OCR Text |
Show ~ The tecond preface ofGiraidus Cambrenfis vnto the noble Earle of Poitiers. Auing beene eftfoones, and by manie requefted,, to regifter and write the hiftorie offirch noble aéts doonein our times, whichI haueeither feenemyfelfe, or haue heard it credibliereporteds I was formy excufe woont toalleage the wickedneffe ofthe time, wherein, by reafon of the exceffiuerio- earetie whichfo aboundeth,all thingsare fo farre out oforder, and men fo carefull to pampervp the bodie,that the mind , which ofhis natureis free is BS. SAYS eh nowincaptiuitie, and cannot hauehislibertie. Neuerthelefle, confidering, ~ and diligentlie aduifing with myfelfe, how neceffariethe knowledge ofthofethings will be to our potteritie, arid how nothingis more perniciousandhurrfull toa good wit, and an honeft difpofi- Tohis moft reuerend lord and beloued in Chrift, Iohn the noble and worthie king ofEngland,JordofFreland,duke ofNormandie and ofAquitaine,and earle of Aniou: Giraldus offereth this bisfimple worke,and wifbeth all health both of bodie and offoule, anda profperousfucceffe in all things according to hishearts defire. T pleafedyour noble andexcellentfatherking Henrie,tofend tion, than to lie wallowinginidlenefle and floths I did at length with much adoo yeeld myfelfeto thofe requefts, and refolued myfelfeto fatiffie thefame. Butyet what can be more poneias than to write whentime ferueth not, & leifure wanteth? Orto defire out owne bookes to b¢e commonlieread,andyetat noleifire to read ourfelues? Or that we fhould be fubiec& to the examination andfifting ofa malicious reader,and anenuiousiudge, and yetwe notatleifive to examine me being then attendant vponhins,ouer withyou into Ireland, where when I hadnoted[andrie notable things , and which wereftrange and vunknowneto other nations : then at myreturne, I madea collettion || 474 choife ofthe chiefe/? matters therein: and within threeyeares, I fy made my booke ofre , ofthe woonders ofIreland , andofthe defcription ofthatland ,doone in andfor the honorof your father s who haning goodliking , andbeing wellpleafed with hamy tranels (for why,he was aprince( a thing rare in cur times) verte welllearned) out felues? Tullius, thefounteine and ee ofall eloquence, being ona timerequefted to make anoration, is faid he did excufehimfelfe , becaufe he had not ftudied nor read the daicbefore . Ifo famous a man,and thefatherofalleloquence, did fo efteeme the benefit of{tudieng, whatfhall others ofa farre meaner eftate and learning thinke of themfelues ? Fortrueit is, the wit of manif itbenot reuiued with continuall and dailie reading waxethfaint and dull, andwith reading itis increafed and nourifhedas it were with a naturall food and fuftenance.Foras thefull barns arefoone{pent,ifthey benot new ftoreds and theftocke ofgreat wealth and treafure foone wafted & confumned, if itbenotrepated; euen{o the knowledge of manbeing notdailie renewedbyread- ing andperufing ofocher mens works doothfooneperifh anddecaie. We are compact and doo confift oftwo natures, the one temporall, the othereternallsand hauing refpect to both, aretono- rith both, the earthie part with things tranfitorie and earthie accordingto the time , the heauenlie partwiththings perpetuallandeuerlafting. The bodie for thetime hathhis cares; but the mind, whichof his nature isfree, and which cannot be fhut vp, and as it were imprifoned, isneither vnder the power ofys, nor ofanie otherssletit therefore inioic his owne and properlibertie which to itapperteincth, andinioie the freedometoit belonging. Asfor the outward man, let him wander. and ftraie,andbe troubled about maniethings,let him follow vaine andtrifling toies , anddooall things as will lufteth, & lethimbe fubie&to the miferable condition ofthe fleth : but the inward man,whichasthe kernellis inclofed in the thell, let himinioie that right and priuilege which God hath giuen vntoits let it be fo warded and defended,thatbeing introubles, it bé not troubled; and being folitaric,it be not deftituted. God and the king haue ot of themtheir feuerall power and empire ouervs : the king hath power onelie ouer the bodice, but the fecretand incomprehenfible part within ys,namelie the foule, Godonelie poflefleth , and he alone knowethandfearcheth the fame. Foritisamoft noble and excellent thing , paffingall otherthe gifts of God vnder heauen, being incomprehenfible,and yet comprehendingall things, and mofteuidentlie declaring the diuine powet whichis init, For bya certeine naturalagilitie whichis in him he comprehendeth all the foure comers of the world , and in amaruellousfecret celeritie dooth difcerne the whole world and all chatthereinis: it hath che knowledge and vnderftandifg ofall arts,fciences & knowledges: he is onlic knowento himthat is vnknowen, feene ofhimthat isnot feene, & coprehendedof him whichis Preponhenbie . Godforbid therefore,that the continuall exercifes of this foule fhould be hinderedwith vaineandworldlie cares , wherebythings fora time omitted or fet afide fhould petithorbe forgotten:for whatis the bodie to the foule but a heauie burthen,a paine,& as itwere a rifon, which though notholding him,yet hindering him? For what the fhell is to the kernell,the fone isthe fleth rothe fpirit, both ofthemcarrieng his owneimpedimentand burthen. Wherefore rightnoble nowearle of Poitiers, but fhortlie whichthall be king ofEngland, & duke of Normandie, having the force andhelpe ofthis,I haue yeelded myfelfe,and haue nowwritten and drawenout thehiftoric of the conquett ofIreland, andthe fubduing ofthe barbarousnationof the fame in thefé our daies,and haue dedicated the fame vnto your highnefle ; that by recording the iftsthereof , and feeing howyourfatherdid growinrenowme and honor, fothe fame alfo may increafe in yousand as you are knowen to be the right heire of yourfathers inheritance, fo you may fucceed himalfoin his vertuesandvictories to your ereathonor. Ihaue hitherto rrauel- ledinthis rude and rough matteraftera grofle manner,but hereafter more fullic,andin better order to be exprefled andfet foorth, as timeandyeares (hall increafe,and as I {hall be more atfull inftructed, { 2| Ais defire and pleafure was , Ifhould alfo write out the hiftorie ofthe Za J} laf conqueft ofthefame land\made byhim andhis. Whichrenewing my former trauels Idid : but neither it,nor the{e mypaines were confidered. For vertue consmonlie more commendedthan rewarded . But becaufe by negligence,or rather byreafon ofthegreat bufinef[e, where. with Iwas incumbred: Thad almoftforgotten thefite , nature, andmaner ofthe weftparts ofthefaid land , which Thadnotfeene along time. Ithought itgoodto ouerrun, and,peruse againe my[aid worke, andbeing better corretted, to dedicat thefame vntoyour highnelfe.Whereinour historie taketh his be. sinningfrom the time that Dermon mac Morogh prince ofLeinfler was drinen ont ofbis countrie by usowne men, andfledtoyourfather then being in Aguitane : moft humblie cranuing ,and at lenoth obteining aidand[uccor, untill yourfirft comming into that land, when Iwas with you : and hane-fitith- Fullie declaredin order , what things were there ine by enerie ofthefe noblemen and capteins , which thenpalfedthither 5 euenfromthe firfito the laft; and whatgood or enillwas doone by them . Inwhich hifforie asina glalfe, aman may moft apparantlie and enidentlye and difcerne truths who, and what they were which deferued the moft honor in this conqueflswherher the firftaduenturers out ofthe diocelfe of[aint Dawids mycoufins and kinfmens or they of the dioce(je of Landaff, who came next ,andwhoinverie deed are gentlemen , but more in name thanvaliant in act; and who upon the Soedfuccelfe ofvon » hoping to haue the like themfelues, went ouer: or elfe they which palfed oner the thirdtime , who were wellandfulliefurnifhed at allpornts with goodflore ofarmor , vittell, and o ther neceffaries. Surelie they deferued well, who gaue thefirft aduenture : and the-y allo are much to be commended, which continued the fame: but they deferued beft, who went ouer laf . For they not onelie did eftablifh and confirme the authoritie and dovingsofthefirft and fecond , but alfo made afinall end, and brought the whole countrie intofubiection . Butalas, by reafonof their too haftie returning from thenfe , and ofthe vanaturallwarres and rebellion ofthe fonnesagainft theix father ; the land could a be broughttoapope order , nor the things begun could haue his full perfection. Wherefore, 6 nole king, de(pife not the ereat trauels and labors of yourfather, nor‘yet mypoore paines herein. Doonot wartyour honor and glorie tothevnworthie and vathankefull : neitherfor the coueting ofan Iand offiluer tohazardthe loffe ofone of gold : the onefarpafsing and exceeding the other in value . For the &eld ofArabia and thefiluer of Achaia doo both fill amans cofer dlike : but the one more in price and -_ thanthe other . Befides this there t another thing which mightperfuade you to be mindfull,and bork,fome regard ofthe land ofIreland. It hathplealed God andgoodfortunetofendyoumanie children, ta naturall, and alfolegitimat and morehereafter you may haue. It were therefore verie good as you May, to appoint andplace in thofe two kingdomes , two oofyour fonnes to begouernors and rulers ofthem: tatynderthem to appoint a great number ofyour men, and endowthemliberallie withgreat linings and atlehoods; and efpeciallie in Ireland , which as yet ts rude, vnaurtured, and nothine totheparpofe by curmeninhabited. But iffo be that neitherfor the wacrea ing ofyor owne honor, theinrichine ofyour treafurie , nor‘for the adu ancingofyour children , you will hane refpest to your realme of Ireland 5 yer ze[ome confideration of yourpoore veterans and old feruitors , who bane moftfaithfulhe and truftiheferued both you and yourfather ,and by whofe feruice that realme of Ireland wasfirft conquered; and yetkept andreteineds aad yet arefupplanted by [uchyoong nonices and yonkers as are of late gone thither |