Historical account of the Macdonnells of Antrim

APPENDIX. 413
he be a horsman, and so, by proportion, shall I tel you my conscience heerin, I can not see how Fathers that
haue many sonnes, or landed men that haue many younger brothers, can do better for their than to prefer
them, and set them forthe in this jorney with me, who seeke to persuade nothing but that I wil go in person to
execute not a whit the more fearful, bicause I am the only sonne of Sir Thomas Smith, And nowe that I haue
resolued you of your doubte as I hope, and performed my promise in the ende, I will leaue for this time. Thus
much Mayster, R. C. was in our conference at that time, which, so neere as I could remember, I haue repeated
worde by worde, but to diuers other objections, his answers which I have learned at sundry meetings, wil I now declare.
Many say that they shal go into a place where they shal want meate, housing, and all things necessarye, for that
no Prince yet hath bene able to victuale his Army ther sufficiently in their iorneys, besides, that the souldiour is
alwayes constrayned to march thorow the Bogges and riuers, and in the nighte to lodge uppon the Grasse without
meat and Fire, This, in deede, is great miserie, but they that threaten this in his iorney are altogether ignorant of
his proceedings, nor consider not the difference that is between the Deputies iorneys (who seeketh still to appre-
hend the Rebelles bodies, following them thorowe Bogge, thorowe plaine, and wood, hoping, with persewerance
and long iorneys, to wery them and bring them in) and his enterprise, who desireth the Land only, not any re-
venge vpon the Irish, and who purposeth not to spend him selfe with long iorneys, but to procede slowely, inhabite,
builde, and fortifie him selfe as he goeth, contenting himselfe too obtein his portion of a Land wel defended in safetie,
and not coueting otherwise with losse and discommoditie of his menne, to seeke to anoy the Irishe as afore is sayd
proceeding on this sortie.
He bothe minde at his first landing to fortifie him selfe vppon the sea shore and frontier of his countrey, and
builde there his store house and houses of prouision, which he will carefully and speedely see brought thither to be
readie before it be wanting, a place for Artificers to lie safely in, and in the meane time that it is building and
raising, to lodge all his men in campe, under canuas tents and hales, wherein he hath promised to take order with
his associates, that will, peradventure, be one three monthes worke, Then after the store house and key of his
countrey built, and left sufficiently garded, he will remoue v. vj. more or lesse miles, as the countrey shall serue,
and there erecte uppon the liste an other fortresse, able to receiue and stowe a sufficiente crewe of souldiours, to be
ready always in defence of the frontier, incamping and lodging his men there as before, til that forte also be done and
furnished, Thus will he proceede in his ioumey all the Sommer till the entrie of his countrey be sufficiently fortfied,
Towards the winter season, deuiding his souldioures into the said strengthes, there to lie in garrison upon the enimie,
for the more safetie of the countrie, as at the beginning I haue alreadie tolde you.
What miserie (I pray you nowe) can this bring the soldiour, in what scant and scarcitie of victuaile shall they be
at any time constrained to, by reason it can not be brought to them, if otherwise it be wanting, which I am sure shal not
be, it is by his faulte and slacknesse, not by the discomoditie of the carriage, or howe euill neede the souldiour be
lodged, This his proceedings are others than hathe bene heretofore vsed, and other mennes errors haue taught him to
take this order, to marke and consider them well is the onely way to perfectnesse, (sayth he) and nothing hath bene so
well done, and if it were to do againe might be better done, for time is it that in the moste aduised gouernementes
discouereth faults which while we patch and mende by little and little, the first order is altered, and become another
thing, the very vanitie of the world,
And as for the present necessitie and lack of many commodities of the Country which are in England euery where,
if you marke that hath bene heretofore said in describing it, you cannot say but the only default thereof is the un-
ciuilitie of the inhabitants, and lacke of good orders, which as soone as he shal haue amended by bringing this his
attempt to good ende, and that it may be replenished with building ciuill inhabitantes, and traffigue with lawe, iustice,
and good order, what shal let that it be not also as pleasant and profitable as any parte of England, especially when it
shall be furnished with a companie of Gentlemen and others that will liue frendly in felowship togither reioysing in the
frute and commoditie of their former trauaile, which (throughe noble courage) forestimatio sake, and the loue of their
owne countrey the first enterprised, deseruing if I may speake it, that am resolued one of the same companie, to be
crowned, with garlandsof honoure and euerlasting fame, But what doe I degresse, Is there any more doubts yet trow
yee; yes, this.
There be some that like well inough of this takyng the Arde in hand, because it is both defensible with a few men
and those freeholders that yet remaine therein beeing of Englishe race, haue allwayes defended them selues from praying
by the Irishe, but more they say, hee shall neuer bee able to compasse nor defende, to whom I will repeate this shorte
answere. He that hathe but a little Cuntrie can mainteine therewith but a few men, and isconstreyned gladly to except