The Irish Penny Journal, Vol. 1 No. 39, March 27, 1841Various
History
The Irish Penny Journal, Vol. 1 No. 39, March 27, 1841
Various
Ireland -- Periodicals
“With the good likeinge,” says Maurice Regan, “of all the chieftains,
Reymond le Grosse, the Constable of Leinster, whoe was a man discreete
and valiaunt, and by his parents of good livelyhood, was designed to
be general of the army: their randevouse for the assembling of their
troops was Ossory. The kyng of Ossory joined with them, and undertook to
guide the army upon O’Brien. Nevertheless, Reymond mistrusted his faith,
whyche the kyng of Ossory perceaving, protested his integritie with suche
fervency, as it gave full satisfaction, that he would be faithfull unto
him; which Donald performid with sinceritie, in guiding the army until it
came to the cittie of Limericke, whyche was invironed with a foule and
deepe ditch with running water, not to be passed over without boats, but
at one foord onely. At the first approach the soldiers were discouraged,
and mutinied to return, supposing the citie, by reason of the water,
was impregnable. But that valiaunt knight, Meyler Fitz Henry, having
found the foord, wyth a loud voice cried, ‘St David, companions, let us
courageouslie pass this foord.’ He led the waye, and was followed but
by four horsemen, who, when they were gotten over, were assailed by the
enemie.”
The account given by Cambrensis of this affair, as translated by Sir
R. C. Hoare, is somewhat different in its details. He says that “upon
this occasion, one David Walsh clapped spurs to his horse, and, plunging
boldly into the stream, reached the opposite shore in safety, and
exclaimed loudly ‘that he had found a ford,’ yet never a man would follow
him, save one Geoffrey Judas, who, on his return with David to conduct
the army across the river, was carried away by the impetuosity of the
current, and unfortunately drowned. Meyler, however, undismayed by this
accident, and seeing the awkward manner in which his kinsman Reymond was
placed, ventured into the river, and gained the opposite bank; and whilst
he was engaged in defending himself against the citizens of Limerick, who
attacked him with stones, and threatened to kill him. Reymond, who had
hitherto been employed in the rear of his army, appeared on the river
side, and seeing the imminent danger to which his nephew Meyler was
exposed, exhorted his troops to try the passage of the Shannon; and such
was the influence of this brave leader over them, that at the risk of
their lives they followed him across the river, and having put the enemy
to flight, took quiet possession of their city.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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