratifie and observe these Ordinances And of the other side their Curses on the Infringers of ' em Gratianus Lucius in his Cambr. Evers page 83. is of opinion and his reasons for it can hardly be gainsay'd that these which are called three National Synods were but one and the self-same Council continued from time to time and finish'd in three several Sessions and Places viz. One Session at Visneach another at Fiadha-mhac-Naonghussa and the Last of 'em at Rath-Bressail But if you enquire what should bring to this Council such a vast conflux of Ecclesiasticks as besides all the Bishops whose duty it was to be there three hundred Priests and 3000 other Churchmen I for my part can guess at no other cause than one of Three or all Three together 1. The Novelty or at least Rarity of a National Synod in that Kingdom I am sure Keting in all his History has not any Instance of a National Synod of the Irish Church not even from the beginning of it before that of Fiadh-mhac-Naonghussa 2. The Fame of so great a Reformation of the Sacerdotal Order and state Ecclesiastical
intended by the reducing the number of Bishops and bounding their Diocesses might have drawn many to come thither 3. The Temporal Estates of the whole Kingdom sitting at the Place and Time questionless occasion'd the coming of many more Ecclesiasticks to that Council than perhaps otherwise would have come What I would principally observe by occasion of that Synod at Rath-Bressail is first how short this number of 26 Bishops in all Ireland comes of that other of 350 Bishops related before page 56. out of Nennius and Jocelin to have been consecrated by St. Patrick in his time for that Countrey But it may be said that was a time of labouring in the conversion of every part of that Kingdom and its Dominions abroad in Scotland and other adjacent Islands To which purpose it was expedient there should be a very great number of Bishops according to the greatness of the Harvest which was all at least as to Ireland at home made up in 35 years Besides that in 61 or 62 years the long term of Saint Patrick's life after he had enter'd on that Harvest e'en so many hundred Bishops as are mention'd by the said Authors might have died in Ireland and the adjacent Islands tho never the fifth or sixth part of them had lived together in any one time And yet I must confess there was in later times and even but a little before this Council a most corrupt custom in Ireland that multiplyed Bishops pro libitu Metropolitani at the sole Metropolitans pleasure as we shall see hereafter and whence that corruption with many other proceeded However to return to my main purpose Muirchiortach O Brien King of Ireland whether alone or in association with Domhnal the son of Ardghal enjoying that Title was so happy as to have by his Royal Authority concurr d unto compass'd and confirm'd this material point of Reformation and establishment of the State Ecclesiastical Hâ—s next Successor Toirrghiallach Mor O Connor notwithstanding all his Wars did manifest his care of the Publick both in civil and Ecclesiastical affairs He built the three chief Bridges of Connaght among which that of Athlone was He had the Cathedral of Tuam solemnly consecrated by a number of Bishops call'd thither of purpose He built a Hospital in the same Town and endow'd it with Lands He setled a yearly Pension for a Divinity Professor at Ardmagh He was so justly severe in punishing Criminals that having imprison'd his own son for some great Offence and rejected for a long time the intercession of several both Princes and Prelats he could hardly at last be induced even by five hundred Priests and eleven Bishops together with the Archbishops of Ardmagh and Cashel appearing before him and interceding for the Prisoner to set him at liberty after a twelve months imprisonment Of his piety besides what I have said already these are further proofs given by Lucius I. That he caus'd the Holy Cross to be carried about Ireland in great veneration 2. That he bestowed great scopes of Land on the Clergy of Tuam on the Successor of Saint Coman a Town and on the Bishop of Cluain-mhac-Noise a number of Silver Crosses Goblets and Chalices And 3. That by his last Will he bequeath'd to several Churches all the costly furniture of his Houses all his Gold and silver Plate all his Jewels all his Horses and Arms even his very Bow and Quiver besides 540 ounces of Gold and 40 marks of Silver His immediate Follower in the Sovereignty Muirchiortach mhac Neill was pleas'd himself in person together with all the Kings and Nobles of the whole Kingdom to be present in the National Synod of that Church held at Ceannannais we call it now Kells in Meath in the first year of his Reign which was of Christ 1152. This Council begun the 7th of March being Dominica Laetare Hierusalem had members of it present seven and twenty Bishops and as many more Abbots and Priors the Archbishops of Ardmagh and Cashel and the Bishop of Dublin besides sive elect being of the number of those 27 Bishops It was in this Council that John Papiron Cardinal of St. Laurence in Damasco sent by Pope Eugenius III. presided In this Council that he by the Authority of the Apostles Peter and Paul and the Apostolical Lord Eugenius condemned Simony execrated Usury enjoyn'd the payment of Tithes In this Council besides that he deliver'd the 4 Palls to the 4 Archbishops Ardmagh Cashel Tuam Dublin Moreover it was in this Council that he ordain'd as it was fit that Ardmagh should be Primat over all And these things being done by him without further delay he departed and on the Ninth of the Calends of May the same Year ship'd for beyond Seas So Keting writes of him and this Council out of the Annals of Cluain Eidhnioch Fiontain in Lease where he transcribes the very Latin words of those Annals Tho according to an other account of his own Giolla Criost or Christianus O Conneric Bishop of Lismore Provincial of all the Monks in Ireland and Legat in ordinary from the Pope in that Kingdom presided in this Council jointly with the said Cardinal But what is more observable in those Annals is That as to the 4 Palls most of the Clergy in this Council and especially those of Dun-da-Leath-Ghlass and Ardmach were dissenting because they held it enough for Ireland to have two Archbishops the one at Ardmach the other in Mounster as formerly The rest concerning this Council and particular names and surnames of those two and twenty Bishops that according to his account composed it for he leaves out the five Elect and all the Abbots and Priors you may read in him I think it needless to transcribe them here And yet I judg it not impertinent on this occasion to mind the Reader of Meredith Hanmer's gross mistake where in his History of Ireland he says 1. That before this time or Council of Ceannannais the Irish had never had any Archbishops 2. That ever since Austin the Monks time or his mission to England from Gregory the Great the Irish Clergy till this time had been subject to the Archbishops of Canterbury Whereas in truth they had all along from St. Patrick's time and by his own special appointment too even two Archbishops the one stiled of Ardmach the other of Mounster first then of Cashel after he came to have his fixed See there the one for Leath-Cuinn and the other of Leath-Mogha Whereof you may see more at large in Keting who in his Reign of Laogirius tells the very motive and chief inducement St. Patrick had for making the second chief Archiepiscopal See and constituting it in Mounster Nay I have my self read in some of the Saints of Irelands Lives though I have not them by me now to quote them mention made of the Archbishop of the Lagenians and his See being sometimes Kildare sometimes Ferns and so I have of the Archbishop of the Conacians too if my memory fail me
not But if it do Sir James Ware in his Commentary de Praesulibus Hiberniae supplies it abundantly page 174. concerning Mounster and pag. 243. and 244. concerning Connaght What Authority or Jurisdiction these Archbishops had in those days of old is an other question or whether they had any more than only to be Episcopi primae sedis in their Province or priority of place I can say nothing to it But in this I can be on rational grounds positive That none of the Irish Clergy depended on the Archbishops of Canterbury none of their Bishops received consecration from any of them until Lanfraneus in William the Conquerors time was the Archbishop of that See Nor then nor after neither but for some little time those only of Dublin Wexford Waterford and Limmeric And the reason why these in particular would or did so depend was That their Townsmen and subordinate peculiar Governors were Danes or Easterlings now turn'd Christians And that they suspected the Irish Prelats would not favourably judg or determine of their Elections in behalf of their own Citizens blood or Countreymen to Ecclesiastical Offices but by reason at least of the former Feuds if not those present and remaining still would prefer Irish to them And therefore and further yet because they expected in that behalf impartial dealing and justice if not favour too from the See of Canterbury as being of late brought under the Norman Conquerors originally their own Countreymen they procured License from the Irish Kings to have their Bishops consecrated by the Archbishops of that See whereby it happened that so lately as the Reign of the Monarch Toirrghiallach Grandchild to Brien Boraimh in the Year of Christ 1098. the first Bishop of Waterford was consecrated by Anselmus of Canterbury So says Keting and much more Lucius and most of all on this Subject the most eminently famous Primat Vsher who was both concern'd for his own See of Ardmagh and without question able enough to search into these matters To him may be added Sir James Ware pag. 102. 103 and 104. where he tells us of Patric Donatus O Haingly Samuel O Haingly and Gregory four Bishops elected successively by the Oostmans of Dublin and and consecrated for that See by the Archbishops of Canterbury Lanfrancus Anselmus and Rudolphus but no more for the next Bishop of Dublin was consecrated by Ardmagh Having thus reflected on those Errors of Hanmer I have no more to say in relation to the Council of Ceannannais but that all the advantage benefit glory redounding from it to the Irish Church ought questionless to be attributed chiefly to the foresaid King and Monarch of Ireland Muirchiortach mhac Neill that rendred it both much more august by his own Royal presence and much more effectual by his perfect submission to all its Decrees A further strong argument of great resolutions taken by many of the Kings Princes Nobles Ecclesiasticks of Ireland to restore civility justice learning and above all Piety and holiness of Life once more among their Countreymen was the great number of Monasteries built and endow'd by them within the very last eighty years of their Milesian Government before the final period of it Yea and built by them I mean notwithstanding all the disadvantages of that time especially of that part of it which was taken up by the extraordinary turbulencies happen'd in Ruaruidh O Connor's Reign Who as we have seen before succeeded this Muirchiortach mhac Neill and was himself never since by any of his Countrey or Nation succeeded In the Province of Vlster Anno 1106 the Monastery of Lisgoual near Loch Erne and the Abbey of Carrig whose first Abbot was St. Euodius were founded by Mac-Noellus Mackenlef King of Vlster Anno 1138. an other for the Canons Regular of St. Austin in Feramanach The same Year an other in Louth for the same order by Donogh mhac Ceirrbheoil King of Orghillae And by him at the request of St. Malachias the noble Abbey of Mellifont for the Cistercians Anno 1142. The Abbey of Jonmhair Chinne Traigh alias Newry by Malachias himself besides the celebrated Beannchuir restor'd by him About this time also the younger O Domlsnâ—l as he is call'd â—rince of Tirconnel at the request of St. Dominick by Letters to him built for his Order a Monastery at Doire Cholum Cille which had usually a hundred and fifty religious men In the Province of Mounster not only the Abbâ—y of O Dorne in the County of Kierry the Abbey of Fermoigh in the County of Cork Anno 1140. and the Abbey of Neny or Magio Anno 1148 or 1151 all three for the Cistercian Order but eighteen Monasteries founded by Domhnal O Brien the last King of North-Mounster Among these were the famous Abbey of Holy Cross at Tipperary and St. Peters at Limmeric for the black Nuns of St. Austin and the Monastery de Surio and that call'd Killoulense or de Albo campo and the other Kilmoniense or de Furgio and lately the Cloister â—f Corcamâ—ua or of the fruitful Rock In the Province of Leinster Diarmuid mhac Murcho surnamed Na Ngall the last King of it founded six Monasteries Two of them at Dublin whereof one was for Nons of the Order or rather Reformation of Aroasia the other for Chanons of Aroasia in an Abbey of Monks in Artois St. Austin a third in the County of Kilkenny at Kilclehin a fourth at Atoody in the County of Catherlach the fifth being a great noble Abbey for the Cistercians by them named de Valle Salutis at Baltinglass in the County of Wicklo and the sixth at Ferns in the County of Wexford But Monaster-Euin or de rubra Valle for the same Cistercian Order was founded by Diarmuid O Daoimuse alias Dempsy Lord or at least one of the Lords of Ibh Failghe Anno 1178. Jeripont Abby in the County of Kilkenny Anno 1181. by Donald Fitz Patric King of Ossory The Monastery of Lease or de Lege Dei An. 1183. by Cuchogrius O Moadhirra The Monastery of Dune in the County of Wexford even before the landing of Fitz Stephens there by Diarmuid O Ryan by consent of the Leinster King founded for the Chanons of St. Austin In the Province of Connaght before it was conquered by the English Cathal O Conchabhair surnamed Crombhdhearg founded the Monastery of Benedictin Nuns at Killcreunath the Monastery of Cnockmoigh or de Colle Victoriae for the Cistercians that of Ballin Tohair for the Chanons of St. Augustin and not only endow'd but enrich'd them all with large possessions Add the Monastery of Boyle about the Year 1151 founded for the Cistercian Order Lastly in Meath the King or Prince of it Murcho O Mleaghluinn founded the Monastery of Bectif alias de Beatitudine either Anno 1148. or 1151. for the Cistercians likewise for the Votresses of Saint Augustin or he or some other O Mlaghlin King of that Countrey built the Cloister at Clonard But the Cloister of Shrouil in the County of
consequence would not be govern'd not even in Ecclesiastical affairs but by some of their own without dependance on any other except only the Prelat of that See which from the beginning of Christianity had prescribed some right over them all But enough on this Subject relating to Malachias the former of those two extraordinary Saints rais'd by God in the decrepit Age of the Irish Monarchy The later of them was a Leinster man of Noble Descent his Irish name and sirname Laurace O Tuathil in English Laurence Tool his Father Muirchiortach O Tuathil Lord of Imaile and peradventure some other small adjoyning Tracts in the County of Wickloe his Mother Inghin J. Bhrian i. e. one of O Brian's Daughters and he the youngest of all their Children But for the name of Laurence a name so unusual in that Countrey then 't was given him on this occasion Being born his Father sent him to be Christened at Kildare by Donachadh Lord of that Countrey of purpose to let him know by this Gossipred he was reconciled to him for before they had been at some distance and therefore those that carried the Child were commanded by the Father to Christen him Conchabhar this being that Nobleman's surname who was to be Godfather But a person reputed in that Countrey then such an other as Merlin had been of old among the Brittans meeting them in the High-way charg'd them to call him Laurence assuring them he would himself that night excuse them to their Lord and then adding prophetically in Irish Verse This Child shall be great on Earth and glorious in Heaven he shall command over great multitudes both of rich and poor and Laurence shall be his name When he was but ten years old his Father delivered him an Hostage to Diarmuid the King of Leinster In which condition notwithstanding the innocency of his Age he suffer'd incredible miseries even to extream want of Raiment and Food in a desert place among barbarous people where he had been for two years confined At the expiration of which being return'd back in exchange of other Prisoners though not delivered to the Father himself but to the Bishop of Gleann-da-Logh and his Father coming on the twelfth day not only to see him but to desire the Bishop to learn of God by Lot which of his children he should dedicate to an Ecclesiastick Life and he taking this opportunity and telling his Father That with his leave he himself would be that Child the Father surpriz'd with joy takes him presently by the right hand and offers him up perpetually to God in that holy place dedicated to St. Keuin both Cathedral Church and Abbey the one govern'd by a Bishop the other by an Abbot Where Laurence proves in a little time so singular a proficient in all Virtue that the Abbot dying the unanimous consent both of the Monks and Nobles of the Countrey Voted him Abbot and forc'd him to accept of it in the 25th year of his Age. And now it begun to appear more eminently what spirit he was of For the more he was honour'd the more he abased himself the stricter guard he kept on all his senses and the more intent he was upon his holy ascetick Exercises Above all that Virtue which is the bond of perfection that Virtue which shall never be evacuated but after Faith and Hope are ended shall remain that Virtue which by relieving the afflictions of other mortals makes the Reliever a God to them as Pliny speaks in his Panegyrick to Trajan Charity I mean did at this time shew what power she had over the Soul of Laurence He was no sooner made Abbot than a general Famine oppressing all that Countrey four years continually he no less continually employ'd himself in relieving all that were in want especially the poorer sort with corn and cattel and all the Revenues of his Abbey Revenues that were very great yea far surpassing those of the Bishoprick Nor must we admire they should be so It was one of the most famous ancient Monasteries of the Kingdom founded at first by St. Keuin as we call him but the Irish Ceaghin the Latins Coenginus a person though illustrious for his Royal extraction yet much more celebrated as well for the admirable austerity of his Life as for his manifold prodigious Miracles which made him after his death be assumed Patron both of the Town Abbey Cathedral Church and whole Diocess of Gleann-da-Loch where he lived and died Besides none but Noblemen's children were elected Abbots and the Noblemen themselves of the whole Diocess had by ancient custom their Voices in the election of them as well as the Monks However the large Revenues of the Abbey as they came short of the necessities of the poor in that long and general Famine so they did of the charity of Laurence as may be well concluded out of what follows hereafter Much about the time this Famine had ended the Bishop of Gleann-da-Loch dying he was chosen to succeed But notwithstanding all the importunity of the Electors he declined it though pretending only his un-Canonical Age. Yet so he could not soon after the Archbishoprick of Dublin For Gregory the First Archbishop of this See being dead Laurence by the unanimous consent of the Clergy and People of Dublin says Waraeus was elected Commentar de Praesul Hiber Archbishop and being at last by continual importunities drawn to yield was consecrated at Dublin by Gelasius Primat of Ardmagh and other Bishops Anno 1162. just fourteen years after the death of Malachias in France What more Waraeus thought fit to record of him is That presently after consecration he changed the secular Canons of his Cathedral Church into Regular of the Order of Aroasia whose habit and rule of Life himself also took upon him now That about eleven years after he built the Choire and Steeple with an other addition of three new Chappels to Trinity Church in that City That in the Year 1179. he went to the General Council held then at Rome under Alexander III. That according to the Author of his Life he was there made Legat of Ireland by that Pope soon after return'd back and exercis'd his Legatin Authority in Ireland That Gerald L. 2. expugn Hib. c. 23. Barry commonly call'd Cambrensis seems to intimate he never had been permitted to return to Ireland sed ob privilegia aliqua zelo suae Gentis impetrata but for some priviledges obtain'd from the Pope in that Council for his Countrey prejudicial to the Royal power of Henry II. was detained a long time partly in England partly in France until at last falling sick in his Journey he died at Auge in Normandy the 14th of Novemb. 1180. or as others have it 1181. Finally that in the Year 1225. he was canonized by Pope Honorius III. and his Relicks translated to Trinity Church in Dublin Which being the brief account given by Waraeus of this great Servant of God he leaves us for the rest that is
Kingdom been destroy'd but for the enormity of their sins Whereof whoever pleases may see proofs at large in Fitz-Herberts Policy and Religion Part 1. chap. 21. 22. 23 c. yea Jesus the son of Syrach for he may be more easily consulted in every Bible at hand may give to a sober man assurance enough where he says First cap. 10. 8. that the Kingdom is translated from Nation to Nation because of unjust dealings injuries calumnies and various deceits Secondly c. 40. 10. that death and bloodshed strife and the sword oppression famine contrition and scourges were all of them created for the wicked and for them the deluge was made Nay if we consult the Books of Kings read the Prophets run over the Books of Josuah Judges Deuteronomy Chronicles and the rest of the old Testament examine all the Histories of Christendom we shall not find any whole Kingdom or Nation destroy'd but for grievous and horrible sins either of the Rulers or People or Priests or all together Yea we shall commonly find the very quality and species of those transgressions mentioned that brought the vengeance on them However and notwithstanding that further yet we know that bloodshed is one of those four sins that cry to Heaven Gen. X. 11. for vengeance the Voice of thy brothers blood cries to me from the earth said God himself to Cain and that the very second of the Gen. IX 6. Laws he gave to Noe was that whosoever did shed the blood of man his also should be shed after all I dare not affirm positively that either those very Feuds of the Irish how unparallel'd soever in blood or those other transgressions in specie be they what you please were the sins that moved God to pronounce this final doom against them but only in general That their great sins compell'd him to it And how should I indeed For who was the Counsellor Esay XL. 13. Rom. XI 39. of God or who knows any thing of the secrets of his Providence except only those to whom himself was pleased to reveal them Nevertheless I dare acquaint the Reader that although I give but little credit generally and sometimes none at all to the Relations of Cambrensis where he seems rather to vent his passion and write a Satyr against that People than regard either Modesty or Truth yet I will not call in question what he relates l. 2. de Expug Hib. c. 33. of the Prophetical predictions made so many Ages before by the four Prophetical Saints of that Nation Moling Brachan Patrick and Columb-Cille and written by themselves says he in their own Irish Books extant yet in Ireland concerning the final Fate of their Countreymen the old Milesian Race viz. That the people of Great Brittain shall not only invade them but for many Ages continue a sharp cruel and yet doubtful War upon them at home in Ireland sometimes the one and sometimes the other side prevailing That although those Invaders shall be often disturb'd worsted weakned especially and according to the prophecy of Brachan by a certain King that shall come from the desert Mountains of Patrick and on a Sunday-night seize a Castle in the Woody parts of Ibh Faohlain and besides force them almost all away out of Ireland yet they shall continually maintain the Eastern Sea-Coast in their possession That in fine it will be no sooner than a little before the day of judgment and then it will be when they shall be throughly and universally victorious over all Ireland erect Castles every where among the Irish and reduce the whole Island from Sea to Sea under the English Yoak And verily those Prophetical predictions five hundred years since delivered us by Cambrensis as he received 'em from the Irish themselves are the more observable That by consulting the History of after-Ages from Henry II. of England to the last of Queen Elizabeth and first of King James we may see them to a tittle accomplish'd Unless peradventure some will unreasonably boggle at the circumstance of time express'd in these words Paulò ante diem Judicii a little before the day of Judgment Which yet no man has reason to do Because we know not how near this great day which shall end the World may be to us at this very present As for that King foretold as coming from the desâ—rt Mountains of Patric there may be occasion and place enough to speak of him again that is hereafter in the Second Part of this Treatise But whether from this Irish Prophesie either had as for the substance not the exact words of it from Cambrensis for he pretends not to give to us the exact words or had perhaps at least for some part of it from the Irish themselves resorting to Rome in those days the famous Italian Prophet of Calabria Joachimus Abbot of Flore did foretell in his time the utter destruction and eternal desolation that Joachimus Ab. post Tract super cap. X. Isaiae Part 1. de Oneribus sexti Temporis was to come upon the Irish Nation I cannot say This I know 1. That in all his predictions all along in his several Commentaries on Jeremy Esay the Apocalyps c. he pretends to divine Revelation 2. That he lived several years after the Writings of Cambrensis on Ireland had been publick For Cambrensis dedicated one part of them to Henry II. himself who died in the Year of Christ 1189. and the rest to his Son Richard when yet but Earl of Poicton And Joachim was in Sicily with Richard now King of England and Philip Polydore Virgil. in Ricardo primo King of France both wintring there with their Fleets An. 1190. in their way to the Invasion of the holy Land Nay I have my self read his submission of his Works to the See Apostolick dated by himself ten years after which was the Year 1200. of our Saviours Incarnation 3. That being ask'd what the success of this great expedition to the holy Land against Saladine should be his Answer was it should prove unsuccessful and that the time of recovering Hierusalem was not yet come 4. That this prediction of his was punctually true as appear'd ere long 5. That his Prophecy of the old Irish Nation is in these genuin words you read in the Margin * Ex rigoribus horribilis hyemis glacialis flatibus Aquilonis parit Hibernia Incolas furibundos Sed si sequentium temporum terrores praenoscerent internos impetus cogitarene à facie spiritus Domini ferreum pectus averterent se à sempiternis opprobriis liberarent Sed ex quo invicem vertitur furor aspideus involvit tam Clerum quam populum par insultus non video quod superna Clementia ulterius differat quin in â—os exactissimum judicium acuat in stuporem perpetuae desolationis impellat Omnes istos populos Cathedra Dubliniensis astringit Sed Darensium enormis iniquit as totum defaedat ordinem charitatis Et ideo
three men That after some time being weary of their Habitation a ship board they landed again and quitting their ships cross'd many Countreys by Land from this Caspian Sea to the Pontic That here they shipp'd the third time but ere long meeting with an Island by name Caronia they put in and remain'd in it fifteen months where Eibher mhac Taith and Lamghlas mhac Adhnoin died That from hence departing under the Conduct of four Chiefâ—â—ins whereof Caichair the Magician or Druyd was one they arrived at the North end of the Riphean Mountains where the same Caichear prophetically told them * Hereby you are to correct what is otherwise said by a mistakâ— page 13. l. 〈◊〉 and 8. as if this prediction had been made by Caicheir to Milesius himself and but some years before whereas indeed it was made to his Predecessors many Agâ—s before he was born that neither that place nor any other was design'd for their lasting abode or Habitation till they came to the Western Island which we now call Ireland and that not themselves but their posterity after them should come to it That hence again but under the Command of Eibher Gluinfhiann they removed to Gothia where they contitinued a hundred and fifty years even to the eighth Generation from Eibher to Bratha For Bratha who led them hence first of all to Spain was the son of Deaghatha son of Earchadha son of Elloit son of Nuadhath son of Neinuill son of Eibhric son of Eibher Gluinfhionn and consequently was the eighth Generation from this Eibher Gluinfhionn That all the Travels of the Progeny of Gaodhel were first from Egypt to Creet from thence to Scythia from thence to Gothia from thence to South-Spain whether the foresaid Bratha led them and back again in the person of Galamh alias Mileadh Espain or Milesius the Spaniard great Grandchild of this Bratha to Scythia as before we have seen page 12. and thence also again to Egypt and so to Thracia and once more to Gothia and thence to Spain till at last the sons of this Galamh or Mileadh ventur'd for Ireland where they set up their prophesied Rest and long abode ever since to this present day Finally that Galamh alias â—ileadh in Latin Milesius who married the Daughter of Pharaoh Nectonibus king of Egypt and her name also or at least surname Scota for the same or like reason to that which gave so long before to their great Ancestor Niull's Wife Daughter to Pharaoh Cingeris the self-same denomination That I say this Galamh was the nineteenth Generation from Gaodhel Glas and the four and Twentieth from Noah the Builder of the Ark as appears by his Pedigree thus Mileadh son of Bile son to Breoghuin son to Bratha son to Deagatha son to Earchadha son to Alloid son to Nuadhadh son to Neanuill son to Eibhric or Eibherglas son to Eibher Gluinfhionn son to Laimhfhionn son to Adhnoin son to Taidh son to Ogamhuin son to Beaomhuinn son to Eibher Scot son to Sruth son to Easruth son to Gaodhel Glas son to Niull son to Feianusa Farsa son to Baath son to Magog son to Japhet son to Noah or as the Irish call him Naoih 43. And this in substance is the account which Keting has of these matters Though I confess there may be read in him a great deal more of that Scythian King Feinusa Farsa Father of Niull and Grandfather of Gaodhel Glas particularly of his great Learning and the most celebrated School kept in those days on the Plain of Sennaar and of his having studied the Sciences and Languages full twenty years in that place and of his having then employ'd another most skilful man by name Gaodhel but his surname was Ethoir to compose or at least to refine adorn and render copious that Language which ever since from his name is call'd Gaodhelc or Gaodhlec I mean the Irish Language And so likewise it may be found in D. Keting how it was in remembrance and honour of this Gathelus or Gaothel Ethoir the Author or at least Refiner of the Irish Tongue that Feinusa Farsa's foresaid Brother Niull in Egypt gave his first-born Child the self-same denomination or name of Gaodhel alias Gathelus tho sufficiently distinguish'd after by the addition of his surname Glas. But enough of these profound remote Antiquities as Cambden calls ' em And yet I am confident they may be far more easily believed by some and pass'd over by others than oppos'd at least disprov'd by any yea notwithstanding the names of Capacyront in Egypt and Caronia in the Pontick Sea and the Fleet of Pharaoh in the red Sea seized by a thousand of the unarmed Israelits * See Josephus 3. Book of Antiqu c. 6. Where he tells us expresly that all the Israelites were disarmed when Pharaoh pursued them though after that his six hundred Chariots and fifty thousand Horse and two hundred thousand armed Faotmen were drown'd in the Red Sea and the Tide had thrown up their Arms on the other Bank where the Israelites were saâ—ely arrived they armed themselves sufficiently and put under the Command of Niull That I may say nothing at all or scruple or boggle either at the two Scotas Daughters to those two Kings of Aegypt as already you have seen or at the two Scythian Kings of the same name Refloir and both kill'd by the Progeny of Gaodhel Glas the first of them by Taith mhac Daghnon and the second at least two hundred years after by Milesius himself as may be remembred out of the 12th page before But leaving the judgment hereof to the Reader 44. I proceed to my next Reflection which must be on page 8 and 9. There you are told How the children or posterity of Nemedus the Irish call 'em Clanna Neimheadh to avoid a dreadful and continual pestilence of many years departing in a thousand Vessels great and small under the Conduct of three Chieftains Simeon Breac Ibaath and Briotan the other two sailing to Greece Briotan with his adherents landed in the North of that Countrey which we now call Scotland and with his and their posterity remaining there gave the denomination of Brittain to this whole Island which is now called Great Brittain as holy Cormac the King of Mounster and Bishop of Cashel in his Psalter of Cashael together with all the Chronologers of Ireland affirm You are also told that surely in this particular these Irish Chronologers have at least much more probability of their side than any late Authors have that derive that name of Brittain from Brutus or his Romantick History in Galfridus or in any other Lastly you find this Question immediately follows For if from Brutus besides other reasons why not Brutannia rather than Britannia Though in this whole passage I follow'd my Author Keting and particularly for this Question put in the last place or at least for the reason involv'd therein I might also have alledg'd Polydor. Histor Ang. l. 1. Polydore Virgil who
in like manner Claudius the Roman Emperour though come in person with a mighty power of Legions and Auxiliaries into Brittain found it his safest way to run away in two great Battels from the victorious Army of Guiderius and Arviragus the Lxvii and Lxviii Brittish Monarchs one after another in so much that Claudius was content at last ' een fairly to capitulate for Peace with Arviragus by sending to Rome for his own Daughter Gennissa and giving her in marriage to him nay and leaving him too the Government wholly of all these Provincial Islands for so Geoffrey calls them in this place That Severus how great soever both a Souldier and Emperour he was found it a desperate business to fight in Great Brittain against the Brittons when he saw himself receiving his death's wound from Fulgenius in that Battel whence he was carried dead and buried in York That under Vortigern their Lxxxvi Monarch Hengistus the Saxon invited in by him landed the second time in Great Brittain with an Army of three hundred thousand Heathen Foreigners and yet Aurelius Ambrosius the next Brittish King after Vortigern fought him in the head of all his formidable Forces and in a plain Field overthrew both him and them all nay pursued them in their Flight till he reduced them to nothing and the whole Island of Brittain to its native liberty from any Foreign Yoak Nor had his Victories a period here but over-run Ireland also where he took Prisoner in a great Battel the Monarch of that Countrey Gillomar and then brought away Choream Gigantum the Giants Monument of stones from the Plains of Kildare in that Kingdom which he set up on Salisbury Plains in England That Arthur who was likewise save one the next King of Great Brittain for he was son to Vter Pendragon that Reign'd immediately before him subdued all England Scotland Ireland the Isles of Orkney Denmark Norway Gothland along to Livonia France and as many Kingdoms in all as made up XXX Yea moreover i. e. after so many great and mighty Conquests and besides the killing too of Monsters and Giants fought even Flollo and Lucius the two Lieutenant Generals of the Roman Emperour Leo kill'd them both in France and the later of them I mean Lucius in the head of a dreadful Army consisting of four hundred thousand men all which he overthrew and ruin'd That although by occasion of some unhappy quarrels among the Britons themselves under Catericus their Lxxxxvi King a bad man the Saxons to be reveng'd on them wrought King Gurmundus the late African Conqueror of Ireland to come from thence into Great Britain with an Army of a hundred sixty six thousand Heathen Africans and burn spoil and destroy the better parts thereof and after put and leave the Saxons in possession of all he could which was that whole Countrey then called Loegria now England as distinguish'd both from Scotland and Wales meaning by Wales the ancient Kingdom of Cambria which comprehended all beyond the Savern and that notwithstanding the Saxons had by such means got possession of all Loegria and held it for several years they were beat out again so soon as the Britons agreed amongst themselves meeting at Westchester and chusing there Caduallo for their King who bravely recovered the whole Island every way round even to the four Seas and kept both Picts and Scots and such of the Saxons as were left alive or permitted to stay in perfect obedience to the British Crown during his own Reign which lasted forty years in all and that so did Cadwallador after him during his In short that as the progeny of Frute continued free independent successful glorious in the first period of their Monarchy under sixty six Kings of their own during at least a thousand years and forty from the landing of Brute till the Invasion of Julius Caesar and as for the next period which took up five hundred and nine years more till the landing of Hengistus the Saxon albeit the Roman power and glory did sometimes lessen sometime ecclipse theirs yet they preserved still their freedom and Laws and Government under twenty other Kings of their British Nation successively reigning over them and paying only a slight acknowledgment of some little tribute to the Roman Emperours nay and this same but now and then very seldom so in the third or last period of it containing somewhat above two hundred and fifty years from the said landing of Hengistus to the twelfth year of Cadwallador they upon the Romans quitting them not only restor'd themselves under Aurelius and Arthur by their own sole valour to the ancient glory of their Dominion but maugre all the opposition of the Confederated Saxons Picts and Scots now and then rebelling against them enjoyed it under the succession of seven Brittish Kings more from Arthur to Cadwallador yea Malgo the fourth of this very last number when the six foreign Provincial Countreys as Geoffrey calls them viz. Ireland Island the Orcades Norway Denmark and Gothia had rebell'd anew was so fortunately brave as by dint of Sword to have reduced them all again to their old subjection under Great Brittains Empire Add moreover that Cadwallador himself albeit the last of this Trojan Race wielding the Sâ—â—pter of Great Brutus enjoyed the same Glorious Power that his Predecessours had before him over the whole extent of this Noble Island That the total change and utter downfal of the Brittish Government happening after in his days proceeded only from an absolute Decree of Heaven and mighty Anger of God incensed against the Brittons for their sins but neither in the whole nor in part from any Power of the Saxons or other Enemies or men upon Earth That the immediate visible means which God made use of to destroy them irrecoverably were 1. A most bloody fatal Division after some years of this Cadwallador's reign happening among them yea continuing so long and to such a degree that between both sides all the fruitful Fields were laid waste no man caring to till the ground 2. The consequence of this waste a cruel Famine over all the Land 3. A Plague so prodigiously raging that the number of the Living was not sufficient to bury the Dead That the Almighty's hand lying so heavy on them by so dreadful a Pestilence was it alone that forc'd Cadwallador in the twelfth year of his Reign to retire for some time into Little Britanny in France That after ten years more when this Epidemical Plague had been wholly over and Cadwallador prepared to ship his Army and return a voice of Thunder by Angelical Ministery spake to him from Heaven commanding him aloud to desist from his Enterprize and telling him in plain terms it was decreed above unalterably The Race of Brutus should bear no more sway in Great Brittain till the time were come which Merlin had prophecied of to King Arthur And to conclude all That in pure obedience to this Voice of God it was that Cadwallador giving
over his designed return and instead thereof going to Rome and soon after dying there upon the 12th of the Calends of May in the Year of our Lord 689 left his Countrey a prey to the Saxons who till then could never subdue it nor prevail against the Brittons but were themselves always overthrown and forc'd all along e'n by so many Brittish Kings in succession from Aurelius and Arthur to Caduallo either to fly the Land or submit to their mercy All which in substance and much more at large we are told by Geoffrey * Galfridus Monumetensis in his Latin History de Origine Gestis Britannorum printed at Paris by Ascensius Badius Anno 1517. But the fourth Book of this Romantick story iâ— wholly taken up with the deceitful Propâ—ecies of Merlin though Prophecles much augmented says Neubrigensis by additions of Geoffrey's own inventive Brain which he foisted in as Merlin's Nor has been ashamed to endeavour to make us believe that Merlin was a great and wonderful and true Prophet indeed yea notwithstanding that Merlin's own Mother confessed him to be the Son of an Incubus Devil See Galfridus himself l. 3. c. 3. of Monmouth in his seven Books of History and out of him by others Only besides my summing up the number of Kings and fixing the period of times and contracting the whole story and digesting it into this order and Method give me leave to except the particular of Dioclesian the Syrian King 's thirty Daughters and the Incubi Devils with their Gigantic procreation For this I had from Buchanan's relation of it l. 2. Rer. Scot. as added by some others to supply a defect of so much in the new History of Galfridus 45. But as William of Newbery commonly called in Latin Neubrigensis this Geoffrey's own Contemporary in England has in Proemio Histor five hundred years since reflected with much freedom and tartness on the Vanity incredibility and falsity of his History in general and more particularly on that part of it which represents King Arthur such a wonderful Heroe so has in later times Polydore Virgil first and after him George Buchanan ruin'd the very foundation of the whole Fabrick I mean the very Being or Existence of Brute himself at any time on Earth And certainly in my opinion the reasons of Polydore seem convincing enough to any unbyass'd man For says he l. 2. Histor Anglic neither Titus Livius nor Dionysius Halicarnasseus nor any of those other Authors that most diligently write of Roman Antiquities have one syllable of this Brutus Nor could any thing concerning so much as either his Name or Existence be fetch'd from the ancient Annals of Great Brittain seeing that five hundred years or thereabouts before this new History of Galfridus had been contriv'd Gildas I mean the true and not the supposititious one complain'd that if ever the ancient Britons his Countrey-men had any such or other Annals at all they were undoubtedly either perish'd in the War at home or carried away so far abroad as no news could be had of them Besides the particular of the taking of Rome by Belinus and Brennus quite over-throws all both Fabrick and foundation of this New History if we compute the times set down in it and compare them with those in the Greek and Roman Chronicles For in this New History not only Brute is said to have conquer'd Albion about the tenth year after his Father Silvius had been kill'd which was the year of the World 4100 but the two Brothers Belinus and Brennus sons to Molmutius the XX. King and they the XXI Generation from Brute are said to have taken Rome about four hundred years after the same Brute had conquer'd this Island And yet according to the Epitome or account of times both in Eusebius and all other as well Greek as Latin Histories Rome was taken by Brennus and his Gauls even after full seven hundred years and ten had been over from the foresaid year wherein Brute is said by the new History to have enter'd Albion So that by this new History Brennus must have taken Rome three hundred and ten years before it was really taken at all Then which I think nothing can be desired more convincing to ruin both the Fabrick and foundation of this Romance of Brute And so in effect has Polydors thought before me But if you would have more yea many more unanswerable arguments on this Subject you may consult George Buchanan where he has them at large L. 2. Histor Scot. For as it ought to be no part of my purpose here to compare or confront so many or indeed any of those vain particulars in the new History of Brute either with the Commentaries of Caesar or Annals and History of Tacitus or his Life of Agricola or Venerable Bedes Ecclesiastical History of the English or the Saxon Chronology publish'd by Wheloc or the most ancient Monuments of the Irish or any other sacred or profane of so many other Kingdoms of Europe or with Reason it self so it is neither any part of it to dilate or give those manifold arguments of Buchanan though they be directly home against the very foundation of the same new History or the Being or Existence at any time of Brute It sufficeth me in this place to have given the reasons of Polydore against it My purpose here being no other than in relation to the above passage in my eighth and ninth page to conclude out of all That the Irish Cronologers and Historians have at least much more probability on their side in asserting unanimously that their true Briotan who descended of Nemedus and planted a Colony in the North part of this great Island so early was he that gave the whole Island the denomination of Brittain from his own name than they on the other side have who if the arguments hitherto be conclusive tell us in effect that a false and forged Brutus one that never was in Being should have given it And indeed the Authority of the Irish Monuments in the Psalter of Cashel an authentick Book of Irish Histories written above eight hundred years since by so great and knowing and holy a man as Cormack who was at the same time both King and Bishop of Mounster and the further derivation of the more remote Antiquities inserted in it from that other Book much more ancient yet which above one thousand two hundred years since in the composing or collecting of it out of all the former Chronicles of that Nation from the very first Plantations of it had been in the Parliament or National Assembly of all the Estates at Tarach under Laogirius the Monarch supervised and agreed upon by the choicest Committee they could appoint of three Antiquaries three Kings and three Bishops whereof S. Patrick himself was one over-ballances by much the credit of Geoffrey of Menmouth in his new History of Brutus written by him no earlier than Henry II. Reign and opposed nay quite run down by his own
less than the Milesians themselves and all other Gathelians whatsoever had the same very speech their Mother Tongue though with some difference in the Dialect So that only those I called once the Aborigenes of Ireland I mean the progeny of Ciocal and his followers descended from the accursed Cham and come out of Africk had another peculiar Language of their own 57. Though I have page 15. said the Antiquity of the Milesian Irish to be no-where parallel'd if not peradventure among the Chineses only c. I hope no man will understand me so as to think I would not have still excepted the Children of Israel had I feared that any would entertain such a thought of my meaning as would need the exception I am sure none could justly do so that pleas'd to consider what I said before page 5. viz. That the Milesians had not before two hundred eighty three years after Moses's passing the Red Sea landed in Ireland For until then whatever they were called it is plain they could not be called Irish because this name they derived from that Island where they never lived before this time And 't is no less plain that before this time the Children of Israel had as a free and brave and conquering Nation inhabited Palestin at least two hundred and forty years had also lived forty years in the Wilderness and before that too had been a great numerous people in Egypt where they lived in all from the descent of Jacob out of Canaan thither till their departure under Moses through the Red Sea two hundred and fifteen years as Josephus expresly tells in his Antiq. L. iii. c. vi though under great bondage for some part thereof And therefore to them or their ancientness I could not intend to compare that of the Milesians nor as now become Irish no nor as Gathelians neither For Gathelus himself the original stock of all the Gathelians and consequently of the Milestans being these were only a branch of those was but a youth in Egypt with his Father Niull when Moses cross'd the Red Sea as we have lately seen at large 48. Yet in the 18th Page I must confess there is an Errour committed by saying that the six sons of Muredus alias in Irish Muiriach King of Vlster went to Scotland under the Monarchy of Laogirius or Laoghaire King of Ireland But I have corrected it page 93. where you read it was in the Twentieth year of this Monarch's Successor and son Lugha they invaded Scotland 49. Whether Niall Naoihghiallach did or did not order Albania to be call'd Scotia as Keting says he did whereof see the same 18th page you are nevertheless to know that the most eminent Antiquary Primâ—t Vsher hath sufficiently evinc'd de Primord page 784. That as neither Dalrieda nor Argathelia alias Argyle though the proper Seat of the Scots inhabiting Brittain until the year 840. so neither the whole Countrey of Albania even after that year had ever been called Scotia by any Writer until about the year of Christ 1100. when both Nations I mean the Picts and Scots were come by degrees to make one people And that Marianus Scotus who flourish'd at that time was one of the very first Authors that call'd it by this name of Scotia Where you are further to observe that according to this most learned Primat's account of the confinement of the foresaid Scots to their ancient Dominions of Dalriada and Argyle it was the year of Christ 840. before they had inlarged themselves by overthrowing and subduing the whole Kingdom of the Picts Which is a hundred years later than my account of this matter out of Cambden in my said 18. Page 50. Page 19. where I supposed that the Nine several Countreys or Nations forc'd to deliver every one of them Hostages to Niall the Great otherwise and from the nine several sorts of Hostages surnam'd in Irish Naoighiallach in Latin Noui-Obses were only the five Provinces of Ireland and the distinct Dominions of the Dal-Rheudans Picts and other Inhabitants of that Countrey we now call Scotland there I follow'd Keting But after having lighted on the Author of Cambrensis Eversus and found in him That the great Irish Antiquary Joannes Colganus in his Trias Taumaturga Gratianus Lucius page 299. * page 447. num 56. had otherwise counted those nine Countreys and Nations I thought fit as occasion was offered page 221. to count or give them as he did viz. Mounster Leinster Connaght Vlster the Brittons Picts Dal-Rheudans Saxons and Morini a People of France towards Calice and Picardy For the word Saxons is in the said later page omitted through the Printers fault And yet I cannot but acknowledg that if Niall the Great had any Hostages from the Saxons he must either have taken 'em at Sea or from the Coasts of Germany the Higher or Lower but by no means from Great Brittain Because Niall was kill'd in France anno Dom. 405. as the foresaid Author of Cambr. Euers Gratianus Lucius himself does write in the short Account he gives of this Monarchs Reign and the Saxons were not come into Great Brittain before the year of Christ 440. as Polydore Virgil in his Reign of Vortigern says that is forty four years after the said Niall the Great Naoighiallach had left behind him all his Hostages and ended all his Greatness in this World 51. With the Battel or loss or name of Coilus as King of Great Brittain mention'd by me page 19. though I took it from Keting and quoted Buchanan as he does and find by reading Buchanan himself that Keting has rightly quoted him yet now I am not my self otherwise affected with it than to reject it utterly And my reason is not only Buchanans fixing the time of that Battel fought as he says between Coilus King of the Brittons and Fergus I. King of the Scots eight or nine hundred years before this very Fergus came from Ireland nor only Buchanan's borrowing this whole story out of Hector Boethius whom Humphry Lloyd calls hominem impurissimum a most impure Author and Lucius Scriptorem corruptissimum a most corrupt Writer nay one who in the far greater part of his History scarce delivers any truth at all but the very name of Coilus here deriving its original from the fertil invention of Geoffrey of Monmouth's new History of Brutus For it is only in this Romance we find the first mention of any Coilus among the Kings of Great Brittain And there indeed I must confess we have not only one but three Monarchs of this Island bearing that name The first of them being the fortieth King in order of time the second being the seventieth second King and the last whom he names Coel. being the seventy ninth according to Geoffrey's disposition of them and my account out of him But I must withal acknowledg that he has not a word nor a syllable either of the first or last of these Three save only the bare names of Coilus and Coel hudled
in among so many other mostly too bare names of other pretended Brittish Kings Neither has he any more of the very Second Coilus than that he was the son of King Marius and the Father of King Lucius the First Christian King of Great Brittain and that having in his youth been bred at Rome he continued after e'en all along his Reign both devoted to the Roman State and in Peace with all his Neighbours And therefore the rest of the story in Buchanan either of this or any other Coilus must be a later additional Invention and in reference to the real true Records of Antiquity as ill contrived as might be though answerably enough to the foundation laid for such a superstructure of the new History of Brute and his Descendants But since we are occasionally return'd again to this famed Work of Galfridus Monumetensis whereof you have elsewhere so lately had from my own reading it over a pretty just Summary give me leave here to let you see out of others as just a censure of it Give me leave to tell you that Alanus Copus has compared it with Ovids Metamorphosis and Lucians Tales That William Neubrigensis has spent even three whole Leaves in Prooem Hist to demonstrate by instance of particulars how it is wholly compos'd of the most improbable incredible and ungrounded Lyes that ever were invented That Cambden also in his Britannia relates to others who stick not to say it is all patch'd up of untunable discords and jarring absurdities yea compos'd of such Milesian Fables such intolerable meer inventions of the Authors own brain that the Roman Church at last thought fit to enroll it in the Index of Prohibited Books Yea that Cambrensis himself though a Britton by birth and blood and as desirous of the glory of his Countrey-men as any could be gives it nevertheless the Character of a fabulous History as you may see in his Description of Wales cap. 7. Nay that in his Itinerary of Wales l. 1. c. 5. he tells us that and the occasion and manner how the Devils were seen leaping and skipping and dancing on it However and though it be manifest that as well these Censures as the Summary aforesaid are sufficient even each of them apart to ruin the story of Coilus and Fergus in Buchanan which derives originally from Galfridus and ultimately relies on his invention I shall nevertheless give now another Argument shewing more peculiarly how little Faith ought to be given him in his Catalogue of Brittish Kings and consequently none at all to his naming of Coilus among them In his Seventh Book Chap. V. where he so confidently relates the mighty Battel fought and overthrow given by King Arthur in France to those four hundred thousand Romans and their Auxiliaries mentioned before part Europeans part Asians and the rest Affricans under many Kings come to assist the Roman Emperour against Arthur he has also the brazen brow to invent not only those three names of the Emperour himself and his two Lieutenant Generals which we have seen before but many more of the Auxiliary Kings viz. Epistrephus King of Greece Mustemphar King of Parthia Aliafatina King of Spain Hirtacus King of Affric Boetus King of the Medes Sextorius King of Libya Teucer King of Phrygia Xerxes King of the Itureans Pandrasus King of Egypt Misipsa King of Babylon Politetes Duke of Bithynia Teucer Duke of Phrygia Evander of Syria Ethion of Boetia sure it should be Beotia Hippolitus of Creet c. whereas indeed there were no such names or men and most of these Countreys named by him in the last place were but Provinces then under the Roman or Constantinopolitan Empire and no Kings nor Dukes but only Presidents ruling them under the Emperour Wherefore if he could so boldly invent such a list of Kings abroad in the World for the sixth Age of Christianity wherein he could be so easily disproved by a thousand arguments we have no reason to think that for home and those early Ages of the World wherein he could not be disproved by any Records he did otherwise than meerly forge his Catalogue of Brittish Kings And these are the Reasons that moved me to this Reflection upon that story of Coilus and Fergus in Buchanan as related out of him in my foresaid 19th page And the same reasons or at least a sufficient part of them makes me likewise not insist now upon the name of Notium which you have seen before page 13. given to Breoghuin's Tower in Gallicia It was I doubt not borrowed by Keting from Hector Boethius who says in express terms that place was called first Brigantia but after Notium and last of all Compostella I know there is a Promontory in Dâ—smond the South of Mounster which is by Cambden in his Map of Ireland called Notium but whether from any of that name in North Spain or elsewhere I know not 54. But what is more material to be noted occasioually in this place is Buchanans account of Fergus and the rather because he seems to give it from the Scottish Historians in general He says that this very Fergus pretended by him to have been the over-thrower of Coilus and by Hector Boethius to have also been the son of Ferchardus King of Ireland was the Founder of the Scottish Kingdom in Albania and first of all the Kings of the Scots inhabiting Great Brittain That he came to Albania or Scotland about the time of Alexander the Great 's taking Babylon almost 331. years before the Birth of Christ And that within twenty four years more having reign'd in all so long in his return from Ireland whither he had gone back from Scotland to quiet some disturbances there he perish'd at Sea in a Tempest near that Rock in the North of Ireland which from his wrack hard by is ever since call'd in Latin Rupes Fergusii in Irish Carrig-Fhearuis by us Knock-Fergus So says Buchanan and so said before him Hector Boethius and some others of his Countreymen Historians both he and they either seeming to know nothing at all of those Annals and Books whence only the real true History of their Antiquities could be known or else wittingly and willingly to have taken up a fabulous story of purpose to establish a glorious succession of a hundred and seven Kings of the same Nation reigning one after another from that Fergus I. to James VI. even for above 1900 years Whatever the cause might be the one or the other or perhaps which is likely enough both together it is plain out of the antient Annals and other Histories of Ireland which are indeed the only Fountain of all such truly real Scottish Antiquities as concern at least the Irish Invaders and time of their Invasion of any part of Great Brittain that Buchanan and those follow'd by him have created the said Fergus I. King of the Scots in Albania even 819 years before he landed from Ireland in Brittain For those Irish Monuments fix on the year of
Christ 498. the time of Fergus Mor as they call him son to Ercho Nephew to Eochadh Muinreamhar and of his five Brothers with him invading the North of Brittain And Tigernacus who commonly delivers in Latin what was done abroad as what was done at home in Irish has of the present subject this following passage Fergus Mor mhac Ercha id est Fergusius Magnus Erci filius cum Gente Dalrieta partem Britanniae tenuit ibi mortuâ—s est c. That is Fergus Mor the son of Erch with his people of Dal-Riada possess'd himself of part of Brittain and died there about the first year of the Popedom of Symmachus Which was the year of Christ 498. as Primat Vsher has rightly observed Besides the old Irish Book containing the Synchronism or if I may so speak the contemporariness not only of the Monarchs and Provincial Kings of Ireland but of the Kings in Albania too expresly relates how it was in the twentieth year after the Batâ—â—l of Ocha that the six sons of Ercho viz. the two Enguses the two Loarns some Copies have Coarns and the two Ferguses whereof one was this Fergus the Great pass'd over into Albania I say nothing how Nennius translated into Irish among O Duncgans Miscellanies says it was in the sixth Age of the World 〈…〉 〈…〉 the Dal-Riadans had conquer'd part of the Countrey of the Picts and the Saxons enter'd on other parts of Great Brittain Nor do I insist on O Duucgan himself though he most minutely prosecutes this Adventure of Ercho's Children telling the Families issued from them in Scotland which he calls Albain what Lordships or Lands each of them was possess'd of there and what Forces by Land or Sea they usually raised But what I am particularly to observe is that of all hands among the Irish Annalists and Historians it is without any contradiction admitted That this Fergus the Great son to Ercho is the same with Fergusius I. King of the Scots though in Boethius Major Buchanan c. called in Latin the son of Ferchardus That the foresaid Battel of Ocha wherein the Irish Monarch Oillioll Molt perish'd was fought in the year of Christ 478. And that from this year to the year 498. there is no man but sees the just interval must be those twenty years on expiration whereof the foresaid Book of Syncâ—ronisin relates the passing of Fergus Mor to Brittain And the issue of all must be that certainly as to this particular either all the ancient Irish Annals and Monuments besides the late Histories of Keting and Lucius are extraordinary false or Buchanan and Hector Boethius and all other Scottish Authors follow'd by them are extreamly out Even so far out as to have at least inverted the whole succâ—ssion descent line and genealogie of their Kings by giving us a Catalogue with the Lives and Reigns of two or three and forty Kings as descended Lineally from Fergusius I. before he had been existent on Earth For Congallus is the Xliiii King in Buchanan c. and yet the eighteenth year of this very Congallus according to Buchanans computation must have been the year of our Lord 498. in which all the Irish Records place the landing of Fergus Mor in Scotland tho the very first of the Catalogue in him and other Historians follow'd by him Moreover and which yet is no less considerable than any of the former Arguments we may take notice that Buchanan and his Authors make Reuda the sixth King of those in his Catalogue descended from Fergus Then which nothing can be more plain against all the Irish Antiquities To say nothing of V. Bede in his Eccles Hist l. 1. cap. 1. whom you may consult at leasure But for the Irish Chronicles I am sure they tell us particularly that the Monarch of Ireland Conaire mhac Mogha Lauae had three sons call'd the Three Carbry's viz. Cairbre Muisck from whom the Tract of Musckry and Cairbre Baisckin from whom the Land of Corca bhaiskin both in Mounster has denomination and Cairbre Riada alias Riadhfada That this last of the Three was the first Irish Conqueror of the Countrey in Albania which bore his name being called in Irish Dal-Riada in English the Part of Riada and by Latin Writers Dal-rieta Dal-Reuda and the Inhabitants Dal-Reudini as Bede calls ' em And that his foresaid Father the Irish Monarch Conaire mhac Mogha Lauae having reign'd in Ireland eight years was kill'd in the year of the World 5364. being the year of Christ 165. Whence it must follow that his said son Cairbre surnamed Riada in Irish though by V. Bede and others called Reuda must have invaded the Picts and possess'd himself of that part of their Countrey named from him at least three hundred years before the time of Pergus the Great who as we have seen before invaded not Albania till the year of Christ 498. So wide in this very particular of Reuda is the Irish account and History from the Scottish in Buchanan How to reconcile the difference in either particular being it is so great and concerns so great a succession of Kings and Ages too for at least 819 years I leave to such as shall please to concern themselves in it more than my purpose in this place requires I should my self But let them withal take these further Animadversions to thought 1. That the Father of this Fergusius the Great however you call him Erck Ercho Ercha or either as Buchanan has it Ferchardus or any other name whatsoever was never King of Ireland as no more was Fergus Mâ—â— himself notwithstanding Buchanan's intimation to the contrary but only a Brother to Muirchiortach the Irish Monarch that reign'd over all Ireland from the year of Christ 503 to the year 527. wherein he was murder'd 2. That Joannes Major himself though a Scotchman has in his little History of Great Brittain cap. X. reflected on that Vulgar Errour in the Annals of Scotland where they place Fergusius I. before Reuda's time 3. That Hollingshed in his English Translation of Hector Boethius professes himself to be of Opinion That very many of those Kings related by the Scottish Histories to have reigned successively one after another in Scotland were such as neither successively nor in Scotland but together at the same time reigned part of them in Ireland and part in other adjacent lesser Islands 4. That Gratianus Lucius in his Camb. Evers page 93. adds moreover Himself to think not improbably that the Scottish Authors borrowed a great number of their Kings from those indeed that were Pictish Kings Where to ground this Opinion of his he produces an old Irish Translation of Ninnius I mean as to the Catalogue of Pictish Kings in that ancient Author and fixes in particular on eighteen of them by name among which is one Gregory albeit Gregory be the Lxxiii King of Scots in Buchanan's Catalogue and that King too in whom Buchanan glories so much as to record him to posterity by the
Title of Gregory the Great which he says was deservedly given him by his own People 5. That although in Buchanan's account this very Gregory began his Regn an Christi 870. and finish'd it by his death anno 892. and consequently was not only King of Scots but of Scotland being the Pictish Kingdom there at least as 't is commonly suppos'd had been utterly destroy'd full thirty years before the very first of his Reign yet if his being either King of Scotland or King of Scots be no truer than Buchanan's Relation of his invading Ireland fighting a great Battel victoriously there against the two Protectors or Tutors of the young King Duncanus a Minor and then visiting this young King at Dublin where he resided and then appointing new Tutors for him and last of all taking with him to Scotland threescore Irish Hostages out of the several Provinces of Ireland I dare say there was never any such thing or Person or Prince as Gregory King of Scots For besides what I have given before page 23 24. to disprove this great fiction of Gregory the Great either conquering or at all invading Ireland 't is clear out of all the Irish Antiquities recording the Danish Wars that not the Irish nor any Irish King Minor or not Minor did possess Dublin at that time but the Danes And indeed to confirm this truth the Annals of Vlster tell us that in the year of our Lord 871. two great Danish Captains viz. Ainlaph and Juor came from Albania to Ath-Cliath alias Dublin with two hundred sail and an exceeding great Prey of English and Brittons and Picts whom they brought Captives to Ireland So that Dublin most certainly was in the Reign of that Gregory of Scotland not under any Monarch or other Irish King as no more was it in a hundred and fifty years following but in the power of the Danes who were at least the first Re-builders of it much about the same time that Buchanan supposes it to have been the Metropolitan City of Ireland tho it came not to be so till Henry the Second's Reign For he indeed was the first King or Lord of Ireland that ever kept his Court there and by appointing it the Residence of his Vice-Roys gave it in a little time so great splendor that the Forger seeing it so in his own time thought fit in much earlier times to place his forged Irish Monarch of Gregory of Scotlands story Duncanus in it as in the Royal Mansion of the Kings of Ireland Whereas to the contrary nothing is more known in the Irish Histories than that the City of Tarach full twenty miles from Dublin was the Royal Seat of the Kings of Ireland till its destruction by the first Danish War and in the same days Dublin at best but a very mean place respectively 6. That nevertheless as I am apt enough to believe that allowing Cambden the liberty of an hyperbolical expression he has upon sufficient grounds told us that the Earls of Argile derive their Race from the ancient Princes and Potentates of Argile by an infinite descent of Ancestors so I am verily persuaded that by how much the Genealogy of Kings must be more narrowly sifted than that of any Subjects by so much Gratianus Lucius has upon surer grounds exactly derived in a direct Line the descent of James the sixth of Scotland and first of Great Brittain not only through so many Kings his Predecessors of Scotland from the ancient Kings of Argile up along to Fergus I. nor only from those before that very Fergus through fourteen Generations up to Reuda but even before this Reuda through fifty three Generations whereof Twenty four were Monarchs of Ireland up along to Herimon the first sole absolute Monarch of the Milesian blood in that Kingdom even so long since as Three thousand years wanting only seven Nay I am likewise persuaded that he has also very exactly in two other Lines carried up the descent of the same King James through thirty one other Monarchs of Ireland to the said Herimon as also in a fourth and fifth Line through four and twenty more of the Irish Monarchs and here I mean twenty four more wholly different from all those fifty six already given of Herimons Race up along to Heber who being the stock in these two last Lines makes the 25th King of Ireland in this number ascending upwards for so he was during his short life in a joynt Sovereignty with his foresaid Brother Herimon 7. That undoubtedly this derivation of King James through so many Lines for three thousand years and from the Loins of eighty one Irish Monarchs besides all the truly real both Kings of Scotland and Kings of Scots or Dal-Riada and Argathelia in Scotland given us at large by Gratianus Lucius in his Camb. Evers page 242. 243 and 244. as it is by many degrees a much more ancient so it is a much more glorious derivation of the Royal Pedigree than either Buchanan or Boethius or Major or indeed any other Scottish Historian nay or even any Scottish Herald whatsoever among those called English Scots was capable to make even so much as in any manner well or ill as being wholly ignorant of the Irish Antiquities which they could neither understand nor read if they had had ' em And these are the Animadversions I desire them take to thought who shall either persuade themselves they can reconcile the difference 'twixt the Scottish and Irish Histories concerning Fergus or except against me for laying it open how justly soever the story of Him and Coilus given by me page 20 out of Buchanan has put a necessity on me to do so here There is a passage in my 21 page that says The Romans built Towers and Bulwarks all along the Southern Coast of Brittain at convenient distances against the landing of the Irish on that side out of their plundering Fleets Herein also I followed my Author Keting if I understand him rightly But having since consulted Cambden I found that either Keting had mistaken the matter or I him For the truth is that albeit in relation to the Caledonians or Picts and Scots inhabiting or those driven at that time to the Countreys lying North of Grahams Dyke the foresaid Towers or Castles must be acknowledg'd built in the South yet in relation to the whole Island of Great Brittain or to us now in England they were not so Which and whatever else concerning either that Dyke or Wall of the Romans that you may the more fully understand take this following Extract out of Cambden according to Hollands translation of him Camden in his Scotia and Sterling Sheriffdom Julius Agricola observing the narrow land or Streight by which Dunbritton Frith and Edenborough Frith are held from commixing fortined this space between with Garrisons So as all the part this side was then in possession of the Romans the Enemies remov'd and as it were driven into another Island In so much as Tacitus judg'd
that Nation at least of such as relate to their Monarchs And because all reason tells us that the Irish Antiquaries who give in a manner the most minute particulars of all the Invasions and Fights in that Countrey either amongst their own Princes or against Foreiners and Battels lost and Victories obtain'd at any time under any of the several Monarchs of Ireland for much above two thousand years until the English Conquest an 1152. would never have omitted at least these mighty Victories told us by Hanmer which if true would much more have made for the glory of their Nation than many or most or perhaps any of those other so exactly and minutely too not a few of them related in their Chronicles Secondly because of all these following particulars than which nothing is more clear and uncontested in all the Irish Chronicles or Histories that are not known Romances 49. For they particularly and unanimously tell us in the first place what in effect I have said before viz. that Gathelus himself otherwise by them and in their Languages named Gacidheal and surnamed Glas from whom originally the whole both Milesian and other Gathelian Irish descended and are therefore jointly callâ—d in Irish Clanna Gaoidheal i. e. the children of Gathelus not only never came to Ireland nay nor into Spain neither but was no where on Earth living some hundreds of years before Mileadh or Milesius was born That under Pharaoh Cingeris he was born in Egypt though begotten by Niall Brother to the King of Scythia That his Father Niull was both contemporary and acquainted with Moses and offered to do him service kindness too when the Children of Israel were upon the banks of the Red Sea to cross it over Niull being then by Pharaoh's gift possessor and Lord of a large Countrey near that place where the Israelites encamp'd at that time That as the Father Niull so the Son Gaodheal or Gathelus and children after him continued in Egypt until Pharaoh Intius banish'd the whole Race of them away and forc'd them to seek their Adventures elsewhere under the conduct of Sruth the son of Easruth son to the said Gathelus or Gaodheal Glas. That Mileadh or Milesius whose posterity long after invaded conquered and possess'd Ireland was the nineteenh Generation from the said Gathelus and Pharaoh Nectanibus being the XVth Pharaoh after Cingeris who had been drown'd in the Red Sea was the King of Egypt who gave his Daughter to Milesius in marriage That although it be from the said Gaodheal Glas the Milesian Race in Ireland and Race also of their Cosins that came with them out of Spain and those and these only of all the Irish be properly called Gaoidhil or Clanna Gaoidheal i. e. the children or descendants of Gathelus yet tste Irish Language is not from him called Gaodhealc but from an other Gathelus or Gaodheal former to him another I mean who either compos'd or at least refin'd and distinguish'd it into those five several different idioms or dialects for Poetry Law Genealogy c. so hard to be understood all of them by any one man that they would require the whole Age of a man to attain unto them Lastly that the posterity of the later Gaodheal I mean Gaodheal Glas and of his Wife Scota at least so called viz. the Milesian Race their Cosins had been possessors of Ireland near 1320 years before the birth Christ In which account or period of time even Cambrensis himself and Polichronicon agree as we have seen before page 6. And therefore that story of Hanmer derived from Harding and Meuin telling us of Gathelus and Scotas coming to these Northern parts or landing in Ireland anno Christi 75. must be one of the most ridiculous stories in the world They were dead well nigh two thousand years before and in their life-time never left Egypt for ought that may be known of them In the next place they tell us that Bartolanus whom they call Partholan enter'd planted and possess'd Ireland anno Mundi 1956. that is about 300 years after the Flood Argument enough that Hanmer knew nothing of the Irish History when he joyn'd together Bartolanus and the Milesian off spring as being of a company and entring Ireland at the same time for this also he does And yet we have seen before that the Milesians came not to Ireland before the year of the World 2736. that is 731 years after Bartolanus had setled there 50. Besides they tell us particularly and unanimously that as we have often seen already in that year of the World 2736. and before Christ 1308 years those Iherians the sons of Milesius landed and conquer'd Ireland How then could they be conducted thither and assign'd that Countrey for their Habitation by Gurguntius King of Great Brittain He was not in being then nor in many Ages after I am sure he was not King of Great Brittain by Hanmer's own relation until the year of the World 3580. Nor was he Conductor of those Iberians to Ireland nor did they swear allegiance to him until the year of the World 3592 and before the birth of Christ 376 according to Campions account That is full 858 years after they had conquer'd that Kingdom And therefore I need not quarrel either Campion or Hanmer about their relating those Iberians or Spaniards before their passing to Ireland to have dwell'd in Gascoign or towards Baiona or within the jurisdiction of that so great and Capital a City then though it be not true Nor need I expostulate with them about their affirming that Gurguntius had the Sovereign Rule of that Countrey and City and consequently of these very Milesians when they dwelt thereabouts before their adventuring to Ireland Enough is said already to ruin this whole story And by consequence enough to overthrow all the supports of that pretended subjection of Ireland to Gurguntius But if I mind you once more that Polichronicon nay Cambrensis himself who is the Ringleader as in many other so particularly in this matter to Campion Hanmer and other late Authors confesses the landing of those Iberians in Ireland full 1800 years before the mission of St. Patrick to Ireland by Celestinus in the year of Christ 431. then I doubt whether I have not said more than enough on the Subject I am sure that by this very computation or confession of Cambrensis and their own account of the year before Christ wherein Hanmer and Campion say Gurguntius met those Iberians at Sea this year before Christ and this meeting of Gurguntius at Sea must be later by a whole thousand years of the World than that assign'd by Cambrensis for the conquest made on Ireland by the same Iberians Moreover the Irish Antiquaries no less particularly tell us that Criossan Niad Nar was Monarch of Ireland Keting when our Saviour was born That this divine Generation happened in the 12th year of his Reign and his Reign lasted in all but four years more That
Conchabhar Abhraruadh was King before him for one year only but before him Lughadh Sriabhndearg had continued Monarch six and twenty years compleat That this same Lughadh married the King of Denmarks Daughter and before his Reign immediately an Interregnum of five years had been which followed upon the murder of Conair Mor mhic Eidirsceoil and before this Interregnum the same Conair Mor had reigned full seventy years in great prosperity That after the foresaid Crioffan Niadnair those who immediately succeeded in the Sovereign power of Ireland were Fearrhadlach for twenty years then Fiacha Fionn for three and after him Fiocha Fionnolladh for twenty seven years more That these those in all seven Monarchs were every one of them kill'd in such and such manner and by such and such men of their own very Nation That after the seventh of them had been slaughtered by the Athaghtuachi or Countrey Boors and Plebeians in their General conspiracy against all the Royal and noble Blood the same Athatchtuachi set up for King of Ireland one Cairbre surnamed Ceannchait or Caitcheann from his Cats face an Irish man indeed by birth but by descent originally that is in the Ninth generation before come out of Denmark as one of the King of Denmark's sons who had accompanied Lauradh Loinnsioch returning with Anxiliaries from France to recover his inheritance the Monarchy of Ireland which Lauradh did Anno 3727. according to the computation followed by Gratianus Lucius Lastly that this Usurper Cairbre Caitcheann was at the end of five years kill'd and all his rebellious rout of Peasants and their partakers overthrown by the Nobles headed then by the rightful Heir of the Monarchy Tuathal Teachtmhor who thereupon was received as such being now the C. Monarch of the Milesian Race And all these matters together with so many other particular appendants on them within the Reigns of those eight or nine Monarchs which Reigns compriz'd the whole Reign and Life too nay much more time before and after than the whole Reign or Life either of Augustus in the Roman Empire the Irish Antiquaries give us most exactly at large And yet not a syllable of Fredelenus nor of either of the Frotho's no nor indeed of any other forein King or Prince or Adventurer so much as invading Ireland within or near that time though they wanted not occasion in Lughad's Reign and in Caibre Ceannchaits as we have seen to reflect on such matters if any such had really been The same or like argument though but a Negative one yet founded on the general silence of all the Irish Annals Chronicles Histories in the greatest concern of their Nation must be to every indifferent person a clear proof and conviction enough against the vain relations of Hanmer and Campion c. borrowed by them out of Cambrensis as by him from Geffrey of Monmouth I mean at present only those Fables of their great Brittish Heroe King Arthur's forcing the Irish Kings to pay him Tribute and their appearing at his great Court and City of Caer Leon upon Vsk and the Irish Monarch that as they idly fain was contemporary and tributary to him to have been called Gillemer In any of the Irish Annals Chronicles Histories there is not a syllable of any part of these matters no not so much as of Arthur's attempting once at any time on Ireland or picking or having any quarrel with any of the Kings or Lords there Nay Keting does quote Speed himself though a late English Auhor asserting in effect the whole to be a meer fiction and that Ireland was neither subject nor tributary to Arthur And the Keting in his Preface same Keting is positive herein that there was never any King of Ireland by name Gillemer Besides that Muirchiortach Mor mhac Ercha was not only Monarch of Ireland when Arthur was King of Great Brittain but in peace and amity all his life with him Where it may be added that if Arthur was created King of Great â—rittain in the 18th year of his age and was kill'd Anno 542. as Buchanan says he was then Buchanan l. 5. Rer. Scot. in Goran Rege XLV certainly the said Muirchiortarch Mor and his two next Successours immediately following one another Tuathal Maolgharbh and Diarmuid mhac Cearbheoil were those three Kings or Monarchs of Ireland that by succession were contemporary to the whole Reign of Arthur which if Buchanan be judg consisted of 24 years And yet there was no quarrel at all by any of them with Arthur much less subjection to him Also it may be added That as Keting says Fergusius the First of Scotland was Brother to the foresaid Muirchiortach King of Ireland And consequently that the Subjects of Muirchiortach were great Conquerors in the Northern parts of Great Brittain at that very time Yea that as Buchanan himself in the Reign of Goranus the XLV King of Scotland in his Computation and History relates it The great Battel of Humber wherein Arthur was not only defeated but mortally wounded nay in effect lost both Kingdom and life was fought against him by an Army of Irish Scots however in confederacy and conjunction with the Picts and some Brittons led in the same Field by Modrocdus against him Out of all which may be seen how unlikely the stories of King Arthur in Polychronicon Hanmer Campion c. which relate to Ireland are How improbable that must be of Westmonasteriensis in his years of Christ 497. and 592. which attributing the Monarchical power of Ireland to one Gillamurius alias Gillimer one that was never heard of in Ireland represents him notwithstanding as taken there by King Arthur and thereupon the rest of the Irish Princes e'en plainly forc'd to yield themselves all and do homage to Arthur How vain also is that of Cambrensis to the same purpose written before telling us It is read that the famous King of the Brittons Arthur had the Kings of Ireland his Tributaries and that some of them waited on him in his great Court of Caer Leon. But above all the candor and ingenuity of honest Galfridus the first forger of these among so many other Fables appears in grain however Cambrensis had not the confidence either to quote him for it or to mention at all Gillamurius though a part of it And yet notwithstanding any thing hitherto either in this place or elsewhere said I doubt not the posterity of the ancient Brittons have just reason if not to glory of King Arthurs Trophies at least to be sorry for his untimely Death and heartily wish their Ancestours had not deserv'd to see their blooming hopes in him so suddenly vanish Though at the same time I must ingenuously confess there are but too too many reasons able to suspend any judicious knowing man's belief of what even Buchanan himself has in our own days transmitted to Posterity for authentick Truths of this famous Kings renowned glorious performances viz. That he had continually been for many years but most particularly
few That in the most famous place call'd Degsestan i. e. the stone of Degsa almost his whole Army was slain That nevertheless in the same Fight Theobaldus Brother to this Ethelfride with all the Force headed by him was in like manner kill'd And that from that time forward to this very day says Bede meaning the day when he writ this none of all the Scottish Kings had been so daring as to give Battel to the English Nation Which being the words of Bede truly rendred in English and the years of his Age being 59. when he ended all his Works and consequently this History as himself says and seeing also that he was born Anno Dom. 677. it follows That so long at least as 136 years after Degsestan Fight the Scots engag'd not against the English But whether after this term expir'd they attack'd them again before they had ruin'd the Pictish Kingdom and at the same time seiz'd so great a part of the Northumbrian I know not 54. What you might have perus'd already page 129 as derived either from Cambrensis or Cambden or both viz. of the original eruption of the great Vlster Lake call'd in Irish Loch Erne and cause thereof is abundantly refuted by Gratianus Lucius in his Book entitled Cambrensis Eversus page 132 and 133. Which having not seen before my own foresaid 127 page had been wrought off the Press makes me give now this other which as it is much fuller so I doubt not a much better and truer account in every respect of that matter The Relation of Cambrensis Topograp Hib. d. 2 c. 9. may be rendred thus in English There is in Vlster a Lake of vast extension thirty miles long and fifteen broad unto which as they say a wonderful chance gave beginning In that Countrey which is now the Lake there was in very ancient times a most vitious Nation but chiefly and incorrigibly above all other People of Ireland given over to that sin we call Bestiality And there was amongst them a Prophetical saying That so soon as a certain Well of that Countrey were at any time left uncovered for out of reverence to it proceeding from barbarous superstition it had both a covering and signature or lock it should presently overflow so prodigiously as to drown the whole Countrey thereabouts Which accordingly happen'd on this occasion One of the Countrey Women having open'd it to bring Water home it chanc'd that before she had throughly done she heard her Child a little distance off crying and going in haste to still him she forgot to cover the Well Whereupon it overflow'd on a sudden so strangely that not only the Woman her self and her Child with her but all the People universally and all the very Cattel too of the whole Countrey for very many miles were as by a particular and Provincial Deluge covered overwhelmed perished utterly in the Waters As if the Author of Nature had judg'd that Land unworthy of Inhabitants which had been conscious of such enormous turpitude against Nature And indeed that such had been the original of this Lake it is no improbable argument that the Fishermen upon it do manifestly in fair serene weather see under them in the Water Church Turrets which according to the fashion of those in that Land are not only narrow and high but round withal and that they often shew them to passengers wasted over this Lake who are strangely astonished at the sight and cause You are also to note That the River which abundantly flows out of the same Lake being one of the nine Principal Rivers of Ireland namely the Ban did even from the beginning that is ever since the time of Bartholanus though in a much smaller stream flow from the foresaid Well all along that Countrey other Waters falling into it still as it went farther off Hitherto Gerald of Wales But to this Relation of his it will not be amiss to add what Cambden says applying it and interpreting and making this nameless Pool to be the famous Loch Erne of so many miles in length and breadth and the People destroy'd to have been some Hebridians got thither Beyond Cavan says he Cambden's Ireland in Hollands Translation of it page 106. West North Fermanach presenteth it self where sometimes the Erdini dwelt a Countrey full of Woods and very boggish In the midst whereof is that famous and greatest Meere of all Ireland Loch Erne stretching out forty miles bordered about with shady Woods and passing full of inhabited Islands whereof some contain a hundred two hundred three hundred acres of ground having besides such store of Pikes Truots and Salmons that the Fishermen complain oftner of too great plenty of Fishes and of the breaking of their Nets than they do for want of draught This Lake spreadeth not from East to West as it is describ'd in the common Maps but as I have heard those say who have taken a long and good survey thereof first at Bel Tarbet which is a little Town farthest North of any in this County of Cavan it stretcheth from South to North fourteen miles in length and four in breadth Anon it draweth in narrow to the bigness of a good River for six miles in the Channel whereof standeth Iniskellin the principal Calste in this Tract which in the year 1593. was defended by the Rebels and by Dowdal a most valiant Captain won Then coming Westward it enlargeth it self most of all twenty miles long and ten broad as far as to Belek near unto which is a great downfal of Water and as they term it that most renowned Salmon's Leapue à common speech among the Inhabitants thereby is That this Lake was once firm ground passing well husbanded with Tillage and replenish'd with Inhabitants but suddenly for their abominable buggery committed with Beasts overflown with Waters and turn'd to a Lake Though Almighty God says Giraldus Creator of Nature judg'd this Land privy to so filthy Acts against Nature unworthy to hold not only the first Inhabitants but any other for the time to come Howbeit this wickedness the Irish Annals lay upon certain Islanders out of the Hebrides who being fled out of their own Countrey lurked there So he Against these Relations the one of Giraldus Cambrensis and the other of Cambden though the later as to the original of this Lake is wholly grounded on the former Gratianus Lucius opposes many Reasons 1. That all the Irish Annals and Histories who treat of Loch Ern attribute the original of it not to the overflowing of any Well or River but to a meer eruption of Waters out of the very entrails of the Earth without any kind of mention of Bestiality or other sin of the Inhabitants which might at all any way deserve it 2. That this Eruption happened in the Reign of Fiacha Lauranne * But Keting says it happen'd under the Reign of Tighermhais alias Tightermhuir forty six years before Fiacha Labhraina came to be King King of Ireland immediately after the great Victory got by Him over the remainders of the Nation call'd Fir-bholg who till then had kept and inhabited that Tract of ground where this Lake did so burst forth on a sudden and consequently That it happen'd before the year of
of Wales 56. Of Aonach Tailltinn the most celebrated Irish Fair both for Antiquity and resemblance of the Olympic Games of Greece exhibited therein which I only mention'd in my foresaid 95 page the Author was Lugha Lambfhada the Twelfth King of Ireland after Slanius but Third of the Nation called Fir-bholg e'en so long since as betwixt two and three hundred years before the Milesians conquer'd that Kingdom The occasion this When the Ninth and last Fir-bholgian King of the Posterity of Dela by name Eoghan was kill'd in Battel and the Kingdom seiz'd by new Invaders the Nation of Tuadedainin it happen'd that Tailtinn Daughter to Madhmor King of South-Spain but Widow and Queen to the said Eoghan having married Eochadh Garbb a Nobleman of the new Conquerors bred the foresaid Lugha with great care and kindness in his youth Wherefore he when he came to the Crown retaining thereof a most grateful remembrance and holding himself bound to requite her love in the best manner he could thought fit to ordain as accordingly he did for a perpetual memory of her one and thirty days in all viz. the fifteen immediately preceding our first day of August and the other fifteen next following it to be solemnly kept in all Ages both by a general concourse of the bravest men out of all parts of the Kingdom at a place in Meath called Tailtinn from her name and by all sorts of manly Games and Exercises there as those of Running Hunting Wrestling Leaping Vaulting Tilting c. and by prizes also given to the Victors That so lately before the English Conquest as the year 1168. Ruaruidh O Conchavair the last Irish Monarch held this great Fair of Tailtinn and exhibited those Olympick Games with much solemnity For so Gratianus Lucius has told us in his Roman phrase Ludos Taltinos dedit as we have seen elsewhere And the same Author adds That the Calends or first day of August though in after-times among Christians at least those of the Roman Church dedicated to the Chains of St. Peter and therefore in the Roman Calendar call'd Petri ad Vincula has nevertheless in all Ages been as it is at present in memory of the foresaid King by all the Irish Nation call'd in their Language Lugh-Nasa which imports in English the Remembrance of Lewis for Nasa is remembrance and Lugh the same with Lewis or Luis But Keting says that Queen Tailtinn whom he honour'd so much had been his own Wife though whether in a third Venture or no he does not say 57. There is mention made page 122 and 213 of the Monarch Ollamh Fodhlas's having ordain'd in every Town a Receiver and Entertainer of Strangers But the particulars of that Ordinance and practice of it as I find them in Keting and Lucius being very singular I thought fit to give here the rather because the Character of Gens inhospita that is an inhospitable Nation is given the Irish by Gerald of Wales Top. dist 3. cap. 10. so much against Truth And certainly for what concerns the more ancient times it will appear out of what here follows of their extraordinary care to provide entertainment for all Comers that their Hospitality in those days of yore was unmatchable in Europe I am sure it was so in any place or Countrey that ever I have read of The dignity of an Entertainer says Lucius no where else used was among the Irish bestow'd only on those descended of Noble Families Nor was any capable of it that was not Lord Proprietary of seven Towns I mean Feeding Towns as Keting says the Irish call in their Language all towns whatsoever properly such Bailte Biatha each Town consisting of twelve Plow-lands of Irish Measure which is three or four times twelve of English He must besides have had seven Ploughs continually going and withal been Master of seven Herds of Cows each Herd consisting of a hundred and twenty full His Mansion House so seated as to have been accessible by four several ways A Hog a Sheep a Beef always ready in the Pot or on the Spit to the end that every hour without delay whoever came might be instantly fed The like number of Beasts ready kill'd and fley'd to be put to the fire as the former was taken up Every order and degree of men according to their quality had their Entertainment both meat and drink assign'd by Rule so as the Entertainer if he defrauded any was certain to be fined for it by the proportionable lessening of his immunities and other Priviledges Sundry sorts of drinks were serv'd in sundry sorts of Cups In Glass Wine in Brass Water in Silver Whey in white Cups of Ash Beer and in brown ones made of Fig-tree Milk Hitherto Lucius in his Camb. Evers page 130. Who yet farther adds in the same place out of Keting what you will peradventure no less if not much more wonder at the exceeding great number of those Free-cost entertaining Towns or Houses deputed in such Towns by the publick throughout Ireland In Connaght 900. in Vlster the like number in Leinster 930. in Mounster a 1030. 58. In my 217 page there is likewise upon a far other occasion some little mention made of the victorious Monarch Tuathal Teatchtmhor though much more elsewhere before in one or two places However this place is that which as I was reviewing it has brought to my remembrance what follows here out of Keting As 1. That before his time Ireland was equally divided into Mounster Leinster Connaght and Vlster each of these Divisions meeting at a place and of the sides of a great stone fix'd in that place called Visneach which is in the Countrey that goes now by the name of West Meath 2. That when he had after twenty five years war totally subdued the Plebeian Rebels and restor'd both the Gentry to their Estates and the true Royal Blood and Heirs to their respective Provincial Kingdoms he thought fit to take as he accordingly did with their consent from each of those Divisions a considerable Tract of ground which was the next adjoyning to Visneach one East an other West a third South and the fourth on the North of it and appointed all four under the name of Meath but as comprehending our Counties now of East and West Meath to belong for evermore to the Monarchs own peculiar Demain for the maintenance of his Table 3. That on those four several portions he built four several Kingly Pallaces for himself and his Heirs viz. Tleaghtghae on that of Mounster side Tailltin House on Vlster's an other at Tarach on Leinster's portion and the fourth on the West of Visneach taken from Connaght ordaining withal great Solemnities at each of them to be kept on certain days yearly for ever At Tlaghtghae the sacred but Idolatrous Fire to be kindled on our All Hallows Eve All Magitians of the Kingdom to come thither that night and sacrifice to their Deities in that Fire All the other Fires throughout the Kingdom to be
put out then and under great penalties not kindled again but from or out of this holy Fire of Tlaghtghae And every house in the Kingdom as receiving from this new consecrated Fire and because the ground of Tleaghthae had been formerly the Mounster King's Dominion to pay him yearly three pence for ever At Visneach House or that which he had built hard by and West of it on the ground taken from the Connaght King he ordained That each May day for ever a general Meeting of all the Nobility should be held which Meeting they call'd in their Language Morhail Visneach and it may be English'd the Magnificence of Visneach That two great Fires should be made at this Meeting and betwixt them both all beasts sacrific'd to their great God Beile which Keting conceives to have been the same with Belus for expiating their sins appeasing his wrath and obtaining from him favour for the following year That the same day and hour in every District or Territory of the whole Kingdom two such other Fires should be made for the like purpose that is for all the respective Inhabitants to resort unto them with their Heathen Priests and sacrifices In fine that every Chieftain and person of Quality come to the said great Meeting at Visneach should present the Connaght King with a Horse and compleat harness for a Horseman as a Chiefry reserv'd to him for that ground Where Keting adds that from these yearly Paganical Fires at Visneach and elsewhere made in those days of Idolatry to honour Beall it is that ever since even along to this very day the Irish call the first of May Lae Beall-tine which imports in English Beali's Fire day for in their Tongue Lae is day and Tine is Fire At or near the Palace of Tailltionn he by a new Ordinance of his own commanded the ancient Fair called Aonach Tailltinn whereof we have spoke before to be kept yearly on Lammas day with much more solemnity and a far greater conflux of people than ever And there it was that Wedding-matches were usually treated agreed upon concluded betwixt the Parents of young Folks And by this Monarchs new Law every couple marrying there paid six shillings eight pence which the Irish then did call Vinghe Airgiod an ounce of Silver to the King of Vlster as an acknowledgment of his having formerly been Lord of that portion But for Tarach alias Teambhuir where he had built his fourth Royal Palace I find nothing ordained by him concerning any solemnity or Assembly there And the reason I suppose might be that even the very greatest and most solemn Assembly of all the Estates in Parliament either to make new Laws and repeal the old or to exercise any other Acts of Supream Jurisdiction had been already both by Law and Custom fix'd in that place ever since Ollamh Fodhlas's Reign that is full 1200. years wanting only seventeen before Tuathal Teachtmhor came to be King No more do I find any duty or Chiefry payable to the K. of Leinster Whereof I conceive also the reason might have been That indeed as Keting elsewhere and upon an other occasion than this here observes Cairbre Niafearr the very first King of Leinster had full two hundred and six years before Tuathal Teachtmor's time pass'd away both his own right and that of his Successors after him in the foresaid portion of Land wherein Tarach was built and for ever made it over by way of sale and bargain to Connor the first King of Vlster and his Successours after him in lieu of his beloved Daughter by name Feilim Nua Chrothach or Felicia the Beautiful whom Cairbre had bought so dear to be his Wife So dear I say because that fourth portion from Visneach to the Eastern Sea being in his time and until this bargain made part of Leinster contain'd three Cantreds of Land of the very best in Ireland even all the Land which now goes under the name of the County of Meath I mean East-Meath along to Droghedagh besides Fingale and all the other Lands too on that side of the River Liffy to Dublin But if you desire to know what or how much Land a Cantred means being I have told but now of three Cantreds in this Fourth portion Cambrensis in his Hiber expug l. 2. c. 18. answers that as well in the Irish as Brittish Tongue by a Cantred is meant that proportion or quantity of Land which usually contains a hundred Villages And whether Keting disagree in this signification of that word I know not certainly because I know not how much Land Cambrensis would assign to a Village or Villa his Latin term Of this I am certain that Keting assigns according to the Irish account but thirty Feeding Towns or Bailite â—iath as he calls ' â—m to a Cantred every one of them containing twelve Plow-lands and every Plowland a hundred and twenty acres of Irish measure which is commonly three or four times greater than the English And this is both reflection and digression enough occasion'd by the mention made of Tuathal Teachtmhor the Irish Monarch in my foresaid 217. page 59. My next Reflection is to correct an Error which I observe in my 229. page For there and whether through my own mistake or the Printers I know not it is said That Connor the first Provincial King of Vlster was made so by Eochuidh Feileach the Monarch and Author of the Pentarchy about 400 years before the Birth of Christ whereas indeed it could not be so much by at least two hundred and eighteen years Because this Monarch Eochadh Feileach who made that Connor King of Vlster could not make him King before himself was Monarch and this he was not before the year of the World 5057. in which he kill'd his Predecessor and possess'd his Throne Now according to the Chronology of Lucius that year of the World was just one hundred forty two years before the Birth of our Lord because says he this Birth hapned in the year of the World 5199. after the deluge 2957. and in the 8th year as some say or as others in the 12th year of the Monarch of Ireland Criomthain Niadnairs Reign Now 't is plain that from the year 5057 to the year 5099. no more efflux'd but 142 years 60. The review of my 229. page and what is given there of that happy King of Mounster Feilim mhac Criomthain brings to my thoughts here a passage in Keting that is very lingular both for the Author and matter of it The Author is holy Bennin as the Irish call him in their Language whom the Latins call St. Benignus even that very beloved Disciple of St. Patrick their great Apostle who was consecrated and install'd by him in his own days and in his own stead Arch-bishop of Ardmagh And the matter is the magnificent and costly progress of the Kings of Cashel in former times about Leath Cuinn and Leath Mogh throughout all Ireland And says Keting it is in the Irish Book
call'd Leabhar na Geart i. e. the Book of Rights or Dues a Book beginning with these words Dligh gach Riogh O Riogh Cassil and a Book written wholly by S. Benignus himself 1200 years since that the particulars of that stately Progress are set down as here they follow Bestow'd by him that is by the King of Cashel when he went that Progress on the King of Cruachain a hundred Swords a hundred Cups of Plate a hundred Horses and a hundred Mantles Receiv'd from this Cruachain or Connaght King half a years entertainment and the Rising out as they call it of all the Countrey waiting on him to Tirconail Bestow'd by him on the King of Cineal Gonuill twenty Rings twenty pair of Tables which they call'd Fithchioll and twenty Horses Received a months entertainment and the rising out of that Countrey along with him to Tir-oghain Bestow'd by him on the King of Oileach fifty Silver Cups and fifty Swords Receiv'd a months entertainment and the waiting of the Countrey on him to Tullenoge Bestow'd by him on the Lord or Chieftain of Tullenoge thirty Silver Bowls and thirty Swords or Lances Receiv'd twelve days entertainment and waiting on as elsewhere to Oirgialluibh Bestow'd by him on this King I mean of Oirghialluibh eight shirts of Mayle sixty Coats and sixty Horses Receiv'd a months entertainment at Eambaine with the rising out into Vlster against Clanna Ruidhruidh Bestow'd by him on the King of Tarach 30 shirts of Mayle thirty Rings a hundred Horse and thirty Harpers Receiv'd there a months entertainment and the four chief Families accompanying him thence to Dublin Bestow'd by him on the King of Dublin ten Women ten Ships and ten Horses Receiv'd a months entertainment and this Kings Company into Leinster Bestow'd by him on the Leinster King thirty Cows thirty Ships thirty Horses and thirty young Maids which they termed Cumbhall Receiv'd two months entertainment i. e. one months from Vpper Leinster and another from the Lower which they call Jachter Laighion Finally to the Tanist of the same Low-Leinster thirty Horses thirty shirts of Mayle and 30 Swords And this was the costly splendour of that general Progress of the Mounster Kings over Ireland in former Ages when they thought fit to make or undertake it Which Feidlimidius alias Felim mhac Criomthain King of that Province did in his Reign and this no longer since then the 845 year of Christ for he enter'd upon that Kingdom An. Dom. 818. and retir'd from it to lead an Eremitical Life in the 27th yearafter What the Original or Rise of it was or what right a Provincial King of Mounster could pretend to such a Progress I do not find Nor do I know what moved Keting to desire the Reader not to account him the Author of the Relation Or why so contrary to his custome elsewhere generally throughout his whole Chronicle he quotes here the Author It had been indeed very well and much to be wish'd that he had done so all along for his other Relations But here perhaps he thought fit to do it of purpose to decline the invidious Censure of those of other Provinces for magnifying so much his own Province of Mounster without so good a warrant as Benuin's Book Whatever his motive was the Relation it self puts me upon some occasional observations here which shall be in all three First Observation That Dublin must have been a considerable place in the days of Benuinn seeing it had then or at least before his time a King and was a Kingdom of it self different from that of Leinster And therefore that however or whenever it was first after that time destroy'd yet surely none of those three Norvegian Brethren Amelacus Sitaracus Juor was the first Founder but only the Repairer and Fortifyer of it a little before the second Danish War In which persuasion I 'am fix'd by considering that in the Chorographical Tables of Ptolomy who flourish'd under the Emperour T. Aurelius Hadrianus Antoninus Pius in the year of Christ 153. the People Eblani and the City Eblana is placed where Dublin has always been And therefore Eblana in Ptolomy is the very self-same Town we now call Dublin the Latin Writers Dublinium and Dublinia the Welsh Britons Dinas Dulin the English Saxons in times past Duplin and all from one of the two original Irish names of it The first of them was Dubh-linn which imports a black Depth of Water that was there And the second not only was but is still among all sorts of Irish not as Cambden has it Bala-Cleigh but Bala-Ath-Cliath importing not the Town upon Hurdles but the Town of the Ford of Hurdles Which nevertheless is consistent enough with the Tradition that when Dublin was first built the foundation was laid upon Hurdles by reason the place had been deeply moorish I could here add out of Cambden not only that Saxo Grammaticus writes how it was pitifully rent and dismembred in the Danish Wars but also that in the Life of Griffith ap Synan Prince of Wales 't is read that Harald of Norway when he had subdued the greatest part of Ireland built Deuelin I could likewise add my own animadversions on both the one other passage viz. That the Irish Chronicles make no mention of any Harald either conquering any part of Ireland or building or so much as repairing Dublin That neither does the Author of Polichronicon agree in the one or other point deriv'd from that Life Nay that according to him Sitaracus or Sitric was the Noruegian Builder of Dublin And yet I could further add that what Cambden has next out of the foresaid Life may be very true For after telling us his own opinion of the above Harald to be That he was Harald surnamed Harfager i. e. of the Fair Locks or Tresses who was the first King of Norway he adds that his Lineal descent goes thus in that Life Harald begat a Son named Auloed alias Abloicus Aulafus and Olauus Auloed begat another Auloed this had a Son by name Sitric King of Dublin Sitric begat Auloed whose Daughter Racuella was Mother to Griffith ap Synan born at Dublin whilest Tirlough reign'd in Ireland And all these matters and much more relating to them I could dilate upon were they to my purpose here But they are not because my purpose here is only to trace up the antiquity of Dublin as far as I can And this I have done before out of Ptolomy by shewing that City to have been famous in his time which was above 1510 years since But how long before is a thing wholly buried in oblivion for want of Records And therefore I pass to my Second Observation Which is to give the original of those Clanna Ruidhruidgh against whom the King of Oirghillaedh alias Vriel with his People was bound to wait on the Mounster Kings in their Progress And this I do because their name is very frequent both in the Irish Histories and in all the Provinces of Ireland among the
ancient Irish Septs even at this very time In short as their name turn'd English must be the Children or descendents of Roderick for thus we render the Irish name Ruadruidh so they had that name as they lineally derive their descent not from either of the two Irish Monarchs call'd by that name though to pass by the later who was the very last of all the Milesian Kings of Ireland yet the former of them was so long before as the LXX Monarch in order of the same Milesian Race who came to the Sovereignty of Ireland in the year of the World 4907 that is before the birth of Christ 392 years but much earlier from Ruadhruidh mhac Sithghe that descended from Ir one of the eight Sons of Milesius Which Ir being dead before or at least upon the first partition of Ireland betwixt the two surviving Brothers Heber and Herimon and their Cosins and the foresaid Ruidhruidh mhac Sitghe succeeding in the Lot of Ir which was in the North he establish'd both himself and his posterity there and in process of time became the great stock of a most numerous warlike stubborn People and among 'em Lords and Princes and Kings too whereof such as continued still within that portion of Ir Northern Division are by the rest of the Irish call'd Na Faoir Vlltaigh which words import in our Language the right Vlster men And not only they that so remain'd within that Vlster Lot but those that issued from them into the other Provinces of Ireland where many of 'em acquir'd large Territories have always gone under the name of Clanna Ruidhruidh and by it are distinguish'd still from all other Families descended either from Herimon or Heber or Ith or any else whatsoever of those very first Milesian Conquerours Of those of them who had so issued forth into other Provinces are the progeny of Connall Cearnach in Lease a Territory of Leinster and those Septs in Connaght which go by the peculiar name of Comhaicne Chonnacht besides other Families in Corcaigh Moruadh and Kiarruigh parts of Mounster Third Observation is That so many rich Presents made in one Progress by a Provincial King must argue Ireland to have been at least in those days of Paganism whereof Benuinn writes for he himself flourish'd about 1200 years since a Countrey fraught with exceeding great Riches And verily there are several other strong arguments to persuade us it was so 1. The golden Mines discover'd there under the X. Monarch of the Milesian Conquest by name Tighernmhais and a long time after made use of In so much that the Countrey abounding with gold the next Monarch after him viz. Munemhon who died in the year of the World 3872. ordain'd that all the Gentry should wear golden chains about their Necks And his next Successor Allerghoid's reign is noted in the Irish Chronicles for golden Rings therein first used in that Nation 2. The great number of Silver shields made by the command of Euno Airgtheach the Xvii Monarch of the Milesian Conquest and together with Caroches and Horses bestow'd by him on persons of Worth He reign'd seven years and in the year of the world 3882. was kill'd in Battel by his successour having first derived from those Silver Targets the surname of Airgtheach which imports Silver'd 3. The numerous company of Goldsmiths every where in that Kingdom I am sure that as Keting in Tighernmhais's reign takes special notice of his name who was the very first Master Goldsmith in those days so does Gratianus Lucius enough of latter days I mean as to that matter of the great number of Goldsmiths in 'em among the Irish For in his 118. p. he observes out of O Duuegan that even S. Patric had in his own private Family of them at work three namely Essuus Bidus and Tassachus He further adds that scarce in the Irish Histories may be found an instance of any Chalices Vials or Utensils whatsoever dedicated to holy uses at the Altar or in the Church other than of pure Gold or Silver Besides that the very coverings not only of Reliques but of Books all of Silver and Gold were so many throughout that Kingdom since it became Christian as might easily persuade any indifferent man that of necessity their number of Goldsmiths must have been very great 5. The spoils of foreign Countreys which for so many long Ages the Irish gather'd home to Ireland as elsewhere in this Treatise has been said 5. Their being so excellently seated for Trading that in those days of old they were mightily frequented by Merchants out of Spain France Great Brittain c. but without question much more than Great Brittain was For proof we have the testimony of so knowing and sure a Writer as Cornelius Tacitus in his Life of Agricola where speaking of Ireland in reference to Brittain he has these words Melius aditus portusque per commercia negotiatores cogniti signifying That the Havens and Ports of Ireland were better known by Commerce and Merchants than those of Brittain 6. The ounce of Gold yearly paid for every Nose in Ireland to the Danish Victors whilst their Dominion lasted there which also we have seen before out of Keting 7. The acknowledgment of Gerald of Wales himself even for his own time that is for the time following the horrible desolation of that Countrey by the long and cruel Danish Wars and the frequent continual plundering of it by the Norvegians and other Easterlings for about a hundred and fifty years at least Yet Gerald who in the second or third Age after so much Riches had been carried away thence by those plundering Heathens was an Eye-witness himself of what remain'd still even in King Hen. II. reign professes that Ireland at this very time abounded with Gold For Aurum quoque quo abundat Insula are his own words Expug Hib. l. 2. c. 15. where if you joyn with it his seventeenth Chapter you may observe him not only in three several places referring to and exaggerating this very subject of the Irish Gold but withal supposing in the last of them that without Irish Commodities Commerce our Island of Great Brittain could not subsist Besides I might peradventure to the same purpose of shewing the plenty of Treasure among the Irish and that even but a very little time before the days of Cambrensis I am sure I might pertinently enough for shewing their liberality and Piety both extended even to Forein Parts alleadg out of the Chronicle of St. James's Benedictin Cloister seated at the West-gate of Reinsburg alias Ratisbona in Germany those vast sums of Gold and Silver besides the great proportion of other rich Donaries bestow'd by the Mounster King Conchabhar O Brien surnamed Slapparsalach and other Irish Princes upon Dionysius Christianus and Gregorius three successive Irish Abbots of that Cloister and sent unto them by their own Irish Messengers come of purpose out of Germany at three several times and with the Emperour Conrad's Letters
commending them that came last Unto those and these Messengers was delivered so great and Royal a sum by the foresaid King of Mounster that thereby this Cloister was from the very foundations not only re-built in a little time so magnificently that for the stateliness of the Work it surpass'd all other to be seen in those days any where but moreover to maintain it and the Monks therein for ever purchased both within that very City of Reinsburg and abroad in the Countrey in Houses Lands Villages Towns a mighty great Revenue and perpetual Estate And yet after all supererat ingens copia pecuniae Regis Hiberniae there was remaining still an exceeding great quantity of the King of Ireland's money says the said Chronicle For so that Author calls the above Conchabhar O Brien though only King of Mounster the time of whose Reign was from the year of Christ 1127. when it began to the year 1142. when he ended both it and together with it his Life in a Pilgrimage at Kildare I say nothing of the mighty rich Presents which he sent and were carried from him and presented in his name to the Emperour Lotharius the II. by some of the noblest Peers of Ireland who had receiv'd the Cross for going to the holy War at that time in Palestine But there are two particulars which on this occasion coming to remembrance I cannot pass over in silence The one is concerning Marianus Scotus a famous man among the Learned specially Chronologers For in that Reinsburg Chronicle which speaks of Gregory the third of those Irish Abbots now mention'd we have this account of him 1. That after the same Gregory upon the death of his predecessour Christianus was chosen Abbot to succeed him in the foresaid Cloister of Reinsburg and therefore gone to Rome to be consecrated by the Pope who then was Adrian IV. an English man at that very time turn'd Monk in this Cloister egregius Clericus Hiberniensis nomine Marianus c. an excellent Irish Clerk by name Marianus a most learned man who a long time at Paris had publickly taught the seven Liberal Arts and other Sciences and was there Master to this very Adrian who now presided in the Apostolical Chair at Rome when the foresaid Gregory was admitted by him to Audience 2. That among other questions Adrian enquiring of Gregory concerning Marianus his old Praeceptor at Paris Gregory answered him thus Master Marianus is well and having forsaken the World lives with us a Monk at Reinsburg 3. That hereupon the Pope delivered himself in these words God be thanked says he For throughout the Catholick Church we do not know under an Abbot such an other man so excelling in Wisdom Prudence Wit Eloquence good manners humanity dexterity and other divine gifts as my Master Marianus c. Hitherto the very words of that Reinsburg Chronicle done only into English Which I have therefore given here out of Camb. Evers page 164. because I would restore that famous man to his own native Countrey Ireland notwithstanding his surname of Scotus What time he flourish'd we may gather hence being we know that Pope Adrian IV. whose Instructor in the Sciences he was died in the year of Christ 1159. the fourth year and tenth month of his Pontificate The other particular shews how the Irish had been five hundred years before piously munificent to Foreiners come to lead religious lives with them at home in Ireland as we have but lately seen they were five hundred years after to those of their own Natives that devoted themselves wholly to the same Life among Foreiners abroad I must confess there are many more Instances in History to shew the same thing but this one extracted by Cambden Cambden in his country of Maio. out of V. Bede l. 1. Eccles Histor cap. 4. may be sufficient in this place Colman an Irish Bishop found a place in Ireland meet for building a Monastery named in the Scottish that is Irish Tongue Mageo And he bought a part of it which was not much of the Earl whose possession it was to found a Monastery therein but with this condition annex'd to the sale that the Monks residing there should pray for the Soul of him that permitted them to have the place Now when he had in a very little time with the help of the said Earl and all the Neighbour Inhabitants built this Cloister he plac'd the English men there who were thirty in number leaving the Scots behind him in the Monastery which he had before built in a small Isle on the West of Ireland by name Inis-Bofindhe that is the Island of the white Cow And that Cloister which he had built within the Land is inhabited even at this day by English men For it is the same which of a small one is grown great and usually call'd Mageo And now having this good while turn'd all to better orders it contains a notable Covent of Monks who being assembled there out of the Province of England according to the Example of the reverend Fathers under regular disciplin and a Canonical Abbot live in great continency and sincerity by the labour of their own hands Hitherto Bede And Cambden where he treats of the County of Maio in Connaght adds that if he deceive not himself that place named Mageo in Bede is the very same that now we call the Town of Maio the Head of that Shire Which to be true not only the neerness of Inis-Bofindhe where Colman left the Irish Monks whom together with those English he took along with him from Lindisfearn in Great Brittain * Ann 664. according to the Saxon Chronology printed with Bede by Wheloc but the right Irish name of Maio confirms For in that Language 't is call'd Magheo even at this day But 't is high time now to end a digression which though at first occasion'd by my reflecting on Felim mhac Criomthain 's costly Progress about Ireland has after by degrees of it self insensibly spun out to this length 61. Although you may see for above four leaves together that is from page 190 to page 199. very much as well of the great Actions and fortunate successes of the last Irish Monarch Ruaruidh O Conchabhair in his youth as of the total Ecclipse of his glory yea and pitiable change of his Royal State in his old days to the miserable condition of a poor private flitting forlorn Exile and all proceeding from the unnatural cruelty of his own very Son nevertheless amongst those former smiles of Fortune favouring him had it occurr'd I had surely mention'd the General Assembly or Parliament of all the Estates of Ireland which he held with great solemnity in the first year of his Reign being the year of Christ 1166. at a place which Gratianus Lucius in his Camb Evers page 161. calls in Latin Athboylochia perhaps that Town which now we call Athboy in Meath and the Irish in their Language Bale-Ath-Buoy But which foever or where
the dreadful Judg shall judg his People Though whether we must understand here the final persecution of Antichrist and the end of the World and general Judgment of all Nations in the Valley of Josaphat or whether only the last particular desolation judgment and ruin of Rome and of the Papacy it self never to recover more in this World or at least in that place I can say nothing to it of either side But no more of this Prophetical Subject What remains either of Reflection or Addition are the few points that follow I forgot to give them in their due places according to the order of pages hitherto observ'd and therefore I give them here 63. The first relates to that famous Beannchuir Abbey in the North of Ireland whereof I have treated before page 62 c. For concerning the greatness of it you have here an illustrious testimony out of a forein Writer Antony Yepez in his general Chronicle of the Benedictin Order ad ann Christi 565. cap. 2. where speaking of that Irish Monastery he says in express words It was one of the greatest our sacred Religion he means the Benedictin Order had in all Europe nay the very greatest of all that were built in the whole Occident and that no other was comparable to it But for the austerity of their lives the sanctity of their conversation the power of their doctrine and example their supernatural gifts and in a word the extraordinary stupendious hand of God with them in all their undertakings who were profess'd Votaries in that illustrious Cloister we have no less forein and much more ancient Writers than Yepez to inform us And certainly if we may judg of this matter by what such credible Authors have written some eight hundred and some a thousand years since of the Missionaries of that Abbey the disciples of St. Congellus Founder and first Abbot thereof sent abroad into other parts of Europe by him for the conversion of Infidels and reformation of evil Christians there needs no more to convince us that Beannchuir was a most perfect Seminary of the most truly vertuous and wonderful Monks on Earth For Example of St. Gallus the Irish call him in their Language Gall who was one of the twelve that in one Mission at one and the same time went thence with Columbanus who was the thirteenth of them and Prefect of this Mission thus writeth St. Notkerus Balbulus in his Martyrologe 17 Cal. Nov. that he converted the people of Switzerland and Suevia from Idolatry confirm'd his preaching to them with the power of Miracles and that him the divine goodness made Apostle of the Allemaigns as by whom that Nation which he had found enveloped in Paganism was enlightned with true Religion and brought from the darkness of ignorance to the Sun of Justice who is Christ So and much more in short writeth the said holy Notherus of this great Apostle of the Allemaigus St. Gallus from whom or whose Monastery the Town of St. Gall so famous even at this day hath been called As for the particulars as well of his stupendious austerity as Miracles above Nature they may be seen at large in his Life extant in Messingham and Surius written originally by Walafridus Strabo But for Columbanus himself a Leinster man born and but twenty years old when he went to Sea from Beannchuir Head of that Mission whoever please to read over seriously his Acts written about a thousand years since by one of his own well-nigh Contemporaries Abbot Jonas must needs I think be suspended in admiration of a man so prodigious in all respects I cannot be otherwise my self when I observe the whole course of his Life in Ireland France Burgundy Allmaign and last of all in Italy where he died Nor verily does e'â—n Caesar Baroniug himself after so many other both ancient and modern Authors seem less affected with admiration where he speaks thus of him ad an Christi 612. It appears says he to have proceeded from an extraordinary favour of God that so great a man come from Ireland to France should in the most profligate times illustrate the Church A man of such transcendent merits that if any would in some things equal him to Elias I should not think he err'd Whereas in this most holy man living with his disciples in the Wilderness besides wonderful abstinence and the most exact observance of all Monastick Rules and other his eminent Virtues may be observ'd so great a zeal of the honour of God and fortitude of Soul to reprove evil Princes Who also herein was the more like to Elias that he wanted not Pâ—rsecutors not even a new Achab and another Jezabel as you your self may find by reading his Life But truly his banishment out of Burgundy by King Theodorick at the instigation of the wicked Queen Brumchildis that bane that Murdress of ten Kings for she destroy'd so many some by poison and some by other damnable ways and his Journey thereupon to Italy appear'd to be no other than a long continued Triumph for his victory over Kings and their detestable cruelty yea and a wonderful Triumph indeed because accompanied with so many prodigious signs and Wonders wrought by him every where as he went along So says Baronius in the foresaid place wholly without doubt suspended in admiration of what himself does so relate of this stupendious man of God Whose prophetical Spirit also in foretelling King Lotharius so positively and precisely that within three years the two other Kings Theodorick and Theodobertus should be destroy'd and he Lotharius succeed them by that time and be Monarch of all France the same Baronius ad eund an particularly relates As also he doth the quarrel of Bruinchildis to Columbanus and only cause of his banishment to have been His exhorting the said King of Austrasia Theodorick to marry a Wife and turn away his Concubines For she apprehended that a regnant Queen or which is the same thing a lawful Wife would surely at long running turn her out from the management of State-affairs which Whores could noâ— And then again our great Annalist the same Baronius ad an 615. returning once more to that heavenly Man and telling us of his death in Italy after he had founded there the most renowned Cloister of Bobium as he had formerly done before his banishment that of Luxovium in Burgundy he delivers it with this Elogium of him This year says he that Wonder-working Adorer of God Columbanus the terrour and scourge of evil Kings departed this Life Which Elogium given by so eminent a Cardinal Historian because there Ordericus Vitalis Angligena in his Book of Ecclesiastical History needs no more be said of Columbanus I will only add the testimony of an ancient English Author whom I suppose to have lived and died in forein parts a Monk of Vtica many hundred years since though lately printed in the History of the Normans published by Andreas du Chesne Anno 1619. They cannot be
and marching confidently in the head of his Troops against an infinite number of Enemies who in one terrible Host came to fight him obtain'd that miraculous Victory over them which is recorded by Metaphrastes and Glycas Annal. Part. 4. and Baronius too ad an 388. Even that very same wonderful Victory which the Winds and Tempests fighting for him and 〈◊〉 their own Darts upon his Enemies he obtained against Maximus the Tyrant and which Claudian the Christian Poet has so divinely celebrated in heroick Verse part whereof speaks thus to Theodosius himself O nimium dilecte Deo cui fundit ab antris Aeolus atratas hyemes cui militat Aether Et conjurati veniunt ad Classica venti Besides that pious learned Bishop of Ossory desires it be considered that the former History of the Staff of Jesus has no less illustrious famous approv'd Authors than those of the later History of the Staff of Senuphius are But whether it be or be not so my design here is not concern'd For I have already let the Reader know what is written of and has been deliver'd all along and what is believed at present among the Roman Catholick Irish of that religious Relique the Staff of Jesus What remains either of Reflection or Addition are these few Notes that follow I have indeed forgot to give them in their due place according to the order of pages observ'd hitherto in this Section But that will not hinder the understanding them where they are given here 66. The first is a◠very material Animadversion upon my 146 page Where because following the authority of D. Geoffrey Keting I suppos'd and accordingly told of an Interregnum in Ireland that by reason of the over-ruling power of the Danes and their great Commander Turgesius had succeeded immediately upon the drowning of the Monarch Niall Caille I must here let the Reader know that Gratianus Lucius page 297 and 298. brings several arguments to evince not only That there had never been any Interregnum at all of the Irish Monarchy at any time during either of the two Danish Wars nor consequently Turgesius the Dane had ever succeeded not even by usurpation any of the Irish Monarchs but that Keting was led into Errour in this particular by Gerald of Wales Among which arguments are these two 1. That Sir James Ware in his Catalogue of the Kings of Ireland lately publish'd makes no mention at all of Turgesius 2. That the Annals of Ireland place both the end of Niall Caille's Reign and the beginning of Maolseachluinn I. in the year of our Lord 844. But as to the Interregnum neither of these arguments nor any other which I have yet seen evince more than that the Interregnum was very short and concluded with one year 67. The second Note must refer to p. 222 c. where the Subject treated is the true Christian religious great Vertues indeed of as many Irish Monarchs or Kings of all Ireland as I have remembred there but the addition to them here is only of two more viz. Ainmirus the son of Sedna and Donnaldus the son of Aidus For so they are call'd in Latin by Gratianus Lucius though in Irish their names and surnames are Ainmhire mhac Seadhna who was the XI and Domhnall mhac Aodh Slaine who was the Xviii Christian King of all Ireland The former com to the Sovereignty in the year of Christ 563. but parted from it and his life too by a horrible murther committed on him in the fourth year of his Reign was so Christianly zealous for the purity of Religion Rites Discipline Church that he could not abide the least blemish spot or wrinkle in any of them In so much that in the Irish Histories it is specially recorded of him to his great honour how when he had observ'd some things amiss in the Rituals i. e. some Errours crept in or some deviation from the Rules prescrib'd them though but so lately before by their great Apostle St. Patrick and when about the same time he had heard by fame of the excellent knowledg integrity sanctity wisdom of Gildas in Great Brittain he sent his own Letters to invite him to Ireland towards the reforming there whatever had been so amiss But why Gratianus Lucius here gives the surname of Badonicus to Gildas for he calls him Gildas Badonicus I confess I do not know nor can conjecture unless perhaps that Northern Mountainous Countrey in Yorkshire now call'd Blackemere in English but formerly in Latine Mons Badonicus has been the native Countrey of this ancient Father This I know that in Bibliotheca Patrum he is surnamed Sapiens or Gildas the Wise And moreover that Polydore Virgil l. 3. Hist Angl. writes how Gildas himself has told us his little Book de excidio Brittannico that himself was born that very year wherein the Britons had obtain'd against the Saxons the famous Victory at Mons Badonicus which was the forty fourth year after the first landing of Hengistus and Horsus being the year of Christ 492. Unto which if we joyn what the same Polydore had said before l. 1. Hist Angl. of Gildas viz. That he flourish'd about the year of Christ 580. we may conclude that certainly the time set down in the Irish Books for his going to Ireland as invited thither by the foresaid Monarch Ainmhire mhac Sedhna agrees full well with this time and age of Gildas then The later of these two Monarchs namely Domhnal son to Aodh Slaine who not only came with pure hands without blood to the Crown but after fourteen year's glorious Reign first and then eighteen months sickness parted with Crown and life together peaceably on his Bed which was in that Nation a very singular blessing of God This Domhnal I say besides his other great Vertues is most deservedly celebrated for a very great Exemplar of Christian humility and contempt of himself He had through human frailty committed some fault which though I do not find express'd or specified what it was I find notwithstanding the rarest instance of Repentance submission and humiliation of a King in him that could be to procure the forgiveness of it from his own Subject tho a holy man of that Nation call'd St. Fechinus For after earnest humble entreaties to this man of God for pardon when he had found him backward still and hard to relent he prostrated himself on the ground at his feet and suffered him to tread on his bare neck 67. My next additional Note although of another Subject tends nevertheless very much to the magnifying of the Ancient Irish as to that natural heroick Vertue which next to the favour of Heaven preserv'd them for so many Ages a Free Nation Martial courage and Valour I mean And therefore this Addition must relate to those pages where from 25 to 40. I treated before of the Danish Wars in Ireland However it is such an addition to the brave performances of the Irish in those Wars that I know not whether
one more of the same Nature and in the very same Kingdom of Mounster too Where as Keting acquaints us upon the Death of Duibh Lachne next Successour in that Provincial Kingdom to Cormock O Cuilleinan for seven years more the Princes and Gentry meeting chose another Priest nay a Monk to be their King even the Abbot of Inis Catha by name Flaithhiortach mhac Jonmâ—uinein who reigned thirteen years over them And they chose him notwithstanding he had been the chief Adviser of Cormock O Cuillenain so lately that is but seven years before to venture that Battel against Flann mhac Sionnadh the Monarch and the Leinster King Cearbhall mhac Muaregein which prov'd so fatal to that good King and his whole Kingdom of Mounster and to this very Abbot himself troublesom For he was taken Prisoner in it and as such detain'd some time at Kildare by that Leinster King until at the intercession of the Abbess of Saint Bridgets Monastery in that Town he was released and return'd to his own Abbey of Inis-Catha in Mounster Whence after some few years wholly employ'd there in rigid ascetical exercises he was call'd upon and e'en compell'd to take the Royal State of a King So says Keting in his Reign of the said Monarch Flann Where also he notes occasionally an other great Errour of Hanmer in his Chronicle For Hanmer page 88. says that both the foresaid Cormock O Cuillenain King of Mounster but he makes him King of Ireland and Cearbhall O Muirreigein King of Leinster were kill'd by the Danes in the year of our Lord 905. Whereas on the contrary neither was Cearbhall kill'd in that year nor that Battel fought of either side by the Danes but of one side by the Monarch and of the other by Cormock who perish'd therein All which is abundantly testified by the Authentick Irish Book of that very Battel which Book has for Title Catha Bheala Mughna Besides as Keting observes in the same place the Danes attempted nothing at all no not once against the Irish during the seven years Reign of Cormock O Cuillenain over Mounster Nay there was so general a peace over all Ireland for this time so great plenty of all earthly blessings so universal a Reformation of manners and so much devotion and zeal in all sorts of people for restoring what had been destroy'd by the first Danish Wars and other attempts following it that nothing was to be seen more frequent now than every where repairing the old and building new Churches Colledges Hospitals Monasteries Yea the numbers of men dedicated only to a religious life was such at this time that Cormock O Cuillenainn tells in his Psalter of Cashel that in Muingharid formerly call'd the City of Deochaine-assain there was a Monastery with six Churches belonging to it in the same Town wherein the number of Conventual Monks was 1500. whereof five hundred were learnned Preachers five hundred Psalmists to serve constantly in the Choire and four hundred old Fathers applied wholly to Contemplation Such was the happy state of Ireland in the short Reign of the same Cormock over Mounster which must have been at or a little before the year of Christ 914. because this year ended the thirty eight years long Reign of the Monarch Flann mhac Sionna who kill'd in Battel that good King Cormock as we have seen before 70. The Sixth being an addition to what has been said before against Hanmer page 403. gives you to understand How Dionbhuillach son to the King of Denmark invading Ireland with a mighty Force landed in the North and march'd his Army so far as Ardmach How Conchabhar the first Provincial King of Vlster with his own people the Sept of Clanna Ruadhruidh i. e. the Children or Descendants from one Ruadhruidh whom they call Ruadhruidh Mor and with them alone nay with tumultuary small Forces rais'd out of them found himself necessitated to attack these Danes How by the advice of one Geanann Gruadhollas lest the Irish Youth should be contemn'd by the Danish old experienc'd Soldiers Conchabhar used the stratagem of tying Locks of grey wool in form of beards to their cheeks and chins whereby having made 'em seem the more considerable to the Enemy as if they also had been Veterans and then giving a furious charge on Dionbhuillach he defeated utterly all his Danes How these ascititious woollen beards were call'd in their Language Vlladh and from them it was that ever since the Northern Province of Ireland has been call'd in the same Irish Language Vlladh which we in ours call Vlster How that which we have here observed having been the issue of Dionbhuillach's Invasion and the time when it happen'd as Keting writes having also been the Reign of Eochadh Feilioch the Irish Monarch and Author of the Pentarchy who died in the year of the World 5069. that is just a hundred and forty years before the birth of Christ according to the computation follow'd by Lucius nothing can be desired clearer to evict Hanmer's little skill in the Irish History and his manifold Errours in delivering as you have seen before page 386. so many other Invasions of the Danes on Ireland and Conquests therein long before the year of Christ 800. 71. My seventh Note being likewise an addition is to supply what I purposely omitted in my 17th Page There I mention'd occasionally the Picts arriving in Ireland out of Scythia so long since as the Reign of Herimon the first Milesian Monarch of that Kingdom but little more of 'em save only their being made Tributary some Ages after in Scotland by the Irish Indeed when I writ and printed that Page I did not think of enlarging as I have done since And therefore partly for haste and partly for compendiousness I pass'd then over several particulars which I had before me that very time in Keting and he has at large in the foresaid Reign concerning those Picts But seeing I have since though contrary to my first design dilated on other matters I think it not amiss to add somewhat more of that Pictish Nation And this for two reasons The first is because 't is not only of all hands confess'd the Picts had been a warlike ancient People but Venerable Bede represents them as most powerful too in the year of Christ 569. In which year speaking of Columb Cille's landing in their Country from Ireland to convert 'em he has these very words Regnante Pictis Bridio filio Meilochon Rege potentissimo c. The second Because both the time of their first appearing in these parts and their very Original i. e. what Country-men they were or whence they came have continued for many Ages hitherto at least of late they are vexatious Questions As may be seen in Cambden's Britannia where he has given a Title of the Picts and four pages in Holland's Translation of him to resolvethese Questions Though after all he seems to me no nearer the Truth in his conjectural decision of either the one or
That upon this success at least not long after it the Picts looking big growing unruly and even aspiring to the Command of that whole Province of Leinster but the Monarch Herimon made acquainted with it drawing together a greater Power then they dared fight they were compell'd to accept of his Terms and hye them away out of hand with his directions and assistance for the Northern parts of Great Brittain 6. That nevertheless before their departure they obtain'd of Herimon three Irish Ladies by name Beanbhreasi Beanbhuais and Beanbhuaisdhne who had been the Widows of three of Herimons Commanders and taken these names from 'em kill'd in the late War with Tuath-De-Danann and these were all the Women they could obtain at least then though upon that very condition told us by Bede The first of 'em married to Cathluan the chief Commander now of the Picts for it seems his Father Gud was before this time departed the World the other two married to two more of their Nobles Nor could any of them obtain leave to stay in Ireland but only six viz. Trosdan the foresaid Magitian Soilean Vlpre Neachtan Nar Aongus and Leatan who had possessions given them for ever by Herimon in the Countrey of Breagh Mhoigh now call'd by us East and West Meath 6. That the foresaid Cathluan was the first King of the Picts in Cruithin-Tuath or Tuath Chruinigh for by both these compound names indifferently the Irish Books call that Countrey in the North of Brittain which the Picts erected to a Kingdom and call it so properly enough as importing in English the Lordship Lordship or Dominion of the Picts the simple word Tuath signifying in Irish a Lordship and Cruinigh the Picts themselves 7. That after him in a succession reign'd in the same Countrey at least in some part of it and of the same Pictish Nation Threescore and Ten Kings more to Constantine the last of ' em And these being the Heads of those particulars that concern them in the Psalter of Cashel written by the Holy Cormock O Cuilenain Arch Bishop and King of Mounster eight hundred years since and by consequence written either immediately before or immediately after I am sure much about the time of their last fatal overthrow by his Countrey men the Irish and their Issue in Scotland we need no longer question either the time of that Pictish Nation 's first appearance or the Countrey they came from to the Western parts of Europe As neither indeed whence they deriv'd the custom of painting themselves They might have learn'd this from the Agathyrsi in Thracia if themselves had it not before yea they might be the first that us'd it in Great Brittain and the Brittons might have only had it from them for any thing said to the contrary And they came as early to Ireland and Scotland both as the Reign of Herinton the first Milesian Monarch of Ireland after he had kill'd his elder Brother Heber to whom he was but joyn'd in Sovereignty while Heber lived Nay we need not question how long this Pictish Kingdom lasted For seeing it began at least as early as Herimon's death I mean by this account in the Psalter of Cashel and that by Primat Vshers account it continued to the year of Christ 840. then we must conclude that according to Gratianus Lucius's computation of the years of the World and years also of all the several Irish Monarchs Reigns the Pictish Kingdom lasted 2623 years in all For this Author fixes the death of Herimon in the year of the World 3516. and the Birth of Christ in the year 5199. as Eusebius Caesariensis one of the Fathers of the first General Council of Nice did long before him What more I have to say in reference to the Picts their Kingdom or Kings is That as I was writing this Reflection Mr. Langhorn's Introduction to the History of England being brought me by chance and looking it over I observ'd That altho the ingenious Author gives no more light therein concerning the Countrey whence those Picts came first to Ireland and thence to Scotland nor of their Leaders name nor of the time of their arrival amongst us than other late Writers especially Campion and Hanmer did before him who call that Leader King Roderick and say this Roderick came to Ireland from Scandia alias Scandinavia which goes under the name of Scythia Germanica or the German Scythia yet he gives therein page 197 a Catalogue of the Brittish Kings and years of their several Reigns partly out of John Fordon's M. S. Scoto-Chronicon and partly out of Hector Boethius who adds to the 76 Kings in Fordon five more So that both numbers put together make just the very same number of Pictish Kings which the Psalter of Cashel has Though I must confess there is no other agreement in any point between that Psalter these Authors either as to the names of those Kings or years of their Reigns or total sum of these years Neither is there in that whole Catalogue any Roderick either as first or last or any at all of them nor any thing near his name The very same you may assure your self of Cathluan whom nevertheless you have seen before out of the Psalter of Cashel to have been the first Pictish King As for the total sum of the years of their Reign which by casting it up out of the several Reigns every body may see is 1165. it plainly comes short by 1452 years of the former account derivable from the Psalter of Cashel and Vsher Lucius Besides it necessarily must suppose the Pictish Kingdom began in Scotland e'en four hundred years full before any Picts landed in Scotland or came from Scandinavia to Scotland or Ireland which does not stand with the time of their coming set down by our new Historians and last of all by Langhorn himself As for the names express'd in that Catalogue all I can say is that if we give credit to Nennius a Brittish Author that liv'd as himself writes an Christi 830. under Anaraugh King of Anglesey and Guinech if besides we suppose his Book rightly translated into Irish in O Duvegans Miscellanies and if withal we believe that Gratianus Lucius quoting both would not impose upon us nor I on you or my self what follows must be That we give no kind of credit to the foresaid Catalogue drawn out of Fordon and Boethius not even I mean as to those names of the Pictish Kings contain'd therein For the same Gratianus Lucius after letting us know in his Cambr. Evers page 93. That himself had a Copy of those Miscellanies and among 'em the Catalogue of all the Pictish Kings written by the said Nennius then presently though upon another occasion names five and forty of 'em and I am sure that of this very number tho only a part of Nennius's Catalogue there are at least six and twenty names that have no affinity with no resemblance at all nor imitation of any in the whole Bedâ—oll
of Boethius and Fordon as I find this given by Langhorn So much of the Picts And therefore now to my Eighth Note Which as it refers to several places of this Book particularly to page 5. and all other pages indeed where I suppose the Milesians either to have possess'd themselves of Ireland as early as the year of the World 2736. or not to have continued longer a free People under their own Laws and Kings then about 2500 years so it is meerly occasion'd by what I said but now in my Seventh Note concerning the extent of time which the Pictish Kings must have lasted according to the Chronology of Lucius and Vsher In short I must on this occasion tell you here That as to the Milesian Kingdom 's answerable extent of Time Keting and Lucius agree Save only That Keting as himself professes in his Preface following that computation of the years of the World which allows only 4052 years from the Creation to the Incarnation and consequently in this coming short 1138 years of the computation of Eusebius would needs reform the Irish Regnal for so they call the Book of their Reigns by shortning the Reigns of several of their Monarchs by so many years in all as amount to above four hundred that is 491 years and this of purpose to make the whole extent of Time and the several Periods from the first Plantation of Ireland by Partholan to the Reign of Ruaruidh O Conchabhar the Last Irish Monarch of the Milesian Race agree the better with his own foresaid Computation of the years of the World And Lucius on the other side as he follow'd Eusebius's Computation of the same years of the World which is that commonly follow'd by both Greeks and Latins says Sixtus Senensis * Biblioth S. l. 2. page 46. verb. Adae Genealogia so he held stiffly and throughly to the Irish Regnal as to the years of each Milesian Monarch's Reign And therefore the difference 'twixt these two Writers in relation to Ireland or to any period or extent of the periods of Time since its first Plantation is only that of near five hundred years during the Milesian Monarchy In all other points concerning this matter they both agree As for Example That Ireland was first planted by Partholan about three hundred years after the Deluge that his Posterity continued there three hundred years and the next Invaders Clanna Neimheadh 217 more and after them the Nation call'd Fir-bholg thirty six and after these another Nation by name Tuath-De-Danann for 197 years and then immediately the Milesians coming in continued since to the year of Christ 1172. So that Keting and Lucius being throughly agreed in all these points their difference about the whole extent of their several periods mention'd before can be no other than that of Keting's voluntary cutting off from the Milesian Reigns about five hundred years Or rather indeed especially if we consider how Keting himself confesses he did so and for what end he did it even contrary to the Irish Regnall we may conclude there is no difference at all as to the undoubted extent of all those several Periods of Time though Keting place the Milesian Epocha in his year of the World 2736. and Lucius the very same Epocha in his year of the World 3500. For albeit this diversity of placing it argues 1172. years difference between 'em in stating the years of the World and that Keting chose rather to follow the far more likely computation of Augustinus Torniellius in his Annales Sacri Profani * Torniel Sext. M. aetat ad an 4052. ab Orbe condito ad eundem Christi passione redemptum come out a little before Keting's time though he makes no mention of them or him than be led by that of Eusebius who was himself most probably misled by the grand Errour of the Septuagint Version * See Sixtus Senen Biblioth S. â— 2. page 45. but more at large l. 5. page 440. where he shews that the computation of Eusebius as to the years only from the Creation to the birth of Abraham exceeds the Hebrew true computation in One thousand two hundred thirty six years Nay in the former Place he shews that whereas from the Creaation to the Flood Moses counts only 1656 years the Septuagint Interpr exceed him in 786 years So that by their supputation to the Flood only the number of years is 2242. From which diversity the great contention arose betwixt the Hebrews and the Greeks in computing the years of the World So says he l. 2. pag. 45. verb. Adae Genealogia yet no difference at all as to stating strictly the extent of Time or number of years which the Milesian or other former Conquests or Plantations of Ireland had continued can be deduced thence Only it argues that either the one or other was mistaken in the number of the years of the World or in fixing ' em Which is enough to be said on this Subject occasionally And therefore I will only add here what as occasionally comes now to mind That whether in my Title-page by the year of the World 2736 you understand the year accounted such according to the computation of Torniellius and Keting or the other accounted such by Eusebius and Lucius I am neither way my self nor any thing in this Book concern'd Though otherwise I would as to this point much rather hold with those than these retaining nevertheless all due veneration to the name of Eusebius as who had been not only one of the Three hundred and eighteen Nicene Fathers and Bishop of Caesarea in Palestin but worthy as Constantine the Great said of him to be Bishop of the whole Earth The Ninth and last Additional Note has no reference that I can remember to any thing said before in any of my pages However I give it because I see Gratianus Lucius thought it not unconducing to the honour of the Ancient Irish For it is in short That the Warlike Nation of the Heruli who inhabited some Northern Islands and other Tracts near Germany a Nation too well sometimes known to the Roman Provinces harrass'd by them did glory in their two Kings Dathen and Aordon as descended from the Irish and that Suria born of an Irish Lady descended from the Kings of Ireland had the supreain Power of Biscay an 870 as absolute Princess thereof which she transmitted to a long succession of Descendants from her Whereof you may see Gratianus Lucius page 299. where he quotes Wolfgangus Lassin de Migrat Gent. l. 13. And so Reader you have at last an end of all my additional Notes and consequently of all whatever I thought necessary to say according to the design and method of this little Tract of the Ancient Irish as they were a free Nation about 2500 years under their own Laws and Government For indeed my design hitherto as you may easily perceive was either only or at least chiefly to represent them as they appear'd
hopes and Leagues together of those that did it Though after all the goodness of God put off a little further still that heaviest of his judgments on the Nation in general which they whether by relapsing again the third time into their accursed Feuds or whether by continuing in 'em at all times and particularly at this of their last delivery from all forein Enemies brought on themselves not only at last but ere very long And yet I must confess it was no sooner than 127 years more were over For so long still even after the second Danish War of a hundred and fifty years continuance had been wholly ended by the destruction of all their Northern and Eastern Invaders whatsoever did the wonderful mercy of God to them expect their amendment certainly a longer period of time than he expected the repentance of the old World when he had warn'd them to it by the building of the Ark. At present he was content only to add to the former losses of this Nation that which really was the last disposition to that heaviest doom expecting them as it was indeed the very last symptom of their dying Commonwealth He removed their Candlestick that is he subverted their ancient Monarchical Government The power and majesty of which as it had been for so many long Ages their only firm prop so it was the only National glory they had left after the destruction made by 200 years continual War with Foreiners of all whatsoever else had been great or illustrious in their Nation But this is now departed like all the rest For after this Maolseachluinn the II. had by death ended his second Reign of nine years continuance there was never more in Ireland any Monarch truly such never any at all I mean universally either obey'd or acknowledg'd or accounted such by the Irish in general at least till Henry the II. nay I might say till James I. of glorious memory reign'd over ' em Yet because I must confess there have been six more in Title and pretension such that succeeded this Maolseachluinn in their several periods of time for a hundred and twenty seven years in all and because the later part of my Instances are delivered in their Reigns I give them also now in ororder 29. Donochadh mhac Brien Boraimh succeeded next to Malseachluinn II. for two and fifty years says Keting and was acknowledg'd by Leath Mogh and the greater part of Ireland In his reign Art Cuilioch O Ruairck King of Breithfne violated spoil'd plunder'd the Sanctuary of Cluain Fearta Breanuinn but on the same day after he had committed this horrible sacrilegious villany was met and fought and defeated by the Monarch In his reign besides the sacking of Waterford by Diarmuid Mhaoil-na-mbho King of Leinster which I pass over because they were at least most of them were Danes that lived there at that time the other famed Sanctuary of Cluan mhic-Noise was in the like impious manner spoil'd by those Irish called the Comhacnuibh though ere long severely punish'd says Keting by a general mortality sweeping both themselves and their Cattel away In his reign Carthach mhae Saoirbhreathaigh King of Eoghanachta Casshell and a great many other Gentlemen of Note were burn'd together in a Thatch-house by Mac Longhargain mhac Dunn Chuan And after all this Monarch himself Dononachadh mhac Brian Boraimh was not only depriv'd of his Kingdom but glad to save his life by flying away and going a poor Pilgrim to Rome where he died in St. Stephen's Abbey Which in short being the whole account we find in Keting of what happen'd to our purpose here in the long reign of this Dononachadh what follows now is out of the Gratianus Lucius p. 81. Author of Cambrensis Euersus For this accurate Writer tho he delivers many excellent things of this Donogh yet he tells us That he was an Usurper on the rights of his elder Brother Teadhg the undoubted Heir of the Crown say the Annals of Innis-Faile and put him into the hands of those Ely-O-Carrol-Men who treacherously murder'd him That in the year 1027. which was the next after Maolseachluinn's death he prey'd all Meath Fingall Leinster Ossory and camp'd for two days near the Walls of Dublin without any opposition That An. 1036. with only one Vessel he fought sunk and took 14 Breithfne Ships and sufficiently reveng'd on 'em their plundering of Cluan Feart That in the year 1050 the Ossorians and Lagenians rebelling he broke again their Stubbornness and in the year 1060. having enter ed Connaght with a good Army he compell'd Ruadhruigh the King of that Proviuce to give him Hostages So much indeed Gratianus Lucius tells us consequently in the first place of this Donochadh mhic Brien Boraimhe But then going on he relates in the next of Diarmuid mhic Donochadh surnam'd Maol-na-Moa King of Leinster Nephew to this very Donochadh O Brian the Mounster King by Dearbhrogil his Daughter That he taking into his care and espousing against this Usurping Uncle the quarrel of young Toirrghiallach who was the Son and Heir of the murdered Teidhg and consequently his own Cousin German to the end this injured youth might be restored to his right made sharp War on the said Uncle Keting's pretended Monarch of Ireland That to the end he begun with Waterford in the year 1037. took sack'd and burnt it In this year 1048. he set upon Glanuson turn'd it to ashes kill'd a hundred of its defenders and brought away 400 more Captives In the same year he wasted all the Desies and return'd with an infinite number of their Cattel and very many Prisoners In the year 1058. he burnt Limmerick plunder'd Inis-Ceath fought Donochadh at the Mountain Croth and routed his whole Army In the year 1061. he made a miserable slaughter of the Momonians at Cuamchoill wasted their Countrey and put all both Houses Stacks and standing Corn into a light flame of fire Anno 1063. he burnt Limmerick the second time forc'd the Momonians to give him Hostages out of all parts of their Countrey nay soon after upon a new rebellion or insurrection of theirs plagued them again and compell'd 'em to new submissions and Hostages which Hostages he delivered all every one to the foresaid Toirrghiallach The next year which was 1064. he beat Donochadh out of all his Kingdom made him fly beyond Seas plac'd Tourrghiallach in his Throne at least of Mounster and in the following 1065. upon intelligence of Donochadh's son Murchadh s setting up for himself he march'd the last time into Mounster suppressed that Insurrection chas'd Murchadh into Connaght receiv'd the third time Hostages from all Mounster and as he had done before put them into the hands of Tourrghiallach now King after his Uncle Moreover this Author writes of the same Diarmuid King of Leinster that besides his pulling down and setting up so whom he pleased in that Province of Mounster he made Connaght also yield having marcht into it with a smart Army harrass'd