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Show The epiftle dedicatorie. The epiftle dedicatorie. they would make recourfe in all doubtfull matters to their owneannales: but Whatfo euer theyfouid in the like in anic other nation or commonwealth , which might further them in anie thing touching their owne affaires, they would draw the fameinto an example for themfelues to follow, whidi was no fall benefitto their com- Alexander, Tulius C2far, monwealth, 2 ; Likewife Alexanderthe great,notwithftandinghe were brought vp in all good Jetters vnder Ariftotle, yer whenbe wastoinlarge his empire, he gaue himtelfe to the diligent reading of Homer,the moft exact chronoapherof the Troian wars: and fo he c{teemed that booke, that in the daie timehe cared it about him, andin a nighttime helaid it ynder his beds head andatall times conuenient he would be reading ofit, and. inthe end was fo perfect therein,that he could verbatim repeat the whole without booke;the ftratagems,the policies, and the manie deuifes vfedin thofe warres he practifed in his owne warres,which fteod, him in great {teed, Iulius Cefar alfo in his wars fearched the ancient eo and hiftoriesofthe citie ofRome: anddid not onelic thereby drawa paterne for his owne direction,bothforhis ciuill and his martiall affaires :, but alfo, he being then the reate(t monarchofall the world,thoughtit notpreiudiciall to his imperiall eftate and maieftie, to commend ynder his owne handwriting vntohis poeemneabe hiftorie of his owne age and dooings. Manic like princes Mas. Pavifienfis hath Englandbred,who haue bin verie carefull,that thememoriall ofthe goodthings doone intheir times {hould be commendedto their pofteritie, to foliowinthe likeAnd therefore enerie kingfor the courfe offundriehuninprefat. dieds of yeares was woonttoreteine and kcepe fome wife,learned,and faithfull icribes,who fhould collect and record the things dooncin euerie their{cuerall times,andall which as time and courfe of yeares didferue, were publifhed ; andwhat great good benefits haue growne thereby to this prefent apeanid like to ferue tothe future time,ail the world maie eafilie fee and iudge. For this I date boldlic faie and affirme: No realme, no nation, no {tate, nor commonwealththroughout all Europa, can yeeld more nor fo manic profitable lawes, directions, rules,cxainples & difcourfes,citherin mattersofreligion, or of ciuill gouernment,or ofmartial] affairs than deo the hiftoriesofthislittle Ifle of Britaine or England. would to GodI might or wereable to {aie thelike,or the Treland yecldech fmall halfe like ofIreland, acountrie,the more barren ofgood things,the more replenifhed with actions ofbloud,murther,and lothfome outrages; which to anie good reader are grecuous & irkefome to be read & confidered,much matter for an morefor anie man to pen and fet downe in writing,and to reduceinto anhiftorie.Which hath beene fome caule hiftoric. whie I was alienated and ytteslic difcouraged to intermedle therein: for being earneftlie requefted, by reafon ofmy fome acquaintance with the maners and conditions of that nation during myfhort abode therein,to con-y tinue the hiftorie ofthat land,fromthe death ofking Henrie the eight ynto thefe prefents, -which hitherto hath not beene touched;! found no matter ofanhiftorie woorthie to be recorded : but rathera tragedie ofcruclties to be abhorred,andnohiftorie ofgond things to be followed : and therefore I gaue the matter ouer,and was fullie refolued notat all to haue intermedled iene ith . Neuertheleffc,being againe verie earneftlie requefted , and no excufe neither of my age,nor ofmyoftenfickneffe,nor of mycalling in the feruice ofthe commonwelth, nor ofimy {malllearning and skill, fufticiéntto compas fuch a matter,couldbe accepted : then(but withaneuill Tentred intoit,and the more] bethought my felfe of the matter, the more 1 beganto confider, andat length to beholdthe geeat and woonderous workes ofGod, both of his feuere iudgement againtttraitors, rebels, and difobedient;and of his mercie and louing kindnefle vponthe obedient anddutifull.Whercof, though there be infinite examples bothinthe facred hiftories and humane chronicles:yetI find none more apparant andeffectuall,nor morefit for-vs,andfor this our ume and age,than the hiftories ofour owne nation, which yceldynto ys moftinfinite examples, howyoong princes rebelling againft the kingstheir fathers, noble men againtt their fouereignes,and the commonsagainttthe kings and tulers,fome wi the mightie hand ofGod {wallowed vp.in the feas,{ome-deuoured withthe {woord,fome by martial] and fome by ciuill lawes executed to death : and few ot none which haue cf{caped vnpunifhed. But ofall others, none to be compared tothis tragicall difcourle of Ireland,andthe moft vnnaturall wars of the Delinonds again{thir facred maicftic.Whole difobedience the Lord ath in.iuftice fo feuerelie punifhed and reuenged,as the like hath notin our age beene feene nor knowne; which albeit fomewhat at large it be fet downeinthe hiftorie,yet brecfelie andin effectis as followeth. Theearle of Defmond, namedGiraldFitzgirald, was defcendedofa yoonger houfe ofthe Giraldines of Kil-, dare,andboth of themdefcendedfromone andthe fame anceftor Girald of Windfor , anoble gentleman of Normandie; who after his arriuall into England, trauelled into Wales,and there mariedtheladie Nefta daughter to the great Roefines princeof fouth Wales,and by hir among others hadiflue Moris Fitzgirald ance thefe the forefaid Giraldines;andhe being affiftant to Derman mac Moroghking ofLeinfterin Ireland, ofthe cheefelt and moft principall {eruitors in the conqueft,or rather one ofthe conquerors of that land ynder King Henrie the fecond. The iflue and ofipringofthis Moris as they were honourable in blood, fo they were no leffe honorable in ali theiraétions : they being verie famous fortheir good gifts ofthe mind , in wifedomea policie in theircivill gonernment,and fenowmed fortheir valiantnefle andproweflein martiall athaires, in which they had welltried themfelues,and therefore manie times they had the cheefe gouernment ofthe Ww realme,beingfometimelord inftices, fomtime lord lieutenants, and fometimelord deputies ofthe whole ! andfor their truth andfidelitie were aduanced to honor.For Thomas Fitz giraldbeing the elder \ houfe, w avedcarle ofKildare intheeighteenth yeare of king I idward thefirft,in the yeare one thoufand two ht foure {core and nine,Andin the be giningof king Edwardthethirdhisreigne,in the yeare onethoufand three hundred twentie and feuen, Mons Fitzthomas ay. onger brother ofthat houfe was created earle of Det i Andfrom thenfe as before,the y continued verie honourable dutiful & faithfull fubiects,for the courfeof hundreds of yeares: vntill that thisbr ainelicke and breakedanfe Girald of Defmond , and his brethr and complices,forgetting the honourof his houfe,and forfaking their faith dutie andalegiance did treafons,and fhewedthemf{elucs open enimies, traitors andre bels,vfing all maner ofhoffilities and the impeach of hir moft {acred maieftie;and the deftruction of the commonw elth : th € price whereof in t Sir Tames of he paiedwith his andtheir own bloods,to theyeter deftruction of themfelues andthat whole familie,th Definondta- ing verie fewGiraldines in the prouince of Mountter left to bemoneor bewailetheir deaths . Forfirlt the ken & hanged, + himfelfe, the dicefe of his familie,afterhis long repaftinhis traitorous follic s,Was driven in the endto all ext Sirlohn of mities and penuries,and atthe laft cakenin an old cocage,andhis head was cutoffandfent to London Definond kilJed & hanged fet vpon Londonbridge,and his lands andinheritanceconfifcated and difcontinued from his houfe forcucr, Sir lames one oi his yoon er brethren, in taking ofa preie,was taken and madea preie; h Theearles fonnea prio . ged asa theefe, quartered as a traitor,andhis head and quarters difperfedandfet ypon the gates and wals of ner inthe To . citie of Corke. Sir Iohn of Defmond,another of hi zer brethren,and next to himfelfe the checfe ! werof Londs, der of this rebellion,was taken,his head cut offand nthe cattell of Dublin,and his bodie h The countefl & heeles at Cor fis onelie fonne and heire b wholie difinherited,is prifoner inthe Tower of of Definond ladie andwife deftitutedof all honourandliuin 1eth a dolefull and miferable life.His capteins, { r fuucthawofull men ofwarre,put all for the mott partto the{waurd, popes two prelatsandnuncios, theone flaine lite. ». field, fieldjan D.Allenflaine and theother o her died i di molt nofts mile niferablie in th.¢ woods, heItalians and {trangers few or noneleft aliue to rerurt D. Sanders di. €° aduertife of their fucceffe yntother holie father. Th ¢ commonpeople fuchas efcaped the {woord, all for the ech miferablic, MOL part areperifhed ¢ with famine,or fled the countri ¢.Thelandit felfe being verie fertile The land left dingnor comenortruits ; the pattures without cattell,andthe aire wi thoutfowles,and fc i the whole proui the molt part defolate and ynhabited,fuing cownes and cities : andfinallic, nothing there to be feenc bur alrogither baren, sicanddefolation, Anotable and arare example ofGods iuftiudgement andfeuere punifhment, vpon all fch deo refit and yebell againft.the higher powers andhis annointed: which 1s fo. greeuousan offenfe in hisfighe, that next to the capital offenfes againft the firtt table, this is accountedthegreateft and in the higheft degree.Forasit is written, horefifteth againft the higher power,tefifteth againft Gods ordinasces,and he fhall receiue iudgement, And Ross the Lordfhallroot himfromoutof the face of the earth that fhall blafpheme his gods,and curfeth the prince of ae the people.Euen as ofthe contrarie,whenthe people liue in all fubiection,humbleneffe,and obedience, the Lord Theprofperi. defendeth and keepeth them,and with his manifold bleffingsprofpereth them ; as hir maiefties good fubieéts tie and quietdwelling within the En lith pale,and inhabiting within hir cities and townes can w itnefle. They fow andtill jesin the the land,and doo reape the fruits, Their fields are full of fheepe,and they are clothed with the wooll, Their pa- Englith pale. ftures are full ofcattell,and they inioie them, Their cities and townesare well inhabited,and they liue infafetie. Allthings go well with them, andpeace and plentie refteth in theirhoufes. Two notable examples(Ifaic)and woorthie to be throughlie obferued; the one of Gods iuftiudgement againft the rebels and traitors, and the other ofmercie and loue towards the obedient and dutifull fubie¢t, Which examples the later they are,the more fhould they imprint in ys aninward affection andan vndoubtedrefolution,to yeeldto the fiperiours all dutic and obedience ; and by the examples ofthe rebels,to fhunas a peftilence all difobedience andrebellion ; leaft in dooing the like,we doo receiue the likeiuft iudgements with them." Let therefore the examples of the elders be fufficient perfuafions andinftructions to the pofteritie,to follow that which is good, andto efchewthat which iseuill, For albeit good counfell of ourfriends,and conferences with the good men,maie much preuaile with vs, yet none can fo much preuaile nor be of fuch vertue and effect,as the examples of ouranceftors,and the a¢tions of : ourforefathers whenthey belaid beforevs : ey enim exemplis poteftper[uaderi.quam argumentis extorqueri, Patric. de infiti And therfore in timespait, the {ureft courfe which our forefathers tooke,cither in ciuill gouernmentor in marti- reip, all affaires,was that which they drew fromthe examplesoftheir ancettors before them.Andfor as much as {uch isthe value andvertue ofthe footfteps of ourforefathers , Itruft it fhall not be offenfiue vnto you,that I deo a little digrefle and {peake fomewhatofyourfelfe andof your ancettors; who the more honourable they were in theirtimes,the greater caufe haue youtolookeinto the fame:that whatin fomeof yourlater forefathers wasconfopited,maie notin you be confepulted,but rouzedandraifed ynto his former and priftinar {tate. And for as muchas Iam fomewhat acquainted intheir defcents, letme make bold with you tolaie the fame downe be= fore you. 4 - ere were fundrie ofyour anceftors by the name ofRaleigh,who were of great account& nobilitie,and alied the defceae as well to the Courtneis earls ofDeuon, asto other houfes of great honour & nobilitie,& in fundrie fueceeding othe lord defcents were honouredwiththe degree ofknighthood.One oithembeing your anceffor in the directett line, warden, was namedfir Iohn de Raleigh , who then dwelled in the houfe of Furdellin Deuon,an ancient houfe of your aneeftors,and oftheir ancientinheritance: and which at thefe prefents is in thepofletiion of your eldeft brother. This knight maried the daughter and heireto fir Roger D'amerei, or de Amerei, whome our Englifh chronicles ‘doo name lord de Amereie,who was anoble man and of greatlinage,and defcendedof the earls de Amereie in Britaine,and aliedto the earls ofMontfort in the fame duchie and prouince . This man being comeouer into England,did ferue in the court,and by the good pleafure of God andthe goodliking of the king hemaried the ladie Elifabeth,the third fifterand coheite to the noble Gilbert earle of Clare andof Glocefter, who was flaine in the battell of Banokesboroughin Scotland,inthe time of king Edwardthe fecond, This earle died fansiflue, he being the fonne andthefaid ladie Elifabeth the daughter to Gilbert deClare earle ofGlocefter,by his wife the ladi¢ Iane de Acres or Acon,daughterto king Edwardthe firft, This Gilbert defcended of Robert earle of Glocefter,fonne to kin g Henrie the firlt,and ofhis wite the ladie Mawd, daughter and heire to Robert Fitzhamon,lord ofAftrouill in Normandie,coofen tothe Conqueror, knight of thepriuie chamber to king William Rufits,and lord ofthe lordfhip of. Glamorgan in Wales.So that your anceftor firlohn de Raleigh married the > oD ~ ~ * ~ .; fe daughter ofde Amerie,Damereie ofClare,Clare of Edwardthe firft, and which Clare byhis father defcended ofking Henrie thefirft.Andinlike maner by yourmother you maie be deriued out ofthe fame houfe, Thefe all were menofgreat honour and nobilitie, and'whofe yertues are highlie recorded{parfim in the chronicles of England ; fomeereatlie commendedfor their wifedomes and deepe iudgements in matters of counfell , fome likewife much praifed for their prowefle & yaliantneffe in martialaffaires,and manie of them honoredfor both, Bur yet as nothingis permanent in this life,andall things variable vnder the {unne, and time hath deuoured and confumed the oreate(t men andthe mightieft monarchs, and moft noble commonwealthsin the world,ac- ‘Ait cki cording to the old countric faieng; Be the daie neuer fo long,yet at length it will ring to euenfong: fo this hono- hi t nee rable race,thoughfor fo manie defcents,andfor the courfe of fo manie_yeares it continued in great honor,nobi- AHS AER Es ue,and reputation syetin procefle oftime the honour becameto be of worlhip(neuertheleffe alied alwaies and matdiedin houfes of great honour and nobilitieand fo euerfince pofleffed by knights of - owne name,yntill bylittle andlittle aeLanois andeftimation of your noble and worthie anceftors feemed at length to be buried Moblinion,and as it were extinguifhed andto beytterlie forgotten as though ithad neuer beene.And nowwhen Was patt anie hopeand ynremembredto the world,it hath pleafed God to raife the fame euen as it were from the dead, and to looke vponyou the yongelt fonne of manie,as he did vpon Iofeph,one of the yoonge(t fonnes of Tacob; and in you hath léfta hope toreftore the decaied houfe of your fept and familie, He hath b rought - into the goodfauour of your prince,who hath pleated to reward and honourin youthe approoued faithful Tice of your late anceftors and kindered deceafled,and inclinedhir princelie hart,conceiuing a great hope of ‘ourownefufficiencie and abilitie to reftore you againe,beingthelaf branch remaining of fo manic nobleand mous houfes defcended, And whereofconuneththis, that the Lord hath thus blefled you, and fo bountifullie ° hath dealt with you ? but onelie(as the wife man faich) Vt nofeas in omni virtute onmpibus prodeffé, and that you fhouldbe beneficial and profitableto all men.Andtherefore in all our actionsSemperaliquid ad communem Y- cicero deoffie. tilitatem eft afferendum:for we are not borneto ourfelues alone,but the prince,the countrie,the parents,freends, Wiues,children and familic,euerie of them dooclaime anintereft in-vs, and to cucrie of them we mutt be beneficiall : otherwife we doo degenerate trom that communitie andfocietie which by {uch offices by vs isto be conferued,& doo become moft vnprofitable: Naminutilis prorfuseft,qui nullam viilitatem reipublice ac communi focie- be fut- "erm tati poffit afferre,and euerie {uch man,as a memberynprofitable is to be cut off. Andas the bee isnolonger fered to haue a place in the hiue,than whiles he worketh; no moreis that manto haue place in the publike weale than whiles he dooth {ome good therein,bicaufe through idleneffe they doo not onelie no good,but as Catofaith, ase 4 they den euill: Nihil agendobomines male agere difcunt . Idleneffe therefore the mother ofall wickednefle , and aen he Bae idlers the fonnes of fobad.a mother, arevtterlie to be exiledand expelled out of all well goucrned common- placein fe weales;and theyonelieto be foltered,nourifhed and cherifhed, whoas they are borne to the countrie , 10 if they Seg ochre aie ae ES i Ly » dep geod and be beneficiallto the fame. And howgreat yourcare hath beeneheerein,the courfe of yourlife hitherto dooth manifeft it, I orafter that you had feafoned your primer yeares at Oxfordin know we and learning,a gt od ground anda {ure foundation to build therevporall your good aétions,youtrauelled into France,and{pent there a good part of youryouth in the warres and martial} {eruices.And hauing fomefufficient knowledge and experience therein, chenafter your feturne from thenfe;to the end you might euerie waic be abletoferue your prince and commonweale , you were frous to be acquaintedin maritimall affaires.Then you,togither with your brother or Humfreie Gilbert, trauclled the feasfor the {earchof{uch countriesas whidhif they had beenethen - ed, infinit ee |