The realme of Irelande conteineth, from the south forelande to the northe pointe called Thorach,1 about 300 myles, and in breadthe, from Dublin to Saint Patriks mounte and the sea beating alongst Connaught, 140 miles Irish, which are somwhat larger then our Engleshe myles.
The cuntry lyeth very low, and therefore watrish, and full of marishes, boggs, and standing pooles, even in the highest mowntaynes, which causeth the inhabitants, but specially the sojoners there, to be very subiect to rhewmes, catarrs, and flixes, for remedy whereof they drinke great quantyty of hott wynes,2 especially sackes, and a kinde of aqua vitae, more dryinge, and lesse inflamynge, then that which is made in Englande.
The ayre is thicke, and nothinge soe piercynge as here in Englande.
The soile is generally fertill, but litle and badly manured, by reason of the great exactions of the lordes vpon their tenants. For the tenant dothe not holde3 his lands by any assurance for tearme of yeares, or lyfe, but onely ad voluntatem domini, so that he never buildeth, repareth or enclosethe the grownde; but whensoever the lord listeth, is turned out, or departeth at his most advantage, which besides the great want of graine to suffice that cuntrye, breadeth also a generall weakenes, for want of inhabiting and plantynge the people in places certain, beinge of themselves geven to a wanderinge and idle lyfe.
The cuntry yeeldeth great store of beeffes and porkes,4 excellent horses of fine feature and wonderfull swyftnes, and are thought to be a kinde of the race of the Spanish Genetts.5
There ar many and those very good hawkes,6 but yt aboundeth cheefly in fysh and fowle, some store of sheepe,7 but small, and those bearinge a longe course fleze, whereof the rugges are made. Great plenty of woode, except in Leinster, where for the great inconveniences finding them to be ready harboures for the Irish rebell, they have beene cutt downe.
There are also many mynes, especially iron and lead, and some copper, but of what richnes and goodnes I finde not.
The cheeffe thinge wantinge in that cuntrye is cyvillitye, and dutyfull obedience of the people to their soveraigne, which groweth partly throughe a desyre in the principall kindreds and septes to shake of all forreine obedience, and to governe accordinge to their owne lawes, which is their owne willes, partly throughe the inclination of the common sorte to wildenes, being ledd by the superiours vpon whose willes they must of force depend; but generally for lacke of execution of such good lawes as tende to the preservation of the Englishrye, in restreyninge them from marryinge, fosteringe,8 and allyinge with the Irish, and takinge of coynye and lyvery, which hath beene, and yet is, the only cause of weakninge the English pale, and of so many degenerate English at this present.
The people are9 of nature very glorious, francke, irefull, good horsemen, able to endure great paynes, delighted in warr, great hospitallitye, of religion for the most parte Papists, great gluttons, and of a sensuall and vitious lyfe, deepe dissemblers, secret in displeasure, of a crewell revenginge minde, and irreconsiliable.
Of witt they are quicke and capable, kinde harted where they take, and of exceedinge love towardes their foster bretheren.
Of complexion they are cleare, and welfavored, both men and weomen, tall and corpulent bodies, and of themselves careles and bestiall.
Theire principallitie or inheritance descendeth not to them by succession, but they atteine therevnto by election, makinge choice of one out of the principall famylies or septes, amongst whome he that hath shewed himselfe most valiant in all barbarous creweltie, shall sonest be preferred, first to be Thamist,10 which is lieuetenant generall, and next in succession, and is followed of the captaynes and forces of the cuntry. And this custome remayneth yet to this daye amonge the Irish, where no man is lorde of his owne any longer then he can defend yt against others.
The Government of the Irish is neither polliticke nor cyvill, but meare tyrannicall, as may appeare by their auncient lawes, as Brehon law, Coyny, Lyuery,
The inhabitantes generally are of fowre sortes. English Irish, meer Irish, degenerate Englesh, and wilde Scotts.
The meer Irish, degenerate English, and Scott are growen into one faction, by reason of the devision of the English race, contynewinge till within these few yeares: by which meanes the Irishrye grew to such strength, that the Englesh, for their owne defence, were gladd to ally themselves with the Irish of contrary factions, to make them to be followed after the Irish order, and so became wholly Irish, or at the least scant good Englesh.
Theire forces11 consist of thre sortes, Horsemen, Galloglass, and Kerne.
The horsemen are armed with headpeeces, shirtes of mayle or jackes, a sworde, a skayne, and a speare. They ryde upon paddes,12 or pillowes without styrvps, and in this differ from ours; that in joyninge with the enemy, theye beare not their staves or launces vnder arme, and so put it to the reste, but takinge yt by the midle, beare yt aboue arme, and soe encounter.
Every Horsman hath two or thre horses, and to euery horse a knave: his horse of service is allwaies led spare, and his knave, which caryeth his harness and speare, rydeth vpon the other, or els upon a hackeney.
The Galloglass ar pycked and seelected men of great and mightie bodies, crewell without compassion. The greatest force of the battell consisteth in them, chosinge rather to dye then to yeelde, so that when yt cometh to handy blowes they are quickly slayne or win the feilde. They are armed with a shert of maile, a skull, and a skeine: the weapon they most vse is a batle axe, or halberd, six foote longe, the blade whereof is somewhat like a shomakers knyfe, and without pyke; the stroake whereof is deadly where yt lighteth. And beinge thus armed, reckoninge to him a man for his harnesse bearer, and a boye to carry his provision, he is named a spare of his weapon so called, 80 of which spares make a battell of Galloglass.
The kerne is a kinde of footeman, sleightly armed with a sworde, a targett of woode, or a bow and sheafe of arrows with barbed heades, or els 3 dartes, which they cast with a wonderfull facillity and nearnes, a weapon more noysom to the
Some will have the Dalonyes14 or horsboyes to be a fourthe sorte, for that they take them into the fight: they are the very skumme, and outcaste of the cuntrye, and not lesse serviceable in the campe for meatinge and dressinge of horses, then hurtfull to the enemy with their dartes.