Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Dialogue of Silvynne and Peregrynne (Author: H. C.)
Prefatory Note
This lost work of Elizabethan literature is a major source on the Nine Years War, 1593-1603. Its unusually detailed account of County Offaly in the late 1590s provides new evidence about Gaelic society. It was probably written by Hugh Collier, a messenger and spy in government service. This work exists in a unique manuscript copy amongst the Irish State Papers at the Public Records Office, Kew, London.
I have transcribed the text below as the orthography and punctuation appear in the original. The transcription has been checked by my colleague, Kenneth Nicholls. We are working on a fully-annotated, modernized edition of the text for publication in the near future.
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'Dialogue of Silvynne and Peregrynne' (S.P. 63/203, no. 119)
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S.P. 63/203, no. 119
To the right honorable peere,
Robert Earle of Essex, and Ewe
Earle martiall of England, vicount
Herryforde, and Bowrreyer, lord
fferrers of Chartlegh, & Bowrcher
and Hovayne., master of her maiesties
Horsses and Oredynaunce, knight
of the moste noble order of
the Garter, and one of her
maiesties privie Councell,
H.C. wisheth all happines
in this lyfe and
in the worlde to come. (In the original text, this appears in the shape of a lozenge.)
Artaxerxes, that great Persian kinge right honorable was better pleased with a handfull of water, presented him by his poore vassall forthe of the River of Cyrus, (then contented with the mighty courser moste richly furnished, and given him by a greate personage of that countrie, Aswell for the first brouight his gift forth of the said River, that toke the name of his worthie predecessor, as being given him of perfect zeale and goodwill, whereas the other to the contrary gave a riche gift unto his Prince, not with the lyke affection as the poore man did, but hoaped to receaue a far greater rewarde, at his soveraignes handes, then many horsses were in worthe whose drift that wyse kinge well perceaued. So right honorable for myne owne parte, I must say as Aeschynes, the condisciple of Socrates said to his master, who seeing many of his ffellowes, present him with verry rich gifts and he himself so poore, that hee was not Able to yielde him any whit at al, cam to him and saide, that he had no other gift, that was of pryce but his dutiefull service duringe lyfe which remayned at his comaunde. Which kynde of Offer made by poore Aeschynes, was better esteemed, with that wyse philosopher
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then the fformer presents, spoken of: By which two fforreign ensamples. I haue embouldened myselfe, to present your lordship with this poore pamphlet (which in comparison of moore deeper & serious matter may be valued with the handfull of water presented by the poore person, but in good will to your honour not inferior, either to Persian or Grecian. I toke ocasion, Right Honorable, after Sir Richarde Binghams departure forthe of Irelande: whose servaunt I remayned many yeares, vntill his deathe: 2 to reade ouer a certaine Aucthor (wherein I fownde emongst the sayinges of the wyse that that man was better to be comended, that occupied himself, in the true setting downe the rememberaunces of tyme (allthough his matter were slight, and the style groase., Then such as were learned, & imitated the droane, from whom no fruictes proceeded. Uppon which sayinge, I being somewhat encoradged, toke uppon mee, according my small talent to make a collection of such acts, which especially haue happened, in the kinges county, since harvest 1597 untill All Saynts 1598 (myself not onely beinge an ey witnes of many miseries there happeninge ( but also haue tasted the burden therof to my utter undoing, with the losse of that worthy man my master. I haue also right honorable accordinge to such instruccions to mee given, by diuers honest men, set downe diuers matters, effected in other partes of the kingdome duringe that tyme, with diuers noates, towching the estate of that forlorne Realme of Irelande. All which if it will vouchsafe, your honour, to yield to them your view, as coming from a poore serviteur of xxv yeares contynuance there (he shall euer thinck himselfe bounden to your honour that will accept of so a poore a present, and allthough it seme as a wildernes of weeds (yet there may be taken forth some hearbs that are wholesome, And even so in all dutie, I ende.
Your honours most humble to command