Owen Roe O’Neill’s Speech At Benburb

I.

Gentlemen and fellow soldiers! Know that those who stand before you ready to fight, are those that banished you, your wives, and children from your lands and houses, and make you seek your bread and livelihood in strange places. Now you have arms in your hands as good as they have, and you are gentlemen as well as they are, you are the flower of Ulster, descended from an ancient and honourable a stock of people as any in Europe. This land you and your predecessors have possessed about three thousand years. All Christendom know your quarrel is good – to fight for your native birth-right and for the religion which your forefathers professed and maintained since Christianity came first to this land. So now is the time to consider your distressed and slavish condition; you have arms in your hands, you are as numerous as they are; and now try your valour and your strength on those who have banished you, and now resolve to destroy you, bud and branch. So let your manhood be seen by your push of pike and I will engage if you do so, by God’s assistance and the intercession of his Blessed Mother and all the Holy Saints in Heaven, that the day will be your own. Your word is Sancta Maria; and so in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, advance, and give not fire till you are within pike-length.

II.

My dear companions,

Now is the time you prove yourselves men, not men utcunque, but men of warlike and bloody behaviour, and settled resolution either to die or conquer. It might happen that heretofore in such other occasions you made some show of a contrary semblance (let it be far from my thought to deem you cowards, who in and from your embryo are dedicated unto that supposed martial Deity), and this, as obnoxious of several mortal crimes, and so perishing in the next disposition of double death, but now can yield no excuse of not fighting well, as disloading of that heavy burden your sins, the many extortions you committed in Leinster, with the curses of the poor and the widows that cried against you before God Almighty, are now forgiven and remitted.

Such as will perish in this battle, said he, let him be sure of eternal bliss, having for our object in this battle, as prime motive, the defence of our holy religion, in the second rank, the free liberty of our lives and fortunes, we have justice to what we challenge, the same being an attribute of God, he cannot deny us now the benefit thereof. This was the argument of Gracian the younger, Emperor of Rome, in the first battle that ever he fought (which was against the King of Hungary, as the Dial of Princes do set forth), who coming to wage war upon the very Empire, the Young Emperor, encouraging his men to battle (as I do now), though very few in respect of the enemy’s multitude, told that justice was on his side, that the enemy entrenched on his right, and that he only defended his own, being by divine, humane and martial laws thereunto warranted; justice being of your side, fear not the multitude of your adversaries for God will fight for you, our cause his own attribution.

After this confidence in the divine assistance fought the battle, and though the enemy was three for one, he killed and discomfited and took prisoners all the whole adverse army, and lost himself but 10 men. Did not that great Hannibal overrun all Spain and Italy, brought the one to subjection and the other to a desperate and sad condition, had still the victory in these nations until young Cipio Affricanus issued against him to the field, General for the Romans, a young warrior without art or experience in martial discipline, and his antagonist the very best in his time (as Plutarchus and Polybius do aver), but being an intruder, and the other defending his predecessor’s right, justice being of Cipio’s side, discomfited the other, and banished him out of all the empire. The Machabeians fighting against their enemy, religion their chief motive (though but a figure of the reality we now profess), by the justice of their cause obliged God so show them very often in dangerous conflicts his visible assistance.

Our quarrel is just; we offer to maintain the religion taught by our Saviour, preached by the Apostles, planted in Ireland by our holy patron St. Patrick, and held ever since by our predecessors. Our lives and fortunes and liberties we challenge in the second rank; we pretend nothing that belongs to any other, other than such as by all justice we inherit by our forefathers, by the succession of many ages. Those that you see before your faces, there ready to spill your blood, are those that profane your churches, turned your altars and sanctuaries to beastly mangers, to stew houses, and other barbarous uses; murdered and killed your friends and allies, man, woman, and child; turned your sweet native country to desolation; all that was dear unto you is demolished by fire and sword. To any their proceedings can challenge no right. Wherefore call to God Almighty for assistance, who cannot deny you the some according his own divine covenant; offer yourself and the justice of your case as a sacrifice unto his Deity, and be confident this oblation to be more acceptable unto his divine clemency than the sacrificed blood of bulls and rams offered in the ancient law, though prevalent for the expiation of sin. You never heard justice forsaken by God, nor the cry of the poor, forlorn and righteous condemned.

Now, my hearts of gold (armed with this confidence) take courage against your enemy. There is no place safe for you to fly unto; the four Provinces of Ireland do abound with this same enemy. Never think of any base, cowardly flight; fight manly; either here live or die. If in this battle killed, you triumph with God in Heaven; if alive the victor your double laurel shall be recorded to future ages. If to shun death you fly and leave your fellow soldiers in action, you will be no better esteemed in the world than bloody Cain, who murdered his own innocent brother Abel. Strike, therefore, the drum and sound the trumpet for battle; advance, fight, live and reign, etc., etc.,

My deere companions, now is the time you prove yourselves men, not men utcunque, but men of warrlike and bloudie behaviour, and settled resolution either to die or conquer. It might hapen that heretofore in such other occasions you made some shewe of a contraire semblance (lett it be farr from my thought to deeme you cowards, whoe in and from your imbrion are dedicated unto that suposed martiall Dietie), and this, as obnoxious of severall mortall crimes, and soe perishinge in the next disposition of double death, but now can yeld noe excuse of not fightinge well, as disloaden of that heavy burden your sins, the many extortions you comitted in Linster, with the curses of poore and widowes that cryed against you before God Allmightie, are now forgiven and remitted.

Such as will perish in this battle, said he, lett him be sure of eternall blish, havinge for our objecte in this battle, as prime motive, the defence of our holy religion, in the second ranke, the free libertie of our lives and fortune, we have justice to what we challenge, the same beinge an attribute of God, he canot denie us now the benefitt therof. This, said he, was the argument of Gracian the yonger, Emperour of Rome, in the first battle that ever he fought (which was against the Kinge of Hungarie, as the Dial of Princes doe sett fourth), whoe cominge to wage warr upon the very empire, the yonge Emperour, encouraginge his men to battle (as I doe now), though very fewe in respecte of the enemie multitude, tould that justice was on his side, that the enemie entrenched on his right, and that he onely defended his owne, beinge by divine, humaine and martiall lawes thereunto warranted; justice beinge of your side, feare not the multitude of your adversaries, for God will fight for you, our cause his owne attribution. After this confidence in the divine asistance fought the battle, and though the enemie was three for one, he killed and discomfitted and tooke prisoners all the whole adverse armie, and lost himself but 10 men. Did not that greate Haniball overrunn all Spaine and Italy, brought the one to subjection and the other to a desperat and sad condition, had still the victorie in these nations untill yonge Cipio Affricanus issued against him to the field, Generall for the Romaines a yong warriour without art or experience in martiall discipline, and his antigonist the verie best in his time (as Plutarchus and Polybius doe averr), but beinge intruder, and the other defendinge his predicessors right, justice beinge of Cipio’s side, discomfitted the other, and banished him out of all the empire. The Machabeians fightinge against theire enemie, religion theire chiefe motive (though but a figure of the realitie wee now professe), by the justice of theire cause obliged God so shewe them very often in dangerous conflicts his visible asistance. Our quarrell is juste; wee offer to maintaine the religion taught by our Saviour, preached by the Apostles, planted in Ireland by our holy patron S. Patrick, and held ever since by our predicessors. Our lives and fortunes and liberties wee challenge in the seconde ranke; we pretende nothinge that belongs to any other, other then such as by all justice we inherit by our forefathers, by the succession of many ages. Those that you see before your faces, there readie to spill your bloude, are those that prophane your churches, turned your aulters and sanctuaries to beastly mangers, to stewe houses, and other barbarous uses; murthered and killed your friends and allies, both man, woman, and child; turned your sweete native countrie to desolation; all that was deere unto you is demolished by fire and sworde. To any theire proceedings can challenge noe right. Whearfore call to God Allmightie for asistance, whoe cannot denie you the same accordinge his owne divine covenant; offer yourself and the justice of your cause as a sacrifice unto his Dietie, and be confident this oblation to be more acceptable unto his divine clemencie then the sacrificed bloude of bulls and rams offered in the ancient lawe, though prevalent for the expiation of sinne. You never hearde justice forsaken by God, nor the cry of the poore, forlorne and righteous contemned. Nowe, my hearts of gould (armed with this confidence) take courage against your enemie. There is noe place safe for you to fly unto; the foure Provinces of Irelande doe abounde with this same enemie. Never think of any base, cowardly flight; fight manly; either here live or die. If in this battle killed, you triumph with God in heaven; if alive victor your double laurell shall be recorded to future ages. If to shune death you fly and leave your fellowe souldiers in action, you wil be noe better esteemed in the world then bloudie Cain, who morthered his owne inocent brother Abell. Stricke, therefore, drumm and sounde trumpett for battle; advance, fight, live and raigne, etc., etc.