English conquest of Ireland : A.D. 1166-1185 : mainly from the 'Expugnatio hibernica' of Giraldus Cambrensis : part I, the text / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

CHAPTER LXI.

[ The usual large initial letter is omitted here, a space being left for it in which a small t is put.] The yonge prynce at the begynnynge hadde wyth hym thre manere of meygne, Normannes, Englysshe, & þe Englysshe that he found yn the lond. In wyrshype, gret frenshype, & loue, he hold the fyrst & the worst; In lasse, the mydmest & the better; In allerleste, the latest & þe beste. The fyrst ne myght nat lyue wyth-out wyn, yn whyche thay weren̛ fostred; & for-thy thay forsoken̛ on al wyse to ben̛ yn marches & yn castels fer̛ from the see I-sette; no-wher̛ bot about the kynges sone & hys body, kepe thay myght nat be, & hym folwen, & negh hym be, wyth-out any departynge. fer̛ from the weste &

negℏ al eeste; fer̛ from myssayse, & negh ayse thay wyllet euer to be sette. ¶ Ianglers & bosters, & of grette othes, and stronge lyers, foderes, whybelers, Moch told by ham-self throgh pryde, & lytel by other̛; yiftes & wyrshype to receyue, thay wer the fyrst; dout & perrylle to receyue, thay war̛ euer the laste. The lytel good that thay dydde that wyth hym comen̛, that was throgh the englysshe that he wyth hym broght; bot thay was no thynge derward wyth hym ayeyns the other, that no good ne couth do. And for the good knyghtes & the men̛ throgh whych the wey ynto the lond was fyrst I-opened, wer̛ wyth ham bot as forsaken̛ & forlete; non̛ I-cleppeth to conssaylle bot the newe; to non trusted he bot to the newe; to non̛ was wyrshype I-do bot to the newe. Hyt byfelle, that whan̛ thay other̛ wythdrowe ham for such thynge, & lete ham I-worth, yn al thynge that thay dydde, lytel or noght thay spedde. Such gyltes & so many, thegℏ thay both wer̛ myche to wite, yong old & yonge rede, natheles þe yonge lydder̛ rede was more gylty; ffore boustyous lond and vnredy, hadde al nede to be Irotet and I-kept throgℏ wyse men̛ & redy.