Page:A View of the State of Ireland - 1809.djvu/413

OF IRELAND. 115 Vescey was a sterne man, and full of courage, but rashe and impudent of his tongue : he convented before him, k Iohn Earle of Kildare, & charged him with riots & vagaryes unseasonable, for that he ranged with his men abroad, & preyed upon pri vat enemies inordinary, for malice & grudge, not for advancement of the pub- lique weale: whom the Earle as impatient as the other, answered thus : 1 By your honour and mine, my Lord, & by king Edwards hand, you would if you durst, appeach me in plaine tearmes of felony: for whereas I have the title, and you the fleece of Kildare, I wot well how great an eye sore I am in your sight, who if I could bee handsomely trussed up for a felon, then might my young Master your sonne, become a Gentleman : Iustice, Gentleman (quoth he) thou proud Earle, the Vescyes were gentlemen, before Kildare was an Earldome, and before the Welch bankrupt thy Cousin feathered his Nest in Leinster. But seeing thou darest me, I will surely breake thy heart, and with that word he called the Earle a notorious theefe & mur- derer. Then followed clattering of swords by Soul- diours on both parties, untill either side appeased his owne, and the Lord Iustice leaving his Lieutenant William Hay, sped over the King, whom immedi- ately followed the Earle, & as fast as Vescey charged Kildare with fellony, no lesse did Kildare appeach the Iustice of high treason, and in tryall thereof he asked the Combate. But when the listes royall were pro- vided, Vescey was slipt away into France, and so dis- k 1291. l l<294.