Wars of the Irish Kings (33 page)

SIR EDWARD, EARL OF CARRICK
, who was stronger than a leopard and had no desire to live in peace, felt that Scotland was too small for both him and his brother; therefore he formed a purpose that he would become king of Ireland. To that end he sent and negotiated with the Irishry of Ireland who, in good faith, undertook to make him king of all Ireland, provided that he could overcome by hard fighting the Englishmen who dwelt in the land then, while they would help with all their might. He, hearing them make this promise, was very pleased in his heart, and, with the king’s consent, assembled to himself men of great courage; then he took ship at Ayr in the following month of May, [and] took his way straight to Ireland. He had in his company there Earl Thomas, who was a fine [man], good Sir Philip Mowbray who was staunch under great pressure, Sir John Soules a good knight, and Sir John Stewart, a brave [one]; also Ramsay of Auchterhouse, who was brave and chivalrous, Sir Fergus Ardrossan and many another knight.

They arrived safely in Larne Lough without opposition or attack, and sent home all their ships. They have undertaken a great project when with so few as they were there—six thousand men, no more—they prepared to conquer all Ireland, where they would see many thousands come armed to fight against them. But although few, they were brave, and without fear or dread took the way in two divisions, towards Carrickfergus, to see it.

But the lords of that country, Mandeville, Bisset and Logan, assembled every one of their men—the Savages were there too—and when they were all gathered, they numbered almost twenty thousand. When they learned that such a company had arrived in their country, with all the folk that they had there, they went towards them in great haste. As soon as Sir Edward knew for a fact that they were coming close to him, he had his men arm themselves well. Earl Thomas had the vanguard and Sir Edward was in the rear. Their enemies approached to fight and they met them without flinching. There you could see a great mellee for Earl Thomas and his company laid into their foes so doughtily that in a short time men could see lying a hundred who were all bloody, for hobbies [small horses] who were stabbed there reared and thrashed and made a lot of space, throwing those riding on them. Sir Edward’s company then attacked so hardily that they drove back all their foes. Anyone who chanced to fall in that fight was in danger of [not] rising. The Scotsmen in that fighting bore themselves so boldly and well that their foes were driven back [until] they took entirely to flight ….

Next they went to Carrickfergus and took lodging in the town.
The castle was then well [and] recently provisioned with victuals and [garrisoned] with men; they set siege to it at once. Many a sally was made very boldly while the siege lay there, until eventually they made a truce, when the folk of Ulster had come entirely to his peace, because Sir Edward meant to undertake to ride forth further into the country.

There came to him and made fealty some of the kings of that country, a good ten or twelve, as I heard say; but they kept their faith to him only a short time ….

At Kilnasaggart Sir Edward lay, and very soon heard tell there that a gathering of lords of that country had been made at Dundalk. They were assembled in a host there. There was first Sir Richard Clare, who was Lieutenant of the king of England in all Ireland. The earl of Desmond was also there, the earl of Kildare, de Birmingham and de Verdon, who were lords of great reputation. Butler was also there, and Sir Maurice FitzThomas. These came with their men and were indeed a really mighty host.

When Sir Edward knew for a fact that such a chivalry was there, he had his host armed in haste and took the way towards [the enemy], taking lodging near the town. But because he knew for a certainty that there were a lot of men in the town, he armed his divisions then and stood arrayed in division, to hold them if they should attack. When Sir Richard Clare and other lords who were there learned that the Scotsmen with their divisions had come so near, they consulted [and decided] that they would not fight that night, because it was late, but that on the morrow, in the morning very soon after sunrise, all who were there would issue forth; for that reason they did no more that night but both sides made camp. That night the Scottish company were very well guarded, in good order, and on the morrow, when [the] day was light, they drew themselves up in two divisions; they stood with banners all displayed, fully ready for battle. Those who were inside the town when the sun had risen, shining brightly, sent fifty of those who were within [the town] to see the demeanour of the Scotsmen and their arrival. They rode forth and soon saw them, then returned without delay. When they had dismounted together, they told their lords who were there that the Scotsmen appeared to be worthy and of great valour, “but without doubt they are not half a dinner [compared] to us here.” At this news the lords rejoiced and took great comfort, causing men to proclaim through the city that all should arm themselves quickly.

When they were armed and equipped and all drawn up for the fight, they went forth in good order; soon they engaged with their enemy, who resisted them right strongly. The fight began there fiercely, for each side put all their might into defeating their foes in the struggle, and laid into the others forcibly. The hard-fought engagement lasted a long time, so
that men could not make out or see who most had the upper hand. From soon after sun-rise until after mid-morning the fighting continued in this uncertainty; but then Sir Edward, who was bold, with all those of his company, attacked them so fiercely that they couldn’t withstand the fighting any more. All in a rush they took to flight and [the Scots] followed swiftly; into the town all together they entered, both intermixed. There you could see dreadful slaughter, for the right noble Earl Thomas, who followed the chase with his force, made such a slaughter in the town, such a dreadfull killing, that the streets were all bloody with slain men lying there; the lords had got quite away!

When the town had been taken as I tell you, by dint of much fighting, and all their enemies had fled or been killed, they all lodged themselves in the town where there was such profusion of food and so great an abundance of wine the good earl had a great fear that [some] of their men would get drunk and in their drunken state start brawling. So he made an issue of wine to each man so that he would be content, and they all had enough,
perfay.
That night they were very relaxed and much cheered by the great honour that accrued to them through their valour. After this fight they stayed there in Dundalk for no more than three days; then took their way southwards. Earl Thomas was always to the fore. As they rode through the country it was remarkable that they could see so many men upon the hills. When the earl would boldly ride up to them with his banner, they would one and all take to flight so that not one remained to fight. [The Scots] rode on their way southwards until they came to a great forest which was called Kilross as I heard tell, and they all made camp there.

All this time Richard Clare, who was the king’s Lieutenant, had assembled a great host of all the baronage of Ireland. They were [in] five divisions, great and broad, seeking Sir Edward and his men [who] had come very near to him then. He soon got knowledge that they were coming against him and were so near …. The Scots were all on foot then, [the enemy] well equipped on horses, some [men] all protected in iron and steel. But Scotsmen pierced their armour with spears at the encounter, impaled horses and struck men down. It was a tough battle then, there. I can’t tell [of] all their smiting, nor who struck down which other in the fight, but in a short while, I assure you, those of Ireland had been so resisted that they did not dare to stay there any longer, but fled, scattered, every one of them, leaving on the battlefield a great many of their good men dead. The field was wholly covered by weapons, arms and dead men. That great army had been forcibly driven off, but Sir Edward allowed no man to give chase, but they went back with the prisoners they had taken to the wood where their armour had been left. That night they made merry
[with] good cheer and praised God for his grace. This good knight, who was so worthy, could well be compared to Judas Maccabeus who in a fight avoided no host of men as long as he had one against ten ….

Then they rode towards O’Dempsy, an Irish king who had made an oath of fealty to Sir Edward, for before that he had begged him to see his land and [there] would be no lack of food or anything else that could help him. Sir Edward trusted in his promise and rode straight there with his force. [O’Dempsy] had them pass [by] a great river and in a very fair place which was down by a burn he had them make their camp, and said that he would go to have men bring victuals to them. He went off without staying any longer, because he meant to betray them. He had brought them to such a place where all the cattle were withdrawn [from them] by a good two days’ [travel] or more, so that they could get nothing worth eating in that land. He meant to enfeeble them with hunger and then bring their enemies against them. This false traitor had caused his men to dam up the outlet of a lough a little above where he had lodged Sir Edward and his men, and let it out in the night. The water then came down on Sir Edward’s men with such force that they were in danger of drowning, for before they knew it, they were afloat. They got away with great difficulty and by God’s grace kept their lives, but [some] of their armour was lost. He made no great feast for them,
perfay
, but nonetheless they had their fill, for although they got no food, I can tell you they were good and wet.

They were placed in great distress because they so lacked meat, for they were placed between two rivers and could cross neither of them. The Bann, which is an arm of the sea [and] which can’t be crossed on horseback, was between them and Ulster. They would have been in great danger there but for a sea-pirate who was called Thomas Dun, [who] heard that the army was placed in such straits and [who] sailed up the Bann till he came very close to where they lay. They knew him well and were greatly cheered. Then with four ships that he had captured he set them all across the Bann. When they came to populated land they found enough victuals and meat, and made camp in a wood. No-one of the land knew where they were; they relaxed and made good cheer.

At that time, close beside them, Sir Richard Clare and other great [men] of Ireland were camped with a great host in a forest side. Each day they had men ride [out] to bring them victuals of various kinds from the town of Connor which was good ten miles from them. Each day as they came and went, they came so near the Scots’ host that there were only two miles between them. When Earl Thomas perceived them coming and going, he got him a goodly company of three hundred on horse, bold and brave. There was Sir Philip Mowbray, also Sir John Stewart with Sir Alan
Stewart, Sir Robert Boyd and others. They rode to meet the victuallers who were coming from Connor with their victuals, holding the way to their host. They assaulted them so suddenly that they were all dismayed so that they dropped all their weapons and piteously cried for mercy. [The Scots] took them into their mercy and so thoroughly cleaned them up that not one of them escaped. The earl got information about them, that [some] of their host would come out of the wood-side in the evening and ride [to meet] their victuals.

He thought then of an exploit, causing all his followers deck themselves in the prisoners’ clothing, take their pennons with them too, wait till the night was near and then ride toward the host. Some of the [enemy’s] great host saw them coming, and thought that these were indeed their victuallers, so they rode towards them dispersed, because they had no fear that these were their foes, and also they were very hungry, so they came higgledy-piggledy. When they were near, the earl and all that were with him in great speed assaulted them with unsheathed weapons, shouting aloud their rallying cries; then they, seeing their foes so suddenly attack them were so fearful that they had no heart to encourage them but went to the host, [while the Scots] gave chase and killed many [so] that all the fields were strewn [with corpses]; more than a thousand dead lay there. They chased them right up to their host, then took their way back ….

[The Scots] took counsel then altogether that they would ride to the city [Connor] that very night, so that they should be with all their force between the town and those who were to come [from] outside. They did just as they had planned; they soon came before the town and only half a mile on the road from the city they halted. When the day dawned light, fifty nimble men on hobbies came to a little hill which was only a short distance from the town, and saw Sir Edward’s camp; they were astonished at the sight, that so few dared at all undertake such a great enterprise as to come so boldly against all the great chivalry of Ireland to await battle. And so it was, without doubt, for there were gathered against them there, with Richard Clare the Warden, the Butler, with the two earls of Desmond and Kildare, Birmingham, Verdon, and Fitz-Warin, Sir Pascal Florentine who was a knight of Lombardy and was full of chivalry. The Mandevilles were there also, Bissets, Logans and various others; Savages too, and there was also a man called Sir Nicholas Kilkenny. With these lords, there were
so many then that for each of the Scotsmen I believe they were five or more. When their scouts had seen the Scottish host like that, they went in haste and told their lords fully how they had come near to [the enemy]; there was no need to seek them afar. When Earl Thomas saw that those men had been on the hill, he took with him a good company on horse, perhaps a hundred in number, and they took their way to the hill. They lay in ambush in a declivity, and in a short time they saw coming riding from the city a company intending to reconnoitre to the hill. [The Scots] were pleased at that, and kept still until [the enemy] came near to them, then in a rush all who were there burst upon them boldly. Seeing those folk come on so suddenly, they were dismayed. Although some of them stayed there to fight stoutly, others took to their heels. In a very short time those who stayed behind were so defeated that they fled altogether on their way. [The Scots] chased them right to the gate, killing a great part of them, then returned to their host.