Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition

Anglo-Irish poems of the Middle Ages (Author: [unknown])

Poem 13

Piers of Bermingham

1] It is more than a full one thousand three hundred and eight years, indeed, since Gabriel did address Our Lady, gracious Mary, [with news] that God would descend upon her.
7] Then of the eighth year take twice ten together, that will be twenty in all. Thus, upon the twentieth day - of April before May - death proceeded to despoil us.
13] It plucked one from us. All Ireland mourns, England as well. You know his name very well: Sir Piers de Bermingham, there is no need to tell it.
19] That was and is his name, I tell you most certainly. There was no better knight, nor any of greater excellence that shall rise up, in skin, flesh and bone.
25] He was a noble warrior, and had a fine castle in his region. Wherever he would ride on horseback with his spear and shield, in rough wood and field, no thief dared to face him.
31] Then let all who will strive with lamentation call him to mind, how good he was in time of necessity to stand firm in battle. Indeed, peer there was none. Alas, that he should be dead!
37] All Englishmen alive now, lament his death grievously, that such a knight should fall! Each one of those knights can grieve for him as the paragon of them all.
43] Paragon he might be, and that because of three things he carried out often and frequently. One of the best was this: he permitted no thief to have rest in any place where he came.
49] Another thing as well: he was enemy to Irishmen, so that readily, over a wide region, he always rode about with his forces to hunt them out as a hunter hunts the hare.
55] For when they thought best to have rest in the wilderness, so that no man should see them, then he would conduct a hunt immediately to their nest, into the place where they were.
61] He would wake them from sleep, they would tremble for terror, and try to move away stealthily. For the payment for their beds he took their heads as security, and so he taught them to play games.
67] Those Irishmen of the land, they swore and undertook to afflict the English, and said they would kill as many as I shall tell you about, all in one day.
73] The Earl of Ulster, Sir Edmund de Butler, Sir John Fitzthomas, all especially by name; Sir Piers de Bermingham, this was the extent of their plan.
79] This machination came to light passing from one knight to the other in the neighbourhood, it was not concealed for long. All of those knights prayed that calamity might befall them [the Irish] if they were able to get away with it.
85] And swore by God's name to give punishment to the region as a payment where they could succeed, and that, without hindrance, at a certain fixed day, this thing should be done.
91] Long before this day had come, it had been forgotten by some who are weak in time of necessity. Alas! that they should be born. Through them this land is lost, putting an end to ale and bread.
97] Sir Piers de Bermingham, whether in serious or in playful mood, this day was in his mind. He intended to give orders for whenever he could capture them, it was nothing of toil to him.
103] O'Conchobhair who was king, proceeded to bring his kerne of footsoldiers - the captain was called Gilla Buidhe - to Piers at Tethmoy, precisely on the feast of the Holy Trinity, when hoods had best be worn.
109] And with yet another body of persons came Aedh Mac Maelmordha, and many others by name. Sir Piers looked out, he saw such an attendant company, it seemed no jest to him.
115] Sir Piers saw them come, He received each one, not one was turned away. Then he caused hoods to be made, not one was refused, but he did them all honour,
121] Except one wretch who was there. He was not able to read his part of the text, nor sing where he was to come in. He was of the race of Cain, and [Piers] declined to admit him. He turned back home unhooded.
127] He who caused this song to be made for the sake of Sir Piers, has gone far and wide, sought in various places and gained a good indulgence - two hundred days and more.
Explicit.