Page:A View of the State of Ireland - 1809.djvu/107

 first encounter. Besides, the same Herodotus writeth, that they used in their battles to call upon the names of their captains or generals, and somtimes upon their greatest kings deceased, as in that battle of Thomyris against Cyrus: which custome to this day manifestly appeareth amongst the Irish. For at their joyning of battle, they lykewise call upon their captaines name, or the word of his auncestours. As they under Oneale cry Laundarg-abo, that is, the bloody hand, which is Oneales badge. They under O Brien call Laun-laider, that is, the strong hand. And to their ensample, the old English also which there remayneth, have gotten up their cryes Scythianlike, as Crom-abo, and Butler-abo. And here also lyeth open an other manifest proofe, that the Irish bee Scythes or Scots, for in all their incounters they use one very common word, crying Ferragh, Ferragh, which is a Scottish word, to wit, the name of one of the first Kings of Scotland, called Feragus, or Fergus, which fought against the Pictes, as you may reade in Buchanan, de rebus Scoticis; but as others write, it was long before that, the name of their chiefe Captaine, under whom they fought against the Africans, the which was then so fortunate unto them, that ever sithence they have used to call upon his name in their battailes.