Britain, or A chorographicall description of the most flourishing kingdomes, England, Scotland, and Ireland, and the ilands adjoyning, out of the depth of antiquitie beautified vvith mappes of the severall shires of England: vvritten first in Latine by William Camden Clarenceux K. of A. Translated newly into English by Philémon Holland Doctour in Physick: finally, revised, amended, and enlarged with sundry additions by the said author.

THE COUNTY ARMAGH.

ON the East side again lieth out in length the county of Armagh, so as that it is compassed as it were about with the river Neury by East, with the county [ D] of Louth by South, and with the Black-water by North. A County, as I have sundry times heard the Earle of Denshire Lord Lievtenant Generall say,* 1.1 that for a most rich and battle soile passeth all other parts of Ireland, insomuch as if any compost be laid upon it to make it more fruitfull, it scorneth and disdai∣neth, as one would say, the same, and becommeth barren. The first place in it that we meet with,* 1.2 is Fewes, a little territory belonging to Turlogh Mac-Henry, one of the family of O-Neale, thicke set with woods, and by reason of loughs and bogs unpassable.* 1.3 Then have you Orry, as scarce of woods, where dwelleth O-Hanlan, and the fort Mont-Norris,* 1.4 built by Charles Baron Mont-joy when he was Lord Deputy, and so named in honour of Sir Iohn Norris, under whom he had served first, and was [ E] trained in military discipline.* 1.5 Eight miles from hence, neere unto the river Kalin, Ar∣mach maketh a poore shew, albeit it is the Archiepiscopall See, and Metropolitane of the whole Iland. The Irish talke much, that it was so called of Queen Armacha: but in mine opinion it is the very same that Bede nameth Dearmach, and out of the Scot∣tish or Irish language interpreteth it, The field of Okes. But it was named Drumsai∣lich, before that Saint Patricke had built there a proper faire City,* 1.6 for site, forme, quantity, and compasse, modelled out, as hee saith, by the appointment and direction of Angels. That Patricke I say, who being a Britan borne, and Saint Martins sisters sonne, named at his Baptisme Sucat, was sold into Ireland, where he became Heard∣man to King Miluc, afterwards was named by Saint German, whose disciple hee [ F] was, Magonius, as a Nurse-Father, out of a British word: and by Pope Caelestine, Pa∣tricius, as a Father of the Citizens, and by him sent over to catechize Ireland in the Christian faith: which notwithstanding some had received there before, as wee may gather out of an old Synodall, wherein is urged the testimony of Patricke him∣selfe,* 1.7 against that tonsure or shaving of Priests which had beene used before his time in Ireland; whereby they were shaven onely on the fore part of the head,

and not on the Crowne. Which manner of shaving he seemeth by way of contempt [ A] to father upon a certaine Swineherd of King Lagerius the sonne of Nell: and the wri∣ters of that age cried out,* 1.8 that it was Simon Magus his shaving, and not S. Peters. In this place about the yeere of our salvation 610. Columbane built a most famous Mo∣nastery, out of which very many Monasteries afterwards were propagated by his disciples, both in Britain and in Ireland.* 1.9 Of this Armach S. Bernard thus writeth. In honour of S. Patrick the Apostle of Ireland, who here by his life time ruled, and after death rested; it is the Archiepiscopall seat and Metropolitan City of all Ireland, and of so venerable esti∣mation in old time, that not only Bishops and Priests, but Kings also and Princes in gene∣rall, were subject to the Metropolitane thereof in all obedience, and he alone governed them [ B] all. But through the divellish ambition of some mighty Potentates, there was taken up a very bad custome, that this holy See should be obtained and held in hereditary succession; neither suffered they any to be Bishops, but such as were of their owne Clan, Tribe, and Family. Neither prevailed this execrable succession a little, but continued this wicked manner for the space well neere of fifteen generations.

When in processe of time the Ecclesiasticall discipline in this Iland was growne loose, so as in townes and cities, there were translations and plurality of Bishops, according to the will and pleasure of the Metropolitane; for reformation of this abuse, Iohn Papyrio a Cardinall was sent hither from Pope Eugenius the fourth, as a namelesse writer then living wrote in these words. In the yeere of our Lord 1142. [ C] Iohn Papyrio, a Cardinall sent from Eugenius the fourth Bishop of Rome, together with Christian Bishop of Lismore Legate of all Ireland, came into Ireland. The same Christi∣an held a solemne Counsell in Mell, at which were present all the Bishops, Abbats, Kings, Dukes, and Elders of Ireland: By whose consent there were established foure Archbi∣shopricks, namely, of Armach, of Dublin, of Cassile, and Toam. Wherein sate and ruled at the same time, Gelasius, Gregorius, Donatus, and Edanus: and so the Cardinall, be∣stowing his blessing upon the Clergie, returned to Rome. For before that time, the Bi∣shops of Ireland were wont to be consecrated by the Archbishops of Canterbury, in regard of the Primacy which they had in Ireland. This did the Citizens of Dublin ac∣knowledge, when they sent Gregory elect Bishop of Dublin, unto Ralph Archbishop [ D] of Canterbury for to be consecrated, by these words, Antecessorum vestrorum Magi∣sterio, &c. that is, Unto the Magistracy of your Predecessors we willingly submitted our (Prelats) from which we remember that our Prelats have received their dignity Ecclesi∣asticall, &c. which appeareth for certain out of letters also bearing date of greater an∣tiquity, namely, of Murchertach King of Ireland, written unto Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury, for the ordaining and enstalling of the Bishops of Dublin and of Water∣ford: likewise of King Gothrich unto Lanfrank his predecessor, in the behalfe of one Patrick a Bishop: of Lanfrank also unto Therdeluac a King of Ireland, unto whom he complaineth, That the Irishmen forsake and leave at their pleasure their wedded wives, without any canonicall cause, and match with any others, even such as be neere of kinne, [ E] either to themselves or the said forsaken wives; and if another man with like wickednesse hath cast off any wife, her also rashly and hand over head they joine with, by law of marri∣age, or fornication rather: an abuse worthy to be punished. With which vices if this na∣tion had not bin corrupted even unto these daies of ours, both the right of lineall suc∣cession among them had been more certain, and as well the gentry as the communal∣ty had not embrued themselves so wickedly with the effusion of so much blood of their owne kinred, about their inheritances and legitimation, neither had they become so infamous in these respects among forraine nations. But these matters are exorbi∣tant of themselves, and from my purpose.

Long had not that Archiepiscopall dignity and Primacy beene established, when [ F] Vivian the Popes Legate confirmed the same againe; so that their opinion may seeme to be worthy of discredit and refutation, who affirme that the Archbishop of Armach had in regard of antiquity the priority and superiour place of the Arch∣bishop of Canterbury in the Generall or Oecumenicall Councells; whereas by the first institution hee is by many ages the latter. Neither according to the antiquitie

[ A] of places are the seats in Councels appointed. But all Prelates, of what degree soever they be,* 1.10 sit among their Colleagues, according to their owne ordination, enstalling, and promotion.

What time as that Vivian was Legate in Ireland, Sir Iohn Curcy subdued Armach, and made it subject to the English: and yet did he no harme then, but is reported to have beene very good and bountifull unto the Churchmen that served God there, and he re-edified their Church, which in our memory was fired and foulely defaced by the rebell Shan O Neale, and the city withall, so that they lost all the ancient beauty and glory, and nothing remaineth at this day but very few small watled cot∣tages, [ B] with the ruinous walls of the Monastery, Priory, and Primates palace. Among the Archbishops of this place, there goes the greatest fame and name of S. Malachy, the first that prohibited Priests marriage in Ireland, a man in his time learned and de∣vout, and who tooke no lesse of the native barbarousnesse of that country, than sea fi∣shes saltnesse of the seas, as saith S. Bernard, who wrote his life at large: also Richard Fitz-Ralfe, commonly called Armachanus, is of famous memory, who turned the edge of his stile about the yeere 1355. against the mendicant Friers, as detesting in Christians such voluntary begging. Neere to Armach, upon a rising hill, remain the reliques of an old castle (Owen-Maugh they call it) which was, as they say, the anci∣ent habitation of the Kings of Ulster. More East glideth the Black-water (in the Irish [ C] tongue More, that is, Great) which is the limit betweene this shire and Tir-Oen, whereof I am to speak in due place. In this country and about it Mac-Genis, O Han∣lan, O Hagan, and many of the sept of O-Neal, assuming unto them sundry additions and by-names, carry all the sway after a sort, and over-rule the rest.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Charles Blunt L. Mont-joy.
• * 1.2

  Fewes.
• * 1.3

  Orry.
• * 1.4

  Mont-Norris.
• * 1.5

  Armach.
• * 1.6

  S. Patricke. Vita Patricii. Marianus Scotus.
• * 1.7

  The Irish sha∣ving.
• * 1.8

  See Bed. l. 5. c. 22.
• * 1.9

  S. Bernard in the life of Ma∣lachy.
• * 1.10

  Lib. 1. Ceremo∣niar sacrar. Sect. 14.