vol. 1, p. 5

Quod antiquissimus [Patrius] Poeta expressius raro adm[ ] sed vero quod
[sterpum?] aspersit elogio, comprobavit
[o dongailo
?]
Itaque equidem res erat dum pro Nobilissima oNelliorum domo Religionem et [ ]
Re[gnum] contra impios invasores propugnante, maiores tui ipsi congeneres, ferro [ ]
flammis et fluctibus se velut hostiam et holocaustum offerre non dubitaverunt gra ]
tius ducentes pro iis a quibus acceperant sanguinem effundere, quam eos fusos vide[re]
[illamque?] conservare, gloriosiusque prius quam religionem aut rempubl. in extermin[um]
venire, se extinctus 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 migra[ti s]unt, his maioribus [ ] laude [& ]
nihil n[on] prestas quo Te dignissimus prebeas.
Et genus et proavos et quae n[on] feceris ipse
Vix tua putans. quin imo erubesces alien[a] fam[a]
incumbere cum tua Te virtute posses involvere. [Huic?] a teneri[s]
annis naturae [dona] [dotesque] virtutis accumulasti pat[rium?] tam
colens Philosophiam et bellicam maxime praeferens [virtutem?] quam tam [studium Patra 1m?] exerc[ ]
ut illa tecum incredibiliter [adoleverit?] et ipsis premi[ ]
rudimentis inclaruerit atque quod earum est cum illa, caeteras
quae nobilem ornent virtutes. Extorris postea pro fide factus, a
30 iam et amplius annis, tanta fide et animi constantia ac robo[re]
sub Catholico Rege meres, ut quasi verecundata virtus cui null[a]
via invia, Te, invita fortuna, primum ad vexilliferi dein Prefecti
Regis atque demum maiorem quo cum laude fingeris 2 a Tribuno honore[m]
extulerit, non cessa[t]ura ut a[nte?] don[ec] id [ ] quod imperator[i ]
tuam personam virtutemque decet, summum [sel? miliae?] quem meruisti gradum. Ut enim corporis [p ]
e celeris eminentior et incomparabile quadam animi fortitudine valentior prestas lepore p[aci ]
[ ] ac venustate affluens, rotundoque ore quemcunque quo cum Europeo conversatus
ita a cunctis Te et supra plerosque co[ ]litones aestimari ac enim tanta tua pe[tr ]
rnamenta et postulant merita. Quae ego ne laus in cognato [ ]
ore cum tacitus preterire cogar unum tantum Te rogabo, ut qui bellicae tuae [ ]
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, by such faith and constancy and strength of spirit under the Catholic King you deserve, 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.

Quod antiquissimus [Patrius] Poeta expressius raro adm[ ] sed vero quod
[sterpum?] aspersit elogio, comprobavit
[o dongailo
?]
Itaque equidem res erat dum pro Nobilissima oNelliorum domo Religionem et [ ]
Re[gnum] contra impios invasores propugnante, maiores tui ipsi congeneres, ferro [ ]
flammis et fluctibus se velut hostiam et holocaustum offerre non dubitaverunt gra ]
tius ducentes pro iis a quibus acceperant sanguinem effundere, quam eos fusos vide[re]
[illamque?] conservare, gloriosiusque prius quam religionem aut rempubl. in extermin[um]
venire, se extinctus 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 migra[ti s]unt, his maioribus [ ] laude [& ]
nihil n[on] prestas quo Te dignissimus prebeas.
Et genus et proavos et quae n[on] feceris ipse
Vix tua putans. quin imo erubesces alien[a] fam[a]
incumbere cum tua Te virtute posses involvere. [Huic?] a teneri[s]
annis naturae [dona] [dotesque] virtutis accumulasti pat[rium?] tam
colens Philosophiam et bellicam maxime praeferens [virtutem?] quam tam [studium Patra 1m?] exerc[ ]
ut illa tecum incredibiliter [adoleverit?] et ipsis premi[ ]
rudimentis inclaruerit atque quod earum est cum illa, caeteras
quae nobilem ornent virtutes. Extorris postea pro fide factus, a
30 iam et amplius annis, tanta fide et animi constantia ac robo[re]
sub Catholico Rege meres, ut quasi verecundata virtus cui null[a]
via invia, Te, invita fortuna, primum ad vexilliferi dein Prefecti
Regis atque demum maiorem quo cum laude fingeris 2 a Tribuno honore[m]
extulerit, non cessa[t]ura ut a[nte?] don[ec] id [ ] quod imperator[i ]
tuam personam virtutemque decet, summum [sel? miliae?] quem meruisti gradum. Ut enim corporis [p ]
e celeris eminentior et incomparabile quadam animi fortitudine valentior prestas lepore p[aci ]
[ ] ac venustate affluens, rotundoque ore quemcunque quo cum Europeo conversatus
ita a cunctis Te et supra plerosque co[ ]litones aestimari ac enim tanta tua pe[tr ]
rnamenta et postulant merita. Quae ego ne laus in cognato [ ]
ore cum tacitus preterire cogar unum tantum Te rogabo, ut qui bellicae tuae [ ]
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, by such faith and constancy and strength of spirit under the Catholic King you deserve, 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 earned.