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The Welshmen of Tyrawley

Page 11

by Graham Barratt


  ‘Miss, pray be silent. You may attract interest from those nearby who hear your cries. We will both be punished, I beg of you, miss.’

  ‘Cirilo, my love, please forgive me, do not stop.’

  Cirilo had never before been spoken to in this way. As his arousal diminished, his mind drifted to thoughts of love. Emily had declared her love for him and he felt the same. He continued,

  ‘I was unable to quell the wonderful new pleasures you arose within my body. You are in my heart and I am your slave. I promise that you and you alone will ever be my true love. You led me into a dream and you will stay in my heart forever.’

  Reflecting on their actions, she suddenly thought about the consequences, ‘But what happened to us, what have we done? Will God strike us down?’

  ‘No miss, we have been led to this place by our lord and he has plans for us. Maybe he is testing us and we know not where our lives will lead. It cannot be that we will stay together, but I will love no other. I will pray that we will one day be together in peace. Our fears should rest with the clans, not our loving God.’

  ‘My love, I hope you are well in your faith and that your prayers are answered, because they are also mine.’

  Cirilo stood up and looked across the Dael, towards the bridge and the sun-glittered river.

  ‘I am sorry, miss, but I fear we cannot continue to be here for long before we are missed and our deeds are discovered. We have done which is not as intended, but it must not be discovered. I am not important, my life could be wasted at any time, but for your sake, what we did must not be revealed to anyone.’

  Cirilo kissed her again and this time he felt more confident in touching her. He ignored his own suggestion that they should leave and raised her skirts once more. His arousal returned when he looked down at her beauty. Holding her skirts up, she lay back arching her spine before he took her once more. Again, she felt the paradise and ecstasy within, but this time they experienced the moment together. Cirilo buried his head in her neck before, biting on the shoulder padding of her garments as though braced in pain. Emily’s cry of pleasure fuelled his excitement before they both subdued once more. She turned him and lay over his frame in a loving embrace. They rested quietly for some time, listening to the river and the birds. Emily noticed a pair of frolicking wagtails as if sharing their happiness; she smiled at them. Eventually the realisation of their situation returned before the lovers stood up and dressed one another.

  Cirilo had failed to resist Emily and she had given herself totally to this gentleman. He walked her a few steps forwards a tree stump before bending her forward and taking her once more. He couldn’t see her face this time but delighted in the sight of her body. While she scanned the horizon for signs of being noticed, she smiled with joy at the feeling of her man’s excitement once more. It seemed that the more they made love, the greater their excitement.

  ‘We must be away and back at the tower-house and you should return to the barn. I think I love you, Cirilo.’

  ‘And I love you, miss, but when will we meet again?’

  ‘Like this? I do not know, but my prayers will be answered I know. And for the first time in my life I have sinned and will not confess them.’

  ‘But you must, miss.’

  ‘No Cirilo, I will not. I will not repent one moment of this day. I will not be made to feel as though it was wrong, and I do not believe that it was a sin. We have both done what is right and felt love that no priest could judge. I know our loving God would give his blessing, regardless of the ways of religion and clan.’

  ‘I think I agree with you, miss. And in Spain, our actions would be punished too.’

  ‘Cirilo, I am sure we will find a way to be together one day. I do not know what we must do tomorrow, nor even if we can make any choices resulting from our love, but we must both part for now.’

  They held each other once more and kissed with renewed desire, before agreeing to return to Dael in the dark.

  Emily went home that night feeling mixed emotions as she knew her love for Cirilo was illegal. It would lead to his death if it were discovered by the clan. She was now a complete woman, in love for the first time. She reflected on her decision to not confess her sins in church and believing that she had been blessed in being given Cirilo’s love.

  She returned home and as she entered the large tower house, she walked past the storeroom to her right noticing two pairs of muddy boots.

  ‘Good, Father has been hunting, he will be tired.’

  She was right, walking through into the main hall where her father was sat with William; the two wolfhounds were resting by the large burning fire after day hunting. For some reason, one of the hounds did not like Emily and it growled as she approached her father. Walter was laid back on the chair wearing his mantle and linen breeches in bare feet. The cloak was pulled up over his thighs to allow him access to his scrotum and thereby freedom to scratch it. Anticipating certain questions necessary after a young woman arrives home tardy, she rapidly explained her lateness and made excuses for her dishevelled appearance.

  ‘Father, I am sorry to return late, I have been to visit friends, we walked and talked in the meadow and then the barn and we all lost sight of the time. I was escorted back here in a jaunting cart for fear of falling in the dark. I was the last to return. I am sorry, Father.’

  Emily was lucky; Walter was tired and drunk on ale. He had lost all sense of time and did not show concern. He raised an eyebrow and the corresponding lip before kicking one of the dogs which was stood up, blocking the heat from the fire. William’s suspicion was raised though. He had been outside only minutes earlier.

  ‘Emily, I have just returned and had not heard a horse and cart, either approaching, or leaving the tower house.’

  She took a risk in assuming that he had approached Dael from the south as she would have noticed him while she was with Cirilo. She was sure that he could not have crossed the bridge, or she would have heard the horse and surely would have seen him.

  ‘Then if you approached Dael by crossing the bridge, you would be blind and deaf, my brother. If you came the way of the south, you would not have heard the cart on the opposite side of the tower.’

  William suspected that she was not telling the full truth, but made light of it as he did with just about everything.

  ‘You’ve either been drinking or you have been in a clinch with a young man, there’s no doubt. Just be sure that he’s interested in your charms rather than your money.’

  Emily made an arrow prayer.

  ’Lord, I pray he never knows the truth.’

  Her father trusted Emily and said nothing. Turning back towards the heavy oak door, she walked up the stairs to the bedroom she shared with Sally and Rose. She hardly slept that night and recalled every second of her encounter with her lover, reflecting on her new feelings, Cirilo’s beauty and their mutual love. Her sin was a constant anxiety which plummeted her chest into feelings of dread and fear over and over again. What would the outcome be for them both? During the night, she was resolute in her decision not to confess, but in the morning, it seemed different, now she was not so sure.

  At breakfast, she sat with Sally. ‘Where were you last evening, Emily? We came looking for you.’

  ‘I need to explain it to you. I have to speak with you of exciting happenings last evening at the river.’

  ‘Ah, William seemed sure that you’ve been with a boy. Tell me more Emily, did you have a man in your company? Was he handsome? And did you feel love and ecstasy?’

  Emily hesitated over what she would say next. On one hand, she was excited and wanted to share her news with someone. On the other, she realised that despite her strong feelings towards Cirilo, most people would be fiercely disparate to what she had done.

  ‘Yes I did. I gave myself to a man several times yesterday afternoon and before the sunset. He took my virginity and it was wonderful. Each time he showed me the pleasures of love. I am in love with this man, he is as beautiful
as a creature can be.’

  Sally’s smile widened as she looked back at Emily in disbelief.

  ‘What did you say? Did you tell me that you gave your cunny to a man? He is surely lucky to have you for the first time.’

  ‘Yes and I know that it was wrong according to our ways, but he is a wonderful caring man and I love him. He is a poor stranger though and has no wealth.’

  ‘Be careful who you share this with as it is wrong according to the clans and churches of Tyrawley.’

  ‘I know it was wrong, but I love him and we cannot change the way we feel. Somehow, I will find a way to make it work.’

  ‘If he has no means of supporting you and has no offering for the clan, then he will never be allowed to have you as his wife. He will not be allowed to inherit land and will not be able to make a living in Ireland. I will not betray you, Emily, but you will be found out and when you are, you will be beaten and treated as a whore for your infidelity.’

  ‘I will not confess my sins. Ireland is changing and many people marry outside the clan and have even taken Spanish husbands.’

  ‘You must confess your sins to Father Conall, because if you do not, then you will surely go to hell in the next life as well as this.’

  Emily broke down, she knew that Sally was right. Regardless of her feelings towards Cirilo, even if they were allowed to keep their lives, they would both be outcast from the community and would not be welcomed in any part of Ireland. She dreaded confessing as the truth of her lover’s identity might be revealed. If it is not, then her confession would be incomplete and insincere.

  Nevertheless, later that evening, under the cover of darkness, Emily went to the home of Father Conall to confess her sins privately.

  The reformation of the church in Ireland under the Tudors had resulted in much of Catholic life moving underground. Father Conall was aware of the persecution of nuns and monks at sites of Catholic worship. In order to maintain Catholic worship, numerous priests held private sessions for confessional and other services, including the sacraments and confessional. Although he had pledged his life to the church, like many martyred priests, he was reluctant to give his life up for the changes in church doctrine to the reformed church. Conall survived by performing Roman Catholic rituals unseen, behind closed doors and only with people he knew. She hoped that his apparent “sin” would soften the Father’s approach. She was wrong. He had no sympathy with Emily and preached to her into the late hours of the night, highlighting many passages from the cannon of the bible that accentuated her sin. After taking penance, she would be allowed to return to Deal. Despite suffering religious chastisement with the tongue of the priest, she inwardly had no regrets.

  Brian na Múrtha Ó Ruairc

  It was the evening before the transportation of Cirilo to Galway. As long as the weather was fine, a small contingent including James would set out to submit Cirilo to the special office of the Lord Deputy William Fitzwilliam. James was insistent that he would be one of the party. His instructions were to hand over Cirilo in Galway and gain a receipt, which would prove the lawful handover of the man to the English Government.

  It was a cold but clear day. Arrangements had been made, provisions assembled and the cart was loaded. James looked out from an open window, shutters slightly ajar, pressing his finger into his pursed lips. He was deep in thought as he watched Cirilo being the first of the cargo to be loaded. He was shackled and tied to the cart, conscious that if the horses bolted, or if the cart rolled, then Cirilo would not be able to jump clear and would most likely be killed. He spent several miserable hours waiting for the cart to be loaded with supplies. It now seemed inevitable that today he would finally be transported to Galway and thereafter put to death.

  As Cirilo sat waiting, James left the inn and came running into the entrance room of the tower house. He was in his clan dress, with his claymore trailing behind in its leather scabbard. Emily was sitting down repairing some children’s clothing. James was excited and could hardly speak as he shared his new ideas with his sister.

  ‘Emily, you know, the rebellion against the English is increasing. Every man, gun and victual is needed to fund the efforts of O’Rourke of Tyrone. At the moment, there are only skirmishes, but with the right weapons and leadership, the battles will grow and the Irish will expel the English from Ulster.’

  ‘James, we all know of the tensions and the bravery of our brothers? Are you leaving to serve?’

  ‘Don’t you see, Emily? As well as the support we have already given for the Brian O’Rourke rebels, we could provide some of the cannons and culverins that were taken from the Spanish ships. Only then would gunners and crews be needed to operate and fire them. We do not have the skills, but if we had just one experienced master gunner, then we would be able to help train new teams of gunners to operate the cannons and fight the English or nuisance clans.’

  Emily’s eyes became wide as if she started to realise the implication of what James was now suggesting.

  ‘I think I know your plan, James, but please continue!’

  ‘Cirilo has sailed with the Spanish fleet and seen these guns loaded many times. When in sea battle, he has worked with teams of gunners to load and fire these weapons. He has seen the consequence of mistakes. Surely he would know how to operate and use them in battle?’

  Emily stood up and chose her words carefully.

  ‘James, I have heard that Cirilo had assisted on the Spanish ship, he would have learned the skills and knowledge needed to fire them safely. If he knows how to load and fire the guns and also now understands our language well, then he could help show others how to fire them properly.’

  ‘I will go to Cirilo quickly and will bring him here. If I have assumed correctly and he knows how to fire these weapons, then we may be able to save him. If he goes to war, then he’ll be at God’s mercy; he may still die in the fighting, but for now, we can only help him to escape the hangman or the fate of the Clanricardes, the choice is his, but I think he would choose the one with the greatest chance of survival.’

  Emily’s heart was full of excitement for the first time since she had been in Cirilo’s arms. There was now a chance that he could be saved. James left the stone walls of the tower house and ran out into the yard, ordering that the young guard to leave Cirilo and the cart immediately. At first there was reluctance, but James reminded the boy of his status and he quickly complied. Cirilo was walked by James to Emily. James questioned Cirilo on his experience.

  ‘What do you know of firing Spanish cannons?’

  ‘Sire, I believe I know as much as there is to know. My master and I were chosen to sail with the armada because he was in favour with the king, being the son of a loyal and able arms dealer. On board the boat, all slaves were under the command of the captain and his mates. In battle and in practice, I was assigned to the gun decks. I have never been shown and instructed in using the cannons, but I have seen all aspects of firing cannon and culverin and I know how to use them to good effect.’

  ‘I hoped that this was the case, but have you ever fired one?’

  ‘No sire, I have not, but lighting the powder is just last part of the order of firing. I know how to select shot for safety and accuracy and I know how to load, aim and fire cannon. I also know all routines required in order to avoid explosions and prevent loss of life. For some years, I was a slave for the arms dealer, De Cortez in North Africa where the best saltpetre is produced from strong piss. I also know how to make and store gun powder and I can teach others.’

  ‘Cirilo, I may have a plan for you, but it will mean that you will need to make a false escape and leave these parts. You will travel to Ulster where you must serve with the earls. You will be going to war, become the slave of mercenaries and you will have more hardships to endure. There will be much abuse from the Irish and you may be killed, but it is your only chance. If you go to Galway today, I fear you will be put to death before the next week.’

  ‘Master, I hope that your plan w
ill gain favour and I may be given a venture to serve the rebellion. I will take my chance with the Irish if you will help me.’

  ‘You will join the command of Brian O’Rourke immediately. He is building defences against the English; at a meeting today with the council, I have convinced certain rebel leaders that you have skills needed, but the plan must remain secret from the clan. You will help our fighters to use many Spanish cannons that have recovered from the shores in recent weeks.’

  O’Rourke was a mature, well-respected Earl, titled by the Queen, but turned rebel for the people. He had been sympathetic to the Spanish but had recently been declared a traitor by the English, so the plan seemed workable.

  ‘Will I be able to earn my freedom, sire?’ James looked surprised but respected the face that Cirilo spoke with.

  ‘I fear not and it is with some irony that the English grant freedoms to those who serve well. However, the clans do not have such a gift and I believe you will have better expectations as a kept slave.’

  ‘Sire, I am ungrateful and will serve as best I can.’

  James walked Cirilo back to his bed in the barn.

  ‘If you were released, then even with estate and property, you would soon be tormented by the ignorant. Even the best redshank warriors leave Ireland for their own shores after serving as the clans often only accept their own kind on their lands and the English also persecute them. You are best to remain as a slave for as long as you live on these shores. If you triumph and the campaigns are successful, then O’Rourke may be able to arrange passage to Spain, but more, I cannot say.’

 

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