ABSTRACT
DERMON (1) Mac Morogh prince of (2) Leinster & gouernour of the fift part or portion of Ireland, did in our time possesse & inioie the east part of the land, which bordereth and lieth towards England: being disseuered from the same by the maine seas. This man from his verie youth, and first entrie into his kingdome, was a great oppressor of his gentlemen, and a cruell tyrant ouer his nobles: which bred vnto him great hatred and malice. Besides this, there befell to him an other mischéefe: for Ororike prince of (3) Meth was gone in a iornie, leauing his wife the daughter of Omolaghlin behind, in a certeine Iland in Meth: there to remaine and tarie vntill his returne. She (I saie) and this Dermon had béene long inamoured and in loue the one with the other: and she watching a time how to haue loue and lust satisfied, taketh the aduantage of hir husbands absence, and yéeldeth hir selfe to be rauished, bicause she would be rauished: for by hir owne procurement and intisings, she became and would needs be a preie vnto the preier. Such is the variable & fickle nature of a woman, by whome all mischiefes in the world (for the most part) doo happen and come, as maie appeare by (4>) Marcus Antoni us, and by the destruction of (5) Troie. King Ororike being aduertised hereof, was foorthwith maruellouslie troubled & in a great choler, but more grieued for shame of the fact than for sorrow or hurt; and therefore is fullie determined to be auenged: and foorthwith assembleth all his people and neighbors, as also procured into his aid and for his helpe Rothorike king of (6) Connagh and then monarch of all Ireland. The people of Leinster considering in what distfesse their prince was, and how on euerie side he was beset of his enimies, they also call to mind the old sores and griefes, which they of long time had dissembled: & to be auenged & awrecked thereof, they make league and become friends with their snimies, and vtterlie leaue and forsake their king. Dermon seeing himselfe thus forsaken and left destitute, and that fortune frowned vpon him (for he had oftenimes incountered with his enimies and euer had the woorst) determined at length, is to his last refuge to flie ouer the seas, and to séeke for some better chance. By this euent and sequele of this man, as also by manie other like examples it appeareth, hat it is better for a prince to rule ouer a people, which of a good will and loue loo obeie him, than ouer such as be fro ward and stubborne. This (6) Nero well Felt and (7) Dornitianus well knew (8) and Henrie duke of Saxonie and Bauire well tried. It is more necessarie and expedient for a prince to be rather beloued than feared. In deed it is good to be feared; so that the feare doo procéed rather from a good will than of compulsion. For whatsoeuer is outwardlie onelie and to the shew loued and receiued, the same of consequence must be feared: but whatsoeuer is feared, that is not forthwith loued. Wherefore feare must be so tempered with loue, that neither a remisse good will doo wax into a coldnesse, neither feare grounded vpon a rash insolencie be turned and become tyrannie. Loue did inlarge the empire of (9) Augustus, but feare shortened the life of (10) Iulius Cesar. Well, Mac Morogh following fortune, and yet in hope that once againe she will turne hir whéele, hauing wind and wether at will, taketh ship, passeth ouer the seas, and went vnto Henrie the second king of England, and most humblie and earnestlie praieth his helpe and succor. Who being then in the remote places in France and Aquitaine, and busied in great and weightie affaires; yet most courteouslie he receiued him and liberallie rewarded him. And the king hauing at large and orderlie heard the causes of his exile and of his repaire vnto him, he tooke his oth of allegiance and swore him to be his true vassall and subiect: and therevpon granted and gaue him his letters patents in maner and forme as followeth. Henrie king of England, duke of Normandie and Aquitaine, and earle of Aniou, vnto all his subiects, Englishmen, Normans, Scots, and all other nations and people being his subiects sendeth greeting. Whensoeuer these our letters shall come vnto you, know ye that we haue receiued Dermon prince of Leinster into our protection, grace, and fauour: wherefore whosoeuer within our jurisdiction will aid and helpe him, our trustie subiect, for the recouerie of his land, let him be assured of our fauour and licence in that behalfe.
Hesrié the 2. king of Englands stile and letter.
