Three prose versions of the Secreta Secretorum / edited with an introduction and notes by Robert Steele and a glossary by T. Henderson

Of the Kynges titles to the land of Irland, aftyr the Cronyclis. Capitulum xxxiij.

fRyste atte the begynnynge, afor the comynge of Iryshemen̄ into the londe, they weryn̄ dwellynge in a syde of spayne whyche is callid basco. Of the whyche Basco, Bayon Is the chefe Cite, and basco a membyr of hit. And atte yryshmen comynge Into Irland, kynge Gurgonynce, Son̄ to the nobill kynge Belynge, and kynge of Britane the more, whyche now Is callid England, was lorde of Bayon as oure kynge now Is. And therfor thay sholde be his men, and Irland his land. The Seconde tytle is this; Atte the Same tyme that Irysℏmen came out of basco in Sixti Shippes exilit, thay mete wyth kynge Gurgnynce vp the See at the Ile of Orcades, atte his comynge fro Denemarke with grete victorie. Than har Captaynes hyberus and herymon wenten to this kynge, and hym tolde the cause of har comynge, and hym Prayed with grete Instaunce, that he wolde graunt ham that thay myght enhabite Some lande in the weste. Atte the laste the kynge, by avyce of his consaille, graunted ham Irland to enhabite, and assygned ham gides for the See thedyrwarde. And [folio 52b] therfor they Sholde ben our Kynges men. The thyrde title Is, As I haue afor declarid, that Dermot, Sumtyme Prynce of leynestere, in Normandy became lege man to kynge henry the Seconde, conqueroure of Irland. Wherthrogh he broght Pouer of Pepill aforsaydyn̄ into the land, and mariet his eldyst doghtyr Eue at Watyrford to Syr Richard fiz Gilbert, Erle of Sragnylle in Walis, and hym graunted the reuersione of laynestere wyth Eue his doghtyr. Aftyr that the Erle graunted to his kynge henry, Deuelyn̄ wyth two candredes nexte to Deuelyn̄, and al the havyn̄ tounes of laynestre, to haue that othyr Parte in Pees, and [folio 42L] the kynges good lordshup. And therfor Mcmurgh hath leste ryght to haue lordshup of al othyr Irysℏ Captaynes; And oure kynge in especial haue good ryght to laynystre. Hitte Is to witte, that a Candrede in frensℏ and in Irysℏ, Is a Porcion̄ of grovnde that may contene an hundrid villachis. In England Suche A Candrede is y-callit an hundret othyr a wepyn-tale. A wepyntaille Is as myche to Say as a takynge of wepen, ffor In olde tyme in England̛ atte the fryst comynge of a newe lorde in-to an hundret, the tenantes of the Same hundrede Sholde delyuer to har lorde har wepyn as for har homage. The iiij^e

title of ryght that oure kynge hath to Irland Is, that Sethyn̄ in the yere of Oure lorde Mƚ. C. and lxti, ij, the forsayd kynge henry landyd atte watyrforde, and there Came to hym Dermot, kynge of Corke, and of his owyn propyr wille became liege trybutarie for hym and for his kyngedome, and on this he makyd his Serement and yawe his hostagis to the kynge. Than the kynge rode to Casshell, and ther came to hym Doneuald, kynge of lymerike, and be-came lyege man as did the kynge of Corke. Than came to hym Duneualde, kynge of Ossori, and Mcsaghlyn, kynge of Ofaly, and al the Prynces of the Southe of Irland, and be-came lege men as Is aforsayd. Than wente kynge henry to Dyuelyne, and ther came O'kernel, kynge of Vriel, O'rorike kynge of Mythe, and Rothorike, kynge of al Irysℏmen of the londe, and of Connaght, with al the Princes and men of value of the lande, wythout-take the Pepill of Vllystere, and by-came lyeges and Subiectes tributarijs by grete othis for ham and hare kyngedomes and lordshuppes, to the forsayd kynge henry, and that by hare owyn good wille as hit semyth wel, for the cronycles makyth no mencion of no chyualry ne werre done by the kynge al the tyme that he in Irland was. The Ve title Is this, the Pope Adriane, for-as-moche as Irland [folio 42bL] Is an Ile, and hit and al othyr Iles cristiens to the ryght of Seynte Petyr and the churche o Rome appartenyth, he grantid the lordshupe of Irland to the forsayde kynge henry, to encresse therin crystyn̄ feyth and holynesse, And to sette the Pepill of the londe in gouernaunce of good lawes and vertues, vices to enchu, This yfte and graunt of Pope Adriane, Pope Alexandyr his Successoure confermyd. this titles of ryght oppynly apperyth by the [folio 53] Same Popis Bullys, the copyes of Whych Bene ryued ynow. Sethyn̄ came [came came, MS.] Vyuyen, a legate fro the Pope, into Irland and assemblid atte deuelyne al the Clergi of the land atte a consaill, atte the whyche Consaill this legate declarid and affermyd to the clergy the kynges ryght to be good to Irlande, and comandid and also denunced al the Pepill of Irland̛ on the Payne of cursynge, that no man sholde presume folyche to departe fro the liegeaunce and the fayth of the kynge of England. The Syxte title Is, that assemblid atte Ardmagh, the Clergi of al the land atte the tyme of the conqueste vp the comynge of Englyssℏ-men, by the Same Consaill hit was decrewite and demet, that throght the Synne of the

Pepill of the londe by the Sentence of god, the myschefis of the conquest ham befelle. The vije title Is, For atte the fryste comynge and beynge of kynge Richard the Seconde in Irland atte the Cite of Deuelyne, and othyr Places of the londe, there come to hym wyth hare owyn̄ good-wille, O'nelle, Captayne of Iryshemen of Vluestere, O'bren̄ of Thomon̄, O'conghoure of Connaght, Arthure Mcmurgℏ, Captayne of Irysℏmen in laynystere, And al othyr grete Capitaynes of Irysℏmen of Irland, and became liege man to the Same kynge Richard, And to hym did homage liege, And for more [folio 43L] grettyr Surte thay bounde ham in grete Somes by dyvers Instrumentes to Pay to the Popys Chamer, to trewely kepe and holde hare legeaunce in the fourme aforsayde. There-for, fro the begynnynge to the End, good is oure kynges ryght to the lordshupe of Irland. And therfor hold thei ham still for shame, that therof the contrary Sayne.