210 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



approacliing, and we knew not what to do, nor how to protect our- 

 selves, so that one Sunday after mass, the lord, with his hair down to 

 his eyes, and boiling with rage, told us that he could remain no 

 longer, that he had resolved to fly with his people, cattle and families, 

 and that we had better consider what we should do to save our lives. 

 I replied asking him to be quiet for a little, and that we would soon 

 give him a reply. I went aside with the eight Spaniards that were 

 with me, all brave fellows, and told them to consider all the trouble 

 they had gone through, and what was threatening us, that as we 

 were so few it were better to finish with the business once for all 

 honourably, that we had then an excellent opportunity, and could 

 not indeed expect a better, nor should we go flying over mountains 

 and through woods, naked and shoeless as we were, and with the 

 intense cold then prevailing. Seeing, moreover, that the native 

 (salvaje) seemed to feel acutely the abandonment of his castle to the 

 enemy, I added that we, the nine Spaniards there present, should 

 gladly occupy it, and defend it to death, which we could very well do, 

 €ven though as great a force again as that approaching were to attack 

 it, since the castle was very strong, and very difficult to carry unless 

 it were stormed by artillery, having its foundations in a lake, there 

 very deep, and more than a league broad in certain places, and some 

 three or four leagues long, having further a communication with the 

 sea, but so that even during spring tides, there could be no approach 

 made by that way. Por these reasons the castle could not be carried 

 either by water or from the land side, which is nearest to it, nor 

 indeed could any harm be done it, since for a breadth of a league in 

 extent all round the town (which is built on firm ground) there 

 extend marshes, in which one would sink up to the breast, so that 

 there is no approach to it, but by narrow paths. Taking all this into 

 consideration, we determined to say to the native (salvaje) that we 

 desii'ed to hold the castle and defend it to death, that he should 

 diligently and at once set to work to provision it for six months, and 

 furnish us with arms. This decision greatly rejoiced the lord, seeing, 

 as he did, our determination, and accordingly he made no delay in 

 providing all that was requisite with the full approval of the chief 

 persons of the town, who were well pleased with what was being 

 done. In order furthermore to take surety against any treachery on 

 our part he made us swear that we would not abandon his castle, nor 

 hand it over to the enemy by reason of any agreement or convention, 

 even although we were to perish of hunger, nor should we open the 

 gates to admit inside the walls, any Irishman, Spaniard, or other 



