Giraldus Cambrensis, The Conquest of Ireland

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and� the� earl,� having� restored� Dermitius� to� his� territories,� which� they� were� justified� in� doing,� acquired
rights� under� him,� the� one� by� fealty,� the� other� by� marrying� his� daughter,� which,� as� far� as� Leinster� was
concerned,� precludes� their� being� considered� as� spoliators� or� robbers.� But� as� to� Waterford,� and� parts� of
Desmond�and�Meath,�into�which�the�earl�intruded,�I�do�not�excuse�him�in�that�matter.�The�earl,�however,
yielded� up� the� dominion� of� the� fifth� part� of� the� island,� which� he� had� in� right� of� his� wife,� to� the� king� of
England,� and� did� fealty� to� him� for� it.� The� princes� of� the� rest� of� Ireland,� making� voluntary� submission
without� delay,� did� homage� to� the� king,� and� indisputably� confirmed� his� right.� Wherefore,� omitting� at
present�the�other�grounds,�both�new�and�old,�which�have�been�stated�in�a�former�chapter,�it�is�plain,�even
from�those�just�mentioned,�that�the�English�nation�and�king�did�not�enter�upon�this�island�so�unjustly,�from
lack�of�title,�as�some�unlearned�persons�dream.
Chapter�XXXIII:�Of�the�delay�and�impediments�to�the�full�and�complete�conquest�of�Ireland.
Fortunate� would� this� island� have� been,� and� it� would� long� since� have� been� firmly� and� completely
subjugated� from� one� end� to� the� other,� and� brought� without� difficulty� under� order� and� good� government,
with� towns� and� castles� built� on� all� sides,� in� fitting� places� from� sea� to� sea,� had� not� the� succours� which
should�have�followed�the�first�adventurers�been�cut�off�by�a�royal�proclamation;144�or,�rather,�if�the�king
himself� had� not� been� prematurely� recalled� from� his� bold� adventure� by� an� intestine� conspiracy� which
prevented� his� turning� his� enterprise� to� good� account.� Happy� indeed� would� it� have� been� if,� the� first
conquerors�being�men�of�worth�and�valour,�their�merits�had�been�duly�weighed,�and�the�government�and
administration�of�affairs�had�been�placed�in�their�hands.�For�the�Irish�people,�who�were�so�astounded�and
thrown�into�such�consternation�at�the�arrival�of�the�first�adventurers,145�by�the�novelty�of�the�thing,�and�so
143
�Giraldus�refers�to�his�former�visit�to�Ireland,�in�company�with�his�brother�Philip.�He�now�came�over�as�secretary�to�the
young�prince,�and�probably�was�selected�by�the�sagacity�of�the�king�for�his�political�adviser,�for�we�find�no�other�man�of�talent
and�experience�about�the�person�of�the�young�prince.
144
�See�B.�i.�c.�19.
145
�It�is�surprising�with�how�small�a�number�of�troops�the�capture�of�several�important�places,�the�reduction�of�at�least�all
Leinster,�and�the�general�submission�of�the�native�princes,�was�effected.�Giraldus�has�stated�very�exactly�the�numbers�embarked�in
the� several� expeditions,� and� on� counting� them� up� we� find� that� the� Fitzgeralds� and� other� adventurers� from� Wales� took� over� at
different�times�1030�men,�in�the�proportions�of�80�men-at-arms,�180�other�horsemen,�and�770�archers�and�foot�soldiers,�all�levied
amongst� their� own� kinsmen� and� retainers.� Earl� Strongbow�s� expedition� mustered� 1200� men,� of� whom� 200� were� men-at-arms.
The Conquest of Ireland 77
terrified� by� flights� of� arrows� shot� by� the� English� archers,� and� the� might� of� the� men-at-arms,� soon� took
heart,�through�delays,�which�are�always�dangerous,�the�slow�and�feeble�progress�of�the�work�of�conquest,
and� the� ignorance� and� cowardice� of� the� governors� and� others� in� command.� And� becoming� gradually
expert�in�the�use�of�arrows�and�other�weapons,�as�well�as�being�practised�in�stratagems�and�ambuscades�by
their� frequent� conflicts� with� our� troops,� and� taught� by� their� successes,� although� they� might� at� first� have
been�easily�subjugated,�they�became�in�process�of�time�able�to�make�a�stout�resistance.
Read� the� Books� of� Kings,� read� the� Prophets,� examine� the� whole� series� of� the� Old� Testament,� and
even�consider�familiar�examples�furnished�by�our�own�times�and�our�own�country,�and�you�will�find�that
no� nation� was� ever� conquered� which� did� not� bring� down� punishment� on� themselves� for� their� sins� and
wickedness.�But�although�the�Irish�people�did�well�deserve,�for�their�grievous�offences�and�filthy�lives,�to
be�brought�into�trouble�by�the�incursions�of�strangers,�they�had�not�so�utterly�offended�God�that�it�was�his
will�they�should�be�entirely�subjugated;�nor�were�the�deserts�of�the�English�such�as�to�entitle�them�to�the
full�sovereignty�over,�and�the�peaceable�obedience�of,�the�people�they�had�partly�conquered�and�reduced [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]