vol. 1, p. 5

Quod antiquiss[i]mus [Patems?] Poeta expressius raro [adm...m] sed vero quod
sterpe aspersit elogio, comprobauit
[o ..............]
[.............]
Itaq[ue] equidem res erat dum pro Nobilissima o Nellioru[m] domo Religionem et [?]
Regnu[m] Contra impios inuasores propugnante, maiores tui ^ipsi Congeneres, ferro [?]
flam[m]is et fluctibus se velut hostiam et holocaustu[m] offerre no[n] dubitauerunt [gr...?]
tius ducentes pro iis a quibus acceperant sanguinem effundere, qua[m] ^eos fusos [videre?]
[illamque?] conseruare, gloriosiusq[ue] prius quam religionem aut rempub. in [exterminum?]
venire, se extinctes videre. Verum in Te miles strenuissime, [.....?]
Deo ita ordinante [....?] vigoris et gentiliter nobilitatis semen
vigeat, ad quem Cum sanguine preclara haec maior[um] et alia [pluri...?]
ma naturae dona [migrati sunt?], his maioribus [oi....?] laude [......?]
nihil n[on] prestas ^quo Te dignissi[]mus prebeas.
Et genus et preauos et quae n[on] feceris ipse
Vix tua putans. quin imo erubesces [aliener famer?]
incumbere cum tua Te virtute posses inuoluere. [Huic?] a teneri[s]
annis naturae [dona dotesque?] virtutis accumulasti [patrium?] tam
Colens Philosophiam et bellica[m] max[im]e ^praeferens [virtutem?] quam tam studiose ^[Patrissimus? ex d....]
vt illa tecu[m] incredibiliter adoleuerit et ipsis [premer...?]
rudimentis inclaruerit atq[ue] quod earu[m] est cum illa, caeteras
quae nobilem ornent virtutes. Extorris postea pro fide factus, a
30 iam et amplius annis, tanta fide et animi constantiae ac [robore?]
sub Catholico Rege meres, vt quasi verecundata virtus cui nulla
via inuia, Te, inuita fortuna, primu[m] ad vexilliferi dein Prefecti
Regis atq[ue] demu[m] maiorem quo cu[m] laude fingeris ^vigilarum Prefecti 2 a Tribuno honore[m]
extulerit, non cessatura vt [ant...? donec?] id [.......] quod imperator [....]
tua[m] persona[m] virtutemq[ue] decet, summu[m] [sel? miliae?] ^quem meruisti gradu[m]. vt enim corporis [pleris?]
e ceteris eminentior et incomparabili quada[m] animi fortitud[in]e valentior ^prestas lepore [pali...?]]
[ec?] ac venustate affluens, rotundoq[ue] ore quemcunq[ue] quo cu[m] Europeo conuersaris
ita a cunctis Te et supra plerosq[ue] comilitones aestimari ac enim tanta tua [pet...?]
ornamenta et postulant merita. Quae ego ne laus in cognato sordeat
ore cu[m] tacitus preterire cogar unu[m] tantu[m] Te rogabo, vt qui bellicae tuae [virtu?]
tis cunctos in Belgico hoc Theatro spectatores habes et testes

Which the most ancient native poet more clearly [because he sprinkled ?? with rare but true praise] attested:
O dongail[ ]
[ ?]
So indeed it when your ancestors did not hesitate, in aid of the noble house of the ONeills in its fight for religion and supremacy against impious invaders, as kinsmen themselves, with steel, [ ], flame and flood to offer themselves like a sacrifice and a burnt offering, deeming it more pleasing to spill blood for those from whom they had received it than to see them routed and preserve it; more glorious, before religion and state should meet with extermination, rather to see themselves killed.
Truly in you, most diligent soldier, God ordaining it so, let the seed of [ ] vigour and, in the way of your race, of nobility flourish, you to whom, along with famous blood, these gifts of your ancestors and many others of nature have passed down, and to these ancestors [ ] in praise [ ] you deliver everything without exception by which you may show yourself worthy.
And 'race and forebears and whatever you did not do yourself scarce thinking your own,' [Ovid Metamorphoses XIII 140] you blush to rely on the fame of others when you could wrap yourself in your own virtue. [To this] from a tender age you accumulated the gifts of nature and the endowments of virtue, cultivating the philosophy of your fathers and greatly preferring military virtue as much as so exercising dedication [ ] that it matured unbelievably with you and from those first beginnings shone ever more brightly and, because it includes something of them, [you added] the other virtues which decorate a noble man.
Exiled later for your faith, from the age of 30 and above, you deserve by such faith and constancy and strength of spirit under the Catholic King, as if virtue to which no way is barred were shameful, that against the odds you were promoted first to Flagbearer then to King's Prefect and eventually to a greater honour by which you became Second to the Tribune, and this will continue until, as befits your commanding personality and virtue, you reach the highest rank [ ] which you have deserved. For as you stand out as more eminent of body than most of the others and by some incomparable fortitude of spirit more robust, gushing with grace and charm and able to converse in rounded speech with any European, your graces and deserts are such as to demand that you be esteemed by all above most of your fellow soldiers. As for what I am compelled to pass over in silence in case praise of a kinsman should seem ignoble, I shall ask you just one thing, as you have as observers and witnesses of your military virtue all those present in this Belgic Theatre

Quod antiquiss[i]mus [Patems?] Poeta expressius raro [adm...m] sed vero quod
sterpe aspersit elogio, comprobauit
[o ..............]
[.............]
Itaq[ue] equidem res erat dum pro Nobilissima o Nellioru[m] domo Religionem et [?]
Regnu[m] Contra impios inuasores propugnante, maiores tui ^ipsi Congeneres, ferro [?]
flam[m]is et fluctibus se velut hostiam et holocaustu[m] offerre no[n] dubitauerunt [gr...?]
tius ducentes pro iis a quibus acceperant sanguinem effundere, qua[m] ^eos fusos [videre?]
[illamque?] conseruare, gloriosiusq[ue] prius quam religionem aut rempub. in [exterminum?]
venire, se extinctes videre. Verum in Te miles strenuissime, [.....?]
Deo ita ordinante [....?] vigoris et gentiliter nobilitatis semen
vigeat, ad quem Cum sanguine preclara haec maior[um] et alia [pluri...?]
ma naturae dona [migrati sunt?], his maioribus [oi....?] laude [......?]
nihil n[on] prestas ^quo Te dignissi[]mus prebeas.
Et genus et preauos et quae n[on] feceris ipse
Vix tua putans. quin imo erubesces [aliener famer?]
incumbere cum tua Te virtute posses inuoluere. [Huic?] a teneri[s]
annis naturae [dona dotesque?] virtutis accumulasti [patrium?] tam
Colens Philosophiam et bellica[m] max[im]e ^praeferens [virtutem?] quam tam studiose ^[Patrissimus? ex d....]
vt illa tecu[m] incredibiliter adoleuerit et ipsis [premer...?]
rudimentis inclaruerit atq[ue] quod earu[m] est cum illa, caeteras
quae nobilem ornent virtutes. Extorris postea pro fide factus, a
30 iam et amplius annis, tanta fide et animi constantiae ac [robore?]
sub Catholico Rege meres, vt quasi verecundata virtus cui nulla
via inuia, Te, inuita fortuna, primu[m] ad vexilliferi dein Prefecti
Regis atq[ue] demu[m] maiorem quo cu[m] laude fingeris ^vigilarum Prefecti 2 a Tribuno honore[m]
extulerit, non cessatura vt [ant...? donec?] id [.......] quod imperator [....]
tua[m] persona[m] virtutemq[ue] decet, summu[m] [sel? miliae?] ^quem meruisti gradu[m]. vt enim corporis [pleris?]
e ceteris eminentior et incomparabili quada[m] animi fortitud[in]e valentior ^prestas lepore [pali...?]]
[ec?] ac venustate affluens, rotundoq[ue] ore quemcunq[ue] quo cu[m] Europeo conuersaris
ita a cunctis Te et supra plerosq[ue] comilitones aestimari ac enim tanta tua [pet...?]
ornamenta et postulant merita. Quae ego ne laus in cognato sordeat
ore cu[m] tacitus preterire cogar unu[m] tantu[m] Te rogabo, vt qui bellicae tuae [virtu?]
tis cunctos in Belgico hoc Theatro spectatores habes et testes

Which the most ancient native poet more clearly [because he sprinkled ?? with rare but true praise] attested:
O dongail[ ]
[ ?]
So indeed it when your ancestors did not hesitate, in aid of the noble house of the ONeills in its fight for religion and supremacy against impious invaders, as kinsmen themselves, with steel, [ ], flame and flood to offer themselves like a sacrifice and a burnt offering, deeming it more pleasing to spill blood for those from whom they had received it than to see them routed and preserve it; more glorious, before religion and state should meet with extermination, rather to see themselves killed.
Truly in you, most diligent soldier, God ordaining it so, let the seed of [ ] vigour and, in the way of your race, of nobility flourish, you to whom, along with famous blood, these gifts of your ancestors and many others of nature have passed down, and to these ancestors [ ] in praise [ ] you deliver everything without exception by which you may show yourself worthy.
And 'race and forebears and whatever you did not do yourself scarce thinking your own,' [Ovid Metamorphoses XIII 140] you blush to rely on the fame of others when you could wrap yourself in your own virtue. [To this] from a tender age you accumulated the gifts of nature and the endowments of virtue, cultivating the philosophy of your fathers and greatly preferring military virtue as much as so exercising dedication [ ] that it matured unbelievably with you and from those first beginnings shone ever more brightly and, because it includes something of them, [you added] the other virtues which decorate a noble man.
Exiled later for your faith, from the age of 30 and above, you deserve by such faith and constancy and strength of spirit under the Catholic King, as if virtue to which no way is barred were shameful, that against the odds you were promoted first to Flagbearer then to King's Prefect and eventually to a greater honour by which you became Second to the Tribune, and this will continue until, as befits your commanding personality and virtue, you reach the highest rank [ ] which you have deserved. For as you stand out as more eminent of body than most of the others and by some incomparable fortitude of spirit more robust, gushing with grace and charm and able to converse in rounded speech with any European, your graces and deserts are such as to demand that you be esteemed by all above most of your fellow soldiers. As for what I am compelled to pass over in silence in case praise of a kinsman should seem ignoble, I shall ask you just one thing, as you have as observers and witnesses of your military virtue all those present in this Belgic Theatre