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SIR JOHN FROISSART
Chronicles of England, France, Spain and the adjoining countries
from the latter part of the reign of Edward II to the coronation of Henry IV. Vol.11
page 163
to makt Wtr [prçvthe. Jrtth, as àe prefent king* He remained upwards of nine months in Ire-land, at,.great.:expénfç, which, however, was cbçcrfully , df ffijçf d by his, kingdom ; fpr th£ principal ^riticrs ap# towns off JEttgland thought it was well, laid, jp&jt,; whe&. they- faw their king return, home with hOnou*; ^ Only, gentlemen and archers had beeji employed ofr. this expedition ; andfherçwçiteWiethe! kkig four thoufond. knights andt fquifcs ^ad ;thii$y thpufend arched, regit-! larly paid eVefy week, and fo well they were fa-tisfied. . - : : . . •
* To tell you the truth, Ireland is one of the worfjt countries to spake war m3 or to conquer 5 for thepe are f^ch ^p^nçtrabk aftd e*tenfive fc, rets, lakes and bogs, there is #0 knowing how to pais them* apd cai^y^n pm ^dvantageoufly : it is fo thinly inhabited, that, whenever the Irifli ptetifei they defert the towns, and take refuge in thele fo-refts, and live in huts made of boughs, like wil4 beafts; and whenever they perceive my fc parties advancing .with, hoftile difpoÉtio»%jfûd about to otter their country, they fly to fuch narrow paiFes, it is iropo(fib^e:tp follow tjiem. -Wk^ they find a favourable opportunity to attack their enemies to advantage, which frequently happens, from their knowledge of the country, they fail not to feize it j pud-no man at arms, t be he ever fo well mounted, can overtake çhem,.fo light are they cf\foot. Some-times they leap from the ground behjnd a horfe-man, and embrace the rider (for they are very
ftrong
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