whom the Queene had not in her Dominions a more able and sufficient Gentleman and that did more neerely lay his actions to a good conscience so as he did nothing but by the warrant thereof and nothing did argue his duty to God and his Princemore then his The hard cause held against Sir Richara Bingham vniust fall notwithstanding his prime desert in that â—nhappy Kingdome by the deprauing and malicious courses of those Instruments that in time prosecuted the like against him as they did now against this Deputy of whom wee now treat till the light of his innocencie cleared him though too late from their aspersion brought him to a new further aduancement in that Kingdome though his great heart disdayning the iniustice was done him would not hold out long enough to prosecute the seruice which was in his power to performe but ere I come to relate this tragicall misdeede I must mention his vertuous actions by which hee got the hate of his worthlesse Aduersaries and must recommend the Earle of Clanrikard who being a most noble Gentleman and loyall Subiect was one of the principall in this Seruice After treaties succeeded Inquisitions to finde what quantity there was in each Barony The couenants between the Queene and the Lords of Connaught and who were found owners thereof Indentures were drawne betweene the Deputy in the behalfe of the Queene on the one part and the chiefe possessioners in the seuerall Precincts on the other expressing so many quarters and quantities of Land with the Rents thereon reserued and such other couenants as were therein contained In the County of Clare and Thomond the Earle of Clanrikard the Baron of Inseâ—â—uin the Bishop of Killalowe the Elect Bishoâ— of Kilfanorough with diuers Knights and chiefe Gentlemen subscribed to an Indenture of couenants for the perpetuall paying out of the nine Baronies of that County amounting 177 quarters Certaine Freedomes were granted to some speciall persons some quarters of Land to be exempted from this imposition In consideration whereof the Lords and Owners of those Lands did likewise couenaot with the Deputy that the names stiles and Titles of Captainship chiefly and all other Irish Authorities and Iurisdictions heretofore vsed by the Lords Chiefetaines and Gentlemen together with all elections and customary diuisions of Lands which had occasioned great strife and diuision amongst them should be thenceforth vtterly renounced extinct and abollished The like composition was made vpon the same conditions with the Lords spirituall and temporall The Chiefetaines Gentlemen and Freeholders in the County of Maio containing nine Baronies and 1448 quarters of Land euery quarter esteemed to be 120 Acres so that out of this 1448 quarters found in this County there being graunted so much to bee free as there remained 1200 quarters chargeable which amounted to sixe hundred pound sterling in that County There was also by the same composition and couenants to be maintained by the County for the Seruice of the Prince forty good able Horsemen furnished and two hundred Footemen well Armed at their owne costs and charges whensoeuer they should be called or commanded thereto by the Deputy or chiefe Gouernour of the Realme or by the chiefe Officer of the said Prouince and to finde fifteene good Horsemen and fifty Footemen well furnished in such sort as the Peeres and English Bishops ought to doe the same The like composition was made for the County of Sligo all other Counties Countries Baronies and Territories of this Prouince By the eighth of September 1585 the Commissioners had trauailed through the Okelleys Country all Thomond Clanrickard Eighter Connaught and the rest of the County of Galway which Mac William Eighter and the rest of his name which were of many branches besides the petty Lords and other of the second ranke in their Sir Nicholas White his letter to the Lord Deputy Countries So that as Sir Nicholas White certified to the Lord Deputy they conceiued hope to come home loaden with Pledges and leaue that Country vnloaden of many Macks and Oos translated by their owne assent vnto which their hands Seales were had to a better course and more certainty of liuing then hitherto they could afford themselues In the aduertisement of these affaires Sir Nicholas White did propound vnto the Deputy an ingenious Enigma or Ridle That all sorts were eased with their bearing and yet her Maiesties reuenue with the Liuings of the Lords encreased From the County of Mayo the Commissioners were to repasse to the County of Sligo and so homewards to the County of Roscoman The Commissioners doubtfull to meddle with Orurk With Orurkes Country called Letrim they were doubtfull how to meddle considering the condition of himselfe and his Country both vnciuill and vnruly In those places where they had dealt they began to erect Mannours to hold of her Maiestie besides the Compositions and Royalties reserued vnto the Crowne Vpon the returne of this Commission and the Indentures thereupon drawne as formerly mentioned It appeareth there were found in that Prouince 8169 quarters of Land whereof Freedomes were graunted to 2339 so then remained chargeable 6836 whereon there were reserued in yearely Rent to her Maiesty and the Crowne 3418 pound fiue shillings eight pence sterling with the Seruice of so many Horse and Foote as is already mentioned and hereafter set downe Horsemen for rising out within the Prouince of Connaught vpon their owne victuals 224 Horsemen for rising out within the same Prouince for forty dayes vpon their owne victuals 88 Footemen for rising out within the Prouince vpon their owne victuals 1054 Footemen for rising out of the Prouince for forty dayes vpon their owne victuals 332 The Tawnist was cut off in that Prouince Mac William Enghters Country being the lower Bourkes was deuided into fiue parts The Lords and their Tenants were agreed together for a certaine Rent in lieu of all exactions That Prouince was deuided into sixe Counties or Shieres where there were but three before for so I finde it in a note vnder the Deputies Sir Iohn Perrots owne hand yet by another painefull Author I see it mentioned that Sir Henry Sidney made the whole sixe Counties Clare Galway Sligo Mayo Roscomon and Letrim then but one as he had formerly done the County of Longford in Lemster being before called the Annaly or Oferralls Country but I suppose he is mistaken being deuided and The Counties of Connaught deuided by Sir Iohn Perrot not by Sir Henry Sidney peraduenture named by Sir Henry Sidney but perfected by Sir Iohn Perrot Iustices of Assize were ordained and Shriefes and Iustices of the Peace with other inferiour Officers were established in most parts of this Prouince This Seruice so auaileable to the State by cutting off the Inferiours depending onely vpon the Superiour was affected beyond the expectation of many who could not conceiue that Chiefetaines would easily condiscend to quit their cuttings Cosherias and other Irish exactions of so long
wood which groweth along the Riuer that commeth close by that town the felling whereof will be seruiceable not onely for this worke but also for the quietnesse of the countrey there abouts Some scruple may bee made here by the late experience of this Realme what inconueniences may grow by imbasing the coyne It cannot be denied but it was somewhat inconuenient for this Realme liuing vnder ciuill and orderly gouernment yet the necessitie of the weighty seruice then being supplied by it wee see all the inconueniences well ouercome through your Maiesties peaceable gouernment God be thanked for it But the example of this Realme or of any other common-wealth already reformed doth not hold in this case For as imbasing of coyne and such like dangerous innouocations may breed harme in well gouerned States So in Ireland being all out of order it can doe no harme at all but rather it is to be hoped that the admission of this one small inconuenience may be a meane to redresse not onely a number of other greater inconueniences but also it selfe too withall in the end Let it be confessed that the prices of things will by that meanes within a yeare or two vpon discouery of the basenesse rise to double and that both Souldier and Country man shal for the time loose accordingly If the reformation doe immediatly recompence the losse treble then may I aske what harme hath either Souldier or Country man receiued That it will so may appeare thus Scarce the fourth foote of Ireland is at this houre manured and of that scarce the fourth penny profit made that the soyle would yeeld if through a reformation the Husbandman might haue a safe and peaceable vse both of it and of his Cattell And yet I say nothing of Mynes and a number of other hidden Commodities that a ciuill reformed Gouernement would bring with it Now it may please your Maiesty that I may reckon and reason thus First coyning in foure yeares 400000 pound your Maiesties turne is serued for 100000 pound Then calling it downe at sixe yeares end to the iust value it is worth whereby it will be for euer after a very necessary Coyne to bee currant for the reliefe of your poore Subiects not onely of Ireland but also of England the Country shall lose 300000 pound That this shall be treble recompenced by the reformation I suppose will thus bee prooued Allow for example that the whole profit of Ireland is not yearely aboue 100000 pound Adde to this a treble profit in quantity of ground to be manured and another treble in quality of manuring for two yeares betwixt the end of the Coynage and the fall allowing the first foure yeares to be fruitlesly spent in reforming though there bee hope that that time will be shortned I thinke the reckoning of a treble recompence falleth out apparantly In these matters of State there can be nothing set downe so plaine that will not admit a contradiction And therefore perhaps it may be said This is a good and easie speculation But I trust God giuing good encrease it will proue as good and as easie an action To God therefore and to your Maiesties gracious consideration I thus leaue it Victualls and Munition are now to be prouided for And sure there must be speciall regard had of both Experience of the misery and defect in Sernice I found that way maketh me to giue this speciall caution leauing all particular direction thereof to those that haue better skill therein then I haue Neuerthelesse the chiefe Victualer being chosen a man of good substance skill and conscience he had neede in mine opinion be imprested 10000 pound currant money of England vpon good sureties not onely to answere the Stock but also to haue Grainers of Corne in places apt for the Seruice These things thus prouided In mine opinion the standing seate for the Deputy and the Law would bee translated from Dublin which is apt for nothing else but to send and receiue readily from England to Atblon which is as it were the Centre of Ireland and scituate both in a good soyle apt for all things necessary and on the Shennon which is the best Riuer of the Realme and would with a small charge be made portable twenty miles aboue Athlon at least By that meanes as the Deputy may vpon euery occasion be it neuer so suddaine be within twelue houres in the farthest Prouince frō him So in short time the repaire hither from all quarters of the Realme would breede a thorow-fare euen through Desarts and Woods that are now lurking holes for Rebels and Nourceries for Rebellion The Deputy thus furnished and seated he had neede for his better assistance to haue two Presidents with competent Officers to those States and those such men for Religion conscience courage diligence and ability both of bodies and purses as respecting their duties to God and your Maiesty the good of their Country and their owne credites may attend their charges constantly against all toylesome dangers corrupt gaine shewing themselues in all their actions reformers not deformers Their standing seates will be most apt the one for Mounster at Killmallock the other for Vlster at Liffuer So as occasion shall require may they best answere the Deputy and the Deputy then being as it were in the middest betwixt them of equall distance from them both Then there is needfull to be two Marshalls who being aptly chosen for the purpose should at the direction of the Deputy and Presidents goe to one exployt while they be eyther at some other or else otherwise necessarily ministring Iustice Thus the Deputy answering and they assisting one another both the labour will be the easier and the Enemie the more doubtfull being set to fiue seuerall wayes As before of the Deputy so here of these Officers I thinke it requisite that their Seruice haue some limitation of time and that the Presidents fiue yeares vnlesse sicknes or other necessity occasion the contrary And for the Marshalls it were not amisse they were made Patentees to continue during life vnlesse through misbehauiour they should deserue to be displaced or through good desert to be better aduanced In choise of the Lord Chauncellour and all other Officers there would be like regard had that through needinesse they bee not carried from Iustice which next vnder God must bee the chiefest reformer The like is to be said of the Clarke of the Check that he be a carefull man to see the bands full Also the Captaines their Officers and Souldiers that they make neither a Haruest of the Seruice nor a spoyle of the Subiects but rather together with seeking to suppresse the Rebellion without malice to any mans person to sowe the seede of good example whereby both themselues and those that their Seruice shall be meane to reforme may reape of God and your Maiesty an honest godly Haruest to the iust reward of their Seruices both for bodies and soules There are diuersities of
equall Iustice vnto all which hee knew to be her Maiesties minde And quoth he this sword laying his hand vpon the sword of State shall punish ill doers without partiality and protect the good subiect from violence and iniury but because words and deedes doe now a dayes vse to dwell farre assunder I leaue you that heare me now hereafter to iudge mee and my words by my deedes This short speech being pronounced in such a manner as his naturall Maiestie of personage spirit and countenance did vsually afford receiued no lesse applause from the standers by then it gaue them hope it would proue a debt wherein the payment would iustly follow the promise The ceremony being ended with the accustomed rites thereunto belonging The next day hee communicated in Councell his commission and instructions which for the better satisfaction of such as mistake the graunt of that gouernment both in limit of authority and terme of Residencie I haue thought meete to declare that his Pattent was as all other Deputies not with limitation The amplitude of the Deputies Cōmission of yeares or time of gouernment but during pleasure containing power to make warre and peace To leauy Armes and Forces for that purpose To punish and pardon offenders To conferre all Offices and collate all Spirituall promotions and dignities a fewe of them excepted concluded with the greatest Latitude of authority which can bee giuen a Subiect which is to doe all things in cases of Iustice and gouernment as the Prince might doe being present The reseruation of making Priuie Counsailers great Officers Bishops and such like alwayes giuen heere by the Prince himselfe with diuers other things too long to be here recited In his priuate instructions besides matters of profit as sparing her Maiesties purse and easing her charge setling of differences amongst the subiects and planting indifferencie betweene the superiour and inferiour taking away thereby dependencie The erecting of the Vniuersity in Dublin giuē in charge to the Deputy the bane of that Kingdome There was precisely giuen him in charge the erection of an Vniuersity in Dublin for the aduancement of learning neuer till that time set on foote and that by this Deputies vrging though long time before proiected and in King Edward the sixt time intended So soone as the mists of Ignorance the mother of Popish deuotion was by the shining reformation of Religion dispierced and most especially requisite in that Kingdome as a chiefe spring and fountaine of ciuility His authority thus shewed He fell with them in Councell touching the affaires of that Kingdome both as it was giuen him in charge and as they were presented to the viewe of his owne experient iudgement wherein he spent eighteene dayes after which consultation hee fell to shewe the fruites of Councell in setting downe acts and decrees Amnestia or the act of Obliuion for the good of her Maiesties seruice and Kingdome amongst which was Amnestia or the act of Obliuion according to the institution of the ancient and excellent Law-giuers the Lacedemonians being in the nature of a generall pardon for offences past which was both a mercifull and a politique prouision to keepe Transgressours from despaire the ready mean to enduce them to the encrease of mischiefe but being reduced to obedience by this act of clemencie and so setled in security It was most probable and likely that they who had lately felt the smart of raging and wantfull warre would now kisse peace and embrace it with a firmer constancy At the same time he sent into England the sonne of the late Earle of Desmond being but young and yet held dangerous hee should be bred in that Kingdome where practise might worke his escape and little meanes was to yeeld him a meete breeding with request for his carefull education here that Religion and ciuility might after leade him to the performance of those duties wherein through barbarisme his Predecessours had erred and trangressed Then like a good Gouernour that would abandon ease the mother of errour and corruption The Lord Deputies Progresse into Connaught Mounster he left Dublin the seate of State to settle the remote parts and Prouinces of Mounster and Connaught vnder their Gouernours newly sent ouer General Norrys Lord President of Mounster and Captaine Richard Bingham chiefe Commissioner of Connaught in whose choise this Lord Deputy as I haue heard had a great hand iudging them meete men both for the managing of warre and conseruation of peace So much did their valour iudgement and experience promise for them who had at that time gained the reputation of the two most able Captaines of our Nation wherein his wisedome or fortune did appeare the greater when by such meanes his directions should not onely be skilfully performed but himselfe cased of that care and feare a Chiefe is subiect to when his substitutes be weake especially such principall Gouernours as haue power to answere suddaine occasions vpon their owne discretions but how sufficient so euer they were as his authority was to gouerne them so he thought it his part to guide them by the example of his owne worke purposing in those Prouinces to heare complaints to redresse abuses to decide controuersies and to appease dissentions and quarrels betweene Lords of Countries and men of Ability and speciall quality whose discords and controuersies had vsually drawne them into vnwarrantable actions and many times enforced the Prince both to the hazard and losse of the good Subiects and to the expence of Treasure to bring an Army to appease their quarrels as in the contention betweene Desmond and Ormonde had lately falne out and that which is most dangerous in that Kingdome It hath alwayes beene found that Rebellion hath beene the Successour of priuate quarrels Mischiefe like ambition clyming to the highest places For these ends and purposes the Deputy tooke his iourney from Dublin the thirteenth day of Iuly attended on by diuers persons of account in that State and came to Molingarre the 16. of the same moneth where to preuent discouery of such intelligence as should passe betweene him and the Councell at Dublin by the interception of his or their Letters Hee deuised and sent thence to the Lord Chancellour and Sir Henry Wallop the Treasurer the late Iustices and now by him authorised for the dispatch of the affaires of the State in his absence The Deputies Alphabeticall deuice of secrecie certaine ciphers and figures framed after an Alphabet importing the names of some of the chiefe persons and places in England and Ireland which deuise for secrecie was most necessarie in that Kingdome where the people are very inquisitiue and in the succeeding Warre were apt to giue discouery to the Rebell as well for Religions sake as to gaine fauour vpon his Incursions The want of this course had like to haue opened to the Rebell the last and greatest intention of the Lord Burgh against them by the interception of his last Letter to the
The Deputy against Bishops in commendam granting of Bishopricks in Commendam shewing the inconueniencies that follow the heaping of many Lyuings into one hand for the more sufficient men being imployed the more encrease of Religion is likely and on the contrary the diminution of Teachers must needs hinder knowledge and encrease ignorance In the second place Aduice was taken how to bring the rude and vnruly people to bee plyable to the Lawes which are the best ballances of right and rules of Iustice and to that end Letters were directed to the Lords and Chiefes of account that their Countries which were large in circuite might be deuided into Counties in places where now were none as in Vlfter and to place Officers therein according to the vse and custome of England as Shriefes Excheaters Feodaries Constables and the like whereby the poorer sort of people might be kept from oppression and speedier Iustice with lesse charge might bee had nearer at home The ignorant might bee instructed what to doe and how to liue The wilfull made subiect to the rule of Law or corrected by it The great men kept from tyrannizing ouer their Tenants and Vnderlings and the Inferiour sort should know how to support themselues by lawfull meanes against vnlawfull Vsurpations This course was consented to by most and not contradicted by any but some fewe of the worst condition and that rather by secret then open opposition Diuision of Counties in Vlster The Counties thus made in Vlster were these Ardmagh Monahan Tyrone Colerane Denegall Fermanagh and Cauan These circuites thus deuided and setled into Shieres the Deputy with the Chancellour appointed sundry of the best estimation to be Iustices of the Peace to whom hee wrote to shew into what degree of trust they were called and how important the charge was for her Maiesties Seruice and that if in them should Admonition to the Iustices of Peace be found such industry and sincerity as was expected hee then saw no cause but that the course of enormities which had heretofore runne with more impunity then was meete might be stopped and the State of that Country brought from good to better or at least not suffered to decline againe from bad to worse as heretofore in the late broken times it had done Further assuring them that as hee should be glad to finde them to performe their duties so hee gaue them to vnderstand that in which of them so euer hee found any crime or defect whereby so good a Seruice should bee hindered or cortupted they should bee brought vnder such leuere penalty and reprehension as the Law could any way permit besides the diminution of their credit and good opinion This Letter of admonition bare date the 15 of December 1584 and with it were sent certaine Articles of Order for Iustices of Peace Orders for the Iustices of peace and choice of a Coronor and Constables to bee obserued within their seuerall limits through the whole Realme To these were added an Authority and Writs directed for the choise of a Coroner in euery County and of two able and discreete men to be Constables in euery Barony besides â—â—tty Constables to be Assistants and yet inferiour Officers in the discharge of their duties These affaires for that Kingdome thus begun and in some sort setled in the first yeare A Parliament in England of this Deputies gouernment A Parliament beginning in the end of the yeare in England and his care continuing to prosecute alwayes for the support of that long vnstayed State finding but colde successe of the promises to his propositions from the Lords in England the Ruler of her Maiesties Purse being loath to aduance any neuer so important Seruice by the expence of Treasure especially such a summe as nothing but extremity could make him thinke meete should be disbursed which sparing indeede brought extremity to that Kingdome hee resolued to try what the Parliament would doe in so important a cause and to that end wrote ouer a Letter to craue their helpe for the reformation and strengthening of that ruinous Realme which because it was such a zeale and direction to doe good and may perhaps serue for a President when time shall require for the further establishment of that State I haue thought good to set downe and insert the Letter it selfe Sir John Perrot Lord Deputie of Ireland to the Commons House of Parliament in England The Deputies Letter to the Parliament in England MOst high and Noble Assembly the duty I owe to God her Maiesty and my Country and the interest I haue in you rproceedings though I now be not as often I haue beene a member of that House moues mee not onely to pray deuoutly that God will blesse all your Counsels but also to thinke carefully of any thing that I conceiue may be worthy your graue consultation and tend to the glory of God her Maiesties Honour and safety and strength and profit of the whole State The malice of the Pope and all combinations and practises both Forraigne and Domesticall thereupon depending which haue beene most apparently discouered from all quarters and of late partly from hence I humbly leaue to be by your grauities prouided for therefore her Maiestie hauing assigned mee though vnworthy to the charge of this Realme I am drawne by commiseration to present the torne and miserable estate of the same vnto your viewes together with the occasions and meanes of redresse that are now offered and which it humbly imploreth through your godly and Honourable aydes I trust I shall not neede to goe about to confute the bad opinion that hath beene held of some concerning the reformation of the same for I am perswaded that there is no one amongst you so vngodly as doth thinke all mischiefe sufferable in a Common-wealth for pollicies sake or so ill aduised as not to see the great charge this Realme hath beene vnto that and must still breede vnto it while it is in disorder or degenerate from the Noble courage of our Forefathers as to doubt that England shall not be able to rule and hold Ireland being reduced to good estate For sith all power is of God and that either of his mercie hee establisheth the happy continuance of all well ordered Kingdomes or of his iustice ouerthroweth or translateth the contrary No man that hath any spaike of grace or reason can hope that euer England may long enioy Ireland if it suffer it in this licentious impunity to embrewe it selfe in Heathenish and superstitious Idolatries Treasons Rebellions Murthers Rapes Robberies Mischiefes or doubt that it may become a strong and profitable ornament to England if on the other side religion duty obedience peace quietnesse true dealing order ciuility may be planted in it Because examples doe more perswade somtimes then reason I humbly beseech you to reuiew the ancient State of this Kingdom and it will appeare by good demonstrations not vnknowne to some of that