State opened and coppied by a Captaine trusted with the conueyance thereof and by him certified to the Traytor Tyrone but in the way intercepted by the Marshal Sir Henry Bagnall The originall of these Cyphers are yet to bee seene with the worthy Sonne of that most worthy Father Sir Henry Wallop of whom since my heart vpon good knowledge of him guides my Pen I craue pardon for digressing from my matter now in hand to speake a word of him He was of an auncient family and an Inheritour of a faire fortune which he managed with so much prouidence as it being seconded by a well knowne wisedome hee was Elected to this place of Vice-Treasurer and Treasurer at Warres in Ireland which as I haue often credibly heard he was vnwilling to accept of not because the place was in the Market at a price to be had according to the Custome of France but freely disposed as all Offices were by that glorious Queene who well vnderstood that he which buyes deare must sell at the same rate by which meanes the poore Subiect whose weale lay next her heart must suffer inconuenience but out of feare that treasure which corrupts most men might doe no lesse to him This place hee discharged many yeares with so cleane hands and so vpright a heart as hee added not to his fortune any matter of moment but at his death was found vpon an euen ground neither in debt to the Queene nor to be charged with any gratuity from Officer Captaine or other in that Kingdome and carried this report to his graue that neuer Treasurer so wise and prouident enioyed so long and reaped so little benefit by so beneficiall a place and dyed without the Taynt of corruption either in that Office or any other which hee held by the fauour of the State in that Kingdome The Lord Deputy hauing performed this with many other things of importance set forwards on his iourney into Connaught where hee dealt with the chiefe Lords to change their custome of strife and controuersie at this time frequent into amity and friendship Charity breeding Piety and both establishing ciuility as the Earles of Thomond and Clanrichard the Lord Bremigham the Burghs of Euter Connaught the Okelleis Oconnor Roe Oconnor Don Oconnor Sligo Mac-William Eughter Murtho-ne-doe-Oflarty The Oneales Mac Trenor Mac Mahond Mac Enispoc both the Mac Nemurroes the two Mac Mahones and all the Chiefes of Connaught and Thomond that both they and the meaner Subiect might be preserued in peace without priuate wrongs for assurance of their loyalties and the readier payment of their compositions He put to death Donnogh Beg Obryan Donnogh-Beg-Obryan put to death a bioudy murtherer and spoyler of the good Subiect with sixe of his accomplices This naughty person shewed as much resolution in suffering death as before he had manifested cruelly in his bloudy actions which did argue the goodnesse of the seruice in cutting him so timely off for he that wants remorce of conscience at the time of his death is in his soule delighted in doing mischiefe The practise of Surleboys inuading Vlster discouered Hee passed on to Limbrick in the Prouince of Mounster where hee receiued intelligence from the Baron of Donganon Sir Nicholas Bagnall the Marshall Captaine Mince then lying in Odonnells Country and others of the approach of a Thousand Scottish Islanders called Redshankes being of the Septs or Families of the Cambiles Macconnells and Macgalanes drawne to inuade Vlster by Surleboys one of that Nation who had vsurped and by power and strong hand possessed himselfe of the Macguilies and other mens Lands in Vlster called the Glimes and the Routes meaning to hold that by force which hee had gotten without right by violence fraud and iniurie The Deputy at the same time receiued priuate notice of a Messenger sent from the Irish of Vlster to stirre vp the Lords and Chiefes of Mounster and Connaught to ioyne with them in Rebellion for whom he caused wayte to be Tirlogh Leynaghs fosterer taken layde and had him apprehended and brought to himselfe who vpon examination after some deniall confessed that hee was Tirlogh Leynagh then called Oneales fosterer and by him imployed to procure those people to ioyne in Rebellion with him and his Accomplices according to a former combination made before his Lordshippes arriuall in that Kingdome when it was destitute of an vnderstanding Commander or such a Garrison of Souldiers as was fit to answere such an occasion hereby expressing the condition of that people to watch all opportunity to deliuer themselues from the yoake of the English gouernment and hee confessed withall that now hauing moued the Lord Fitzmorrice and some other Lords of Mounster to enter into The opinion of the Deputies Iustice kept the Lord Fitzmorrice and others frō Rebellion the promised Insurrection hee was answered by them that since Sir Iohn Perrot who all that Country knew and esteemed to be a iust man was arriued and made Deputy none of them would stirre so long as hee and the Earle of Ormonde continued in that Kingdome so as the cause which makes the English gouernment heauy to that people plainely appeares to be the corruption of our Gouernours else had not Sir Iohn Perrot whose sincerity was knowne to them had more power to containe them in obedience then another of his Country and quality should haue had in the processe of this Story it will likewise appeare that Oneale himselfe was wonn to loyalty and a peaceable subiection merely by the Iustice of this Deputy when hee came once to be knowne amongst them of the North. Neuerthelesse the newes of the Preparation in Vlster The Deputies returne to preuent the Ilanders and the danger of a discent of the Scottish Islanders there being by the Deputy wel weighed broke off his farther proceedings in that Prouince and called him backe to the preuention of the same leauing this Prouince secured by taking Pledges of all suspected persons and constituting in each Country trusty and able Gouernours to keepe the people in obedience if any stirre should happen in his absence taking the President of Mounster who was desirous to accompany him along with him to the Northerne Expedition and appointing such as he suspected to attend him to Dublin ordaining in his absence the County of Corke to be gouerned by the Iustices Walshe and Miagh The Sheriffe Sir William Stanley the Lords Barry and Roche the County of Limbrick to the Prouost Marshall the County of Desmond to the Earle of Clancarthie Sir Owen Oswilliuan and Oswilliuan More The County of Kerry to the Sheriffe and the Lord Fitz-Morris with others whose pledges hee tooke with him The Liberty and County of Tipperary whose Iurisdiction was by Charter challenged to belong to the Earle of Ormonde he left as he found it to the auncient course of gouernment vnder Thomas the then Earle a man of singular wisedome and loyalty and by her Maiestie highly fauoured This Earle first
opinions what seruice were fit to bee first attempted and where Some in Vlster against the Scots Some in Connaught against the Burks Some in Mounster against Desmond and some in Leynster against Baltinglass and each haue their reason It were not good to neglect any of them but presently at least to front euery of them The choyse therefore where to begin would be left at large at the Deputies discretion to doe therin as he seeth cause Neuerthelesse aboue all the rest that in Leynster which aptly may bee called an intestin mischiefe would be in mine opinion first dealt withall as well for the indignity of the matter as also for the suppression of the Birnes Tooles and Cauenaghes which as now to Baltinglass haue and euer will be ready Rebellion to the Omoores Oconers and all others For vntill they be eyther extirped or throughly brought vnder by fortifications vpon their fastnesses Dublin Kildare Westmeth the Kings Queenes Counties cannot be cleare either of theirs the Omoores and Oconors incursions spoyles or of doubt of the Magoghigans Omoloyes other stirring Irish borderers But they being suppressed the Omoores Oconors lose all their chiefe strength and refuge and the residue with either the Sword or the Law will be easily enough kept vnder So as then the Pale may without feare or danger attend your Maiesties other Seruice with their best ayde That being happily as it willw i th Gods fauour be soone at chieued then is your Deputy to proceede against the rest and still as hee goeth to make great paces throughout all their Woods and fatnesses and small fortifications vpon euery their streight and strength after the example of your Maiesties most Noble Progenitors in subduing of Wales And whilst this is in doing your Maiestie had neede to haue not onely part of your Nauy to lye on the Coast to answere forraign attempts if there be cause and to keep the Rebels from starting ouer Sea But also small Vessels to lye vpon the Scots to impeach their Inuasions The Rebellion being repressed and your Maiesty hauing shewed mercy to those that you shall see cause to bestowe it well vpon then must the fruits of peaceable Gouernement be made to appeare To that end it shall be requisite to call a Parliament and by Authority thereof not onely to reuiue all former olde Statutes that shall be consonant to a reformed Gouernment but also to Enact new for the establishing of the Articles ensuing and such other as vpon aduice shall be thought meete 1. First for as much as the only way for true obedience to the Prince groweth by true knowledge of God it shal be requisite that two Vniuersities where the same may bee truly taught be erected with as conuenient speede as may be The fittest places for them will be at Lymbrick for the south part and Arnagh for the North The meanes to doe it may bee partly by some of the Lands that shall excheat to your Maiesty by this Rebellion and partly by imposition of workes labours carriages and money as Fines vpon those that shall bee thought fit to be pardoned 2 Item to the end it may appeare that the reformation tendeth to a lawfull Gouernement it shall bee meete that a Collection bee made of the Lawes already in force and a publique denuntiation made by Proclamation for the putting of them in present Execution especially the Lawes of King Kogish 3 Item the Earle of Ormond is to be compounded withall for his liberties of Tibredary so as your Maiesties Lawes onely ruling there my Lord neuerthelesse to haue the Excheats as by the ordinance of Wales the Lords Marchers haue there As for the Earle of Desmond his liberties of County Pallantine in Kerry there needeth no composition with him he being in Rebellion 4 Item that all Ireland bee reduced into Manours so as hauing Courts Barons Leetes and Lawdayes kept orderly vpon them the people may haue Iustice for meane actions neere home 5 Item that all Cesse cuttings and Irish exactions as Bonnaght Coyne and Liuory Fowey Soren Black rents and such like bee cleane abollished And that in lieu thereof a certaine Annuall rent bee rated vpon euery Plow Land to the vse of the Lord by composition tripartity indented to be made betwixt your Maiestie the Lord and his Free-holder by the Lord Deputy Lord Presidents or other Commissioners by them authorized reseruing besides for your Maiesty according to the Statutes made for that purpose 13 shillings foure pence vpon euery Plow land with prouiso that if the Lord doe breake the composition or take againe any of the said exactions then hee to forfeit the inheritance of those Lands And that by that tripartity Indenture both the Lord and the Freeholder bee bound to let his demeanes or any other Land that he shall demise to the Tennant otherwise called Churle at a reasonable rent certaine for terme of 21 yeares at least Thus the Freeholder and the Tennant being at a certainty and rid of the vncertaine spoyle and spending of the Lord and feeling the ease and commodity thereof will withstand the vnlawfull attempts of the Lord and be ready with his body and goods against him if neede bee at the deuotion of the State that shall be meanes thus to enrich and better his estate 6 Item no Lord or Gentlemen for any respect or colour of Seruice be admitted to put vpon his Lordship or Signory any Galloglagh Kerne or Shot or to grant them any Kenelagh Follow Bonaghbeg or Bonaghburr vpon paine offellony Neuerthelesse vpon any great necessity the Lord Deputy or Lords Presidents shall put in any Galloglagh Kerne or Shot and those to be called and reputed your Maiesties Galloglagh Kerne or Shot 7 Item that all Brehons Carraghes Bardes and Rymers that infect the people Friars Monkes Iesuites Pardoners Nunns and such like that openly seeke the maintenance of Papacy a Traytrous kinde of people the Bellowes to blow the coales of all mischiefe and Rebellion and fit spies of Antichrist whose Kingdome they greedily expect to bee restored be executed by Marshall Law and their fauourers and maintainers by due course of Law to be tryed and executed as in cases of Treason 8 Item if your Maiesty in respect of pollicie or otherwise doe not thinke it good vtterly to destroy the Irish Scots that doe continually inuade your good Subiects and ayde the Rebellious against your Highnesse That it were well your Maiesty did graunt to the Earle of Arguile an yearely Pention for a time to the end he should restraine them from comming euer into England 9 Item that the English Horsemen Footmen the Galloglaghes Kerne and Irish Shot bee placed in the seuerall Prouinces of the Realme as the seruice and the necessity of the place shall require And that of the Lands in your Maiesties disposition by Excheat or otherwise as soone as conuensently may bee some portions bee allotted to them to dwell vpon and manure at a certaine reasonable rate And
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
diligence and tooke in good part all his doings as proceeding from a speciall zeale to doe her seruice yet finding or suspecting a taxe withall to bee layde on his iudgement in some matters which did arise as he conceiued from the perswasion of his Euemies his nature would not suffer him to The Deputy writeih to the Queene suppresse or conceale his griefe Hee therefore wrote ouer vnto her as hee had already done vnto the Lords of her Counsaile shewing the good successe of his late Northerne iourney with the necessity thereof and the content of the Councell thereunto and to his proceeding in tendering the Oath of obedience hee pleaded warrant and pollicie of State and to all the other allegations as of Nouelties and supposed inconuemencies hee replyed that they were malicious furmises and without cause of doubt therein as his Aduersary pretended alleadging a dangerous consequence to breede feare doubt and disquietnesse in the Natiues which were but suggestions to hinder such seruices as would easily be performed without perill finding now the pride and power of the euill affected Irish to be altogether abated and the people enclined to yeeld conformity vnto his commandements Therefore it seemed fit to him to take the opportunity which the time offered to worke that which former time could not compasse But finding all this how necessary so euer crossed by them which should rather haue giuen furtherance to it construing his actions astending to innouation likely to stirre dissention and produce danger He confessed that he was much disconraged but yet would pursue his course in the best manner he could being so restrayned For the view of mens Charters wherewith hee was charged hee denied that euer he intended much lesse practised the Accusers malice and slander Hee confessed that hee had vrged some of them to take the Oath of obedience and gaue his reason for it for finding their obstinacie and repugnance to reason in Parliament he held this the best meanes to try their sidelily by concluding with all humility which tasted something neuerthelesse of passion and griefe for it must needes trouble him to see his zealous care to assure all things to the good of his Prince mistaken by the malice of his Aduersaries whose whole ayme being but at their owne particular were not so sensible as they should haue beene how they euerted the publique by pudling the water wherein their fish lay And to strengthen this their information to the end hee might be made the more distastfull to her Maiestie and the Lords of her Counsell Some of the Lords of the English Pale are incited The Lords of the English Pale write against the Deputy to write vnto the Queene 15 Iuly 1585 in complaint against the Deputy that ouer and besides a composition of two thousand pounds yearely reuennew formerly made in lieu of Cess and other charges claimed to belong by Prerogatiue vnto the State from the fiue Counties of the English Pale hee intended to impose a second charge of fifteene hundred pound per Anum sterling so making the yoake of her Gouernment to appeare heauie and insupportable But not long after some of those Lords finding themselues abused as the Vicount Gormanstowne the Lords of Slany The Lords by another Letter recanted their errour Heathe and Trimelstene by another Letter recanted their errour expressing sorrow for mistaking the Deputies meaning acknowledging his fatherly care of them the Country for those were the words of their Letter and that they would not haue written against him neither for the former particular nor for the suspension of Poynings Act if they had discerned or vnderstood what they now found of his disposition to doe them and the Country right This shewes in what a slippery seare they fit that gouerne that Kingdome for Innocencie is not alwayes safe though it be euer best for it cannot bee free from imputation when it is free from corruption the vnder-Instruments of State aduauncing themselues thereby Notwithstanding these complaints crossings and backbitings the Deputy like a carefull Common-wealths man and iust seruant to his Prince professed he would proceede on to the discharge of his duty as long as he held that place esteeming it better to be disgraced for doing well then to be remiss in doing well Therefore care is had to settle a Composition in Cannaught sutable to that in Vlster begun for the encrease of the Crownes reuennew and setling of some certainty in that Prouince betwixt the Lords and their Tenants for the preuention of such mischiefes as had happened formerly there by their disagreement and for the reformation of such enormities as were frequent by the dependencie of the mean person vpon the chiefe Lords To this purpose in the same yeare so soone as the late begun troubles of Vlster were pacified and the other Prouinces of Ireland began to be plyable and conformable to Iustice and Peace A commission is directed to Sir Richard Commission sent into Connaught for making the composition Bingham the Gouernour of Connaught Sir Nicholas White Master of the Rowles Sir Thomas Lestrange Charles Calthorpe the Queenes Attourney Generall Thomas Dillon Chiefe Iustice of Connaught Gerard Comeford Attourney there and Francis Barkeley to enter into a course for procuring a composition with the principall Lords spirituall and temporall The Chiefetaines of Countries Gentlemen and Free-holders of that Prouince of Connaught to passe vnto the Queenes Maiesty her Heires and Successours a graunt of tenne shillings English or a marke Irish vpon euery quarter of land containing 120 Acres manured or to be manured as the phrase went and was significantly set downe that beares either horne or corne that was with tillage or cattell in lieu and consideration to bee discharged from other Cess taxation or tallage excepting the rising out of Horse and Foote for the Seruice of the Prince and State such as should be particularly agreed vpon and some certaine dayes labour for building and fortifaction for the safety of the people and Kingdome According to which Commission and the directions therein contained These Commissioners did trauaile through the seuerall Counties of Connaught first calling and conferring with the Lords Chiefetaines Gentlemen and Free-holders in their seuerall Precincts and Possessions to finde their dispositions how farre they were willing to condiscend and yeeld to such a course for the satisfaction of their Prince and freedome of themselues from further burthens to make their charge certaine and that but small These things well The Commissioners handled the Commission discreetly propounded and discreetly prosecuted most and in a manner all the principall possessours of land in that Prouince as they were generally dealt withall did assent to this contribution for their owne ease as well as for the satisfaction and seruice of the Prince of the first themselues were sensible of the other they had onely aduertisement from the Commissioners being well chosen for that purpose especially Sir Richard Bingham the Gouernour then