0A3 Tudor Images Ireland

7/27/2019 0A3 Tudor Images Ireland

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A civil woman from the Pale and aGaelic Irishman, illustrated byLucas de Heere, c.1575, andintended to represent the essentialcleavage that was thought to exist

in Irish society between the OldEng l i sh and the Gae l i cpopulations.

Ireland in Schools Images of Ireland

Propaganda & observation in medieval and early modern times1. John Derrick, Image of Ireland

English values and perceptions

For most of the medieval and early modern periods, descriptions of Irish life reflectEnglish values. *

This was especially true during the Elizabethan period, when there was a prolongedElizabethan campaign to subdue Ireland by a policy of zero tolerance. Variouspublications at the time tried to present the Irish in a bad light, partly to explainand justify the forward policy in Ireland.

This propagandist spin was re-inforced by rising standards of living in England. Thecontemporary improvement in Tudor living standards pointed up the differencebetween the Civil Irish who lived in towns, dressed in buttoned-up Tudor fashion,and were obedient to the Crown, and the unkempt and still-barefoot Wild Irish.The Gaelic Irish did undoubtedly live in a more primitive style, geared to outdoor

activities. However, it is also true that observers conveniently forgot what adifference a few years can make. Even as the English traveller noted with distastethat most of the Irish had no mattresses, old fashioned moralists in his own country

were lamenting the fact that the yeomans log had been replaced by a new-fangledand doubtless decadent pillow.

Moreover, these adverse perceptions were further re-inforced by the timing of English visits to Ireland.During the winter months a leading Irish chieftain might live in a stone fortress but in the summer wouldleave his permanent residence and with his clan live in a temporary summer residence called a booley forthe purpose of grazing their cattle herds in the upland. Since English travellers tended to visit the Gaelicparts of the country during the summer months, these booleys were well observed but misunderstood,becoming almost a symbol of the difference between the English and the Wild Irish.

Image of Ireland - a reliable source of evidence?One of the most influential works was John Derricks,Image of Ireland, a book ofstolid verse accompaniedby twelve vivid woodcuts. Derricks woodcuts have become familiar illustrations in Irish history books.However their message is often ignored, sublimated, or misunderstood.

Derrick was an Englishman and an engraver and published his book in 1581 during a sustained campaignagainst Ireland. His patron was Philip Sidney, the son of Sir Henry Sidney who was Elizabeth Is LordDeputy of Ireland, 1565-71 and 1575-78. During Henrys first spell as Lord Deputy (1565-1571) martiallaw became widespread.

One of the main subjects ofImage of Ireland was the glorious exploits of Sidney for one of the books objectswas to inflate Henry Sidneys reputation. As one caption put it: O Sydney worthy of tryple renowne,/Forplagying the traytours that troubled the crowne.

Certain drawings, such as the governors departure from Dublin Castle, can be checked for accuracy againstcontemporary maps, but others are figments of the authors imagination.

The other main subject was the depredations of the wild Irish kern. While revealing the extent to which Irishchieftains had adopted some Elizabethan domestic principles along with Elizabethan dress, they also tookpains to stress how in other respects they fell crudely below Elizabethan standards.

While excluding from its strictures the civil subjects of the Pale,Image of Ireland is heavily laden with anti-Irish, anti-Catholic views. Most notably, the friars are shown exhorting and absolving the rebellions of theGaelic lords. The woodcut of the MacSweynes alfresco feast emphasises the barbarity of the proceedings -the lack of a proper table, the proximity of the slaughtering and cooking, and the less than delicate mannersof all concerned.

* Edmund Spensers famousA Vewe of the Present State of Irelande was one of a series of treatises composed in the 1590s to explain howIreland would forever remain beyond reform without the spectre of terror.


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1 English army on the march, 1581

This engraving shows English troops on themarch; the clearly drawn details give agood idea of the soldiers used by QueenElizabeth I. However, far from the smart

appearance suggested here, the army inIreland was in reality poorly equipped andsubject to endless marching and attacks.

Already the infantry mostly consists of bodies of pikemen andshot, that is, men armed with a matchlock firearm, in thiscase the caliver. This replaced the harquebus, which did notuse standard sized ammunition, though the caliver was itselfcriticised for using too small a ball to penetrate armour.Each of the calivermen carries a triangular-shaped powderflask at his right hip, as well as sword and dagger. Thepikemen wear half-armour, extending down to the upperthighs, while the calivermen have only a helmet. Behind theinfantry trot squadrons of demilances, medium cavalrymen

who have open-faced helmets, called burgonets, and carrylances. The officer prefers sleeves of interlinked mail rings.

2 English troops leave Dublin, 1581

In this scene Sir Henry Sidney is shownleading English forces out of Dublin in hiscampaigns to crush the Munster rebellion.

The picture is designed to celebrate the achievements of SirHenry Sidney, but it is still a valuable source for historians.More of Elizabeth Is forces during her reign were tied up in

Ireland than anywhere else. The English forces were generallysmaller in number but better equipped and better organisedthan the Irish. This seems to be confirmed by the orderlymarch of well equipped troops from Dublin Castle. In thisimage Sidneys forces are marching to deal with a rebellionagainst English rule in the Irish province of Munster, led bythe powerful Desmond family.

Thefe trunckles heddes to plainly fhow, each rebeles fatall end,

And what a haynous crime it is, the Queene for to offend.

3 Sir Henry Sidney, the Lord Deputy,setting out from Dublin Castle, 1576

The inscription reads:

O Sydney worthy of tryple renowne,

For plagying the traytours that troubledthe crowne.


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4 English army attacking the retreatingIrish

A barbarous country must first be broken by war before itwill be capable of good government.

5 Submission of Gaelic chieftains toElizabeth Is English Deputy, Sidney

The end of one sort of Gaelic Ireland.

6 Irish chieftain

In this scene Derrick shows an Irishchieftain, MacSweeney, feasting out ofdoors - a typical booley setting.

There was a cultural gulf between Tudor gentry in Englandand some of the Irish chieftains. The Irish were pastoralfarmers, whereas in England more scientific methods offarming were just beginning to be used. More seriously, theIrish chieftains spoke Gaelic and were Roman Catholics. Wesee the chieftain on a hunting expedition eating out of doorswith no knives or forks. The scene is rather chaotic, withentertainments, cooking and butchering going on at the same

time. Two individuals are also warming their backsidesagainst the cold!

However, this gulf could be greatly exaggerated. The greatnoble families of Ireland were just as wealthy and culturedas in England. Indeed, many nobles sent their sons to bebrought up and educated at the English court. John Derrick,in his book, suggested that there were great differences withinthe Irish.


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7 A Gaelic chieftain and woodkerne

The lord wears an Irish cloak and his hatis a sign of power.

Kerns were foot soldiers, lightly armed with swords andwooden throwing-darts. They were always bearded and

had glibs (fringes) across their foreheads. They were notsuited to pitched battles, but were chiefly used in harryingcivilian populations, burning houses and plundering cattle.

8 Irish attack on settlers

In this scene Derrick shows Irish kernsattacking settlers in the Pale and taking

their household goods and cattle, while theoccupants lament their ill-fortune.

Irish clans, such as the OMores and the OConnors, carriedout frequent raids on the Pale and newly-planted areas,whose inhabitants lived in fear of raids by Gaelic clans.

Much of Celtic warfare had been ritualised, a matter ofraiding for cattle and slaves rather than conquest andmassacre. However, the unrestrained cruelty of theNorsemen seems to have affected the Irish. Barefoot andlightly armed, they were no match for the armies of thecentralised Tudor state with the latest in military technology- artillery, muskets and massed pikes deployed in close

military formation. Not until the late sixteenth century didHugh ONeill create a modern army capable of inflictingdefeat on the over-confident English.

This can be read like a cartoon, starting from the partmarked A. The Gaelic assemble, attack thePalespeople and steal their cattle.

9 A cattle raid


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Tasks set on Derrick engravings in history textbooks(the numbers in the first column refer to the engravings above)

2 Elizabeths Lord Deputy riding out of DublinCastle.

1. Can you read what is written above thepicture?

2. What do you see in the picture to explain

it?

Thefe trunckles heddes to plainly fhow, each rebeles fatall end,

And what a haynous crime it is, the Queene for to offend.

6 1. How do you know that the meat beingcooked is fresh?

2. Describe how you think the meat was

cooked?3. What kind of tableware was used?4. Do you think cutlery was used?5. The poet usually stood behind the chief

and directed the entertainment. Howmany entertainers can be seen in thispicture? What are they doing?

6. From what was the table made?7. Are the people at the table sitting on the

grass?8. To whom do you think the sword and

headgear belong?9. What evidence can you find in the

picture that the mantle was still a popular

garment when this picture was drawn in1581?

Irish chieftain dining out of doors

8 An Englishman named John Derrick came toIreland with the Lord Deputy in the 1560s. Hewrote a book called The Image of Ireland. Hiswork gives us the best information we have aboutIreland at the time. The picture and the poemdescribe an attack by the Irish on a farmer in thePale.

Study the picture and verse. Then say whoseside you think Derrick was on. Give reasonsfor your answer. How does it affect the wayyou feel about the picture and the poem?

Raid on settlers

They spoil and burn and bearaway as fit occasion serve,

And think the greater ill theydo, the greater praise deserve.

They pass not the poor manscry nor yet respect his tears,

But rather joy to see the fire toflash about his ears ...

And thus bereaving him ofhouse, of cattle and of store,

They do return to the wood fromwhence they came before.

8 1. Where are the woodkernes coming from?2. Why are they being led by a piper?3. Describe the weapons carried by the

woodkernes?4. The two people marked 1 and 2 appear

upset. What is happening to them?5. Describe what is happening in Part C of

the picture?

Raid on settlers


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8a 1. Who is leading the raiding party?2. What instrument is he playing?3. Why do you think he is playing music?4. Do you think the musician will take part

in the fighting?5. What arms does each kern carry?

Raid on settlersRaiding party on the march.

8b 1. Why do you think the house is beingburned down?

2. Why has the roof caught fire so easily?3. Draw a picture to show how the woman

is dressed?4. Pretend you are this woman. Write

about what has happened.

Raid on settlersThe house is set on fire.

8c 1. What animals are being driven away?2. How are the cattle in the picture different

from cattle in Ireland today?3. Do you think that the barefoot person at

the front is a kern? Why do you say so?4. Who do you think is riding the horse?5. Describe how he is dressed.

Raid on settlersThe raiders drive the animals away.


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Propaganda & observation in medieval and early modern times2. Irish and Catholic responses

Irish values and perceptions

While for most of the medieval and early modern periods, descriptions of Irish life mainly reflect Englishvalues, a different point of view expressed by a bardic tirade against those who cut their hair short but inother respects follow English ways.

Writing in the sixteenth century Laoiseach Mac an Bhaird contrasted such effete Irishmen with one Eoghanthe Fair-Haired, the darling of noble women and a man who never loved English customs - twocharacteristics that appear to have been closely related in the poet s mind.

Eoghan would give his breech away for a trifle, and he has no use for a cloak or doublet and hose, let alonea high-necked ruff. He would prefer to sleep on rushes rather than in a feather bed, and to live in a wattlehouse rather than a castle (hardly true of most Gaelic lords). Above all he relishes taking part in a fight,especially against the foreigner. Eoghan, says the poet approvingly, has chosen the wild life.

Even if Laoiseachs exaltation of the wild, free life is in part an imaginative fantasy, its ideals are strikinglyat odds with the Tudor vision of order. Long after the bardic tradition faded away, something of Laoiseachsadmiration for wild ways survived in the Irish psyche, for example re-emerging in J. M. Synges famous dramaThe Playboy of the Western World, in which the young fugitive Christy Mahon turns up at a Mayo village and,claiming to have killed his father with a single blow, finds himself greatly admired - most of all by the womenand girls.

Nevertheless the future did not lie with free-living Eoghan, or with those who exalted him. The seventeenthcentury ruined the bards by destroying the social order which had sustained them. The Gaelic heartland ofUlster ceased to be wild when colonized early in the century by Protestant settlers from England andScotland. Then the wars of Cromwell and William of Orange effectively destroyed the Catholic landowning

class in most of Ireland, creating a social hierarchy that was based on religion but expressed itself most directlyin terms of class.

Engravings

One of the main thrusts of Irish and Catholic engravings was the promotion of the Counter-Reformation andthe discrediting of the Tudor attempts to impose Protestantism on Ireland.

Catholic instructional literature was concerned both to retain the allegiance of the Irish population toCatholicism and to explain the Catholic doctrine as it had been newly defined at the Council of Trent.


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1 Illustration explaining how thesacrament of Extreme Unction shouldbe administered

2 Catholic propaganda print, showinghow the Tudor ruler used martial lawagainst Catholic dissidents, as well aspolitical enemies

Note the serene expressions on the faces of themartyrs.

(R. Verstegan, Theatrum Crudelitatum Haereticorum)

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0A3 Tudor Images Ireland