Page:A View of the State of Ireland - 1809.djvu/203

 dare now front princes, and make tearmes with great potentates; the which as it is to him honourable, so it is to them most disgracefull, to be bearded of such a base varlet, that being but of late growne out of the dunghill, beginneth now to overcrow so high mountaines, and make himselfe great protectour of all outlawes and rebells that will repaire unto him. But doe you thinke he is now so dangerous an enemy as he is counted, or that it is so hard to take him downe as some suppose?

Iren. No verily, there is no great reckoning to bee made of him; for had he ever beene taken in hand, when the rest of the realme (or at least the parts adjoyning) had ben quiet, as the honourable gent. that now governeth there (I meane Sir William Russell) gave a notable attempt thereunto, and bad worthily performed it, if his course had not beene crossed unhappily, he could not have stood 3. moneths, nor ever have looked up against a very meane power: but now all the parts about him being up in a madding moode, as the Moores in Leix, the Cavenaghes in the county of Wexford, and some of the Butlers in the county of Kilkenny, they all flocke unto him, and drawe into his countrey, as to a strong hould, where they thinke to be safe from all that prosecute them: And from thence they doe at their pleasures breake out into all the borders adjoyning, which are well