Here begynneth a shorte and abreue table on the Cronycles ...

Of the condycyons and maners of Irlonde. ca. xxvii. (Book 27)

SGlinus saythe that men of thys londe ben strange of nacyon houseles & grete fyghters / and acount ryght and wronge alle one thynge / and ben syngle of clothynge / scar¦se of mete / cruell of herte / angry or speche and drynketh fyrste blod of dede men that ben slay∣ne and then wesshen theyr vysages therwyth and holden them payd wyth flesshe and fruyt in stede of mete & wyth mylke in stede of dr••n¦ke and vsen moche playne and ydlenes and huntynge and trauaylle butte lytell. In theyre chylde hode they ben harde nourysshed and ••er¦de fed and they be vnsemely of maners and of clothynge and haue brechee and hosen alle ne of wolle and strayte hodes that stre••cheth a cu¦byte ouer thesholders behynde and foldynges in stede of mantels and of clokes. Also they vse no sadels bootes ne spores whā they ryde. but they dryue theyr horses wyth a chambred yere∣de in y^e ouer ende. In stede of byttes with tren¦ches of brydels of reest / they vse brydels that lete not theyr hors to ete ther mete / they fyght vnarmed naked in body / netheles wyth twoo dartes and speres / And wyth brode spar••den they fyghte with one honde.

¶These men forsaken tyllynge of Londe and kepen pasture for beestes.

¶They vse longe berdes and lockes han¦gynge downe behynde ther hedes •• they vse no crafte of flaxe / of wolle / of metall / ne of mar∣chaundyse but gyue hem to ydelnes and slou∣the / and reken reest for lykynge and for fredo∣me for ryches / And thoughe Scotlonde the doughter of Irlonde vse harpe tymbre and to boure. Netheles Irysshe men beconnynge in two manere Instrumentes musyke / in harpe and tymbre that is armed wythe were & stren∣ges of bras In whyche Instrumentes though••

〈◊〉〈◊〉 play hastely and swyftly they make ryhgt 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••onye and melodys with thycke tew¦nes ••erbles and notes and begynne frome be mo•••• and playen secretly vnder dyme sowne in the greate strenges and torne ayen vnto the sa¦me / so that the grettest partye of crafte hydeth the crafte as it welde seme as thoughe the craf¦te soo sholde be ashamed yf it were take These men ben of euyll maneres in ther lyuynge they paye noo tythynges the wedde lawfally / they spare not theyr alyes / But brother wedde the broththers wyfe / they besye to betraye her ney¦ghbours and other they bere sperthes in their hondes in stede of staues and fyghte ayenste theym that truste mooste to theym / these men ben variable and vnstedfaste threchours and gylefull whoo that dealeth wyth them nedeth more to be ware of gyle thanne of crafte of pe∣as than of brennynge brondes / of hony than of kynghthode / they haue suche maneres that they ben not stronge in warre and in bataylle ne trewe in peas they become gossyps to them that they wyll falsly betraye in the gossybrede and hooly kynred Eueryche drynketh others bloode whanne it is shedde / they loue somd••l•• hyr nouryce and her playfers whiche that sou¦ke the same mylke that they souked whyle they were chyldrē. And they pursewe ther brethern theyr cosyns and theyr other kyne / and despy¦sen theyr kyne whyles they lyue / and auenge theyre dethe whanne they ben slayne. Soo longe hath the vsage of euyll custome en∣dured amonge them that it hathe gotenne the maystrye ouer them and torneth treason in to kynde so ferforthe that they ben traytours by nature. ¶And alyens and men of straunge londes that dwelle amonge them folowynge theyr maners that vaunteh there is none but he is be smetted wyth theyr treason aslo. Amō¦ge them manye men pyssen syttyge and wym¦men standynge.

¶There ben many men in that londe foule shapen in lymmes and in body / For in theyr lymmes they lacke the benefyce of kynde Soo that no where ben better shapen thanne they that ben there well shapen & none worse shapē than they that ben euyll shapen. And skylfully nature hurte / and defouled by wyckednes of lyuynge brynge the suche gromes and euylle ••penne of hem that wyth vnlawfulle delyn¦•• ••yth foule manere and euyll lyuynge soo wyckedly defouled kynde and nature. In thys lond & wales olde wyues & wymmē were wōre & been yet as mē saye ofte to scape thēs•••••• in ly∣kees of hates for to mylke ther neyghb••rs ••ine & stole her mylke & ofte gr••y hoūdes ren•• after thē & pursewen thē & weuen that they be hares Also some by crafte of Nygramācye 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••t∣te swyne for to be reed of colour and selfe thē in markettes & fayres But as soone as these swy¦ne passe ony water they torne into theire owne kynde whether it be strawe hey gras of ••ues. But these swyne maye not be kept by no craft for tēdure in lykenes of swynes ouer thre daies Amōge these wonders & other take hede that in the vttermest ende of the worlde falleth newe meruaylles & wōders. As thoughe kynde play¦ed with large loue secretly and ferre in thendes than openly & nygh in the myddeell. therfore in this ylōde bē many gresely wōders & meruayl∣les.