Page:A View of the State of Ireland - 1809.djvu/406

 108 campion's historie same did hallow to S. Patricke, for which alteration of the name of God to his servant, hee deemed him- selfe justly punished. Not long after (as say the Irish) certaine French knights came to King Iohns Court, and one of them asked the combat for tryal of the Dutchy of Nor- mandy. It was not thought expedient to jeopard the title upon one mans lucke, yet the challenge they de- termined to answere : some friend put them in minde of the Earle imprisoned, a Warriour of noble courage, and in pitch of body like a gyant. King Iohn de- maunded Courci/e whether hee would bee content to fight in his quarrell : Not for thee (said the Earle) whose person I esteeme not worthy the adventure of my bloud, but for the Crowne and dignity of the Realme, wherein many a good man liveth against thy will. The words were haply taken without dudgen, as proceeding from stomack, and from one counted more plaine then wise. Couvcye therefore being cherished to the field, and refreshed with dyet, fed so wonderfully after his hard keeping, that the French Challenger tooke him for a monster, and privily stale into Spaine. Then was the Earle inlarged, and crossed the seas tovvardes Ireland, fifteene times, evermore beaten back to the shoare, went thence into France to change the coast, and there dyed: after whose decease with- out heires of his body, the Earldome of Vlster was